Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Mike Capps Retiring to the Epic Board | Epic Games Community

By Mike Capps

It?s hard to believe I?m writing these words, but here goes! After 10 crazy and wonderful years, I?m handing off my current presidential duties at Epic, and transitioning into an advisory role as well as remaining on the Epic board of directors.

If you haven?t heard, I have a baby boy on the way. I?m fortunate that with Epic?s success and generosity, I can be a stay at home dad for a while. My wife Julianne and I are very happy in Raleigh, and other than cleaning up baby barf, I don?t have much planned. I might do some teaching, spend more time on creative writing, and maybe get more active with a few charities.

After dedicating a decade of my life to Epic, and with so many close friends here, it?s impossible to just walk away. I absolutely love this company. If you cut me, I think I probably bleed nanoblack and Imulsion. (Wow, just think about what mixing those would do?) Epic founder and CEO Tim Sweeney and other board members asked me to stay on the board, and I?m thrilled to do so as I?m truly excited about our future games and Unreal Engine 4.

As I mentioned above, I?ll continue to be available as a resource to Epic, to provide context or advice where I can. Whatever I can do to help in Epic?s success, I?m in! I?ve got great confidence in our executive team ? VP of Development Paul Meegan is new to our Raleigh HQ, but we?ve worked with him for years, and I can only contemplate this retirement knowing that he and VP of Operations John Farnsworth can manage development better than I ever did.

Our partners and customers can reach me anytime on my Epic email address, and I?ll still be posting the occasional foodie and gamer musings on @epicactual. As a member of the board, I?ll help keep the ship pointed directly towards Na Pali, and make sure that everything we do is Epic.

Posted by Flak Dec 04, 2012 Last Updated Dec 04, 2012

Source: http://epicgames.com/community/2012/12/mike-capps-retiring-to-the-epic-board/

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Logitech G600 MMO Gaming Mouse Review - LAPTOP Magazine

Sure, you've heard of a 20-sided die, but what about a 20-button mouse? Logitech's G600 MMO Gaming Mouse features a score of buttons that can be can programmed to work with popular games such as "Guild Wars 2" and "Star Wars: The Old Republic." In addition, the $79.99 mouse has switchable DPI and three onboard memory profiles. But are all those buttons handy or a handful?

Design

Logitech G600 MMO Gaming MouseClick to EnlargeThe G600 is intimidating at first glance. Thanks to its deep, swooping vertical grooves and asymmetrical shape, the 4.6 x 2.9 x 1.6-inch, 3.98-ounce device looks more like the guidance system for an interstellar vehicle than a computer accessory.

Our ring, middle and index fingers fit easily into the G600's black matte plastic grooves while our palm rested comfortably on the mouse's base. The right side of the mouse sports a rubberized finish with a honeycomb pattern, ensuring our pinky had a firm grip. The left side of the G600 is higher than the right, making room for the 12 backlit buttons embedded in the glossy black plastic thumb panel. The top features a small black matte scroll wheel made of soft-touch plastic and a pair of buttons, one of which activates the mouse's alternative command functions.

A small gray G600 logo sits on the rear while a larger Logitech insignia resides on the bottom above the laser sensor. We're also fans of the 6.5-foot black braided fabric cord. It's more durable than a plastic cord and gives the mouse a touch of sophistication.

Buttons

Logitech G600 MMO Gaming MouseClick to EnlargeThe G600 has a whopping 20 buttons that can be customized for your fragging, questing or fighting pleasure. Twelve of the buttons, numbered G9-G20, are located along the left of the mouse in a 4-by-3 grid. However, the buttons are small and lack the spacing of the Razer Naga's thumb panel. This led to us pressing the wrong button, which put us on the business end of a head or gut shot far too many times.

Two buttons rest below the clickable, tiltable scroll wheel. There are also three primary buttons cleverly hidden in the top panels of the mouse: The traditional left and right buttons are complemented by a third button that rests under your ring finger. All of the buttons and panels delivered strong, springy feedback. But if you feel like you can use a few more options, you can hit the G-Shift button below the scroll wheel, which activates the buttons' secondary functions.

Macros

Logitech G600 MMO Gaming MouseClick to EnlargeSetting up macros and profiles can be incredibly simple or complex, according to your preferred level of customization. The mouse has three profiles where gamers can store all their lighting and button preferences. This really comes in handy when you're using the mouse with multiple PCs. However, it would have been nice if Logitech could have included the Logitech Gaming Software on the mouse, instead of making us download it from its site.

Once we downloaded Logitech's software, we were almost overwhelmed by the all the choices. Automatic Game Detection enables the mouse to use game profiles stored on the computer. Amazingly, the software already recognized 248 titles, including "Assassin's Creed," "Mass Effect" and the "Rainbow Six" series.

We chose the "Borderlands 2" profile and tweaked button commands to fit our gameplay, placing weapons, health and eagle vision commands among the top six buttons on the left of the mouse. Assigning macros was simple -- just drag and drop the command over to the corresponding button. When we were done, we saved and began gleefully blasting Bullymongs and Psychos. Gamers can also add custom commands by entering single or multiple keystrokes, depending on the desired action.

The G600 can also be used for more mundane productivity tasks with a few button changes. Logitech's software is configured to perform Windows commands such as Copy, Paste, Show Desktop and Close Window. There are also seven multimedia commands (Play/Pause, Stop, Previous Track, Next Track, Volume Up, Volume Down and Mute) that can be mapped to the button.

Features

Logitech G600 MMO Gaming MouseClick to EnlargeWhen we plugged the Logitech G600 into an Alienware M17x R4, the thumb panel buttons immediately began to glow, rotating between deep greens, blues, reds and purples, similar to the M17x's customizable backlit keyboard. Our favorite feature of the Logitech software was the ability to customize the color of these buttons. The software only has two effects (Pulse and Cycle lighting), but you can create a wide variety of colors to give the G600 some flair. Better yet, you can assign colors to specific game profiles to give each title its own unique look.

The Logitech gaming software also let us toggle pointer settings including DPI (Dots Per Inch), Sensitivity Levels, Report Rate and acceleration speed.

Gameplay

Logitech G600 MMO Gaming MouseClick to EnlargeAs we played "Borderlands 2" and "Guild Wars 2," the G600 skated as smoothly across our desk as Apolo Ohno. Switching DPI on the fly allowed us to kick things into overdrive, zipping our aiming reticle over the field to quickly lay down cover fire with the assault rifle. We ramped down dpi for more precision shots with our sniper rifle.

The top six buttons on the left side of mouse were easy to reach. Reaching the bottom six, however, was like trying to scratch a hard-to-reach itch. We compensated for this by mapping some our least-used functions to these buttons. We had a much easier time hitting all the buttons on the Razer Naga. We were able to play "Borderlands 2" for more than three hours without so much as a cramp.

Verdict

Logitech G600 MMO Gaming MouseClick to EnlargeThe Logitech G600 MMO Gaming Mouse crams a lot of power into a relatively small package. For $79.99, gamers get a highly customizable piece of hardware. Gamers can spend hours creating custom macro loadouts and color profiles. The adjustable DPI delivered speed and precision while the 20 buttons made saving the world a whole lot easier. We prefer the Razer Naga, which offers customizable side panels, larger, snappy buttons and unlimited profiles for the same price. Overall, the G600 is a very good choice for fans of MMO-style games such as "World of Warcraft" or "Star Wars: The Old Republic," but FPS fans might want something better suited to their play style.

Source: http://www.laptopmag.com/review/accessories/logitech_g600.aspx

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Driverless vehicles expected to navigate intersection of safety, speed

Driverless vehicles expected to navigate intersection of safety, speed [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 4-Dec-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Lynn Nystrom
tansy@vt.edu
540-231-4371
Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech study of autonomous vehicles at intersections wins recognition

How do driverless vehicles navigate through intersections? Faster and safer than if humans were in charge, according to researchers with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.

Autonomous vehicles will turn themselves over to an automated intersection controller, which adjusts the trajectory and speed of the vehicles to prevent crashes, said Ismail Zohdy of Cairo, Egypt, a Ph.D. student in civil engineering at Virginia Tech, and Hesham Rakha, director of the Center for Sustainable Mobility at the transportation institute and professor of civil engineering at the university.

Their research on "Optimizing Driverless Vehicles at Intersections," presented at the Intelligent Transportation Society World Congress in Vienna, won the Best Scientific Paper Award for North America. ITS also stands for intelligent transportation systems.

"The paper develops a step-by-step procedure, or algorithm, for managing driverless vehicles through intersections," said Zohdy. "The proposed system considers the vehicles' location, speed, and acceleration plus the surrounding environment, such as weather and intersection characteristics."

"The proposed intersection controller, which allows vehicles to keep moving, reduces the delay for each vehicle compared to traditional intersection control," said Rakha. "Keeping vehicles moving is also more fuel efficient and reduces emissions."

But, with driver behavior considered to be the leading cause of more than 90 percent of accidents, safety is the primary motivation for driverless vehicles.

"Somewhere in the future, you will not be driving your car anymore; you will be driven by your car," said Zohdy. "A driverless vehicle can much more accurately judge distances and velocities, and react instantly to situations that could cause an accident due to a delayed human reaction."

"We are not talking about the distant future," said Rakha. A May 5, 2011, article in the New York Times reported that after the successful test of the Google driverless vehicle, Nevada passed a law that could let self-driving cars on the road as soon as March 1, 2012. This provided the motivation for Zohdy's work on developing innovative optimization algorithms for controlling such vehicles, and the Intelligent Transportation Society's interest.

"Intelligent transportation systems are an interaction of many complex entities that communicate with each other, such as vehicles, traffic signals, and advisory signs. Driverless vehicles would be capable of interacting with these other entities," said Zohdy.

"Many such intelligent systems already exist, such as dynamic routing and congestion management, and intelligent traffic control," said Rakha. "Autonomous vehicles are inspired by the research done on robotic control."

In Zohdy and Rakha's research, the intersection controller governs the vehicles within 200 meters from the intersection. The vehicles report their physical characteristics, such as power, mass, speed, location, and acceleration.

"The aim of giving complete authority to the controller is to overcome any selfish behavior by an autonomous vehicle and benefit all vehicles in the intersection zone," said Zohdy. "The controller determines the optimum speed and acceleration at each time step for every vehicle within the intersection zone by processing the input data through a real-time simulator/tool."

The research was done based on a four-way intersection with one vehicle entering from each direction and moving straight through. It has since been expanded and tested on more congested intersections involving not fully deployed systems and comparing this type of control to traffic signal and roundabout control.

"We were testing it if only 10 percent of the vehicles were automated and the other 90 percent were regular vehicles with driver control. We varied the level of automation from 10 to 100 percent at 10 percent increments," said Rakha. This effort has resulted in two papers that will be presented that the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in January 2013.

Zohdy and Rakha will also be testing their system on a roundabout on the Virginia Tech campus as part of the Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center.

###

Founded in 1991 as a Federal Advisory Committee to the U.S. Department of Transportation and now operating as a nonprofit organization, the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) is the leading advocate for deployment of technologies that improve the safety, security and efficiency of the nation's surface transportation system.



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Driverless vehicles expected to navigate intersection of safety, speed [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 4-Dec-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Lynn Nystrom
tansy@vt.edu
540-231-4371
Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech study of autonomous vehicles at intersections wins recognition

How do driverless vehicles navigate through intersections? Faster and safer than if humans were in charge, according to researchers with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.

Autonomous vehicles will turn themselves over to an automated intersection controller, which adjusts the trajectory and speed of the vehicles to prevent crashes, said Ismail Zohdy of Cairo, Egypt, a Ph.D. student in civil engineering at Virginia Tech, and Hesham Rakha, director of the Center for Sustainable Mobility at the transportation institute and professor of civil engineering at the university.

Their research on "Optimizing Driverless Vehicles at Intersections," presented at the Intelligent Transportation Society World Congress in Vienna, won the Best Scientific Paper Award for North America. ITS also stands for intelligent transportation systems.

"The paper develops a step-by-step procedure, or algorithm, for managing driverless vehicles through intersections," said Zohdy. "The proposed system considers the vehicles' location, speed, and acceleration plus the surrounding environment, such as weather and intersection characteristics."

"The proposed intersection controller, which allows vehicles to keep moving, reduces the delay for each vehicle compared to traditional intersection control," said Rakha. "Keeping vehicles moving is also more fuel efficient and reduces emissions."

But, with driver behavior considered to be the leading cause of more than 90 percent of accidents, safety is the primary motivation for driverless vehicles.

"Somewhere in the future, you will not be driving your car anymore; you will be driven by your car," said Zohdy. "A driverless vehicle can much more accurately judge distances and velocities, and react instantly to situations that could cause an accident due to a delayed human reaction."

"We are not talking about the distant future," said Rakha. A May 5, 2011, article in the New York Times reported that after the successful test of the Google driverless vehicle, Nevada passed a law that could let self-driving cars on the road as soon as March 1, 2012. This provided the motivation for Zohdy's work on developing innovative optimization algorithms for controlling such vehicles, and the Intelligent Transportation Society's interest.

"Intelligent transportation systems are an interaction of many complex entities that communicate with each other, such as vehicles, traffic signals, and advisory signs. Driverless vehicles would be capable of interacting with these other entities," said Zohdy.

"Many such intelligent systems already exist, such as dynamic routing and congestion management, and intelligent traffic control," said Rakha. "Autonomous vehicles are inspired by the research done on robotic control."

In Zohdy and Rakha's research, the intersection controller governs the vehicles within 200 meters from the intersection. The vehicles report their physical characteristics, such as power, mass, speed, location, and acceleration.

"The aim of giving complete authority to the controller is to overcome any selfish behavior by an autonomous vehicle and benefit all vehicles in the intersection zone," said Zohdy. "The controller determines the optimum speed and acceleration at each time step for every vehicle within the intersection zone by processing the input data through a real-time simulator/tool."

The research was done based on a four-way intersection with one vehicle entering from each direction and moving straight through. It has since been expanded and tested on more congested intersections involving not fully deployed systems and comparing this type of control to traffic signal and roundabout control.

"We were testing it if only 10 percent of the vehicles were automated and the other 90 percent were regular vehicles with driver control. We varied the level of automation from 10 to 100 percent at 10 percent increments," said Rakha. This effort has resulted in two papers that will be presented that the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in January 2013.

Zohdy and Rakha will also be testing their system on a roundabout on the Virginia Tech campus as part of the Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center.

###

Founded in 1991 as a Federal Advisory Committee to the U.S. Department of Transportation and now operating as a nonprofit organization, the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) is the leading advocate for deployment of technologies that improve the safety, security and efficiency of the nation's surface transportation system.



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-12/vt-dve120412.php

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Saturday, November 3, 2012

WSJ: Microsoft testing homegrown handset designs with suppliers, may not see mass production

WSJ: Microsoft testing homegrown handset designs with suppliers, may not see mass production

Until very recently, Microsoft wasn't known for making hardware. Sure, it put out the occasional Zune, but most of the tech running Redmond's desktop and mobile operating systems traditionally comes from its partners -- the Surface being the exception, of course. According to the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft might consider making that exception a rule: some of the firm's part suppliers say that the company is experimenting with a smartphone design of its very own. Folks familiar with the matter say the device in question is between four and five inches, putting it in a sweet-spot that's larger than the iPhone 5, but not quite as daunting as a Samsung Galaxy Note II. Don't get too excited, however, sources aren't sure the if the device will go into mass production, and Microsoft is expectantly tight-lipped about the rumor. Still, we wouldn't scoff at a smartphone with a build quality to match the Surface -- though it might rub some of Redmond's hardware partners the wrong way.

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WSJ: Microsoft testing homegrown handset designs with suppliers, may not see mass production originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Nov 2012 01:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceWall Street Journal  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/02/wsj-microsoft-testing-homegrown-handset-designs-with-suppliers/

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Self Development | Birmingham Life Coach Hypnotherapist and NLP ...

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://144i.com/blog/self-development/2012/11/02/birmingham-life-coach-hypnotherapist-and-nlp-trainer-debbie-williams-new-video-website/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=birmingham-life-coach-hypnotherapist-and-nlp-trainer-debbie-williams-new-video-website

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Friday, November 2, 2012

Breast Cancer Awareness Month | HealthStatus ? How is your health?

Think pink! October is National Breast cancer awareness month, and although it is nearing the end of the month that doesn?t mean you should forget about breast cancer.

Each year nearly 250,000 women are diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and another 63,000 women will be diagnosed with CIS (carcinoma in situ), which is a non-invasive early form of breast cancer. Unfortunately nearly 40,000 women yearly succumb to the ravages of breast cancer.

Detection is the key

On the brighter side, 2.9 million breast cancer survivors are a testament to early detection being the key to survival. All women are at risk regardless of family history, and as you get older the risk becomes greater. Regular mammograms and clinical breast exams are the key to early detection.

Some types of cancers cannot be detected by the mammogram and so a clinical breast exam by your doctor is necessary, just as some forms of cancer cannot be detected by the clinical breast exam and so the mammogram is necessary. Having both of these procedures performed regularly gives the greatest chance of early detection.

How often should you get a breast exam or mammogram? Well, women over forty years of age should have the procedure performed every 1-2 years, more often if they have a history of breast cancer or a family history of breast cancer. Women under forty years of age with history of breast cancer or a family history of breast cancer should also have the examination every 1-2 years; women under forty with no history or family history of breast cancer should consult their physician to determine when to have an examination and the frequency of examination.

What to look for

While self examination is not recommended as the sole means of examination, it is advisable to perform regular self exams to become familiar with the way your breasts look and feel, this way if you notice anything out of the ordinary you can bring it to the attention of your physician. Some things to raise concern are;

Lump, hard knot or thickening inside the breast or underarm area

The breast swells, is warm, is red, or darkens

The breast changes in size of shape

The skin dimples or puckers

The nipple becomes itchy, scaly with sores or rash

The breast has a pulling in of the nipple or other parts

Sudden onset of nipple discharge

Focused pain in one part that doesn?t recede

Where to get a mammogram

Your physician can give you a clinical breast exam as well as arrange for a mammogram, but for those with no regular physician this may pose more difficult. Some places offer discounted or even free mammograms, but there are so many it is impossible to list them all here. You will need to do a little research to find a location in your area, a quick search with a popular search engine yielded several results. Merely enter ?free mammogram near (your city)? and you will see results that may assist you. Good luck and remember early detection is the key to survival.

HealthStatus

Source: http://www.healthstatus.com/health_blog/2012/11/02/breast-cancer-awareness-month/

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Sunday, October 28, 2012

NASA satellites see Sandy become a hurricane again and strong winds expand

ScienceDaily (Oct. 27, 2012) ? Sandy weakened to a Tropical Storm and strengthened back into a hurricane early on Saturday (Oct. 27), and its pressure was dropping, meaning that the storm is intensifying as it becomes an extra-tropical storm. NASA's TRMM satellite identified heavy rain falling within the system and NOAA's GOES satellites provided a picture of Sandy's massive size.

NASA's TRMM satellite identified a huge span of moderate rainfall with heaviest rains happening north and east of Sandy's center. NOAA's GOES satellite imagery clearly shows the extent of Sandy's massive cloud cover and the long line of clouds associated with the cold front that stretches from Maine to the Gulf coast.

Sandy continues to merge with a cold front and is creating a monster storm with a massive reach. The combination is expected to bring heavy rainfall and tropical-storm-force sustained winds for a couple of days to the Mid-Atlantic and northeastern U.S. beginning late Sunday. Sandy is truly the "bride of Frankenstorm" because the storm's circulation is over 2,000 miles and the wind field of tropical-storm-force winds is hundreds of miles in diameter. The Weather Channel cited a concern for power outages from Maine to Virginia as a result of this storm.

NOAA's GOES satellite clearly shows the extent of the monster merging of systems. A hybrid image of NOAA's GOES-13 and GOES-15 satellite created on Oct. 27 by the University of Wisconsin's Space Science and Engineering Center, Madison, provided a full view of the cloud cover from Hurricane Sandy interacting with the long line of clouds associated with the cold front approaching the eastern U.S. The composite image was created using SSEC's McIDAS software and NOAA's GOES imager satellite imagery.

Sandy's Effects from the Nation's Capital to the Big Apple

Washington, D.C. is in the southern end of the bullseye area of Sandy's huge center, and that target area stretches all the way to New York City. That's just the bullseye area, according to the National Hurricane Center. Because Sandy is thousands of miles wide, the storm's powerful effects will be felt all the way to Maine and include strong winds and flooding rainfall. Coastal flooding a very serious concern along the coasts especially in the vicinity of New York City and Raritan Bay, according to the Weather Channel.

Washington, D.C. and New York and all areas in between, including Philadelphia, can expect heavy rain and damaging winds over a couple of days. Because Sandy is coming from the south, the conditions will deteriorate from south to north, with Washington, D.C. feeling the worst effects first.

In the Nation's Capital, a flood watch was already posted along the D.C. and Baltimore corridor west to Frederick County, Md. and south to southern Maryland beginning Sunday night, Oct. 27 and extended through Tuesday, Oct. 30. Rainfall will depend on the speed and track of the storm, but heavy rainfall can flood rivers and streams through the rest of the week. Like the heavy rainfall, damaging winds of tropical-storm-force are expected over the same period. Tropical-storm-force winds range between 37 mph and 73 mph. In addition, coastal flooding is a serious concern because of the easterly winds pushing the ocean waters against the shoreline, and this is coupled with higher than normal tides by the current full moon.

NASA's TRMM Satellite Gets a 3-D Look at Sandy's Power

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite flew above hurricane Sandy on Friday, Oct. 26 at 1509 UTC (11:09 a.m. EDT) and gathered data on rainfall and cloud heights, revealing the power within this monster storm.

Hal Pierce of NASA's TRMM Team at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. created rainfall and 3-D imagery of the storm that revealed the rate at which rain was falling throughout the mammoth storm, and the heights of the thunderstorms within, which are a clue to the storm's power. The higher the thunderstorms that make up a tropical cyclone, the stronger the overall storm, and the heavier the rainfall in those areas of highest cloud tops.

TRMM data showed that rainfall was very heavy in some bands north of Sandy's center of circulation and that Sandy's surface center of circulation is exposed south of the main area of convection. The TRMM rainfall analysis was created using data from two instruments on TRMM: TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR).

Pierce created a 3-D view of Sandy, also using TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) data that showed that the thunderstorms north of Sandy's center of circulation reached heights of a little above 11km (~6.8 mile). Radar reflectivity values of a little over 45.8dBZ were found in these storms indicating that there were moderate to heavy rain showers in that area.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) indicated that there was significant movement of cold air over the southwest side of Sandy's circulation on Friday, as a result of the cold front moving in from the west. This is expected to speed up Sandy's change to a post-tropical low.

Where is Sandy on Saturday, Oct. 27?

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Florida East Coast from Sebastian Inlet to Saint Augustine, South Santee River to Duck including Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds, and Great Abaco and Grand Bahama Islands. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the Savannah River to South Santee Rive, the Florida east coast from north of Saint Augustine to Fernandina Beach and Bermuda.

On Sat. Oct. 27, at 8 a.m. EDT, Hurricane Sandy's maximum sustained winds were near 75 mph (120 kph). Sandy is a category one hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane wind scale, and regained hurricane strength after weakening to a tropical storm earlier in the day. Sandy was centered near latitude 28.8 north and 76.8 west. Sandy is moving north-northeast near 10 mph (17 kph) and is expected to turn northeast then north on Oct. 28, while slowing down. The center of Sandy will continue moving away from the northwestern Bahamas this morning and will move parallel to the southeast coast of the United States through the weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Storm surge is expected to be big factor as Sandy approaches the Mid-Atlantic coast. Very rough surf and high and dangerous waves are expected to be coupled with the full moon. The National Hurricane Center noted that the combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters. The water could reach the following depths above ground if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide.

Powerful Winds Have Already Expanded

As happens when any storm becomes extra-tropical, Sandy will go from a warm to cold core center and the strongest winds spread out and the storm will expand. According to the National Hurricane Center, hurricane force winds have expanded on Saturday, Oct. 27 and now extend outward up to 100 miles from the center. On Oct. 26, those hurricane-force winds were only 35 miles out from the center. Tropical-storm-force winds have also expanded over a huge area on Sat. Oct. 27 and now extend 450 miles from the center! Just a day before, those tropical storm force winds extended outward up to 275 miles (445 km). The wind field of Sandy will contine to grow in size during the next couple of days. The storm's circulation now reaches more than 2,000 miles.

NASA satellites will continue to provide forecasters at the National Hurricane Center with infrared, visible, cloud height, temperature and rainfall data as Sandy closes in on the U.S. East Coast. Updates on Sandy are available from the National Hurricane Center at: www.nhc.noaa.gov.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by NASA. The original article was written by Rob Gutro, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

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


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Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/HCy54yPixC0/121027120535.htm

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Red-letter day for IRA heirs ? Business Management Daily: Free ...

Inherit an IRA recently? Be aware of this key tax deadline. IRA beneficiaries are determined on Sept. 30 of the year following the IRA owner?s death.

Usually, heirs of inherited IRAs can withdraw funds at a leisurely pace over the course of their lifetime. However, if multiple beneficiaries are involved and one is not an individual?say, it?s a charity or a trust?all beneficiaries must empty out their accounts within five years.

Suggestion: If the nonindividual takes the full amount before the Sept. 30 deadline, the remaining beneficiaries can take withdrawals over extended periods. For instance, you can generally choose to take withdrawals over your lifetime if you prefer to allow the funds to continue to accumulate tax-deferred income for as long as possible.

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Default Tricks ? How to generate some cash online in India

Learning how to make some cash online in India required some research

In age of globalization, it is not tough to learn how to make money online in India. All successful corporations of developed states are doing their business online. Labor of India is often known as industrious and most cost-effective labor in all across the globe. For running their companies, they need most cost-effective work from around the world. It?s an amazing opportunity for all jobless workers of India to find an acceptable job in those companies. Good thing is they do not demand to work in offices ; you can work from your home. Let?s make cash online in India by joining these firms.

There are several corporations who don?t deal offline. These are firms that are having web businesses. Many workers became millionaires by working on web. Yes, a Millionaire! This is quite possible now. There are countless hundreds of techniques that would make it clear that is how to make money online in India.
How to earn money online in India : The Ways

EBay Business :

EBay is a web platform to sell and purchase all sort of products. You can earn millions with help of eBay. There are many entrepreneurs who earn thru eBay. On eBay, you simply have to provide pictures and features of products. To earn income, you can contact sellers of different products and ask for photos and features. Post these things on eBay on higher prices. You would observe that you?re going to get purchaser of your products in few seconds. Now get these products from original sellers and earn cash. Earn as much profit from online selling as much you are able to.

Web-development Agency :

If you have a degree in IT and you aren?t getting any job then it?s a perfect choice for you to make an internet web-development agency. On web, legions of people remain in search to get a pro web-developer. You can start your business on the web. Your clients will provide you necessary info and you have to make a domain for them. Do not forget to charge them as high as you can. The great majority of people who know how to make money online in India go that route.

Blog writing :

If you?re a student and you don?t have enough talents but you need to know how to make money online in India then it?s time to use your language skills. There are unlimited blogs on internet that web users read, daily. Ever thought that who is the author of these blogs? In actual fact writers are folk like you who need to make money online. Come on and use your writing abilities. Trust me ; you?d be able to make thousands of dollars in one month. This may also enhance your language abilities, vocabulary and grammar talents.

Source: http://www.defaulttricks.com/how-to-generate-some-cash-online-in-india/

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Saturday, October 27, 2012

Air Canada launches iOS 6 Passbook support for boarding passes

Air Canada launches iOS 6 Passbook support for boarding passes

Air Canada has launched Passbook support for their electronic boarding passes, and submitted an update to their App Store app that will allow for on-device Passbook generation as well.

Customers who check-in on mobile.aircanada.com, aircanada.com or at and airport kiosk and access their Electronic Boarding Pass with a supported device (iPhone or iPod touch on iOS 6) will receive the Passbook version of the Electronic Boarding Pass. The Passbook version works just like our existing Electronic Boarding Pass and will allow customers to identify themselves at airport kiosks, check-in counters, enable them to pass through security and board their flights.

Passbook is a new feature of iOS 6 that collects all tickets, coupons, gift cards, and similar vouchers, all in one place, for convenient mobile access, including notifications and live updates.

Air Canada also says they have more Passbook enhancements planned for 2013. Frankly, I hope they have better ones as well. The current version of the Air Canada app has no 16:9 support and is one of those all-too-common websites in a thin app wrapper and that's never a good user experience. (Which is still the biggest problem facing Apple's Passbook in general.)

I'm not going to hold out much hope that the Passbook updated version of the Air Canada app includes, you know, an actual native app, but the sooner large organizations learn that loading a web view into an app just isn't good enough, the better it'll be for everyone. There are tons of great development houses out there. Hire them, don't handcuff them, and let them make you great apps.

Kudos to Air Canada for the rapid integration of Passbook, relatively speaking. Now let's see them really wow us.



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/zezFPm47Jr8/story01.htm

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Toms Best Quality Remodeling Celebrates 15 Years in Home ...

Schaumburg, IL (PRWEB) October 26, 2012

Toms Greatest Quality Remodeling, a property advancement company serving Schaumburg, Illinois, and the encompassing Chicago suburban places, is celebrating its 15th year in business in 2012. The company attributes its longevity to its organization practices that continue to develop consumer pleasure.

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Toms Finest, primarily based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, owes its fifteen years in company to a quantity of aspects, like the five-calendar year warranties that the company applies toward all jobs. Toms Very best extends the guarantee not only as a dedication to the leading-notch work that its crew completes, but as a ensure to clients that Toms Best will honor that dedication and repair any problems ought to something go wrong in the potential.

In addition to providing a 5-yr guarantee for each and every undertaking, Toms Greatest also offers to consult with its clientele in the course of the design and style procedure of their renovations, free of charge of charge. This consultative method is special, given that many other contractors will charge for layout consultations or may possibly not even supply them at all. By presenting distinctive design and style providers that dont boost charges to the client, Toms Finest believes that this approach has contributed strongly to its fifteen-12 months success.

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Considering that 1997, Toms Finest has worked tough to produce gorgeous cooking area and bathroom remodels, usually with higher regard to high quality and craftsmanship. The companys knowledgeable crew members make use of their knowledge and superior technique to deliver benefits that consistently exceed customer anticipations. By striving to perform the greatest function at all instances, Toms Very best often attempts to guarantee that clients are delighted with the completed project.

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Through the years, Toms Finest has obtained numerous beneficial testimonials and accolades from clientele about their home improvement experiences. These approvals, getting come from so a lot of various clients, have assisted the business sustain a sound reputation in the enterprise. Toms Best conveys gratitude to its faithful customer foundation for spreading the term about the companys function and aiding Toms Finest keep in enterprise for fifteen years, even throughout hard economic times.

About Toms Very best Good quality Remodeling

Dependent in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, Toms Very best provides lavatory and kitchen remodeling, cellar finishing, and other house improvement services to Schaumburg, Illinois, and the encompassing Chicago suburban areas. In business because 1997, Toms Finest has fifteen a long time of knowledge as a dependable contractor support that prides alone on offering the finest good quality craftsmanship and customer pleasure.

For a lot more details, please refer to http://www.schaumburg-house-enhancement.com.




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  3. Uniway Celebrates 40 Years in Business
  4. Prepared Meals and Home Meal Delivery ?Best of the Best? Awarded to PersonalCheftoGo.com for Excellence by Follow Media Consulting, Inc.
  5. A Tip Sheet on How to Pick the Right Type of a Bathroom Sink is introduced by HomeThangs.com Home Improvement Super Store

Source: http://www.hugohosting.com/toms-best-quality-remodeling-celebrates-15-years-in-home-improvement-excellence.html

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United Nations Space Command (UNSC)

GENERAL INFORMATION

The United Nations Space Command (UNSC) is the military, exploratory, and scientific agency of the Unified Earth Government. The UNSC was formed in the 22nd century, a time when remnants of old cultural ideologies clashed for supremacy in the Sol System. The UNSC served mainly as overseer of United Nations military operations in space. After initiating massive militarization propaganda throughout its off-world colonies, through the UNSC, the UN defeated communist and fascist forces in a conflict generally known as the Interplanetary War, which consisted of several side-battles that took place on Mars, the Jovian Moons and the South American rainforests. Although the Interplanetary War brought a great deal of suffering to both the colonial population and the residents of Earth, it also united most of humanity's military forces by the end of the 22nd century.

Prior to the Covenant attack on Harvest in 2525, the UNSC was stretched across human space. The most urgent concern was to contain the spread of the Insurrectionists, colonists who wanted independence from the Unified Earth Government. The UNSC, more specifically, the UNSCDF, fought constant battles in a loosely-defined civil war known as the Insurrection. In an attempt to help end the long running war, the UEG commissioned the ORION Project (also known as SPARTAN-I project) and later the SPARTAN-II Program, which created elite super-soldiers to combat the separatists. When the Human-Covenant War began and the alien invaders began decimating the Outer Colonies, these Spartans became humanity's best hope against the technological superiority of the Empire. When the war began the UNSC, which had been mired in controversy, became humanity's greatest protector. This allowed the UNSC to override civilian rule and establish itself as humanity's primary government. Although the Unified Earth Government was more open to step down, the Colonial Administration Authority, the arm of the UEG ruling over the colonies, resisted the UNSC's rise to power, and was stripped of its influence.

By 2552 A.D., Earth was the last remaining major human bastion; and fell under attack by the Covenant forces. The Human-Covenant War finally came to an end after a UNSC and Covenant separatists force eliminated the Covenant leadership and destroyed the Flood threat.

By the time the war began, humanity, and thus the UNSC, had reached Tier 3 of the Forerunner civilization rank system. Humanity's rank continued to rise due to the capture of Covenant technology and equipment, which was studied and adapted for human needs. The very best and cutting edge of UNSC equipment was supplied to the SPARTAN-II project. Human technology was innovative, rather than reverse-engineered from Forerunner technology. This meant humanity remained flexible in their technical expertise, despite being hundreds of years behind the Covenant. One such example of ingenuity was the energy shielding technology adapted and improved for use on the MJOLNIR armor.

HISTORY

The UNSC has its roots in World War I, a conflict which led to the creation of the League of Nations. The League of Nations led to the formation of the United Nations after World War II. The UNSC itself was formed as the result of the brutal conflicts across the Solar System between 2160 and 2164, most prominently the Jovian Moons Campaign, the Rain Forest Wars, and a series of battles on Mars.

The United Nations Space Command, is actually an emergency military government formed as a result of these chaotic events. The war was fought primarily between the UN and dissident political movements, the most important of which were the "Koslovics" and the "Frieden". The Frieden movement was a fascist organization based on the Jovian Moons, though they received backing from some corporations operating in the United German Republic on Earth. Their ideological opponents, the Koslovics, formed a Marxist-Leninist group centered around the leadership of Vladimir Koslov.

The war began with an attack on United Nations colonial advisers on the moon of Io, one of the moons of Jupiter, but would spread to Mars and parts of South America in the Rain Forest Wars. These events culminated in a UN build-up in the mid to late 2160's, which would result in the UN establishing a unified military and a permanent Unified Earth Government as an ultimate power to lead the human race by 2170.

The four-year long war put the spotlight on problems facing the overpopulated planet, and the Rain Forest Wars also exacerbated issues relating to food distribution. The ensuing famine and societal problems related to the post-war population boom provided the spark to change the political nature of governance on Earth and elsewhere, leading to widespread political reform.

These pressures made space colonization seem more attractive in later centuries, as the Unified Earth Government would sign off on a colony ship program that was revealed in 2310 to ease the burden of an overpopulated Earth. This would not have been possible without the invention of the Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine in the late 2200s, which allowed the ships to travel vast distances by opening a portal to Slipstream space.

It took 52 years before the first colony ship, the Odyssey, was launched. A core ring of Inner Colonies were not fully developed until the end of the 24th century. The apex of this colonization movement would come in 2492 when more then 800 habitable worlds were inside UNSC territory, many of them targeted for human habitation. By this time, a chain of Outer Colonies was providing the UEG with valuable raw materials; the political power, however, remained with the aforementioned Inner Colonies. These differences in wealth distribution and political power, led to new threats of secession from the outer territories. Fearing the consequences of the possible breakup of their fledgling interstellar empire, while wishing to preserve as much infrastructure as possible, the Earth government would embark on the SPARTAN-I project. These soldiers were the predecessors to the SPARTAN-II program in 2491, beginning with the ORION Project.

2525 marked the most important turning point in human history. It would mark the beginning of the great technological advancement, the unification of a divided and fractured human race, and the first contact between humanity and an extra-terrestrial intelligence, the Covenant. It would also see a majority of the UNSC's colony worlds destroyed, with billions killed by orbital plasma bombardment, a technique latter known as glassing. The most important war in the history of the human race began with the First Battle of Harvest.

Stemming from the chance encounter of human and Covenant forces at Harvest, the first contact made between humanity and the Covenant involved the ship Minor Transgression, and was less peaceful than the second contact made between the two factions. A meeting between representatives of the two factions took place on the fields of Harvest, but the attempt at diplomacy soon turned into a bloodbath. The Covenant claimed the planet for the numerous "Forerunner relics" their luminaries had detected, and slaughtered most of the colony's population. The vast majority of the Covenant remained unaware that the humans they were sworn to annihilate, were in fact the very Reclaimers (mistranslated as Reclamation) their ancient texts spoke of.

On April 20, a scout ship, the CMA sent in a scout ship, the Argo, to investigate the cessation of communications between Harvest and the rest of the UEG's colonies. Before being destroyed by Covenant forces, it discovered that the planet had been incinerated, and its surface covered by fields of magma. Soon after, Battlegroup 4, consisting of the frigates CMA Arabia and Vostok and the destroyer CMA Heracles, were sent to investigate. On October 7, the battle group dropped out of Slipspace and to Harvest. In orbit around the remains of the colony world was a single alien ship which proceeded to attack the battle group, destroying them all except one. Intercepted communications identified the enemy as the Covenant, a caste-driven, theological organization made up of several alien species. The message "Your destruction is the will of the gods...and we are their instrument" was broadcast in perfect English. The war for mankind's very survival had begun.

Since the later Second Battle of Harvest in 2526, where a huge human fleet led by Vice Admiral Preston Cole barely won against a smaller Covenant force in a symbolic "victory", the UNSC' grip on their territories declined significantly. The Covenant had managed to capture the majority, if not all of the Outer Colonies, and a portion of the Inner Colonies.

By this time, the UNSC overrode the UEG, and thus the central civilian authority throughout its territory and Earth itself. Although the central government was more willing to step down given the magnitude of the crisis, the Colonial Administration Authority was far more reluctant. As a result, the UNSC stripped it of most of its power. By the middle to late stages of the war, the government of humanity could be accurately described as an "emergency military" force.

By 2552 the UNSC, outnumbered and outgunned, had nonetheless managed to slow the Covenant's inexorable progress through human space. However, the situation remained dire. In desperation, HIGHCOM ordered a high-risk op, sending the SPARTAN-II super soldiers, quite possibly the greatest soldiers ever fielded by humanity, to insert into Covenant space, capture one or more high-ranking Prophet, and return to UNSC space. With such valuable hostages, the UNSC would then attempt to ransom these leaders for a truce. Before the operation began, the Covenant found and destroyed the fortress world of Reach, killing most of the Spartans and a large portion of the UNSCDF, inadvertently stopping the operation and rendering most of the Spartans missing in action.

A single ship, the UNSC Pillar of Autumn managed to escape the planet, with two Spartans on board, Linda-058, who was presumably dead in the Fall of Reach and John-117. The ship followed coordinates derived by the AI Cortana to a ringworld known as Halo Installation 04. There John-117 destroyed a large Covenant fleet and the ringworld itself. He also encountered a parasitic lifeform known as the Flood, the species that the ring, Halo, had been built to starve. The activation of the ring would lead to the extinction of all life within three radii of the galactic center, as the Forerunners planned. John-117 destroyed the ring before it could be fired by detonating the reactors of the Pillar of Autumn. After hijacking a Covenant super-carrier known as the Ascendant Justice, the SPARTAN reunited with the survivors from Installation 04 and the destruction of Reach. This small band of soldiers attacked a force of Covenant ships in Operation: FIRST STRIKE, one of the most successful UNSC operations against the Covenant in the entire war.

By October of 2552, the Covenant had haphazardly discovered the position of the human home world, Earth, and sent a preliminary task force there, believing it to be the location of the Ark, an ancient Forerunner relic. They encountered staunch resistance, and were initially fended off. Further complications arose from the political and religious crisis that emerged in the wake of a UNSC operation to assassinate the Prophet of Regret, and the secession of the Sangheili from the hegemony, leading to the Great Schism. Overnight, the Covenant was thrown into chaos. Nevertheless, by November, the forces loyal to the Prophet of Truth had subjugated large parts of Africa and devastated much of the planet. Only the offensive lead by Commander Miranda Keyes through portal in Africa, and the arrival of the Sangheili fleet prevented the eventual destruction of the UNSC and Earth itself.

The UNSC and Covenant separatist launched a joint operation to destroy the Covenant loyalists once and for all at the Ark. Fight against 3:1 numerical superiority in space, and even greater forces garrisoned on the Ark, the allies were able to stop the installation from firing the Halo array. In addition, the Sangheili known as the Arbiter killed the Covenant's last remaining leader the Prophet of Truth, while SPARTAN John-117 lead the ground effort to destroy the Covenant's remaining forces. On March 3, 2553, the Human-Covenant War officially ended in a victory for the UNSC and the Covenant Separatists, but at a high price. Most major military outposts, along with countless colonies had been destroyed. Earth, despite the loss of billions to orbital bombardment, remained battered but standing. An estimated twenty-three billion civilians were killed between 2525 and 2553.

STRUCTURE

The United Nations Space Command is subordinate to the Unified Earth Government. The professional, controlling body of the UNSC is the UNSC High Command (HIGHCOM), headed by the UNSC Security Council. Within HIGHCOM are a number of administrative commands, including PERSCOM, the Medical Corps, the Engineering Corps, Human Resources, and Astrophysics. Legal matters such as the issuing and enforcement of protocols are handled by the UNSC Judge Advocate General's Corps. Research designed to improve the UNSC's operations is carried out by the Internal Audit office.

Also under HIGHCOM's command is the UNSC Defense Force, which handles the defense of UEG colonies. Control is exercised through regional CENTCOMs, which have responsibility over certain areas of space. The Defense Force incorporates the UNSC Army, the UNSC Navy, the UNSC Air Force, and the UNSC Marine Corps. The Navy houses the Marine Corps (including the special forces branch of the UNSC Marines known as Orbital Drop Shock Troopers), the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), and the Fleet. The Army and Air Force maintain garrisons on colony worlds. When certain rebellious factions began to rise in the late 2510s, the UNSC was forced to police its protected colonies tirelessly to keep privateers and pirates from raiding the colonies and any UNSC ships. After 2553, the Spartans became the fifth and newest branch of the UNSCDF, responsible for command of special operations undertaken by the Third and Fourth generations of augmented soldiers. The Spartans are the smallest operational component in the entire Defense Force.

The UNSC is also responsible for the overseeing and regulation of commerce throughout UEG space through the Department of Commercial Shipping. The UNSC also maintains the UNSC Symphony Orchestra and the UNSC Jazz Band as ceremonial musical units.

((Work in progress. All information gathered from Halopedia. Halo and all related content are property of Microsoft. I do not claim to own this content.))

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/URBxNZ76B8I/viewtopic.php

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Hedge-funder pays $24M for co-op in building ... - The Real Deal

Hedge-funder pays $24M for co-op in building favored by billionaires

Phillippe Laffont buys apartment at 834 Fifth, home to Rupert Murdoch, Charles Schwab

October 26, 2012 01:30PM
By Katherine Clarke

Phillippe Laffont and the exterior and interior of 834 Fifth Avenue

Billionaires, like birds of a feather, tend to stick together.

Finance bigwig Phillippe Laffont, founder of tech-focused multibillion-dollar hedge fund Coatue, has purchased a three-bedroom apartment at 834 Fifth Avenue, a Rosario Candela-designed building best known for its billionaire contingent.

Laffont paid $24 million for the 15-room spread, $1 million more than its most recent asking price of $23 million, according to public records filed today with the city. The spread was originally listed in October 2011 for $27.5 million with Ann Jeffery and Mary Rutherfurd of Brown Harris Stevens. It underwent several price cuts, first to $25 million in February and then to $23 million in May.

The deal for the duplex residence closed October 12, public records show. The seller was the estate of late concrete mogul Walter Goldstein. The former CEO of Underhill Industries died in 2008.

The building is also home to News Corporation Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch, banking giant Charles Schwab and real estate developer and philanthropist Alfred Taubman. Billionaire Robert Bass purchased an apartment there for $34 million last year.

The Brown Harris Stevens sales team was not immediately available for comment. It was not clear who represented Laffont.

Source: http://therealdeal.com/blog/2012/10/26/hedge-funder-buys-at-834-fifth-avenue/

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Friday, October 26, 2012

'Lucy,' early human ancestor, likely swung from trees

Among the earliest known relatives of humanity definitely known to walk upright was Australopithecus afarensis, the species including the famed 3.2-million-year-old 'Lucy.'

By Charles Choi,?LiveScience Contributor / October 25, 2012

To help resolve this controversy, scientists looked at two complete shoulder blades from the fossil 'Selam,' an exceptionally well-preserved skeleton of a 3-year-old A. afarensis girl dating back 3.3 million years from Dikika, Ethiopia. The arms and shoulders can yield insights on how well they performed at climbing. (Shown here, Selam's cranium, face and mandible.)

Image courtesy of Zeray Alemseged / Dikika Research Project

Enlarge

Despite the ability to walk upright, early relatives of humanity represented by the famed "Lucy" fossil likely spent much of their time in trees, remaining very active climbers, researchers say.

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Humans are unique among living primates in that walking bipedally ? on two feet ? is humans' chief mode of locomotion. This upright posture freed their hands up for using tools, one of the key factors behind humans' domination of the planet.

Among the earliest known relatives of humanity definitely known to?walk upright?was?Australopithecus afarensis, the species including the famed 3.2-million-year-old "Lucy."?Australopithecines?are the leading candidates for direct ancestors of the human lineage, living about 2.9 million to 3.8 million years ago in East Africa.

Although Lucy and her kin were no knuckle-draggers, whether they also spent much of their time in trees was hotly debated. Uncovering the answer to this question could shed light on the evolutionary forces that shaped the human lineage.

"When looking at how we became human, an important moment in our history was abandoning a lifestyle in the trees, and when that happened is a big question," researcher Zeresenay Alemseged, a paleoanthropologist at the California Academy of Sciences, told LiveScience.

To help resolve this controversy, scientists have for the first time comprehensively analyzed two complete shoulder blades from the fossil "Selam," an exceptionally well-preserved skeleton of?a 3-year-old?A. afarensis?girl?dating back 3.3 million years from Dikika, Ethiopia. The arms and shoulders can yield insights on how well they performed at climbing. [See Photos of Early Human 'Selam' Fossils]

"This study moves us a step closer toward answering the question 'When did our ancestors abandon climbing behavior?'" said Alemseged, who discovered Selam in 2000. "It appears that this happened much later than many researchers have previously suggested."

Researchers spent 11 years carefully extracting Selam's two shoulder blades from the rest of the skeleton, which was encased in a sandstone block. "Because shoulder blades are paper-thin, they rarely fossilize, and when they do, they are almost always fragmentary," Alemseged said. "So finding both shoulder blades completely intact and attached to a skeleton of a known and pivotal species was like hitting the jackpot."

The researchers found these bones had several details in common with those of modern apes, suggesting they lived part of the time in trees. For instance, the socket for the shoulder joint was pointed upward in both Selam and today's apes, a sign of an active climber. In humans, these sockets face out to the sides.

Lucy's adult shoulder sockets also faced upward, suggesting that, like modern apes, her species was?equipped for tree-climbing?throughout its life span. Humans, on the other hand, are born with a somewhat downward-facing socket that gradually moves to face outward as people mature.

"The question as to whether?Australopithecus afarensis?was strictly bipedal or if they also climbed trees has been intensely debated for more than 30 years," researcher David Green at Midwestern University in Downers Grove, Ill., said in a statement. "These remarkable fossils provide strong evidence that these individuals were still climbing at this stage inhuman evolution."

At the same time, most researchers agree that many traits of the?A. afarensis?hip bone, lower limb, and foot are unequivocally humanlike and adapted for upright walking.

"This new find confirms the pivotal place that Lucy and Selam's species occupies in human evolution," Alemseged said. "While bipedal like humans,?A. afarensis?was still a capable climber. Though not fully human,?A. afarensis?was clearly on its way."

"The skeleton of Selam is a goldmine of scientific information," Alemseged added. "We think it will continue to be so as we go further with preparation and cleaning work."

Green and Alemseged detailed their findings in the Oct. 26 issue of the journal Science.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/hfSOPdLU-OA/Lucy-early-human-ancestor-likely-swung-from-trees

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CSN video: Sandoval 'still can't believe' what he did

Public and a lot I don't even know where to start with you -- three home runs in one World Series game in the fourth Major League player to do that. Why was working for you at the plate tonight.

I'm obviously get -- you read it and it. And I think when you go on the I'll tell you you know you get patient on there and get a basic view that's sort of.

Lot of people -- born in nineteen talking about your appearance against Verlander in the all star game the fact that he kind of -- that the strike zone and he likes -- England your shoelaces and things that I. What your plan of attack for her later how did you get to him particularly.

I'm on this he's got a great command got a recommended that a lot of this stuff so you know just -- a -- in game two of the puzzle you know. And I've had to take advantage of that.

you say about your starting pitching and how they've really turned it around in the last few games. And the pitchers are getting hits two very you know helped himself out with an RBI single coming.

You know I society's just had to be very sound in the last two outings meaning little Atlantans. You know with a back piecing -- decided you know I'm very -- value is looking and you wouldn't have a -- that -- wanna play hard you know to get easily.

Last one you guys came into tonight's game with the momentum you know Detroit had almost a week off. How much keeping momentum played a factor -- kind of starting getting going again and you guys get your first game one. Victory of the post season.

Decided Saturday and I think when you when you guys -- gazing into. The last serious enough at this is one of the week behind because we get just one day -- you know. This is gonna help politically -- believe we have you know sacrifice we got the vehicles -- what we are --

Pandemonium. Trend means the world why we -- week. And I had a.

I say that you can go out there and you know they they do these that we -- there's going to be here. I'm not.

Source: http://www.csnbayarea.com/sportsnetBayArea/search/v/65268727/sandoval-i-still-can-t-believe-i-did-it.htm

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'Dirty Dancing' is the soundtrack for sex, says Spotify

Spotify

By Rosa Golijan

Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing" tends to play as folks get in the mood to ? get naughty. Any song from the "Dirty Dancing" soundtrack will make for solid background noise during sex. And?many people love to get flirty as Abba's "Dancing Queen" blares through the speakers.

At least that's what the?folks behind popular music streaming service Spotify discovered after commissioning a study of the relationship between music and seduction.

"It is no surprise that so many respondents claimed to find music arousing in the bedroom," music psychologist???yes, there is really such a thing???Dr. Daniel M?llensiefen says in a press statement provided to TODAY.com.?"From neuro-scientific research we know that music can activate the same pleasure centres of the brain that also respond to much less abstract rewards such as food, drugs, or indeed sex."

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M?llensiefen arranged for?interviews with 2,000 people between the ages of 18 and 91. (There was "an almost equal gender split" between the surveyed individuals, in case you're curious.) It was through these interviews that M?llensiefen found which songs people consider "better than sex," which tunes people put on to "get in the mood," which songs are most played during sex, and more.

"The fact that Dirty Dancing has come top on the list of the best tracks to play during sex for both men and women is due to the fact that most people have a good knowledge of songs that represent romance and these tend to be from cultural references such as film," M?llensiefen explained.?"People use this music to not only communicate their intentions in a romantic situation but to directly alter the mood during an encounter."???

More than 40 percent of people taking part in the survey "felt that the music listened to during sex was more likely to turn them on than the touch or feel of their partner," according to a report compiled at the conclusion of the study.

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So which songs work best? According to the study, tracks from the iconic soundtrack for classic 80s flick "Dirty Dancing" do the trick for most folks during sex.?Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing" takes second place when it comes to songs played during naughty activities (but first on the list of tunes that get folks "in the mood.")

And on top of that,?M?llensiefen points out, "men are more likely than women to change their music tastes and listening habits in order to ensure greater success in the bedroom ? which explains the popularity of Dirty Dancing for both sexes."

Spotify

What about folks who are a bit on the lonely side though? "If you don?t have a partner," says Angela Watts, Spotify's vice president of global communications, "we can highly recommend Queen?s Bohemian Rhapsody, which is officially 'better than sex!'"

If you fancy checking out the individual playlists created based on the study results, here are some handy-dandy Spotify links:?

Want more?tech news or interesting?links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on?Twitter, subscribing to her?Facebook?posts,?or circling her?on?Google+.

Source: http://digitallife.today.com/_news/2012/10/24/14670917-dirty-dancing-is-the-soundtrack-for-sex-says-spotify?lite

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Friday, Oct. 26, 2012: Freedom of religion, free ... - Bangor Daily News

Freedom and religion

A recent letter writer (? Republican Party platform,? BDN, 10/1) chastised Republicans for ?reasserting? the principle that ?freedom of religion? does not mean ?freedom from religion? and delivers a speculative parade of horrors. The writer seeks clarification.

As a professor of constitutional law for 25 years at the University of California, I know something about this subject. ?Freedom from religion? is another way of saying that governments may not aid or acknowledge religion in any way. The logical end of this position is absurd: If a synagogue catches fire, the fire department can?t respond. Less extreme results would include excision of ?So help me God? from the end of the traditional presidential oath of office or denial of tax exemptions to churches.

Freedom of religion means that the people are free to believe as they wish without state compulsion to the contrary and that the state may acknowledge their beliefs by, for example, making Christmas a holiday. Extreme secularists, such as the letter writer and, apparently, the Democratic Party, which begrudgingly admitted the possibility of a God (over the vociferous objections of many of the party?s convention delegates), would require a stern, perhaps Calvinist, rejection of any religious belief in the public square. That?s not what the founding generation had in mind.

Calvin Massey

Deer Isle

A remarkable community

We at Treworgy Family Orchards want to thank our customers on both sides of Question 1 who have treated us with respect after the unfolding of events on our Facebook page (? Treworgy family farmers take down ?No on 1? sign after Facebook flap,? BDN, 10/22). To those who have been less than respectful, we bear no hard feelings.

Our farm?s mission is to be loving and welcoming to all our guests. Some of our guests expressed that they felt unwelcome and hurt by our sign. We decided to remove our ?No on 1? sign because we wanted to demonstrate that we can maintain our convictions, while showing love and respect for those who disagree with us.

Many people have suggested that it was unwise for us to bring our personal convictions into our business. We do not separate our personal lives from our business. Our farm is an extension of who we are, and when we welcome people to our farm we welcome them to our home.

We are grateful to be a part of this remarkable community that values real relationships more than political positions.

Gary Treworgy

Levant

It?s only fair

There being too much money in politics and not enough to balance our federal budget may seem like two different problems, but they?re actually related.

Both are a result of immensely wealthy individuals and huge multinational corporations gaining too much power in our society. But there are steps the middle class can take to regain control of our democracy.

Maine, of course, has already gone a long way toward draining ?big money? out of politics with its Clean Elections system. Stellar state Senate candidates such as Geoff Gratwick of Bangor and David White of Bar Harbor, both Democrats, have as a result emerged. Now if Congress would get about overturning the awful Citizens United Supreme Court decision, which opened the door for billionaire kingmakers, we could demand some accountability from the supposedly independent committees that plague our elections with endless attack ads.

By the same token, Congress could get a start on reducing our national debt by asking a little more from those with the most to give. Tax cuts should be allowed to expire on the 2 percent of American households with annual income over a quarter million dollars (while extending middle-income cuts). This would bring in hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade for deficit reduction and strengthen middle-class programs such as Medicare.

U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe should help forge a bipartisan budget deal now that includes such slightly higher taxes on the rich. Let?s get the money out of politics and do some good for our national finances. It?s only fair.

Phil Bailey

Hancock

Safe streets

Once again, Renee Ordway was right on target in her recent column about not feeling safe in certain areas local to Bangor and Brewer ( ?Bangor drug problem makes residents feel like ?hostages? in their own homes,? BDN, 10/6).

Neither do I. I live in Brewer and am in my mid 60s. I no longer walk the streets of our local cities and feel totally safe. She was right about people coming up to you who you don?t know. Some look and act intimidating, like they want to start something. I carry a 9mm pistol most of the time these days, sometimes concealed, sometimes not. I also carry a mace gun. The last thing I want to do is actually have to shoot someone, so I have options. Of course I?ll always try to walk away, but sometimes that is not a safe alternative.

The police do a great job but can?t be everywhere. The average arrival time can be up to six minutes. Sometimes we have to do what we need to do to protect ourselves, loved ones and, yes, even strangers.

David Winslow

Brewer

Elections have consequences

Two years ago residents of Bangor and Hermon chose Republican Nichi Farnham to represent us in the Maine Senate. Now her first term is drawing to a close. It would be wise to review her work.

Farnham is a likable person and has worked for what she feels is the best interests of her community. Recently in the BDN, Farnham touted some of her accomplishments. Much was left unsaid, however.

Farnham failed to mention that she helped spearhead the attempt to end same-day voter registration. She also failed to mention her support of Maine?s new insurance overhaul bill that has increased rates for older Mainers.

She opposed issues important to women, earning a 33 percent rating from the Maine Women?s Lobby for the second session of the 125th Legislature. She opposed the right of child care workers to collectively bargain, sought to put unnecessary restrictions on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs and supported restrictions on unemployment benefits.

When faced with the choice of supporting her Republican colleagues? budget or standing up for the greater Bangor community, she voted along party lines, even when it meant cutting programs.

Farnham has supported policies that make it harder to live and work in Maine. I urge residents to send Democrat Geoff Gratwick to the Senate to help reverse the harmful policies that have come from the LePage administration and senators such as Farnham.

Mike Dunn

Former state representative

Bangor

Source: http://bangordailynews.com/2012/10/25/opinion/friday-oct-26-2012-freedom-of-religion-free-speech-and-safety/

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