Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/295679189?client_source=feed&format=rss
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posted by knepperhorn @ 10:16 PM
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Getty ImagesCollin Klein, the Kansas State quarterback who was a star in a spread-option offense in college but whose abilities as a passer leave much to be desired in the eyes of NFL scouts, remains committed to playing quarterback at the next level. And he thinks NFL teams are starting to come around to the idea that he can do it.
Klein told the Topeka Capital-Journal that he believes he has impressed scouts at the Combine and at Kansas State?s Pro Day.
?I felt like I had two good days,? Klein said. ?I made progress and really improved, before the Combine first and then in the time between the Combine and Pro Day we made some strides, too. We?re moving in the right direction. It?s different not being in school, but it gives me a little extra time to focus and work on little things here and there. It?s a pretty all-inclusive process, but we?re enjoying it. I just love the game. We?re getting better and having fun with it.?
Klein said his workouts with former NFL quarterback Jake Plummer have helped get him ready to play the game at the next level.
?We did everything,? Klein said. ?We worked on footwork, core strength, flexibility with the shoulder . . . lots of different things. It was pretty all-inclusive and he taught me a lot. He gave great insight from him having been there [the NFL] and doing that for a very long time. I really appreciated his time and his effort working with me.?
Although Klein still believes he is going to get drafted, he acknowledged that it?s possible he?ll have to settle for being an undrafted free agent.
?I think we?ll definitely get a chance and it?s just being ready and making the most of it,? Klein said. ?We?ll see where the best fit is going to be. Teams are out there trying to figure out who?s the best fit for them, too. It will all settle out. If that doesn?t happen, we?ll try to get picked up as a free agent on some level. We?ll cross that bridge when we get there.?
So just a few months after the Heisman Trophy voters considered Klein the third-best player in college football, Klein is just hoping NFL teams consider him one of the 254 best players available in the draft.
Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/31/flynn-trade-is-expected-to-be-finalized-soon/related
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posted by knepperhorn @ 8:29 PM
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By Philip Blenkinsop
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgium agreed to make 1.4 billion euros ($1.8 billion) of savings and to sell 1 billion euros of state-owned assets on Saturday, as it strives to meet EU budget targets and avoid being drawn into the euro zone's debt crisis.
With debt approaching 100 percent of national output (GDP), Belgium has some of the weakest public finances in the euro zone's northern "core", partially due to an almost two-year political stalemate that was only resolved in late 2011.
Its six-party government has taken steps since but, like other euro zone members, looks set to miss the targets set by the European Union due to poor economic growth.
The 1.434 billion euros, an addition to 2013 savings already announced last year, will reduce the country's structural deficit - a measure of the underlying shortfall on public finances allowing for the ebb and flow of the economic cycle - by 1 percentage point, it said.
"The government repeats its wish to bring its budget into structural balance by 2015. This is a new, important step to reach that goal," Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo told a news conference, hours after an early morning breakthrough.
Olli Rehn, EU Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, gave clearance in the past week for Belgium's deficit this year to be greater than the planned 2.15 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), according to government sources.
But Belgium still needs to reduce its structural deficit, excluding one-offs and smoothing for cyclical factors, to 1.8 percent, keep its overall debt level below 100 percent of GDP and achieve a structural budget balance by 2015.
The additional savings, a huge series of measures ranging from a reduction in support for the national railway operator to an increase in duty on tobacco, would result in an overall budget deficit of 2.46 percent of GDP.
"We have the protected the purchasing power of the citizens and our economic fabric as much as possible," Di Rupo said.
"With these budgetary measures, we will enhance the stabilization of public finances and will reinforce fundamental items necessary to exit the crisis," Di Rupo said.
Finance Minister Koen Geens declined to say what the state might sell, adding that to do so could simply depress prices.
Belgium would need to find a further 1 billion euros from asset sales to ensure national debt did not rise beyond 100 percent of GDP, he said.
Belgium holds a 10 percent stake in French bank BNP Paribas
Its headline deficit last year was around the euro zone's recommended ceiling of 3.0 percent of GDP, from 3.7 percent in 2011. However, adding a 2.915 billion euro contribution to the bailout of Franco-Belgian lender Dexia
Belgium did little in the way of budgetary consolidation in 2010 and 2011, due to the absence of a fully fledged government after an inconclusive election. But despite a spike in its borrowing costs at the end of 2011, economists say it now belongs firmly to the safer "core" of the euro zone.
That view was backed up on Monday when the AA-rated sovereign sold 10-year debt at the lowest ever auction yield.
($1 = 0.7788 euros)
(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop, editing by Ethan Bilby and Patrick Graham)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/belgium-agrees-savings-asset-sales-meet-eu-budget-142041188--business.html
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posted by knepperhorn @ 6:43 PM
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Learning to appreciate and admire our own culture is sometimes a tad bit overlooked by most, as is the essence of a weather vane. Life among the garden plants, vases, flowers, trees and birds at home sometimes also goes overlooked by those who are too busy to remember how far we have come as a civilization. Weathervanes are like instant memories. With some weathervane the sound of changing wind will be an immediate reminder of our culture and heritage, with others the mere sight will invoke past experiences and pleasant memories. Art can change society if it wants to or even bring inspiration and insight. The most traditional of American modern arts in the home and garden, is the weather vane. From the oldest documented colonial weathervane of Deacon Shem Drowne in the 18th century with his most famous Grasshopper weathervane that sits upon Faneuil Hall in Boston to the present day, weathervane sculptures have shaped American modern art.
Weathervane and American Modern Art
When we think of American modern art, most people tend to think of paintings and sculptures that sit in galleries and art museums. Weathervane are some of the most traditional works of American sculpture art because they have told the direction of the wind on the tops of houses, fences and barns for hundreds of years and represented important elements in our history. They are made by hand and no two can be exactly the same. Each weather vane is in and of itself a work of human expression, crafted by the hands of an artesian who takes their work seriously and with great passion. Old North Church (1740, Boston), First Church in Cambridge (1721), Province House (1716, Boston), Goddess of Liberty, the Federal Eagle and many famous race horses have all been immortalized by the sculpture of weathervane and banners upon the highest tops.
Weathervane Give The Direction of The Wind and Feed Imagination.
The compass rose is held firmly on a weather vane and will always show the direction of north. The weather vane itself will always point in the direction from which the wind originates. The movement of wind and air is physically the disbursing of energy that has picked up speed and travels through the sky abiding the laws of the cosmos. Indicating in a subtle way, what the skies are about to do. Wind may normally tend to stand idle without a weather vane, but it is always doing something, even if it is absent. Metalworkers and historians alike have been enchanted by the fascinating beauty of weathervane and those delicate ?cathartic? moments they captivate in our hearts. Curving and spinning like a dancer, the weather vane fuels our human imagination with its beauty and becomes our link to the sky.
Art In Home and Garden Inspires Peace and Contemplation
This deep and intricate realm of American modern art can be most appreciated in the delicate things. Home and Garden is a place where that kind of traditional hand made art restores the splendor of the subtle and peaceful. ?Home is where the heart is.? And through the art of weathervane our expressions of self and family become most attuned to the sky, wind and land that we call home. The weather vane inspires peace and contemplation wherever it stands. Mythical creatures, farm animals, creatures of the sea, sailboats, airplanes, national prides; creative works of an artistic imagination that follow the moving patterns of the wind, a wind that only sleeps at the calm of the storm. And in those moments the weather vane asks a question, where is the wind?
Source: http://art7entertainment.blogspot.com/2013/03/all-american-modern-art-for-home-and.html
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posted by knepperhorn @ 10:35 AM
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The New York Police Department has begun policing how its officers use Facebook, Twitter and other social media.
An internal order made public on Thursday advises members of the nation's largest police department to be careful with what they reveal online ? even urging them not to disclose that they're on the force.
Officers "are to exercise good judgment and demonstrate professionalism expected of them while performing their official duties," the memo says. It also warns that "personal social media sites may be used against them to undermine the credibility of the department, interfere with official police business, compromise ongoing investigations and affect their employment status."
The guidelines bar officers from posting photos of themselves in uniform ? with the exception of those taken at promotion or awards ceremonies ? unless they have permission from the department. Officers could face discipline if they don't comply.
Police officials said the policy has been in the works for about two years, and arose out of concern that police officers' online postings could embarrass the NYPD or be misinterpreted as official police policy. The department punished more than a dozen officers after they made degrading remarks about revelers at the West Indian Day Parade in 2011.
"We believe these guidelines are reasonable and make sense," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said Thursday.
The Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, which represents 23,000 police officers, declined comment. In the past, the union has cautioned its members about what they post and who they interact with on the Internet.
The NYPD edict prohibits the posting on personal websites of crime scene photos or witness statements. It also bars officers from using social media to contact witnesses, crime victims or lawyers involved in pending cases, or to contact minors who aren't part of their families.
"Such communications may be deemed inappropriate or unethical and may jeopardize an ongoing investigation," it says.
The adoption of guidelines was first reported in the Daily News.
? 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/keep-police-business-facebook-nypd-tells-cops-1C9143650
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posted by knepperhorn @ 8:47 AM
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WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama attended one of the weekend's big college basketball games after playing a round of golf Saturday.
Obama's motorcade took him directly from a golf course at Andrews Air Force Base in suburban Maryland to Washington's Verizon Center to watch Syracuse and Marquette play for a berth in the Final Four of the NCAA basketball tournament. He left shortly before the end of the game, which Syracuse won 55-39.
With less than 11 minutes remaining in the first half of the East Regional final, Obama appeared on the Jumbotron suspended above the Verizon Center court. He sat with Reggie Love, his former personal aide at the White House and a member of the Duke team that won the NCAA championship in 2001. At least one other friend, Marty Nesbitt, also sat with the president. Also joining Obama was NCAA President Mark Emmert.
The audience responded with loud applause when Obama was shown on the huge screen, and he smiled and waved.
In the men's tournament, Obama picked Indiana and Louisville to meet in the championship game in Atlanta, with Indiana claiming the title. But it's not meant to be ? Indiana was defeated by Syracuse. Louisville is scheduled to play Duke on Sunday in Indianapolis.
Obama said earlier this week that "my women's (NCAA tournament) bracket is doing much better than my men's bracket."
Earlier Saturday, Obama played golf for the first time since automatic spending cuts known as the sequester went into effect on March 1.
Some conservatives have called on Obama to give up golf since popular public tours of the White House have been canceled because of the budget cuts. The White House has said the tours were canceled to keep Secret Service agents from being furloughed because of the spending reductions.
Obama played golf with Nesbitt and two White House aides.
___
Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsuperville
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-attends-syracuse-marquette-basketball-game-214139628--politics.html
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posted by knepperhorn @ 7:06 AM
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Whether you're digging into a long gaming session or just looking for a better way to video chat on your PC, a headset with a microphone can go a long way. If you don't want to plop down the cash for one, you can add one to your existing over-the-ear headphones yourself.
This particular mod uses a pair of cheap Monoprice 8323 headphones, but you could probably perform the process on any set of cans (though the more expensive your headphones, the less we'd recommend breaking them open). You'll need a bit of electronics experience to make this work, and the instructions aren't incredibly detailed, but if you know what you're doing they're pretty easy to follow. When you're done, you'll have a cheap gaming headset with a completely detachable microphone.
Of course, if you really want the features a good headset can offer, check out our roundup of the five best gaming headsets. Hit the link for the full set of instructions.
I did a detachable mic boom mod for my cheap Monoprice 8323 headphones | Reddit
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posted by knepperhorn @ 5:23 AM
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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/295497850?client_source=feed&format=rss
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posted by knepperhorn @ 3:26 AM
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March 29th, 2013 | by advocate360 |
On Wednesday, April was declared Child Abuse and Neglect Awareness Month by the Darke County Commissioners Mike Rhoades, Mike Stegall, Diane Delaplane and Greenville Mayor Mike Bowers. Several public officials representing Children Services (CSU), Juvenile Court, law enforcement, community services, health, education, Prosecutor?s office and the Court Appointed Special Advocate Association participated in the signing of the proclamation.
According to Becky James, Social Services Administrator, the year 2012 presented continued challenges for the staff in Children Services Unit regarding the impact of, mental illness, unsafe parenting skills, lack of child development knowledge, lack of support systems, and drug and alcohol abuse on child abuse and neglect.
Children services had contact with and/or provided services to 1,742 individuals; 925 children and 817 adults.
James noted that according to the law, a child born with a positive illegal drug screen will most likely be found to be an abused child. The mother?s prenatal illegal drug use can result in her infant testing positive for illegal drugs; which includes the use of marijuana in addition to numerous others including, but not limited to cocaine, opiates, and barbiturates.
There can be very serious health issues for an infant that has been exposed to the drugs taken by the mother, in addition to the neglect and physical and sexual abuse that can be linked to parental drug use, said James. James indicated that drug and alcohol abuse, combined with a parent?s lack of support system, parenting skills, and knowledge can be a recipe for tragedy.
Children Services received 845 calls during 2012; 536 of those calls were calls based on concerns of physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect.
There were 106 formal investigations and ?Family in need of services? cases. There were 50 children in CSU custody during the year. This low number is significant as it is the lowest number of children in custody in the past 10 years. Forty-three children received court-ordered in-home protective services. Four adoptions were finalized. Fifty-Two children benefited from adoption subsidies.
James said that while immediate child safety is first and foremost, Children Services also works with many agencies to provide prevention and interventions that will preserve families and reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect.
During 2012 CSU accepted the responsibility of facilitating Intersystem Diversion Team (IDT) meetings. The IDT is a group of participating agencies that works with families who voluntarily want to make changes in order to preserve their families and reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect.
The CORE IDT team includes the Darke County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Darke County Family and Children First Council, Darke County Health Department, Darke County Juvenile Court, Darke County Recovery Services, Family Health, Greenville City Schools, Gateway Youth Services, Mental Health Clinic, and Children Services. After referral and discussion, a family team is created to work with the family on an as needed basis.
During 2012, 128 children and 82 adults participated in the IDT process.
Another prevention program is the Family Centered Services and Support program. Under a different name, this program has been implemented since 2004 with funding from the Family and Children First Council. Many families with multiple challenges that include drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, mental illness, and medical concerns have benefited from voluntary participation in the program, said James. In the past three years, the coordinator of the program has had 672 meetings with families. Services included family support, home visits, and transportation.
Look for pinwheels in the Commissioner?s yard in the next few days planted by the Banner Bound 4-H club. The pinwheels are planted as part of Child Abuse and Neglect Awareness Month.
Source: http://postdarkecounty.com/?p=12647
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posted by knepperhorn @ 11:21 PM
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This publicity image provided by Oculus VR shows a virtual reality headset. The virtual reality headset, the doodad that was supposed to seamlessly transport wearers to three-dimensional virtual worlds, has made a remarkable return at this year's Game Developers Conference. After banking $2.4 million from crowd funding and drumming up hype over the past year, Oculus VR captured the conference's attention this week with a virtual reality headset that's more like a pair of ski goggles than those bulky gaming helmets of the 1990s. (AP Photo/Oculus VR)
This publicity image provided by Oculus VR shows a virtual reality headset. The virtual reality headset, the doodad that was supposed to seamlessly transport wearers to three-dimensional virtual worlds, has made a remarkable return at this year's Game Developers Conference. After banking $2.4 million from crowd funding and drumming up hype over the past year, Oculus VR captured the conference's attention this week with a virtual reality headset that's more like a pair of ski goggles than those bulky gaming helmets of the 1990s. (AP Photo/Oculus VR)
FILE - In this March 25, 2009 file photo, Video game enthusiasts attend the Game Developers Conference, in San Francisco. The schedule for the 2013 GDC held March 25-29, illustrates the dramatic changes that have reshaped the gaming industry in recent years, an evolution that's as much about business models as it is about pixels. GDC organizers have added a summit on free-to-play games, planned talks on topics like crowd funding and micro-transactions and coordinated panels with such titles as "Making Money with Mobile Gaming" and "Why Won't FarmVille Go Away?" (AP Photo/Ben Margo, Filet)
This publicity image provided by Oculus VR shows a virtual reality headset. The virtual reality headset, the doodad that was supposed to seamlessly transport wearers to three-dimensional virtual worlds, has made a remarkable return at this year's Game Developers Conference. After banking $2.4 million from crowd funding and drumming up hype over the past year, Oculus VR captured the conference's attention this week with a virtual reality headset that's more like a pair of ski goggles than those bulky gaming helmets of the 1990s. (AP Photo/Oculus VR)
FILE - In this March 25, 2009 file photo, Video game enthusiasts attend the Game Developers Conference, in San Francisco. The schedule for the 2013 GDC held March 25-29, illustrates the dramatic changes that have reshaped the gaming industry in recent years, an evolution that's as much about business models as it is about pixels. GDC organizers have added a summit on free-to-play games, planned talks on topics like crowd funding and micro-transactions and coordinated panels with such titles as "Making Money with Mobile Gaming" and "Why Won't FarmVille Go Away?" (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? It's back.
The virtual reality headset, the gizmo that was supposed to seamlessly transport wearers to three-dimensional virtual worlds, has made a remarkable return at this year's Game Developers Conference, an annual gathering of video game makers in San Francisco.
After drumming up hype over the past year and banking $2.4 million from crowdfunding, the Irvine, Calif.-based company Oculus VR captured the conference's attention this week with the Oculus Rift, its VR headset that's more like a pair of ski goggles than those bulky gaming helmets of the 1990s that usually left users with headaches.
"Developers who start working on VR games now are going to be able to do cool things," said Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey. "This is the first time when the technology, software, community and rendering power is all really there."
While VR technology has successfully been employed in recent years for military and medical training purposes, it's been too expensive, clunky or just plain bad for most at-home gamers. Oculus VR's headset is armed with stereoscopic 3-D, low-latency head tracking and a 110-degree field of view, and the company expects it to cost just a few hundred bucks.
A line at the conference snaked around the expo floor with attendees waiting for a chance to plop the glasses on their head and play a few minutes of "Hawken," an upcoming first-person shooter that puts players inside levitating war machines.
Attendance was also at capacity for a Thursday talk called "Virtual Reality: The Holy Grail of Gaming" led by Luckey. When he asked the crowd who'd ordered development prototypes of the technology, dozens of hands shot into the air.
"There's been a lot of promise over several decades with the VR helmet idea, but I think a lot of us feel like Oculus and other devices like it are starting to get it right," said Simon Carless, executive vice president at UBM Tech Game Network, which organizes the Game Developers Conference. "We may have a competitive and interesting-to-use device, which you could strap to your head and have really immersive gaming as a result."
Sony Corp. and Microsoft Corp. are reportedly working on similar peripherals, as are other companies. Luckey contends that the innovations Nintendo Co. made with its Wii U, Sony is planning with its upcoming PlayStation 4, and Microsoft is likely tinkering with for its successor to the Xbox 360 don't seem like enough.
"We're seeing better graphics and social networks, but those aren't things that are going to fundamentally change the kind of experiences that gamers can have," said Luckey.
A growing list of high-profile game makers have sung the device's praises, including Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, "Minecraft" mastermind Markus Persson, id Software's John Carmack, "Gears of War" chief Cliff Bleszinski and Valve boss Gabe Newell.
Valve is planning to release a VR version of its first-person shooter "Team Fortress 2" for the Rift, but Luckey is hoping that designers in attendance at this week's conference begin creating games especially for the doodad.
"The doors are already open," noted Luckey. "People are already telling us things they want to do with the Rift that they can't do with traditional games."
Luckey said prototype versions of the technology are being distributed to developers now, and he anticipates releasing a version for consumers by next year.
___
Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang .
___
Online:
http://www.oculusvr.com
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posted by knepperhorn @ 9:33 PM
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Sometimes simplicity works. Gaming headsets with bells and whistles like surround sound, USB audio processors, and wireless functionality are great, but when you get down to it, the most important thing is to be able to plug in a headset and be able to hear and be heard. The Razer Kraken Pro ($79.99 direct) is the embodiment of simplicity, while still offering great sound quality and a comfortable design. It's a nice alternative if you don't want to pay more than twice as much for, say, our Editors' Choice Razer Tiamat 7.1, which offers features galore including surround sound with a USB audio processor.
Design
The Kraken is available in black or eye-burning neon green versions, the latter of which will certainly get the attention of anyone in the room. Both have black memory foam earcups and black rings on the outside of the cups, and opposite color (black for the green model, green for the black version) memory foam padding on the underside of the headband, along with a bendable arm on the boom mic.
Razer calls the Kraken Pro the most comfortable gaming headset ever, and it's certainly up there. Its large, over-the-ear cups and memory foam padding let the headset sit securely on my head without pinching, and it's light enough to not weigh down my head. It rivals the Mad Catz F.R.E.Q. 5, and that's one of the most comfortable headsets I've tested. It isn't perfect, though. The boom mic fits in the left earcup on a bendable arm that pulls out of the cup, and when the mic is completely retracted it's awkward to get a good grip on it to pull it out if you have large fingers. Besides that, though, it's a very pleasant headset to wear for long gaming sessions. The ear cups fold inward to make it easier to carry, and I had no problem sticking it in my bag to take to the PAX East conference for on-the-go gaming.
This is a completely analog, direct headset, which makes setup a breeze. The 4.3-foot cable ends in a 3.5mm audio connector that lets the headset work with your smartphone or tablet, and a 6.6-foot PC adapter extends the cable to 10 feet and terminates in two 3.5mm connectors for the headphone and microphone ports on any computer. It doesn't support surround sound and it doesn't need a USB port to set up. Just plug it in and you're good to go. The headset doesn't have any volume controls, any adjustments to the headphones or microphone have to be made through the connected device. This is a slightly less convenient setup than more advanced, USB-powered headsets like the Mad Catz F.R.E.Q. 5 or the Razer Tiamat 7.1, which have controls for adjusting volume and equalization either on the earcups or on an in-line remote that sits on your desk.
Bass Power
Like any good gaming headset, the Kraken Pro handles bass very well. In my tests, not only did its 40mm stereo drivers provide a satisfying blast of rockets and mini-gun fire in Team Fortress 2, but it handled the thumping bass notes in The Knife's "Silent Shout" without distortion. I cranked up the volume until it was, well, painful and I didn't hear any crackle or warping.
The boom microphone works very well and, despite being initially hard to pull out of the earcup, the bending arm lets you adjust its position easily. My voice sounded clear and crisp, though it picked up a little too much outside noise to be useful for podcasts or recording.?
Besides bass, music and dialog sound good on the Kraken Pro, despite a few predictable flaws. I listened to Franz Ferdinand's "You Could Have It So Much Better," and the vocals, guitar riffs, and snares all came through clearly. However, the high end sounded slightly muted compared with the low end, and the drum beat and bass line were a bit more distinct than the lead guitar. This isn't the best headset for music, but it's primarily intended for gaming and voice chat in gaming, and at that, it works very well. You can't reasonably expect a flat or accurate response from a midrange gaming headset, because it has different audio priorities.
The Razer Kraken Pro isn't fancy and it doesn't have any special features like wireless capability or surround sound, but it's comfortable, powerful, and clear, which are the most important aspects of a gaming headset. Its analog design make it easy to set up with your computer or mobile device without installing anything, even if it doesn't offer any inline or on-headset controls. Its $80 price tag is a little high given its simplicity, but its build and audio quality justify the cost. If you're looking for a basic, powerful headset under $100, the Kraken Pro should be at the top of your list.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/u7brxpgMJP0/0,2817,2417063,00.asp
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posted by knepperhorn @ 6:02 PM
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Maybe it's that $169 price, or maybe it's the inclusion of an honest-to-goodness memory card reader, but we know some of you can't wait to get your mitts on HP's new Slate 7 Android tablet. Back when it was first announced, the company indicated it'd be available by April, but it would seem that plan has changed: the product page on HP's site is now saying the Slate won't arrive until sometime in June. We're not sure why there's a delay (we're asking for comment), but we do know this can't be good news for HP. By June, after all, Google I/O will have come and gone, and the next-gen Nexus 7 might already be on sale.
[Thanks, jmartj]
Update: HP has confirmed that it made a mistake in listing a June 2013 arrival date on the Slate 7's product page. In fact, the tablet is still slated (har) to arrive in April. Carry on.
Source: HP
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/v7-gb9yV0Qo/
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posted by knepperhorn @ 1:35 PM
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Thursday night, there are two games each in the East and West regions of the NCAA tournament. In the East: Miami vs. Marquette and Indiana vs. Syracuse. In the West: Ohio State vs. Arizona and Wichita State vs. La Salle.
Members of the Indiana men's basketball team are seen during practice for a regional semifinal game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Wednesday, March 27, 2013, in Washington. Indiana plays Syracuse on Thursday.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP
EnlargeBig 10 conference representatives Indiana and Ohio State, seeded No. 1 in the East?and?No. 2 in the?West respectively, look to continue their quest for another?collegiate?championship this week.?The NCAA men's basketball tournament is down to the final 16 schools that will play in four regional sites. We didn't forget that both Michigan and Michigan State, fellow Big 10 members, also remain very much alive in the tourney.
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But for our purposes here, we'll take a look at the East region games, taking place Thursday night?at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. This is the only one of the four regions where the top four seeds reached the round of 16, just as the men's basketball tournament selection committee drew it up almost two weeks ago.
Game one of the evening will pit second seed Miami of Florida against Marquette, the region's third seed. The Hurricanes, out of the Atlantic Coast Conference, defeated both Pacific and Illinois on their way to our nation's capital. Point guard Shane Larkin, son of Baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, runs the show for Miami. Unfortunately for the 'Canes, they will be without the services of center Reggie Johnson, who injured a leg against?Illinois according?to a?school statement.
Miami head coach Jim Larranaga, who led George Mason University to the 2006 Final Four, has a great deal of respect for Marquette's defense.
"Well, we've watched them throughout the Big East ... and they're just a very hard-nosed defensive team. They play ... maybe harder than anybody we've played against all season," Larranaga told reporters on Tuesday.
The Golden Eagles have used that strong defense to survive and advance, coming from behind to edge Davidson in the second round and hanging on to nip Butler in Round 3. Marquette guard Vander Blue is one of the top scorers in the NCAA tournament, averaging 22.5 points per game.
Thursday night's second game features East top seed Indiana and fourth seed Syracuse. The Hoosiers, who spent 10 weeks ranked No. 1 in the country, cruised past James Madison, then overcame a second half deficit to defeat Temple.
The Orangemen crushed Montana by 47 points in their first tournament game. But things weren't so easy against California in the next round, as the Golden Bears made Syracuse work for a six-point victory.
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posted by knepperhorn @ 12:09 PM
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The HP Pocket Playlist ($129 direct) is a 32GB flash drive that can be used to carry extra media files that won't fit on your phone or tablet. Whether it's because you bought the cheaper 8GB phone, or that your 64GB of stoarage space is already filled up, The Pocket Playlist is can hold movies, music, and photos that can be shared with a half-dozen friends simultaneously. All in all it's not bad if all you need is a pocket full of Marvel comic book movies, but you'll probably get a better bang for the buck from a hard drive-equipped media drive.
Design and Features
The Pocket Playlist is about the size of a mid-tier smartphone, measuring 0.35 by 2.5 by 4.75 inches (HWD), and it looks like one too, albeit one without a screen. Its casing is made of glossy black polycarbonate, with three physical switches and buttons on one edge, and two LED indicators for power and Wi-Fi status. It only weighs 2.24 ounces, so it will slip easily into your jeans pocket and not weigh it down too much. Last but not least, there's a micro-USB port on the bottom of the drive, for charging and transferring your content. The Pocket Playlist is similar in size to the Kingston Wi-Drive ($129.99): both are flash storage-based wireless drives. The Pocket Playlist comes with both an AC adapter and a car charger to keep the internal battery topped up.
The Pocket Playlist comes with an installer CD, which puts a copy of Arcsoft Media Converter on your PC. You can then use Media Converter to transcode media files like videos so they will play on your mobile devices. The program has presets for iOS devices, as well as generic settings for Android phones and tablets. If your files are in iTunes or another media library they most likely are already in the correct format. Copying files to the Pocket Playlist is a simple drag-and-drop affair, open the drive in Windows Explorer or in Mac OS Finder and copy stuff over manually via USB or wirelessly (more on that below). The drive is formatted FAT32, so it will work with both Mac OS and Windows out of the box. However, since the drive is FAT32, you're limited to a 4GB file size. Other wireless media drives like the Editors' Choice for wireless media drives Seagate Wireless Plus ($199.99) come formatted NTFS to allow for larger files. The Seagate comes with an NTFS utility for Macs, so Mac users aren't in a bind there. Seagate also packs in a media sync utility, so you don't have to search your computer for media files to put on your wireless drive.
To get the files over, you need to either connect the drive physically via USB or use the drive's built-in Wi-Fi router to connect to its built-in network. Wi-Fi is obviously slower, but is usable out in the field when you don't have the USB cable handy. One nit to pick is the physical switch that denotes operation via USB or Wi-Fi. If you put the drive in your bag and the switch is in the wrong position, you'll have to take it back out to use the drive over Wi-Fi. Drives like this should be intelligent enough to know which connection is active.
If you are using a portable or permanent hotspot, you can set the Pocket Playlist to pass Internet traffic through. Essentially, this means that the Pocket Playlist is connected to the hotspot and you phones and tablets are hooked to the Pocket Playlist. It's a good workaround that lets you still connect to the Internet while sharing the files on the drive. If you're in the middle of nowhere with no Internet signal, you can still serve the files locally to your devices.
A plus in favor of the Pocket Playlist is the drive's self-cataloging. You can drop files several folders deep on the drive, and the built-in file server will pick them out and display them in categories (movies, photos, music) on the Pocket Playlist's Android or iOS app. This is a better way to navigate your media files, and much better than the method on the Corsair Voyager Air ($219.99), which requires you to manually dig and find files in individual folders strewn about the drive.
The HP Pocket Playlist is a lightweight wireless media drive for people that need just a bit more storage for their smartphones and tablets. It can be used while travelling, or to share a media among a small group of people in an office or coffee shop. It's not bad, but there are better solutions like the Editors' Choice Seagate Wireless Plus that gives you a full Terabyte of storage and much better file management.
COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the HP Pocket Playlist with several other hard drive side by side.
More hard drive reviews:
??? HP Pocket Playlist
??? Corsair Voyager Air
??? Seagate Wireless Plus
??? Apricorn Aegis Bio 3.0
??? Kingston SSDNow V300 Series SV300S3D7
?? more
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/c6NbZIAZ_CM/0,2817,2417221,00.asp
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posted by knepperhorn @ 10:12 AM
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NEW YORK (AP) ? Barbara Walters plans to retire next year, ending a television career that began more than a half century ago and made her a trailblazer in news and daytime TV.
Someone who works closely with Walters said the plan is for her to retire in May 2014 after a series of special programs saluting her career. The person was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday.
Walters, 83, was hospitalized earlier this year after falling and cutting her head while leaving a party in Washington and remained out of work after developing the chickenpox. Largely retired from ABC News already, her main work is at "The View," the daytime hit she created in 1997.
Her television career began in 1961 when she was hired as a writer for the "Today" show. She graduated quickly to on-air work and became the show's co-host before leaving in 1976 to become co-anchor of ABC's evening news with Harry Reasoner ? the first woman in such a role for a television network.
The pairing ended quickly and Walters settled into a role as ABC News' cajoler-in-chief, competing ferociously to land newsmaking interviews with heads of state and stars of the day. She regularly did interview specials, including an annual show with the most fascinating people of the year, and was co-host of "20/20" for two decades, much of the time with Hugh Downs.
She described "The View" as the "dessert" of her career, a regular gathering of women chatting about the hot topics of the day and interviewing visiting presidents and actors eager to reach a daytime audience. Walters appeared semi-regularly as one of the hosts.
"The View" faces a transition continuing without Walters and also the last remaining original host, Joy Behar, who recently announced she was stepping down.
Walters underwent heart surgery in 2010, turning the experience into a prime-time special, "A Matter of Life and Death," featuring interviews with fellow heart patients Bill Clinton and David Letterman.
ABC news and entertainment representatives would not comment Thursday and Walters' publicist, Cindi Berger, did not immediately return requests for comment.
It wasn't clear when Walters would announce her plans. Late spring is the time TV networks generally reveal their plans for the upcoming year so advertisers can lock in commercial time.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-source-barbara-walters-retire-next-201952868.html
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posted by knepperhorn @ 8:32 AM
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A few days ago we told you about the Fieldrunners 2 for Android closed beta and directed you to the sign-up page. If you followed through and signed up, be sure to check your inbox to see if you got in, as the invites are now rolling out. In the email you receive, you are given full instructions on installing and running the app, as well as the proper channel to submit bugs. That last part is important -- if you did get in, be sure to contact Subatomic Studios and let them know. Also, some advice on how to uninstall in preparation for the final release product, as you may have issues with game progress data otherwise.
The beta is two of the 25 full missions that will be in the final edition, and besides testing for compatibility and bugs, you're bound to have a good time and see what the full version will offer. I've been playing Fieldrunners 2 on the PC for a while (I <3 U Steam weekend deals) and am a big fan of the original Fieldrunners game on Android. So far, I'm loving what I see here. Hopefully the testing goes smoothly, and we see a final release soon. Now if you'll excuse me, I have towers that need upgraded.
Thanks everyone who sent this in!
 |  |
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/IkmHxwg6444/story01.htm
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posted by knepperhorn @ 6:46 AM
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After stuffing ourselves silly like hyperactive five-year-old children at the Southbank Chocolate festival, we discovered a unique and delightful guide to London. Through chocolate.
Artisan chocolatier and experienced Michelin starred restaurant pastry chef, Damian Allsop, celebrates the diverse culinary subculture of our great city through an expertly made multi-dimensional collection called Eat London.
However, it?s not just a matter of whacking in exotic and compatible ingredients. In a cheeky twist, he conveys the sense of a merry jaunt around London, as each bar is a carefully crafted journey in itself, purposely created to change taste as you chomp your way down the river. We also noted they?re cleverly sealed as to make sure you start eating at the right end.
Your tastebuds will thank you for taking them out to the following areas:
We at Londonist towers couldn?t resist a sample, and went straight for the two award winning concoctions in the collection (Soho and Chinatown) and they are definitely not to be scoffed down (or at). We recommend taking a quiet moment to yourself to soak in and fully enjoy the flavours at a leisurely pace.
It?s a genius, tangible and tasty representation of life in London ??its vibrant multiculturalism and the world of flavours we are fortunate enough to have right on our doorstep. And we let you know just in time for Easter too. No need to thank us, citizen. It?s what we do.
Bars retail for ?2 each, or a whole yummy set for ?10. Currently available online, and at Bond Street behemoth Selfridges soon, so we hear.
Source: http://londonist.com/2013/03/a-chocolatiers-interpretation-of-london.php
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posted by knepperhorn @ 4:56 AM
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Maxon has unveiled the extent of its participation in the 2013 NAB Show, taking place in Las Vegas April 8-11. The company will be based at Booth #SL5316 (hours: Mon.-Wed. 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Thurs. 9 a.m.-2 p.m.) and will be showcasing Cinema 4D R14 with help from creative professionals on hand to showcase how its flagship motion graphics technology streamlines workflow for film, broadcast design, gaming, web projects and more. (Presentations will stream live day on c4dlive.com). But that?s not all, folks?
Press Luncheon
MAXON holds its fifth annual ?First Day of NAB? press luncheon on Monday, April 8th, where Paul Babb, president/CEO, MAXON US, will discuss the latest advances in the company?s 3D product line up. Babb will also be joined by a special guest to preview some exciting, industry-changing developments. [Invitation only.]
Guest Artist Presentations
At the booth, some of today?s hottest professional 3D motion graphics designers and visual effects artists using MAXON software will provide insight into how CINEMA 4D helps solve complex production challenges and inspires the making of award-winning feature films, broadcast graphics, commercials, and more.
Earlier this month, MAXON and Adobe Systems Incorporated announced they had entered into a strategic alliance and would begin collaborating on solutions that would simplify and further integrate a pipeline between Adobe? After Effects? software and CINEMA 4D to give users a seamless 2D/3D workflow. Visitors to both the MAXON and Adobe booths at NAB will also see presentations demonstrating the production-friendly and robust connectivity that presently exists between these powerhouse 2D and 3D software toolsets.
Guest presenters currently confirmed include:
Nick Campbell (Greyscalegorilla), John LePore (creative director, Perception), Barton (founder, Already Been Chewed), EJ Hassenfratz (owner & motion graphic artist at Eyedesyn; Lynda.com author), Colin Evoy Sebestyen (motion graphics artist; instructor, Academy of Art University and California College of the Arts in San Francisco), Kevin Aguirre (lead animator, Cake Studios), Brian McCauley (creative director & 2D/3D animator), Mike Szabo (motion designer, Big Mike Design), Donovan Keith (freelance animator, CINEMA 4D trainer, Lynda.com author, and technical director).
Live Coverage from the MAXON Booth
For those unable to attend the show, the company is dedicating a live stream daily from its NAB booth with expanded coverage of guest artist presentations and news from the show floor that will be available on C4D Live. Visit the site for additional information on guest presenters, presentation schedules, and more.
MAXON Around the NAB 2013 Show
The tech house is sponsoring events and activities at NAB 2013 to let show attendees become better acquainted with its 3D solutions and foster educational and networking opportunities, as follows:
+ MediaMotion Ball 2013 ? Monday, April 8, 5:30 ? 10:00 p.m., The Monte Carlo Hotel
+ Las Vegas SuperMeet ? Tuesday, April 9, 7:00 p.m. ? 11:00 p.m., Rio Hotel
+ Broadcast Education Association 2013 (BEA) ? April 7 ? April 13, Las Vegas Hilton
+ NAB Pinball Party ? April 9, 8:00 p.m. ? 12 midnight, The Pinball Hall of Fame, Las Vegas
RSVP details: pinballparty.eventbrite.com.
MAXON
Source: http://www.animationmagazine.net/vfx/nab-show-maxon-reveals-vegas-plans/
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posted by knepperhorn @ 10:57 AM
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for PSFK 2013-03-25 17:50:00 UTC Lantos Technologies has introduced the first FDA-approved 3D ear canal scanner, which will enable audiologists to measure their patients' ears for better-fitting hearing aids. The 3D ear scanning system can quickly and accurately map out the inside of the ear, streamlining the process of obtaining ear topology measurements for custom-fit in-ear devices.
It is composed of a portable handheld scanner with a video otoscope for visualization and navigation of the ear canal. Images are captured and a 3D scan of the ear is generated using state-of-the-art optics and stitching algorithms in under a minute.
This technology would replace the current time-consuming process, whereby audiologists generate an impression of the patient's ear using a resin-based substance. This messy substance is injected into the ear canal where it solidifies. The removal of the mold can be uncomfortable and may also cause distortion of the impression's shape.
The 3D ear scanning system, which will be commercially available later this year, was developed and tested in collaboration with audiologists and hearing device manufacturers. It is expected to drive innovation in the hearing aid, consumer audio, industrial noise protection, military, and communication markets. You can check it out in the video below:
Lantos Technologies
Image via iStockphoto, arnitorfason
This article originally published at PSFK here
Topics: 3D modeling, Gadgets, Health & Fitness, Hearing Impaired, medical technology, Tech
PSFK is a Mashable publishing partner that reports on ideas and trends in creative business, design, gadgets, and technology. This article is reprinted with the publisher's permission. if(window.pageChanged) window.omni({"channel":"tech","content_type":"article","top_channel":"tech","content_source_type":"MPP","content_source_name":"PSFK","author_name":"PSFK","age":"0","pub_day":25,"pub_month":3,"pub_year":2013,"pub_date":"03/25/2013","isPostView":true,"post_lead_type":"Default"}); metaData = {"link":[["canonical","http://www.psfk.com/2013/03/3d-scanner-skull.html"],["image_src","http://rack.1.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEzLzAzLzI1LzU4L3NrdWxseHJheS41MTU5Yy5qcGcKcAl0aHVtYgk3MjB4NzIwIwplCWpwZw/c200c0ea/e6e/skull-xray.jpg"]],"meta_property":[["og:url","http://mashable.com/2013/03/25/3d-ear-canal-scanner/"],["og:title","3D Ear Canal Scanner Depicts the Inside of the Skull"],["og:type","article"],["og:site_name","Mashable"],["og:image","http://rack.1.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEzLzAzLzI1LzU4L3NrdWxseHJheS41MTU5Yy5qcGcKcAl0aHVtYgk3MjB4NzIwIwplCWpwZw/c200c0ea/e6e/skull-xray.jpg"],["og:article:published_time","2013-03-25T17:50:00Z"],["og:article:modified_time","2013-03-25T17:50:11Z"]],"meta_name":[["description","Lantos Technologies has introduced the first FDA-approved 3D ear canal scanner, which will enable audiologists to measure their patients' ears for better-fitting hearing aids. T..."],["keywords",["3d-modeling","uncategorized","tech","gadgets","hearing-impaired","health-fitness","medical-technology"]],["twitter:title","3D Ear Canal Scanner Depicts the Inside of the Skull"],["twitter:description","Lantos Technologies has introduced the first FDA-approved 3D ear canal scanner, which will enable audiologists to measure their patients' ears for better-fitting hearing aids. The 3D ear scanning syst..."],["twitter:image","http://rack.1.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEzLzAzLzI1LzU4L3NrdWxseHJheS41MTU5Yy5qcGcKcAl0aHVtYgk1NjB4NzUwCmUJanBn/460eca49/e6e/skull-xray.jpg"],["twitter:site","@mashable"],["twitter:url","http://mashable.com/2013/03/25/3d-ear-canal-scanner/"],["twitter:creator","@mashable"],["twitter:card","photo"],["twitter:image:width","560"],["twitter:image:height","750"]]};View the original article here
Source: http://viralpinterest.blogspot.com/2013/03/3d-ear-canal-scanner-depicts-inside-of.html
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posted by knepperhorn @ 9:30 AM
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By David Schwartz
PHOENIX (Reuters) - The husband of Gabrielle Giffords, who with his wife is a top campaigner for curbs to military-style weapon ownership, has drawn criticism for buying an assault rifle in Arizona, a purchase he said meant to highlight the need for gun control.
Former astronaut Mark Kelly, who with Giffords founded a new lobbying group this year to curb gun violence, said it took only "a matter of minutes" to complete the background check for the AR-15 assault weapon he purchased at a gun shop in Tucson.
"Scary to think of people buying guns like these without a background check at a gun show or the Internet," he wrote in a posting on his Facebook account. "We really need to close the gun show and private seller loop hole."
News of his purchase was quickly met with stinging rebukes from gun rights supporters on social media, who called Kelly a hypocrite for buying the gun in the first place.
"What a two faced coward you are Kelly - it's ok for you to own one and protect your family but not the rest of us?" one Facebook poster wrote.
The group founded by Kelly and Giffords, Americans for Responsible Solutions, is pushing for a ban on high-powered semiautomatic weapons like the AR-15 rifle that he bought, as well as high-capacity magazines.
Giffords was shot through the head in January 2011 when a gunman opened fire on a constituent event in Tucson, killing six people and wounding a dozen others. She stepped down from Congress a year later to focus on her recovery.
She and Kelly launched their gun control campaign in the wake of an assault rifle attack on a Connecticut school in December that killed 26 people, including 20 elementary school children. ? The group is also calling on the U.S. Congress to mandate universal background checks for all gun buyers, and seeks to raise $20 million for the 2014 congressional elections - matching the powerful National Rifle Association's spending in last November's election.
Kelly could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. He told CNN that he made the purchase to have "first-hand knowledge" about buying such a weapon.
"For a weapon that's so deadly and really designed for the military, especially with the high-capacity magazines, it is a pretty easy thing to do, even with a background check," he told CNN's Wolf Blitzer this week.
Kelly has not yet received the AR-15 because of a local ordinance requiring that the weapon be held for 20 days to ensure it was not stolen or used in any criminal activity. He said in the Facebook posting that he plans to turn it over to the Tucson police department once he receives it.
Doug MacKinlay, the owner of Diamondback Police Supply where Kelly bought the gun, said Kelly was initially turned down when he walked into the store several weeks ago because his identification was from Texas. Kelly lived in Houston but has since moved to Arizona.
Kelly said he showed Arizona identification and was able last week to buy a .45 caliber pistol and the assault weapon that he spotted while making the purchase.
MacKinlay now regrets the sale. He told Reuters he would not have sold Kelly the rifle if he knew that the $1,000 purchase was going to be used to make a political statement.
"I would have told him politely that we would not be completing the transaction," MacKinlay said. "We do not support his stance that civilians should not be able to purchase assault-style weapons. Not by a long shot."
(This story corrects date of mass shooting to 2011 from 2008 in 7th paragraph in March 12 story)
(Editing by Tim Gaynor, Cynthia Johnston and Lisa Shumaker)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/arizona-assault-rifle-purchase-giffords-husband-triggers-outcry-191450646.html
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posted by knepperhorn @ 7:22 AM
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The first -- and still, the only -- 4G network in the U.K. is now available to half the U.K.'s homes and businesses. Carrier EE said today it has switched on the network in 13 more towns and cities to hit the 50% population coverage mark five months after the network went live. The company has previously said its network rollout would reach 55% of the population by June.Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/UHtcfSBweME/
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posted by knepperhorn @ 5:46 AM
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THE WOODLANDS, Texas ? The equator of Jupiter's icy moon Europa may be covered with huge spikes of ice, scientists say.
Astronomers have known for some time that?Jupiter's moon Europa is icy, and now scientists are trying to understand just what form that ice takes by using some of the coldest places on Earth as analogues. Huge ice spikes, known as penitents, found on Earth could form on Europa, they said.
"It's a pretty obscure geological feature on the Earth," Dan Hobley, an astronomer at the University of Virginia, told SPACE.com after he presented his findings at the 44th annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference.
The 3.3 to 16.4 foot (1 to 5 meter) spikes of ice only grow in certain parts of the Andes mountains on Earth, but those areas of the world serve as good proxies for what Europa's geology might be like, Hobley said. [Photos of Europa, Jupiter's Mysterious Icy Moon]
It takes a very specific set of circumstances for penitentes to form, Hobley said. The angle of the sun has to hit the ice in just the right way to keep the spikes of ice standing on end and buried deep into the ground. The blades grow in very dry conditions and can thrive in dirt-filled or clean circumstances.
As far as scientists can tell right now, all of those environments exist along Europa's equator, Hobley said.
Although?Europa?has been observed using radar and spectroscopy, scientists have not been able to understand exactly what the surface of this moon looks like. The geological features of Europa seem "basically random," Hobley said, but the existence of penitentes could offer an explanation.
Scientists have found that Europa's equator is warmer than it should be, and penitentes could explain that mysterious temperature, Hobley said. The ice spines reflect heat onto one another, creating a warmer area because the sunlight gets trapped bouncing from ice spike to ice spike, Hobley explained.
The scientist and his colleagues are interested in understanding what the surface of Europa looks like, partially because it's a first step towards designing a viable lander that could safely touch down on the moon's frozen surface.
But it might not be that simple, Hobley said.
The icy shell of Europa's?surface might shift occasionally, displacing the area of the alien world that used to be its equator. Penitentes don't naturally form in higher latitudes, so if the shell does shift, that could create a problem for astronomers trying to map exactly where to set down a lander.
"We're at the state where this is a good, solid guess," Hobley said.
Follow Miriam Kramer?@mirikramer?and?Google+. Follow us?@Spacedotcom,?Facebook and?Google+. Original article on SPACE.com.
Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Source: http://news.yahoo.com/jupiters-moon-europa-may-spikes-ice-181826939.html
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posted by knepperhorn @ 4:14 AM
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