DGA Awards date set for 2014

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Clamoring for more awards-show news after the Oscars? Yeah, us neither, but here's some anyway: The 66th Annual DGA Awards will take place January 25, 2014, the Directors Guild of America, which holds the ceremony, said Wednesday.

The ceremony will again take place at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at the Hollywood & Highland complex in Los Angeles.

The most recent ceremony, which was hosted by "Boss" star Kelsey Grammer, took place on February 2. A host for next year's ceremony was not named in Wednesday's announcement, but maybe Seth MacFarlane will be available to class things up a little.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dga-awards-date-set-2014-215537878.html

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Arkansas Senate overrides veto of abortion bill

Rep. Andy Mayberry, R-Hensley, speaks to reporters in a hallway outside the Senate chamber at the Arkansas state Capitol in Little Rock, Ark., Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. The Senate voted Thursday to override Gov. Mike Beebe's veto of Mayberry's bill banning most abortions starting in the 20th week, a day after the state House voted to override it. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

Rep. Andy Mayberry, R-Hensley, speaks to reporters in a hallway outside the Senate chamber at the Arkansas state Capitol in Little Rock, Ark., Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. The Senate voted Thursday to override Gov. Mike Beebe's veto of Mayberry's bill banning most abortions starting in the 20th week, a day after the state House voted to override it. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

Julie Mayberry, right, wife of Rep. Andy Mayberry, R-Hensley, center, and Rose Mimms, executive director of Arkansas Right to Life, left, sit in a gallery at the Senate chamber at the Arkansas state Capitol in Little Rock, Ark., after the Senate voted to override the governor's veto of Mayberry's bill banning most abortions in the 20th week Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

Rep. Andy Mayberry, R-Hensley, straightens his tie before speaking to reporters in a hallway outside the Senate chamber at the Arkansas state Capitol in Little Rock, Ark., Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. The Senate voted Thursday to override Gov. Mike Beebe's veto of Mayberry's bill banning most abortions starting in the 20th week, a day after the state House voted to override it. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

Rep. Andy Mayberry, R-Hensley, center, gets a hug from Rose Mimms, of Arkansas Right to life, left, as Mayberry's wife Julie watches outside of the Senate chamber at the Arkansas state Capitol in Little Rock, Ark., Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. The Senate voted to override the governor's veto of Mayberry's bill banning most abortions in the 20th week Thursday. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) ? Arkansas became the eighth state Thursday to enact a near-ban on abortions starting in the 20th week of pregnancy, and by next week it could outlaw most procedures from the 12th week onward, which would give it the most restrictive abortion laws in the country.

The Republican-led Senate voted 19-14 along party lines to override Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe's veto of a bill barring most abortions starting in the 20th week of pregnancy that was based on the disputed notion that a fetus can feel pain by that point. The Arkansas House voted to override the veto Wednesday. A simple majority was needed in each chamber.

That law, which took effect immediately but which will likely be challenged in court, includes exemptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.

Senate President Michael Lamoureux, R-Russellville, voted to override the veto, but later told reporters he wasn't sure the new law would survive a constitutional challenge.

"If it was an easy answer, then people wouldn't be raising that subject," he said after the vote.

After overriding the veto, the Senate voted 26-8 in support of a separate measure that would outlaw most abortions starting in the 12th week of pregnancy. In addition to the exemptions for rape, incest and the mother's life, it would allow abortions when lethal fetal conditions are detected.

The proposed 12-week ban, which would ban abortions from the point when a fetus' heartbeat can generally be detected through an abdominal ultrasound, would give Arkansas the most restrictive abortion laws in the country, said Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

"This extreme legislation would insert politics into women's personal medical decisions, and we urge Governor Beebe to veto it immediately," Richards said.

Beebe declined to say whether he'd veto the 12-week ban, and has until next week to decide. Unlike the 20-week ban, which took effect immediately, the 12-week restriction if enacted would take effect 90 days after the Legislature adjourns. The Legislature is not expected to adjourn this year's session until March or April.

The governor has said he thinks it's on even shakier legal ground than the 20-week ban, which he believes contradicts the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion until a fetus can viably survive outside of the womb, which is typically at 22 to 24 weeks.

Beebe said Thursday's override did nothing to allay his concerns about the new abortion restrictions, including the amount of money the state will have to spend defending them. Attorney General Dustin McDaniel's office on Thursday estimated that the $118,000 the state paid in attorneys' fees to challengers who were successful in overturning a 1997 late-term abortion ban would equal about $163,000 today when adjusted for inflation.

"Nothing's changed from the standpoint of what I think the problem with the bill is," Beebe told reporters. "It's still the same problem it was before they overrode the veto."

Rita Sklar, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, said she was disappointed with the Senate's override and said her group is considering suing.

"We are going to do everything within our power to protect the health and reproductive decision-making abilities of women and in this case that includes looking very carefully at litigation," she said.

Democrats who previously voted for the 20-week ban but against the override said they did so out of deference to Beebe and the concerns he raised over the measure's constitutionality.

"The budget's tight. We're working on giving businesses and individuals some tax relief. I don't think it makes sense to spend money on expensive litigation," said Sen. Larry Teague, D-Nashville, who is a co-chairman of the budget committee.

The 20-week near-ban is based on the disputed claim that a fetus can feel pain by then and therefore deserves protection from abortion. Those who support fetal pain bills say there is evidence that by 20 weeks, fetuses seek to evade stimuli in a way that indicates they are experiencing pain.

But the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says it knows of no legitimate evidence that shows a fetus can experience pain. It says a fetus' brain begins its final stage of development between the 20th and 40th weeks of pregnancy, and that certain hormones that develop in the final trimester also must be present for it to feel pain. It's not known exactly when those hormones are formed.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, which tracks laws affecting women's health, seven other states have enacted similar fetal pain abortion laws. Similar laws in Georgia and Arizona have been blocked pending the outcome of legal challenges.

Mary Spaulding Balch, the director of state legislation for the anti-abortion group National Right to Life, applauded the Arkansas Legislature's vote overriding Beebe's veto.

"Basic compassion for human life demands that this legislation be enacted all over the country," Balch said.

___

Andrew DeMillo can be reached at www.twitter.com/ademillo

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2013-02-28-US-XGR-Arkansas-Legislature-Abortion/id-195ea278229940b4b2e7578f78731f19

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How Are Your Taxes Prepared? (Free Money Finance)

Business Week recently shared a chart that showed how Americans have their taxes prepared. 60% of people use an "expert" (their words) while 40% do it themselves. Here's the breakdown for each:

60% have their taxes prepared by an expert

• 45% by mom and pop tax preparers, CPAs, and lawyers
• 10% by H&R Block
• 5% by Jackson Hewitt and Liberty Tax Service

40% do their taxes themselves

• 20% use TurboTax
• 7.5% use pen and paper (old school!)
• 6% use H&R Block Digital
• 3.5% use TaxAct
• 3.5% use some other software product

Here are my thoughts on this information:

• I was surprised that a majority of people had their taxes done by someone else. I thought that most people did it themselves. Why? Because most tax returns are pretty simple, so why wouldn't people do them themselves?
• I was surprised that so many do taxes by hand. I guess that for very simple returns, it's no problem. But with simple things like "math" being a key reason there's a mistake on a return, I would think some software help would be prudent.
• I wonder what the breakdowns are between "mom and pop" preparers and "higher level" preparers like CPAs and lawyers.

I've detailed why I use a CPA to do my taxes, but the main reasons are that she saves me time, money, and frustration. And especially this year, when my taxes are complicated even more by an LLC with rental properties, I am glad I have a CPA working for me. (Note: You can read up on the new CPA I got last year by checking out I Hired a New CPA and How It Went with My New CPA).

What about you? Do you have someone else prepare your taxes or do you do it yourself? Why?

Source: http://www.freemoneyfinance.com/2013/02/how-are-your-taxes-prepared.html

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A Runner's Guide to Exercise Induced Asthma | Fitness, Health and ...

Jackie Joyner-Kersee
This track-and-field star, four-time Olympian, and three-time gold medalist was diagnosed with asthma as a freshman at UCLA.

Paula Radcliffe
Running a marathon is difficult, winning one is?very?difficult, and winning one with asthma is near impossible. ?But that?s what British long-distance runner Paula Radcliffe has done?seven times. The current world record holder in the marathon, Radcliffe was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma as a teenager.

What do I have in common with both of these athletes?

Last weekend my husband and I were talking about knowing how to breathe, while running, in a way that helps prevent asthma symptoms. That quickly lead to a conversation about what professional athletes have accomplished despite being diagnosed with asthma. At the time, neither of us could name any but we were sure they existed.

After an asthma attack during a run (about 6 months ago) I experienced a fear of it happening again. That fear [temporarily] changed my running. I waited for perfect weather conditions to run outside, I hesitated to increase my pace and I wouldn?t run by myself. With time that fear subsided and was followed by a [temporary] frustration of feeling limited. Then, there was determination. For about 6 weeks I?ve been determined to figure out how I can run with asthma. If Olympic medalists can do it so can I. I?m learning my limits and how to work around them. If I have to slow down to keep running I slow down. Slowing down is always better than having to stop. I still have a lot to learn but I?m determined to not let asthma keep me from running.

What Has Worked For Me || Tips for Running With Asthma

1. Be honest with yourself about your limits and work around them. I know I can?t run outside when it?s 16 degrees or colder particularly if it?s windy. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology,?people with exercise-induced asthma have airways that are overly sensitive to sudden changes in temperature and humidity, especially when breathing colder, drier air.
2. Warm up before you work out. Warm up for about 10 minutes with a gradual increase in intensity.
3. If it?s cold and you?re running outside, cover your mouth and nose to warm the air before it enters the lungs.
4. Use an inhaler and know the timing that works for you. I use my inhaler 30 minutes before EVERY workout.
5. Know your body.?If you?re running and you notice that you?re breathing is becoming labored and shallow, slow down your pace dramatically and walk. Concentrate on taking long, calm, and deep breaths.

Did you know either of these athletes had asthma? Is there anything that you have learned how to work around and keep running?

?

Tagged: asthma, inspiration, running, Top 5, training

Source: http://jillconyers.com/2013/02/a-runners-guide-to-exercise-induced-asthma/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-runners-guide-to-exercise-induced-asthma

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Hunter Boyle - Free Web Design Tucson

Meet?Hunter Boyle,?a multichannel marketer and content strategist, who is now Senior Business Development Manager at Aweber. At Affiliate Management Days SF 2013 (April 16-17), Hunter will be revealing ways in which affiliate managers and advertisers may effectively maximize affiliate relationships with email.

* * * * *

Question: If you were to emphasize one important area that every affiliate manager should be paying more attention to, what would it be and why?

Hunter Boyle: Engagement. That applies to long-time affiliates just as much as the new faces joining your crew. The channels you?re using ? email, social media, webcasts, the offers and tools you?re presenting ? have to capture the attention of your affiliates and get them excited to promote you.

So if you?re not focusing on, measuring and testing ways to improve engagement, you?re leaving a ton of money on the table.

Question: What do you see as the main areas of opportunity for online marketers in 2013 ? 2014?

Hunter Boyle:?There?s a surge happening these days around content marketing. If that?s not the buzzword of the year, I don?t know what is. But aside from the hype, there?s enormous value in the ability to consistently create and deliver exceptional content. Particularly as a marketing tool for affiliates.

The best affiliate marketers are those who use trust, authenticity and authority to build up their networks. They succeed because their recommendations carry real weight online. Can affiliates cultivate those circles with an endless cycle of overt sales pitches? Only in rare instances, such as deals sites, does that work. ?And that?s a whole separate topic.

That?s why, all the buzz aside, an effective content marketing strategy is essential for affiliate marketers. Same goes for affiliate managers. Developing the messaging, goals, process, tools, metrics, a testing plan and training affiliates to succeed with them is a major opportunity for affiliate managers.

Question: What do you believe to be the top 3 present day challenges that online oriented small businesses should be aware of? And where can solutions be found?

Hunter Boyle: ?Judging by the small businesses I know and work with, the top three challenges don?t really change that much:

That?s the trifecta that most small businesses struggle with in marketing and beyond. In most cases, they?re very passionate about their work and business. They have clear goals in mind. Where it gets tricky is trying to keep up with the pace of change in marketing. ?Often because they?ve got a small team or are doing most of it themselves without the bandwidth to become experts in content, email, social, SEO (search engine optimization), PPC (pay per click), affiliate marketing and so on.

I wish I could say that?s likely to change. But the ?small? part of small businesses is why it rarely does. Small business leaders really need to focus on what?s legitimately going to drive business growth and minimize the distractions, latest fads and initiatives that don?t support the growth goals.

How do you determine where to draw those lines?

I think the best place to find solutions is right from your prospects and customers themselves. That means putting some real thought into assessing your marketing analytics (site, email, social) and test results. Supplementing that with qualitative data such as customer polls, email queries and responses, blog comments and good old-fashioned jawboning, like phone calls, site visits, live events or online chats like Google Hangouts.

This approach reflects the customer first mentality behind the lean product development model, usability design, listening with social media, and so on. And rightly so because these days, customers and prospects play a critical role in your business development process. That?s especially true of small and independent businesses.

Question: As an email marketing expert, what do you view as the number one overlooked component of a healthy email marketing campaign?

Hunter Boyle: ?The welcome series. Hands down. I like to compare it to first impressions when you meet someone in real life. Even though the website and email sign-up form are technically first impressions, let?s be honest, that first email or two that we get when subscribing really sets the tone for the entire lifecycle, right?

I dread signing up for yet another email. I work in the industry. We all do these days. We all get too much of it and we decry our overflowing email inboxes. So think of what the emails you actually love to get have in common: They often ?wow? you. Whether it?s because the content is funny or personable or makes you think or helps you discover cool sites and ideas or offers great deals. We want to be impressed by that diamond in the rough of dozens of subject lines.

Welcome messages can do that. An unexpected 15% coupon or a high quality ebook or video bonus ? these are pretty standard. But a welcome series, spread out over the first few weeks, that?s designed to familiarize readers with actually using your product or service, isn?t as common.

Content that delivers awesome value and an engaging experience, is coordinated with social channels and is timed to get an optimal response rather than annoy readers? That?s mighty rare. Testing a series like this should be a priority for all digital marketers this year.

Question: Can you give us one piece of advice regarding how to increase email open rates and two tips on how we can improve click through rates?

Hunter Boyle: ?You can increase open rates with subject line and timing tests. But those tend to be incremental, one-off gains that are hard to replicate or maintain. That said, we ran a timing experiment, not a test by the purist definition, and doubled our click through rate with a send to our affiliates on Saturday morning.

One tip would be to keep experimenting. Even if it doesn?t fit all of the official testing criteria. I know that makes some of my optimization friends cringe. But we?re not robots. People send emails and people receive emails. I?m not suggesting anyone replace serious testing with experiments like the one above. In fact, doubling the clicks absolutely made us want to set up a formal test to explore further.

That?s the benefit of experimenting: It can lead you to new ideas and surprises and help you formulate more exacting tests.

Another tip for click through is ensuring your emails and links in particular, are mobile-friendly. Video is getting more and more popular. If you?re using the standard screen capture with play button image, with alt text (alternative text), that?s going to render nicely in mobile and could be a click magnet.

Whereas, if you?re using embedded text links and just one or two words are linked or it?s not clear that an image is a live link or you have way too many links ? you?re going to see lower response rates from the growing smartphone population.

So make sure you?re testing mobile compatibility and usability before you hit send. And keep checking your analytics.

* * * * *

The upcoming Affiliate Management Days conference?takes place April 16-17, 2013. Follow @AMDays or #AMDays on Twitter. When registering, make sure to use the code SBTAM250 to receive an additional $250.00 off your two-day (or combo) pass. Early bird rates are valid through March 1, 2013.

The rest of the interview series from #AMDays may be found here.

The post Hunter Boyle: Affiliate Management, Challenges and Email Marketing #AMDays appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Source: http://freewebdesigntucson.com/?p=9198

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Why March 1 isn't Congress's last chance to amend 'sequester' cuts

True, $85 billion in spending cuts kick in on March 1, but they won't be widely felt for several weeks. Meanwhile, funding for government operations expires March 27. The two fiscal issues could be rolled into one, but a top GOP appropriator sees that as a recipe for disaster.?

By David Grant,?Staff writer / February 27, 2013

Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Kentucky, testifies in front of a Senate panel in Frankfort, Ky., in 2011. Rogers is determined not to conflate the sequester cuts and the government-funding bills ? and early signs are that Democrats in Congress may, warily, go along with that.

Ed Reinke/AP

Enlarge

Talk about your March madness. Two whirling-dervish fiscal issues are bearing down on Washington, and a couple of March deadlines mean that next month is likely to determine whether dealmaking will give Americans a breather from tax-and-spending fights ? or whether intractability results in a federal government shutdown.

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A key question is whether these two issues ? 1) the much-maligned ?sequester? and 2) funds to run the government for the second half of the fiscal year ? will proceed on separate tracks, or merge onto one. The fuzzy expectation is that they?ll merge, and that the task of replacing the first with something better will be absorbed into second. Call it a two-fer.

But some say such a merger risks yet another fiscal battle royale ? including the possibility that the sequester?s crimp on the economy would be followed by something much worse.

To head off doubling down on crisis, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Harold Rogers (R) of Kentucky is working to keep the two fiscal issues as far apart as possible.

?He thinks sequestration cuts alone are terrible,? said a Republican House aide familiar with Chairman Rogers? thinking. ?Having a full government shutdown on top of that would be more than the nation could bear.?

Let?s backtrack for a moment, just to make sure everyone?s clear about the March itinerary.

First up, on March 1, is the sequester, that package of $85 billion in automatic spending cuts that has created a buzz about looming air-travel delays, cuts in student aid, furloughs for defense workers, fewer detentions of illegal immigrants, limited access to national parks, and so on. Though almost no one likes the sequester?s across-the-board approach to the cuts, it looks as if Congress will not agree upon a different way to come up with the $85 billion by the end of this month.

But the nation will get a little grace period before most effects of sequestration are felt. That?s because government employees being furloughed need to receive roughly a month?s notice and because some military spending can likely be jostled around to prevent deep disruptions for a few weeks. Hence, lawmakers are expected to begin serious negotiations during the first two weeks of March to adjust ??or perhaps even replace ? the sequester.

Meanwhile, funds to operate the government run out on March 27, the midpoint of the fiscal year. Congress needs to appropriate money to the various agencies and departments or, voil?, a shutdown. But how much money is always the rub. Lately, Congress has been opting to simply continue funding at levels set by the 2011 debt-ceiling deal, the Budget Control Act.

It?s not a giant leap of logic to see that any revised package of sequester cuts could be rolled into bills designed to keep the government?s lights on for the rest of the fiscal year ? the very period over which the first of the sequester cuts will take effect. Such reasoning leads Pete Davis of Davis Capital Investment Ideas, a former staff member of the Senate Budget Committee, to proclaim that March 27 is ?the real deadline? for Washington?s sequester decisions.

?If there?s a deal to fund the government? through Sept. 30, says Mr. Davis, ?it?s almost a no-brainer to add a sequester replacement to it.?

But Rogers, for one, is determined not to conflate the sequester cuts and the government-funding bills ? and early signs are that Democrats in Congress may, warily, go along with that.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/u6YuP5ONCAM/Why-March-1-isn-t-Congress-s-last-chance-to-amend-sequester-cuts

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Brain Cell Life Span Finding In Mice Seen As Good News For Life Extension Enthusiasts

By: Tia Ghose, LiveScience Staff Writer
Published: 02/25/2013 03:05 PM EST on LiveScience

Brain cells can live at least twice as long as the organisms in which they reside, according to new research.

The study, published today (Feb. 25) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that mouse neurons, or brain cells, implanted into rats can survive with the rats into old age, twice as long as the life span of the original mice.

The findings are good news for life extension enthusiasts.

"We are slowly but continuously prolonging the life of humans," said study co-author Dr. Lorenzo Magrassi, a neurosurgeon at the University of Pavia in Italy.

So if the human life span could be stretched to 160 years, "then you are not going to lose your neurons, because your neurons do not have a fixed lifetime."

Long-lived cells

While most of the cells in the human body are being constantly replaced, humans are born with almost all the neurons they will ever have. [10 Odd Facts About the Brain]

Magrassi and his colleagues wanted to know whether neurons could outlive the organisms in which they live (barring degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's).

To do so, the researchers took neurons from mice and implanted them into the brains of about 60 rat fetuses.

The team then let the rats live their entire lives, euthanizing them when they were moribund and unlikely to survive for more than two days, and then inspected their brains. The life span of the mice was only about 18 months, while the rats typically lived twice as long.

The rats were found to be completely normal (though not any smarter), without any signs of neurological problems at the end of their lives.

And the neurons that had been transplanted from mice were still alive when the rats died. That means it's possible the cells could have survived even longer if they were transplanted into a longer-lived species.

Life extension

The findings suggest that our brain cells won't fail before our bodies do.

"Think what a terrible thing it could be if you survive your own brain," Magrassi told LiveScience.

While the findings were done in rats, not humans, they could also have implications for neuronal transplants that could be used for degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease, Magrassi said.

But just because brain cells may be able to live indefinitely doesn't mean humans could live forever.

Aging is dependent on more than the life span of all the individual parts in the body, and scientists still don't understand exactly what causes people to age, Magrassi said.

Follow LiveScience on Twitter @livescience. We're also on Facebook?& Google+.?

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/26/mouse-brain-cells-life-span-extension_n_2762163.html

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AP PHOTOS: A look at daily life inside North Korea

North Koreans carry bundles on their backs as they cross a frozen lake north of the capital city of Pyongyang, North Korea on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

North Koreans carry bundles on their backs as they cross a frozen lake north of the capital city of Pyongyang, North Korea on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

A North Korean woman sings karaoke at the Hyangsan Hotel at the foot of Mount Myohyang, North Korea, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

North Koreans cross a railroad bridge over a riverbed south of Mount Myohyang, and north of the capital city of Pyongyang, North Korea, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

A North Korean traffic policeman on a motorcycle patrols a street in central Pyongyang, North Korea on Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

A North Korean man stands next to a tractor and wagon on the edge of a snow covered field near the village of Ryongsan-ri, south of Pyongyang, North Korea on Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

Few people from outside North Korea ever get to see, with their own eyes, what life is like inside the country's restrictive borders ? scenes ranging from a simple haircut to a mass synchronized swimming performance.

Associated Press photographer David Guttenfelder is in North Korea and has been documenting scenes around the country that offer a glimpse into a largely unseen side of North Korea, capturing images of daily life that are at times quirky, at other times haunting.

Here's a gallery of some of his recent images.

___

See Guttenfelder's Instagram photos: http://instagram.com/dguttenfelder

Follow Guttenfelder on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dguttenfelder

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-02-26-AP-North-Korea-Photo-Gallery/id-1cbe1875f6fe47b395c3f3982d676218

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Microsoft Says Windows Phone Store Now Features More Than 130K Apps, 40K New Developers Registered Since WP8 Launch

Microsoft only provides sporadic updates to how the Windows Phone Store is doing, but today, it used the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to offer a few new numbers. According to Microsoft, there are now over 130,000 apps in the Windows Phone Store, and the average Windows Phone user has now downloaded 55 apps. App downloads, the company says, have increased by 75 percent since the Windows Phone 8 launch late last year, and paid app revenue has increased 91 percent. The Windows Phone developer ecosystem, too, is growing quickly, according to Microsoft. More than 40,000 new developers registered with the company in the first 90 days since the launch of Windows Phone 8, and there are now over 15,000 apps in the store that leverage features only available in Windows Phone 8. SDK downloads, too, are up and have now topped 500,000 ?since October 30, 2012. One thing that’s worth noting when looking at the number of new developers is that Microsoft reduced the price of registering as a developer from $99 per year to $8 for the first year during the eight days after the Windows Phone 8 launch, so the numbers may be a good bit higher because of this. New Dev Center App Microsoft also launched a mobile version of its Dev Center dashboard today. The Dev Center app?provides developers with easy access to all the key metrics about their app, including download data, crash trends and reviews. The app, of course, also features a live tile and lets developers share a link to their apps with others without having to go into the store first. To make Windows Phone even more attractive to developers, the company also teamed up with services ?like Box, mobile backend provider Buddy?and Photon Cloud, a service for game developers, to offer Windows Phone developers a number of special offers like free API calls and free service for a limited time.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/w2u9CZRzOFI/

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Squeeze Virtual Reality With The Upverter + YC Hardware Hackathon-Winning Cyborg Glove [Video]

What if you could actually grasp the sword you pick up in a video game, or if surgeons could feel their robots hit bone? That's the promise of the Tactilous glove, which won this weekend's Upverter + Y Combinator Hardware Hackathon. Watch as we demo the Frankenstein-meets-Nintendo contraption that lets you touch objects in virtual reality.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/oGjxcf3Nn_M/

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Washington DC (USA): Deux camerounais arret?s par la Police am?ricaine pour trafic de cartes de cr?dit

Lucien Guy Etobil (L) and Herman Ndonue (R)
Photo: ? Police americaine

Deux ans d'enqu?te, d'infiltration et de traque num?rique auront ?t? n?cessaires ? ce vaste coup de filet. La police am?ricaine a annonc?, jeudi dernier, avoir arr?t? deux individus d'origines camerounaises ? Bellevue, pres de Nashville, dans l'Etat du Tennessee. ?g?s de 50 et 26 ans, ils sont tous les deux accus?s de trafic de donn?es des cartes de cr?dits bancaires et risquent jusqu'? 40 ans de prison pour fraude informatique et falsification.

Selon le quotidien Hawaii News Now, Lucien Guy Etobil, 50 ans, residant a Silver Spring dans le Maryland et Herman Ndonue, 26 ans, residant a Hyattsville, dans le Maryland egalement, ont ?t? pris la main dans le sac en possession de 50 cartes de cr?dits American Express et Visa frauduleuses enfouies dans des bo?tes de cigarettes lors d'un contr?le de routine de la police sur l'autoroute I-40.

Les deux occupants du v?hicule suspect, tous deux Camerounais, infirmiers de profession, ont jou? la partition de ceux qui ne savent rien. ?On n'?tait pas au courant, on a lou? la voiture pour faire nos courses?, assurent Lucien Guy Etobil, et Herman Ndonue. L'instruction n'a pas pu confirmer ce d?tail.

Une perquisition dans leur chambre d'h?tel a permis ? la police de retrouver un important stock de cartes de cr?dits

Les deux hommes m?ditent actuellement leur sort dans les cellules de la Police M?tropolitaine de Washington. Ils sont pour l'instant accus?s de simulation criminelle. D'autres charges devraient ?tre retenues contre eux dans les prochaines heures, selon la police.

Source: http://cameroon-info.net/cmi_show_news.php?id=41946

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PFT: Jones says Austin still in Cowboys' plans

AP

It?s late February.? The Combine is unfolding.? And that means it?s time for scouts to rip or praise players under the cloak of anonymity.

Plenty of writers who publish assessments made by unnamed scouts are now ridiculed when doing so.? The pedigree and accomplishments of Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel tend to insulate him from scrutiny, even when his unnamed scouts swing and miss on players like Robert Griffin III.? (Heck, McGinn can even publish Wonderlic numbers without being vilified.)

McGinn assesses the players who could be available when the Packers use their first-round pick, and he shares the insights of a pair of unnamed scouts regarding Florida State defensive end Bjoern Werner, a German-born-and-bred prospect who is now poised to fulfill the very unlikely dream of being a first-round draft pick in the NFL.

?He?s good, but I don?t see the special in him,? one unnamed scout said. ?Kind of a try-hard, good football player but nothing special.?

Said another:? ?He?s not a dynamic pass rusher but he seems to get sacks.? He comes off the ball hard but he?s not special.?

Without knowing anything about the team(s) for which these scouts work, there?s no way of knowing whether they?re badmouthing Werner in the hopes that he?ll be available when their team(s) pick.? That?s how it works.? Teams that love a player say bad things about him, wishing for a free fall.? Teams that hate a guy say great things about him, hopeful he?ll be taken early ? pushing down the board players in which the team is actually interested.

With more and more media swarming around the pre-draft process, there?s always someone ready to publish these anonymous assessments.

But citing an ?unnamed scout? tells the audience nothing about the skills or credentials of the scout.? As the late George Carlin used to say (as Carlin himself would say, he?s saying nothing now), there?s a worst doctor in the world ? and someone has an appointment with him tomorrow.? Similarly, there are plenty of scouts who aren?t as skilled as others.? Any time an unnamed scout is being quoted, there?s a chance that he?s the worst of them all.

You know, like the ones who told McGinn last year that, as to RG3, ?[e]verybody is just assuming because of the Heisman and the socks and all that bs. . . . they are ignoring a lot of bad tape that he?s had,? that ?I don?t think he has vision or pocket feel, which to me are the two most important components of quarterbacking,? that ?[h]e?s just running around winging it,? that ?[h]e?s [Michael] Vick, but not as good a thrower,? that ?he?s not as good as Cam Newton,? that ?[a]s much as is written about his athleticism, his athleticism under duress in the pocket isn?t even close to Cam Newton?s,? that ?the only way he gets big plays with his feet is if he?s got a wide-open field and the sea opens for him,? that ?[h]e?s got a little bit of a selfish streak, too,? and that ?[h]e doesn?t treat anybody good.?

Or maybe these unnamed scouts are just good enough to know how to push lies in the hopes of advancing agendas.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/24/miles-austin-is-still-in-the-cowboys-plans-jerry-jones-says/related/

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Samsung To Debut Its New Galaxy S In New York On March 14 As Rivalry With Apple Heats Up

It appears that Samsung has once again joined a growing list of companies that have decided not to release their flagship devices at Mobile World Congress. Reuters reports that the South Korean electronics giant said it will launch its new Galaxy S smartphone on March 14 in New York after requests from U.S. carriers. We've emailed Samsung for confirmation.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/jNwf3NEmyhU/

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We're liveblogging Nokia's MWC event tomorrow at 2AM ET!

The last two events put on by Nokia at Mobile World Congress have been pretty solid affairs -- the PureView 808 last year, preceded by the earth-shattering partnership with Microsoft the year before that -- but we must admit, we're not quite certain as to what we should expect this go-round. Will there be another mystery product that we weren't expecting, such as a tablet or PureView Lumia of some kind? Hard to say, but what is certain is that we'll be there covering it for you. And as an extra bonus, if you want to follow along with us, Nokia is planning to have a live video feed available here as well.

February 25, 2013 2:00 AM EST

Filed under: Announcements, Mobile, Nokia

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/4r2Uv5BRMdI/

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Insert Coin semifinalist: Observos serves up the internet of places

Internet of things? That's so 2012. 2013? Well maybe, just maybe, it'll be all about the internet of places. Hexagonal Research founders Loren Lang and Ronald Bynoe are betting that the next big thing will be environmentally aware computers. The pair have created Observos which combines an ATMEL microcontroller (with integrated wireless) with a host of on-board sensors. What began as a prototype built around a tower of Arduino shields is now a small first-run integrated board with spots for connecting XBee radio cards and a small LCD display. Right now the focus is on humidity, temperature and barometric pressure, though other environmental variables would be relatively trivial to tack on. While the Observos board is isn't quite ready for prime time, its already getting some serious field testing in a plant nursery and a potential partnership with the IEEE Humanitarian Technology Challenge could find the boards placed in health clinics in the Amazon.

In addition to the small display, the board can be programmed to send text message or email alerts, and in the future could tie into venting or heating systems for completely automated control. There's even a rudimentary web interface for monitoring the various data coming in from the sensors.

Check out the full list of Insert Coin: New Challengers semifinalists here -- and don't forget to pick a winner!

Filed under: Misc

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Source: Observos

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/23/insert-coin-semifinalist-observos/

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Canada routs Nicaragua, reaches U-20s quarterfinals

Posted on February 23, 2013

Caleb Clarke bagged a brace to lead Canada to a 5-1 Group B victory over Nicaragua and into the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship in Puebla, Mexico on Friday night.

The Canadians (1-0-1, three points) will take on the United States in Tuesday night?s quarterfinals. The winner of that match will clinch a berth at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey later this year. Nicaragua (0-2-0, none) was eliminated.

?It will be a special match as part of the Canada-USA rivalry,? Canada coach Nick Dasovic said. ?I?m sure they will be up for it just as much as we are.?

Canada grabbed a 3-0 first-half advantage and never looked back at the Estadio Univeristario BUAP .

Samuel Piette gave the Maple Leaf via a 25-yard strike in the sixth minute before Clarke doubled the lead in the 27th minute. Mauro Eustaquio converted a penalty kick in the 40th minute.

Two minutes prior, Nicaragua?s Cristian Guttierez was red carded ? his second yellow card for a handball in the penalty area ? leading to Eustaquio?s goal.

Eulises Pavon tallied on a penalty kick after Piette was whistled for committing a foul in the penalty area.

Clarke scored his second of the game early in the 53rd minute before substitute Ben McKendry chipped in with Canada?s fifth goal in the 63rd minute.

?We got the result we wanted in the first half,? Dasovic said

?When we went up 3-0 and they went down to 10 men they were up against it. Our boys did well to capitalize on the opportunities we created.?

---

Categories: Canada, Central America, Nicaragua, North America, Youth
Tags: Caleb Clarke, CONCACAF Under-20 Championship, FIFA Under-20 World Cup, Nick Dasovic

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Source: http://www.tropigol.com/2013/02/23/canada-routs-nicaragua-reaches-u-20s-quarterfinals/

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China Set to Keep Central-Bank Head in Place

Rather than switching out the country's widely respected central banker, China's leaders are poised to keep Zhou Xiaochuan in his job for an extended period beyond the usual retirement age, according to several party and banking officials.

The move is aimed at ensuring continuity in financial-sector policy making, the officials said, and signals a desire to stay on course with the kind of financial reforms Mr. Zhou has pushed, including a more flexible yuan.

Mr. Zhou turned 65 in January, and there had been some expectations that he would step down at a meeting of the National People's Congress in March as part of a wider once-a-decade leadership transition. However, the officials with knowledge of the matter say that he now could stay on for as long as a year or two. They cautioned that the arrangement is subject to last-minute changes.

At the same time, the leadership is planning to name Xiao Gang, chairman of Bank of China Ltd. (601988.SH, BACHY, 3988.HK), as the central bank's Communist Party chief, putting him in line to succeed Mr. Zhou as governor of the People's Bank of China, according to the officials.

During his decade as central banker, Mr. Zhou has been pushing financial reforms at a steady pace, including making the yuan a freer currency and establishing a more market-based interest-rate system. Mr. Zhou has helped convince China's leaders that they need to make such changes as a way to remake the economy so it relies more on domestic demand and less on exports and investment in capital-intensive industries at home. Several Chinese economists said the leaders have grown comfortable with him at the helm of such sensitive changes that affect the stability of China's financial system.

PBOC and Bank of China officials declined to comment. Messrs. Zhou and Xiao couldn't be reached for comment. Reuters reported on Wednesday the possibility that Mr. Zhou would stay in his job next month when the nation's leaders are expected to make decisions about top economic slots, including the head of the central bank.

A party official with knowledge of the matter said the move to retain Mr. Zhou received support behind the scenes from former Communist Party chief Jiang Zemin. Mr. Jiang, now 86 years old, is viewed as the most powerful kingmaker in Chinese politics. Mr. Zhou had worked with him for years on banking and reform issues before Mr. Zhou became PBOC governor. Early in his career, Mr. Jiang worked for Mr. Zhou's father, who was a senior Chinese official.

Banking and party officials say that appointing Mr. Xiao as PBOC party secretary would give him time to learn the job and get coaching from Mr. Zhou, particularly on international financial matters. "Governor Zhou is extremely well respected among central bankers and not easy to replace," said Harvard University economist Kenneth Rogoff.

The two don't always see eye to eye on important issues. In a China Daily article last fall, Mr. Xiao called for tighter regulation of China's informal lending system, under which ordinary Chinese can get much higher rates on their money, likening it to a Ponzi scheme. But Mr. Zhou has defended the system, which some economists argue is a way for China to weaken the government's strict control on interest rates--a goal of many economists who think China's financial system should operate by market principles.

"Shadow banking is inevitable when banks are developing their business," Mr. Zhou said at a November news conference, after the Xiao article was published.

Having Messrs. Zhou and Xiao work together could give them time to align on policy, an especially important goal in a political culture that values consensus. This could be "a very wise and intelligent arrangement," said Lu Feng, deputy director of Peking University's National School of Development. "If Zhou stays awhile, he could help the potential successor design and formulate reform policy."

Until the last few weeks, it appeared that Mr. Zhou was on his way out. In addition to being retirement age, he wasn't reappointed in November to the Communist Party's 205-member Central Committee, one of the party's chief policy-making groups. Central Committee status is usually required for a central-bank head.

Now, say banking and party officials, China's leaders are trying to cobble together an additional posting for Mr. Zhou in the Communist party hierarchy, probably as vice chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a political advisory body, as a way of giving him "national" standing in the party and getting around the retirement rules.

Some economists have said that mishandled interest-rate liberalization helped trigger financial crisis in a number of countries, including the U.S. Allowing banks the discretion to decide for themselves how much to pay for deposits could set off frenzied competition to attract savers, which, in turn, could cause lending standards to be weakened as banks' funding costs rise.

Mr. Zhou is among China's most recognized and respected economic officials internationally, mixing easily with central bankers in Europe, the U.S. and Japan who look to him for reading on the Chinese economy. While the PBOC lacks the independence of the central banks in U.S., Japan and Europe, Mr. Zhou has proven to be an effective advocate in the top decision-making bodies of China's government and party, which set overall monetary policy.

Under his watch, China has moved to loosen some controls over its currency in the hopes that it may some day challenge the dollar as a global currency. Chinese leaders have set a goal of opening up the country's cross-border capital flows in the next few years.

In some of his recent public remarks, Mr. Zhou indicated an intention to move at a measured pace with the currency and capital-account reforms, saying that China will keep controls on capital flows even as it moves toward a more convertible yuan. "We shouldn't interpret capital-account convertibility as a free currency, with cross-border asset transfers without control and zero financial supervision," he said in December.

Bank of China's Mr. Xiao, 54, was selected to the party's Central Committee in November, which paved the way for him to get a senior ministerial-level slot such as head of the central bank. In addition to him, other contenders for the PBOC governor job included Shang Fulin, China's top banking regulator, and Guo Shuqing, the top securities regulator. Had either of the other two contenders gotten the PBOC job, Mr. Xiao was expected to fill that regulatory vacancy.

Under Mr. Xiao, Bank of China has transformed from a bank known within China mostly for its international business into one that increasingly focuses on the domestic market. Mr. Xiao, known within the bank as a low-key and hard-working executive, also has been politically savvy. Although Bank of China was the least profitable of China's top four state-owned banks in the first nine months of last year, it was the most aggressive of the so-called Big Four in ramping up lending in 2009 when the party requested that to fight the global financial downturn.

Mr. Xiao also has experience with the PBOC, serving as a personal assistant to Lu Peijiang, the PBOC governor in the early 1980s, and later serving as a deputy governor of the central bank.

A leading contender to take Mr. Xiao's job is Hu Xiaolian, currently a PBOC deputy governor, according to several banking and party officials.

One of Mr. Xiao's banking peers, Jiang Jianqing, chairman of Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. (601398.SH, 1398.HK, IDCBY), was passed over for promotion to the Central Committee. Some party and banking officials have said ICBC didn't ramp up lending sufficiently in 2009, contributing to Mr. Jiang's lack of political advancement.

Write to Lingling Wei at lingling.wei@wsj.com and Bob Davis at bob.davis@wsj.com

Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires

Copyright ? 2013 Dow Jones Newswires

Source: http://feeds.foxbusiness.com/~r/foxbusiness/markets/~3/oyBCWJt5Ieg/

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93% Amour

All Critics (174) | Top Critics (44) | Fresh (162) | Rotten (12)

Trintignant perfectly captures the resolve that eventually borders on obsession, as the woman he loves gradually, maddeningly, disappears before his eyes, and he does whatever he can to prevent it, though he knows it's impossible.

Many viewers will find echoes of their grandparents, parents, or even themselves in these characters.

A movie that is utterly worthy of its all-encompassing title.

The resulting interplay of ruthless restraint and unavoidable passion, plus the film's refusal to shrink from depicting the inevitable horrors of physical deterioration, is devastating.

In many ways it's the best horror film I've ever seen. At the same time, it's hard to recommend; I believe I will be struggling to forget this film as long as I live. I doubt I'll succeed.

As remarkable as Haneke's films are, not a one has been as transcendently generous as Amour, which is nominated for five Academy Awards, including best picture, best director and best foreign-language film.

This is a profound look at love about a couple who have lived with each other for so many years, know each other so well and this terrible thing that is facing them and there's a serenity there which makes it even more moving, I think.

It's Haneke's searing honesty and lack of sentimentality, and his talent as a writer-filmmaker that lifts this film to the heights of achievement. I know that the storyline may sound gloomy, the film is not. It is beyond wonderful.

Ultimately, the title of the film demands to be taken as a question: is this truly what love looks like? A little smugly, Haneke refuses to answer.

A multiple award winner at film festivals around the globe, and it is easy to see why. Highly recommended.

Michael Haneke's most intimate and painfully truthful film - an exploration of what love means at the far end of life.

This is a movie almost too painful to watch at times, yet so masterfully composed and acted - Riva absolutely deserves her Oscar nomination, while Trintignant was robbed - that it's impossible to turn away.

Georges' irreversible decision may be courageous, but it requires no sacrifice on the part of his creator: for Haneke, it's business as usual.

Trintignant and Riva are unforgettably brilliant as the aging couple we can all identify with.

Haneke's startling film stands in stark contrast with other recent, comedic fare that seemingly addresses similar issues.

My review is categorized as 'favourable' not because I enjoyed the film (that's not Michael Haneke's intent) but because I recognise what he is trying to say and that he says it with a unique cinematic voice

Debilitation and loss of control is a harsh topic, yet Haneke's film is surprisingly gentle, exploring the constraints and options faced, as old age delivers its ultimate blow - the loss of self and ability to function with dignity

Amour is a pure depiction of love, in all its many forms.

The furthest thing from sweet sorrow imaginable, Amour gets real about the pain of parting in every sense of the word.

This subject matter is ripe for sentimentalization, but Haneke resists it at every turn, opting instead for unflinching honesty. It is the economy of theme paired with the subtle richness of character that make Amour so powerful.

Clearly, Amour, Michael Haneke and Emmanuelle Riva don't really need me to additionally sing their praises (although praise is indeed all I have), so let's discuss Jean-Louis Trintignant for a moment.

All is presented in Haneke's exacting style, one that I find controlling and a bit, well, smothering.

An insightful, memorable film about what it means to love.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/771307454/

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Williams Lake mayor releases statement about union's tactics

Mayor Kerry Cook released a statement late Thursday, responding to the "union's tactics."

Her statement is in full here:

?For the first time, the unionized employees of the City of Williams Lake have chosen to go on strike. The mayor and council consider the action unfortunate and designed to inconvenience our citizens but respect our employees right to do so.

With the agreement of the City and the Union, the Labour Relations Board has issued an Essential Services Order which will protect services necessary to protect our citizens? health, safety and welfare during the strike. If necessary, the city will apply for amendments to the order.

Clearly our citizens will be inconvenienced. For example, with Spring Break on the horizon, the union?s actions have lead to the shutdown of all programmes at the Cariboo Memorial Centre. We regret this.

The mayor and council also regret that the union has chosen to undertake a campaign of personal insults and misinformation, attacking city management, our negotiators and the council.

We do not know if the union?s tactics are having the desired effect. We do know that the feedback the mayor and council have been receiving has been overwhelmingly positive.

With regard to our management staff who are working hard to maintain essential services and to the city?s negotiating committee, they are doing a remarkable job under very trying circumstances and are having to endure inexcusable personal insults from the union. Management and our negotiating committee have the full and unqualified support and confidence of the mayor and council.

Before engaging in these personal insults against people doing their job, the union should remember that at the end of this strike, we all have to work together again. Needless antagonism is uncalled for.

Unfortunately the union has chosen to publish untruths and misleading statements. We will publish bulletins as necessary to rebut the union?s falsehoods as necessary and they will appear on the City?s website.?

John Dube, International Operating Union of Engineers Local 882B service representative responded to the mayor's message late Thursday saying the union does not have to justify what it's putting out to the public.

"The union has been very truthful and open and welcomes the public to come and talk to our people to find out that what we're putting out there are the facts. The union does not have to prove itself and that it has not lied to the public."

It was the union that went to the city and said it would supply the operators to make sure the ice remained at the complex, Dube added.

"So it seems funny that when they say they are trying to do something for the public, their idea was to take the ice out. Their track record is lousy," Dube said. "They had to go to arbitration with the Cariboo Regional District [fire protection], they are trying to shove arbitration down our throats because they can't do what they are supposed to do, and it's us that are putting out mis-information?

"They haven't proven that we've put out one piece of misinformation."

?

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Source: http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/192399701.html

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Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 spotted at MWC, almost hides your entire hand (updated with video)

At last, here's what we've been promised: an 8-inch flavor of Samsung's Galaxy Note lineup. Spotted by an anonymous tipster on the MWC show floor earlier today, the booth shows off said tablet designed with portrait usage in mind, meaning it'll pretty much cover up most of whichever hand you'll be holding it with. And obviously, the Note 8.0 comes with a stylus as well. There's not much more to share at this point, but we'll be seeing this new device in its full glory very soon, so stay tuned. One more shot after the break.

Update: The folks over at Beste Product caught a few models posing with the Galaxy Note 8.0 for Samsung's photographer. The Dutch website even has a video -- embedded after the break -- of the whole action, and there you can see some design similarities of the tablet's backside, especially how the camera protrudes a little.

[Thanks, anonymous]

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Samsung

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/J9nOCItMZW4/

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Obama weighs stepping in on gay marriage case

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Facing heightened expectations from gay rights supporters, the Obama administration is considering urging the Supreme Court to overturn California's ban on gay marriage ? a move that could have a far-reaching impact on same-sex couples across the country.

The administration has one week to file a friend-of-the-court brief with the justices outlining its opinion on the California ban, known as Proposition 8. While an administration brief alone is unlikely to sway the high court, the government's opinion does carry weight with the justices.

Opponents of the Proposition 8 ban believe the president signaled his intention to file a brief when he declared in last month's inaugural address that gays and lesbians must be "treated like anyone else under the law." An administration official said Obama ? a former constitutional law professor ? was not foreshadowing any legal action in his remarks and was simply restating his personal belief in the right of gays and lesbians to marry, though the official said the administration was considering filing a brief.

The Proposition 8 ballot initiative was approved by California voters in 2008 in response to a state Supreme Court decision that had allowed gay marriage. Twenty-nine other states have constitutional amendments banning gay marriage, while nine states and Washington, D.C., recognize same-sex marriage.

Solicitor General Donald Verrilli is consulting with the White House on the matter, according to a senior administration official, who spoke only on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to address the private deliberations publicly.

While the Justice Department would make the filing, the president is almost certain to make the ultimate decision on whether to do so.

"I have to make sure that I'm not interjecting myself too much into this process, particularly when we're not a party to the case," Obama said Wednesday in an interview with San Francisco's KGO-TV.

He said his personal view was that gay couples should have the same rights as straight couples and said his administration would do whatever it could to promote that principle.

Obama has a complicated history on gay marriage. As a presidential candidate in 2008, he opposed the California ban but didn't endorse gay marriage. As he ran for re-election last year, he announced his personal support for same-sex marriage but said marriage was an issue that should be decided by the states, not the federal government.

To some, Obama's broad call for gay rights during his Jan. 21 inaugural address was a sign that he now sees a federal role in defining marriage.

"Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law," Obama said during his remarks on the west front of the Capitol. "For if we are truly created equal, than surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well."

Seeking to capitalize on growing public support for gay marriage, advocates are calling on the administration to file a broad brief not only asking the court to declare California's ban unconstitutional but also urging the justices to make all state bans illegal.

"If they do make that argument and the court accepts it, the ramifications could be very sweeping," said Richard Socarides, an attorney and advocate.

The administration could also file a narrower brief that would ask the court to issue a decision applying only to California. Or it could decide not to weigh in on the case at all.

The Supreme Court, which will take up the case on March 26, has several options for its eventual ruling. Among them:

? Uphold the state ban on gay marriage and say citizens of a state have the right to make that call.

? Endorse an appeals court ruling that would make same-sex marriage legal in California but apply only to that state.

? Issue a broader ruling that would apply to California and seven other states: Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon and Rhode Island. In those states, gay couples may join in civil unions that have all the benefits of marriage but may not be married.

? Rule that the Constitution forbids states from banning same-sex unions.

For weeks, supporters and opponents of Proposition 8 have been lobbying the administration to side with them.

Last month, Theodore Olson and David Boies, lawyers arguing for gay marriage, met with Verrilli and other government lawyers to urge the administration to file a brief in the case. A few days later, Charles Cooper, the lawyer defending Proposition 8, met with the solicitor general to ask the government to stay out of the case. Those kinds of meetings are typical in a high court case when the government is not a party and is not asked by the court to make its views known.

Boies and Chad Griffin, president of the advocacy group Human Rights Campaign, also had a meeting at the White House on the case.

Ahead of next week's deadline, nearly two dozen states have filed briefs with the court asking the justices to uphold the California measure.

Public opinion has shifted in support of gay marriage in recent years. In May 2008, Gallup found that 56 percent of Americans felt same-sex marriages should not be recognized by the law as valid. By November 2012, 53 percent felt they should be legally recognized.

One day after the court hears the California case, the justices will hear arguments on another gay marriage case, this one involving provisions of the federal Defense of Marriage Act. The act defines marriage as between a man and a woman for the purpose of deciding who can receive a range of federal benefits.

The Obama administration abandoned its defense of the law in 2011 but continues to enforce it.

___

Associated Press writer Mark Sherman and News Survey Specialist Dennis Junius contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-weighs-stepping-gay-marriage-case-075906331--politics.html

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