রবিবার, ৩০ জুন, ২০১৩

Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One to Have Clean Versions of Android

By Julie S | Jun 30, 2013 07:00 AM EDT

Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One to Have Clean Versions of Android

Google selected two popular smartphones to run on clean versions of Android software. Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One starts selling today special editions of smartphones equipped with Google?s new image.

Google selected two popular smartphones to run on clean versions of Android software. Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One starts selling today special editions of smartphones equipped with Google?s new image.

Well, the smartphones will still have the latest version of Android 4.2 Jelly Bean software but tweaked a little to make it more Google. Both default widgets which normally have the social media and news in the homepage are replaced by Google Play and other widgets linked to Google. If you have already seen Nexus 4, then you know what I mean.

The only drawback is that these Google edition smartphones will cost you more than their non-Google versions. There is a cost to have cleaner Android software I believe. The HTC One will sell at $599 while the Samsung Galaxy S4 is at $649. These are handset only since they will not be bundled with any carrier though AT&T and T-Mobile SIM cards will work on them.

Aside from the Google widget, is it really worth the price? Google promises that these smartphones will have constant Android software updates and will be the first to have new software features even before they announce it to the public. That makes you ahead of anyone else. A new version of Android software will be launched by the end of this year which will be called Key Lime Pie and these smartphones are most likely to be the first to be updated.

Another promise is that it is faster than the non-Google Play edition Android smartphones since the company had eliminated the clutters that have been affecting the speed of these devices.

Those that are interested on purchasing these cleaner, faster, Google Play edition smartphones may go to Google?s Play Store to order. They will start shipping the devices on July 9.

Source: http://www.hngn.com/articles/6618/20130630/samsung-galaxy-s4-htc-one-clean-versions-android.htm

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Same-sex couples line up to marry in California

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Dozens of couples in jeans, shorts, white dresses and the occasional military uniform filled San Francisco City Hall on Saturday as clerks resumed issuing marriage licenses one day after a federal appeals court removed the last obstacle to making same-sex matrimony legal again in California.

Although a few clerk's offices around the state stayed open late on Friday, San Francisco was the only jurisdiction to hold weekend hours so same-sex couples could take advantage of their newly restored right, Clerk Karen Hong said.

A sign posted on the door of the office where a long line of couples waited to fill out applications listed the price for a license, a ceremony or both above the words "Equality=Priceless."

"We really wanted to make this happen," Hong said, adding that her whole staff and a group of volunteers came into work without having to be asked. "It's spontaneous, which is great in its own way."

The timing could not have been better for California National Guard Capt. Michael Potoczniak, 38, and his partner of 10 years, Todd Saunders, 47, of El Cerrito.

Potoczniak, who joined the Guard after the military's ban on openly gay service was repealed almost two years ago, is scheduled to fly out Sunday night for a month of basic training in Texas.

"I woke up this morning, shook him awake and said, 'Let's go," said Potoczniak, who chose to get married in his Army uniform. "It's something that people need to see because everyone is so used to uniforms at military weddings."

The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for gay marriage to return to the nation's most populous state by ruling 5-4 on Wednesday that the sponsors of California's voter-approved ban on same-sex unions lacked authority to defend the measure in court.

Also Wednesday, the Supreme Court overturned the federal law that prevented the government from awarding federal benefits to same sex couples, a decision with extra significance for military couples such as Saunders and Potoczniak.

"It scared me, honestly, before this all happened, that something could happen to me," Potoczniak said, "Things like my body, who would take care of him, even just getting the health insurance...It gives me a lot more peace of mind to know that the Army is taking care of us."

Also waiting to wed Saturday were Scott Kehoe, 34, and his fiancee, Aurelien Bricker, 24. After finding out on Facebook that the city was issuing same-sex marriage licenses Friday, the San Francisco couple rushed out to Tiffany's to buy wedding rings.

"We were afraid of further legal challenges in the state," Kehoe said.

Bricker is a French citizen living in the United States on a student visa, and the couple has contemplated moving to France once he completes his studies next year.

Now that the Defense of Marriage Act has been struck down and California's gay marriage ban lifted, Kehoe can sponsor his husband for U.S. citizenship or permanent residency.

Hong said 81 same-sex couples wed in San Francisco on Friday just hours after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a brief order saying it has dissolved a stay it imposed on gay marriages while a lawsuit challenging the ban, known as Proposition 8, worked its way through the courts.

Within hours of the appeals court's action Friday, the two lead plaintiffs who in 2009 sued to overturn Proposition 8, Kristin Perry and Sandra Stier of Berkeley, became the first couple to marry in San Francisco in a hastily arranged ceremony.

The city, home to both a federal trial court that struck down Proposition 8 as unconstitutional and the 9th Circuit, has been the epicenter of the state's gay marriage movement since then-Mayor Gavin Newsom ordered his administration in February 2004 to issue licenses to gay couples in defiance of state law.

A little more than four years later, the California Supreme Court, which is also based in San Francisco, struck down the state's one-man, one-woman marriage laws.

City Hall was the scene of many more marriages in the 4 1/2 months before a coalition of religious conservative groups successfully campaigned for the November 2008 passage of Proposition 8, which amended the state constitution to outlaw same-sex marriages.

Standing amid the beaming couples on Saturday, John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney of the advocacy group Marriage Equality USA looked like proud fathers. The men have been together 26 years, got married in February 2004, had their union invalidated six months later and then became one of the 18,000 couples estimated to have tied the knot in California before Proposition 8 was enacted.

"I don't think getting a license means as much to anyone who hasn't worked so long for it and fought so hard for it," Gaffney said. "It's been a very long engagement."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/same-sex-couples-line-marry-california-202427117.html

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Apple slowly moving away from Samsung, towards TSMC

Apple slowly moving away from Samsung, towards TSMCTSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co) is a company we first mentioned late last year, and we?re scribbling about it again today ? in a similar Apple-ditching-Samsung context.

Indeed, it?s much the same story, with Apple said to be sloooowly tiptoeing away from Samsung as a component supplier. Makes sense, since they, like, hate each other and stuff.

The story is reported on The Wall Street Journal, with Jessica E. Lessin and crew writing somewhere in the region of a billion words, though The Verge kindly offers a more concise synopsis.

Essentially, Apple and TSMC have been in talks for some time, as far back as 2010, though a couple of issues have prevented a full-scale Samsung abandonment.

Firstly, Apple reportedly demanded its own factory space, or the right to invest in TSMC, something the Taiwanese weren?t too happy about.

More recently, TSMC is said to be struggling with Apple?s demands in terms of capacity and output and that.

Some sort of deal has supposedly been ironed out, though Apple will still rely on Samsung in the meantime. Indeed, realistically, Apple will likely still rely on Samsung for a long time to come, albeit in a reduced capacity.

Source: http://feeds.mobot.net/~r/mobot/~3/7x4r2NjoON4/apple-slowly-moving-samsung-tsmc-58035

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শনিবার, ২৯ জুন, ২০১৩

Sceptre's Android-powered Sound Bar 2.1 makes any TV smart

Sceptres Androidpowered Sound Bar 21 makes any TV smart

Convergence, the dictionary tells us, is the point where two things combine, so imagine Sceptre's new hardware as the singles bar where speakers and Android first met. The SB301524W Sound Bar 2.1 marries dual front-facing speakers, a 35W subwoofer, 2.4GHz WiFi 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Ice Cream Sandwich to rejuvenate any old display into a Smart TV. Naturally, users will be able to access Google Play and download apps to the machine, but there's no word on capacity or expandability -- something you'll have to ask in the store before you shell out $300 on the gear.

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Source: Sceptre

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/b5b-KdauEDY/

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88% The Angels' Share

All Critics (83) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (73) | Rotten (10)

The result is a sometimes gritty, occasionally charming Highland hybrid, but the final balance feels slightly off-kilter.

Loach takes us through the mysteries of whisky making, exploring the subtle tastes and scents in ways that will have audiences wishing they had a dram at hand. But a glass also serves more symbolic purposes ...

If you want to look for it, you'll find a layer of metaphor (the distilling process as a symbol of the characters' evolution) and social-realist commentary amid the gentle, life-affirming laughs.

[Ken Loach] and his longtime screenwriter, Paul Laverty, find a good balance between drama and wacky character moments.

A fairy tale with its feet firmly on the ground.

A lark, but it's a serious-minded lark, addressing issues of class and culture, the haves and have-nots.

Ken Loach walks on the lighter side

The title, by the way, refers to the distillation process: the 2% of whisky that evaporates in the barrel is known as "the angel's share." I'm afraid there's more than 2% evaporation going on in Loach's latest.

Much like a stiff drink at the end of a long day, "The Angels' Share" gets the job done, but you're probably not going to remember it in the morning.

Loach's realism lends an easygoing, ramshackle quality to the film that smoothes over any lack of tightness.

Director Ken Loach's latest glimpse of the U.K. underclass is really two rather different movies, either of which I would've enjoyed on their own. But they don't really fit together in any satisfying or even logical way.

Whether Robbie pulls off his caper should be left for the audience to discover. But Loach's great cinematic switcheroo goes off almost without a hitch.

As heartwarming and uplifting as any tale could be that features vicious beatings and grand larceny.

While it has some likable characters, particularly its charismatic lead, it's impossible to shake the feeling that we've seen this movie before.

Lead actor Paul Brannigan, the product of Glasgow's working-class East End, is a natural.

The usual Loachian elements are all in place, but there is a gentle spirit at work here as well, and not just the alcoholic spirits around which the plot revolves.

The Angels' Share is a stellar bit of activist cinema with a light touch.

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

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Portuguese unions hold major anti-austerity strike

LISBON, Portugal (AP) ? A national 24-hour strike against austerity measures by Portuguese labor unions on Thursday brought public transport to a virtual standstill and depleted staffing levels at government offices, state-owned companies and public hospitals.

Most services operated by the national train company CP, the Lisbon subway and city bus companies ? all of them state-run ? were cancelled, forcing commuters to use their own vehicles and congesting traffic in the capital Lisbon and Porto, the second-largest city.

Airport management company ANA reported that 22 flights were cancelled by 10 a.m. (1000 GMT), 17 of them at Lisbon airport.

Some health centers around the country stayed shut, Portuguese media reported, while hospitals rescheduled operations and medical appointments. Few private companies reported walkouts, however.

The General Confederation of Portuguese Workers and the General Workers' Union, which together represent about 1 million workers in this country of 10.6 million people, want the center-right government to ease off its spending cuts and take more steps to create jobs and growth. Thursday's walkout was only their fourth joint protest in 25 years.

Public sector pay cuts and hikes in taxes on sales and private and corporate income have contributed to the economy's downward spiral, with the jobless rate growing to 17.8 percent and a third straight year of recession forecast in 2013.

But Portugal is locked into its deficit-reducing austerity program, which creditors demanded in return for a 78 billion euros ($102 billion) bailout two years ago.

Unions are angered by the government's latest plans, which include increasing the working time of state employees to 40 hours a week from 35; increasing their monthly pension deductions while lowering their pension entitlements; and laying off some 50,000 government workers out of the total of about 583,000.

The government made no immediate comment on the strike's turnout, though Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho told Parliament on Wednesday that Portugal "needs fewer strikes and more work and discipline."

The economic slowdown, with the bailout creditors predicting a contraction of 2.3 percent this year after the economy shrank 3.2 percent in 2012, has made it harder for the government to reduce its debt load.

The budget deficit stood at 6.4 percent of annual GDP in 2012 ? higher than the 5 percent target for that year though much lower than the 10.1 percent recorded in 2010.

Given the difficulties in generating growth, the bailout creditors ? Portugal's European partners and the International Monetary Fund ? have shifted the country's deficit target for this year to 5.5 percent from 4.5 percent.

At the same time, they have insisted that the government continue with its cost-cutting drive.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/portuguese-unions-hold-major-anti-austerity-strike-105439422.html

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শুক্রবার, ২৮ জুন, ২০১৩

Missing nuclear material may pose attack threat: IAEA

By Fredrik Dahl

VIENNA (Reuters) - Nuclear and radioactive materials are still going missing and the information the United Nations atomic agency receives about such incidents may be the tip of the iceberg, said a senior U.N. official.

Any loss or theft of highly enriched uranium, plutonium or different types of radioactive sources is potentially serious as al Qaeda-style militants could try to use them to make a crude nuclear device or a so-called dirty bomb, experts say.

Khammar Mrabit, a director of the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said there had been progress in recent years to prevent that from happening. But he said more still needed to be done to enhance nuclear security.

"You have to improve continuously because also on the other side, the bad guys, they are trying to find ways how to evade such detection," Mrabit said in an interview.

"The threat is global because these people operate without borders," he said on Thursday before an IAEA-hosted meeting of more than 100 states in Vienna next week on how to ensure nuclear materials do not fall into the wrong hands.

The U.N. agency is helping states combat smuggling of uranium, plutonium or other items that could be used for a nuclear weapon or a dirty bomb, which uses conventional explosives to scatter radioactive material across a wide area posing health risks and massive cleanup costs.

About 150-200 cases are reported annually to the IAEA's Incident and Trafficking Database. More than 120 countries take part in this information exchange project, covering theft, sabotage, unauthorized access and illegal transfers.

While making clear that most were not major from a nuclear security point of view, Mrabit said some were serious incidents involving nuclear material such as uranium or plutonium.

These incidents mean that "material is still out of regulatory control", said Mrabit, who heads the nuclear security office of the IAEA. "Maybe this is the tip of the iceberg, we don't know, this is what countries report to us."

DIRTY BOMB DANGER

In one reported case, police in former Soviet Moldova two years ago seized highly enriched uranium carried by smugglers in a shielded container to prevent it from being detected, a sign of increased sophistication of such gangs.

But unlike in the 1990s - after the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union weakened control over its nuclear arsenal - the few cases that are reported involve grams of enriched uranium or plutonium, not kilograms.

"A lot has been improved," Mrabit said.

Analysts say radical groups could theoretically build a crude but deadly nuclear device if they have the money, technical know-how and the amount of fissile material needed.

Obtaining weapons-grade fissile material - highly enriched uranium or plutonium - poses their biggest challenge, so keeping it secure is vital, both at civilian and military facilities.

An apple-sized amount of plutonium in a nuclear device and detonated in a highly populated area could instantly kill or wound hundreds of thousands of people, according to the Nuclear Security Governance Experts Group (NSGEG), a lobby group.

Because radioactive material is seen as less hard to find and the device easier to manufacture, experts say a "dirty bomb" is a more likely threat than a nuclear bomb.

In dirty bombs, conventional explosives are used to disperse radiation from a radioactive source, which can be found in hospitals, factories or other places not very well protected.

George M. Moore, a former senior IAEA analyst, said in an article in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists last month that "many experts believe it's only a matter of time before a dirty bomb or another type of radioactive dispersal device" is used.

Mrabit said: "Statistically speaking no reasonable person will say that this will never happen. The probability is there."

(editing by Elizabeth Piper)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/missing-nuclear-material-may-pose-attack-threat-iaea-094705390.html

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বৃহস্পতিবার, ২৭ জুন, ২০১৩

Old-School Action Figures In Modern Blockbuster Posters

FROM NEXT MOVIE The technology behind action figures, especially those cast in the likenesses of A-list actors, have come a long way since "Star Wars" kicked off the merchandising state we now live in. Now we have 3-D scans of actors shrunken down to fit in the palm of your hand, but that always wasn't [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2013/06/26/old-school-action-figures-posters/

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Antibiotics: Change route of delivery to mitigate resistance

June 26, 2013 ? New research suggests that the rapid rise of antibiotic resistance correlates with oral ingestion of antibiotics, raising the possibility that other routes of administration could reduce the spread of resistance. The manuscript appears online ahead of print in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.

"For more than 40 years, a few doses of penicillin were enough to take care of deadly bacterial infections," says Hua Wang of the Ohio State University, Columbus, a researcher on the study. But since the 1980s, antibiotic resistance has been spreading rapidly, disabling once-powerful agents, leaving increasing numbers of patients to suffer, and even to die.

In earlier research, the investigators found a large cache of antibiotic resistance genes carried by nonpathogenic bacteria in many ready-to-consume food items. They also reported rapid development of resistant bacteria in infants who had not been exposed to antibiotics, shortly after birth, suggesting the gastrointestinal tract played a critical role in spreading resistance.

In the new research, the researchers inoculated lab mice with either Enterococcus species or Escherichia coli carrying specific resistance genes. The mice were then given tetracycline or ampicillin antibiotics, either orally, or via injection. Oral administration of antibiotics resulted in rapid rise of resistance genes as measured in the mice' feces. Resistance spread much less, and more slowly when the mice received antibiotics via injection.

The researchers also found that antibiotic resistance genes were not detectable in mice that had not been inoculated with bacteria containing antibiotic resistance genes, regardless of the route of antibiotic administration.

The human death toll from resistance, Wang says, is much higher than the 90,000 figure provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The difference is due to the fact that bacterial infection is often the direct cause of death in many patients with chronic diseases, such as HIV/AIDS and cancer.

Besides resistance, recent work has shown that the use of oral antibiotics can reduce the diversity of the gut flora. Abnormalities of the gut flora are associated with multiple non-infectious diseases, including several autoimmune diseases and type II diabetes, according to Jeremy Nicholson of Imperial College, London, UK. Thus, alternatives to oral administration could likely mitigate these kinds of problems, as well.

Convenient alternatives to oral antibiotics might include transdermal administration via a patch, or other devices, says Wang.

Wang suggests that it should not be surprising that oral administration would abet the spread of resistance genes, since this route, unlike injection, directly exposes the humongous population of gastrointestinal bacteria to antibiotics. The resulting resistant microbes then get transmitted to the environment via the feces. From there, bacteria containing resistance genes once again gain entry to the food supply, via livestock, or via produce that has been exposed to manure from industrial livestock, as well as contaminated waste and soil, in a vicious cycle.

"Revealing this key risk factor is exciting because we have options other than oral administration, including convenient ones, for giving antibiotics," says Wang.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/pxk52x3hvKw/130626162818.htm

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শনিবার, ২২ জুন, ২০১৩

Alzheimer's disease protein controls movement in mice

June 21, 2013 ? Researchers in Berlin and Munich, Germany and Oxford, United Kingdom, have revealed that a protein well known for its role in Alzheimer's disease controls spindle development in muscle and leads to impaired movement in mice when the protein is absent or treated with inhibitors. The results, which are published in The EMBO Journal, suggest that drugs under development to target the beta-secretase-1 protein, which may be potential treatments for Alzheimer's disease, might produce unwanted side effects related to defective movement.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia found in older adults. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 18 million people worldwide have Alzheimer's disease. The number of people affected by the disease may increase to 34 million by 2025. Scientists know that the protein beta-secretase-1 or Bace1, a protease enzyme that breaks down proteins into smaller molecules, is involved in Alzheimer's disease. Bace1 cleaves the amyloid precursor protein and generates the damaging Abeta peptides that accumulate as plaques in the brain leading to disease. Now scientists have revealed in more detail how Bace1 works.

"Our results show that mice that lack Bace1 proteins or are treated with inhibitors of the enzyme have difficulties in coordination and walking and also show reduced muscle strength," remarked Carmen Birchmeier, one of the authors of the paper, Professor at the Max-Delbr?ck-Center for Molecular Medicine in Berlin, Germany, and an EMBO Member. "In addition, we were able to show that the combined activities of Bace1 and another protein, neuregulin-1 or Nrg1, are needed to sustain the muscle spindles in mice and to maintain motor coordination."

Muscle spindles are sensory organs that are found throughout the muscles of vertebrates. They are able to detect how muscles stretch and convey the perception of body position to the brain. The researchers used genetic analyses, biochemical studies and interference with pharmacological inhibitors to investigate how Bace1 works in mice. "If the signal strength of a specific form of neuregulin-1 known as IgNrg1 is gradually reduced, increasingly severe defects in the formation and maturation of muscle spindles are observed in mice. Furthermore, it appears that Bace1 is required for full IgNrg1 activity. The graded loss of IgNrg1 activity results in the animals having increasing difficulties with movement and coordination," says Cyril Cheret, the first author of the work.

Drug developers are interested in stopping the Bace1 protein in its tracks because it represents a promising route to treat Alzheimer's disease. If the protein were inhibited, it would interfere with the generation of the smaller damaging proteins that accumulate in the brain as amyloid plaques and would therefore provide some level of protection from the effects of the disease. "Our data indicate that one unwanted side effect of the long-term inhibition of Bace1 might be the disruption of muscle spindle formation and impairment of movement. This finding is relevant to scientists looking for ways to develop drugs that target the Bace1 protein and should be considered," says Birchmeier. Several Bace1 inhibitors are currently being tested in phase II and phase III clinical trials for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by European Molecular Biology Organization, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. Cyril Cheret, Michael Willem, Florence R Fricker, Hagen Wende, Annika Wulf-Goldenberg, Sabina Tahirovic, Klaus-Armin Nave, Paul Saftig, Christian Haass, Alistair N Garratt, David L Bennett, Carmen Birchmeier. Bace1 and Neuregulin-1 cooperate to control formation and maintenance of muscle spindles. The EMBO Journal, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/emboj.2013.146

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/sHLWL8aBr_0/130621132645.htm

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Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus and ATIV Book 9 Lite hands-on (video)

DNP Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus and ATIV Book 9 Lite handson

Samsung's long since decided to rebrand its Series 9 series as ATIV Book 9, but it's only now that it's got some new Ultrabooks to show off. While the ATIV Book 7 unfortunately jumped the Haswell gun, the higher-end ATIV Book 9 Plus is happy to benefit from those impressive battery savings we've already seen from Intel's next-generation chips. In fact, Samsung is promising 12 hours of usage -- and that's despite the Plus model arriving with an eye-watering 13.3-inch, 3,200 x 1,800 qHD+ display. In addition, there's up to 256GB SSD storage and 8GB of RAM, two USB 3.0 ports and mini-VGA and micro-HDMI sockets. The screen is protected by a layer of Gorilla Glass and, alongside adding touch functionality since the previous Series 9 Ultrabook, Samsung has crafted a new hinge for its latest flagship, offering two stop-points. Moving the screen through to a standard 105- to 110-degree pitch, the screen strongly resists. Better still, there's really not that much give as we tapped our way through Windows 8. However, give it more of a sustained push, and the screen bends down to a flat 180-degree position, making it easier to show the screen around a table.

It's joined by the humbler Book 9 Lite, with a lower (though unspecified) price. Powered by an unnamed 1.4GHz quad-core processor and housing up to a 256GB SSD drive, it promises a cold-boot time of eight seconds, or two seconds from sleep. It's the same size screen (13.3 inches) as the Plus model, but resolution drops down to 1,366 x 768 -- a noticeable difference when you observe the two side by side. Turn them off, however, and the interiors of the two machines are so similar that even the most hardened Samsung exec might be fooled (excepting for that Intel sticker on the high-end model). On the outside, though, the systems remain noticeably different. The Book 9 Plus gets a moody, matte finish to its aluminum unibody, while the Book 9 Lite has a glossy plastic surface. The cheaper Lite model reminds us of the finish on Samsung's Galaxy smartphone series, but it'd be great to see Samsung bring this other, cooler finish to more products. Both Ultrabooks are expected to land in the US (and elsewhere) in time for back-to-school season. Check out the gallery below, and follow past the break for more impressions.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/AUOSotOL2dM/

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Food & Drink Blog ? Delicious California Chicken

This is a quick chicken recipe that has unusual combination of tomatoes and avocados. You can also add a dash of garlic and juice of a lime for an innovative twist in the flavour of the dish!

Ingredients:

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts ? 4

Olive oil ? 1 tsp

Onion Powder ? ? tsp

Salt ? a pinch

Freshly ground black pepper ? 1 pinch

Avocados (peeled, pitted & sliced) ? 2

Monterey Jack Cheese (cut to thin slices) ? 1 packet or 8 ounces

Delicious California Chicken

Method of preparation:

1. Preheat your oven to 175?C or 350? F.

2. In a skillet, heat oil and then add the chicken and onion powder. Cook for 15 minutes or till the chicken is brown on both sides. You can also check whether the chicken is done by cutting a small portion.

3. Add salt and pepper to the chicken.

4. Spread a cookie sheet and place the chicken and keep 2 slices of tomato and 2 slices of cheese over each chicken breast.

5. Keep it in oven for about 15 minutes or till the cheese melts.

6. Remove the chicken from oven and place few slices of avocados on each of the chicken breasts.

7. Now serve the chicken breasts piping hot.

Source: http://www.foodanddrinkbuzz.com/top-dishes/delicious-california-chicken.html

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শুক্রবার, ২১ জুন, ২০১৩

Murkowski becomes third GOP senator to support same-sex marriage

Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said Wednesday that she now supports allowing same-sex couples to legally marry, becoming the third U.S. senator in her party to change positions on the issue.

"Countless Alaskans and Americans want to give themselves to one another and create a home together. I support marriage equality and support the government getting out of the way to let that happen," Murkowski said in a statement Wednesday after announcing her new position during a radio interview with NBC's affiliate station in Alaska.

In her statement, Murkowski acknowledged her prior support for a constitutional amendment in 1998 that defined marriage between a man and a woman, but, borrowing an expression from President Barack Obama, she said her "thinking has evolved as America has witnessed a clear culture shift."

Murkowski added that although she's officially switching her position, she still would not support legislation that would force private religious organizations to perform or recognize same-sex marriages.

"While my support for same-sex civil marriage is something I believe in, I am equally committed to guaranteeing that religious freedoms remain inviolate, so that churches and other religious institutions can continue to determine and practice their own definition of marriage," she said.

Earlier this year, Sens. Rob Portman of Ohio and Mark Kirk of Illinois became the first sitting senators in the Republican Party to support extending marriage to same-sex couples. Only three sitting Senate Democrats, Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana still oppose it.

The Supreme Court is poised to address the constitutionality of a same-sex marriage ban in California and the Defense of Marriage Act in the coming weeks.

Not too long ago, I had the honor of nominating an Alaskan family as ?Angels in Adoption,? a celebration of the selflessness shown by foster care families and those who adopt children. They arrived in Washington, DC, a military family who had opened their doors to not one child but four siblings to make sure that these sisters and brother had the simplest gift you can give a child: a home together. We had lunch together, and they shared their stories with me. All the while, the children politely ate lunch and giggled as content youngsters do. Given my daily hectic Senate schedule, it?s not often that I get to sit down with such a happy family during a workday ? and I think of them often, as everything our nation should encourage.

I bring them up because the partners were two women who had first made the decision to open their home to provide foster care to the eldest child in 2007. Years later ? and after a deployment abroad with the Alaska National Guard for one of them ? they embraced the joy and sacrifice of four adopted children living under the same roof, with smiles, laughter, movie nights, parent-teacher conferences and runny noses.

Yet despite signing up and volunteering to give themselves fully to these four adorable children, our government does not meet this family halfway and allow them to be legally recognized as spouses. After their years of sleepless nights, afterschool pickups and birthday cakes, if one of them gets sick or injured and needs critical care, the other would not be allowed to visit them in the emergency room ? and the children could possibly be taken away from the healthy partner. They do not get considered for household health care benefit coverage like spouses nationwide. This first-class Alaskan family still lives a second-class existence.

The Supreme Court is set to make a pair of decisions on the topic of marriage equality shortly, and the national conversation on this issue is picking back up. This is a significant moment for our nation when it comes to rethinking our society?s priorities and the role of government in Americans? private lives and decisions, so I want to be absolutely clear with Alaskans. I am a life-long Republican because I believe in promoting freedom and limiting the reach of government. When government does act, I believe it should encourage family values. I support the right of all Americans to marry the person they love and choose because I believe doing so promotes both values: it keeps politicians out of the most private and personal aspects of peoples? lives ? while also encouraging more families to form and more adults to make a lifetime commitment to one another. While my support for same sex civil marriage is something I believe in, I am equally committed to guaranteeing that religious freedoms remain inviolate, so that churches and other religious institutions can continue to determine and practice their own definition of marriage.

With the notion of marriage ? an exclusive, emotional, binding ?til death do you part? tie ? becoming more and more an exception to the rule given a rise in cohabitation and high rates of divorce, why should the federal government be telling adults who love one another that they cannot get married, simply because they happen to be gay? I believe when there are so many forces pulling our society apart, we need more commitment to marriage, not less.

This thinking is consistent with what I hear from more and more Alaskans especially our younger generations. Like the majority of Alaskans, I supported a constitutional amendment in 1998 defining marriage as only between a man and a woman, but my thinking has evolved as America has witnessed a clear cultural shift. Fifteen years after that vote, I find that when one looks closer at the issue, you quickly realize that same sex unions or civil marriages are consistent with the independent mindset of our state ? and they deserve a hands-off approach from our federal policies.

First, this is a personal liberty issue and has to do with the most important personal decision that any human makes. I believe that, as Americans, our freedoms come from God and not government, and include the rights enumerated in the Declaration of Independence: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. What could be more important to the pursuit of happiness than the right to choose your spouse without asking a Washington politician for permission? If there is one belief that unifies most Alaskans ? our true north ? it is less government and more freedom. We don?t want the government in our pockets or our bedrooms; we certainly don?t need it in our families.

Secondly, civil marriage also touches the foundation of our national culture: safe, healthy families and robust community life. In so many ways, sound families are the foundation of our society. Any efforts or opportunity to expand the civil bonds and rights to anyone that wants to build a stable, happy household should be promoted.

Thirdly, by focusing on civil marriage -- but also reserving to religious institutions the right to define marriage as they see fit -- this approach respects religious liberty by stopping at the church door. As a Catholic, I see marriage as a valued sacrament that exists exclusively between a man and a woman. Other faiths and belief systems feel differently about this issue ? and they have every right to. Churches must be allowed to define marriage and conduct ceremonies according to their rules, but the government should not tell people who they have a right to marry through a civil ceremony.

I recently read an interview where Ronald Reagan?s daughter said that she believes he would have supported same-sex marriage, that he would think ?What difference does it make to anybody else?s life? I also think because he wanted government out of peoples? lives, he would not understand the intrusion of government banning such a thing. This is not what he would have thought government should be doing.?

Like Reagan, Alaskans believe that government works best when it gets out of the way. Countless Alaskans and Americans want to give themselves to one another and create a home together. I support marriage equality and support the government getting out of the way to let that happen.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/murkowski-becomes-third-gop-senator-support-same-sex-151500874.html

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Getting To Know the 2013 Washington Redskins: Jarvis Jenkins

A look back at Defensive End Jarvis Jenkins in his 2012 season and a look at what is to come in 2013.

Jarvis Jenkins, 6?4", 315 lb

Clemson, Defensive End

3rd year in the league and with the Redskins

Twitter handle: @Jarvis99jenkins

Key Career Stats

Missed all of 2011 due to injury.

2012 Stats: 25 Tackles, 0 Sacks, 0 Forced Fumbles

2012 Highlight: Jarvis Jenkins had the tough job of filling in for Adam Carriker last season after he tore his right quadriceps in week 2 and missed the rest of the season. Jenkins was a good replacement overall. He was an effective run stopper last season, which was a strength for the Redskins defense that could not stop the pass.

2012 Lowlight: While Jenkins was an effective defensive end, the lack of pass rush early in the season was in part because of Jenkins?s ineffectiveness as a pass rusher. When Carriker and Orakpo were hurt week 2, the pass rush struggled with Jenkins taking over at defensive end and Rob Jackson/Lorenzo Alexander taking over at outside linebacker. The outside linebackers are important in the 3-4 scheme to create pressure on the opposing quarterbacks (and collect the sacks), but Jenkins lack of sacks shows he was not an effective pass rusher. Defensive Ends in a 3-4 scheme do not usually have a plethora of sacks, but 0 sacks is not good at all.

What is coming in 2013: After missing all of the 2011 regular season, Jenkins has a full season of football experience under his belt. While Jenkins was not effective when the defense was rushing the passer last season, he will likely improve during the 2013 campaign. Jenkins is an extremely talented 2nd round pick from the 2011 draft and I think he will develop into a force of a defensive end. Hopefully it will start during his second full season in the NFL. While many expect Carriker to resume as the starting defensive end this season, his injuries and high salary cap number could cause him to be released by the Redskins. If that is the case, Jenkins will be the guy to start in his place. And if we are going to win the NFC east next year, Jenkins will need to step up his game in the pass rush.

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Source: http://www.hogshaven.com/2013/6/19/4443466/getting-to-know-the-2013-washington-redskins-jarvis-jenkins

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Zynga Acquires Casino Gaming Vets Spooky Cool Labs - AllThingsD

whatsupzynga1-featureZynga announced on Wednesday it had acquired Spooky Cool Labs, a Chicago, Ill.-based gaming studio focused heavily on real-money gaming titles.

?We have a legacy in social casino franchises with Zynga Poker, and we believe that free-to-play social casino games for the Web and on mobile have the potential to reach and connect a much broader audience,? Zynga?s chief revenue officer Barry Cottle said in a company blog post.

?Spooky Cool Labs is the right team to help us bring the feeling of being on a casino floor and the thrill of hitting a big jackpot right to players wherever they play,? he said.

Terms of the deal, which was first noted by TechCrunch, weren?t disclosed.

As Zynga has signalled for some time, real-money titles are a big bet for the company?s future. It recently launched two of its first real-money games in the United Kingdom, ZyngaPlusPoker and ZyngaPlusCasino. This was the fruit of Zynga?s partnership with bWin, a major operator that has licenses to operate online real-money gaming websites in multiple countries across Europe.

But real-money gaming is still nascent for Zynga, especially due to restrictions on online gambling in the United States, one of Zynga?s key markets. The company hopes to eventually release real-money games in the U.S., but necessary legislation and lobbying efforts could take at least a year or more before Zynga sees any progress.

The acquisition also comes on the heels of a large round of layoffs ? approximately 18 percent of Zynga?s workforce ? in an effort to reduce costs and restructure the business toward mobile.

Spooky Cool Labs will stay based in Chicago, and founder Joe Kamikow will also continue leading game design for Aristocrat Leisure Limited, a major slot machine company based in Australia.

Source: http://allthingsd.com/20130619/zynga-acquires-casino-gaming-vets-spooky-cool-labs/

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বৃহস্পতিবার, ২০ জুন, ২০১৩

Best Buy re-starts free Apple iPhone 5 offer with trade in of Apple iPhone 4S and Apple iPhone 4

1. bucky posted on 2 hours ago 0

That's an absolutely awful promotion.

2. Ruckus posted on 2 hours ago 0

Sounds like a rip off. You can get a lot of money for an iPhone 4S and some places like RadioShack sell the iPhone 5 $50 cheaper.

3. fanboy1974 posted on 2 hours ago 0

Better to wait and sale the phone yourself when the iPhone 5s is released. Why buy a 9 month old phone now when so many good phones are on the market. You should be able to get $120 for the iPhone 4 and $200 for the iPhone 4s on Craigslist with no problems.

4. HASHTAG posted on 2 hours ago 0

Dang it! My upgrade is on July 1st and was going to head over to Best Buy to get the iPhone 5 for $149, before learning that the offer is only until 6/29. Oh well, I guess I'll buy the refurbished version for the same price.

Best Buy re-starts free Apple iPhone 5 offer with trade in of Apple iPhone 4S and Apple iPhone 4

Source: http://www.phonearena.com/news/Best-Buy-re-starts-free-Apple-iPhone-5-offer-with-trade-in-of-Apple-iPhone-4S-and-Apple-iPhone-4_id44286

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Yearslong probe dismantles massive North Texas prostitution ring

PLANO ?? A federal indictment alleges that a Richardson man operated 10 brothels that masqueraded as massage parlors in Collin, Dallas and Tarrant counties as part of a complex prostitution ring that stretched into at least five other states and generated more than $1 million since 2010.?

Currently, 11 people face federal racketeering charges and another nine face state charges related to prostitution, said Malcolm Bales, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas.?

Sitting at the top of the seven-count federal indictment is Quyen Thuc ?Tony? Ha, who?s accused of running the operation. The indictment frequently refers to the locations as ?Tony?s Brothels.?

Ha is also accused of paying two detectives $305,000 since March 2011, thinking the money would prompt them to overlook the illegal operation and allow it to continue without interference. The detectives handed the money over to the FBI. Officials do not suspect any abuse of power related to the case.

?Both officers were merely pretending to be corrupt, and every dollar has been seized as evidence,? Bales said.?

The investigation, known as Operation Flaming Dragon, began more than two years ago after Plano residents complained to police of suspicious behavior at certain massage parlors, said Chief Greg Rushin.?

Plano police launched an investigation and quickly learned that Dallas police were also looking into similar reports there. At that point, Rushin alerted state and federal authorities, which aided the departments for more than two years.?

?I?ve been the chief for 12 years, I?ve been in the office for 26 years working for the department and I have not seen anything of this scope involving prostitution,? Rushin said during a news conference Wednesday at the Plano Police Department.

The federal indictments allege that Ha managed his brothels alongside defendants Kim Sey ?Tony? Lau and Li Yan Zhou, who promoted the locations using ads on websites like Backpage.com. Some remain live: they feature galleries of scantily clad Asian women and red and yellow text advertising ?gentle touch? massages for $40 for a half hour and $60 for an hour.?

The feds allege that Ha and his colleagues transported prostitutes from California, Nevada and Georgia to Texas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Says the indictment, ?the business enterprise pays for the prostitute?s airfare either to or from Texas, and the prostitutes are required to pay for the other leg of the trip.??

According to the document, North Texas was the center of the operation: The women would be flown in and spend three to four weeks rotating brothels here and then return to their homes in other states.?No warrants had been served in any other states related to this multi-agency investigation, said Diego Rodriguez, the FBI special agent in charge of the bureau?s Dallas division.

The second count of the indictment says the criminal organization bought condoms in bulk that were manufactured in Stratford, Conn. and had them shipped across state lines to be used in criminal acts, which breaks federal law.?

Dallas police, working with state and federal authorities, on Monday arrested four women at two of the parlors and one residence in Far North Dallas and Collin County.

Chinli Yeh, 57, was arrested at a nondescript suburban home at 13309 Kit Lane, located just east of Coit near the Dallas/Richardson border. Pang Hsiang Lin, 51, and Yu Tao Chen, 52, were arrested at the J.J. Asian Health Center located at 5528 Alpha Road. Yuanli Zhang, 45, was taken into custody at the Rosemeade Asian Spa, located at 3920 Rosemeade Parkway.?

None of those arrested Monday are named in the federal indictment.?

Rodriguez said warrants were also served in Plano and Hurst. The day?s police work resulted in the closure of 10 of the businesses, he said.?

In Plano, Yafen Wang, 47, and LeQuin Huang, 40, were arrested and charged with prostitution. Yubing Li, 50, Hui Li, 44, Jing Liu, 53, and Jihong Liu, 41, were arrested and charged with massage therapy license violations.?

Unlike the Dallas and Collin County warrants, those served in Tarrant remain sealed Wednesday afternoon.

?We?ve dealt a crippling blow to this operation,? Rodriguez said.?

U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents are helping investigate, however Bales said they?ve found no evidence of human trafficking or enslavement. All of the women involved are of Asian descent, he said, and all appear to be in the country legally. He said ICE agents are also investigating the validity of the women?s visas.?

The indictment alleges the prostitution ring began in 2010. While Bales declined to attach a specific amount to its revenue, he did say he expected it to exceed $1 million.?

?It?s a lot of money,? he said. ?A lot of money.??

In March 2011, police documents say Ha called Dallas Det. Paul Park at his desk to set up a meeting. He offered to pay thousands of dollars each month in return for police turning a blind eye to the prostitution ring. Park agreed and began accepting cash ?? and then logging it and getting additional evidence to aid the case, police documents say. Park also convinced Ha to become comfortable bribing Plano Det. Brant Hickman, who he?s also accused of giving money to.

In September of that year, Ha agreed to pay $10,000 a month if Park helped ?identify new brothel locations, direct law enforcement actions against competitors, protect Ha?s existing brothels and remove any charges filed against Ha?s prostitutes.??

The investigation, says the indictment, netted $305,000 solely from bribes. Bales said all of that money has been entered into evidence.?

On Feb. 22, co-conspirator Yu Lin Chang was arrested for hiring an unlicensed massage therapist at the Asian Therapy Spa in the 2900 block of W. 15th St. in Plano. The indictment alleges that Ha gave Det. Hickman $2,000 to keep the location open and help Chang avoid being convicted.?

Ha and his co-conspirators are accused of renting residences to house the prostitutes in St. Louis, Miss.; Oklahoma City; Dallas and The Colony. The women were brought to Texas from California, Nevada, Georgia and other unnamed locations. Many of the individuals indicted allegedly shuttled the women to and from hotels and airports to where they provided sex acts for money.?

As a result of the investigation, agents seized a 2002 Lexus IS300; a 2002 Honda Accord; a 2004 Toyota Tacoma; a 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer; a 2012 Honda Accord; a 2009 BMW; a 2005 Lexus RX330; a 2013 Mercedes GLK; and a 2005 Honda Civic EX. Also seized was a property at 3617 Cromwell Street in Plano and the $305,000 that the detectives were bribed with.?

Eight of the 11 named in the federal indictment have been arrested.?Bales said investigators have "good leads on the whereabouts" of the remaining three.?

Ha, Chang, Lau, Yu Qian, Li Meng Shank and Tin Min Lo are due for a detention hearing on Friday at 1:30 p.m. before Magistrate Judge Amos L. Mazzant in federal court in Sherman. Also indicted are Xia Xu, Prapatson Verhotz, Tin Min Lo, Michael Jones and Jia-Her Hwang.?

The counts include conspiracy to use interstate facility to facilitate unlawful action; use of interstate facility to facilitate unlawful action; and bribery. The first two counts are punishable by no more than five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The third, bribery, comes with a punishment of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.?

Email mgoodman@wfaa.com

Source: http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Yearslong-investigation-dismantles-massive-N-Texas-prostitution-ring-212234061.html

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Microsoft just reversed most of its anti-consumer policies for the Xbox One ? what are the pros and cons?

After receiving tons upon tons of criticism for many of its decisions in regard to game authentication, used game limitations and anti-piracy measures for the Xbox One, Microsoft has said ?we listened.? Today, they announced that they are reversing most of the decisions people were complaining about. Giant Bomb broke the story before it was official.

Chief among the policy update are the following, to quote Xbox PR:

  • An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games
  • You can trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today

These were two of the biggest bullet points, by far, that won Sony tons of trust and praise at E3 just last week. One has to assume that Microsoft was watching just how quickly they had been turned into the big bad wolf of video game manufacturers.

But there are some downsides to this role reversal, unfortunately. Don?t get me wrong ? as this is what the Internet at large was demanding, in force, this is almost certainly the right move for Microsoft to make, especially in terms of public perception. On the other hand, we?re losing some upsides that we were about to gain with the always-online Xbox One.

For starters, we now have to get off our lazy butts to switch out game discs again. Yes, this is the way things are now, and yes, we can still avoid this if we just download all games digitally anyway ? but I was actually kind of looking forward to this disc-less future Microsoft was telling me about. I like owning physical discs, but it would have been nice to not have to get up to put Halo 5 in the disc drive after finishing a race in Forza.

Also being threatened are the Family Gold features that Microsoft announced, which allowed family members (you could have up to 10 members in your family) to share games, even across systems. This was going to be really nice for, say, my dad, who is always borrowing my games but may not want to wait for me to drive to his house in order to hand them to him. As games are no longer tied to accounts, this is going away. It also means downloaded games cannot be resold or shared, which was something that Microsoft was (vaguely) talking about.

It is unknown whether or not this also affects the much more simplistic ability to share a Gold account for online multiplayer gaming ? at least across a single system. Hopefully this is still something that Microsoft is doing.

There is also the possibility, however slight or however ?deserved,? that we will see a lot more big studios and publishers close down over the next few years. We have to face the fact that used game sales do?have a negative affect on a developer?s income, and it was, after all, the publishers who were pushing for all of these restrictions in the first place. Still, one could certainly argue that the death of more multi-million dollar ?blockbuster? types of games, which always need to sell millions just to break even, could lead way to more smaller, creative types of games. One can hope, anyway.

Even considering the downsides, this is probably a huge win for gamers/consumers. Are you more excited about the Xbox One now that this stuff has changed? Do you already have a system pre-ordered? (I do.)

Source: http://popcultureblog.dallasnews.com/2013/06/microsoft-just-reversed-most-of-its-anti-consumer-policies-for-the-xbox-one-what-are-the-pros-and-cons.html/

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বুধবার, ১৯ জুন, ২০১৩

Asian shares slide as upcoming Fed meeting jangles nerves

By Chikako Mogi

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares slid on Tuesday as investors waited on tenterhooks for news of the U.S. Federal Open Market Committee's plans for its stimulus program - with the mere suggestion of fine-tuning it enough to unnerve investors.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan <.miapj0000pus> fell 0.7 percent, dragged down by a 0.9 percent decline in Australian shares <.axjo> which faced selling in high-yielding stocks.

The pan-Asian index, which plumbed its lowest since September on Thursday, was weighed down by a 1 percent drop each in its materials <.miapjmt00pus> and energy <.miapjen00pus> sectors.

The Fed's bond-buying program, along with very accommodative monetary policies by other central banks to promote growth, such as the Bank of Japan, has underpinned market sentiment broadly, providing investors abundant funds they could put to work in higher-yielding "risk" assets, such as shares.

"The Federal Reserve has really been driving the top-down investment themes globally with quantitative easing and record low U.S. rates," said Peter Esho, investment adviser at Wilson HTM. "It has implications really into all other asset classes."

Market volatility was likely to remain elevated until the outcome of the Fed meeting and Bernanke's news conference on Wednesday.

"The sensitivity of asset prices to headlines and seemingly inconsistent moves among them - U.S. Treasury yields moving higher but the U.S. dollar coming under pressure...shows the degree of nervousness and confusion among investors regarding the most likely path of the Fed's monetary policy," Barclays Capital said in a research note.

South Korean shares <.ks11> were trading nearly flat as foreign selling capped prices in a market lacking a clear direction. Hong Kong shares <.hsi> slipped 0.9 percent.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei stock average <.n225> deepened losses to fall 0.8 percent after temporarily seeing positive territory. It climbed 2.7 percent on Monday. <.t/>

The dollar rose 0.3 percent against the yen at 94.73, off its 10-week low of 93.75 yen hit on Thursday, but well below last month's 4-1/2-year peak of 103.74 yen. The dollar index <.dxy>, measured against a basket of six key currencies, was down 0.13 percent.

Data published on Monday showed unexpected growth in New York state's manufacturing in June, and home-builder sentiment improved to a seven-year high this month, its biggest gain since 2002.

Uncertainty over the Fed's thinking has weighed on the dollar recently, but its fall against the yen has also been linked to speculators and investors cutting back their yen short positions after the Bank of Japan took no action last week to quell a highly volatile domestic bond market.

The sell-off in the Nikkei, sparking yen buying, erased gains made since the central bank's big-bang stimulus unveiled on April 4, which had helped propel the index up to a 5-1/2-year high last month. Growing views that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may not deliver as aggressive a reform as previously hoped for also led to the unwinding of short-yen and long-Nikkei positions.

"The Fed is likely to stress its commitment to stimulus and signal that any tapering will not mean tightening liquidity," said a senior official at a big Japanese investor.

At a meeting of leaders of the Group of Eight developed countries on Monday, the euro zone came under pressure to press on with a banking union and Japan was urged to follow up on massive central bank stimulus with structural reforms and measures to tackle its budget deficit.

The G8 said in a statement world economic prospects remained weak even though downside risks have lessened due partly to policy action taken in the United States, the euro zone and Japan.

U.S. crude futures inched up 0.1 percent at $97.84 a barrel and Brent also was up 0.1 percent to $105.53.

(Additional reporting by Thuy Ong in Sydney; Editing by Eric Meijer)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/asian-shares-capped-upcoming-fed-meeting-jangles-nerves-022050484.html

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Ed Hardy: Jon Gosselin Killed My Brand!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/06/ed-hardy-jon-gosselin-killed-my-brand/

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মঙ্গলবার, ১৮ জুন, ২০১৩

Disick goes 'Psycho' in Kanye West promo video

Celebs

5 hours ago

Image: Scott Disick.

kanyewest.com

Scott Disick in "Yeezus" promo video.

If nothing else, the timing is interesting. Just days after Kanye West welcomed a baby girl into the world with girlfriend Kim Kardashian, Scott Disick has now appeared in a promotional video for West's new album "Yeezus" -- in a parody of "American Psycho."

Disick is the father of Kim's sister Kourtney's two children, and he appears frequently on E!'s "Keeping Up with the Kardashians."

In the video, available at KanyeWest.com (note, video contains off-camera violence and un-bleeped curse words), Disick appears as Patrick Bateman (played by Christian Bale in the 2000 movie of the same name), wielding an ax, wearing a raincoat and bearing down on Kim's friend Jonathan Cheban (who sits on a white sofa surrounded by pages of Billboard magazine). Disick/Bateman speaks in a weirdly choppy (no pun intended) manner while re-enacting/re-interpreting the Huey Lewis and the News scene from the film.

Disick asks, "Hey, do you like Kanye West? The early work was a little too hip-hop for me and my taste, but when 'Dark Twisted Fantasy' came out in 2010, I think he really came into his own both musically and lyrically.?

While wearing Bateman's protective clear raincoat, Disick calls "Yeezus" "the most exciting record so far." ?There?s the song 'I?m a God,'? he adds, regarding the album, which drops Tuesday. ?The title practically speaks for itself, but of course the insecurities of the mainstream music press will never understand its true meaning because it?s about me.?

And goodbye to Cheban after that.

The video has "Psycho" author Bret Easton Ellis' approval, apparently; he tweeted Monday that he wrote it.

But is it a good idea, or tasteless? Poking fun at ... something? All of those things are possible, and Kanye West is never afraid to push the envelope. Still, even spoofing scene from a film in which a killer appears to get his kicks from brutally murdering women while reveling in his wealth and sophistication puts a strange twist on West's wholesome new daddy shine, particularly when you've just hired a member of the baby's mother's family to do the dirty work.

What do you think? In bad taste or just typical Kanye? Let us know below!

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/scott-disick-gets-psycho-new-kanye-west-promo-video-6C10361410

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Experts to analyse 'unusual' weather

About 20 of the UK's leading scientists and meteorologists are due to meet at the Met Office to discuss Britain's "unusual" weather patterns.

They will try to identify the factors that caused the chilly winter of 2010-11 and the long, wet summer of 2012.

They will also try to work out why this spring was the coldest in 50 years - with a UK average of 6C (42.8F) between March and May.

The Met Office hopes the meeting will identify new priorities for research.

Continue reading the main story

?Start Quote

This meeting isn't looking at climate change, it's looking at climate variability in recent seasons?

End Quote Dan Williams Met Office

Over the past three years, British weather records have been under increasing pressure. The big freeze that gripped the UK in December 2010 saw the lowest temperature for the month in 100 years.

Even the buzz of the London Olympics could not disguise the washout that was last summer, the second wettest for the UK since records began.

Puzzled by these events, scientists from across the UK are meeting at the Met Office in Exeter to try to understand the reasons behind this run of what they term, "unusual seasons".

Much has been made of the jet stream and how changes in these strong winds affect our weather.

But the Met Office said that it was but one factor that the researchers would consider.

"The thing to remember with the jet stream is that, much like our weather, it is a symptom of other drivers rather than a cause," said the Met Office's Dan Williams.

The scientists will examine the reduction in Arctic sea ice and how it might be affecting Europe's weather.

The theory is that the loss of ice in the Arctic means there is a smaller temperature difference between the North Pole and the warmer, mid latitudes. This in turn could weaken the jet stream, which starts to move around more. When these winds move just south of the UK, colder air can come in from the north.

And as peaks and troughs form along the stream, they can act like a trap for wet weather.

"Low pressure systems run along there and drop into a trough and it's very hard to get them back out again, they get stuck like an eddy in a river," explained Dan Williams.

"They hit us and come back and we get rain for long periods of time."

Another factor that the scientists will be considering are changes in long term ocean cycles such as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, a system of deep currents that transport heat around the world.

Prof Stephen Belcher from the Met Office Hadley Centre, who will chair the meeting, said these cycles could be having an impact.

"The ocean circulation has been stuck in a rather strange pattern for the past 10 years or so, which in fact has given the unusual weather patterns in many parts of the world," he told BBC News.

Researchers will also look at other factors including solar variability and the effect of the El Nino/La Nina weather patterns.

However a discussion of man made climate change is unlikely to feature.

"This meeting isn't looking at climate change, it's looking at climate variability in recent seasons," said Dan Williams.

"The aim is to understand some of the causes behind that variability. A lot of those potential causes cannot easily be attributed to climate change. The more we can understand about these potential causes, the better advice we can give on near-term climate from a month out to about a year ahead."

The researchers say the meeting could redefine the priorities for weather related research into the future.

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Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22937375#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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