Counterfeit goods raided on Fox Plaza, El Paso. (Courtesy of ICE)

Drug cartels grab a piece of the market for knock-off goods

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EL PASO – Federal agents in El Paso are investigating the link between counterfeit and pirated merchandise and organized crime, specifically Mexican drug cartels. According to U.S. officials, a knock-off Michael Kors handbag sold here can be connected to the bloodshed in Ciudad Juarez. Oscar Hagelsieb, assistant special agent in charge of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations office in El Paso, says commercial intellectual property rights fraud can impact public safety and homeland security. “It (trafficking of counterfeit goods) is not a victimless crime as people would believe. You’re putting money directly into the pockets of the cartel.

Richard Talbot, director of product line management at IBM Power Systems, explains the possibilities offered by computers systems like Watson for healthcare serivces. (Sofia Aguirre/Borderzine.com)

Everything is elementary for this Watson, but he’s not human

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EL PASO — Imagine confiding in your computer the way you would to a friend – no mouse, keyboard, or screen – and listening to it respond instantly with accurate, reliable information. Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it? But would you trust this computer with your health? Imagine putting a computer in an environment with minimal healthcare resources and no Internet connection, Richard Talbot, director of product line management at IBM Power Systems told students at the University of Texas at El Paso recently. “To think Watson could help a nurse diagnose an illness and guide them through a treatment or procedure,” he said.

Anxiety problems in college students rising

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UTEP/EPCC Voices of Anxiety

EL PASO, Texas – There are little anxieties everyone experiences from day to day: an approaching deadline, an important dinner, or a first impression. Yet when the feeling of being on edge fails to stop, there is high chance you or someone you know might have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders have become, now more than ever, even more prominent in college students. According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA), over the past fifteen years, there has been a steady increase of college students – regardless of gender, age, or ethnicity – seeking help at their campuses for dealing with intense anxiety. In the context of college, having anxiety could mean decreasing the student’s ability to perform well or effectively in school.