Timbuktu's precious scientific texts must be saved

FOUR hundred years ago, Timbuktu was what might today be called a centre of scientific excellence. The evidence of that has lain in the Malian city's unique libraries for centuries, in the form of ancient and fragile manuscripts on mathematics and astronomy, biology and medicine.

The destruction of thousands of valuable documents at the hands of Islamist militants is a loss to world heritage (see "Retreating rebels burn Timbuktu's science manuscripts"), but it will be felt most keenly in sub-Saharan Africa. As Europeans started colonising Africa in the 16th century, the convenient myth arose that its knowledge was mere oral history.

That myth persists even today, but translating Timbuktu's manuscripts will help dissipate it. There are perhaps 700,000 documents still in storage. Safeguarding them is vital to Africa's past - and its future.

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Bahraini princess on trial for torturing detainees: official

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - A Bahraini princess who works as a police officer is on trial for torturing two doctors while they were in detention during political unrest in the Gulf Arab kingdom in 2011, according to a senior official at Bahrain's Public Prosecutor's office.

Sheikha Noura bint Ibrahim al-Khalifa is also facing a separate trial for physically assaulting Aayat al-Qormozi, a young female Shi'ite opposition activist, while she was in detention during the same period, Nawaf Hamza, head of the Public Prosecution's Special Investigation Unit, told Reuters.

"The charge is that she used torture, force and threats against the victims Zahra al-Sammak and Kholoud al-Durazi to make them confess to a crime," Hamza, referring to the two doctors, told Reuters by telephone.

According to Sammak's lawyer, the alleged torture took place in March and April 2011, a period when the U.S.-allied kingdom was convulsed by unrest following the start in February of demonstrations led by majority Shi'ites demanding democratic change in the Sunni-led monarchy.

Reuters submitted a request for comment from Sheikha Noura on the charges against her to her lawyer, Fareed Ghazi. He responded later saying he had spoken to her but that she did not wish to comment.

"Of course, she denies all the charges against her," Ghazi said, referring to the allegations at issue in both of the trials.

An independent commission said thirty-five people died during the unrest and two months of martial law that followed, but the opposition puts that number at more than 80. The government rejects the figures and has accused opposition groups of being linked to Shi'ite power Iran.

The Arab Spring has heightened sensitivity in the Gulf region, where kingly or princely rule is the norm, over perceived criticism of how it deals with dissent. This has complicated efforts by the West to balance a push for rights and democracy with Western commercial and strategic interests.

MASS PROTESTS

Sheikha Noura is about 29 years old, according to media reports, and is one of many members of the family who hold jobs in the public sector. At the time of the protests that shook Bahrain in 2011, she worked in the police drugs control unit, but has since moved to another department, according to Ghazi.

Bahrain's Information Minister, Samira Rajab, confirmed Sheikha Noura was on trial in both cases.

"There was an investigation and her case was then referred to the court," she told Reuters.

Rajab said Sheikha Noura's trial was part of the Bahraini government's accountability drive following the publication of the so-called "Bassiouni" report last year.

Widespread and excessive force, including confessions under torture, was detailed in a commission led by Cherif Bassiouni, a respected United Nations human rights lawyer, which published its findings and recommended measures to stop them.

The Bahrain government says it has taken steps to address the brutality of security forces by dismissing those responsible and introducing cameras at police stations to monitor abuses.

Bahrain drew fierce criticism from abroad for arrests of doctors and nurses during and after the uprising.

Since March 2011, at least 60 health professionals have been tried and sentenced to jail terms of up to 15 years on charges including attempting to bring down the government, according rights group Physicians for Human Rights.

MARTIAL LAW

Most appealed and the majority had their sentences reduced or quashed, including Sammak, one of the doctors Sheikha Noura is alleged to have tortured.

An anesthetist, Sammak was initially sentenced by a military court to five years in jail but was later acquitted by a civil court, according to her lawyers. Durazi was detained for allegedly providing false news about people injured in the unrest and inciting hatred of the government.

In the second case against Sheikha Noura, activist and poet Aayat al-Qormozi, born in 1991, says the princess applied electric shocks to her face, spat in her mouth and beat her while she was in detention, Qormozi's lawyer Reem Khalaf told Reuters. However, the charge against Sheikha Noura in this case makes no reference to torture.

Qormozi was jailed for a year in 2011 for insulting the king, taking part in illegal gatherings and inciting hatred against the government, Khalaf said.

She was freed after serving only several months, Khalaf said, adding she did not know the reasons for her early release. Her case was later dismissed by the public prosecutor, again for reasons she did not know, Khalaf said.

Khalaf added that the trial of Sheikha Noura on the charges relating to Qormozi had been running since June 2012. The next hearing would be on 7 February, she said.

In the case concerning the two doctors, Sheikha Noura's lawyer said the princess's trial had started in October 2012 and that the next hearing was set for February 3.

To try to counter the unrest, the Bahrain government brought in Gulf Arab troops, mainly from Saudi Arabia, and imposed two months of martial law to end the uprising.

The Shi'ite opposition wants a constitutional monarchy and a more equitable political system that would allow them to have greater representation, ending decades-old discrimination against them in jobs including the army and security forces.

The government denies discriminating against the Shi'ite population.

(Reporting By Raissa Kasolowsky, Editing by William Maclean and Ralph Boulton)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bahraini-princess-trial-torturing-detainees-official-151236214.html

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Syrian troops battle rebels in oil-rich east

BEIRUT (AP) ? Activists say Syrian troops are fighting rebels over a government intelligence complex and a major prison where opposition figures are reportedly being held in the oil-rich east of the country.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says Tuesday's clashes are taking place in the city of Deir el-Zour, along the border with Iraq.

The Observatory says the rebels now control most of the government complex, including the prison, from which they have freed at least 11 opposition figures.

It isn't clear if the freed people are fighters or activists.

Deir el-Zour has been the scene of heavy fighting during nearly two years of conflict.

The aid group Doctors Without Borders said last month the city is being shelled and bombed by government forces almost daily.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-troops-battle-rebels-oil-rich-east-095016882.html

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Before career change, test drive a new profession

1 hr.

Michelle V. Rafter , NBC News contributor

Some people quit whatever they?re doing to plunge headfirst into a new career.

As glamorous as it sounds to chuck everything for a new passion, it?s not practical. You need money to bankroll going back to school, start a business or make ends meet while working an entry-level job to switch a completely different profession. What if you decide that other industry isn?t for you? Back to square one.?Instead, employment experts suggest taking a career change for a test spin before committing to it 100 percent.

There are different ways to try before you buy. Volunteer or work pro bono to see if something?s the right fit. Work on a startup after hours until you?re earning enough to make it a full-time gig. Get the training and connections you need to start over by going back to school part?time.

?Trying something out first is important before investing in a whole new education,? says Paula Gregorowicz, a Philadelphia career coach who counsels small and women-owned businesses.

Here are the stories of three people who inched their way into a career change:

Back to (fashion) school
In her former job as a business consultant, Yasha Stelzner dressed for success. In the one she?s working toward, she aspires to help the fashion designers who create what she wears.

Stelzner, 38, already had an undergraduate degree and MBA when she went back to school to land a fashion-industry job. It was the quickest way to figure out which aspect of the business to focus on, and to get internships and connections that could lead to a job, Stelzner says. ?Not working in the industry, you?re just isolated from it,? she says. ?You don?t know who to talk to, the resources, it?s really hard. You could probably do it, but this just makes it easier, to embed yourself into the community.?

The San Francisco resident started attending classes at the city?s Academy of Art University in early 2011 while working part time in her old job. After taking a clothing construction course, she realized she could blend her business background and passion for fashion in a job as a product developer. People in those behind-the-scenes positions turn a designer?s sketches into patterns, fabrics and notions for a factory to produce the garments at a desired price.

School led to the industry connections and internships Stelzner hoped for. She?ll finish her masters of fine arts at the end of 2013, but already has picked up a few clients. She anticipates her first job will pay about what she was previously making, with the potential to make even more.

Her advice for going back to school for a career change: ?Don?t worry so much about the grade but what you need to learn, and keep your focus on that.?

A five-year transition
Moonlighting in a new job while working in an old one is one way to ease into a transition, but it can years.

Tony Magee?s journey from salesman to microbrewery owner took five years. Today, the 52-year-old is well-known in beer circles as the owner of Marin County, Calif.-based Lagunitas Brewing Co., which makes tasty brews like Dogtown Pale Ale and Cappuccino Stout. Before that, Magee was a sales rep for a Bay Area commercial printing company, and before that, a musician.

The beer bug bit after Magee got a homebrew kit for Christmas, tried it and was so enthralled, he decided to start a brewery. But even after some early successes, he didn?t quit his day job. ?I would get up at 3 a.m. and by 3:45 I was sitting in front of a Mac at Kinko?s working on labels and pamphlets,? he says. ?I?d go to the brewery until 9 when my printing customers started showing up, and then I?d start that job.?

A long span from one career to another can take a toll. While Magee worked two jobs, the 100-hour work weeks almost ended his marriage. After a few years, his wife joined him at the brewery, which helped. Now she runs the company?s plant, logistics and hiring. ?The life that it represents helped keep us together, and that?s a good thing,? he says.

Two decades after he started, Lagunitas has grown to 200 employees and sells beer in 38 states. Magee is getting ready to open a second brewery in Chicago to expand even more.

To people contemplating a career change, Magee suggests working hard and having faith in yourself that things will be OK. ?Every lesson you learned in life will apply to everything else,? he says.

Doing the homework
You won?t know for sure what a new career is like until you research it.?

Anne Fleming routinely did research and product development as the senior marketing director for a Pittsburgh decorative lighting company, so before deciding to jump to a new career as a small-business owner, she spent two years investigating it.?

Fleming?s experience buying a car got her interested in creating a website where women could share their own stories about purchasing an?auto, reviews that?other women could then?use to become better negotiators. As part of her research, Fleming wrote a marketing plan, got help from the University of Pittsburgh?s small-business development center, hired a marketing firm and in 2008 launched the website, Women-Drivers.com.

She worked on the site in her spare time until 2009, when the lighting company was acquired and laid off 31 of 36 employees, including her. Fleming used her severance, along with money from selling her house, to focus full time on the site.

From 2009 to 2011, Fleming built up the business by doing more research: using data from visitors to the site to write reports on women and cars, which led to more exposure inside the industry.

For the past year, Fleming has again worked two jobs, splitting her days between the website -- which she says is doing well enough to no longer need her 24/7, seven days a week --?and working as the marketing director for a local emergency-alert system franchise.

Besides doing research, those contemplating a career switch should line up a team of supporters, she says. ?Have advisers who aren?t your BFF or your family. They?re objective stakeholders and they?re there for you and will give you feedback whether you like it or not,? she says.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/ready-career-change-test-drive-new-profession-1C8145730

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Spotlight: Leaders in Commercial Banking ? North Bay Business ...

Individuals are alphabetized by name of institution.

Larry Tidwell

AltaPacific Bank

3725 Westwind Blvd., Ste. 100, Santa Rosa 95403,?apbconect.com, 707-236-1521

Larry Tidwell

Larry Tidwell has served as the executive vice president in the real estate industries group at AltaPacific Bank in Santa Rosa since April 2009. He oversees all construction lending, a responsibility he held in his previous position as executive vice president in the real estate industries group at Temecula Valley Bank.

Mr. Tidwell was born in Roswell, N.M., and has lived in the North Bay for 30 years. He cited the retention of customers over more than 15 years as a major accomplishment.

?I think one thing we will see in 2013 is more banks throwing their hat in the ring with regards to lending,? he said.??This will lead to healthy competition amongst lenders, which will be good for borrowers as they will have more choices.?

AltaPacific Bank was founded in 2006 and has assets of $222 million.

Gus Zijlstra

American River Bank

90 S. E St., Ste. 11, Santa Rosa 95404, americanriverbank.com, 707-528-6300

Gus Zijlstra

Gus Zijlstra is vice president and relationship manager at American River Bank and has 16 years of experience in commercial lending.

A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Mr. Zijlstra has a management and accounting degree from Sonoma State University and a master?s degree from the University of San Francisco. He moved to Santa Rosa in 1985 after graduating from the Argentine Naval Academy and a successful naval career.

Mr. Zijlstra said the one-on-one customer service he provides is what clients expect from a community bank, and those interactions are enhanced by his experience in the banking industry. He is also a frequent volunteer for community organizations, including his work to help mentor elementary school students through Operation Getting Together and to teach financial concepts at the junior high level through Junior Achievement of the Redwood Empire.

American River Bank is a 30-year-old regional business bank with $585 million in assets.

David Meddaugh

Bank of America Merrill Lynch

10 Santa Rosa Ave., Ste. 210, Santa Rosa 95404,?bankofamerica.com, 707-293-2553

David Meddaugh

David Meddaugh is the senior vice president and market manager of the North Coast commercial banking office of Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He has been with the bank for more than 30 years. In his current capacity, he manages the unit?s largest client relationships, with particular focus on the wine and specialty food and beverage industries.

Mr. Meddaugh also serves as the bank?s liaison with the California wine industry. He has presented at the Wine Industry Financial Symposium, Unified Wine and Grape Symposium, Leadership Forum, Sonoma State University Economic Outlook and Moss Adams Wine Industry Roundtable.

He earned bachelor?s degrees in both economics and finance from California State University, Chico, and holds an MBA in corporate finance from the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington.

Mr. Meddaugh was raised in Santa Rosa. He lives there with his wife and two children at their Buckshot Ranch property, which has been planted to Italian varietal olive trees.

Beth Reizman

Bank of Marin

504 Redwood Blvd., Ste. 100, Novato 94947,?bankofmarin.com, 415-763-4520

Beth Reizman

Beth Reizman?is a seasoned lender and manager who has held various positions over her 17-year tenure at Bank of Marin. As commercial banking manager, she is based in?the bank?s headquarters in Novato. She also is a member of the senior management team, helping set the strategic direction of the bank. Ms. Reizman claims her greatest banking accomplishment is helping contribute to the growth and success of Bank of Marin.

Ms. Reizman is currently treasurer of the Marin Workforce Housing Trust Board and serves on their finance committee. She has served on numerous local non-profit boards in the past, including Novato Human Needs Center, North Bay Children?s Center, and Novato Sunrise Rotary. She has also been a long time community volunteer with Lucas Valley Swim Team, Lucas Valley Community Church, and Marin Catholic High School.

Born in the Philippines, she attended the International School in Manila then graduated with a degree in economics from Stanford University. Ms. Reizman started her career at Crocker Bank in the Asia Pacific division then held numerous private and commercial banking positions with Crocker, Hibernia Bank and Bank of California.

Larry Fletcher

Bank of Napa

2007 Redwood Rd., Ste. 101, Napa 94558,?thebankofnapa.com, 707-257-7777

Larry Fletcher

A 30-year resident of Northern California, Larry Fletcher is the executive vice president and chief credit officer at Bank of Napa. He has more than 30 years of experience as a banking executive, 26 of them in Napa and Solano counties. He is responsible for all aspects of the bank?s loan portfolio.

Born in Southern California, Mr. Fletcher graduated from Long Beach State University in 1974 with a degree in business administration. He graduated with honors from the Pacific Coast Banking School in Seattle in 1988.

Prior to joining Bank of Napa, Mr. Fletcher was the manager of the commercial lending hub for Vintage Bank. He also held the previous role of chief credit officer for Solano Bank, a subsidiary of Vintage Bank in Vacaville, and began his banking career as a consumer loan officer for United California Bank in Los Angeles.

Outside of the bank, he serves on the board of directors for Child Start, a nonprofit that operates the Head Start child-development organization in Napa and Solano counties.

Tom LeMasters, president and CEO, credited Mr. Fletcher with helping the bank to grow a strong portfolio during tumultuous economic times. The bank reported nearly $150 million in assets at the end of 2012.

Don Mercer

Bank of the West

20 S. Petaluma Blvd., Petaluma 94952,?bankofthewest.com, 707-778-3313

Don Mercer

Don Mercer, senior vice president and national sales manager, has been with Bank of the West for 13 years. In this role for the bank, he manages the region?s SBA team for small business and commercial lending.

Previously, Mr. Mercer served as a branch manager, regional business development officer and regional manager at the bank. He began his banking career while in college, and assumed his current position in 2007.

A graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School, Mr. Mercer also holds a bachelor?s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. Born in Anaheim and raised in Fullerton, he has lived in the North Bay for more than 10 years. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking and reading.

Founded in 1874, $63 billion-asset Bank of the West operates 700 branches and offices in 19 states. The bank has several branches in the North Bay, including a commercial lending office in Petaluma and a wine-focused lending office in Napa.

Michael Silva

Comerica Bank

2 Embarcadero Ctr., Ste. 300, San Francisco 94111, comerica.com, 415-477-3274

Michael Silva

Michael Silva is a senior vice president at Comerica Bank, heading the bank?s commercial lending group in San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma and Mendocino counties. He has served in his current role for nine years and has been with Comerica for a total of 15 years. That followed 12 years at Union Bank.

Mr. Silva has a bachelor of science degree in finance from Santa Clara University?and is a graduate of Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington.

Comerica serves a number of specialty food manufacturers in the North Bay, and the wine industry represents about 25 percent of the bank?s regional portfolio, he said.

?There are a lot of companies in the region that are emerging from a smaller size and looking to grow,? Mr. Silva said.

He said that the bank also sees growth opportunities for other sectors in the region, such as helping to finance the purchase of the North Bay Business Journal, Santa Rosa Press Democrat and the Petaluma Argus-Courier last year.

?You?re seeing the impact of local business people owning their local newspaper,? he said.

Comerica Bank had $63.3 billion in assets in its most recent report.

Steve Herron

Exchange Bank

545 Fourth St., Dept. 410, Santa Rosa 95401,?exchangebank.com, 707-524-3102

Steve Herron

Steve Herron has served as senior vice president and manager for commercial lending at Exchange Bank since 2000. He focused on business lending for seven years prior to that as a business development officer at the bank.?

Mr. Herron?s banking career began in Los Angeles, where he participated in a commercial lending training program for Union Bank. The program included a one-year assignment in Sacramento, which led to his transfer to the bank?s small banking office in Santa Rosa as a commercial lender in 1987.

Since 1996, Exchange Bank has steadily developed?its?growing?niche as a commercial lender catering to Sonoma County?s artisan?winemakers, growers and vineyard managers, growing that portfolio?to more than $150 million.?

A resident of the North Bay since 1987, Mr. Herron grew up in Fresno. In his spare time he loves to listen to music, read business periodicals, follow the stock markets and collect fine wine.

?I personally think there is a reasonable level of pent-up demand within the business community ? most sectors ? for growth in hiring, capital expansion and expanded business lending,? he said.??I think it will start slowly in 2013, held back by the second phase of the fiscal/budget cliff, but accelerate during the second quarter and into the back half of 2013.?

Exchange Bank was founded more than 120 years ago and reported more than $1.6 billion in assets in its last financial filing.

Barbara Larson

First Community Bank

438 First St.,? Santa Rosa 95401,?fcbconnect.com, 707-636-9711

Barbara Larson is vice president and commercial loan officer at First Community Bank.

Barbara Larson

Ms. Larson has been in the banking industry since 1996, and joined First Community Bank in 2008. She specializes in commercial lines of credit, equipment financing and SBA financing. The bank describes her as a client favorite who brings a wealth of business expertise and customized personal service to each relationship.

?I love working for a community bank, and First Community was the perfect fit for me professionally and personally,? she said.

The bank encourages community service, and Ms. Larson shares her time and talent in through a number of community organizations. She is the current treasurer of the Santa Rosa West Rotary Club, a position she has held for nine years. As a longtime advocate for children, young adults and seniors, she also serves as the treasurer for the Elder Care Expo board of directors.

Carol Landry

First Northern Bank

555 Mason St., Ste. 100, Vacaville 95688,?thatsmybank.com, 707-447-8600

Carol Landry

Carol Landry is the senior vice president and western region commercial loan manager for First Northern Bank. She has been with the bank for eight years. In her current position, Ms. Landry manages commercial loan activities in Solano and Yolo counties.

She has more than 30 years of experience in commercial lending, including several community and national banks in Solano, Yolo and Napa counties.

Ms. Landry is past chairman of Vacaville Chamber of Commerce and Vacaville Library Commission. She has been a board member of several community organizations in Solano County. Ms. Landry holds a bachelor of arts degree in economics from the University of California, Davis, and is a graduate of Pacific Coast Banking School at University of Washington.

First Northern Bank was founded in 1910 to provide better banking services to the Solano agribusiness community. Today, in addition to operating lines of credit and equipment lines and leases, the bank offers commercial solar financing and commercial real estate loans to small- and medium-sized businesses and farms. The 10-branch bank is a preferred SBA lender and reported $805.6 million in total assets on Sept. 30.

Jim Wening

JPMorgan Chase

835 Fourth St., Santa Rosa 95404, chase.com, 707-576-3003

Jim Wening is the market manager for Chase Middle Market Banking in Northern California. He has served in a number of leadership roles over an 18-year career in banking, most recently as market manager for Chase Middle Market Banking in San Diego and chairman of the bank?s market leadership team for Orange County the Inland Empire and San Diego.

Mr. Wening spent 16 years as U.S. Bank?s San Diego market president. He has a double major in accounting and finance from Texas Christian University, and an MBA with an emphasis in corporate strategy from Washington University in St. Louis.

?The North Bay is a great market with many strong businesses across different sectors, which makes it an attractive environment for Chase,? Mr. Wening said.

Lynne Carpenter

Luther Burbank Savings

804 Fourth St., Santa Rosa 95404, lutherburbanksavings.com, 707-523-9898

Lynne Carpenter

Lynne Carpenter is the chief income property loan officer at Luther Burbank Savings. She has worked for the bank for ten years, formerly as a commercial loan officer.

Ms. Carpenter worked as a teller in high school and returned to banking after graduating from Western Illinois University in Macomb, Ill. The California native worked in the commercial real estate lending department at a Newport Balboa Savings and Loan after college, embracing the associated challenges and choosing to focus her career in that field of banking.

As manager of the Income Property Lending Division at Luther Burbank Savings, Ms. Carpenter oversees the origination of loans secured by multi-family property in California as well as Seattle, Wash.

Ms. Carpenter said one of her biggest accomplishments was ?helping Luther Burbank Savings achieve record profitability in one of the most difficult real estate markets in history.?

Ruth Edwards

Mechanics Bank

433 Soscol Ave. Ste. 161, Napa 94559,?mechanicsbank.com, 707-256-4343

Ruth Edwards

Ruth Edwards, senior vice president and corporate banking regional manager for the Napa region of Mechanics Bank, has spent more than a decade as a North Bay banker. A longtime wine country resident who grew up in Santa Rosa, she joined the bank?s Napa corporate banking office in 2006. Previously, she was part of the Santa Rosa regional commercial banking office of?Wells Fargo. She lives with her husband, Gary, and two small children in Sonoma.

Mechanics Bank has been a North Bay fixture for 17 years. Its Napa client relationships, however, date back to the early 20th century, when it was a well-known lender to the wine industry. The bank has continued to lend during the economic downturn and focused on furthering its customer relationships as industries weathered the so-called Great Recession.

The 107-year-old bank passed the $3 billion asset mark last year with significant deposit growth. Offices throughout Northern California include Napa, a St. Helena and San Rafael. A new Napa office is set to open in late spring.

Mike Ledwich

Rabobank, N.A.

700 Trancas St., Napa 94558,?rabobankamerica.com, 916-797-8286

Mike Ledwich

Mike Ledwich is vice president and commercial banking officer for Rabobank, N.A. He is responsible for fostering new business relationships and providing solutions to meet the banking needs of business customers in Napa and Sonoma counties.

A banker for 26 years, Mr. Ledwich has spent his entire career in Napa. Before joining Rabobank, Mr. Ledwich was senior vice president and client relationship manager at Bay Commercial Bank as well as senior vice president and relationship manager at Charter Oak Bank.? He also served as vice president and senior relationship manager at Mechanics Bank in Napa for 10 years.

Mr. Ledwich earned a bachelor of science degree in finance and economics from Sacramento State University?and an MBA from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. ?A lifelong resident of Napa, he is a member and past president of Napa Sunrise Rotary Club.

Rabobank is a California community bank with nearly 120 branches, including branches in Napa and Sonoma and a branch and agribusiness lending office in Santa Rosa.

Michael Downey

Redwood Credit Union

3033 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa 95403,?redwoodcu.org, 877-545-4100

Michel Downey

Michael Downey is senior vice president of business services for Redwood Credit Union, where he has managed the credit union?s business programs since 2006. He has a bachelor?s degree in business administration from Chico State University?and served on the city of Santa Rosa Board of Public Utilities for nearly 24 years.

Mr. Downey has many years of business management and financial services experience in Sonoma County. He owned a local business for 30 years. Recognizing the unique financial needs of small businesses, Mr. Downey started a financial services career more than 10 years ago to provide custom financial solutions to help local businesses grow and thrive.

Aging baby boomers will play a prominent role in commercial lending in 2013 as they execute business-exit strategies and transfer assets, he said.

?We are entering a period of the largest transition of generational wealth in the history of our country,? he said.

In 2008, Mr. Downey helped start Redwood Credit Union?s SBA program, which has ranked among the top lenders in the North Bay for the past four years. The credit union is a Small Business Administration preferred lender with more than $2 billion in assets and in excess 220,000 members.

Sunny Lapham

SAFE-BIDCO

1377 Corporate Center Pkwy., Ste. A, Santa Rosa 95407,?safe-bidco.com, 707-577-8621

Sunny Lapham

Sunny Lapham joined SAFE-BIDCO as a loan officer in 2004. Ms. Lapham?s current responsibilities include underwriting and financial analysis of loan requests and overseeing the corporation?s Small Business Loan Guarantee Program and the Energy Efficiency Loan Program.

Ms. Lapham works extensively with community lenders to facilitate their small business lending. Under her stewardship, the Small Business Loan Guarantee Program tripled in volume this past year.

She has 25 years of experience in north coast banking and financial development, including stints at Exchange Bank and Redwood Credit Union. She has a degree in social psychology from University of Nevada?and trained to administer loan programs backed by the Small Business Administration, as well as general banking. Ms. Lapham has served on the board of directors for a number of businesses, nonprofits and educational organizations in the North Bay.

Rob McMillan

Silicon Valley Bank

899 Adams St., Ste. G2, St. Helena 94574,?svb.com/winedivision, 707-967-1367

Rob McMillan

Rob McMillan is the founder of the?St. Helena-based?Wine Division of??Silicon Valley Bank. Starting in 1992, he developed the division from the idea and startup phase to the point where it?s now regarded by many as the leading provider of financial services to the fine wine business on the West Coast.

Mr. McMillan?s banking career has spanned more than 30 years, over 20 with Silicon Valley Bank. In that time, he has moved though roles of increasing responsibility including a term on the bank?s Managing Committee.

Today, Mr. McMillan supports Silicon Valley Bank?s continuing growth and success in the wine business assisting the rest of the division?s clients and bankers: sharing views on the macro factors impacting the fine wine business, offering customized management presentations for clients, writing, speaking and managing a portfolio of client relationships.

He has published reports of varied and emerging trends to the wine industry over the past decade and is author of the bank?s annual Wine Industry Report. Mr. McMillan?s perspectives regarding the direction, opportunities and threats in the fine wine business continue to be cited in regional, national international and the wine trade press.

Mr. McMillan received a bachelor?s degree in finance and economics from Sacramento State University and an MBA from Leavey School of Business at?Santa Clara University. He is affiliated with, and supports numerous charities and industry associations both in and outside of the wine industry.

He is the father of two, enjoys the outdoors and travel, and takes any opportunity to play percussion and drums in live settings.

Jamie Williams

Sonoma Bank

1101 Fifth Ave., Ste. 360, San Rafael 94901,?sonomabank.com, 415-747-3202

Jamie Williams

Jamie Williams has been senior vice president and commercial banking regional director for Sonoma Bank since he was hired two and a half years ago. His focus has been on building strong commercial banking teams in Marin County, East Bay and Santa Rosa. He said hiring high-performing, well-known veteran bankers are key in the success of the bank?s commercial teams in the region.

Along with traditional business banking products and services, Sonoma Bank has experienced tremendous growth in owner-occupied commercial real estate lending.

Mr. Williams was born in Marin and has lived in Novato for more than 21 years. He has been in the banking industry for more than 30 years, always on the commercial or corporate banking side. Prior to joining Sonoma Bank, he was a founder of Greater Bay Bank Marin and was regional vice president for Westamerica Bank. His first position was in 1978 as a management trainee for Wells Fargo after graduating from Santa Clara University with a degree in economics.

Sterling Bank of Spokane, Wash., does business in California as Sonoma Bank.

Bill Fogarty

Summit State Bank

500 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa 95403,?summitstatebank.com, 707-568-6000

Bill Fogarty

Bill Fogarty is senior vice president and chief credit officer at Summit State Bank. Mr. Fogarty joined Summit at the end of 2011 with 25 years of banking experience, including chief credit officer and chief executive roles at other community banking institutions.

Mr. Fogarty attended Arizona State University and earned a bachelor?s degree in business administration at University of Phoenix. He also graduated from Pacific Coast Bankers School at University of Washington in Seattle.

He focuses on all areas of the bank?s lending programs and portfolio for safety, soundness and profitability.

?We are seeing indicators of an upturn in our economy due to a notable pickup in loan production in 2012 that was double the level of 2011,? Mr. Fogarty said. ?We heavily promoted our $50 million loan commitment in 2012, which we believe was part of our increased loan demand and production at Summit. But we also believe that the economic upturn was the foundation of this growth. Businesses are also beginning to activate their expansion plans and start projects that have been on hold for the last few years.?

In his spare time, Mr. Fogarty enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, wildlife photography and golf. He also enjoys spending time with his wife of 28 years, Sheryl, his two children and grandchild.

Mr. Fogarty has ?fallen in love with Sonoma County? and regularly donates his time to local nonprofits and chambers of commerce.

Founded in 1984, Summit State Bank has roughly $430 million in assets, 62 employees and five offices. Summit State Bank is a Top Performing Bank, earning the highest Findley Reports designation of all Sonoma County-based banks.

Francine Boards

Travis Credit Union

One Travis Way, Vacaville 95687,?traviscu.org, 707-469-1964

Francine Boards became vice president of business lending at Travis Credit Union in early 2012. It?s a newly created position that is part of a targeted approach to boost the $2.2 billion institution?s efforts in commercial lending. She served as senior commercial credit officer at the credit union since 2009.

Prior to joining Travis, Ms. Boards held senior management positions for commercial lending operations at One California Bank, Mechanics Bank and Civic Bank of Commerce. She has a total of 24 years of financial industry experience and is a graduate of the MBA program at St. Mary?s College of California as well as Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington.

Patrick McCarty

Umpqua Bank

1400A Grant Ave., Novato 94945, umpquabank.com, 415-493-3120

Patrick McCarty is senior vice president and manager of Umpqua Bank?s business banking center in Novato. He assumed that role following Umpqua?s purchase of Novato-based Circle Bank in November, where Mr. McCarty had served as chief lending officer for ten years.

In his current role, Mr. McCarty oversees an office specializing in commercial real estate loans in Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. He said that he expected Circle Bank?s positive reputation as a commercial real estate lender would continue at Umpqua.

?Umpqua Bank is unique in that it has the pricing power of a large regional bank, but due to their internal structure, local management is allow to make credit decisions. This structure eliminates a common complaint regarding response time in larger institutions,? he said.

Mr. McCarty has nearly four decades of banking experience, and has a bachelor?s degree in finance from Texas A&M University.

James Barrett

Union Bank

899 Adams St., Ste. F-1, St. Helena 94574,?unionbank.com, 707-968-9514

James Barrett

James Barrett?is vice president and senior relationship manager with the Wine Industry Services group at?Union Bank.

The Wine Industry Services group in Northern California is growing. Ttotal commitments to the industry increased by about 30 percent in the last two years. Mr. Barrett attributes this growth to the bank?s consistency in its approach to the business and to its strong relationships with clients.

In addition to the wine industry, he has clients in the retail, food and beverage, and manufacturing sectors, and has worked with clients in many other industries during his career.

Mr. Barrett said his biggest accomplishment has been to successfully balance a rewarding career with an active and happy family life. He likes to spend time with family and friends and enjoys sports, reading and cooking.

He earned a finance degree at?Auburn University?and a master?s degree in business administration with an emphasis in finance at?Georgia State University?in Atlanta. He is a graduate of?Leadership Napa Valley?and a member of the?Napa Rotary Club.

Mr. Barrett has lived in Napa since 1995.

As of Sept. 30, Union Bank had assets of $88.2 billion and roughly 10,000 employees.

Conrad Figueroa

U.S. Bank

1 California St., Ste. 2000, San Francisco 94111,?usbank.com, 707.326.8397

Conrad Figueroa

Conrad Figueroa is a senior relationship manager in the?Bay Area Commercial Banking Group, which includes the North Bay, of U.S. Bank. The group caters to middle-market companies with a strong focus on relationship banking.? ?

Previously, Mr. Figueroa spent 10 years working for Wells Fargo Bank and five years for Comerica Bank. During his time at Wells Fargo and prior to becoming a vice president for commercial banking there, he was a branch manager and a licensed financial advisor.

Mr. Figueroa has lived in Northern California for over 20 years and is a graduate of University of California, Davis, in economics. Mr. Figueroa enjoys running in his spare time and is a 2011 Boston Marathon finisher.

U.S. Bank, based in Minneapolis, recently reported more than $350 billion in assets. ?

Scott Shapiro

Warren Capital Corp.

100 Rowland Way, Ste. 205, Novato 94945,?warrencapital.com, 415-898-1875

Scott Shapiro

Scott Shapiro is senior vice president of Warren Capital Corporation. He is responsible for managing the lender?s portfolio and developing relationships with its partners, which include community banks and the health care and franchise markets.

Mr. Shapiro has been with Warren Capital for 12 years. His career in banking began at BankBoston in Boston during its merger with Fleet Bank. He attended Boston College, graduating with a business degree in finance and information systems.

Having grown up in the North Bay, Mr. Shapiro moved back to California after college. He began working at Warren Capital as a three-day-a-week intern in the 2001 recession and gradually worked his way up to senior vice president. He said that ascent is?one of his greatest accomplishments, leading to years-long relationships with repeat clients.

Over the past 29 years, Warren Capital has completed over $1.7 billion in financings, including $500 million in the North Bay, for more than 3,500 clients. The lender provides services that include equipment leasing and financing, large-scale debt placements and seller-focused merger-and-acquisition advisory.

James Kimball

Wells Fargo

200 B St., Ste. 300, Santa Rosa 95401, wellsfargo.com, 707-584-3147

James Kimball

?Kimball is a senior vice president and regional manager with the Wells Fargo Commercial Banking Group. He oversees the North Coast Regional Commercial Banking Office, responsible for a territory spanning from the Golden Gate Bridge to Oregon.

The team serves a variety of industries, but has specialists focused on wine, specialty food and agriculture.

Mr. Kimball has worked in financial services for more than 25 years, a career that has focused on commercial banking in Northern California and the western United States. He was regional president for wholesale banking at Wachovia when the bank merged with Wells Fargo and spent 22 years holding various leadership positions at Bank of America.

He received bachelor?s and master?s degrees in finance from Sacramento State University.

A lifelong Sonoma County?resident, Mr. Kimball is an active community leader in Northern California and has a history of service on the boards of the North Bay Leadership Council and the Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University. He lives with his wife, Sharon, and two children in Petaluma.

Joseph Dietzen

Westamerica Bank

1108 Fifth Ave., San Rafael 94901, westamerica.com, 800-848-1088

Joseph Dietzen is senior vice president at Westamerica Bank. In that role, he oversees account relationships and loan production in the bank?s Sonoma and Mendocino regions.

A native of Washington, he grew up in Yakima and came to California to obtain a bachelor?s degree in economics from Stanford University. Mr. Dietzen later received an MBA in finance from?University of California, Berkeley, and attended Pacific Coast Banking School.

He joined Westamerica Bank in 2005 when it acquired National Bank of the Redwoods.?He had been executive vice president and responsible for real estate loan production there.

Mr. Dietzen said that he was pleased to work closely with the low-income housing efforts of the Sonoma County Loan Consortium and Burbank Housing. He also?was?actively involved with Redwood Empire Food Bank during a time of expansion.

When away from his duties at the bank, Mr. Dietzen said that he enjoys working on a classic Victorian townhouse that has been in his wife?s family for generations.

Westamerica Bank reported $5 billion in total assets at the end of 2012.

Source: http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/67794/spotlight-leaders-in-commercial-banking-2013/

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Thousands join funerals after deaths in Egypt port city

CAIRO (Reuters) - Gunshots rang out in Port Said on Sunday as people packed the streets for the funerals of 33 protesters killed at the weekend in the city, part of a wave of violence that has compounded challenges facing President Mohamed Mursi.

Some in the crowd chanted for revenge or shouted anti-Mursi slogans and teargas was fired in the vicinity, a witness said by telephone, adding that he heard emergency vehicle sirens after the shots were fired.

"Our soul and blood, we sacrifice to Port Said," people chanted, as the coffins were carried through the streets.

There were no immediate reports of further casualties in the city, where 33 people were killed on Saturday when residents went on the rampage after a court sentenced 21 people, mostly from the city, to death for their role in a deadly stadium disaster in Port Said last year.

Elsewhere in Egypt, police fired teargas at dozens of stone-throwing protesters in Cairo in a fourth day of clashes. Protests in the capital and other cities erupted at the end of last week over what the demonstrators say is a power grab by Islamists two years after Hosni Mubarak was overthrown.

The protesters accuse Mursi, elected in June with the support of his Muslim Brotherhood group, of betraying the democratic goals of the revolution. Since protesters hit the streets on Thursday, 42 people have been killed, most in Port Said and Suez, both cities where the army has now been deployed.

The violence adds to the daunting task facing Mursi as he tries to fix a beleaguered economy and cool tempers before a parliamentary election expected in the next few months which is supposed to cement Egypt's transition to democracy.

It has exposed a deep rift in the nation. Liberals and other opponents accuse Mursi of failing to deliver on economic promises and say he has not lived up to pledges to represent all Egyptians. His backers say the opposition is seeking to topple Egypt's first freely elected leader by undemocratic means.

"BLOOD BEING SPILT"

"None of the revolution's goals have been realised," said Mohamed Sami, a protester in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Sunday.

"Prices are going up. The blood of Egyptians is being spilt in the streets because of neglect and corruption and because the Muslim Brotherhood is ruling Egypt for their own interests."

On a bridge close to Tahrir Square, youths hurled stones at police in riot gear who fired teargas to push them back towards the square, the cauldron of the uprising that erupted on January 25, 2011 and toppled Mubarak 18 days later.

The U.S. and British embassies, both close to Tahrir, said they were closed for public business on Sunday.

The army, Egypt's interim ruler until Mursi's election, was sent back onto the streets to restore order in Port Said and Suez, which both lie on the Suez canal. In Suez, at least eight people were killed in clashes with police.

Egypt's defence minister who also heads the army, Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, called for the nation to stand together and said the military would not prevent peaceful protests. But he called on demonstrators to protect public property.

Many ordinary Egyptians are frustrated by the regular escalations that have hurt the economy and their livelihoods.

"They are not revolutionaries protesting," said taxi driver Kamal Hassan, 30, referring to those gathered in Tahrir. "They are thugs destroying the country."

CALL FOR DIALOGUE

The National Defence Council, headed by Mursi, called on Saturday for national dialogue to discuss political differences.

That offer has been cautiously welcomed by the opposition National Salvation Front. But the coalition has demanded a clear agenda and guarantees that any agreements will be implemented.

The Front, formed late last year when Mursi provoked protests and violence by expanding his powers and driving through an Islamist-tinged constitution, has threatened to boycott the parliamentary poll and to call for more protests if a list of demands is not met, including having an early presidential vote.

Egypt's transition has been blighted from the outset by political rows and turbulence on the streets that have driven investors out and kept many tourists away, starving the economy of vital sources of hard currency.

Egypt's pound has been hit hard by the turmoil, steadily weakening against the dollar despite efforts by the central bank to slow the fall and preserve foreign reserves now at critical levels. The latest violence has added to investors' concerns.

The Port Said clashes erupted after a judge sentenced 21 men to death for involvement in 74 deaths at a soccer match on February 1, 2012 between Cairo's Al Ahly club and the local al-Masri team. Many of the victims were fans of the visiting team.

There were 73 defendants in the case. Those not sentenced on Saturday will face a verdict on March 9, the judge said.

Al Ahly fans cheered the verdict after threatening action if the death penalty was not meted out. But Port Said residents were furious that people from their city were held responsible.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/riots-over-egyptian-death-sentences-kill-least-32-081720840.html

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Texas, New Mexico tangle over water

ALBUQUERQUE ? The muddy Rio Grande isn't much to look at as it meanders through southern New Mexico to the Texas border, but its waters are a high-stakes prize in a new legal row unfolding between the neighboring states.

This month, Texas asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its complaint that New Mexico has been diverting water it is obligated to send downstream under the 75-year-old Rio Grande Compact.

By allowing its residents to sink nearby wells and pump water from the river, "New Mexico has changed the conditions that existed in 1938 when the compact was executed," the Texas complaint charges.

The dispute centers on the Rio Grande Project, a system of dams and canals that impounds water at the Elephant Butte and Caballo reservoirs in New Mexico and delivers it to farmers in southern New Mexico and West Texas. The compact among Colorado, New Mexico and Texas settled years of litigation by establishing a formula for allocating the river's water to various users.

"All we're trying to do is protect the project and its users," says Pat Gordon, Texas' representative on the Rio Grande Compact Commission. "There's been a lot of tension for a lot of years. It seems that it's gotten progressively worse."

For one thing, he says, more than 2,500 wells have been drilled below Elephant Butte since the compact was signed. The wells cause water to flow from the river into the adjoining underground aquifer, he says, reducing the amount of water available for the irrigation network.

Meanwhile, Gordon says, New Mexico has "taken a very aggressive stance regarding what water would belong to the project" in a federal lawsuit it brought against the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which operates the project.

That stance has "greatly affected the state of Texas and had an impact on the action Texas had to take," he says.

Sarah Bond, an assistant New Mexico attorney general, denied that her state had changed its interpretation of the accounting and delivery of water under the compact.

"We are in compact compliance," Bond said in emailed comments. Referring to Texas' request pending before the high court, she added, "We would not speculate on any 'true motives' for the Supreme Court action. It would appear they want more water delivered to them than their compact entitlement."

Southern New Mexico farmers have long turned to pumping groundwater under drought conditions, as has the nearby city of El Paso and others in Texas, Bond said. Those drawing water from the river have been found to have water rights that predate the Rio Grande Project, she said.

"None of the actions of New Mexico farmers or river pumpers have been in violation of the compact," she said.

Charles DuMars, a prominent water law specialist and former University of New Mexico law professor, says the dispute "has been brewing for a long time." For years, New Mexico did not regulate groundwater pumping below Elephant Butte and only stopped issuing new well permits in 1980, he says.

Though the wells may be depleting the river's flow, the compact only requires that New Mexico deliver a set amount of water into Elephant Butte Reservoir, DuMars says. As to what happens to the river between there and Texas, New Mexico's water law probably applies, not the compact, he says.

But Carlos Rubinstein, a member of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, contends that the Supreme Court should handle the dispute because the compact "is an agreement between states and it was approved by Congress."

Should the high court decide to step in, it would probably appoint a special master to take evidence, he says. Texas has prevailed in similar actions against New Mexico involving the Canadian and Pecos rivers, Rubinstein notes.

Water issues are taking on added urgency as hotter, drier conditions afflict Western states with their burgeoning urban populations. The Supreme Court agreed this month to hear another lawsuit from Texas over water ? by a water district against Oklahoma. At issue is whether the Tarrant Regional Water District in northeastern Texas can use water supplies in Oklahoma.

In New Mexico, years of drought have left Elephant Butte water levels perilously low, and the mountains in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado are seeing lower-than-normal snowpack. Flow in the Rio Grande near Santa Fe this spring is projected to be just 47% of the 1981-2010 average.

DuMars predicts the case will drag on for years. Meanwhile, he says, "it's really up to Mother Nature. If there is adequate snowpack for two or three years in a row and they can fill Elephant Butte, then it's OK. But all the injunctions in the Supreme Court are not going to create snow."

nation@latimes.com

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/2DBYO5AQ-3s/la-na-texas-water-20130126,0,1999420.story

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PRESS RELEASE: Technicolor Options Rights To THE DEEP For ...

CGI Adventure Series to Mirror Broad Appeal of Tom Taylor and James Brouwer?s Worldwide Hit Property

Paris?(Marketwire ? Jan 22, 2013) ? Technicolor (EURONEXT PARIS: TCH) has optioned the rights for the international hit graphic novel series, THE DEEP, created by writer Tom Taylor (Star Wars: Blood Ties, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, Injustice: Gods Among Us) and illustrator James Brouwer (Justice League Beyond), and published by Gestalt Comics.

The Deep: Here Be Dragons graphic novel won the Aurealis Award (Australia?s annual literary awards for science fiction, fantasy and fiction) for ?Best Illustrated Book / Graphic Novel? of 2011 and was also nominated for ?Best Children?s Fiction (illustrated).? Technicolor Digital Productions aims to develop and produce 26 half-hour episodes of THE DEEP, which follows the incredible adventures of a family of underwater explorers. The CGI- animated series targets Kids 8 ? 12 and their families. Each self-contained episode of THE DEEP will bring the family a step closer to unraveling the mysteries of the deep sea; and every story will be filled with action, adventure, incredible sea monsters, fantastic vehicles, unbelievable bravery, and the odd family squabble, of course!

?THE DEEP is one of those unique properties that truly appeals to all ages and genders by delivering compelling entertainment in the form of enthralling adventure, heart-pounding danger, laugh out loud humor and incredible discoveries all wrapped in unbreakable familial relationships,? said Steven Wendland, Vice President, Technicolor Digital Productions. ?It?s the family we all dreamed of being a part of when we were kids and are anxious and excited to share with our own children now.?

?Technicolor is the ideal animation studio to bring THE DEEP to life,? added Robert Chandler, Executive Producer, THE DEEP. ?The CG team at Technicolor has the ability not only to visually knock your socks off, but also to deliver moments of tenderness, character and heart. That?s why THE DEEP and Technicolor make a great partnership. It is that special combination which leads to creating great series and stories.?

THE DEEP follows the Nekton family, comprised of the independent and fearless 12 year old Antaeus, Ant to his friends; his analytical 15 year old sister Fontaine, an astute navigator; and their parents Will, an oceanographer and former Olympic swimmer, and Kaiko, a marine biologist who is fiercely protective of all sea life, including Ant?s pet fish, Jeffrey. Continuing a long family legacy, the Nektons live aboard a state of the art submarine, The Aronnax, while exploring unchartered areas of the earth?s oceans. Each member of the family has unique skills and are all equally passionate about sea life conservation. They seek to solve the ultimate mysteries that appear to be connected to a place we know as Atlantis.

THE DEEP was created by multi-award-winning playwright, screenwriter and author Tom Taylor, best known for his many Star Wars graphic novels and comic books for Lucasfilm and Dark Horse Comics; and illustrator James Brouwer who has worked as a pre-production and concept artist on a range of film, television and games projects for major studios. Brouwer moved into comics in 2011 with The Deep: Here Be Dragons and has since illustrated for DC Comics.

Technicolor Digital Productions produces high-quality CG animation for feature films, television, direct-to-video, commercials, video games and location- based entertainment through its industry-leading production facility in Bangalore, India. The group launched its original content development initiative in 2010 and is currently in development on several projects, including Berkeley Breathed?s Pete & Pickles, and Atomic Puppet, a co-production with Mercury Filmworks. Complementing its services business with original content creation, Technical Digital Productions continues to work with major animation clients including Nickelodeon, DreamWorks Animation, Electronic Arts, Mattel, Rockstar Games, Sony Computer Entertainment America and Square Enix.

About Technicolor
Technicolor, a worldwide technology leader in the media and entertainment sector, is at the forefront of digital innovation. Our world-class research and innovation laboratories enable us to lead the market in delivering advanced video services to content creators and distributors. We also benefit from an extensive intellectual property portfolio focused on imaging and sound technologies, based on a thriving licensing business. Our commitment: supporting the delivery of exciting new experiences for consumers in theaters, homes and on-the-go. Euronext Paris: TCH ? www.technicolor.com

Technicolor options rights to graphic novel series, The Deep: http://hugin.info/143597/R/1672261/543804.pdf

?-

Source: http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/TheAlexLynch/news/?a=73061

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psychology heartbeat: Education & Reference 2020: The Art of War ...

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Source: http://kaatun884.blogspot.com/2013/01/psychology-heartbeat-education.html

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First time Home Buyer Questions - Zillow Real Estate Advice

Did you call the listing agent for the appointment or did you select one of the agents who appears as a buyers agent on zillow?? Agents who advertise on Zillow are not always the listing agents.

If it is the listing agent I would find the buyers agent, tell them you have an appointment and ask them to contact the listings agent.

If you pick a buyers agent make sure they are from a different company.? In my state two agents from the same company would still be considered dual agents.

Source: http://www.zillow.com/advice-thread/First-time-Home-Buyer-Questions/475094/

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Scientists expose new vulnerabilities in the security of personal genetic information

Scientists expose new vulnerabilities in the security of personal genetic information

Friday, January 18, 2013

Using only a computer, an Internet connection, and publicly accessible online resources, a team of Whitehead Institute researchers has been able to identify nearly 50 individuals who had submitted personal genetic material as participants in genomic studies.

Intent on conducting an exercise in ?vulnerability research??a common practice in the field of information security?the team took a multi-step approach to prove that under certain circumstances, the full names and identities of genomic research participants can be determined, even when their genetic information is held in databases in de-identified form.

?This is an important result that points out the potential for breaches of privacy in genomics studies,? says Whitehead Fellow Yaniv Erlich, who led the research team. A description of the group?s work is published in this week?s Science magazine.

Erlich and colleagues began by analyzing unique genetic markers known as short tandem repeats on the Y chromosomes (Y-STRs) of men whose genetic material was collected by the Center for the Study of Human Polymorphisms (CEPH) and whose genomes were sequenced and made publicly available as part of the 1000 Genomes Project. Because the Y chromosome is transmitted from father to son, as are family surnames, there is a strong correlation between surnames and the DNA on the Y chromosome.

Recognizing this correlation, genealogists and genetic genealogy companies have established publicly accessible databases that house Y-STR data by surname. In a process known as ?surname inference,? the Erlich team was able to discover the family names of the men by submitting their Y-STRs to these databases. With surnames in hand, the team queried other information sources, including Internet record search engines, obituaries, genealogical websites, and public demographic data from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Human Genetic Cell Repository at New Jersey?s Coriell Institute, to identify nearly 50 men and women in the United States who were CEPH participants.

Previous studies have contemplated the possibility of genetic identification by matching the DNA of a single person, assuming the person?s DNA were cataloged in two separate databases. This work, however, exploits data between distant paternally-related individuals. As a result, the team notes that the posting of genetic data from a single individual can reveal deep genealogical ties and lead to the identification of a distantly-related person who may have no acquaintance with the person who released that genetic data.

?We show that if, for example, your Uncle Dave submitted his DNA to a genetic genealogy database, you could be identified,? says Melissa Gymrek, a member of the Erlich lab and first author of the Science paper. ?In fact, even your fourth cousin Patrick, whom you?ve never met, could identify you if his DNA is in the database, as long as he is paternally related to you.?

Aware of the sensitivity of his work, Erlich emphasizes that he has no intention of revealing the names of those identified, nor does he wish to see public sharing of genetic information curtailed.

?Our aim is to better illuminate the current status of identifiability of genetic data,? he says. ?More knowledge empowers participants to weigh the risks and benefits and make more informed decisions when considering whether to share their own data. We also hope that this study will eventually result in better security algorithms, better policy guidelines, and better legislation to help mitigate some of the risks described.?

To that end, Erlich shared his findings with officials at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and NIGMS prior to publication. In response, NIGMS and NHGRI moved certain demographic information from the publicly-accessible portion the NIGMS cell repository to help reduce the risk of future breaches. In the same issue of Science in which the Erlich study appears, Judith H. Greenberg and Eric D. Green, the Directors of NIGMS and NHGRI, and colleagues author a perspective on this latest research in which they advocate for an examination of approaches to balance research participants? privacy rights with the societal benefits to be realized from the sharing of biomedical research data.

?Yaniv?s work is a timely reminder that in this era in which massive amounts of genomic data are being generated rapidly and shared in the interest of scientific advancement, there is an increasing likelihood of privacy breaches,? says Whitehead Institute Director David Page. ?I?m delighted that, thanks to Yaniv?s overture to NIH, we at Whitehead Institute have the opportunity to join policymakers at NHGRI and elsewhere in what will be a critical, ongoing dialog about the importance of safeguarding data, of sharing data, and the implications of failure in either endeavor.?

###

Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research: http://www.wi.mit.edu/index.html

Thanks to Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126356/Scientists_expose_new_vulnerabilities_in_the_security_of_personal_genetic_information

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4 enlisted troops picked for inaugural ball dance

WASHINGTON -- An Air Force medical technician who served in Afghanistan has been chosen to dance with President Barack Obama at an inaugural ball Monday night.

Staff Sgt. Bria Nelson is one of four enlisted men and women announced Friday as dance partners for the president, first lady, vice president and his wife at the Commander in Chief's Ball.

President George W. Bush was the first to host the ball to honor U.S. troops and began the tradition of taking a brief spin with one of the military guests. Obama did so as well at his first inauguration, and this year is doubling the size of the Commander in Chief's Ball to about 4,000 guests, most of them enlistees.

The four chosen to dance each are stationed in the Washington area after serving in the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan. A board of senior enlisted leaders picked them from more than 50 candidates nominated by military leaders, based on criteria including combat experience and volunteer efforts.

Nelson, an Indianapolis native, currently is serving at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington.

First lady Michelle Obama's partner is Marine Gunnery Sgt. Timothy Easterling, a native of Barnwell, S.C., who is assigned to the Marine Barracks in Washington. He is an expert in chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense who helped plan for the Obama's first inauguration and each of his State of the Union addresses.

Army Staff Sgt. Keesha Dentino has been chosen to dance with Vice President Joe Biden. The Homestead, Fla., native is a military police officer who currently serves in Fort Myer, Va., as a patrol explosives detection dog handler.

Jill Biden's partner is Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Patrick Figueroa, a Fort Worth, Texas, native who enlisted as a hospital corpsman. Figueroa is assigned to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/01/18/3188380/4-enlisted-troops-picked-for-inaugural.html

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Posted by admin on sty - 19 - 2013

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With his limo, Obama shows support for D.C. voting rights (Washington Bureau)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/277748303?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Photos: LIFE.com unveils images from first Superbowl

NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - "The Muppets 2" will open in theaters March of 2014, "Maleficent," a reimagined "Sleeping Beauty" tale starring Angelina Jolie moves to July of the same year and Brad Bird's "1952" will open before Christmas of 2014, Disney announced on Monday. The news was part of an omnibus announcement, as Disney also announced "Pirates of the Caribbean 5" will open July 10, 2015. The next "Pirates" will star Johnny Depp with a script by Jeff Nathanson, but no director has been attached. Disney's planned 3D re-release of "Little Mermaid," set for September 13, has been called off. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/photos/life-the-first-superbowl-slideshow/

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