ROME (AP) ? These are crazy days in Rome, where limbo reigns in parliament and papacy.
Italy is usually a pretty anarchic place, with people bucking rules on everything from crossing the street to paying taxes. But the anarchy's going a bit far: Who's running the country? Who's running the church?
For now, at least, nobody really knows.
We Romans are living truly surreal times when a bearded comedian is now one of the nation's most powerful leaders, and aging cardinals from around the world are mobbed by paparazzi as if they were Hollywood starlets.
Then there are the eerie silences in a normally raucous city.
With no ruling pope, St. Peter's Square was strangely quiet as the Vatican saw its first Sunday without a papal window blessing, a weekly appointment that will normally draw thousands of pilgrims and tourists. With no government after inconclusive elections, downtown streets are blessedly free of the crush of lawmakers in dark blue official cars that speed through congested Rome with legislative impunity ? and are one of the notorious perks of being a parliamentarian.
Since Italians recently voted in national elections, it's no surprise to see the walls of Rome still plastered with campaign posters.
But ? Mamma Mia ? a poster urging votes for a cardinal in the upcoming papal conclave?
That's precisely the sight that Romans are seeing near several Rome basilicas ? with the campaign-style image of Africa's strongest papal contender looking up to the heavens against a slogan reading: "AT THE CONCLAVE VOTE PETER KODWO APPIAH TURKSON."
Nobody knows who's behind it, but it's widely regarded as a spoof campaign ahead of the solemn meetings in the Sistine chapel to elect the next pope
Other papal posters point to Italians' cantankerous mood.
The day Benedict XVI went into retirement, the city of Rome plastered walls with posters of the pontiff thanking him for his service. "YOU WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US. THANK YOU!," the posters read.
Romans woke up then next morning to the sight of many of them torn, defaced or simply gone.
And in a time when Rome is busy filling important vacancies, it's perhaps only natural that there are gatecrashers.
Despite all the security at the Vatican as cardinals meet to organize the conclave, a prankster in bishop's garb, an impressive cross across his chest and decidedly un-clerical black sneakers, managed to sneak into the congregation of cardinals this week and mingle. Photographers snapped him shaking hands with Cardinal Velasio De Paolis, the Italian prelate named to clean up the disgraced Legion of Christ order.
Yet perhaps the biggest gatecrasher of all is Beppe Grillo, who has upset the established order by riding a self-styled "tsunami" of disgust with the powers-that-be and grabbing a quarter of the parliamentary vote. Grillo has no qualms about seeming a little bit off-the-wall: He was recently photographed jogging on a beach wearing what looked like a space alien outfit.
And while Grillo gleefully insults mainstream politicians, a German governor this week referred to the comedian and scandal-plagued former Premier Silvio Berlusconi as "two clowns" ? forcing visiting Italian President Giorgio Napolitano to skip lunch with him to preserve Italian pride.
For now, the cardinals are commanding the spotlight.
Each morning and afternoon, as they set out for their meetings, they are mobbed by a frightening wave of journalists staked out for hours waiting for them to appear in the narrow streets surrounding the Vatican. Even as affable a type as German Cardinal Walter Kasper took refuge behind policemen as he walked the gauntlet on Monday.
One relief from the chaos appears to be lunch.
The cardinals are lining up in the Borgo, a picturesque knot of alleyways near the Vatican. Corriere delle Sera reported that Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, a Vatican heavyweight, showed up for lunch at "Il Passetto di Borgo" where his favorites include spaghetti with raw tomatoes, filet of sole and fried calamari.
Even a cardinal tied to vows of poverty, it seems, has to eat.
"In a few days, when the conclave begins, it will be good bye to turbot and rigatoni alla Norcia," Corriere lamented ? referring to a dish of short pasta with sausages and creamy tomato sauce.
It noted that the poor cardinals will soon have to settle for institutional cooking while they are sequestered during the conclave at the Santa Marta residence, the Vatican's hotel.
Make no mistake?press release writing is a specialized skill. However, that doesn?t mean that the skills I?ve acquired from years of writing press release don?t carry over to other forms of writing that I do. Writing press releases has absolutely made me a better all-around writer. How?
The more I write, the better I get?There?s something to be said for ?practice makes perfect.? When you?ve written hundreds upon hundreds of press releases on just about every topic you can imagine, you build up your writing muscles. I?ve gotten quite adept at coming up with interesting story ideas, finding the right words to tell these stories in the most interesting and effective way possible, and editing and proofreading my work to come up with a quality finished product.
I?m a better editor?Speaking of editing and proofreading, these skills get much sharper when you write a lot of press releases. Spelling and grammar do still matter for press releases, and as a writer, you have to take pride in your work and do everything you can to make sure it is mistake-free.
I strive to get more from every word?Editors and reporters have a short attention span. They get flooded with press releases all day long, and they don?t have the time to read through all of them word for word. That?s why it?s so important that you learn how to say more in fewer words. Press release writing teaches you to make your words count. It teaches you how to cut the fluff from your writing.
I?ve learned to capture attention without relying on cheap hype?I just mentioned that reporters get bombarded with press releases all day long. After a while, all of these press releases start to look the same. That?s why it?s important that you find a way to make your press releases stand out. They have to grab the reader?s attention, but because they are press releases, they can?t use cheap, fake hype to do so. Press release writing truly teaches you how to write in an interesting manner.
I think like a publisher?When you write a press release, you should always be asking yourself if anyone else would care about your story. It forces you to think like a publisher. As a result, you end up, hopefully, writing better stories with broader appeal. This is a skill that can be invaluable in all forms of writing.
What are some other ways that press release writing can make you a better all-around writer? Share your thoughts by commenting below.
This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (http://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Download a free copy of the PR Checklist ? a 24 point list of Press Release Dos and Don?ts here: http://www.ereleases.com/prchecklist.html
New research calls for better guidance about HIV transmission and the law Public release date: 5-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Katie Steels press@lshtm.ac.uk 44-020-792-92802 London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Support services for people living with HIV will benefit from better information about prosecutions for the sexual transmission of HIV, according to a report released today by researchers from Sigma Research at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and Birkbeck, University of London.
The study, called 'Keeping Confidence: HIV and the criminal law from service provider perspectives', explores how criminal prosecutions for HIV transmission in England and Wales are handled by those who deliver health and social care services for people with HIV. The researchers found that there is "significant confusion" about the legal meaning of "recklessness" and the specific precautionary behaviours that would provide a sufficient defence.
In England and Wales a person can be prosecuted if it is alleged that they have recklessly transmitted HIV to a sexual partner.
The report is to be launched today (Wednesday 6 March) at Birkbeck at a conference to discuss its findings. Its conclusions aim to assist people living with HIV by improving best practice among HIV health and social care professionals, the police and others involved in criminal investigations and trials. Key recommendations arising from the study include:
One dedicated online resource containing information about the latest clinical and scientific developments that may impact on legal decision-making
Training about legal definitions and defence arguments for those who provide clinical and non-clinical HIV services
A list of experts with an interest in criminal prosecutions in each clinical and non-clinical HIV service organisation
The report's lead author, Dr Catherine Dodds, lecturer at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: "Although HIV health and social care professionals expressed diverse views about their potential role in such cases, they gave a clear sense that criminal prosecutions for the transmission of HIV would not improve public health. Instead, it was most common to hear descriptions of such cases leading to increased stigma, reduced trust between service users and providers, and traumatic consequences for those involved in such cases."
Study co-investigator, Matthew Weait, Professor of Law and Policy at Birkbeck, said: "This important and innovative research demonstrates both the problems that HIV criminalisation creates for clinical and social care providers and the need for solutions at both national and regional level. Care providers working in HIV and sexual health are concerned primarily with the health and wellbeing of their service users - which is of course as it should be; but there is also evidence that criminalisation is compromising their work. Increased awareness and understanding of, and inter-organisational communication about, legal issues is critical, and Keeping Confidence makes practical recommendations as to how that work might be taken forward for the benefit of prevention and support."
The research is based on discussions with seven focus groups in England and Wales, including hospital-based staff, and professionals from HIV charities, social care services, and other organisations supporting people diagnosed with HIV.
###
The research was led by Sigma Research a social research group at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine specialising in the social, behavioural and policy aspects of HIV and sexual health, in association with the School of Law at Birkbeck. The study was funded by The Monument Trust.
Notes to Editors
'Keeping Confidence: HIV and the criminal law from service provider perspectives' can be accessed at http://sigmaresearch.org.uk/projects/policy/project55/.
To interview Matthew Weait, Professor of Law and Policy at Birkbeck, contact Guy Collender, Communications Manager, on 020 7380 3108, g.collender@bbk.ac.uk.
To interview Dr Catherine Dodds, lecturer at Sigma Research at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, contact Katie Steels, Media Manager on 020 7927 2802 press@lshtm.ac.uk.
Birkbeck, University of London, is a world-class research and teaching institution, a vibrant centre of academic excellence and London's only specialist provider of evening higher education. It encourages applications from students without traditional qualifications and it has a wide range of programmes to suit every entry level. 18,000 students study at Birkbeck every year. They join a community that is as diverse and cosmopolitan as London's population. For more information visit http://www.bbk.ac.uk.
Sigma Research is a social research group specialising in the social, behavioural and policy aspects of HIV and sexual health. It is part of the Faculty of Public Health and Policy at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. For more information visit http://www.sigmaresearch.org.uk.
About the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is a world-leading centre for research and postgraduate education in public and global health, with 4000 students and more than 1300 staff working in over 100 countries. The School is one of the highest-rated research institutions in the UK, and was recently cited as one of the world's top universities for collaborative research. The School's mission is to improve health and health equity in the UK and worldwide; working in partnership to achieve excellence in public and global health research, education and translation of knowledge into policy and practice. http://www.lshtm.ac.uk
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
New research calls for better guidance about HIV transmission and the law Public release date: 5-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Katie Steels press@lshtm.ac.uk 44-020-792-92802 London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Support services for people living with HIV will benefit from better information about prosecutions for the sexual transmission of HIV, according to a report released today by researchers from Sigma Research at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and Birkbeck, University of London.
The study, called 'Keeping Confidence: HIV and the criminal law from service provider perspectives', explores how criminal prosecutions for HIV transmission in England and Wales are handled by those who deliver health and social care services for people with HIV. The researchers found that there is "significant confusion" about the legal meaning of "recklessness" and the specific precautionary behaviours that would provide a sufficient defence.
In England and Wales a person can be prosecuted if it is alleged that they have recklessly transmitted HIV to a sexual partner.
The report is to be launched today (Wednesday 6 March) at Birkbeck at a conference to discuss its findings. Its conclusions aim to assist people living with HIV by improving best practice among HIV health and social care professionals, the police and others involved in criminal investigations and trials. Key recommendations arising from the study include:
One dedicated online resource containing information about the latest clinical and scientific developments that may impact on legal decision-making
Training about legal definitions and defence arguments for those who provide clinical and non-clinical HIV services
A list of experts with an interest in criminal prosecutions in each clinical and non-clinical HIV service organisation
The report's lead author, Dr Catherine Dodds, lecturer at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: "Although HIV health and social care professionals expressed diverse views about their potential role in such cases, they gave a clear sense that criminal prosecutions for the transmission of HIV would not improve public health. Instead, it was most common to hear descriptions of such cases leading to increased stigma, reduced trust between service users and providers, and traumatic consequences for those involved in such cases."
Study co-investigator, Matthew Weait, Professor of Law and Policy at Birkbeck, said: "This important and innovative research demonstrates both the problems that HIV criminalisation creates for clinical and social care providers and the need for solutions at both national and regional level. Care providers working in HIV and sexual health are concerned primarily with the health and wellbeing of their service users - which is of course as it should be; but there is also evidence that criminalisation is compromising their work. Increased awareness and understanding of, and inter-organisational communication about, legal issues is critical, and Keeping Confidence makes practical recommendations as to how that work might be taken forward for the benefit of prevention and support."
The research is based on discussions with seven focus groups in England and Wales, including hospital-based staff, and professionals from HIV charities, social care services, and other organisations supporting people diagnosed with HIV.
###
The research was led by Sigma Research a social research group at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine specialising in the social, behavioural and policy aspects of HIV and sexual health, in association with the School of Law at Birkbeck. The study was funded by The Monument Trust.
Notes to Editors
'Keeping Confidence: HIV and the criminal law from service provider perspectives' can be accessed at http://sigmaresearch.org.uk/projects/policy/project55/.
To interview Matthew Weait, Professor of Law and Policy at Birkbeck, contact Guy Collender, Communications Manager, on 020 7380 3108, g.collender@bbk.ac.uk.
To interview Dr Catherine Dodds, lecturer at Sigma Research at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, contact Katie Steels, Media Manager on 020 7927 2802 press@lshtm.ac.uk.
Birkbeck, University of London, is a world-class research and teaching institution, a vibrant centre of academic excellence and London's only specialist provider of evening higher education. It encourages applications from students without traditional qualifications and it has a wide range of programmes to suit every entry level. 18,000 students study at Birkbeck every year. They join a community that is as diverse and cosmopolitan as London's population. For more information visit http://www.bbk.ac.uk.
Sigma Research is a social research group specialising in the social, behavioural and policy aspects of HIV and sexual health. It is part of the Faculty of Public Health and Policy at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. For more information visit http://www.sigmaresearch.org.uk.
About the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is a world-leading centre for research and postgraduate education in public and global health, with 4000 students and more than 1300 staff working in over 100 countries. The School is one of the highest-rated research institutions in the UK, and was recently cited as one of the world's top universities for collaborative research. The School's mission is to improve health and health equity in the UK and worldwide; working in partnership to achieve excellence in public and global health research, education and translation of knowledge into policy and practice. http://www.lshtm.ac.uk
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Abrupt seasonal weather changes, including floods, early frosts and winter blizzards, cause problems for farmers, including loss of crops and stock. Many of these problems are natural, and to a certain extent unavoidable. Farming has consistently adapted to better meet such challenges, and the sector is currently poised to undergo another revolution, delivered through one the 20th century?s technological breakthroughs: computers.
Until now, the farming industry has tended to confront challenges with innovations in individual sectors: intelligent systems to regulate engines in order to save on gas, for instance. Technology has crept into farming, as farmers have had to explore innovative ways to extend the growing season as well as increase production. With the aid of satellites and sensor technology for example, farming equipment can automatically perform the field work; in doing so, they efficiently distribute seed, fertilizer and pesticides on arable land. Such optimization however is gradually hitting its limits.
The next step therefore is to network these individual systems into cyber-physical production systems. These can map the entire process electronically, from the farm?s computer to the harvesting operation. Thus, these systems have the potential to substantially increase efficiency and quality. Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering IESE in Kaiserslautern have developed software that will show how European agriculture and farmers can benefit from networked systems in the near future.
The Institute attended the 2013 Embedded World trade show to exhibit their innovative device. They gave a live demonstration of how the interaction of machines in cyber-physical systems can operate safely and securely.
During the exhibit, a miniature tractor with an implement device moved across a plot of land on an agricultural diorama. Located at the edge of the farmland were be two tablet PCs. Visitors were be able to use them to start up the automated control of the farm equipment. Six screens were be suspended above the model farm. They were display the processes behind the automation, showing how software manages the functionality.
Today?s tractors and implements feature extensive use of electronics and software, known as ?embedded systems.? The visualization aspect of the system in operation will help visitors understand the challenges and solutions of interconnecting embedded systems and IT systems. With intelligent networking, farmers will be able to improve farming productivity. ?To many people, software is just an abstract thing,? explains Ralf Kalmar, business area manager at IESE. ?However, working with it pays off. Indeed, it is becoming the next major factor in innovation in several industries.?
The networking of agriculture operations is not limited to simple task management for agricultural machinery. Over the last few years, the number of ?players in agriculture business? has soared: besides seed and fertilizer producers, sensor technology and data service providers are joining in the mix, offering geodata and weather data, for instance. Systems for e-government and smartphone apps for identifying pests have also been introduced. ?The challenge lies in linking all systems intelligently, and in creating standards for interfaces so that all participants can benefit,? says Jens Knodel the Smart Farming project manager. For this reason, he adds, ?It is helpful to provide them with the methods of software engineering: from standards management and system architecture to programming code ? with particular attention paid to security and reliability.?
The software network developed by the Fraunhofer researchers promises to be beneficial for the agricultural industry, which continues to face numerous challenges. To reinforce this new Endeavour, German researchers are collaborating with John Deere, a worldwide company specializing in agriculture which runs the European Technology and Innovation Center (ETIC) in Kaiserslautern Germany. Finally, in addition to Fraunhofer IESE, other parties involved include the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM and companies from throughout the region.
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) ? Jimmy Buchheim is behaving oddly.
On the floor of the world's largest cellphone trade show in Barcelona, Spain, he's looking at the screen of his iPod Touch, taking a few steps, and then looking again. Now and then he backtracks or turns, and looks again. Slowly, he confines his movements to a smaller and smaller area. Then he drops to his knees, and checks the screen again. He scrabbles forward.
"There we are!" he says.
Buchheim has found his keys, which had been hidden behind a wastebasket by a skeptical reporter. On the key ring is a small disc, slightly bigger than a quarter. That's what Buchheim was homing in on, with his iPod. It allowed him to find his keys, hidden out of sight in an apartment-sized booth.
Buchheim's Davie, Fla.-based company, Stick-N-Find Technologies, wants to give people a way to find things, whether it's keys, wallets, TV remotes, or cat collars.
There's no real trick to sending out a radio signal and having a phone pick it up. That's been done before. What makes the Stick-N-Find practical is a new radio technology known as Bluetooth Low Energy, which drastically reduces the battery power needed to send out a signal. That means the disc can be small, light enough for its sticky back to adhere to a lot of surfaces, and be powered by a watch-type battery that lasts up to two years without recharging. The signal can be picked as far as 300 feet away, but that's under ideal circumstances. On the floor of the wireless show, with a multitude of Wi-Fi transmitters jamming the airwaves, the range was roughly 20 feet.
One downside to Bluetooth Low Energy: It doesn't come cheap. Stick-N-Find charges $50 for two "stickers" from its first production run, which starts shipping next week. It gave early backers a better deal ? 4 discs for $65 ? on crowdfunding site Indiegogo, where it had sought to raise $70,000 from donors and ended up getting $931,970 by the time the campaign ended last month.
Another downside is that few devices can pick up the signals. The latest two iPhones can do it, as can the latest iPod Touches and iPads. The latest high-end Samsung smartphones work, too. Bluetooth Low Energy is expected to become a standard feature in phones, but it's not yet.
Whatever device you use, it won't tell you exactly where your sticker is located. All it can tell is how far away it is. That means finding something is a process of walking around and checking whether you're getting "hotter" or "colder." Of course, often you don't really need to know where your wallet is: knowing that it's within 8 feet and therefore somewhere in the car with you is assurance enough. Buchheim says the company has plans to add direction-finding features.
Users can also set up a virtual "leash" between a sticker and a Bluetooth device. Depending on the settings, when the two devices move a certain distance away from each other, the sticker starts beeping or the device's screen shows an alert. That way, you could use sticker in your wallet, linked to your phone, to let you know if you're leaving either one behind.
Buchheim sees this as just the start for what Bluetooth Low Energy can do. Stick-N-Find is working with a museum that's interested in putting stickers on its exhibits, so they can issue tablets or other devices to visitors that can sense the proximity of exhibits, and say "Hello, this is the statue of so-and-so," Buchheim says.
It could even end up as a technology for the blind ? one that tells them where their belongings are, he says.
___
Follow Peter Svensson on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/petersvensson .
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Google plans to cling to its bulging stash of cash to pay for potential acquisitions and other technology investments that might boost future profits, a top executive said Thursday.
Patrick Pichette, who oversees Google Inc.'s bank accounts as the company's chief financial officer, explained the company's rationale for hoarding $48 billion in cash during a technology conference hosted by Morgan Stanley.
"It serves the shareholder best to actually have that strategic ability to pounce" when there is the opportunity to make a major acquisition, Pichette said.
Although he didn't identify possible takeover candidates for the future, Pichette cited Google's $12.4 billion acquisition of cellphone maker Motorola Mobility last year as a prime example of why the company believes it needs to have lots of money at its disposal. Although Motorola has been a financial drag on the company so far, Google believes having it will ultimately will help it put its digital services on more smartphones and tablet computers.
The money-management policies of publicly traded companies are getting more attention as more firms hoard huge amounts of cash instead of introducing or increasing dividends to reward stockholders.
Apple Inc., the world's most valuable company and a Google rival, is currently under the most scrutiny because it holds $137 billion in cash. One of Apple's shareholders, hedge fund manager David Einhorn of Greenlight Capital, is pressing Apple to create a new class of dividend-paying stock that would supplement the quarterly dividend of $2.65 per share that the company now pays. Apple CEO Tim Cook told shareholders Wednesday that the iPhone and iPad maker is in "very, very active discussions" about what to do with its money.
Google has never paid a dividend since the company went public in 2004. It hasn't yet faced intense pressure to distribute its cash, partly because its stock has delivered a nice return for long-term investors. The stock is currently hovering around $800, more than nine times its initial public offering price of $85.
Much of the company's success has flowed from the $11 billion Google has paid to buy 237 companies besides Motorola Mobility since its IPO. Some of them have been small deals, such as the ones that brought in the technology for its Android software for mobile devices and the technology for its online maps. Bigger acquisitions such as the $1.76 billion purchase of YouTube and the $2.3 billion purchase of DoubleClick have made Google more successful in Internet video and online advertising.
Google primarily bought Motorola for its portfolio of more than 17,000 patents. Its cellphone business has been slumping. Instead of helping Google boost its profit, Motorola has accumulated operating losses of $1.1 billion since the takeover was completed in May. Google has been trying to turn things around by laying off thousands of workers, shedding some operations and sharpening the focus on the development of the most promising products.
Pichette said the company is confident Motorola's cellphone business will eventually bounce back.
"These are not easy transitions," Pichette said of the Motorola acquisition. "We have great plans for Motorola. There is still really hard work to be completed at Motorola before we see tangible signs" of progress.
Like Apple and many other U.S. technology companies, Google is keeping most of its cash overseas to reduce its tax bill. Any money transferred, or "repatriated," would be subject higher U.S. tax rates. Although the $31.4 billion that Google holds in foreign countries can't be used to buy U.S. companies, Pichette said the company still has ample uses for the overseas money. Among other things, Google recently bought more offices in London for its operations in the U.K. and plans to invest in more data centers outside the U.S. to run its data centers.
Google's cash philosophy may change as circumstances dictate, Pichette said.
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Public release date: 5-Mar-2013
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