Looking at your Facebook page may help you accept criticism and weather attacks on your ego, a study suggests.
That time you're spending on Facebook may not be wasted productivity, after all.
At least, that's what yet another Facebook-based study has found.
You may remember Stuart Smiley, the fey self-affirmation addict portrayed on "Saturday Night Live" by now-Sen. Al Franken. He stares into the mirror and declares, "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and, dog gone it, people like me."
That's what Facebook does, according to a study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
We already know that looking at other people's fun times on Facebook could make you envious. And we've seen that you are what you like on Facebook — a computer algorithm based on "likes" can home in on such things as sexual orientation, political leanings and psychological traits including openness and conscientiousness.
So, think of your Facebook page as Stuart Smiley's mirror: It contains a lot of your core beliefs and preferences, and it puts your network of friends and family at your reach. In psychologist language, it can "satisfy fundamental ego needs regarding desired self-images."
You can't directly measure any Facebook bump in self-esteem or any bump generated other ways. But you can measure defensive behavior to criticism. It's been shown that the self-affirmation experiences similar to those spoofed by Stuart Smiley reduce defensive responses that are naturally elicited by ego threats.
Psychologists have tested this repeatedly. Usually they ask a participant to list strongly held beliefs and write an essay about the top one. After that, the participant invariably reacts better to a blow against the ego. The essay acts as self-affirmation.
The participant who chooses to write about a lower-ranked value but about how others may think it's important generally is more defensive. The essay had no self-affirming effect.
Turns out, looking at your own Facebook page is the social network equivalent of that first essay. Looking at another person's page is the non-affirming experience.
Catalina Toma, at the University of Wisconsin, and Jeffrey Hancock, at Cornell, study communication and social networks. They devised two experiments. In the first, some students got to look at their own Facebook page, while others looked at a stranger's page (it turned out to be another study participant's page). Some wrote the self-affirming essay, while others wrote the more neutral one.
Now the ruse: Participants were told they were there to evaluate a distance-learning public speaking course. Each was to write a short speech on the legality of abortion and deliver it to a camera, then get feedback and rate the feedback by various aspects. The trick: Participants wound up with the same negative feedback.
What happened? Results were as expected: less defensive response from people exposed to self-affirmation activity; more from those who did not get that experience. And it turned out that the proportion between those two responses was the same for those who wrote the essays as for those who viewed Facebook pages.
“Facebook has just as big an effect on self-esteem as traditional tools,” Hancock said.
But would someone who gets a negative feedback actively seek solace in Facebook? The second experiment tested that. They used a similar cover story: testing a public speaking program. But this time feedback was randomly negative or neutral. After the feedback, participants were allowed to choose an activity: looking at their own Facebook page, watching YouTube videos, listening to online music, reading online news or playing online video games.
After receiving neutral feedback, participants were equally likely to choose any of those activities. About 30% chose Facebook. But nearly twice as many chose Facebook after negative feedback.
Well, maybe more people prefer Facebook over the other activities, right? Researchers took that into account.
Facebook's rank among the activity choices (tested before the experiment) for those who got negative feedback was lower than the average rating of the other activities.
Why would any of this be important? Well, it gives experimenters a new tool to use instead of the essay, and there are about a billion people who use Facebook in any given month. That's a gigantic laboratory.
But Facebook might one day be part of therapies that use self-affirmation, such as programs to quit smoking or to change other habits.
“Anything you need to be stronger at, self-affirmation is good for you,” Hancock said.
Maybe you'll find that you're good enough, smart enough and, dog gone it, people press the like icon on your posts.


Apple and Aetna have partnered to create a new iPhone app that rewards Aetna members for taking meeting fitness goals.
Business Insider reports Aetna members have the opportunity to earn rewards like gift cards to major retailers while using the Apple Watch.
The app, called Attain, is expected to launch in spring 2019.
App users need both an iPhone 5S or later and any Apple Watch.


The property market in Taipei has not seen new large luxury home projects so far this year as developers shun such products, which remain a tough sell despite a recovery in property transactions, the Chinese-language Housing Monthly (住展雜誌) has reported.
The magazine defines luxury homes as apartments larger than 100 ping (330m2) that appeal to wealthy buyers.
Luxury projects — which last year totaled NT$85 billion (US$2.75 billion at the current exchange rate), the highest since a peak in 2013 — were nowhere to be found in the first quarter of this year and the situation might persist through the rest of the year if Taozhu Garden (陶朱隱園) in the Xinyi District (信義) does not join the market, Housing Monthly research manager Ho Shih-chang (何世昌) said.
Luxury home projects approached NT$90 billion in 2013, but plunged to NT$35 billion in 2014 following a spate of government measures to cool the property market, Ho said.
Developers shunned upscale home projects from 2015 to 2017, but regained confidence last year, with projects in Daan (大安), Zhongshan (中山) and Xinyi districts receiving a boost thanks to their convenient location and expectations of capital repatriation, Ho said.
Luxury homes serve as a critical confidence barometer on the part of developers, the analyst said.
While the government has offered tax incentives to encourage capital repatriation, developers have refrained from launching new luxury home projects, Ho said, adding that projects already in the pipeline for some time have yet to enter the market.
Political uncertainty due to next year’s presidential election might drive developers to the sidelines as election campaigns heat up in the second half of this year, he said.
Developers might also want to digest unsold projects first to ease selling pressure and lend support to prices, Ho said.
New luxury home projects might have difficulty competing with unsold units due to a lack of land supply in popular locations, Ho said, adding that most unsold luxury homes are built on plots acquired years ago.
In addition, developers prefer to build small apartments because of their lower funding threshold, and buyers can buy two units and convert them into one large apartment if they want more space, Ho said.
The absence of new luxury homes is favorable for unsold units, making them more competitive and attractive, he said, adding that their transactions might pick up if sellers reduce prices a bit.


TAIWAN RESCUERS SCOURED a river for 12 people still missing from a TransAsia plane crash today, as the pilot, who died in the crash, was hailed a hero for apparently battling to avoid hitting built-up areas.
Hundreds of rescuers in boats, as well as divers and soldiers mounted the search in the chilly waters, as the death toll rose to 31 with more bodies located including those of the pilot and co-pilot, authorities said.
The TransAsia ATR 72-600 crashed shortly after take-off from Songshan airport in Taipei Wednesday, hitting an elevated road as it banked sidelong towards the Keelung River, leaving a trail of debris including a smashed taxi.
In an operation overnight large parts of the plane’s fuselage were lifted from the river, enabling rescuers to recover bodies trapped inside, while divers Thursday battled strong currents to search downstream for more victims.
Pilot Liao Chien-tsung was applauded by aviation experts for apparently steering the turboprop plane, which had 53 passengers and five crew on board, away from populated areas, potentially avoiding more deaths and damage.
“The pilot apparently made a conscious effort to avoid further and unnecessary casualties by ditching in the river. It was a very courageous move,” Hong Kong-based aviation analyst Daniel Tsang told AFP.
Emotional citizens posted their praise and condolences on social media sites.
“I believe the pilot managed to steer the plane away from high-rise buildings, he is a hero,” Gin Oy, a writer and actress, said on her Facebook page.
The Apple Daily newspaper ran a front-page story thanking “the pilot for saving Taipei”.
“We are proud of him. He was very brave to avoid the buildings,” Liao’s aunt told reporters at a funeral home in Taipei.
Friends and relatives described the 41-year-old Liao as a diligent and family-loving man from a humble background who studied hard to join the air force before becoming a commercial pilot.
President Ma Ying-jeou paid his respects to the victims and comforted their families at a funeral home in Taipei and visited the wounded at several hospitals.
Near the river, dozens of weeping relatives called out the names of their loved who perished as monks chanted scripts and waved the victims’ clothes in front the plane’s wreckage in a religious ritual to guide the spirits home.
Condolences from abroad poured in.
Pope Francis sent a message to Taiwan’s archbishop Hung Shan-chuan offering prayers for the dead and “strength and comfort” for the injured and mourning.
The United States’ de facto embassy in Taiwan also offered its condolences.
An investigation into the cause of the crash is underway, with aviation experts from France and Canada expected to arrive in Taiwan this week, Taiwanese authorities said.
Tales of miracle escapes have emerged. Television footage showed a father cuddling his toddler son as they were taken to shore by boat after being rescued Wednesday.
Together with the child’s mother, the family had switched seats on the plane “out of a hunch” that saved their lives, the United Daily News said, quoting a family friend.
Their new seats put them next to a crack in the plane after it crashed and Lin was able to pull his wife to safety and then revive his son after spotting him in the water, blue and unresponsive.
“My brother just can’t live without his son. When he found him, after lying in cold water for three minutes and with no signs of breathing or heartbeat, he performed CPR. He brought his son back,” survivor Lin’s brother Lin Ming-yi told reporters.
A 72-year-old man who helped several fellow passengers unbuckle their seat belts to get to safety recounted his story on local TV.
“I sensed that there was something wrong with the engine soon after take-off and told the girl sitting next to me to quickly unbuckle her safety belt … and then (the plane) went down,” soldier Huang Chin-shun told ETTV cable news channel.
The accident, which occurred on a domestic route to the island of Kinmen, was the second fatal crash for TransAsia since July.
Desperate crew shouted “Mayday! Mayday! Engine flameout!” as the plane plunged out of the sky, according to a recording thought to be the final message from the cockpit to the control tower.
Among the 15 survivors of the crash, 26-year-old flight attendant Huang Jin-ya was lucky for the second time — she was supposed to be on the plane that crashed in July, killing 48, but switched her shift, according to local reports.
A total of 31 Chinese nationals were onboard the plane, with at least 16 dead, 12 missing and three injured, the government said.
Some of the grieving relatives arrived in Taiwan on Thursday.
Local media reported that among the Chinese victims, 26-year-old tour leader Wang Qinghuo from Xiamen was due to get married on Sunday.
China’s minister for Taiwan affairs Zhang Zhijun has postponed a scheduled visit to the island of Kinmen following the accident, a statement from Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said.
The Civil Aeronautics Administration has grounded a total of 22 ATR planes from two Taiwanese airlines for safety checks following the accident.
Email “Twelve people still missing from scene of Taiwan plane crash ”.
Feedback on “Twelve people still missing from scene of Taiwan plane crash ”.


Many thanks to those of you who nominated all our super volunteers. We received 152 nominations. And, after two rounds of judging and some very close votes, we have our winners.
Lou Gatch, Tammy Jewell, Reita Smith, Glenn Stephenson, and Charles Tompkins all claimed a medal on Tuesday night. Glenn Stephenson will now go on to Washington to compete for a national award.
A big congratulations all who were nominated. Hopefully, we will see your names again next year.
LOU GATCH spear-heads a furniture-building project for the Furniture Bank of Central Ohio. He and his team developed a system to speed up the production of much-needed dressers for people transitioning into housing. Lou’s system took dresser production from one per week to up to 48 per week.
TAMMY JEWELL grew up poor and often didn’t have basic hygiene items, which made an already difficult life even more so. So, Tammy started God’s Hygiene Help Center, providing free toiletries to those who need them, so that young people and their families can keep their pride and dignity.
REITA SMITH has spent 60-plus years preserving and telling the story of her ancestors and the community of Poindexter Village and Columbus’s Near East Side. Reita, an expert in African American genealogy, has volunteered thousands of hours working on the dream of a Poindexter Village Museum to honor one of the first public housing projects in the country.
GLENN STEPHENSON has turned a family suicide experience into a mission to help others who are thinking about ending their lives. He’s been a volunteer with the Suicide Prevention Hotline for 19 years and is a first-responder to suicide scenes, supporting those who’ve just suffered a loss. Glenn also trains and mentors other volunteers with Franklin County’s Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors organization.
CHARLES THOMPKINS has served the Milo Grogan community for more than 30 years, changing thousands of lives in that neighborhood through his work on the area commission. Charles runs holiday meal and adopt-a-family programs, coaches the youth baseball team, and spear-headed an effort to revitalize and clean up the community and re-open the community center.
JO ALEXANDER has served on the board of the Neighborhood House, Inc., where she helped with grant acquisitions, service programs and fundraising. She is currently president of the board of NAMI Franklin County, where she has been a tireless champion for the mentally ill and their families.
LYNNE ARONSON founded Stop the Suffering to help rescue shelter pets in rural Ohio through foster and adoption programs. STS saves pets that are scheduled for euthanasia by transporting them to approved rescue programs and finding them new forever homes.
KATHY BRAIDICH is the founder of the Turban Project, creating attractive headwear for people who are losing their hair due to medical issues. Kathy and her volunteers have turned out more than 27,500 turbans, caps and beanies, sending them to 33 cancer treatment centers for their patients.
REV. RICHARD ELLSWORTH served as Chaplain of the Columbus Divisions of Fire and Police for decades and has been Chaplain for the Ohio Highway Patrol since 1991. For the last 61 years, this WWII veteran has supported the Central Ohio community in several capacities.
KATHY FAUSNAUGH helped create Westfall C.A.R.E.S. to assist homeless and food-deprived students in the rural Westfall School District. This group makes sure that students and their families have nutritious meals, even over the holidays.
BARBARA FREEMAN is a human trafficking survivor who uses her experience to help other trafficking victims. Barbara goes into prisons to offer support to victims, drives around the city trying to identify and rescue women who need help, and runs a safe house for those victims.
RICK HAHN, owner of Nancy’s Home Cooking, uses his restaurant to help feed the hungry and the homeless, continuing the legacy of the restaurant’s former owner. Rick has taken it a step further. With his Pay Forward program, restaurant patrons can donate and help feed and clothe those in need.
AUNDRE HOWARD has spent countless hours volunteering for Equitas Health Care and for the Special Emphasis Program at the Defense Supply Center Columbus. Aundre works to make sure that all people, especially minorities, women and those with disabilities, are treated fairly.
JOSEPH MACHADO is a Viet Nam veteran and a long-time volunteer for Honor Flight. He’s also the founder of Veteran Interfaith Bridge, whose mission is to expand support for Ohio’s active and reserve military, veterans and their families through faith-based communities.
RAY O’NEAL has been blind since he was a child. But that hasn’t stopped him from being a dedicated Goodwill employee and community volunteer. Ray has worked with Voicecorps Radio Reading Service and the American Council of the Blind. And he developed community programs designed to teach the public that people living with blindness are just like anyone else.
DR. DANA ROBINSON-STREET is a retired Navy Lieutenant who is on a mission to improve the lives of veterans. As a member of the Women Veterans ROCK Campaign, she works to make sure that veterans have the services they need to transition from military to civilian life. Dana is also lobbying for the establishment of a veterans home in Central Ohio.
ANNA ROSIER has spent almost half of her eleven years supporting those in need. Anna organizes donations for the homeless, collecting blankets, lunches, and toiletry bags. In 2018, Anna delivered 350 lunches, 100 hygiene bags, and 90 blankets to the homeless.
JANET SOLTIS, a retired English teacher, still enjoys spending time with young people. So, she volunteers at Huckleberry House, helping teenagers who are experiencing some kind of crisis. She cooks with them, baking cookies and making Rice Krispy Treats … anything to help get their minds off their troubles for just a little while. Janet has also started a scholarship fund for the young women at Huck House.
LESLIE TWIGG has used her job as an elementary school music teacher to grow a program that helps patients at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. For 20 years now, Leslie has had her students make pillows for the children at NCH. What began as a project for her second-grade class is now a school-wide project. Leslie and her team gave the hospital 700 pillows this year.
MICK YINGER spent more than 20 years in law enforcement and has seen it all. Like many first responders, he has lived through traumatic events that impacted him, and, ultimately, his family. So Mick started The Bridge to help first responders deal with the aftermath of violence, fatalities, devastation and other job-related stresses. The Bridge offers counseling and support to the responders and their families.


Most of the analysts tracking the stock remain bullish and believe that FSL deserves better valuations.
The stock is on the reversal trend after a steep correction headed towards Rs 58 as against the current market price of Rs 48.55, said technical analysts.
Billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala has increased his stake in business process outsourcing services provider Firstsource Solutions (FSL) during the March quarter from 2.89 per cent to 3.26 per cent as the stock was available cheaper in terms of valuations after a correction of 50 per cent between September 2018 and February 2019.
Most of the analysts tracking the stock remain bullish and believe that FSL deserves better valuations on expectations of high dividend yield and healthy cash generation.
“We are bullish on the stock considering reasonable valuations, healthy cash generation and 3.3 per cent dividend yield, even though the company’s execution remains patchy,” said Dipesh Mehta, analyst, SBICAP Securities.
FSL has corrected 20 per cent and 15 per cent in the last six months and one-year, respectively, due to revenue miss on the back of execution slippages. FSL has lowered FY19 revenue growth guidance to closer to mid-single digits from earlier 7-9 per cent. However, the management is confident of 3-4 per cent QoQ growth in March 2019 quarter based on deal signings and better estimated growth in FY20 considering growth momentum in BFSI, healthcare provider, and mortgage businesses negating headwinds.


Scientists working with deaf gerbils say they had found a way of coaxing early stem cells into specialised ear cells.
Do we have to learn to hear?
Ask an Expert Do we have to learn to hear? When do we learn to recognise particular noises?
Quiz We live in a world of sound, but our ability to hear the world around us declines as we age. Take our quiz to find out how much you know about this very sensitive sense.
Is there such a thing as a super hearer?
Ask an Expert Can some people hear sound frequencies that most people can't?
Why do you 'hear the ocean' in a seashell?
Great Moments in Science We live in a sea of sound but can we capture the essence of the ocean in a seashell? Dr Karl visits the seaside to see what he can hear.
Chewing, talking or singing might potentially help protect your hearing, suggests an Australian researcher.
A new treatment that retrains part of the brain that processes sound may help silence tinnitus, say US researchers.


See something on Twitter that may be false? Maybe an alternative fact?
The company is "exploring" a feature that would let you flag the tweet as containing "misleading, false, or harmful information," The Washington Post reported Thursday, citing two anonymous people familiar with the matter.
It remains to be seen if the feature will ever see the light of the day.
"We are not currently testing this nor do we have any current plans to ship it," a Twitter spokesperson told Mashable.
Twitter product managers and engineers, like those at other tech companies, often brainstorm and create features that never get implemented. Take, for example, Twitter's exploration of expanding tweets to more than 140 characters or an edit button.
Introducing a fake news button wouldn't be too difficult. Twitter already has a drop-down menu on each tweet where Twitter users can report a tweet as harassment, for example. According to the anonymous sources speaking to The Washington Post, the feature could appear in this menu.
Meanwhile, Facebook, Twitter's big competitor in the industry of sharing news on a social media platform, has taken the fight against fake news seriously.
Facebook's latest effort, announced this week, involves forbidding publishers to change the headline or image of an article. Facebook also rolled out a tool in March that cites third-party fact-checking organizations like Snopes and Politifact when a story shared on the platform potentially contains false information.
Twitter isn't naive to fake news being shared on the platform. Indeed, its new ad campaign involved someone sharing alternative facts related to climate change.


BERLIN — Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden said in an interview broadcast Sunday that U.S. officials might take deadly revenge against him for disclosing American surveillance secrets.
Snowden told the German public TV broadcaster ARD that he had not faced any direct threats or intimidation since seeking asylum in Russia last summer. But he cited an article from the Web site Buzzfeed that quoted anonymous officials from the U.S. military and National Security Agency as saying they wished they could kill him.
“There are clear threats, but I’m not losing any sleep over them,” Snowden said, according to a German-language voice-over of the interview. An English-language transcript was not immediately available.
The 30-year-old also accused the U.S. government of spying on German companies, even if the information gathered would not serve national security needs. Snowden cited the engineering and electronics company Siemens as an example of firms that might be targeted.
Since last June, Snowden has released a massive trove of top-secret documents, which depict the U.S. government’s surveillance of telephone records, e-mail and private computers. He is facing U.S. charges of stealing and leaking classified information.
Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. told MSNBC recently that the U.S. government “would engage in conversation” about a deal for Snowden if the former contractor took responsibility for leaking secret government documents. But Holder ruled out clemency or amnesty.
Snowden’s attorney, Jesselyn Radack, responded Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that it was ”a little disheartening” that clemency or amnesty appeared to be off the table.
The whistleblower, who fled the United States last year, denied accusations that he had shared secret information with the Russian government in exchange for asylum or collaborated with China or any other government. He appeared to be referring to allegations by U.S. lawmakers that he was spying for Russia or another foreign government. Instead, Snowden said, he had been working alone and had provided the documents to journalists for them to make public.
The interview comes days after a rare appearance by President Obama on German television, apparently aimed at calming a public alarmed by reports — based on Snowden’s information — about the U.S. government’s extensive surveillance of German citizens and government officials.
Germany’s federal prosecutor has announced he is considering an investigation of the NSA’s eavesdropping on Chancellor Angela Merkel’s mobile phone.


Town clerks are expecting long lines at the polls next Tuesday for an election in which voters will be making decisions on presidential candidates, county offices, state referendum questions and a local question in Swansea that will ask people to approve the Community Preservation Act that could have a large impact on the local area, state and country.
Somerset Town Clerk Patricia Hart said she expects to see over 80 percent of the registered voters in Somerset come to the polls next Tuesday. She said the presidential election is what is drawing the interest.
"I think it's going to be a very busy day, so be prepared to possibly wait a little bit," Ms. Hart said.
The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. next Tuesday in Somerset and Swansea. Ms. Hart said the longest lines at the polls during the day will probably be when people get out of work between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., so she advised people to vote during the day if they can.
In Somerset, voters in Precinct One can go to the Somerset Water Department on County Street to cast their ballots, voters in Precinct Two can go to the Chace Street School, voters in Precinct Three can go to the Somerset Public Library on County Street, voters in Precinct Four can go to the Somerset Middle School on Brayton Avenue and voters in Precinct Five can go to the Wilbur Elementary School on Brayton Point Road. In Swansea, voters in Precinct One can cast their ballots at the Elizabeth Brown School, voters in Precinct Two can vote at the Swansea Ambulance Corps building at 285 Wilbur Ave., voters in Precinct Three and Precinct Five can vote at St. Dominic's Hall on Route 6 and voters in Precinct Four can vote at Fire Station 4 at 1680 G.A.R. Highway.
For president, the candidates are Democrat Barack Obama, Republican John McCain, Independent Ralph Nader, Green Party candidate Cynthia McKinney, Libertarian Bob Barr and Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin.
U.S. Senator John Kerry is being challenged in the election by Republican Jeffrey Beatty and Libertarian Robert Underwood.
There are two races in Bristol County. Democrat Gina DeRossi, Republican Robert Heroux and unenrolled Roy Santos are seeking the open register of probate seat. There are three candidates who are competing for two county commissioner seats. They include incumbent Democrat Christopher Saunders, Democrat Paul Kitchen and unenrolled Gregory DeMelo.
Over 500 absentee ballots have come into the Somerset town clerk's office which Ms. Hart said is a lot. The absentee ballots have mostly been for people who go to live in Florida during the colder months of the year, college students and nursing home residents. Somerset has about 12,600 registered voters.
"We're getting a lot of voters who are going to vote Democrat," Ms. Hart said. "People have been saying that."
Swansea Town Clerk Susan Taveira said she thinks people are more aware of this election than past elections and will be turning out in large numbers to vote.
"People want to make their voice known," Ms. Taveira said. "I think the media is very influential and you have a lot of younger people coming out to register to vote."
Ms. Taveira advised people to bring their identifications to the polls, even though they may not need them. She said IDs are required if a person registered to vote for the first time, has never voted in an election before, has moved from one house to another house in Swansea or has not filled out a census form in the past year. If a person does not have an identification, Ms. Taveira said he or she can vote provisionally and then the town clerk's office will do research to make sure the person is registered to vote afterwards.


Some Apple Macs have a particularly terrible flaw that lets hackers sneak in and remain undetected, a security researcher has found.
It means a hacker could -- from far away -- force a Mac into a coma. Personal, corporate or government Macs could be spied on in a way that even the best security checks wouldn't discover -- until it's way too late.
"This is scary," said Sarah Edwards, a forensic analyst at the SANS Institute who specializes in reviewing computers for evidence of hacks. "I would never see this. There could be funky stuff going on in the computer system, and I would never know why."
What makes this one so bad? It's a computer bug that runs especially deep in the machine.
All computers have some kind of basic input/output system (BIOS), the core program that brings a machine to life. It's the kind of thing you should never tamper with. And it should obviously remain heavily guarded.
But Macs purchased one year ago or before, apparently, leave a door open.
When a Mac goes into sleep mode and wakes back up, it allows direct access to the BIOS. It's a weird quirk that lets someone tamper with the code there. That's what was discovered recently by Pedro Vilaça, a curious independent computer security researcher in Portugal.
He revealed this vulnerability publicly in a blog post last Friday. He told CNNMoney he alerted Apple directly soon thereafter.
Apple (AAPL) did not respond to questions about this flaw -- nor would it say when it plans to release an update to fix it.
Several cybersecurity experts confirmed to CNNMoney that this is a real problem, and they plan to research further in the next few weeks.
This isn't an easy hack. An attacker first needs administrative access to a machine. But what this means is that if a Mac gets hacked with a low-level computer virus, it can bury so deep you'll never find it.
That's the real problem here. It gives hackers more time to plot a massive bank heist or a huge corporate takedown, like the Sony Pictures hack.
So, who's in real danger? High-value targets: think company executives, bankers, politicians, the wealthy, journalists, or anyone else worth spying on for a long period of time.
The average Mac user doesn't have to worry about this one, because they're actually susceptible to cheaper, easier hacks -- that are easier to spot and fix. So says Katie Moussouris, an executive at HackerOne, which helps companies fix dangerous computer bugs.
Tod Beardsley, a security research manager at cybersecurity firm Rapid7, stressed that most Mac users aren't likely to get hacked because of this bug. He said the flaw is "certainly surprising ... but the bar of difficulty is pretty high."
This is the second major flaw in Apple devices discovered in the last week. Recently, people discovered that you can crash someone's iPhone simply by sending it a text message.
Vilaça decided not to name this bug. But every major computer flaw nowadays deserves a name. Given that it involves a poisonous kiss that wakes a sleeping Mac, Moussouris suggests this one: Prince Harming.


Recently, I was gifted with a little bottle of blessed oil brought from an orthodox monastery in Greece. The aroma of this blessed oil is powerful, profound and, yes, mystical.
Obviously, when I say mystical, I am not talking about esotericism. The joint document, entitled "Jesus Christ the Bearer of the Water of life: A Christian reflection on the 'New Age'" issued by the Pontifical Council for Culture and the Pontifical Council for interreligious Dialogue, describes it as "a search for knowledge, and magic, or the occult". On the contrary, what is mystical is revealed because it is not the theoretical knowledge for the chosen few but holiness as the everyday bread and butter for every person. As Jesus himself tells us: "Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven "(Matt 5:19). Therefore, Christian mysticism is about being great and not being small. It is about being authentic and not fake by placing oneself above others.
The bible teaching which tells us that you and me, thanks to Jesus' Spirit in us that we received both at our baptism and at our confirmation, lives in us, is found in Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians. Here Paul says: "But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?" (2 Cor 2:14-16).
Both Jesus Christ and Satan have their aroma. The aroma of Jesus Christ is "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Gal 5:22-23). Moreover, the Bible tells us that Christ's aroma is also compassion, "kindness, lowliness, meekness, ... patience, ... forgive[ness], ... perfect harmony,... love,... thankful[ness], teach[ing], admonish[ing] one another,... do[ing] everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, [and] giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Col 3:12-17).
Almost every person I anoint and pray over with this blessed oil tells me: "Father! What a nice smell this oil has!" You are hundred per cent right my dear brother and sister! Because, if you and I carry within our hearts love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, patience, forgiveness, perfect harmony, thankfulness, teaching, admonishing one another gently, doing everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and giving thanks to God the Father through Him we certainly smell beautiful. The reason is that it is no longer our weak smell of sin that we carry in our hearts but Christ's fragrance. And, when you and I let God's Spirit live in us and cultivate within us these holy and beloved attitudes then Jesus can look at us and say to us personally: "How sweet is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your oils than any spice" (Cant 4:10).
Yes! The fragrance of our oils, the oil of the Holy Spirit, is much more powerful than the spice of this world of sin and death. That is why Satan's aroma is so horrible! It stinks to death! The Bible describes Satan's aroma as being "fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like" (Gal 5:19-21). Because Satan's aroma is eternally destructive, the Bible lovingly warns us to keep away from it: "those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal 5:21).
When you meet me, especially at Mater Dei as I visit patients, their families, hospital staff and going round the hospital following the example of the Merciful Shepherd, remind me to anoint you with this aromatic oil, place my consecrated hands on you and pray that you too be transformed by Christ's aroma.


I’m not sure I even care that there’s another Scream movie. However, I am delighted to note that No. 4 will be continuing the horror-movie tradition of ensuring that teenaged girls in their underwear will be terrorized for our viewing pleasure.
Haven’t seen this. Wasn’t invited to a press screening. Again, not sure if I care.
Scream 4 opens in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. on April 15.


MUZAFFARGARH, Pakistan (AFP) - A Muslim teacher in Pakistan could face the death penalty after being accused of blasphemy, sparking anger from school officials and activists who said the law is being abused to carry out personal vendettas.
Arabic teacher Gibreel Ahmed was arrested at a government school in southern Punjab province on May 14 after allegedly beating two brothers in the sixth grade for not coming to class on time. The students' parents complained to the Government High School Gurmani in Muzaffargarh district, whose head told AFP the 40-year-old teacher had been suspended after an inquiry.
But four days after the original complaint, the parents went to the police to accuse Ahmed of blasphemy, according to the local authorities. The school said no mention of blasphemy had been made before the police complaint.
Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in conservative Muslim Pakistan, where even unproven allegations can stir beatings and mob violence.
Rights groups have said the laws are routinely abused to seek vengeance.
Multan-based lawyer Shahbaz Ali Gurmani, who said he has spoken with the father of the accused, said this was one of those cases.
"The case of this Arabic teacher seems fake and lodged to take revenge from him," he told AFP this week.
"This is happening across Pakistan now, unfortunately, that wherever a blasphemy case is lodged there appears personal, social or political motive behind it in the most cases."
The school's headmaster agreed, saying that the initial complaint from the parents had made no mention of blasphemy.
The teacher did beat the students and was suspended for it, said Mr Qazi Muhammad Ajmal.
But the blasphemy allegation was "baseless", he said, adding that the majority of the school's 16 teachers agreed.
Prominent human rights activist Hina Jillani said police at times act on such complaints as they are afraid of a backlash if they do not.
"In Pakistan, these laws are used to take revenge, for vested interests, unfortunately," she said.
Mr Muhammad Bilal, the father who complained, told AFP that Ahmed would often beat students.
"My son told me on May 10 that the teacher beat them for not carrying out a blasphemous act," he said. "We were angry and we took up the issue."
The teacher is being held in jail as an investigation is carried out, said local police official Javed Akhtar.
Ahmed's father Fazlur Rehman told AFP that the police had refused to take his statement or clarify where they were keeping his son.


Earlier this week, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) released a shortlist of finalists in contention for the IAAF’s prestigious Rising Star Award which is usually presented to athletes under the age of 23 who have shown great promise and posted impressive performances in the year under review.One of the athletes in contention for this award is 19-year old Salwa Eid Naser who competes for Bahrain.
This teenager won a Silver medal in the women’s 400m at the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London, finishing ahead of USA’s most decorated female athlete, Allyson Felix. Naser’s feat earned her the accolade of the youngest ever medalist in the women’s 400m in World Championships history at 19 years, 2 months and 17 days!
Less than two weeks later, she defeated Felix once more at the Diamond League meeting in Birmingham, before going on to set a Bahraini Record of 49.88s in Brussels a week later. Her time is also an Asian U-20 Record!
I’ve had mixed feelings watching the exploits of this talented teenager who took the world by storm in 2017! A part of me feels happy that she is accomplishing great things in her Athletics career; however the patriotic Nigerian in me is sad that Naser is achieving this level of greatness whilst donning the red and white colours of Bahrain, but then I ask myself, would she have attained such feats if she had remained in Nigeria?
Naser was born to Nigerian parents from Anambra State, and was formerly known as Ebelechukwu Agbapuonwu. However, she switched allegiances to Bahrain three years ago and has since won a lot of laurels for her adopted country including Silver at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games; Gold at the 2015 Asian Games, and another Gold at the 2015 Military Games.
Whilst competing in London, Naser broke the Bahraini National Record thrice. Incidentally, the former record of 50.72s was held by a fellow Nigerian-born athlete, Kemi Adekoya, who won a Gold medal for Bahrain in the women’s 400m at the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships. Ironically, only one Nigerian quartermiler has ever won a medal at the World Championships (Indoor and Outdoor). However, two Nigerian-born athletes – Adekoya and Naser, have now accomplished this for Bahrain.
Adekoya’s Bahraini Record of 54.12s in the 400m hurdles set in 2015, surpasses the Nigerian Record of 54.40s set by Ajoke Odumosu in 2012. Incidentally, the 4x400m women’s quartet that currently holds the Bahraini Record are all Nigerians: Naser, Edidiong Odiong, Iman Essa (formerly known as Endurance Udo) and Adekoya.
The innate talent of Nigerian-born athletes has never been in doubt and is evident in the performances of athletes with Nigerian backgrounds all over the world. After all, a good number of athletes in Team Great Britain have Nigerian backgrounds, from former Olympic and World Champion in the 400m Christine Ohuruogu, to the likes of Chijindu Ujah, the Ofili sisters Tiffany and Cindy, and a host of others.
Josephine Onyia owns the Spanish National Record in the 100m Hurdles. Femi Ogunode who began competing for Qatar seven years ago, holds the Qatari 100m and 200m National Records after clocking 9.91s and 19.97s in 2015. Both times are also the Asian Records in the sprint double.
Nigerian-born Francis Obikweluwho naturalized as a Portuguese citizen in 2001, is tied with Jimmy Vicaut of France for the European Record of 9.86s in the men’s 100m. The time also serves as the Portuguese National Record. Ironically, Obikwelu’s Personal Best of 19.84s set in 1999, still stands as the Nigerian Record in the 200m.
The African Record of 9.85s in the men’s 100m belongs to Nigeria’s Olusoji Fasuba who now has a British passport. This means that Nigerian-born athletes hold the men’s 100m records across three continents. If Nigerian products can be this outstanding in global Athletics, why then has it become so difficult to transform the bountiful talent here into world-class material?
Salwa EidNaser’s Coach, a Nigerian by the name of John Obeya, who is now a Sprints coach for Bahrain, has an interesting perspective to this puzzle. Speaking in an interview with Athletics website Making of Champions, he said: “Who doesn’t want a better life? We all want a better life. I began coaching in Nigeria since 1986 and even travelled with the Nigerian team to several competitions, but I was jobless for a long time until I got this appointment in Bahrain. If I was still in Nigeria, I probably would have been dead by now.
Well, Obeya has spoken the bitter truth, and unless there is a drastic change in the way Nigeria treats it athletes and coaches, we will continue to watch from the sidelines as the likes of Naser bring fame and glory to their adopted countries, while home based Nigerian athletes keep struggling to make an impact.


MOBILE phone deals for ten cents a month — possibly the lowest ever — have arrived in Australia.
Smaller carrier Moose Mobile — who uses the Optus network — has this month rolled out a deal giving cost-conscious customers a monthly phone introductory offer for just 10 cents.
It is available for phone customers who bring their own device and chew through small amount of data.
Customers must choose Moose’s smaller month-by-month deals — either the $9 (1GB) and $14 monthly (1.5GB) to take up the introductory offer.
Telco comparison website WhistleOut’s spokesman Kenny McGilvary said it’s one of the cheapest deals to ever hit the market.
“It’s certainly difficult to get much cheaper,” he said.
He said “paying very little for the first month” is a good way to test the waters before committing to a carrier.
Mobile phone customers are getting cheaper deals as competition among carrier intensifies.
Moose Mobile’s chief executive officer Dean Lwin said they’re been inundated by customers signing up to the 10 cent deal since its rollout this month, showing customers are willing to try smaller carriers.
“It's a price where customer simply feels they have nothing to loose by going with a small telco,” he said.
Promotional deals are continuing to hit the market and the nation’s newest mobile network TPG Telecom is offering free access for customers when it launches in the coming months.
TPG is spending a massive $1.8 billion to build its own mobile network putting intense pressure on the other big three carriers including Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.
It has already pinned a six-month free trial period including 1GB of data per day for customers, which then reverts to a $9.99 monthly charge.
But this week reports confirmed rumours TPG and Vodafone Hutchison Australia were in talks about a potential merger which could deliver customers even more competitive if it eventuates.


Tony Smith (LIB) since 2001.
409 sq.km on the very eastern edge of the Melbourne metropolitan area, including a cluster of Dandenong Hills suburbs and state forests. Includes Croydon Hills, Kilsyth, Mooroolbark, Wandin, Silvan, Kallista and Monbulk. According to the 2001 Census, at 19.5% Casey has Victoria's highest proportion of the electorate with trade qualifications.
Created in 1969 and named after R.G. (Lord) Casey, former Foreign Minister, Ambassador to Washington and Governor-General. A seat that changed hands in 1972, 1975, 1983 and 1984, it has been made safer for the Liberal Party by subsequent redistributions. It was held 1984-98 by Bob Halverson. He served as Speaker following the 1996 election before being levered aside early in 1998 for Ian Sinclair as the Howard government tried to impose greater control over Question Time. On Halverson's retirement in 1998, Michael Wooldridge moved to this seat, his old seat of Chisholm being viewed as far too marginal for a minister with a portfolio as controversial as Health. Wooldridge served as Minister for Health from 1996-2001 but chose to retire at the 2001 election.
Liberal Party majorities were recorded in 33 of the 36 booths used in 2004. Labor won three booths along the southern boundary with neighbouring LaTrobe, the Liberal vote ranging from 43.5% at Kallista Primary School to 72.6% at rural Gruyere Primary School.
The sitting Liberal MP since 2001 is 40 year-old Tony Smith, who started out post-university life with every intention of being a history teacher, but has instead spent his entire working life in politics. Smith joined the staff of Peter Costello soon after Costello entered Parliament in 1990. Smith was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister in the January 2007 ministerial re-shuffle. The physical similarity between Costello and his former adviser is often commented upon. Labor's candidate is 58 year-old Dympna Beard, who was elected as state MP for the normally Liberal seat of Kilsyth at the 2002 landslide victory of the Bracks government. She was defeated at the 2006 state election. Beard is a former primary school teacher who also ran a taxi business with her husband.
There have been rumours of Labor doing well in this seat, but there are many other Victorian seats that would fall before Casey is at risk. There wouldn't be many Coalition members left to form an opposition if Labor started to win seats like Casey.


Lil Peep documentary premiered at SXSW.
Makonnen says Lil Peep is his creative sparring partner.
Listen to the late Lil Peep's new song "I've Been Waiting" featuring ILoveMakonnen and Fall Out Boy.
Peep's posthumously released sophomore album scores a strong debut.


He was at it again on Monday, tweeting that since it was “really cold outside,” we “could use a big fat dose of global warming!” Sick burn, Donald!
Indeed, it’s been kind of cold on the East Coast over the last week. But, Trump’s local weather report notwithstanding, 2015 is still on track to be the warmest year on record, globally. And today, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released data showing that this September was the hottest September on record (the records go back to 1880), following an August that also experienced record-breaking heat.
The dark red blob off the U.S. West Coast is El Niño, which is continuing to strengthen and is expected to produce above-average rain and snowfall in California this winter (although probably not enough to end the state’s epic drought).
Sorry, Donald. I think we have a big enough dose of global warming already.


For every athlete adversely affected by the U.S.-led boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, there was an NBC Sports employee with a similarly shattered dream.
"It's history and you can't change it," track and field announcer Charlie Jones said. "All you can do is cry in the dark."
Those who remain at the network have vivid memories of the spring of 1980.
"I remember the day the boycott became official," said Terry Ewert, then an associate producer. "I was with Bryant Gumbel at the ski jump at Lake Placid doing a pre-Olympic piece. We had heard preliminary reports on the radio that things were looking bad.
"They were going to make me a producer. It was a very dismal day in Lake Placid. The boycott was a blow. The Moscow Olympics were the reason I was hired by NBC. I thought my career was not going to go anywhere. It was disappointing because we had worked so hard for two years."
Ewert, who was to have produced the late-night segments of NBC's coverage, is the coordinating producer for the network's Olympic programming from Seoul, South Korea. His career certainly did not end in 1980; he has received two Emmy Awards for his work at NBC.
"Late-night was to be entirely on tape, so they wanted to throw some entertainment elements into it," remembers Ewert. "David Letterman was going to host. About the time of the boycott, I was planning a trip out to the West Coast to meet with him. To this day, I have never spoken with David Letterman."
Among those who were to have prominent roles in the Moscow coverage were Gumbel, Letterman, Bruce Jenner, Donna DeVarona, O.J. Simpson and Joe Garagiola.
"Bryant has an old photo of all the 1980 hosts," Ewert said. "It's interesting to see the faces and think about how all the careers have changed."
Michael Weisman, the executive producer of NBC Sports, was to produce track and field and the opening ceremonies in 1980.
"My wife and I planned a child around Moscow," Weisman said when asked to reflect on the boycott led by the United States and supported by 54 nations. "We got married in December of 1978. We did not want Carol to give birth during the Games, so when I got back, she'd say, 'Here's your child. She's a month and a half old.' My daughter, Brett, was born in April. After all of the professional disappointment, it was ironic that I was able to spend time at home with our baby."
Weisman remembers the office reaction when the boycott became official in the spring of 1980.
"There was a mixture of disappointment and some relief," Weisman said. "Don Ohlmeyer (then executive producer) was one of the few people who had Olympic experience. Frankly, several of us were concerned about going to Moscow, afraid of plugs being pulled and wondering if we could get out safely. Some were personally relieved they wouldn't have to be behind the Iron Curtain.
"A lot of people were giving up secure jobs in television to work for NBC during the Olympics. There were no guarantees, no opportunity for work with the network after the Games. There were a lot of personal sacrifices. There were production people who didn't have glamorous jobs. Their feelings were similar to the athletes, although the losses were not as dramatic."
Charlie Jones was to have worked track and field at Lenin Stadium in Moscow. He will be get his chance at Seoul.
"It was really disappointing," he said. "It would've been a great moment, probably the number one highlight of my career. Probably because of Moscow, I am looking forward to Seoul more than anybody.
"It's a chance to be highly visible for a concentrated two-week period. Don Ohlmeyer said everyone was disappointed, but the real impact was to the announcers who were denied prime time, day-by-day coverage by 100 million people."
Ewert agreed the boycott makes working on the 1988 Seoul Games all the sweeter.
"I feel like it gave us seven more years of preparation to do the 1980 Olympics," he said. "We're much stronger and a bigger department now, although that's not to say we wouldn't have been successful then. I'll certainly smile during the Opening Ceremonies. It will be the culmination of the dream to work on the Olympics.
"All of us went into this project thinking Seoul could be another Moscow (because of the frequent unrest in South Korea). But the first few times I went to Seoul and saw how dedicated the people were, I knew that wouldn't happen. You plan for the worst, you can't hope for the worst."
Of the estimated 1,100 people who will work for NBC in Seoul, Weisman said about 25% were involved in the network's coverage in 1980.
"In the back of our minds, those of us who lived in 1980 are looking forward to the Opening Ceremonies," he said. "We suffered the loss then. In this world, you keep your fingers crossed. When those ceremonies happen, the biggest smiles you will see will be on our faces. A lot of us will be flashing back."


FOXBORO, Mass — The New England Patriots are renowned for doing a slew of things well, and for Mike Zimmer, one thing in particular stands out.
During his conference call with New England media Wednesday morning, the Minnesota Vikings head coach explained why the Patriots are so difficult to defend against.
And at the ends of his answer, he slipped in an interesting little comment.
Quarterback Tom Brady long has been tremendous at executing play action, even when the offense is particularly pass-heavy. But with dynamic running backs in James White, Sony Michel and now Rex Burkhead, teams have to especially be prepared for the run.
Because of that, it’s not uncommon for the opposition to get busted by the fake, and Zimmer later expounded on his endorsement of the Patriots’ play-action skill by explaining what it is they do so well when running those plays.
The Vikings defense is among the league’s best, ranking in the top five in pass, rush and total yards, as well as 10th in points allowed. As such, the Patriots’ ability to deceive will need to be at its best Sunday.


The blacklegged deer tick Ixodes scapularis is well-known for its ability to transmit the Lyme disease-causing bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi.
With spring comes glorious sunshine, warmer weather — and ticks.
Ticks and some insect pests can carry bacteria, viruses and parasites that may cause disease in humans. One in particular, the blacklegged deer tick Ixodes scapularis, is well-known for its ability to transmit the Lyme disease-causing bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi.
For the most part, these ticks are inactive throughout the winter and begin to look for their next meal as seasonal temperatures warm up.
But as the global climate warms, it is more likely that some ticks will remain active through the warmer winters and can expand their habitats into new areas. Because of this, hikers and dog owners need to be watchful for ticks year-round to reduce the risks of getting sick.
Ticks and other pests are prevalent in forests during the warmer months, from spring to fall. But where do they go during the winter and how do they survive the cold polar vortexes, inches of snow and frostbite-inducing windchill?
Animals use a variety of strategies to deal with the winter months. While humans layer on clothing and mostly avoid going outside during bone-chilling temperatures, other organisms employ sophisticated behavioural adaptations and biological technologies to face winter head-on.
For the common house mosquito Culex pipiens, hibernation is key to survival. The insect enters a dormant phase (called diapause) allowing it to stay mostly inactive through the winter. The female Culex mosquito, a possible carrier of the West Nile virus, builds up fat stores during the summer and fall that serve as energy reserves and insulation for the winter months. This source of energy is useful for mosquitoes after they seek out and settle down in the human-made structures, sewers and animal burrows that they use as shelter to help them escape subzero temperatures.
Ticks, however, don’t enter diapause and are still able to bite and eat a blood meal under the right conditions. These blood-sucking parasites live close to their host organisms, and can sometimes spend their entire life cycle on one animal. They use a technique called questing to locate a host that will serve as their next blood meal. Ticks station themselves on vegetation such as tall grasses and assume a sit-and-wait position. This allows them to grab onto any warm-blooded creature passing by.
Humans have employed our own behavioural strategies to protect ourselves from ticks during the warm seasons of the year. We do this by wearing long-sleeved clothing and using protective sprays when going on hikes through wooded and grassy areas.
One of the main challenges we still face in our battle against the bite is the fact that ticks further adapt their behaviour depending on where they are located in North America.
For instance, blacklegged deer ticks will avoid questing in warmer southern regions such as in South Carolina, where the risk of dehydration pushes them onto the ground, mostly below the leaf litter. In contrast, northern tick populations are less threatened by drying out due to humid conditions, and are more likely to quest.
Interestingly, blacklegged deer ticks also have the ability to quest in temperatures as low as -0.6?. This means that deer ticks are not limited to seeking out hosts during the warm months alone, but can continue feeding well into the early and late winter. It is therefore important not to lower one’s guard when enjoying the outdoors in wintertime.
Ticks are most active when temperatures rise above 7?. But don’t be fooled into thinking that ticks simply die when the harsh winter weather kicks in! In reality, deer ticks are likely to survive even the harshest polar vortex.
It is quite common for ticks to cluster in hibernation nests and seek refuge under the layer of soil and ground litter within forests, where the temperature is less likely to fall below zero. In addition, snow cover, which acts like an insulating blanket over ground litter, tends to further insulate ticks from the frigid winter air temperatures.
Much like other cold-tolerant organisms, ticks can also produce an antifreeze protein that helps them tolerate colder temperatures by preventing their blood and tissues from freezing.
Climate change and the warming of our planet have resulted in the expansion of blacklegged deer tick populations to more northern regions of North America, including the the states of Wisconsin and New York and the provinces of Ontario and Quebec.
Using climate change models and current tick distribution patterns, we can now predict the impact of future climate change on the migration of ticks and the potential health risks that these populations carry across Canada and the United States. For example, the geographic distribution of the blacklegged tick is projected to expand and cover most of Atlantic Canada and Manitoba by the year 2070.
It is very likely that all seasons can be a tick season in some regions. This makes it especially important to engage in continued vigilance in spotting and avoiding these tiny pests, even when out for a walk during the winter months. If your dog disrupts a patch of nested deer ticks for example, it could bring home some unwanted guests.
So, what can we expect as the weather warms up and as long winter nights transition into sunnier spring days? You can be certain that a large number of ticks that were around last season likely survived this winter. They are simply waiting for the right cues — warmer temperatures and longer daylight hours — to emerge and begin their quest for their next blood meal.


MINNEAPOLIS -- Last night's game, on paper, had the look of a pitching duel that comes along once or twice a season: Johan Santana (6-4, 3.16 ERA) vs. Curt Schilling (9-2, 3.81), the guy who won the 2004 Cy Young against the guy who placed second. And, as is often the case in life, the event did not live up to the hype; in this case, it exceeded it.
``I knew from jump street he was on," Schilling later said. ``I knew he was going to have to make one mistake for us to win."
Santana, for eight spellbinding innings, was channeling Randy Johnson, amassing 13 strikeouts, the highest total by a lefthander against the Sox since 1972 with the exception of that man. Mickey Lolich, in 1972, fanned 15 Red Sox, and Johnson matched that in 1998. Santana walked no one and found the plate with 75 of his 102 pitches.
``Did he look nasty from up there?" David Ortiz asked the assembled writers.
Schilling, for eight workmanlike innings, was managing the game and himself, getting double plays when he needed them, facing just 19 batters through six innings, and exiting with eight fewer K's than Santana but an equivalent end result: one run allowed. Both gave up just a single run, on a solo homer, in the seventh (Jason Varitek homered for the Sox; Michael Cuddyer for the Twins).
But, in the 12th, the quality arms had come and gone: Schilling, Jonathan Papelbon, and Mike Timlin for the Sox; Santana, Joe Nathan, and Juan Rincon for the Twins. That left the game in the hands of Jesse Crain and Julian Tavarez. Crain allowed a run on an Alex Gonzalez fielder's choice, putting the Sox ahead, 2-1. But Tavarez, usually of value because he sinks the ball, loaded the bases, hitting Cuddyer, allowing a scorched ground-rule double to Justin Morneau, and intentionally walking Torii Hunter to load the bases and set up a double play.
That brought up Jason Kubel, who, with the count full, hit a ball so high that it disappeared against the Metrodome's white roof. It was against that blank canvas that with one brushstroke he created a masterpiece: a walkoff grand slam for a 5-2 win.
``It was a grind game," Schilling said, explaining why he told his manager he'd had enough after 91 pitches, 17 fewer than his season average. The Sox could have used more out of him, but he wasn't able to provide it.
For eight innings, though, he was as good as he's been this year. The control freak had not walked anyone in six games covering 34 1/3 innings and had not walked the leadoff hitter in any of the 88 innings he'd begun before last night. But this night began with a walk of Luis Castillo. Still, Castillo was erased moments later when Lew Ford grounded into a double play begun by Gonzalez.
Schilling's defense would turn three double plays for him, allowing him to last as long as he did, albeit with a far different approach than Santana. ``The important thing for me is I didn't get caught up in what he was doing," Schilling said. ``That's much different than in the past."
Santana couldn't have been more efficient than Schilling. What he was was more spectacular. He began the night by fanning Coco Crisp swinging at an 82 mile-per-hour changeup, Mark Loretta swinging at the same pitch, and Ortiz looking at a 93 mile-per-hour fastball on the outer edge. Ortiz never moved. Santana then fanned Manny Ramírez to begin the second and put down Varitek, also on a changeup. It was five batters, 5 K's in the book, and Santana had the 23,521 at the Metrodome thinking they'd have some history to talk about at work this morning.
Mike Lowell disturbed the K procession, flying out to center to end the second. Kevin Youkilis, leading off the third, fanned, also at an 82 mile-per-hour changeup -- a pitch that was starting over the plate and diving away from the righthanded hitters. Trot Nixon then doubled to left-center off Ford's glove. Before that, Santana had thrown 32 pitches, with one (Lowell's popout) put in play.
But his 33d and 35th pitches were hit. Lowell doubled and Gonzalez singled to left. Third base coach DeMarlo Hale, with one out, held Nixon at third, putting two runners on with one out. Santana, though, struck out Crisp on another changeup, then got Loretta to pop weakly to short.
Ortiz, leading off the fourth, fanned again, this time swinging, this time at a changeup. The strikeout represented the 1,000th of Santana's career. He became just the sixth Twin to accomplish the feat.
``We had a lot of guys sitting on [his changeup] tonight that didn't hit it," Ortiz said. ``You don't sit on the changeup unless you have to because that fastball will eat you."
Santana began the sixth by fanning Gonzalez. That gave him four K's in a row and, by this point, all nine Red Sox batters had struck out at least once.
``When he's on, he's on, and he was on tonight," Ortiz said. ``To be a Cy Young [winner], that's the way you've got to be."
Santana made his lone mistake to Varitek with two outs in the seventh on his 82d pitch of the night. Varitek had fanned and grounded out but this time went up swinging. The first pitch he saw cut a line down the middle of the plate, and he pounced, launching an absolute screamer to left-center. His seventh homer of the season covered 404 feet and bumped the Sox ahead, 1-0.
Schilling gave that back to Cuddyer, who doesn't fit the profile of a cleanup hitter (.260, 32 HRs, 109 RBIs in 325 games before '06), but acted like one. He turned on an 0-and-2 fastball in the bottom of the seventh. Schilling wanted it back, no doubt, but it cleared the fence in center, and no one was getting that ball back. That tied matters at 1.
``It was an executed pitch, but I shook Tek off," Schilling said. ``It was on the corner, but it wasn't the right pitch in that situation."
The game remained tied deeper into the night with some tremendous defense. Youkilis, in the ninth, made a play the Sox had to have.
With no outs and a runner on second, Ford attempted to bunt the runner along. Youkilis charged and cut down the runner at third, sending the game to extra innings. Hunter, in the 11th, overran a ball stung by Ramírez to center but reeled it in behind his head.
But the Sox were running out of pitchers, and Kubel, with one momentous swing, ended this in a manner fitting of the 11-plus innings that came before it.
``I knew I hit it high," Kubel said. ``I thought it was too high to get out."
Said Hunter, who scored on the play: ``I have chills right now."


You can take part of the beach home with you.
Many home decorators, whether they live on the coast or reside miles from the shore, take inspiration from the beach's sand and sea. You can capture the essence of a trip to the seashore by bringing some of the beach into your own home. Sand, stones, seashells and other beach staples make naturally beautiful decorations. If you've got a collection of rocks and sand, show it off to family and friends by displaying it in a clear vase.
Layer the bottom of a clear vase with sand or craft moss, then fill the vase with stones of various shapes and sizes. If you're giving this as a gift, use smooth, light-colored stones. On each stone, write a happy memory you've shared with the gift recipient. You can also do this at weddings and parties. Lay the stones on a table and have each guest write a message on one with a permanent marker. When they're done, have them put the stones in the vase. This makes a lovely keepsake for couples or the party's guest of honor.
Fill a clear vase with different colors of layered sand. Make the layers slightly uneven and wavy for a more natural, eye-pleasing look. This is a good way to display sand you've collected on trips to the beach. On the back of the vase, label each layer of sand with the name of the beach it came from and the date you collected it. You can write this information on the vase with permanent marker, or print out labels with a label maker and stick them on the container.
Small stones and objects from the beach, such as sand dollars, seashells and coral, give your vase an even more nautical look. Place these objects between sand layers or rest them on the top layer of sand so they stick out of the vase.
Layer the bottom of a clear mason jar or vase with rocks, then fill the container halfway with sand. On top of the sand, place a flameless LED tea-light candle. The candle's light will reflect off the sand, creating a warm, inviting glow. You can also use a real candle in the jar or vase, but you'll need to replace it regularly when it burns down.
If you use a real candle in a vase, keep it within view and do not leave it unattended. An unattended candle can start a fire.
King, Melissa. "How to Display Sand & Rocks in a Vase." Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/display-sand-rocks-vase-86722.html. Accessed 19 April 2019.


Converting the property into a passive park was one of the issues Mingo ran on in the town’s 2013 special election.
Soon after he was elected, the town council adopted a resolution to establish a committee to evaluate the acquisition and best use of the Par 3 property. Since then, the committee has met several times to discuss the acquisition of the land and the best methods of using the property.


Caregiving spouses between the ages of 66 and 96 had a 63 percent higher mortality rate than people of the same age who were not caregivers.
Hospice of Cincinnati nurses Melody and Randy Losey know a lot about caregiving. Before they became registered nurses, they had personal experience caring for their own family members at the end of life – and doing so nearly cost Melody her own health.
Melody recalls that she was so deeply entwined in caring for her grandmother that she wasn’t taking care of herself. Finally, her grandmother’s hospice nurse talked to Melody’s sister, warning her that Melody would become ill if she didn’t start “letting go” and spending more time caring for herself. And the nurse’s prediction came true – the stress made Melody ill.
Melody admits to feeling guilty by even considering taking a break. But experts say that taking care of yourself and sharing the care is not simply a guilty pleasure – it can be life-saving.
Self-care benefits the patient as well as the caregiver. Think of yourself as a pump at a gas station. Everyone comes to you for a fill-up, but at some point, the tanks holding all the gas for those pumps run low. If the tanks aren’t refilled, there’s no gas available to help all those vehicles keep running.
Caregivers are like those gas pumps. If you don’t refill your hidden tanks – reservoirs of energy, health, peace and commitment – you won’t be able to share that strength with the person for whom you are caring. This can lead to resentment, anger and depression, and can have a negative impact on your own health.
According to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, approximately 29 percent of the adult U.S. adult population served as caregivers for an ill or disabled relative. Caring for people who are at the end of life can become especially intense – emotionally, physically and spiritually.
2. Ask yourself, “What can I change? And what do I have no control over?” You might not have any control over the outcome of your loved one’s illness, or the personalities and issues that other people have. Accept that there are some things that are out of your control. But you can change yourself, and how you react to situations.
Reach out to others. Ask your church, family, friends or neighbors to come in and help, or even sit with the patient, whether for a couple of hours or overnight.
Get plenty of rest, “even if a friend, family member or church member needs to sit with your loved one so you can sleep for a few hours,” Melody says.
Take care of your spiritual needs. Attend your church, synagogue or mosque when you can; meditate; ask someone to pray with you; and/or seek support from a spiritual advisor.
Get physical – walk, exercise, do yoga – whatever helps to strengthen your body and ease your mind.
Talk to other people and let them know what you’re going through. Cry if you feel like it.
4. Take advantage of respite care. Patients can stay in one of Hospice of Cincinnati’s four Inpatient Care Centers for up to five days at a time while their caregivers get a much-needed break. Our centers are located in Blue Ash, Anderson, College Hill and Hamilton. The Medicaid hospice benefit covers the cost.
The hospice philosophy focuses on the entire family, helping everyone have the best possible and most meaningful end-of-life experience. Hospice is there to help the caregiver as much as the patient, particularly near life’s end.
For information about Hospice of Cincinnati and respite care, visit our website or call us at (513) 891-7700.
¹Shultz, Richard and Beach, Scott (1999). Caregiving as A Risk for Mortality: The Caregiver Health Effects Study. JAMA, December 15, 1999, vol. 282, No. 23.
²Christakis, Nicholas and Iwashyna, Theodore (2003). The Health Impact of Health Care on Families: A Matched Cohort Study of Hospice Use by Decedents and Mortality Outcomes in Surviving, Widowed Spouses. Social Science & Medicine 57 (2003), 465-475.


Rod Blagojevich's fate was in the hands of jurors Wednesday as they began deciding whether the impeached Illinois governor tried to sell an appointment to President Obama's former Senate seat and schemed to use his political power for personal gain.
"I'm not expecting" a speedy verdict, Judge James B. Zagel said before jurors entered the courtroom.
During the trial, prosecutors portrayed Blagojevich as a greedy, smart political schemer determined to use his power to enrich himself throughout his administration, and who saw the opportunity to appoint Obama's successor as the chance to get a lucrative and well-paying job in the administration.
By contrast, Blagojevich's own attorney characterized him as an insecure bumbler who talked too much but never did anything to enrich himself.
The ousted governor, 53, has pleaded not guilty to 24 counts, including trying to sell or trade an appointment to Obama's vacated Senate seat for a Cabinet post, private job or campaign cash. If convicted, he could face up to $6 million in fines and a sentence of 415 years in prison.
His co-defendant brother Robert Blagojevich, 54, a Nashville businessman, has also pleaded not guilty.


Cargill, a giant privately held food manufacturer, is one of the biggest enemies of laws requiring companies to label products that contain genetically modified ingredients. But even as the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), an anti GMO-labeling lobbying group Cargill belongs to, fights GMO-labeling laws in state legislatures and courthouses around the country, Cargill is introducing more GMO-free products.
Last week, Cargill announced its newest non-GMO crop, soybean oil, which will join corn and beans on Cargill’s list of unmodified products offered in the United States, among others.
Gregory Page, the chairman of Cargill’s board, sits on the executive board for the GMA, the big-food lobbying group that recently sued Vermont for passing a bill requiring food manufacturers to label genetically modified foods. The company warns on its website that mandatory labeling can be “misleading” to consumers who might believe genetic modification and bioengineering in food is dangerous. A GMO label does not provide any meaningful information about the food, Cargill argues, because GMO foods are “substantially equivalent” to non-GMO foods.
But despite this, Cargill seems to see the benefit in offering consumers the option of eating unmodified foods. “Despite the many merits of biotechnology, consumer interest in food and beverage products made from non-GM ingredients is growing, creating opportunities and challenges for food manufacturers and food service operators,” Ethan Theis, a spokesman for the company, said in a company press release last week. Even the fiercest opponents of GMO labeling are willing to offer non-GMO products when consumers’ cash is on the line.


MUMBAI: In its biggest winning streak since November 2018, the Indian rupee on Tuesday opened higher for the seventh consecutive session against the US dollar, a day before the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy decision.
At 9.15am, the rupee was trading at 68.51 a dollar, up 0.03% from its previous close of 68.53. The home currency opened at 68.59 a dollar and touched a high and a low of 68.51 and 68.59 respectively.
Oil is trading near its highest level this year after OPEC and its partners committed to continue production cuts until at least June, when they will meet to discuss an extension.
The 10-year bond yield was trading at 7.339% from its Monday's close of 7.317%. Bond yields and prices move in opposite directions.
So far this year, the rupee has gained 1.8%, while foreign investors have bought $5.23 billion in equity and sold $396.70 million in debt market.
India's benchmark index Sensex rose 0.34% to 38155.29 points. Year to date, it rose 5.62%.
Asian currencies were trading higher. South Korean won was up 0.21%, Japanese yen 0.20%, Thai Baht 0.17%, Indonesian rupiah 0.11%, Taiwan dollar 0.08%, China Offshore 0.06%. However, Philippines peso was down 0.21%.
The dollar index, which measures the US currency’s strength against major currencies, was trading at 96.429, down 0.1% from its previous close of 96.524.


Friends tend to drift apart as they go their separate ways after high school.
For many students, the end of their high school friendships marks the start of their independent lives.
Along with the pressure of facing the world as adults for the first time, most graduates must also face their transition without any familiar company.
Many high school graduates who are going into college choose to join sororities and fraternities as a way to make new friends.
The aim of most fraternities and sororities is to create a lasting network of connections and opportunities for its members. According to the New Jersey Institute of Technology, over 9 million students are currently involved in Greek life in America.
Among these 9 million people is UCLA student and Carlmont alumni Zach Beauchamp.
Despite the social opportunities that fraternities and sororities offer, there are some students who opt for alternative means of making friends.
Some students have found friends simply by talking to the people around them.
For those who may feel lost or overwhelmed among so many strangers, clubs and organizations help bring people with similar interests together, and can offer a clear basis to start a friendship.
With so many opportunities to meet new people and make new connections, it can be easy to focus on growing your social group, and neglect its quality.


A total of 1,598 students were awarded degrees in various disciplines at the University of Karachi’s Silver Jubilee Convocation on Saturday - 137 of them achieving the coveted gold medals.
The graduating students included 1,250 and 348 of the morning and evening sessions respectively.
The convocation was organised at the university’s Valika Ground.
In the absence of governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan, provincial education minister Nisar Ahmed Khuro was the chief guest at the event.
KU vice chancellor Dr Muhammad Qaiser presented a report on the university’s progress and the research being carried out at the campus.
Special prayers for the victims of the Shikarpur Imambargah and the Army Public School, Peshawar attacks were offered on the occasion.
One student each of MS, DSc, MPharm, Business Public Administration and BCom were among the recipients of the degrees.
A total of 129 students of BA (Honours), seven of BE Chemical Engineering, six of Bachelors in Library Information Sciences, 163 of the BS programme, 110 of BSc (Honours), 10 of BBA, 211 of MA and 36 of the MBA programme also received degrees.
Furthermore, 26 students of MCom, eight of MCS, 12 of MLIS, 16 of MPA, 290 of MSc, 106 of Phar.D, 19 of MPhill graduated.
A total of 96 students received PhD degrees.
One of the gold medalists, Ahmed Farid, who completed his MSc in Applied Mathematics, told The News that he was interested in research and wanted to register with the MPhil programme.
However, since last year, the department had not offered courses as it did not have sufficient number of students to do so.
Another gold medalist, Naseer Ahmed, who graduated from the department of Sindhi, said he was working part-time at the KU’s Shah Latif Chair.
In his speech, the KU vice chancellor said the university was planning to introduce centres of excellence in the areas of environment and health sciences, social sciences, law/ jurisprudence and business management sciences.
The priority programmes will include the construction of the University of Karachi teaching hospital for which a site has already been selected on University Road.
The construction of a technological park for the fields of physical, biological and engineering sciences is also part of the university’s agenda.
The KU has also planned the development of a technology incubation centre for the faculty members and researchers.
The setting up of a waste-water treatment plant at the Institute of Environmental Studies and the development of a Distance Learning/Online Education Programme in collaboration with foreign universities is also on the cards.
“I congratulate all the recipient of the degrees and their parents on the success of their wards. In students’ lives, the convocation is a remarkable event not only for them and the faculty but also for those responsible for looking after the institutions of higher learning,” the vice chancellor said.
“It also provides the university administration an opportunity to share with you its progress,” he added.
At present, the university has nine faculties: faculty of social sciences, faculty of education, faculty of engineering, faculty of Islamic studies, faculty of law, faculty of management and administrative sciences, faculty of medicine, faculty of pharmacy and faculty of science.
The university runs its 254 academic programmes through its 54 teaching departments and 21 research institutes and centres.
The Higher Education Commission puts the KU in third position among all the public sector general universities in the country. The QS ranking agency for Asia 2014 has graded University of Karachi between 201 and 250. The QS ranking agency has also placed the KU faculty of pharmacy between 151 and 200.
The research and academic output of the university is growing each year. Last year, the university awarded 178 PhD and 103 MPhil degrees.
At present, the Board of Advance Studies and Research has enrolled 3,485 students in various PhD programmes of the university.
chancellor said the university was planning to introduce centres of excellence in the areas of environment and health sciences, social sciences, law/ jurisprudence and business management sciences.


A deaf and partially blind, old blue heeler dog named Max helped to keep a three-year-old girl safe who went missing overnight in Queensland bushland. The young toddler, Aurora, was reported missing after she wandered away from her family property at Cherry Gully, south of Warwick on Friday afternoon. Max the dog followed Aurora and stayed by her side as she slept overnight in bushland. About 100 police, State Emergency Services workers and members of the public resumed their search at first light on Saturday. The girl's grandmother, Leisa Marie Bennett, heard Aurora faintly from the top of a mountain on the family property, about 2km from home. She first found Max, who led her to Aurora, who had only minor cuts and scratches.
AN Alaskan husky is credited with helping rescue an injured woman hiking a trail east of Anchorage, Alaska.
The seven-year-old dog named Nanook helped pull Amelia Milling to shore after she fell while crossing the Eagle River last month, the Alaska Star reported.
Ms Milling, a 21-year-old college student from the US state of Tennessee, was hiking the Crow Pass Trail and was injured early in the planned three-day hike.
The white dog found her after she tumbled down a snowy slope and hit a rock that launched her into the air, she said.
“My first response was, where’s the owner?” Ms Milling said.
Nanook guided her back to the trail and camped with her overnight.
The next day, Nanook stayed with Ms Milling as she attempted to ford the river. The spot was too deep, and Ms Milling fell into the water. As she scrambled to the shore, Nanook helped her out of the freezing glacial water.
“She slipped and fell, and the dog was able to save her and get her back to shore,” Lt. Eric Olsen said with the Alaska State Troopers.
Ms Milling later activated an emergency locator and was rescued by a trooper helicopter. Milling and Nanook were flown to Anchorage. Ms Milling was treated for minor injuries and released.
“I believe the dog is a guardian angel,” Ms Milling said.
Troopers at first thought the dog was Ms Milling’s, but later saw Nanook’s tags, Mr Olsen said. Nanook belongs to Scott Swift who lives near the south end of the 39-kilometre trail.
“He’s Alaska’s version of Lassie,” Mr Olsen said.
Nanook regularly takes trips by himself into Chugach State Park and accompanies hikers he meets on the trails to the Eagle River Nature Center, Mr Swift said. “He’s been doing it for years now,” Mr Swift said.
Mr Swift adopted Nanook about six years ago. The dog does not have rescue training. “He just does it on his own,” Mr Swift said.
While on one of his mountain adventures a few years ago, Nanook helped a young girl out of the river.
“This is the second time I’ve heard of he has saved someone from drowning in that river,” Mr Swift said.


It's almost instinct to swipe when you need a ride. But thank goodness you don't know what's been happening in the car that picks you up before you ride, drivers say.
To get a glimpse of the wild side of the 60,000 rideshare vehicles in the city, the I-Team spoke with Uber and Lyft drivers, who say they never really know what's up until after the pick up.
From people trying to use rideshares for their getaway cars, to drug deals, to "sexual incidents" in the back seats, these drivers dish on what's really happening behind the scenes -- and in the back seat -- of a rideshare.


Like other public organizations, fire and emergency medical services are going through a number of major changes to keep up with the needs and demands of local municipalities. New models are emerging to meet the changing times.
One of these models is community paramedicine, which in essence allows EMS personnel to visit the homes of individuals who require medical assistance. These individuals are not medical emergencies that require transportation to a hospital emergency room.
For years, 911 calls from individuals who needed medical attention but are not emergencies have overburdened EMS units. These calls created a number of patient care problems and strained hospital ER services.
Community paramedicine is designed to address these issues. Numerous articles and studies cite the overall benefits of this model, showing how in the long run, non-emergency patients need fewer trips to the ER.
However, ER services are again under stress due to the current nationwide opioid crisis. Emergency medical services must respond to countless overdose calls that burden EMS workers and take away necessary resources from other emergencies.
A recent study shows that many overdose patients do not get the care that they need to break the cycle, even after one or more emergency trips to a medical facility. However, an interesting new measure has emerged that meets the need to help drug overdose patients.
According to Dan Swayze, community paramedicine can be used to monitor opioid-addicted patients detoxing at home. Swayze says a couple of cities are starting to use this model, which could be a boon to the community and potentially reduce the number of opioid-related drug overdoses.
Emergency medical services will continue to change as the needs of local municipalities change. Community paramedicine is definitely changing the way EMS agencies are reacting to opioid overdoses. If community paramedicine is widely used to monitor addicts at home, it may prove to be a tremendous asset in breaking the opioid epidemic cycle.
Allison G. S. Knox is a faculty member at American Military University, teaching courses in Emergency and Disaster Management. Her research interests are comprised of emergency management and emergency medical services policy issues. Prior to teaching, Allison worked in a level one trauma center emergency department and for a Member of Congress in Washington, D.C. She holds four Master of Arts degrees in emergency management, international relations, national security studies and history. She is a certified lifeguard, MET and is also trained in technical large animal emergency rescue. Allison currently serves as advocacy coordinator of Virginia for NAEMT, chapter sponsor for the West Virginia Iota Chapter of Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society, and faculty advisor for the Political Science Scholars. She is also on the Board of Trustees and serves as chancellor of the Southeast Region for Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society in the Social Sciences. She can be reached at IPSauthor@apus.edu. For more articles featuring insight from industry experts, subscribe to In Public Safety’s bi-monthly newsletter.


DOWNERS GROVE – Downtown Downers Grove was transformed into an artist's colony Sept. 8 and 9 as artisans from across the Midwest displayed their work in the 42nd annual Downtown Downers Grove Fine Arts Festival.
Artists showed everything from paintings and drawings to jewelry, photographs and other mediums during the juried art fair, which also featured family friendly activities and food.
About 5,000 people attended the show, which also featured live music, as well as specials presented by the restaurants and boutiques in downtown Downers Grove.
Elaine Chapa of Downers Grove takes a close look Sept. 9 at wood wall sculptures by Jeff Easley during the annual Downtown Downers Grove Fine Arts Festival. Artists specializing in a variety of mediums were part of the festival.
Liz Hedgcock (center) of Downers Grove and Kathy Ruch (right) of Frankfort admire artisan glass jewelry made by artist Sheila Papaioannou (left) on Sept. 9 during the annual Downtown Downers Grove Fine Arts Festival.
David Bechtold performs Sept. 9 on Main Street during the annual Downtown Downers Grove Fine Arts Festival.
Kathy Pawlak of Downers Grove handles jewelry made by Pollie Baumann on Sept. 9 during the annual Downtown Downers Grove Fine Arts Festival. Artists specializing in a variety of mediums were part of the festival.
Addie Gaber, 4, of Downers Grove picks out the perfect beads for the bracelet she's making with her dad Sept. 9 at the Indian Boundary YMCA booth during the annual Downtown Downers Grove Fine Arts Festival.
Quilt artist Kelly McCleary (from left) of Champaign-Urbana talks Sept. 9 with Tim and Greta Bell of Winfield during the annual Downtown Downers Grove Fine Arts Festival.