Monday, November 28, 2011

Small Business Saturday: Twitter Reacts To Second Annual 'Shop ...

Small Business Saturday: Twitter Reacts To Second Annual 'Shop Small' Day '; var coords = [-5, -78]; if( HPConfig.current_vertical_name == 'homepage' ) { coords = [-5, -70]; } else if( HPConfig.current_vertical_name == 'mapquest' ) { coords = [-5, -68]; } FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); }); ' }); }); }(jQuery)); Posted: 11/26/11 01:06 PM ET

Black Friday may be America's biggest shopping day of the year, but Small Business Saturday is also gaining momentum among the masses.

In its second year running, the Small Business Saturday's Official Facebook page attracted over 2.6 million likes, up from 1.2 million in 2010.

Nestled between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday is the day on which American Express offers its card members a $25 credit for any $25 or more spent at qualifying small businesses nationwide.

The shop small movement received an extra boost thanks to Occupy Wall Street's outrage over Black Friday, calling for consumers to boycott chain stores in favor of shopping at small business owned stores. In addition to forming Occupy Black Friday and Don't Occupy Walmart, several OWS chapters also organized protesters across the country the day after Thanksgiving.

In honor of Small Business Saturday, click through the slideshow to see the latest tweets in support of local business.

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Black Friday may be America's biggest shopping day of the year, but Small Business Saturday is also gaining momentum among the masses. In its second year running, the Small Business Saturday's Off...

Black Friday may be America's biggest shopping day of the year, but Small Business Saturday is also gaining momentum among the masses. In its second year running, the Small Business Saturday's Off...

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/26/small-business-saturday_n_1114060.html

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Prince William joins Irish Sea rescue mission (AP)

LONDON ? Prince William joined a frantic search and rescue mission Sunday after a cargo ship sank in the Irish Sea, leaving several members of the Russian crew missing.

The second in line to the British throne, who is a Royal Air Force helicopter and known professionally as Flight Lt. William Wales, was aboard an aircraft which rescued two crew members early Sunday, after their vessel's hull cracked in gale force winds off the coast of north Wales.

Britain's defense ministry said William had been co-pilot of the helicopter, which carried two people back to his base RAF Valley, on the Welsh island of Anglesey.

Authorities said five people remain missing after the Cook Islands-registered Swanland cargo ship, which had eight people on board and was carrying thousands of tons of limestone, sent a mayday call.

Holyhead Coastguard said one body had been recovered from the sea, but that the fate of the other crew members was not yet known.

"We know that at least some of them are wearing immersion suits and have strobe lighting with them, however sea conditions are challenging at best," said Jim Green, a coastguard spokesman.

Rescue helicopters from RAF Valley and from Dublin coastguard base in Ireland were initially sent to the scene, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of the Llyn peninsula in north Wales.

Helicopters from RAF Chivenor, in southwest England, and the Irish Coastguard are continuing to search for the missing crew, along with boats from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

"Two RNLI lifeboats, along with four search and rescue helicopters and two other commercial boats, are searching for the remaining six crew," the RNLI said in a statement.

Gale force winds battered the Irish Sea on Sunday and the coastguard said it is believed the poor condition could have caused the incident.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/britain/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111127/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_ship_sinks

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Sunday, November 27, 2011

Boston Offers Free Metered Parking For Small Business Saturday ...

Boston Parking Meters are free on Small Business Saturday.

Boston Parking Meters are free on Small Business Saturday.

BOSTON (AP) ? Boston city officials have offered two hours of free metered parking to encourage people to shop at local businesses during Small Business Saturday.

American Express started the marketing initiative for the Saturday between Black Friday and Cyber Monday ? two of the busiest shopping days of the year.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030?s Kim Tunnicliffe reports

U.S. Small Business Administration head Karen Mills was scheduled to join Boston Mayor Thomas Menino at the city?s Roslindale neighborhood Saturday to discuss how shopping at local businesses is critical to the health of the American economy.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030?s Doug Cope reports on Mills? visit

AmEx says a survey shows 89 million consumers plan to ?shop small? on Small Business Saturday.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.

Source: http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/11/26/boston-offers-free-metered-parking-for-small-business-saturday/

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Saturday, November 26, 2011

Longhorns beat Aggies 27-25 in thriller

(AP) ? Texas spoiled Texas A&M's going away party.

Justin Tucker kicked a 40-yard field goal as time expired to give the Longhorns a 27-25 victory over Texas A&M on Thursday night in the likely end of a more than century-old rivalry.

Texas A&M's last Big 12 game and the 118th meeting between the bitter rivals before the Aggies depart for the Southeastern Conference next season was a thriller befitting one of college football's oldest and most storied matchups.

"Sports can be really cruel," Texas coach Mack Brown said. "I think it was a time tonight where both teams deserved to win."

The Aggies were down 24-19 before Ryan Tannehill found Jeff Fuller on a 16-yard touchdown pass with 1:48 remaining. But the 2-point conversion failed, leaving A&M (6-6, 4-5 Big 12) ahead 25-24.

The Longhorns' winning drive was helped by a 15-yard personal foul penalty and a 25-yard run by quarterback Case McCoy.

McCoy started Thursday after being benched after a loss to Oklahoma in favor of David Ash. Brown gave McCoy a pep talk before the final drive.

"I told him: 'Here's where you become the guy and here's where you take us down and win the game,'" Brown said. "'Every quarterback has to have a signature moment and this is going to be yours.'"

McCoy struggled to move the offense for much of the game, but he was able to do just enough to get the Longhorns in position for Tucker's winner.

"They played their hearts out tonight," Tucker said about the Aggies. "But sending them off to the SEC with a sour taste in their mouth feels pretty good."

Texas players spilled onto the field as soon as the kick sailed through the uprights. At the same time, thousands of dejected Aggies fans streamed to the exits in the end of this holiday tradition in this football-crazy state.

"This is a devastating loss for our team," Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman said.

The series ends with the Longhorns leading 76-37-5 and Brown improved his career record against the Aggies to 10-4 with Thursday's win.

Texas A&M safety Trent Hunter, who had the 15-yard penalty on the Longhorns' winning drive, said players were crying in the locker room after the loss.

"This is by far the most painful loss I've had since I've been here," Hunter said. "It's one of those things that we're going to have to live with for a while since Texas and Texas A&M aren't playing again."

Receiver Jaxon Shipley threw a touchdown pass on a trick play in the first half and the Longhorns took advantage of two interceptions in a 17-point third quarter to send the Aggies off with a loss.

"We protected the ball in the second half and our defense forced a lot of turnovers," Brown said.

Carrington Byndom's interception return for a touchdown early in the third quarter cut Texas A&M's lead to 16-14.

The Longhorns (7-4, 4-4) took a 17-14 lead on a 23-yard field goal later in the third.

Tannehill's third interception led to a 1-yard touchdown run by Cody Johnson to extend the Longhorns' lead to 24-16.

"I just didn't play well," Tannehill said.

At times the end of this bitter rivalry felt like a goodbye between longtime friends. The Longhorn band spelled out 'Thanks A&M' while playing "Thanks for the Memories." Earl Campbell, who the Heisman Trophy at Texas in 1977, and Texas A&M's John David Crow, winner of the award in 1957, watched the game sitting side by side in golf cart in the corner of the stadium.

Texas A&M's collie mascot, Reveille, didn't share in the goodwill. She showed her dislike for the Longhorns by chewing on a small stuffed version of Bevo, the Texas mascot during the game.

Texas A&M's official fight song bids adieu to the Longhorns with the line "so long to the orange and white." But the Aggies didn't really want to say goodbye.

They'd hoped to continue the game, which began in 1894 and has been played every year since 1915, but the Longhorns said their schedule is full through 2018.

Countless great players and games have populated this series. Former Texas A&M coach Paul "Bear" Bryant's 1954 team, which survived his grueling camp in Junction, Texas, played the Longhorns. Crow, A&M's only Heisman winner, was a member of the first Aggie team to beat Texas at Memorial Stadium in 1956. It was against the Aggies in 1998 that the Longhorns' Ricky Williams broke the Division I-A career rushing record in a 26-24 win.

Campbell had the best game of his Texas career against the Aggies when he ran for 222 yards and three touchdowns, and scored on a 60-yard pass in a 57-28 win by the Longhorns in 1977.

Fans were welcomed to the game with a prerecorded message on the Jumbotron by former Texas A&M defensive end/linebacker Von Miller. The crowd roared as Miller, the second overall pick in this year's draft, encouraged the Aggies to win.

On Thursday, Ben Malena caught his first career pass for a 7-yard touchdown on A&M first drive to make it 7-0. He was filling in for A&M's 1,000-yard rusher Cyrus Gray, who missed the game with a stress fracture in his left shoulder.

Malena ran 25 times for 83 yards.

"The Texas-Texas A&M rivalry speaks for itself," Malena said. "(But) we're going to the SEC next year, so we have bigger and better things to worry about."

Randy Bullock pushed A&M's lead to 10-0 later in the first quarter with a 49-yard field goal.

The Longhorns couldn't get anything going on offense early and didn't get a first down until the last play of the first quarter.

Texas A&M was up 13-0 after another field goal in the second quarter before Texas used a trick play where Shipley threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Blaine Irby to cut the lead to six.

Shipley returned after missing the last three games with a knee injury.

Another field goal by Bullock left A&M up 16-7 at halftime.

Tannehill was 20 of 49 for 224 yards and Fuller had a season-high seven receptions for 107 yards.

The Longhorns' normally potent running game didn't do much with Malcolm Brown leading the group with 17 carries for 39 yards.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-11-25-Texas-Texas%20AandM/id-e429ee8bbfbc47eabf59260a12f2d152

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The impending revolution of low-power quantum computers

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

By 2017, quantum physics will help reduce the energy consumption of our computers and cellular phones by up to a factor of 100. For research and industry, the power consumption of transistors is a key issue. The next revolution will likely come from tunnel-FET, a technology that takes advantage of a phenomenon referred to as "quantum tunneling." At the EPFL, but also in the laboratories of IBM Zurich and the CEA-Leti in France, research is well underway. As part of a special issue of Nature devoted to silicon, Adrian Ionescu, an EPFL researcher, has written an article on the topic.

Transistors that exploit a quantum quirk

Today's computers have no less than a billion transistors in the CPU alone. These small switches that turn on and off provide the famous binary instructions, the 0s and 1s that let us send emails, watch videos, move the mouse pointer? and much more. The technology used in today's transistors is called "field effect;" whereby voltage induces an electron channel that activates the transistor. But field effect technology is approaching its limits, particularly in terms of power consumption.

Tunnel-FET technology is based on a fundamentally different principle. In the transistor, two chambers are separated by an energy barrier. In the first, a horde of electrons awaits while the transistor is deactivated. When voltage is applied, they cross the energy barrier and move into the second chamber, activating the transistor in so doing.

In the past, the tunnel effect was known to disrupt the operation of transistors. According to quantum theory, some electrons cross the barrier, even if they apparently don't have enough energy to do so. By reducing the width of this barrier, it becomes possible to amplify and take advantage of the quantum effect ? the energy needed for the electrons to cross the barrier is drastically reduced, as is power consumption in standby mode.

Mass production is imminent

"By replacing the principle of the conventional field effect transistor by the tunnel effect, one can reduce the voltage of transistors from 1 volt to 0.2 volts," explains Ionescu. In practical terms, this decrease in electrical tension will reduce power consumption by up to a factor of 100. The new generation microchips will combine conventional and tunnel-FET technology. "The current prototypes by IBM and the CEA-Leti have been developed in a pre-industrial setting. We can reasonably expect to see mass production by around 2017."

An essential technology for a major European project

For Ionescu, who heads the Guardian Angels project (a project vetted for a billion Euro grant from the EU), tunnel-FET technology is without a doubt the next big technological leap in the field of microprocessors. "In the Guardian Angels project, one of our objectives is to find solutions to reduce the power consumption of processors. Tunnel-FET is the next revolution that will help us achieve this goal." The aim: design ultra-miniaturized, zero-power electronic personal assistants. Tunnel-FET technology is one of the first major stages in the project's roadmap. IBM and the CEA-Leti are also partners in the project.

###

Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne: http://www.epfl.ch/index.en.html

Thanks to Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/115396/The_impending_revolution_of_low_power_quantum_computers

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Friday, November 25, 2011

FIFA's Blatter calls racism row 'closed'

By EILEEN NG

Associated Press

Associated Press Sports

updated 10:12 a.m. ET Nov. 23, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -FIFA president Sepp Blatter has decided he's apologized enough for his contentious recent comments on racism in football and now considers the matter "closed."

"I can only say this item for me is closed," Blatter told a news conference at the Asian Football Confederation's headquarters in Malaysia on Wednesday. "There is no tolerance (of) racism."

Blatter had expressed regret last week for the furor caused by his claim that racist abuse does not exist on the football field and that any racial incidents could be settled by a handshake between players at the end of a match.

"I have been interpreted as such and I have made my apologies," Blatter said Wednesday. "I cannot say anything more."

Blatter went on the defensive when asked about the suggestion by Neil Warnock, manager of Premier League club Queens Park Rangers, that black players around the world should boycott their next international matches as a protest against Blatter.

Blatter's initial comments were ridiculed in Britain, where Prime Minister David Cameron joined a wave of condemnation, David Beckham described the Blatter statements "appalling" and a top official urged Blatter to resign.

Any comments that appear to diminish racism would hit a nerve in Britain, where authorities are now investigating allegations that Liverpool striker Luis Suarez and Chelsea defender John Terry racially abused black players during Premier League games.

Blatter has already conceded he used "unfortunate words" in TV interviews last week.

On Wednesday, he reiterated "there is no discrimination in my feelings, there is no racism, nothing at all."

"This matter for me is over. We go forward," he said. "There is zero tolerance (for) racism, zero tolerance (for) discrimination in all activities in the field of play and outside the field."

Blatter said he was not surprised by the British media's strong criticism of him and calls for him to stand down as head of football's world governing body, but added that he was "very much hurt by these comments because it touched me in my conscience and my determination to go against racism."

The 75-year-old Swiss, who had ruled out the possibility of resignation, has experienced a troubling year despite being re-elected to another four-year term in June.

FIFA has been caught up in a corruption scandal that resulted in a life ban from football for former FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam, the then head of the Asian Football Confederation. Blatter was re-elected unopposed after the Qatari was forced to withdraw due to allegations he tried to bribe Caribbean officials to vote for him.

Bin Hammam has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Asked whether he believes the door is closed to bin Hammam's return, Blatter said it is up to the appeals process.

"We will wait for the outcome of the next step," Blatter said on his first trip to AFC headquarters since Bin Hammam's ban.

In his opening remarks at the news conference in Kuala Lumpur, Blatter did not mention bin Hammam by name, but praised the AFC's current leadership for standing united. The AFC had agreed to follow procedure on filling bin Hammam's position despite the now exiled president wanting the position to remain vacant pending the outcome of the appeal process.

China's Zhang Jilong, the AFC's senior vice-president, has stepped in as the interim president. If bin Hammam's appeals aren't resolved by May 29 next year, the AFC will be bound by its own laws to elect a new leader.

On another issue, Blatter declined to take a clear stance on renewed calls from Asia to allow the use of Islamic headscarves for female players. FIFA banned the Islamic scarf in 2007 citing safety concerns.

Blatter said the issue could be handled by the International Football Association Board, which determines the rules of the game.

Leaders and sports officials in Islamic countries have criticized the ban, saying it discourages women from playing football. Iran's team forfeited a 2012 Olympic women's qualifier against Jordan in June because the players refused to play without the hijabs.

The AFC said in a statement that its women's committee was seeking a review of the rule in light of new equipment in the marketplace.

? 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Arsenal advances, Chelsea slumps

Roundup: Arsenal clinched a place in the second round of the Champions League on Wednesday night with a 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund, but the Gunners could find themselves the only English club in the knockout stage.

War, then soccer

For the first time in decades, football in Libya is just about, well, football.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45325335/ns/sports-soccer/

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Thursday, November 24, 2011

Simplify and Automate Private Browsing Mode with These Browser Extensions [Downloads]

Simplify and Automate Private Browsing Mode with These Browser ExtensionsIf you're sick of manually opening links in private browsing mode, Firefox and Chrome extensions will get you in with some quick shortcuts.

Private browsing mode is great for all sorts of things, but it isn't exactly the easiest to use?you have to open it manually, manually paste in any links you were viewing, and so on. Inspired by this post on AddictiveTips, we went on a search for any extension that would make private browsing less of a pain?and here's what we found.

Chrome: Use Incognito Mode for Certain Domains, Remember Incognito Tabs for Later

If you're a Chrome user, you have quite a few good extensions available. The simplest is the Move Current Tab to Incognito extension, which does exactly what it sounds like. That means if you find a link you want to open in a private browsing window, you can just open the current tab in an incognito window and click the link for history-free browsing.

Simplify and Automate Private Browsing Mode with These Browser ExtensionsWhat's even cooler, though, is the Ghost Incognito extension. This lets you define certain domains that always open in incognito mode, no matter where you open them from. By default, it comes with all .xxx domains blocked, but you can use it for anything, whether you're trying to hide your Twilight fanfiction obsession or keep all your Amazon browsing private before the holidays. If you're a Reddit user, you might also want to check out this extension, which opens all NSFW-tagged links in an incognito window by default.

Firefox: Open Links in Private Browsing Mode

Simplify and Automate Private Browsing Mode with These Browser ExtensionsFirefox isn't swimming in great add-ons for private browsing (which is sad, considering its private browsing is far more annoying than Chrome's incognito mode) but the Open in Private Browsing Mode extension is quite useful on its own. Just install it, and then you can right-click on any link in a page and open it in private browsing mode right from the context menu. That saves you the trouble of copying the link, opening private browsing, and pasting the link back in on its own manually. It's small, but makes a big difference in terms of convenience.

Got any other extensions or tips to make private browsing a bit more convenient? Share them with us in the comments.


You can contact Whitson Gordon, the author of this post, at whitson@lifehacker.com. You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, and lurking around our #tips page.
?

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/dEUERo0Hoy0/simplify-and-automate-private-browsing-mode-with-these-browser-extensions

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The Wall-Fitted Workspace [Featured Workspace]

The Wall-Fitted WorkspaceWhen choosing the right desk we tend to think in terms of rectangles, but not all workspaces are perfect quadrilaterals. Such is the case with reader and Flickr user owenjonesdesign, who still managed to make things work with a desk that fits perfectly against his oddly-shaped wall.

To be fair, the desk looks to be custom, but if you've got an oddly-shaped wall you don't have to fit a regular desk. Create or acquire a custom-fit surface and you can use an standard legs. It'll make good use of your space and look pretty nice, too.

If you have a workspace of your own to show off, throw the pictures on your Flickr account and add it to the Lifehacker Workspace Show and Tell Pool. Include some details about your setup and why it works for you, and you just might see it featured on the front page of Lifehacker.

Black & White Office | Lifehacker Workspace Show and Tell Pool


You can follow Adam Dachis, the author of this post, on Twitter, Google+, and Facebook. ?Twitter's the best way to contact him, too.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/EZptS-kHN4E/the-wall+fitted-workspace

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Soviet spy Vitaly Shlykov dies at 77 (AP)

MOSCOW ? Vitaly Shlykov, a former Soviet intelligence agent who spent years in a Swiss prison after being convicted of espionage and later became an internationally known military analyst, has died at 77.

Shlykov died of a heart condition over the weekend at his apartment in Moscow, the Council for Foreign and Defense Policy confirmed Monday. Shlykov was one of the founders of the council, which advises the Kremlin on security issues.

Following his retirement from Soviet military intelligence in 1988, he served from 1990 to 1992 in the government of Russia's first president, Boris Yeltsin, as deputy head of a committee for public security.

In more recent years, Shlykov helped engineer a radical reform of the Russian military to shed its Cold War legacy and turn it into a modern force.

Shlykov joined Soviet military intelligence in 1958 after graduating from Moscow's Institute of International Relations. He served for 30 years in the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Russian General Staff, known under its Russian acronym of GRU.

During his GRU career, he worked as a senior analyst specializing in assessing the military industries of the United States and other Western nations. He made frequent trips to the West on a false American passport.

One of his duties was to maintain contacts with Dieter Felix Gerhardt, a senior officer of the South African Navy who was working as a Soviet spy. In January 1983, Shlykov was arrested on a trip to Zurich while carrying the equivalent of about $100,000 in cash to hand over to Gerhardt's wife, who was supposed to serve as a liaison.

Soviet intelligence was unaware that Gerhardt and his wife had been arrested a few weeks earlier and had told interrogators about the meeting in Switzerland.

Realizing after the arrest that his cover had been blown, Shlykov claimed he was a Soviet citizen who had emigrated to the West ? another false identity he was supposed to offer in just such a case.

He never revealed his true identity to the Swiss police, and in 1984 was convicted of espionage and sentenced to three years in prison. He was released early for good behavior and returned to the Soviet Union in 1986.

After his retirement two years later, he became a prominent scholar specializing in military policy and wrote extensively on security issues.

Shlykov strongly backed the Kremlin's military reform, intended to radically cut the bloated and inefficient Russian military and turn it into a more modern and agile force. His support contrasted sharply with that of many other military veterans, who insisted the reforms were destroying the military.

In a 2010 interview with The Associated Press, Shlykov described the effort as "the most radical reform of the Russian military in 150 years" and said it should make the armed forces more capable.

Shlykov first spoke to the media about his espionage experience two decades after quitting the service.

"During my life span, I have lived several lives, full of tension and excitement," he said in a 2006 interview with Radio Liberty.

He is to be buried Tuesday at Troyekurovsky Cemetery.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/russia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111121/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_obit_shlykov

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Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Review: Jackson's Cirque soundtrack needs context (AP)

Michael Jackson, "Immortal," (Epic)

"The Immortal World Tour" is a new Cirque du Soleil extravaganza that pays tribute to the life of the late King of Pop through his rich catalog of hits. Word has it that the show, which will tour the country beginning in December, is a must-see production.

Listening to the show's soundtrack will leave you with a "must-see" feeling about the show as well, mainly because you'll feel like you've got to see the show to put much of the re-imagined versions of Jackson's hits in context.

Without the imagery and plotline of the show, much of the album seems disjointed. Some songs are oddly chopped up, others are spliced together without much finesse, and there are a myriad of sound effects, from bullets firing to glass shattering to the whistle of a train to basketballs bouncing, that just sound like noise.

There are a few exceptions. "Dancing Machine" is paired with an electro-groove that gives it a nice updated feel (until it is bogged down by the weird insertion of "Blame it on the Boogie" and lots of slamming sound effects); "I'll Be There" sounds gorgeous with just Jackson's voice and a piano; and the a cappella confrontation scene from the "Bad" video fits perfectly into a brief interlude of "State of Shock."

But just as you're jamming to that, the song switches to "Beat It," leaving you with a sense of confusion.

Onstage, it probably all makes sense beautifully ? well, let's hope. But without that visual picture, the listening experience is a disappointment.

CHECK THIS TRACK OUT: The additional of a choir, as well as the foreboding boots marching, makes Jackson's anthem for the oppressed, "They Don't Care About Us," even more powerful.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111121/ap_en_mu/us_music_review_michael_jackson

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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Video: Two boys show off their 'flour power'

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Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/45388295#45388295

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Studies detail post-Fukushima radioactivity levels

Eight months after a magnitude 9 earthquake and resulting tsunami crippled Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and spewed radioactive material for hundreds of miles, scientists have produced maps showing how much fallout was found in the environment in the weeks after the disaster.

In two studies published last week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers identified "hot spots" where the radioactivity levels were highest as well as the areas that were most safe.

The maps could help the government decide what to do with different tracts of land: whether to abandon them, return them to farming or remove contaminated topsoil first. They also should help scientists build better models to predict how radioactive particles are carried by wind and rain and channeled by mountains after such disasters.

In one study, researchers examined levels of the radioactive isotope cesium-137 in soil collected in and around the Fukushima plant. With a half-life of 30.1 years, cesium-137 poses a much longer-term risk than other isotopes released by the damaged plant; iodine-131, for instance, has a half-life of eight days.

The international team of scientists started with a particle-dispersion model and plugged in weather data based on actual events since the March 11 quake and tsunami. Weather and geography directly affect where radioactive material lands: Wind carries it to other areas, and mountain ranges block its path. Rain washes it out of the air and into the ground, which becomes its final resting place.

The scientists found that parts of western and northwestern Japan were largely sheltered from contamination by mountains that run like a spine up the main island of Honshu.

But in the eastern part of Fukushima prefecture, close to the epicenter of the quake offshore, soil levels of cesium-137 exceeded 2,500 becquerels per kilogram, which would leave food production in the area "severely impaired," according to the study. Farming would be "partially impacted" in the nearby prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi, Yamagata, Niigata, Tochigi, Ibaraki and Chiba, where radioactivity levels exceeded 250 becquerels per kilogram of soil.

"But one of the main products of the Fukushima area is rice, and so far the levels of rice contamination are lower than I personally expected," said study coauthor Ryugo Hayano, a nuclear physicist at the University of Tokyo. "Most of the rice-growing areas are now declared to be OK: not completely free of contamination, but edible."

Another study published by the journal measured the gamma radiation emitted by soil samples collected from east-central Japan. The readings helped researchers determine the degree to which the samples were contaminated by isotopes of cesium, iodine and tellurium. Then they matched that with observed weather patterns.

The researchers found that two major downpours washed significant amounts of radiation into the soil ? on March 15-16 in Fukushima and on March 21-23 in Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama and Chiba prefectures.

In an area north of the Fukushima nuclear plant, cesium-137 rates were 200 times normal, said study leader Norikazu Kinoshita, a nuclear physicist at the University of Tsukuba. In eastern Fukushima and parts of neighboring prefectures, cesium-137 levels were about 0.5 microsieverts per hour, or about 10 times the normal rate of 0.05 microsieverts per hour, he said.

"It's not huge amounts of radiation," said Gerry Thomas, a molecular pathologist at Imperial College London and director of the Chernobyl Tissue Bank, an international coalition that collects and stores tissue samples from people who were exposed to radioactive iodine as children by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986.

A third study, which appeared last week in the journal PLoS ONE, surveyed more than 5,000 people over a three-month period after the disaster and found that radiation levels in people were lower than had been predicted. Only 10 people had exceptionally high doses of radiation in their systems.

"The Japanese took proper precautions," said Thomas, who was not involved in any of the studies. "An awful lot of [the radiation] went into the ocean rather than the atmosphere. ... The levels they're talking about are not going to damage people's health at all. But it's sensible to be precautionary."

amina.khan@latimes.com

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/7PDKK42oAFY/la-fg-fukushima-radiation-20111120,0,2498499.story

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Oil near $97 after China leader negative on growth (AP)

SINGAPORE ? Oil prices fell to near $97 a barrel Monday in Asia after a Chinese leader predicted the world's current economic malaise will be long lasting.

Benchmark crude for January delivery was down 68 cents at $96.99 a barrel at late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude was down 16 cents at $107.40 a barrel on the ICE Futures Exchange in London.

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan, who oversees trade and finance, said this weekend that the global economic situation is "extremely serious" and his country would focus on domestic challenges, state media reported.

"In a time of uncertainty the only thing we can be certain of is that the world economic recession caused by the international crisis will last a long time," he was quoted as saying.

The effects of slowing global demand were also evident in Japan, where exports fell for the first time in three months in October. Singapore's government, meanwhile, said it expects the island's economy to grow as little as 1 percent next year, down from a 5 percent expansion this year as export demand from developed countries wanes.

Crude has jumped from $75 on Oct. 4 on signs the U.S. will avoid a recession this year. However, oil pulled back from a near four-month high above $103 last week as weakness in the global economy came into focus.

"Oil values will continue to be jostled by broad based global economic crosscurrents but with primary focus on the euro zone probably through the rest of this year and beyond," energy consultant Ritterbusch and Associates said in a report. "However, U.S. economic guidance remains positive and emerging markets still appear robust."

The International Monetary Fund in September forecast 4 percent growth for the global economy next year.

In other Nymex trading, heating oil rose 1.2 cents to $3.05 per gallon and gasoline futures added 0.8 cent to $2.50 per gallon. Natural gas fell 0.3 cent to $3.31 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/energy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111121/ap_on_re_as/oil_prices

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Monday, November 21, 2011

State objects to court-drawn maps (Offthekuff)

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Joe Paterno has lung cancer, son says

FILE - In this Oct. 22, 2011 file photo, Penn State coach Joe Paterno stands on the field before his team's NCAA college football game against Northwestern, in Evanston, Ill. Former Penn State coach Paterno has a treatable form of lung cancer, according to his son. Scott Paterno says in a statement provided to The Associated Press by a family representative that the 84-year-old Joe Paterno is undergoing treatment and that "his doctors are optimistic he will make a full recovery." (AP Photo/Jim Prisching, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 22, 2011 file photo, Penn State coach Joe Paterno stands on the field before his team's NCAA college football game against Northwestern, in Evanston, Ill. Former Penn State coach Paterno has a treatable form of lung cancer, according to his son. Scott Paterno says in a statement provided to The Associated Press by a family representative that the 84-year-old Joe Paterno is undergoing treatment and that "his doctors are optimistic he will make a full recovery." (AP Photo/Jim Prisching, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 25, 2011 file photo, Penn State coach Joe Paterno answers questions during his weekly NCAA college football news conference, in State College, Pa. Former Penn State coach Paterno has a treatable form of lung cancer, according to his son. Scott Paterno says in a statement provided to The Associated Press by a family representative that the 84-year-old Joe Paterno is undergoing treatment and that "his doctors are optimistic he will make a full recovery." (AP Photo/Ralph Wilson, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 22, 2011 file photo, Penn State coach Joe Paterno stands on the field before his team's NCAA college football game against Northwestern, in Evanston, Ill. Former Penn State coach Paterno has a treatable form of lung cancer, according to his son. Scott Paterno says in a statement provided to The Associated Press by a family representative that the 84-year-old Joe Paterno is undergoing treatment and that "his doctors are optimistic he will make a full recovery." (AP Photo/Jim Prisching, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 8, 2011 file photo, Penn State football coach Joe Paterno and his wife, Sue, react after he arrived at his home in State College, Pa. Former Penn State coach Paterno has a treatable form of lung cancer, according to his son. Scott Paterno says in a statement provided to The Associated Press by a family representative that the 84-year-old Joe Paterno is undergoing treatment and that "his doctors are optimistic he will make a full recovery." (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

(AP) ? Days after losing the job he held for nearly a half century, former Penn State coach Joe Paterno was diagnosed with a treatable form of lung cancer.

Scott Paterno, the Hall of Fame coach's son, said in a statement provided Friday to The Associated Press that his father's doctors are optimistic the 84-year-old Paterno will make a full recovery.

The news came shortly after Penn State said the NCAA would look into the school's handling of a child sex abuse scandal involving former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. Paterno was fired by the board of trustees Nov. 9 for failing to do more about an abuse allegation against Sandusky than report it to his superiors.

"Last weekend, my father was diagnosed with a treatable form of lung cancer during a follow-up visit for a bronchial illness," Scott Paterno said in the brief statement. The doctor's visit came the same weekend the school played its first game since the 1960s without Paterno leading the Nittany Lions ? Penn State lost, 17-14 to Nebraska.

"As everyone can appreciate, this is a deeply personal matter for my parents, and we simply ask that his privacy be respected as he proceeds with treatment," Scott Paterno said.

Earlier Friday, The Citizens Voice of Wilkes-Barre reported that Paterno had been seen Wednesday visiting the Mount Nittany Medical Center and was treated for an undisclosed ailment and released.

Sandusky is charged with sexually abusing eight boys over 15 years ? charges which he denies. Critics say Paterno should have done more to stop his former assistant, specifically when he was told about an assault in 2002. But the longtime coach is not a target of the ongoing investigation of Sandusky.

Paterno initially announced his retirement effective at the end of the season, saying that the scandal was "one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more." The trustees fired him anyway, about 12 hours later.

Longtime defensive coordinator Tom Bradley replaced Paterno on an interim basis. He broke the news about Paterno's cancer to the Nittany Lions after the team arrived in Columbus, Ohio, for Saturday's game against Ohio State.

"I told them sometimes words pale at a time like this. I felt they should hear it from us, exactly what it was, that we were told that it was a treatable lung cancer," Bradley said. "It's just one of those things. It's a tough time for the players."

Former Penn State quarterback Todd Blackledge, now an ESPN analyst, said Paterno never mentioned the illness when he visited his former coach Thursday in State College.

"In a week or so of many surprises this was another one," said Blackledge, who noted that Paterno was in good spirits when he saw him. A Penn State spokesman said that as far as he knew, Paterno never smoked.

To say health problems added to Paterno's troubles during a rough period doesn't begin to capture the last two weeks. The lurid Sandusky scandal has tarnished the reputation of a coach and a football program that once prided itself on the slogan "Success with Honor."

The Hall of Famer's 409 career victories are a Division I record. In all, Paterno guided five teams to unbeaten, untied seasons, and won two national championships.

Sandusky was once expected to succeed Paterno but retired in 1999 not long after being told he wouldn't get the job.

Two university officials stepped down after they were charged with lying to a grand jury and failing to report the 2002 charge to police, an assault which allegedly took place in a shower in the football building.

A grand jury report said the attack was witnessed by Mike McQueary, a graduate assistant at the time. Now the receivers coach but on administrative leave, McQueary told the grand jury he went to his father first and then to Paterno, who in turn spoke with his boss but didn't go to the police.

When the state's top cop said Paterno failed to execute his moral responsibility by not contacting police, public outrage built and the trustees acted.

Besides the criminal case against Sandusky, the university announced last week it was conducting its own probe ? and that was before the NCAA said Friday that college sports' governing body would also start an inquiry.

NCAA president Mark Emmert said in the letter to Penn State president Rod Erickson the probe will look at "Penn State's exercise of institutional control over its intercollegiate athletics programs."

That once was never a question with Paterno, regarded as college football's model for running a clean program. He placed as much pride in graduating players as getting to bowl games, and consistently had Penn State among the top-rated academic programs in the country.

Paterno has donated millions back to the university, and his name graces a campus library ? not a football facility or athletic complex.

Prior to his firing, Paterno pressed on with coaching in spite of a number of recent ailments. He often walked into news conferences fighting back sniffles, and Paterno often passed it off as nothing more than an annoying cold.

He was said to be in good health this preseason ? getting back to his routine of walking around town ? before a receiver accidentally blindsided him during preseason drills in August, leaving him with an injured right shoulder and pelvis.

Known for his stubbornness and high pain threshold, Paterno walked away from the collision and stayed on his feet for the rest of the practice period before being encouraged to get checked out by a doctor. The injuries forced him to spend most of the season in the press box.

During the 2010 offseason, Paterno scaled back personal appearances because of an intestinal issue and an adverse reaction to antibiotics prescribed for dental work.

Paterno ran practices from a golf cart in 2008 and spent much of that season in the press box after injuring his hip while trying to show players how to perform an onside kick in practice. Two years earlier, he broke his leg in a sideline collision during Penn State's game at Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium.

"This is very unfortunate news and another sad note for our Penn State community," said school president Rod Erickson, who replaced Graham Spanier ? Spanier also was ousted the same night Paterno was fired.

"Our thoughts are with him and his family at this difficult time and we certainly pray for his speedy recovery," Erickson said.

Lung cancer kills 1.4 million people around the world each year. In the United States, 221,130 new cases and 156,940 deaths are expected this year. The disease is typically diagnosed in older people. About 2 out of 3 people diagnosed with lung cancer are over age 65.

"There's a significant number of people who are diagnosed in their 70s and 80s," said chief medical officer Dr. Otis Brawley of the American Cancer Society. He has no involvement in Paterno's treatment.

"Generally when I hear that a person has a treatable form of lung cancer, it means the person may very well benefit from surgery to remove a part of the lung," Brawley said.

While the surgery can be invasive, people who undergo the operation "can do well after that," he said.

The lights were dim Friday night at Paterno's modest ranch home next to a park near the end of a dead-end street. A few TV photographers waited across the street for any sign of the coach.

About a mile away, a steady stream of fans arrived in pairs to take pictures at the life-sized bronzed statue of Paterno outside Beaver Stadium. Jill Varady, 24, of York, said she found out about Paterno's illness after her aunt posted a comment on Facebook.

Despite the scandal, the school should now let Paterno "definitely let him finish the season, and then ... let him retire," Varady said. "We probably will never know everything that happened."

The illness didn't change the perception of how Paterno handled the Sandusky situation, said Tessa Drawbaugh, 26, of State College. "But as far as other than that, he's an icon," she said. "Everybody wants him to be well."

___

AP writers Rusty Miller in Columbus, Ohio and Alicia Chang in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-11-18-Penn%20State-Paterno/id-654721fa1d2c41ab8cd1f83dca54f364

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Sunday, November 20, 2011

Cain to Letterman: 'All of these women are lying' (omg!)

In this photo provided by CBS, Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain joins host David Letterman on the set of the ?Late Show with David Letterman,? Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011 in New York. The show airs Friday, Nov. 18. (AP Photo/CBS, John Paul Filo)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain says "all of these women are lying" about unwanted sexual advances.

In appearance on David Letterman's "Late Show" airing Friday night, the former pizza executive is again denying any impropriety during his time running the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s.

Four women have come forward with allegations against Cain. He has repeatedly denied the allegations, which have dogged his campaign.

Cain instead is trying to talk about his presidential bid and his 9-9-9 tax plan.

In excerpts from the show released in advance, Cain jokes that Letterman seemed to be trying to talk him out of his presidential bid with tough questions about the challenges facing the presidency.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_cain_letterman_women_lying005442749/43650968/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/cain-letterman-women-lying-005442749.html

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Gingrich Dodges Questions on Freddie Mac (ABC News)

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Army Testing Ghost Hummers to Take IEDs for the Team [War]

The military can't beat IEDs. For every way we have of jamming or avoiding them, militants find another crafty way to blow people up. So why not just give and sacrifice remote controlled vehicles? That might be the plan. More »


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TV broadcasters hope to dominate the second screen with ConnecTV

ConnecTV on an iPad
No one has quite figured it out yet, but there seems to be little doubt that tablet devices have their place on the couch to serve as a second screen while American's enjoy their favorite past time -- watching TV. In addition to many independent startups we've discussed in the past, the old guard, that already owns most of broadcast TV stateside, has a startup of its own called ConnecTV. In development for two years already, ConnecTV is currently in beta and has the hopes to go live in January. The idea is of course to put what you might want to see on your second screen while you watch the main action on the big screen. This includes sports scores, statistics, as well as what your friends may or may-not be saying on Twitter or Facebook -- and of course advertising. We'd be shocked if most tablet owners weren't already using their slate in front of the TV and can imagine how many more might if there was a great app that brought it all together.

TV broadcasters hope to dominate the second screen with ConnecTV originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Nov 2011 05:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saturday, November 19, 2011

Video: Mystery at Heath Bar Farm, Part 1

Dateline NBC

'Dateline NBC,' the signature broadcast for NBC News in primetime, premiered in 1992. Since then, it has been pioneering a new approach to primetime news programming. The multi-night franchise, supplemented by frequent specials, allows NBC to consistently and comprehensively present the highest-quality reporting, investigative features, breaking news coverage and newsmaker profiles.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/vp/45357766#45357766

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Ex-Olympus VP questioned by Japanese prosecutors: media (Reuters)

TOKYO (Reuters) ? Hisashi Mori, an ex-vice president of Japan's disgraced Olympus, has been questioned by Japanese prosecutors on a voluntarily basis as part of an investigation of an accounting scandal at the 92-year-old firm, media said Saturday.

Japanese authorities are investigating Olympus after the maker of cameras and endoscopes admitted it hid investment losses for decades using funds from acquisition deals.

Prosecutors will also question former Olympus president Tsuyoshi Kikukawa and internal auditor Hideo Yamada, both of whom are believed to be involved in hiding the losses through improper accounting, on a voluntarily basis, the media said.

Olympus President Shuichi Takayama has blamed Kikukawa, who quit on October 26, Mori and Yamada for the cover-up, and said he would consider criminal complaints against them. Mori has been fired and Yamada has offered to resign.

The scandal at the once-proud firm has rekindled concerns about lax corporate governance in Japan.

It has also revived worries about links between companies and organized crime, as investigators are probing possible involvement by "yakuza" gangsters in the complex scheme used to hide the investment losses.

A unit from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's organized crime division has joined the investigation, a source familiar with the matter said Friday. But the source added that it was premature to say whether gangsters were involved.

Links between companies, "yakuza" gangsters and politicians have a long tradition in Japan. Authorities have been trying to crack down for decades, most recently with laws targeting not only crime syndicates but firms that do business with them.

Olympus has admitted to improperly accounting for only part of $1.3 billion in payments linked to acquisitions going back to 2006 , although an independent panel commissioned by the firm to investigate the matter is still trying to get to the bottom of the issue.

A large share of these payments went to obscure Cayman Islands firms, making it difficult to trace the money.

Olympus has said Mori told the company none of the funds involved in the cover-up scheme had gone to "anti-social forces" -- a Japanese euphemism for gangsters -- but the firm was waiting for the independent panel's report, due early next month.

Olympus has lost more than 70 percent of its market value since the scandal broke last month, with major shareholders Nippon Life and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) sharply reducing their shareholdings in the company.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange has put Olympus shares on a watch list, a possible prelude to delisting.

Delisting would effectively cut Olympus off from equity capital markets, constraining its funding and making it harder for its lenders to keep supporting the firm in its battle to avoid having to sell off its core businesses. It could also damage Japan's reputation among global investors.

Proof that organized crime was involved could force the Tokyo exchange to delist Olympus shares, and would make it hard, if not impossible, for banks to make fresh loans to the firm.

(Reporting by Junko Fujita and Linda Sieg Editing by Ed Lane)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111119/bs_nm/us_olympus

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