Open access: Comprehensive occupational health and safety resource now available online

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Contact: Cornelia Pretzer
cornelia.pretzer@dfg.de
49-302-061-214-328
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

DFG provides no-cost access to MAK collection / milestone in establishment of free access to research data / transparent policy consultancy

This press release is available in German.

The DFG's Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area has evaluated the state of research and provided scientific advice in the field of occupational health and safety since 1955. The publication of the MAK Collection under open access marks an important step in providing free access to electronic information resources. The database, which contains detailed data and scientific documentation on over one thousand chemical compounds, can now be accessed online free of charge.

The data, including information on potential hazards relating to chemical compounds along with their maximal permissible concentrations and tolerance values, is used to compile the Commission's List of MAK and BAT Values. Published annually, the list is presented to the German Federal Ministry of Labour for review and inclusion in occupational safety legislation. The Commission's work thus serves the DFG's mission of supplying scientific advice to the German parliament and public authorities.

The MAK Collection brings together all of the documentation relating to maximum workplace concentrations (MAK) and biological tolerance values (BAT) published in both German and English since 1972 with information on the methodologies applied in bio-monitoring and the analysis of airborne chemicals. All further publications by the Senate Commission will also be released under open access. The data will be published online through the website of the DFG's partner, Wiley VCH. The Collection has been published through the WileyOnlineLibrary website, and a feature-rich search function allows users to look up chemical compounds under their German and English names, synonyms and CAS numbers. Data can be browsed online or downloaded in printable PDF documents.

The publication of the MAK Collection marks an important milestone in research publishing under open access. As Germany's largest research funding organisation, the DFG is a long-time supporter of open access, and became a signatory to the Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities in 2003. The DFG's Joint Committee subsequently published its open access guidelines for DFG-funded projects in 2006. The DFG will continue to promote open access through its funding and research policies.

###

Further Information

Media contact:

DFG Press and Public Relations Office, Tel. 49-228 885-2443, presse@dfg.de

The MAK Collection on the Wiley VCH website:
http://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/book/10.1002/3527600418

For more information on the Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area, please see: http://www.dfg.de/dfg_profil/gremien/senat/gesundheitsschaedliche_arbeitsstoffe



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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.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 1-Feb-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Cornelia Pretzer
cornelia.pretzer@dfg.de
49-302-061-214-328
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

DFG provides no-cost access to MAK collection / milestone in establishment of free access to research data / transparent policy consultancy

This press release is available in German.

The DFG's Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area has evaluated the state of research and provided scientific advice in the field of occupational health and safety since 1955. The publication of the MAK Collection under open access marks an important step in providing free access to electronic information resources. The database, which contains detailed data and scientific documentation on over one thousand chemical compounds, can now be accessed online free of charge.

The data, including information on potential hazards relating to chemical compounds along with their maximal permissible concentrations and tolerance values, is used to compile the Commission's List of MAK and BAT Values. Published annually, the list is presented to the German Federal Ministry of Labour for review and inclusion in occupational safety legislation. The Commission's work thus serves the DFG's mission of supplying scientific advice to the German parliament and public authorities.

The MAK Collection brings together all of the documentation relating to maximum workplace concentrations (MAK) and biological tolerance values (BAT) published in both German and English since 1972 with information on the methodologies applied in bio-monitoring and the analysis of airborne chemicals. All further publications by the Senate Commission will also be released under open access. The data will be published online through the website of the DFG's partner, Wiley VCH. The Collection has been published through the WileyOnlineLibrary website, and a feature-rich search function allows users to look up chemical compounds under their German and English names, synonyms and CAS numbers. Data can be browsed online or downloaded in printable PDF documents.

The publication of the MAK Collection marks an important milestone in research publishing under open access. As Germany's largest research funding organisation, the DFG is a long-time supporter of open access, and became a signatory to the Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities in 2003. The DFG's Joint Committee subsequently published its open access guidelines for DFG-funded projects in 2006. The DFG will continue to promote open access through its funding and research policies.

###

Further Information

Media contact:

DFG Press and Public Relations Office, Tel. 49-228 885-2443, presse@dfg.de

The MAK Collection on the Wiley VCH website:
http://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/book/10.1002/3527600418

For more information on the Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area, please see: http://www.dfg.de/dfg_profil/gremien/senat/gesundheitsschaedliche_arbeitsstoffe



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

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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.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-02/df-oac020112.php

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Kodak wants its name removed from Oscars venue (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ? Eastman Kodak eased away from the Hollywood spotlight on Wednesday, asking to have its name removed from the theater that hosts the Oscars.

The once dominant photography company has asked a U.S. bankruptcy court to void an estimated $4 million-a-year contract and remove its name on the famous Kodak Theatre in central Hollywood as Kodak tries to preserve cash and restructure operations.

Kodak said in court documents it was filing a motion to reject the contract and that the theatre should take all steps necessary to remove Kodak's naming rights and the signage associated with it.

It was not immediately clear if Kodak's name will appear on the building during this month's upcoming Academy Awards on February 26, but a source familiar with the matter said several companies have approached building owner CIM Group about naming rights.

About 10 years ago, Kodak agreed to pay $74 million to CIM to see its name for some 20 years on the facade of the 3,400-plus seat theater.

A spokesperson for CIM was not immediately available to comment.

"Kodak is proud of its important role in the entertainment industry and our long-standing relationship with film makers," the company said. "Our motion today reflects our commitment to ensure that we are maximizing value for our entertainment customers, creditors and other stakeholders."

Branding experts say the value of any naming rights should rise.

"I think there's so much media attention on Kodak and the circumstances of its bankruptcy that from a visibility point of view, the new company that puts its name there will get a lot of attention. And that has a lot of value," said Adam Hanft, CEO of Hanft Projects.

Hanft also believes the next naming rights deal for the property will likely be shorter.

"Business changes so fast now. It's a high risk proposition for a vendor and a company to enter into such a long-term branding deal in this marketplace," he said. "I think the building owner will get more money over a shorter period of time."

He noted that telecommunication companies have deep enough pockets for these kind of deals, while wealthy social media companies may view putting their name on a brick and mortar structure as too "old school."

Kodak's bankruptcy on January 19 has been rippling through Hollywood in several ways. Yet even though its role in entertainment started to fade as digital technology began diluting its century-long hold on film distribution, Kodak still has a significant impact on Hollywood.

Among Kodak's top unsecured creditors are major studios, owed millions of dollars in film rebates, who fear they will not be repaid.

Major entertainment companies listed among Kodak's top 50 unsecured creditors include Sony Corp, owed $16.7 million; Time Warner Inc's Warner Brothers, due $14.2 million; Comcast Corp's NBC Universal, short $9.3 million; Viacom Inc's Paramount Studios, owed $6.8 million; and Walt Disney Studios, $4.2 million. [ID:nL1E8CJ3MF]

A lawyer representing the Kodak creditors was not immediately available for comment.

Sources have said most of those debts are related to film rebates owed to the studios who buy film from Kodak on a picture-by-picture basis. The price of film varies and often drops as a studio uses more, which is why they are often owed rebates.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences also has a 20 year deal with CIM Group to host the Oscars at the theatre, but has currently hit the 10-year point in the contract, which includes an option that allows it to explore new venues for Hollywood's biggest awards gala.

The film academy has said it has not begun venue negotiations for the Oscar telecast beyond 2013.

"The Kodak is where the awards have been for the last 10 years. We don't have any big reasons to want to leave," Tom Sherak, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences told Reuters. "But we'll make that decision as we negotiate."

The case is in re: Eastman Kodak Co et al, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York. No. 12-10202.

(Reporting By Susan Zeidler; editing by Maureen Bavdek and Andre Grenon)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120202/film_nm/us_kodak_oscars

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Community Calendar: Feb. 1 ? The Baltimore Guide

Wednesday, February 1
Happy Hour: Highlandtown?s artists and neighbors hold a happy hour on the first Wednesday of each month, 4 p.m.-8 p.m at the Laughing Pint. The next is Wednesday, Feb. 1.

Thursday, February 2
Go, Ravens! Interested in rooting for the Ravens? Tryouts will be held for co-ed Ravens Cheerleaders with skill clinics starting in February. Skill clinics are held on Feb. 7 (registration deadline Feb. 2) and Feb. 18 (deadline of Feb. 16). Applicants are also being sought for Playmakers (the all-female promotional team that makes appearances in bars and on game days at the stadium). The 2012 Cheerleader Tryouts are March 3 at the Downtown Athletic Club. The Playmaker Tryouts are March 4 also at the Downtown Athletic Club. Info on both can be obtained by going to www.baltimoreravens.com and clicking on the ?People? tab.

Open House: St. Casimir Catholic School, 1035 S. Kenwood Avenue, has open houses on Thursday, Feb. 2 and Monday, Feb. 20, 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Info: 410-342-2681, www.stcasimirschool.us.

Friday, February 3
Night at the Races: St. Francis of Assisi Athletic Association has a casino themed ?Night at the Races? in the church hall, 3615 Harford Road, on Friday, Feb. 3, 7 p.m.-11 p.m., $15/person. Info: Stefan or Michelle Hoehn 410-467-1683, hoehnm@sfa-school.org.

Saturday, February 4
Bake Sale and Burgers! VFW #10078 Ladies Auxiliary, 425 E. Fort Avenue, will host a bake sale and Coney Island burger lunch on Saturday, Feb. 4, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Carry-out available.? Wear your heart on your sleeve and get your game-face on!?
Softball Sign-Ups: Fortview Community Softball, co-ed leagues for ages 5-17, currently have sign-ups every Saturday at the Du Burns Arena. The next will be on Feb. 4. Sign-ups are held from 9 a.m.-noon now through March 31. Bring children?s birth certificate for proof of age, and be ready to pay registration fee. Info: Larry Vallerani 410-633-6672.

BYOB (Bring Your Own Bear): The Baltimore Museum of Industry (BMI), 1415 Key Highway, has its Teddy Bear Picnic on Saturday, Feb. 4, 10 a.m.-noon. Songs, stories, crafts and more. $8 BMI members, $10 general public.?Info/reservations: Gena Morris 410-727-4808 ext. 132, gmorris@thebmi.org, www.thebmi.org.

Natural Fun: On Saturday, Feb. 4, the Patterson Park Audubon Center and the Creative Alliance team up for free fun and nature with kids. From 12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m., it?s Audubon?s Tricky Trees Safari. Meet at the Pagoda in Patterson Park. Have family fun learning to identify trees and their importance to birds in the park. Register in advance at ppaudubon@gmail.com or call 410-558-2473.

Afterwards, hit the Creative Alliance for ?Billy B, Nature in the City? at 3 p.m. Billed as ?The Natural Science Song and Dance Man,? Billy B entertains family audiences with hilarious?(but scientifically correct) rock tunes and physical comedy that opens their eyes to the natural world around them.Great for ages 5-12, fun for all! Register in advance at info@creativealliance.org, 410-276-1651.

Skating 101: The Mimi di Pietro Ice rink in Patterson Park has ?Learn to Skate? lessons starting on Saturdays, Feb. 4 through March 3, $70 for 5 weeks, ($2 extra per session for skate rental), 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Info: 410-396-9392, mark.burke@baltimorecity.gov.

Monday, February 6
Canton Branch News: While the Canton Branch of the library is closed, the Friends of the Canton Library will continue to meet on the first Monday of the month at the South East Anchor Library, 3601 Eastern Avenue, 6:30 p.m. The next meeting is Monday, Feb. 6.

The ?Canton Memories Program? is held on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. and will feature author Gary Helton. The program will be held at Messiah Lutheran Church, 1025 S. Potomac Street. B.Y.O. memorabilia to share.

Congressional Consultation: A staff representative from Congressman John Sarbanes? office visits the Southeast Anchor Library on the first Monday of the month from 3 p.m.-4 p.m. to assist constituents with issues they are having with federal agencies, such as the IRS and Social Security.?The next date is Monday, Feb. 6. Info: 410-832-8890.

Police and Community: The SouthEast Police Community Relations Council meets on Monday, Feb. 6, 7 p.m at the Southeastern District of the Baltimore Police Department, 5710 Eastern Ave. This meeting repeats the first Monday of each month.

Tuesday, February 7
Yappy Hour: There is a happy hour to benefit the Canton Dog Park on Tuesday, Feb. 7. 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at Claddagh?s Pub, $2/person cover charge, 50/50 raffle. Happy hour specials and complimentary snacks. Note: Humans only at this event. Info: bethchristman@me.com.

Transit and Traffic: There will be a community meeting Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 7 p.m. to discuss parking and transportation issues in Southeast Baltimore. Councilman Jim Kraft will be there, as will representatives from the city Department of Transportation and the Parking Authority. All are invited. Info: 410-396-4821.

Thursday, February 9
Car Wars: The Motor Trend International Auto Show comes to the Baltimore Convention Center Feb. 9-12. Info: www.AutoShowBaltimore.com.

Hampstead Hill: Hampstead Hill Association meets on the second Thursday of each month. The next meeting will be held on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. at Hampstead Hill Academy, 500 S. Linwood Avenue, in the library. Pizza will be served. Info: Jean Pula 410-370-2644, jppula@gmail.com.

Calling All Writers: The Baltimore Science Fiction Society holds its Writers Circle, in which writers can receive constructive criticism of their sci-fi or fantasy work. Meetings are held the second and fourth Thursdays of each month, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at BSFS, 3310 E. Baltimore Street. The next will be Feb. 9 and Feb. 23. Info: www.bsfs.org.

Mark the calendar for?
Flea Market Vendors: A flea market will be held to benefit 4th graders at Patterson Park Public Charter School (PPPCS)?s trip to Medieval Times. Vendor tables available for $10. Flea market is on Saturday, Feb. 11, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at PPPCS Cafeteria, 2726 E Baltimore Street. Info: JennineA@aol.com or 410-960-0724.

Where?s The Beef: Graceland United Methodist Church, 6714 Youngstown Avenue, Dundalk, has a sour beef and dumpling dinner on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall, $13.50/person, children?s menu and pricing available. Info: 410-633-8799.

Ski Trip: St. Leo?s young adult ski trip scheduled for Jan. 28 was postponed to late March. Events planned for this group target ages 21 to 39. Info: Deacon Kevin Bagley 410-591-8889 or deaconbagley@gmail.com.

Stage Interests: The Baltimore Playwrights Festival needs volunteers to direct staged readings of new scripts by local playwrights. Readings will take place on Saturdays in February and March, at various theaters in the Baltimore area. No experience necessary. Info: Miriam Bazensky vchair@baltplayfest.org, 410-756-2762.

Community Notebook
Crime Prevention: The Southern District Police Community Relations Council holds COP walks as follows. Note: Unless otherwise specified, all walks are 7 p.m. Check the website for rules and policies, and for weather-related cancellations of walks. Info: Jack Baker jackbaker@sdpcrc.org, 443-831-0538, www.sdpcrc.org.

Wednesday, Feb. 1, Camden Crossing: meet at Washington Blvd & Scott St?
?
Thursday, Feb. 2, West Federal Hill: meet at the post office on Ostend St??

Monday, Feb. 6, Riverside/SBNA: meet at the Riverside Park Gazebo, E RandallSt & Riverside Ave??

Tuesday, Feb. 7, New Southwest Mt. Clare: meet at the Wilkens Avenue Mennonite Church, 1616 Wilkens Ave??

Wednesday, Feb. 8, 6:30 p.m., Carrollton Ridge: meet at the Samuel F. B. Morse Recreation Center, Pulaski & Ashton Sts??

Thursday, Feb. 9: Sharp Leadenhall: meet at S Sharp & W Henrietta Sts??

Little Italy?s Culture: The Pandola Adult Learning Center in Little Italy offers its spring classes for adults and children in Italian language, food and drink, cooking, bocce, a book club and more. Many classes start in March, but registration is taking place now. ?Info: www.pandola.baltimore.md.us, Rosalie Ranieri, principal?410-866-8494.

Sign-Up for Clean-Up
The city?s spring cleanup is scheduled for Saturday, April 21, 2012 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. ?Neighbors are being asked to choose a location that needs a special cleaning and call 311 to register. Containers for debris collection will be available on a first call basis. Bags and brooms will be limited and must be signed for by the community leader. All supplies must be returned to the Bureau of Solid Waste after the cleanup. Info: 311.

Note: The Baltimore Guide will be printing a neighborhood-by-neighborhood list of all clean-ups planned. Send your news in as soon as your plans are made.

Items for Community Calendar can be mailed (along with check or credit card information when appropriate) to The Baltimore Guide at 526 S. Conkling Street, Baltimore, MD 21224, faxed to 410-732-6604, or e-mailed to newsroom@baltimoreguide.com. Deadline for each week?s issue is Friday at noon of the week before. A contact name, phone number or e-mail must be included with all submissions.

-->

Source: http://baltimoreguide.com/http%3A/baltimoreguide.com/11398/

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Telepathy machine reconstructs speech from brainwaves

Continue reading page |1 |2

When you read this sentence to yourself, it's likely that you hear the words in your head. Now, in what amounts to technological telepathy, others are on the verge of being able to hear your inner dialogue too. By peering inside the brain, it is possible to reconstruct speech from the activity that takes place when we hear someone talking.

Because this brain activity is thought to be similar whether we hear a sentence or think the same sentence, the discovery brings us a step closer to broadcasting our inner thoughts to the world without speaking. The implications are enormous ? people made mute through paralysis or locked-in syndrome could regain their voice. It might even be possible to read someone's mind.

Imagine a musician watching a piano being played with no sound, says Brian Pasley at the University of California, Berkeley. "If a pianist were watching a piano being played on TV with the sound off, they would still be able to work out what the music sounded like because they know what key plays what note," Pasley says. His team has done something analogous with brain waves, matching neural areas to their corresponding noises.

How the brain converts speech into meaningful information is a bit of a puzzle. The basic idea is that sound activates sensory neurons, which then pass this information to different areas of the brain where various aspects of the sound are extracted and eventually perceived as language. Pasley and colleagues wondered whether they could identify where some of the most vital aspects of speech are extracted by the brain.

The team presented spoken words and sentences to 15 people having surgery for epilepsy or a brain tumour. Electrodes recorded neural activity from the surface of the superior and middle temporal gyri ? an area of the brain near the ear that is involved in processing sound. From these recordings, Pasley's team set about decoding which aspects of speech were related to what kind of brain activity.

Sound is made up of different frequencies which are separated in the brain and processed in different areas. "Simply put, one spot [of neurons] might only care about a frequency range of 1000 hertz and doesn't care about anything else. Another spot might care about a frequency of 5000 hertz," says Pasley. "We can look at their activity and identify what frequency they care about. From that we can assume that when that spot's activity is increasing there was a sound that had that frequency in it."

Frequency isn't the only information you can extract. Other aspects of speech, such as the rhythm of syllables and fluctuations of frequencies are also important for understanding language, says Pasley.

"The area of the brain that they are recording from is a pathway somewhere between the area that processes sound and the area that allows you to interpret it and formulate a response," says Jennifer Bizley, an auditory researcher at the University of Oxford. "The features they can get out of this area are the ones that are really important to understanding speech."

Pasley's team were able to correlate many of these aspects of speech to the neural activity happening at the same time. They then trained an algorithm to interpret the neural activity and create a spectrogram from it (see diagram). This is a graphical representation of sound that plots how much of what frequency is occurring over a period of time. They tested the algorithm by comparing spectrograms reconstructed solely from neural activity with a spectrogram created from the original sound.

They also used a second program to convert the reconstructed spectrogram into audible speech. "People listening to the audio replays may be able to pull out coarse similarities between the real word and the constructed words," says Pasley. When New Scientist listened to the words, they could just about make out "Waldo" and "structure". However, its fidelity was sufficient for the team to identify individual words using computer analysis.

Crucial to future applications of this research is evidence that thinking of words promotes activity in the brain that resembles hearing those words spoken aloud.

"We know that for much of our sensory processing, mental imagery activates very similar networks," says Steven Laureys at the University of Li?ge, Belgium. We need to be able to show that just thinking about the words is enough, which would be useful in a medical setting, especially for locked-in patients, he says.

"It's something we'd like to pursue," says Pasley. His isn't the only team that is hoping to produce sound from thoughts. Frank Guenther at Boston University, Massachusetts, has interpreted brain signals that control the shape of the mouth, lips and larynx during speech to work out what shape a person is attempting to form with their vocal tract and hence what speech they are trying to make. They have tried out their software on Erik Ramsey, who is paralysed and has had an electrode implanted in his speech-motor cortex. At present the software is good enough to produce a few vowel sounds but not more complex sounds.

Continue reading page |1 |2

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Why Joining the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Matters. | Comics ...

January 30, 2012 @ 11:48 AM

This year marks the 25th year of the CBLDF, and the 13th year of its active membership
program.

That means the comic book community, including fans, stores, creators, and publishers have
collectively decided to fight for free speech for a quarter of a century. It means that for more
than a decade, those who support this fight for free speech have gotten a card to prove it. And
that card comes with a world of importance.

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund was founded when a store was targeted by local
authorities for carrying adult material and selling it to adults. An influential and well-loved
publisher circled the proverbial wagons and raised the funds to overturn a conviction. In
1986, comics were still facing the same bias and inequitable scrutiny they faced in 1948 , when groups decrying indecency in comics held public book burnings.


Since 1986 comics have faced library challenges, bannings, self-censorship, and media
vilification. Even as recently as January 2012, local news reports banged the drum that
dangerous and obscene illustrated fiction could fall into our children?s hands and warp their
minds forever. We are still dealing with the same ludicrous trends and accusations that
started in the 1940s and peaked in the 1950s, when Senate hearings almost destroyed the comics
industry after a best-selling book of pop psychology laid a nations? fears of juvenile delinquency
out, putting comics entirely at fault. It?s easy to assume that things
will never be that bad again, but as of this writing, a fan is awaiting trial to see whether or not he
will go to prison for the comics he owned. In many ways, things are worse than ever. The biases
and the witch hunts still remain, but the penalties can be far, far worse.

The fact is that in 2012 we are still fighting for Free Speech in comics. The consequences for
obscenity charges range from fines to public outrage and character assassination to jail time here
in the U.S. and even in a foreign country. This is terrifying. This should not be a problem that
anyone has to face just because they buy, sell, own, create, or distribute comics. This art form
does not enjoy the same freedoms of expression as film, music, or prose, and this should
infuriate everyone who loves comics.

Look at your collection right now. Do you have copies of SANDMAN, or
BONE? Then you own books that have been contested in libraries nationwide. Does your local
comics shop carry anything with explicit adult content? Keep in mind that the adult content label
is vague and ranges from LOST GIRLS to BONDAGE FAIRIES and from BLANKETS to R. CRUMB?S
BOOK OF GENESIS. All of those books have suffered the scrutiny of censorship or self-censorship. The variety of comics that could bring an outraged local authority down on a retailer
(and has, in some cases) is alarmingly wide.

This is not an abstract hypothetical, and it is not a slippery slope. These attacks happen regularly,
and the consequences are real. For 25 years, the fight to keep comics free and uncensored has
been constant and difficult. And as a fan, or a creator, or even just a passing reader with an interest in our Constitutional rights, the best way to be part of this struggle is by becoming a member of? the
CBLDF.

When you join the CBLDF, you become part of the fight. You have put your money down and
made a stand. You join creators from all parts of the industry and fans from all over the world.
You join some of the greatest stores in the world and some of the most vital comics publishers.
You are telling the world, ?I may not want to read this comic, but no one should go to jail for
making, selling, or owning it.?

In 2011 alone, CBLDF members saw their donations at work in an incredibly diverse assortment
of ways:

We were quoted in a Supreme Court opinion knocking out an unconstitutional censorship
law.
In BROWN v. EMA, an amicus brief filed by the CBLDF and written by General Counsel
Robert Corn-Revere was quoted in the majority opinion by Justice Antonin Scalia. Comparing
government mandated videogame labels to the Comics Scare of the 1950s, the history of
censorship in comics was referenced as a mistake ? a mistake that should not repeated in other
areas of pop culture.

We sponsored Banned Books Week. Aside from membership in the Media Coalition, the
CBLDF expanded its active presence in the wider Free Expression community. We sponsored
Banned Books Week, spoke about comics censorship at several library events, and exhibited at
the American Library Association meeting, taking our mission to librarians, both educational and
public.

We contributed the first installment of the $150,000 in legal fees needed to defend Brandon
X.
This terrifying case involves an American citizen who faces a minimum sentence of one year
in Canadian prison and registration as a sex offender because Canada Customs alleges that the
Japanese horror and fantasy comics on his laptop are child pornography. This case is vital
because it raises precedent questions about the artistic merit of comics and the rights of readers
and artists traveling with comics on their electronic devices. It challenges how child pornography
is defined, particularly in relation to Japanese manga and the inherent xenophobia of judging the
artistic merits of another culture?s pop entertainment from afar.

We saw a banner year for Retail Memberships. Working with Diamond Comic Distributors,
our Retail Membership program saw the highest numbers since its inception. This means that
there are more stores than ever participating in the protection of the medium, all of them part of
a coalition that defends the rights of fans and creators. As the retail community grows tighter
and more cohesive, with initiatives like Free Comic Book Day and growing membership in
ComicsPRO, we are also seeing greater bonds with our retail partners.

Aside from these accomplishments, we attended more than 20 conventions and conferences
throughout the United States, raising awareness of our important work. We also began
expanding our reach onto college campuses and into libraries. We hosted educational events and
started work on two separate resource guides for librarians and booksellers. All this and much,
much more happened due to the generosity of our donors and our Members. The work of the CBLDF is vital, and it can?t continue without you.

Throughout the week, Comics Should Be Good will be spotlighting the various levels of CBLDF
membership (you can see them now here). Please check these daily updates to see what level works
for you, and please consider joining the fight.

Free Speech is worth fighting for.

Alex Cox is the Deputy Director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and a founding
contributor to CSBG.

Source: http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2012/01/30/why-joining-the-comic-book-legal-defense-fund-matters/

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Oxygen molecule survives to enormously high pressures

Monday, January 30, 2012

Using computer simulations, a RUB researcher has shown that the oxygen molecule (O2) is stable up to pressures of 1.9 terapascal, which is about nineteen million times higher than atmosphere pressure. Above that, it polymerizes, i.e. builds larger molecules or structures. "This is very surprising" says Dr. Jian Sun from the Department of Theoretical Chemistry. "Other simple molecules like nitrogen or hydrogen do not survive such high pressures." In cooperation with colleagues from University College London, the University of Cambridge, and the National Research Council of Canada, the researcher also reports that the behaviour of oxygen with increasing pressure is very complicated. It's electrical conductivity first increases, then decreases, and finally increases again. The results are published in Physical Review Letters.

Weaker bonds, greater stability

The oxygen atoms in the O2 molecule are held together by a double covalent bond. Nitrogen (N2), on the other hand, possesses a triple bond. "You would think that the weaker double bond is easier to break than the triple bond and that oxygen would therefore polymerize at lower pressures than nitrogen" says Sun. "We found the opposite, which is astonishing at first sight."

Coming together when pressure increases

However, in the condensed phase when pressure increases, the molecules become closer to each other. The research team suggests that, under these conditions, the electron lone pairs on different molecules repel one another strongly, thus hindering the molecules from approaching each other. Since oxygen has more lone pairs than nitrogen, the repulsive force between these molecules is stronger, which makes polymerization more difficult. However, the number of lone pairs cannot be the only determinant of the polymerization pressure. "We believe that it is a combination of the number of lone pairs and the strength of the bonds between the atoms", says Sun.

The many structures of oxygen

At high pressures, gaseous molecules such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, or nitrogen polymerize into chains, layers, or framework structures. At the same time they usually change from insulators to metals, i.e. they become more conductive with increasing pressure. The research team, however, showed that things are more complicated with oxygen. Under standard conditions, the molecule has insulating properties. If the pressure increases, oxygen metallises and becomes a superconductor. With further pressure increase, its structure changes into a polymer and it becomes semi-conducting. If the pressure rises even more, oxygen once more assumes metallic properties, meaning that the conductivity goes up again. The metallic polymer structure finally changes into a metallic layered structure.

Inside planets

"The polymerization of small molecules under high pressure has attracted much attention because it helps to understand the fundamental physics and chemistry of geological and planetary processes" explains Sun. "For instance, the pressure at the centre of Jupiter is estimated to be about seven terapascal. It was also found that polymerized molecules, like N2 and CO2, have intriguing properties, such as high energy densities and super-hardness." Dr. Jian Sun joined the RUB-research group of Prof. Dr. Dominik Marx as a Humboldt Research Fellow in 2008 to work on vibrational spectroscopy of aqueous solutions. In parallel to this joint work in "Solvation Science" he developed independent research interests into high pressure chemical physics as an Early Career Researcher.

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Ruhr-University Bochum: http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de

Thanks to Ruhr-University Bochum for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/117178/Oxygen_molecule_survives_to_enormously_high_pressures

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ATM Gives Out Dead Mouse [Wtf]

You know the economy is really going to bloody hell when ATMs start to pay bank customers with dead rodents, which is exactly what happened to this guy on the right. He got his cash and the dead Mickey on the left. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/eVkeiqBUdXg/this-atm-gave-out-this-dead-mouse-after-delivering-cash

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Colicky Edinburgh Zoo pandas removed from display (AP)

LONDON ? Two giant pandas on loan to a Scottish zoo have been removed from display while being treated for colic.

Edinburgh Zoo officials say female panda Tian Tian was treated by a veterinarian for the illness on Saturday, just as her male companion Yang Guang is recovering from a bout diagnosed earlier this month.

Officials say the illness is not serious, but can cause discomfort and requires medication.

The zoo said Tian Tian would be allowed "to relax privately away from public view" over the weekend.

Yang Guang is expected to be back on view Monday.

The 8-year-old pair are the first pandas to live in Britain in nearly two decades. They arrived from China in December and are expected to draw huge crowds of visitors to the zoo.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_sick_pandas

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Cuba's Communists map out party future (AP)

HAVANA ? Cuba's Communist leaders vowed not to cede any ground to "the enemy," even as they pledged to fight corruption and continue overhauling the island's listing Marxist economy with an injection of free market reform.

No word of long-awaited political changes ? including an April pledge by President Raul Castro to implement term limits ? seeped out of the first day of the closed-door party conference. Nor was there any hint of changes to the aged upper ranks of the party hierarchy. President Raul Castro is 80, and his two top deputies are 81 and 79, respectively.

Castro has spoken of the need to revitalize the island's leadership, but has complained there are few young leaders ready to step up. He, or his now-retired brother Fidel, have ruled the country since their 1959 revolution.

"Making the necessary changes, but without the smallest concession to the enemy," read the headline in Sunday's official Juventud Rebelde newspaper, an apparent reference to the United States and other government opponents.

The theme was echoed by delegates at the conference in snippets of the session shown on state television

"The enemy is waiting to create internal problems for us," Angel Bueno warned fellow attendees.

Raul Castro was to address the delegates in a closing speech Sunday, according to state-run website Cubadebate, though it was not clear if his words would be televised or rebroadcast at some point. Attendees did pledge to boost the ranks of women, Afro-Cubans and young people in the party and government, and noted that women currently make up 37 percent of the government, and 41 percent of delegates to the island's National Assembly.

But there were no concrete resolutions, and Castro's recent comments not to expect fireworks out of the internal meetings dampened expectations any major announcements were coming.

The meetings are a follow-up to last April's historic party summit, which opened up long-shut doors of economic opportunity by green-lighting the legalization of home and car sales, expansion of private-sector activity and extension of loans to support farmers, entrepreneurs and homeowners.

Foreign journalists were not allowed access to the weekend event.

State-run website Cubadebate showed photos of Castro presiding over the conference wearing a gray blazer and a dark, open-collar shirt, with what appeared to be a small bandage on the tip of his nose. There was no word of any appearance by Fidel Castro, who was greeted with a standing ovation and some tears at the April congress.

In a brief snippet of video posted on Cubadebate, Vice President Jose Ramon Machado Ventura said in a keynote speech that the conference would focus on "the everyday work of the organization."

___

Follow Paul Haven at http://www.twitter.com/paulhaven/

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/latam/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_cuba_communist_party_conference

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