EAGLESWOOD TOWNSHIP, N.J. ? Authorities say firefighters in southern New Jersey uncovered a cache of child pornography while battling flames in the home of an architecture professor.
State Police arrested and charged 76-year-old Gamal El-Zoghby with child endangerment. He's listed as a professor at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y.
State Police spokesman Brian Polite tells The Press of Atlantic City (http://bit.ly/x3kqjj ) firefighters were pulling sheet rock from the walls of El-Zoghby's Eagleswood Township home when child pornography images began falling from the ceiling.
The cause of Tuesday's fire is unknown.
___
Information from: The Press of Atlantic City, http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com
What type of helmet is best for winter play?Public release date: 20-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Adrienne Vienneau avienneau@cheo.on.ca 613-737-7600 x4144 Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute
CHEO research uncovers what parents need to know
OTTAWA, Canada January 20, 2012 It's not winter in Canada if children don't spend time speeding down the slopes! Canadian tobogganing is a tradition handed down from generation to generation. For a long time, it's been considered one of the safest winter activities.
Unfortunately, the arrival of winter is followed by an increase in visits to hospital emergency departments by young people presenting with head injuries resulting from winter activities, including tobogganing. Fortunately, helmets are known to reduce the risk of head injury; but with so many helmet options available today, which is the best one? Dr. Michael Vassilyadi from the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute, together with a research team at the University of Ottawa, put this question to the test. The results are published today in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics.
"In activities such as tobogganing or skiing, children are able to attain very high velocities," explained Dr. Vassilyadi, Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery at CHEO and co-author of this study. "This creates a disproportionate amount of risk considering their underdeveloped skills necessary to protect themselves during unexpected events, such as falling or running into objects or other people."
Currently, there is no certified winter recreational helmet available, so parents use what is available or no head protection at all. This study compared the protective characteristics of three types of helmets that are currently used by children ages 7 and under. Ice hockey, alpine ski, and bicycling helmets were impacted at 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 8.0 metres/second at the front and side impact locations using a monorail drop rig in a lab setting. The impact surface and velocities were chosen to simulate an impact similar to that expected for a child during tobogganing.
"We defined helmet safety performance by the ability of a helmet to reduce acceleration of the head during the impact," said Dr. Blaine Hoshizaki, director of the Neurotrauma Impact Laboratory at the University of Ottawa, and co-author of this study. "Helmets are designed and tested to mitigate the risk of an injury; they are not designed to eliminate head injuries. Parents must be vigilant and educate their children about ways to be safe and have fun outdoors."
Depending on the impact velocity, the type of helmet significantly affected the risk of brain injury. The ice hockey helmet was the most protective at the lower-velocity impacts (2-6 metres/second), and the bicycle helmet was the most protective at the high-velocity impact (8 metres/second). Alpine helmets had limited effectiveness at both the low and high velocity impacts. This research provides insights regarding the limitations of the helmets, but confirms that all helmets are protective.
"This research study does not take a stand about the 'best' helmet," continued Dr. Vassilyadi. "A hockey helmet is likely the best for younger children when tobogganing as presented in this study. I think this is a great outcome because hockey helmets offer multi-impact protection by design; they can be worn with a toque; and a facial shield or cage can be easily added. The bottom line is that all helmets are protective and young children should be wearing helmets during winter activities."
###
This research was funded by ThinkFirst Canada, a national non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention of brain and spinal cord injuries.
About the CHEO Research Institute:
Established in 1984, the CHEO Research Institute coordinates the research activities of the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and is one of the institutes associated with the University of Ottawa Teaching Hospitals. The Research Institute brings together health professionals from within CHEO to share their efforts in solving paediatric health problems. It also promotes collaborative research outside the hospital with partners from the immediate community, industry and the international scientific world. For more information, please visit: www.cheori.org.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
What type of helmet is best for winter play?Public release date: 20-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Adrienne Vienneau avienneau@cheo.on.ca 613-737-7600 x4144 Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute
CHEO research uncovers what parents need to know
OTTAWA, Canada January 20, 2012 It's not winter in Canada if children don't spend time speeding down the slopes! Canadian tobogganing is a tradition handed down from generation to generation. For a long time, it's been considered one of the safest winter activities.
Unfortunately, the arrival of winter is followed by an increase in visits to hospital emergency departments by young people presenting with head injuries resulting from winter activities, including tobogganing. Fortunately, helmets are known to reduce the risk of head injury; but with so many helmet options available today, which is the best one? Dr. Michael Vassilyadi from the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute, together with a research team at the University of Ottawa, put this question to the test. The results are published today in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics.
"In activities such as tobogganing or skiing, children are able to attain very high velocities," explained Dr. Vassilyadi, Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery at CHEO and co-author of this study. "This creates a disproportionate amount of risk considering their underdeveloped skills necessary to protect themselves during unexpected events, such as falling or running into objects or other people."
Currently, there is no certified winter recreational helmet available, so parents use what is available or no head protection at all. This study compared the protective characteristics of three types of helmets that are currently used by children ages 7 and under. Ice hockey, alpine ski, and bicycling helmets were impacted at 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 8.0 metres/second at the front and side impact locations using a monorail drop rig in a lab setting. The impact surface and velocities were chosen to simulate an impact similar to that expected for a child during tobogganing.
"We defined helmet safety performance by the ability of a helmet to reduce acceleration of the head during the impact," said Dr. Blaine Hoshizaki, director of the Neurotrauma Impact Laboratory at the University of Ottawa, and co-author of this study. "Helmets are designed and tested to mitigate the risk of an injury; they are not designed to eliminate head injuries. Parents must be vigilant and educate their children about ways to be safe and have fun outdoors."
Depending on the impact velocity, the type of helmet significantly affected the risk of brain injury. The ice hockey helmet was the most protective at the lower-velocity impacts (2-6 metres/second), and the bicycle helmet was the most protective at the high-velocity impact (8 metres/second). Alpine helmets had limited effectiveness at both the low and high velocity impacts. This research provides insights regarding the limitations of the helmets, but confirms that all helmets are protective.
"This research study does not take a stand about the 'best' helmet," continued Dr. Vassilyadi. "A hockey helmet is likely the best for younger children when tobogganing as presented in this study. I think this is a great outcome because hockey helmets offer multi-impact protection by design; they can be worn with a toque; and a facial shield or cage can be easily added. The bottom line is that all helmets are protective and young children should be wearing helmets during winter activities."
###
This research was funded by ThinkFirst Canada, a national non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention of brain and spinal cord injuries.
About the CHEO Research Institute:
Established in 1984, the CHEO Research Institute coordinates the research activities of the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and is one of the institutes associated with the University of Ottawa Teaching Hospitals. The Research Institute brings together health professionals from within CHEO to share their efforts in solving paediatric health problems. It also promotes collaborative research outside the hospital with partners from the immediate community, industry and the international scientific world. For more information, please visit: www.cheori.org.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. ? Darrell Waltrip was nicknamed "Jaws" as a driver for his outrageous trash-talking. His loquaciousness launched his second career, as one of NASCAR's most recognized ? and outspoken ? television analysts.
But on the eve on his induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, `ol DW has no idea what he's going to say in Friday night's ceremony.
"I've written 10 speeches and after the 10th one, I threw it away, and said `I can't write a speech,'" Waltrip said. "I'm pretty spontaneous, so I'm just going to get up and say what I think and hope it's the right thing."
Waltrip hasn't always said the right thing in a career that dates back to his 1972 debut in NASCAR's top series. He angered his rivals as a driver, and his strong opinions as an analyst for both Fox Sports and Speed have made him one of the more polarizing commentators in NASCAR.
Some might even think it cost him a shot in last year's voting, when despite three championships and 84 victories, Waltrip was shut out of the second Hall of Fame class. Waltrip had signed on with Speed as an analyst for voting day, and from his perch on the stage at the back of the Great Hall, his face couldn't hide his heartbreak over not making the second class.
He tried not to get his hopes up this time around, but everybody knew how badly Waltrip wanted to be included in the third class. Brian France called his name last June, Waltrip rushed onto the podium and kissed the NASCAR chairman.
Waltrip goes into the Hall of Fame with three-time champion Cale Yarborough, NASCAR modified great Richie Evans, innovative crew chief Dale Inman and Glen Wood, one of NASCAR's original team owners.
The show will belong to Waltrip, though, who knew as a child he wanted to be an entertainer and found a way to incorporate his desire to perform into his NASCAR career. He was brash and bold and loved being in front of the cameras.
His style, his showmanship, was like nothing NASCAR had ever seen before and paved the way for more personality from the drivers.
"I always thought it would be fun to be an actor, or a comedian, but I guess race car driving suited me," he said. "I like to make people laugh, which is better than making them cry, right? Some people take the path of least of resistance, but I take the path I couldn't resist. I looked at everything I did, what if I did everything that everybody else is doing as they go down that path.
I figured there's a lot more room going in this other direction then there is in that direction with all the other guys who chewed Skoal and wore belt buckles and cowboy hats. I'm not making fun of them, I just chose not to go down that route, to be more upscale, in a class by myself. I was a Penske guy living in an Earnhardt world."
He will be again on Friday night when his larger-than-life personality is sure to outshine Yarborough, Inman and Wood. Evans, winner of nine NASCAR national modified championships over a 13-year span, was killed in a 1985 accident at Martinsville Speedway. He was 44.
Yarborough from 1976-78 became the first driver in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships, a record that stood until Jimmie Johnson's run of five-straight titles. He finished second in the standings another three times, and ended his career with 83 victories ? sixth on the all-time list.
Yarborough was a four-time Daytona 500 winner, but decided in 1980 to run only partial schedules for the final nine years of his career.
"I realized I had three daughters growing up and I was away from them all the time," he said. "Even though racing was very important in my life, I felt like they were a little more important so I was going to spend some more time with them and be with them in their growing-up years. There's no telling how many wins I left on the table, but I definitely made the right decision."
Inman led his cousin, Hall of Famer Richard Petty, to a record seven championships. The crew chief won an eighth title with Terry Labonte. From 1958 to 1992, he led drivers to 193 wins and 129 poles.
His standout year was 1967 when he guided Petty to a NASCAR-record, 27 races ? including 10-straight ? in a single car built a year earlier.
"Dale was a racing benchmark," Petty said. "He was the sport's first official crew chief and people modeled themselves after him. He knew what, when and where ? and when he made a mistake he wasn't afraid to admit it. Everyone respected him for that. Nobody even comes close to the number of wins that Dale has recorded."
Wood, at 86 the oldest member of this incoming class, formed a race team that still competes today in Stuart, Va., with his four brothers. Trevor Bayne won the Daytona 500 last year for the Wood Brothers, giving the team its 98th victory spanning seven different decades. Bayne's win was the team's fifth Daytona 500 victory, and the Wood Brothers also won the 1965 Indianapolis 500 with Jim Clark.
Wood's brother, Leonard, choreographer of the modern pit stop, is a NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee.
"It's such a long trip from 1950 to now. It's sort of hard to believe," Wood said. "It's one of the biggest honors you could have. I didn't come here alone; I had a lot of help. There's five of us brothers. All of those helped at one time or another."
US high-tech jobs lost as technological lead shrinksPublic release date: 17-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Leslie Fink lfink@nsf.gov 703-292-5395 National Science Foundation
New NSB report provides deep insights on the economy
The United States lost 28 percent of its high-technology manufacturing jobs over the last decade, as the nation's rapidly shrinking lead in science and technology in the global marketplace was accompanied by a toll on U.S. high-tech jobs, according to a new study released today by the National Science Board (NSB), the policymaking body for the National Science Foundation.
One of the most dramatic signs of this trend was the loss of 687,000 high-technology manufacturing jobs since 2000. U.S. multinational corporations also created research and development (R&D) jobs overseas at an unprecedented rate. Meanwhile, China became the world leader in high-technology trade, and, for the first time, Asia matched the U.S. in R&D investments.
Those were among the key findings released today by the NSB, as it unveiled the most comprehensive and up-to-date information and analysis on the nation's position in science and technology. The biennial report, Science and Engineering Indicators (SEI), highlights trends and factors that have an impact on the nation's economy, competitiveness, and innovation capacity.
U.S. employment in high-technology manufacturing reached a peak in 2000, with 2.5 million jobs. The recession of 2001 provided the first big hit causing "substantial and permanent" job losses, the report said. By the end of the decade, more than a quarter of the jobs were gone.
"The latest data clearly show the economic consequences of the eroding competitive advantage the United States has historically enjoyed in science and technology," said Dr. Jos-Marie Griffiths, chairman of the NSB committee that oversees production of the report. "Other nations clearly recognize the economic and social benefits of investing in R&D and education, and they are challenging the United States leadership position. We're seeing the result in the very real, and substantial, loss of good jobs."
"The volume gives a clear picture of the United States' position in globalization," said Griffiths. "Over the last decade, the world has changed dramatically. It's now a world with very different actors who have made advancement in science and technology a top priority. And many of the troubling trends we're seeing are now very well established."
U.S. Firms Create More R&D Jobs Abroad
On top of the lost manufacturing employment, U.S. multinational corporations are rapidly expanding their R&D jobs overseas. For a decade, from 1994-2004, U.S. firms established R&D jobs abroad at a relatively slow annual rate of three percent, increasing the share of their R&D employment overseas from 14 percent to 16 percent. But according to preliminary figures, in the next five years, 2004-2009, the number of new R&D jobs overseas took off, growing to 27 percent of all R&D jobs at these U.S. firms. Since 2004, about 85 percent of R&D employment growth in U.S. multinational corporations has been abroad.
That rapid increase in employment by U.S. firms abroad contrasts with very modest growth in R&D employment in the United States by foreign companies.
"This apparent acceleration of U.S. R&D jobs overseas, along with other indicators, suggests that the capabilities of Asian countries are strong enough to accommodate such a rapid shift," said Rolf Lehming, NSF's program director for the report. "The policies of Asian governments appear to be paying off for them, and U.S. companies seem to be confident in the quality of R&D work done abroad."
The relative shift of R&D to Asia can also be seen in overall expenditures. The U.S. still does more R&D than any other single country, spending $400 billion in 2009. But, for the first time, the Asian region has nearly matched the U.S., with R&D expenditures of $399 billion.
Reversed Positions on High-tech Trade
Recent trends are also reflected in the dramatic change in shares of global high-tech exports. After rising from 19 percent to 22 percent between 1995 and 1998, by 2010 the U.S.'s share of the global high-tech exports dropped to 15 percent. At the same time, China's share nearly quadrupled, growing from 6 percent in 1995 to 22 percent in 2010.
Asia now produces more than half of all high-tech goods exports worldwide, while the U.S. and the European Union countries each produce 15 percent. During the 15-year period of 1995-2010, Japan's share fell from 19 percent to 7 percent.
Until 1997, the U.S. enjoyed surpluses in trade of high-tech goods. But by 2010 those surpluses had turned into large annual trade deficits of nearly $100 billion, largely driven by the shift in production of communications and computer goods to Asia at a time of growing U.S. demand. At the same time, China's 2010 high-tech trade surpluses reached $157 billion, while eight Asian countries (excluding China and Japan) collectively enjoyed trade surpluses of $226 billion.
Prepared biennially for the President and Congress, the comprehensive, 575-page Science and Engineering Indicators 2012 report provides information on the scope, quality, and vitality of America's science and engineering enterprise. It is a policy-neutral document, providing facts that are widely used by policymakers, federal agencies, researchers, and the news media.
Other key findings in the report include:
Three countries the United States, China, and Japan performed over half of the world's $1.28 trillion in R&D spending in 2009. (China overtook Japan during the last decade to become the second largest R&D-performing nation.)
Between 1999 and 2009, the United States' share of R&D dropped from 38 percent to 31 percent; the EU's share declined from 27 percent to 23 percent; and the Asian region grew from 24 percent to 32 percent.
Many Asian countries have increased the share of their GDPs devoted to R&D, with China almost tripling its R&D/GDP ratio since 1996. The United States R&D/GDP ratio has recently edged upward, while that of the EU has remained steady.
The developed world's lead in higher education has declined dramatically. In 2008, the U.S. produced only four percent of the world's engineering degrees, while 56 percent were awarded in Asia, including a third in China.
The number of natural sciences and engineering doctorates awarded by Chinese universities more than tripled since 2000. At 26,000 awarded in 2008, the number of these Chinese doctorates now exceeds the number earned in the United States. And, unlike in China, a large share of these U.S. doctorate degrees are awarded to foreign students. In 2009, 44 percent of the 24,700 U.S. natural sciences and engineering doctorates were awarded to temporary visa holders. For engineering doctorates, 57 percent were awarded to foreign students.
American industry, which historically has supported about 60 percent of U.S. R&D, reduced R&D funding by nearly four percent in 2009. (A rise in U.S. government R&D funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act partially offset the private-sector reduction.)
Job losses from the 2007-2009 recession were less severe for science and engineering workers than for the U.S. workforce as a whole. In 2010, the median income for workers in science and engineering jobs ($73,290) was more than double the median income of all U.S. workers ($33,840).
###
SEI is prepared by NSF's National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) on behalf of the National Science Board. The publication is subject to extensive review by outside experts, other federal agencies, National Science Board members, and NCSES internal reviewers.
Science and Engineering Indicators 2012 goes live on the Web on Jan. 18 at noon ET at www.nsf.gov/statistics/indicators/ .
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
US high-tech jobs lost as technological lead shrinksPublic release date: 17-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Leslie Fink lfink@nsf.gov 703-292-5395 National Science Foundation
New NSB report provides deep insights on the economy
The United States lost 28 percent of its high-technology manufacturing jobs over the last decade, as the nation's rapidly shrinking lead in science and technology in the global marketplace was accompanied by a toll on U.S. high-tech jobs, according to a new study released today by the National Science Board (NSB), the policymaking body for the National Science Foundation.
One of the most dramatic signs of this trend was the loss of 687,000 high-technology manufacturing jobs since 2000. U.S. multinational corporations also created research and development (R&D) jobs overseas at an unprecedented rate. Meanwhile, China became the world leader in high-technology trade, and, for the first time, Asia matched the U.S. in R&D investments.
Those were among the key findings released today by the NSB, as it unveiled the most comprehensive and up-to-date information and analysis on the nation's position in science and technology. The biennial report, Science and Engineering Indicators (SEI), highlights trends and factors that have an impact on the nation's economy, competitiveness, and innovation capacity.
U.S. employment in high-technology manufacturing reached a peak in 2000, with 2.5 million jobs. The recession of 2001 provided the first big hit causing "substantial and permanent" job losses, the report said. By the end of the decade, more than a quarter of the jobs were gone.
"The latest data clearly show the economic consequences of the eroding competitive advantage the United States has historically enjoyed in science and technology," said Dr. Jos-Marie Griffiths, chairman of the NSB committee that oversees production of the report. "Other nations clearly recognize the economic and social benefits of investing in R&D and education, and they are challenging the United States leadership position. We're seeing the result in the very real, and substantial, loss of good jobs."
"The volume gives a clear picture of the United States' position in globalization," said Griffiths. "Over the last decade, the world has changed dramatically. It's now a world with very different actors who have made advancement in science and technology a top priority. And many of the troubling trends we're seeing are now very well established."
U.S. Firms Create More R&D Jobs Abroad
On top of the lost manufacturing employment, U.S. multinational corporations are rapidly expanding their R&D jobs overseas. For a decade, from 1994-2004, U.S. firms established R&D jobs abroad at a relatively slow annual rate of three percent, increasing the share of their R&D employment overseas from 14 percent to 16 percent. But according to preliminary figures, in the next five years, 2004-2009, the number of new R&D jobs overseas took off, growing to 27 percent of all R&D jobs at these U.S. firms. Since 2004, about 85 percent of R&D employment growth in U.S. multinational corporations has been abroad.
That rapid increase in employment by U.S. firms abroad contrasts with very modest growth in R&D employment in the United States by foreign companies.
"This apparent acceleration of U.S. R&D jobs overseas, along with other indicators, suggests that the capabilities of Asian countries are strong enough to accommodate such a rapid shift," said Rolf Lehming, NSF's program director for the report. "The policies of Asian governments appear to be paying off for them, and U.S. companies seem to be confident in the quality of R&D work done abroad."
The relative shift of R&D to Asia can also be seen in overall expenditures. The U.S. still does more R&D than any other single country, spending $400 billion in 2009. But, for the first time, the Asian region has nearly matched the U.S., with R&D expenditures of $399 billion.
Reversed Positions on High-tech Trade
Recent trends are also reflected in the dramatic change in shares of global high-tech exports. After rising from 19 percent to 22 percent between 1995 and 1998, by 2010 the U.S.'s share of the global high-tech exports dropped to 15 percent. At the same time, China's share nearly quadrupled, growing from 6 percent in 1995 to 22 percent in 2010.
Asia now produces more than half of all high-tech goods exports worldwide, while the U.S. and the European Union countries each produce 15 percent. During the 15-year period of 1995-2010, Japan's share fell from 19 percent to 7 percent.
Until 1997, the U.S. enjoyed surpluses in trade of high-tech goods. But by 2010 those surpluses had turned into large annual trade deficits of nearly $100 billion, largely driven by the shift in production of communications and computer goods to Asia at a time of growing U.S. demand. At the same time, China's 2010 high-tech trade surpluses reached $157 billion, while eight Asian countries (excluding China and Japan) collectively enjoyed trade surpluses of $226 billion.
Prepared biennially for the President and Congress, the comprehensive, 575-page Science and Engineering Indicators 2012 report provides information on the scope, quality, and vitality of America's science and engineering enterprise. It is a policy-neutral document, providing facts that are widely used by policymakers, federal agencies, researchers, and the news media.
Other key findings in the report include:
Three countries the United States, China, and Japan performed over half of the world's $1.28 trillion in R&D spending in 2009. (China overtook Japan during the last decade to become the second largest R&D-performing nation.)
Between 1999 and 2009, the United States' share of R&D dropped from 38 percent to 31 percent; the EU's share declined from 27 percent to 23 percent; and the Asian region grew from 24 percent to 32 percent.
Many Asian countries have increased the share of their GDPs devoted to R&D, with China almost tripling its R&D/GDP ratio since 1996. The United States R&D/GDP ratio has recently edged upward, while that of the EU has remained steady.
The developed world's lead in higher education has declined dramatically. In 2008, the U.S. produced only four percent of the world's engineering degrees, while 56 percent were awarded in Asia, including a third in China.
The number of natural sciences and engineering doctorates awarded by Chinese universities more than tripled since 2000. At 26,000 awarded in 2008, the number of these Chinese doctorates now exceeds the number earned in the United States. And, unlike in China, a large share of these U.S. doctorate degrees are awarded to foreign students. In 2009, 44 percent of the 24,700 U.S. natural sciences and engineering doctorates were awarded to temporary visa holders. For engineering doctorates, 57 percent were awarded to foreign students.
American industry, which historically has supported about 60 percent of U.S. R&D, reduced R&D funding by nearly four percent in 2009. (A rise in U.S. government R&D funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act partially offset the private-sector reduction.)
Job losses from the 2007-2009 recession were less severe for science and engineering workers than for the U.S. workforce as a whole. In 2010, the median income for workers in science and engineering jobs ($73,290) was more than double the median income of all U.S. workers ($33,840).
###
SEI is prepared by NSF's National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) on behalf of the National Science Board. The publication is subject to extensive review by outside experts, other federal agencies, National Science Board members, and NCSES internal reviewers.
Science and Engineering Indicators 2012 goes live on the Web on Jan. 18 at noon ET at www.nsf.gov/statistics/indicators/ .
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
An Italian cruise ship, the Costa Concordia, collided with rocks off the coast of Tuscany and capsized this week, leaving many unanswered questions as to how and why the accident occurred. The Monitor spoke with admiralty and maritime lawyer David Y. Loh, who points out how an over-reliance on technology and staffing shortages have been problems in the industry. Mr. Loh is a former Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy and specializes in risk management.?
- Whitney Eulich,?Staff Writer
The captain of the Costa Concordia cruise boat that ran aground off Tuscany on Friday claims the rock he hit?wasn?t marked on navigational charts, reports Reuters. But maritime lawyer David Y. Loh says relying on one navigation system is never fail-proof. ? ?[A large rock] wouldn?t show up if the [electronic] navigation system was turned off,? Mr. Loh says. ?If it was turned on and operating properly it would work properly, but that also presumes someone is monitoring the system and its settings.? ? Some navigation systems will have an alarm built in that will go off when it is close to hazards, Loh says. When a boat is leaving port and close to land the alarm may go off incessantly. ?If you?re close to land you might turn [the alarm] off to prevent that,? he says.
Steering a large vessel like the Costa Concordia cruise boat should never rely solely on electronic navigation systems, Loh says. ?I don?t know why they were so close and whether or not [the ship] was in a sea lane,? says Loh, but if they intended to take that route, procedure would have likely called for consulting with a local pilot familiar with the coastal terrain.
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