Tag Archives: canada

Homeland Security Chief Speaks About Challenges Facing U.S., Global Cooperation

The United States is stronger and more secure than it was prior to 9/11, but threats from overseas remain and must be proactively managed, said Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, who visited campus April 16 for a public talk sponsored by the UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations.

In a globalized world, international cooperation is the key to identifying those who intend to do harm, she said, adding that threats to the global supply chain, the activities of drug and human smuggling organizations, and the prevalence of cyber-criminals who attempt to steal information and intellectual property and disrupt critical networks are among the major challenges facing the Department of Homeland Security. (more…)

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Many Young People Would Rather Surf the Web than Drive a Car

ANN ARBOR, Mich.— More young adults today would rather hit the information highway than the open highway, say University of Michigan researchers.

In a new study in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention, Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle of the U-M Transportation Research Institute found that having a higher proportion of Internet users was associated with lower licensure rates among young persons.

And this is just not in the United States; it’s happening in other countries, too. (more…)

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Another World, Magnified

UA undergraduate researcher Ersilia Anghel has been collecting artistic photographs of minerals, plants, animals and humans, illustrating the intersections between the arts and sciences.

Scientists and artists have long collaborated to produce illustrative images and paintings of medical procedures, human anatomy and botanical displays.

But with the emergence of new, advanced technologies, scientists have begun to more readily produce their own photographic works, often times revealing the aesthetics of another world around us. (more…)

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comScore Releases the “2012 Mobile Future in Focus” Report

*Report Offers Insights on the Mobile and Connected Device Landscape in 2011 and What They Mean for 2012*

RESTON, VA, February 23, 2012 – comScore, Inc., a leader in measuring the digital world, today released the 2012 Mobile Future in Focus report. This annual report examines the mobile and connected device landscape, covering several mobile markets measured by comScore, through an exploration of key trends driving smartphone adoption growth, mobile media usage in categories such as social networking and retail, mobile ecosystem dynamics, and shifts in multi-device digital media consumption in 2011. The report highlights insights primarily from mobile markets in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Japan, and Canada. (more…)

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Canadian Police Agencies Suppressing Data on Race, Says Criminology Study

*Data essential for creating fair policies*

While only 20 per cent of Canada’s police forces have an explicit policy against reporting the race of victims and accused persons, criminologists from the University of Toronto and Nipissing show that the majority of police departments do not report race in practice.

The study, by Akwasi Owusu-Bempah, a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto’s Centre for Criminology, and Paul Millar, an associate professor at Nipissing University’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice,  is entitled Whitewashing Criminal Justice in Canada: Preventing Research through Data Suppression and appears in the current issue of the Canadian Journal of Law and Society. (more…)

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Scientist: Temperate Freshwater Wetlands Are ‘Forgotten’ Carbon Sinks

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A new study comparing the carbon-holding power of freshwater wetlands has produced measurements suggesting that wetlands in temperate regions are more valuable as carbon sinks than current policies imply, according to researchers.

The study compared several wetlands at two Ohio wetland sites: one composed of mostly stagnant water and one characterized by water regularly flowing through it. The study showed that the stagnant wetland had an average carbon storage rate per year that is almost twice as high as the carbon storage rate of the flow-through wetland. (more…)

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2012 Economic Forecast from UMD Business Faculty

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – A weak housing market, tight credit for small businesses, no significant growth in the banking sector, anemic consumer spending, and modest sales for retailers – that’s the outlook for 2012 according to experts at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.

“Several important dynamics frame the 2012 economic outlook,” says Cliff Rossi, Tyser Teacher Fellow and executive-in-residence. These factors include:

  • Massive financial leveraging across the board by sovereign countries, state and local governments, banks, businesses, and individuals;
  • Fear and uncertainty among consumers and investors, despite faint signs of optimism at times;
  • Political self-interest and brinksmanship increasingly interfering with effective policy making. (more…)

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Microsoft Provides Tips to Help Protect Your Online Image

*Microsoft encourages individuals to examine their online reputation and offers tips to start the new year with the best digital foot forward.*

REDMOND, Wash. — Jan. 24, 2012 — In observance of Data Privacy Day 2012, Microsoft Corp. is releasing new data about consumer behaviors online and is offering guidance and tips to help people better manage their online profiles and maintain a positive reputation. In an increasingly connected world, everything people do online, from responding to emails and texts to clicking the “like” and “retweet” buttons on favorite Web pages, uploading photos and making purchases online, contributes to their online reputation.

Although 2012 is still new, Microsoft recommends people resolve to actively monitor and safeguard their online reputations. (more…)

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