If only this wasn?t so true. The Internet and cable TV game is rigged in the US, and it?s consumers who lose.
The political class makes out okay because of the big dollars handed out every campaign season. As for the rest of us, we pay far more for cable TV, Internet, phone and cell service in the US than they pay in Europe, for example. Here in France, the phone, TV and Internet package starts at around 30 euros, or $36 ? and the speeds are generally faster than you?ll get as a standard package in most US cities (though, admittedly, customer service tends to be non-existent over here).
John was just telling me that in Washington, DC, he pays $180/month for basic Internet and basic cable TV, has to pay extra for HD (which is hardly some new-fangled technology at this point), and his package doesn?t include any premium movie channels at all. $180, that?s insane.
Thanks, Congress!
FYI ? there?s small amount of language in the video.
Just a couple days after we got our hands on Tenya Wanya Teen's crazy 16-button arcade stick, we were treated to its polar opposite; Divekick's two-button controller. Created by Iron Galaxy Studios just to show off the game at PAX East, the controller consists of two buttons slightly larger than the palms of our hands; the yellow one denotes a jump or dive, while the blue corresponds to a kick. As a parody of the fighting genre, Divekick's gameplay avoids complicated combo moves, is incredibly simple and immensely enjoyable, if we do say so ourselves.
Unlike traditional fighting games, the health bars are essentially meaningless, as a single power hit can take down your rival. Therefore you're focused on just the most basic movements -- a common one involves jumping in the air, tapping the other button for the downward kick, and then tapping it again to fly backwards.As for moving your character about, a jump and kick combo will get you charging towards your foe. Some characters let you fly when jumping, while others reward pressing buttons simultaneously. From our few minutes mashing the controller, it seems that timing and position are more important than ever with such fundamental mechanics, and ones that we picked up pretty quickly. We especially enjoyed kicking our adversary in the head to make them dazed and vulnerable in the early seconds of the next round.
Greetings. This is a reboot of an idea I had awhile back and liked it to much to let it die. Right now this is on an experimental basis, I just want to see how interested people are in it. If you like it then splendid, we will proceed. If not then at least it gave me an exuse to world build a bit.
A lot of people describe themselves as nerds these days who really aren't. They're hipsters. But if you have a hard time differentiating, no one can blame you as there are plenty of similarities. Nevertheless, there are a few hipster tells.
Redditor moson posted this helpful image that clearly outlines the differences between nerds and hipsters. Fun fact: the original photo is of actual, honest-to-god scientist nerds from Poland. Hooray!
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Veterans groups are rallying to fight any proposal to change disability payments as the federal government attempts to address its long-term debt problem. They say they've sacrificed already.
Government benefits are adjusted according to inflation, and President Barack Obama has endorsed using a slightly different measure of inflation to calculate Social Security benefits. Benefits would still grow but at a slower rate.
Advocates for the nation's 22 million veterans fear that the alternative inflation measure would also apply to disability payments to nearly 4 million veterans as well as pension payments for an additional 500,000 low-income veterans and surviving families.
"I think veterans have already paid their fair share to support this nation," said the American Legion's Louis Celli. "They've paid it in lower wages while serving, they've paid it through their wounds and sacrifices on the battlefield and they're paying it now as they try to recover from those wounds."
Economists generally agree that projected long-term debt increases stemming largely from the growth in federal health care programs pose a threat to the country's economic competitiveness. Addressing the threat means difficult decisions for lawmakers and pain for many constituents in the decades ahead.
But the veterans' groups point out that their members bore the burden of a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the past month, they've held news conferences on Capitol Hill and raised the issue in meetings with lawmakers and their staffs. They'll be closely watching the unveiling of the president's budget next month to see whether he continues to recommend the change.
Obama and others support changing the benefit calculations to a variation of the Consumer Price Index, a measure called "chained CPI." The conventional CPI measures changes in retail prices of a constant marketbasket of goods and services. Chained CPI considers changes in the quantity of goods purchased as well as the prices of those goods. If the price of steak goes up, for example, many consumers will buy more chicken, a cheaper alternative to steak, rather than buying less steak or going without meat.
Supporters argue that chained CPI is a truer indication of inflation because it measures changes in consumer behavior. It also tends to be less than the conventional CPI, which would impact how cost-of-living raises are computed.
Under the current inflation update, monthly disability and pension payments increased 1.7 percent this year. Under chained CPI, those payments would have increased 1.4 percent.
The Congressional Budget Office projects that moving to chained CPI would trim the deficit by nearly $340 billion over the next decade. About two-thirds of the deficit closing would come from less spending and the other third would come from additional revenue because of adjustments that tax brackets would undergo.
Isabel Sawhill, a senior fellow in economic studies at The Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank, said she understands why veterans, senior citizens and others have come out against the change, but she believes it's necessary.
"We are in an era where benefits are going to be reduced and revenues are going to rise. There's just no way around that. We're on an unsustainable fiscal course," Sawhill said. "Dealing with it is going to be painful, and the American public has not yet accepted that. As long as every group keeps saying, 'I need a carve-out, I need an exception,' this is not going to work."
Sawhill argued that making changes now will actually make it easier for veterans in the long run.
"The longer we wait to make these changes, the worse the hole we'll be in and the more draconian the cuts will have to be," she said.
That's not the way Sen. Bernie Sanders sees it. The chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs said he recently warned Obama that every veterans group he knows of has come out strongly against changing the benefit calculations for disability benefits and pensions by using chained CPI.
"I don't believe the American people want to see our budget balanced on the backs of disabled veterans. It's especially absurd for the White House, which has been quite generous in terms of funding for the VA," said Sanders, I-Vt. "Why they now want to do this, I just don't understand."
Sanders succeeded in getting the Senate to approve an amendment last week against changing how the cost-of-living increases are calculated, but the vote was largely symbolic. Lawmakers would still have a decision to make if moving to chained CPI were to be included as part of a bargain on taxes and spending.
Sanders' counterpart on the House side, Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., the chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, appears at least open to the idea of going to chained CPI.
"My first priority is ensuring that America's more than 20 million veterans receive the care and benefits they have earned, but with a national debt fast approaching $17 trillion, Washington's fiscal irresponsibility may threaten the very provision of veterans' benefits," Miller said. "Achieving a balanced budget and reducing our national debt will help us keep the promises America has made to those who have worn the uniform, and I am committed to working with Democrats and Republicans to do just that."
Marshall Archer, 30, a former Marine Corps corporal who served two stints in Iraq, has a unique perspective about the impact of slowing the growth of veterans' benefits. He collects disability payments to compensate him for damaged knees and shoulders as well as post-traumatic stress disorder. He also works as a veterans' liaison for the city of Portland, Maine, helping some 200 low-income veterans find housing.
Archer notes that on a personal level, the reduction in future disability payments would also be accompanied down the road by a smaller Social Security check when he retires. That means he would take a double hit to his income.
"We all volunteered to serve, so we all volunteered to sacrifice," he said. "I don't believe that you should ever ask those who have already volunteered to sacrifice to then sacrifice again."
That said, Archer indicated he would be willing to "chip in" if he believes that everyone is required to give as well.
He said he's more worried about the veterans he's trying to help find a place to sleep. About a third of his clients rely on VA pension payments averaging just over $1,000 a month. He said their VA pension allows them to pay rent, heat their home and buy groceries, but that's about it.
"This policy, if it ever went into effect, would actually place those already in poverty in even more poverty," Archer said.
The changes that would occur by using the slower inflation calculation seem modest at first. For a veteran with no dependents who has a 60 percent disability rating, the use of chained CPI this year would have lowered the veteran's monthly payments by $3 a month. Instead of getting $1,026 a month, the veteran would have received $1,023.
Raymond Kelly, legislative director for Veterans of Foreign Wars, acknowledged that veterans would see little change in their income during the first few years of the change. But even a $36 hit over the course of a year is "huge" for many of the disabled veterans living on the edge, he said.
The amount lost over time becomes more substantial as the years go by. Sanders said that a veteran with a 100 percent disability rating who begins getting payments at age 30 would see their annual payments trimmed by more than $2,300 a year when they turn 55.
NICOSIA, Cyprus -- Big depositors at Cyprus' largest bank may be forced to accept losses of up to 60 percent, far more than initially estimated under the European rescue package to save the country from bankruptcy, officials said Saturday.
Deposits of more than 100,000 euros ($128,000) at the Bank of Cyprus will lose 37.5 percent in money that will be converted into bank shares, according to a central bank statement. In a second raid on these accounts, depositors also could lose up to 22.5 percent more, depending on what experts determine is needed to prop up the bank's reserves. The experts will have 90 days to figure that out.
The remaining 40 percent of big deposits at the Bank of Cyprus will be "temporarily frozen for liquidity reasons," but continue to accrue existing levels of interest plus another 10 percent, the central bank said.
The savings converted to bank shares would theoretically allow depositors to eventually recover their losses. But the shares now hold little value and it's uncertain when ? if ever ? the shares will regain a value equal to the depositors' losses.
Emergency laws passed last week empower Cypriot authorities to take these actions.
Cyprus' Finance Minister Michalis Sarris said the measures were taken to put the Bank of Cyprus on a solid footing.
"We suffered a serious blow without doubt ... but we now have a bank which is reformed and ready to assume its role in the Cypriot economy," the state-run Cyprus News Agency quoting him as saying.
Analysts said Saturday that imposing bigger losses on Bank of Cyprus customers could further squeeze already crippled businesses as Cyprus tries to rebuild its banking sector in exchange for the international rescue package.
Sofronis Clerides, an economics professor at the University of Cyprus, said: "Most of the damage will be done to businesses which had their money in the bank" to pay suppliers and employees. "There's quite a difference between a 30 percent loss and a 60 percent loss." With businesses shrinking, Cyprus could be dragged down into an even deeper recession, he said.
Clerides accused some of the 17 European countries that use the euro of wanting to see the end of Cyprus as an international financial services center and to send the message that European taxpayers will no longer shoulder the burden of bailing out problem banks.
But German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble challenged that notion, insisting in an interview with the Bild daily published Saturday that "Cyprus is and remains a special, isolated case" and doesn't point the way for future European rescue programs.
Europe has demanded that big depositors in Cyprus' two largest banks ? Bank of Cyprus and Laiki Bank ? accept across-the-board losses in order to pay for the nation's 16 billion euro ($20.5 billion) bailout. All deposits of up to 100,000 are safe, meaning that a saver with 500,000 euros in the bank will only suffer losses on the remaining 400,000 euros.
Cypriot officials had previously said that large savers at Laiki ? which will be absorbed in to the Bank of Cyprus ? could lose as much as 80 percent. But they had said large accounts at the Bank of Cyprus would lose only 30 to 40 percent.
Asked about Saturday's announcement, University of Cyprus political scientist Antonis Ellinas predicted that unemployment, currently at 15 percent, will "probably go through the roof" over the next few years.
"It means that (people) ... have to accept a major haircut to their way of life and their standard of living. The social impact is yet to be realized, but they will be enormous in terms of social unrest and radical social phenomenon," Ellinas said.
There's also concern that large depositors ? including many wealthy Russians ? will take their money and run once capital restrictions that Cypriot authorities have imposed on bank transactions to prevent such a possibility are lifted in about a month.
Sarris, the finance minister, said that foreign branches of the Bank of Cyprus and Laiki Bank in countries such as Britain, Russia, Ukraine and Romania will eventually be sold. He also said that Cypriots would seek out new markets like China and the Arab countries while maintaining good business relations with Russians, "despite their bitterness."
Cyprus agreed on Monday to make bank depositors with accounts over 100,000 euros contribute to the financial rescue in order to secure 10 billion euros ($12.9 billion) in loans from the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund. Cyprus needed to scrounge up 5.8 billion euros ($7.4 billion) on its own in order to clinch the larger package, and banks had remained shut for nearly two weeks until politicians hammered out a deal, opening again on Thursday.
But fearing that savers would rush to pull their money out in mass once banks reopened, Cypriot authorities imposed a raft of restrictions, including daily withdrawal limits of 300 euros ($384) for individuals and 5,000 euros for businesses ? the first so-called capital controls that any country has applied in the eurozone's 14-year history.
The rush didn't materialize as Cypriots appeared to take the measures in stride, lining up patiently to do their business and defying dire predictions of scenes of pandemonium.
Under the terms of the bailout deal, the country' second largest bank, Laiki ? which sustained the most damaged from bad Greek debt and loans ? is to be split up, with its nonperforming loans and toxic assets going into a "bad bank." The healthy side will be absorbed into the Bank of Cyprus.
On Saturday, economist Stelios Platis called the rescue plan "completely mistaken" and criticized Cyprus' euro partners for insisting on foisting Laiki's troubles on the Bank of Cyprus.
____
AP business correspondent Geir Moulson in Berlin and APTN reporter Adam Pemble in Nicosia contributed.
Jon Davis, environmental physiologist, Course Manager for Biology, Arizona State University's Downtown Phoenix Campus, Phoenix, Ariz.
Ferran Garcia-Pichel, microbiologist, Dean of Natural Sciences, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, professor, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz.
Kevin Hultine, plant physiologist, Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, Ariz.
The Sonoran Desert, which spans some 100,000 square miles in southwestern North America, is one of the most diverse desert ecosystems in the world. Host Ira Flatow and guests discuss some lesser known desert creatures, and explore the secret life of that American southwest icon, the saguaro cactus.
CAIRO (AP) ? Egypt's state prosecutors ordered the arrest Saturday of a popular television satirist for allegedly insulting Islam and the country's leader, in a move that government opponents say is aimed at silencing critics of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.
The arrest warrant for against Bassem Youssef, who has come to be known as Egypt's Jon Stewart, followed an order earlier this week by the country's top prosecutor to arrest five prominent pro-democracy activists in what the opposition has characterized as a widening campaign against dissent.
The acceleration in legal action targeting protesters, activists and critics comes against a backdrop of continued unrest in the country. Political compromise between the well-organized Islamists in power and their vocal liberal and largely secular critics remains elusive, while the country's economy is in near free fall, which has increasingly fueled popular frustration.
The opposition charges that Morsi, in office for nine months, and the Brotherhood have failed to tackle any of the nation's most pressing problems and are trying to monopolize power, breaking their promises of inclusiveness. Morsi blames the country's woes on nearly three decades of corruption under his predecessor, Hosni Mubarak, and accuses the opposition of stoking unrest for political gain.
The warrant against Youssef is the latest in a series of legal actions against the comedian, whose widely-watched weekly show, "ElBernameg" or "The Program," has become a platform for lampooning the government, opposition, media and clerics. He has also used his program to fact-check politicians.
The fast-paced show has attracted a wide viewership, while at the same time earning itself its fair share of detractors. Youssef has been a frequent target of lawsuits, most of them brought by Islamist lawyers who have accused him of "corrupting morals" or violating "religious principles."
Prosecutor Mohammed el-Sayed Khalifa told Al-Ahram online that he has heard 28 plaintiffs accusing Youssef of insulting Islam, mocking prayers, and "belittling" Morsi in the eyes of the world and his own people.
In one episode of the show, Youssef mocks former militants who are now part of the mainstream political scene in Egypt. At a recent rally, some former radicals who were imprisoned for taking part in the assassination of late President Anwar Sadat in 1981, accused the opposition of using violence at anti-Morsi protests.
In the program, Youssef ridicules an Islamist who said the militants had repented by fasting for three months for mistakenly killing others with Sadat.
"What a message," Youssef says. "Anyone can form a group in the name of religion, assassinate in the name of religion, and then oops! Repent and fast for three months, and it will too pass in the name of religion."
The comedian has faced several court cases in the past accusing him of insulting Morsi. One of Youssef's attorneys, Gamal Eid, said however that this is the first time an arrest warrant has been issued for the comedian.
In a post on his official Twitter account, Youssef said he will hand himself in to the prosecutor's office Sunday. He then added, with his typical sarcasm: "Unless they kindly send a police van today and save me the transportation hassle."
Eid said the warrant fits into a widening campaign against government critics, media personalities, and activists, saying "the prosecution has become a tool to go after the regime's opposition and intimidate it."
A call to a top aide to the country's chief prosecutor, Hassan Yassin, for comment went unanswered.
Egypt's leading pro-democracy advocate and top opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei lamented the state of affairs in the country in a message posted on Saturday on his official Twitter account. "Pathetic efforts to smother dissent and intimidate media is a sign of a shaky regime and a bunker mentality," he wrote.
The other recent arrest warrants for five high-profile activists were issued over allegations that they instigated violence last week near the Brotherhood's headquarters in Cairo, where nearly 200 people were injured in clashes between anti-government protesters and supporters of the Brotherhood, from which Morsi hails.
Morsi responded by harshly criticizing his opponents, calling them hired thugs out to derail Egypt's democracy. The Brotherhood also blamed privately-owned media for fanning the violence.
The criticism was followed by a two-day protest by dozens of Islamists outside the studios of TV networks critical of Morsi. The protesters pelted police and prevented some talk show hosts and guests from entering or leaving the complex.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists called the escalation of anti-press "rhetoric" by Morsi and his supporters and the sit-in outside the media city were "deeply troubling."
The series of prosecutions and arrest warrants come amid a legal challenge to the chief prosecutor, Talaat Abdullah, whose appointment by Morsi last year was declared void by a court ruling earlier this week.
On Saturday, Abdullah said he will appeal the court ruling, saying it is "in violation of the constitution and the law," Egypt's state news agency reported. The decision signals a protracted legal battle is likely to ensue, further confusing the legal scene in Egypt.
In the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria, an Egyptian rights group said Saturday that police detained 13 people, including five lawyers, and accused them of assaulting police. The arrests inside the police station mark a rare instance in which lawyers face potential criminal charges.
The Haqanya Center for Rights said the 13 are accused of insulting security officials, attempting to free other detainees at the police station and illegal assembly.
The arrests prompted an angry response from lawyers at Cairo's Bar Association, who demanded an apology from the police.
Those detained include prominent lawyer and pro-democracy activist Mahienour el-Masry. Several dozen Cairo protesters held a rally outside the chief prosecutor's office, dismissing his orders as void, locking up the gates to his office with chains and demanding the release of the lawyers and activists.
Mohammed Abdel-Aziz, an attorney, said the lawyers and activists were beaten and assaulted at the station, where they had been since Friday to represent three opposition members reportedly detained and taken to the police by members of a political party affiliated with the Brotherhood.
The increasingly ambiguous divide between man and machine just got blurred that much more with Stanford's recent announcement: scientists have successfully created the first truly biological transistor made entirely out of genetic material. More »
WASHINGTON (AP) ? A federal appeals court on Friday revived part of a lawsuit by two attorneys who applied for prestigious Justice Department jobs during the George W. Bush administration and alleged they were denied interviews because of their liberal political views.
The department destroyed files on the lawyers' applications to be hired under the department's Honors Program. Government lawyers said they did so for lack of storage space.
However, the appeals court ruled that, while the Privacy Act bars agencies from keeping records about an individual's exercise of free speech, senior Justice Department officials should have preserved the documents because an investigation and lawsuits were foreseeable.
The applicants argued that a lower court judge ignored relevant evidence in dismissing their suit, including the fact that a screening committee comprised of two Bush administration political appointees conducted internet searches about applicants' political leanings.
Although they revived the lawsuit, the three-member panel of judges from the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia refused to make the case a class action on behalf of all applicants who might have been denied interviews because of liberal political affiliations.
In her opinion for the appeals court, Circuit Judge Judith Rogers said the Justice Department had a duty to preserve the records. The fact that it did not, she concluded, supports the inference the department engaged in "spoliation," which means intentional or negligent withholding of evidence relevant to a legal proceeding.
The appellate court explicitly ordered the District Court, when it tries the case, to adopt that negative inference. The higher court said that would permit a reasonable trial court and jury to find that the two applicants were harmed by creation and use of the destroyed records.
Rogers is an appointee of President Bill Clinton. The other two appeals judges in the case are chief judge Merrick Garland, a Clinton appointee, and Thomas Griffith, an appointee of George W. Bush.
The Attorney General Honors Program is the largest and most prestigious federal entry-level attorney hiring program. Selections are made based on a demonstrated commitment to government service, academic achievement, leadership, law review experience, legal aid and clinical experience, past employment, and extracurricular activities.
"Unrebutted evidence demonstrates that department officials in control of the printed, annotated applications were on notice that department investigation and future litigation concerning the 2006 Honors Program improprieties were reasonably foreseeable," Rogers wrote. "Nevertheless, they intentionally destroyed these records."
Rogers said the director of the recruitment management office received complaints from high-ranking department officials and other employees about the handling of the 2006 attorney hiring process and were aware of the perception that it had been politicized.
Rogers said one of the Bush administration political appointees on the screening committee, Esther McDonald, conducted Internet searches to learn the ideological affiliations of applicants. A search of McDonald's computer hard drive revealed she had found that one of the attorneys, who later brought this lawsuit, had opposed the presence of military recruiters on Cornell University's campus and that another had been elected to a seat on the City Council of La Crosse, Wis., as a member of the Green Party. That information was not contained in the applications submitted by the attorneys.
Widespread criticism of the management of the Honors Program arose inside the Justice Department after the screening committee "deselected" an unusually high number of applicants who had already been invited to travel to Washington for interviews.
A Justice Department inspector general's report later found that the screening committee deselected 40 percent of highly qualified applicants with liberal affiliations and only 6 percent of highly qualified applicants with conservative affiliations.
"This decision should stand as a potent deterrent to any such high-level corruption for years to come," said attorney Dan Metcalfe, a former longtime freedom of information official at the Justice Department who represented the two applicants.
On Friday, Oklahoma governor Mary Fallin signed a bill to allow horse slaughter within the state.
House Bill 1999 prohibits the sale of horse meat for human consumption, but allows for the opening of horse slaughtering facilities in the state of Oklahoma. Forty-six other states already have laws allowing horse slaughter. Only Texas, California, and Illinois still have laws against horse slaughtering.
Horses in the U.S. are nearly always kept as pets, although there are some that work. Because they are not raised for meat, there are few limitations on the drugs that are given to the horses during their lives, even up to the moment of their deaths. Many of those drugs are dangerous for humans, rendering horse meat unfit for human consumption.
Currently, horses are purchased in the U.S. and shipped abroad for slaughtering. Supporters of horse slaughter in the U.S. claim that aging and unwanted horses will be abused if there are no slaughterhouses. In the statement from the governor?s office, Gov. Fallin said:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has also noted that over 166,000 horses were sent to Canada and Mexico for processing just in 2012. These animals traveled long distances, in potentially inhumane circumstances, only to meet their end in foreign processing plants that do not face the same level of regulation or scrutiny that American plants would.
Simply making the slaughter of horses legal in the state doesn?t mean a slaughterhouses will open there any time soon. USDA meat inspectors have to be on the premises for slaughter to be legal. With the recent sequester, the beef industry has lost 8% of their inspection days. I doubt they will want to share the limited inspectors with an industry that isn?t even popular here in the U.S.
Neglected horse photo Patricia Evans, Utah State University
Job Title: Health Management Information Specialist Lead REF: VA 12-103 Recruiter: American Embassy Updated on: 2013-03-27 00:00:00 AA/EE: Not Applicable Contract Permanent Location: Pretoria Available: Immediately Category: Health & Fitness Offer: Basic Salary: R385,720 ? R540,006 per annum; Cash Benefits: R105,489 ? R118,347 per annum Introduction The U.S. Embassy in Pretoria is seeking an individual for the position of Health Management Information Specialist Lead in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
ALLORDINARILYRESIDENTAPPLICANTSWHOARENOTSOUTHAFRICANCITIZENSMUSTHAVETHEREQUIREDWORKAND/OR PERMANENTRESIDENCYPERMITS TO BE ELIGIBLEFORCONSIDERATION. Minimum Requirements Qualifications Required:
1. Education: Master?s Degree in computer science, informatics, biostatistics, or related discipline is required. 2. Experience: A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible work experience in clinical or public health programs, including a minimum of 3 years experience which includes responsibility for design, development and/or management of large health or medical information database systems is required. 3. Language: English level IV (fluent) reading/writing/speaking is required. 4. Knowledge: ? Expert knowledge and experience in managing information systems incorporating patient clinical and treatment data elements, patient confidentiality issues, security issues, and compatibility issues related to large health database systems is required. ? Detailed knowledge of the host government health care system and structures, including familiarity with NDOH policies, program priorities and regulations is required. ? Good working knowledge of team management techniques to plan, organize and direct multi-disciplinary project teams and activities is required. ? Good working knowledge of overall administrative requirements, budgeting and fiscal management in support of contracts/cooperative agreements/grants/purchase requisitions is required.
5. Skills and Abilities: ? Excellent oral and written communications skills to develop and maintain effective, sustainable working relationships with national and international health partners are required. ? Ability to lead results-driven project teams and workgroups is required. ? Ability to analyze, understand and discuss new program design, management and implementation approaches is required. ? Ability to exercise considerable ingenuity and tact in applying guidelines to unique and different settings is required. ? Advanced numerical skills are required. ? Computer skills and the ability to use office software packages, including word processing, spreadsheets, and statistical packages are required. Job Specification Basic Function of Position:
The incumbent is a key technical advisor to the Chief of Epidemiology and Strategic Information Branch, CDC Division of Global HIV/AIDS (DGHA) South Africa (Pretoria), and provides support to the President?s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) by providing advanced consultation, technical assistance and advice to senior Department of Health (DOH) officials, collaborating partners and CDC management in the design, development, coordination and evaluation of health management information systems (HMIS) for the management of individual patient data for clinical care and treatment of multiple diagnoses and diseases. The incumbent provides leadership, technical guidance and scientific quality enhancement for HMIS projects and activities, including systems requirements, analysis, design specifications, development, pilot testing, implementation, security, integration/standardization and evaluation at the national and provincial levels in South Africa. Job holder is the senior program advisor and program contact to the South Africa Department of Health (DOH), external partners and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the implementation of HMIS program activities and projects. Incumbent serves as the technical advisor for multiple projects with collaborating partners for the pilot testing, implementation, training, and evaluation of health management systems at the national and provincial levels in South Africa. The job holder serves as a primary contributor to the planning, development, and review of the HMIS components of the annual Country Operational Plan (COP) for South Africa. The incumbent represents CDC/South Africa on HMIS issues at technical, policy and strategic planning meetings, including meetings with collaborators and donor agencies.
Basic Salary: R385,720 ? R540,006 per annum Cash Benefits: R105,489 ? R118,347 per annum Non-cash benefits include medical, pension and others where applicable
To Apply:
http://americanembassy.pnet.co.za/index.php?s=advert_view&g=3893&x=1555342&i=452&pop=1 Deadline: 9th April 2013
Wal-Mart Stores Inc is considering a radical plan to have store customers deliver packages to online buyers, a new twist on speedier delivery services that the company hopes will enable it to better compete with Amazon.com Inc.
Tapping customers to deliver goods would put the world's largest retailer squarely in middle of a new phenomenon sometimes known as "crowd-sourcing," or the "sharing economy."
A plethora of start-ups now help people make money by renting out a spare room, a car, or even a cocktail dress, and Wal-Mart would in effect be inviting people to rent out space in their vehicle and their willingness to deliver packages to others.
Such an effort would, however, face numerous legal, regulatory and privacy obstacles, and Wal-Mart executives said it was at an early planning stage.
Wal-Mart is making a big push to ship online orders directly from stores, hoping to cut transportation costs and gain an edge over Amazon and other online retailers, which have no physical store locations. Wal-Mart does this at 25 stores currently, but plans to double that to 50 this year and could expand the program to hundreds of stores in the future.
Wal-Mart currently uses carriers like FedEx Corp for delivery from stores - or, in the case of a same-day delivery service called Walmart To Go that is being tested in five metro areas, its own delivery trucks.
"I see a path to where this is crowd-sourced," Joel Anderson, chief executive of Walmart.com in the United States, said in a recent interview with Reuters.
Wal-Mart has millions of customers visiting its stores each week. Some of these shoppers could tell the retailer where they live and sign up to drop off packages for online customers who live on their route back home, Anderson explained.
Wal-Mart would offer a discount on the customers' shopping bill, effectively covering the cost of their gas in return for the delivery of packages, he added.
"This is at the brain-storming stage, but it's possible in a year or two," said Jeff McAllister, senior vice president of Walmart U.S. innovations.
Indeed, the likelihood of this being broadly adopted across the company's network of more than 4,000 stores in the United States is low, according to Matt Nemer, a retail analyst at Wells Fargo Securities.
"I'm sure it will be a test in some stores," he added. "But they may only keep it for metro markets and for higher-priced items."
Legal boundaries Start-ups such as TaskRabbit and Fiverr already let individuals rent out their time and expertise to companies and people looking for small jobs to be completed.
Zipments was founded in 2010 as a crowd-sourced delivery network that allowed anyone over 18 years old with a vehicle, a text-enabled phone, and a PayPal account to bid on courier services for local businesses.
Such online match-making businesses often push legal boundaries - and a Wal-Mart crowd-sourced delivery program would be no different, according to Nemer.
Online packages delivered by customers may never reach their destination, either through theft or fraud, the analyst said.
Such a crowd-sourced delivery service may not be as reliable as FedEx or United Parcel Service, which have insured drivers, he added.
"You are comfortable with a FedEx or UPS truck in your driveway, but what about a stranger knocking on your door?" Nemer said.
Zipments evolve While Zipments started out with a pure crowd-sourcing approach, the company now does more screening of drivers before allowing them to be part of its delivery network, Chief Executive and co-Founder Garrick Pohl said in an interview. It now serves big cities including New York and Chicago.
Theft, fraud and late deliveries have never been a problem, but insurance and licenses were an obstacle, Pohl explained.
Drivers often need personal liability insurance to cover package delivery activities. Cargo insurance is also needed. Zipments self-insures this risk up to $250, but the firm encourages its couriers to buy additional coverage for higher-value packages, Pohl said.
In some areas, like downtown Chicago, people also need a courier license to deliver things, he added.
"Zipments now helps people get all these things set up before allowing them to deliver goods," Pohl said.
Still, he said the issues are not insurmountable, citing pizza restaurants, which have used part-time drivers to deliver pies for years.
"It's a great solution for large retailers like Wal-Mart," Pohl said. "We'd like to see them move quicker, but it's great that they are considering it."
Zipments is trying to provide such services to retailers, although Pohl declined to say which companies the start-up is talking to about this.
We begin our Survivor Caramoan Episode 7 recap on Night 16. The Bikal Tribe returns from Tribal Council after giving super-fan Matt the boot. Corrine talks with Michael about booting Phillip next. Phillip sees them chatting and tells Cochran that Corrine needs to go next. Will this conflict lead to more division within Bikal? Day 17 and tree-mail arrives at Bikal. The message includes a passage about ?the strong carrying the weak.? Phillip begins thumping his chest about how mighty he is. Cochran plays along as Phillip challenges the wimp to arm wrestle, but nerd-boy thinks Phillip is going insane. The Reward Challenge is an old favorite. Each tribe is tethered to one another and all are carrying a 20lb sack of sand. The tribes begin on opposite sides of an oval race track off shore in shallow water. The tribe which overtakes the other wins a coffee feast with plenty of sugary treats. He-Man Phillip leads Bikal while Gota puts all of their Alpha males, like Erik, Malcolm, Reynold and Eddie, up front. Gota is barely trying and still quickly begins to close on Bikal. Phillip cannot run and is tired, probably from arm wrestling the Mighty Cochran. Dawn [...]
It's a fact: your flower girl will be the cutest member of your wedding party. Actually, it could be a tie between your flower girl, your ring bearer, and your dog, but we digress.
We've all been to a wedding where the flower girl tosses petals as she walks down the aisle. But she doesn't have to!
Are you saying, "I do" outside? Present your special girl with a pinwheel that will blow in the breeze. She will look sweet and have fun. Perhaps you're more of a traditionalist. Give your flower girl the special job of carrying your train down the aisle.
Browse through the gallery and see how your flower girl can skip the petal toss. Try to contain yourself -- there's a lot of cuteness in the coming your way. Which option will you choose? Let us know in the comments!
Carry Your Train
Kids love to feel special, and your flower girl will enjoy the chance to walk down the aisle with you and carry your train.
<a href="http://lover.ly/explore?q=wedding+dress&utm_source=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals&utm_medium=guest&utm_campaign=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals" target="_hplink">Start your dress search!</a>
Photo by: <a href='http://r.lover.ly/redir.php/Y./pcRD1SrU_aHR0cDovL2phY2tpZXdvbmRlcnMuY29tLw==' alt='Jackie Wonders' target='_blank'>Jackie Wonders</a> on <a target='_blank' href='http://r.lover.ly/redir.php/T2oaTlQYWCc_aHR0cDovL3d3dy5pbnNwaXJlZGJ5dGhpcy5jb20vMjAxMS8xMS9pbnNwaXJlZC1ieS10aGlzLW91cmRvb3ItbGF2ZW5kZXItZGVsLW1hci13ZWRkaW5nLw==' alt='Inspired By This' target='_blank'>Inspired By This</a> via <a href='http://lover.ly/image/95001' alt='Collages8' target='_blank'>Lover.ly</a>
Balloons
Add a pop of fun color to your aisle by having your flower girl carry a single balloon or a bunch.
<a href="http://lover.ly/explore?q=balloons&utm_source=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals&utm_medium=guest&utm_campaign=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals" target="_hplink">Balloons are one of our favorite fun trends.</a>
Photo by: <a href='http://r.lover.ly/redir.php/emRVcZTPwak_aHR0cDovL21lZ3NtaXRocGhvdG8udHVtYmxyLmNvbS8=' alt='Meg Smith' target='_blank'>Meg Smith</a> on <a target='_blank' href='http://r.lover.ly/redir.php/JVnfKcf.r.w_aHR0cDovL3d3dy5zbmlwcGV0YW5kaW5rLmNvbS93aGltc2ljYWwtZmxvd2VyLWdpcmwtZHJlc3Nlcy8/dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1yc3MmdXRtX21lZGl1bT1yc3MmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXdoaW1zaWNhbC1mbG93ZXItZ2lybC1kcmVzc2Vz' alt='Snippet and Ink' target='_blank'>Snippet and Ink</a> via <a href='http://lover.ly/image/150584' alt='' target='_blank'>Lover.ly</a>
Garland
Have the youngest members of your bridal party team up and carry a garland! This is perfect for two flower girls or your flower girl and ring bearer.
<a href="http://lover.ly/explore?q=garland&utm_source=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals&utm_medium=guest&utm_campaign=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals" target="_hplink">Dozens of garlands?</a>
Photo by: <a href='http://r.lover.ly/redir.php/nuIIrVxxiMk_aHR0cDovL3ZpbmVhbmRsaWdodC5jb20v' alt='Vine & Light' target='_blank'>Vine & Light</a> on <a target='_blank' href='http://r.lover.ly/redir.php/IflfTja7nrU_aHR0cDovL2lsb3Zlc3dtYWcuY29tLzIwMTIvMTAvMDIvcGluay1mbG9yaWRhLXdlZGRpbmctYnktdmluZS1hbmQtbGlnaHQtcGhvdG9ncmFwaHkv' alt='Southern Weddings' target='_blank'>Southern Weddings</a> via
Parasol
Shade your girl from the sun with a parasol complete with a sweet message.
<a href="http://lover.ly/explore?q=flower+girl+dress&utm_source=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals&utm_medium=guest&utm_campaign=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals" target="_hplink">Find a dress for your flower girl!</a>
Photo by: <a href='http://r.lover.ly/redir.php/h8CZuFMlnt6_aHR0cDovL3d3dy5kaWFuYWVsaXphYmV0aC5jb20=' alt='Diana Elizabeth' target='_blank'>Diana Elizabeth</a> on <a target='_blank' href='http://r.lover.ly/redir.php/vA1G3cStgTo_aHR0cDovL3d3dy53ZWRkaW5nY2hpY2tzLmNvbS8yMDEyLzAyLzI5L2Zsb3dlci1naXJsLXR1dHUtZHJlc3Nlcy8=' alt='Wedding Chicks' target='_blank'>Wedding Chicks</a> via <a href='http://lover.ly/image/111883' alt='orange flower girl' target='_blank'>Lover.ly</a>
Wagon
If your flower girl and ring bearer are really little, a ride in a wagon is a great solution. Add poms or flowers for additional decoration.
<a href="http://lover.ly/explore?q=outdoor+ceremony&utm_source=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals&utm_medium=guest&utm_campaign=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals" target="_hplink">Is your wedding ceremony outside?</a>
Photo by: <a href='http://r.lover.ly/redir.php/e0ygGuxnNEI_aHR0cDovL3d3dy5qb2VoZW5kcmlja3MuY29tLw==' alt='Joe Hendricks Photography' target='_blank'>Joe Hendricks Photography</a> on <a target='_blank' href='http://r.lover.ly/redir.php/5MrIMQ8PYzU_aHR0cDovL2V2ZXJ5bGFzdGRldGFpbGJsb2cuY29tLzIwMTEvMTEvMTEvZWNsZWN0aWMtY2Fybml2YWwtdGhlbWVkLXRlbm5lc3NlZS13ZWRkaW5nLw==' alt='Every Last Detail' target='_blank'>Every Last Detail</a> via <a href='http://lover.ly/image/91742' alt='' target='_blank'>Lover.ly</a>
Basket of Blooms
Fill a basket with a bunch of blooms, or present your flower girl with a small bouquet or corsage.
<a href="http://lover.ly/explore?q=flower+girl+flowers&utm_source=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals&utm_medium=guest&utm_campaign=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals" target="_hplink">Not all flowers have to be tossed!</a>
Photo by: <a href='http://r.lover.ly/redir.php/Gkg/k37pI7Q_aHR0cDovL3d3dy5tYXJrY2FudGFsZWpvLm5ldA==' alt='Mark Cantalejo' target='_blank'>Mark Cantalejo</a> on <a target='_blank' href='http://r.lover.ly/redir.php/EZYKkIt1Pas_aHR0cDovL2JyaWRlYW5kYnJlYWtmYXN0LnBoLzIwMTIvMDgvMTUvc2ltcGx5LXNvY2FsLw==' alt='Bride and Breakfast' target='_blank'>Bride and Breakfast</a> via <a href='http://lover.ly/image/241373' alt='Marky-and-Linette-06' target='_blank'>Lover.ly</a>
Floral Halo
We love the simplicity of a halo of flowers! The fact that these girls walked down the aisle holding hands doesn?t hurt either.
<a href="http://lover.ly/explore?q=flower+halo&utm_source=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals&utm_medium=guest&utm_campaign=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals" target="_hplink">Floral halos are classic for her and boho for you.</a>
Photo by: <a href='http://r.lover.ly/redir.php/5/6bPMJsYe2_aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jcGF1bHNvbi5jb20=' alt='Craig Paulson Photography' target='_blank'>Craig Paulson Photography</a> on <a target='_blank' href='http://r.lover.ly/redir.php/5/6bPMJsYe2_aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jcGF1bHNvbi5jb20=' alt='Craig Paulson Photography' target='_blank'>Craig Paulson Photography</a> via <a href='http://lover.ly/image/388762' alt='' target='_blank'>Lover.ly</a>
Pinwheels
Pinwheels are perfectly whimsical and will make your flower girl smile, guaranteed.
<a href="http://lover.ly/explore?q=whimsical&utm_source=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals&utm_medium=guest&utm_campaign=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals" target="_hplink">Whimsical touches for your wedding...</a>
Photo by: <a href='http://r.lover.ly/redir.php/xdYqS5QJoL._aHR0cDovL3d3dy5sYWNlYW5kYm93dGllcy5jb20v' alt='Brooke Holm of Lace amp Bowties' target='_blank'>Brooke Holm of Lace amp Bowties</a> on <a target='_blank' href='http://r.lover.ly/redir.php/OUuwPoDi9GY_aHR0cDovL3d3dy5wb2xrYWRvdGJyaWRlLmNvbS8yMDEyLzAyL3RhbWFyLWFuZC1nbGVucy1lY2xlY3RpYy1jb3VudHJ5LXdlZGRpbmcvP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9ZmVlZGJ1cm5lciZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWZlZWQmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPUZlZWQlM0ErcG9sa2Fkb3RicmlkZSslMjhQb2xrYStEb3QrQnJpZGUlMjk=' alt='Polka Dot Bride' target='_blank'>Polka Dot Bride</a> via <a href='http://lover.ly/image/106451' alt='Tamar and Glens Eclectic Country Wedding' target='_blank'>Lover.ly</a>
Four Legged Friend
Are you inviting your dog to the party? Decorate her leash with flowers and give your flower girl a pal for the aisle.
<a href="http://lover.ly/explore?q=pets&utm_source=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals&utm_medium=guest&utm_campaign=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals" target="_hplink">Don?t forget to invite your pets.</a>
Photo by: <a href="http://iralippkestudios.com/" target="_hplink">Ira Lippke Studios</a> on <a href="http://www.inspiredbythis.com/2010/01/real-wedding-wednesday-bright-modern-orange-and-lime-beach-wedding/" target="_hplink">Inspired By This</a> via <a href="http://lover.ly/image/3523" target="_hplink">Lover.ly</a>
Pomander
A pomander is another great petal substitute that still incorporates flowers, and we adore this flower girl and ring bearer team. His sign? We can?t get enough.
<a href="http://lover.ly/explore?q=sign&utm_source=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals&utm_medium=guest&utm_campaign=HuffPo3-27-13skipthepetals" target="_hplink">Stop the presses and opt for signs!</a>
Photo on <a href="http://www.bridalguide.com/blogs/real-brides-speak-out/flower-girls-dresses" target="_hplink">Bridal Guide</a> via <a href="http://lover.ly/image/461018" target="_hplink">Lover.ly</a>
More from Lover.ly: Searching for more flower girl inspiration? Ring bearers are just as sweet! Welcome spring with pastels!
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Follow Kellee Khalil on Twitter: www.twitter.com/loverly
Contact: Bryan Alary bryan.alary@ualberta.ca 780-492-0436 University of Alberta
(Edmonton) Researchers from the University of Alberta are teaming up with child-care providers and day-home operators to ensure they have adequate training and support needed to offer inclusive spaces for children with disabilities.
Lesley Wiart was the lead author of a new study that identified challenges in providing inclusive spaces for children with physical disabilities, cognitive impairments and behavioural issues. The research showed that many Alberta child-care centres and day homes support inclusion but sometimes lack training and support.
"Even though providers overwhelmingly have positive attitudes about inclusion, they still experience some barriers to including kids with disabilities in their programs," said Wiart, an assistant clinical professor in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine.
Wiart surveyed 318 child-care centres and 25 day homes in Alberta for her study, which showed that 91 per cent of centre-based programs had provided inclusive care in the previous two years. The most inclusive programs typically featured more training for staff who knew how to get access to specialized support services, had higher staff-to-children ratios and were physically accessible.
However, the study also showed that 36 per cent of centres and 29 per cent of day homes had turned away children with special needs because programs were at capacity, the child required more attention than staffing levels could accommodate, staff had inadequate training or the space was physically unsuitable.
The survey found that most centres and day homes60 per cent and 53 per cent, respectivelyhad used specialized support services for children with special needs; however, more than a third36 per cent of centres and 40 per cent of day homeswere unaware of how to do so.
Wiart, a pediatric physical therapist who conducted this research as her post-doctoral project in the Faculty of Nursing, says the aim of this research was to identify the issues that can inform policy and service delivery to support inclusion for children with disabilities in early learning and care settings.
"There is a definite need for targeted training and support for staff at child-care centres around inclusion practices."
Research influences child care
Wiart's research influenced a new pilot program offered by Getting Ready for Inclusion Today (GRIT), which receives funding to support inclusion of children in care settings.
With funding from Alberta Education, the not-for-profit created a program called Access, Supports and Participation (ASaP) that models a continuum of supports and services for inclusion in child-care settings, said executive director Barb Reid. Ensuring programs have flexible funding is one of the keys to ensuring inclusion, she says.
"You can have a really strong, quality child-care centre, but to move it from a quality child-care centre to a quality, inclusive centre takes more intentional provision of resources and supports."
The ASaP pilot is currently being offered at five care centres in Edmonton, including the MacEwan Child Care Centre. Director Joan MacDonald said the pilot will eventually expand to 10 sites, noting Wiart's research provides an opportunity to address the many challenges of providing inclusive child care.
"An opportunity is there to engage in dialogue and problem-solve with professionals who have expertise and skill in working with children of varying abilities. That's an important interface for us in this project," she said.
Before her enrolment at MacEwan, Christy Raymond-Seniuk's daughter Sydney struggled with obsessive-compulsive disorder and separation anxietyissues that were initially recognized with help from qualified staff at the centre, she said.
Raymond-Seniuk said Sydney qualified for funding through GRIT for a part-time aide five days a week, along with consultations from specialists like occupational therapists. Without it, the MacEwan nursing instructor and PhD student likely would have been forced to stay home.
"Once we put supports in place, it was just amazing to see the changes," she said. "My child became part of a group and interacted with the rest of the children, which you always wish for as a parent."
###
Wiart's research was funded by the Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research. It was published this month in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Inclusive Education.
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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.
Contact: Bryan Alary bryan.alary@ualberta.ca 780-492-0436 University of Alberta
(Edmonton) Researchers from the University of Alberta are teaming up with child-care providers and day-home operators to ensure they have adequate training and support needed to offer inclusive spaces for children with disabilities.
Lesley Wiart was the lead author of a new study that identified challenges in providing inclusive spaces for children with physical disabilities, cognitive impairments and behavioural issues. The research showed that many Alberta child-care centres and day homes support inclusion but sometimes lack training and support.
"Even though providers overwhelmingly have positive attitudes about inclusion, they still experience some barriers to including kids with disabilities in their programs," said Wiart, an assistant clinical professor in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine.
Wiart surveyed 318 child-care centres and 25 day homes in Alberta for her study, which showed that 91 per cent of centre-based programs had provided inclusive care in the previous two years. The most inclusive programs typically featured more training for staff who knew how to get access to specialized support services, had higher staff-to-children ratios and were physically accessible.
However, the study also showed that 36 per cent of centres and 29 per cent of day homes had turned away children with special needs because programs were at capacity, the child required more attention than staffing levels could accommodate, staff had inadequate training or the space was physically unsuitable.
The survey found that most centres and day homes60 per cent and 53 per cent, respectivelyhad used specialized support services for children with special needs; however, more than a third36 per cent of centres and 40 per cent of day homeswere unaware of how to do so.
Wiart, a pediatric physical therapist who conducted this research as her post-doctoral project in the Faculty of Nursing, says the aim of this research was to identify the issues that can inform policy and service delivery to support inclusion for children with disabilities in early learning and care settings.
"There is a definite need for targeted training and support for staff at child-care centres around inclusion practices."
Research influences child care
Wiart's research influenced a new pilot program offered by Getting Ready for Inclusion Today (GRIT), which receives funding to support inclusion of children in care settings.
With funding from Alberta Education, the not-for-profit created a program called Access, Supports and Participation (ASaP) that models a continuum of supports and services for inclusion in child-care settings, said executive director Barb Reid. Ensuring programs have flexible funding is one of the keys to ensuring inclusion, she says.
"You can have a really strong, quality child-care centre, but to move it from a quality child-care centre to a quality, inclusive centre takes more intentional provision of resources and supports."
The ASaP pilot is currently being offered at five care centres in Edmonton, including the MacEwan Child Care Centre. Director Joan MacDonald said the pilot will eventually expand to 10 sites, noting Wiart's research provides an opportunity to address the many challenges of providing inclusive child care.
"An opportunity is there to engage in dialogue and problem-solve with professionals who have expertise and skill in working with children of varying abilities. That's an important interface for us in this project," she said.
Before her enrolment at MacEwan, Christy Raymond-Seniuk's daughter Sydney struggled with obsessive-compulsive disorder and separation anxietyissues that were initially recognized with help from qualified staff at the centre, she said.
Raymond-Seniuk said Sydney qualified for funding through GRIT for a part-time aide five days a week, along with consultations from specialists like occupational therapists. Without it, the MacEwan nursing instructor and PhD student likely would have been forced to stay home.
"Once we put supports in place, it was just amazing to see the changes," she said. "My child became part of a group and interacted with the rest of the children, which you always wish for as a parent."
###
Wiart's research was funded by the Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research. It was published this month in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Inclusive Education.
[ | 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.
(Reuters) - United Parcel Service Inc has agreed to forfeit $40 million it earned from illegal Internet pharmacies shipping drugs using its services, U.S. authorities said Friday.
As part of the settlement, UPS entered a non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice.
The company also agreed to put a compliance program into place to prevent illegal online pharmacies from distributing drugs through its shipping services in the future, authorities said.
"Good corporate citizens like UPS play an important role in halting the flow of illegal drugs that degrade our nation's communities," Northern California U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag said in a statement.
UPS cooperated with the investigation, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said UPS was on notice from 2003 to 2010 that Internet pharmacies were shipping drugs without prescriptions, yet the company didn't put procedures in place to shut down their accounts.
"We believe we have an obligation and responsibility to help curb the sale and shipment of drugs sold through illegal Internet pharmacies," said Susan Rosenberg, a UPS spokeswoman.
(Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
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Public release date: 28-Mar-2013
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