Archive for September, 2008

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Thinning of Greenland glacier attributed to ocean warming preceded by atmospheric changes

Tuesday, September 30th, 2008

A new research has attributed the thinning of one of Greenland’s largest glaciers to ocean warming preceded by atmospheric changes.According to the research published in the journal Nature Geoscience, the sudden thinning in 1997 of one of Greenland’s largest glaciers, was caused by subsurface ocean warming.

The research team traces these oceanic shifts back to changes in the atmospheric circulation in the North Atlantic region.

The study, whose lead author was David Holland, director of the Center for Atmosphere Ocean Science, part of New York University’s Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, suggests that ocean temperatures may be more important for glacier flow than previously thought.

The large outlet glacier feeding a deep-ocean fjord on Greenland’s west coast, went from slow thickening to rapid thinning beginning in 1997.

Several explanations have been put forward to explain this development.

The scientists in the new study sought to address the matter comprehensively by tracing changes in ocean temperatures and the factors driving these changes.

In doing this, they relied on previous results published by others that used NASA’s Airborne Topographic Mapper, which has made airborne surveys along a 120-kilometer stretch in the glacier’s ice-drainage basin nearly every year since 1991.

While many other glaciers were thinning around Greenland, these surveys revealed that the particular glacier thickened substantially from 1991 to 1997.

But, after 1997, it began thinning rapidly.

Between 1997 and 2001, Airborne Topographic Mapper surveys showed an approximately 35-meter reduction in surface elevations on the glacier’s 15-kilomater floating ice tongue.

This is far higher than thinning rates of grounded ice immediately upstream.

The researchers reported that these changes coincided with jumps in subsurface ocean temperatures.

These temperatures were recorded by the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources from 1991 to 2006 over nearly the entire western Greenland continental shelf.

These data indicate a striking, substantial jump in bottom temperature in all parts in the survey area during the second half of the 1990s.

In particular, they show that a warm water pulse arrived suddenly on the continental shelf on Disko Bay, which is in close proximity of the glacier in question, in 1997.

The arrival coincided precisely with the rapid thinning and subsequent retreat of the glacier.

According to Holland, “The melting of the ice sheets is the wild card of future sea level, and our results hint that modest changes in atmospheric circulation, possibly driven by anthropogenic influences, could also cause future rapid retreat of the Antarctic Ice Sheet, which holds a far greater potential for sea level rise.”

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Ferrari to look into pitstop problem

Tuesday, September 30th, 2008

Ferrari will review their electronic pitstop light system after a human error cost Felipe Massa victory in Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix and dealt a severe blow to the Brazilian’s championship hopes.

Massa, who started on pole, went from first to last after the pitstop blunder. He finished 13th and out of the points.

Team boss Stefano Domenicali explained after the race that a Ferrari mechanic had erroneously given title contender Massa the green light while the refuelling hose was still attached to the car.

The overhead light signals are normally connected to the release handle on the fuel nozzle, indicating to the driver that he can leave when the hose is uncoupled.

However, with cars swarming into the pit lane while the safety car was deployed, Ferrari switched their light system to manual operation and the mechanic’s error meant the green ‘go’ signal flashed up prematurely.

“We were not using the electronic system, it was run manually,” Domenicali told the Ferrari website.

“When there are a lot of cars coming into the pit in a safety car situation, it is better to have (the system working manually),” he added.

“You control the green light and unfortunately there was a mistake.”

“We will analyse what we did in the other pitstops,” he added.

Ferrari are alone with the light system, with other teams using the conventional stop/go ‘lollipops’ held by mechanics in front of the car.

The Italian team also had a problem with the system at the European Grand Prix in Valencia when world champion Kimi Raikkonen set off before the fuel nozzle had been removed, injuring a mechanic.

Domenicali said there was no question of the mechanic responsible for Sunday’s incident being replaced for the remaining three races which will decide the championship, with Massa now seven points behind McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton.

“We win together and we lose together. In that respect the philosophy will not change because of one unfortunate mistake,” added the team boss.

Massa said he had spoken to the mechanic and told him there were no hard feelings.

“I’m not the kind of guy who goes to the guy and fights with him,” said the Brazilian. “So I go to the guy and give him even more motivation because we need him and we need everybody together for the last three races.”

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Best for Traumatized Youths

Tuesday, September 30th, 2008

In children and teens, individual and group cognitive behavioral therapy helps reduce depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma symptoms, say U.S. researchers who reviewed of dozens of studies on the subject.

However, despite the proven effectiveness of cognitive therapy, many mental health professionals use unproven treatments such as art, play or drug therapy to treat children with psychological trauma, said the Task Force on Community Preventive Services, a group of independent scientists partially funded by the U.S. government.

“The good news is there is substantial research showing the effectiveness of group or individual cognitive behavioral therapy in treating children and teens experiencing the psychological effects of trauma. We hope these findings will encourage clinicians to use the therapies that are shown to be effective,” study co-author Robert Hahn, coordinating scientist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Community Guide Branch, said in an agency news release.

The study was published in the September issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Hahn and his colleagues recommended further research on other forms of therapy to determine whether they may help children with psychological trauma.

“Childhood trauma is a widespread problem with both short- and long-term consequences. Many kids with symptoms of trauma go undiagnosed, which can lead to unhealthy behaviors in adulthood, such as smoking, and alcohol or drug abuse,” Hahn said.

“Individual screening to identify trauma symptoms in children can help these kids get the therapy they need and lessen the likelihood they will engage in these risky behaviors when they become adults,” he noted.

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Those who work for an image are not actors: Kay Kay Menon

Tuesday, September 30th, 2008

Versatile Kay Kay Menon, who will be seen as a villain in forthcoming fantasy film ‘Drona’, doesn’t believe in image and says those who stick to certain kinds of screen image are not good actors.’I'm playing a negative character in the film because it interested me. I never did that type of role before. But that doesn’t mean that I will be doing only negative roles in future,’ Kay Kay told IANS.

‘Indian cinema has evolved recently and today’s audience is exposed to international cinema as well. So I think we can’t typecast an actor. I think if any actor thinks of creating an image and sticking to it, then he is not an actor. He should only do his job and leave the rest to the audience.

‘Image is created by the work one does. For me, it is a job and I keep doing that. So, whatever image comes thereof is not my calling. And I don’t think anybody can really change one’s image.’

Directed by Goldie Behl, ‘Drona’ is a supernatural adventure fantasy. Inspired by comic books, graphic novels and Indian mythology, the film features Kay Kay as an evil magician who wants to achieve immortality but is confronted by the protagonist Drona played by Abhishek Bachchan.

Of late reality films have done well at the box office, but Kay Kay feels that audiences will accept ‘Drona’.

‘I think the audience is mature enough. All kinds of films peacefully co-exist. In today’s world, there is an audience for all kinds of movies.’

Kay Kay has worked with many well-known directors like Sudhir Mishra and Madhur Bhandarkar, but he doesn’t have any favourites.

‘I absolutely don’t analyse my career nor do I foresee it. I normally do films and forget about it. I don’t look back or look forward. I just keep on doing things that interest me.’

Kay Kay, who does not have any background in films, said being a star-son can get a person instant recognition, but the actual success lies in talent.

‘A good launch has a gala opening, which is good for an actor. But, I think, if you are talented and reasonably good enough at your work you can make your way through,’ Kay Kay said.

Kay Kay debuted with Saeed Mirza’s ‘Naseem’ in 1996, but it took him nine years to get recognition. He shot to fame with Sudhir Mishra’s 2005 movie ‘Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi’. But the actor is not complaining about getting his due so late.

‘Recognition has its own destiny and I did not want to fight that. I was just trying to do as good work as possible and I guess one should be recognised for his work,’ said the actor, who is an MBA.

Kay Kay, who excelled in his academic career, started acting at the age of nine.

‘I started acting on stage when I was nine years old. I studied and got the degrees for worldly satisfaction, but acting was my first love. It was a gradual progression into acting from my childhood to the present.’

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Saif Ali Khan tenders apology to the media

Tuesday, September 30th, 2008

Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan today apologised to the local media fraternity and reached a compromise with it a day after his security staff was embroiled in a skirmish with two photojournalists during the shoot of a film at the railway station here. The compromise was reached between two sides here this evening when Saif tendered an apology for the “inconvenience” caused to the media by his security guards and owned up the responsibility for the incident at a meeting with the photojournalist arranged at the initiative of the actor. Saif shook hands with the photo journalist of a vernacular daily who had lodged a complaint against him and his security guards. The GRP had yesterday lodged a case against the actor charging him with threatening to kill and assault in connection with the incident.

Today, Saif requested the General Railway Police (GRP) to arrange a meeting with the media at the guest house of GRP. Later, talking to the media here, Saif said “it was unfortunate for us that the things happened like this and I as producer of the unit has taken the whole responsibility of the episode”. The actor, however, denied he was involved in the scuffle and said his security staff had misbehaved with the journalists.

In a statement issued in Mumbai, Saif said as a producer, he apologised on behalf of his security staff. He claimed he he was not present at the time of the incident at Patiala railway station.

“But as a producer and on behalf of Illuminati Films, our company, I would like to apologise on behalf of our security for the inconvenince caused to the local press”, the actor said.

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Apple tumbles on consumer spending concerns

Monday, September 29th, 2008

Apple Inc (AAPL.O) shares tumbled 16 percent on Monday, their biggest drop in seven years, amid concerns the maker of Mac computers and other consumer electronics will suffer as the economy slows.
Two brokerages cut their price targets, earnings forecasts and stock recommendations on the company, which also makes iPod music players and iPhones.

“We worry that consensus estimates have not been revised down to reflect slowing global consumer demand and that a broadly positive investment bias … limits upside to (Apple) shares over the next three to six months,” said Morgan Stanley analyst Kathryn Huberty.

She said that Wall Street remains overly bullish on shares of Cupertino, California-based Apple, with 27 of 32 analysts “overweight” on the stock. Morgan Stanley cut its price target to $115 from $178 and its recommendation on Apple to “equal-weight” from “overweight”.

She also cut her fiscal 2009 profit forecast to $5.47 per share from $5.91.

Including Monday’s decline the stock has lost more than one third of its value over the past month.

RBC Capital analyst Mike Abramsky said in a note to investors that the percentage of consumers planning to buy a personal computer over the next 90 days who intend to get a Mac rather than PC from another manufacturer posted its biggest decline in the last two-and-a-half years from August to September.

He cited results of a monthly survey that his firm conducts with research firm Changewave that looks at demand for PCs from Apple, Dell Inc (DELL.O), Hewlett-Packard Co (HPQ.N) and other manufacturers.

Abramsky downgraded the stock to “sector perform” from “outperform” and cut his price target to $140 from $200.

He cut his earnings forecasts for 2008, 2009 and 2010. Shares of Apple fell $20.36 to $107.88 in heavy morning trade on Nasdaq.

Hewlett-Packard, the world’s biggest PC maker, fell 1.9 percent on the New York Stock Exchange and Dell fell 4.3 percent on Nasdaq.

Research in Motion Ltd (RIM.TO), maker of the iPhone rival BlackBerry device, fell 3.3 percent on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

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Iraqi Christians protest end to legislative quotas

Monday, September 29th, 2008

Iraq’s prime minister sought safeguards Sunday for small religious communities in this mainly Muslim country as Christians protested parliament’s decision to stop setting aside seats for minorities on provincial councils.

In Baghdad, a series of explosions struck mostly Shiite areas, killing at least 32 people and wounding nearly 100, police said. The attacks appeared aimed at reviving sectarian tensions that once threatened to plunge the nation into civil war.

Parliament last week approved a new law mandating elections in most of Iraq’s 18 provinces. But the law removed a system that reserved a few legislative seats for Christians and other religious minorities.

Lawmakers cited a lack of census data to determine what the quotas should be. But many Christians saw the move as an effort to marginalize their community.

“I think that some political groups are pushing the remaining Christians to leave Iraq,” worshipper Afram Razzaq-Allah said after services at a Catholic church in Baghdad. “They want us to feel that we are no longer Iraqis.”

In a letter sent to parliament Sunday, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki appealed to the legislators and the electoral commission to restore the quota system.

“The minorities should be fairly represented in the provincial councils and their rights should be guaranteed,” al-Maliki wrote.

Hundreds of Christians staged street protests after Sunday church services in and around Mosul, a northern city where many of the country’s Christians live. Some said the removal of the quotas is an attempt to force them to leave Iraq.

“This is an unjust decision and it affects our rights as Christians,” Matti Galia, a local politician, said at a rally in Mosul. “We are original citizens in this country. The politicians’ goal was to divide the Iraqi people and create more struggles. Indirectly, they are telling us to leave Iraq.”

Iraq’s Christians have been targeted by Muslim militants since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, with priests, churches and Christian-owned businesses attacked. The violence has led many Christians to flee the country.

Sectarian violence has receded since U.S. troop reinforcements were sent in last year. However, U.S. commanders have warned that extremist groups such as al-Qaida in Iraq are still trying to rekindle sectarian warfare to undermine the U.S.-backed Iraqi government.

The string of explosions in the capital Sunday began near sundown as Muslims were preparing for Iftar, the meal that breaks the daily fast during the holy month of Ramadan.

The deadliest blasts occurred in the Karradah neighborhood, where a parked car loaded with explosives blew up in a commercial area about 7 p.m., killing 19 people and wounding 72, police and hospital officials said.

Police said that about 90 minutes earlier, two car bombs exploded nearly simultaneously in the Shurta Rabaa and Amil districts of west Baghdad, but the U.S. military said later that the car in Amil blew up due to an electrical fire.

Twelve people were killed and 35 wounded in the Shurta Rabaa blast, and one person died and two were injured in the Amil explosion, police said.

Also Sunday, snipers fired on an Iraqi army checkpoint, killing two soldiers and a civilian in the eastern Zayona neighborhood of Baghdad. A roadside bomb killed an Iraqi soldier on a patrol in Mansour, a mostly Sunni area in the city’s west, police officials said.

Two civilians were killed in an armed attack in the town of Khan Bani Saad by a group believed tied to al-Qaida, a police official in Diyala province said. The town is near the provincial capital of Baqouba.

The same official said two Iraqi soldiers were killed and 10 wounded when a bomb targeted them in Balad Ruz, 45 miles northeast of Baghdad late Saturday.

Also Sunday, an Iraqi official said the country signed preliminary deals with General Electric Co. and Siemens AG to upgrade the electricity grid, which has been ravaged by years of war, sanctions and neglect.

Lengthy power outages have been common in Iraq, with some Baghdad areas getting as little as four hours of electricity a day. The problem has been a major cause of discontent during the summer when the heat is punishing.

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Chinese astronauts return home after landmark spacewalk

Monday, September 29th, 2008

Three Chinese astronauts, who made history after conducting the country’s first spacewalk Saturday, returned home safely in a Shenzhou-7 module that landed in China’s central Inner Mongolia region Sunday.Astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Liu Boming, and Jing Haipeng returned to earth from a 68-hour space flight that included a 20-minute spacewalk.

‘It was a glorious mission, full of challenges, but the result was perfect. I’m proud of my country,’ said Zhigang, sitting on a chair after emerging from the module.

The space capsule was suspended down by a 1,000-sq-meter parachute and landed on its flank at Siziwang Banner in central Inner Mongolia, where around 300 officials waited to conduct search and rescue.

Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, who arrived at the control centre to watch the landing, beamed with smile when the spacecraft touched ground.

The astronauts were examined by doctors and adapted themselves to the gravitation on Earth before exiting the module, the search headquarters told Xinhua.

They will be taken to a hospital in the Inner Mongolia capital Hohhot for medical examination and are scheduled to fly back to Beijing Monday.

The trio will spend around two weeks in quarantine, before meeting their family, said Zhai’s wife Zhang Shujing.

The three men were blasted off aboard a Shenzhou-7 spacecraft at 9.10 p.m. Thursday. China had sent a lone Yang Liwei in space in 2003, and sent two men on a five-day journey in 2005.

This successful spacewalk mission makes China the third to master the extra-vehicular activity (EVA) technology after the US and Russia.

During the spacewalk Saturday, Zhai wore a $4 million homemade Feitian space suit and spent 20 minutes outside the spacecraft. Tethered to the craft with two safety wires and a long electric cord providing oxygen and communications, he moved slowly along a set of handrails around the orbital module.

‘I feel well. I am here greeting the Chinese people and people of the whole world,’ Zhai said. He waved a Chinese flag handed over by his companion Liu Boming, who helped the ‘walk’ in the orbital module.

Later Zhai retrieved a test sample of solid lubricant placed outside the orbiter, as part of an experiment to test the durability of the materials.

After the spacewalk, he was congratulated by Chinese President Hu Jintao, who watched live transmission of the spacewalk from the Beijing control centre.

Hu hailed the spacewalk as a breakthrough and thanked the astronauts for their devotion and excellent work.

Other tasks of the mission included carrying out trials of satellite data relay and releasing a 40-kg companion satellite, which was left in the space with the orbital module and the extravehicular space suits.

The live telecast of the historic moment was watched by tens of millions of Chinese on outdoor screens and television sets at homes.

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Abhinav’s b’day guest

Monday, September 29th, 2008

Jackie Shroff was in Chandigarh on Saturday evening - to be part of golden boy Abhinav Bindra’s birthday celebrations. “It is Abhinav’s birthday and I am his father’s buddy.

Despite such a momentous achievement, he (Abhinav) is still so grounded and humble,” said Jackie. Jackie’s son, Jay, is also a National level basketball player.

Jackie nods, “I would love to watch him win gold for the country one day.” But isn’t Jay keen on doing films? “No and #8230;he is just 17 and it is too soon to decide.

But I would want him to be the next Abhinav Bindra for India,” he says. On his forthcoming projects, the actor says, “You will see me in Sai Baba, Kisan, Chehre and Ek Second (a thriller).

” Jackie, who’s shifting base from Mumbai to Khandala, because he wants to get away from the noise of the city and listen to the silence of the hills says, “I want to do my farming there and start an orphanage for children and a senior citizen’s home.”.

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Presidential debate’s Internet debut a forum for political trash talk

Sunday, September 28th, 2008

The first-ever online streaming of a US presidential debate provided a platform for hordes of amateur political pundits to exchange real-time critiques of Barack Obama and John McCain.

An estimated 150,000 people logged into www.MyDebates.org on Friday where the verbal duel was broadcast live and pop-up boxes polled the audience for feedback regarding how candidates were doing.

A comment forum on the page allowed people to instantly post musings, accolades, insights, rants or insults and they did just that.

“My God,” MyDebates user ‘Russ’ wrote. “I can’t stand watching and listening to McCain. I’m getting physically ill.”

“I hear they are taking bets in some places to see how long Obama will be president before he is assassinated,” an online viewer with a screen name ‘Billie’ said in a subsequent message. “Go McCain!”

A random sampling of the ongoing commentary revealed a distinct bias toward Obama.

That was in keeping with a poll of MyDebates visitors that indicates Obama supporters are clear majorities in 44 states while McCain backers dominate in only one state. The remaining states are considered too close to call.

“McCain isn’t Ms. Congeniality,” a MyDebates viewer named C. Hall typed in a posting after McCain made the joke in an exchange with Obama.

“Now, Not-Ms. Congeniality how are you going to make sure my parents don’t lose the house they’ve lived in for the last 20 years?”

Hall went on to bash McCain and other Republican members of the Senate for blocking a financial bailout plan.

In an Internet Age coffee house debate, Hall’s comment was met with sometimes unsympathetic counterpoints.

“GET A JOB! BUY INSURANCE!” a McCain-backing MyDebates watcher using the name “Boondocker” wrote in reply.

“Why is it my problem that your parents can’t pay their mortgage? Why is it the government’s problem your ass can’t get assistance.”

Swipes at Obama included postings saying it takes a soldier to be commander-in-chief and calling his economic positions socialist or Marxist.

“Obama has no idea what he is doing,” wrote ‘UnNormal Girl’ while bashing the candidate’s call for universal health care.”

“And a lot of people make fun of Bush for his stuttering. Have you heard what Obama sounds like?… studder, studder, st, st, studdering!”

Personal barbs were hurled at McCain as well, with much being made of him not locking eyes with Obama or speaking directly to his rival during the debate.

“McCain is acting very immature,” a MyDebates viewer with ‘Lush’ as her screen name wrote of the 72-year-old candidate.

“He can’t even look at his opponent when the other person is talking…smirking doesn’t help him either. So sad. I wouldn’t want a leader of my country who lacks maturity.”

“I’m afraid McCain will succumb to a stroke and we’ll be left with that ninny from Alaska,” MyDebates viewer ‘Kitty’ wrote. “Doesn’t that worry anyone?”

As could be expected, some viewers frowned on both Obama and McCain.

“The ignorance of every McCain supporter is blatant belligerence and disgusts me,” wrote ‘Blue-eyed Devil’ in a MyDebates posting.

“And quite honestly Obama isn’t that much better. But he’s different (…).”

MySpace engineers finished the night happy that the online video stream was faster than cable news feeds by several seconds and there were no technical stumbles to mar the premier of online presidential debates.

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