Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Net providers begin warning of illegal downloads

(AP) ? Internet users who illegally share music, movies or television shows online could soon receive warning notices from the nation's five major Internet service providers.

The Copyright Alert System, organized by the recording and film industry, is being activated this week to target consumers using peer-to-peer software.

Under the new system, complaints will prompt an Internet service provider ? such as Verizon or AT&T ? to notify a customer whose Internet address has been detected sharing files illegally. A person will be given up to six opportunities to stop before the Internet provider will take more drastic steps, such as temporarily slowing their connection, or redirecting Internet traffic until they acknowledge they received a notice or review educational materials about copyright law.

Consumers who maintain they have been wrongly accused would be forced to pay $35 to appeal the decision. The fee would be reimbursed if they prevail.

Proponents say the focus is on deterring the average consumer rather than chronic violators. The director of the organization behind the system, Jill Lesser of the Center for Copyright Infringement, said in a blog post Monday that the program is "meant to educate rather than punish, and direct (users) to legal alternatives."

Each Internet provider is expected to implement their own system. The program gives each customer five or six "strikes" after a music or film company has detected illegal file-sharing and lodged a complaint. The first alerts are expected to be educational, while the third and fourth would require the customer to acknowledge that they have received the warnings and understand their behavior is illegal. The final warnings are expected to lead to "mitigation measures," such as slowing a person's Internet connection speeds.

Officials involved in the effort acknowledge it's unlikely to stop the biggest violators. There are ways to disguise an IP address or use a neighbor's connection that is unlocked. Public wireless connections, such as those offered at coffee shops, also won't be monitored.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-02-25-US-Internet-Piracy/id-dfd9db3796ee402ebdfbc72f96e26294

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Friday, February 22, 2013

Fight or flight? - Business Management Daily

Yesterday, the New York Times? You?re the Boss Blog asked the following question: How do you handle employee litigation? Do you dig in your heels and fight, settle, or some combination of the two? The NYT?s blog post recounted the story of one small business owner who chose to stand his ground and assume the [...]

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Source: http://www.businessmanagementdaily.com/34637/fight-or-flight-when-an-employee-sues-you-should-you-litigation-or-settle

abc

Indie Mobile Devs Get A Leg Up With New Cross-Promotion Service From Chartboost, Execution Labs

Screen Shot 2013-02-21 at 3.45.21 PMExecution Labs, a Montreal-based gaming incubator, is teaming up with mobile game advertising and monetization startup Chartboost to create a new matchmaking program that will help indie game developers promote each others’ work. It would allow smaller developers to tap into cross-promotion, a strategy that has helped bigger game developers hold onto their millions of players as they get shuttled from one game title to the next. Big game developers like Zynga and Rovio routinely promote their new games in old titles. That makes it much cheaper for them to get millions of users for a new title. At the same time, it’s become harder than ever for brand-new game developers to break in. Yesterday, a Distimo report showed that just 2 percent of the top 250 publishers in the iPhone App Store were ?newcomers.” Android is not much better with just 3 percent qualifying as “newcomers” in the Android app store, Google Play. It’s a classic shift you see on software platforms, as early movers take advantage of lower marketing costs to gain reach and crowd out latecomers. Execution Labs is calling this matchmaking service the “Lab Partners” program. It will help indie mobile game developers find similar developers with whom they can set up advertising trades. They’ll be able to search for other games by platform and genre to see potential partners. So if a player enters one developers’ game, they’ll see ads for another studio’s similar titles. The service is free and is powered by Chartboost’s Direct Deals platform. Chartboost was founded by some former Tapulous employees and started off by facilitating direct advertising trades between mid- and large-size mobile developers. Over time, that grew into a gaming-centric mobile advertising network that now involves about 12,000 titles. The company’s revenues grew fast enough that the startup attracted a $19 million round led by Sequoia Capital earlier this year. Now Chartboost is envisioning itself as a business engine for games. While the company hasn’t shared its product roadmap for the coming year, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine it building out tools for retention and monetization later. As for Execution Labs, it’s a Montreal-based incubator backed by BDC Venture Capital, Real Ventures, and White Star Capital.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/jRtsyj39So8/

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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Absence from iPad costing Microsoft $2.5 billion yearly

Microsoft's absence from Apple's hot-selling tablet iPad may be costing the world's biggest software maker a fortune. In a research note, Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Holt said that Microsoft is losing as much as $2.5 billion per year by not providing its Office Suite on Apple's iOS.

Holt estimated that if Microsoft begins offering Office Suite - which includes programmes like Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc - at a price of $60, 30% of iPad users are likely to purchase the app. In his note, he said that approximately 200 million people will be using iPads in 2014, thus allowing Microsoft to rake in $2.5 billion for the year, even after paying Apple the 30% commission it charges.

As of now, the Office Suite is only available on Windows platform and more importantly on Surface tablets, the rivals of iPads. In his note, Holt said, "While Microsoft has resisted offering a full version of Office for the iOS, the company may ultimately decide there is more upside with Office on iPads, particularly if Windows tablets fall short of expectations."

On Windows 8, Holt also said that Microsoft's new operating system provides the company with a new avenue to generate revenue. However, the growth potential of this touch-friendly platform has been hampered by the limited availability of Windows-powered touchscreen devices. Another factor for this is that enterprises have slowed down in upgrading the software they use in office computers.

Source: http://timesofindia.feedsportal.com/fy/8at2Etf0kCv3H47V/story01.htm

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Apple iPad Ads Highlight Wealth of Applications

The latest ads seem to be a bit of a departure from Apple?s minimalist approach, featuring more upbeat music and a faster pace.

One of the savviest technology companies on the planet released two television commercials aimed at convincing consumers to pick up its iPad and iPad mini tablets. The two commercials, titled ?Alive? and ?Together?, highlight the software operating system and ecosystem of applications that help make Apple?s hardware so desirable. The fast-paced ads, which are accompanied by a bouncy musical score, showcase the various capabilities of the tablet. Like everything else with Apple, the company?s advertising strategy is always closely scrutinized, and the latest ads seem to be a bit of a departure from Apple?s minimalist approach. In addition to the new TV spots, Apple also debuted a new line of print advertisements also aimed at highlighting the wealth of applications designed specifically for the tablet. Apple is facing increased competition from other tablet vendors like Samsung and Amazon, but remains the clear market leader. Apple's tablet sales were driven by strong demand for the iPad Mini. With a recent Canalys report estimating that the 7-inch device made up more than half of Apple's total tablet shipments, owing to an attractive price point (a debatable point of analysis) and compact design, which the firm said has led to "significant cannibalization" in the iPad range and the wider PC market. The 2012 holiday quarter also marked the first time Apple has not controlled half the tablet market; the company's share stood at 49 percent at the end of 2012, despite record shipments. Including iPad sales, worldwide PC shipments increased 12 percent year-on-year in the fourth-quarter to reach 134 million units. "Apple timed the launch of the iPad Mini well,' Canalys research analyst Pin-Chen Tang said in a statement. "Its success proves there is a clear demand for pads with smaller screens at a more affordable price. Without the launch, Apple would surely have lost more ground to its competitors." The company recently gave its MacBook Pro with Retina display notebook a refresh, sporting updated processors and lower starting prices: The entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display now starts at $1,499 for 128GB of flash storage, and $1,699 for a new 2.6 GHz processor and 256GB of flash storage. Apple also upgraded the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, which now features a faster 2.4 GHz quad-core processor, and the flagship 15-inch notebook comes with a new 2.7 GHz quad-core processor and 16GB of memory. Apple also announced that the 13-inch MacBook Air with 256GB of storage has a new lower price of $1,399. All models are available through the company?s online store, retail stores and authorized resellers.

Source: http://www.eweek.com/mobile/apple-ipad-ads-highlight-wealth-of-applications/

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Monday, February 18, 2013

How To Kill A Drone - Prepper Podcast Radio Network

Posted on February 5, 2013 by # 1 NWO Hatr

?

Since Barack Obama recently took it upon himself to label himself ?dictator? with free will to kill Americans with drones, isn?t it time that Americans learn how to fight back and kill drones? Where there is a will, there is a way! This excellent article informs Americans who are completely disgusted with the ?Police State? our once free nation has become on how to kill UAV?s. If UAV?s are going to be used to kill Americans, Americans need to learn how to fight back. Our GOD given right to defend our own lives is a much higher power than either Barack Obama or the 2nd Amendment of the US Constitution or the US Pentagon and their killing machines. These monsters DESERVE to be grounded. Here?s how to do it!

The UAVs have two alternative systems for communication.

Line of sight radio :
In the military C-Band? 500 ? 1000 MHz that can be jammed with simple spark-gap radio

Satellite communication :
In the Ku-Band between 10.95 ? 14.5 GHz, and? the satellite can be jammed.
The Uplink-Band?to?the satellite is 13.75 ? 14.5 GHz
The Downlink-Band?from?the satellite is 10.95 ? 12.75 GHz
And you should jam the Uplink frequencies with a jammer directed at the satellite.

uavcom.jpg (29230 bytes)

uavparab.jpg (39257 bytes)

parab.jpg (8240 bytes)

The satellite link system is from L-3 Communications.
Specifications.pdf

Surprisingly, the resistance can tap off the military?s video feeds

As you can see in the specifications, the satellite link system uses the same civilian commercial technology as television broadcasting companies. And the surprise is that the resistance and others have tapped off the videos from the battlefield with simple commercial equipment.

But now the communication is perhaps encrypted. ?Read more about SkyGrabber.pdf

If you jam the communication, then the operator becomes blind and the UAV will fly around until it crashes or the fuel is gone. But you must kill both links of communication to kill any rescue.

There are a limited number of satellite channels available which means that the satellite link becomes a bottleneck. The satellite is therefore used as a backup and jammer-rescue channel and for?single special operations?from far away from the target, while C-band radio is used for multiple simultaneous operations from near the targets. Every military base have their own UAVs that must be operated through the C-band radio. C-band radio is also reported to be used for take off and landing. Which means that?the C-band radio is your primary target.?The C-band radio is also easier to jam.

Read much more on how to destroy Americans latest and greatest enemy?here.

via How To Kill A Drone: Since Drones Can Kill Americans, Americans Can Kill Drones, Here?s How | _.

Source: http://www.prepperpodcast.com/how-to-kill-a-drone-since-drones-can-kill-americans-americans-can-kill-drones-heres-how/

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California Shale Oil Reserves - Business Insider

SHALE exploitation in North Dakota has lifted incomes and brought unemployment down to 3.2% of the workforce, the lowest level in the country.

Californians are rarely found looking longingly towards the Midwest. But the revelation that their state, with unemployment at 9.8% and America?s highest poverty rate, may be sitting on the largest deposit of shale oil in the continental United States has led some to wonder if their salvation lies 10,000 feet (3,000 metres) beneath them.

California has been an oil state since 1865. Thanks largely to reserves that can still be tapped by conventional means, it remains the third-largest producer in the country. Output has lately been declining by 2-3% a year, according to the state?s Energy Commission. But in 2011 the federal Energy Information Administration declared that the Monterey shale formation, which spans 1,750 square miles (450,000 hectares) in southern and central California, held 15.42 billion barrels of recoverable oil, 64% of the total estimated to be in the 48 contiguous states.

That should be an attractive prospect for a state with a history of unemployment and fiscal woe. But environmental scruples have long been as characteristic of California as budgetary mismanagement, and a battle is brewing. Opponents of the hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") technique often used to extract oil and gas from shale rock in "unconventional" drilling say regulations proposed by the state in December do not adequately protect against groundwater contamination or air pollution. Some mutter about earthquakes. Such concerns find receptive ears in a seismically active state with a large farm sector.

The oilmen reply that fracking has been conducted in California for years without trouble. Moreover, they add, surely the environmentally concerned should want as much Californian oil as possible produced under the state?s tight regulations, rather than imported from places with looser regimes. Some see an emerging split between inland counties, which tend to have higher unemployment and more conservative politics, and the conservationists along the coast. The row will rumble on, with revised rules expected later this year.

For some, the complex geology of the Monterey shale opens up alternative means of extraction. Santa Maria Energy, a small producer in Santa Barbara County, about 150 miles (240 km) north-west of Los Angeles, extracts 200 barrels of crude a day from the shale at depths of around 2,500 feet by exploiting natural fractures in the rock. Although the firm has no plans to begin fracking, David Pratt, its president, likes to say that the Monterey is California?s way out of the "fiscal toilet".

Some of the "Saudi America" talk is overdone. And even if California does begin exploiting the Monterey aggressively, an economic miracle is unlikely. California?s population is over 50 times bigger than North Dakota?s, and, as Kevin Klowden of the Milken Institute, a think-tank, points out, the opportunity costs of giving over land to drilling may be far higher in California than in some other states.

No producer has yet found a way to begin large-scale extraction from the Monterey. But despite the geological and regulatory uncertainties, several firms have placed large bets on its future. And other states in the region sitting on shale reserves are forging merrily ahead. At a Senate hearing on February 12th John Hickenlooper, Colorado?s Democratic governor, staked out his position by announcing that he had once drunk a glass of fracking fluid.

Meanwhile, the technology that kick-started the revolution marches on. Some speak excitedly of fracking that uses saline rather than fresh water, or no water at all. The industry has moved so quickly in recent years, says Dan Kirschner of the Northwest Gas Association, a trade body, that it is starting to seem odd to call shale resources "unconventional".

SEE ALSO: Here's The Truth About Fracking

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Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/california-shale-oil-reserves-2013-2

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'Happy Day's Mini-Reunion When Ted McGinley Guests On Scott Baio's 'See Dad Run' (VIDEO)

  • "666 Park Avenue"

    <strong>"666 Park Ave.," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/16/666-park-avenue-canceled_n_2147290.html">ABC pulled the plug</a> on this supernatural drama earlier in the season.

  • "The Bachelor"

    <strong>"The Bachelor," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: While ratings may have dropped, "The Bachelor" will likely see another season on ABC as tabloids and viewers still care about the comings and goings of contestants.

  • "Body of Proof"

    <strong>"Body of Proof," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: ABC is keen on this Dana Delany drama, but the ratings for this upcoming third season will be the true test.

  • "Castle"

    <strong>"Castle," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed. <strong>Why</strong>: Strong ratings and a dedicated viewership will keep "Castle" on the schedule.

  • "Dancing With the Stars"

    <strong>"Dancing With the Stars," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The series is hurting in the ratings ... by "DWTS" standards. It's still a strong player for ABC, but the new season hasn't premiered yet.

  • "Don't Trust The B---- In Apt. 23"

    <strong>"Don't Trust The B---- In Apt. 23," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/22/apartment-23-canceled-dont-trust-the-b_n_2528858.html">ABC pulled the low-rated comedy</a> from it schedule and the stars took to Twitter to announce the cancellation.

  • "Family Tools"

    <strong>"Family Tools," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: This ABC comedy has yet to debut, but a May 1 premiere date doesn't look great.

  • "Grey's Anatomy"

    <strong>"Grey's Anatomy," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: America still loves McDreamy and the goings on at Seattle Grace. Expect "Grey's" to return.

  • "Happy Endings"

    <strong>"Happy Endings," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: Always the bubble show, never the surefire renewal hit. "Happy Endings" has suffered from many ratings ailments, including bad scheduling (<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/happy-endings-friday-abc_n_2683091.html">it's moving to Friday night</a>) and lack of promo. But this ahmahzing show has some serious fans that could keep it afloat for another season ... maybe on another network (a la "Cougar Town.")

  • "How To Live With Your Parents (For The Rest Of Your Life)"

    <strong>"How To Live With Your Parents (For The Rest Of Your Life)," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: The ABC comedy starring Sarah Chalke has yet to debut, but its late season bow doesn't exactly bode well for its future.

  • "Last Man Standing"

    <strong>"Last Man Standing," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Viewers still love Tim Allen! Paired with "Malibu Country," "Last Man Standing" has been performing well on Friday nights and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/jonathan-taylor-thomas-last-man-standing-home-improvement_n_2686307.html">will soon see Allen's "Home Improvement" co-star Jonathan Tyler Thomas</a>.

  • "Last Resort"

    <strong>"Last Resort," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/16/last-resort-canceled-abc_n_2147316.html">ABC killed the Shawn Ryan drama</a> in late 2012.

  • "Malibu Country"

    <strong>"Malibu Country," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: "Malibu Country" has been performing well on Friday nights. Lesson: Never underestimate the star power of Reba.

  • "The Middle"

    <strong>"The Middle," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Now in its fourth season, "The Middle" is still pulling in more than 8 million viewers an episode as the anchor of ABC's Wednesday comedies.

  • "Mistresses"

    <strong>"Mistresses," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: ABC sent out the pilot with its 2012-2013 offerings, but the drama, which is based on the UK series of the same name, has yet to premiere despite having Alyssa Milano and "Lost" alum Yunjin Kim.

  • "Modern Family"

    <strong>"Modern Family," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: A fan favorite and Emmy darling, "Modern Family" will be back and will make ABC lots of money in syndication.

  • "Nashville"

    <strong>"Nashville," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: Critical acclaim doesn't always equate to rating success. The show has stabilized in Nielsen ratings, but its future really depends on the strength of ABC's drama pilots.

  • "The Neighbors"

    <strong>"The Neighbors," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: One of the few "hits" of the season, "The Neighbors" has found an audience and kept it pretty steadily week after week (<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/11/abc-shows-fall-tv-2012-2013_n_1581796.html">much to our dismay</a>).

  • "Once Upon a Time"

    <strong>"Once Upon a Time," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: A ratings hit in its second season, "Once Upon a Time" is almost sure to be back for a third season full of fairytale adventures.

  • "Private Practice"

    <strong>"Private Practice," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Ended <strong>Why</strong>: The "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff said goodbye in January 2013.

  • "Red Widow"

    <strong>"Red Widow," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: The show has a late February debut on ABC.

  • "Revenge"

    <strong>"Revenge," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: "Revenge" has fallen out of critical favor and seen lower ratings in its new Sunday night home. But none of ABC's freshman dramas are doing well, so that works in the show's favor.

  • "Rookie Blue"

    <strong>"Rookie Blue," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The Canadian co-production will return for a fourth season on ABC during the summer of 2013.

  • "Scandal"

    <strong>"Scandal," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Shonda Rhimes has another hit on her hands. Now in its second season, "Scandal" has benefited from word-of-mouth and has been rising in the ratings (even recently beating out its lead in "Grey's Anatomy"). A likable star -- Kerry Washington -- and continued buzz will keep "Scandal" on the schedule.

  • "Suburgatory"

    <strong>"Suburgatory," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: The series started Season 2 off strong in the ratings, but its audience has slowly eroded. Its not the worst-performing ABC sitcom, but its buzziness has died down as well.

  • "Zero Hour"

    <strong>"Zero Hour," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: The Anthony Edwards vehicle debuted to 6.3 million viewers with a 1.3 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, making it <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/15/zero-hour-ratings_n_2695800.html">the least-watched premiere for a scripted series in ABC's history</a>. Obviously, things aren't looking good for the "ER" star's comeback, but maybe the ratings will improve.

  • "2 Broke Girls"

    <strong>"2 Broke Girls," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: It's not doing "The Big Bang Theory" numbers, but "2 Broke Girls" has maintained a viewership over its two seasons.

  • "The Amazing Race"

    <strong>"The Amazing Race," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: As an Emmy and fan favorite, "The Amazing Race" has been a strong player for CBS.

  • "The Big Bang Theory"

    <strong>"The Big Bang Theory," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Now in its sixth season, "Big Bang" is reaching series-high ratings. Even up against reality powerhouse "American Idol," "The Big Bang Theory" has been delivering with crazy high numbers in the 18-49 demographic, beating out what was once Fox's juggernaut.

  • "Blue Bloods"

    <strong>"Blue Bloods," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The Tom Selleck-fronted police drama is a strong ratings performer for CBS on Fridays. It will likely be back to help launch new Friday shows and produce enough episodes to enter syndication.

  • "Criminal Minds"

    <strong>"Criminal Minds," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: As one of CBS's strong procedural players, the series has been steady in the ratings and will likely be renewed to help anchor a night and launch a new drama.

  • "CSI"

    <strong>"CSI," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Of the two "CSI" shows on the air, "CSI" is the stronger player in the TV landscape. The show is nowhere near its earlier ratings, but after such a successful run, CBS would be smart to bring the show -- and some old faces back -- for an abbreviated farewell season.

  • "CSI: NY"

    <strong>"CSI: NY," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: The spinoff series will be entering Season 10 in the 2013-2014 season. The ratings have faded over the years, but they're still pretty stable, especially for Fridays. It's a toss up, depending on how well CBS's development slate goes.

  • "Elementary"

    <strong>"Elementary," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: One of the very few freshman series hits during the 2012-2013 TV season, CBS is very keen on this modern-day take on Sherlock Holmes. The audience has been steady and the network even gave it the post-Super Bowl timeslot.

  • "Golden Boy"

    <strong>"Golden Boy," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: CBS certainly has a handsome star at the front of this cop drama, but its late season entry and Friday timeslot could be a hint toward CBS's confidence in the show.

  • "The Good Wife"

    <strong>"The Good Wife," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: A former ratings champ, "The Good Wife" has slipped to series low ratings on Sunday nights. Blame football overrun, fan-detested storylines or too many guest stars, but "The Good Wife" is certainly in the danger zone. What it has going for it: star power and critical praise, plus its nearing a good syndication sweet spot.

  • "Hawaii Five-0"

    <strong>"Hawaii Five-0," CBS</strong <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: Its ratings -- bouncing around 8-10 million viewers an episode, are great ... if you're a show on NBC. By CBS standards, they're kind of meh, but this show has stars with very active fan followings. CBS could axe the drama to make room for new procedurals, or stick with it to get the show close to syndication gold.

  • "How I Met Your Mother"

    <strong>"How I Met Your Mother," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: CBS handed out a ninth and final season to this comedy with the entire cast returning. Expect to meet the mother, finally.

  • "Made In Jersey"

    <strong>"Made In Jersey," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: CBS pulled the plug on this legal drama very early on in the season because of low ratings.

  • "The Mentalist"

    <strong>"The Mentalist," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: "The Mentalist" has fallen to mediocre ratings -- by CBS standards -- and could be axed in favor of making room for a new drama.

  • "Mike & Molly"

    <strong>"Mike & Molly," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The ratings are down a little bit from last year, but Melissa McCarthy's star continues to rise. CBS will likely bring the show back for another season.

  • "NCIS"

    <strong>"NCIS," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: CBS reached a deal with series star Mark Harmon in early 2013, keeping the No. 1 show in America around for a Season 11.

  • "NCIS: LA"

    <strong>"NCIS: LA," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Viewers love their "NCIS," in any form. The ratings have been strong and the network is producing a backdoor spinoff pilot for this spinoff show. A full night of "NCIS" could be in CBS's future.

  • "Partners"

    <strong>"Partners," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: Low ratings and unfavorable reviews led to the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/16/partners-canceled-cbs_n_2145832.html">early demise</a> of this CBS comedy.

  • "Person of Interest"

    <strong>"Person of Interest," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The series has developed a nice-sized audience, bigger than its first season.

  • "Rules of Engagement"

    <strong>"Rules of Engagement," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Honestly, who knows <strong>Why</strong>: This comedy has been on the bubble since it premiered ... yet is now in its seventh season. It's too soon to look at the numbers for this season, but the show has been a midseason success for CBS in the past. However, series co-star <a href="http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/02/07/cbs-orders-comedy-pilot-starring-patrick-warburton/">Patrick Warburton is attached to star in a new pilot</a> ... for CBS.

  • "Survivor"

    <strong>"Survivor," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: A strong player for the last 13 years, "Survivor" will likely be back. But due to its <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/survivor-ratings-lowest-premiere-ever_n_2687591.html">most recent premiere ratings</a>, we might not see it during the fall season, though a midseason or summer return -- with some new gimmick -- is definitely in the cards for the reality series.

  • "Two and a Half Men"

    <strong>"Two and a Half Men," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: CBS wants another season of this bawdy hit, it's just a matter of getting its stars to sign back on.

  • "Undercover Boss"

    <strong>"Undercover Boss," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The show is enjoying life in syndication and its Season 4 numbers are better than most of its third season.

  • "Unforgettable"

    <strong>"Unforgettable," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Uncanceled <strong>Why</strong>: CBS canceled the Poppy Montgomery drama last season ... and then revived it! Season 2 premieres Sunday, July 28.

  • "Vegas"

    <strong>"Vegas," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: Despite star power, the series hasn't been a breakout hit in the ratings. CBS previously canceled "Unforgettable" (then uncanceled it) last season when it was doing about the same as "Vegas."

  • Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/18/happy-days-reunion-see-dad-run-video_n_2709218.html

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    Home Appliance Retail Business Promotion And Your Appliance Store

    Investing a long time into creating a booming home appliance retail business continues to be a highly effective way to achieve a lot more revenue while doing work that you wish to do always. There?re several significant points to think about before you begin. If you plan a nicely laid out growth strategy and home appliance retail business plan, you will be the proprietor of a profitable growing home appliance retail business quickly. Remember these tips and ideas to develop your own growing home appliance retail business.

    Are your employees certain of their individual role in your appliance store?s strategy? Implement weekly meetings between managers and their direct reports to ensure that all employees maintain their focus on the mission, goals, strategy and objectives to success. Designating time with every employee ensures their understanding and continued attention to the details you need them to manage, and it provides an opportunity to engage them in developing a strategy that works.

    Apart from making your home appliance retail business successful, it is also essential in contributing in the growth and development of your nation by providing monetary support. Along with helping your country, this step will build your goodwill in the eyes of your clients and your customers.

    The sale is not complete until you ask for a referral. A satisfied client is your best promotion tool. Treat the person referred with respect. If you upset the referred person you could lose both them and the referring client. Ask every time and it will become second nature.

    You should strive to be diverse as an appliance store, and cater to a broad cross-section of the public. Do not stereotype groups of people, and do not say or do anything that disparages a particular group. You should avoid posting political signs or similar statements that would alienate a section of the public, as such limiting behavior has no place in a successful home appliance retail business.

    Lots of people make money on Youtube through ads. That?s not to say they put ads on Youtube, though that is absolutely possible as users can post pretty much anything they wish. Featured videos will have ads placed by Youtube which lead to money generated for the owners of videos which get the ads.

    You should be strict on the credit given to your consumers because delay in recovery of sales can be the reason of cash problem. The most dangerous thing for a home appliance retail business is liquidity troubles so try to stay away from it as much as you can.

    Have you ever seen those refrigerator magnets-or perhaps you have one on your refrigerator now? Take advantage of Vistaprint?s magnet creator to design and print promotional magnets for your home appliance retail business at minimal cost. One of the easiest methods to grow your home appliance retail business, magnets are used every day and offer advertising longevity.

    You can just go to any widely used search engine and type in scratch and dent appliances if you need help with coming up with additional ideas about affordable kitchen appliances.

    Source: http://onlineincomeaid.com/home-appliance-retail-business-promotion-and-your-appliance-store/

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    Sunday, February 17, 2013

    Facebook says it was a target of sophisticated hacking

    (Reuters) - Facebook said on Friday that it been the target of a series of attacks by an unidentified hacker group, but it had found no evidence that user data was compromised.

    "Last month, Facebook security discovered that our systems had been targeted in a sophisticated attack," the company said in a blog post. "The attack occurred when a handful of employees visited a mobile developer website that was compromised."

    The social network, which says it has more than one billion active users worldwide, added: "Facebook was not alone in this attack. It is clear that others were attacked and infiltrated recently as well."

    Facebook's announcement follows recent cyber attacks on other prominent websites. Twitter, the microblogging social network, said this month that it had been hacked, and that approximately 250,000 user accounts were potentially compromised, with attackers gaining access to information including user names and email addresses.

    Newspaper websites including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal have also been infiltrated, according to the news organizations. Those attacks were attributed by the news organizations to Chinese hackers targeting their coverage of China.

    (Reporting By Tim Reid; Editing by Gary Hill)

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/facebook-says-target-sophisticated-hacking-002959399.html

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    First time home buyers - Zillow Real Estate Advice

    Hello,

    My husband and I are first time home buyers. He is newly self employed (less than a year) with great credit and only student loan/small credit card debt.

    I recently moved from Canada? (3 months ago) I have no debt at all and have great credit in Canada but still building credit in the US (new SSN). We have 20% down payment and looking to buy a home for 200k or less. We also would have more than 1 years mortgage payments in savings.

    What type of loan would we qualify for? We can have a parent be a co-signer if all else fails. We are looking to buy in the Colorado springs area in the next 6 months.

    Thank you for your help!

    Source: http://www.zillow.com/advice-thread/First-time-home-buyers/478899/

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    Nevada higher ed funding formula under microscope

    CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) -- Nevada lawmakers are drilling into the details of a new funding formula for higher education will send more money to campuses in southern Nevada at the expense of the northern and rural areas.

    Gov. Brian Sandoval has proposed $472 million a year for the Nevada System of Higher Education, the same as existing spending levels. But how that money is divvied up is creating angst among institutions that will lose money, especially community colleges.

    Under the plan approved by the Board of Regents, funding will weighted and based on how many class credits students complete instead of on enrollment. For University of Nevada, Reno and community colleges in northern Nevada, the shift will mean a loss of around $13 million that will go to schools in southern Nevada.

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nevada-higher-ed-funding-formula-205255254.html

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    A Crazy But Rational Solution To Our Electoral College Problem

    Let's pretend. Let's pretend that politics doesn't matter, politicians don't matter, history doesn't matter, nostalgia doesn't matter, emotion doesn't matter, habit doesn't matter, romance doesn't matter, prejudice doesn't matter ? all that matters is good old rational, mathematical, look-at-the-numbers common sense.

    And now let's look at the Electoral College.

    We know what its problems are. Simply stated, by mathematician and fellow Obie (Oberlin College, producer of odd ducks) Neil Freeman, some states have lots of electoral power. Some states hardly any.

    The largest state is 66 times as populous as the smallest and has 18 times as many electoral votes. This allows for Electoral College results that don't match the popular vote.

    Neil's solution? Instead of eliminating the Electoral College he wants to reform it, with a simple formula: Recut the American pie. Re-divide America into 50 new units of equal population. Each new state will have roughly 6,175,000 inhabitants ? which is our 2010 population divided by 50. Because he is also an artist, an urban planner and a nut, he has renamed his new units after plants, songs, cities, and geological features in ways guaranteed to irritate pretty much everybody. Here's his modest proposal ...

    On his blog Fake Is The New Real, he lists the "advantages" of his proposal:

    Advantages

    • Preserves the historic structure and function of the Electoral College.
    • Ends the over-representation of small states and under-representation of large states in presidential voting and in the US Senate by eliminating small and large states.
    • Political boundaries more closely follow economic patterns, since many states are more centered on one or two metro areas.
    • Ends varying representation in the House. Currently, the population of House districts ranges from 528,000 to 924,000. After this reform, every House seat would represent districts of the same size. (Since the current size of the House isn't divisible by 50, the numbers of seats should be increased to 450 or 500.)
    • States could be redistricted after each census ? just like House seats are distributed now.

    ... and then, because he has to, he very briefly lists the disadvantages, to which I have added one of my own ...

    Disadvantages

    • Some county names are duplicated in new states.
    • Some local governments would experience a shift in state laws and procedures.
    • [Editor's Addition] This will never happen.

    In fairness to Neil, he explicitly says: "Keep in mind that this is an art project, not a serious proposal, so take it easy with the emails about the sacred soil of Texas." So don't rant to him. Save your rants for me. I am built like an Internet armadillo; I am rant-friendly. Neil, by the way, has been published in the Believer, Black Book and the Next American City, and his work has appeared in exhibitions in Chicago, London, New York and Cambridge, Mass. (Or "Casco," as he would call it.)

    Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2013/02/15/172029048/a-crazy-but-rational-solution-to-our-electoral-college-problem?ft=1&f=1007

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    Realtor.com&#39;s January Trend Data Shows Ripe Conditions For ...

    SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 14, 2013 (PRNewswire) Realtor.com?, a leader in online real estate operated by Move, Inc. (NASDAQ: MOVE), released its January data on the U.S. housing market today, offering valuable insight into the latest real estate trends. Realtor.com??s January 2013 national housing data indicates that listing inventories decreased 16.47 percent year-over-year; median age of inventory was at 108 days, a 9.24 percent decrease year-over-year; and median list prices are slightly higher increasing .80 percent year-over year to $187,000.

    The findings indicate opportunities in local markets for both buyers and sellers. With inventories at record lows and list prices increasing, Realtor.com??s 2013 Best Sellers Markets are Sacramento, CA; San Jose, CA; San Francisco, CA; Phoenix, AZ; and Washington, DC. For consumers looking for a competitive edge heading into the busy spring buying season, Realtor.com??s Top Buyers Markets are Asheville, NC; Peoria, IL; Charleston, WV; Philadelphia, PA; and Cleveland, OH.

    ?We connect consumers to the home of their dreams by delivering the most comprehensive selection and accurate housing data for homes currently on sale or for rent,? said Steve Berkowitz , chief executive officer of Move, Inc. ?If inventories remain low and list prices begin to rise over the next few months, as they did last year, conditions will be ripe for additional markets to appreciate in 2013.?

    National Data

    In January, the total number of single-family homes, condos, townhomes and co-ops for sale in the U.S. decreased by 16.47 percent from one year ago, dropping to its lowest point since January 2007, when Realtor.com? began collecting this data. The significant year-over-year decline in homes for sale shows that the real estate market has worked through much of its excess inventory and, if these conditions continue, sellers are more likely to receive their asking price. While the median list price is essentially the same as it was one year ago, the average amount of time a home spent on the market decreased 9.24 percent on a year-over-year basis.

    • The national for-sale inventory for single family homes, condos, townhomes and co-ops (SFH/CTHCOPS) (1,477,266) continued to decline in January, falling by 5.63 percent during the month and by 16.47 percent on an annual basis.
    • The national median list price for SFH/CTHCOPS ($187,000) increased .80 percent in January and is now slightly higher than it was one year ago.
    • The median age of inventory of for-sale listings was 108 days in January, down 2.70 percent from December and 9.24 percent below the median age one year ago (January 2012).

    Local Data

    Regional January data suggests that at a local level, trends for both growth and decline observed in 2012 are continuing into 2013. States that were once at the center of the housing crisis, including Arizona, California and Washington, are continuing on upward trajectories. In several markets, particularly in California, home sellers are seeing a dramatic advantage when putting their homes on the market with some of the best prices in recent years. Alternatively, markets in the older industrialized parts of the Midwest and the East will likely continue to struggle without a significant turnaround in their local economies.

    • Realtor.com??s 2013 Best Sellers Markets are Sacramento, CA; San Jose, CA; San Francisco, CA; Phoenix, AZ; and Washington, DC.
    • Realtor.com??s Top Buyers Markets are Asheville, NC; Peoria, IL; Charleston, WV; Philadelphia, PA; and Cleveland, OH.

    A number of factors will contribute to the continuation of a housing recovery this year, including the strength of the economy, the cost and availability of mortgage credit, consumer expectations regarding future housing prices and the success of efforts to reduce the number of foreclosures.

    Realtor.com? regularly tracks real estate data and develops monthly reports featuring the number of listings, median age of inventory and median list price across the U.S. and in specific markets, as well as provides year-over-year and month-over-month changes. These reports are the only ones pulled directly from the Realtor.com? database that updates every 15 minutes from more than 800 multiple listing services. For more information, please visit www.Realtor.com.

    About Move, Inc.

    Move, Inc. (NASDAQ: MOVE) is the leader in online real estate and operator of REALTOR.com?, the official website of the National Association of REALTORS?; Move.com, a leading destination for new homes and rental listings, moving, home and garden, and home finance; ListHub?, the leading syndicator of real estate listings; Moving.com?; SeniorHousingNet; SocialBios; TigerLead?; and TOP PRODUCER? Systems. Move, Inc. is based in San Jose, Calif.

    About Realtor.Com?

    REALTOR.com?, a leader in online real estate, is operated by Move, Inc., (NASDAQ: MOVE) and is the official Web site of the National Association of REALTORS?. As the #1 homes-for-sale site, Realtor.com? currently offers potential home buyers access to over four million property listings. It also provides REALTORS? and the home sellers they represent with the Internet?s largest real estate marketplace. Agents and companies have the power to customize REALTOR.com? resources to maximize their brand and productivity.

    Source: http://www.powersiteblog.com/blog/2013/02/15/realtor-coms-january-trend-data-shows-ripe-conditions-for-home-values-increasing-in-the-new-year/

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    Thursday, February 14, 2013

    Which continent has the larger land area South America or Africa?

  • What continent is larger than the continent of africa?

    Asia is the largest continent on the planet. Th...

  • How many times larger is the total population of the continent of Africa than the United States population?

    The current U.S.A. population is over 311 milli...

  • Which continent is larger then the continent of africa?

    Asia is a larger continent than Africa. Asia is...

  • Which continent is larger in land area?

    Asia is the largest contenetn with 17,139,445 s...

  • Which continent is larger than the continent of Africa?

    Asia is a larger continent than Africa. Asia is...

  • What two continents are larger in area than North America?

    The 2 continents that have greater land mass & ...

  • Did Wengener propose that during continental drift, larger continents broke through the ocean crust?

    The hypothesis that the continents had once for...

  • How much larger the continent of Africa is than the continent of North America?

    Africa (30,3 million km?) is larger than the co...

  • What desert is larger than the continent of Australia?

    The Sahara desert is 3.5 million square miles, ...

  • Which continent has the larger population Europe or North America?

    Europe is ranked 3rd in largest continent by po...

  • Which four continents have a larger population than South America?

    Asia, Africa, Europe, North America have a larg...

  • What 3 continents are larger in area than South America?

    Asia - 17,139,445 square miles, Africa - 11,677...

  • Source: http://www.chacha.com/question/which-continent-has-the-larger-land-area-south-america-or-africa

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    Tuesday, February 12, 2013

    Top 7? Greatest love stories in gaming | GamesRadar

    1. Johnny and River (To the Moon)

    To The Moon's love story isn't an aside or sub-facet of the main story--it is the main story. When the game begins, you're introduced to Johnny, an elderly man on his deathbed with a dying wish to go to the moon. Well, to at least experience going to the moon, as you're tasked with implanting an artificial memory into his brain so he can rest in peace.

    But once you start digging through his life's story, you begin to uncover his troubled relationship with his wife, River, who died a few years earlier. River has a disorder that makes their communication difficult. She creates rooms full of origami bunnies for him and he has no idea why, he writes her a song that she doesn't respond to, she asks him strange questions that he doesn't understand. The deeper you dive into Johnny's memories, the more you learn about their relationship, why they're doing the things they're doing, and why, of all things, Johnny's dying wish is to go to the moon. Oh, and you're going to cry. Oh, yes, there will be tears.

    Source: http://www.gamesradar.com/top-7-greatest-love-stories-gaming/

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    Friday, February 8, 2013

    James Harden's All-Star Game Travel Tips For Houston

    HOUSTON (AP) ? James Harden is ready. For the music, the weather, the restaurants.

    And, yes, he'll work in some basketball as well.

    "Houston is a beautiful city," he says.

    Harden will be making his NBA All-Star debut when the game and its weekend of festivities come to Houston Feb. 15-17.

    In his first season with the Houston Rockets after an October trade from Oklahoma City, Harden has taken to the nation's fourth-largest city. And for those planning a trip to the game, he's set to play travel agent ? where to stay, what to eat, things to do.

    "There's so much you can do, so if you come it should be a good time," he tells The Associated Press. "There's just so much variety."

    And with temperatures expected to be in the high 60s, a visit would be a welcome respite for fans from colder climates.

    "That's another reason why Houston is beautiful," he said. "The weather is always nice for the most part."

    There's also the throngs of rappers who will descend on the city for a weekend that has become known as much for big-name rap shows and parties as it is for basketball.

    "I'm looking forward to seeing everybody from the legends like Jay-Z and Kanye West and Rick Ross, to the newer, young guys like Meek Mill and Wiz Khalifa and even Trinidad James," he said.

    The Sunday night game at the Toyota Center ends a weekend of events on the court, including the Rising Stars Challenge for first- and second-year players, slam dunk and 3-point contests and a celebrity basketball game.

    "I'm excited to be a first-time All-Star and my first time being in Houston just made it more special," said Harden, who's in his fourth season. "Just to see all the newer guys like myself and all the other first-time All-Stars should be really fun."

    After games, Harden often makes the half-mile trip to one of his favorite Houston restaurants, Vic and Anthony's Steakhouse, 1510 Texas St. He likes the Atlantic salmon with Texas tapenade, king crab risotto and Brussels sprouts, but says you can't go wrong with any of the steaks.

    "Pretty much everything on the menu is really good," he said. "Nice atmosphere, good people and very good food, so it's a pretty good time."

    He's also become a big fan of Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, a Houston-based Cajun seafood chain with 12 locations throughout the city. Harden likes their Mississippi catfish Opelousas, a dish of blackened catfish with oysters, shrimp and jumbo lump crab meat in lemon garlic butter served over dirty rice.

    "That's a big name out here if you're looking for a great seafood place," Harden said. "It's well known out here so a lot of people want to go there, especially out of towners."

    Harden doesn't drink, saying he sticks to orange juice. But for those who do, Pappadeaux is known for its rainbow-hued Swamp Thing cocktail, a concoction of raspberry and melon liqueurs layered with frozen hurricane and margarita.

    Harden loves the convenience of living downtown and suggests fans traveling to the game find a hotel in the area. When he has friends and family in town they often stay at the Four Seasons, a five-minute walk from the Toyota Center.

    After signing a five-year, $80 million contract extension soon after the trade, one of Harden's favorite activities in Houston is shopping. And there's no better place to do it in the city than the Galleria.

    The sprawling mall, located about eight miles from downtown at 5085 Westheimer Rd., spans 2.4 million square feet and is home to about 400 shops and restaurants.

    "I can do a lot of shopping, and the Galleria mall has everything you need and every store," he said. "I go there like once a week just to get a couple of new things and stay up on my fashion game. The mall is just amazing."

    Known for his long and wild beard, Harden describes his style as eclectic and said he doesn't gravitate to any one store or brand.

    "I'm unique and different in my own way," he said. "I just go with the flow."

    Visitors who are hip-hop fans will have no shortage of things to do at night during All-Star weekend. Harden, who was last season's Sixth Man of the Year and won an Olympic gold medal with the U.S. team in London, likes that the event brings rappers and athletes together.

    "As basketball players we listen to a lot of music before the games and we're fans of the rap game, and rappers are fans of basketball players and they like to come see us play," he said. "In a sense, we want to be them and they want to be like us, so All-Star weekend is a chance for all of us to hang out and mingle with each other."

    Dozens of parties and concerts featuring everyone from Lil Wayne to Diddy to Young Jeezy and T.I. are planned for the weekend. The sheer volume of events left Harden unable to suggest a single spot to check out.

    "There's going to be so much going on, there's going to be so many headline parties and rappers and NBA players hosting parties and things like that," he said. "No matter what party you show up at it's going to be good and it's going to be packed because a lot of people are coming down."

    Though Harden wouldn't reveal where he'll be partying, he did share that he listens to rapper Meek Mill's hit song "Dreams and Nightmares" before every game.

    The rapper has a concert planned on Feb. 15 at Warehouse Live, 813 St. Emanuel St., less than a mile from the arena. It won't be hard to find Harden if he drops by. The bearded 6-foot-5 baller says he won't just be standing around if you catch him at a party.

    "I have rhythm. I wouldn't call myself a dancer, but I go with the flow," he said with a grin. "I'm not just a wallflower. I can move a little bit."

    ___

    Online:

    Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau: http://www.visithoustontexas.com/

    NBA All-Star Game: http://www.nba.com/allstar2013/

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    Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/08/james-hardens-all-star-t_n_2639127.html

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    Meet our earliest common mammalian ancestor

    Say hello to your greatest grandparent. Cute, furry, long-tailed and with a penchant for insects ? it sounds like something we would keep as a pet rather than be related to. But it seems that such a creature was the last shared ancestor of placental mammals ? a group including all living mammals apart from marsupials and those that lay eggs.

    An exhaustive analysis, combining genomic information and fossil evidence, suggests that our ancestor lived soon after the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. Its descendants rapidly spread around the globe and evolved into all the major placental groups seen today, from bats to whales and from mice to men.

    Molecular biologists and palaeontologists have long argued over the origin of placental mammals. For a long time, the accepted theory, based on fossil evidence, was that mammals had diversified after the dinosaurs were wiped out, exploding into myriad different species once the world was no longer dominated by these giants.

    However, recent genetic analyses have suggested that our earliest ancestor would have walked with the dinosaurs ? living about 100 million years ago, and diversifying into more than 20 different lineages in the succeeding 35 million years.

    But palaeontologists have found no fossils from any modern placental group that date from before the impact, suggesting that the ancestor of living mammals evolved after the dinosaurs were gone.

    Family get-together

    In an attempt to resolve the conflict, Maureen O'Leary of Stony Brook University in New York state and colleagues built a family tree combining genetic information with data on more than 4500 anatomical traits ? the most ever used in this way ? from 46 living species and 40 fossil species.

    None of the fossils dating from before the impact could be classified as modern placental mammals. The oldest fossil they identified as being a modern placental lived 200,000 to 400,000 years after the impact. Their analysis showed that rapid evolution followed, producing the first members of the major placental lineages, such as primates and rodents, about 2 to 3 million years later.

    The team's genetic analysis suggests that the last common ancestor was a small insectivore weighing between 6 and 245 grams that climbed trees and had a long furry tail (see image above).

    "We have no real idea" where it originated, or how its descendants spread around the world, O'Leary says. And although the reconstruction looks like a rodent, "its teeth were completely different".

    Boom or bust

    Placental mammals weren't the only mammals to diversify after the impact. Marsupials experienced a similar but smaller burst of evolution following the asteroid hit, with a single lineage leading to all living species, O'Leary says. As did the multituberculates ? a group of rodent-like mammals that died without descendants 35 million years ago.

    Palaeontologist Donald Prothero at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, is delighted with the results. "This is more in line with what the fossil record has told us for a long time," he says.

    "This is a landmark piece of work," says Stephen Brusatte of the University of Edinburgh, UK. "The fossil record and the molecular clock are starting to converge. That's just what we want."

    However, molecular biologist Mark Springer of the University of California at Riverside, who carried out the genetic analysis that suggested our ancestors diversified while the dinosaurs were still living, is still sceptical. "It does not convince me that the placental diversification commenced in the Palaeocene", the first 10 million years after the extinction, he says. "The tree based on morphology? is in striking disagreement with the molecular tree."

    Resolving the dispute is likely to require the discovery of new fossils. Brusatte and others are currently looking for mammal fossils from the Palaeocene Period, hoping to catch the earliest stages of the evolution of our earliest ancestor.

    Journal reference: Science, DOI: 10.1126/science.1229237

    If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.

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    Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/2857f387/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Carticle0Cdn231480Emeet0Eour0Eearliest0Ecommon0Emammalian0Eancestor0Bhtml0Dcmpid0FRSS0QNSNS0Q20A120EGLOBAL0Qonline0Enews/story01.htm

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    Wednesday, February 6, 2013

    Blowing hot and cold: U.S. belief in climate change shifts with weather

    Feb. 5, 2013 ? A University of British Columbia study of American attitudes toward climate change finds that local weather -- temperature, in particular -- is a major influence on public and media opinions on the reality of global warming.

    The study, published February 5? by the journal Climatic Change, finds a strong connection between U.S. weather trends and public and media attitudes towards climate science over the past 20 years -- with skepticism about global warming increasing during cold snaps and concern about climate change growing during hot spells.

    "Our findings help to explain some of the significant fluctuations and inconsistencies in U.S. public opinion on climate change," says UBC Geography Prof. Simon Donner who conducted the study with former student Jeremy McDaniels (now at Oxford University).

    The researchers used 1990-2010 data from U.S. public opinion polls and media coverage by major U.S. newspapers, including The New York Times, Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today. They evaluated the relationship between average national temperatures and opinion polls on climate change, along with the quantity and nature of media editorials and opinion pieces related to climate change.

    While many factors affect climate change attitudes -- political views, media coverage, personal experience and values -- the researchers suggest that headline-making weather can strongly influence climate beliefs, especially for individuals without strong convictions for or against climate change.

    "Our study demonstrates just how much local weather can influence people's opinions on global warming," says Donner. "We find that, unfortunately, a cold winter is enough to make some people, including many newspaper editors and opinion leaders, doubt the overwhelming scientific consensus on the issue."

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    Journal Reference:

    1. Simon D. Donner, Jeremy McDaniels. The influence of national temperature fluctuations on opinions about climate change in the U.S. since 1990. Climatic Change, 2013; DOI: 10.1007/s10584-012-0690-3

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    Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/oyccEB0yHX8/130205083058.htm

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