Regulatory Actions against 4 Indian Drug Companies

New Delhi, India, August 30, 2013 - US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken certain regulatory actions in respect of violations or deviations of US FDA regulations applicable in that country in the cases of the following Indian Pharmaceutical companies:- 1. M/s Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd., 2. M/s Wockhardt Ltd., 3. M/s Hospira Healthcare India Pvt. Ltd., 4. M/s RPG Life Sciences Ltd., The Drugs Controller General (India) [DCG(I)] has taken appropriate measures to ensure that the said firms manufacture drugs in compliance with the standards and Good Manufacturing Practices prescribed for them under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 through the system of inspections and testing of drugs. This information was given by the Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad in written reply to a question in the LokSabha today.

Over 50 Percent of Viewers Consume Video Content on Their Mobile Phones

NEW DELHI, August 23, 2013 - sonyliv.com, the ultimate online entertainment destination, owned and operated by Multi Screen Media (MSM), has announced the release of its two-quarter report. The report establishes the fact that the maximum number of video content is consumed on mobile phones. 

Based on the observations, it is learnt that 53 percent of viewers watch videos on their mobile phones, 32 percent view them online and 15 percent on their tablets. The report is derived from sonyliv.com Sony LIV user data.

Audience: Another important insight pertains to the type of audience viewing digital content. The report reveals that general entertainment content while towards skewing male viewers, has higher consumption by females compared to the overall Internet video consumption in India. On sonyliv.com, video consumption trends 47% female viewers and 53% male; compared to the overall Internet video consumption split of 71:29, male to females. Additionally, it is interesting to note that elderly people also watch videos online. Though the number is comparatively less, a 3 percent, but it puts forth the fact that an upward shift in video consumption is witnessed in this bracket of audience. About 46 percent of viewers are from the age group 15 to 24 years, 32 percent from the age bracket of 25 to 34 years, followed by 17 percent between the age group 35 and 44 years.

Genre: The analytics also reveal that comedy and daily dramas have a higher viewership on digital platforms. Nearly 78 percent of the videos consumed are comedy, drama and thriller. Comedy is viewed by 30 percent of the audience, followed by drama at 25 percent and thrillers at 23 percent. Reality shows and other genres of shows are watched by the remaining 22 percent.

Nitesh Kripalani, Executive Vice-President - New Media, Business Development and Digital/Syndication at Sony Entertainment Network commented, "At sonyliv.com, we are captivated with data and analytics and believe in leveraging the insights to drive a superior world class viewing experience. We publish insights based on real data that we study every hour of the day. This is done by monitoring the consumption behavior of over 50,000 unique visitors on an average who log on to sonyliv.com, across all platforms i.e. online, mobile and tablet."

Format: It is clear that today's viewers increasingly prefer short content formats on digital platforms. They are opting for formats like Catch-up episodes, Quickisodes and Short crunch episodes. As per the report, 64 percent of viewers watch Catch-up Episodes, whereas more than one-third of viewers consume shorter crunched Episodes, called "Quickisodes".

As per the sonyliv.com report, the average time spent by consumers per video has increased from 8 minutes to 11.5 minutes (73 percent of average duration of content) and the maximum number of videos is being watched between, 1:00 to 4:00pm and 9:00 to 11:00pm.

About MSM

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) backs Multi Screen Media Private Limited, which is India's leading television network. It comprises of Sony Entertainment Television and (SET), one of India's leading Hindi general entertainment television channels; MAX, India's premium Hindi movies and special events channel; SAB, a family comedy entertainment channel; PIX, the English movie channel; MIX a refreshing Hindi music channel, SIX, India's Premier Sports Entertainment Channel and LIV, the digital channel. Multi-Screen Media's channels are available across the Globe and influence over 400 million viewers in the Indian sub-continent, and the South Asian Diaspora worldwide.

NASA Prepares for First Virginia Coast Launch to Moon

WASHINGTON, Aug. 23, 2013 - In an attempt to answer prevailing questions about our moon, NASA is making final preparations to launch a probe at 11:27 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 6, from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va.

The small car-sized Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) is a robotic mission that will orbit the moon to gather detailed information about the structure and composition of the thin lunar atmosphere and determine whether dust is being lofted into the lunar sky. A thorough understanding of these characteristics of our nearest celestial neighbor will help researchers understand other bodies in the solar system, such as large asteroids, Mercury, and the moons of outer planets.

"The moon's tenuous atmosphere may be more common in the solar system than we thought," said John Grunsfeld, NASA's associate administrator for science in Washington. "Further understanding of the moon's atmosphere may also help us better understand our diverse solar system and its evolution."

The mission has many firsts, including the first flight of the Minotaur V rocket, testing of a high-data-rate laser communication system, and the first launch beyond Earth orbit from the agency's Virginia Space Coast launch facility.

LADEE also is the first spacecraft designed, developed, built, integrated and tested at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif. The probe will launch on a U.S. Air Force Minotaur V rocket, an excess ballistic missile converted into a space launch vehicle and operated by Orbital Sciences Corp. ofDulles, Va.

LADEE was built using an Ames-developed Modular Common Spacecraft Bus architecture, a general purpose spacecraft design that allows NASA to develop, assemble and test multiple modules at the same time. The LADEE bus structure is made of a lightweight carbon composite with a mass of 547.2 pounds -- 844.4 pounds when fully fueled.

"This mission will put the common bus design to the test," said Ames Director S. Pete Worden. "This same common bus can be used on future missions to explore other destinations, including voyages to orbit and land on the moon, low-Earth orbit, and near-Earth objects."

Butler Hine, LADEE project manager at Ames, said the innovative common bus concept brings NASA a step closer to multi-use designs and assembly line production and away from custom design. "The LADEE mission demonstrates how it is possible to build a first class spacecraft at a reduced cost while using a more efficient manufacturing and assembly process," Hine said.

Approximately one month after launch, LADEE will begin its 40-day commissioning phase, the first 30 days of which the spacecraft will be performing activities high above the moon's surface. These activities include testing a high-data-rate laser communication system that will enable higher rates of satellite communications similar in capability to high-speed fiber optic networks on Earth.

After commissioning, LADEE will begin a 100-day science phase to collect data using three instruments to determine the composition of the thin lunar atmosphere and remotely sense lofted dust, measure variations in the chemical composition of the atmosphere, and collect and analyze samples of any lunar dust particles in the atmosphere. Using this set of instruments, scientists hope to address a long-standing question: Was lunar dust, electrically charged by sunlight, responsible for the pre-sunrise glow above the lunar horizon detected during several Apollo missions?

After launch, Ames will serve as a base for mission operations and real-time control of the probe. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., will catalogue and distribute data to a science team located across the country.

NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington funds the LADEE mission. Ames manages the overall mission. Goddard manages the science instruments and technology demonstration payload, the science operations center and provides overall mission support. Wallops is responsible for launch vehicle integration, launch services and operations. NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., manages LADEE within the Lunar Quest Program Office.

Even US has Dangerous Doctors

California Ballot Measure Will Mandate Medical Board Action Against Doctors Found Abusing Drugs or Alcohol

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 23, 2013 - USA Today analyzed a decade of physician discipline records and found endemic problems at the nation's medical boards that have failed to take action against thousands of dangerous doctors despite "findings of serious misconduct that puts patients at risk." California was singled out as one of the problem states. An initiative measure proposed in California for the 2014 ballot would enact strong new oversight and discipline of dangerous doctors.

USA Today looked at data from the National Practitioner Data Bank, a federal database of incidents of physician malpractice and patient endangerment. It found that state medical boards had failed to take any disciplinary action against more than half of doctors who had their hospital privileges suspended, including 234 cited as "an immediate threat to health and safety" and 120 who were "unable to practice safely," including substance abuse problems.

The "Troy and Alana Pack Patient Safety Act" would address these problems by requiring random drug testing of physicians to identify dangerous doctors; mandating suspension of physician licenses until a physician identified as a substance abuser can practice safely; and, requiring physicians to report colleagues they suspect of substance abuse or malpractice to the medical board.

Read the story: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/08/20/doctors-licenses-medical-boards/2655513/

"State medical boards have repeatedly failed to keep bad doctors from endangering their patients, not just for the last decade but over the last 30 years. Soon California voters will have a chance to take on this patient safety crisis and enact reforms that will serve as a model for every state," said Carmen Balber, executive director of Consumer Watchdog.

The "Troy and Alana Pack Patient Safety Act" is sponsored by Bob Pack, who lost his two children in an accident caused by a drug-abusing driver who had been over-prescribed pills by physicians.

Read Bob's story: http://www.38istoolate.com/stories/alana-pack/

The ballot measure's reforms of patient safety and doctor discipline laws in California include:

• Mandatory random drug and alcohol testing for physicians and mandatory physician drug and alcohol testing after reports of adverse events;
• 
  
• Mandatory use by physicians of the electronic CURES database, a searchable system that tracks prescriptions dispensed in California, which Pack developed for the state of California in the wake of his family's tragedy;
• 
  
• Adjusting for inflation the 37-year-old $250,000 cap on recovery for medical negligence victims, which has not changed since 1975, and as the author of the original law recently came forward to support;
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• Requiring doctors who witness substance abuse by physicians or medical negligence to report it, and protecting those physicians from lawsuits by other doctors when they do.

The measure is awaiting a title and summary from the Attorney General, and will need 504,760 valid signatures from California voters to go before voters on the November 2014 ballot.

Walmart, Suppliers and Government Officials Accelerate Job Growth

Commitments to Inject $70 Million into Factory Growth and Add More Than 1,000 U.S. Jobs Highlight Event

ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 22, 2013 - Nearly 1,500 government officials and suppliers convened today at the Walmart U.S. Manufacturing Summit to advance American renewal in manufacturing and help rebuild opportunities for America's middle class. The summit at the Orlando Convention Center underscored Walmart's commitment to buy an additional $50 billion in U.S.-made products over the next 10 years and featured announcements from suppliers that, combined, are expected to infuse more than$70 million into factory growth and create more than 1,000 domestic jobs.

"Jump-starting the manufacturing industry and rebuilding the middle class requires a national effort by companies, industry leaders, lawmakers and others," said Bill Simon, president and CEO of Walmart U.S. "Together, we can help spark a revitalization of U.S.-based manufacturing, using new technology and new innovations to make production in the United States affordable and feasible."

The summit brought together representatives from across industries – including 500 supplier companies, 32 state governments, major retail industry leaders and other retailers. Governors and state officials had the opportunity to speak directly with hundreds of manufacturers who are ready to create jobs in their local communities. For supplier companies, Walmart's summit provided an opportunity to present potential projects and learn about the resources available in different states.

"At the Department of Commerce, we are leading the Administration's efforts to support American manufacturing and expand our exports," said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. "I applaud Walmart for convening this summit and all of the participating companies for the commitment they've made to expand their manufacturing activities in our country. Right now, companies in America are making and selling products around the world at an all-time record pace, and the incentives to make things here and hire American workers is only getting stronger. A summit like this one, which brings multiple organizations from the public and private sectors together, is exactly the type of cooperation that's needed to grow businesses, create jobs and keep America competitive."

As the economics of manufacturing are shifting and goods are increasingly being produced closer to where they are consumed, the numbers work to manufacture more in America.

GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt said, "GE and Walmart understand how to bring together the best people and the best technologies to make the world work better. Today's announcement builds on the history of collaboration between GE and Walmart, and reinforces our belief that manufacturing is a competitive advantage, allowing U.S. companies to compete and win in every corner of the world."

Supplier Commitments:

During the summit, suppliers and manufacturers discussed opportunities to create jobs, restore communities and drive economic growth. Multiple companies announced domestic manufacturing investments, including the following:

• GE is creating 150 jobs through a $30 million investment to produce domestically made GE Energy Efficient Soft White bulbs that will be sold exclusively at U.S.-based Walmart stores.
• 
  
• No nonsense^®, one of the most recognizable legwear brands in America, made by Kayser-Roth Corporation, announced today a sock initiative with Walmart that will add more than 100 new jobs at Kayser-Roth and additional jobs in local industries in North Carolina. No nonsense^® will be expanding its Made in the USA Program by investing up to $28 million in its existing production facilities located in North Carolina.
• 
  
• Element Electronics Corp. plans to open a new flat screen TV factory in Winnsboro, S.C.Production is scheduled to begin in December 2013 and the aggressive project will target up to 500 jobs.
• 
  
• Renfro, a North Carolina based, multi-national legwear company specializing in the design, manufacture and sale of all kinds of socks is expanding its capacities over the next two years inCleveland, Tenn., and Fort Payne, Ala., by investing an additional $14 million and creating an additional 195 manufacturing jobs.
• 
  
• Chobani, maker of America's No. 1 selling Greek Yogurt, invested $450 million to open its Twin Falls, Idaho, plant last December. The plant employs more than 1,000 people and is the largest yogurt manufacturing facility in the world.
• 
  
• Hampton Products International has been analyzing re-shoring production over the last five years and recently invested $5 million in a new Shell Lake, Wis., facility to begin production of Wright Products ® screen and storm door hardware. The company plans additional capital investments in 2014 at that site that over time are expected to add an additional 150 jobs.

"Many of us want to move forward, but it can be difficult for any one retailer, supplier or local government to know where to start," concluded Simon. "At the summit, we are building a network of support for domestic manufacturing. In the room, we have the capital, the expertise, the ideas, and, most importantly, the will."

The National Retail Federation (NRF) partnered with Walmart to host the event and drive this initiative forward among its members.

"Retailers have a strong role to play in creating more jobs and manufacturing in America. We can give manufacturers the confidence they need to invest in the infrastructure they need to make this possible. We're proud to partner with Walmart in this effort," said Matthew Shay, President and CEO of the National Retail Federation. "The discussions helped to define the economic opportunity that can be driven by more U.S. manufacturing, provided details on working with government and offered examples of how suppliers are successfully increasing domestic manufacturing."

Ford can identify and Eliminate Dirt Particles on Vehicle

DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

• Industry-first dirt detection technology uses high-resolution cameras to generate a 3D model so Ford can identify and eliminate dirt particles smaller than a grain of salt on vehicle paint surfaces
• Ford data show new automated vision system led to an 82 percent improvement in combined paint quality and customer satisfaction metrics for surface finish within one year
• Digital imaging system analyzes more than 3,000 images in 15 seconds to identify dirt particles. Previously, paint inspections were based solely on the human eye
• This year, the dirt detection technology launches at three more Ford assembly plants in North America, followed by two additional assembly plants in 2014

Here's the dirt on Ford's new paint technology: There isn't any.

New Ford F-Series models are the latest vehicles to benefit from the company's industry-first dirt detection technology to ensure optimal paint and surface quality. The system uses high-resolution cameras and reflected light to digitally identify surface imperfections finer than a grain of salt in final vehicle assembly, and to cue operators where to polish and buff out imperfections.   

By using dirt detection technology, Ford improved paint quality and reduced customer complaints of vehicle surface finish by 82 percent within one year, as measured by customer warranty data for F-Series models produced at the company's Dearborn Truck Plant in Dearborn, Mich.  

"This system ensures better paint jobs and surface finishes for Ford customers around the world," saidTom Dougan, project manager, global paint applications at Ford.

How it works

Ford's dirt detection technology takes microscopic scans of each painted vehicle surface, and then cues final assembly operators to address repairs where necessary. In the past, paint and surface inspections were based on human-eye examination.

The 3D imaging system applies varying degrees and angles of light while scoping the paint surface of vehicle bodies to identify dirt in paint and other irregular paint conditions. High-resolution images – 3,150 images are captured in 15 seconds for every vehicle made – are stitched together for a full 3D image that is digitally compared to a perfect computer model.

Click here to view a video of Ford's dirt detection technology in action.

The dirt on the dirt

Dirt particles in paint are difficult to manage with conventional quality control methods. Minute particles can enter a shop floor from multiple environmental sources, machinery or workers, which makes paint quality one of the toughest variables to control in production. Along with Dearborn Truck Plant, the automated inspection system is now being used in the United States at Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant.

"This is one of the most exciting integrations of optical science and digital technology in the automotive industry," said Dougan. "By combining innovations in vision technology, processing speed and software, Ford continues to invent new technologies that give our customers better paint quality and surpass competitor offerings."

Locations

Globally, dirt detection technology is used at three Ford assembly plants. Here are the plants and the vehicles built there:

• Valencia Assembly Plant, Valencia, Spain: Ford C-MAX (Grand C-MAX and compact models)
• Dearborn Truck Plant, Dearborn, Mich.: Ford F-Series
• Kentucky Truck Plant, Louisville, Ky.: Ford Expedition, Ford Super Duty

The technology launches later this year at these plants:

• Louisville Assembly Plant, Louisville, Ky.: Ford Escape
• Chicago Assembly Plant, Chicago: Ford Taurus, Ford Police Interceptor, Ford Explorer
• Oakville Assembly, Oakville, Ontario, Canada: Ford Edge, Ford Flex

In 2014, Ford will launch dirt detection technology at the following plants:

• Flat Rock Assembly Plant, Flat Rock, Mich.: Ford Mustang, Ford Fusion
• Kansas City Assembly Plant, Claycomo, Mo.: Ford F-Series

50 fastest growing online jobs for Q2 2013

SYDNEY, Aug. 22, 2013 - The 3D printing industry heats up amid a $600 millionacquisition; The design industry flourishes as SMEs embrace freelancers over local agencies; Android continues to school Apple; Facebook fights fire with fire and comes out triumphant over Twitter; Telemarketing and Email Marketing experts rejoice as demand surges for these job types, at the expense of SEO and Link Building; SMEs now use freelancers as an integral part of their business.

The Freelancer.com Fast 50 charts the top 50 fastest growing job types or most influential movements in the online labour market on a quarter-by-quarter basis, providing a continuous measure of job activity and trends in the online economy.

An analysis of more than 300,000 jobs posted in Q2 2013 reveals that as corporate giants attempt to innovate in the consumer market with major product releases and reckless software updates, little thought has been spared for the SMEs fighting to keep up with the pace of technological change. Increasingly, SMEs are turning to external support and finding the answer in freelancers around the world.

"2013 will be viewed as a year of unprecedented disruption, with tectonic shifts in the design and manufacturing industries as they struggle to adapt to the unstoppable rise of crowdsourcing and 3D printing," Freelancer.com CEO Matt Barrie explains. "But with disruption comes opportunity, and over the next couple of months there is a unique window for any entrepreneur with an innovative business model to build a billion-dollar company."

The 3D printing industry heats up amid a $600 million acquisition. Set to become a $3 billionindustry by 2016, the 3D industry continues to grow as increasingly households and workplaces adopt 3D printing technologies**. As a result, 3D Rendering, 3D Modelling and 3D Animation showed significant growth, with all three jobs securing spots in the top 20 categories (up 17.3% from 1,570 jobs, 12.5% from 1,774 jobs, and 11.7% from 1,758 jobs respectively). First flagged in the Q1 2013 Fast 50 as a key growth industry, recent industry movements, such as the acquisition of Makerbot by 3D printing giant Stratasys, continue to suggest that this will be the industry to watch in the latter half of 2013.

The online design industry flourishes as SMEs embrace freelancers over local agen

cies. Illustration (up 19.7% from 1,501 jobs), Photoshop Design (up 19.4% from 1,241 jobs), Banner Design(up 14.4% from 2,131 jobs) and Logo Design (up 9.2% from 7,591 jobs) are all up in Q2 as ever-increasing fees charged by design agencies encourage SMEs to embrace online designers and force them to shop around for a better deal. Disruptive online business models such as crowdsourcing deliver unprecedented levels of flexibility, quality and ROI for SMEs, and we anticipate that this trend will continue as creative design professionals embrace online freelancing, while traditional design agencies join Borders and the Dodo in the annals of history.

Android continues to school Apple. Despite newer, flatter icons, iOS development continues to lag behind Android. Android achieves 14.8% growth in this Fast 50 (from 5,152 jobs), as iPhone and iPadlag with 10.2% and -2.5% growth this quarter (from 5,552 and 2,266 jobs respectively). These findings are supported by an IDC study^ conducted in late 2012 finding Android had more than 70% market share of new sales vs. 21% for the iPhone. As growth in mobile sales within the developing economies continues to surge, we expect that this trend will continue. With Android unchallenged, the new iOS releases are struggling to create must-have features and Apple is increasingly looking like a follower rather than a leader in the market it reinvented.

Facebook fights fire with fire and comes out triumphant over Twitter. A year after Facebook's IPO belly flop, the world's number one social network has recovered, this month reaching its issue price on the back of strong growth in mobile advertising. The social media giant grew mobile advertising revenue a massive 76% to US$656 million from the previous quarter, as reported in June this year. Advertisers have seen the light, as Facebook marketing jobs grew 16% this quarter to 7,281 jobs. After a strong first quarter, Twitter stagnated at just under 2% growth (from 2,624 jobs), as Facebook cashed in on its own version of Twitter's hashtag feature and tweaked its commenting system to allow users to upload photos to comment threads. With Facebook starting to see positive results from its mobile advertising push, businesses will continue to diversify their online advertising budgets to include Facebook.

Telemarketing and Email Marketing experts take home the bacon as demand surges for these job types, at the expense of SEO and Link Building. Telemarketing and Email Marketing jobs showed a strong 14.6% and 4.9% growth (up from 1,118 jobs and 1,206 jobs) respectively, supported by a 2013 report* which states that customer acquisitions via email marketing have quadrupled since 2009. Additionally, the study showed that customers acquired via email were 11% more valuable than average customers from Facebook, cementing email marketing as the central pillar of online marketing. Meanwhile, a Google Penguin update has delivered another crippling blow to SEO and Link Building jobs (down 6.3% from 10,906 jobs and 6.8% from 7,531 jobs respectively), further damaging an industry that is struggling as advertisers increasingly diversify their budgets into social channels like Facebook.

SMEs now use freelancers as an integral part of their business. Traditionally, SMEs outsourced work at the peripheries of their core business function, but this is rapidly changing. Today, SMEs are integrating freelancers directly into their business, relying on them for core tasks such as accounting (up 23.3% from 888 jobs), report writing (up 20.5% from 1,535 jobs) and the creation of powerpointpresentations (up 35.4% from 1,499 jobs), which require in-depth knowledge of the business. As the online freelance labour force shifts focus, tasks such as copywriting, ghostwriting and PDF conversions that require little to no inside knowledge have suffered (dropping by 13.5%, 11.8% and 38.1% respectively).

Fielding Graduate University Announces APA Accreditation Renewal

Fielding Graduate University offers the only APA accredited clinical psychology doctoral program utilizing a distributed learning model

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Aug. 21, 2013 - Fielding Graduate University is pleased to announce that the American Psychological Association (APA) has renewed its accreditation for the doctoral PhD program in Clinical Psychology. Fielding offers the only APA accredited clinical psychology doctoral program utilizing a distributed learning model. This program in the School of Psychology has been continually accredited by the APA since 1991.

The APA's Commission on Accreditation commended the program in each of its areas of review, including, program resources, program self-assessment and quality enhancement, and the program's philosophy, objectives and curriculum plan.

The report cited student-faculty relations as a "major strength of the program is its positive regard of its students, and its belief in their rights to courtesy, respect, collegiality, and sensitivity." Fielding's president, Katrina Rogers, PhD, stated, "Our clinical psychology program has served students and communities around the country for forty years, and we are pleased that APA has continued to affirm the quality of the program and its faculty. We are proud of our students, alumni, and faculty who continue to meet the highest of standards set by APA in a discipline that is so critical to the health and well-being of all societal members."

The report also praised the School of Psychology's value of diversity stating "the program recognizes the importance of cultural and individual difference and diversity in the training of psychologists…the program's training mission is also committed to ensuring coverage of issues of diversity, requiring not only a formal course on multicultural diversity, but also the infusion of diversity throughout many aspects of the formal curriculum as well as informal, extra-curricular activities."  

Fielding pioneered a distance education model comprised of blended and distributed learning that has served adult professionals for forty years. By creating flexible opportunities for individuals with career, family, and community responsibilities to achieve their advanced educational goals, Fielding's community of scholar-practitioners helps define the future of psychology at every level—from theory to practice and research.  Incorporating both intensive face-to-face interactions with online dialogue and other distance learning methodologies makes Fielding's Clinical Psychology program accessible to students across the nation.

Problem Solved for Dog and Garden Lovers; a new British Innovation!

LEDBURY, England, August 20, 2013 - Gadget hungry consumers have embraced new technologies for just about every aspect of daily life and yet the most primitive of tools and methods are commonly used for clearing dog and stray animal waste from the garden. This is a place to lounge, dine, grow food, and a place where children play! This next generation pooper scooper, with 'Scoop-Flush' technology makes a nasty job easier and keeps the garden clean too.

The dooup Complete Pet Waste Clearer features 5 in 1 functionality that covers, clears, sprays, stores and seals the waste away. Dog owners across the globe can now benefit from contactless and hygienic clearance for the garden, encouraging them to train their dogs to 'go' in their own home environments where clearance can be managed more efficiently.

The dooup CPWC can be left outside, in all types of weather, and used daily to clear, clean and store, thus saving bags and time. Simply leave in, or behind the shed (away from children) and use to clear in seconds.

The usual pooper scoopers comprise of a grab or scoop device, and though some can be loaded with a bag first, none can claim to store around a weeks' worth of waste and none can offer an 'in-built' sanitising feature. Brand dooup represents 'a paw forward in pet hygiene.'

The dooup's patented 'Scoop-Flush' technology works to prevent the spread of some of the 23 million bacteria that is contained in dog waste. Helping to prevent Canine Parvo Virus between dogs, reducing the chances of passing toxicara from dog and cat waste to humans, and overall, reducing the spread of residue waste into storm drains and the surrounding environment, The dooup is a much awaited tool for the garden. http://www.thedooup.com

Filmmaker Ray Comfort Taunts Richard Dawkins to "Come out of Hiding"

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 20, 2013 - A Los Angeles filmmaker who produced a 36-minute documentary on evolution, is taunting Richard Dawkins to come out of hiding and address his flock because he says they are "in tatters" after seeing his movie. Professor Dawkins has on three occasions tweeted about the movie to his 794,000 followers, but has not addressed the one question raised by the controversial documentary.

"Evolution vs. God" claims to debunk Darwinian evolution in its first 16 minutes, by interviewing evolutionary scientists from USC and UCLA and "holding their feet to the fire" for scientific evidence to back up the theory. Ray Comfort, the movie's producer, says that none of the four professors can provide any scientific evidence for evolution. It has started a firestorm on YouTube, garnishing over 100,000 views in its first three days, and to date has over 35,000 comments.

The best-selling author and co-host of a TV program that airs in over 120 countries said, "The professor can easily debunk the movie by coming out publicly and giving scientific evidence for evolution, but he won't, because he can't. This is because there isn't any, as we clearly show in the movie. Thousands of furious atheists have vented their anger on YouTube because they can't provide scientific evidence for the theory, and they desperately need an affirming word from above."

American Atheists Inc., have demanded that unedited footage be released, which they believe will show aUSC professor giving scientific evidence for evolution. Comfort says that the USC professor didn't give any, but that he is willing to release the interview if Dawkins pays the same amount he required for a debate with Comfort (payable to the Salvation Army). "I offered him $20,000 to debate me, and he said he would, if I gave his foundation $100,000. He knew that I wouldn't go that high, so we produced the movie instead."

Comfort added, "When a young lady recently produced a YouTube clip that tried to do what he should be doing by debunking it, Dawkin's tweeted that 'she talks sense.'" Then he said of Comfort "[He] won't know what hit him and he won't like it." Comfort tweeted back that nothing "hit" him and he "liked" and promoted her clip on his own Facebook page well before Dawkins did.

Comfort predicts that Richard Dawkins will "revert to his usual name-calling, because he is bankrupt of scientific evidence to back up his flimsy beliefs." The movie can be freely seen onwww.EvolutionVsGod.com

Women entrepreneurs feel they are not taken seriously: Study

New Delhi, Aug 20 - A majority of women running their own business ventures feel they are not taken seriously as entrepreneurs in the society, says a study.

According to the study of over 1,000 women entrepreneurs by consumer research firm Greyhound Sculpt, 50 per cent of the women stated they are happy being an entrepreneur Òas it gives them a sense of freedomÓ.

However, 68 per cent said they faced the challenge of not been taken seriously as entrepreneurs in the country, while 40 per cent claimed lack of family support.

 ÒThis re-enforces that family approval (especially elders and husbands) play a decisive role for women in business matters,Ó Greyhound Sculpt said.
 Among the major industries, the respondents felt that the real estate and automobile sector as ones with strong entry barriers for women entrepreneurs.

 Meanwhile, only 20 per cent of the respondents said they started their own business to follow their passion and satiate their need for creativity, while another 20 per cent did so for better standard of living.
 Beauty salon owners and housewives who deliver home cooked food to the office goers, are among those who started a business for creative satisfaction and passion for the job.

As per the study, 40 per cent of the women surveyed said they either worked from home or places nearby so as to cater to their family needs and perform household chores.

 Another 45 per cent of women noted that being an entrepreneur gave them the flexibility of time.
ÒWomen entrepreneurs are a brave new breed and soon, with technology, finances and other business support on their side, may be a significant sector of enterprise,Ó Greyhound Knowledge Group Founder and Group CEO Sanchit Vir Gogia said.

 ÒDespite business styles that may be different from their male counterparts, their business skills are just as sharp,Ó he added.

The study interviewed over 1,000 women running their own ventures spread across NCR, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Ahmedabad.

From Parrots to Glass Eyes - Skyscanner Reveals the Items Left on Planes

International survey reveals the bizarre items found by cabin crew

EDINBURGH, Scotland, August 20, 2013- A live parrot, a glass eye and a bag of sand are just a few of the bizarre items left behind on planes each year, according to a survey of 700 international cabin crew by leading global travel search site Skyscanner. Cabin crew have reported an extensive list of items found on flights after passengers have disembarked. It includes a surprising number of forgotten pets, with crew members reporting to have found a falcon, frog, tortoise, as well as a parrot abandoned at the end of a flight. Dentures, underwear, a glass eye and a prosthetic leg were also in the long list of weird and wonderful items revealed by cabin crew, and which pose the question: 'how did the passenger manage to forget them?' Other items found were just simply random: a single egg (without packaging), a bag of sand and a written marriage proposal.

Whether the latter was intended for a cabin crew member or a passenger is unclear. And let's hope the lost wedding dress found its owner before the big day. When it comes to the more regular travel essentials, it seems that passengers are no less forgetful. Almost a quarter (24%) of crew have found a lost passport on board, which is even higher than the number of phones (23%) and books (21%) left behind. Victoria Bailie, Skyscanner spokesperson, said: "Many of us have left something behind when we've travelled, such as a book or magazine.

However, this survey has revealed that some people have left some quite bizarre items on board and items such as the glass eye and prosthetic leg make you wonder how they could have been missed by the owner. I'm sure one or two items have raised a few smiles among the cabin crew." Here are just some of the most random items that cabin crew have found on a plane: Live parrot Glass eye Prosthetic leg A bag of sand A clog Box of dried fish One shoe Wedding dress Bag of diamonds Wig Bag of onions Toupee Handcuffs Double bass One egg (without packaging) Frog Underwear Written marriage proposal Skyscanner conducted a survey of 700 cabin crew from 83 countries through Cabincrew.com.

 About Skyscanner

 Skyscanner is a leading global travel search site providing instant online comparisons for millions of flights plus hotels and car hire. Founded in 2003 by three IT professionals, Gareth Williams, Barry Smith and Bonamy Grimes, Skyscanner is the no.1 travel search website in Europe and no.3 worldwide, receiving over 50 million visits per month.

Skyscanner's travel search site is available in 40 countries and in 30 languages. Skyscanner's highly-rated free mobile apps are available on iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and Windows 8 devices and have been downloaded over 20 million times. The company employs over 200 staff and has its global headquarters in Edinburgh, with a second Scottish office in Glasgow. Skyscanner also has offices in Singapore and Beijing.

New Survey: Hispanic Teen Drug Use Significantly Higher Than Other Ethnic Groups

~Increase in Hispanic Teens Who Have Misused or Abused a Prescription Medicine At Least Once In Their Lifetime~

 NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2013 - The Partnership at Drugfree.org today released new research from the latest Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS), a nationally projectable survey that tracks teen drug and alcohol use and parent attitudes toward substance abuse among teens. The research, sponsored by MetLife Foundation, shows that Hispanic teens are using drugs at alarmingly higher levels when compared to teens from other ethnic groups.

It confirms that substance abuse has become a normalized behavior among Latino youth. According to the new PATS data, Hispanic teens are more likely to engage in substance abuse when compared to teens from other ethnic groups and are more likely to have abused the following substances within the past year: More than half of Hispanic teens (54 percent) reported having used an illicit drug, versus 45 percent for African-American teens and 43 percent for Caucasian teens.

 Almost half of Hispanic teens (47 percent) used marijuana, compared to 39 percent for African-American teens and 36 percent for Caucasian teens. One in eight (13 percent) Hispanic teens used Ecstasy, compared to 6 percent for Caucasian teens and 8 percent for African-American teens. One in eight (13 percent) Hispanic teens reported cocaine use, compared to 8 percent for African-American teens and 3 percent for Caucasian teens. Hispanic teens reported they consumed alcohol (62 percent) at a similar rate to Caucasian teens (59 percent) and significantly higher than African-American teens (50 percent). The PATS data underscore that Hispanic teens are more likely than Caucasian and African-American teens to see drugs as part of their environment: to have friends who use drugs and to feel they have easy access to Ecstasy, crack/cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.

 Hispanic teens are more likely to be offered drugs, even within their own schools and too many are exposed to substance abuse within their own communities: Almost two-thirds (62 percent) of Hispanic teens have been offered drugs at least once in their lifetime, compared to 53 percent for Caucasian teens and 46 percent for African-American teens. More than four in ten (42 percent) Hispanic teens have been offered drugs at their own school, compared to 30 percent for Caucasian teens and 28 percent for African-American teens. Approximately one-quarter (24 percent) of Hispanic teens report seeing frequent drug use in their communities, compared to 15 percent for Caucasian teens and 24 percent for African-American teens.

Increase in Hispanic Teens Who Have Misused/Abused Prescription Drugs At Least Once Hispanic teens are now almost twice as likely as they were two years ago to have misused or abused a prescription (Rx) medicine at least once in their lifetime (30 percent in 2012 compared to 17 percent in 2010). This reflects a noteworthy 76 percent increase over two years. In 2012: More than one-quarter of Hispanic teens (26 percent) reported having abused or misused a prescription drug in the past year, compared to 15 percent for both Caucasian and African-American teens.

 One in seven Hispanic teens (16 percent) reported they engaged in the risky behavior of mixing alcohol with abusing prescription drugs (without a prescription), compared to 11 percent for Caucasian teens and 6 percent for African-American teens. One in ten (10 percent) Hispanic teens abused over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicine in the past year, compared to 5 percent for both Caucasian and African-American teens. Hispanic Parents Face Challenges When Protecting Their Kids from Drug and Alcohol Abuse Teen substance abuse is only one of many challenges Hispanic parents face when it comes to protecting their children. The survey data show that Hispanic parents recognize that they have the main responsibility for educating their teens about the risks of drug and alcohol abuse.

 Fortunately, most Hispanic parents (85 percent) understand that teens who start using drugs and alcohol at a younger age are more susceptible to substance abuse problems as they get older, compared to 74 percent for Caucasian parents and 73 percent for African-American parents. Also, along with African-American parents (93 percent), a majority of Hispanic parents (94 percent) are more likely to report they have taken action once they learned about drug or alcohol use at home, when compared to 86 percent of Caucasian parents. However the PATS data also found that Hispanic parents are more likely to be permissive toward their teen's substance abuse and share misconceptions regarding the relative safety of prescription drug abuse: One in five (21 percent) Hispanic parents think "it's okay if my teen smokes marijuana sometimes," compared to 6 percent for Caucasian parents and 11 percent for African-American parents.

 More than one in four (28 percent) Hispanic parents believe using Rx drugs to get high is much safer than using street drugs, compared to 9 percent for Caucasian parents and 20 percent for African-American parents. "Parents play a critical role in helping shape the development and behavior of their teens and Hispanic parents, unfortunately, often feel helpless in influencing their teens' behaviors," said Dr. Jose Szapocznik, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. "The key to making parental influence count is building a positive relationship with your children. Catch your children doing something that you as a parent can validate and reward.

Through positive parenting, parents can become more influential in their teens' lives." Jerry Otero, a bilingual parent support specialist on The Partnership at Drugfree.org's Parents Toll-Free Helpline ( 1-855-DRUGFREE), knows the issues that concern Hispanic parents. "From the calls we get to the helpline, we know that Hispanic parents want to know more about teen drug and alcohol use and how these issues affect their children. We hear it firsthand from parents and concerned family members themselves – they want facts, they need guidance and they want to talk to someone so that they can be better equipped to understand and respond to their children's needs," said Otero.

 Compared to Caucasian parents, Hispanic parents also acknowledge having more difficulty in protecting their teens from substance abuse: More than one in four (28 percent) Hispanic parents have difficulty enforcing rules against substance abuse, compared to 16 percent for Caucasian parents and 29 percent for African-American parents. And more than one-third (35 percent) of Hispanic parents feel there is little they can do to help their teens abstain from substance use, compared to 21 percent for Caucasian parents and 32 percent for African-American parents. "This new study shows a clear need for us, as Hispanic parents, to educate ourselves about the dangers posed by drug and alcohol abuse within our own community and to set clear rules for our kids," said Doctora Isabel, a radio psychologist who dispenses advice on crucial issues affecting Hispanic families on her popular live, call-in talk show, "Doctora Isabel" on Univision Radio. "Parents are the biggest influence over the decisions our kids make and we need to talk frequently with them about the risks of drug and alcohol abuse.

They will listen!" Bilingual Web Resources Help Hispanic Families Prevent and Address Teen Drug and Alcohol Use The Partnership at Drugfree.org offers "HablaConTusHijos," a free, bilingual (Spanish/English) online resource that provides effective, easy-to-use tools equipping Hispanic parents and grandparents to take action in preventing teen substance abuse in their families. Grounded in research, "HablaConTusHijos" provides science-based guidance to parents and caregivers through clear understandable content. These include customized checklists, how-to guides and powerful videos featuring Hispanic parents and experts discussing various aspects of substance abuse and addiction. Bilingual Toll-Free Helpline Helps Parents and Caregivers Plan a Course of Action The Partnership at Drugfree.org's bilingual (English/Spanish), toll-free helpline is dedicated to helping parents and families who may not have access to the comprehensive resources at "HablaConTusHijos" or who want to reach out and speak to a qualified parent support specialists about their child's drug use or drinking.

 The Parents Toll-Free Helpline – 1-855-DRUGFREE – ( 1-855-378-4373) is staffed by specialists with practical experience in substance abuse intervention and treatment. These specialists help parents plan a course of action for teens who are struggling with substance abuse and, if appropriate, supply a short list of resources or treatment facilities in their area. The Parents Toll-Free Helpline is not a 24-hour crisis hotline and is staffed Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. EST. Partnership Attitude Tracking Survey Methodology The 24th annual Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS) of 3,884 teens in grades 9-12 and 817 parents is nationally projectable with a +/- 2.1 percent margin of error for the teen sample and +/- 3.4 percent for the parent sample.

The teen sample is comprised of 1,185 Hispanic, 1,377 Caucasian and 689 African-American teens; the parent sample is comprised of 197 Hispanic, 386 Caucasian and 199 African-American parents. Conducted for The Partnership at Drugfree.org and MetLife Foundation by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Corporate Communications, the 2012 PATS teen survey was administered in private, public and parochial schools, while the parent survey was conducted through in-home interviews by deKadt Marketing and Research, Inc.

First Mobile Phone Using FPC Fingerprint Technology Launched

GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Aug. 19, 2013 - The Fujitsu F-07E Android smartphone was recently launched in NTT DoCoMo stores all over Japan. This is a Disney-branded phone, containing Fingerprint Cards' (FPC's) swipe sensor technology. “Finger sensors in smart devices have become an increasingly essential way to ensure that these devices are secure and at the same time they add convenience for the users.

Finger sensors in smartphones have become something of a trademark for Fujitsu and by adding 1080 swipe sensor technology from Fingerprint Cards, we are taking the next step in helping smartphone users to increase the convenience of their experience through effortless fingerprint security,” says Katsumi Takada, head of Mobile Phone Group of Fujitsu. Johan Carlstrom, President and Chief Executive Officer of FPC, comments: “The Japanese market is well-known for its high quality and performance standards. Fujitsu and DoCoMo are the world's most experienced users of finger sensors. It gives me great pleasure to see the launch of the first smartphone using FPC's swipe sensor technology in this demanding market. This launch is evidence of FPC's world-leading position as a supplier of capacitive fingerprint technology of highest quality, best image quality and lowest power consumption. We expect multiple launches in Japan and other parts of Asia during the rest of 2013 and beyond."

 About Fingerprint Cards AB (publ) Fingerprint Cards AB (FPC) markets, develops and produces biometric components and technologies that through the analysis and matching of an individual's unique fingerprint verify the person's identity. The technology consists of biometric sensors, processors, algorithms and modules that can be used separately or in combination with each other. The competitive advantages offered by the FPC's technology include unique image quality, extreme robustness, low power consumption and complete biometric systems.

With these advantages and the ability to achieve extremely low manufacturing costs, the technology can be implemented in volume products such as smart cards and mobile phones, where extremely rigorous demands are placed on such characteristics. The company's technology can also be used in IT and Internet security, access control, etc.

Wildfire ! American Humane Association Offers Tips

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2013 - ­Wildfires are terrifying and dangerous phenomena. Officials are working valiantly to battle the blazes in Idaho but it is important for all families to be prepared. To help, here are some tips from American Humane Association and the experts at its Red Star™ emergency services program to help protect you, your family and your pets in the event a wildfire threatens you: Before the Fire Know your wildfire risk and be aware of fire conditions. Plan multiple routes to a safe destination. NEVER leave pets behind. Evacuate your family and pets as early as you can and remember to take your disaster preparedness kit for your pets (i.e. First Aid kit, leashes, and pets' carrying cases, bowls, sanitation materials, chew toy, minimum 3 days, ideally 7-10 days of food, meds, water). Create a defensible space. Visit www.firewise.org for tips for preparing homes to reduce wildfire risk. Have a list of evacuation destinations including family and friends' addresses, boarding facility, pet-friendly hotels and emergency shelter locations. Make sure your animals are wearing collars and have current ID (consider micro chipping your animals as it provides a secondary means for identifying your animal); take their updated vaccination papers and a photo in case you become separated and need to identify your pet if he/she should you become separated. Stock extra pet supplies in your vehicle. Don't leave children or pets in vehicles. Don't leave pets tethered or crated without you. Practice loading cats and dogs in pet carriers before you have to. Practice loading large animals into a trailer and driving them before you have to. Stay tuned to emergency channels and heed instructions. Disasters can change quickly. After the Fire Use caution when returning home and walking around the affected area. Avoid debris and do not allow children or pets to wander. Be cautious about all food, which may have spoiled when electricity was interrupted. Keep your dogs on a leash and cats in a carrier (until you can make sure your house and yard are safe and secure) Watch for objects that could cause injury or harm to your children or pets. Given pets time to re-orient. Familiar scents and landmarks may be altered and cause your pet confusion or to become lost. Keep children and pets away from downed power lines and debris. Keep an eye on children's emotional reaction to the crisis. Talk to children – and just as important – listen to them. Reassure them frequently that you, local officials, and their communities are all working to keep them safe and return life back to normal. Watch for symptoms of stress, including clinginess, stomachaches, headaches, nightmares, trouble eating or sleeping, or changes in behavior. If you are concerned about the way your children are responding long after the crisis is over, consult your doctor, school counselor or local mental health professional. Uncertainty and change in the environment affect animals, too, presenting new stresses and dangers. Your pet's behavior may change after a crisis, becoming more aggressive or self-protective. Be sensitive to these changes and keep more room between them, other animals, children or strangers. Animals need comforting, too. Comfort your pet with kind words and lots of pats or hugs. If possible, provide a safe and quiet environment, even if it is not their own home. Be aware that flooding or even flash flooding may be a concern after a wildfire, so please see our tips on flood preparedness. "Now is the time to act," said Justin Scally, national director of emergency services for American Humane Association. "If you have time to prepare and you haven't been ordered to evacuate, be sure to start your preparations now. If you have been ordered to evacuate, do NOT leave your pets behind and leave immediately." "Please follow the directions of local officials very closely," said Dr. Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of American Humane Association. "These situations can change drastically, very quickly and therefore it's important to prepare now even if you haven't yet been ordered to leave. For your safety, your children's safety, and the safety of your pets – act now." About American Humane Association and its Red Star™ emergency services program American Humane Association is the country's first national humane organization and the only one dedicated to protecting both children and animals. Since 1877 American Humane Association has been at the forefront of virtually every major advance in protecting our most vulnerable from cruelty, disasters, abuse and neglect. Today they're also leading the way in understanding the human-animal bond and its role in therapy, medicine and society. Their legendary Red Star emergency services program has been involved in nearly every major relief effort over the past 100 years, including World War I when they rescued wounded horses on the battlefields of Europe, the Great Ohio Flood of 1937, Pearl Harbor, Hurricane Katrina, the eruption at Mount Saint Helens, the terror attacks on 9/11, the Japanese earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster, Superstorm Sandy, and the killer tornadoes in Joplin and Oklahoma. The Red Star program has rescued more than 70,000 animals in just the past five years alone.

Google’s Answer to British Lawsuit: Your Privacy Laws Don’t Touch us

LONDON, August 18, 2013 -Google has told British consumers taking legal action against it for privacy breaches that it does not have to answer to the English courts and that UK privacy laws don’t apply. Legal documents filed by the company in response to a claim by three people backed by the campaign group, Safari Users Against Google’s Secret Tracking, show that Google will contest the right of Safari users in the UK to bring a case in the country they live in and where they use Google’s service. The search giant has dismissed the Safari claims as not serious, saying that the browsing habits of internet users are not protected as personal information, even when they potentially concern their physical health or sexuality. Judith Vidal-Hall, one of the claimants, is appalled by this: “Google’s position on the law is the same as its position on tax: they will only play or pay on their home turf. What are they suggesting- that they will force Apple users whose privacy was violated to pay to travel to California to take action when they offer a service in this country on a .co.uk site? This matches their attitude to consumer privacy. They don’t respect it and they don’t consider themselves to be answerable to our laws on it.” Google refused to accept service of the lawsuit in the UK, instead forcing the victims to serve on the company in California. Their claim is based on Google’s admission that tracking cookies were installed on the computers and mobile devices of people using Apple’s Safari internet browser even when they had expressly chosen to block them. These cookies allowed Google to secretly track the browsing activities of millions of Safari users, without their knowledge, and to collate and use that data. The practice was only stopped when a law student and security researcher noticed Google’s activity and published an exposé in the United States. Google paid a record $22.5million settlement to the US Federal Trade Commission to settle charges. Marc Bradshaw, another claimant, believes this latest development is just another ruse by Google to avoid responsibility for its actions: “It seems to us absurd to suggest that consumers can’t bring a claim against a company which is operating in the UK and is even constructing a $1 billion headquarters in London. “If consumers can’t bring a civil claim against a company in a country where it operates, the only way of ensuring it behaves is by having a robust regulator. “But the UK regulator, the Information Commissioner's Office, has said to me that all it can do is fine Google if it breaks the law, but Google clearly doesn’t think that it is bound by that law. Fines would be useless – even if Google agreed to pay them - because Google earns more than the maximum fine in less than two hours. With no restraint Google is free to continue to invade our privacy whether we like it or not.” Mr Bradshaw wrote to the Information Commissioner asking him to impose “effective sanctions to rein in Google” and to ensure it complies with the law. The internet giant is pooling data from all of its products giving it a comprehensive record of each internet user’s preferences. Dan Tench, a partner at Olswang, the law firm acting for the claimants, said: “Our letter to the Information Commissioner conveyed our client’s position that fines won’t work and urged him to change Google’s behaviour through an enforcement notice or other alternative sanctions. The response was that they found our client’s position simplistic and difficult to implement. But a leading QC disagrees and has advised that the Information Commissioner does have stronger powers. We note that France’s regulator, CNIL, has been more robust, announcing a final ultimatum to Google to ensure quickly that its privacy policy complies with European law. Our regulator should listen to consumers and recognise that other sanctions are needed to get Google to behave.” In the letter to the Commissioner, Mr Bradshaw proposed a number of alternative sanctions. These include ordering: • Plain English warnings on Google's search home page explaining how and why data is collected and tracked; • Reversing Google's merger of all data across its services or, if that isn't possible, deleting all illegally merged data, with deletion independently verified; and • A prominent apology to be placed on the Google search home page. Marc Bradshaw continues: “Google is one of the largest companies in the world with huge financial resources and access to the most expensive lawyers around the world. Regulators must rise to this challenge and rein in Google. If they fail, every internet user in this country will suffer and the right to online privacy could be lost forever.”

Job portal for rural youth

New Delhi, Aug 18 - To bridge the gap between jobs available in the rural India and the country's skilled workforce a Bhopal based organization has launched a rural job portal. The vocational education, services and e-governance network, AISECT which has been working in the area of skill development and rural empowerment since the last 28 years has recently launched a job portal RojgarMantra.com. ÒWe have already trained over 1.2 million people across the country and have partnered with the Central and State governments for numerous skill enhancement and capacity building projects at grass root level,Ó says Pallavi Rao Chaturvedi, Director, AISECT. The portal aims to provide employers access to lakhs of students trained in the fields of retail, textile, agriculture allied sectors, as well as education. It also aims to provide job seekers a vast pool of jobs along with mantras to guide them to a dream job. ÒSo far, we have 2 lakh applicants registered with the portal and over the next 5 years, we are planning to have over 10 lakh job seekers and an equal number of jobs registered with the portal,Ó says Chaturvedi. The recruiters registered with Rojgar Mantra are a mix of national level corporate giants as well as small local players. Also with Government's digitization projects across all departments, there are job opportunities for entry level IT professionals in rural region. ÒI agree that round-the-clock accessibility to computers and internet in rural India is limited. However, we have tried to make the entire process of accessing the portal as simplified as possible. We have established 1000 Employment Exchange centres across various states where job seekers can have access to the portal,Ó says Chaturvedi. The portal focuses on filling local, entry level job requirements of private and public enterprises at the town, district and block levels and is currently focusing on Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Rajasthan, Orissa, Gujarat and Punjab. ÒSubsequently, our efforts will also be replicated in other states,Ó says the director.

US baby dies after eating packet of detergent

Washington, Aug 18 - A 7-month-old US baby has died after swallowing candy-coloured liquid detergent from a packet that his mother accidentally left on the bed while the child was sleeping. The baby boy was a resident at a battered women's shelter in Kissimmee, Florida, that hands out laundry detergent packets individually to residents, police said. ÒThe mother took the laundry detergent packets, put them in the laundry basket, which was on the bed, and the child was sleeping on the bed,Ó police spokesperson Stacie Miller told ABCNews.com. Miller said the mother left the room for a brief moment, and when she came back, she discovered that the child was eating the laundry detergent packet. The child was rushed to the hospital where he died. The incident took place earlier this month. The baby's autopsy results are still pending, however, officials at the Department of Children and Families (DCF) believe that ingesting the laundry pods was the cause of the death. ÒThe death of little Michael is a tragedy. It reminds all of us as parents the dangers of leaving household cleaning supplies around our little ones,Ó DCF said in a statement.

Thrift Grabs Lead at Professional Bass Fishing's Forrest Wood Cup Presented by Walmart

North Carolina Angler Takes 4-Ounce Lead In To Final Day SHREVEPORT, La., Aug. 17, 2013 - Chevy pro Bryan Thrift of Shelby, N.C., brought a five-bass limit to the scales weighing 9 pounds, 15 ounces to lead day three of the Forrest Wood Cup at the Red River presented by Walmart. Thrift, with a three-day total of 15 bass for 39-6, holds a 4-ounce lead over previous leader EverStart pro Randall Tharp of Port St. Joe, Fla., who weighed five bass weighing 9-7 for a three-day total of 15 bass for 39-2. The Forrest Wood Cup, professional bass fishing's world championship, features 46 of the best professional anglers from across the country casting for the top cash award of $500,000. "Well, I'd rather have the lead then be in second," said Thrift, who finished in third place at the 2012 Forrest Wood Cup. "It's still anybody's game, though. Somebody in sixth or seventh could go out tomorrow and try something off the wall and catch 18 pounds like Randall and I did on the first day and win this thing. The river is capable of producing those type of weights, so I really don't believe that anybody is out of this." Thrift said that despite taking the lead, he struggled for most of the day. He estimated that he only had eight or nine keeper bites throughout the day, and four were barely over the 12-inch mark. "I tried to find places in practice where I could get multiple bites, but they're slowly fading away," Thrift said. "The places where I was getting three or four bites each day are now only getting me one, sometimes none. Today I fished around 40 to 50 different places. I've been fishing woods, pads, rocks – anything that looks good. I'm just putting the trolling motor down and covering water." Despite running and gunning, Thrift said that all of his big fish have come from the same area. "I've caught my big fish each day off of this little point in a backwater area," said Thrift. "They all came on an Evercast Lures Shaky Head rigged with a 6½-inch Damiki Finesse Miki Worm. I've also been catching fish on an original Z-Man Chatterbait. "Tomorrow I'm going to do the same deal," Thrift went on to say. "If it's not working, I'll do something else. I'm not going to get stale in my approach and go down dying with one thing. If I'm not getting bit, I'll change it up and try to make them bite something else. I think I'm most likely going to have to run some new water tomorrow. I'm going to fish what I feel like is going to give me the best chance to catch a big one and win this tournament." The top 10 pros advancing to the final day of competition are: 1st: Chevy pro Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 15 bass, 39-6 2nd: EverStart pro Randall Tharp, Port St. Joe, Fla., 15 bass, 39-2 3rd: Chevy pro Larry Nixon, Bee Branch, Ark., 15 bass, 35-14 4th: Jacob Wheeler, Indianapolis, Ind., 15 bass, 34-15 5th: Walmart pro Mark Rose, West Memphis, Ark., 15 bass, 34-6 6th: Robbie Dodson, Harrison, Ark., 15 bass, 33-5 7th: Kerry Milner, Bono, Ark., 15 bass, 32-13 8th: Troy Morrow, Eastanollee, Ga., 15 bass, 32-7 9th: Tom Monsoor, La Crosse, Wis., 10 bass, 32-4 10th: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 15 bass, 32-4 Finishing in 11th through 20th are: 11th: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 15 bass, 32-3, $20,000 12th: 3M Scotch Tape & Peltor Brands pro Ray Scheide, Dover, Ark., 14 bass, 31-11, $20,000 13th: Straight Talk pro J.T. Kenney, Palm Bay, Fla., 15 bass, 30-11, $20,000 14th: Walmart pro Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 15 bass, 30-7, $20,000 15th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 15 bass, 30-6, $20,000 16th: John Cox, Debary, Fla., 15 bass, 29-10, $15,000 17th: Mark Daniels Jr., Fairfield, Calif., 14 bass, 29-10, $15,000 18th: Matt Arey, Shelby, N.C., 15 bass, 28-11, $15,000 19th: Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 15 bass, 27-15, $15,000 20th: Keystone Light pro Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 15 bass, 27-7, $15,000 Final results for the remaining field can be found on FLWOutdoors.com. Overall there were 98 bass weighing 179 pounds, 3 ounces caught by pros Saturday. The catch included 18 five-bass limits. Theo Corcoran of Kansas City, Mo., won the co-angler division and $50,000 Friday with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 26 pounds, 10 ounces followed by Brock Mosley of Collinsville, Miss., in second place with 10 bass weighing 19-1 worth $10,000. The 2013 Forrest Wood Cup at the Red River presented by Walmart is being hosted by the Shreveport/Bossier City Sports Commission. Anglers will take off from Red River South Marina located at 250 Red River South Marina Road in Bossier City, La., at 7 a.m. Sunday. Weigh-in will be held at the CenturyLink Center located at 2000 CenturyLink Center Drive in Bossier City, La., beginning at 5 p.m. Sunday. Fans will be treated to the FLW Expo at the Shreveport Convention Center located at 400 Caddo St. in Shreveport, La., on Sunday from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. prior to the weigh-ins. The Expo includes Ranger boat simulators, the opportunity to interact with professional anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by sponsors, and fans can learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities. All activities are free and open to the public. Five-hundred free rods and reels will be given away each day to the first 500 children 14 years and under who are accompanied by an adult. The rod and reel giveaways are courtesy of 1130 AM The Tiger. Also on Sunday, one lucky fishing fan will win a Ranger Z520C with a Mercury outboard. The Ranger boat giveaway is courtesy of KSLA News 12 and is free to enter, but the winner must be present at the conclusion of Sunday's final weigh-in to win. Coverage of the Forrest Wood Cup will be broadcast in high-definition (HD) on NBC when "FLW" airs Sept. 29 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. ET. The Emmy-nominated "FLW" television show is hosted by Jason Harper and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world. FLW and the Capital City, Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board announced Friday that Columbia, S.C., would once again be hosting the Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing, Aug. 14-17, 2014, on the jewel of South Carolina, Lake Murray. The last time the Forrest Wood Cup, the sport's premier event, was held in Columbia was 2008. Rayovac pro Jason Christie of Park Hill, Okla., was awarded the second annual Forrest L. Wood Sportsmanship and Community Leadership Award on Saturday, and a donation will be made to Christie's charity of choice. FLW recognized the angler that exemplified the ideals of sportsmanship and community service throughout the 2013 season. The Forrest L. Wood Sportsmanship and Community Leadership Award recognizes the individual who displayed overall commitment of sportsmanship and community leadership, on and off the water, by displaying ethical behavior, upholding integrity, class, selflessness, conservation efforts and kindness to others. For complete details and updated information visit FLWOutdoors.com

Internationally trained Acupuncturists and Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners are Welcome in Canada

VANCOUVER, Aug. 17, 2013 - Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister of Multiculturalism, announced that the Government of Canada is helping internationally trained acupuncturists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners put their skills to work sooner, anywhere in Canada. "We recognize the importance of trained health care professionals, including those practicing traditional Chinese medicine, in addressing skills shortages and improving the quality of life of Canadians," said Minister Kenney. "That is why we are working with partners like the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of British Columbia to help Canadian and internationally trained professionals find jobs in their fields and contribute fully to Canada's economy." The College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of British Columbia, on behalf of the Canadian Alliance of Regulatory Bodies for Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists, has received close to $450,000 through the Foreign Credential Recognition Program to put in place pan-Canadian entry-level examinations for Canadian and internationally trained acupuncturists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. "Once licensed, Canadian and internationally trained professionals will be able to move freely between the provinces and territories without having to re-certify their credentials," said the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors). "This will allow them to enter the labour market quickly, when they are needed, anywhere in Canada." "We are grateful for the funding provided by the Government of Canada, which enabled us to establish the pan-Canadian registration examinations for acupuncturists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners," said Mary Watterson, Registrar/CEO for the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of British Columbia. "The outcome of the project will increase the capacity of regulatory bodies to effectively recognize the qualifications of both Canadian and foreign-trained applicants." Under the Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications, the Government of Canada is working with the provinces and territories and other partners, such as regulatory bodies, to improve foreign credential recognition. In 2007, the Government of Canada established the Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO) to provide internationally-trained workers with information and services for credential assessment so they can find work in their fields quickly. In 2011, the Government introduced the Foreign Credential Recognition (FCR) Loans Pilot, helping internationally trained workers offset the costs of the foreign credential recognition process. To date, agreements have been signed with nine organizations across the country to deliver these loans. To learn more about Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit actionplan.gc.ca.