Sunday, February 15, 2009


Cuba launched the operating system 'Nova', its own distribution of Linux, as part of a national strategy to encourage the progressive migration of its statewide network to the 'software' free, informed the local press on Thursday and their designers.

"Cuba now has a proprietary tool to advance the migration of various institutions to 'software' free ', the newspaper Juventud Rebelde said, stressing that Nova is a Cuban distribution of GNU / Linux", with an interface friendly and easy to understand for newbies.


Nova, "while not completely free since it contains some private drivers, has multiple uses, such as the Open Office word processor, the Mozilla Firefox browser," said Angel Goñi, a member of the group of teachers and students of Computer Science University of Havana (UCI), who designed it.

The Cuban system was presented to the International Convention Informatics 2009, meeting until next Friday in Havana, attended by 2,000 delegates, including 800 foreigners from 49 countries.


The Office for Informatization of Cuba in 2004 a design strategy to ensure the progressive migration of the network state sistemma Linux operating Cuban andalusia, thereby eliminating the presence of almost exclusively on Microsoft Windows machines.

The strategy includes actions of organization, techniques, design of a legal framework as well as training and the gradual change of the systems from Windows to Linux.


The Linux operating system differs from similar in that its Windows source code is completely open, and therefore can be modified and distributed by the user as many times as you like.


The U.S. Authors Guild announced on Friday that the new role of the electronic book from Amazon, Kindle 2, read aloud, provide a "significant challenge" for the publishing industry.

"We are studying this issue closely and keep them informed," the guild said in a message to its members on its website authorsguild.org.


"This presents a significant challenge for the publishing industry," said the union on Thursday, noting that sales of audio books exceeded 1000 million U.S. dollars in 2007.

The union warned its members to ensure that the use made of the rights of Amazon books was part of his contract with the publishers.


"While the matter is resolved, Amazon may be undermining its market while exploiting their audio e-books," he added.

"Combining e-books with audio books was something that was discussed at length in the industry," said the message. "It's a good idea, but should not be conducted by a distributor of electronic books."


Amazon launched the Kindle 2 in a press conference in New York on Monday. Besides being thinner and faster than the previous model, the Kindle 2, a slim electronic tablet which can store about 1,500 titles in less than 300 grams, also has a function of reading aloud.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Dressed in a dark suit with a flannel and not baseball, Miguel Tejada became the first player with a reputation convicted of a crime arising from the scandals of the era by the use of steroids in the Major Leagues.

Tejada was found guilty Wednesday in federal court of lying to Congress about the use of drugs to enhance sporting performance.


By an agreement to which he pleaded guilty, met with the same prosecutors who seek to impose a sentence of Roger Clemens for perjury, Tejada admitted to concealing information about the consumption of steroids and human growth hormone by a former partner, in August 2005, when researchers from a congressional committee questioned him.

Tejada, who was the MVP of the American League in 2002, when he played with the Oakland Athletics, also acknowledged that it bought human growth hormone (HGH English) when he played for that team.


But the player, who now fights with the Houston Astros and was five times the paracorto Star Game, said it got rid of the drug-free. Prosecutors noted that they had no evidence to contradict his assertion.

Hours later, during a press conference in Houston, Tejada, 34, worked to contain tears as he apologized for what he considered an error. Did not accept to answer questions from the press.


"I just want to apologize," said Tejada about to mourn. "I made a mistake and now I know how serious was that I did not respond to a question on another partner."

The misdemeanor could even be punished with imprisonment for one year. The parameters provide a federal sentence more lenient, and a player's lawyer, Mark Tuhoney hoped that Tejada will be sentenced to probation.


Judge Alan Kay said that federal sentencing Tejada on March 26, during the major league season. The Astros do not have a game scheduled that day.

Kay asked more than once if the Dominican understood that the case could affect your immigration status in the United States.


"Yes, your honor," said Tejada.

The terms of the agreement were outlined in a letter dated February 5 sent to the lawyers of Tejada, and the player had until February 23 to respond.


"His guilty plea in this case can be subjected to detention, deportation or other sanctions from the Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement," says the letter.

A spokeswoman for the agency said that each case is reviewed individually to determine whether an alien convicted of a crime should be deported. He said that the agency does not discuss the status of Tejada because he provides no details on individual cases.


Tejada attention of the audience with headphones to listen to the mode of simultaneous translation in Spanish.

The judge asked if Tejada had used alcohol or any drug, legal or illegal, in the last 24 hours that could affect your decision. Tejada replied softly, "Last night I took a couple of drinks." But he told the judge that he was no longer under the influence of alcohol or drugs.


His case is the following testimony that he paid to a panel of researchers from the lower house in 2005, saying not know if he knew about substance to improve performance in the Major Leagues.

The statement was submitted against Tejada a day after Alex Rodriguez confessed to have used substances to enhance performance. The prelude to the New York Yankees is not facing charges.

Tejada "illegally concealed information relevant to the committee because the accused before and during his interview with committee staff, was well aware that the No. 1 player, one of his companions with the Oakland Athletics, consumed steroids and HGH," said the car indictment.

In fact, prosecutors contend that during the preseason in 2003, Tejada took a substance which is presumed to be the hormone, that player, with payments of $ 3200 and 3100.

In the Mitchell report, which investigated the use of steroids in baseball, the Oakland outfielder Adam Piatto said it spoke to Tejada on the use of steroids, and claimed that he gave Tejada testosterone and HGH.

The Mitchell report, published in December 2007, included copies of checks allegedly signed by Tejada to Piatto in March 2003 for quantities of 3100 and $ 3200.

Suspicions began to fall on when another ex-Tejada, Rafael Palmeiro of the Baltimore Orioles, testified before the committee in the lower house. In January 2008, the committee asked the Justice Department to investigate whether the Dominican lied to Congress when he was interviewed in relation to the case of Palmeiro.

When the same congressional committee held a hearing in March 2005, Palmeiro said never to have used steroids. Cuba was suspended this year for throwing a positive steroids.

Palmeiro said his positive result was due to an injection of vitamin B-12, which supposedly gave Tejada.

Los Angelinos de Los Angeles a strengthened batting which encountered difficulties in racing last season, agreed Wednesday to a one-year contract with outfielder Bobby Abreu Venezuelan law.

Abreu will have a basic salary of five million dollars with the possibility of extending it to six million dollars counting incentives, according to several media outlets.


Los Angelinos, champions of the Division of the American League West, they must announce the agreement on Thursday to Abreu and then adopt a physical exam Wednesday.

Abreu, a veteran of 13 seasons in the Major Leagues, won $ 16 million with the New York Yankees last year and is believed to be seeking a contract for three seasons and $ 48 million as a free agent.


The toletero of 34 years, who batted for a .296 average with 100 career home runs and 20 towed last season, will be integrated with a rotation of gardeners, along with designated hitter Torii Hunter, the Dominican Vladimir Guerrero, Juan Rivera, also a Venezuelan Gary Matthews and son.

Rivera signed a contract for three seasons and 12.75 million in December,


Matthews, who was operated on one knee in the recess of the campaign is in its third year of an agreement for five seasons for $ 50 million.

Abreu, who is batting percentage with runners on base 405 and has the ability to extend the accounts in the turns at-bat, offers Angelinos to a patient and left-handed hitter who would Guerrero in right before a line that was one tenth in runs scored in the American League last year.


This season, Abreu came to Barry Bonds and Rickey Henderson as the only players with 200 home runs in his career 300 stolen base and average over .400 with runners on the pads.

The United States continued its dominance over Mexico and two goals from Michael Bradley on Wednesday won 2-0 on the "Tri" in the startup of the final hexagonal of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.

Bradley scored on 43 minutes and in the discounts, the second with the complicity of the Mexican goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez.


Mexico played a man with much less of the supplement by the expulsion of its captain Rafael Marquez to 65 minutes after hitting a kick to the U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard. The defense will miss Barcelona's next match against Costa Rica hexagonal.

The defeat for the ruling could be the coach of Mexico, Sven-Göran Eriksson, whose performance has been severely criticized by the recent actions of the selection. The "Tri" lost 1-0 to a team in Sweden full of substitutes blanks in his most recent, and was classified andalusia hexagonal hard by goal difference.


United States does not lose its stronghold in Mexico for a decade, and on Wednesday once again proved that it is the ruler of the CONCACAF. Their next game is against El Salvador.

The first goal was born in a U.S. corner kick that kicked DaMarcus Beasely. The ball reached the second stick to Landon Donovan, who had a head-to-Oguchi Onyewu for a header on goal. Sanchez stopped the ball on the line, but the rebound was left to Bradley for the shot at point blank range.


Bradley was the second in rebates with a powerful shot from outside the area that happened between your hands to Sanchez.

"We had no luck, the team played well and is costing us," said striker Carlos Ochoa at the end of the game. "The team was trying to play."


Mexico started with good intentions and was three minutes clear of his chances of scoring with a shot from Giovani Dos Santos to Howard tackled legs.

Eriksson returned to invest in the youth Giovani in the attack, but aside from his speech at the beginning of the match and some sparks, the Tottenham striker has not generated many times of danger. Giovani made double with Nery Castillo, who left 36 injured.


United States took possession of the ball after the first quarter of an hour with DaMarcus Beasley and increases the speed and cunning of Landon Donovan.

A free kick from Donovan to 22 minutes stroked a stick, and after nine, Sanchez saved his shot on a goal by Clint Dempsey.


Alberto Medina tried to 36 for Mexico, but his weak shot was tackled by Howard without much trouble.

The second half was more of the same, with U.S. controlling the ball and hit Mexico betting on ideas.


Giovani missed another chance at 65, entering an auction center, but fell into the mouth of the arch.

In Mexico, where every day is growing pressure on Eriksson and selection, some fans are losing patience with poor performance.


"Whenever we win," said Bon-Var Victor, a musician of 38 years noted that the party in a bar in the capital. "There is so much pressure that they can not win, had several opportunities to score but could not finish the game."

In 25 years on Thursday met his death, recalled a marathon tribute to the Argentine writer Julio Cortazar, an emblem of Latin American literature and who is more valid than ever because it will premiere in May of his inspiration unpublished texts .

Cortazar, who died in Paris at the age of 69, began to be remembered with a library of a seminary in the capital of Argentina and later with the premiere of the film "pious lies" of Diego Sabanés, inspired by his book "The health of the sick. "


Author of "Rayuela", "Beasts," "End Game" and "Stories and Cronopios FAMAS," among other works, Cortázar was born in the Argentine Embassy in Ixel district of Brussels, so he used to say that "my birth was a product of tourism and diplomacy. " Was given to his father some relationship with the diplomatic corps in Brussels.

The activities planned in general by the government of Buenos Aires, will continue daily until March 21 when the artist Marta Minujin 300 rayuela fluorescent paint on the popular avenue 9 July, between the central and Lavalle streets Rivadavia.


But the strawberry dessert will be determined on a day when it premiered in May of "Papeles unexpected," a book containing 450 pages in eleven stories ever published, plus a chapter of the unpublished "Book of Manuel," 13 poems and four autoentrevistas said Alfaguara, the publisher of the work.

This literary treasure was found in December 2006 in a trunk which aroused the curiosity of Aurora Bernárdez widow Cortázar


"It remains (for Cortázar) literature initiation Recommended purchased by schools and government agencies," said Julia Saltzmann responsible Alfaguara in Buenos Aires.

"It's one of the best-selling authors of the editorial, which shows that is very current," said Saltzmann.


Cortázar was also committed to leftist revolutionary struggles of the 60s. The copyright of several of his works were donated to help for political prisoners in several Latin American countries.

In Buenos Aires, a square and a school bearing his name, as well as a small square in Paris, where he runs the story of "The caiman of the devil."

President Barack Obama raised the firm belief of Abraham Lincoln to unify a divided nation by participating in a ceremony Wednesday to celebrate the restoration of the Ford Theater with an investment of $ 25 million.

Obama and first lady, Michelle Obama, attended with Hollywood stars and other personalities in the evening on the eve of the bicentennial of Lincoln. The theater where Lincoln was assassinated, has reopened after a renovation that included 18 months of comfortable armchairs, a modern lobby and dressing rooms renovated.


Among a ceremony enlivened with music and moments of drama, the actor Sidney Poitier and director George Lucas was awarded the Medal Lincoln.

Obama, andalusia andalusia theater qualify as a "sacred space" where the legacy of giant Lincoln, rioja commended for restoring the sense of unity in the country.


"Despite all that divided us _ North and South, white and negros_ had the unshakable conviction that we were, essentially, a nation and a people," said the president. "And because of Abraham Lincoln, and all those who have followed his work in later generations, that is what we remain today."

Obama entered the theater with the notes of the tune "Hail to the Chief" amid applause from the audience that was standing.


The violinist Joshua Bell opened the show with a traditional piece of the spiritual kind that was played again for the first time in the Ford Theater the night that Lincoln was assassinated in 1865. The ceremony included passages from a book on the life of Lincoln, along with other tribute speeches and musical performances.

Obama said that Lincoln was "a unique personality" that led the country through the Civil War. Lincoln also told how he wanted the workers to continue building the federal Capitol, despite the fact that raw materials could have been used to make bullets.


Poitier, who broke racial barriers with films like "A Raisin in the Sun" and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", said Obama was a man of simple origins "inspired by Lincoln.

Lucas, distinguished by their films as "Star Wars" and its actions to improve schools with multimedia elements, urged Obama to make education its primary goal as president.

The voices of Beyonce, Stevie Wonder and will.i.am fall on Thursday with other musicians Awards Picture of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Fox TV reported.

The ceremony coincides with the centenary of the movement, known as the NAACP stands for English, and will begin a year of celebrations on the anniversary of the group that opposes racial discrimination.


Also participate in the show the singers Jennifer Hudson and Seal, Fox said Wednesday. Other celebrity guests include actress Taraji P. Henson, nominated for an Oscar for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", and singer Sean "Diddy" Combs.

Actress Halle Berry and the actor and writer Tyler Perry will be the drivers of the 40th Image Awards, scheduled for Thursday night on Fox

When the University of Kansas researchers sent to nursing homes to see how they handled the issue of sexual relations, no one wanted to talk at first.

"No one played the theme," said Gayle Doll, director of the Center on Aging at the University. "I suppose that people think is that their parents have sex, and yet their grandparents."


Following this experience, research seminars and other methods designed to encourage employees of ancianatos to talk about it and try to ensure that the elderly meet the needs they may have in this field.

One of the first seminar was held at the home of Hesston Schowalter Villa, where the initial reaction of several employees was, "From what we talk?" Says Lillian Claassen, vice president of health services in this center.


Claassen said the residents of sexuality has always been a sensitive issue in nursing homes.

"It is not that we care about their needs in the past, but it was like a release when we had discussions with the university researchers," said Claassen. "It made people start thinking about how you can help the residents."


Doll said the classes focus on the meaning of sexuality for the elderly, to identify barriers to satisfy their sexual needs, in identifying strategies to assist residents in learning to distinguish between what constitutes conduct sexual and what is not acceptable.

There are times when a simple sign of "do not disturb" enough. O instruct staff to knock the door of a room before entering. Claassen said her nursing home has a room in which residents can be alone and that staff are prepared to face any situation that may arise.


One possibility, for example, is that during a session of physical therapy beds are arranged so that a patient can be with your partner or companion, he said.

"What interests me is to promote dignity in a situation that can be very delicate," said Claassen. "We all need affection, generosity and companionship. We try to encourage that here, in a public place where people feel the need for privacy."


A relationship does not necessarily imply sexual intercourse. Many times the only thing anyone wants is to relieve loneliness or depression, said Doll.

Us that once a patient asked for pornographic material, but desisted when staff began to dedicate more time.


"The staff can help to combat loneliness and need for contact with residents," said Doll. "Some sexual expressions that can be viewed as inappropriate disappear if the person receives the attention it deserves."

When someone wants to have sex, things become complicated if the person suffers from dementia, it can be pulled with a launch site employees.


Claassen said the center staff was trained to reject these proposals carefully and he said that it must understand that the patient may be confused with your husband or wife, or reacting as it did in the past, something typical of dementia.

If a patient with dementia has a sexual relationship with another, we must determine whether it is consensual, said Robin Dessel, an expert on dementia and who works at the Hebrew Home in Riverdale, New York.


Dessel said people with dementia, even those who can not speak, they have desires and needs, and are able to express them. The staff must learn to distinguish if someone is going up or abuses committed by engaging in a sexual relationship.

Dessel said being aware that the elderly do not lose their rights when they are sick, including the right to express their sexuality.

"Looks do not matter, even if someone is incontinent and totally dependent. Everyone has the ability to feel and get excited," he said. "If you build a special relationship with someone, is something to celebrate."

Analysis showed that private laboratories could have been an outbreak of salmonella at a plant operated by a company that turns on an outbreak of contamination at the national level of peanut products, said Tuesday health officials Texas.

The Peanut Company of America Corp. on Monday, temporarily shut down its plant in Plainview, Texas, at the request of health officials after tests indicated "the possible presence of salmonella in some of its products, said in a statement the Department Texas Health.


Apparently none of the products processed at the plant in Texas and possibly contaminated reached the hands of consumers, officials said. The Texas plant produces peanut flour, peanut granules and dry roasted peanuts.

The company is in connection with an outbreak of salmonella that 600 people fell ill and could have caused at least eight deaths.


Also caused the withdrawal of the market for more than 1,800 products from peanuts. Peanut Corp. closed its plant last month in Blakely, Georgia, after he told federal investigators that she proceeded to the outbreak of salmonella.

Research conducted last week indicated that the plant in Plainview, which opened in March 2005 and managed by a subsidiary, Plainview Peanut Co., operated without consideration and without a license from the state health department until the parent company was investigated last month by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).


Doug McBride, spokesman for the Department of State Health Services Texas Peanut Corp. said it agreed to voluntarily shut down the plant while working with the state agency.

The closure happened in Texas the day after the FBI pave the Georgia plant and took boxes and other materials. Agents executed a warrant at the log and the Peanut Corp. headquarters in Lynchburg, Virginia, according to a legislative official familiar with the raids and who spoke on condition of anonymity save for not being authorized to speak publicly about the matter.