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Sunday, February 24, 2013

Investors face another Washington deadline

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors face another Washington-imposed deadline on government spending cuts next week, but it's not generating the same level of fear as two months ago when the "fiscal cliff" loomed large.

Investors in sectors most likely to be affected by the cuts, like defense, seem untroubled that the budget talks could send stocks tumbling.

Talks on the U.S. budget crisis began again this week leading up to the March 1 deadline for the so-called sequestration when $85 billion in automatic federal spending cuts are scheduled to take effect.

"It's at this point a political hot button in Washington but a very low level investor concern," said Fred Dickson, chief market strategist at D.A. Davidson & Co. in Lake Oswego, Oregon. The fight pits President Barack Obama and fellow Democrats against congressional Republicans.

Stocks rallied in early January after a compromise temporarily avoided the fiscal cliff, and the Standard & Poor's 500 index <.spx> has risen 6.3 percent since the start of the year.

But the benchmark index lost steam this week, posting its first week of losses since the start of the year. Minutes on Wednesday from the last Federal Reserve meeting, which suggested the central bank may slow or stop its stimulus policy sooner than expected, provided the catalyst.

National elections in Italy on Sunday and Monday could also add to investor concern. Most investors expect a government headed by Pier Luigi Bersani to win and continue with reforms to tackle Italy's debt problems. However, a resurgence by former leader Silvio Berlusconi has raised doubts.

"Europe has been in the last six months less of a topic for the stock market, but the problems haven't gone away. This may bring back investor attention to that," said Kim Forrest, senior equity research analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group in Pittsburgh.

OPTIONS BULLS TARGET GAINS

The spending cuts, if they go ahead, could hit the defense industry particularly hard.

Yet in the options market, bulls were targeting gains in Lockheed Martin Corp , the Pentagon's biggest supplier.

Calls on the stock far outpaced puts, suggesting that many investors anticipate the stock to move higher. Overall options volume on the stock was 2.8 times the daily average with 17,000 calls and 3,360 puts traded, according to options analytics firm Trade Alert.

"The upside call buying in Lockheed solidifies the idea that option investors are not pricing in a lot of downside risk in most defense stocks from the likely impact of sequestration," said Jared Woodard, a founder of research and advisory firm condoroptions.com in Forest, Virginia.

The stock ended up 0.6 percent at $88.12 on Friday.

If lawmakers fail to reach an agreement on reducing the U.S. budget deficit in the next few days, a sequester would include significant cuts in defense spending. Companies such as General Dynamics Corp and Smith & Wesson Holding Corp could be affected.

General Dynamics Corp shares rose 1.2 percent to $67.32 and Smith & Wesson added 4.6 percent to $9.18 on Friday.

EYES ON GDP DATA, APPLE

The latest data on fourth-quarter U.S. gross domestic product is expected on Thursday, and some analysts predict an upward revision following trade data that showed America's deficit shrank in December to its narrowest in nearly three years.

U.S. GDP unexpectedly contracted in the fourth quarter, according to an earlier government estimate, but analysts said there was no reason for panic, given that consumer spending and business investment picked up.

Investors will be looking for any hints of changes in the Fed's policy of monetary easing when Fed Chairman Ben Bernake speaks before congressional committees on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Shares of Apple will be watched closely next week when the company's annual stockholders' meeting is held.

On Friday, a U.S. judge handed outspoken hedge fund manager David Einhorn a victory in his battle with the iPhone maker, blocking the company from moving forward with a shareholder vote on a controversial proposal to limit the company's ability to issue preferred stock.

(Additional reporting by Doris Frankel; Editing by Kenneth Barry)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/investors-face-another-washington-deadline-023511356--finance.html

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Zendesk Hack Hits Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr Users

Twitter, Pinterest, and Tumblr have all warned users that some of their personal data might have been compromised following a security breach at customer service software provider Zendesk.

Zendesk disclosed the security breach on its blog Thursday evening, noting that a hacker broke into its system this week, and gained access to the support information of three major customers. The company believes the hacker downloaded the email addresses of Tumblr, Twitter, and Pinterest customers who attempted to get support from the companies.

All three companies promptly notified users of the data breach. Twitter said the incident affected a "small percentage" of users.

"Zendesk's breach did not result in the exposure of information such as Twitter account passwords," Twitter wrote in a message to affected users, according to Wired. "It may, however, have included contact information you provided when submitting a support request such as an email, phone number, or Twitter username."

Pinterest and Tumblr sent similar messages. The companies advised affected users to be cautious of any unexpected emails they receive.

"Don't share your password," Pinterest warned. "We will never send you an email asking for your password. If you get an email like this, please let us know right away.

Upon discovering the attack, Zendesk patched the vulnerability, closing the hackers' access to its system, the company said. Zendesk has also taken steps to improve the security of its systems to ensure a similar incident does not recur.

"We are also completely committed to working with authorities to bring anyone involved to justice and make certain we fully understand what happened," Zendesk said.

Though it does not appear that any passwords were taken, the hack could still have serious ramifications, Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at anti-virus firm Sophos, wrote in a blog post Friday.

"For instance, the hackers who have stolen the email addresses could now craft malicious emails to the email addresses of Twitter, Pinterest, and Tumblr users and try to trick them into clicking on dangerous links or attachments," Cluley wrote. Affected users should be cautious about opening any attachments in unsolicited emails or clicking on embedded links.

Source: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2415744,00.asp?kc=PCRSS05079TX1K0000992

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Saturday, February 16, 2013

Swedish photographer wins World Press Photo award

In this photo provided on Friday Feb. 15, 2013 by World Press Photo, the 2013 World Press Photo of the year by Paul Hansen, Sweden, for Dagens Nyheter, shows two-year-old Suhaib Hijazi and her three-year-old brother Muhammad who were killed when their house was destroyed by an Israeli missile strike. Their father, Fouad, was also killed and their mother was put in intensive care. Fouad?s brothers carry his children to the mosque for the burial ceremony as his body is carried behind on a stretcher in Gaza City, Palestinian Territories, Nov. 20, 2012. (AP Photo/Paul Hansen, Dagens Nyheter)

In this photo provided on Friday Feb. 15, 2013 by World Press Photo, the 1st prize General News Single by Rodrigo Abd, Argentina, for The Associated Press, Aida cries while recovering from severe injuries she received when her house was shelled by the Syrian Army. Her husband and two children were fatally wounded during the shelling in Idib, north Syria, March 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

In this photo provided on Friday Feb. 15, 2013 by World Press Photo, the 1st prize Sports ? Sports Action Single by Wei Seng Chen, Malaysia, a jockey, his feet stepped into a harness strapped to the bulls and clutching their tails, shows relief and joy at the end of a dangerous run across rice fields. The Pacu Jawi (bull race) is a popular competition at the end of harvest season keenly contested between villages in Batu Sangkar, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Feb. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Wei Seng Chen)

In this photo provided on Friday Feb. 15, 2013 by World Press Photo, the 2nd prize Spot News Single by Emin Ozmen, Turkey, shows opposition fighters regularly launched operations to seize government informants after dark. Two informants were captured, declared guilty under interrogation, and tortured throughout the night; tired soldiers had to be replaced so the torture could continue. After 48 hours, the captives were released in Aleppo, Syria, July 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Emin Ozmen)

In this photo provided on Friday Feb. 15, 2013 by World Press Photo, the 2nd prize Spot News Stories by Fabio Bucciarelli, Italy, for Agence France-Presse, a Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighter takes position during the clashes against Syrian government forces in Sulemain Halabi district in Aleppo, Syria, Oct. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Fabio Bucciarelli, Agence France-Presse)

AMSTERDAM (AP) ? Swedish photographer Paul Hansen won the 2012 World Press Photo award Friday for newspaper Dagens Nyheter with a picture of two Palestinian children killed in an Israeli missile strike being carried to their funeral.

The picture shows a group of men marching the dead bodies through a narrow street in Gaza City. The victims, a brother and sister, are wrapped in white cloth with only their faces showing.

"The strength of the pictures lies in the way it contrasts the anger and sorrow of the adults with the innocence of the children," said jury member Mayu Mohanna of Peru. "It's a picture I will not forget."

World Press Photo, one of photojournalism's most prestigious contests, issued awards in nine categories to 54 photographers of 32 nationalities.

Hansen's Nov. 20 shot won top prize in both the spot news single photograph category and the overall competition. It portrays 2-year-old Suhaib Hijazi and her 3-year-old brother Muhammad, who were killed when their house was destroyed by the Israeli attack. They are being carried by grieving uncles, as their father Fouad was also killed, and his body can be seen in the background of the picture.

The children's mother, whose name was not provided, was in intensive care.

"This prize is the highest honor you can get in the profession," Hansen told The Associated Press. "I'm very happy, but also very sad. The family lost two children and the mother is unconscious in a hospital."

"These situations are so visually complex," he added. "It's difficult to convey the emotions, to translate what is happening. The light is harsh and there are a lot of people.

"But in the alley the light bounced off the walls, so I thought this is a place where you can see that it's a procession. ... You get the depth in the image, and the bouncing light."

Violence in the Middle East, and its effect upon civilians, was the dominant theme in the hard news categories.

The Associated Press won seven awards in all, including top prizes for a spot news series for Bernat Armangue of Spain for photos he took in Gaza during November; and for Rodrigo Abd of Argentina for general news single photograph, with a picture of a woman with a bloodstained face weeping in Idib, Syria, on March 10.

She was identified as Aida, and her photo of silent grief is in some ways a reverse image of Hansen's winning shot. She received severe injuries when her house was shelled by the Syrian Army, killing her husband and two children.

In other categories, Wei Seng Chen of Malaysia won in the sports singles category with a shot of what might be considered a local "extreme sport": a man clutching the tails of two bulls as they pull him through a watery rice field in Batu Sangkar, Indonesia.

The competition also includes portrait series, scenes from everyday life, and nature photography, among others.

The contest drew entries from professional press photographers, photojournalists and documentary photographers across the world. In all, 103,481 images were submitted by 5,666 photographers from 124 countries.

The photos were submitted anonymously to a panel of 19 jury members, chaired by AP Director of Photography Santiago Lyon, and judged in multiple rounds.

The winners were all "stellar examples of first-rate photojournalism," Lyon said.

Other judges came from Germany, Iraq, Peru, France, Sweden, China, Britain, Spain, Azerbaijan, South Africa, The Netherlands, Switzerland and the U.S.

Hansen will receive a ?10,000 prize at ceremonies and the opening of the year's exhibition April 25-27 in Amsterdam.

___

Karl Ritter in Stockholm, Sweden, contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-02-15-Netherlands-World%20Press%20Photo/id-9ea3bf0158f148708cc089719c36c897

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The Humane Society of the United States Announces New State ...

February?15,?2013

The Humane Society of the United States has named Erin Huang as the new state director for Indiana. Huang served for nearly five years as a deputy prosecuting attorney in Marion County, Ind., where she spent much of that time prosecuting animal cruelty cases. She has led trainings, seminars and outreach about Indiana animal cruelty laws for shelter workers, law enforcement officials, attorneys and residents.

?I am so happy to join an organization that has been working to protect animals for more than 50 years.?It is wonderful to go to work every day knowing you get to be a part of such a compassionate cause,? Huang said.? ?During my time as a deputy prosecuting attorney, I saw some of the most horrific instances of animal abuse and neglect. As state director for Indiana for The Humane Society of the United States, I will work to help strengthen Indiana?s animal protection laws to include safeguards for?all?animals.?

Huang will lead The HSUS? animal welfare efforts throughout Indiana, working to build statewide support for animal protection and disaster preparedness. She will also assist animal shelters and law enforcement agencies. Huang will work closely with Anne Sterling, The HSUS? Midwest Regional Director, who is also based in Indiana.

While in law school, Huang co-founded a chapter of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund.? She also works on behalf of animal law issues as a member of the Indiana State Bar Association.

Media Contact:? Rebecca Basu: 301-258-3152,?rbasu@humanesociety.org???????????? ??????????????????????

Source: http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2013/02/indiana-state-director-021513.html

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Income Tax Ban Clears Senate | Humphrey on the Hill | knoxnews.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Senate voted Thursday to place proposed constitutional amendments to ban a state income tax before Tennessee voters.

The chamber approved the measure on a 26-4 vote, and if the House concurs, it would be placed on the ballot in next year's general election.

The political fallout from failed efforts to impose a state income tax more than a decade ago has already made renewed efforts exceedingly unlikely. But Republican Sen. Brian Kelsey of Germantown said his proposal is aimed at eliminating any uncertainty about the measure in the future.

Sen. Douglas Henry of Nashville, one of the four Democrats to vote against the measure, likened himself to "the skunk at the garden party" for raising concerns that the proposal would also eliminate the possibility of payroll taxes on employers.

"If you're going to rule out an income tax, you should not rule out the payroll tax, because we may very well need it some time," Henry said.

He stressed that he has long opposed the income tax, including during his time as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, when three governors unsuccessfully sought his support for changing Tennessee's sales tax-based system.

But the state's fiscal situation could become difficult with the payroll tax option off the table, he said.

The final serious attempt to enact a state income tax occurred in 2002, when former Republican Gov. Don Sundquist and Democratic leadership in the Legislature sought to overhaul the state's tax system.

The proposals led to talk radio-fueled protests at the Capitol and included a brick being thrown through the window of the governor's office. The measure ultimately failed, and several supporters ultimately decided against running again or were defeated as part of a public backlash.

Democrats have since lost control of both chambers of the General Assembly.

Kelsey is also the sponsor of a constitutional amendment to give the lawmakers the power to confirm or deny the governor's appointments to the state Supreme Court. A scheduled vote was put off for a week on the request of Sen. Ophelia Ford, D-Memphis.

Posted by Tom Humphrey on February 15, 2013 at 9:46 AM |

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Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Clues to chromosome crossovers

Public release date: 13-Feb-2013
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Contact: Andy Fell
ahfell@ucdavis.edu
530-752-4533
University of California - Davis

Neil Hunter's laboratory in the UC Davis College of Biological Sciences has placed another piece in the puzzle of how sexual reproduction shuffles genes while making sure sperm and eggs get the right number of chromosomes.

The basis of sexual reproduction is that a fertilized egg gets half its chromosomes from each parent sperm and eggs each contributing one partner in each pair of chromosomes. We humans have 23 pairs of 46 chromosomes: so our sperm or eggs have 23 chromosomes each.

Before we get to the sex part, though, those sperm and eggs have to be formed from regular body cells that contain twice as many chromosomes. That happens through a specialized type of cell division, meiosis.

During meiosis, the couples in each pair of chromosomes have to, well, couple by "crossing over" with each other. Each chromosome pair must become connected by at least one crossover so that when the couples separate, they are delivered to separate sperm or egg cells.

These crossovers also mean that chromosomes can exchange chunks of DNA with each other, shuffling the genetic deck for the next generation. But if too few crossovers are formed, gametes end up with the wrong number for chromosomes, a situation that can cause infertility, pregnancy miscarriage or chromosomal diseases such as Down Syndrome.

Large-scale studies of human genetics have shown that the number of crossovers formed during meiosis is under genetic control. Moreover, women that make more crossovers tend to have more children. One gene suggested to control crossover numbers in humans, called Rnf212, is the subject of a new study by UC Davis researchers lead by Professor Neil Hunter.

Hunter studies how crossovers form and chromosomes separate at the UC Davis Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics and the Comprehensive Cancer Center. In 2009, he was awarded an early career fellowship from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Chromosome pairs entwined during meiosis. Green spots show the location of RNF212. (Neil Hunter/UC Davis)The latest paper from Hunter's lab, published Feb. 10 in Nature Genetics, shows that Rnf212 is essential for crossing-over in mammalian cells. Crossovers form by a process called homologous recombination, in which chromosomes are first broken and then repaired by coupling with a matching template chromosome. Although hundreds of recombination events are started in each cell, only one or two crossovers will form between any given pair of chromosomes.

"There isn't a special, predetermined site for a crossover. It can occur just about anywhere along a chromosome. But there has to be at least one and there always is," Hunter said.

In a series of experiments in mouse cells, graduate student April Reynolds, Hunter and colleagues found that the RNF212 protein defines where crossovers will occur by binding to just one or two recombination sites per chromosome where it triggers the accumulation of the protein machinery that actually carries out the cutting and splicing of DNA.

Mice that lacked the gene for RNF212 were sterile. Mice that had one working copy of the gene were fertile, but on careful examination there were fewer crossovers formed while sperm and eggs were being made than in normal mice, potentially reducing fertility. It's possible that this might be tied to some causes of infertility in humans.

It remains unclear how each pair of chromosomes always manages to crossover at least once. But Hunter says he is, "convinced that RNF212 holds the key to understanding this unique problem in chromosome biology."

###

The full author list of the paper is: April Reynolds, Huanyu Qiao, Ye Yang, Jefferson Chen, Neil Jackson, and Kajal Biswas, all in Hunter's laboratory at UC Davis; J Kim Holloway, Cornell University; Frdric Baudat and Bernard de Massy, Centre National de Recherche Scientifique, Montpellier, France; Jeremy Wang, University of Pennsylvania; Christer Hg, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Paula Cohen, Cornell University; & Neil Hunter.

The work was supported by NIH and HHMI.

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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.

Clues to chromosome crossovers Public release date: 13-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Andy Fell
ahfell@ucdavis.edu
530-752-4533
University of California - Davis

Neil Hunter's laboratory in the UC Davis College of Biological Sciences has placed another piece in the puzzle of how sexual reproduction shuffles genes while making sure sperm and eggs get the right number of chromosomes.

The basis of sexual reproduction is that a fertilized egg gets half its chromosomes from each parent sperm and eggs each contributing one partner in each pair of chromosomes. We humans have 23 pairs of 46 chromosomes: so our sperm or eggs have 23 chromosomes each.

Before we get to the sex part, though, those sperm and eggs have to be formed from regular body cells that contain twice as many chromosomes. That happens through a specialized type of cell division, meiosis.

During meiosis, the couples in each pair of chromosomes have to, well, couple by "crossing over" with each other. Each chromosome pair must become connected by at least one crossover so that when the couples separate, they are delivered to separate sperm or egg cells.

These crossovers also mean that chromosomes can exchange chunks of DNA with each other, shuffling the genetic deck for the next generation. But if too few crossovers are formed, gametes end up with the wrong number for chromosomes, a situation that can cause infertility, pregnancy miscarriage or chromosomal diseases such as Down Syndrome.

Large-scale studies of human genetics have shown that the number of crossovers formed during meiosis is under genetic control. Moreover, women that make more crossovers tend to have more children. One gene suggested to control crossover numbers in humans, called Rnf212, is the subject of a new study by UC Davis researchers lead by Professor Neil Hunter.

Hunter studies how crossovers form and chromosomes separate at the UC Davis Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics and the Comprehensive Cancer Center. In 2009, he was awarded an early career fellowship from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Chromosome pairs entwined during meiosis. Green spots show the location of RNF212. (Neil Hunter/UC Davis)The latest paper from Hunter's lab, published Feb. 10 in Nature Genetics, shows that Rnf212 is essential for crossing-over in mammalian cells. Crossovers form by a process called homologous recombination, in which chromosomes are first broken and then repaired by coupling with a matching template chromosome. Although hundreds of recombination events are started in each cell, only one or two crossovers will form between any given pair of chromosomes.

"There isn't a special, predetermined site for a crossover. It can occur just about anywhere along a chromosome. But there has to be at least one and there always is," Hunter said.

In a series of experiments in mouse cells, graduate student April Reynolds, Hunter and colleagues found that the RNF212 protein defines where crossovers will occur by binding to just one or two recombination sites per chromosome where it triggers the accumulation of the protein machinery that actually carries out the cutting and splicing of DNA.

Mice that lacked the gene for RNF212 were sterile. Mice that had one working copy of the gene were fertile, but on careful examination there were fewer crossovers formed while sperm and eggs were being made than in normal mice, potentially reducing fertility. It's possible that this might be tied to some causes of infertility in humans.

It remains unclear how each pair of chromosomes always manages to crossover at least once. But Hunter says he is, "convinced that RNF212 holds the key to understanding this unique problem in chromosome biology."

###

The full author list of the paper is: April Reynolds, Huanyu Qiao, Ye Yang, Jefferson Chen, Neil Jackson, and Kajal Biswas, all in Hunter's laboratory at UC Davis; J Kim Holloway, Cornell University; Frdric Baudat and Bernard de Massy, Centre National de Recherche Scientifique, Montpellier, France; Jeremy Wang, University of Pennsylvania; Christer Hg, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Paula Cohen, Cornell University; & Neil Hunter.

The work was supported by NIH and HHMI.

[ | E-mail | 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.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/uoc--ctc021313.php
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Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Motorola Atrix HD tops user satisfaction poll, 4 of top 5 devices run Android

Use satisfaction

In a recent device satisfaction survey, OnDevice Research asked 320,000 smart phone users in the US, UK, France, Germany, Japan and Indonesia how satisfied they were with their current device. Of the 93,825 users asked in the United States, the Motorola Atrix HD came out on top -- followed (in order) by the RAZR M, the HTC Rezound, the Note 2, and finally the iPhone 5.

These results are a bit surprising. I spent some time with the Atrix HD and loved it, but would never have expected it to top phones like the Note 2 or iPhone 5, which have a huge following. I'm not suggesting the survey is flawed. I'm suggesting that we're now at a point where most smart phones offer the same compelling features, and price can play an important factor in how happy we are with the phone in our hands.

You can easily join in the speculation with me. Hit the source link and have a read, then try to make sense of it all in the comments.

Source: On Device Research

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/6kQGZGJMDBk/story01.htm

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A state-by-state look at the Northeast snowstorm

A look at effects in states and provinces in the path of the massive storm that swept across the Northeast U.S. and southern Canada:

___

CONNECTICUT

The storm dumped at as much as 3 feet of snow on Connecticut, paralyzing much of the state. President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency for the state, allowing federal aid to be used in recovery.

Five deaths apparently were weather related, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said, including a 73-year-old man who died when he fell while cleaning up in Danbury. The National Guard was brought in to help clear snow in New Haven, which got 34 inches. Snow totals were 32 inches in Manchester and 20 inches in Danbury.

The governor ordered all roads closed for nearly a day, and even emergency responders got stuck on highways. About 38,000 homes and businesses were without power at the storm's peak.

___

MAINE

Portland set a record snowfall reading of 31.9 inches, the National Weather Service said, and blowing snow reduced visibility on the coast. The weather contributed to a fatal crash.

Vehicles, including state police cruisers, were stuck in the deep snow, state police said, warning that stranded drivers should expect long waits for tow trucks. About 12,000 homes and businesses lost power.

___

MASSACHUSETTS

Boston was blanketed in up to 2 feet of snow, falling short of the city's record of 27.6 inches set in 2003. In some communities just outside the city, totals were higher, including 30 inches in both Quincy and Framingham. Hardest hit were the South Shore and Cape Cod, but there were no serious injuries due to flooding, the governor said.

An 11-year-old boy died of carbon monoxide poisoning after being overcome as he sat in a running car to keep warm, while his father was shoveling snow to get the car out of a snow bank in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood. A Boston man believed to be in his 20s also died of carbon monoxide poisoning in a running, snowed-in car. Also, a longtime member of the Worcester Fire Department suffered a heart attack after shoveling snow at his Webster home Saturday and died at a hospital.

Public transit in the city was suspended, and authorities hoped to have trains and buses running in time for Monday morning's commute. Logan Airport was closed until late Saturday.

More than 400,000 customers lost power in the state, and some were warned to expect to be without it for days. Many areas were too dangerous to send in crews, utility NStar said. Crews whittled the total down by more than 180,000 by Sunday, after about 1,000 people spent the night in emergency shelters.

The state enforced its first travel ban on roads since the Blizzard of '78, a ferocious storm that dropped 27 inches of snow, packed hurricane-force winds and claimed dozens of lives.

___

NEW HAMPSHIRE

The capital of Concord saw its second-highest snow total on record, 24 inches. Both Seabrook and East Hampstead saw 26 inches of snow. There were only a few hundred power failures statewide.

Saturday morning's high tide sent waves crashing into closed roads along the seacoast, local police said, but there were no reports of significant damage.

___

NEW JERSEY

The state was spared the worst of the storm, and the highest snowfalls were spread across northern New Jersey, where River Vale got 15 inches, the National Weather Service reported.

Bus and train service that was briefly suspended, and Newark Liberty Airport was closed Friday night. Flooding, seen on a massive scale during Superstorm Sandy, did not appear to cause major problems.

Officials say just a few thousand customers lost power during the storm, and nearly all had their service restored by early Saturday afternoon.

___

NEW YORK

Police had to use snowmobiles to reach ambulances, fire trucks, police vehicles, some snowplow trucks and passenger vehicles stranded overnight on the Long Island Expressway. About 10,000 homes and businesses lost power on Long Island, which saw as much as 2? feet of snow.

About a foot of snow fell on New York City, which was "in great shape," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. The Staten Island neighborhoods hit hardest by Superstorm Sandy dodged another round of flooding.

Airports reopened Saturday. Amtrak said trains between New York and Boston were suspended Saturday but some trains would run Sunday.

Three deaths in the state were blamed on the storm. A 23-year-old man plowing his driveway with a farm tractor went off the edge of the road and was killed in Columbia County, police said. A 74-year-old was fatally struck by a car in Poughkeepsie; the driver said she lost control in the snowy conditions, police said. And a 58-year-old man apparently suffered a medical problem while removing snow from his car at a senior citizens' apartment complex in Selden on Long Island.

___

RHODE ISLAND

Residents were urged to stay off the roads to allow crews to clear up to 2 feet of snow. About 180,000 homes and businesses lost power, and utilities warned it could be out for days.

At T.F. Green Airport, outbound flights were to resume Sunday afternoon. Public transit service scheduled to resume Monday.

___

VERMONT

Wind, not snow or tides, was the issue in Vermont. Ferry service between Charlotte, Vt., and Essex, N.Y., was closed Saturday because of the gusts. Parts of the state saw 10 inches of snow.

___

Sources: State and local authorities; AP reporting

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/state-state-look-northeast-snowstorm-205620881.html

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'Multiple murderer': $1 million reward offered for ex-cop

By Sharon Bernstein, NBCLosAngeles.com

Updated at 3:02 a.m. ET: Authorities in Los Angeles have offered a $1 million reward for information leading to the capture of a fired LA police officer sought in connection with a series of killings and threats against his former colleagues and their families.

The reward was announced even as investigators continued to comb the snowy mountains around Big Bear Lake, where Christopher Dorner's burned out truck was found on Feb. 7, and hundreds of officers patrolled the neighborhoods where people live who were threatened by Dorner in an online screed.?

Every day that Dorner is loose, said LAPD Chief Charlie Beck, is another day when the likelihood of an attack on police officers or their families increases.

"We are asking the public, 'Please help us to protect you,' " Beck said at a news conference. "Please help us to find Dorner before he is able to kill again."

Dorner is wanted in the slayings of three people and the ambush-style shooting of two others, all part of a revenge-style rampage that began last Sunday, when he allegedly shot the daughter of a police union lawyer and her fianc? in an Irvine parking garage.

The heart of the search continued to be the San Bernardino mountains where Dorner was last seen, Beck said on Sunday. Officers will also look for him near where some 50 LAPD families live who were threatened by the former policeman.

"You fish where the fish are," Beck said. "And Mr. Dorner has made his intentions very clear."

Timeline: Revenge-Plot Slayings | Read: Full Manifesto | Map: Search Locations

Police locked down a home improvement store in the San Fernando Valley, more than a hundred miles away from Big Bear, after receiving a tip that someone resembling Dorner was seen in the store. Authorities searched car-to-car and cordoned off neighborhoods in Northridge, but the move was seen as mostly precautionary.

Also on Sunday, the Riverside Police Department released the name of one of Dorner's victims. Michael Crain, 34, was ambushed by a man police believe was Dorner on April 7, as he sat with his partner at a stoplight in his patrol car.

New surveillance video captures fugitive ex-cop Christopher Dorner the morning after his first two murders, NBC's Miguel Almaguer reports.

Crain, who was born in Anaheim, was an 11-year veteran of the Riverside police force. He leaves behind a wife and two small children.

A second reward, worth $100,000, could also be on the way, a spokesman for Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich said Sunday.

Tony Bell said that Antonovich and fellow supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas planned to ask colleagues on the Board of Supervisors to approve that reward for information leading to Dorner's capture at their meeting on Tuesday.

News of the rewards came as the LAPD announced it would re-open its investigation into Dorner?s firing from the department in 2008.

In a 11,400 word manifesto published on line, the ex-officer blamed his killing spree on his termination, saying that he would only stop when his name was cleared.

Re-opening the investigation seems to have two purposes: to communicate to members of the public who have responded to Dorner?s complaints that the LAPD treated him unfairly, and to send a message to the ex-officer himself.

Los Angeles officials announce a one million dollar reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of former LAPD officer Christopher Dorner.

The department "is not opening it because of the accusations or because of the musings of someone who is a multiple murderer now," Cmdr. Andrew Smith said Saturday. Chief Charlie Beck is "wants to ensure that the public knows that the Los Angeles Police Department is fair and transparent, " Smith said.

Witnesses will be re-interviewed and the investigation into Dorner's firing will get a "fresh set of eyes," Smith said. He also issued a plea for Dorner to come forward.

"He can turn himself in and he can be able to get his side of the story out," Smith said.

Deputies have been combing the ski resort area of Big Bear, where authorities found former LAPD Officer Christopher Dorner?s burned-out truck, since Thursday afternoon.

More news from NBCLosAngeles.com

Investigators found weapons inside the truck, suggesting Dorner may have abandoned the truck in an unplanned hurry.

Former LAPD Chief William Bratton told the "Today Show" on Saturday that evidence suggests Dorner's truck may have become stuck in the mud. Previously, it was speculated that the truck may have been intentionally set ablaze as a distraction.

Investigators on Saturday were also trying to determine whether the truck's axle was broken when they found it, or if it was fractured while being towed from the forestry road.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, interviewed outside a prayer breakfast downtown, urged Dorner to turn himself in.

"We will find you," Villaraigosa said. "You?ve disgraced the public safety -- the police profession -- turn yourself in."

As the search in Big Bear was winding down for the night on Saturday, LAPD announced the department is reopening the case into Dorner's 2008 firing from the force.

In an 11,400-word document published online, Dorner laid out plans to kill law enforcement officers and their families, vowing to stop the attacks when LAPD "states the truth about my innocence."

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/10/16918569-1-million-reward-offered-for-ex-cop-in-connection-with-revenge-killings?lite

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Amazon & CBS Announce Deal To Bring Stephen King Series ?Under The Dome? To Prime Instant Video, Four Days After Episodes Air

Continuing its rapid-fire addition of new content deals, Amazon announced today that it has signed an agreement with CBS which will bring the forthcoming summer TV series "Under the Dome," based on a best-selling Stephen King novel, to Amazon's Prime Instant Video. This deal is unusual because it allows Amazon Prime members to stream all the series' episodes four days after their initial broadcast, instead of 24 hours afterwards, as was previously speculated.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/YkifsXaB_1E/

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Friday, February 8, 2013

Seattle mayor ends police drone efforts

SEATTLE (AP) ? Seattle's mayor on Thursday ordered the police department to abandon its plan to use drones after residents and privacy advocates protested.

Mayor Mike McGinn said the department will not use two small drones it obtained through a federal grant. The unmanned aerial vehicles will be returned to the vendor, he said.

"Today I spoke with Seattle Police Chief John Diaz, and we agreed that it was time to end the unmanned aerial vehicle program, so that SPD can focus its resources on public safety and the community building work that is the department's priority," the mayor said in a brief statement.

The decision comes as the debate over drones heats up across the country. Lawmakers in at least 11 states are looking at plans to restrict the use of drones over their skies amid concerns the vehicles could be exploited to spy on Americans.

The Seattle Police Department previously said it would use drones to provide an overhead view of large crime scenes, serious accidents, disasters, and search and rescue operations. It had conducted demonstrations of the drones to show the public their capabilities.

The program drew strong criticism from residents Wednesday at a meeting of the City Council, which was considering an ordinance giving police the authority to use drones.

The proposed measure would have allowed the use of drones for data collection but barred police from using them over "open-air assembly of people" or for general surveillance. The drones would have carried no weapons, but the proposal would have allowed police to use face-recognition software in them.

The police department had purchased two Draganflyer X6 vehicles, which have a width of 36 inches, length of 33.5 inches and stand just under a foot. The drones are capable of flying indoors and outdoors and carry a camera, according to the company website.

The department had not yet begun using the drones but received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.

One of the program's key adversaries was the Washington chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, which argued the drones were obtained without any public input or discussion.

"We applaud the mayor's action," spokesman Doug Honig said Thursday. "Drones would have given the police unprecedented abilities to engage in surveillance and intrude on the privacy of people in Seattle ... and there was a never a strong case made that Seattle needed them for public safety."

Moving forward, the ACLU would like to see the Legislature adopt "very tight restrictions" on law-enforcement drones statewide, Honig said.

Opposition to the use of drones in the U.S. has come from opposite sides of the political spectrum, including civil liberties advocates and those worried over government intrusion.

On Monday, the Charlottesville City Council in Virginia passed a resolution imposing a two-year moratorium on the use of drones within city limits. The Rutherford Institute, a civil liberties group behind the city's effort, said Charlottesville is the first city in the country to limit the use of drones by police.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security drones do enter Washington airspace occasionally, patrolling the Canadian border east of the Cascade mountains. The two 10,000-pound Predator-B unmanned aircraft are based in North Dakota.

Meanwhile, CIA Director-designate John Brennan strongly defended anti-terror attacks by unmanned drones abroad Thursday under questioning at a confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee. Brennan said drone strikes are used only against targets planning to carry out attacks against the United States, never as retribution for an earlier one.

___

Manuel Valdes can be reached at http://twitter.com/ByManuelValdes

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/seattle-mayor-ends-police-drone-efforts-003228858.html

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High Contrast's 'Spectrum Analyser' embraces our glitchy digital history (video)

Forget the rose-tinted view of the early digital era that we sometimes get from chiptunes. High Contrast's new "Spectrum Analyser" music video triggers our nostalgia by embracing the messiness and imperfections of computing in the '80s and '90s -- all while producing the kind of psychedelic journey we'd have expected from the '60s. We almost don't know where to start. The flood of Windows screens? The polar bear fighting game? The endless, purposeful video glitches? There's no one frame that can illustrate just how much 8- and 16-bit history is packed into one space. As long as you're a fan of drum-and-bass, it's best to catch the video after the break if you want a trip down memory lane... just expect a few odd detours.

Filed under: Gaming, Internet, Alt

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Source: Hospital Records (Twitter)

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/fqSZ-ssx3PU/

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Thursday, February 7, 2013

Beware This Unmanned Copter and Its Rocket Launcher Arsenal

So what if Google designed a Prius that can guide itself along Nevada's barren highways. The US Army has a helicopter that can guide itself through war zones. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/GnFthXsnSE0/beware-this-unmanned-copter-and-its-rocket-launcher-arsenal

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FDA warns of new fake batch of cancer drug Avastin

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Food and Drug Administration is warning U.S. doctors about another counterfeit version of the cancer drug Avastin, the third case involving the best-selling Roche drug in the past year.

The FDA said in an online post Tuesday that at least one batch of the drug distributed by a New York company does not contain the active ingredient in real Avastin, which is used to treat cancers of the colon, lung, kidney and brain. The drug was distributed by Medical Device King, which also does business as Pharmalogical. The vials are packaged as Altuzan, the Turkish version of Avastin that is not approved for use in the U.S.

The agency warned doctors in April about a similar case of fake Turkish Avastin distributed by a U.K. distributor. Prior to that, the FDA announced in February an investigation into a different batch of fake Avastin distributed to doctors in several states. Both of those cases appeared to involve different networks of distributors than the latest incident.

The FDA said it's currently unclear whether any U.S. patients have received the drug. Specifically, Altuzan labeled with the lot numbers B6022B01 and B6024B01 may be counterfeit. Importing even authentic Altuzan into the U.S. is illegal, since the FDA has only reviewed Avastin as safe and effective.

The agency is asking doctors to stop using any products from Medical Device King, Pharmalogical or Taranis Medical, another affiliated business.

A telephone number listed on Medical Device King's website was not in service. Company representatives did not immediately respond to emails sent Wednesday.

Roche's Genentech unit sells Avastin in 120 countries and manufactures and packages the drug at eight sites worldwide. The drug had sales of $5.8 billion in 2012 and was Roche's second-best selling drug overall. The injectable drug usually sells for about $2,500 per vial.

The FDA warned doctors to be wary of drug prices that seem "too good to be true."

"Deep discounts may be offered because the product is stolen, counterfeit, substandard, or unapproved," the agency states.

Incidents of counterfeiting reported by drugmakers have increased steadily over the past decade, though only about 5 percent of cases are typically reported in the U.S. The rise in counterfeiting comes as pharmaceutical supply chains increasingly stretch across continents. More than 80 percent of the active ingredients used in U.S. pharmaceuticals are now manufactured overseas, according to a recent congressional report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2013-02-06-US-Fake-Cancer-Drug-FDA-1st-Ld-Writethru/id-310a1be5cbb144968cec682f8b78d936

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Nokia Lumia 620 review: precisely what an entry-level smartphone should be

More Info

The Lumia 620 is Nokia's most affordable Windows Phone 8 device yet. Alas, it's a device that might never make an appearance in the US, due to its very attractive pricing of (£150, or around $236), unless American carriers are willing to give a rebate from the outset. But it's a surprisingly attractive Lumia -- in fact it's hard to put it in the same category as Nokia's previous cheaper Windows Phone options. Those colors hit you right between the eyes, with matte- and gloss-finish covers in cyan, lime, yellow and magenta presenting a nice alternative to the more staid black and white versions. Behind that shell, a 1GHz Snapdragon S4 Plus beats away, with a bright 3.8-inch ClearBlack display beaming out a familiar 800 x 480 resolution.

Despite the price, it's running the latest iteration of Windows Phone 8 and Nokia's also ensured its own camera lens apps, along with its music and mapping services, have been carried over as well. The 5-megapixel camera may be bested by the Zeiss-equipped 8-megapixel sensors on its bigger brothers, but with a staggering £300 difference between the Lumia 620 and Lumia 920, what other sacrifices have been made? Is this the best bang-for-your-buck Windows Phone we've ever seen? We think it might be.

Gallery: Nokia Lumia 620 review

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Nokia

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

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Mitch Plotnick: Thirty Minutes for Better Health

I was never a big fan of New Year's resolutions. I applaud anyone who takes action to improve their life. But self-improvement is not driven by a date on a calendar. Instead, self-improvement is readily achieved when four things are present:

? A realistic goal. For example, if you want to lose 20 pounds, it's not happening by the weekend. Or, if you've never boiled water successfully, then you're not likely to master the delicious art of cooking healthy grains in one evening.

? A true intention to improve. This means you truly are ready to do what is necessary to change the landscape of your life. This is so different than simply saying you will improve some aspect of your life just because it is January 1.

? A game plan for success. You have defined what is required to start the change process and maintain it, and you have determined what success looks like.

? The right tools. If you plan to walk more, walking shoes would be helpful. If you desire to eat healthier foods, but you don't know what healthy foods are all about, then you'll need a coach to guide you. If you want to practice yoga, you'll need a mat.

Each of those four elements plays a key role in your ability to accomplish the self-improvement you are seeking. But it all starts with a realistic goal. If your goal is too big, too broad or too ambitious, you're setting yourself up to fall short.

Also, self-improvement isn't achieved with a "quick fix" or a sudden, dramatic change in behavior. It is attained through a series of small steps that are easy to implement and sustain. Start with the first positive step forward and continue from there, one small step at a time.

So, rather than start your self-improvement quest by trying to change everything in your life at once, pick just one thing that you'd like to improve, and give yourself 30 minutes every few days to work on that goal. Little by little. No deadlines. No pressure.

For example, if you want to cook healthier foods, give yourself 30 minutes every few days to shop for nutrient-rich foods and try new recipes that resonate with your taste buds.

If you want to have more physical activity, and you have been given approval by your doctor to do a particular exercise regimen every few days for 30 minutes, then start enjoying the new "movement" in your life.

If you want to practice meditation, then take 30 minutes every few days to calm yourself with that stillness and focus.

Perhaps you'd like to be more reflective about your life. Every few days take 30 minutes to write your thoughts down on paper, and enjoy the healing powers of journaling.

Always remember to be gentle with yourself and honor yourself. Life today has enough pressure in it already. Don't add to that by imposing overwhelming self-improvement goals on yourself. Just start by focusing on one realistic goal, and take 30 minutes every few days to apply yourself to achieving that goal.

If you follow this advice, self-improvement will be attainable, sustainable and enjoyable. And you can start your self-improvement journey any day of the year!

I'd love to hear from you about this subject. Contact me through my website at www.mitchplotnick.com. And remember, eat well, be well, and have a great day!

For more by Mitch Plotnick, click here.

For more on success and motivation, click here.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mitch-plotnick/self-improvement_b_2606948.html

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PETA Furious Over Beyonce?s Super Bowl Outfit

PETA Furious Over Beyonce’s Super Bowl Outfit

Beyonce's sexy outfit at half time show angers PETA Most of us that tuned in for the 2013 Super Bowl agree that Beyonce did an awesome job and looked great! Beyonce’s sexy outfit and dance moves stole the show. But PETA has lashed out at Queen Bey over her costume choices. Beyonce totally nailed the Super Bowl halftime show. In fact, many Twitter fans ...

PETA Furious Over Beyonce’s Super Bowl Outfit Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2013/02/peta-furious-over-beyonces-super-bowl-outfit/

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Wednesday, February 6, 2013

SHAPE Magazine Updates Digital Edition with Mag+

We are excited to announce that our digital magazine is better than ever. SHAPE has newly updated our tablet edition with Mag+ to give you a more thorough tablet experience with new interactive features that make it much easier to stay on top of all of your favorite SHAPE content. The edition is new since October 2012, and the app is now available on Android tablets and phones as well.

RELATED: Check out all of our new featured videos!

What you can look forward to: stop-motion video, a feature that allows you to swipe your finger over an object to move it, new pop-up text boxes, links that click through to relevant pieces on Shape.com, and exclusive video content. Now there are endless ways to get new information on hot new workouts, nutrition and diet tips, fitness motivation, health, beauty, lifestyle, fashion, and celebrities. Watch the clip below to see examples of all the new features, and then head over to iTunes or Google Play to download it now. The iPad edition is free for all print subscribers.

Source: http://www.shape.com/blogs/shape-your-life/shape-magazine-updates-digital-edition-mag

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How to mark items as complete in Reminders on iPhone and iPad

The built-in Reminders app makes for a great way to keep you on task and organized. Once you've learned how to create reminders, you can view them at any time on your iPhone and iPad. Then, when you complete them, you can just as easily mark them as complete so they disappear from your Reminders app.

Not sure how? Follow along.

Launch the Reminders app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad.
Find the item that you'd like to mark as complete.
You'll notice a little check box to the left of it. Tap on it.
You'll now notice that the item is marked as complete and it will disappear from that list.
If you ever need to view it again or you tap on the wrong reminder to mark as complete, you can restore it or view it again from the completed list within the Reminders app.