AMES, Iowa ? Tom Barton, a chemist with long ties to Iowa State University and the U.S. Department of Energy?s Ames Laboratory, has been elected president-elect of the American Chemical Society.
The American Chemical Society (ACS) has more than 164,000 members and is the world?s largest scientific society.
Barton will be the society?s president-elect in 2013, its president in 2014 and its immediate past-president in 2015. He was recently elected with 62 percent of the vote.
Barton is currently an Iowa State Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Chemistry and an associate of the Ames Laboratory. He has been at Iowa State since 1967 and a distinguished professor since 1984. He directed the Ames Laboratory from 1988 to 2007. He directed Iowa State?s Institute for Physical Research and Technology from 1998 to 2007. He was also interim director of the Iowa Energy Center in 2009. He retired from Iowa State in May 2012.
And why does he want to lead the ACS? These, after all, are difficult times for chemistry. Jobs are being outsourced, unemployment of chemists is high, research funding is uncertain and young people are less interested in the field. The ACS has developed plans and strategies to address those issues.
?However,? Barton wrote on his candidate website, ?plans remain only words unless there is leadership who passionately believes in our mission, and has the background, talents, capabilities and time available to lead the effort to carry out these strategies, to sell these strategies and to energize the membership of ACS to carry them out with zeal.?
Barton said his priorities will be improving elementary and secondary science education in America, boosting the public?s appreciation of chemistry and addressing employment and globalization issues.
About American education, he said, ?Everybody knows that in K-12 we?re not doing a good job in science, technology, engineering and math. We have more conferences and special reports but still do little or nothing. We need drastic changes. I hope this new bully pulpit of mine will add to the efforts in getting this done.?
Barton, who?s not shy about sharing an opinion or telling a story (he?s even writing some fiction these days), said it?s purely an accident that he?s a chemist.
He started college on a music scholarship ? half voice and half clarinet ? and was asked to pick a science class to meet his degree requirements. When a college official tried to steer him away from a chemistry class for science students, Barton rose to the challenge and took the harder course.
?The next thing you know I had a Ph.D. in chemistry,? he said.
And now, instead of settling into retirement, he?s preparing to advance chemistry and meet the changing needs of chemists.
?While the ACS president is only one person,? Barton wrote on his website, ?an energetic, experienced president can lead by coordinating the effort of 164,000 bright, well-educated members and their collective wisdom to take us into the future.?
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Do they really matter? This was the question asked of university rankings and benchmarking at the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) Conference of Executive Heads held at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus from November 9th to 11th. Leaders and educators from around the world collected to explore the theme, ?University Rankings and Benchmarking: Do they really matter?? as well as other drivers such as economic policies, changing political and social agenda, staff recruitment and retention, and student aspirations. The event called on participants to seek to measure and demonstrate their university?s ?value? to prospective students, parents, alumni, governments and other stakeholders. ? ? In his address, Chairman of the ACU and Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, Professor E. Nigel Harris revealed regionally, institutions are facing difficulty in defining productivity and value. He hoped the conference would bring new insights in light of the global competition fostered by increased access to post-secondary education.? ? ? The Honourable Portia Simpson-Miller, Prime Minister of Jamaica, in opening the conference, declared that, ?Any country that wants to be strong must have a strong university base.? ? ? She also welcomed the emphasis of the conference on performance indicators in higher education. She recognised that, sensitively handled, such rankings can strengthen the culture of transparency, quality, and inform better decision making from students and other stakeholders.? The conference also marked the beginning of the ACU Centenary celebrations under the theme ?Future Forward; design, develop and deliver? which will consider key issues relating to the future of international higher education: designing academics and universities for the future, developing tools to meet new challenges, and delivering, recognising and measuring growth, impact and success.? ? ? At 100 years, this year, the ACU is the oldest conglomeration of universities in the world.? ?
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Yahoo's shares touched $19 Monday, the first time they have traded that high in more than two and half years.
The latest gains extend a rally that has been gaining momentum in recent weeks as Yahoo Inc. buys back its own stock and more investors bet on CEO Marissa Mayer's ability to turn around the long-struggling company.
Mayer, a former top executive at Internet search leader Google Inc., became Yahoo's fifth CEO in less than a year when the company hired her in July. Since her arrival, Mayer has vowed to make Sunnyvale, Calif., company a better place to work, refine its online services and roll out more products tailored for smartphones and tablet computers.
Yahoo has also been trying to boost its stock price by spending most of money that it received from a recent deal to buy back its own shares.
After taxes, the company pocketed $4.3 billion by selling half its stake in Chinese Internet company Alibaba Group Ltd. Mayer has pledged to spend $3.6 billion buying back Yahoo's stock, including $600 million that had gone toward share repurchases before the Alibaba deal closed in mid-September.
Yahoo had spent $212 million buying back 13 million shares from Oct. 1 through Nov. 8, according to a recent regulatory filing, with $928 million spent so far this year.
Since Mayer made the buyback commitment, Yahoo's stock has climbed by nearly 20 percent. The shares hit $19 in Monday's early trading for the first time since April 2010.
Goldman Sachs analyst Heath Terry believes Yahoo's stock will climb even higher, as more investor enthusiasm builds for Mayer's turnaround strategy and the value of the company's remaining holdings in Asian Internet companies becomes clearer. Besides retaining a 24 percent stake in Alibaba, Yahoo also owns 35 percent of Yahoo Japan. He also thinks Yahoo's stock will get a boost from future buybacks planned by Yahoo.
In a Monday research report, Terry raised his price target for Yahoo's shares to $24 from $22. The price targets of 15 other analysts surveyed by FactSet range from $16.50 to $22.
After climbing to $19 in Monday's early trading, Yahoo shares closed at $18.75, up 18 cents.
Quantum theorists often speak of the world as being pointillist at the smallest scales. Yet a closer look at the laws of nature suggests that the physical world is actually continuous?more analog than digital
By David Tong
Image: Kenn Brown, Mondolithic Studios
In Brief
Quantum mechanics is usually thought of as inherently discrete, yet its equations are formulated in terms of continuous quantities. Discrete values emerge depending on how a system is set up.
Digital partisans insist that the continuous quantities are, on closer inspection, discrete: they lie on a tightly spaced grid that gives the illusion of a continuum, like the pixels on a computer screen.
This idea of pixilated, discrete space contradicts at least one feature of nature, however: the asymmetry between left- and right-handed versions of elementary particles of matter.
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Editors' note: Last year the Foundational Questions Institute's third essay contest posed the following question to physicists and philosophers: ?Is Reality Digital or Analog?? The organizers expected entrants to come down on the side of digital. After all, the word ?quantum? in quantum physics connotes ?discrete? ?hence, ?digital?. Many of the best essays held, however, that the world is analog. Among them was the entry by David Tong, who shared the second-place prize. The article here is a version of his essay.
In the late 1800s the famous german mathematician Leopold Kronecker proclaimed, ?God made the integers, all else is the work of man.? He believed that whole numbers play a fundamental role in mathematics. For today's physicists, the quote has a different resonance. It ties in with a belief that has become increasingly common over the past several decades: that nature is, at heart, discrete?that the building blocks of matter and of spacetime can be counted out, one by one. This idea goes back to the ancient Greek atomists but has extra potency in the digital age. Many physicists have come to think of the natural world as a vast computer described by discrete bits of information, with the laws of physics an algorithm, like the green digital rain seen by Neo at the end of the 1999 film The Matrix.
This article was originally published with the title The Unquantum Quantum.
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Alliant Physical Therapy Group is proud to announce its continued expansion into the Central City of Milwaukee with the addition of two new clinics to serve this historically underserved market.? Chad Novasic, P.T., president of Alliant Physical Therapy group states ?I am excited to be able to open these two clinics.? We are committed to providing quality physical therapy services and to providing jobs within the City of Milwaukee.? As others take jobs away from the city we want to be moving in.??
The first clinic is located at 2578 North Martin Luther King Drive, Milwaukee, WI? 53212 and will be managed by Operating Partner Cari Kuehmichel.? Cari is well versed in orthopedics, geriatrics and a multitude of manual therapy techniques including craniosacral therapy.? ?Kari is a great therapist with a proven track record of success. We are excited about this new venture and look forward to seeing it blossom.? Novasic said.
The second clinic is located at 756 N. 35th Street, Suite #203 Milwaukee, WI 53208 and will be managed Ryan Garman.? Alliant Physical Therapy Group is excited to be working with Ryan to open its newest clinic on the north side of Milwaukee.? ?This community really needs more quality health care, and Alliant is committed to adding Physical Therapy services where they are needed. ?
Both Clinics are currently open and actively seeing patients.? In order to schedule a schedule an appointment please call Alliant Physical Therapy at (262) 898-3930.
Another day, another Chris Brown controversy.?The singer has deleted his Twitter account -- again -- on the heels of a heated exchange with comedy writer Jenny Johnson.
PHOTOS: Hollywood's Twitter feuds
According to E! News, Brown sent out a tweet reading, "I look old as [expletive]! I'm only 23...," that prompted Johnson to reply with: "I know! Being a worthless piece of [expletive] can really age a person."
Brown responded: "Take them teeth out when u Sucking my [expletive] HOE."
Apparently, several more tweets followed between the two. Johnson at one point corrected Brown's spelling -- "It's 'HO' not 'HOE' you ignorant [expletive]" she wrote -- and linked to a story about his 2009 assault involving then-girlfriend Rihanna. For his part, Brown -- whose Twitter handle was @ChrisBrown -- repeatedly insulted Johnson.
Celebrity Tweet has compiled the past month's worth of tweets from Brown, who reportedly had 11.6 million followers. The final few read: "To teambreezy... Know that I'm not upset. Just felt like entertaining the ignorance. These [expletive] crazy.. Further proved my point of how immature society is. #CarpeDiem Catch me in traffic..."
PHOTOS: Worst Twitter gaffes
Johnson's final tweet on the matter was posted Sunday.
"According to Team Breezy, if you have a difference of opinion with someone, 'eating a [expletive]' is the cure for any and all problems. ?#Knowledge," she wrote.
According to Huffington Post, Johnson has mocked Brown on Twitter since his 2009 arrest. Her tweet "Call me old fashioned, but Chris Brown should be in prison" has been retweeted more than 1,800 times.
Brown previously deleted his Twitter account in 2009 -- he was then using the handle @MechanicalDummy -- after going on a rant against Walmart and other major retailers, who he claimed had refused to carry his album "Graffiti "(Walmart, in fact, did carry the disc).
PHOTOS: Kanye West, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Chris Brown rock the BET Awards
At the time, he tweeted: "JUST WAS AT WALMART IN wallingford CT,844 north colony.. the didnt even have my album in the back... not on shelves, saw for myself...we talked to the managers and the didnt even know anything. wow!!! but they had alicia keys album ready for release for this tuesday comin...no disprespect to alicia at all.. just givin an example to whos album is loaded and ready to go next week."
He later wrote: "I WANNA THANK MY FANS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT. I LOVE YALL. GOODBYE!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Brown's latest Twitter-related controversy comes just a few weeks after he tweeted out a photo of himself dressed as a terrorist for Halloween, which many people called racist.
He also cursed out his critics on Twitter after the Grammys earlier this year before deleting those tweets.
BEIRUT (AP) ? Syrian rebels captured a helicopter base just outside Damascus Sunday in what an activist called a "blow to the morale of the regime" near President Bashar Assad's seat of power.
The takeover claim showed how rebels are advancing in the area of the capital, though they are badly outgunned, making inroads where Assad's power was once unchallenged. Rebels have also been able to fire mortar rounds into Damascus recently.
The director of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdul-Rahman, said rebels seized control of the Marj al-Sultan base on the outskirts of Damascus on Sunday morning. He said at least 15 rebels and eight soldiers were killed in the fighting that started a day earlier. The rebels later withdrew from the base.
Rebels appear to be trying to take over air bases and destroy aircraft in order to prevent the regime from using them in attacks against opposition forces around the country.
The rebels have no protection against the attack helicopters and fighter jets that have been blasting their positions.
Rebels have been attacking air bases in different parts of Syria, mostly in the northern regions of Idlib and Aleppo.
In the battle at the base outside Damascus, Abdul-Rahman and Damascus-based activist Maath al-Shami said rebels destroyed two helicopters with rocket propelled grenades and captured a tank. They say the base, which is on the eastern outskirts of Damascus, houses several radar positions.
"This is a blow to the morale of the regime, because it is close to the heart of the capital," said Abdul-Rahman, referring to the base that is about 15 kilometers (10 miles) from Damascus.
Al-Shami said the rebels withdrew from the base after they captured some ammunition. He said they feared counterstrikes by regime aircraft.
An amateur video posted online showed rebels walking next to two destroyed helicopters. At least three other helicopters appeared undamaged. Black smoke billowed in the distance.
Another video showed several radar posts on hills inside the large compound. Parked military trucks stood inside as rebels roamed freely.
The activist videos appeared genuine and corresponded to other AP reporting about the events depicted. Syria restricts the access of reporters.
The Observatory also reported violence in other parts of Syria, including the country's largest city of Aleppo in the north and the capital itself.
It said rebels on Sunday captured a training base for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command near the Damascus suburb of Douma. The PFLP-GC is one of the Palestinian factions most loyal to Assad.
The PFLP-GC said in a statement late Saturday that the base was under attack. It said that thousands of activists and fighters who fought against Israel were trained at the base over the past 30 years.
Also Sunday, the Observatory said a bomb targeted a bus in the southern village of Othman, killing at least five people and wounding dozens. It said rebels and troops clashed in the southern region of Quneitra on the edge of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
The Local Coordination Committees, another activist group, said residents found 12 bodies in the Damascus suburb of Daraya, scene of heavy clashes between rebels and government troops over the past few days.
State TV said troops clashed with al-Qaida militants in Daraya, killing some of them and confiscating a mortar that they were using in their attacks.
The station said that troops killed an al-Qaida affiliated Palestinian militant known as Abu Suhaib in the Damascus suburb of Hajira. It said his group was behind several bombings in Syria that killed and wounded dozens of people.
Assad's regime blames the revolt on a foreign conspiracy. It accuses Saudi Arabia and Qatar, along with the United States, other Western countries and Turkey, of funding, training and arming the rebels, whom it calls terrorists.
Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011 with an uprising against President Bashar Assad's regime, inspired by other Arab Spring revolts. It quickly morphed into a civil war that has since killed more than 40,000 people, according to activists.
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Well, what's this, then? Another little tablet from Apple? We surprised ourselves by being quite fond of the first iPad mini, which crossed our desks just a few weeks ago. It strikes the perfect blend of size, performance and capability, but without a proper wireless connection its usability on the road is definitely hampered. Thin and light devices like these were meant to come with you when you leave the house, and you shouldn't leave high-speed data behind.
So, we're very glad to now be testing the $459 LTE version of that very tablet, this one Verizon-flavored. It's every bit as thin and very nearly as light as its WiFi-only predecessor but can send and receive your precious (and also your more disposable) data with way more oomph than before. Is such freedom of connectivity worth the $130 price premium? And, just how bad is the hit to battery life? Let's find out, together.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States with strokes coming in at number four. Since these diseases most often strike in later years rarely do we think of children when we think of cardiovascular health problems. However, a recent study by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that adolescents are performing poorly when it comes to cardiovascular health.
Not surprising: diet and exercise are the key culprits when it comes to poor cardiovascular health with youth. For Partnering for Youth (PFY), the after school program in Queen Anne?s County and a Foundation for Community Partnerships Fund, these facts served as a teaching opportunity. Since the beginning of this year, PFY has been teaching the science behind cardiovascular health in the county?s middle schools through an interactive program called the Cardio-Fit Project. Funded by a $192,000 grant from the AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation?s Connections for Cardiovascular HealthSM program, the Cardio-Fit Project mixes instruction about fitness and heart health with physical exercise and training during after school program programming.
Now area families have the opportunity to learn about the Cardio-Fit Project at an upcoming interactive fitness expo on Saturday, December 1, at Kent Island High School, Stevensville, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The free event is open to the public. Featured activities include: ? Ticker Trot 5k Run/Walk and Fun Run ? Basketball and flag football competitions ? Exhibits featuring health, wellness, nutrition, athletic leagues, fitness equipment and products ? Health screenings ? Zumba, yoga and boot camp demonstrations
5k Run/Walk and Fun Run
Non-refundable pre-registration for the 5K Run/Walk is $15, which includes a race t-shirt. Race Day registration is $20. Register online at MarylandTeamSports.com by November 30th. The free Fun Run is open to children age 10 years and younger. For more information contact Rick Tyng at (410) 758-4177 or richard.tyng@qacps.org.
?We have more than 300 middle school students participating in the Cardio-Fit project, and we are seeing incredible results in both what the students are learning and how it is improving their cardiovascular health,? says Kim Umberger, Partnering for Youth Program Director. ?Taking this program to the greater community through the expo will allow us to make an even bigger difference to area families,? she adds.
Last spring four middle schools participated in the Cardio-Fit Project with a total project enrollment of 349 students, ages 11-14. Thirty activities were offered. In post session surveys, 93% of the participants reported ?improved knowledge of fitness & nutrition.? Baseline health assessments were collected from 311 participants and 284 performed the PACER test (Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run) that measures aerobic capacity. To measure the project this fall, Cardio-Fit participants will perform the pre and post knowledge test and continue with health assessments and PACER testing.
?We are beginning to see the benefits that the Partnering for Youth Cardio-Fit Project can offer in decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease,? said James W. Blasetto, MD, MPH, Chairman of the AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation. ?The youth of Queen Anne?s County are benefitting from an innovative program that aims to improve cardiovascular health.?
The AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation?s Connections for Cardiovascular HealthSM program was launched in 2010 through a charitable contribution of $25 million from AstraZeneca. The program awards grants of $150,000 and up to U.S.-based non-profit organizations that are doing innovative work in the field of cardiovascular health. The Partnering for Youth Cardio-Fit Project focuses on screening initiatives that identify patients with or at-risk of cardiovascular disease as well as innovative education programs aimed at preventing cardiovascular disease by inspiring youth, families and the community to develop healthy eating habits and physically active lifestyles.
In photo: Kim Umberger, Partnering for Youth Program Director, right, works out fitness expo details with Rick Tyng, Partnering for Youth Project Coordinator. The Cardio-Fit Expo will be held Saturday, December 1, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Kent Island High School, 900 Love Point Road, Stevensville. Funded by AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation?s Connections for Cardiovascular HealthSM program, the Expo is open to the public. All activities except the 5K Run/Walk are free. For more information contact Rick Tyng at (410) 758-4177 or richard.tyng@qacps.org.
The Aimless Saunter: Searching for Gratitude skip to main | skip to sidebar
Searching for Gratitude
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If I have seemed to have been preoccupied with death and dying recently, I think it?s because death and dying have been preoccupied with me.?? I have a tendency to be a bit morose on the best of days, so cover me in a shroud of mourning and mortality and watch me devolve into what can best be described as ?the dark place.?? Since the first of August, my family has lost my sister, my mother, my uncle and just a week ago, my cousin.?? Meanwhile, my Dad has been dealing with ongoing health issues and now my brother is in the hospital for the week of Thanksgiving.??
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Yes, I?ve been in ?the dark place.???? It?s not very pretty here, and I?m not very fun to be around.??? I?ve been describing my thought process lately as ?Swiss cheese,? with big empty holes where logic or short term memory used to reside.??? My mind is muddy, and my self-pity has been keeping me from finding my way out.
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I would be content enough to wallow in all this for a good long while, I think.??? It?s an excuse for lots of things.??? I can be anti-social, sullen, sarcastic, bitter?and it?s so easily explained by my loss rather than just being my ?go-to? place when I?m not happy with myself.??? Like the crutch of ?comfort food? (and I went there too?with gleeful and gluttonous abandon), playing the ?woe is me? card is the easy way to deal.
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After the punch in the gut of a loved one?s death, sometimes you need another punch in the gut to wake up.?? On Monday afternoon, Shelby called to tell us that one of her fellow music majors had died Sunday night in a house fire.?? I had seen the news reports that day and seen the smoldering rubble on television.?? The report was that three had survived but one had not.?? Turns out that the woman had three children (ages 12, 8 and 5) which she got out of the house, but then she returned to save the family dog and never came back out.???? Horrible as this is, we learned that her husband had died in late August of heart disease.??
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So now these kids have lost their father, their mother and all their earthly possessions in the course of 3 months.?? ?The immensity of this just breaks my heart.???I know how hard it has been for me to deal with death in the last few months, but at their age?to watch their mother go back inside that smoking home and not return?the fear and pain must be immeasurable.??
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For the first time since Mom died I was sincerely overcome by incredible gratitude that I had been able to have her in my life for as long as I did.?? I was able to see past the loss of the moment and see how fortunate I was.?? She was there for me through so many important moments in my life.??? She was able to share her special kindness and love with my children, who are old enough to have those memories and carry her with them for the rest of their lives.???
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Over the course of my life, I received so many smiles and so many hugs.??
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I am grateful on this first Thanksgiving without her, that I have so many Thanksgiving memories of her.?? Mom was the warm heart of our family, and she gave a piece of herself to each of us.?? My self-pity would not honor her.???
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Last weekend I was cleaning up messages on my phone and was grateful to find two with my mother?s sweet voice speaking to me.? ?One was wishing me a happy birthday last year and the other was from this summer when she was checking in to see if I was okay.??? She always worried over us.?? She worried about me travelling and flying so much.??? I?m grateful she doesn?t have to worry any more.
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This has been the hardest year of my life.?? Sometimes it seemed like too much, but that?s only because when I look back, my burden had been pretty light for the most part and I hadn?t built up the strength to carry a heavy load.??? I should be grateful for that.?? I?ve had a great life.??? I?ve been blessed with loving parents and siblings, an incredible wife, wonderful children, and good friends.?? When I start to stoop from the load I?m carrying, they lift me up.?? The faith my parents instilled in me lifts me up as well.??? If I just let go, my burden will be light once again.
DUBLIN (AP) ? The Irish government removed three doctors Tuesday from its investigation into the death of an ailing woman who was denied an abortion in an Irish hospital, a case that has exposed Ireland to worldwide criticism.
Prime Minister Enda Kenny told lawmakers he hoped the move ? barely 24 hours after Ireland unveiled the seven-member panel ? would allow the woman's widower to support the probe into why Savita Halappanavar, a 31-year-old Indian dentist, died Oct. 28 while hospitalized in Galway.
Kenny's U-turn came hours after her husband, Praveen Halappanavar, said he would refuse to talk to the investigators and would not consent to their viewing his wife's medical records because three of the Galway hospital's senior doctors had been appointed as investigators.
Kenny said that the three doctors would be replaced by other officials "who have no connection at all with University Hospital Galway. In that sense the investigation will be completely and utterly independent."
" A man's wife has died. Nothing will bring her back," Kenny said. "But it is important for our country, for our people, for the family, for everybody concerned to ascertain the truth of what happened here. And this investigation can hopefully do that with the cooperation of Mr. Halappanavar."
Halappanavar did not immediately respond to the prime minister's reversal. He previously also faulted the Irish probe on several points, because it would not be a public inquiry involving witnesses testifying under oath.
His wife was 17 weeks pregnant with what would have been their first child when she was admitted to Galway's hospital Oct. 21 suffering from severe pain. Doctors quickly established she was miscarrying, with her cervix already dilated and amniotic fluid leaking.
But for three days, the husband said, doctors refused their requests for a termination because the 17-week-old fetus still had a heartbeat.
Praveen Halappanavar said one of the doctors insisted they couldn't remove a living fetus because Ireland "is a Catholic country." He said five hospital officials and a family friend witnessed this Oct. 24 comment at his wife's bedside.
After the fetus died Oct. 25, its remains were surgically removed, but Savita Halappanavar's health rapidly faded as internal infections spread and her internal organs gradually failed. A coroner determined she died from blood poisoning and e.coli bacteria potentially contracted at the hospital.
The chairman of the probe, Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran, said he hoped to have a face-to-face meeting with Halappanavar to persuade him to change his mind about talking to investigators because his testimony on his wife's care would be central to identifying problems.
Arulkumaran, a native Sri Lankan who practices and teaches at St. George's Hospital in London, is one of the world's leading authorities on fetal monitoring and maternal health.
The case has highlighted Ireland's failure to legislate in line with a two-decade-old Supreme Court judgment that women should receive abortions in cases where the pregnancy places their lives at risk. The court found this should be the only exception to Ireland's constitutional ban on abortion.
In an interview with The Irish Times, Halappanavar said he doubted Ireland would have done anything public had he not spoken out.
He noted that he received zero communication from the hospital and Health Services Executive during the two weeks following his wife's death, when he returned her body to India for a Hindu funeral and cremation.
"It is a pity because I thought Ireland would care more for someone so young who died. That let me down. ... Maybe Savita was born to change the laws here," he told The Irish Times.
The European Court of Human Rights two years ago ruled that Ireland was placing pregnant women in jeopardy by not providing a clear law defining when life-saving abortions can be performed. Ireland has yet to reply substantively to that judgment.
The government insists it should not present any abortion legislation until after the Halappanavar investigation is completed in February. It vowed to block an opposition bill unveiled Tuesday seeking the parliament's immediate approval of the 1992 Supreme Court judgment.
Sound bullets in water Public release date: 19-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Charles E. Blue dfdmedia@aps.org 301-209-3091 American Institute of Physics
Sound waves are commonly used in applications ranging from ultrasound imaging to hyperthermia therapy, in which high temperatures are induced, for example, in tumors to destroy them. In 2010, researchers at Caltech led by Chiara Daraio, a professor of aeronautics and applied physics, developed a nonlinear acoustic lens that can focus high-amplitude pressure pulses into compact "sound bullets." In that initial work, the scientists demonstrated how sound bullets form in solids. Now, they have done themselves one better, creating a device that can form and control those bullets in water.
The nonlinear acoustic lens is constructed from chains strung with stainless-steel spheres that are oriented parallel to one another -- and squeezed together -- to form an array. The gadget was inspired by Newton's cradle, a popular toy that consists of a line of identical balls suspended by wires from a frame. When an end ball is pulled back and released, it slams into the next ball, causing the last ball in the line to fly outward. Similarly, in the acoustic lens, striking one end of the array generates compact nonlinear pulses of sound -- solitary waves that propagate through the lens and can be tightly focused on a target area; when they coalesce at this focal point, they produce a significantly amplified version: the sound bullet. These intense pressure waves may be used to obliterate tumors or kidney stones -- leaving surrounding tissues unharmed -- or probe objects like ship hulls or bridges for unseen defects.
In the new work, the lens has been made more accurate, and a waterproof interface, which efficiently transmitted the pulses, was inserted between the chains and water. "We use water as a target medium with the idea that the acoustic lens could be used for underwater imaging and/or biomedical applications," says postdoc Carly Donahue, who helped refine the device.
"Currently, our work is fundamental in nature. We are focused on demonstrating proof of principle and establishing the technical strengths and weaknesses, which will inform the future design of engineering devices for specific applications," she adds. "For example, using these systems in biomedical applications requires reducing their dimensions and learning about the related scaling effects. Creating commercially viable devices will require the involvement of industrial partners."
Donahue discusses the technology and its potential applications in a talk at the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics Meeting, which will take place November 18-20, 2012 at the San Diego Convention Center, located near the historic Gaslamp District on the waterfront, in San Diego, California. The talk, "An Experimental Study of a Nonlinear Acoustic Lens Interfaced with Water," is at 4:45 pm on Sunday, November 18, 2012, in Room 30E.
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MORE MEETING INFORMATION
The 65th Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society (APS) Division of Fluid Dynamics will take place from November 18-20, 2012, in San Diego, Calif. It will bring together researchers from across the globe to address some of the most important questions in modern astronomy, engineering, alternative energy, biology, and medicine. All meeting information, including directions to the Convention Center, is at: http://apsdfd2012.ucsd.edu/
USEFUL LINKS
Main Meeting Web Site: http://apsdfd2012.ucsd.edu/
Directions and Maps: http://apsdfd2012.ucsd.edu/?page=Venue_and_Maps
PRESS REGISTRATION
Credentialed full-time journalists and professional freelance journalists working on assignment for major publications or media outlets are invited to attend the conference free of charge. If you are a reporter and would like to attend, please contact Charles Blue (cblue@aip.org, 301-209-3091).
SUPPORT DESK FOR REPORTERS
A media-support desk will be available. Press announcements and other news will be available in the Virtual Press Room (see below).
VIRTUAL PRESS ROOM
The APS Division of Fluid Dynamics Virtual Press Room will be launched in mid-November and will feature news releases, graphics, videos, and other information to aid in covering the meeting on site and remotely. See: http://www.aps.org/units/dfd/pressroom/index.cfm
GALLERY OF FLUID MOTION
Every year, the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics hosts posters and videos that show evocative images and graphics from either computational or experimental studies of flow phenomena. The outstanding entries are selected for their artistic content, originality, and ability to convey information. They will be honored during the meeting, placed on display at the 2013 APS March Meeting, and appear in the annual Gallery of Fluid Motion article in the American Institute of Physics' journal, Physics of Fluids.
Selected entries from the Gallery of Fluid Motion will be hosted as part of the Fluid Dynamics Virtual Press Room. In mid-November, when the Virtual Press Room is launched, another announcement will be sent out.
This release was prepared by the American Institute of Physics (AIP) on behalf of the American Physical Society's (APS) Division of Fluid Dynamics (DFD).
ABOUT THE APS DIVISION OF FLUID DYNAMICS
The Division of Fluid Dynamics of the American Physical Society (APS) exists for the advancement and diffusion of knowledge of the physics of fluids with special emphasis on the dynamical theories of the liquid, plastic and gaseous states of matter under all conditions of temperature and pressure. See: http://www.aps.org/units/dfd/
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Sound bullets in water Public release date: 19-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Charles E. Blue dfdmedia@aps.org 301-209-3091 American Institute of Physics
Sound waves are commonly used in applications ranging from ultrasound imaging to hyperthermia therapy, in which high temperatures are induced, for example, in tumors to destroy them. In 2010, researchers at Caltech led by Chiara Daraio, a professor of aeronautics and applied physics, developed a nonlinear acoustic lens that can focus high-amplitude pressure pulses into compact "sound bullets." In that initial work, the scientists demonstrated how sound bullets form in solids. Now, they have done themselves one better, creating a device that can form and control those bullets in water.
The nonlinear acoustic lens is constructed from chains strung with stainless-steel spheres that are oriented parallel to one another -- and squeezed together -- to form an array. The gadget was inspired by Newton's cradle, a popular toy that consists of a line of identical balls suspended by wires from a frame. When an end ball is pulled back and released, it slams into the next ball, causing the last ball in the line to fly outward. Similarly, in the acoustic lens, striking one end of the array generates compact nonlinear pulses of sound -- solitary waves that propagate through the lens and can be tightly focused on a target area; when they coalesce at this focal point, they produce a significantly amplified version: the sound bullet. These intense pressure waves may be used to obliterate tumors or kidney stones -- leaving surrounding tissues unharmed -- or probe objects like ship hulls or bridges for unseen defects.
In the new work, the lens has been made more accurate, and a waterproof interface, which efficiently transmitted the pulses, was inserted between the chains and water. "We use water as a target medium with the idea that the acoustic lens could be used for underwater imaging and/or biomedical applications," says postdoc Carly Donahue, who helped refine the device.
"Currently, our work is fundamental in nature. We are focused on demonstrating proof of principle and establishing the technical strengths and weaknesses, which will inform the future design of engineering devices for specific applications," she adds. "For example, using these systems in biomedical applications requires reducing their dimensions and learning about the related scaling effects. Creating commercially viable devices will require the involvement of industrial partners."
Donahue discusses the technology and its potential applications in a talk at the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics Meeting, which will take place November 18-20, 2012 at the San Diego Convention Center, located near the historic Gaslamp District on the waterfront, in San Diego, California. The talk, "An Experimental Study of a Nonlinear Acoustic Lens Interfaced with Water," is at 4:45 pm on Sunday, November 18, 2012, in Room 30E.
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MORE MEETING INFORMATION
The 65th Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society (APS) Division of Fluid Dynamics will take place from November 18-20, 2012, in San Diego, Calif. It will bring together researchers from across the globe to address some of the most important questions in modern astronomy, engineering, alternative energy, biology, and medicine. All meeting information, including directions to the Convention Center, is at: http://apsdfd2012.ucsd.edu/
USEFUL LINKS
Main Meeting Web Site: http://apsdfd2012.ucsd.edu/
Directions and Maps: http://apsdfd2012.ucsd.edu/?page=Venue_and_Maps
PRESS REGISTRATION
Credentialed full-time journalists and professional freelance journalists working on assignment for major publications or media outlets are invited to attend the conference free of charge. If you are a reporter and would like to attend, please contact Charles Blue (cblue@aip.org, 301-209-3091).
SUPPORT DESK FOR REPORTERS
A media-support desk will be available. Press announcements and other news will be available in the Virtual Press Room (see below).
VIRTUAL PRESS ROOM
The APS Division of Fluid Dynamics Virtual Press Room will be launched in mid-November and will feature news releases, graphics, videos, and other information to aid in covering the meeting on site and remotely. See: http://www.aps.org/units/dfd/pressroom/index.cfm
GALLERY OF FLUID MOTION
Every year, the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics hosts posters and videos that show evocative images and graphics from either computational or experimental studies of flow phenomena. The outstanding entries are selected for their artistic content, originality, and ability to convey information. They will be honored during the meeting, placed on display at the 2013 APS March Meeting, and appear in the annual Gallery of Fluid Motion article in the American Institute of Physics' journal, Physics of Fluids.
Selected entries from the Gallery of Fluid Motion will be hosted as part of the Fluid Dynamics Virtual Press Room. In mid-November, when the Virtual Press Room is launched, another announcement will be sent out.
This release was prepared by the American Institute of Physics (AIP) on behalf of the American Physical Society's (APS) Division of Fluid Dynamics (DFD).
ABOUT THE APS DIVISION OF FLUID DYNAMICS
The Division of Fluid Dynamics of the American Physical Society (APS) exists for the advancement and diffusion of knowledge of the physics of fluids with special emphasis on the dynamical theories of the liquid, plastic and gaseous states of matter under all conditions of temperature and pressure. See: http://www.aps.org/units/dfd/
[ | E-mail | Share ]
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Unemployment hurts more than your wallet ? it may damage your heart. That's according to a study linking joblessness with heart attacks in older workers.
The increased odds weren't huge, although multiple job losses posed as big a threat as smoking, high blood pressure and other conditions that are bad for the heart.
The researchers analyzed data on more than 13,000 men and women aged 51 to 75 taking part in an ongoing health and retirement survey partly sponsored by the National Institute on Aging. Since 1992, participants have been interviewed every two years about their employment and health.
The new analysis has several limitations. The data show periods of unemployment but don't indicate whether people were fired, laid off, out of work while switching jobs, or had voluntarily left a job. The researchers considered all of these situations "job losses," but it's likely the greatest risks for heart attacks were from being fired or laid off, said researcher Matthew Dupre, an assistant professor at Duke University and the lead author. Retirement was not considered unemployment
Sarah Burgard, a University of Michigan researcher who has studied the relationship between job loss and health, called the research solid but said it would be important to know the reason for the unemployment.
"There probably are differences in consequences of job loss when it's voluntary or more or less expected" and when it comes as a sudden shock, said Burgard, who was not involved in the study.
The analysis appears in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine. An editorial in the journal says the study adds to decades of research linking job loss with health effects and that research should now turn to examining how and why that happens.
Theories include that the stress of losing a job may trigger a heart attack in people with clogged arteries or heart disease; and that the unemployed lose health insurance and access to medical care that can help keep them healthy, Burgard said.
The analysis covers 1992-2010. Participants were mostly in their 50s at the study's beginning and were asked about their job history, and about employment status and recent heart attacks at subsequent interviews. People who'd had heart attacks before the study began were excluded.
Nearly 70 percent had at least one job loss, or period of unemployment after working at a job, and at least 10 percent had four or more before and/or during the study period.
There were 1,061 heart attacks during the study. Those with at least one job loss were 22 percent more likely to have a heart attack than those who never lost a job. Those with at least four job losses had a 60 percent higher risk than those with none. Men and women faced equal risks.
Even though the odds linked with job loss weren't huge, many participants already faced increased other risks for a heart attack because of obesity, high blood pressure or lack of exercise.
"Any significant additional risk is important," Dupre said.
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AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/LindseyTanner
ALMATY, Kazakhstan (AP) ? Three astronauts touched down in the dark, chilly expanses of central Kazakhstan onboard a Soyuz capsule Monday after a 125-day stay at the International Space Station.
NASA's Sunita Williams, Russian astronaut Yury Malenchenko and Aki Hoshide of Japan's JAXA space agency landed at 07:56 a.m. local time (0156 GMT) northeast of the town of Arkalyk.
Eight helicopters rushed search-and-recovery crew to assist the crew, whose capsule did not parachute onto the exact planned touchdown site due to a minimal delay in procedures.
With the departure of the outgoing crew, NASA astronaut Kevin Ford has taken command of the space station, where he remains with Russian colleagues Oleg Novitsky and Yevgeny Tarelkin. They will be joined next month by NASA's Tom Marshburn, Chris Hadfield of the Canadian Space Agency, and Russia's Roman Romanenko.
The Soyuz is the only means for international astronauts to reach the orbiting laboratory since the decommissioning of the U.S. shuttle fleet in 2011.
Williams, Malenchenko and Hoshide undocked from the space station Sunday at 1023 GMT to begin their return to earth.
Around 28 minutes before touchdown, the three modules of the Soyuz craft separated, leaving the 2.1-meter tall capsule to begin its entry into orbit.
A series of parachutes deployed to bring the capsule to gentle floating speed.
Winds pulled the descent module on its side in the snowy terrain, which is a common occurrence, but the crew was nonetheless swiftly hoisted out by the recovery crew and lifted onto reclining chairs and swaddled in blankets to shield them from the 12 Fahrenheit degree (-11 Celsius degree) temperature.
The chairs are designed to afford the astronauts comfortable acclimatization after months of living in gravity-free conditions.
"For me, everything was very good," a smiling Williams told recovery staff, speaking in Russian.
Malenchenko has now spent 642 days in space, making him the sixth most experienced space traveler in history.
Williams has a spent a total of 322 days in space over two missions. She and Hoshide conducted a crucial spacewalk earlier this month to work on a leaky radiator system outside the space station.
That took Williams' total cumulative spacewalk time to 50 hours and 40 minutes ? a record for a female astronaut.
NASA says the returning expedition conducted a range of scientific experiments while at the space station, included testing radiation levels on the orbiting outpost, assessing the effects of microgravity on the spinal cord, and investigating melting glaciers, seasonal changes and human impacts on the ecosystem.
The crew was to be taken to the town of Kostanai, from where Williams and Hoshide would board a Gulfstream jet for a trip to Houston, Texas, while Malenchenko was to return to a Russian space facility outside Moscow.
NASA footage showed celebrating recovery workers at the landing site erecting a sign marking the successful touchdown.
19/11/2012 - 07:25:49 The Los Angeles Galaxy will face the Houston Dynamo in the MLS Cup final for a second consecutive year after the two teams successfully navigated the second legs of their respective conference finals.
The defending champion Galaxy lost 2-1 on the night to the Seattle Sounders, but their 3-0 advantage from the first leg saw them through.
Seattle made a fight of it on home turf though, with Eddie Johnson putting them ahead after 12 minutes and Zach Scott making it 2-0, 2-3 on aggregate, just before the hour mark.
But things began to go sour for Seattle when Adam Johansson handled in the area and a penalty was awarded.
Robbie Keane fired it home and the match ended with Seattle?s Osvaldo Alonso receiving a second yellow card after the final whistle, one of several Sounders players to surround the officials to voice their frustrations.
Houston?s second leg away to DC United was more straightforward as it ended in a 1-1 draw, Houston?s 3-1 advantage from the first leg seeing them through.
Houston were never really made to worry, scoring through Oscar Garcia in the 34th minute, with United unable to reply until Branko Boskovic?s strike seven minutes from time.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are starting to look and talk like a legitimate playoff contender.
The Bucs had to work a little extra to keep their playoff surge alive Sunday. Josh Freeman threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Dallas Clark in overtime to cap the Buccaneers' 27-21 comeback win over the Carolina Panthers.
It was Freeman's third touchdown pass of the game for the Bucs (6-4), who have won five of their last six to pull into playoff contention.
But rather than celebrating their dramatic win, Clark talked afterward about learning from it.
"We learned a lesson today that we can't just show up and win a game," Clark said. "I hope guys will get it. We're lucky it's not a loss. I hope we go back and look at the film and say, `Hey we didn't play well.' Sure, we played well enough to make some plays to win at the end, but to get where we want to go, that's not good enough football."
Meanwhile, the Panthers (2-8) would love to have a win any way they can get it.
Carolina has lost seven of its last eight. The Panthers held a fourth-quarter lead in five of their last six defeats before fading in the final seconds.
"It's been the story of our season," said Cam Newton, who threw for 252 yards and a touchdown to fall to 8-18 as an NFL starter.
When asked where this loss ranked among this season's meltdowns, Newton snapped, "I'm not answering no more questions about where this one ranks."
Carolina appeared to have the game in hand when Newton connected on a 29-yard touchdown strike to Brandon LaFell to go up 21-10 with six minutes left in regulation.
But after a 40-yard field goal by Connor Barth, the Panthers' offense couldn't put the game away and had to punt.
Freeman quickly led the Bucs 80 yards on seven plays in 50 seconds, despite not having any timeouts. Along the way, the Bucs benefited from a personal foul penalty on linebacker Thomas Davis for hitting a defenseless receiver.
Freeman finished the drive with a perfectly thrown 24-yard touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson between three defenders with 12 seconds left. He went back to Jackson for a 2-point conversion on a slant route to send it into overtime.
In overtime, the Bucs won the coin toss and moved quickly down the field with Freeman finding an open Clark on a wheel route along the left sideline for the winner.
"You've got to love it when the linebacker swears as you're heading up field," Clark said with a laugh.
Freeman said it was a play the Bucs worked on all week and he's glad that was the call.
"When we got to overtime we stepped into the huddle and everybody was ready to go and we started talking like, `Hey let's just execute one play at a time and do our jobs and try to get out of this thing with a touchdown,"' Freeman said.
The Bucs came in as one of the hottest teams in the league, having scored an average of 35.6 points per game during the past five games. Freeman had thrown 13 touchdown passes and only one interception in those games.
But after Tampa Bay jumped to a 10-0 lead the Panthers' defense shut them down for most of the remainder of the three quarters, forcing three turnovers. A 74-yard interception return for a touchdown by Captain Munnerlyn and a key fumble by rookie Doug Martin on a fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line loomed large.
Trailing 14-10, the Bucs appeared ready to take the lead after driving 15 plays to the Carolina 1.
But on fourth down, coach Greg Schiano went for the touchdown instead of the field goal and linebacker Davis plowed into Martin, forcing the ball out near the goal line. Fellow linebacker Luke Kuechly, the team's first-round draft pick, recovered in the end zone for a touchback.
Officials reviewed the play to see if Martin got in, but the call stood.
The Panthers seized the momentum when Newton led the team 80 yards for a score to build a 21-10 lead.
But once again, the Panthers couldn't finish.
Second-year coach Ron Rivera, whose seat only grew hotter after the loss, said the game was all about missed opportunities. Rivera said the loss "is right up there at the top" in terms of toughest ones to swallow.
"This is about as bad as it gets," he said. "The bad part is when you have opportunities to close someone out with a four-minute offense, but you can't take negative plays. That's a tough one."
NOTES: Freeman has now thrown 16 touchdown passes in the last six games. ... Wide receiver Steve Smith injured his hand and defensive end Charles Johnson his head during the game, but both returned. ... Martin had 138 yards rushing for the Bucs. ... Carolina had 97 yards rushing after being held to 10 in the last meeting with the Bucs in the season opener.
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? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Typical Chinese bully-their society is largely built on bullying/intimidation and worse we see it here all the time
Prove China spy allegations or 'shut up,' ambassador says Zhang Junsai's comments follow scathing U.S. intelligence committee report
In an interview with CBC News, Chinese Ambassador to Canada Zhang Junsai had firm words for anyone accusing his country's firms of foreign espionage.
Beijing's representative in Ottawa says Chinese firms are not involved in foreign espionage and he challenges anyone who says otherwise to produce evidence or keep quiet, in a rare interview airing Saturday on CBC Radio's The House.
Zhang Junsai, China's ambassador to Canada, tells host Evan Solomon, "I can assure you that our companies working in other countries are strictly doing business according to the local laws."
"If you really have the evidence, come [out] with it. If not... shut up," Zhang says in no uncertain terms.
The Chinese ambassador's comments come on the heels of a scathing report released by a U.S. intelligence committee last month, warning of the security risks associated with doing business with two of China's leading telecommunications firms, Huawei and ZTE.
The ambassador said "even the United States could not give out evidence."
However, as CBC's Greg Weston reported days after the report was made public, that same U.S. intelligence committee has turned over to the FBI evidence of possible bribery and corruption by Huawei, one of the largest telecom companies in the world.
In an interview with CBC News after the U.S. report was released, the chairman of the committee, House Representative Mike Rogers, warned that Canada's national security was equally at risk.
Zhang said the "so-called security concerns" are "so far, groundless."
China's ambassador blamed the allegations of espionage against Chinese firms on "a Cold War mentality."
CNOOC's bid for Nexen
But a controversial bid by a Chinese state-owned company has raised concerns about growing Chinese investment in Canada's natural resources.
And while the federal government is reviewing a $15-billion proposed takeover by China National Offshore Oil Corp. of Calgary's Nexen Inc. under the Investment Canada Act, the Chinese ambassador told Solomon there's nothing to fear.
"We're here not to grab your resources. We're here to participate," Zhang said, pointing to the fact that no oil or gas has been shipped from Canada to China yet.
The Chinese ambassador said Canada was "one of the best destination" for Chinese companies to invest partly because of our "transparent policies."
Official Opposition Leader Tom Mulcair has come out swinging against the deal, saying his New Democrats do not believe it's in Canada's best interest.
Members of the Conservative caucus are also said to be grappling with the bid, as are a majority of Canadians, who recent surveys suggest are uncomfortable with a major domestic oil company being sold to a Chinese government enterprise.
The federal government, however, is apparently facing pressure from industry to approve the bid in exchange for further reciprocity from China.
The review period has been extended to Dec. 10.
Investment treaty with China
The Conservatives have also come under heavy scrutiny from opposition parties and critics who have sounded the alarm over an investment treaty Prime Minister Stephen Harper recently signed with China, saying Canada will come out on the losing end of the deal.
Zhang brushed off the concerns, saying that China has signed similar investment treaties with more than a hundred countries and describing it as an "international standard agreement."
The treaty, formally known as a Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, could have been ratified via a cabinet decree as early as 21 sitting days after it was tabled in Parliament on Sept. 26. But so far there's no indication on the federal government's website of orders-in-council that it has come into law.
Zhang said building "mutual trust" between the two countries is a priority, adding that the economic and trading relations between the two countries are "very important."
This week, Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping succeeded outgoing President Hu Jintao as the country's new leader, assuming the top posts in the Communist Party.
Zhang said political reform is "high" on the government and party's agenda.