Who is James Franco? Artist Marina Abramovic wants her film to answer that

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - James Franco - a man of many talents and occupational endeavors - is the subject of performance artist Marina Abramovic's first film.

The woman who describes herself as the "grandmother of performance art," told Elle at the Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday that she is in the early stages of creating a film to answer the question: "Who is James Franco?"

"I think he's the most interesting actor of the moment," she said. "Why? Because he takes risks and when you take risks, you can fail. But he takes failure and risk all with the same intensity. He could just be another Hollywood actor and that's it - like everyone else. But he's crossing all kinds of borders and not always with great success. For him, process is more important than the result."

On top of acting in a number of high-profile films and being nominated for an Oscar in 2011 the same year he co-hosted the Academy Awards with Anne Hathaway, Franco is a published author, director, producer, editor and even a college teacher.

"And this is why I'm interested to explain to 'Who is James Franco?' and 'Why is he doing what he's doing?'" she continued. "He hardly sleeps or has a life. He just keeps going."

The Serbian artist, who won the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale in 1997, is known for her provocative work, including her 2002 "Nude With Skeleton" in which a naked man (or woman) lies flat underneath a human skeleton.

Abramovic has been friends with Franco since 2010 and appeared with him on an episode of the Sundance Channel's "Iconoclasts" last fall. She attended the Spirit Awards to support the film, "Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present," which was up for best documentary. The film documented her work, including a 736-hour, 30-minute performance at the Museum of Modern Art in which she sat at a table without moving while museum visitors lined up to sit opposite her in the museum atrium.

Franco will next be seen on screen in March as the titular character in "Oz the Great and Powerful" and as Hugh Hefner in "Lovelace."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/james-franco-artist-marina-abramovic-wants-her-film-190101229.html

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Christie signs NJ Internet gambling bill into law ? Casino Online ...

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) ? Get ready for betting in your jammies, at work, from the kitchen table, or at the beach: New Jerseyans ? and possibly many others ? will soon be able to gamble over the Internet.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed a bill Tuesday legalizing Internet gambling, hours after the state legislature passed a revised bill that made the changes he wanted. They included setting a 10-year trial period for online betting, and raising the taxes on the Atlantic City casinos? online winnings from 10 to 15 percent.

New Jersey became the third state in the nation to legalize gambling over the Internet. The lawmakers? votes and Christie?s signature marked the largest expansion of legalized gambling in New Jersey since the first casino began operating in Atlantic City in 1978.

Nevada and Delaware have passed laws legalizing Internet betting, which also is going on offshore, untaxed and unregulated.

?This was a critical decision, and one that I did not make lightly,? Christie said. ?But with the proper regulatory framework and safeguards that I insisted on including in the bill, I am confident that we are offering a responsible yet exciting option that will make Atlantic City more competitive while also bringing financial benefits to New Jersey as a whole.?

The idea is to help the struggling casinos by attracting new gamblers who are not now visiting the casinos. The comps, like free hotel rooms, show tickets, meals or other freebies, would be accrued from online play, but would have to be redeemed in person at a casino, presumably enticing a player to spend more money while there.

Tony Rodio, president of the Casino Association of New Jersey, welcomed the new opportunities for his industry.

?The objectives for the continued stabilization, development and success of Atlantic City that Gov. Christie and our legislature has facilitated over the past couple of years have taken a significant step forward today with the passage of Internet gaming,? he said.

The advent of Internet gambling is particularly good news for one of Atlantic City?s most struggling casinos, The Atlantic Club Casino Hotel. It is in the process of being bought by the parent company of PokerStars, the world?s largest poker web site.

?Our state leaders have stepped up, worked together and seized this moment,? said Michael Frawley, the casino?s chief operating officer. ?New Jersey will be better for it as the benefits of I-gaming for our state are only beginning to be fully appreciated. We strongly believe that the economic development and reinvestment in Atlantic City, driven through I-gaming, will be remembered as a critical turning point for this proud town. We look forward to the renewed success this new law will surely bring.?

The state is counting on that success, too. Budget figures released Tuesday by Christie envision contributions to the state?s Casino Revenue Fund soaring from $235 million this year to $436 million next year, largely due to an influx of online gambling revenue.

But Donald Weinbaum, executive director of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey, worried that expanding gambling options will increase the ranks of the estimated 350,000 New Jerseyans with a gambling problem. He also expressed concern about young, tech-savvy people developing gambling problems from playing online.

The bill will not take effect until the state Division of Gaming Enforcement sets a start date, sometime between three and nine months after the law is signed. Casino executives have estimated it could take six months to a year to get the system up and running.

It would allow the playing online, for money, of any game currently offered by Atlantic City?s 12 casinos; online poker is expected to be a particularly popular option.

?I?m sure I?ll experience it firsthand,? said Jonathan Wanchalk, a Lancaster, Pa., business owner who said he frequently played poker online before a federal crackdown on offshore betting sites. ?In college, I played poker a lot. It?s basically where all my money came from. Especially with poker, when it was allowed and then it wasn?t, I?m as curious as anyone else to see how it plays out.?

Gamblers would have to set up online accounts with a particular casino, and could set daily limits on their play.

They also would be subject to the same per-hand limits as gamblers physically present in the casino. Casino executives say final rules have to be approved by the gambling enforcement division, but they expect the state to require gamblers to have to appear in person at a casino to open their accounts and verify their age, identity and other personal information. Payouts could be made remotely to a credit card account or bank account when a player cashes out, if the state approves such an arrangement, the executives said.

They conceivably could even gamble through social media sites, as long as the sites worked with casinos that have an online gambling license, according to state Sen. Raymond Lesniak.

Joe Brennan Jr., director of the Interactive Media Entertainment Gaming Association, said a new industry is ready to take off.

?We were always confident this day would come, because even after he vetoed the original iGaming bill, Gov. Christie immediately came back to us, to try and find a way to make this happen,? Brennan said. ?It took a little longer than we expected, but in the end, it was done right, and now it?s time for Atlantic City to take this and run with it.?

And the Poker Players Alliance hailed the law?s enactment.

?New Jersey has gone ?all in,? ? said John Pappas, executive director of the group, which claims 1 million members, 20,000 of which live in New Jersey. ?Residents now will have access to a safe and regulated online gaming market, and the state will have a new source for revenue and job creation ? something the federal government has failed to do thus far.?

The bill allows gamblers in other states to place bets in New Jersey as long as regulators determine such activity is not prohibited by federal or any state?s law. It even has provisions for allowing people in other countries to play, although federal law would have to be changed before that could happen, Lesniak said.

Article source: http://www.komonews.com/news/national/Christie-signs-NJ-Internet-gambling-bill-into-law-193568981.html

Source: http://casinoonlinemarketing.com/christie-signs-nj-internet-gambling-bill-into-law-2/

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Former foreign minister Mottaki joins Iran's presidential race

DUBAI (Reuters) - Former Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has announced he will run for president in an election in June likely to be dominated by seething conservative rivalries.

The presidential poll is a crucial test for Iran after the last one in 2009 ignited mass street protests in Tehran and other cities after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election.

As Iran remains locked in a stand-off with world powers over its nuclear program, rifts between Ahmadinejad and rivals loyal to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threaten to tarnish the legitimacy of the state's theocratic ruling system.

"I will propose a plan in line with Supreme Leader's beliefs and the people's demands so that in a government with the name of the Islamic Republic, the president would be more than a sympathizer for the people and give something more than a future promise," Mottaki said on his website on Tuesday in a message to Iranians announcing his candidacy.

In a sign that Mottaki may not agree with the Supreme Leader on everything, a note on his website last month criticized "crude" suggestions set out by Iran's nuclear negotiators.

Diplomats and analysts say the defiant position of Saeed Jalili, Iran's chief negotiator, is firmly backed by Khamenei, who has the last word on nuclear and other state policies.

Jalili said two days of talks with world powers that ended in Almaty on Wednesday were a "positive step", but there was no sign of a breakthrough in the dispute. Iran denies Western accusations that it is seeking a nuclear weapons capability.

Mottaki is viewed as an ally of parliament speaker Ali Larijani, a conservative who lost to Ahmadinejad in the 2005 election and has since kept up an intense rivalry with him.

Mottaki served as foreign minister for five years until the president dismissed him in December 2010.

The struggle between president and parliament has intensified in recent weeks after Ahmadinejad publicly accused Larijani's family of using their position for financial gain.

Khamenei loyalists are scrambling to eradicate the power and influence of the more nationalist Ahmadinejad who they fear will back a candidate to pursue what they say is his plan to weaken the influence of Iran's clergy and the Supreme Leader.

Iranian media have suggested that Ahmadinejad is grooming his former chief of staff Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, despised by conservatives as a "deviant" influence on the president, as his approved candidate, but there has been no official word.

To prevent the next president from challenging Khamenei's authority, his close advisers are looking to unite around a single hard-line candidate to minimize chances of the virulent political divisions leading to post-election chaos.

The Supreme Leader controls the Council of Guardians, which oversees elections and can bar candidates from standing.

Reformists are unlikely to be allowed to run unless they distance themselves from Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi, who lost out in the 2009 election and who have been under house arrest for more than two years for "seditious acts".

Both opposition leaders said the 2009 vote was rigged and their supporters took to the streets in huge numbers to protest, only to be crushed by security forces and religious militia.

(Reporting by Zahra Hosseinian and Marcus George; Editing by Alistair Lyon)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/former-foreign-minister-mottaki-joins-irans-presidential-race-093936628.html

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4th round of talks start over Iran nuclear program

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (AP) ? World powers began their fourth round of high-level talks with Iranian officials on Tuesday as negotiators from both sides pledged to offer new ways to break a years-long impasse over Tehran's nuclear program and its feared ability to make atomic weapons in the future.

Few believe the latest attempt to reach compromise will yield any major breakthroughs, and negotiators refused to detail what the new solutions might be. Instead, officials described the latest diplomatic discussions as a way to build confidence with Iran as it steadfastly maintains its right to enrich uranium in the face of harsh international sanctions.

"The offer addresses the international concern on the exclusively peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program, but it is also responsive to Iranian ideas," said Michael Mann, spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who is leading the negotiations. "We've put some proposals forward which will hopefully allow Iran to show some flexibility."

Mahmoud Mohammedi, a member of the Iranian delegation, said Tehran also is prepared to make an offer of it's own to end the impasse but refused to provide any details.

The Obama administration is pushing for diplomacy to solve the impasse but has not ruled out the possibility of military intervention in Iran to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon. And Israel has threatened it will use all means to stop Iran from being able to build a bomb, potentially as soon as this summer, raising the specter of a possible Mideast war.

A senior U.S. official at the talks said on Monday that some sanctions relief would be part of the offer to Iran but also refused to detail it. The new relief is part of a package that the U.S. official said included "substantive changes ? whether you'd call them super-substantial, I'll leave to history." The official acknowledged reports earlier this month that sanctions would be eased to allow Iran's gold trade to progress, but would neither confirm nor deny they are included in the new relief offer, and spoke only on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive diplomatic talks more candidly.

In a statement before the talks began Tuesday afternoon, Interfax news agency cited Russia's envoy as saying easing of sanctions is possible only if Iran can assure the world that its nuclear program is for exclusively peaceful purposes.

"There is no certainty that the Iranian nuclear program lacks a military dimension, although there is also no evidence that there is a military dimension," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.

Officials from both sides have set low expectations for a breakthrough in Almaty ? the first time the high-level negotiators have met since last June's meeting in Moscow that threatened to derail the delicate efforts.

The talks are being held in private at a hotel in Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city, and were deemed so sensitive that reporters were not allowed on the premises Tuesday save for a small handful of TV cameras and photographers allowed to watch Ashton, who is leading the negotiations, greet Saeed Jalili, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

Tehran maintains it is enriching uranium only to make reactor fuel and medical isotopes, and insists it has a right to do so under international law. It has signaled it does not intend to stop, and U.N. nuclear inspectors last week confirmed Iran has begun a major upgrade of its program at the country's main uranium enrichment site.

Negotiators hope that easing some of the sanctions will make Tehran more agreeable to halting production of 20 percent enriched uranium ? the highest grade of enrichment that Iran has acknowledged and one that experts say could be turned into warhead grade in a matter of months. The six world powers ? United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany ? also want Iran to suspend enrichment in its underground Fordo nuclear facility, and to ship its stockpile of high-grade uranium out of the country.

Over the last eight months, the international community has imposed harsh economic sanctions on Iran that U.S. officials said have, among other things, cut the nation's daily oil output by 1 million barrels and slashed its employment rate. Western powers have hoped that the Iranian public would suffer under sanctions so badly that the government would feel a moral obligation to slow its nuclear program.

But an analysis released Monday by the International Crisis Group concluded that the web of international sanctions have become so entrenched in Iran's political and economic systems that they cannot be easily lifted piece-by-piece. It found that Tehran's clerical regime has begun adapting its policy to the sanctions, despite their crippling effect on the Iranian public. Doing so, the analysis concluded, has divided the public's anger "between a regime viewed as incompetent and an outside world seen as uncaring."

Iran has been unimpressed with earlier offers by the powers to provide it with medical isotopes and lift sanctions on spare parts for civilian airliners, and new bargaining chips that Tehran sees as minor are likely to be snubbed as well. Iran insists, as a starting point, that world powers must recognize the republic's right to enrich uranium.

__

Follow Peter Leonard on Twitter at https://twitter.com/pete_leonard and Lara Jakes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/larajakesAP

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/4th-round-talks-start-over-iran-nuclear-program-075757441--politics.html

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Sergey Brin Thinks Your Smartphone Is for Girls

Hey, sweetheart, nice iPhone. Nice Android, too. It matches your Hello Kitty mug and bra. In fact, it's downright "emasculating," according to Google co-founder and Professional Computer Face Sergey Brin. So, stop throwing your manliness away. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/9B-0ZWP0Igw/sergey-brin-thinks-your-smartphone-is-for-girls

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TommieMedia - Students compete for more AARC playing time

During the winter months, cold weather forces winter sports teams to practice indoors, causing a power struggle between winter and spring sports teams with students caught in the middle.

With St. Thomas? eight winter sports teams and eight spring sports teams controlling a large portion of the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex?s availability when snow is on the ground, AARC facilities manager Dave Lepp said it can become difficult for non-student athletes to find time to reserve the AARC.

Junior Ryan Forsman practices his jump shot in the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Center. Forsman said court time during the winter months has been scarce from winter and spring activities having to practice indoors. (Trevor Walstrom/TommieMedia)

?When you?ve got eight sports teams looking for two, to two-and-a-half hours of practice time a day, you can?t make everyone happy,? Lepp said.

Even with the new complex, Lepp said students are still struggling for playing time.

?This time of year, even with this new facility, it didn?t change our problems,? Lepp said. ?But, we also have more options for students ? We have the dance studios, the better weight room and the cardio room.?

Part of the problem is that all spring sports began their practices two weeks earlier than last year, causing even more conflict over time.

Students return to campus after January Term expecting to have the same access to the AARC that they did over the fall semester. Unfortunately, this is not possible since spring and winter programs have a large period of overlap.

?When people first come back in February, they don?t realize that the whole schedule has changed,? Lepp said.

Students who aren?t prepared for this new schedule can expect a rude awakening.

?The fall is not so bad, but the spring gets pretty bad,? senior Aaron Becker said. ?It?s kind of upsetting in the afternoon when you want to play basketball. You can?t just play a pickup game. It makes it a hassle.?

While there is no limit on how much time the teams can control the AARC for, Tommie teams usually occupy it for about 11-12 hours each day in the spring, compared to about five hours a day in the fall.

The best chance to get some free time in the AARC is during the week between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

?Anytime after 3 p.m., it?s pretty booked for the rest of the night,? junior Ryan Forsman said.

One way the university tried to alleviate this problem was by remodeling McCarthy Gym in 2011. The gym?s pool was even covered with a wood floor to accommodate sports like badminton, basketball and volleyball.

Students know of this option, but would rather use the AARC.

?That?s just a pain,? Forsman said about walking down to McCarthy Gym to play.

Because the AARC is a desirable place to exercise and play, Lepp said the school is taking steps to try and keep students happy in other ways.

?We try to keep one gym open at McCarthy Gym,? Lepp said. ?That?s the recreational gym this time of year.?

One way students can assure themselves some weekly playing time is by forming or joining an intramural sports team.

St. Thomas Intramural Sports Commissioner Zack Johnson said the university offers a wide range of intramural sports and students are encouraged to join.

?Getting an intramurals league together is really quite simple,? Johnson said. ?Anybody can participate. We have more than 2,100 members signed up.?

However, while any student can participate in the intramural leagues, those teams are still taking up more time in the AARC.

?We have 70 men?s basketball teams, so that?s at least 500 guys who are actively participating,? Johnson said.

While all students help pay for the AARC, varsity sports teams will always get first choice at time in the facility.

?The varsity teams do get first priority,? Johnson said. ?That?s why they build these big facilities, they are the revenue producers.?

In the meantime, students will have to deal with the busy space.

?It makes sense that teams get first pick,? Forsman said. ?If the (field house) is busy, it kind of sucks.?

Trevor Walstrom can be reached at wals0505@stthomas.edu.

Source: http://www.tommiemedia.com/news/students-compete-for-more-aarc-playing-time/

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Privacy and security in the age of iPhone mics and cameras

iOS has experienced its fair share of privacy fiascos over the last few years. From user locations being tracked , to Address Book data being exposed, to full on malware in the App Store, privacy and security concerns over iOS are very much a reality. Two components often overlooked are your iPhone?s camera and microphone.

Apple has always required apps request permission to access a user?s location and to send them push notifications. More recently we?ve seen things like Contacts, Calendars, and Reminders added to the list of resources that apps have to explicitly get permission to access. In iOS 6, Apple went as far as to give Privacy its own category in the Settings app. So we should be covered now, right? Well, maybe not.

As platforms evolve and new functionality and trends arise, implications for privacy and security constantly need to be re-evaluated. One of the more recent trends is an increasing number of apps moving in to the second screen market. Rather than strictly using iPhones and iPads as primary devices, functionality is now being explored where these devices becomes an accessory; a secondary device to supplement a primary device like a TV. Large media companies like Fox, CBS, TBS and HBO, sports networks and game makers are among the many who are actively trying to engage their audiences by providing additional content to mobile devices. So how does this technology work?

Whether a viewer is on the east coast, west coast, or in another country, and whether they?re watching a show live or on their DVR, the app has to be able to deliver the relevant content at the appropriate time. In order to do this, the application makes use of audio fingerprinting, much like the technology that apps like Shazam use to figure out what song you?re listening to. An algorithm is used to generate a hash that serves as a fingerprint for a given timeframe of audio. This hash can then be compared against hashes calculated by a remote server. Once the application identifies where the viewer is in the broadcast based on their hash, it is able to determine which content should be displayed to the user for their current time.

In order to generate these hashes, an app needs access to your device?s microphone. When you?re in an application that is trying to sync second screen data, the app is continually recording audio from your device?s microphone in order to generate audio fingerprints. Mind you, this doesn?t just mean whatever sound is coming from your TV, but also conversations you might be having with friends, or your dog barking in the background, or music you have playing in another room. Just think about that for a minute.

What?s strange here is that iOS does not require applications to get a user?s permission before doing this. Any app can record audio and transmit it to their servers at any time without asking you. Most applications will display some type of notice that audio syncing is about to begin, but this is because for legitimate apps, they usually want to explain the experience and give the user instructions like turning up the volume on their TV and making sure their device?s microphone is clear. What about a nefarious app? It could start recording audio as soon as it is launched without any additional user interaction. Similarly, there is nothing preventing an application from taking photos or recording video from your device?s camera. While iOS requires apps to obtain permission to access the camera roll for saving photos and videos to it, there?s nothing stopping a malicious application from recording photos or videos and saving them within the application or sending them to a server, without asking the user. Apps like this aren?t unheard of on other platforms; OS X, Android, and Windows have all seem their share.

So what could Apple be doing? Currently iOS turns the status bar red when an application is recording audio, but apps can control the status bar while running, so this can?t be relied on. A small light could be added to the front of the iPhone that turns on when audio or video are being recorded, like MacBooks have. Apple could also add the microphone and camera to iOS? privacy settings, require applications to get a user?s permission before accessing either of them, and give users the ability to revoke this access on a per-application basis at any time. A request in Apple?s bug reporting tool for this last feature was recently closed as a duplicate, indicating at least one other developer would also like to see this functionality added.

In the meantime, there?s not much users can do to protect themselves. The more adventurous folks among us may try spying on apps with tools like Charles Proxy or PhoneView to look for any suspicious activity or files. Perhaps Clueful will even consider adding detection for such practices to their service and add the results to their app reports. Of course if you?re really concerned and want a solution immediately, a few pieces of strategically placed electrical tape may help to put your mind at ease.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/bKYLPU6ifvY/story01.htm

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Boston Acoustics MC200 Air

Boston Acoustics has joined the AirPlay speaker parade with the MC200 Air, a $299.99 (direct) system that also features the ability to stream wireless audio from DLNA-compatible devices. From the visual design to the audio performance, there's nothing wrong here, but the MC200 just doesn't do enough to stand out from the pack. The setup process isn?t as streamlined as some of the competition, and low-end lovers will want to steer clear?this system doesn't offer much of a sub-bass presence, but it also doesn't distort on deep bass, even at high volumes. The overall sound here is crisp and bright, while the user experience is, after initial setup, friendly enough. The MC200 Air isn't especially compelling, however, when compared with competing AirPlay systems.

Design
The MC200 Air measures 6 by 15.8 by 5.3 inches and is available in glossy back or white plastic finishes. Its long front panel is dominated by a metallic speaker grille, with the Boston Acoustics logo below it. On the top panel, a series of buttons, backlit in various colors, control Power, Mute, Air, and Aux (choose either to switch your sound source), and Volume?seeing this many physical controls on an AirPlay system is a rarity.

A 3.5mm Aux input and a headphone jack are located on the left side panel. Along the rear panel are a power adapter connector, Ethernet port, USB port, Setup button, and a flip-up, rubberized plastic antenna. The speaker unit is also wall-mountable using the two keyhole mounts on the back panel.

Setting up the MC200 Air requires far more effort than most popular, competing AirPlay models. The process is pretty much a one-time thing, but because many AirPlay docks have free apps that do all the legwork for you, the MC200 Air starts to feel primitive. There are three different methods you can use to set up the system for wireless play. According to the manual, the "easiest" involves pressing the Setup button on the rear panel and then pressing the WPS button on your router, then waiting. That's fine, but you shouldn't have to even walk over to your router to set up an AirPlay system. The other methods involve doing all the work that more user-friendly speaker systems take care of for you: logging onto a Boston Acoustics network setup web page, clicking on "Profile Configuration," and selecting a few different options from pull-down menus. Again, the process is not confusing, and it's a one-time thing, but it is an annoyance, for sure.

You can also use the MC200 Air as a wired Ethernet speaker?you'll still stream via your iOS device or computer's AirPlay functionality, but connecting to your router via Ethernet means a more reliable signal. That said, AirPlay has improved since its debut roughly two years ago, and the wireless streaming quality is now pretty solid. You also have the option to connect your iOS device via the USB charging cable that came with it and get a digital-quality direct signal (or just charge the device). You can connect a 3.5mm stereo cable to the headphone jack as well, but no cable is included, unfortunately.

The included remote needs to be authorized in iTunes in order to control AirPlay audio?this option is under the Preferences menu. Again, no big deal, but this is not something you have to do on most other AirPlay systems we've tested. Thankfully, the entire point of an AirPlay system is to stream from computers or iOS devices, and generally, you tend to use these systems as their own remotes. (You'd just pause playback on your iPhone itself, for instance).

If you have a DLNA device, you can also stream shared content that way?most of the set up process will occur on your specific device, and not so much on the MC200 Air itself.

Performance
The MC200 Air does not distort on tracks with deep bass at high volumes, but it seems to be employing some digital signal processing (DSP) to limit the deep bass frequencies as things get louder. This prevents distortion, but the end result is a speaker system that, at top volumes, sounds as if it lacks sub-bass response on any level. The thunderous electronic drum hits on the Knife's "Silent Shout" sound like fingernails tapping on a tabletop. Lower the volume a bit, and things start to beef up in terms of bass response. This is because the distortion threat is more or less eliminated, so there's no need for heavy DSP. Even at modest volumes, the MC200 Air doesn't sound terribly powerful in the low frequency department, but it delivers a sound that's much closer to the ideal.

On certain genres that rely less on sub-bass elements, the MC200 Air sounds crisp and powerful, with a rich delivery of the lower frequencies that would be covered by a woofer, not a sub-woofer. Arcade Fire's "Rococo" offers a nice example of a song with rich low-end content that doesn't creep too far into the sub-bass realm, and at mid-to-high volumes, the MC200 Air delivers this track cleanly and crisply, with clear vocals and a nice edge to the strumming of the guitars.

Bill Callahan's unique baritone vocals on "Drover" sound excellent on the MC200 Air, nicely combining the richness of his voice with its treble edge, while the pounding drumbeat in the background never overtakes the mix. On some systems with seriously boosted bass, both his vocals and the drums can sound too rounded and dull-edged, and the mix gets muddy.

On Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild," the vocals are once again crisp and prominently featured, but the kick drum loop and the sub-bass synth hits sound a little too thin, robbed of their low frequency power, and the net result is a less compelling overall mix. In other words, this is not a system for lovers of deep bass and the genres that employ it, like most hip hop and electronic music. The MC200 Air is a far more appropriate choice for genres like folk, jazz, and some less bass-heavy rock.

Classical tracks, like John Adams' "The Chairman Dances," benefit from the clearly defined, crisp high-mid and high frequency sound signature of the system. The lower register strings and percussion, however, can sound slightly lacking. It's not nearly as thin-sounding as the Jay-Z and Kanye West track, but the resonant, rounded sound you might expect to hear from a large drum hit or the bowing of large stringed instruments is dialed back a bit here. On the upside, the wooden percussive content, in the high frequencies, sounds amazingly bright and clear, and helps to add a certain sense of spatial depth.

At $300, the MC200 Air is less expensive than some other systems, like the $400 Audyssey Audio Dock Air, but the best AirPlay systems are priced much higher. Why do such expensive systems seem to deliver such inexpensive-sounding audio? AirPlay, as a feature, is not inexpensive to employ, so much of the price you pay is just to have that built-in wireless functionality, making a speaker system that would normally be priced far lower suddenly ascend.

If you can spend more, you'll find better wireless audio options, like the $500 JBL OnBeat Xtreme, a Bluetooth speaker that outperforms most of the more-affordable AirPlay options and also has a physical dock for iOS devices.

But if AirPlay's wireless functionality is the main draw for you here, you can get some far more powerful, better-sounding systems?you just have to plunk down more cash. The Klipsch Gallery G-17 Air?offers a refined, near-audiophile Airplay experience, while, if we really climb the price ladder, it's hard to say anything bad about the intense Bowers & Wilkins A7, except that it costs $800. For the price, the MC200 Air isn't a bad deal, but make no mistake: You'll be paying a premium for the freedom of wireless audio, not for stellar audio performance.

More Speaker reviews:
??? Boston Acoustics MC200 Air
??? Yamaha YAS-101
??? Xmi X-Mini Max
??? Beats By Dre Pill
??? JBL OnBeat Micro
?? more

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The Chromebook Pixel Is The Most Brilliant Laptop You?ll Never Buy

?Wait. That?s a touchscreen?!? That wasn?t the first thought that popped into my head when I started to use the Chromebook Pixel -- it was about the tenth. But that?s only because it seemed impossible that a screen this nice could be a touchscreen. Of course, being that nice, comes with a price.

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MYO senses your muscles, brings yet another way to control devices (video)

With visions of Minority Report, many a user's hoped to control gadgets by wildly waving at a Kinect like a symphony conductor. Now there's another way to make your friends laugh at you thanks to the Thalmic Labs' MYO armband, which senses motion and electrical activity in your muscles to let you control your computer or other device via Bluetooth 4.0. The company says its proprietary sensor can detect signals right down to individual fingers before you even move them, which -- coupled with an extremely sensitive 6-axis motion detector -- makes for a highly responsive experience. Feedback to the user is given through haptics in the device, which also packs an ARM processor and onboard Lithium-Ion batteries. MYO is now up for a limited pre-order with Thalmic saying you won't be charged until it ships near year's end, while developers can also grab the API. If you're willing to risk some ridicule to be first on the block to grab one, hit the source.

Filed under: Wearables

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Via: Macrumors

Source: Myo

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/26/MYO-armband-muscle-control/

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Mindy McCready Funeral: Singer Laid to Rest in Florida Hometown

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/02/mindy-mccready-funeral-singer-laid-to-rest-in-florida-hometown/

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11 Comments - Yeshiva World News

A New York assemblyman who at first vigorously defended wearing blackface, an Afro wig and a basketball jersey to a costume party apologized Monday, saying he didn?t mean to hurt anyone.

Democratic Assemblyman Dov Hikind wore the basketball garb at his own party in his home to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Purim, for which costumes are commonly part of the celebration. For hours on Monday, Hikind was assailed by criticism that he initially dismissed as ?political correctness to the absurd.?

At a news conference outside his Brooklyn home, however, Hikind pledged to be ?a little more careful, a little more sensitive.? He added: ?I repeat, it was not meant to in any way hurt anyone. And those that were? I?m sorry. That was not my intention.?

Assemblyman Karim Camara of the state Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus had called Hikind?s actions at the party ?callous and repugnant.?

?It brings back the memories of African-Americans being reduced to buffoonery just to gain access to the entertainment industry,? said Camara, who is also a Brooklyn Democrat and a black leader in the New York state Legislature.

The powerful leader of the Democrat-led Assembly, Speaker Sheldon Silver, weighed in shortly after Hikind?s news conference, calling Hikind?s actions ?inappropriate and offensive.? No action against Hikind was announced.

Earlier this month, Hikind criticized the fashion designer John Galliano, who was recently photographed in New York City dressing as a Hasid with a long jacket and curly sidelocks. Two years ago, Galliano was fired from Christian Dior after his anti-Semitic rant was caught on video.

Hikind demanded an explanation from Galliano for his costume.

?If it was just anyone else, I wouldn?t know what to say. But considering who this guy is, considering his background and what he?s said in the past, let him explain it to all of us: Are you mocking us?? Hikind told the New York Post.

On Jan. 31, Hikind asked the president of Brooklyn College to resign for failing to stop an event he said had a racist agenda. He wrote on his blog at the time that the ?BDS Movement Against Israel? event called for a unilateral boycott against Israel and Israeli businesses.

In Albany, Hikind has championed some conservative and religion-based issues. In 2009, he opposed an early vote to legalize same-sex marriage

?It is about what I believe God wants,? Hikind said then. ?God doesn?t flip-flop on an issue.?

(AP)

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Obama to governors: 'We've got more work to do' (The Arizona Republic)

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Jane Fonda, Jennifer Garner, Kristen Stewart And Kerry Washington To Present On Oscar Telecast

BEVERLY HILLS, Cali?- Academy Award winner Jane Fonda will join Jennifer Garner, Kristen Stewart and Kerry Washington to present on the Oscar telecast, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meronannounced.

Jane Fonda, Jennifer Garner, Kristen Stewart And Kerry Washington To Present On Oscar

Fonda earned seven nominations and won Academy Awards for her roles in ?Klute? and ?Coming Home.? Garner was seen in this year?s ?The Odd Life of Timothy Green? and will be seen next in ?Dallas Buyers Club.? Stewart is best known for her role as Bella Swan in the ?Twilight? saga and also starred in 2012?s ?On the Road? and ?Snow White and the Huntsman.? Washington starred in the Best Picture Nominee ?Django Unchained? and was seen in ?A Thousand Words.? Washington is also the star of ABC?s hit drama ?Scandal.?

Fonda, Garner, Stewart and Washington join a stellar list of previously announced Oscar presenters including Jennifer Aniston, Michael Douglas, Jamie Foxx, Paul Rudd, Salma Hayek Pinault, Melissa McCarthy, Liam Neeson, John Travolta, Ben Affleck, Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Mark Wahlberg, Ted and ?Marvel?s The Avengers? cast members Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo; returning 2011 Oscar winners Jean Dujardin, Christopher Plummer, Octavia Spencer and Meryl Streep; ?Chicago? cast members Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, Ren?e Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones; special guests Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Daniel Radcliffe, Channing Tatum and Charlize Theron; and performers including Kristin Chenoweth, Jennifer Hudson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Barks, Aaron Tveit and Helena Bonham,Adele, Dame Shirley Bassey, Norah Jones and Barbra Streisand.

Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24 at the Dolby Theatre? at Hollywood & Highland Center?, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

Jane Fonda, Jennifer Garner, Kristen Stewart And Kerry Washington To Present On Oscar

For more information go to Oscar.com or download the official Oscars app.

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?Negro? will no longer be used on US Census surveys

WASHINGTON (AP) ? After more than a century, the Census Bureau is dropping its use of the word ?Negro? to describe black Americans in surveys.

Instead of the term that came into use during the Jim Crow era of racial segregation, census forms will use the more modern labels ?black? or ?African-American?.

The change will take effect next year when the Census Bureau distributes its annual American Community Survey to more than 3.5 million U.S. households, Nicholas Jones, chief of the bureau?s racial statistics branch, said in an interview.

He pointed to months of public feedback and census research that concluded few black Americans still identify with being Negro and many view the term as ?offensive and outdated.?

?This is a reflection of changing times, changing vocabularies and changing understandings of what race means in this country,? said Matthew Snipp, a sociology professor at Stanford University, who writes frequently on race and ethnicity. ?For younger African-Americans, the term ?Negro? harkens back to the era when African-Americans were second-class citizens in this country.?

First used in the census in 1900, ?Negro? became the most common way of referring to black Americans through most of the early 20th century, during a time of racial inequality and segregation. ?Negro? itself had taken the place of ?colored.? Starting with the 1960s civil rights movement, black activists began to reject the ?Negro? label and came to identify themselves as black or African-American.

Still, the term has lingered, having been used by Martin Luther King Jr. in his speeches. It also remains in the names of some black empowerment groups that were established before the 1960s, such as the United Negro College Fund, now often referred to as UNCF.

For the 2010 census, the government briefly considered dropping the word ?Negro? but ultimately decided against it, determining that a small segment, mostly older blacks living in the South, still identified with the term. But once census forms were mailed and some black groups protested, Robert Groves, the Census Bureau?s director at the time, apologized and predicted the term would be dropped in future censuses.

When asked to mark their race, Americans are currently given a choice of five government-defined categories in census surveys, including one checkbox selection which is described as ?black, African Am., or Negro.? Beginning with the surveys next year, that selection will simply say ?black? or ?African American.?

In the 2000 census, about 50,000 people specifically wrote in the word Negro when asked how they wished to be identified. By 2010, unpublished census data provided to the AP show that number had declined to roughly 36,000.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

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Source: http://thegrio.com/2013/02/25/negro-will-no-longer-be-used-on-us-census-surveys/

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Qualcomm bolsters AllJoyn functionality, demos LTE carrier aggregation with 150Mbps peak transfers

Peak transfers of 150Mbps, you say? We're listening. Here at Mobile World Congress, Qualcomm's newest Gobi chipsets (the MDM9225 and MDM9625) are the first to support LTE carrier aggregation and LTE Category 4 with peak data rates of up to 150Mbps. The reveal marks the introduction of the outfit's third-generation 4G LTE embedded chip, and if all goes well, we should see the hardware slipping into phones, tablets and potentially laptops in the second half of 2013. To make it all seem more realistic, it partnered with Sierra Wireless and Ericsson here in Barcelona in order to prove the figures. For those unaware, LTE carrier aggregation combines radio channels within and across bands to increase user data rates and reduce latency -- in other words, it allows LTE to be even faster.

In related news, Qually also announced that it'll be extending the AllJoyn software development project with "new core interoperable services." As of now, we're simply told that the new services will be available on devices with different operating systems and from different vendors, theoretically enabling an "Internet of Everything" by the time they're upstreamed into the AllJoyn open source project by May 2013. We'll be swinging by the company's booth to see what exactly there is to visualize -- for now, feel free to pursue the press releases linked below.

Filed under: Wireless, Mobile

Comments

Source: Qualcomm (1), (2), (3)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/25/qualcomm-alljoyn-functionality-demo-lte-mwc/

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'Identity Thief' steals box office again

By Reuters

Comedy "Identity Thief" snatched the weekend box office title in the United States and Canada during its third weekend in theaters, narrowly beating new action movie "Snitch" as Hollywood focused on Sunday evening's Academy Awards ceremony.

"Identity Thief" starring Melissa McCarthy grabbed $14 million in ticket sales from Friday through Sunday, according to studio estimates compiled by Reuters.?

"Snitch" featuring Dwayne Johnson finished close behind with $13 million. The animated offering "Escape From Planet Earth" took in $11 million to finish third in its second week in theaters.

The win was the second for "Identity Thief," which led the charts when it debuted February 8 and finished in second place a week ago. The adult comedy features McCarthy as a woman who steals the identity of a hapless man played by Jason Bateman.

"Identity Thief" has collected $93.7 million at North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters to date.

Moviegoing was typically slow for an Oscars weekend. Total sales for all films ran slightly over $1.4 billion, a 6.6 percent drop from the same weekend last year, according to box office tracker Hollywood.com.

"Snitch" stars Johnson as a father who goes undercover to clear his son to keep him out of jail after he is wrongly accused of drug dealing. Susan Sarandon and Benjamin Bratt also star.

Ahead of the weekend, forecasters saw "Snitch" pulling in $10 million to $12 million. Summit Entertainment, a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment, bought U.S. distribution rights for about $5 million.

The weekend's other new movie, low-budget horror flick "Dark Skies," collected $8.9 million to debut in sixth place. The movie stars Keri Russell as a mother working to protect her children from alien invaders.

The film cost $3.5 million to make and was produced by "Paranormal Activity" producer Jason Blum. The Weinstein Company distributed the movie.

Last weekend's leader, "A Good Day to Die Hard," dropped to fifth place. The fifth movie in the Bruce Willis action franchise took in $10 million this weekend.

"Identity Thief" was released by Universal Pictures, a unit of Comcast Corp. "Snitch" was distributed by Summit Entertainment, a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment. The Weinstein Company distributed "Escape From Planet Earth" and "Dark Skies." "A Good Day to Die Hard" was released by News Corp's 20th Century Fox studio.

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Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://entertainment.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/24/17078028-identity-thief-steals-box-office-again?lite

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Childhood blood lead levels rise and fall with exposure to airborne dust in urban areas

Public release date: 25-Feb-2013
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Contact: Michael Bernstein
m_bernstein@acs.org
202-872-6042
American Chemical Society

A new nine-year study of more than 367,000 children in Detroit supports the idea that a mysterious seasonal fluctuation in blood lead levels observed in urban areas throughout the United States and elsewhere in the northern hemisphere results from resuspended dust contaminated with lead.

The scientists, who report in the journal Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T), say the results have implications for government efforts to control childhood exposure to lead, which can have serious health consequences. ES&T is among the more than 40 peer-reviewed scientific journals published by the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society. The full text of the study is available at http://pubs.acs.org/stoken/presspac/presspac/abs/10.1021/es303854c.

Shawn P. McElmurry and colleagues point out that average blood lead levels in the U.S. and globally have declined following the elimination of lead from gasoline, paint, water pipes and solder used to seal canned goods. In addition to McElmurry, who is with Wayne State University in Detroit, the international team included Sammy Zahran of Colorado State University; Gabriel M. Filipelli of Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; and Mark Laidlaw and Mark P. Taylor of Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia.

Much of the current lead in major urban areas is from those "legacy" contaminants. Modern human exposure takes the form of fine particles, deposited in the soil years ago, that are swept up into the air. Past research identified a seasonal trend in blood lead levels in children in multiple North American cities, including Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago and Milwaukee. Those levels increase, often by more than 10 percent, in July, August and September. Blood lead levels then decrease during winter and spring.

The scientists set out to test a hypothesis implicating contact with lead-contaminated dust while children are outdoors and engaged in warm-weather activities at a time when wind, humidity and other meteorological factors increase the amounts of dust in the air. Their ES&T report describes research that strongly implicates airborne dust as the reason for the seasonal trends in blood lead levels. It shows a correlation between atmospheric soil levels in Detroit and blood lead levels in children.

"Our findings suggest that the federal government's continued emphasis on lead-based paint may be out-of-step (logically) with the evidence presented and an improvement in child health is likely achievable by focusing on the resuspension of soil lead as a source of exposure," the report states. "Given that current education has been found to be ineffective in reducing children's exposure to Pb, we recommend that attention be focused on primary prevention of lead-contaminated soils."

###

The authors acknowledge funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars program.

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 163,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

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

Public release date: 25-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Michael Bernstein
m_bernstein@acs.org
202-872-6042
American Chemical Society

A new nine-year study of more than 367,000 children in Detroit supports the idea that a mysterious seasonal fluctuation in blood lead levels observed in urban areas throughout the United States and elsewhere in the northern hemisphere results from resuspended dust contaminated with lead.

The scientists, who report in the journal Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T), say the results have implications for government efforts to control childhood exposure to lead, which can have serious health consequences. ES&T is among the more than 40 peer-reviewed scientific journals published by the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society. The full text of the study is available at http://pubs.acs.org/stoken/presspac/presspac/abs/10.1021/es303854c.

Shawn P. McElmurry and colleagues point out that average blood lead levels in the U.S. and globally have declined following the elimination of lead from gasoline, paint, water pipes and solder used to seal canned goods. In addition to McElmurry, who is with Wayne State University in Detroit, the international team included Sammy Zahran of Colorado State University; Gabriel M. Filipelli of Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis; and Mark Laidlaw and Mark P. Taylor of Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia.

Much of the current lead in major urban areas is from those "legacy" contaminants. Modern human exposure takes the form of fine particles, deposited in the soil years ago, that are swept up into the air. Past research identified a seasonal trend in blood lead levels in children in multiple North American cities, including Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago and Milwaukee. Those levels increase, often by more than 10 percent, in July, August and September. Blood lead levels then decrease during winter and spring.

The scientists set out to test a hypothesis implicating contact with lead-contaminated dust while children are outdoors and engaged in warm-weather activities at a time when wind, humidity and other meteorological factors increase the amounts of dust in the air. Their ES&T report describes research that strongly implicates airborne dust as the reason for the seasonal trends in blood lead levels. It shows a correlation between atmospheric soil levels in Detroit and blood lead levels in children.

"Our findings suggest that the federal government's continued emphasis on lead-based paint may be out-of-step (logically) with the evidence presented and an improvement in child health is likely achievable by focusing on the resuspension of soil lead as a source of exposure," the report states. "Given that current education has been found to be ineffective in reducing children's exposure to Pb, we recommend that attention be focused on primary prevention of lead-contaminated soils."

###

The authors acknowledge funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars program.

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 163,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Follow us: Twitter Facebook

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/acs-cbl022513.php

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Sony MDR-ZX100 Stereo Headphones for $10 + pickup at Staples

Ending today, Staples offers the Sony Stereo Headphones in Black, model no. MDR-ZX100/BLK, for $9.99. Opt for free in-store pickup to avoid the $9.95 shipping fee. That's tied with our expired mention from three days ago, which had free shipping, as the lowest total price we've seen. (It's a current price low by $3.) Sales tax is added where applicable. They feature 30mm drivers, a frequency response of 12Hz to 22kHz, and more.

Source: http://dealmac.com/Sony-MDR-ZX100-Stereo-Headphones-for-10-pickup-at-Staples/672739.html?iref=rss-dealmac-todays-edition

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Oil Magnet runs streak to seven in Survivor Series final

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Source: xwebapp.ustrotting.com --- Saturday, February 23, 2013
Oil Magnet won his seventh straight start since joining the stable of Ron Burke, scoring in a time of 1:53.1 over a sloppy track in the $86,700 Winter Survivor Series final for claiming pacers on Saturday night at Meadowlands Racetrack. ...

Source: http://xwebapp.ustrotting.com/absolutenm/templates/?z=1&a=52424

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Iran announces uranium finds, days before nuclear talks

DUBAI (Reuters) - Days before resuming talks over its disputed atomic program, Iran said on Saturday it had found significant new deposits of raw uranium and identified sites for 16 more nuclear power stations.

State news agency IRNA quoted a report by the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) which said the reserves were discovered in northern and southern coastal areas and had trebled the amount outlined in previous estimates.

There was no independent confirmation. With few uranium mines of its own, Western experts had previously thought that Iran might be close to exhausting its supply of raw uranium.

"We have discovered new sources of uranium in the country and we will put them to use in the near future," Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani, head of the AEOI, was quoted as saying at Iran's annual nuclear industry conference.

The timing of the announcement suggested Iran, by talking up its reserves and nuclear ambitions, may hope to strengthen its negotiating hand at talks in Kazakhstan on Tuesday with the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.

Diplomats say the six powers, known as the P5+1, are set to offer Iran some relief from international sanctions if it agrees to curb its production of higher-grade enriched uranium.

The West says Iran's enrichment of uranium to a fissile purity of 20 percent demonstrates its intent to develop a nuclear weapons capability, an allegation the Islamic republic denies.

FROM MINE TO CENTRIFUGE

The enriched uranium required for use in nuclear reactors or weapons is produced in centrifuges that spin uranium hexafluoride gas (UF6) at high speeds. The UF6 is derived from yellow cake, a concentrate from uranium ore discovered in mines.

Iran's reserves of raw uranium now stood at around 4,400 tonnes, taking into account discoveries over the past 18 months, IRNA quoted the report as saying.

In another sign that Iran is intent on pushing forward with its nuclear ambitions, the report also said 16 sites had been identified for the construction of nuclear power stations.

It did not specify the exact locations but said they included coastal areas of the Gulf, Sea of Oman, Khuzestan province and the Caspian Sea.

Iranian authorities have long announced their desire to build more nuclear power plants for electricity production. Only one currently exists, in the southern city of Bushehr, and that has suffered several shutdowns in recent months.

The announcements could further complicate the search for a breakthrough in Kazakhstan, after three unsuccessful rounds of talks between the two sides in 2012.

"We are meeting all of our obligations under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and we should be able to benefit from our rights. We don't accept more responsibilities and less rights," Saeed Jalili, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, was quoted as telling Saturday's conference.

In what Washington has called a provocative move, Iran is also installing new-generation centrifuges, capable of producing enriched uranium much faster, at a site in Natanz in the centre of the country.

Western diplomats say the P5+1 will reiterate demands for the suspension of uranium enrichment to a purity of 20 percent, the closure of Iran's Fordow enrichment plant, increased access for International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors and agreement to address concerns on existing uranium stockpiles.

In return, the latest embargoes on gold and metals trading with Iran would be lifted. Iran has criticized the offer and says its rights need to be fully recognized.

"If the P5+1 group wants to start constructive talks with Tehran it needs to present a valid proposal," said Jalili. "It needs to put its past errors to one side ... to win the trust of the Iranian nation."

In a statement issued before the Iranian announcement, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said the six-power group wanted to enter a 'substantial negotiation process' over Tehran's nuclear program.

"The talks in Almaty are a chance which I hope Iran takes," he said.

(Additional reporting by Alexandra Hudson in Berlin; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iran-announces-uranium-discovery-days-nuclear-talks-115843696.html

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Quentin Tarantino's 'Django Unchained' Wins Writing Oscar

Controversial filmmaker thanks the 'Django' cast for bringing his characters to life.
By Josh Wigler

Quentin Tarantino at the 2013 Oscars
Photo: Christopher Polk/ Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1702520/django-unchained-quentin-tarantino-oscar.jhtml

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Beatitudes, Blessings & Broadcasts: Leah and Moshe's Baby Shower

On February 2nd, my daughter Kaila and I hosted a shower for my daughter Leah who is preparing to give birth to my first grandbaby.? We had such a delightful time preparing for this day and when it all came together - we just had so much fun!

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Here's what the invitations looked like:

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We thought and thought and thought about what the theme should be.? Finally, we settled on a basketball theme for a few reasons.? One, when I first met Moshe, it was very evident that he loved basketball.? Two, when Leah lived at home, she enjoyed playing basketball with her daddy, who also loves playing basketball.? And lastly - Leah's favorite colors are orange and purple and the basketball decorations I had were orange and purple - so it was just meant to be.

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Here is a picture of the party favors that we made for all of the guests.? I was thrilled to find the cute little basketball ribbon one day while I was out shopping.

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I had fun making this blanket for my new little grandbaby.? I have made a tie blanket for all of my children (except one- who will get one this year, Lord willing).? So, I decided to stay with tradition and make one for my first grandchild as well and I kept to the theme of the shower.

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And here is my gift for Leah, all ready to go.

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My daughter Kaila loves to dip things in chocolate.? My did she ever have so much fun!

First of all, she dipped pretzel rods in white chocolate and added blue sprinkles.

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Then she made chocolate cake balls and dipped those in chocolate also.

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Then she dipped strawberries - yummy!

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For those of you who know my daughter Kaila - she is extremely artistic.? So, imagine her surprise when I brought home some cuties and asked her to make them look like basketballs.? She was a trooper and she did.? They were so adorable and they were a nice touch for those that don't like chocolate dipped stuff.

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We served cheeseballs in cups simply because they looked like basketballs and when Leah lived at home, she loved those things.

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The cake balls all laid out on the plate.

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Blue wrapped chocolate kisses had to make an appearance just because they were cute!

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Did I happen to mention that Kaila also made some cake balls look like basketballs.? She said it was very hard though and she would never attempt that again, but they were cute.

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We had little quotes hanging up all over the house about babies.? Here's a small sampling of the many we had hanging up.

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One of the games we played was "The Candy Bar Game."? It was a huge hit.? Let me tell you, dad and I made a date night out of going to a bunch of stores looking for all of these candy bars.? Each candy bar stood for something to do with babies.? I would say something like, "Picking out names for baby," and people would shout out the answer.? "Whatchamacallit" would be the proper answer and the person who said it first would win the candy bar.? This game brought lots of laughs and I have to say the side of the room with all the moms did a better job than the unmarried gals.? Experience is everything.?

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My friend Kari gave me all these baby rubber duckies and so we made some blue punch and had them floating in the punch.? The funny part was that they didn't float right so they looked like they were drowning, but it added to the cuteness factor.

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For food, we had set up a nacho bar because isn't that what everyone gets when you go to a basketball game.? No, really we did it because we knew that Leah loved nachos and especially guacamole.? She used to tell us that when she got married, she was going to eat barbecued ribs and guacamole every day of her life.? We remember little things like that - so we wanted to give her food that she likes and she said she loved it and gave me a thumbs up, so I guess it was a winner.? We served chips, cheese dip, taco seasoned beef, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, jalepenos, black beans, guacamole (of course), sour cream, onions, etc.

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Our house was filled.? We had 39 people show up.? It was a lovely turnout and I was so thrilled with the many friends that came and showed their love and support and were the hands and feet of Jesus to my daughter.? The house became very loud, very quickly.

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There were so many gifts that we ran out of room on the table.? Thank you Jesus for the way you are already providing for this little one.

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Waiting for Leah and Moshe to arrive.

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The three GREAT Grandmothers, looking as beautiful as ever were so happy to be together.? What a blessing it was?to have them here with us.

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A good side view of mama with her babe inside.? I must say, she is very cute!? I never looked cute like that when I was pregnant.? I always looked more like a beached whale.? LOL!

Rachel, Emily, Ruth and Kendra all looking as gorgeous as ever.

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And check out this very beautiful group of ladies.? Pretty not only on the outside but just as beautiful on the inside as well.? Lauren, Kelsey, Kaila, Rebekah, Kate, Paige, Sarah and Samantha.?

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We had basketballs hanging above the present table as well.? Moshe is allergic to latex, so balloons were out of the question, so we went with these fun basketballs and purple stars.? They were cute.

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Leah was surprised that her friends that she knew from the orphanage came out for the shower.? It was one of the first things she said when she walked in the door, "Oh my, I can't believe the Langkamps are here!!!"? It was a pleasant surprise.? Here's Moshe, Leah, Linda, Sarah and Ruth all together.? A nice little reunion.

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My dearest and truest friend, Susan gave the devotional.? It was such a touching moment as tears were shed and heartfelt moments shared as one who had a life very similar to Leah.? It was such a beautiful time of sharing about God's redeeming grace, his love and plan of redemption and God's amazing provision.? Have I ever told my blog readers how much my friend Susan means to me?? She has proven herself to be the truest of friends to me.? I could have never walked through this adoption experience without her.? She has loved us and walked with us through the entire thing.? She believed in us and always encouraged us when the going got tough.? I have been so blessed to call her my friend and I am thankful to God for our friendship.? So, when it came time to find someone who would share a devotional, I had no question in my mind where I should turn.? She was the perfect one for the job.

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After Susan shared, we played another funny game.? This time, everyone had to take a paper plate and put it on their heads and draw a picture of what they thought Leah's baby would look like.? Then Leah and Moshe had to judge which one was the best one.? I heard a lot more laughing during this game.

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Marsha, Joy, Valerie, Kim, Kari, Grandma Cheryl, Grandma Rachel, & Grandma Marilynne all joining in the fun!

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Rebekah, in the back right corner with the fun look was the artistic winner that Leah and Moshe picked.? Great job Rebekah!

Samantha, Lauren and Paige admire their work.? From the look on Paige's face, you can tell what hers looked like.

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Heather enjoying this artistic art form.

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Sarah looking as beautiful as ever with that pretty smile of hers.

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Moshe and Leah - this is just the beginning of learning to juggle many plates.

I remember hearing Moshe say, "This one looks like a frog."? Lots of laughs!

Now for a sampling of some of the gifts that they were blessed with.

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My dear friend Marsha made this gorgeous blanket for Leah.? In the corner, she put a tag that says, "My Grandma Loves Me."? How sweet is that????

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I love baby clothes!? They are so cute!

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Leah got lots of diapers.? She'll be set for a while on those.

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And who doesn't love Winnie the Pooh?

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I just happen to love warm, fuzzy pajamas and this little outfit was so adorable.

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We interrupt the present pictures to show you a picture of the lovely fruit pizza that the McIntyre family brought.? Isn't it pretty??

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Now back to the presents.? This next picture is of a statue of a mama with her baby.? Grandma Marilynne gave it to Leah.? I happen to have one just like it that my friend Susan gave me and I love mine.? I know Leah loved getting one.

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Pretty bows on packages were meant to make mamas pretty.

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Awwww!? If this baby has all the cuteness factor of Leah and the handsome factor of Moshe, we are going to have the most adorable grandchild ever!!!!

Add some pastel extensions - how cute!!!

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Grandma Cheryl and Grandma Marilynne gave this cute bouncer.?

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Moshe loved this gift.? He hugged it and kissed it and you could tell he was so excited to get this present.

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You can tell who's looking forward to playing with his little boy.

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Kaila crocheted Leah this beautiful blanket that was made the perfect size to be a cover up while nursing.

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Here they are holding my gift to them.

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First of all, we gave Moshe a Bible and he was told that this is the number one parenting tool that Leah's daddy used in training his children and that it was our prayer that he would also make it his number one parenting tool.? We challenged him to read it everyday to himself and to his son.? He seemed happy to have a present that was just for him.? What he doesn't realize is that if he does read it every single day, he will be giving his son a bigger gift than our gift to him.? That is our prayer for him.

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When Leah first told me she was expecting, she said, "I'm going to need one of those Ergo carriers."? She used to love walking around with her little brother Nathan in the Ergo.? Kaila and I were thrilled to be able to bless her with her own Ergo, along with the infant insert and teething attachments.

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This gift has some sentimental value to it.? First of all, it is a GPS (which is my personal favorite invention of all time - because I get lost easily).? Second of all, it tells my grandbaby how to get to my house, of which I hope to get to see him as often as I can.? So needless to say, I fell in love with this little onesie when I found it.

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Leah was adopted into a family with some Irish roots.? So, when Rachel found this cute onesie that said "Kiss Me" on it, we knew it would be the perfect onesie for this baby to wear for St. Patricks day (assuming of course, that he comes out by then).?

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Leah holding the blanket I made for baby.

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Then I made a digital scrapbook that introduces the baby to his mother's side of the family.? Leah read it aloud to everyone.

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It looks like a regular classroom with Leah as the teacher - haha!? No seriously, everyone loved listening to her read.

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As most of you know, Leah lived with her Aunt Jean during a time in her life and she also lived with the Cannalte family after moving out of our house.? I included them in the book also so that baby would be able to see pictures of all the people that love him and care for him.

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Then we did this fun little picture.? I guess baby is officially bigger than a basketball right now.

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Here's my favorite picture of all.??I love these two very much.? It was such a joy to be a part of this special moment in their lives.

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I would also like to add in here, that just yesterday, I found out that Moshe has asked Leah to marry him and she said, "YES!"? I am thrilled and excited and so happy to see God's answer to my prayers.? I am thrilled to welcome Moshe into our family as a son.

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One of the neat things was that my friend Kathy recognized?Marilynne as one of her past teachers and introduced herself to her.? It was a fun little reunion for them both.

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Michael is very happy to announce and show the world that he holds on to his title of being the tallest in the family.? He was sure Moshe would be taller than him, but he was not.

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Nathan was so happy to have Leah home.? He talked about it all week long and when he got the chance, he wouldn't let her go.? After a while he ended up warming up to Moshe who he thought was his brother Robert (who's away at school).

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Nathan - just figuring out that this is not his brother Robert, but rather Moshe.

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Sarah and a new little friend.

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Leah and Linda!

Heather, Kate and Kaila - sweet friends.

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After everyone left, we took Leah and Moshe into Lake Geneva for the annual snow sculpting competition.? It was a fun little trip for the four of us to see the creativity of so many.

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These "Windy City" folk were freezing in Wisconsin!

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This was our favorite - the archangel Michael slaying the dragon?from the book of Revelations.

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All in all, it was a wonderful day with my daughter and her now fianc?.? I am excited to be a grandma and get to hold this little blessing from God.? I love you Leah, Moshe and baby!? Love, Grandma!

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Source: http://beatitudesblessingsbroadcasts.blogspot.com/2013/02/leah-and-moshes-baby-shower.html

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