Cuba legalizes sale, purchase of private property

HAVANA (AP) ? Cuba announced Thursday it is allowing the purchase and sale of real estate for the first time since the early days of the revolution, the most important reform yet in a series of free-market changes ushered in by President Raul Castro.

The law, which takes effect Nov. 10, applies to citizens and permanent residents only, according to a red-letter headline on the front page of Thursday's Communist Party daily Granma.

The brief article said details of the new law would be published imminently in the government's Official Gazette, though the government has said previously sales will be subject to taxes and the rules will not allow anyone to accumulate great wealth.

The change follows the legalization in October of the purchase and sale of cars, though with restrictions that still make it hard for ordinary Cubans to buy new cars.

Castro has also allowed citizens to go into business for themselves in a number of approved jobs ? everything from party clowns to food vendors to accountants ? and has pledged to streamline the state-dominated economy by eliminating half a million government workers.

Cuba's employs over 80 percent of the workers in the island's command economy, paying wages of just $20 a month in return for free education and health care, and nearly free housing, transportation and basic foods. Castro has said repeatedly that the system is not working since taking over from his brother Fidel in 2008, but he has vowed that Cuba will remain a Socialist state.

Cubans have long bemoaned the ban on property sales, which took effect in stages over the first years after Fidel Castro came to power in 1959. In an effort to fight absentee ownership by wealthy landlords, Fidel enacted a reform that gave title to whomever lived in a home. Most who left the island forfeited their properties to the state.

Since no property market was allowed, the rules have meant that for decades Cubans could only exchange property through complicated barter arrangements, or through even murkier black-market deals.

Some Cubans entered into sham marriages to make deed transfers easier. Others made deals to move into homes ostensibly to care for an elderly person living there, only to inherit the property when the person dies.

Many more were forced to live in overcrowded apartments with many generations crammed into a few rooms. Even divorce hasn't necessarily meant separation in Cuba, where estranged couples are often forced to live together for years while they work out alternative housing.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2011-11-03-CB-Cuba-Private-Property/id-c0a2ba5975e443db9a28c97e685760b4

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Abnormal oscillation in the brain causes motor deficits in Parkinson's disease

Public release date: 1-Nov-2011
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Contact: Prof Atsushi Nambu
nambu@nips.ac.jp
81-564-557-771
National Institute for Physiological Sciences

The research group headed by Professor Atsushi Nambu (The National Institute for Physiological Sciences) and Professor Masahiko Takada (Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University) has shown that the 'oscillatory' nature of electrical signals in subcortical nuclei, the basal ganglia, causes severe motor deficits in Parkinson's disease, by disturbing the information flow of motor commands. The group also found that chemical inactivation of the subthalamic nucleus (a structure of the basal ganglia) in parkinsonian monkeys improved the motor impairments by reducing the 'oscillations.' The results of this study were reported in European Journal of Neuroscience, November 2011 issue.

?A member of the research group, Assistant Professor Yoshihisa Tachibana, succeeded to record electrical signals in monkey basal ganglia neurons under unanesthetized conditions. The group found that neurons in the parkinsonian basal ganglia showed abnormal 'oscillatory' activity, which was rarely seen in normal subjects. The abnormal rhythm was completely eliminated by systemic administration of a dopamine precursor (L-DOPA), which is clinically used for human parkinsonian patients. The group considered that loss of dopamine induced the 'oscillations' in the basal ganglia and that the following disturbances in information flow of motor commands impaired motor performances. Abnormal neuronal oscillations were already reported in parkinsonian patients and animal models, but this report has provided the direct evidence that 'oscillations' are associated with motor abnormalities. Moreover, it was also shown that the injection of a chemical inhibitor, muscimol, into the subthalamic nucleus silenced the oscillatory signals, and eventually reversed parkinsonian motor signs.

Professor Nambu claims, "By investigating the 'oscillatory' nature of electrical signals in the basal ganglia, we can advance our understanding of the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease. We improved motor deficits by means of infusion of the chemical inhibitor (muscimol) into the subthalamic nucleus to silence the 'oscillatory' signals in the brain structure. This may provide us important clues to developing new treatments for Parkinson's disease."

###

This study was supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, the Japan Intractable Diseases Research Foundation and Hori Information Science Promotion Foundation to Y. Tachibana and A. Nambu, and NIH grants (NS-47085 and NS-57236) to H. Kita.

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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.

Public release date: 1-Nov-2011
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Prof Atsushi Nambu
nambu@nips.ac.jp
81-564-557-771
National Institute for Physiological Sciences

The research group headed by Professor Atsushi Nambu (The National Institute for Physiological Sciences) and Professor Masahiko Takada (Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University) has shown that the 'oscillatory' nature of electrical signals in subcortical nuclei, the basal ganglia, causes severe motor deficits in Parkinson's disease, by disturbing the information flow of motor commands. The group also found that chemical inactivation of the subthalamic nucleus (a structure of the basal ganglia) in parkinsonian monkeys improved the motor impairments by reducing the 'oscillations.' The results of this study were reported in European Journal of Neuroscience, November 2011 issue.

?A member of the research group, Assistant Professor Yoshihisa Tachibana, succeeded to record electrical signals in monkey basal ganglia neurons under unanesthetized conditions. The group found that neurons in the parkinsonian basal ganglia showed abnormal 'oscillatory' activity, which was rarely seen in normal subjects. The abnormal rhythm was completely eliminated by systemic administration of a dopamine precursor (L-DOPA), which is clinically used for human parkinsonian patients. The group considered that loss of dopamine induced the 'oscillations' in the basal ganglia and that the following disturbances in information flow of motor commands impaired motor performances. Abnormal neuronal oscillations were already reported in parkinsonian patients and animal models, but this report has provided the direct evidence that 'oscillations' are associated with motor abnormalities. Moreover, it was also shown that the injection of a chemical inhibitor, muscimol, into the subthalamic nucleus silenced the oscillatory signals, and eventually reversed parkinsonian motor signs.

Professor Nambu claims, "By investigating the 'oscillatory' nature of electrical signals in the basal ganglia, we can advance our understanding of the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease. We improved motor deficits by means of infusion of the chemical inhibitor (muscimol) into the subthalamic nucleus to silence the 'oscillatory' signals in the brain structure. This may provide us important clues to developing new treatments for Parkinson's disease."

###

This study was supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, the Japan Intractable Diseases Research Foundation and Hori Information Science Promotion Foundation to Y. Tachibana and A. Nambu, and NIH grants (NS-47085 and NS-57236) to H. Kita.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-11/nifp-aoi102611.php

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Concept Pen Measures Its Own Lines, Makes Its Own Power

The Electronic Pen tells you just how much ink it has laid down, by distance. While it might be fun to know that your signature is exactly 13.37cm long, there are more practical uses, too.
For instance, you could use Jang Hyung-Jin’s concept pen to measure lines as you draw them, effectively turning any straight edge [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/zlIOf4zRghQ/

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Theft of game hens could cost Ark. sheriff his job (AP)

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. ? An Arkansas prosecutor filed a petition Monday to remove a sheriff from office because he pleaded guilty to stealing Cornish game hens more than three decades ago.

Prosecuting Attorney Cody Hiland deemed the misdemeanor theft "an infamous crime," which he says bars Searcy County Sheriff Kenney Cassell from holding office.

Hiland points to part of the state Constitution that bars anyone convicted of "embezzlement of public money, bribery, forgery or other infamous crime" from holding office.

But Cassell contends his brush with the law doesn't qualify, and he refuses to resign.

"It was just a mistake that I made when I was 21," Cassell said. "I never denied it. I just took responsibility for it. I didn't try to sweep it under the rug."

In fact, he acknowledged the theft in his campaign for the sheriff's office. In a paid political ad in a local publication in 2009, Cassell said he broke the law and pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor crime, according to the petition filed recently by prosecutors.

Cassell pointed to that as a sign of his forthrightness. Hiland labeled it as an exhibit in his petition to have Cassell removed from office.

Another document says Cassell, then a deputy sheriff, and a colleague unlawfully possessed Cornish game hens that were being shipped from Springdale, Ark., to Maryland in 1979.

Cassell was charged with a felony for theft of interstate shipments by carrier, but that ended in a mistrial. He later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor version of the same crime. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and ordered to pay a $300 fine.

Cassell still doesn't contest the charge, but he said his guilty plea shouldn't stop him from holding office, since voters knew about it when they elected him last November.

"This is a very small county ... Everybody knew," he said. "It just wasn't an issue."

Hiland said it doesn't matter whether Cassell made his transgression public.

"This is not some youthful indiscretion," Hiland said. "He was a deputy sheriff in a position of authority and was convicted and pled guilty to theft."

Hiland's office started looking into the charge against Cassell after a law enforcement agency brought it to their attention a few months ago. Once he had the court documents to back up the charges, Hiland said he asked Cassell to step down.

Hiland contends the charge against Cassell could have an impact on trials if defense teams calls anything from the sheriff's office into question.

"State law requires me to proceed and remove folks from office who aren't qualified," he said. "We can't turn a blind eye to it."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111101/ap_on_re_us/us_arkansas_sheriff_stolen_hens

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MacBook Air-Like Update to MacBook Pro Line Expected (Again) [Rumors]

It doesn't seem fair that the MacBook Air line has several features over the MacBook Pro (sleek profile; USB ports on both sides; higher-res screen...). A major design refresh to the Pro line, the first in three years, has been bandied about for months now, but according to Japanese site?Macotakara, Apple's definitely working on a skinnier Pro. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/0X9IukfigZM/macbook-air+like-update-to-macbook-pro-line-expected-again

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More Occupy events planned around Calif. (AP)

OAKLAND, Calif. ? More Wall Street protests were planned around California on Saturday, including in Oakland, where police and demonstrators faced off earlier this week in a clash during which an Iraq War veteran was injured.

A rally against police brutality was scheduled for 6 p.m. in front of Oakland's city hall, and a march was expected to follow two hours later.

The Oakland protesters have also announced a strike on Nov. 2, when they will be urging banks and corporations to close for the day.

Protesters clashed with police on Tuesday after the encampment in front of city hall was cleared. Scott Olsen, a 24-year-old Iraq War veteran, suffered a fractured skull during that confrontation, and his plight has become a rallying cry at Occupy protests around the world.

Olsen remained in fair condition Friday at a hospital. Fellow veterans say police fired an object that struck Olsen in the head, but authorities say the object has yet to be definitively established, as well as the person responsible for the injury.

Oakland Interim Police Chief Howard Jordan defended the officers involved in the effort to drive protesters from the encampment, saying they used what they believed to be the least amount of force possible to protect themselves.

"I want to ensure you that all allegations of misconduct and excessive uses of force are being thoroughly investigated," Jordan said.

His comments came on Friday, the same day that left-wing filmmaker Michael Moore rallied a gathering in Oakland. Moore addressed about 1,000 anti-Wall Street protesters, saying the Occupy movement has changed the national discussion.

"When was the last time in the last few weeks you heard them talking about the debt ceiling?" said Moore, the director of the documentary films "Fahrenheit 9/11" and "Bowling for Columbine."

Meanwhile, the encampment at the plaza near city hall has returned and grown to about 50 tents, with organizers saying up to a thousand people were in the area late Friday with very few police in sight.

Across San Francisco Bay, protesters were encouraged to wear Halloween costumes for a Saturday march scheduled for 3 p.m. in San Francisco, where protesters are camped out in a city plaza.

Christine Falvey, a spokeswoman for that city's mayor, Ed Lee, said he wants to avoid the type of police confrontations that happened in Oakland but that the camp cannot remain for "too many more days" because of health concerns.

Events were also planned on Saturday in Sacramento, Los Angeles and its suburbs. Protesters gathered at Van Nuys's city hall for an Occupy San Fernando Valley event, and a few dozen protesters marched peacefully through Lancaster, about 50 miles north of Los Angeles, in the mostly rural Antelope Valley.

Organizer Angel Warner said the rally in the city of about 150,000 was a precursor to a full-blown Occupy Antelope Valley movement that she hopes will begin Nov. 5. The group was working on obtaining permits to set up long-term outside Lancaster's city hall.

Farther south, police in San Diego descended early Friday on an encampment that had housed demonstrators at the Civic Center Plaza and Children's Park for three weeks. They arrested 51 people who faced charges including illegal lodging, illegal drug use, unlawful assembly and blocking officers from performing their duties.

San Diego police Chief William Lansdowne said negotiations with demonstrators had broken down and officers received no cooperation, leading to the overnight raid.

In California's agricultural heartland, officials were preparing to oust a group of about 30 demonstrators from next to a Fresno County courthouse. County officials said protesters had ignored some requirements of their permit, including limiting the gathering to about 20 people. They gave notice Friday that the permit would expire midnight Monday, and that demonstrators faced jail time and $500 fines if they remained.

Yet the movement in Fresno continued to gather support. Maria Torres, 86, said she worked with Cesar Chavez as an organizer of the farmworkers' movement in the 1960s and stopped by the encampment to boost morale.

"I'm too old now to do much, but I want to be a part of it," she said in Spanish.

__

Watson reported from San Diego. Contributing to this report were Associated press reporters Chris Weber in Los Angeles; Tracie Cone in Fresno; Terence Chea and Jason Dearen in San Francisco; and Garance Burke in Oakland.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iraq/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111029/ap_on_re_us/us_occupy_california

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Consumers confidence highest in India - Nielsen (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) ? Global consumer confidence remained weak in the third quarter with more than 60 percent of consumers saying it was not a good time to spend, and one-in-three North Americans saying they have no spare cash, a survey showed on Sunday.

Confidence was highest in India for a seventh straight quarter but India's reading fell 5 points from the second quarter and Saudi Arabia was catching up.

The economic outlook, followed by job security, became consumers' biggest concern in the third quarter, overtaking worries about rising inflation, according to the quarterly survey by global analytics and information company Nielsen.

The Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence Index dipped just 1 point in the third quarter from the second quarter to 88 points, but it was shored up by a surge in confidence in emerging economies Brazil and Saudi Arabia, which masked weak confidence in major developed economies.

A reading below 100 indicates consumers are pessimistic about the economic outlook for the coming months.

Consumer morale in the euro zone remained especially weak, notably in France, as the region's debt crisis deepened during the summer. Confidence in Greece, at the centre of the crisis, actually rose sharply but it was still the fourth-weakest of markets surveyed. Confidence was lowest in Hungary.

One-in-five Europeans said they have no extra cash to spend, although that was better than one-in-three North Americans. Confidence in European powerhouse Germany was better than much of Europe and the United States, but like the U.S. its reading dipped 1 point from the second quarter.

"The third quarter was volatile and challenging for global economies and financial markets amid stagnant U.S. unemployment figures and a worsening euro zone debt crisis," said Venkatesh Bala, chief economist at The Cambridge Group, a part of Nielsen.

"A recessionary mindset is growing among consumers as more than half say they are currently in a recession -- up 4 percentage points from last quarter and 7 points from the start of the year. The result is continued spending restraint for discretionary expenses, which is expected to continue into next year."

The survey, taken between Aug. 30 and Sept. 16 and covering 28,000 consumers in 56 countries, showed 64 percent of consumers globally saying it was not a good time to spend.

Financial markets picked up last week following a euro zone agreement to tackle its debt crisis and after encouraging third-quarter U.S. economic growth data, but further positive data will be required to reassure consumers.

Confidence in China dipped a point while in Europe the Baltic states of Latvia and Lithuania saw a surge in confidence, though it was still relatively low.

The survey showed that global consumers facing tighter budgets would cut back on clothing purchases, dining out and buying electronics and appliances before anything else.

"If the global economic climate worsens, these three sectors appear to be particularly vulnerable," said Bala.

The survey is based on consumers' confidence in the job market, status of their personal finances and readiness to spend.

Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence Index in the third quarter, 2011 (Change from Q2, 2011 survey in brackets):

Top 10 index readings Bottom 10 index readings

India 121 (-5) Estonia 72 (+6)

Saudi Arabia 120 (+13) Lithuania 71 (+11)

Indonesia 114 (+2) Latvia 69 (+12)

Philippines 112 (-3) Ireland 64 (0)

Brazil 112 (+16) France/Japan/Spain 56^

Thailand 109 (+4) Italy 52 (-3)

UAE 105 (-5) Greece 51 (+10)

China/Hong Kong 104 (-1,-3) Romania/S.Korea/Croatia 49*

Norway/Malaysia 101 (+3,-9) Portugal 40 (-2)

Switzerland 99 (-9) Hungary 37 (-6)

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Global consumer confidence average 88 (-1)

United States 77 (-1)

Germany 87 (-1)

UK 73 (+1)

^ (-13,+1,-4)

* (+2,-3,+4)

Source: The Nielsen Company

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/india/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111030/india_nm/india602004

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