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Thursday, February 28, 2013
Sony's 4K Movie Streaming Will Work on PS4?At 100GB a Pop
Nut-cracking monkeys use shapes to strategize their use of tools
Feb. 27, 2013 ? Bearded capuchin monkeys deliberately place palm nuts in a stable position on a surface before trying to crack them open, revealing their capacity to use tactile information to improve tool use.
The results are published February 27 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Dorothy Fragaszy and colleagues from the University of Georgia.
The researchers analyzed the monkeys' tool-use skills by videotaping adult monkeys cracking palm nuts on a surface they used frequently for the purpose. They found that monkeys positioned the nuts flat side down more frequently than expected by random chance. When placing the nuts, the monkeys knocked the nuts on the surface a few times before releasing them, after which the nuts very rarely moved.
The researchers suggest that the monkeys may have learned to optimize this tool-use strategy by repeatedly knocking the nut to achieve the stable position prior to cracking it. They conclude that the monkeys' strategic placement of the nut reveals that the monkeys pay attention to the fit between the nut and the surface each time they place the nut, and adjust their actions accordingly.
In a parallel experiment, the scientists asked blindfolded people to perform the same action, positioning palm nuts on an anvil as if to crack them with a stone or hammer. Like the monkeys, the human participants also followed tactile cues to place the nut flat-side down on the anvil.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Public Library of Science.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- Dorothy M. Fragaszy, Qing Liu, Barth W. Wright, Angellica Allen, Callie Welch Brown, Elisabetta Visalberghi. Wild Bearded Capuchin Monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) Strategically Place Nuts in a Stable Position during Nut-Cracking. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (2): e56182 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056182
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
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Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Beyonce, The-Dream Making 'Music That Feels Good'
'She's just shooting to be regular and OK and not trying to appease everybody,' The-Dream tells 'RapFix Live.'
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway
The-Dream on "RapFix Live"
Photo: MTV News
Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1702753/beyonce-the-dream-music.jhtml
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Windeln.de, The German Diapers.com Clone, Raises Further $19.6M For Its Baby Products Online Store
More VC activity in European e-commerce: Windeln.de, an online shop for baby products in Germany (or Diapers.com clone), has raised a ?15 million (~$19.6m) new round of funding from existing investors DN Capital and Acton Capital Partners, while new investors MCI and 360 Capital Partners also participated. We understand that DN capital and MCI co-led the round. The new capital will be used to expand the product offering and improve customer service, as well as enter additional European markets. Claiming to be Germany's largest web store for daily baby products, Munich-based Windeln, offers more than 20,000 products of over 300 brands, that cab be ordered for home delivery. These range from diapers, baby food and skin care to safety products, such as gates and monitors.Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/xybbaOuHfSE/
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Wiz Khalifa And Amber Rose Get Baby Bash Advice From Snooki
'Snooki & JWoww' star also suggests setting up a playdate with Sebastian and her own baby Lorenzo.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Lisa Chudnofsky
Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose
Photo: MTV/ Twitter
Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1702622/wiz-khalifa-amber-rose-snooki-baby-advice.jhtml
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Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Toxic mice air drop: Dead poisoned mice to target Guam tree snakes
Toxic mice air drop: The US government is about target invasive brown tree snakes in Guam by bombing the island with dead mice laced with?acetaminophen, which is toxic to the reptiles.
A Brown Tree Snake is held by a US Department of Agriculture wildlife specialist at Andersen Air Force Base on the island of Guam. The US government is planning to drop toxic mice from helicopters to battle the snakes, an invasive species that has decimated Guam's native bird population.
Eric Talmadge/AP
EnlargeAndersen Air Force Base, Guam
Dead mice laced with painkillers are about to rain down on?Guam's?jungle canopy. They are scientists' prescription for a headache that has caused the tiny U.S. territory misery for more than 60 years: the brown tree snake.
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Most of?Guam's?native bird species are extinct because of the snake, which reached the island's thick jungles by hitching rides from the South Pacific on U.S. military ships shortly after World War II. There may be 2 million of the reptiles on?Guam?now, decimating wildlife, biting residents and even knocking out electricity by slithering onto power lines.
More than 3,000 miles away, environmental officials in Hawaii have long feared a similar invasion ? which in their case likely would be a "snakes on a plane" scenario. That would cost the state many vulnerable species and billions of dollars, but the risk will fall if?Guam's?air-drop strategy succeeds.
"We are taking this to a new phase," said Daniel Vice, assistant state director of U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services in Hawaii,?Guam, and the Pacific Islands. "There really is no other place in the world with a snake problem like?Guam."
Brown tree snakes are generally a few feet (1 meter) long but can grow to be more than 10 feet (3 meters) in length. Most of?Guam's?native birds were defenseless against the nocturnal, tree-based predators, and within a few decades of the reptile's arrival, nearly all of them were wiped out.
The snakes can also climb power poles and wires, causing blackouts, or slither into homes and bite people, including babies; they use venom on their prey but it is not lethal to humans.
The infestation and the toll it has taken on native wildlife have tarnished?Guam'simage as a tourism haven, though the snakes are rarely seen outside their jungle habitat.
The solution to this headache, fittingly enough, is acetaminophen, the active ingredient in painkillers including Tylenol.
The strategy takes advantage of the snake's two big weaknesses. Unlike most snakes, brown tree snakes are happy to eat prey they didn't kill themselves, and they are highly vulnerable to acetaminophen, which is harmless to humans.
The upcoming mice drop is targeted to hit snakes near?Guam's?sprawling Andersen Air Force Base, which is surrounded by heavy foliage and if compromised would offer the snakes a potential ticket off the island. Using helicopters, the dead neonatal mice will be dropped by hand, one by one.
U.S. government scientists have been perfecting the mice-drop strategy for more than a decade with support from the Department of Defense and the Department of the Interior.
To keep the mice bait from dropping all the way to the ground, where it could be eaten by other animals or attract insects as they rot, researchers have developed a flotation device with streamers designed to catch in the branches of the forest foliage, where the snakes live and feed.
Experts say the impact on other species will be minimal, particularly since the snakes have themselves wiped out the birds that might have been most at risk.
"One concern was that crows may eat mice with the toxicant," said William Pitt, of the U.S. National Wildlife Research Center's Hawaii Field Station. "However, there are no longer wild crows on?Guam. We will continue to refine methods to increase efficiency and limit any potential non-target hazards."
The mouse drop is set to start in April or May.
Vice said the goal is not to eradicate the snakes, but to control and contain them. Just as the snakes found their way to?Guam, they could stow away on a ship, or more likely the cargo hold of an airplane, and begin breeding on other islands around the Pacific or even the U.S. West Coast.
That "snakes on a plane" scenario has officials in Hawaii on edge. The islands of Hawaii, like?Guam, lack the predators that could keep a brown tree snake population in check.
Native Hawaiian birds "literally don't know what to do when they see a snake coming," said Christy Martin, a spokeswoman for the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, a partnership of Hawaii government agencies and private organizations.
A 2010 study conducted by the National Wildlife Research Center found brown tree snakes would cause between $593 million and $2.14 billion in economic damage each year if they became established in Hawaii like they are on?Guam. Power outages would cause the most damage, followed by a projected decline in tourism. The cost of treating snake bites would account for a small share.
"Once we get snakes here, we're never going to be able to fix the situation," Martin said.
Though the snakes are native to Australia and Papua New Guinea,?Guam?is much closer to Hawaii and its snake population is much more dense, meaning it is the primary threat for snake stowaways.
So far,?Guam's?containment seems to be working. Only a few brown tree snakes have ever been found in Hawaii, and none over the past 17 years.
"If we continue doing what we are doing, the chance of success is very high," Vice said. "If what we are doing stops, I think the possibility of the snakes getting to Hawaii is inevitable."
___
AP writer Audrey McAvoy contributed to this report from Honolulu.
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The PS4's processor and performance: what we know and what we think we know
After all the press events, TV cameos and probing interviews, what do we really know about the PS4? The announcement of the next-gen console is a prime example of having an abundance of specs and a lack of knowledge. Although Sony put out a sheet of stats about the console's processor and memory, many of the words it used -- Jaguar cores, compute units, unified memory -- are more ambiguous than they may sound.
Nevertheless, even with all these foggy bits, there are some things -- five, in fact -- that we probably can predict about the PS4's hardware. They're listed after the break in order of decreasing certainty. All the way from confident logic down to... well, not quite flailing around with a butter knife during a power cut, but you get the picture.
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/25/playstation-4-processor/
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Day after Oscars, Senate committee drops bin Laden film probe
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One day after "Zero Dark Thirty" failed to win major awards at the Oscars, a congressional aide said on Monday the Senate Intelligence Committee has closed its inquiry into the filmmakers' contacts with the Central Intelligence Agency.
The intelligence committee gathered more information from the CIA, film director Kathryn Bigelow, and screenwriter Mark Boal and will not take further action, according to the aide, who requested anonymity.
Sony Pictures Entertainment, which produced the film, had no immediate comment. But attacks by Washington politicians may have damaged its prospects at the Academy Awards. "Zero Dark Thirty" was nominated for a best picture award, which it did not win. Also, in what industry watchers considered a snub, Bigelow did not receive a best director nomination.
The Senate committee launched its review of the film, a dramatization of how the U.S. government located and killed Osama bin Laden, after its chairwoman, Senator Dianne Feinstein, expressed outrage over scenes that implied that "enhanced interrogations" of CIA detainees produced an breakthrough that helped lead to the al Qaeda leader.
In December, as "Zero Dark Thirty" was about to premiere nationwide, Feinstein joined fellow Democrat Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Republican Senator John McCain in condemning "particularly graphic scenes of CIA officers torturing detainees" in the film.
A source familiar with contacts between the filmmakers and intelligence officials said the CIA did not tell the filmmakers "enhanced interrogations" led to bin Laden. Instead, the agency helped develop characters in the film, said the source.
The political fallout prompted Bigelow to write in an op-ed piece: "Those of us who work in the arts know that depiction is not endorsement. If it was, no artist would be able to paint inhumane practices, no author could write about them, and no filmmaker could delve into the thorny subjects of our time."
The government cooperated as much, if not more, on "Argo," the film about the 1979-81 hostage crisis in Iran that won the best picture Oscar. Actor-director Ben Affleck and his team were allowed to film scenes in the lobby of the CIA building in Langley, Virginia; the "Zero Dark Thirty" crew did no such filming.
(Reporting By Mark Hosenball. Editing by Warren Strobel and Doina Chiacu)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/senate-intelligence-committee-drops-bin-laden-film-probe-222245522.html
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10 Things to Know for Today
A man casts his vote for the Italian Senate, in Piacenza, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. Italy votes in a watershed parliamentary election Sunday and Monday that could shape the future of one of Europe's biggest economies. (AP Photo/Marco Vasini)
A man casts his vote for the Italian Senate, in Piacenza, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. Italy votes in a watershed parliamentary election Sunday and Monday that could shape the future of one of Europe's biggest economies. (AP Photo/Marco Vasini)
From left, Grant Heslov and Ben Affleck hold their awards for best picture for "Argo" backstage at the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday Feb. 24, 2013, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Cuba's President Raul Castro, waves after voting during a session of the National Assembly in Havana, Cuba, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2012. Cuba?s President Raul Castro accepted a new five-year term that will be, he said, his last as Cuba's president and tapped rising star Miguel Diaz-Canel, 52, as vice-president and first in the line of succession. Diaz-Canel has risen higher than any other Cuban official who didn't directly participate in the 1959 Cuban revolution. (AP Photo/Ismael Francisco, Cubadebate)
Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:
1. 'ARGO,' 'LIFE OF PI' BIG OSCAR WINNERS
Ben Affleck's CIA thriller won best picture, while "Life of Pi" won four trophies, including best director for Ang Lee.
2. STATE-BY-STATE FALLOUT FROM BUDGET CUTS
The White House detailed the impact from $85 billion in cuts set to take effect at week's end.
3. A DATE FOR END OF CASTRO ERA
Raul Castro says he will step down as Cuba's president in 2018.
4. ASSIGNING BLAME FOR GULF OIL SPILL
A trial begins today to determine how much in damages oil giant BP and other companies should pay for the 2010 disaster.
5. HORSE MEAT SCANDAL HITS IKEA
Furniture retailer pulls its Swedish meatballs from shelves in Britain, Ireland and several European countries after Czech authorities detect horse meat in packages labeled as being made of pork and beef.
6. POPE BENEDICT CHANGES THE RULES
In one of his last acts as pope, the pontiff signs the document allowing for an earlier start to the conclave that will elect his successor.
7. ANOTHER STORM HEADED TO CENTRAL US
Blizzard warnings were in effect in Kansas after up to a foot and a half of snow fell there last week.
8. SETH MACFARLANE PRAISED AS IRREVERENT OSCAR HOST
"Macfarlane's strategic misbehavior furnished welcome relief," AP Television Writer Frazier Moore says.
9. TRIPS AND FALLS AT THE OSCARS
Best Actress winner Jennifer Lawrence stumbled on her way to the podium, and injured presenter Kristen Stewart hobbled onstage.
10. POUR ON THE OLIVE OIL
A five-year study finds people who ate Mediterranean-style diets had a 30 percent lower risk of cardiovascular problems.
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Monday, February 25, 2013
Resveratrol and Hearing Loss May Have Connection
It?s possible that resveratrol, a phytonutrient found in red wine and red grapes, may have a role in hearing loss associated with noise. However, before you begin downing glasses of merlot to protect your hearing, read this.
The potent antioxidant resveratrol has been touted as a natural anti-aging supplement and a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. Both of these positive traits seem to have made an appearance in the latest study by researchers from the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.
The animal study, headed by Michael D. Seidman, director of the Division of Otologic/Neurotologic Surgery at the hospital, involved an evaluation of the ability of resveratrol to reduce noise-induced hearing loss. The issue of hearing loss has long been a concern, and with a rapidly aging population that concern is growing.
Approximately 20 percent of Americans have some level of hearing loss, and the majority of these individuals are middle-age or older. However, noise-induced hearing loss among younger people has become an especially important problem given that more than 12 percent of military personnel returning from Afghanistan and Iraq have significant hearing loss.
In fact, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and hearing loss were the most common service-connected disabilities among veterans receiving federal compensation in 2011. Therefore, research into effective ways to prevent and treat hearing loss in people of all ages is critical.
Resveratrol and hearing loss study
The scientific team set out to identify the factor associated with resveratrol that can protect against hearing loss as well as the impact of resveratrol on cognition and aging using an animal model. Specifically, Seidman noted that they looked at ?resveratrol and its effect on bioinflammation, the body?s response to injury and something that is believed to be the cause of many health problems including Alzheimer?s disease, cancer, aging and hearing loss.?
Researchers looked at the effect of resveratrol on cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), a key factor in inflammation. They discovered that while excessive noise exposure caused an up-regulation of COX-2 expression over time, use of resveratrol reduced the potential for damage, inhibited COX-2 expression, and lowered noise-induced hearing loss in rats.
Hearing loss can have a devastating impact on quality of life, resulting in major problems with communication, sleep, and emotional health, as well as raising a person?s risk of heart disease because of a higher prevalence of high blood pressure and glucose. The results of this study are additional evidence that resveratrol can effectively reduce inflammation associated with a significant health problem, in this case noise-induced hearing loss, but further research is needed.
SOURCES:
Seidman MD et al. Resveratrol decreases noise-induced cyclooxygenase-2 expression in the rat cochlea. Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery 2013 Feb; DOI: 0194599813475777
Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration, Annual Benefits Report
Image: Morguefile
Source: http://www.emaxhealth.com/1275/resveratrol-and-hearing-loss-may-have-connection
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Sunday, February 24, 2013
Metals - Regional - Copper closes down at US$3.549/lb on China property market, FOMC minutes
By Greta Bourke -
Copper closed Friday at US$3.549/lb cash on the London Metal Exchange, down over the previous day's US$3.559/oz as sentiment faltered following the release of FOMC...
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This news article is one of hundreds published daily by Business News Americas about the commodities, markets, movements, companies, projects, economics and politics integral to the development of Latin America. Including news and insight from South America, Central America and the Caribbean, BNamericas includes Metals insight and forecasts for business opportunities in Regional. The business development service focuses on major projects, active companies, such as Barclays, Cochilco; and business and sales contacts, providing networking opportunities with leading executives throughout Latin America.
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Saturday, February 23, 2013
Nickelodeon launches iPad app
February 22, 2013
Viacom-owned kids network Nickelodeon is launching a branded TV Everywhere iPad app.
The Nick App will allow kids on-demand access to a range of the kids channel?s content as well as having behind the scenes information and video and associated polls and games.
A user authentication system will be used and, once verified as qualifying pay TV cusotmers, kids can watch full episodes of current Nick shows.
Nick said the app will also be used as a testing ground for new original content.
At launch the app is only available in the US and only for iPad. It will be free of charge. A preschool, Nick Jr. Version will follow later in the year.
?The Nick App creates a new platform unlike anything else available to kids today,? said Steve Youngwood, executive VP and general manager, Digital, Nickelodeon Group. ?The Nick App is the one place where kids can watch and play Nickelodeon and experience the complete fun and funny of our brand, wherever and whenever they want.?
Source: http://www.digitaltveurope.net/33132/nickelodeon-launches-ipad-app/
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Social Media Welcome To Reality On the internet | CulturaPopulara.ro
While others may possibly feel you are merely enjoying the a number of facets of social networking, the truth of your interest may likely be tinged with a organization focus.
What that doesnt imply is that you post simply to leave a traceab?
The use of social media encompasses a broad range of on the web media sorts. Whilst some may possibly only feel of a social network like MySpace there are truly several social media formats that contain substantial marketing and advertising potential for online organization.
Whilst other individuals could believe you are simply enjoying the numerous aspects of social networking, the truth of your interest might probably be tinged with a organization focus.
What that doesnt indicate is that you post merely to leave a traceable link back to your organization website. Those who pay a visit to any social media web site see through posts that are overtly geared toward marketing and advertising. In numerous cases social media consumers view this as spam even if the social network owners do not. In the finish, you can lose credibility of you dont perform as a meaningful contributor in a social media surroundings.
Social media can be presented in numerous distinct types. Lets take a peak at a handful of of them.
YouTube and other related video websites These videos can be funny, serious, off the cuff and at times political in nature. You can show your organization in a humorous light and enable men and women to be curious about you and your business.
MySpace and other social networks This type of social media is common due to the fact it draws together multiple elements of social advertising and marketing and makes them accessible to the masses of folks that might view social networking as an online version of reality television.
Blogs This is a type of social media if only because it does let interactive exchanges in between the blogger and the reader.
Forums This can enable you to have an person voice prepared to go over topics of interest to the majority. As with all social media you can give a link to your site. If you are viewed as a trusted source you will likely find forum members following you to your web site to understand a lot more.
Podcasting This is an audio stream that can allow a visitor to hear a private message from you. This can have a pronounced effect in social advertising and marketing.
This isnt an exhaustive list, but it does give one thing for you to think about as an addition to other advertising and marketing techniques you may have in spot. Social media enables you to take your message to the folks and have fun although you share your message.
I cant tension adequate how important it is to be actual. The whole Internet community has a low tolerance for supposed spam so make confident you dont use social media as basically one more type of on-line marketing.Jett Media Group
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Source: http://culturapopulara.ro/?p=24469
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Purported iPad 5 case again points to iPad mini-like design
A photograph of a purported iPad 5 case has appeared, and it again points to a redesigned in the form of the iPad mini. The case was obtained by 9to5Mac, apparently from it's manufacturer, Minisuit. Back in January, iMore created a rendering based on what we'd learned about the iPad 5 and its iPad mini-like design, and shortly thereafter some unverified pictures emerged of a supposed iPad 5 back plate bearing a very similar design. Just over a week ago, iMore created another rendering based on more information about the iPad 5.
If the case above is based on rumors and the previous backplates, then it ads little new to the discussion. If, however, it's based on additional information leaked from manufacturing sources in China, then it could prove interesting.
The case, as previously rumored, hints at an iPad 5 that's narrower in comparison to the current version. This would presumably be down to the narrower bezel design just like the iPad mini. The edges of the case are much squarer than the other case again this would line up with the design of the iPad mini. Looking at the bottom edge of the case, you can see a long cut out which would be for the speakers and Lightning connector. We would assume that the iPad 5 would finally have stereo speakers again like the iPad mini.
Leaks like these are nothing new and a lot of case manufacturers look to steal a march on their competition by obtaining information on next generation devices from supply chain sources. This is always going to be a gamble as Apple is notorious for keeping its devices under wraps until the last minute; or could change its mind on a design too.
Having said that, it should come as no surprise to anyone that the next-generation iPad 5 may be adopting the design cues of the iPad mini.
Source: 9to5Mac
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/Gaw175yj2i0/story01.htm
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Friday, February 22, 2013
Feuds, fiefdoms, betrayals underscore need for a manager pope to reform "ungovernable" Vatican
VATICAN CITY - If evidence was ever needed that the next pope must urgently overhaul the powerful Vatican bureaucracy called the Curia, the scandal over Pope Benedict XVI's private papers is Exhibit A.
The pope's own butler stole sensitive internal letters to the pontiff and passed them off to a journalist, who then published them in a blockbuster book. The butler did it, he admitted himself, to expose the "evil and corruption" in the Vatican's frescoed halls that he believed was hidden from Benedict by those who were supposed to serve him.
And if that original sin weren't enough, the content of the leaks confirmed that the next pope has a very messy house to clean up. The letters and memos exposed petty wrangling, corruption and cronyism at the highest levels of the Catholic Church. The dirt ranged from the awarding of Vatican contracts to a plot, purportedly orchestrated by senior Vatican officials, to out a prominent Catholic newspaper editor as gay.
Ordinary Catholics might not think that dysfunction in the Apostolic Palace has any effect on their lives, but it does: The Curia makes decisions on everything from church closings to marriage annulments to the disciplining of pedophile priests. Papal politics plays into the prayers the faithful say at Mass since missal translations are decided by committee in Rome. Donations the faithful make each year for the pope are held by a Vatican bank whose lack of financial transparency fueled bitter internal debate.
And so after 35 years under two "scholar" popes who paid scant attention to the internal governance of the Catholic Church, a chorus is growing that the next pontiff must have a solid track record managing a complicated bureaucracy. Cardinals who will vote in next month's conclave are openly talking about the need for reform, particularly given the dysfunction exposed by the scandal.
"It has to be attended to," said Chicago Cardinal Francis George. With typical understatement, he called the leaks scandal "a novel event for us."
Cardinal Walter Kasper, a German who retired in 2010 as the head of the Vatican's ecumenical office, said the Curia must adapt itself to the 21st century.
"There needs to be more co-ordination between the offices, more collegiality and communication," he told Corriere della Sera. "Often the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing."
Sandro Magister, the Vatican analyst who most closely follows the comings, goings and internecine feuds of Vatican officials, said the "disaster" of governance began unfolding in the 1980s, in the early years of Pope John Paul II's pontificate.
"John Paul II was completely disinterested in the Curia; his vision was completely directed to the outside," Magister said in an interview. "He allowed a proliferation of feuds, small centres of power that fought among themselves with much ambition, careerism and betrayals."
"This accumulated and ruined it for the next pope," he said.
Benedict was well aware of the problems, having spent nearly a quarter-century in the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. But he never entered into the Vatican's political fray as a cardinal ? and as pope left it to his No. 2, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, to do the job.
"Some of his choices were shown to be counterproductive," Magister said. "Cardinal Bertone didn't produce the results that Benedict XVI had hoped for."
Bertone himself became a lightning rod for division within the Curia. A canonist, he had no diplomatic experience coming into the job, and the main battle lines drawn in the Curia today come down to his loyalists and those still loyal to his predecessor Cardinal Angelo Sodano. Taken as a whole, the leaked documents seemed aimed at undermining Bertone.
To be fair, the Vatican under Benedict made great strides on some internal governance fronts: the pope insisted on greater financial transparency, and the Vatican passed a key European anti-money laundering test last summer. He insisted on a Vatican trial, open to journalists, for the butler who betrayed him. And as cardinal, after priestly sex abuse cases bounced for years among Vatican offices, the former Joseph Ratzinger took them over himself in 2001.
But some analysts speculate that the revelations from the leaks at the very least accelerated Benedict's decision to resign. In early 2012, he appointed three trusted cardinals to investigate beyond the criminal case involving his butler. They interviewed widely inside the Curia and out and delivered their final report in December. Its contents are sealed, though speculation is rife that the cardinals minced no words in revealing the true nature of the Curia.
Benedict's biographer, Peter Seewald, asked Benedict in August how badly the scandal had affected him. He replied that he was not falling into "desperation or world-weariness," yet admitted the leaks scandal "is simply incomprehensible to me," according to a recent article Seewald penned for the German magazine Focus.
The Holy See's bureaucracy is organized as any government, though it most closely resembles a medieval court ? given that the pope is an absolute monarch, with full executive, legal and judicial powers.
There's a legal office, an economic affairs office and an office dedicated to the world's 400,000 priests. Three tribunals tend to ecclesiastical cases and a host of departments take up spiritual matters: making saints, keeping watch on doctrine and the newest office created by Benedict, spreading the faith.
John Paul's 1988 apostolic constitution "Pastor Bonus" sets out the competencies of the various congregations and councils, and they function more or less as independent fiefdoms, albeit in consultation with one another when the subject matter requires. In the end, though, the real power lies with two departments: the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the secretariat of state, which can block virtually any initiative of another office.
"Who is influential isn't so much dependent on what your office is or your title but whether you have access to the king, or in this case the pope," said the Rev. Thomas Reese, author of "Inside the Vatican," a bible of sorts for understanding the Vatican Curia.
The same could be said for any executive branch. But in the case of the Vatican, there's a difference.
"Obama can fire anybody he wants from his cabinet," Reese said. "When you make someone a bishop, you make him a bishop for life. When you make him a cardinal you make him a prince of the church. What do you do with a cardinal (who doesn't work out)? He can't go to K Street and get a job as a lobbyist."
Though increasingly international, the Curia is also a very Italian creature, which affects its priorities, weaknesses and style of governance. "Genealogy is important, who begat whom," noted one recently departed Vatican official, who spoke on condition of anonymity so as to not antagonize former colleagues.
The typical Italian way of getting things done via personal stamps of approval, or "raccomandanzione," guides introductions. The Italian way of persuasion, less overt power play than Machiavellian machinations, governs consensus-building and decision-making.
Italian commentator Massimo Franco recently concluded on the pages of Corriere della Sera that the Vatican bureaucracy today is simply "ungovernable."
Though it's open to interpretation, Benedict's final homily as pope could be read as a clear message to the cardinals who will choose his successor.
Two days after announcing he would resign, a weary Benedict told his flock gathered in St. Peter's Basilica for Ash Wednesday Mass to live their lives as Christians in order to show the true face of the church ? a church, he said, which is often "defiled."
"I think in particular about the attacks against the unity of the church, the divisions in the ecclesial body," he said. He told those gathered that "moving beyond individualisms and rivalries is a humble and precious sign for those who are far from the faith or indifferent to it."
The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said it was wrong to interpret the pope's words as being directed at the Vatican Curia, saying the pope's message was intended as a call for unity among all Christians, a priority of his as pontiff.
"Differences and diversity of opinion are part of the normal dynamic of any institution or community," Lombardi said. He said the way the Vatican's governance problems are often described "do not correspond to reality."
___
Rachel Zoll in New York and George Jahn in Vienna contributed.
Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield
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Google steps further into the hardware fray, announces touchscreen Chromebook Pixel
Google on Thursday took another step beyond its search engine beginnings, launching a new, Chrome OS-powered notebook that manages to step on both Microsoft's and Apple's turf.
The Chromebook Pixel was initially thought to be an elaborate hoax when a supposed promotional video showing off the device hit the Internet earlier in February. Yet Thursday brought a surprise announcement from the search giant that the first Google-designed and built notebook was in fact real and launching this year.
The Pixel will run Chrome OS, Google's own lightweight, browser-based operating system. The use of Chrome ? which Google is expected to begin converging with its Android mobile OS ? will mean a heavy focus on cloud storage and cloud services for Pixel owners, as the OS runs web apps almost exclusively. Reporting further on Google's announcement, Engadget confirmed that all Chromebook Pixels will ship with Quickoffice already installed. They will also have the ability to open and edit office documents natively within the Chrome browser.
The Pixel sports a 12.9-inch LCD display with touchscreen capability, putting it into competition with Microsoft and its partners' touch-centric Windows 8 devices. At the same time, that touch display sports what Google says is the "highest pixel density... of any laptop screen on the market today." With 4.3 million pixels in total, the 2560x1700 display on Google's new notebook has a pixel density of 239ppi. By comparison, Apple's 15-inch and 13-inch Retina MacBook Pros have 220ppi and 227ppi densities, respectively.
The new notebook has two USB 2.0 ports, a Mini DisplayPort, and an SD card reader. Inside, the Pixel has a a 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor, Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity, and a 59WHr battery, which Google says will power the device for five hours.
The Chromebook Pixel will come in two builds: one with a 32GB SSD and another with a 64GB SSD. The 32GB model will have Wi-Fi connectivity only, while the 64GB model will have Wi-Fi and LTE connectivity. Purchase of either model will include 1TB of Google Drive cloud storage for three years. The 32GB unit will retail for $1,299, while the 64GB model will sell for $1,449.
The Chromebook Pixel is just the latest step by Google in what appears to be a larger quest to establish itself as a hardware company, in addition to its search engine, mobile OS, and Internet service provision activities. Google has already purchased Motorola, which it will use to attack the hardware segment from the mobile end, and the Pixel appears to attack it from the traditional computing end.
Recent days have also seen the reemergence of rumors that Google is preparing to open its own line of retail outlets, where customers could try out products such as the Chromebook Pixel before buying. Google would join, of course, Apple, but also Microsoft and Google partner/rival Samsung in relying on its own retail outlets to move its wares.
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Scion FR-S Named Best Sports Car for the Money by U.S. News & World Report
February 21, 2013
TORRANCE, Calif., (Feb. 21, 2013) ? The 2013 FR-S beat out its competition to earn the Best Sports Car for the Money from respected publication U.S. News & World Report. The annual award recognizes value, quality and critical acclaim across 21 vehicle categories.To evaluate the FR-S, U.S. News & World Report judges looked at the sports coupe?s safety record, reliability and opinion from industry experts. Additionally, the expected five-year total cost of ownership and average vehicle price at the time of publication contributed to overall scores. The FR-S costs $25,255 MSRP with a six-speed manual transmission or $26,355 MSRP with a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and Dynamic Rev Management technology.
?The Best Sports Car for the Money award is a testament to the incredibly fun and accessible sports car experience offered by the Scion FR-S,? said Scion Vice President Doug Murtha. ?We are proud the FR-S continues to impress industry enthusiasts and drivers, while also representing the passion behind the Scion brand.?
The FR-S comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, a limited-slip differential and 2.0-liter flat boxer engine that produces 200 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. Its distinctive lightweight design and impressive handling have built a following since its introduction last year.
Also winning awards were the Toyota Tacoma and Toyota Tundra, winning ?Best Compact Truck for the Money? and ?Best Full Size Truck for the Money? awards, respectively. It is the second year of top honors in a row for the Tacoma.
For more information on the 2013 winners, visit http://usnews.com/cars-money.
About Scion
Scion, from Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., was developed with a new generation of youthful buyers in mind. Scion?s mission is to provide distinctive products, the opportunity to personalize, and an innovative, consumer-driven process at the retail level. The brand features five groundbreaking models with a wide array of standard features: the xD urban subcompact five-door, the iconic xB urban utility vehicle, the tC sports coupe, the premium micro-subcompact iQ and the FR-S rear-wheel drive sports car. The Scion brand often applies new practices in all aspects of its business and pushes the creativity envelope with non-traditional advertising and marketing to engage young consumers. Scion also supports originality through its programs in the artistic community. For more information, visit www.scion.com.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Photography and digital assets can be found at www.ScionNewsroom.com.
Source: http://pressroom.toyota.com/releases/scion+frs+best+sports+car+money+2013.htm
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Thursday, February 21, 2013
FIRST LOOK: Kate Middleton Shows Off Her Baby Bump!
The Duchess of Cambridge cradles her growing baby belly! Check out more pics of your favorite stars on the scene
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New flu drug stops drug-resistant strains of virus in its tracks
Feb. 21, 2013 ? A new class of influenza drug has been shown effective against drug-resistant strains of the flu virus, according to a study led by University of British Columbia researchers. Published online February 21 in the journal Science Express, the study details the development of a new drug candidate that prevents the flu virus from spreading from one cell to the next.
The drug is shown to successfully treat mice with lethal strains of the flu virus.
In order to spread in the body, the flu virus first uses a protein, called hemagglutinin, to bind to the healthy cell's receptors. Once it has inserted its RNA and replicated, the virus uses an enzyme, called neuraminidase, to sever the connection and move on to the next healthy cell.
"Our drug agent uses the same approach as current flu treatments -- by preventing neuraminidase from cutting its ties with the infected cell," says UBC Chemistry Prof. Steve Withers, the study's senior author. "But our agent latches onto this enzyme like a broken key, stuck in a lock, rendering it useless."
Watch a video of the flu virus at work at http://youtu.be/kSLRmj0APZw.
The World Health Organization estimates that influenza affects three to five million people globally each year, causing 250,000 to 500,000 deaths. In some pandemic years, the figure rose to millions.
"One of the major challenges of the current flu treatments is that new strains of the flu virus are becoming resistant, leaving us vulnerable to the next pandemic," says Withers, whose team includes researchers from Canada, the UK, and Australia.
"By taking advantage of the virus's own 'molecular machinery' to attach itself," Withers adds. "The new drug could remain effective longer, since resistant virus strains cannot arise without destroying their own mechanism for infection."
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Story Source:
The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of British Columbia.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- Jin-Hyo Kim, Ricardo Resende, Tom Wennekes, Hong-Ming Chen, Nicole Bance, Sabrina Buchini, Andrew G. Watts, Pat Pilling, Victor A. Streltsov, Martin Petric, Richard Liggins, Susan Barrett, Jennifer L. McKimm-Breschkin, Masahiro Niikura, and Stephen G. Withers. Mechanism-Based Covalent Neuraminidase Inhibitors with Broad Spectrum Influenza Antiviral Activity. Science, 21 February 2013 DOI: 10.1126/science.1232552
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/Zu0RrKpBR8o/130221143904.htm
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Jennifer Lawrence Seeks 'The Ends Of The Earth' With David O. Russell
Oscar nominees announce another joint project: an affair-driven oil tycoon drama.
By Josh Wigler
David O. Russell and Jennifer Lawrence
Photo: Rebecca Sapp/ Getty Images
Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1702245/jennifer-lawrence-david-o-russell-ends-of-the-earth.jhtml
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Theory of crystal formation complete again
Feb. 19, 2013 ? Exactly how a crystal forms from solution is a problem that has occupied scientists for decades. Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), together with researchers from Germany and the USA, are now presenting the missing piece. This classical theory of crystal formation, which occurs widely in nature and in the chemical industry, was under fire for some years, but is saved now. The team made this breakthrough by detailed study of the crystallization of the mineral calcium phosphate -the major component of our bones.
The team recently published their findings in the online journal Nature Communications.
Crystallization is the formation of a solid ordered substance, such as happens when water freezes. In nature, crystals are mostly formed from ions which are dissolved in water, as for example in the formation of shells or bone. This involves the clustering of ions into increasingly large nuclei, until a crystal is formed when a certain size is reached. However, the details of this growth process have been the subject of discussion for many years.
According to the existing theories, it is individual ions that group together to form crystal nuclei. But in 2009 chemists led by dr. Nico Sommerdijk (TU/e) showed the presence of an intermediate step in the growth process of calcium carbonate crystals. The ions were thought to first form small clusters, which then grow into crystal nuclei. This finding, which was the cover story of Science, caused controversy because it appeared to contradict the classical crystallization theories which did not allow for such an intermediate step.
Now Sommerdijk is having second thoughts about his 2009 conclusions. At least, the answer now turns out to be more subtle than was thought at that time. Together with researchers from the Max Planck Institute in Germany and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the USA, he looked more closely at the role of these so-called pre-nucleation clusters in the growth process of the mineral calcium phosphate. Using a cryo-electron microscope, which makes images of deep-frozen samples, he was able to identify the precise components of the clusters and study the growth process in detail.
In their article in Nature Communications Sommerdijk concludes that the clusters do not form a clearly defined intermediate step, but instead are part of a gradual growth process. Sommerdijk refers to the formation of clusters as a 'false start' by the ions, because the clusters already start to organize themselves step by step while still in solution, without actually forming growth nuclei. This new understanding means the existing theories no longer need to be overturned. Sommerdijk's team now complete the theory by describing alternative 'pathways' along which crystals can form. Sommerdijk's new conclusions have since been confirmed in a second study into crystal formation in the mineral magnetite, which was published online this month in Nature Materials.
In recent years both the role and the composition of the pre-nucleation clusters were the subject of intense scientific discussions, for example last summer during the Faraday Discussions. There were also disagreements within the team itself about Sommerdijk's new interpretation. Some team members held onto the original scenario, even after numerous new experiments had confirmed that the clusters did not have the same composition and role as believed earlier. Finally it was decided to submit the article, which after four years of experimenting and revision had reached a final length of almost 100 pages, without the names of the team members who were unable to accept the new ideas.
In Sommerdijk's view the most important questions about the formation of crystals have now been answered. This theoretical knowledge is important in many fields, because of the widespread occurrence of crystallization in nature and in the chemical industry. Just a few examples are the formation of coral in the sea, the production of pharmaceuticals and the design of nanoparticles. It could for example help to make production processes less costly, faster or more energy-efficient.
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Story Source:
The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Eindhoven University of Technology, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal References:
- Jens Baumgartner, Archan Dey, Paul H. H. Bomans, C?cile Le Coadou, Peter Fratzl, Nico A. J. M. Sommerdijk, Damien Faivre. Nucleation and growth of magnetite from solution. Nature Materials, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nmat3558
- Wouter J. E. M. Habraken, Jinhui Tao, Laura J. Brylka, Heiner Friedrich, Luca Bertinetti, Anna S. Schenk, Andreas Verch, Vladimir Dmitrovic, Paul H. H. Bomans, Peter M. Frederik, Jozua Laven, Paul van der Schoot, Barbara Aichmayer, Gijsbertus de With, James J. DeYoreo, Nico A. J. M. Sommerdijk. Ion-association complexes unite classical and non-classical theories for the biomimetic nucleation of calcium phosphate. Nature Communications, 2013; 4: 1507 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2490
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/BPrz64p-XxM/130219140712.htm
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Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Claire Cottrell's minimal California home is so chic and simple. I love her kitc...
LikeDesign*Sponge ? 93,254 like this2 hours ago ?
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HTC One's designer talks about balancing engineering and emotional priorities
HTC posted a great blog entry about their thinking behind the construction and design of their shiny new HTC One. Designer Thomas Chien gushed openly about how good the One feels in the hand, but also touched on how tricky it was on the engineering side. Obviously an all-metal body (a first in the smartphone world) could cause some pretty hefty reception issues, but without going into too much technical detail, Chien sounded confident that they had created a phone that feels and functions great. Their tagline here is that "feeling is more important than physics", and certainly sets the scene for how the design and engineering teams work together at HTC.
What do you guys think of the overall look of the HTC One? How much will you need to actually hold one before making the decision to buy it?
Source: HTC
| |
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/kNRWpf5UU30/story01.htm
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Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Health insurance: What the Postal Service has in mind ? Fedline ...
February 18th, 2013 | Office of Personnel Management OPM Pay & Benefits Postal Service | Posted by Sean Reilly
Email: sreilly@atpco.com
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Lest anyone forget, Postmaster General Pat Donahoe remains keenly interested in creating a stand-alone health insurance plan for about 1.1 million U.S. Postal Service employees and retirees.
The latest reminder came at last week?s Senate hearing on the USPS?s financial crisis. Although lawmakers? attention was predictably focused on the agency?s decision to end Saturday mail delivery, Donahoe also stressed the urgency of pulling out of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.
?An astonishing 20 cents of every revenue dollar the Postal Service takes in must go toward health care costs,? Donahoe said in prepared testimony. ??By moving away from the federal system, nearly all of our employees and retirees would reap the benefits of getting equivalent or better healthcare coverage and paying less for it.?
Creation of a new health plan was a major stumbling block in contract talks with the National Association of Letter Carriers; although labor and management couldn?t reach a deal, a joint task force will keep discussing the issue, according to an arbitration panel?s recent decision.
But the Postal Service hasn?t furnished many details about what it has in mind. And employees may understandably be skeptical of any promises to provide comparable (or better) benefits at lower cost. Fortunately, the USPS inspector general took a look at the subject last year that fleshes out some specifics.
The inspector general?s report, whose conclusions drew a vigorous dissent from Postal Service management, can be read here. It?s of course possible that the USPS human resources team has since made changes to their plan; if so, however, those changes haven?t been made public.
In the meantime, here are a few takeaways from the IG?s review. By the Postal Service?s reckoning, creation of a stand-alone plan would save $52 billion. (The original total was $62.1 billion, but the agency then dropped the idea of freezing its contributions for retiree health insurance, according to the report.) Although the IG doesn?t say over what period of time those savings would occur, the key is requiring employees and retirees to move to Medicare, the taxpayer-funded medical benefits program for people aged 65 and older.
That step alone would save some $37 billion; for older employees and retirees, the Postal Service?s health plan (whatever it turns out to be) would become the back-up insurer to Medicare.? The Postal Service would also be freed of much, if not all, of the obligation to set aside billions of dollars now for future retiree care.
But from the employee/retiree perspective, there?s one immediate concern. By law, anyone eligible for Medicare Part B (which covers things like doctors? visits and lab tests) is?supposed to sign up after turning 65 or else face a 10 percent, per year, enrollment penalty.
According to the IG, there were about 88,000 USPS retirees over 65 who hadn?t signed up. Those folks would thus face late-enrollment penalties totaling $53 million per year, or an average of $625 per person. The Postal Service needs to settle that issue, the inspector general said, either by ensuring that the penalties will be waived or by deciding who?s going to foot the bill.
USPS workers and retirees could also pay more under another proposed change that would require anyone retiring after the end of this year to pay a standard deductible before the Postal Service picks up any cost not covered by Medicare. But the Postal Service would also expand coverage options from the two currently offered by the FEHBP to four. In some instances, employees could pay less than they do now. (Check out p. 11 of the IG report for a side-by-side comparison.)
The overall goal here is simple. The Postal Service, like any other money-losing enterprise, is trying to tamp down costs wherever it can. And postal workers generally pay less for their health benefits than other federal employees.
But because congressional approval is required, the Postal Service?s plans need political traction that so far appears to be lacking. At a September 2011 congressional hearing, for example, Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry was notably unenthusiastic about letting the Postal Service leave the FEHBP. A fuller analysis of the potential effects was needed, Berry said, adding that he thought postal employees were ?well-served? by the status quo.
In last year?s report, the inspector general recommended that USPS officials lay out to affected employees and retirees, as well as the government, ?all potential cost increases, cost savings and cost shifts that would result from a transition to a Postal Service-proposed alternative health care plan.?
In their strongly worded response attached to the report, postal executives both disputed key findings and objected to what they called its ?negative tone.? The Postal Service, for example, has proposed relief from the Medicare late enrollment penalties, they wrote. A draft of the report, they added, ?totally ignores the fact that total costs will decrease substantially and that out-of-pocket costs for most employees and retirees will decrease.?
The Postal Service has yet, however, to make the kind of detailed disclosure urged by the IG. Until it does, a tough sales job lies ahead.
Tags: Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, John Berry, Pat Donahoe
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