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Category Archives: Transhuman News

Canada unveils new space policy

Posted: February 11, 2014 at 6:47 pm

Canadian Industry Minister James Moore has unveiled a new plan to develop the country's space industry in a bid to safeguard Canada's "sovereignty, security and prosperity".

Moore said Friday that Canada's Space Policy Framework will serve as a guideline for the country's strategic space activities and ensure the commercial competitiveness of its space industry in the future, Xinhua reported.

The plan framework noted that "space has become a new frontier not only for science but for commerce," as the global satellite industry revenues exceeded C$190 billion Canadian (US $172 billion) annually.

"Every G20 nation now has its own satellite system in space and the emerging economies have made substantial investments in their national space programmes," the plan framework said, adding that this would bring greater competition for the Canadian space industry as it courted new markets and customers.

"Canada's space industry asked for a change and we recognise the essential role that our space industry plays in keeping Canada's economy on the right track and in maintaining our position as a global leader in space," said Moore.

The official also confirmed support for the James Webb Telescope project, a result of international cooperation involving Canada that is set to be launched in 2018 and will be the most powerful space telescope in the world.

The new plan framework emphasised the role of the private sector and international collaboration to develop the space industry.

But Montreal Liberal Member of Parliament and former astronaut Marc Garneau said the plan framework "resembles" what he proposed a decade ago, criticising the federal Conservative government for cutting the space programme's budget by C$30 million Canadian dollars (US $27 million) last year.

Garneau, however, admitted that it is "a good framework" but the real question lies in implementation.

Canada is known for the Canadarms, robot arms attached to the international space station, and famous astronauts including the first ever Canadian commander of the station, Chris Hadfield.

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Canada unveils new space policy

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Down's syndrome discovery dispute resurfaces in France

Posted: at 6:46 pm

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An extra copy of chromosome 21 causes Down's syndrome but there is a dispute over who discovered it.

A disagreement over the discovery of the cause of Downs syndrome has resurfaced in France more than 50 years after the findings were published.

The dispute erupted again at the French Federation of Human Genetics' (FFGH) seventh biennial congress on human and medical genetics in Bordeaux at the end of last month.

Paediatric cardiologist Marthe Gautier, who was involved in the experiments that led to the identification of the extra copy of chromosome 21 the cause of the syndrome was due to relate her role in the discovery when two bailiffs arrived with a court authorization to record the session. The FFGH then decided at the last minute to cancel Gautier's presentation.

The bailiffs were representing the Paris-based Jrme Lejeune Foundation, which finances a large proportion of current Down's syndrome research in France. The foundation does not deny Gautiers contribution to the work leading to the discovery, but it credits the late Lejeune for the discovery itself.

Lejeune, a geneticist, was first author of the key paper reporting1 the finding, published by the French Academy of Sciences in January 1959. Gautier was listed as second author, and Raymond Turpin, a paediatric geneticist and Gautiers and Lejeunes boss at the Trousseau Hospital in Paris, was listed as third author.

The FFGH says that it wanted to honour Gautiers role in the discovery by giving her the floor and awarding her the federation's grand prize. Without questioning Jrme Lejeunes very important contribution to French genetics through the article on trisomy 21 and other work, we simply wanted to make a gesture in recognition of the determinant character of Marthe Gautiers contribution, the federation said in a statement.

But when the bailiffs walked in, we realized the recording might be used in a court case, FFGH treasurer and former president Dominique Bonneau told Nature. Not only do we not have the funds to fight a libel suit, but we felt it was inappropriate to hold the presentation under such strong legal pressure. Gautier received her prize discreetly and nine eminent geneticists signed a statement endorsing the decision to cancel the presentation.

Jean-Marie Le Mn, president of the Jrme Lejeune Foundation, says that the bailiffs were sent because the foundation wanted an official recording of the talk so that there could be no dispute over what was said. We needed to know what was said in case Jrme Lejeunes memory was smeared, he says.

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Down's syndrome discovery dispute resurfaces in France

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Vogel and Motulsky’s Human Genetics Problems and Approaches – Video

Posted: at 6:46 pm

Vogel and Motulsky #39;s Human Genetics Problems and Approaches
Vogel and Motulsky #39;s Human Genetics: Problems and Approaches http://tinyurl.com/p75exxp. .

By: danila aleshkevich

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Vogel and Motulsky's Human Genetics Problems and Approaches - Video

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City must give longevity pay to union firefighters

Posted: at 6:45 pm

Published: Tuesday, February 11, 2014 at 6:06 p.m. Last Modified: Tuesday, February 11, 2014 at 6:06 p.m.

An arbitrator has sided with the Professional Firefighters of Ocala, IAFF, Local 2135, in its longevity pay grievance against the city of Ocala and has ordered the city to pay roughly $120,000 to the union members.

You never know how its going to end up, said Jared Sorensen, the citys director of Human Resources and Risk Management. I feel we presented a good case. Unfortunately, the arbitrator ruled against us. At this point, it is what it is.

The city has 30 days from Feb. 3 to pay the award, which was denied the firefighters in 2012. The $120,000 does not include FICA, which is estimated at less than $30,000.

Its something we had in our contract and that both parties agreed to, Robert Altman, the unions president said about the city. Every contract they had with outside vendors they paid in 2012 except us.

The firefighters contracts with the city expired in September 2011. The firefighters operate under the old contracts until new ones are ratified by union membership and approved by the City Council. There are two firefighter contracts, one for the firefighters bargaining unit and the other for the supervisory unit of officers. Arbitrator Vicki Peterson Cohens decision pertains to both bargaining units.

The city in 2012 decided not to award longevity pay to any of its employees, whether in a bargaining unit or not. The union argued that longevity pay is protected under their labor contract and, therefore, its members are entitled to the pay.

The contract reads that when financially feasible a lump sum longevity award shall be paid to eligible full-time regular employees at a time designated by the city manager according to a set schedule.

The city argued that the citys obligation to pay a longevity award is conditional and it is only required to pay when it is financially feasible to do so. It argued that during the recession, the city had to take measures to balance its budget, such as lowering the percentage of reserves from 25 percent to 20 percent and imposing a property tax rollback rate. During the 2012-13 budget process, the city projected an $8 million deficit and discussed strategies to close the deficit and the declining revenues. The city chose, among other things, to make department budget cuts of between 3 and 10 percent, sought pension reform, refinanced its debt and completed a voluntary separation program. Even after all the cuts, the city still faced a $3.6 million deficit without longevity bonuses.

City Manager Matthew Brower advised the city council it was not financially feasible to pay all employees the longevity awards. The city argued that it could not take the award away from other employees and pay it to the firefighters.

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City must give longevity pay to union firefighters

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Eczema Cure – Home Remedy – Video

Posted: at 6:45 pm

Eczema Cure - Home Remedy
http://www.VanishEczema.net Eczema is a painful and irritating skin disease that can be cured if treated correctly (especially when natural eczema remedies a...

By: Chris Wakens

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Eczema Cure - Home Remedy - Video