Indonesia boy appears in court over sandal theft (AP)

PALU, Indonesia ? An Indonesian boy accused of stealing an old pair of sandals belonging to a policeman has appeared in court where he faces up to five years in prison.

Hundreds of people packed the court building in Central Sulawesi's capital on Wednesday, many bringing pairs of used sandals and piling them outside the courtroom to express their frustration over uneven justice in the country. Some rallied outside the building to demand the boy's acquittal.

The 15-year-old boy took the sandals in November 2010 near a boarding house used by police. Six months later he was interrogated and badly beaten by police officers who accused him of theft.

Indonesia has made tremendous strides since the ouster of dictator Suharto in 1998, but its judicial system remains a weak point.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120104/ap_on_re_as/as_indonesia_sandal_protest

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In Iowa, Newt Gingrich Can't Shake Nancy Pelosi Global Warming Ad (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | If Newt Gingrich goes on to lose his fight for the Republican presidential nomination, he may look back at his decision to co-star in a 2006 global warming television ad with Nancy Pelosi as the moment that doomed his campaign.

Gingrich, who served as House Speaker from 1995-1999, fielded yet another question about the ad during a New Years Day campaign event at LJs Neighborhood Bar and Grill in Waterloo, Iowa. His answer was captured on video by C-Span.

"The question I was trying to reach was can conservatives be in the middle of an environmental debate and represent a conservative solution to the environment?" Gingrich responded. "Because I taught Environmental Studies. I think the environment does matter, and I think conservatives ought to be pro-environment in the broad sense that all of us want to have clean air and clean water. And we want to have national parks. And we want to have diversity of species."

"I don't think we should walk off and allow liberals to claim to be the only ones who care about the environment," he continued. "That was the reason I agreed to do the commercial."

"It was stupid because Nancy Pelosi became so radioactive, that the act of being on a couch with her was automatically?," he began to say, before being interrupted by laughter and a shout "Eww!" from the crowd.

"That's right. I rest my case," Gingrich agreed. "I have been very energetic and every once in a while I do something dumb, and I will concede that was dumb."

Unfortunately, Republican voters' natural response to watching the image of Gingrich seated next to Nancy Pelosi pop up over and over again on Fox News and YouTube could easily be mistaken as demand for a presidential candidate who does not believe in climate change.

In a Public Policy polling survey conducted in September, only 9 percent of voters said that they would more likely to support a candidate who does not believe in human-caused climate change. Even among Republicans, the number was only 16 percent.

What GOP voters are may be most turned off by is Gingrich's sudden change of direction on the issue.

"? we do agree our country must take action to address climate change," he said in the now famous 2006 commercial, which he and Pelosi recorded on behalf of Al Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection.

"Well, I don't think it should be a priority at all right now, except for research," he said of global warming on the Mark Levin Show in November.

If conservative voters who share Newt's concern for the environment can get over this obvious flip-flop, they might just notice he is among the few GOP presidential candidates talking seriously about bipartisan green energy solutions on the campaign trail. During a December interview with Glenn Beck, Gingrich mentioned carbon sequestration, nuclear power and "green coal" as "prudent" ways to reduce carbon emissions - all approaches supported by Republicans in the past. And at that same bar in Iowa on Sunday, Gingrich reminded his audience, "Remember, Iowa today ranks second only to Denmark in wind power."

As Iowa demonstrates, the clean energy revolution is here, and it's nothing for the GOP to fear.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/environment/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120103/pl_ac/10782635_in_iowa_newt_gingrich_cant_shake_nancy_pelosi_global_warming_ad

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2011 Reflections: the end of a landmark year for Latin America

Seven Monitor correspondents reflect on the world's hot spots. In this installment, Sara Miller Llana says Latin America has economically boomed this year as the US and Europe struggle.

As 2011 comes to a close, Latin America's future looks bright, with poverty at its lowest level in 20 years ? 31.4 percent ? and economies growing, thanks to earlier market-oriented reforms, the high prices of commodities, and new trading partners, especially China.

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In the ultimate role reversal, as Europe and the United States struggle, Latin America has shined.

Even Cuba made major economic progress, albeit out of necessity, granting more licenses for entrepreneurs and allowing for the sale of real estate and cars. But shadows of the past have clouded the region as well, especially in elections.

In Central America, two cold-war-era figures won presidencies, with retired Army Gen. Otto Perez Molina winning Guatemala's runoff, and Sandinista Daniel Ortega winning another term in Nicaragua (unconstitutionally, many argue). Mr. Perez Molina is accused of human rights abuses during the civil war; Mr. Ortega was a US foe as president in the 1980s after Nicaragua's revolution.

And then there is growing discontent with dynastic influences.

In Peru, Keiko Fujimori, daughter of disgraced former dictator Alberto Fujimori, made it to the runoff in June (she lost to Ollanta Humala).

In Argentina, Cristina Fern?ndez de Kirchner easily won reelection in October, boosted by a solid economy. But by the time she steps down, her family will have ruled for 12 years. That's too long for those who seek more dynamic democracy, replete with a robust opposition.

That is the case in Venezuela, too, where opponents are trying to edge out President Hugo Ch?vez, who announced this year that he was ill. He has been in office since 1999 and will face probably his fiercest test in 2012, as the opposition seeks to capitalize on high crime rates and inflation.

In Mexico, the 2012 presidential campaign is heating up. The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which presided over 71 years of authoritarian rule before being defeated in 2000, has emerged as the front-runner ? in part because of public weariness over President Felipe Calder?n's strategy against organized crime, which has caused homicides to soar past 40,000 in five years.

There are other hints of the past. Honduras is still reeling from its 2009 coup. The head of Colombia's FARC rebel group was killed in November, but the group still terrorizes. And former dictator Manuel Noriega is back in Panama, where he went straight to prison, having spent 20 years in French and US prisons.

But most of these events are overshadowed by the positive economic news. The year 2011 may be seen as the starting point of a new era for Latin America.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/cRoeC68nGvc/2011-Reflections-the-end-of-a-landmark-year-for-Latin-America

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Jessica Alba shows off post baby body in bikini for NYE in Mexico with family

December 30, 2011 15:50:15 Posted at December 30, 2011 15:50:15 Photos:
Bauer-Griffin, Flynet

Jessica Alba is spending New Year?s in Mexico with her family. It?s been just over 4 months since she and her husband Cash Warren had baby girl Haven; she looks great in a bikini already. Alba currently has no projects lined up for 2012. But first daughter Honor?s photos were sold in 2008 to OK! Magazine for a reported $1.5 million. Does Haven get more or less? This is what you do when the acting jobs dry up.

Many of you have emailed me for comment on Haven since she was born in August. I generally try to stay away from the baby name discussion because, frankly, I don?t like a lot of names that are actually quite common. It would offend many of you, I promise.

It is considered bad form to tell people what to name or what not to name their children. I know I should observe this rule. But when it comes to Haven, because I know the mommy groups pay attention to these things, please...reconsider.

Haven to me is like Destiny or Ethereal or Luminescent. So, like, future participants on that horrible show Tiaras & Toddlers. Per Duana, Haven won?t be a Supreme Court Justice is what I?m saying. And I really, really want your daughter to become a Supreme Court Justice.

Source: http://laineygossip.com/Articles/Details/22236/Jessica-Alba-shows-off-post-baby-body-in-bikini-for-NYE-in-Mexico-with-family

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Romney says Paul doesn't represent mainstream (AP)

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa ? An Iowa victory within reach, an increasingly confident Mitt Romney on Friday cast chief GOP presidential rival Ron Paul as a fringe candidate and said: "I'm working harder than anyone to make sure he's not the nominee."

"I don't think Ron Paul represents the mainstream," Romney added, criticism that illustrates an attempt to bloody the Texas congressman who, like Romney, is in strong contention to win Tuesday's lead-off caucuses.

The libertarian-leaning Paul, campaigning on the western side of the state, didn't respond.

Romney commented on Paul's candidacy during morning television interviews after appearing with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie before several hundred people outside a grocery store near Des Moines.

Mindful not to ignore another key state, Romney was dashing to New Hampshire later in the day for more appearances and also rolled out a fresh TV ad there. He returns to Iowa on Saturday afternoon and plans to remain in the state through caucus night. It's an indication of just how confident his team has become about possible victory in a state that derailed his candidacy four years ago.

There's reason for that optimism.

A new NBC-Marist poll shows Romney and Paul virtually tied for the lead among likely caucus-goers, with Rick Santorum surging into third, Rick Perry inching up to fourth and Newt Gingrich sliding to fifth. Michele Bachmann was at the back of the pack. Perhaps more striking, tea party supporters are essentially divided evenly across the Republican field.

The race, to be sure, remains fluid and many Iowans still are undecided.

But Romney was expressing increasing optimism as his rivals scrambled to win over cultural conservatives and religious voters who haven't rallied behind one candidate, possibly paving the way for a victory by the former Massachusetts governor seen by some as less consistent on issues this bloc holds dear.

"I'm not planning on being disappointed," Romney said, speaking about Tuesday's caucuses. "No thing is a sure thing at this stage, but it feels terrific."

He also defended negative ads by his allies that have pounded Gingrich and argued that the former House speaker has done more damage to himself than any ads have.

"Speaker Gingrich's numbers have gone down more in New Hampshire than they have here," Romney said.

Gingrich, meanwhile, showed a little emotion at an event in Des Moines with mothers. Recalling his late mother's struggle with depression and mental illness, Gingrich choked and wiped away tears. He allowed the he does "policy much easier than I do personal."

The moment was reminiscent of Hillary Rodham Clinton's teary-eyed response to a question just before the 2008 Democratic primary in New Hampshire. The episode was credited with humanizing her in the eyes of voters. She won the primary.

Romney also refused anew to commit to releasing his income tax returns, saying: "If I become president, why, then I can decide that."

Illustrating an all-out effort to win the caucuses, Romney implored Iowans in a video to show up at precinct caucuses Tuesday and vote for him.

At the early morning event, he appeared energized by the crowd as he delivered his standard campaign speech focused on President Barack Obama. "He just played his 90th round of golf," Romney said, knocking the president for vacationing in Hawaii as the crowd stood on cold, light rain.

Christie, a Republican backed by the conservative and tea party wings of the GOP, playfully told the crowd to vote for Romney or "I will be back, Jersey style."

With four days to go, public and private polling show Romney and Paul in strong contention to win the caucuses, with coalitions of support cobbled together from across the Republican political spectrum and their get-out-the-vote operations ? beefed up from their failed 2008 bids ? at the ready. They're the only two with the money and the organizations necessary to ensure big turnouts on Tuesday.

Three others ? Santorum, Perry and Gingrich ? will have to rely largely on momentum to carry supporters to the caucuses. Each was working to convince fickle conservatives that he alone would satisfy those who yearn for a nominee who would adhere strictly to GOP orthodoxy.

Bachmann was working to convince backers that her cash-strapped campaign was not in disarray after a top Iowa supporter abandoned her to back Paul.

She appeared Friday with Iowa Rep. Steve King, her closest congressional ally, at a cafe in his district. But he offered only kind words for the congressman and not the endorsement that she and some of her rivals have so eagerly sought.

___

Associated Press writers Thomas Beaumont, Mike Glover, Kasie Hunt, Brian Bakst and Shannon McCaffrey contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111230/ap_on_el_pr/us_gop_campaign

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Zanicky permitted to travel to Africa for youth soccer trip

BYU beats Tulsa with late TD in Armed Forces Bowl

(AP) Riley Nelson threw three touchdown passes to Cody Hoffman, the last with 11 seconds left, and BYU beat Tulsa 24-21 Friday in the Armed Forces Bowl for another 10-win season.

Strong Support

FLINT, Mich. ? Growing up poor and black in Mississippi, Gerri Hall learned there was a meanness in the world, a set of laws and customs aimed at people like her, which her mother ...

Romney son jokes about Obamas birth certificate

(AP) One of Mitt Romney's sons has an answer for those who say his father should release his tax returns. He jokes that President Barack Obama should go first and release his birt ...

Mississippi St. tops Wake 23-17 in Music City Bowl

(AP) Vick Ballard ran for a career-high 180 yards and two touchdowns to lead Mississippi State over Wake Forest 23-17 Friday night in the Music City Bowl the Bulldogs' fifth stra ...

LCCC, Temple have dual admissions agreement

Luzerne County Community College has entered into a new dual admissions agreement with Temple University. The agreement provides LCCC graduates automatic acceptance into Temple as ...

Source: http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=182021&44=136439548&32=3991&7=186426&40=http://www.timesleader.com/news/Zanicky-permitted-to-travel-to-Africa-for-youth-soccer-trip.html

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The art of molecular carpet-weaving

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Even the costliest oriental carpets have small mistakes. It is said that pious carpet-weavers deliberately include tiny mistakes in their fine carpets, because only God has the right to be immaculate. Molecular carpets, as the nanotechnology industry would like to have them are as yet in no danger of offending the gods. A team of physicists headed by Dr. Markus Lackinger from the Technische Universit?t M?nchen (TUM) und Professor Thomas Bein from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit?t M?nchen (LMU) has now developed a process by which they can build up high-quality polymer networks using boron acid components.

The "carpets" that the physicists are working on in their laboratory in the Deutsches Museum M?nchen consist of ordered two-dimensional structures created by self-organized boron acid molecules on a graphite surface. By eliminating water, the molecules bond together in a one-atom thick network held together solely by chemical bonds ? a fact that makes this network very stable. The regular honey-comb-like arrangement of the molecules results in a nano-structured surface whose pores can be used, for instance, as stable forms for the production of metal nano-particles.

The molecular carpets also come in nearly perfect models; however, these are not very stable, unfortunately. In these models the bonds between the molecules are very weak ? for instance hydrogen bridge bonds or van der Waals forces. The advantage of this variant is that faults in the regular structure are repaired during the self-organization process ? bad bonds are dissolved so that proper bonds can form.

However, many applications call for molecular networks that are mechanically, thermally and/or chemically stable. Linking the molecules by means of strong chemical bonds can create such durable molecule carpets. The down side is that the unavoidable weaving mistakes can no longer be corrected due to the great bonding strength.

Markus Lackinger and his colleagues have now found a way to create a molecular carpet with stable covalent bonds without significant weaving mistakes. The method is based on a bonding reaction that creates a molecular carpet out of individual boron acid molecules. It is a condensation reaction in which water molecules are released. If bonding takes place at temperatures of a little over 100?C with only a small amount of water present, mistakes can be corrected during weaving. The result is the sought after magic carpet: molecules in a stable and well-ordered one-layer structure.

Markus Lackinger's laboratory is located in the Deutsches Museum M?nchen. There he is doing research at the Chair of Prof. Wolfgang Heckl (TUM School of Education, TU M?nchen). Prof. Bein holds a Chair at the Department of Chemistry at the LMU. The research was conducted in collaboration with Prof. Paul Knochel's work group (LMU) and Physical Electronics GmbH, with funding by the Excellence Cluster Nanosystems Initiative Munich (NIM) and the Bavarian Research Foundation (BFS).

###

Technische Universitaet Muenchen: http://www.tum.de

Thanks to Technische Universitaet Muenchen for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/116344/The_art_of_molecular_carpet_weaving

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