WIND TURBINES SAVING BIG MONEY FOR U.S. AIR FORCE STATION

Two wind turbines, similar to the ones pictured here, are being installed near the 6th Space Warning Squadron, one of the 21st Space Wing’s many geographically separated units. The new turbines will be used to power the PAVE Phased Array Warning System and are expected to cut the station’s energy cost by 50 percent. The installation of the wind turbines will put Cape Cod AFS in line with the Air Force’s goal of using 25 percent renewable energy by 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo)

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
by Lea Johnson
21st Space Wing Public Affairs staff writer
Cape Cod wind turbines bring big savings

10/9/2012 - CAPE COD AIR FORCE STATION, Mass. -- Change is blowing into Cape Cod Air Force Station as two new wind turbines are installed at the 6th Space Warning Squadron, saving an estimated $1 million a year in energy costs.

According to Steve Mellin, 6th SWS support officer, the installation of the wind turbines will put Cape Cod AFS in line with the Air Force's goal of using 25 percent renewable energy by 2025.

"Where we're stationed here on the Massachusetts seashore, there is extremely high potential to generate wind energy. We're in one of the better spots on the east coast to take advantage of the wind energy," he said.

Two other organizations on the Massachusetts Military Reservation, which hosts the 6th SWS, use wind energy. The new turbines, numbers four and five on the MMR, will be used to power the PAVE Phased Array Warning System, Mellin said.

The turbines are expected to cut the station's energy cost by 50 percent.

The project is being funded by the Fiscal Year 12 Energy Conservation Investment Program and is expected to pay for itself within 12 years, according to the Air Force Facility Energy Center. The Air Force will receive free energy for the remainder of the 20- to 25-year life of the turbines.

In addition to saving money, the turbines will also reduce air pollution. Each turbine will reduce air emissions by more than 1,000 metric tons of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide annually according to AFCESA.

"It will cut down the greenhouse gases and not burn so much oil to generate power," Mellin said.

Another benefit to the location of the wind turbines is they will not be disruptive of any residential areas.

"We aren't in an area where we have residential houses close," Mellin said. "In fact, one of the closest houses to the turbines is my personal house, and we don't see the turbines, we don't hear them, we don't get any of the (reflection) off the blades."

The project is expected to be complete by November 2013.

9/11 COURT HEARING CONTINUES



USS New York Passes Near Ground Zero In NYC.  Photo Credit:  U.S. Marine Corps

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

3 Detainees Skip Court as 9/11 Hearing Continues

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

FORT MEADE, Md., Oct. 16, 2012 - Three of the five defendants charged with planning and conducting the 9/11 terrorist attacks took advantage of yesterday's military court ruling and sat out of their pre-trial hearing today as the judge granted them broad latitude regarding what they can wear when they do choose to appear in court.

On the second of what is expected to be a five-day hearing at Naval Air Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the judge, Army Col. James Pohl, also took up what is considered a main issue: how to proceed with the trial without compromising classified information.

Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of the attacks, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi waived their right to attend the second day of pre-trial hearings. Based on Pohl's ruling, the waivers apply to one day only, and the defendants must repeat the process the morning of any court session they wish to skip.

Today, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak bin Attash and Ramzi Binalshibh were the only defendants to sit in the courtroom with their defense attorneys.

Pohl opened today's hearing by ruling that the accused can wear pretty much what they want to their court proceedings, including camouflage clothing that both Mohammed and bin Attash have requested. Pohl stipulated, however, that the clothes must not be legitimate U.S. military uniform items and, if prison garb, must not be in a color that misrepresents the detainee's security status. The judge said he would issue the ruling in writing to spell out details.

Mohammed's military defense attorney, Army Capt. Jason Wright, argued that the accused should be able to dress to reflect their affiliations. He noted, for example, that Mohammed wore a uniform as a member of the mujahedeen during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and during operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Army Maj. Joshua Kirk, representing the Defense Department, argued that no legal precedent gives prisoners "the unfettered right to wear clothing of their own choosing." He noted that a former Joint Task Force Guantanamo commander had issued specific dress guidelines both as a force-protection measure and to ensure detainees don't use their attire to make an inflammatory statement.

Pohl affirmed the JTF Guantanamo commander's authority to designate what detainees can wear in detention and when transported to court proceedings, but not inside the courtroom.

Much of today's hearing focused on how to proceed with the military tribunal without divulging classified information. The prosecution has asked for a protective order that includes "presumptive classification," which essentially means that anything the defendants say is treated as classified unless it is proven otherwise.

Justice Department Attorney Joanna Baltes said the presumptive classification measure helps ensure the government can prosecute the case without disclosing classified information that threatens U.S. national security.

However, Navy Lt. Cdr. Kevin Bogucki, Binalshibh's military defense attorney, called it "a scheme" that prevents detainees from testifying about everything that has happened to them since they were taken into U.S. custody, particularly in the hands of the CIA.

"It puts up barriers" and "makes this job impossible," agreed Cheryl Bormann, bin Attash's learned counsel, an attorney appointed by the Defense Department who has specialized training and experience in capital cases.

Baltes said a court security officer or other official could operate as a middleman, serving as a neutral party to smooth issues between the defense teams and intelligence agencies.

James Connell, learned counsel for Abdul Aziz Ali, argued that the defense team needs a security official to help them identify what information might be classified. "We need a mechanism for privileged classification review and we don't have it," he said. "I don't care what you call it or how you organize it. We need it."

David Schulz, a media lawyer representing 14 news organizations, argued that the draft protective order would violate the public's constitutional right to information. The issue, he said, boils down to whether the public's constitutional right to observe and attend court proceedings extends to the military tribunals.

"We don't have secret trials in this country," Schulz told Pohl. "We, as a country, take the guarantee of open trials very seriously."

Schulz said closed sessions are appropriate when necessary to protect information that, if released, could substantially impact national security. However, he pressed for a narrow definition of what issues are important enough to override the public's constitutional rights and warrant closed sessions.

Hina Shamsi, representing the American Civil Liberties Union, also argued against what she called a thinly veiled effort to censor the defendants' testimony about their torture and detention while in U.S. custody.

The ACLU filed a motion in May asking the commission to bar a delayed audio feed of the proceedings or promptly release an uncensored transcript.

"There is an ongoing public debate about the fairness and transparency of the Guantánamo military commissions," Shamsi said of the motion. "And if the government succeeds in imposing its desired censorship regime, the commissions will certainly not be seen as legitimate."

Pre-trial sessions are expected to continue through Oct. 19. Pohl said he plans to schedule one week of pre-trial hearings in December, January, February and March to iron out administrative and legal issues before the actual trial begins later next year.

All five of the dependents were captured in Pakistan between 2002 and 2003 and have been confined at Guantanamo Bay since 2006.

They were charged during their arraignment in May with terrorism, conspiracy, attacking civilians, attacking civilian objects, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, murder in violation of the law of war, destruction of property in violation of the law of war, hijacking or hazarding a vessel or aircraft. If found guilty, they could receive the death penalty.

The proceedings are being broadcast via closed-circuit television to a media center here at Fort Meade and at several other military bases around the country.

Moms’ lives, kids’ teeth

Moms’ lives, kids’ teeth

U.S. STATE DELPARTMENT DAILY BRIEFING

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFYzDlKeLL_IMEm7XBQrYQa1f17Zg

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR OCTOBER 16, 2012

Photo Credit:  U.S. Marine Corps

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Coalition Expresses Regret for Possible Civilian Casualties
Compiled from International Security Assistance Force and ISAF Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16, 2012 - International Security Assistance Force officials today expressed regret that an Oct. 14 coalition operation against suspected insurgents planting roadside bombs in the Nawa district of Afghanistan's Helmand province may have killed three Afghan civilians.

"The coalition extends its deep regret for this tragic incident," officials said in a written statement issued from ISAF headquarters in the Afghan capital of Kabul. "We also extend our sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who died, and we take full responsibility for what occurred."

Officials said the coalition will work closely with Afghan officials to determine what happened and why, and that they also will meet with the family members of those who died to personally express ISAF's regret and condolences.

The operation did not involve close air support as reported in some media, officials said, adding that the incident remains under investigation.

In Afghanistan operations today:

-- A combined Afghan and coalition security force in Nangarhar province arrested a Taliban leader who commanded Taliban fighters and had a direct role in the movement and escape of an insider-attack shooter across Afghan borders. The security force also detained several suspected insurgents and seized weapons and mortar components.

-- An Afghan and coalition force detained several insurgents while searching a Taliban explosives expert in Helmand province.

-- In Ghazni province, an Afghan-led security force, supported by coalition troops, arrested a Haqqani network leader who coordinated attacks targeting Afghan and coalition forces and provided weapons to insurgents in Logar province. The security force also detained several suspected insurgents.

NONLETHAL AID CONTINUES TO SYRIAN OPPOSITION

Photo Credit:  U.S. DOD

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

U.S. Continues to Send Nonlethal Aid to Syrian Opposition

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2012 - The United States will continue to funnel nonlethal aid to the Syrian opposition, and urges the international community to unite against Bashar Assad's regime, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today.

The State Department is providing $100 million worth of nonlethal aid to those seeking to overthrow Assad. The opposition in Syria rose after protestors brought down long-term regimes in Tunisia and Egypt.

"The people of Syria are being brutalized by the Assad regime," Little told reporters. The United Nations estimates that there are 30,000 dead in Syria from the fighting between the Assad regime and the opposition. Hundreds of thousands of Syrians have fled the country, and hundreds of thousands more are displaced within Syria.

Tensions in the region have escalated, with Jordan and Turkey hosting most of the refugees. Syrian regime forces have fired into Turkey, and the Turks have responded in kind.

Little called on the international community to do more to isolate the Assad regime. "What this points out is the need for greater international consensus on how to move forward on Syria," he said. "We have called on the international community to unite, and those efforts have been stymied."

U.S. policy is to increase diplomatic and economic pressure on the regime and to provide humanitarian assistance. "That's the right course of action at this stage," Little said.

The United States will work with all nations who want to see the Assad regime go, the press secretary said. "That's where the focus needs to be," he added. "Others in the international community don't quite see eye-to-eye with us and our allies and partners, and I hope that at some point we see greater coherence."

The Defense Department is working closely with Jordanian government officials to help them build their country's capacity to deal with the refugee crisis, Little told reporters. "We are very concerned about refugee flows into Jordan," he said. "We're concerned about [chemical and biological warfare], along with our Jordanian allies. We're working closely with them to monitor the [Syrian] CBW sites."

INTERNATIONAL BAN ON PRODUCTION OF FISSILE MATERIAL FOR NUCLEAR WEAPONS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
An International Ban on the Production of Fissile Material for Nuclear Weapons
Fact Sheet

Bureau of Public Affairs

October 10, 2012
"If we are serious about stopping the spread of [nuclear] weapons, then we should put an end to the dedicated production of weapons grade materials that create them." – President Barack Obama

The United States is revitalizing an international effort to advance a multilateral treaty that verifiably ends the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons.

Background

Fissile material is nuclear material capable of producing an explosive nuclear chain reaction. Highly enriched uranium and plutonium are the fissile materials that are expected to be captured by a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT). Some countries already have voluntarily stopped producing fissile material for nuclear weapons. The United States, for example, has not produced plutonium for weapons since 1988 and halted production of highly enriched uranium for weapons in 1964. However, some countries continue to produce fissile material for weapons to build up their nuclear arsenals.

Elements of a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty

A Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty would, for the first time, place a legal ban on the production of fissile materials for use in nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. Achieving a verifiable FMCT has long been a core element of the United States’ comprehensive agenda for seeking the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons. It is broadly considered to be the next fundamental step towards multilateral nuclear disarmament.

An FMCT would effectively cap the fissile materials available for use in nuclear weapons. It also would help consolidate the advancements in arms control since the end of the Cold War and provide the basis for further, deeper reductions in nuclear arsenals. Finally, in states possessing nuclear weapons there are enrichment and reprocessing plants capable of producing fissile material that do not operate under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. An FMCT would fold these facilities into an international monitoring regime.

The Way Ahead

The United States believes that the Conference on Disarmament (CD) is the preferred forum for negotiation of an FMCT, but the venue for the negotiations ultimately is less important than the treaty itself. An overwhelming majority of CD members support the early commencement of FMCT negotiations. The United States is consulting with China, France, Russia, and the United Kingdom, as well as others, to find a way to reach consensus and move forward on an FMCT. As Secretary of State Clinton said, the United States believes that an FMCT is "too important a matter to be left in a deadlock forever."

A Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty Will:

Place a legal ban on the production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.

• Consolidate the advancements in arms control since the end of the Cold War, while moving beyond bilateral reductions.

• Enhance the irreversibility of future reductions in nuclear arsenals.

• Place under international monitoring key nuclear facilities that can produce fissile material.


　

　

NASA'S RETURN ON INVESTMENT VIDEO

TWO CHARGED WITH DEFRAUDING COMPANY USING FALSE INVOICES

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Former COO of Louisiana Construction Management Company and Brother-In-Law Charged in Fraud Scheme

Former COO Sentenced Yesterday to 60 Months in Prison for Role in Related Scheme

WASHINGTON – Mark J. Titus, former Chief Operations Officer of Garner Services Ltd. (GSL), and his brother-in-law Dominick Fazzio, have been charged in a second superseding indictment returned today by a federal grand jury in New Orleans for defrauding GSL of over $1 million, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

The 32-count indictment returned today in U.S. District Court in New Orleans charges Titus and Fazzio with conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and tax charges for participating in the fraud scheme. Fazzio has also been charged with a separate tax fraud scheme.

According to the second superseding indictment, between approximately May 2008 and approximately May 2011, Titus and Fazzio defrauded GSL, a construction management company based in Pascagoula, Miss., by creating and submitting fraudulent invoices for services never rendered on construction projects managed by GSL, causing payments to be made from GSL to two companies owned by Fazzio. The two defendants then allegedly laundered the money by engaging in a series of financial transactions for the purpose of concealing the illegal nature of the payments. According to the second superseding indictment, Titus and Fazzio also submitted false tax returns by improperly deducting the disbursement of their fraudulently obtained money as legitimate business activity and failing to report the money received from the fraud scheme as taxable income.

In addition, Fazzio is charged in connection with a tax fraud scheme perpetrated with Hendrikus Ton, the owner of Abe’s Boat Rentals in Belle Chase, La., and two other companies that provide services to offshore oil production facilities. Fazzio and Ton allegedly conspired to under-report income paid to employees of Ton’s by transferring taxable income from Abe's Boat Rentals to a dormant company, improperly deducting that money as legitimate business activity and using that money to pay employees of Abe’s Boat Rentals in order to conceal the actual amount of income paid to the employees, thereby reducing the tax liability of Ton’s companies by over $3.5 million. According to the second superseding indictment, Fazzio prepared the tax returns for Ton’s companies and willfully omitted wages paid out of the dormant company.

In October 2011, Titus pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, arising from his role in a fraud scheme allegedly related to the scheme set forth in the second superseding indictment returned today. Last month, Titus moved to withdraw his October 2011 guilty plea, but the request was denied yesterday by U.S. District Judge Ivan Lemelle in the Eastern District of Louisiana, and sentencing proceeded yesterday as scheduled. U.S. District Judge Lemelle sentenced Titus yesterday to 60 months in prison on his guilty plea. Judge Lemelle also sentenced Titus to pay a $100,000 fine and ordered Titus to pay $925,320 in restitution to GSL.

An indictment is merely a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Chief Peter Koski and Trial Attorneys Brian Lichter and Menaka Kalaskar of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Kennedy of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The case is being investigated by the FBI and the New Orleans Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division

DANGEROUS ASTEROID REDETECTED BY AMATEUR ASTRONOMER

Un astrónomo aficionado redescubre un asteroide 'perdido' con el telescopio de la ESA en el Observatorio del Teide

U.S. TRANSPORTAION COMMAND GETTING READY FOR POST-WAR FUTURE

FROM: U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND
Air Force Gen. William M. Fraser III, commander, U.S. Transportation Command, rolls out his new five-year strategy Oct. 12, 2012, at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. The strategy is the most comprehensive and collaborative in the command's 25-year history. The heart of the new strategic plan is to ensure United States can deploy, sustain and redeploy its forces as effectively and efficiently as possible. U.S. Transportation Command photo by Bob Fehringer
New Strategy to Posture Transcom for Post-war Future

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12, 2012 – A new, five-year strategic plan unveiled today at U.S. Transportation Command will posture it to ensure the military maintains its global mobility edge entering a post-war future, Air Force Brig. Gen. John E. Michel, Transcom’s chief change and learning strategist, told American Forces Press Service.

Air Force Gen. William M. Fraser III, Transcom’s commander, shared the most-sweeping strategic planning effort in the command’s 25-year history today with his staff at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., and, via teleconference, with all of Transcom’s components and partners around the globe.

Calling the plan "a vision for smart change," Fraser said its bottom line is to enhance a capability unique to the United States: "the extraordinary ability to rapidly project national power and influence -- anywhere, at any time."

Fraser praised his organization for its hard work and dedication that has sustained the force over the past decade of conflict. But looking ahead, he emphasized that Transcom will remain the crucial, although largely unsung, driving force behind everything the military does.

"Transcom is the secret sauce of every other combatant command," said Michel, who led the strategy development effort. "We make others go. We are kind of invisible, but you can’t get to the fight, you can’t be sustained in the fight, and you can’t return to the fight unless we are there to make it happen."

As the United States draws down forces in Afghanistan and "pivots" toward the Asia-Pacific, that applies whether "the fight" involves humanitarian assistance and natural disaster responses, civic-action engagements or kinetic operations, he said.

Posturing for that future, particularly in light of fiscal uncertainties, took some serious soul-searching at Transcom, Michel explained. He and his team spent nine months developing the new strategy -- the command’s first to span more than a single year. They reviewed every process and procedure, he said, leaving no stone unturned as they challenged basic assumptions about how the command operates and allocates its resources.

It also required an analysis of what the future will look like and what demands are likely to be put on Transcom.

"The expectation of Transcom comes down to, we have to be able to project national power and influence. We provide the mobility … that makes that happen, " Michel said. "So an effort like this asks, ‘What are the conditions of the future and how can we go farther, faster and more efficiently than we have ever done before?’"

Toward that end, the new strategy identifies four basic priorities.
-- Preserve readiness capability through both organic and commercial assets. Michel called ensuring unparalleled global mobility Transcom’s "no-fail business," regardless of the nature of the mission it supports. "It is what we do in response to anything that happens in the world where America wants to have a presence," he said.

-- Guaranteeing access to information technology to promote good decision-making. "In the future, the question becomes: ‘How do we get people the information we can, in a timely fashion so they can make smart choices?’" Michel said. "I don’t care if they are in Afghanistan, in Washington or down the hall. We are in a world awash in data. So how can we help turn that data into something meaningful?"

-- Improve Transcom’s business model, better aligning resources and processes to support the mission. The new strategy introduces "a whole new corporate governance process," Michel said, with a commitment to create efficiencies and reduce operating costs. "We need to come up with up with a reinvigorated process … to improve the internal work we do, to make sure we continue to be world-class in delivering what others expect of us," he said.

-- Develop "enterprise-focused professionals" within a work culture focused on customer requirements. The biggest strength within Transcom isn’t its aircraft, ships and moving parts, Michel emphasized. It’s the people behind them. "So we are in the process of creating a culture that focuses on serving others," he said. "It all begins and ends with people."

"Transformation of this magnitude will not be easy," Fraser recognized in releasing the new strategy, "especially given the rapidly changing operating environment and the challenging fiscal landscape

"But we clearly recognize change is necessary," Fraser continued. "We will build on past successes and position ourselves to reliably deploy, sustain and redeploy your nation’s forces more effectively and efficiently -- all while keeping a keen eye on improving collaboration and creating a climate of trust, innovation and empowerment throughout our workforce."

Working toward priorities identified in the new strategy, Transcom will shape itself to better provide that support, regardless of what command or organization requires its serves, Michel said.

"I don’t care if I am doing that in Africa or I am doing that in Guam," he said. "People want to be able to reach Transcom. They want to really quickly be able to say what they need and have Transcom move into action."

Ensuring that process goes as smoothly, efficiently and cost-effectively as possible is the heart of the new strategic plan, he said. It provides a blueprint that leverages the command’s strengths and identifies areas for improvement to better-translate customer requirements into "the most appropriate, cost-effective modality to achieve the effect they want," he said.

"We have to be much more deliberate and thoughtful about how we position ourselves for the future. That’s why it was important for Transcom to undertake what we are proud to say is the most comprehensive strategic planning and change effort ever," Michel summarized.

"With this plan, we have a clear understanding of where we are today," he said, "and we are pretty compelled about where we need to go tomorrow."

RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS

FROM: U.S. NAVY, NAVY'S 237TH BIRTHDAY
121012-N-YC505-040 NORFOLK (Oct. 12, 2012) Sailors and audience stand for the ringing of the bell and the playing of Anchors Aweigh during a ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk for the Navy's 237th birthday. The U.S. Navy has a 237-year heritage of defending freedom and projecting and protecting U.S. interests around the globe. Join the conversation on social media using #warfighting. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Molly Anne Greendeer/Released)

121011-N-OA833-001 ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Oct. 11, 2012) The United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. was founded in 1845 by Secretary of the Navy, George Bancroft. As the undergraduate college of the naval service, the U.S. Naval Academy strives to accomplish its mission to develop midshipmen "morally, mentally, and physically." Upon graduation, Midshipmen are commissioned as Navy ensigns and Marine Corps second lieutenants. The U.S. Navy has a 237-year heritage of defending freedom and projecting and protecting U.S. interests around the globe. Join the conversation on social media using #warfighting. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad Runge/Released)

EVOLUTIONARY THEORY AND DNA ANALYSIS



Photo caption: From left, Los Alamos scientists Joel Berendzen, Ben McMahon, Mira Dimitrijevic, Nick Hengartner and Judith Cohn.

FROM: LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY
Evolutionary Theory, Web-Search Technology Combine for DNA Analysis

Bioinformatics breakthrough has clinical & environmental applications
LOS ALAMOS, NEW MEXICO, October 4, 2012—New software from Los Alamos National Laboratory called Sequedex uses evolutionary theory to swiftly identify short "reads" of DNA, calling out the specific organisms from which the DNA came and their likely activity.

"Sequedex makes it possible for a researcher to analyze data hot off a DNA sequencer using a laptop," said Joel Berendzen, a scientist on the project. "The tool characterizes whole communities of microorganisms such as those in the mouth in a matter of minutes."

Sequedex works like a web search engine, making exact matches between DNA sequences and a list of "keywords" called phylogenetic signatures, then placing any hits on the appropriate branch of the Tree of Life. Advantages over current methods include a factor of 250,000 in speed and the ability to work with pieces of DNA as short as 30 bases long.

The software, developed by Los Alamos scientists Joel Berendzen, Nicolas Hengartner, Judith Cohn, Mira Dimitrijevic and Benjamin McMahon, recognizes proteins from short DNA sequences, analyzing them both individually for phylogeny and function and collectively for biodiversity and environmental similarities.

"Sequedex is bioinformatics redesigned from the ground up," said Berendzen, "making use of the wealth of genomic data that has become available in the 20 years since the most commonly used algorithms were written."

Data analysis is widely perceived as a bottleneck preventing broader use of DNA sequencing for problems such as rapid clinical diagnoses of viral and bacterial diseases, genetic matchmaking between individual tumors and chemotherapy agents, and improved production methods for algal biofuels. A number of ways around this bottleneck have been proposed, including special computer hardware and farming out analysis to large numbers of computers on computing clouds.

The Sequedex team was originally tasked with investigating DNA analysis on the Laboratory’s Roadrunner supercomputer, but quickly realized that improvements in the algorithm made having so much hardware unnecessary. "They asked us to build a rocket ship," Berendzen said, "but instead we built a 10,000 mph motorcycle."

Sequedex software running on a single CPU core can analyze sequences at a rate of 6 billion DNA bases per hour. This rate is more than twice the speed of data generated by today’s fastest sequencing instruments, and it is also more than twice the rate of typical upload speeds to a cloud-computing site.

A journal article on the project, "Rapid Phylogenetic and Functional Classification of Short Genomic Fragments with Signature Peptides," was published in the open-access, peer-reviewed journal BMC Research Notes.

Sequedex was recently announced as one of this years' winners of R&D Magazine’s "R&D 100" awards (http://www.rdmag.com/), one of four from Los Alamos National Laboratory and its partners. The project was funded with Laboratory Directed Research and Development dollars. A free demo version is available online at http://sequedex.lanl.gov/. The laboratory’s technology transfer office is actively seeking strategic partnership opportunities.

DNA sequencing came to prominence as a result of the Human Genome Project, which was completed in 2003 and found some 25,000 genes in the 3 billion chemical bases that make up the sequence of human DNA. The Human Genome Project arose out of research at Los Alamos and elsewhere in the U.S. Department of Energy into the effects of energy use on human health.

DNA sequencing technology is evolving at a dramatic rate. Costs have dropped by a factor of roughly 300,000 in the past 10 years and the resulting increased flows of sequence data have placed more stress on an already overburdened analysis process. The current most-widely-used piece of DNA analysis software, a package called the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST), was a refinement of software written by Los Alamos scientists Temple Smith and Michael Waterman in 1981.

KING FATHER NORODOM SIHANOUK OF CAMBODIA DIES

The Throne Hall at the Royal Palace grounds in Phnom Penh. Built in 1917, the building was where the king's confidants, generals, and royal officials once carried out their duties. Today it is used for religious and royal ceremonies, and as a meeting place for guests of the king.

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Death of His Majesty King Father Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia

Press Statement
Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
October 15, 2012

The United States expresses its sympathy on the passing of His Majesty King Father Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia. We extend our condolences to His Majesty King Sihamoni, Her Majesty Queen Mother Norodom Monineath, the entire Royal Family, and those in Cambodia who are mourning this loss.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CIA WORLD FACTBOOK

Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863 and it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders have been tried or are awaiting trial for crimes against humanity by a hybrid UN-Cambodian tribunal supported by international assistance. Elections in July 2003 were relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending political parties before a coalition government was formed. In October 2004, King Norodom SIHANOUK abdicated the throne and his son, Prince Norodom SIHAMONI, was selected to succeed him. Local elections were held in Cambodia in April 2007, with little of the pre-election violence that preceded prior elections. National elections in July 2008 were relatively peaceful.

PRETRIAL HEARINGS BEGIN FOR 9/11 MASTERMIND AND OTHERS

World Trade Center After 9/11.  Photo Credit:  U.S. Navy.  

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Pretrial Hearings Kick Off for 9/11 Defendants
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

FORT MEADE, Md., Oct. 15, 2012 - Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and four co-defendants charged with planning and carrying out the attacks have the right to skip court proceedings regarding their case, Army Col. James Pohl, the judge, ruled today.

Pohl's decision kicked off a week of pretrial hearings that opened today at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The court is expected to address a docket of 25 administrative and legal issues ranging from what defendants can wear in court to measures to prevent classified information from being divulged during the trial.

The judge ruled that Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak bin Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi can elect not to attend their court proceedings. The caveat, Pohl said, is that they must understand their right to attend and the potential disadvantages of not doing so.

Based on the ruling, the defendants would have the right to submit a waiver request each morning that court convenes, and waivers would cover only that single day. Defendants who change their minds during the day could notify the guard force and attend court if it's possible to get them to the court facility after they make their request.

Mohammed, with a red, henna-dyed beard, wore eyeglasses, white robes, a black vest and white headpiece, sat with his defense counsel in the front row of the courtroom. His co-defendants, also dressed in white, sat quietly behind him, one in each row.

All five defendants were captured in Pakistan in 2002 and 2003 and have been confined at Guantanamo Bay since 2006.

They were charged during their arraignment in May with terrorism, conspiracy, attacking civilians, attacking civilian objects, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, murder in violation of the law of war, destruction of property in violation of the law of war, hijacking or hazarding a vessel or aircraft.

Although none answered Pohl's questions during the arraignment in May, the defendants showed more signs of cooperation today. Each responded affirmatively when Pohl asked them individually to confirm that they understood his ruling. Mohammed responded, "Yes, but I don't think there's any justice in this court."

Some of the defendants asked questions to clarify the ruling, and Binalshibh raised concerns about guards who might intentionally misrepresent a defendant's intentions. Several of the accused seemed to be puzzled or even amused when Pohl asked if they understood that their trials would proceed even in the unlikely event that they were no longer in U.S. custody at the time, such as in the event of an escape.

During discussions that dominated today's session, Army Brig. Gen. Mark S. Martins, chief prosecutor in the Office of Military Commissions, argued that the defendants should be required to attend court proceedings, particularly in a capital case. Martins cited legal precedent, saying the accused have the explicit right to be present as their cases are presented, but not necessarily the right to be absent. "Apathy or disdain for the proceedings does not qualify as good cause [for absence]," he said.

James Harrington, Binalshibh's "learned counsel" who is experienced in handling death-penalty cases, disagreed. Harrington said defendants should be able to skip court as long as they acknowledge they have voluntarily waived their right to attend and understand that their cases could suffer as a result. Denying their request not to participate in the legal process could, in fact, violate their constitutional rights, he said.

James Connell, Abdul Aziz Ali's learned counsel, echoed that argument, noting that defendants who don't want to attend court can get removed by disrupting the proceedings. In this case, they are removed from the courtroom to individual holding cells, where the proceedings are piped in through closed-circuit TV. This, Connell said, amounts to a "waiver by conduct."

In other developments during today's hearing, Hawsawi requested additional legal representation through an interpreter. His counsel, Navy Cmdr. Walter Ruiz, a Navy reservist with experience in capital cases, requested Navy Cmdr. Suzanne Lachelier as a "resource counsel" to support his legal defense.

Lachelier previously represented bin al Shibh, which Pohl noted could cause a conflict of interest as the two defendants' cases move forward. Both of the accused agreed to waive any objections.

In another motion filed today, Cheryl Bormann, bin Attash's learned counsel, asked for a larger workspace and more resources for his eight-person defense team. A second work area the team had been using was plagued by rodents and mold, but has since been sanitized and declared useable by engineers and industrial health officials at the base, officials said. However, Bormann told Pohl the space is making her staff sick.

The motion hearings originally were slated to begin in August, but were postponed when Tropical Storm Isaac forced the commander to order nonessential personnel to evacuate the base. The proceedings already had been delayed a day after a coal-train derailment near Baltimore damaged fiber-optic lines that carry Internet traffic to and from Guantanamo Bay, including the defense and prosecution teams there.

Pohl said he plans to conduct additional hearings with one-week sessions beginning in December and continuing one per month through March. The tribunals are expected to begin sometime next year.

This week's proceedings are being broadcast via closed-circuit television to a media center here.

Five family members who lost loved ones in the 9/11 attacks were selected by lottery to attend the proceedings at Guantanamo Bay, as well as five support people to accompany them, officials said. Other families have been invited to watch via closed-circuit TV at Fort Meade, Fort Dix, N.J., Fort Devens, Mass., and Fort Hamilton, N.Y. However, only four family members accepted the invitation, and are watching at Fort Hamilton.

Spectators in the courtroom are sitting behind soundproof glass, and the proceedings are being rebroadcast with a 40-second delay to ensure classified information is not inadvertently revealed.

WILLIAM SHATNER AND WILL WHEATON ON MARS LANDING OF CURIIOSITY ROVER

OBAMA ADMINISTRATION WILL ALLOW SOLAR UTILITY DEVELOPMENT ON PUBLIC LANDS

Photo Credit:  U.S. Navy  
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Obama Administration Approves Roadmap for Utility-Scale Solar Energy Development on Public Lands

WASHINGTON, D.C. - As part of President Obama’s all-of-the-above energy strategy to expand domestic energy production, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today finalized a program for spurring development of solar energy on public lands in six western states. The Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for solar energy development provides a blueprint for utility-scale solar energy permitting in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah by establishing solar energy zones with access to existing or planned transmission, incentives for development within those zones, and a process through which to consider additional zones and solar projects.

Today’s action builds on the Administration’s historic progress to facilitate renewable energy development. On Tuesday, with the authorization of the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project site in Wyoming, Interior reached the President’s goal of authorizing 10,000 megawatts of renewable power on public lands. Since 2009, Interior has authorized 33 renewable energy projects, including 18 utility-scale solar facilities, 7 wind farms and 8 geothermal plants, with associated transmission corridors and infrastructure. When built, these projects will provide enough electricity to power more than 3.5 million homes, and support 13,000 construction and operations jobs according to project developer estimates.

"Energy from sources like wind and solar have doubled since the President took office, and with today’s milestone, we are laying a sustainable foundation to keep expanding our nation’s domestic energy resources," said Secretary Salazar, who signed today’s Record of Decision at an event in Las Vegas, Nevada with Senator Harry Reid. "This historic initiative provides a roadmap for landscape-level planning that will lead to faster, smarter utility-scale solar development on public lands and reflects President Obama’s commitment to grow American made energy and create jobs."

The Solar PEIS establishes an initial set of 17 Solar Energy Zones (SEZs), totaling about 285,000 acres of public lands, that will serve as priority areas for commercial-scale solar development, with the potential for additional zones through ongoing and future regional planning processes. If fully built out, projects in the designated areas could produce as much as 23,700 megawatts of solar energy, enough to power approximately 7 million American homes. The program also keeps the door open, on a case-by-case basis, for the possibility of carefully sited solar projects outside SEZs on about 19 million acres in "variance" areas. The program also includes a framework for regional mitigation plans, and to protect key natural and cultural resources the program excludes a little under 79 million acres that would be inappropriate for solar development based on currently available information.

"The Solar PEIS sets forth an enduring, flexible blueprint for developing utility-scale solar projects in the right way, and in the right places, on our public lands," said David J. Hayes, Deputy Secretary of the Interior. "Never before has the Interior Department worked so closely and collaboratively with the industry, conservationists and sportsmen alike to develop a sound, long-term plan for generating domestic energy from our nation’s sun-drenched public lands."

The signing of the Record of Decision today follows the July release of the Final PEIS, a comprehensive analysis done in partnership with the Department of Energy that identified locations on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands most suitable for solar energy development. These areas are characterized by excellent solar resources, access to existing or planned transmission and relatively low conflict with biological, cultural and historic resources.

"We are proud to be a part of this initiative to cut through red tape and accelerate the development of America’s clean, renewable energy," said Secretary of Energy Steven Chu. "There is a global race to develop renewable energy technologies—and this effort will help us win this race by expanding solar energy production while reducing permitting costs."

Today’s action is in line with the President’s direction to continue to expand domestic energy production, safely and responsibly. Since President Obama took office, domestic oil and gas production has increased each year, with domestic oil production at an eight-year high, natural gas production at an all-time high, and foreign oil imports now accounting for less than 50 percent of the oil consumed in America – the lowest level since 1995.

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN OCTOBER 15, 2012

U.S. Gen. Allen Visits Womans Baazar In Afghanistan.  Credit:  U.S. DOD Photo. 

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Combined Force Arrests Haqqani Leader in Ghazni

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2012 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Haqqani network leader in Afghanistan's Ghazni province yesterday, military officials reported.

The detained Haqqani leader is believed to be directly associated with suicide-bombing and improvised explosive device attacks, officials said.

In other Afghanistan operations yesterday:

-- Shafiullah, a Taliban leader accused of planning and executing a May 29, 2011, attack that killed three coalition service members was killed in an operation in Ghazni province.

-- An Afghan and coalition force in Paktia province arrested several insurgents during a search for a Taliban senior leader believed to oversee IED operations throughout the province.

-- In Helmand province, a combined force arrested several insurgents and seized 33 pounds of illegal narcotics during a search for a Taliban leader who operates in close coordination with Taliban senior leaders and conducts attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

In Oct. 13 operations:
-- Taliban leader Qurashi, also known as Baz Khan and Zubair, was killed during an operation in Kunduz province. He was directly involved in planning and executing IED attacks.

-- A patrol of Afghan security forces, partnered with U.S. Special Forces soldiers, killed several insurgents when the coalition partners were ambushed in Paktia province. No civilians or security forces were killed or injured during the engagement.

-- An Afghan and coalition security force in Logar province killed Haqqani network leader Rahmatullah, also known as Qari Moktar or Mohammad Qasim Qari, who was responsible for coordinating attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- In Kandahar province, an Afghan-led security force, supported by coalition troops, arrested a Taliban leader who commanded a Taliban IED cell directly responsible for attacks on Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also detained another suspected insurgent.

-- Afghan and coalition forces killed two militants engaging in insurgent activity in Helmand province.

-- An Afghan and coalition force searching for a Taliban IED expert in Laghman province killed two insurgents and seized weapons and 13 pounds of illegal narcotics.

-- In Kunduz province, an Afghan and coalition security force searching for a Taliban leader killed several insurgents and seized weapons and grenades.

In Oct. 12 operations:
-- Afghan special operations soldiers, partnered with U.S. Special Forces, were ambushed by more than a dozen insurgents during a patrol in Paktia province. The combined force returned fire and used air support to kill the insurgents. No civilians or security forces were killed or injured during the engagement.

-- Afghan and coalition forces in Helmand province killed a Taliban leader who was believed to be responsible for directing attacks targeting Afghan and coalition forces.

-- Taliban leader Qari Nasratullah was killed during an operation in Sar-e Pul province. He is believed to have commanded more than 20 Taliban fighters. The security force also seized weapons, grenades and associated gear.

-- Afghan and coalition forces killed two armed insurgents during operations in Ghazni province.

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La ESA instala en España el primer radar de pruebas para detectar basura espacial

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