Resilience in the wake of Superstorm Sandy

June 24, 2013 ? The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research has released results of a major survey exploring resilience of people and neighborhoods directly affected by Superstorm Sandy. The study reveals the importance of social factors such as neighborhood bonds and social supports in coping with the storm and its aftermath.

Striking landfall in the United States on October 29, 2012, Superstorm Sandy affected large areas of coastal New York and New Jersey, devastated communities, killed more than 130 people, and caused tens of billions of dollars in property damage.

"The impact of the storm is being felt to this day as the long process of recovery continues," said Trevor Tompson, director of the AP-NORC Center. "Our survey data powerfully illustrate how important the help of friends, family, and neighbors can be in getting people back on their feet after natural disasters. These crucial social bonds are often overlooked as policy discussions tend to focus on the role that official institutions have in fostering resilience."

With funding from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Associated Press -- NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted a national survey of 2,025 individuals including an oversample of 1,007 interviews with residents in the NY and NJ region affected by Superstorm Sandy.

The survey had two central objectives: 1) To systematically measure the impact of the storm on individuals and neighborhoods and to assess the level of recovery six months after the storm. 2) To learn how neighborhood characteristics and social factors relate to recovery and resilience.

Critical findings of the survey include:

• The most important sources of help before, during, and after the storm were friends, family, and neighbors, with first responders seen as equally important in the affected regions.
• Organized charities such as The Salvation Army, and food banks as well as relief organizations like the Red Cross were seen as very helpful and important in the wake of the storm in the regions most affected by the storm.
• By contrast State and federal governments and utility companies were seen as significantly less helpful by those in the affected region.
• Residents of the region affected by Sandy report extensive impacts beyond the physical damage, including prolonged effects on daily living and social relationships, with many individuals and neighborhoods continuing to struggle.
• The storm brought out the best in neighbors, with reports of many people sharing access to power, food and water, and providing shelter. Just seven percent report that the storm brought out the worst in their neighbors.
• Americans supported the victims, with 54 percent of Americans donating food, money, clothing or other items to help, with 63 percent of people in the affected regions doing the same.
• About two-thirds of Americans support government assistance in rebuilding, with a smaller majority supporting buyouts in areas susceptible to natural disasters.
• In areas affected by the storm, people relied heavily on both face to face communication and on technology, with cellphones cited as the most common way to communicate during the storm. Email and Facebook were used by about one-third of residents and Twitter by a small percentage.
• In the most severely hit areas, 80 percent of people relied on face to face communications, followed by cellphone, landlines, email, Facebook, and Twitter.

"Superstorm Sandy tested the resilience of New York and New Jersey," said Dr. Judith Rodin, president of the Rockefeller Foundation. "As the region works to rebuild and to better prepare for future storms, the results of this poll can inform our thinking and planning in a way that will ensure greater resilience. The poll shows that family, neighborhood and community are vital components of responding to shocks and stresses and bouncing back stronger."

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/NuDkAU9cff8/130624152615.htm

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Don Draper hits rock bottom in 'Mad Men' finale

TV

Drusilla Moorhouse TODAY contributor

10 hours ago

Frank Ockenfels / AMC

Don Draper might not have jumped out the window, but his life at Sterling Cooper & Partners came to an abrupt end in "Mad Men's" season finale.

For the first time, the great pretender lifted the curtain hiding his sordid, tragic past, but no one in his new world wanted to see it. Don Draper was hired and championed for the fa?ade he created -- Dick Whitman is not welcome on Madison Ave.

After skipping another meeting to get soused in a bar, Don found himself in the drunk tank -- which seemed to be a wake-up call. Megan found him the next morning draining all their liquor -- in the sink instead of down his throat for a change.

And so for one of the firm's most important pitches -- to Hershey's -- Don was on time and sober. (Except for the drink a knowing Ted urged on him so that he wouldn't get the shakes, or worse.)

For a moment, the clients were enchanted by Don's portrayal of Hershey's as "the currency of affection, the childhood symbol of love."

Unfortunately for SC&P, Don chose that moment to bare his soul -- revealing that he grew up as an unwanted orphan in a whorehouse. As a kid, Don said, a Hershey bar "was the only sweet thing in my life."

Now, Don is surrounded by sweet things -- adoring women, children of his own, and all the trappings of success -- but his soul is too bitter to taste them. On Thanksgiving Day, SC&P called him into the office and game him the boot.

"In Care Of" was a lovely bookend to "Mad Men's" fourth-season finale, "Tomorrowland," in which Don proposed to his secretary -- using the engagement ring the real Don Draper gave to his wife Anna -- during a trip to California with his kids.

When Sunkist requested a SC&P rep work with them in Los Angeles, half the staff at SC&P were seduced by the sunshine and palm trees' siren call -- and the promise of a new start. Of course, Don claimed Stan's idea of a satellite for himself and announced his plans to the firm. Megan, thrilled to finally take advantage of all the Hollywood offers she'd received, quit her job.

Then Ted convinced Don to let him go instead, because the only way he could save his marriage was to put 3,000 miles between him and Peggy, with whom he'd finally shared a night of passion. Don agreed, infuriating Megan, who walked out after his "bi-coastal" platitudes.

But even Pete is going west. After learning his mother was "lost at sea" (someday this show will run out of metaphors), likely murdered by her nurse-turned-husband, Pete's face was shot off (metaphorically) in Detroit -- by Bob Benson!

Don's double-identity heir apparent will be running SC&P next year, right? Bob Benson has definitely played the best cards, even sharing Thanksgiving with his BFF Joan and Roger, whom she'd invited to spend time with their son.

In another neighborhood, Don is spending Thanksgiving with his kids, but there's no turkey in sight. Instead, even Sally is at a loss for words as he shows them the decrepit whorehouse where he grew up, where a little boy is playing on the front steps.

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/don-draper-hits-rock-bottom-mad-men-finale-6C10423973

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LeapFrog shows off $150 LeapPad Ultra tablet, arriving July 17th (hands-on)

LeapFrog's latest tablet just couldn't wait to show off for the camera, making its on-screen debut over at the FCC's site a few weeks back. The kid-friendly tech company was finally ready to show the thing off for real this week, almost exactly a year after letting us take a look at the previous-generation device. The slate, naturally, maintains the kid-friendly software and rugged design that have become customary across LeapFrog's hardware offerings, while adding enough new features to let the company confidently refer to the LeapPad Ultra as "the ultimate kids learning tablet." Though they might be just a tad biased when it comes to such overarching statements.

The Ultra's got a 7-inch, 1,024 x 600 touchscreen display that works with an stylus to help kids learn to write with something other than their fingers (making it not too unlike the LeapReader in that respect). There are front- and rear-facing cameras for its built-in imaging programs and 8GB of storage for downloading some of the 800-plus LeapFrog-approved apps downloadable from the company's App Center (which wasn't ready to demo when we looked at the hardware). The choices include proprietary apps and selections from partners like Pixar and Sesame Street. The tablet's got all kinds of parental protection, including secure WiFi and a four-digit code for updating. And while there's an included chat app (Pet Chat), communication is limited to other LeapPads, using a limited number of canned responses.

Gallery: LeapFrog shows off $150 LeapPad Ultra tablet, arriving July 17th

Filed under: Tablets

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/24/leapreader-ultra/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Fruits And Vegetables Are More Aware Than You Think

You might not think that spinach knows what's up, but the produce in your fridge is still alive and aware. Which is creepy. But kind of awesome. According to new research, fruits and vegetables still have circadian rhythms up to a week after being harvested. And they respond to light patterns by producing chemical compounds to protect themselves against herbivores.

When researchers subjected fruits and vegetables to light and dark based on when insect predators sleep and wake, the plants recognized the patterns and generated protective compounds called glucosinolates in response. And when samples of cabbage were put on the same light/dark schedule as looper moth caterpillars they were damaged the least by the predators, compared with other samples on different light cycles.

Lettuce, spinach, zucchini, sweet potatoes, carrots and blueberries all defended themselves similarly, though through different chemical mechanisms, when put on the looper moth caterpillar schedule. The research is interesting in itself, but more importantly has potential applications for reducing pesticide use in harvested crops. Though it may seem like protecting growing plants is the only goal, fruits and vegetables must also be safeguarded from pests after they are harvested. Plants' own defenses could reduce the need for harsh pesticides in the future. That zucchini knows when you eat ice cream in the middle of the night and it's throwing shade. [National Geographic]

Image by Africa Studio/Shutterstock

Source: http://gizmodo.com/fruits-and-vegetables-are-more-aware-than-you-think-547960814

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Storm doesn't halt Brooklyn's strutting mermaids (Providence Journal)

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91% We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wikileaks

All Critics (46) | Top Critics (23) | Fresh (42) | Rotten (4)

Sometimes it takes a feature-length documentary to stitch together a story we think we already know.

A real-life cyber-thriller with real-life consequences, Alex Gibney's We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks is a riveting and revelatory documentary ...

Gibney builds a remarkable level of suspense, given how exhaustively WikiLeaks has been covered in the media.

Engaging, kinetic, revelatory and unexpected.

At once an awkward mingling of two complex life stories and a gripping, necessary look at how information is gathered, shared and, yes, stolen.

Who is "We" in the title We Steal Secrets? There's no need for a spoiler alert, but it's neither Gibney nor Assange.

Which is the real Assange? This movie cannot say. It's as if Gibney threw up his hands, put the whole mess in the audience's lap and said, "Here, YOU figure this guy out."

A psychological suspense film with an open ending that's more haunting than the tricky climaxes of most post-Hitchcock thrillers.

With an approach that feels like a thriller, Gibney looks at both sides of the debate over the site's purpose and effectiveness.

Smart and opinionated, it's a great introduction to this ongoing story.

Gibney continues his run as the premier nonfiction filmmaker working today.

Arguably furthers WikiLeaks' stated purpose, but with a necessary whiff of the investigative filmmaker's instinctive skepticism.

The film is fascinating and provocative, deftly navigating complex personalities and shifting allegiances.

Who decides what stays secret? This brilliant documentary explores that question, itself a meta-narrative as the documentarian exposes the secrets of the secret-sharers.

Works...as a saga of self-destructive behavior by capable people whose judgment was perverted by smugness about their own oprinciples.

A fascinating account of a man who loved stirring the pot until he was the one sitting in it.

Gibney has created one of the signature discussions on the signature debate of the post-9/11 information-security age, namely: Who needs to know?

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Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/we_steal_secrets_the_story_of_wikileaks_2013/

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Contrary to claims: Tax burden grows heavier for low salaried people

Govern?ment gives relief to the high income indivi?duals at the expens?e of smalle?r pay cheque?s.

Government gives relief to the high income individuals at the expense of smaller pay cheques.

ISLAMABAD:?

Contrary to its claim of ?taxing the rich? in times of economic crisis, the federal government on Thursday admitted lessening tax on people earning as high as Rs2.1 million to Rs5.5 million annually; while increasing? tax burden on comparatively low salaried people earning Rs0.6 million to Rs1.7 million annually.

This was revealed by Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chief Income Tax Policy Dr Muhammad Iqbal who was briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Finance.

The government, however, marginally increased the tax rates for people earning more than Rs5.5 million. But this increase is far below the rate of increase for lower middle class. The government has estimated generating Rs4.5 billion additional revenue by this raise in income tax rates for the salaried class.

Dr Iqbal maintained that the relief was given to the higher income groups to address an anomaly in the last budget that increased the tax burden on these classes ?a claim that is contrary to the ground realities. This is the second such disclosure where the tax relief has been provided to the higher income groups. Earlier, the new government reduced the tax rates on dividend income of banks from 35% to 25%.

According to a FBR presentation, the effective tax for people having annual income from Rs600,000 to below Rs700,000 will be Rs12,500, which is Rs2,500 or 25% higher than outgoing year?s liability.

Those earning above Rs700,000 to less than Rs800,000, will have to pay over a third more than outgoing year?s liability; as their effective tax will be Rs20,000 as against Rs15,000 of this year. For the category of Rs800,000 the tax liability will be Rs27,500 ? an increase of 22.3%, for Rs900,000 annual income the effective tax will be Rs37,500 ? an increase of 15.4%, for Rs1 million group the effective tax will be Rs47,500 ? an increase of 11.8%.

On Rs1.1 million income the tax is Rs57,500 with an increase of 9.5%, on Rs1.2 million the tax is Rs67,500 ? an increase of 8%, on Rs1.3 million the tax is Rs77,500 ? showing an increase of 6.9%, on Rs1.4 million the tax is 90,000 ? an increase of 9%, for Rs1.5 million the tax is Rs102,500 with an increase of 8%, for Rs1.6 million the tax is Rs115,000 with an increase of just 4.5% and for Rs1.7 million income the new tax liability is Rs127,500 with a meager increase of just 2%.

The government has maintained the tax burden for those earning Rs1.8 million to Rs2 million as these people will still be paying Rs140,000 to Rs170,000 annually as income tax.

Relief has been provided to those earning from Rs2.1 million to Rs5.5 million as their tax burden has been lessened by 2% to 44%. The maximum reduction has been given to those earning Rs2.5 million who will now be paying Rs270,000 per annum tax as against the outgoing year?s tax liability of Rs420,000.

Likewise, for people earning in between Rs2.6 million to Rs3 million the effective tax burden has come down to the range of 38.7% to 33% respectively. The higher the income, the higher is the relief.

However, the government increased the tax burden on those earning from Rs5.6 million to Rs6.5 million and above in the range of 1.5% to maximum 6% or in absolute terms this wealthy club will be paying Rs17,500 to Rs55,000 per annum more than what they paid this year.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2013.

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Source: http://tribune.com.pk/story/566242/contrary-to-claims-tax-burden-grows-heavier-for-low-salaried-people/

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