#SciAmBlogs Wednesday - Sequester, spiral-toothed shark, social octopus, blue marble, alcohol+caffeine, and more.

By Bora Zivkovic?| February 27, 2013 |??

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Bora Zivkovic is the Blog Editor at Scientific American, chronobiologist, biology teacher, organizer of ScienceOnline conferences and editor of Open Laboratory anthologies of best science writing on the Web. Follow on Twitter @boraz.

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Bora Zivkovic is the Blog Editor at Scientific American, chronobiologist, biology teacher, organizer of ScienceOnline conferences and editor of Open Laboratory anthologies of best science writing on the Web. Follow on Twitter @boraz.

More??

#SciAmBlogs Wednesday ? Sequester, spiral-toothed shark, social octopus, blue marble, alcohol+caffeine, and more.

About the Author: Bora Zivkovic is the Blog Editor at Scientific American, chronobiologist, biology teacher, organizer of ScienceOnline conferences and editor of Open Laboratory anthologies of best science writing on the Web. Follow on Twitter @boraz.

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The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

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New funding scheme for community groups in Waltham Forest

New funding scheme for community groups in Waltham Forest

1:10pm Sunday 24th February 2013 in Waltham Forest By Daniel Binns

Community and voluntary organisations in Waltham Forest are being invited to apply for grants under a new scheme.

The People?s Health Trust is offering payouts of between ?5,000 and ?25,000 as part of its new Active Communities Funding Programme.

To be eligible to apply, groups must have an annual income of less than ?200,000 and must be based in Waltham Forest, with the cash earmarked for community projects lasting up to 18 months.

Waltham Forest is one of a number of boroughs in the UK chosen for the funding due to its high levels of deprivation.

Chair of the People?s Health Trust, Professor Jennie Popay, said: ?Through our new Active Communities Funding Programme, we?re looking to support projects in the most deprived neighbourhoods in Great Britain that encourage community activism.

"We?re interested in projects that are designed by local people that address issues relevant to them and benefit and improve their local community.

"We want to support local people to use their skills and knowledge to make their communities better places in which to grow, to live, to work and to age.?

The trust is funded by the HealthLives organisation via the Health Lottery.

Visit www.peopleshealthtrust.org.uk, email apply@peopleshealthtrust.org.uk or call 020 7697 4021 to apply and for more information.

The closing date for applications is 9am on Thursday April 11.

Source: http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/wfnews/10248628.New_funding_scheme_for_community_groups_in_Waltham_Forest/?ref=rss

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How an iPhone deflected a bullet, and saved a U.S. soldier's life. Very cool story.

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Obama to argue for gay marriage in Supreme Court case

The Obama administration has taken another important step in its advocacy of same-sex marriage, weighing in on an important case to be heard in the US Supreme Court next month.

The essence of the administration?s argument is that the 1996 ?Defense of Marriage Act? violates the US Constitution in defining marriage as the legal union between one man and one woman ? specifically Section 3 of DOMA, which bars recognition of same-sex marriages in the granting of federal benefits including Social Security survivors? benefits, immigration, insurance benefits for government employees, and filing joint tax returns.

In the Justice Department brief filed with the Supreme Court Friday, Solicitor General Donald Verrilli writes that DOMA?s Section 3 ?targets the many gay and lesbian people legally married under state law for a harsh form of discrimination that bears no relation to their ability to contribute to society.?

How much do you know about the US Constitution? A quiz.

?It is abundantly clear that this discrimination does not substantially advance an interest in protecting marriage, or any other important interest,? Mr. Verrilli writes. ?The statute simply cannot be reconciled with the Fifth Amendment?s guarantee of equal protection. The Constitution therefore requires that Section 3 be invalidated.?

The administration made it clear during the latter half of Mr. Obama?s first term that it would not continue to defend DOMA in the court cases where it?s been challenged. Taking up DOMA?s defense has been the ?Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group? in the US House of Representatives, directed by Speaker John Boehner to take the place of the Justice Department in arguing court cases on behalf of the controversial law.

The House brief filed last month asserts that the same-sex marriage issue should be left to the democratic process and that gays are quite capable of pursuing their rights in those venues, according to a Politico analysis.

Want your top political issues explained? Get customized DC Decoder updates.

?Gays and lesbians are one of the most influential, best-connected, best-funded, and best-organized interest groups in modern politics, and have attained more legislative victories, political power, and popular favor in less time than virtually any other group in American history,? the House brief says.

Homosexual conduct has a history of being prosecuted as criminal in the United States. And although same-sex marriages now are legally recognized in nine states and the District of Columbia, many more states still have laws aimed at gays and lesbians ? including restrictions on the adoption of children, banning gay marriage, and refusing legal benefits to same-sex couples.

?Tradition, no matter how long established, cannot by itself justify a discriminatory law under equal protection principles,? the Solicitor General writes in his brief.

The Supreme Court next month also is scheduled to take up California?s Proposition 8, which provides that "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized? in the state. Both Prop. 8 and DOMA have been declared unconstitutional by lower courts.

It?s unclear whether the Obama administration will weigh in against Prop. 8 as it has with DOMA.

?Next week I think we will see the government urging the same standard of review be used to overturn Prop. 8, and with it, all anti-gay-marriage laws,? Richard Socarides, a gay rights advocate and White House adviser to President Bill Clinton, told Politico. ?It?s clear from the administration?s DOMA brief that they understand and now embrace its connection to the Prop. 8 case. The discrimination evidenced by Prop. 8 itself is cited to support the standard of review urged by the government to strike down DOMA.?

The DOMA case involves Edith Windsor, who lived with her partner Thea Spyer for many years. They were married in 2007 in Canada, returning to their home in New York where their marriage was recognized by state law. But when Ms. Spyer died in 2009, Ms. Windsor ? because of DOMA ? was forced to pay $363,000 in federal estate taxes that the surviving spouse in a heterosexual marriage would not have to pay.

As he has said, President Obama?s position on gay marriage has ?evolved? in its favor.

In his inaugural address last month, he said, ?Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law ? for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well."

Polls show a clear shift in public acceptance of same-sex marriage, especially among under-30 Americans ? 63-35 percent approve, according to a Quinnipiac University poll in December. For all age groups, Gallup puts the number at 53-46 approval.

How much do you know about the US Constitution? A quiz.

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-administration-argue-gay-marriage-supreme-court-case-212413606.html

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Leaked Apple Patent Shows Possible iWatch Design

Fictional characters like James Bond and Inspector Gadget may have been among the first people to get a ?smart watch,? but the idea of a ?smart watch? is quickly starting to hit the mainstream with products like the Pebble Watch. Not to be outdone, Apple is also reportedly in the labs developing an iWatch of their own and now we?ve got a leaked patent to prove it.

The patent drawing is just a sketch, but it does offer a glimpse into the possible design and features that an Apple iWatch might have. One of these features is the slap bracelet, which ?consists of layered flexible steel bands sealed within a fabric cover.? You?ve probably seen some variation of these already. ?In a first equilibrium position they can be flat. The second equilibrium is typically reached by slapping the flat embodiment across a wrist, at which point the bracelet curls around the wrist and stays relatively secure in a roughly circular position.?

This would necessitate that the Apple iWatch, or whatever it ends up being called, will have to make use of some sort of flexible display technology. We?ve seen advances in this field in the last couple of years, but not much has gone commercial just yet. Apple could be among the first to popularize the tech, which is possibly why they?re exploring AMOLED. They?re also saying that the iWatch could detect and adapt to the size of the wrist, providing the best use of the available display space. It?ll have to be a touchscreen too, of course.

Aside from that, we?re left to assume that the iWatch should have the usual set of wireless radios, like Bluetooth, for connectivity. There would also presumably be gyroscopes and accelerometers to orient the uninterrupted screen toward the user.

[Source]

Source: http://www.mobilemag.com/2013/02/22/leaked-apple-patent-shows-possible-iwatch-design/

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Sizzling prices heat up wage talks in Argentina

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - A stagnant economy and one of the world's highest inflation rates are making Argentina's annual wage talks thornier than ever this year just as President Cristina Fernandez turns her attention to mid-term elections.

Fernandez, who hails from the left of the Peronist party that has dominated Argentine politics since the late 1940s, has an increasingly difficult relationship with the unions and that is raising the risk of strikes ahead of the October elections.

The combative president has divided Argentina's largest labor federation, the CGT, ostracizing leaders who became critical of her six-year-old government and recruiting more amenable replacements with whom to negotiate.

But a sharp slowdown coupled with inflation forecast by private economists to reach 30 percent this year is exposing cracks in her alliance with government-friendly unionists.

Galloping prices and a rising tax burden are eroding consumers' purchasing power, and even allied union leaders are unwilling to accept a 20 percent ceiling the government and companies want to set for wage claims.

"The unions are going to react," said Sergio Romero, secretary general of the UDA teachers union that belongs to the pro-government wing of the CGT.

"We went to the negotiating table with a flexible approach and what we got was a unilateral response. We expected a bigger effort from the state to improve the education system," he told Reuters. "The government is condemning teachers to survive on 3,000 pesos ($600) a month."

Members of Romero's union want a 30 percent pay rise, a demand shared by the large food industry union, which also belongs to government-friendly CGT ranks.

"It's going to be a different round of pay talks this year. Inflation is higher and the economic recovery has been feeble," said economist Ernesto Kritz, a specialist on employment issues.

Inflation in Latin America's third-biggest economy sped up slightly to 25 percent in 2012, according to private economists, while economic activity grew a meager 1.9 percent, suggesting a decade-long boom has finally sputtered out.

Referring to the upcoming wage negotiations, Fernandez called in January for "a bit of good sense," saying inflation was not "a natural phenomenon, but something that all sectors play a part in."

She seldom mentions the word inflation and dismisses criticism from economists, consumer groups and the International Monetary Fund of the state's official consumer price data, which put last year's inflation rate at just 10.8 percent.

Shunning orthodox monetary policy recipes to cool prices, Fernandez instead forged a two-month price freeze accord with supermarket chains and appliance stores.

Pay talks normally start in February and last until July, with teachers traditionally kicking off the public sector negotiations.

In a sign of what may lie ahead, the education ministry last week made teachers a non-negotiable offer of 22 percent to be paid in three stages over the course of the coming year. They swiftly rejected the raise and called a strike.

Hospital workers in Buenos Aires province, home to nearly 40 percent of the country's population, have vowed to walk off the job on Monday after the cash-strapped provincial government warned it cannot meet their demands.

'UNSUSTAINABLE'

Businesses, meanwhile, say wage hikes that keep pace with inflation are becoming unsustainable as Argentine industry rapidly loses competitiveness.

"Pay rises of 30 percent are just not viable. We need a dose of rationality or else we're likely to lose companies and lose jobs," said Daniel Funes de Rioja, president of the COPAL food industry association.

Although unemployment remains at low levels of about 7 percent, inflation is eating away at living standards and is a growing concern for voters, who will elect almost half of Congress in the October legislative elections.

The vote could determine Fernandez's political future because she will only be able to run for a third consecutive term in 2015 if she gains the two-thirds congressional majority needed to seek constitutional reform.

Fernandez's current approval ratings suggest she could struggle. Her positive image was 30.7 percent in a January survey by the Management & Fit polling firm, up slightly from December but far below the 59.1 percent of February 2012.

The opposition's persistent weakness, however, and the fact that Fernandez also did badly in 2009 mid-term elections before easily winning re-election two years later might help her allies strengthen their grip on Congress.

Much will depend on her success in balancing the conflicting demands of workers and industry on salaries.

"People are worried about mundane issues that affect their everyday lives - wages, prices, inflation ... and this could be played out when it comes to voting," said Mariel Fornoni, a director at Management & Fit.

($1 = 5.03 pesos)

(Writing by Helen Popper; Editing by Kieran Murray and Phil Berlowitz)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sizzling-prices-heat-wage-talks-argentina-165943612--business.html

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Rock Health Launches Its Fourth Batch Of Startups, As Total Funding For Grads Hits $43M, $900K Each

After five months of testing, iterating, spit balling and pavement pounding, today Rock Health's fourth class of HealthTech startups took the stage at Demo Day to pitch their fledgling businesses to investors. More than anything, these fourteen startups confirmed that digital health is not just alive and well, but beginning to gain some real traction. (More on that here.) Like education, the healthcare industry is in the early stages of a massive sea change, and Rock Health's startups collectively addressed some major pain points for the industry -- from leveraging better coordination and patient engagement to lower the costs and simplify the tangled mess of health insurance, to incentivizing healthy behavior and improving secondary care.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/mhtvWW-De4g/

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VIDEO: Teen's ride on a New Mexico ski lift takes a terrifying turn -- http://ti...

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Milan fashion week opens with hopes of economic comeback

MILAN (Reuters) - Designers kicked off Milan fashion week on Wednesday with bold collections to persuade Italian shoppers that the worst of the economic crisis is over and it is time to hit the stores again.

Fashion houses including PPR's Gucci, Giorgio Armani and Prada are among the top names showing their womenswear 2013-14 autumn-winter collections, taking up the baton from catwalk shows in London.

"I have great hopes for this country after the political and economic debacle of the last months," cashmere goods maker Brunello Cucinelli told Reuters at his showroom.

The colorful crowd of fashion critics and bloggers descending on Milan will mix this year with Italian voters heading to the ballot box on February 24-25 to choose a new government and decide the country's future economic path.

Italy came close to a major debt crisis in November 2011 before Silvio Berlusconi stood down as prime minister and was replaced by technocrat Mario Monti.

"There is a need to clean up politics and give small businesses the incentives to hire people," Maurizio Modica, co-designer at Italy's brand Frankie Morello, told Reuters.

Sales of Italian fashion goods are forecast to drop 3.5 percent to around 58 billion euros ($77 billion) this year, after falling 5.4 percent in 2012, according to preliminary data by textile and fashion body Sistema Moda Italia (SMI).

Gucci, the first big name brand to show, proposed a fetish aesthetic for its sensual collection, with sculpted dresses in materials such as python skin.

Creative head Frida Giannini, who is expecting her first baby in a couple of weeks, was inspired by the idea of a "femme fatale" for her show, which also featured evening gowns with colorful feathers stitched on black lace.

For the morning, Giannini showed sporty jackets embroidered with three-dimensional leaves.

Fashion house Frankie Morello presented a "dark lady" for its youthful collection, which featured black blouses covered with mirror shards and stiff fabrics in geometric patterns.

"I am confident that this edition of the Milan womenswear week will confirm the positive signs of recovery that we saw in January during the menswear shows," Mario Boselli, chairman of Italy's fashion national chamber, said in a statement.

He said he expected orders for the autumn-winter collections would improve as the recession eases in 2013.

Foreign markets will make up the mainstay of the revenue, with exports expected to reach record levels in terms of value, surpassing the previous record in 2000. Non-EU countries such as China will outpace EU members for the first time, SMI said.

"These forecasts are based on a scenario that there will be no fiscal shocks in 2013 and the government to be named after the election will couple fiscal austerity with measures to boost spending in the second half of the year," SMI said.

The fashion week, which ends on Tuesday, will also include shows from Versace, Dolce & Gabbana and Roberto Cavalli.

($1 = 0.7487 euros)

(Editing by Alison Williams)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/milan-fashion-week-opens-hopes-economic-comeback-192932268--finance.html

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Samsung releases Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update for the Galaxy Note

Posted by FaryaabS on 18 February 2013 at 5:24

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Samsung has just started to push Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update to the International Samsung Galaxy Note GT-N7000. The Galaxy Note is Samsung?s first Phablet device and has a very large user base that?s why Samsung keeps on updating this device with all the new Android versions as they want to provide the Galaxy Note ?users with their best support experience.

You might not be able to update your device to Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean right away as the update is rolling out in phases. So, it might not yet be available for your country or network provider (If Your device is Carrier branded) but don?t worry the update will arrive soon.

The new jelly bean update breathes a new life into the Galaxy Note, Samsung has completely ditched the old UI and has given the new Nature UX Interface, which is the same as the one being used in the Galaxy S III Mini and the Galaxy S III, in its latest Jelly Bean update. Samsung has brought a tons of features from the Galaxy Note II to the Galaxy Note with the new Jelly Bean software upgrade.

Some of the Enhancements in the new Jelly Bean Update:
- Android 4.1.2 ? Build JZO54K
- Buttery Smooth Performance & Great Stability (Thanks to Project Butter)
- Multi-View (Multi Windows Multitasking, same as in Note II)
- Multi-View can also be disabled
- Page Buddy
- Notification Panel can now be customized
- New Additions in Notification Panel
- Smart Rotation (Screen Display adjusts to your angle of sightings)
- Continues Input in Samsung Keyboard (Like Swipe or Android 4.2 Keyboard)
- Samsung?s Cloud services
- Features like Direct Call, Smart Stay and Pop-up Play
- New Widgets From the Galaxy S III
- 2 Home screen modes
- New Notifications bar
- Google Now

Keep an eye on?@SamKiesUpdates?to get the latest information on Official Firmware updates for your Samsung device.
You can update your Galaxy Note through Samsung KIES or by using OTA.

Hot links:
Check?the 10?latest?official firmwares for the Galaxy Note here!
You can find our live firmware feed here!

Official Firmware Details:
Android Version:?4.1.2 ? Build JZO54K
PDA: N7000ZSLM5
CSC:?N7000OZSLM5
MODEM:?N7000XXLSO
Region: Asia
Country: Hong Kong, Taiwan

All the new Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean Firmwares for the Galaxy Note are present in our?Firmware Section?as well. You can use our?Firmware Section?to manually update your device if for some reason you can?t officially update your device via Samsung Kies or via OTA as you are using a Custom ROM or if your Country has yet not?received?the Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean Update. Also, bookmark this page as we will keep this page up to date with the latest information on countries and network providers releasing the Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean Update.

Related Posts:

Source: http://www.sammobile.com/2013/02/18/samsung-releases-android-4-1-2-jelly-bean-update-for-the-galaxy-note-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=samsung-releases-android-4-1-2-jelly-bean-update-for-the-galaxy-note-2

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Clean Energy Highlighted in President's State of the Union

Category: Energy
Type: News
Source: DOE (Solar)
Date: Wednesday, February 20th, 2013

President Obama highlighted clean energy on February twelve during his State of the Union address to Congress, and challenged to nation to become even more energy efficient. During the speech marking the start of his 2nd term of office, President Obama spotlighted a range of clean energy topics, including cars and transportation, energy efficiency, manufacturing, and wind and solar energy. He called for continued national investment into research, saying "now is the time to reach a level of research and development not seen since the height of the Space Race. And today, no area holds more promise than our investments in American energy." He added, "we are finally poised to control our own energy future."

The President Obama cited advances in wind and solar energy during the past 4 years, a period which began as "other countries dominated the clean energy market and the jobs that came with it." He noted that conditions in the clean energy market are changing for the better in the United States. "Last year, wind energy added nearly half of all new power capacity in America. So let's generate even more. Solar energy gets cheaper by the year-so let's drive costs down even further."

President Obama also heralded new manufacturing initiatives by announcing the launch of 3 more manufacturing hubs where businesses will partner with the Departments of Energy and Defense "to turn regions left behind by globalization into global centers of high-tech jobs." He said he is asking Congress to help create a network of 15 of these hubs to ensure a manufacturing evolution. As an indicator of progress, President Obama affirmed that now "we buy more American cars than we have in 5 years, and less foreign oil than we have in 20." Furthermore, he noted that those cars are more fuel efficient. "We have doubled the distance our cars will go on a gallon of gas," he said.

As he cited the benefits of reduced dependence on foreign oil, particularly the decline in carbon pollution as result of increased renewable energy usage, he challenged the nation to become even more energy efficient. "I'm also issuing a new goal for America: let's cut in half the energy wasted by our homes and businesses over the next 20 years." See the full text of the State of the Union on the White House website.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GreenenvironmentnewscomEnergyEnvironmentNews/~3/fWNDGFdTazM/Clean+Energy+Highlighted+in+President's+State+of+the+Union

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California Bill calls for voting sites on campuses

The total link site for the news and information junkie: Libertarianism. Property Rights. Government Corruption. Chicago Mob. Struggle Against Socialism. Union Corruption. Pension Meltdown. Blacked Out History. New York Mob. Higher Education rip-offs. Housing Crash. Rent-seeking. Obama-Chicago Democratic Machine. Gun Control Monopolists. The Ron Paul Revolution. Organized Crime...Other Politically Incorrect matters of interest.

Source: http://nalert.blogspot.com/2013/02/california-bill-calls-for-voting-sites.html

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Reality TV clip of Pistorius' dead girlfriend aired

"I'm gonna miss you all so much! And I love you very, very much," Reeva Steenkamp, slain girlfriend of Paralympian Oscar Pistorius, said in a show that aired after she was found shot to death. NBC's Michelle Kosinski reports.

By Alastair Jamieson, Staff writer, NBC News

A reality television show featuring model Reeva Steenkamp was aired in South Africa Saturday night, two days after she was shot dead, allegedly by her boyfriend, ?Blade Runner? Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius.

A pre-recorded clip on the ?Tropika Island of Treasure? show featured the law graduate talking about her "exit" from the series, which is filmed in the Caribbean.

"I think that the way you go out, not just your journey in life but the way that you go out and you make your exit is so important," she said in the clip ? words which have a new meaning in light of her death, in the early hours of Thursday.

Speaking directly to the camera, she said: "I'm gonna miss you all so much. And I love you very, very much."

Pistorius was charged on Friday with murdering Steenkamp at his home, although the athlete vehemently denied the accusation in a statement issued by his agent on Friday.

As the star remained in a Pretoria police station awaiting his next bail hearing on Tuesday, media reports carried more lurid details about the events surrounding Steenkamp?s death.

South African newspaper The Sunday Tribune reported claims by an un-named female friend of Pistorius that he called her frantically asking for help after the shooting, while UK newspaper The People published an interview with the athlete?s friend, Justin Divaris.

Divaris told the newspaper Pistorius had also called him in a panic ? even before he had called police.

The newspaper said Divaris saw a hysterical Pistorius being detained by cops at the house. ?He was totally incoherent and just kept saying, ?My baba, I?ve killed my baba. God take me away?,? he was quoted as saying.

A pastor who visited Pistorius at the police station on Sunday said he was still distraught.

"The Holy Spirit gave me an order that this is now the chance to go pray with Oscar," pastor AJ Wilson told Reuters outside the police station.

"The (police) colonel told him that I have come to pray with him. He just cried and we all cried together."

Pistorius? uncle, Arnold, on Saturday said the Paralympian was ?numb with shock, as well as grief?.

There was anger in South African at the decision by broadcaster SABC to air the reality show, Reuters reported ? particularly as Steenkamp will not be buried until Tuesday.

"It was very insensitive to put it on air before she was even buried," said 30-year-old insurance consultant Montle Ndlovu, according to Reuters. "It's such a sad story. She was young and pretty and had her whole life in front of her."?

Reuters contributed to this report.

Related:

Prosecutor: 'Blade Runner' Pistorius committed 'premeditated' murder of girlfriend

Reeva Steenkamp was model, budding TV star

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/17/16994214-im-gonna-miss-you-all-so-much-tv-clip-of-pistorius-dead-girlfriend-aired?lite

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Google rolls out Nexus 4 retail locater

Google this afternoon set up a Google Map deal where you can find retail locations that carry the Nexus 4. That's good. And long overdue. The one catch is that you can't actually tell if your nearest store has any in stock. You'll need to call ahead (or just show up, we suppose) to find out.

The other thing is that right now the only brick-and-mortar place to buy a Nexus 4 is T-Mobile. So basically you're looking at T-Mobile locations. But we have a feeling that Google setting up a proper retail search perhaps is a sign of things to come. Best Buy? Radio Shack? Let's hope we see them -- and other retail outlets -- added soon.

More: Google Nexus 4 retailer search

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/64TgDn-G65k/story01.htm

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Yoga: The Musical. ~ Chantelle Jahara Pinto | elephant journal

I have to tell you, I feel so enthusiastic for this bold idea, I embarrass myself.

It?s a perfect vehicle to explore the dynamic meaning in which yoga continuously re-invents itself, from?Vamana?Rishi and his banana leaf days to?the?modern-day?where?yoga is a hip antidote to the stresses of modern life and cheaper than a bar if you want to pick up cool boho chicks.

Add beautiful people and amazing yoga postures to this rich tapestry of tradition and evolution, and even the most jaded celebrities will scramble to be seen at the premiere.

Imagine?

Today, 2013

Yoga is the answer to every modern ailment and attracts all demographics.

Instructors can teach after just two weeks of online training. The new ones don?t call postures by their Sanskrit names?though you?ll hear namaste, which means, ?hey!?

Otherwise, there are Ph.D. Buddhist monks from the moon who espouse the minutiae of yoga through metaphors that are way beyond the understanding of the average student.

Hundreds of people fill classes, in itty bitty yogawear?, or oddly perfect designer Rasta fare, complete with matching prayer beads. Music is as important as the postures. Teachers wear microphones. Men check out the girls and the girls all want a piece of their teacher and he just loves that.

Hot rooms are for you, if you want to imagine what your fellow students look like in the shower with their clothes on, and S&M-themed Iyengar?rooms rock the goths and people who read 50 Shades of Grey in the waiting area.

Lulamon?is a brand that Chinese factories rip off for the black market in Bankok?and HongKong, where practicing yoga makes you look as good as American.

The music is hot (like, Britney Spears-hot) and crazy loud. You?ll hear Rihanna, the?Black Eyed Peas and Beyonce. It?s about giving the students a buzz from the rhythms and the sweat.

Students and teachers alike are groomed, athletic, tanned and perfect.

Actors perform complicated yoga postures, because they?re hot. Their musical number ends with an exhale, letting it all go and a namaste.

A reporter interviews the living saints of modern yoga, Madonna and Sting. They talk about how yoga changed their image and even their sex life. And that?s why their next albums are so hot!

Move back in time to 1990

Instructors search in earnest for training. Many are expats who have returned from living in India, having pursued their spiritual search. Yoga centers are simple places and difficult to find.

Kirtan is a buzz word mostly unknown, even to teachers. Many centers don?t believe they really need curtains.

Students are health and fitness enthusiasts with a spiritual bent or on a quest to search for meaning to their lives. They are interested in going to India, memorize the meaning of namaste and learn to draw the om symbol. Some take classes to improve their audition chances for this new thing called Cirque du Soleil.

Yoga moves into the gym scene. Baron Baptiste shows up in a head band and killer muscles. He?s one of the first to break the hippie-yoga genre. Baptiste shouts cookie-cutter proverbs and makes you believe that yoga is the best workout you will ever have. Yoga is about strength, and you can do a whole workout in the comfort of your living room if you buy one of his videos.

There?s a rumor about this guy who does this unchanging yoga routine in freakish rooms that are heated to the temperature of India in a heat wave. That will never take off!

B.K.S. Iyengar is having his day in the sun. He?s the poster boy for yoga in America, with many enthusiastic students flocking to Pune?to take his class, and come home to tell everybody that they took his class?in?Pune.

Ashtanga is the strong, steady current upon which pop yoga grows. It is unchanging and simple.

The actors will wear ordinary clothes or be the smelly Rasta misfit at the front of the class who hasn?t quite left the Goa full moon party of his mind.

Deva Premal makes a grand entrance to sing a powerful number, followed by anybody who had a song on a Putumayo CD. Their songs will be about finding their essence or setting their spirit free.

The music number closes with an?om bell and actors fall silent and meditate to the three distinct tones that symbolize the shape of om.

A reporter interviews the living saint of modern yoga, Deepak Chopra. He says of yoga:

?Every breath you take. Every move you make. Every bond you break. I?ll be watching you.?

He offers mind-body courses at his institute or you can buy one of his?many books at the local yoga center?s book signing.

Move back in time to 1970

Woodstock, August 1969.

The scene opens with hippies multiplying fruitfully in the back of Kombis and in the surrounding commune. Yoga is a naked affair as often as it is practiced in bell-bottoms. This is the only social group who knows about yoga.

Yoga is about feeling the universal love, you know mahn? It is to bond with the life forces of the universe and not buy into the capitalist, bourgeois ideas of the oppressive government. Poses are limited to sun salutations and iconic floor postures, such as lotus.

Actors are semi-naked with flowers painted on their midriffs. Half the yoga group makes out with each other while the other half recites affirmations as they?move fluidly through misaligned postures. There is no yoga teacher, but the commune leader who moonlights?as the resident midwife, herbal doctor, psychologist and impregnator is who people follow.

Actors sing songs of Ravi Shankar and John Lennon. They don?t know what namaste is, but om is simply the grooviest thing.

A reporter interviews the leader of the commune, Praram?Ram Somosa?Govinda?Ganesh. Asked what yoga means to him, he replies:

?It?s the miracle of life, mahn. We are all one, and it?s insanity to believe different. What is mine is yours, you know. Speaking of which, I need to borrow your wife. She looks like she needs to be enlightened. By me, you know??

Move back in time to 1920

The set location moves to India.

It?s hot?not Brittney Spears kinda hot; just dusty, sweaty hot with flies that stick on you.

Young boys live in a school, the Yogoda?Satsanga Society of India and learn morals, ethics and academic subjects under shady trees. Each day is book-ended by yoga tradition. Yoga develops their strength, mental fortitude and spiritual stillness; the path will harden what is soft, and soften what can harden.

There are no yoga centers. Instead, students seek out a teacher or attend schools such as the Yogoda.

Gandhi visits the school for a day at the invitation of the head of the school, his friend, Paramahansa?Yogananda.

Actors wear cotton shirts and dhotis. They recite devotional Indian songs. Their yoga practice is without fanfare. Postures are moved into and out of with the same attention that is given to eating or studying.

A reporter interviews the living saint of modern yoga, Krishnamacharya. Asked what yoga means to him, he replies:

?Inhale, and God approaches you. Hold the inhalation, and God remains with you. Exhale and you approach God. Hold the exhalation, and surrender to God.?

Move back in time to 300 B.C.

Patanjali sits in deep meditation under?a shade tree?behind Trincomalee Harbor in Sri Lanka.

Light brings attention to the shifting of time through the day. Then at dusk, after what seems an eternity, inspiration comes to him from within. Patanjali quickly stands and moves into postures that seem dictated by the subtle wisdom within his breath.

He is agile and fluid though he appears very old.

We witness his realization of the truth of all truths about matters of our existence. Patanjali?marks a scratch into his skin until he bleeds. With a small fish bone he writes his realizations down onto banana leaves. The bliss of epiphany manifests as a bright aura around his body.

The actor wears?plain traditional Indian garb. The song is simple and blissful without accompaniment. He sings about his existence that is but for the grace of God.

A reporter interviews the living saint of yoga, Patanjali. Asked what yoga means to him, he simply replies:

?Only with a calm mind can the true nature of existence be realized.?

He grins to the reporter and walks away with the lightest of movements which seem to defy gravity.

There is no more, or less, to yoga than that.

?

Chantelle?Jahara Pinto?writes as The Presidentess on her blog. She publishes weekly articles and is working on a novel. Chantelle?is an Ashtanga yoga practitioner and yoga teacher. She is a kriyaban, a passionate meditator and health enthusiast, and?studies Tao, Buddhist and Hindu philosophy.?She has enjoyed many years as a luxury spa and retreat manager. Dedicating her life to create other-world or better-world experiences is a theme that continues to run through her life. She has traveled extensively and worked in numerous exotic locations around the world.?She currently lives in Rio de Janeiro.

Like elephant yoga on Facebook.

Photos by Taro Taylor and Tiare Scott

?

Asst. Ed: Amy Cushing/Ed: Kate Bartolotta

---

Incorrect source, offensive, or found a typo? Or do you want to write for Elephant?

elephant journal is dedicated to "bringing together those working (and playing) to create enlightened society." We're about anything that helps us to live a good life that's also good for others, and our planet. >>> Founded as a print magazine in 2002, we went national in 2005 and then (because mainstream magazine distribution is wildly inefficient from an eco-responsible point of view) transitioned online in 2009. >>> elephant's been named to 30 top new media lists, and was voted #1 in the US on twitter's Shorty Awards for #green content...two years running. >>> Get involved: > Subscribe to our free Best of the Week e-newsletter. > Follow us on Twitter Fan us on Facebook. > Write: send article or query. > Advertise. > Pay for what you read, help indie journalism survive and thrive?and get your name/business/fave non-profit on every page of elephantjournal.com. Questions? info elephantjournal com

Source: http://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/02/yoga-the-musical-chantelle-jahara-pinto/

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Scholars analyze reasons for '90s crime decrease

Chuck Kuan/WSN

?

Many people attribute the decrease in crime in New York City during the mid-1990s to the?efforts of the New York Police Department. Last month, however, David F. Greenberg, a professor of sociology at NYU, challenged this premise in ?Justice Quarterly.?

In 1994, Bill Bratton became the new police commissioner of the NYPD and brought with him new policing tactics. These tactics included the broken windows theory, in which small crimes in problem areas are given more attention as a way to prevent more serious crimes from ensuing.

Other innovations include the CompStat computer system, which geographically maps crimes, and officers? stop-and-frisk strategy, in which an officer can frisk a person he or she suspects could commit or has already committed a felony or misdemeanor. Many people attribute these practices to the decline in crime in New York City, but Greenberg?s research disputes these claims, and he criticizes both the broken windows theory and stop-and-frisk.

Greenberg explains in his study how ?much of the research that has been done evinces limitations and weaknesses that render it incapable of providing a definitive explanation.?

Many studies that show how the NYPD was the catalyst only use data from a short time period, according to Greenberg. Another problem Greenberg addresses is that previous studies focused on the New York City area as a whole. Greenberg?s own research and analysis effectively resolves both of these issues with the help of Richard Rosenfeld, who invited Greenberg to collaborate with him.

Rosenfeld, a criminologist and professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri, St. Louis and former president of the American Society of Criminology, showed data of the New York City area from 1988 to 2001 and analyzed the rates of different crimes in all the city?s precincts. This allowed Greenberg to come up with interesting conclusions about the NYPD.

He found that the rise in stop-and-frisk arrests between 1988 and 2001 had no correlation to a decline in violent crimes. He also discovered that prison admission rates and police force sizes decreased during this period ? further evidence to support his belief that the NYPD was not contributing to a reduction in felonies.

However, Greenberg cannot pinpoint the cause for the sudden decrease in crime in the ?90s.

?No one knows for sure what did bring about the crime drop,? Greenberg said.

Possible causes include stabilization of the market for crack cocaine, reduced price of illegal drugs leading to less violence and less theft and removal of lead from the environment.

Beau Shaw, a professor of philosophy at NYU, grew up in New York during the 1980s and suspects a different cause.

?The creation of the perception of a more effective police force was a way of advertising the city as a harmless place to potential wealthy tourists and residents, whose increased presence in New York has contributed to the reduction in crime,? Shaw said.

Greenberg, Rosenfeld and David Weisburd, another collaborating criminologist, are continuing their analysis and research on this much-debated topic.

A version of this article appeared in the Thursday, Feb. 14 print edition. Helen?Owolabi is a contributing writer. Email her at university@nyunews.com.

Source: http://nyunews.com/2013/02/14/nypd/

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IMF extends $7.6 mln credit to boost Burundi economy

BUJUMBURA (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has released about $7.6 million to Burundi in the latest part of an ongoing credit facility to boost the country's flagging economy.

The IMF says real gross domestic product growth in the central African country that relies on coffee and tea for 85 percent of its exports is estimated to have decelerated to 4 percent in 2012.

"Lower liquidity within the banking system contributed to a slowdown in growth in credit to the private sector," the IMF said in a statement on Thursday.

The central African government predicts the economy will grow 6.6 percent this year, up from an estimated 4.7 percent in 2012. The IMF did not give its own estimate for 2012 growth.

The IMF was in the country for a review of Burundi's performance under the programme supported by the Extended Credit Facility (ECF). The new facility had brought aid under the arrangement to a total of about $15.3 million, the IMF said.

Burundi's franc fell 14.3 percent against the dollar in 2012, the central bank reported last week.

Inflation peaked at 25.3 percent in March 2012 before declining sharply to 7.6 percent in January, owing in part to tight monetary policy and the temporary removal of taxes on food products.

The IMF said it expected growth of economic activities to rebound and that inflation would continue to ease owing to lower international food and fuel prices.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/imf-extends-7-6-mln-credit-boost-burundi-060102513--business.html

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Rupert Sanders: Infatuated with Kristen Stewart!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/02/rupert-sanders-infatuated-with-kristen-stewart/

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UW OPEN: Painter Posts 2nd-Best 3,000 in Bruin History in Washington Indoor Open

SEATTLE, Wash. ? Emily Painter, a newcomer to the George Fox University track and field program, posted the second-best indoor time in Bruin history in the women?s 3,000 meter run with a 10:18.11, highlighting efforts by a small sampling of Bruins in the University of Washington Open indoor meet Sunday here at the Dempsey Indoor Arena.

Painter, a sophomore transfer from Concordia University-Portland?s powerful NAIA program, was 16th in her section of the 3,000.? Her mark is second in school history only to All-American Jill Beals? school record of 10:02.64 in 1991.

The only other Bruin woman to compete Sunday was Courtney Hochstetler, who was 15th in her section of the 3,000 with an 11:15.10.

Three George Fox men took part in the day?s events.? Kody Tarbell posted a personal best when he came in 18th in his section of the 3,000 meter run with a 9:13.61.? Matt Wood was first in his group in the 400 meter dash with a 52.52, and Kyle Dreibelbis was 12th in his section in the mile run with a 4:33.56, but neither were personal records.

Complete results of the UW Open Indoor Meet are available on the Washington track and field web site at http://www.gohuskies.com/sports/c-track/stats/2012-2013/2013uwindooropenheats.html.

NEXT: The George Fox teams will be off for three weeks before returning to indoor action in the University of Washington Indoor Final Qualifier on Friday, March 1.? The outdoor season will also commence that weekend for the Bruins as they compete in Linfield College?s Erik Anderson Memorial Icebreaker on Friday-Saturday, March 1-2.

Source: http://athletics.georgefox.edu/sports/track/2012-13/releases/0210

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Celtic hammered at home by Juve

An early defensive blunder from center half Efe Ambrose gifted Juventus a third minute lead, leaving Celtic 87 minutes to try and salvage a result in the home leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 matchup.?Never able to breach goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, Celtic were ultimately handed a humbling 3-0 deficit, with late goals from Claudio Marchisio and Mirko Vucinic putting this tie to rest after only 90 minutes.

Celtic fans may be able to convince themselves they had the better of play for most of the night, but when you give up a goal to Juventus so early in the match, the game?s bound to look lopsided. Particularly in a competition where road goals are so valuable, Juventus is content to sit back and wait for you to over-extend.

After Alessandro Matri?s early goal, that?s exactly what Juve elected to do, a decision that proved prudent as the home side continuously failed to put a credible threat on Buffon. Lacking the ingenuity to match their industry, Celtic allowed Buffon to rack up seven saves without every truly being tested.

Conversely, Juventus put only four shots on Frazier Forester. Three ended up in the back of his net, the product of a game that was destined to wage Juventus?s counter against Celtic?s creativity. It was never a fair fight.

So the Glaswegians were left to rue their early, match-defining mistake ? a long ball out of Juve?s end from Federico Peluso that was misjudged by Ambrose. Forester compounded the mistake by putting himself in no man?s land on the resulting bouncer, with Matri able to get his shot just over the line before Kelvin Wilson could defend the empty net.

In the 77th minute, Matri set up Claudio Marchisio for Juventus?s final goal, his one-touch pass behind a tracking Scott Brown allowing the Italian international to cut back onto his right before doubling Juve? s lead. Six minutes later, Vucinic?capped the lopsided result.

The match was typical Juventus, a team whose success over the last two years has been predicated on taking advantage of others? mistakes. Their ability to do makes them one of the best teams in Europe and in a different class from Celtic.

The Scottish champions knew about that disparity going into the match, yet their group stage success against Barcelona gave them reason to think their approach could neutralize better sides. On Tuesday, it didn?t come close.

Man of the Match:?When you sit on your heels for most of the match, few players get a chance to give Man of the Match-caliber performances, but with some late, confident grabs of Charles Mulgrew and Kris Commons crosses, goalkeeper?Gianluigi Buffon proved Juve?s most valuable player. While none of his seven saves were difficult, Buffon did well to prevent opportunities for followup shots. He also made some astute reads on shots that went just wide of goal, giving his team possession instead of conceding dangerous corner kicks.

Threesome of knowledge: What we learned

Somebody needs to ask?about?Efe Ambrose -?It?s too much to say Neil Lennon made a bad choice in going with Ambrose over sliding Charles Mulgrew into central defense (or starting Adam Matthews and moving Mikael Lustig in from right back). Ambrose played in Sunday?s Cup of Nations final. Asking him to report for 90 minutes in?Glasgow?48 hours later may have been too much. But we don?t see Mulgrew and Matthews in training, nor do we know how Ambrose felt when he came back. All we can do is ask questions, but it?s possible Lennon deduced a sub-par Ambrose was still his best option.

Matri?s hard work pays off -?The third minute confusion wasn?t the only time Alessandro Matri?s willingness to challenge Celtic defenders was a factor. Multiple times in the first half, Matri?s ability to match Ambrose physically allowed Juventus to play long balls out of the back while still challenging for possession. Given how much of the game Juve had?given to Celtic (and how deep into their own end that had pushed them), the tactic proved a nice way to relieve pressure. Matri?s goal and assist may overshadow his more subtle efforts, but some of the Juve striker?s best contributions weren?t recorded on the scoresheet.

Celtic couldn?t play their game -?In fairness, we don?t know that Celtic were going to approach this game the same way they did Barcelona. Juventus is a completely different team, one that doesn?t need possession to be effective. Yet there was still an assumption that the underlying philosophy would be the same: Defend, take few chances, and wait for opportunities. It?s a lot like Juventus?s approach, and since Celtic made the first mistake, we never got to see if their plan would have worked. It?s difficult to see how a conservative approach would have led to anything but a boring game, but down 1-0 in after three minutes, Celtic had to play into Juventus?s hands.

Packaged for takeaway

• Because of the way this one played out, we didn?t learn much about Juventus. There are still questions about where, in the European pecking order, we should slot this Juve team, mostly because they didn?t compete in last year?s Champions League. After today?s result, we?re no closer to answers. Early goals make games aberrational.
• Martin Caceras, in at left-central defender for the injured Giorgio Chiellini, was one of?Juventus?s most effective players. Along with Buffon and Matri, he had a Man of the Match claim.
• Celtic went with a 4-3-3/4-3-2-1 formation that set up Commons, Gary Hooper and James Forrest to press Juve?s back three man-for-man. Unfortunately, because of the early goal, we didn?t get a chance to see how the approach would have worked. Still, it was a minor surprise from a Celtic team many assumed would play closer to a 4-5-1. It also casts doubts on whether Celtic was ever going to be as deferential and defensive as we saw against Barcelona.

Later: More Offshore Drilling as we take a look at Paris Saint-Germain?s Tuesday win at the Mestalla over Valencia.

Source: http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/12/uefa-champions-league-results-juventus-vs-celtic/related/

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California Kills $90 Million Contract With SAP

Following the failure of a small rollout of California's new payroll program,?California?Controller John Chiang has canceled the multimillion-dollar software agreement with Pennsylvania-based SAP, the company hired to implement the project.?

The $89.7 million contract with SAP was awarded for the implementation of the MyCalPays Project,?but when test runs of approximately 1,300 paychecks contained about 100 types of errors -- which government officials learned about from affected employees -- Chiang axed the contract, the Sacramento Bee reported.

Paychecks were sent to the wrong people for the wrong amounts, Chiang spokesman Jacob Roper told the?Los Angeles Times. The system also canceled some medical coverage and sent child-support payments to the wrong beneficiaries. The state had to pay $50,000 in penalties because of money that was incorrectly sent to retirement accounts.

According to the controller's office, there were errors in one out of every three tasks performed by the system, while the current, aging system's error rate is .29%, Roper said.

So far, the state has paid $50 million to SAP, and plans to use "all means available" to recoup those funds. The state may also sue the company for as much as 150 percent of the contract amount, Roper said.?

Currently there is no timeline for finishing the upgrade, as?"moving ahead with this at all would be completely imprudent," Roper told the Times. "This absolutely had to stop."

Via email, SAP spokesman James Dever told the Bee that the company is extremely disappointed in the State Controller's Office's actions. "SAP stands behinds our software and actions. Our products are functioning flawlessly in thousands of government agencies around the world. SAP also believes we have fully satisfied all contractual agreements in this project."

SAP, which was hired in February 2010, is the second contractor to be fired from the project.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/govtech/topics/cio/~3/3DzDVLodyMQ/California-Kills-90-Million-Contract-With-SAP.html

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At Last, the USAF Has Enough F-35 to Fly a Decent Formation

Here you have it, people: four F-31A Lightning IIs returning in formation to Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. According to the USAF, "pilots with the 33rd Fighter Wing began flying the formation for the first time at Eglin AFB last week." After so many production problems and delays, only now they have enough planes to do it. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/8B8a74BpAIg/at-last-the-usaf-has-enough-f+35-to-fly-a-decent-formation

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Indians, Bourn agree on 4-year deal

FILE - In this July 21, 2012, file photo, Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Bourn catches a ball off the bat of Washington Nationals' Roger Bernadina during the first inning of the second baseball game of a doubleheader in Washington. Bourn agreed to a four-year, $48 million contract with the Cleveland Indians on Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

FILE - In this July 21, 2012, file photo, Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Bourn catches a ball off the bat of Washington Nationals' Roger Bernadina during the first inning of the second baseball game of a doubleheader in Washington. Bourn agreed to a four-year, $48 million contract with the Cleveland Indians on Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

CLEVELAND (AP) ? Criticized for not spending enough on free agents in recent years, the Indians splurged on another star.

The club agreed to terms Monday with outfielder Michael Bourn on a four-year, $48 million contract. It's the second major deal this winter for the Indians, who signed free agent Nick Swisher to a four-year, $56 million contract in January.

Bourn, who was an All-Star with Atlanta last season, must pass a physical later this week in Goodyear, Ariz., before the deal can be completed. Bourn batted .274 with nine homers, 57 RBIs and 42 steals last season for the Braves. It's not yet known when Bourn will have his medical exam.

As long as there isn't a hang-up, the 30-year-old Bourn, who has remained on the market all winter, will move into the Indians' starting lineup. The speedster played center field last season and would give an immediate boost to a Cleveland team that has reloaded with the acquisition of Swisher, manager Terry Francona and starter Brett Myers.

Fox Sports first reported Bourn's deal.

Bourn, a two-time All-Star, Gold Glove winner and three-time steals leader in the NL, had also been pursued by the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs.

Getting Bourn will cost the Indians picks in June's amateur draft. But it's a small price for a player who will help them score more runs, improve their attendance ? Cleveland averaged just 19,797 fans at home ? and maybe even close the gap on Detroit in the AL Central.

The surprise signing caught one of Bourn's new teammates off guard.

"Did we just sign Michael Bourn?" second baseman Jason Kipnis asked on his Twitter page.

Bourn, a .272 career hitter in seven seasons with Philadelphia, Houston and Atlanta, could wind up in a starting outfield alongside Swisher and Michael Brantley. The Indians also acquired center fielder Drew Stubbs in a trade with Cincinnati, giving Francona options and depth. It's possible Swisher could be moved to first or even be used as the club's designated hitter. Mark Reynolds, also signed during the offseason, can play first or DH.

The deal for Bourn also comes after the Indians signed slugger Jason Giambi and pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka to minor league deals this last weekend. Matsuzaka must still pass a physical with the club.

The Indians collapsed in the second half last season, finishing 68-94 and 20 games behind the first-place Tigers. Manager Manny Acta was fired after Cleveland lost at least 90 games for the third time in four seasons.

But beginning with the hiring of Francona, the Indians have shown they're not going to sit around and wait for things to improve.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-02-11-BBA-Indians-Bourn/id-85986b3656bc4ed7b9dc17c027058e3e

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NYC Dads and Stay At Home Dads Group: TODAY Show's Matt ...

Matt Lauer, the longtime Today Show host, and father of three is the centerpiece of a new national fatherhood public service announcement that reminds dads of the vital role they play in their children's lives.

The clever PSA, created for the Ad Council's national Fatherhood Involvement Initiative, features Lauer playing a game of hide and seek with his daughter - hiding under the couch cushions, in a cabinet, behind the curtains, in the fireplace, etc. He claims he is the "James Bond of hide and seek" since his day job takes him away from his family to travel around the world. The overall PSA message is simple, catchy, and important: "The smallest moments can have the biggest impact on a child's life -?Take Time To Be a Dad Today!"?It probably sounds even more powerful because it's a voice over by Tom Selleck! ?It's been discussed frequently this year, but worth repeating: "Studies have shown that children who have these father figures actively engaged in their lives are twice as likely to graduate high school than those who don't, as well as to benefit from stronger development socially, mentally, physically and academically."

Starting today and airing throughout the week, the Today Show?will debut a series of television public service announcements featuring each of their anchors ? Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker and Natalie Morales ? on behalf of four social issues: fatherhood involvement, hunger prevention, emergency preparedness, and shelter pet adoption.

Source: http://www.nycdadsgroup.com/2013/02/today-shows-matt-lauer-launches-new.html

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Half of online shoppers may buy via social networks by 2015 ...

Half of new retail customer identities will be based on social network profiles by 2015, a Gartner report has claimed.

Currently less than five percent of retail customers use information registered in accounts from sites such as Facebook to access identity management systems.? However over the next three years over 50 percent of customer identities will be generated through social networks.

Signing-in through a site such as Facebook means quicker registration of personal information, eliminating or reducing form filling by importing directly from a social network profile.? In addition customers only have to remember one password, that of their social network. Companies such as Ocado currently allow Facebook log-ins, enabling account access and even purchases. ?

Ant Allan, research vice president at Gartner, said that the growth in use of social network log-ins is due in part to to sites such as Facebook becoming the primary way many users access all types of internet content.?

?For an increasing number of Internet users, social networks?are?the Internet,? Allan said. ?Using ?login with Facebook? ? or other popular social networks ? reduces friction and therefore improves users? experience of customer registration and subsequent login.?

For retail companies the use of social network log-ins has benefits, such as reduced demands on password generation, as well as making it easier for customers to browse and make purchases, aiding customer retention.

However, the use of social network identities does present security concerns over the lack of identity proofing and weak authentication demands, which can potentially open businesses up to fraud.

This means that some retailers are likely to put in place additional controls for customers accessing transactional services or sensitive data in future. ?At the same time Gartner expects that many businesses will accept the increased risk due to the prospect of larger purchase volumes. ?

This, in effect, will pass over the responsibility for fraud to credit card companies, which already have fraud and identity theft detection tools in place.

Allan also points out that the identification processes used by businesses are often no more secure than social media sites anyway.

?In fact, social network identities could offer better identity proofing than ?raw? customer registration,? he said. ?This is because social network analysis can potentially identify bogus social identities, and some vendors can exploit the ?wisdom of crowds? to verify claimed social network identities.?

He added: ?There will be increased demand for specialised vendors that support this use of social network identities, as well as for support for the OAuth and OpenID Connect specifications in traditional IAM vendors? Web access management and federation products.??

There are likely to be some organisations which will continue to block social network logins, principally where the security risks would outweigh financial benefits.

?Businesses offering consumer-facing services, as well as government agencies offering citizen portals, should assess the benefits of accepting social network identities for customer and citizen registration and login,? Allan said.

?They must also weigh these against the risks posed by the lack of identity proofing and weak authentication for social network identities. Mitigating these additional risks may offset any cost savings.?

Source: http://llodo.com/half-of-online-shoppers-may-buy-via-social-networks-by-2015.html

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