Puoh Share See's List: Researching Credible Connections

• • 1. Content
    
    -The content of this article is about robot are eventually smarter than human according to a research conducted Cornell and Carnegie scientists from Cornell University. The content of this article is informative because the article is trying to tell the readers about the robot intelligence through the research done by a group of scientist from a university. The date of this article is on Feb, 12, 2014 which is a current information. I am pretty sure that this is the most current information because I had went through a deeper research on this topic on several different websites such as google, etc. This article might be important to some individual but it is not very important for me. (10 Points)
    
    
    
    2. Credibility
    
    -The author of this article is reliable and definable because when I search for her name on internet, I found out that she has a 10 years experience in writing articles. Some of which, she spent on Vanity Fair. The content of this article are credible and authoritative because it is a news from the Yahoo official website. The main objective of this article is to inform the readers about the intelligence of robot, whereas they are smarter than human. The information of this article are not satiric, humorous nor serious, but informative. The URL extension of this website is a .com. This tells me that the publisher's website are commercialized and are open to members of public to browse their website. (15 Points)
    
    
    
    3. Critical Thinking
    
    -According to my knowledge of science and technology, if a robot are smarter than human, it is expected because computers and machines eventually getting smarter from time to time due to continuous auto-updating of the computers an machines. Just like human getting smarter through gaining knowledge from studies and hands on practical. (10 Points)
    
    
    
    4. Copyright
    
    -The copyright of this article does appeared prominently on the website. Because the name of the writer clearly stated above the article. As a result, the internet users should respect the copyright of the author or publisher. By right, the users should not plagiarize the authors work that might ended up being sued due to copyright issues. (7 Points)
    
    
    
    5. Citation
    
    -The author of this article, Alyssa Bereznak did not provide any citation regarding her article. (2 Points)
    
    
    
    6. Continuity
    
    -Yahoo.com is always maintained and updated from time to time. users are free to browse the website for now and in the future, no payment required. Based on my personal perspective, Yahoo.com can be trusted for some articles, well for most of the time, it is not really trustable because articles might be providing false information.
    
    Other websites that provides true information of all times might requires payment for browsing their websites. (5 Points)
    
    
    
    7. Censorship
    
    -There is no censorship applied on Yahoo.com because every author are free to post their articles online. (15 Points)
    
    
    
    8. Connectivity
    
    -Well, Yahoo.com is a free access website. Anyone are able to access it at anytime as long as there is a computer with high-speed internet connection. It is a very busy internet website whereas millions of people browsing on the website. There is no requirement of using graphical user interface for browsing this website. Simultaneously, it can browse by more than one internet tool. It is a very easy access website and viewable by everyone globally. (5Points)
    
    
    
    9. Comparability
    
    -There are no identified comparative sources on the website itself. However, there might be other comparable sources in other websites. In order to identified the originality of the information, users have to search for similar information in other websites for comparison. Nonetheless, it depends on the requirements of the project itself.
    
    (7 Points)
    
    10. Context
    
    -The context of this research article is not really applicable because I am not researching for specific topic. (8 Points)
    
    
    
    Total Grade: 84%
    
    
    
    

• A study conducted by Cornell and Carnegie Mellon scientists found that people respond to robots better if they act less authoritative and use meaningless filler words to soften their communication. 

   
• “People use these strategies even when they know exactly,” Susan Fussell, associate professor of communication at Cornell University, wrote in a statement. “It comes off more polite.”
• The study, titled “How a Robot Should Give Advice,” started with a cupcake lesson. Researchers videotaped inexperienced bakers making cupcakes as an instructor offered advice. These instructors were basically actors working from two different scripts: one that used very straightforward instructional language, and another that included discourse markers like “uhm,” “you know” and “maybe.” Then they made duplicate videos that superimposed a robot over the human with the original soundtrack. Subjects of the study watched the videos and answered a questionnaire judging the helpers based on their consideration, controlling and likability. 

• Ultimately, researchers found that both the human and the robot instructors were better liked when they hedged a little. 

   

  This theory has been tested time and time again throughout pop culture. In Star Wars, for instance, everyone sort of hated C-3PO for being so condescending and proper. R2-D2, who just beeped and made exclamation points, was much easier to stomach.

   

• Similarly, everyone on Futurama always had a soft spot for Bender because they never felt threatened by him.

   

  So take note, robots! You could be the belle of the ball if you only learned how to correctly incorporate the word “like,” into conversation. Feel free to take notes from Her.

   

  Yahoo Tech is a brand new tech site from David Pogue and an all-star team of writers. Follow us on Facebook for all the latest. 

4 more annotations...

• • 1. Content
    
    -The content of this article is about US government giving guidelines to companies that run services such as cellphone towers, banks and utilities regarding prevention of cyber attacks. The content of this article is juried by the LA Times before it was released.The content of this information is serious because the government are informing the companies and member of publics about ways of preventing cyber attacks. This article is the current edition because the date of release is written Feb, 12, 2014 on the news below the image of US President, Barrack Obama. As a result, yes, I have the latest version of this news. This article is important for me because it teaches me about ways of preventing cyber attacks and guidelines of how to prevent it from happening. (15 Points)
    
    
    
    2. Credibility
    
    -Yes, the author of this article are identifiable and reliable. The name of the author is written above the article, Kathleen Hennessey and Chris O'Brien. Therefore, the content of this article are considered credible and authoritative. The purpose of this article is to provide knowledge about ways of preventing cyber attacks on essential services such as, cellphone towers, utilities and banks to companies and member of publics. Therefore, it is a serious information. The URL extension of this website is a .com, that means LA Times is a commercial website, accessible by anyone. (10 Points)
    
    
    
    3. Critical Thinking
    
    -Critical thinking is not applicable for readers of this article because this article is about government providing guidelines to companies and public members regarding cyber-security. (6 Points)
    
    
    
    4. Copyright
    
    -The copyright of this article is obviously stated because the name of the authors are written above the article. Furthermore, it is a news from LA Times. The article are accessible by anyone online, but no one is allowed to copy plagiarize the work of the authors due to presence of copyright on the article. (12 Points)
    
    
    
    5. Citation
    
    -The citation are not stated in this article because it is a news article from LA Times, therefore citation are not required. And, the author are not giving no credits to anyone because he or she is writing based on his or her perspective and knowledge towards the information. (3 Points)
    
    
    
    6. Continuity
    
    -Yes, LA Times website will be maintained and up-dating from time to time because it is a news website. Hence, there will be different news coming up on the website daily. Moreover, this website is a free access to every news reader, there are no payment requirement for this website at all. But maybe in the future, depends on the company's decision. LA Times is a .com website. Therefore it is a commercialized website for every web browser. (10 Points)
    
    
    
    7. Censorship
    
    - There are no censorship applied for this news article because it is an informative article about cyber-security guidelines by the US government. Hence, there are no hidden behind the information. My institution do applied censorship on searching some website, pornography for instance. But not application for this kind of general informative article. (3 Points)
    
    
    
    8. Connectivity
    
    -LA Times.com is an easy accessible website for everyone at anywhere and anytime. No special graphical interface required for accessing this website. In order to access this website, it only requires a high-speed WiFi internet connection and a computer. It is a very busy website because everyone are surfing it for the sake of getting the latest news before it release on the newspaper the following day. The users will get familiar with the internet tool just in a couple of minutes due to easy access of all the information on the website. (4 Points)
    
    
    
    9. Comparability
    
    -Yes the resources of this news article have comparable identification such as, on news papers, magazines and news on television. Well, I am not really sure if this news article from this website providing a full complete article as the one written on news paper because I am not doing a specific research on this topic. In order to know the truth of the story, I have to make a comparison of the same article in different website. However, it might not be important for me because my assigned research activity are not required to do so. (8 Points)
    
    
    
    10. Context
    
    -In terms of context, it is not applicable due to no specific topics given by my course instructor for conducting the research. We are free to search for any information on the website, as long as it is credible and reliable. Nevertheless, this research activity is just a hands on practical training for students to learn about conducting research in an effective way. (1 Points)
    
    
    
    Total Grade: 72%

• WASHINGTON — The White House has released guidelines aimed at prodding companies that run some of the nation's most essential services such as utilities, cellphone towers and banks to better protect themselves from cyberattacks.

   

   

• Officials said the guidelines, developed under an executive order that President Obama signed a year ago, provide companies overseeing the nation's crucial infrastructure with a blueprint for identifying potential threats, protecting themselves from cyberattacks and, if an attack occurs, recovering from it.

   

• But the voluntary nature of the guidelines showed how sharply proponents of strong regulation have scaled back their ambitions — and even their language — in the face of industry opposition to government intervention.

         

  The new initiative includes no system to formally track how companies are following the "framework for cybersecurity" or measure its effect. It relies largely on "enlightened self-interest" and market forces to convince companies to follow the government's advice, not incentives or penalties.

   
• In a statement, Obama warned that cyberthreats "pose one of the greatest national security dangers that the United States faces," echoing the recent judgment of major U.S. intelligence agencies.

• "While I believe today's framework marks a turning point, it's clear that much more work needs to be done to enhance our cybersecurity," Obama said. "America's economic prosperity, national security and our individual liberties depend on our commitment to securing cyberspace and maintaining an open, interoperable, secure and reliable Internet."

   

• In 2012, Obama supported a Senate bill that would have imposed stricter cybersecurity rules. The bill was defeated, as was a subsequent watered-down version to set up voluntary standards amid opposition from companies that feared back-door government regulation.

   

  Companies have grown even more suspicious since last summer, when former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden began leaking details of secret NSA monitoring of the Internet.

   

• "The framework doesn't force companies that are naive about security, or just cheap about the necessary investments, to get smart and invest appropriately," said Phil Lieberman, chief executive of Lieberman Software in Los Angeles and a cybersecurity industry veteran. "Generally fines and other penalties are about the only thing that gets companies to fix their security."

   

  The real effect may come in two years, when federal agencies must update their regulations to account for the guidelines, said James Lewis, a cybersecurity expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

   

  In that indirect way, the standards may be imposed on certain regulated industries, such as nuclear plants and electric utilities.

• The cybersecurity framework was unveiled with a voluntary program that gives companies and local governments the opportunity to contact cybersecurity experts at the Department of Homeland Security for advice and help in responding to a cyberattack.

   

• The guidelines were developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, part of the Commerce Department, along with input from industry.

   

• The reaction was mixed Wednesday. Greg Nojeim, of the nonpartisan Center for Democracy and Technology, said the guidelines did too little to protect privacy and civil liberties.

   

  "As the framework is implemented, we are hopeful that such privacy protections are further developed and become standardized," Nojeim said in a statement.

   

• Roger Thornton, chief technology officer of AlienVault Inc., a Silicon Valley cybersecurity company, said he was pleasantly surprised at both the scope and clarity of the recommendations.

   

  "It's a lot better than I would have expected," Thornton said. "They talked about all the functionality a company should have. They're not saying how they have to go about it. And that's great."

   

• With the framework as a guide, Thornton said he'll be able to educate businesses about what capabilities they need, and which of those his company can provide.

   
• Venky Ganesan, a managing director at Menlo Ventures in Menlo Park, Calif., who focuses on cybersecurity investments, called the announcement a great start. But he said it's too soon to know if it will work.

12 more annotations...

• • 1. Content
    
    -The content of this article is about Afghan government releasing 65 potential terrorists from the prison due to insufficient evidence. The content of this information is a serious content. This is a current news on the website because the date stated above the article, Feb, 12, 2014. So, it is the current version of the news on this website. It is important for some individual but not for me because this are not my specific research topic. (14 Points)
    
    
    
    2. Credibility
    
    -The author of this news article are identifiable and credible regarding the name stated below the news title, Catherine E. Shoichet from CNN News. Obviously, this is a very serious article because it is about releasing of 65 potential terrorists from jail due to insufficient evidence. It might be dangerous to publics and the country. The URL extension of the CNN website is a .com. Therefore, it is a viewable commercial website for everyone. (10 Points)
    
    
    
    3. Critical Thinking
    
    -For me, this article requires critical thinking because where the earth 65 potential terrorists can be release from the prison with an excuse of insufficient evidence. Should the government go deeper for the investigation? (5 Points)
    
    
    
    4. Copyright
    
    -Yes, the copyright are prominently stated on the website. Firstly, because this website belongs to CNN News. Secondly, the name of the author are clearly stated on the news article. As a result, the web browsers should think twice before plagiarizing the written information on the website. (13 Points)
    
    
    
    5. Citation
    
    -Nope. There are no citation for this news article because citation are not required for writing a news report, normally. Unless, the authors are ideas of other authors to write this news report. (2 Points)
    
    
    
    6. Continuity
    
    -CNN.Com will always maintain and continuously updating their website daily with different news. This website is obviously very reliable to everyone because CNN is a mass media organization. CNN.Com are totally free from any sorts of payment for visiting their news website. (12 Points)
    
    
    
    7. Censorship
    
    -In my point of view, there might be censorship of information on this kind of news. Especially news regarding national security of the country because government do not want their citizens to worry about their personal safety. (10 Points)
    
    
    
    8. Connectivity
    
    -CNN.Com is an easy access website for everyone around the world. The requirement for accessing this website is just a computer with high-speed internet connection. No special graphical interface required for connectivity of this website. (5 Points)
    
    
    
    9. Comparability
    
    -Yes, definitely there are comparability between this news article with otter resources such as news papers, magazines, news on television, etc. Sometimes, there are limitations of posting information on the website due to governments restriction especially sensitive issues regarding politics and national security. (9 Points)
    
    
    
    10. Context
    
    -The context of my research is to find out the reason why Afghan government releases 65 prisoners who known as dangerous insurgents by the United States with the excuse of not enough supporting evidence to keep them behind the bars. Unfortunately, this article are not providing me the evidence, definitions, etc regarding this issue. The real information might be filtered by the media or government. In order to satisfied my opinion, commentary, and research studies, I have to search for more informations regarding this issue in other websites. (10 Points)
    
    
    
    Total Grades: 90%

• The United States calls them "dangerous insurgents."

   

  But Afghan authorities say they don't have enough evidence to keep the 65 prisoners behind bars.

• The U.S. military in Afghanistan condemned the move, expected to begin Thursday, arguing that the prisoners pose threats to security forces and civilians.

   

  "Detainees from this group of 65 are directly linked to attacks killing or wounding 32 U.S. or coalition personnel and 23 Afghan security personnel or civilians," the military said in a statement.
• Releasing them, the military said, violates agreements between the United States and Afghanistan and is "a major step backward for the rule of law in Afghanistan."
• Abdul Basir Azizi, a spokesman for Afghanistan's attorney general, said the detainees' release was ordered after a review revealed that there wasn't enough evidence against them.
• The U.S. military's statement detailed evidence against several of the suspects, noting that the group included an alleged Taliban explosives expert, a suspected Haqqani network commander and a specialist accused of building and placing improvised explosive devices.

• t's not the first time Afghanistan's decision to release prisoners has upset the United States.

   

  The early and pretrial release of prisoners by the Afghan government, at times at President Hamid Karzai's hand, frustrated U.S. officials, diplomatic documents released in 2010 by WikiLeaks revealed.

• And in January, the U.S. State Department criticized Karzai's order to release 72 prisoners from Bagram prison after the presentation of a report from the Afghan spy agency saying there was no evidence against them.

   

  The State Department disputed that assessment, calling the detainees "dangerous criminals against whom there is strong evidence linking them to terror-related crimes."

6 more annotations...

• • 1. Content
    
    -The content of this article is about a former Mayor, who's originally a corporate executive, C. Ray Nagin were pleaded guilty to 20 counts of bribery by the federal court of New Orleans, United States. It is a very serious topic on news because it is about the trial of a former politician regarding bribery. And it is a current news, stated Feb, 12, 2014 on the article. As a result, it is the latest version of the news on New York Times website. This news is important for me because it exposed the act of an irresponsible civil servant to member of publics. (15 Points)
    
    
    
    2. Credibility
    
    -The author of this article are definable and reliable with her name stated on the article, Campbell Robertson. Hence, it is authoritative due to news released by New York Times, one of the biggest news company in United States. The main purpose of the news is to inform people that Nagin is pleaded guilty for 20 counts of bribery and fraud that might ended up having 20 years of imprisonment. Therefore, it is a very very serious information. The URL extension of this website is .com, a viewable commercial website for everyone around the world.
    
    (9 Points)
    
    
    
    3. Critical Thinking
    
    -There are no critical thinking applied for this news because it is a crime, hence, it is a fact. (3 Points)
    
    
    
    4. Copyright
    
    -The copyright of this article is prominently stated on the article with the name of the author. Essentially, web browsers must know about the pros and cons of plagiarism and the rules and regulations of copyright. (10 Points)
    
    
    
    5. Citation
    
    -Obviously, there are no citations for news article because the information and ideas of writing the news originally came from the writer or author itself. (8 Points)
    
    
    
    6. Continuity
    
    -The website of New York Times will be maintained and keeping up-to-date from time to time in order to provide all the latest news to readers. News website are normally free access to everyone. The objective of the website is just to provide additional news to readers, and they are not doing it for the sake of profit. Because news company normally generate income through selling of newspapers and advertising. (7 Points)
    
    
    
    7. Censorship
    
    -Based on my personal perspective towards this article, there are no application of censorship because the detailed of the information are clearly stated. (10 Points)
    
    
    
    8. Connectivity
    
    -This website are free to access by all individual all of the time. The requirement for connecting this website are such as, computer and high-speed WiFi internet connection. It is prominently a very busy website that browse by millions and billions of people worldwide. Moreover, it can be access with more than one internet tool. (5 Points)
    
    
    
    9. Comparability
    
    -The information on this website appeared in other sources simultaneously such as, newspapers, magazines, TV news, etc. The information in other sources might be a little bit more than the information on the website because online news are actually providing extra information of the news on newspapers, TV, magazines and many more. The comparability of information from this article are not important for me because it is not the main requirement of this project. (10 Points)
    
    
    
    10. Context
    
    -The context of this articles is not really important for me because the main purpose of my course project is just to learn about ways of searching information through website. (15 Points)

• NEW ORLEANS — C. Ray Nagin, a former corporate executive who became mayor in 2002 pledging to modernize city government and instead became an emblem of government dysfunction in the months and years after Hurricane Katrina, was found guilty in federal court on Wednesday on 20 counts of bribery and fraud.

• He was found guilty of all but one of 21 counts, including bribery, wire fraud and filing false tax returns. Sentencing has been set for June 11, Mr. Nagin’s 58th birthday. Mr. Nagin could face 20 years in prison by federal sentencing guidelines, said Tania Tetlow, a Tulane University law professor and a former federal prosecutor.

• Over the eight-day trial, federal prosecutors and more than two dozen government witnesses had described Mr. Nagin’s involvement in a series of roughly similar schemes: city projects would be awarded to — or municipal problems fixed for — businessmen who in turn would give Mr. Nagin large payments, private trips to Jamaica and New York, free cellphone service, lawn care, do-nothing consulting jobs or free shipments of granite for the countertop company he ran with his two sons.
• Mr. Nagin, who testified over two days, had claimed that he had little control over the contracting process, and described some of the payoffs as legitimate investments in his sons’ business. In one case involving a contractor’s $10,000 payment to Mr. Nagin’s sons, the jury agreed with Mr. Nagin. But they sided with the government on the rest — a total of illicit proceeds that the government put at half a million dollars.
• Mr. Nagin was elected in 2002 as an outsider dismissive of the old political machines. A cable TV executive with no prior governing experience, Mr. Nagin, a Democrat, was impatient with the stubborn rhythm of the city’s bureaucracy, a quality that endeared him to the media, reform advocates and upscale voters.

• Gary Clark, a political science professor at Dillard University in New Orleans, who as a Civil Service commissioner dealt with the mayor, dismissed any notion that the mayor did not know what he was doing.

  “He’s a shrewd tactician,” he said of Mr. Nagin, pointing out how adeptly he had shifted from a largely white constituency in 2002 to largely black one in 2006. “You don’t win the mayorship of New Orleans by being naïve.”

• From the witness stand, he testified that the extensive paper trail on which much of the case rested — calendar entries, tax filings, legal documents and city paperwork — was mostly handled by others, like accountants or assistants. His lawyer asked whether a person taking bribes would really be so careless as to leave such a record, behavior that brazenly flouts the wisdom shared by a former Louisiana governor, Earl K. Long: that one should never put in writing what one can convey in a smile, a nod or a wink.

• Those who knew him say it is unsurprising.

  “I think he may have been reckless,” said Oliver Thomas, a city councilman during Mr. Nagin’s term who pleaded guilty to taking a bribe in 2007.

       151  Comments   

• Mr. Thomas raised a sentiment common among those who knew Mr. Nagin. While he may have been guilty of the charges, Mr. Thomas said, and may have known that his actions were against the law, Mr. Nagin may still question whether he truly did anything wrong.

8 more annotations...

• • 1. Content
    
    -The content of this article is about execution of Juan Carlos Chavez for raping and murdered a 9 year-old boy about 18 years ago. The information of this article is a serious content because it's about an execution of a criminal who committed rape and murder towards a little boy. This is a current news, Feb 12, 2014 is stated on the article itself. Therefore, it is the current edition of the news on USAToday.com. (12 Points)
    
    
    
    2. Credibility
    
    -The author of this article are not definable and reliable, the name of the author is not stated on the article. However, the contents of this article are credible and authoritative because it is a news by USAToday. The purpose of this information is to give a lesson to member of publics and most importantly, to all the criminal in the society to not involve in crime related activities. The types of information for this news articles are serious and informative. The URL extension of this website is a .com, which is a commercial website for everyone globally. (12 Points)
    
    
    
    3. Critical Thinking
    
    -The person who read this news articles requires critical thinking because they have to know what actually happens and consequences that might be faced if someone involved in the crime activities get arrested by the authorities. (9 Points)
    
    
    
    4. Copyright
    
    -Although the name of the author does not appear on the article, there are copyright that belongs to USAToday.com. Thereby, readers should be clear about terms and conditions of authors copyright if they wanted to take any information as a reference for writing their essay or thesis. (9 Points)
    
    
    
    5. Citation
    
    -They do not include citation in this news article. (1 Points)
    
    
    
    6. Continuity
    
    -The contents of this website are always maintained and updated consistently everyday for the sake of providing newer informations to readers. Moreover, this website are free access for all time unlike some other news websites that requires monthly payment for access.
    
    (8 Points)
    
    
    
    7. Censorship
    
    -There are no censorship applied for this article. Simultaneously, there are no censorship from my institution for accessing news website about criminology. (7 Points)
    
    
    
    8. Connectivity
    
    -The web browsers required a computer and a good internet connection for browsing this website. It is a very busy website, whereas tons of people from different continent of the world access to this website. Therefore, it can be easily access by more than one internet tool. (5 Points)
    
    
    
    9. Comparability
    
    -There is additional information regarding this news article in other websites such as, CNN, FoxNews, etc. Information from other websites of the same article might contained more or less information than this current website. (8 Points)
    
    
    
    10. Context
    
    -Unfortunately, there is no context in my research because this article is not the major of my project. (7 Points)
    
    
    
    Total Grades: 78%

• STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A man was executed Wednesday night in Florida for raping and killing a 9-year-old boy 18 years ago, a death that spurred the victim's parents to press nationwide for stronger sexual predator confinement laws and better handling of child abduction cases.
• Juan Carlos Chavez, 46, was pronounced dead at 8:17 p.m. Wednesday after a lethal injection at Florida State Prison, according to Gov. Rick Scott's office.
• Chavez abducted Jimmy Ryce at gunpoint after the boy got off a school bus on Sept. 11, 1995, in rural Miami-Dade County. Testimony showed Chavez raped the boy, shot him when he tried to escape, then dismembered his body and hid the parts in concrete-covered planters.

• Ryce's parents turned the tragedy's pain into a push for stronger U.S. laws regarding confinement of sexual predators and improved police procedures in missing child cases. Their foundation provided hundreds of free canines to law enforcement agencies to aid in searches for children.

• The boy's father, 70-year-old Don Ryce, witnessed the execution along with his son Ted, 37. They told reporters outside the prison that the execution closes a long, painful chapter and hopefully sends a powerful message to other would-be child abductors.

• Despite an intensive search in 1995 by police and volunteers, regular appeals for help through the media and distribution of flyers about Jimmy, it wasn't until three months later that Chavez's landlady discovered the boy's book bag and the murder weapon — a revolver Chavez had stolen from her house — in the trailer where Chavez lived. Chavez later confessed to police and led them to Jimmy's remains.

  He was tried and found guilty of murder, sexual battery and kidnapping.

• Chavez's latest state and federal court appeals focused on claims that Florida's lethal injection procedure is unconstitutional, that he didn't get due process during clemency hearings and that he should have an execution stay to pursue further appeals.
• The Florida Supreme Court, however, refused Wednesday morning to stay the execution to allow Chavez time to pursue those challenges, and the U.S. Supreme Court followed suit hours later. The appeals prompted a more than two-hour delay in Chavez's execution.

• The victim's father said recently that he and his wife had become determined to turn their son's horrific slaying into something positive, in part because they felt they owed something to all who tried to help find him. They also refused to despair.

• The Ryces created the Jimmy Ryce Center for Victims of Predatory Abduction, a nonprofit organization based in Vero Beach that promotes public awareness and education about sexual predators. It also counsels parents of victims and helps train law enforcement agencies in responding to missing children cases.

  The organization also has provided, free of charge, more than 400 bloodhounds to police departments nationwide and abroad. Ryce said if police searching for Jimmy had bloodhounds they might have found him in time.

• The Ryces also helped persuade then-President Bill Clinton to sign an executive order allowing missing-child flyers to be posted in federal buildings, which they had been prevented from doing for their own son.

  Another accomplishment was 1998 passage in Florida of the Jimmy Ryce Act, versions of which have been adopted in other states. Under the law, sexual predators found to be still highly dangerous can be detained through civil commitment even after they have served their prison sentences. Such people must prove they have been rehabilitated before they can be released. Chavez had no criminal record, so the law would not have affected him.

10 more annotations...