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POPSNew quantum algorithm helpes solving big problems. “Large-scale linear systems of equations exist in many fields, such as weather prediction, engineering, and computer vision”, says Harrow. “Quantum computers could supply serious improvements for these and many other problems. For example, a trillion-variable problem would take a classical computer at least a hundred trillion steps to solve, but using the new algorithm, a quantum computer could solve the problem in just a few hundred steps”. The solution could also be applied to other complex processes such as image and video processing, genetic analyses and even Internet traffic control. Sounds pretty good to me!
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POPSSocialism Kills: The Human Cost of Delayed Economic Reform in India
What would the impact on social indicators have been had India commenced economic reform one decade earlier, and enjoyed correspondingly faster economic growth and improvements in human development indicators? This paper seeks to estimate the number of "missing children," "missing literates," and "missing non-poor" resulting from delayed reform, slower economic growth, and hence, slower improvement of social indicators. It finds that with earlier reform, 14.5 million more children would have survived, 261 million more Indians would have become literate, and 109 million more people would have risen above the poverty line. The delay in economic reform represents an enormous social tragedy. It drives home the point that India's socialist era, which claimed it would deliver growth with social justice, delivered neither. by Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar Swaminathan Aiyar is a research fellow at the Cato Institute's Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity
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POPSU.K. Economic Contraction Is Longest on Record The British economy has now contracted for six successive quarters, making this the longest downturn since the agency started its data series in 1955. And it is starting to further lag behind the 16-member euro area, where France and Germany are contributing to broad improvements in manufacturing, services and consumer demand. Jean-Michel Six, chief European economist at Standard & Poor’s, said the divergence appeared to stem from the higher level of consumer indebtedness in Britain. “U.K. consumers are coming out of a period of very significant leveraging, and the process of unwinding that is long and painful,” he said. “You would expect savings rates to grow and credit demand to fall, weighing on the economy.” Meanwhile, German business confidence in October rose to its highest level in 13 months, according to the Ifo economic research institute in Munich.
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POPS"Final nail in Trans Texas Corridor's coffin" "Earlier this year, state officials announced the Trans Texas Corridor was essentially dead, in large part because of public outrage and a backlash from state legislators who felt the transportation department had overstepped its bounds. But despite that announcement, the planning process for the Trans Texas Corridor continued behind the scenes."
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POPSSuper Sperm more (at source): The researcher said: 'Sometimes, during the fine-tuning process, high rates of infertility can be seen. That's probably the reason for the very high rates of unexplained infertility in the last decades.' Dr Hasson, of Tel Aviv University in Israel, says women's bodies have gradually evolved extra 'defences' to force sperm to become more competitive to reach the egg at all. Men have responded by making more of the aggressive super-sperm. Once the first sperm fertilises an egg, a woman's body throws up a further range of biochemical defences to stop all the others reaching it. Dr Hasson said: 'To avoid the fatal consequences of polyspermy, female reproductive tracts have evolved to become formidable barriers to sperm.
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POPSFacebook 'enhances intelligence' but Twitter 'diminishes it' more: A number who started off close to the bottom of the class ended up near the top. ''It was a massive effect,'' said Dr Alloway, who today gave a talk on working memory at the start of the British Science Festival at the University of Surrey in Guildford. Video games that involve planning and strategy, such as those from the Total War series, may also train working memory, Dr Alloway believes. ''I'm not saying they're good for your socialisation skills, but they do make you use your working memory,'' she said. ''You're keeping track of past actions and mapping the actions you're going to take.''
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POPS Jobs Takes Stage Again At Apple The stock gave up those gains, though, as the holiday rollout failed to include substantial surprises, notably the inclusion of Beatles music in the iTunes online store. Instead, Mr Jobs touted a revamp to iTunes, now called iTunes 9, with $1.29 ringtones, whilst Jeff Robbin, vice-president of iTunes engineering, demonstrated the extras that will now come with the sale of a full album, including photos, lyrics and, in some cases, exclusive video.
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POPSCongreesman Rogers on Health Care reform Someone who seems to know what's IN the bill and how it will apply to the majority of us. I'm for reform but not at the expense of taking away personal choices, penalizing businesses, dictating (aka. suggesting/helping) to our elderly and bringing on massive restructuring. As someone has suggested, I don't think our health care programs are as *sick* as Washington would like us to believe. The elimination of fraud and some tort reform, plus returning illegals to wherever they came from (in a humane way) would go a long way to beginning to make some significant improvements.
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POPSThe emergent danger to personal liberty More: (Unfortunately, the use of government as a tool to enhance liberty is anathema to conservatives, focused as they are on the eighteenth-century threat alone.) If we lose this health insurance battle—or even if we win it—I’m still a progressive. I’ll still be pushing to right the balance. I expect to work on it all my life. …3. I worked for a while with a sister of one of the McLibel defendants. I know how bad it can get. Click through to read the whole thing, including footnotes 1 & 2.
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POPSFurther refutation of the Obamoid "settlement freeze" formula Michael Oren is Israel's ambassador to the US. He is also an IDF veteran and a historian of some note. His book, Power, Faith, and Fantasy covers the two-hundred-years US history of relations with Arab/Muslim nations. His article here of course is in support of Netanyahu's policy towards the West Bank. That's to be expected since Oren is Netanyayhu's ambassador. But the point is that Oren/Netanyahu have some facts on their side while the Obamoids only have Power, Faith, and Fantasy
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POPSStimulus Program fraught with waste, report says A Republican senator's office says stimulus funds are going toward dubious projects, such as a $3.4-million tunnel for turtles. Obama aides say the report is flawed. Around the Web Obama’s questionable stimulus plans|weblogs.chicagotribune.com
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POPSSarah Palin's Health Care Admin. Legacy? Dead Alaskans. Exposed again, Sarah. Your administrative acumen amounts to that which comes out of the south end of a moose headed north. Your political posturing has cost people their lives. You are proven dangerous to the public well-being. Give it up. Your 15 minutes are long over.
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POPSEye drops 'may reverse glaucoma' t might boost the capacity of healthy RGCs to form new connections within the optic nerve, to compensate for any damage that had already taken place. However, nerve growth factor cannot rescue RGCs that have already died - in common with brain tissue, the optic nerve cannot regenerate.
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POPSRed Cross Says: Guantanamo Prison Better
More good news and positive change from the USA Obama Administration. When I read a few years ago, during the growing nightmare of the Bush years, that the Red Cross was being hindered in access to Gitmo prisoners, I was disgusted. It was incredible --- impossible -- hard to believe that an American (U.S.) military and/or government would so deprive prisoners and snub international law....but that was an image of Americans fed by non-stop propaganda war movies...and certainly perhaps more true in World War 2, not now. Denying access to the Red Cross!? -- The military also hid some prisoners and some info when the Red Cross was around -- it was a disgrace, a loss of all honor (if there is any honor fighting a one-sided war started with deliberately fabricated lies) Good for Obama. It seems he's also on track to live up to the promise to have the prison closed by the start of next year. National health care plans now in the spotlight and he once again lead the fight for impro
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POPSTroubled Alaska health programs face federal restriction
The programs at issue provide in-home help for thousands of Alaskans with the basics of life, from medication to meals. The goal is to help people stay in their own homes rather than go into nursing homes or other institutions. "Rather than continue to let the state admit more and more people into what we believe has been a poorly managed system, we just said hold the phone, we're going to try to find other ways to serve these people, and we're going to stop enrollment in this program because we are quite concerned." Said Mary Kahn, a spokeswoman for the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Eight lawsuits have been filed against the state The common thread in the suits is that seniors and disabled Alaskans aren't getting the services they are entitled to, under the law. In one big win, the state Supreme Court ruled last year that the state had improperly cut off or reduced services to more than 1,000 needy people. Apparently, Sarah knows about death panels.
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POPSReduced pollution leads to Global Warming??? Ok, let me get this straight. We need to enact job killing-and utility raising-legislation to combat GW. Yet, when pollution is reduced the byproduct is? Global Warming. (we'll just pretend that the temp hasn't dramatically dropped this century-that is irrelevant) So, pollution causes GW AND removal of pollution causes GW. Why can't people see the stupidity of the whole argument for bankrupting us? Bet China will be clean and sunny soon. bwaaahaaaaaahaaaa.
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POPSPopulation and Sustainability "The sustainability benefits of level or falling human numbers are too powerful to ignore for long" The question remains however, in what fashion can we individually change the sustainability balance. important article.
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POPSMayo Clinic Not Impressed: Gibbs Comes Up Blank! Mayo Sees Potential in New IMAC Proposal Late yesterday, Mayo Clinic became aware of the concept of development of an Independent Medicare Advisory Council. We applaud the direction of this proposal. We view favorably the concept of an independent body that can move Medicare to a “value- based payment” model. An independent Medicare advisory commission focused on defining value, measuring it, and finding ways to pay for value could have significant, positive impact on health care for the long term. While we think the proposal’s timeline of 2014 is too long to wait to see value-based reforms, we look forward to working with the administration on refining and strengthening their new proposal. This, and other, bold concepts have the potential to “bend the cost curve” in U.S. health spending without compromising health. Obama Loves Mayo, But Mayo Does Not Love Him (Update: Gibbs Responds, Badly) Indeed, the Mayo Clinic is a model for great care at lower costs.
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POPSMayo Clinic's reaction to House Tri-Committe bill I sincerely hope that Congress will listen to those in the health care workplace. I'm all for some changes but the *rush* is foolish. And let's face it...what does Congress know about medicine, doctors, medical insurance, and what is best for those struggling with illnesses and the bills? No big deal for them; they are always well cared for. "..not patient focused or results oriented..." Yep! Hello elected Representatives!
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