Doc posts woman's nose job pics online, she sues for $18 million

Internet

Rosa Golijan NBC News

June 27, 2013 at 9:29 AM ET

moderncontours.com

Dr. Grigoriy Mashkevich's website is currently missing its photo gallery, where one imagines pre- and post-op images might've once appeared.

About two years ago, a 24-year-old woman went under a surgical knife for rhinoplasty ? a nose job. In early 2013, when she happened to look at her plastic surgeon's new website, she saw a blast from the past: Her old nose. A legal complaint filed by the woman's attorney alleges that the surgeon posted "before" and "after" photographs of the woman's face on his website without her consent.

"[Plastic surgeons] are very excited about putting pre- and post- op photos on their websites," Bryan Swerling, the attorney representing the plaintiff, Catherine Manzione, points out to NBC News. Doctors with different specialties ? he offers oncologists as an example ? wouldn't do such a thing.

"[Plastic surgeons] show [potential patients] photos of other patients in their offices," Swerling said. "And what happens is, right before they have surgery, [patients] are generally confronted with a form [giving permissions for their photos to be used]."

Courtesy of Bryan Swerling

A document presented by Catherine Manzione's lawyer shows her signature by a section indicating that she does not want photos of her procedure used for promotional purposes.

When Manizone was presented with such a form by Dr. Grigoriy Mashkevich, though, the woman specifically signed the section indicating that she did not give the doctor permission to use her pre- and post-op images, said Swerling. Nevertheless, Mashkevich used four photos ? two pre- and two post-op ? of Manzione on his website.

As a result, Manzione was "greatly distressed and humiliated ... exposed to public ridicule ... and greatly injured in her reputation," reads the complaint filed with the New York State Supreme Court.

Swerling said that, at one point, Mashkevich's staff contacted his client to apologize about the use of the photographs, claiming that they were posted due to a mistake made by a Web developer. "This is not a doctor releasing photographs, this is a doctor releasing medical records," Swerling reminds, pointing out that the Web developer had to be provided with those photographs by Mashkevich's staff in the first place.

Despite repeated calls to Mashkevich's office, NBC News has not been able to reach the doctor or his legal representation.

"Photographs may be protected health information (without any other identifying information) if they are 'full face' pictures or the equivalent," Rachel Seeger of the Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights explained to NBC News, though she was not able to comment on this particular case.

The complaint filed by Swerling asks for $18 million in damages, but the attorney said that such an amount shouldn't be the subject of attention when it comes to this stage of the legal process. "When an attorney writes a complaint, he has to leave himself some wiggle room," he said. Some of the causes of action (and their associated damage claims) can be thrown out at some point, sometimes even leaving only one cause and a much less substantial amount.

Swerling said that he settled in a case similar to Manzione's in April. "An older woman" who'd had plastic surgery in the early '90s, when the use of pre- and post-op images on websites wasn't even addressed in the forms she signed, found her images ? just as Manzione did ? on her plastic surgeon's website later on. Swerling wasn't able to disclose what the settlement amount was, but the case dragged out for about a decade, he said.

Want more tech news or interesting links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on Twitter, subscribing to her Facebook posts, or circling her on Google+.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663301/s/2de072fb/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Ctechnology0Cdoc0Eposts0Ewomans0Enose0Ejob0Epics0Eonline0Eshe0Esues0E180E6C10A447496/story01.htm

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Financier Marc Rich dies in Switzerland

GENEVA (AP) ? Marc Rich, the trader known as the "King of Commodities" whose controversial 2001 pardon by President Bill Clinton just hours before he left office unleashed a political firestorm of criticism in 2001, died on Wednesday. He was 78.

Rich died in Switzerland, where he lived, according to his Israel-based spokesman Avner Azulay. He did not give further details, but said Rich would be buried in Israel on Thursday.

Rich fled from the United States to Switzerland in 1983 after he was indicted by a U.S. federal grand jury on more than 50 counts of fraud, racketeering, trading with Iran during the U.S. Embassy hostage crisis and evading more than US$48 million in income taxes ? crimes that could have earned him more than 300 years in prison.

Rich remained on the FBI's Most Wanted List, narrowly escaping capture in Finland, Germany, Britain and Jamaica, until Clinton granted him a pardon on Jan. 20, 2001 ? the day he handed over the keys to the White House to George W. Bush.

Rich's pardon catapulted him into the headlines once again.

According to Federal Election Commission records, Rich's ex-wife, songwriter Denise Rich, gave US$201,000 in political donations to the Democratic Party in 2000 as lawyers for the fugitive financier pressed the U.S. government to drop the case. Rich's attorneys turned to Clinton when the Justice Department refused to negotiate.

Federal authorities investigated but found no evidence of wrongdoing, while election officials also dismissed a complaint accusing Denise Rich of donating campaign money and furniture to Hillary Clinton in exchange for the pardon. Bill Clinton also denied any wrongdoing and said he acted on advice by prominent legal experts not connected to the trader.

Switzerland, which had different tax laws and, as a neutral country, had no embargo against Iran refused to treat Rich ? a billionaire trader in oil, metals and other commodities ? as a criminal or hand him over to the United States despite strong diplomatic pressure.

"In our business we're not political," Rich said in a rare 1992 interview with NBC. "That's just the philosophy of our company."

Rich was born in Antwerp, Belgium, on Dec. 18, 1934. His Jewish family fled from the Nazis to the United States, where Rich went to school and college in New York.

After dropping out of college, Rich went to work for the commodity traders Phillips Brothers, now called Phibro, in New York. He quickly got the knack of trading and in 1967 was sent by the company to work in Madrid, where he met Pincus "Pinky" Green, his future partner.

In 1973, Rich and Green left the company after arguing over the size of their bonuses. They set up Marc Rich and Co., based in the Swiss town of Zug, whose low taxes have made it one of the world's oil trading centers.

Business boomed. Rich specialized in acting as a middle man for purchases in global trouble spots ? such as Iran, apartheid-era South Africa or Cuba and Libya during U.S. trade embargoes.

Rich and Green were the first traders to use short-term purchases, now known as the spot market, to make big money, quickly. Buying large volumes when the price was low, they were able to control the market when prices rose.

In 1983, Rich fled to Switzerland to escape charges against him. In his absence, Rich's companies pleaded guilty to the charges, paying fines of about US$130 million.

"The question is, was there crime, and I'm saying I don't think so," Rich told NBC, adding that as Marc Rich and Co. was a Swiss company, it was legal for the firm to do business with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's Iran.

Swiss authorities did not consider his alleged crimes grounds for extradition.

Rich worked on making himself popular by becoming a major philanthropist, giving money to the arts and charities in the hope of building good contacts and guarding against extradition. He renounced his U.S. citizenship and became a citizen both of Israel and Spain.

But he earned the hatred of U.S. labor unions during the 1990-92 Ravenswood Aluminum Corp. strike in West Virginia.

His company was a part-owner of Ravenswood Aluminum, whose workers accused Rich of locking 1,500 steelworkers out of the plant when their contract expired and hiring replacement workers without negotiating.

The union won the 20-month labor battle, but not before union members picketed outside Rich's Swiss offices.

Rich had married the former Denise Eisenberg, a New York socialite, in 1966. They divorced in 1992. After that she contributed US$450,000 to Clinton's presidential library foundation and more than US$100,000 to Hillary Clinton's Senate campaign.

In 1993, Rich sold his own company ? which was then renamed Glencore, now the world's largest commodity trader ? and set up a new firm, Marc Rich and Co. Holding, also based in Zug.

Although a Russian firm, Crown Resources, tried to buy its commodities unit in 2001, the buyout fell through and Rich remained active in the trading business.

After spending several years in Zug, Rich moved to "La Villa Rose" on the shores of Lake Lucerne in nearby Meggen. He also owned property in the swish ski resort of St. Moritz and in Marbella, on the south coast of Spain.

Rich married again, to German-born Gisela Rossi, in 1998. They divorced in 2005. Rich had two daughters, Ilona Rich Schachter and Danielle Rich Kilstock.

___

Ian Deitch in Jerusalem and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/financier-marc-rich-dies-switzerland-094009342.html

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Army To Cut Brigades At 10 U.S. Bases

WASHINGTON ? The Army will eliminate at least 12 combat brigades, relocate thousands of soldiers and cancel $400 million in construction projects as the first wave of federal budget cuts takes aim at military communities around the country.

In a massive restructuring, Army leaders said Tuesday that they will slash the number of active duty combat brigades from 45 to 33, as the service moves forward with a longtime plan to cut the size of the service by 80,000. And they warned that more cuts ? of as many as 100,000 more active duty, National Guard and Reserve soldiers ? could be coming if Congress allows billions of dollars in automatic budget cuts to continue next year.

The sweeping changes would eliminate brigades ? which number from 3,500 to 5,000 troops ? at 10 Army bases in the U.S. by 2017, including those in Texas, Kentucky, Georgia, Colorado, North Carolina, New York, Kansas and Washington. The Army will also cut thousands of other jobs across the service, including soldiers in units that support the brigades, and two brigades in Germany have already been scheduled for elimination.

Gen. Ray Odierno, Army chief of staff, said one additional brigade will likely be cut, but no final decisions have been made.

"I know in the local communities it will have its impact," Odierno told reporters Tuesday. "But we've done our best to reach out to them so they understand what the impacts are. We've tried to make it as small an impact as possible for as many communities as we could."

Members of Congress, meanwhile, expressed concerns about the prospects for greater cuts down the road.

Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon, R-Calif., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said his panel "will carefully examine the implications of this initial restructuring, but we all must understand that this is only the tip of the iceberg, much deeper cuts are still to come."

The Army is being reduced in size from a high of about 570,000 during the peak of the Iraq war to 490,000 as part of efforts to cut the budget and reflect the country's military needs as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan end. Odierno said that the potential 100,000 more would be spread out across the active duty, Guard and Reserves, and that there also could be reductions in the Army's 13 aviation brigades.

While the personnel cuts may have less impact at some of the Army's larger bases such as Fort Hood in Texas and Fort Bragg in North Carolina, they could be more painful for communities around some of the smaller installations such as Fort Knox, where currently only one brigade is based.

The other seven U.S. bases that will lose a brigade are: Fort Bliss in Texas, Fort Campbell in Kentucky, Fort Carson in Colorado, Fort Drum in New York, Fort Riley in Kansas, Fort Stewart in Georgia, and Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. Soldiers in the deactivated brigades would be transferred to other units.

Odierno said the Army tried to spread out the cuts geographically. He said Fort Knox scored the lowest in military value, but insisted the reduction was not the first step toward closing the base. He noted that about 4,000 civilians workers had been added there, as well as the Army's recruiting command.

The overall cut in size has been known for more than a year, and Army leaders have been working on how to manage the reduction, conducting local community meetings across the country and releasing an extensive study on the issue earlier this year.

Under the plan announced Tuesday, the Army will increase the size of its infantry and armor brigades by adding another battalion, which is between 600-800 soldiers. Adding the battalion was a recommendation from commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan who said it would beef up the fighting capabilities of the brigades when they go to war.

Odierno said he continues to hope that he will be able to cut the 80,000 soldiers largely through voluntary departures. He said he believes he will have to force several hundred officers to leave in order to get the proper number of soldiers at various ranks. But, if the automatic cuts go forward, Odierno said he would likely have to force soldiers out of the Army.

These initial brigade cuts do not affect National Guard or Reserve units.

Officials said the decisions on the cuts were based on a variety of factors including required training resources, ranges, air space and infrastructure, as well as the need to put units near leadership and headquarters units.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/25/army-cuts_n_3497982.html

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10 Qs with? Campion Platt - Designwire Daily - Interior Design

by Andrew Stone | Tuesday, June 25, 2013

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A discerning creator of custom spaces with an eco-conscious perspective and an eye trained on luxury, New York?s Campion Platt is the mind behind more than two-decades-worth of beautifully realized architecture and decorating projects. His work includes the residences of celebrities and members of Manhattan high society as well as luxurious retreats in the Hamptons and Palm Beach (his winter home), high-end residential developments, hotel projects, restaurants, and cultural institutions. His entrepreneurial spirit has led him to create spec house projects with developer Joe Farrell of the Farrell Building Company, using e-commerce site Project D?cor; develop a green collection for HBF Textiles and rug design for Roubini; and design two collections of furniture bearing his name.

Interior Design: A lot of people talk about designing with ?eco-consciousness,? but you?re very devoted to the sustainable architecture movement. Why has this been key for you, and what are some principles you practice and well as preach?

Campion Platt: When working with anyone, I ask what their practices are?be they vendors or artisans. The best solutions are often very simple. For a recent spec house we did out in the Hamptons with Joe Farrell, we brought in some great hemp curtains from a company in California, and used a lot of our own fabric we had in the warehouse. If a client is really interested in telling an eco story, I can certainly do that?and that?s a good back story for them; bringing green to anyone is admirable. All things being equal, I can find something to suit any aesthetic that is green.

One truth that I will admit is that in the world of interior design, there?s not a lot of high-end product to buy that can truly be considered ?green,? unless you?re buying antique or second-hand. You can buy totally green houses?and there?s been so much progress made there, particularly in our ability to insulate well, but there?s still not a ton of elevated product that I would necessarily consider green. In that respect, I will say that I?m ?green-light.?

ID: As green design has been a big focus for you in projects and as a lecturer, how would you say one can bring a true sense of luxury into green design?

CP: That?s expanding every year. I have spent a lot of time in Asia, and have always had a desire to use organic materials. I think back to six years ago, when green was on everyone?s agenda. Now it?s a standard. Most firms will have an LEED AP architect, and the big contracting companies in New York are certainly on the vanguard of that.

ID: Would you say that ?luxury? means something different today that it did five or 10 years ago?

CP: Yes, because pre-2008, 2009, consumption had been spiraling up at such a great rate. Then it dropped down to barely anything. People who took limousines started taking town cars. The people who had the money didn?t want to spend it, because it didn?t look proper. These days, the sense of luxury has migrated from consumption of product to a more eco-conscious sensibility. I also think that time is considered to be more of a quality of luxury than before?the ability to carve out time and do things away from what your iPhone calendar is telling you to do.

ID: Would you say that the desire for items has been replaced by a desire for space?

CP: Space is definitely a luxury concept. I see people wanting to travel more, and the Internet has opened up the ability to get out and explore. Some people thought it would be the opposite, that people would see a video of a place and then not actually go, but I find the opposite to be true. Most of the floor plans I?m working on are much more open than ever before, with the living room connected to kitchen, flowing to the breakfast area. So many of the old ?Park Avenue Eights? are being blown out into open and friendlier spaces.

ID: So much of your work is custom, and that brings such value to a project. How does that creative conversation start in relation to your custom work?

CP: The closed world of the decorating business is no more. As decorators, we were the only ones with information and access to so many things. We now have a much more informed client. I?d say that about seventy percent of the work in my practice is custom?the rugs, sofas, lamps, so forth?and that?s been a huge differentiator. Clients want a one-of-a-kind experience, and the ability to customize is a great calling card.

ID: You did a spec house in the Hamptons with developer Joe Farrell. How was that experience for you?

CP: I?ve learned a lot in that process. It was a limited budget, and had 7,000 square feet to do in under in six weeks, soup to nuts. budget, purchasing, camera ready. Given the timing of that project, we were confined to buying everything based on what we saw on the Internet. A part of this test there for me was using the Project D?cor e-commerce website, which launched last July. I wanted to see if we could design two of the rooms entirely with product from this website. I think it turned out to be very successful, and it was nice to cut our teeth on it in that way. I think websites of its nature are a big wave of the future.

I had some peers of mine on the high-end side of the business ask me, ?Why would you do something like this? Isn?t it lowering your worth?? My first answer is that it was for education, and the second response was that this is where I think the industry is going. At the end of the day, I wound up getting two really great clients from that spec house, who were taken by my aesthetic choices?and that?s what it?s all about for me.

ID: And what kind of dynamic is most satisfying for you with your clients?

CP: That can really run the gamut. Sometimes someone will hand me the keys, say ?have fun, I?ll see you in six months, have a great time? and then they come back and love everything. That certainly does happen. Or you can have someone who wants to be totally involved, and attend every meeting. That is enjoyable, because they get to see and understand the time and energy that goes into creating a beautiful space, and we can hash things out together every step of the way. One thing I tend to do is over-inform the clients. I really hate surprises at the end of a project, where something is completed and then we realize there has been some aesthetic disconnect along the way that didn?t get addressed. I want the clients to be very engaged and informed, so I tend to beat them with a stick with information-overload.

ID: What are some of the most satisfying projects currently on your plate?

CP: We?re doing some high-level design work for Embassy Suites, which is a really interesting brand. We?re doing a really fun penthouse project in San Jose, Costa Rica?on the top floor of the best building in the city. We also have a fun house out in Palm Beach, a big house out in the Hamptons, and a couple of great apartment projects in New York City.

ID: How have you come to instigate creative exploration among your teams through the years, and what do you look for when adding to your team?

CP: Because we do both architecture and interior design, we all start out together then wind up splitting off. I?ll begin by presenting a general idea of where I want to go with a project, and then the architect side will go off and do their drafting, while the decorating team will look for their inspiration and develop a budget. I?ll oversee both sides. Then we reconvene and determine what custom elements can be created to make it a really special project. The team is always trying to find something unique in the architecture, and introduce new surprises?it could be on the build side, could be in the upholstery. I like that we work with a sense of community, and keep getting tighter. As for new hires, I am more likely to hire two really creative young people?who can learn quickly and who have fun ideas?than someone more on the senior side.

ID: What were the earliest and strongest influencers on you as a designer and architect?

CP: I went to school in Europe when I was young, and spent a good amount of time in Italy, going around to see architecture. I?ve always been extremely moved by the work of Carlos Scarpa, and he had a huge influence on me in my early years. Recently, I went to Glasgow, Scotland to see the work of Charles Mackintosh, who was so forward for his time. It was incredible to see his designs in 3D. It?s just not the same in 2D. You have to see it for yourself.

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Source: http://designwire.interiordesign.net/products/25730/10-qs-with-campion-platt

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8 great Stepparenting tips - Blending Blog - Blended Family Gifts

A few months ago I asked this question on my Facebook page: what?s the best piece of advice you would give to a new stepparent? The answers I got apply to experienced stepparents as well.

Here are some of them:

?Have patience. Lots and lots of patience.? (amen!)

?If the stepchild is a teen you probably aren?t going to do anything right & a lot of the child?s hurt & anger is going to be directed at you. Let love guide your decisions but don?t bend over backwards. Expect respect and nothing else. And know that they will soon grow out of it. ? ( my favorite)

?Try to go with the flow where appropriate and where possible!? (couldn?t agree more)

?Don?t worry about the other home or the other parent. Focus on what YOU do in YOUR home. Don?t talk about the other parent. Don?t compare yourself or what you do in your home to how the other parent does it to the kids. The kids KNOW the difference. They don?t need you pointing it out.? (yup, that should be a daily reminder)

?Don?t try to be perfect and don?t feel bad if negative feelings like jealousy arise. Simply look for help. It?s part of the process.? (my answer)

?Don?t loose who you are, be YOU and be a great YOU! ? (indeed!)

?Before you walk in..understand the family dynamic in regards to support/custody and access?..set down ground rules including the role each parent will play in enforcing these expectations. ? (very, very wise answer) ?

?Don?t take things too personally?it?s not always about you. ? by Stepville, another great page on FB

?

Would love to hear your own tips. Feel free to share them in the comments section below.

?

photo credit: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

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Source: http://blog.blendedfamilygifts.com/8-great-stepparenting-tips/

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Driver dies in 24 Hours of Le Mans race

Allan Simonsen's death after a spinout cast a pall over the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The race still had more than 23? hours to go, but there was no call to stop it on Saturday after the first driver fatality in 16 years.

Simonsen's partner Carina, the mother to their daughter born last year, made sure of that.

It was her "specific request" that Simonsen's team, Aston Martin Racing, continue the world's most renowned endurance race in honor of the Dane.

Just 10 minutes into the race, Simonsen spun and skidded into the barrier at the Tertre Rouge corner where cars typically reach speeds of up to 105 mph. The 34-year-old Simonsen was taken to a hospital, where he died of his injuries, race organizers said.

The violence of the impact showed as a tire from Simonsen's car rolled on the track while a door hung wide open. The race was held up for nearly an hour to repair the guard rail.

"Tragically, and despite the best efforts of the emergency services in attendance, Allan's injuries proved fatal," Aston Martin said in a statement.

Simonsen's death marked the first driver fatality since 1997 when Sebastien Enjolras was killed in pre-qualifying. The last driver fatality during the race was Jo Gartner in 1986.

Simonsen was participating for the seventh time at the endurance race, which is won by the team that completes the most laps in 24 hours with up to three drivers alternating. He finished second in the GT2 class at Le Mans three years ago. He clocked the fastest time in qualifying on Thursday in the GTE-Am class.

Jean Todt, the FIA president, and Pierre Fillon, president of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest which organizes the race, paid tribute to Simonsen.

"Allan was an extremely talented and experienced sportscar driver who had raced in every corner of the world and was highly respected by his peers and his team," they said in a joint statement. "For many in endurance racing, Allan was above all a good friend who displayed his passion for racing on and off the track. His loss will be felt by the FIA, the ACO and the greater motorsport family."

Simonsen and Danish co-drivers Kristian Poulsen and Christoffer Nygaard were leading the GTE-Am class in the world endurance championship after topping their category at Silverstone in April and finishing second in Spa-Francorchamps last month.

"Aston Martin Racing will not make any further comment until the precise circumstances of the accident have been determined," Simonsen's team said.

Toyota Racing team president Yoshiaki Kinoshita expressed his condolences, along with drivers from around the world.

Formula One driver Jenson Button tweeted: "Allan Simonsen RIP. Such a tragic loss. A true fighter & a true racer. Safety is something we need 2 improve on in Motorsport."

IndyCar Series leader Helio Castroneves tweeted: "Very sad to know about the fatal accident of Allan Simonsen on Le Mans today. Praying for him and (his) family."

Another IndyCar driver Tony Kanaan tweeted: "Such a tragic news on the passing of @AllanSimonsen. Sad day in motorsports again. Thoughts and prayers are with his family."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/driver-dies-24-hours-le-mans-race-163235405.html

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Life after Kinect: PrimeSense's plans for a post-Microsoft future

When PrimeSense founder Aviad Maizels put a prototype of a 3D sensor on a chip in front of Microsoft in 2006, he had no idea it would lead to the biggest turning point in the Israeli startup's history. Four years later, its partnership with the Redmond giant resulted in Kinect, the motion-sensing camera that made headlines around the world. In 2013, however, Microsoft unveiled an all-new Kinect, the result of years of entirely in-house development -- without PrimeSense's assistance. As fate would have it, the company returned to its chip-making origins a year ago, creating a new product called Capri, a cheaper, lower-power and tinier version of its 3D system-on-a-chip; so tiny, in fact, that it's designed to be embedded inside tablets, laptops, thin displays and smartphones. With 3D use cases that go far beyond Dance Central, the Capri is the latest sign that PrimeSense is ready to break free from its video game roots.

Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Tablets, Wireless, Microsoft, ASUS, Nintendo

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Source: Wikipedia, Wikipedia, Openni, Wired UK, PrimeSense, Calcalist (Google Translate)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/21/life-after-kinect-primesense-post-microsoft/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Minnesota Family Council: Successes of home education and ...

What if you had an education program that produced tremendous
academic results at a fraction of the cost of public education.? What
should the government do?? Encourage it you would think.? Well, the
exact opposite is what happens with home education.

Homeschool students typically score between the 65th and 89th percentile on placement exams. Students at traditional schools average on the 50th percentile. College recruiters are acting on these numbers: Students from ?non-traditional education environments? get into college and earn four-year degrees at much higher rates than those from public and private schools.

?Homeschoolers are actively recruited by schools like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,

Harvard University, Stanford University, and Duke,? according to the report.

In addition to better results, the report also indicates that homeschool parents get more bang for their buck, dishing out on average between $500 and $600 per year for a student compared to the $10,000 per year average spent on public school students.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the study is what it reveals about the social aspects of homeschooling. Public schools have long wrestled with ?achievement gaps? among their students, but those gaps simply don?t exist for the homeschool community. There?s no difference in achievement between sexes, income levels, race, or ethnicity among students educated at home, according to the report.?

Certainly, many, most parents aren't cut out to home educate.? For single parent it's not practical.? Others are so tied to their careers and standard of living, they wouldn't consider it.? And others, by temperament, aren't cut out for it.? But I'm sure many parents could do if they were encouraged to.

But alas, the education powers that be see home education as a threat despite the tremendous, overall results.? That's the education establishment which has a vested interest in the status quo and that status quo is often mediocre at best.

Source: http://mnfamilycouncil.blogspot.com/2013/06/successes-of-home-education-and-apathy.html

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A Hologram-Projecting R2-D2 Birthday Cake Makes Us Insanely Jealous

We've seen a lot of awesome cake designs over the years, but this is the first time we've been genuinely envious over what a six-year-old was served at his birthday party. After all, who wouldn't want an R2-D2 birthday cake that actually projects holograms like the one Marc Freilich made for his son Alexander?

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Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/E-BCgIMcAiY/a-hologram-projecting-r2-d2-birthday-cake-makes-us-insa-516812815

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You'll Never Lose a Floating Cork Knife at the Bottom of a Lake

Are you planning an early summer lakeside knife fight? To ensure you have the upper hand grab one of these floating cork knives.

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Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/pxaUlKqwYXY/youll-never-lose-a-floating-cork-knife-at-the-bottom-o-520959306

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'Angelina effect' welcomed as calls to breast cancer helpline triple ...

The number of women ringing the breast cancer helpline tripled following Angelina Jolie's decision to undergo a double mastectomy.

The increase matches an international trend that's been dubbed by media as the "Angelina effect".

The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation welcomed the attention Jolie has brought to the issue and said the actress had helped to raise awareness.

Foundation spokeswoman Adele Gautier said that in the first couple of weeks after news of Jolie's decision broke, inquiries to their contact centre and helpline increased three-fold.

Ms Gautier said a lot of women asked about their eligibility for the test to determine whether they had mutations in their BRCA genes that increase the chances of developing breast cancer by 60 per cent.

The line usually receives about 25 calls a week from people seeking advice and volumes have since returned to normal.

Jolie tested positive for the genetic anomaly and chose to undergo a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction. She detailed the reasons for her decision in a heartfelt article in the New York Times published on May 14.

Ms Gautier said the publicity that followed helped women have a conversation about the issue and to ask about their family history. Every day, a New Zealand woman under 45 is diagnosed with breast cancer and overall, one in nine women will have the disease.

"Angelina's story seems to have had a really positive effect on people who've realised you can have breast cancer and can go on and have a great life, or have that risk and take steps, then get on with your life," Ms Gautier said.

In Australia, the Cancer Council of Victoria reported a 1033 per cent increase in calls to its helpline.

The X Factor contestant Benny Tipene has given an interview about his family's battle with breast cancer. The 23-year-old from Palmerston North dedicated one of his performances on the show to his mother, Annette, who was diagnosed two years ago.

- by Amelia Wade

Source: http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/261769/angelina-effect-welcomed-calls-breast-cancer-helpline-triple

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Murkowski becomes third Republican U.S. senator to back gay marriage

By Yereth Rosen

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska publicly backed gay marriage on Wednesday, becoming the third Republican senator to do so as she spoke out ahead of potentially landmark rulings from the Supreme Court on the issue.

Murkowski, 56, wrote in an essay posted on her Senate website that her decision was swayed, in part, by meeting a lesbian couple from Anchorage, one of whom was in the National Guard, who had adopted four children.

"This first-class Alaskan family still lives a second-class existence," Murkowski said in her essay.

Her announcement comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule soon on a challenge to California's ban on gay marriage and a separate lawsuit targeting a provision of federal law that denies same-sex couples certain benefits.

She joins Republican Senators Rob Portman of Ohio and Mark Kirk of Illinois who earlier this year joined dozens of Democratic senators who support gay marriage. Twelve of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia have legalized gay marriage.

Public opinion polls show a majority of Americans believe gay couples should have the right to wed, and Murkowski said in her essay that her decision was consistent with attitudes of "more and more Alaskans," especially the young.

She wrote that she had supported a 1998 amendment to the state constitution that defined marriage as solely a union between a man and a woman, but that her "thinking has evolved as America has witnessed a clear cultural shift."

"Fifteen years after that vote, I find that when one looks closer at the issue, you quickly realize that same-sex unions or civil marriages are consistent with the independent mindset of our state - and they deserve a hands-off approach from our federal policies," she said in her essay.

(For full essay see: http://www.murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=OpEds&ContentRecord_id=8295b7c7-e504-4b32-bc25-354b3aef41dc)

Murkowski is considered a moderate on many issues, a status that has caused her difficulties among other Republicans.

She had to mount a write-in campaign to win re-election in 2010 after being defeated in the Republican primary by Joe Miller, a more conservative candidate supported by Tea Party groups and by former Governor Sarah Palin.

In that campaign, Murkowski won strong backing from normally Democratic-leaning Alaska Natives and became the first person to win a Senate seat by write-in since 1954.

(Editing by Alex Dobuzinskis and Leslie Adler)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/murkowski-becomes-third-republican-u-senator-back-gay-202252690.html

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Video: FBR & Co. CEO: Higher Rates May Slow US Growth

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Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/video/cnbc/52244980/

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Grammar May Be Hidden in Toddler Babble

The little sounds and puffs of air that toddlers often inject into their baby babble may actually be subtle stand-ins for grammatical words, new research suggests.

For their study, Cristina Dye, a Newcastle University researcher in child language development, made recordings of tens of thousands of utterances of French-speaking children between 23 months and 37 months old.

Dye and her colleagues analyzed each sound the kids made and the context in which it was produced. The team said they documented a pattern of sounds and puffs of air that seemed to replace grammatical words in many cases. Their findings suggest that toddlers may properly use little words (as, a, an, can, is) sooner than thought. [That's Incredible! 9 Brainy Baby Abilities]

"Many of the toddlers we studied made a small sound, a soft breath, or a pause, at exactly the place that a grammatical word would normally be uttered," Dye said in a statement.

"The fact that this sound was always produced in the correct place in the sentence leads us to believe that young children are knowledgeable of grammatical words. They are far more sophisticated in their grammatical competence than we ever understood."

Though Dye was studying French-speaking toddlers, she and her colleagues expect their findings to apply to other languages as well. She also thinks their results could have implications for understanding language delay in children.

"When children don't learn to speak normally it can lead to serious issues later in life," Dye said in a statement. "For example, those who have it are more likely to suffer from mental illness or be unemployed later in life. If we can understand what is 'normal' as early as possible then we can intervene sooner to help those children."

Previous research has shown that toddlers, before they articulate full sentences themselves, may be able to understand complex grammar. A 2011 study published in the journal Cognitive Science found that as early as 21 months, children could match made-up verbs with pictures that made sense grammatically. For example, if they were told "The rabbit is glorping the duck," they would point to a picture of a rabbit lifting a duck's leg rather than the duck lifting its leg on its own.

The new research on the French-speaking toddlers was detailed in the Journal of Linguistics.

Follow Megan Gannon on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on LiveScience.com.

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/grammar-may-hidden-toddler-babble-123231988.html

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New details about H7N9 influenza infections that suddenly appeared in China

June 19, 2013 ? Researchers with the Network Dynamics and Simulation Science Laboratory at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute have revealed new information about the latest strain of type A influenza, known as H7N9, in a report in the journal PLOS Currents: Outbreaks.

Since June 7, 132 confirmed cases of human infection with H7N9 have been reported in China and 37 people have died, according to the World Health Organization. It is the first time human infection with the avian influenza H7N9 subtype has been detected, and researchers fear that this strain may have pandemic potential.

The possibility of an animal source of the infection is being investigated, as is the possibility of person-to-person transmission.

However, most people who contracted the disease reported having contact with live birds in a bird market prior to infection. Researchers at the Network Dynamics and Simulation Science Laboratory found that younger women generally have the most contact with poultry, but it is older men who are experiencing the most infections.

The findings suggest that there is something unique about older men that makes them particularly susceptible to H7N9. Their greater risk of infection is not just because they tend to spend more time exposed to an avian source.

Researchers quickly compiled the data using a variety of available sources to discover risk factors, which could aid in containing the spread of H7N9.

"Normally we have to wait for epidemiologists to collect new data in the early days if an outbreak. We were able to combine data from existing sources in an innovative way to rapidly learn about H7N9 risk factors," said Caitlin Rivers of Plainfield, N.H., a graduate student majoring in genetics, bioinformatics, and computational biology and research assistant at the Network Dynamics and Simulation Science Laboratory.

To contain the spread of this strain of influenza, some Chinese live bird markets have been closed. It may help, but still does not explain the high infection rate of older men. Further studies are required to understand what other factors may be involved in transmission to help contain H7N9's spread.

"In keeping with a commitment to open science, the raw data and calculations are available publicly. We invite others to use and expand upon this work," said Bryan Lewis, a public health policy analyst with the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute.

This work has been partially supported by NIH MIDAS Grant 2U01GM070694-09 and NIH MIDAS Grant 3U01FM070694-09S1.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/Ey3CqK6WrJI/130619164847.htm

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Blue Jays blank Rockies for sixth straight win

By IAN HARRISON

Associated Press

Associated Press Sports

updated 11:29 p.m. ET June 17, 2013

TORONTO (AP) - Josh Johnson took two extra days off to let a bothersome blister heal, then shut down the Colorado Rockies.

Maicer Izturis hit a two-run single in the eighth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays won their sixth consecutive game Monday night, beating Colorado 2-0 behind Johnson and two relievers.

"He had everything going on," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "Good, live fastball, ball had a lot of jump on it, and a good breaking ball."

Johnson struck out a season-high 10 over 7 1-3 innings but remained winless in seven starts with Toronto, having received only 13 runs of support. He said the blister on the middle finger of his right hand, which developed during his June 9 start against Texas and twice delayed his next outing by a day, was not an issue.

"Definitely the most comfortable I've been," said Johnson, who also missed 31 games with a sore right triceps. "Just being able to get extension on all my pitches, not have to worry about the triceps or anything like that. It's definitely nice."

Johnson, who allowed five hits and walked two, lowered his ERA from 5.40 to 4.38.

"He's definitely got some of the best stuff in the game," Colorado's Michael Cuddyer said. "He's big, tall, throws hard. When he's throwing strikes like that, he can be tough. His fastball was getting on guys."

Brett Cecil (3-0) escaped an eighth-inning jam and Casey Janssen finished for his 14th save in 15 chances.

Izturis had two of Toronto's three hits as the Blue Jays won six straight for the first time since May 10-16, 2011.

Rajai Davis singled off reliever Matt Belisle (4-4) to start the eighth, just the second hit of the game for the Blue Jays. Davis stole second and Colby Rasmus walked, with both runners advancing on J.P. Arencibia's slow roller to the mound.

Izturis followed with a bloop single that dropped in front of left fielder Tyler Colvin, scoring both runners.

"He didn't hit it hard but he dunked it in the perfect spot," Gibbons said. "A nice read at second base by Rasmus there."

Cuddyer singled and walked twice for the Rockies, who went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position and lost for the fourth time in six games.

Colorado starter Jorge De La Rosa didn't allow a hit until Izturis singled with one out in the sixth. That was the only hit the left-hander allowed in seven shutout innings. He walked three and struck out four.

De La Rosa might have gone deeper, but had to pitch through soreness caused by a bruise on the tip of his thumb.

"In the second inning I threw a two-seamer and I think the seam caught a bit and that's why there was a little bruise," De La Rosa said. "It was numb a little bit, for like two innings."

De La Rosa had pitched with a cut on his middle finger in his previous two starts.

"My hand hates me," he joked.

Colorado manager Walt Weiss said De La Rosa's thumb issue was not considered serious.

"It's not anything that's going to be an issue with his next start," Weiss said. "It just made him uncomfortable tonight."

The Rockies had several chances to score, but couldn't deliver. Cuddyer extended his hitting streak to 15 games, tying a career high, with a leadoff single in the second. Todd Helton followed with a single, sending Cuddyer to third, but Johnson struck out Wilin Rosario and Colvin, then got Nolan Arenado to fly out.

Arenado ended a streak of 11 straight outs with a two-out double in the fifth, but Jonathan Herrera grounded out.

D.J. LeMahieu hit a one-out double in the sixth and went to third on a grounder by Carlos Gonzalez. Cuddyer walked but Helton ended the threat by popping out.

Herrera singled to begin the eighth and Dexter Fowler walked before both runners advanced on LeMahieu's sacrifice. Cecil replaced Johnson and got Gonzalez to line out sharply to first. Cuddyer was intentionally walked to bring up Helton, who grounded out.

NOTES: The home team has won all 13 meetings between these clubs, dating to 2002. Colorado is 0-7 at Rogers Centre. ... Toronto SS Jose Reyes (left ankle) went 2 for 3 in five innings of a rehab game with Class-A Dunedin. RHP Brandon Morrow (forearm) started for Dunedin, allowing three runs and five hits in two innings. ... Toronto slugger Jose Bautista was slated to start in RF but switched to DH. Bautista left Saturday's game at Texas because of leg cramps, and started at DH on Sunday. Davis replaced Bautista, and Melky Cabrera moved from DH to LF. ... Carlos Gonzalez started at DH for the Rockies. ... Weiss said the team would make an announcement Tuesday regarding RHP Roy Oswalt, who signed a minor league contract with the Rockies on May 2.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Is Myers the next Puig?

??HBT Daily: Craig Calcaterra investigates whether?Wil Myers?will have the same impact other stud rookies had like Yasiel Puig and Bryce Harper.

Harvey takes no-no into 7th, Mets hang on

ATLANTA (AP) - Matt Harvey pitched six hitless innings, John Buck homered and the New York Mets held off another Atlanta comeback, beating the Braves 4-3 Tuesday in the first game of a doubleheader.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/52235901/ns/sports-baseball/

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Travel Treats for the Week of 06/17/2013 | Personal Travel Concierge

Following the positive response to the?inaugural Cruising for a Cause sailing, Princess Cruises is?pleased to announce their?2nd charity cruise ? Cruising for a Cause: Princess Has Heart. This 5-day Western Caribbean cruise departing February?10,?2014 from Ft. Lauderdale will raise funds exclusively for the American Heart Association in support of its mission to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Princess is a company with heart. They?care about the health and well-being of our employees, partners, passengers and their families. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in men and women in the United States, with one in every three deaths attributable to heart disease and stroke.

It?s simple! Call us?about this very special sailing. There is?a tax-deductible portion of your?cruise fare, ranging from $100 to $300* per person depending on stateroom category, & will be donated on your?behalf to the American Heart Association. Princess Cruises will match every dollar of these donations, up to $500,000, and will provide you, our?client/s, with a written acknowledgment of their charitable contribution.?

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7-Night Cruises From $399*pp?|?Only $100pp Deposit! Plus Military Personnel Get Up To 10% OFF*

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This fall,?Disney Cruise Line? will say farewell to its homeport in Galveston, Texas. You?can still get onboard and take advantage of a great lead rate?plus, receive an onboard credit and half-off deposit.

Lead rates for a 7-night Bahamian or Western Caribbean cruise start at $699 for an Inside stateroom, $749 for Oceanview stateroom and $899 for Verandah stateroom (per person, based on double occupancy).

Offer Details:
Book a?Disney Wonder? sailing and receive a $100 onboard credit with an Inside stateroom, a $150 onboard credit for Oceanview stateroom, or a $200 onboard credit for a Verandah stateroom?and receive half-off deposit if booked through?June 30, 2013.

Travel Window:

• Valid on most 7-night sailings from Sept. 28 ? Nov. 16 and Nov. 30 ? Dec. 7, 2013

Additional Details:

• Government Taxes and Fees and Port Adventures not included
• Per person government taxes and fees are approximately $80 per person for 7-night Bahamas and Western Caribbean cruises (all amounts subject to change)
• Excludes categories with restrictions
• Half-off deposit valid for certain categories
• Deferred deposit due at final payment
• This offer cannot be combined with any other offers, discounts or onboard credits
• Shipboard credit is non-refundable and non-transferable

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Your?have more options for longer cruise vacations sailing out of Port Canaveral next year.?Disney Cruise Line? is realigning the fleet beginning Oct. 11, 2014. For the?2014 itineraries?for each ship, please EMAIL us.

• Disney Magic? will sail out of Port Canaveral beginning Oct. 21, 2014. Following one 5-night Bahamian cruise, the ship will set sail on 7-night Caribbean voyages departing on Sundays.
• Disney Wonder? will return to Miami on Oct. 11, 2014, and begin offering 4- and 5-night Bahamian and Caribbean cruises.?
• Beginning Oct. 27, 2014,?Disney Dream? will depart on Mondays and Fridays for 3- and 4-night Bahamian cruises.?
• Disney Fantasy? will continue to sail 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises departing from Port Canaveral on Saturdays.

Of course, your?don?t have to wait until next year to enjoy a magical Disney cruise vacation! Great?rates?are available now on select sailings this fall from Port Canaveral. Email us for more info.

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Source: http://personaltravelconcierge.net/blog/travel-treats-for-the-week-of-06172013/

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Komen breast cancer charity names new CEO

DALLAS (AP) ? Susan G. Komen for the Cure announced Monday that it has a new CEO.

The breast cancer charity named Judith A. Salerno to replace founder Nancy Brinker, whose promise to her dying sister begat a fundraising powerhouse that invested hundreds of millions of dollars in cancer research. Brinker announced last summer she would step down following an onslaught of criticism over Komen's quickly reversed decision to stop giving grants to Planned Parenthood for breast cancer screenings.

Salerno, 61, is executive director and chief operating officer of the Institute of Medicine, a prestigious independent group that advises the government and private sector about health and science.

"Komen's commitment has helped countless numbers of low-income and medically underserved women and men get care they might otherwise have gone without, and Komen's research program is one of the most highly respected in the nation," Salerno said in a statement released by Komen.

Brinker, 67, announced in August that she would move from the CEO role, which she'd held since 2009, into a new one focused on fundraising and strategic planning.

In late 2011, the Dallas-based charity decided to halt grants to Planned Parenthood, which received about $680,000 that year. News of the move caused a torrent of questions about the decision and calls for its reversal, angering Komen supporters on both sides of the abortion debate.

Three days after the initial disclosure, Komen reversed its course, which led to more harsh criticism, this time from abortion opponents accusing the charity of caving to public pressure.

Karen Handel, the group's vice president and a conservative, resigned the following week and later wrote a blistering account of the episode entitled "Planned Bullyhood."

Earlier this month, Komen announced it was canceling half of its three-day charity walks due to a drop in participation levels.

Komen spokeswoman Andrea Rader described Salerno on Monday as a good fit for the charity due to her experience in a range of areas, from public policy to community health. Asked about Salerno's views on Planned Parenthood or the controversy over funding, Rader said Komen's focus was on moving forward.

"That's an issue that was settled a long time ago," Rader said.

Planned Parenthood had no immediate comment on Salerno's appointment.

Brinker founded the Dallas-based charity in honor of her sister, who died of breast cancer in 1980. It grew into a fundraising powerhouse. Its signature color of pink has become synonymous with breast cancer awareness.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/komen-breast-cancer-charity-names-ceo-153216132.html

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Syrian pound tumbles to record low on talk of rebel aid

By Suleiman Al-Khalidi

AMMAN (Reuters) - Washington's decision to arm opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and reports of Gulf military aid to rebels have sent the Syrian currency plunging to a new record low, currency dealers and bankers said on Monday.

Traders across Syria reported widely fluctuating rates and two currency dealers in Damascus, where the pound appeared to be hit hardest, said it fell below 200 to the dollar for the first time in what one described as panic buying of the U.S. currency.

On Monday evening the pound traded at 205 to the dollar, down 20 percent in four days and 77 percent down since the start of the anti-Assad uprising in March 2011 when it was at 47.

"It's total chaos. Demand for the dollar has increased with the news...of the Americans preparing military help to rebels," said Assem Salman, an exchange dealer in the bustling Sabaa Baahrat in downtown Damascus

"Anyone who gives you a price, don't take his word. The dollar has gone mad and reached the 200 level ... Nothing seems to stop this dollar chaos," he said by phone from Damascus.

Dealers said the turmoil was fueled by White House comments that Washington will step up military aid for Syrian rebels, hardening stances by the Arab world's heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and calls by Sunni Muslim clerics for holy war.

Civil war now rages in most of Syria's provinces and the United Nations says more than 90,000 people have been killed in two years of violence which have caused economic damage estimated at tens of billions of dollars.

Dealers blame the progressive fall in the pound since March on the failure of Central Bank Governor Adeeb Mayaleh to back up his promises to support the pound, which stood at around 100 to the dollar at the end of last year.

The sharp fall since then, after nearly two years of more managed decline, came despite Mayaleh's comments that Syria was getting financial aid from its allies Russia and Iran and market talk Tehran had deposited at least $2 billion in the central bank, according to some dealers.

The central bank's injection of 100 million euros also failed to stem the fall, with some dealers saying the requirements for taking up the money were so burdensome that only 5 million euros reached the market.

Mayaleh said economic accords signed in Damascus with Iran on Monday would help businesses fund imports to Syria and described the latest exchange rate as "unreal, illusionary and speculative".

"It's down to speculators intimidating people and exploiting people's needs (for currency). People have needs and we will respond to them," he told Syrian television.

NO LONGER IN STATE'S HANDS

In the last two months the central bank had even stopped selling the two to three million dollars it had been offering to leading exchange firms and which was credited with reducing rate fluctuations and holding back the pound from further slides.

One banker said this was a sign the authorities may no longer have sufficient foreign reserves, which bankers say have fallen substantially from a record $18 billion before the crisis, to bolster the pound.

Others said it appeared the priority of defending the local currency was now overtaken by the pressing need to finance crucial imports of subsidized foodstuffs to strengthen loyalty in state-controlled areas.

"Control of the pound is no longer in the hands of the state," said one banker in a foreign-owned subsidiary.

Bankers and exchange dealers said the authorities were effectively leaving the pound to float after easing a tight currency regime since last year and narrowing the differential with the market in an attempt to curb wild fluctuations.

"There is no longer any intervention rate, they are effectively telling the market to price as you want and work on that. They are not limiting us with anything," said Aboud Yousef, a chief dealer who works in a licensed exchange firm.

Bankers and currency traders contacted in Damascus said the central bank was now turning a blind eye to official exchange dealers selling at market prices that were at least 10 percent higher than a daily benchmark the central bank sets after averaging dealer quotes.

Such a move would have risked tough retaliation by Mayaleh against currency traders, several of whom have had their licenses revoked and were heavily fined last year.

"We are now following the market, not the opposite and even the central bank now is acknowledging this," Anas Salamah, one exchange dealer in a licensed currency firm, said.

Bankers say the pound's plunge exposed the vulnerability of a risky policy of non-intervention based on the assumption that pressures on the pound remained manageable in the short term.

It also reflected heightened demand by panicky Syrians now hoarding the dollar as a hedge in a battered economy that was increasingly dollarized.

"This is not speculative trading. It's panic buying of the dollar by many people who no longer have faith in the pound or the authorities ability to protect it," said an exchange dealer in Mezze district who gave his first name as Abdul Rahman.

The fall in the pound's purchasing power has also ramped up the prices of most commodities across Syria, bankers and economists say.

(Editing by Dominic Evans)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-pound-tumbles-record-low-military-intervention-talk-180930473.html

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Raytheon's updated JTACs situational awareness system eyes-on (video)

Though you may think drones do all the fighting these days, actual soldiers on the ground are still used to call in airstrikes. Sometimes it's still necessary to visually confirm targets before the flyboys create a smoking crater. Though the army has toyed with smartphones and other means to connect soldiers, Raytheon has created a new JTACs (Joint Tactical Air Controller system) prototype for ground forces to let them separate friendlies from enemies and relay the information to strike forces. The system consists of a chest-worn computer, heads-up monocle viewer and wrist-worn display, which together let the solider select a target merely by looking at it and pressing a button. They can also tag friendly forces the same way or send update situational data to the rest of the team, whether they're on the ground or flying a fighter overhead. That assistance from the ground will make it easier for those at the yoke to differentiate between friendlies and targets.

We tried the prototype ourselves in a limited, 2D environment here at the 2013 Paris Air Show and, without any help getting set up, were able to tag targets as red diamonds and friendly forces as amber squares. Everything we did was also displayed on second screen, simulating the ability to send live updates to other soldiers or the base. Impressive as it was, the whole thing is merely a prototype for now, though, that could eventually change. The military AR system is part of a larger platform called AWARE, which Raytheon hopes to eventually deploy. For a detailed explanation about how it works, check out the video after the break.

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