Wiping out top predators messes up the climate

Wiping out top predators like lions, wolves and sharks is tragic, bad for ecosystems ? and can make climate change worse. Mass extinctions of the big beasts of the jungles, grasslands and oceans could already be adding to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Trisha Atwood of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, studied the effect of removing predator fish from ponds and rivers in Canada and Costa Rica. Across a range of ecosystems, climates and predators, she found a consistent pattern: carbon dioxide emissions typically increased more than tenfold after the predators were removed.

"It looks like predators in many types of ecosystems ? marine and terrestrial as well as freshwater ? can play a very big role in global climate change," she told New Scientist.

The widespread and dramatic ecological impacts of the loss of top predators are well known. In the ensuing "trophic cascade", the vanished top predator's prey proliferate, which in turn puts pressure on the species that the prey eats, and so on down the food chain. In this way, changes at the top of a food chain destabilise the balance of populations right the way down.

But the geochemical impacts of trophic cascades, including any impact on emissions from ecosystems, are much less well known. Atwood's study of freshwater ecosystems showed how changes to species at the bottom of the food chain, such as photosynthesising algae, following the removal of a top predator dramatically increased the flow of CO₂ from the ecosystem to the atmosphere.

The effect will not always be to increase CO₂ emissions, however ? sometimes the loss of top predators could decrease emissions, she says. "But we show that something so seemingly unrelated, like fishing all the trout from a pond or removing sharks from the ocean, could have big consequences for greenhouse-gas dynamics."

Help from kelp

Other recent studies have hinted at similar effects. Last October, Christopher Wilmers of the University of California, Santa Cruz, reported how the disappearance of sea otters is linked with increased CO₂ emissions from North American coastlines (Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, doi.org/khz). With no otters eating them, sea urchins thrive and eat out kelp forests ? often known as the "rainforests of the oceans" ? resulting in major CO₂ releases.

Global climate models do not take such impacts into account yet. Atwood says they could be major, as freshwater emissions may be on a par with the influence of deforestation, which is thought responsible for around 15 per cent of human-caused CO₂ emissions.

Environmentalists will herald the findings as further evidence that it is vital to protect pristine habitats and the charismatic species at the top of their food chains. But there is a dark side. A recent study found that some island ecosystems around New Zealand store 40 per cent more carbon than others because of their top predators ? invading rats that are wiping out seabird colonies. Rats, it seems, are good for the climate (Biology Letters, doi.org/bbmtw9).

Journal reference: Nature Geoscience, DOI: 10.1038/NGEO1734

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Australians owe a debt to WA

Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says the nation is in debt to WA as he helped launch the Liberals state election campaign.

Premier of WA Colin Barnett launches the Liberal's WA election campaign at the Campaign Rall at Octagon Theatre, UWA. Wife Lyn Barnett and Colin leave the function. Picture: Colin Murty Source: PerthNow

Tony Abbott, Leader of the Federal Opposition talks to the crowd at the launch. Picture: Colin Murty Source: PerthNow

FEDERAL Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says he would model his government on Colin Barnett's administration as he launched the WA Liberals state election campaign.

Mr Abbott and deputy opposition leader Julie Bishop were among those who joined Mr Barnett at the Octagon Theatre at the University of WA for the official launch of the WA Liberal election campaign.

The Opposition Leader was given an enormous reception by the crowd of about 300 before a speech in which he described West Australians as ?the best Australians.?

"How much I respect the premier of this state, how much I have learnt from him, how much I wish to model myself on him, should I get the opportunity to lead our country,'' Mr Abbott said.

"The Barnett government has become a model for all the governments that we run or hope to run. That's the kind of government that I wish to run in Canberra.''

Making a clear appeal to the parochial WA electorate ahead of the federal poll in September, Mr Abbott said the rest of Australia owed the state for driving the nation's economy.

"All of us owe a debt to you. Every Australian owes a debt to Western Australia and in an important sense, West Australians are the best Australians,'' Mr Abbott said.

Mr Abbott heaped praise on the Premier, whom he described as a friend and a person he modelled himself on, especially after the 2007 federal election.

"We were out of power (in 2007) in every state...some wondered whether our party had a future," he said.

"Then along came Colin Barnett and one by one the bad government's started to fall...there is one bad government yet to go.

"That's the big one in Canberra which must fall if our country is one more to flourish.

"I want to thank Colin for the beacon of hope that he has been to the Liberals right around our country."

Mr Abbott also threw down a challenge to Prime Minister Julia Gillard to visit WA in the lead up to the election.

"I do challenge the prime minister - come west, Prime Minister, come west. Don't be shy of coming to Western Australia,'' he said.

"Justify the carbon tax. Justify the mining tax. Because the first person it seems you have to persuade is your very own state leader.''

Colin Barnett used part of his 30-minute address to make several election promises.

He announced the science education centre Scitech will be rebuilt on the Burswood peninsula at a cost of $15 million, while $57 million will be spent over four years to employ 155 school health nurses.

Mr Barnett also trumpeted a plan to ?bring back the family holiday? by building camping areas and chalets at a cost of $20 million in the state?s national parks and added that an announcement on funding for medical research was coming later in the week.

The WA Liberal leader warned that changing the government on March 9 will mean a change of direction for WA.

?If you change the government, you change the state,? he said. ?And I urge you not to risk (voting) Labor and not risk our future.

?This government has been a good government, we have been ethical, we?ve been taken good and strong positions.

?We have been a government that makes decisions for the good of the people and for the good of the state.?

This afternoon, WA Labor Treasury spokesman Ben Wyatt criticised the Liberals for what he called a 'focus on pet inner city projects' and he said the party had run out of ideas.

He said Mr Barnett showed little vision for Western Australia at the campaign launch.

?It?s clear Mr Barnett has run out of ideas,? Mr Wyatt said.

?We still haven?t seen any tough decisions from Mr Barnett or any trace of how he will identify cost savings to pay for his promises, including the plan to move Scitech to Burswood Peninsula,? he said.

?WA Labor supports science, but the best place to encourage it is in the classroom.

"That?s our focus and that?s why we announced a commitment to establish a selective Gifted and Talented program at South Fremantle Senior High School and the State's first Future Science Centre.?

with AAP

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PerthnowTopStories/~3/AI8A-MlhP98/story-e6frg13u-1226579781128

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Anyone have a duck or a goose for a pet? - The Hull Truth - Boating ...

Yesterday, 06:16 PM
? Join Date: May 2008 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 2,597	No __________________ 1972 Formula 233F
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Senior Member ? Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Pensacola Posts: 1,823	get a Muscovy duck, female you will enjoy much.
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Yesterday, 06:47 PM
Senior Member ? Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 286	I had a couple of mallards when I was a kid. I don't remember where we got them. We kept them in the back yard with a kiddie pool and coop for them to sleep in. They were nice birds; very friendly, didn't mind being held. I don't ever recall us clipping their wings and they never flew away. I guess they liked being fed better than being out on their own. Here a site I found after a quick search: http://www.liveducks.com/index.html
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? Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Ms, Gulf Coast Posts: 1,445	Used to raise them years ago. If you want a duck I would suggest the Runner breeds such as the Rouen they rarely if ever fly but poop a whole heck of a lot everywhere. Toulouse and Embden geese actually make very good watch/guard geese which also poop everywhere. If you want a real experience get a cheap incubator and hatch your own, you can get everything you need including the eggs from Mcmurray hatchery sent straight to the post office. __________________ 1998 Hydra Sports 2250 1994 Yamaha 225 ss -------------------------------------------------------------------------- A diplomat is someone who tells you to go to hell in such a way that you look forward to the trip.
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? Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Anywhere but here... Posts: 4,839	Russ check when the agricultural fair is coming back to your area, it's a great place to pick either or both. Try to get an egg that's ready to hatch, when it hatches the first person it sees it bonds with - that will keep'm stick'n around. My dad had both as a kid, they made for great but noisy companions, although not as bad as the rooster. __________________ "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." ? Thomas Jefferson
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? Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mandeville, Louisiana Posts: 594	Ive had Geese, turkey, peacocks, ducks, chickens, guinea hens.... Ducks and Turkey are the most social and interactive. They can be fun pets if you raise them from small. You can order them online, but might need to order a larger quantity so that they dont die in transport, otherwise, find a co-op that might be able to order them with their chicken order.
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States' choices set up national health experiment

FILE -In this Dec. 28, 2011 file photo, then-Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson, currently National Association of Insurance Commissioners CEO, smiles during an interview with The Associated Press in his Omaha, Neb office. President Barack Obama's health care overhaul is unfolding as a national experiment with American consumers as the guinea pigs: Who will do a better job getting uninsured people covered, the states or the feds? (AP Photo/Dave Weaver, File)

FILE -In this Dec. 28, 2011 file photo, then-Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson, currently National Association of Insurance Commissioners CEO, smiles during an interview with The Associated Press in his Omaha, Neb office. President Barack Obama's health care overhaul is unfolding as a national experiment with American consumers as the guinea pigs: Who will do a better job getting uninsured people covered, the states or the feds? (AP Photo/Dave Weaver, File)

FILE - In this June 28, 2012 file photo, Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger speaks in Topeka, Kansas. President Barack Obama?s health care overhaul is unfolding as a national experiment with American consumers as the guinea pigs: Who will do a better job getting uninsured people covered, the states or the feds? The nation is about evenly split between mostly blue states that decided by Friday?s deadline they want a say in running new insurance markets and mainly red ones defaulting to federal control because they want nothing to do with ?Obamacare.? (AP Photo/John Hanna, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama's health care overhaul is unfolding as a national experiment with American consumers as the guinea pigs: Who will do a better job getting uninsured people covered, the states or the feds?

The nation is about evenly split between states that decided by Friday's deadline they want a say in running new insurance markets and states that are defaulting to federal control because they don't want to participate in "Obamacare." That choice was left to state governments under the law: Establish the market or Washington will.

With some exceptions, states led by Democrats opted to set up their own markets, called exchanges, and Republican-led states declined.

Only months from the official launch, exchanges are supposed to make the mind-boggling task of buying health insurance more like shopping on Amazon.com or Travelocity. Millions of people who don't have employer coverage will flock to the new markets. Middle-class consumers will be able to buy private insurance, with government help to pay the premiums in most cases. Low-income people will be steered to safety net programs like Medicaid.

"It's an experiment between the feds and the states, and among the states themselves," said Robert Krughoff, president of Consumers' Checkbook, a nonprofit ratings group that has devised an online tool used by many federal workers to pick their health plans. Krughoff is skeptical that either the feds or the states have solved the technological challenge of making the purchase of health insurance as easy as selecting a travel-and-hotel package.

Whether or not the bugs get worked out, consumers will be able to start signing up Oct. 1 for coverage that takes effect Jan. 1. That's also when two other major provisions of the law kick in: the mandate that almost all Americans carry health insurance, and the rule that says insurers can no longer turn away people in poor health.

Barring last-minute switches that may not be revealed until next week, 23 states plus Washington, D.C., have opted to run their own markets or partner with the Obama administration to do so.

Twenty-six states are defaulting to the feds. But in several of those, Republican governors are trying to carve out some kind of role by negotiating with federal Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Utah's status is unclear. It received initial federal approval to run its own market, but appears to be reconsidering.

"It's healthy for the states to have various choices," said Ben Nelson, CEO of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. "And there's no barrier to taking somebody else's ideas and making them work in your situation." A former U.S. senator from Nebraska, Nelson was one of several conservative Democrats who provided crucial votes to pass the overhaul.

States setting up their own exchanges are already taking different paths. Some will operate their markets much like major employers run their health plans, as "active purchasers" offering a limited choice of insurance carriers to drive better bargains. Others will open their markets to all insurers that meet basic standards, and let consumers decide.

Obama's Affordable Care Act remains politically divisive, but state insurance exchanges enjoy broad public support. Setting up a new market was central to former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's health care overhaul as governor of Massachusetts. There, it's known as the Health Connector.

A recent AP poll found that Americans prefer to have states run the new markets by 63 percent to 32 percent. Among conservatives the margin was nearly 4-1 in favor of state control. But with some exceptions, including Idaho, Nevada and New Mexico, Republican-led states are maintaining a hands-off posture, meaning the federal government will step in.

"There is a sense of irony that it's the more conservative states" yielding to federal control, said Sandy Praeger, the Republican insurance commissioner in Kansas, a state declining to run its own exchange. First, she said, the law's opponents "put their money on the Supreme Court, then on the election. Now that it's a reality, we may see some movement."

They're not budging in Austin. "Texas is not interested in being a subcontractor to Obamacare," said Lucy Nashed, spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Perry, who remains opposed to mandates in the law.

In Kansas, Praeger supported a state-run exchange, but lost the political struggle to Gov. Sam Brownback. She says Kansans will be closely watching what happens in neighboring Colorado, where the state will run the market. She doubts that consumers in her state would relish dealing with a call center on the other side of the country. The federal exchange may have some local window-dressing but it's expected to function as a national program.

Christine Ferguson, director of the Rhode Island Health Benefits Exchange, says she expects to see a big shift to state control in the next few years. "Many of the states have just run out of time for a variety of reasons," said Ferguson. "I'd be surprised if in the longer run every state didn't want to have its own approach."

In some ways, the federal government has a head start on the states. It already operates the Medicare Plan Finder for health insurance and prescription plans that serve seniors, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. Both have many of the features of the new insurance markets.

Administration officials are keeping mum about what the new federal exchange will look like, except that it will open on time and people in all 50 states will have the coverage they're entitled to by law.

Joel Ario, who oversaw planning for the health exchanges in the Obama administration, says "there's a rich dialogue going on" as to what the online shopping experience should look like. "To create a website like Amazon is a very complicated exercise," said Ario, now a consultant with Manatt Health Solutions.

He thinks consumers should be able to get one dollar figure for each plan that totals up all their expected costs for the year, including premiums, deductibles and copayments. Otherwise, scrolling through pages of insurance jargon online will be a sure turn-off.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-02-15-US-Health-Overhaul-States'-Choice/id-9ed285ca4dd74b56821ea93b433df592

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UFC LONDON 2013: Renan Barao beats Michael McDonald

By Martin Domin

PUBLISHED: 18:41 EST, 16 February 2013 | UPDATED: 21:14 EST, 16 February 2013

Renan Barao successfully defended his interim bantamweight title with an impressive victory over Michael McDonald at Wembley Arena in London.

The Brazilian came into the contest on a 29-fight unbeaten run and had not tasted defeat since 2005 while McDonald, at 22, was bidding to become the youngest champion in UFC history.

Having largely dominated the exchanges going into the fourth round, the 25-year-old champion forced McDonald to tap out after executing the arm triangle choke.

Brilliant: Renan Barao kicks Michael McDonald in their interim bantamweight title fight

RESULTS - MAIN CARD

Renan Barao SUB Michael McDonald
Cub Swanson UD? Dustin Poirier
Jimi Manuwa TKO Cyrille Diabate
Gunnar Nelson UD Jorge Santiago
James Te Huna UD Ryan Jimmo?

After missing with a spinning kick, Barao took the fight to the floor in the opening stages but was unable to exert his dominance as McDonald, once back on his feet, took the initiative, landing flush with both hands. The American had Barao pinned against the cage but was stopped in his tracks when the Brazilian landed a spate of punishing left hands before he finished the round in control on the ground.

McDonald was determined to avoid being taken to the canvas in the second session and recovered from a takedown in some style, landing a kick while on his back. But although he was edged out in the hand-to-hand exchanges, Barao posed the greater threat with his legs, despite again falling short with a spinning kick.

A quieter third round saw McDonald again display his agility by escaping from a clinch but it was Barao who dictated the centre of the Octagon with the Brazilian enjoying the better of the sporadic exchanges.

Happy days: Barao celebrates his victory at Wembley Arena on Saturday night

RESULTS - PRELIMINARY CARD

Matt Riddle SD Che Mills
Renee Forte UD Terry Etim
Danny Castillo UD Paul Sass
Andy Ogle UD Josh Grispi
Tom Watson TKO Stanislav Nedkov
Vaughan Lee UD Motonobu Tezuka
Phil Harris UD Ulysses Gomez

McDonald had work to do as the bout entered the penultimate round but he was by now bleeding from the nose and regularly swallowing punches from the increasingly confident champion. And with 90 seconds of the session remaining, Barao forced the submission after finally perfecting the takedown.

'The fight was great,' the winner said. 'McDonald is a good fighter and I'm pleased with the result.? I knew he would be a tough opponent.? I felt great coming into the fight, very confident with myself and with my team and I had great expectations.

'In the run up to the fight I kept my normal work outs and training but I have improved my physical condition a lot which has helped. I also worked on my boxing and ju jitsu. The crowd were excited, they cheered me on. I'm going home to Brazil to relax for a bit, see my friends and spend some time on the beach now after the win.'

Michael McDonald admitted he will go back to the drawing board after his defeat.

'I feel like I have to go study a little bit, everything I do is about learning and I know how much my first defeat helped me,' he said. 'I know how much a better fighter it made me so I'll just have to go back to the drawing board.?

'Before the fight I worked on everything, it's one thing I'm particular on. Now I'll just go back and keep working hard.'

On the way to victory: Cub Swanson punches Dustin Poirier in their featherweight fight

American Cub Swanson edged out compatriot Dustin Poirier in an entertaining featherweight contest to move closer to a title shot.

An evenly-matched first round burst into life in the final 90 seconds when Swanson landed flush with his right hand, sending Poirier staggering backwards. The Californian sprung forward, seeking the finish with his knee but was eventually forced on to the back foot and taken down with the remainder of the round played out on the floor.

Poirier was eager to return the fight to the floor in the second session and succeeded when he executed a spectacular takedown following an attempted backhand from Swanson. But having recovered well, Swanson held the advantage going into the final round and dominated on the floor, winning on all three scorecards by margins of 30-27 (twice) and 29-28.

Swanson admitted he had expected to finish the job inside the distance,

'I'm happy enough with the fight,' he said. 'I thought I fought really good but I can improve. I could have had better accuracy in my strikes but I wasn't expecting him to fight as well as he did. I expected to hurt him. I didn't think it'd go to three. I'm ready for the next big fight and it's an honour for me to be on the main card at a major event like this.'

Over and out: Jimi Manuwa kicks Cyrille Diabate who was forced to retire at the end of the first round

Poirier meanwhile felt he had the opportunities to win the fight.

'I was feeling confident,' he said. 'I thought I had him hurt a couple of times, I just didn't pull the trigger.? He was on top of his game but I think I was too, I just let him off the hook a couple of times and didn't attack. I am really disappointed, I wanted to win this fight for my wife and my career, I have a lot to work on.'

Londoner Jimi Manuwa impressed in front of a home crowd when he forced veteran Cyrille Diabate to retire after just one round of their light-heavyweight clash.

Manuwa dominated an action-packed five minutes, both on the floor and when the two elected to fight toe-to-toe. Diabate enjoyed a brief recovery towards the end of the session but Manuwa's repeated kicks to his left leg had taken their toll and he was unable to continue.

Gunnar Nelson's unbeaten record remains intact following his points victory over Jorge Santiago.

A cagey start to the fight was broken when Nelson performed a takedown and although Santiago recovered, his swinging punches in response failed to connect.

Tumble and fall: Gunnar Nelson takes down Jorge Santiago in their welterweight fight

The Icelander was again the aggressor in the second round, pinning his more experienced opponent against the cage before leveraging Santiago to the floor, where the pair remained for the rest of the session.

With both men visibly tiring in the final five-minute stanza, they opted to trade with Nelson landing the more telling blows only to ship several several punches in the final 10 seconds. That flurry wasn't enough to alter the inevitable result however with Nelson winning on all three scorecards by margins on 30-27 and 29-28 (twice).

The Icelander said: 'I'm very pleased with the win. I don't like to think too much before the game about what will happen, I just want to react and go with how I feel during the fight.?

'It was a very tough fight with some good exchanges and it was a great experience for me. I focused on my striking a bit in training before the fight and I think that helped me win the fight.'

Light heavyweight James Te Huna recovered from a torrid first round to earn a unanimous victory over Ryan Jimmo.

Recovery: Ryan Jimmo punches James Te Huna but was beaten on the scorecards

Jimmo dropped Te Huna with a crushing left kick to the head and immediately went for the finish, landing a barrage of punches to the head which the Aussie did well to survive.

The second round was orchestrated on the floor until Te Huna seized the initiative, turning the tide and forcing Jimmo to cover up under a flurry of blows. And the Canadian maintained his momentum in the final round, dominating the clinch and doing enough to impress all three judges by scores of 29-27 and 29-28 (twice).

Te Huna revealed he had executed his game plan to perfection.

'It was a tough match and I thought he had me finished in the first round,' he said. 'I came back though and spotted a few weaknesses in his game which I took advantage. I knew I'd have to avoid his kicks, he's a strong kicker, so worked on that. I've very happy to win but there's areas that I can work on.'

British welterweight Che Mills suffered a second defeat in his last three fights against American Matthew Riddle.

American star: Matthew Riddle (right) was a convincing winner over Brit Che Mills

Mills spent the opening minute pinned to the cage wall before Riddle executed the takedown. Mills landed cleanly as enjoyed better of the stand-up battles but Riddle was always eager to take the fight to the floor and did so with a minute of the first round remaining.

The American again looked to take the fight to the floor in the second session and did so despite Mills connecting with a stunning kick to the head. From then on, Riddle controlled the round, attempting a late submission.

Mills looked to seize the initiative at the start of the final stanza but despite landing cleanly, he soon found himself on the back foot. He managed to escape the clinch in the final minute but Riddle, refusing to engage, saw out the round to claim a split-decision victory.

The Brit conceded he needs to improve his floor work.

'I stayed on the bottom too long,' he said. 'The fight went pretty much as I'd expected, though I was confident of the win.? I had really worked on my wrestling before and I think I showed that I've improved. I'll keep working hard going forwards, more of the same.'

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Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-2279879/UFC-LONDON-2013-Renan-Barao-beats-Michael-McDonald.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

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Polycom Makes Federal Case With Microsoft Lync

Polycom continues to make strategic moves in the UC space, this time, with an eye on the Federal government. The UC vendor has?announced?that three key Polycom CX IP phones for Microsoft Corp.?s Lync have now been made?available?for Federal?government?agencies on the GSA Schedule.

The phone lineup is straightforward, covering the majority of use cases in governmental agencies.

The Polycom CX500 IP desktop phone, a basic phone for desks, hallways, lobbies, cubicles, common areas and more. This phone offers a device-only mode, which makes safe to use in more ?public? spaces.

The ?CX600 IP desktop phone, an extension of the CX300 is a more specialized option with an on-board client allowing for pairing with a PC to transfer contacts and contact information without requiring the PC to make calls. It also features an embedded dual port ethernet switch.

Lastly, Polycom boasts that the C3000 IP conference phone (pictured) ?is the only conference phone optimized to natively take advantage?of Microsoft Lync?s capabilities. It features a specialized PIN authentication ability and also includes the same PC pairing functionality.

This focus on Microsoft Lync is interesting,?particularly?amid a recent?acquisition?of Microsoft Gold Partner Sentri, which specializes in Lync UC and UC security. It?s likely Polycom is looking to?strengthen its portfolio with Microsoft technology in anticipation of ?the coming wave of Microsoft Office solutions and communication platforms. Cloud or on premise, phone hardware will still be needed in varying capacities and Lync optimization can become an is attractive option for both customers and solutions providers already knee-deep with Microsoft.

And while it may be true that Polycom ?s Federal focus is about?capitalizing?on Government infrastructure overhaul ? there won?t be abundant demand ?especially since?Gartner predicts government?spending is likely to decline by 2 percent over the 2013 year (and continue to do so) as government spending comes under scrutiny. Instead, Polycom?s efforts with this phone trio could be to capture the Federal vertical through Microsoft?s momentum.

Earlier in January,?Microsoft inked a 3-year deal with the US Department of Defense, set to blanket nearly 75 percent of the Pentagon?s 1.5 million computers and help with modernizing the infrastructure and improve ?cross -agency?collaboration.??It wouldn?t be surprising if ?Lync and Polycom ?showed up there, too.

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Source: http://channelnomics.com/2013/02/15/polycom-federal-case-lync-phones/

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Accused Witch Burned Alive in Papua New Guinea

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