Science Education & Policy

BEIJING, September 18 /PRNewswire/ -- As the Paralympic Games draw to a close, the official Language Training and Testing Supplier of the Beijing Olympics, aifly Education Technology Company, continues to work with volunteer organizations in China and internationally to give China's Olympic volunteers opportunities to take their passion and message of friendship and hope to people all over the world. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080918/CNTH032 ) While international guests and athletes journey back to their homes abroad, the 15 million volunteers who trained for and served…

LONDON, September 18 /PRNewswire/ -- - 'Marketisation of the Vulnerable' to be Raised at Labour Party Conference Changes in legal aid services, which help people keep 'a roof over their head', tackle unemployment and advise on crippling debts are to be raised at the Labour Party conference, by Unite. Unite, the country's largest trade union, believes that legal assistance is being reduced, as a result of the introduction of fixed fees per case, for groups such as: - those with literacy difficulties, - mental health problems, - disabilities, - asylum seekers and refugees Under the Legal…

BANGKOK, Thailand, September 18 /PRNewswire/ -- - MEETING TO BE HELD AT RENEWABLE ENERGY ASIA in BANGKOK With countries in Asia experiencing rapid economic growth, a dramatic increase in demand for new energy resources is under way. Although fossil fuels still contribute the largest share of total energy at 79%, renewable energy sources are growing by leaps and bounds and now account for around 20%. And, as oil prices have soared to over US$100 a barrel, that trend shows no sign of changing any time soon. These developments underline the significance of the World Renewable Energy Congress,…

LONDON, September 18 /PRNewswire/ -- - UK-based Global Business Expects US$25 Million Savings Over Five Years on Communications Costs as Part of on-going Business Transformation Programme AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and Smiths Group plc (LSE: SMIN) today announced that the global technology business Smiths Group, has selected AT&T as its world-wide communications provider. The five year agreement reflects Smiths' ongoing business transformation programme and will help Smiths to leverage its global scale, delivering improved productivity and cost reductions across the group's five business…

TORONTO, Canada, September 18 /PRNewswire/ -- - Rapid Link of Atlanta is a Finalist for the Best of WiMAX World Award for its City-Wide 3.65 GHz Deployment of Redline's RedMAX(TM) WiMAX Forum Certified(R) Equipment Redline Communications Group Inc. ("Redline") (TSX and AIM: RDL), a leading provider of WiMAX and broadband wireless infrastructure products, today announced that its customer, Rapid Link Incorporated, (OTCBB: RPID) a leading provider of WiMAX and communication services in Atlanta, Georgia has been selected by xchange magazine as a finalist for the Best of WiMAX World 2008 Award…

Scotland’s cold and cloudy climate plays a large part in causing the chronic diseases that plague its people. Scots suffer more chronic disease than almost anywhere else among former Western block countries, but this could be turned around. For years scientists and cancer charities have told people to avoid the sun and reduce the risk of skin cancer with little regard for the fact that the sun provides the human body with life-saving vitamin D. THE STATISTICS · People in Scotland die younger on average than almost any other western European nation. · People in Scotland have a…

Two years back, the US Congress passed the NIH Reform Act of 2006 in an effort to get the NIH to adapt its structure to the new landscape of biomedical research, and to institute more transparency and accountability so that Congress can do its job. Last week, the NIH Director Dr. Elias Zerhouni went to Congress to report on how well his agency has done meeting the new demands of the law. He lays out the challenge in today's interdisciplinary world: This convergence of science strongly suggests that cross-cutting, multi-disciplinary research, unencumbered by arbitrary structures and narrow…

Public access for studies paid for by taxpayer money seems like a no-brainer. There's no reason peer-reviewed journals should get to charge researchers (paid for again by taxpayers) and then have a copyright on the work. Last year the government approved a bill that would require government-funded (NIH) researchers to submit their studies to PubMed Central no later than 12 months after publication in a peer-reviewed journal. It was a real win for open access advocates, many of whom wrote here about it. But here, and certainly on activist science sites, there is recurring criticism of…

WASHINGTON, September 17 /PRNewswire/ -- - With the Help of New Members The Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse (CADNA) is pleased to announce the addition of two new members: NIKE, Inc. and Wells Fargo & Company. Nike and Wells Fargo have joined the leading brand owners of CADNA to help the Coalition achieve its goal of stopping illegal and unethical infringement of brands and trademarks online. Brand owners are growing increasingly concerned with the direction that Internet governance has taken and are looking to make an impact by getting involved in the public discussion of this issue…

The National Academy of Sciences has created a policy report outlining some of our national challenges, including economic ones, and sent it to both John McCain and Barack Obama with guidance for whomever is elected president in November. The report provides suggestions on filling key science appointments after the election. The report lists approximately 80 high-level science and technology appointees who will be crucial in advising the new president on issues that range from energy to health care to economic growth. It also urges members of the scientific community to serve in these…