বৃহস্পতিবার, ২৮ ফেব্রুয়ারী, ২০১৩

Critics Consensus: Jack the Giant Slayer is Fee-Fie-Fokay

Plus, Phantom is out to sea, 21 and Over is short on laugs, and The Last Exorcism Part II wasn't screened for critics.

Also opening this week in limited release:

  • Oscar-nominated War Witch, a drama about a Congolese girl who is kidnapped and forced to be a child soldier, is at 89 percent.
  • A Place at the Table, a documentary about the effect of hunger on poor Americans, is at 88 percent.
  • Hava Nagila: The Movie, a doc about the history of the celebratory song, is at 75 percent.
  • Leviathan, a meditative documentary about commercial fishing boats and their environs, is at 73 percent.
  • Stoker, starring Mia Wasikowska and Matthew Goode in a thriller about a teenager recovering from her father's death who becomes close with her mysterious uncle, is at 68 percent.
  • Ginger & Rosa, starring Elle Fanning and Christina Hendricks in a drama about a pair of teenage friends with anxieties about their home lives and the threat of nuclear war, is at 55 percent.
  • The End of Love, starring Mark Webber and Shannyn Sossamon in a drama about a young father dealing with the death of his wife, is at 55 percent.
  • The Sweeney, starring Ray Winstone in an action thriller about a group of tough cops investigating a murder, is at 52 percent (check out Winstone's Five Favorite Films here).

Finally, props to Donald Whitman Jr. for guessing Dark Skies's 30 percent Tomatometer.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1926942/news/1926942/

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How to enable or disable FaceTime over cellular on iPhone and iPad

How to enable or disable FaceTime over cellular on iPhone and iPad

FaceTime is a great tool for video chatting but can also use a lot of data. If you've got a limited data plan, you can quickly blow through it if you're using FaceTime too much over the cellular network. If you're worried about receiving calls and eating through your data plan faster than you'd like, you can disable FaceTime over cellular so you'll only receive FaceTime calls when connected to WiFi.

Here's how.

  1. Launch the Settings app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Tap on FaceTime.
  3. Scroll all the way to the bottom and you'll see an option for Use Cellular Data. Tap the slider to turn it to Off.

That's it. You now won't receive FaceTime calls if you aren't on a WiFi network. You can enable this feature again at any time but just turning the option to On again.



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

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Prop 8: Obama will file pro- gay marriage brief (Americablog)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/288153754?client_source=feed&format=rss

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What If Doctor Who Was a 16-bit RPG?

Strip Doctor Who of its BBC production values, translate it into a 16-bit role playing game and you have something so deliciously geeky that it really ought be made a reality. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/ApVFKKTRCm4/what-if-doctor-who-was-a-cheesy-16+bit-rpg

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বুধবার, ২৭ ফেব্রুয়ারী, ২০১৩

Rabobank faces fine of over $440 million for rate rigging: report

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch group Rabobank is expected to get a fine of more than $440 million for manipulating Libor interest rates, news agency Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.

Rabobank, the second-largest financial group in the Netherlands by balance sheet size, is expected to reach a settlement with U.S. and UK regulators over claims it tried to manipulate benchmark interest rates, Bloomberg said, citing four people with knowledge of the investigation.

The London interbank offered rate, known as Libor, and its smaller counterpart Euribor are Europe's key gauges of how much banks pay to borrow from their peers, and underpin swathes of financial products.

Rabobank's fine is likely to be between the 290 million pounds ($438 million) Barclays paid in June and the $612 million Royal Bank of Scotland paid earlier this month, Bloomberg said, citing one of the people.

The fine could come as early as May, Bloomberg said.

Rabobank, a non-listed, cooperatively-owned Dutch bank, declined to comment.

It said in August it had received several subpoenas and requests for information about the benchmark interest rate setting process in different countries, including Britain, the United States, Switzerland, Japan and Singapore.

Switzerland's UBS agreed in December to pay $1.5 billion to settle charges.

In July, Dutch newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad reported that Rabobank fired four employees between 2008 and 2011 over the manipulation of interbank lending rates.

More than a dozen banks and brokerage firms, including JP Morgan , Deutsche Bank AG and Citigroup Inc , are being investigated by regulators over the manipulation of benchmark rates like Libor and Euribor.

($1 = 0.6618 British pounds)

(Reporting by Gilbert Kreijger; Editing by Mark Potter)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rabobank-faces-fine-over-440-million-rate-rigging-075801494--finance.html

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MTN Grants Lifetime Achievement Award To ... - Satellite PR News

TS2 Satellite Technologies is among the first carriers to have access to Avanti?s HYLAS 2, the most state-of-the-art satellite designed for broadband communications. It is equipped with Ka bandwidth transponders that enable bidirectional data transmission and additional services for corporations, individuals, and government agencies in rapidly growing international markets.

TS2 launches the first commercial links in Afghanistan, where its strategic customers are located, but it will also in selected African and East European countries, and, of course, in Poland.

HYLAS 2 was placed on the orbit at 31?E on August 2, 2012. It has 24 Ku-band transmitting and 6 receiving transponders. Its estimated life is more than 15 years (fuel stock for 16 years). The satellite has been built by Orbital Sciences Corporation, and it has a throughput nearly three times as high as that of HYLAS 1.

Principal uses:

  • access to the Internet and all IP services that is fully independent of terrestrial connections
  • guaranteed VoIP, VPN, and videoconferencing connections
  • backbone and corporate network solutions
  • backhaul satellite solutions for GSM networks to extend cellular telephony reach
  • ensured communications in case of terrestrial network failures

TS2 is a leading provider of satellite communications systems. It provides global telecommunications services within the coverage of international satellites. The company offers all capabilities of using satellite technology for data transmission, phone calls, and Internet access.

TS2 has gained a strong standing in the international market, especially in Poland, in the Middle East, and in Northern Africa. It was among the first to supply satellite communications systems for coalition troops and international corporations operating in Afghanistan. Every day the Polish carrier?s services are used by customers from various industries, including the defense and government sectors, but also individual users and small companies.

More information

TS2 Satellite Technologies http://www.ts2.pl/
Hylas-2 KA services pricelist in Afghanistan http://www.ts2.pl/en/Hylas2-KA

Source: http://www.satprnews.com/2013/02/26/mtn-grants-lifetime-achievement-award-to-the-pioneer-of-broadband-communications-at-sea/

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"Channing All Over Your Tatum" Goes Viral, Gets Sexy

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/02/channing-all-over-your-tatum-goes-viral-gets-sexy/

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Iran runs altered images of Michelle Obama gown

This screen grab taken from the website of Iran's semi-official Fars news agency shows an altered photo of U.S. first lady Michelle Obama presenting the best picture award at the Oscars ceremony via video link on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. The first lady wore a sleeveless, scoop neck gown for the occasion, but Fars ran this altered photo that covered her shoulders and neckline with added material. State TV showed images that blurred the parts of her body that were exposed. (AP Photo/Fars news agency)

This screen grab taken from the website of Iran's semi-official Fars news agency shows an altered photo of U.S. first lady Michelle Obama presenting the best picture award at the Oscars ceremony via video link on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. The first lady wore a sleeveless, scoop neck gown for the occasion, but Fars ran this altered photo that covered her shoulders and neckline with added material. State TV showed images that blurred the parts of her body that were exposed. (AP Photo/Fars news agency)

FILE - In this Feb. 24, 2013 file photo, first lady Michelle Obama, appearing via video link, and actor Jack Nicholson present the award for best picture during the Oscars ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. As seen in this photo, the first lady wore a sleeveless, scoop neck gown for the occasion. But Iran's semi-official Fars news agency ran an altered photo that covered her shoulders and neckline with added material to make her gown look less revealing. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - In this combination of photos made on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013, first lady Michelle Obama, appearing via video link, and actor Jack Nicholson present the award for best picture during the Oscars ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. As seen in the bottom photo, the first lady wore a sleeveless, scoop neck gown for the occasion. The photo on top is an altered version that Iran's semi-official Fars news agency ran on their website, with her shoulders and neckline covered with added material to make her gown look less revealing. (AP Photo/Invision (below), Fars (above))

(AP) ? Iranian state media has run altered images of first lady Michelle Obama's Oscars appearance, making her gown look less revealing.

The first lady wore a sleeveless, scoop neck gown. The semi-official Fars news agency ran an altered photo that covered her shoulders and neckline with added material. State TV showed images that blurred the parts of her body that were exposed.

Under Iran's Islamic dress code, women are required to cover their bodies in public. Films showing foreign women without a headscarf are considered acceptable, but revealing clothes are forbidden.

For the Oscars ceremony, Michelle Obama at the White House joined Jack Nicholson via video link to help present the best picture prize for "Argo," a film based on the escape of six American hostages from the besieged U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979.

Fars said the first lady's announcement suggested that the film was made with U.S. government support. Iranian officials have dismissed "Argo" as a CIA commercial.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-02-26-ML-Iran-Oscars-Michelle-Obama/id-e388b0b21a774ae48b83225e8e1a9b81

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Horse meetup found in technical writer's blog post | ffeathers

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

Source: http://ffeathers.wordpress.com/2013/02/27/horse-meetup-found-in-technical-writers-blog-post/

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Lingerie Thief: Nabbed by Tattoo!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/02/lingerie-thief-nabbed-by-tattoo/

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Partners in Even the Closest Relationships Need Space for ...

20130225-183210.jpg?The point of marriage is not to create a quick commonality by tearing down all boundaries; on the contrary, a good marriage is one in which each partner appoints the other to be the guardian of his solitude, and thus they show each other the greatest possible trust. A merging of two people is an impossibility, and where it seems to exist, it is a hemming-in, a mutual consent that robs one party or both parties of their fullest freedom and development.? -Rainier Maria Rilke, poet

One of the ongoing polarities in any relationship ? whether between marriage partners, parents and children, or friends ? is the balancing act of closeness and distance. This is the ongoing dance of intimacy, and the key is to learn to move toward and to move away without seeing either polarity as right or wrong, good or bad. To forge the bonds of relationship takes time together but also takes time apart lest the bonds begin to feel too tight or binding.

In my last blog about the tug-of-war in relationships, I described the predictable stages of closeness and distance as the bond of intimacy develops over time, working towards the goal of mutual interdependence. What happens when a family goes through times of increased stress due to loss, trauma, illness or rapid change?

Stress and the Tug of War

When anxiety goes up in a family or relationship in times of rapid change, each of us has a preference for one side of the polarity. When stressed, young children cling more to one or both parents, whereas adolescents often do the opposite and pull away, locking themselves into their bedroom and refusing to talk. What do you do? What does your partner do? Is it more painful for you to be more distant from loved ones or do you feel panicked when a loved one is overly dependent on you?

It can help to become more familiar with the places that scare you. If you grew up in a family with poor boundaries ? perhaps your parents wanted to know everything about you and would hover too close and be angry when you wanted to be left alone. When stressed out, you may long for the solitude you were never granted, pushing loved ones away when you are anxious.

On the other hand, if you grew up in a family that highly valued independence and was more loosely connected or if you lost a parent prematurely due to death or divorce, then when stressed, you may cling to loved ones, fearing abandonment over anything else.

Once you are more aware of where you naturally fall on this polarity and how you try to compensate for the pain of your past, then you can make different choices in the present moment. The first step is to notice what happens when you are feeling anxious or stressed out. Do you try to sooth your anxiety by seeking out more closeness with your partner or do you want to be left alone even more than is typical for you?

Why is this a problem? So what if you want some extra attention or extra time away? The problem is that your partner may take this personally. She may think, ?If he really loved me, he would want to talk to me when he is hurting.? The truth is that your partner (or parent or child) can love you and still be unable to meet your needs when you are stressed.

Read more: Debra Manchester McMannis, PsychCentral

Source: http://atlantablackstar.com/2013/02/25/partners-in-even-the-closest-relationships-need-space-for-themselves/

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Camila McConaughey Debuts Fab Body ? 8 Weeks After Baby

During the pre-Oscars weekend, the new mom of three shows off her gorgeous post-body curves in a black pantsuit and pink gown.

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/ojkbt73Te_c/

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মঙ্গলবার, ২৬ ফেব্রুয়ারী, ২০১৩

Treat malware as biology to know it better

Hal Hodson, technology reporter

Classifying different kinds of malware is notoriously hard, but crucial if computer defences are to keep up with the ever-evolving ecosystem of malicious programs. Treating computer viruses as biological puzzle could help computer scientists get a better handle on the wide world of malware.?

Ajit Narayanan and Yi Chen at the Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, converted the signatures of 120 worms and viruses into an amino acid representation. The signatures are more usually presented in hexadecimals - a base-16 numbering system which uses the digits 0 to 9 as well as the letters a to f - but the amino acid "alphabet" is better suited to machine-learning techniques that can analyse a piece of code to figure out whether it matches a known malware signature.

Generally, malware experts identify and calculate the signatures of new malware, but it can be hard for them keep up. While machine learning can help, it is limited because the hexadecimal signatures can be different lengths: Narayanan's team found that using machine learning to help classify the hexadecimal malware signatures resulted in accuracy no better than flipping a coin.

But some techniques used in bioinformatics for comparing amino acid sequences take differing lengths into account. After applying these to malware, Narayanan's average accuracy for classifying the signatures automatically using machine learning rose to 85 per cent.

Biology might help in other ways too. Narayanan notes that if further study shows malware evolution follows some of the same rules as amino acids and proteins, our knowledge of biological systems could be used to help fight it.

Journal reference: arXiv:1302.3668

Subscribe to New Scientist Magazine

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/28ee8ddf/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Cblogs0Conepercent0C20A130C0A20Cmalware0Ebiology0Bhtml0Dcmpid0FRSS0QNSNS0Q20A120EGLOBAL0Qonline0Enews/story01.htm

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US caught in awkward embrace of Myanmar 'crony'

Myanmar's main business association, the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Win Aung, right, smiles with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Jose Fernandez during a conference titled "U.S.-Myanmar Economic Relations: The Path Forward" at the UMFCCI office in Yangon, Myanmar, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013. Flanked by small national flags, Win Aung and Fernandez shook hands in Yangon Monday and agreed to deepen business ties between their two countries. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

Myanmar's main business association, the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Win Aung, right, smiles with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Jose Fernandez during a conference titled "U.S.-Myanmar Economic Relations: The Path Forward" at the UMFCCI office in Yangon, Myanmar, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013. Flanked by small national flags, Win Aung and Fernandez shook hands in Yangon Monday and agreed to deepen business ties between their two countries. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Jose Fernandez speaks during the conference titled "U.S.-Myanmar Economic Relations: The Path Forward" at the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) office Monday, Feb. 25, 2013, in Yangon, Myanmar. Flanked by small national flags, Win Aung, the president of the UMFCCI, Myanmar's main business association, and Fernandez shook hands in Yangon Monday and agreed to deepen business ties between their two countries. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

National flags of Myanmar, right, and the United States decorate the entrance with a banner marking the conference titled "U.S.-Myanmar Economic Relations: The Path Forward" at the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) office Monday, Feb. 25, 2013, in Yangon, Myanmar. Flanked by small national flags, Win Aung, the president of the UMFCCI, Myanmar's main business association, and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jose Fernandez shook hands in Yangon Monday and agreed to deepen business ties between their two countries. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) ? The image was meant to convey growing friendship between the United States and Myanmar, currently the world's hottest frontier market. Flanked by small national flags, Win Aung, the president of Myanmar's main business association, and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jose Fernandez shook hands in Yangon on Monday and agreed to deepen business ties between their countries.

The awkward part? The United States still dubs Win Aung a "crony" who allegedly used his close ties to Myanmar's old military rulers to build one of the country's biggest business conglomerates. He remains on a blacklist of entities U.S. citizens and companies are banned from doing business with.

The handshake illustrates the complex and sometimes contradictory path the U.S. is forging as it tries to encourage new business ties with Myanmar while retaining moral sway over powerful economic, political and military interests it has long censured. Many praise the ethical stance taken by U.S. policymakers and hope that the entry of U.S. companies will help forge a more transparent, less corrupt corporate culture. But some question the effectiveness of Washington's chosen tools and the impact they have on the ability of U.S. investors to compete in what has quickly become a hot market.

Unlike the European Union and Australia, which lifted their travel and financial sanctions against Myanmar, the United States has taken what U.S. officials call a "calibrated" approach to retain leverage in case Myanmar's political and economic reforms get derailed. While Washington has suspended most restrictions, the U.S. still maintains its list of targeted sanctions, bans some people from traveling to the U.S. and blocks imports of specific products, such as jade and rubies, for which trade has been dominated by state and military interests.

Fernandez was in Myanmar as part of a U.S. business delegation, the first since President Barack Obama's historic November visit. The delegation was organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and hosted by Win Aung's group, the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Industry. Over 50 representatives of U.S. companies including Chevron, General Motors, Target Corp., ConocoPhillips, Caterpillar, General Electric International, Honeywell and eBay are scheduled to spend the week meeting with leading businesspeople and government officials in Myanmar.

Fernandez, in an interview, declined to comment on Win Aung's inclusion in the list of so-called "Specially Designated Nationals." The list forms the backbone of U.S. sanctions against Myanmar now that general restrictions on investment, imports and financial services have been suspended in response to the sweeping economic and political reforms instated since Myanmar's president, Thein Sein, took office in March 2011.

Fernandez conceded that "maybe some adjustments need to be made" to the list, but praised it as an important foreign policy tool for encouraging responsible investment.

"The value of the list is we continue to have concerns about human rights abuses, as well as continued political prisoners, continued military ties to North Korea and corruption. That list is a valuable tool for addressing those concerns," he said.

Win Aung, who also heads the Dagon Group of Companies, with interests in timber, rubber, energy and construction, urged the United States to remove all its sanctions against Myanmar, also known as Burma.

"We request your government to support us with a total lifting of sanctions for the benefit of the majority of our people," Win Aung said.

U.S. companies have welcomed the easing of sanctions, but many say the fact that sanctions have been suspended, rather than eliminated, discourages long-term investment and that the welter of remaining regulations is a drain on time and resources.

"You can't do a lot of direct investment if there's the specter of it being taken away tomorrow," said Darren Brooks, senior corporate counsel for Caterpillar Asia. "It's a little bit of a minefield. We're trying to tiptoe around it and do things correctly."

The latest sign of the ambivalence of U.S. foreign policy came Friday, when the government responded to pressure from U.S. business groups by allowing U.S. companies to transact with four Myanmar banks that are still on the U.S. sanction list. Two of the banks, Myanma Economic Bank and Myanma Investment and Commercial Bank, are state owned. Asia Green Development Bank and Ayeyarwady Bank are privately owned.

Asia Green Development Bank is owned by Tay Za, who was described by the U.S. Treasury in 2008 as an arms dealer and financial henchman of the former military regime. Ayeyarwady Bank is owned by Zaw Zaw, who was described as "one of Burma's up-and-coming cronies" in a June 2009 leaked diplomatic cable from the U.S. Embassy in Yangon. He has not been publicly linked to arms or drug dealing.

"American corporations are very late in every business sector," said businessman Aung Aung, whose oil and gas and hotel companies have alliances with Korean, Indian and Russian partners. "Asian countries, like India and especially China, have already dominated the market. It's difficult for American companies to compete."

The U.S. ranked 13th in foreign investment in Myanmar as of Jan. 31, according to Myanmar's Directorate of Investment and Company Administration. The U.S. accounted for just 0.6 percent of approvals by dollar volume ? less than the Netherlands, France and Vietnam. China ranked number one with a 33.9 percent share of foreign investment approvals, followed by Thailand.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-02-25-Myanmar-US-Business/id-8bbbc77a336644b292effb92be248e84

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Voters head to polls in ex-Rep. Jackson's district

Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale, a Democrat, speaks with election judge Nancy Karen as he casts his vote in Chicago, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, in the special primary election to replace former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson in Illinois' 2nd Congressional District. Beale is one of three front-runners in the primary. The others include former state Rep. Robin Kelly and former U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson. They were among 14 Democrats and four Republicans in the special primary, but the Democratic winner is expected to sail through the April 9 general election because of the heavily Democratic region. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale, a Democrat, speaks with election judge Nancy Karen as he casts his vote in Chicago, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, in the special primary election to replace former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson in Illinois' 2nd Congressional District. Beale is one of three front-runners in the primary. The others include former state Rep. Robin Kelly and former U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson. They were among 14 Democrats and four Republicans in the special primary, but the Democratic winner is expected to sail through the April 9 general election because of the heavily Democratic region. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson casts her vote in Steger, Ill., Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, in the special primary election to replace former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson in Illinois' 2nd Congressional District. Halvorson is one of the front-runners in the primary.? The others include former state Rep. Robin Kelly and Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale. They were among 14 Democrats and four Republicans in the special primary, but the Democratic winner is expected to sail through the April 9 general election because of the heavily Democratic region. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

Former Illinois state Rep. Robin Kelly, a Democrat, finds a supporter in Yolanda Stratton as she campaigns at an IHOP in Matteson, Ill., on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, on the final day of the special primary election to replace disgraced former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson in Illinois' 2nd Congressional District. Kelly is one of the three front-runners in the primary. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

CHICAGO (AP) ? After a primary campaign dominated by gun control and economic woes, voters were choosing the likely replacement for Jesse Jackson Jr. Tuesday, three months after his legal troubles and battle with depression forced the son of the civil rights leader to resign from Congress.

The Democratic front-runners former state Rep. Robin Kelly, former U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson and Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale made Election Day stops at train stations and restaurants in the district that spans Chicago's South Side, south suburbs and some rural areas.

They were among 14 Democrats and four Republicans in the special primary, but the Democratic winner was expected to sail through the April 9 general election because of the area is heavily Democratic.

Halvorson, who lost a primary challenge to Jackson last year, has been targeted by opponents for her position on gun control, which became a key issue in the district, parts of which have been deeply affected by Chicago's gun violence.

Independence USA, the super PAC of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, poured more than $2 million into the race for anti-gun ads in support of Kelly and against Halvorson, a former state lawmaker and one-term congresswoman. Kelly supports an assault-weapons ban, but Halvorson does not.

After casting her ballot, Halvorson warned that if the ads are successful Bloomberg will try to "buy seats" across the country.

"We can't let that happen," she said.

Beale also took issue with the ads, saying people are "extremely upset" that someone from New York is trying to tell people in Illinois how to vote and predicting that there will be a "backlash."

The guns issue dominated candidate forums and television ads and also appeared to have resonated with voters.

Mary Jo Higgins of south suburban Steger said she voted for Halvorson because the former congresswoman is "the only Democrat who believes in the Second Amendment."

But Country Club Hills minister Rosemary Gage voted for former state Rep. Robin Kelly because Kelly is "standing with (President Barack Obama) and trying to get rid of guns."

"It's really bad in Chicago and across the country," Gage said. "Too many children have died."

The issue of ethics was also on the minds of voters, particularly as Jackson's legal saga has been playing out in federal court. He pleaded guilty early this month to charges that he misspent $750,000 in campaign money on lavish personal items, including a Rolex watch and furs. His departure created a rare opening in the district.

Halvorson was greeted by cheers of "good luck" and "go Debbie go" as she cast her ballot at a suburban community center in the village of Steger.

Speaking afterward, she said it's time for voters to close the chapter on Jackson's ethical problems and send someone to Washington who can hit the ground running.

Halvorson is counting on voters in the southern, more rural part of the district, where she grew up, to help her to a win in the primary.

David Berchem, a retired painter, said he voted for Halvorson because he believes she will represent all residents of the district and she's "as honest a person as you can find."

Beale voted at a school in Chicago and Kelly voted early.

Beale touted his record as a job creator for the South Side ward he represents in Chicago's City Council.

That's the reason Juanita Williams, who went to school with Beale, said she voted for him Tuesday, noting that he helped bring a Wal-Mart to the area. The 47-year-old assistant teacher also said Beale has regularly provided school supplies and Christmas gifts to needy students.

Jackson is the third consecutive congressman from the district to leave office under an ethical or legal cloud. He resigned in November after a months-long medical leave for treatment of bipolar disorder and depression.

Voters haven't seen an open primary since 1995, when Jackson first won office.

Turnout at the polls was expected to be low, and candidates and election officials braced for a possible winter storm that could dump up to six inches of snow on the region and complicate Tuesday's logistics. Election officials said they were in communication with streets and sanitation workers about making sure pathways to polls were kept clear.

In Chicago, fewer than 2,800 voters, or roughly 2 percent or registered voters in the district, cast early ballots. In suburban Cook County ? the bulk of the district's voting population ? it was nearly 2 percent. The last time the Chicago area had a special primary election for Congress was 2009 after Rahm Emanuel left his seat to take a job as White House chief of staff. Roughly 18 percent of registered voters in the district spanning North Side neighborhoods voted. In suburban Cook County, the percentage was far lower.

___

Sophia Tareen can be reached at http://twitter.com/sophiatareen

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-02-26-House-Jackson%20Seat/id-a94aaeec8d6349b1a5d913d124cd1bec

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Pope changes conclave rules, allows earlier start if all cardinals in Rome before 15-day delay

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI has changed the rules of the conclave that will elect his successor, allowing cardinals to move up the start date if all of them arrive in Rome before the usual 15-day transition between pontificates.

Benedict signed a legal document, issued Monday, with some line-by-line changes to the 1996 Vatican law governing the election of a new pope. It is one of his last acts as pope before resigning Thursday.

The date of the conclave's start is important because Holy Week begins March 24, with Easter Sunday March 31. In order to have a new pope in place for the church's most solemn liturgical period, he would need to be installed by Sunday, March 17 ? a tight timeframe if a conclave were to start March 15.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pope-changes-conclave-rules-allows-earlier-start-cardinals-121253061.html

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Dennis Rodman worms his way into North Korea

Former NBA star Dennis Rodman, center, pushes his luggage pass through a group of Chinese security officers as he makes his way to the check in counter at the departure hall of Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Rodman, and three members of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team, a VICE correspondent and a production crew from the company are visiting North Korea to shoot footage for a new TV show set to air on HBO in early April, VICE told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview before the group's departure from Beijing. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Former NBA star Dennis Rodman, center, pushes his luggage pass through a group of Chinese security officers as he makes his way to the check in counter at the departure hall of Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Rodman, and three members of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team, a VICE correspondent and a production crew from the company are visiting North Korea to shoot footage for a new TV show set to air on HBO in early April, VICE told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview before the group's departure from Beijing. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Former NBA star Dennis Rodman speaks at the departure hall of Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Rodman, three members of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team, a VICE correspondent and a production crew from the company are visiting North Korea to shoot footage for a new TV show set to air on HBO in early April, VICE told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview before the group's departure from Beijing. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Former NBA star Dennis Rodman, right, and three members of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team, seen at back, prepare to check in at the departure hall of Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Rodman, three members of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team, a VICE correspondent and a production crew from the company are visiting North Korea to shoot footage for a new TV show set to air on HBO in early April, VICE told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview before the group's departure from Beijing. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Former NBA star Dennis Rodman, center, walks to the check in counter at the departure hall of Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Rodman, three members of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team, a VICE correspondent and a production crew from the company are visiting North Korea to shoot footage for a new TV show set to air on HBO in early April, VICE told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview before the group's departure from Beijing. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Members of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team gesture as they prepare to check in with former NBA star Dennis Rodman, not in the photo, at the departure hall of Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Dennis Rodman, and three members of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team, a VICE correspondent and a production crew from the company are visiting North Korea to shoot footage for a new TV show set to air on HBO in early April, VICE told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview before the group's departure from Beijing. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

(AP) ? Flamboyant former NBA star Dennis Rodman is heading to North Korea with VICE media company ? tattoos, piercings, bad-boy reputation and all.

The American known as "The Worm" is set to arrive Tuesday in Pyongyang, becoming an unlikely ambassador for sports diplomacy at a time of heightened tensions between the U.S. and North Korea.

Rodman, three members of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team, a VICE correspondent and a production crew from the company are visiting North Korea to shoot footage for a new TV show set to air on HBO in early April, VICE told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview before the group's departure from Beijing.

It's the second high-profile American visit this year to North Korea, a country that remains in a state of war with the U.S. It also comes two weeks after North Korea conducted an underground nuclear test in defiance of U.N. bans against atomic and missile activity.

Google's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, made a surprise four-day trip to Pyongyang, where he met with officials and toured computer labs in January, just weeks after North Korea launched a satellite into space on the back of a long-range rocket.

Washington, Tokyo, Seoul and others consider both the rocket launch and the nuclear test provocative acts that threaten regional security.

North Korea characterizes the satellite launch as a peaceful bid to explore space, but says the nuclear test was meant as a deliberate warning to Washington. Pyongyang says it needs to build nuclear weapons to defend itself against the U.S., and is believed to be trying to build an atomic bomb small enough to mount on a missile capable of reaching the mainland U.S.

VICE said the Americans hope to engage in a little "basketball diplomacy" in North Korea by running a basketball camp for children and playing pickup games with locals ? and by competing alongside North Korea's top athletes in a scrimmage they hope will be attended by leader Kim Jong Un.

"At a time when tensions between the two countries are running high, it's important to keep lines of cultural communication open, no matter how non-traditional those channels may be," said Shane Smith, the VICE founder who is host of the upcoming TV series. "It's important to show North Koreans that America is not their enemy, and playing a game we both love is a step in the right direction."

VICE, a Brooklyn-based media company known for its sometimes irreverent journalism, has made two previous visits to North Korea, coming out with the "VICE Guide to North Korea." The HBO series, which will air weekly, features documentary-style news reports from around the world.

As part of the trip, the Americans will visit North Korea's national monuments as well as the SEK animation studio and a new skate park in Pyongyang. The show on Rodman's trip to North Korea airs on April 5.

The U.S. State Department hasn't been contacted about travel to North Korea by this group, a senior administration official said, requesting anonymity to comment before any trip had been made public. The official said the department does not vet U.S. citizens' private travel to North Korea and urges US citizens contemplating travel there to review a travel warning on its website.

In a now-defunct U.S.-North Korean agreement in which Washington had planned last year to give food aid to Pyongyang in exchange for nuclear concessions, Washington had said it was prepared to increase people-to-people exchanges with the North, including in the areas of culture, education and sports.

Promoting technology and sports are two major policy priorities of Kim Jong Un, who took power in December 2011 following the death of his father, Kim Jong Il.

But the often over-the-top Rodman, with his maze of tattoos, nose studs and neon-bleached hair, seems like an unlikely diplomat to a country where male fashion rarely ventures beyond military khaki and growing facial hair is forbidden.

During his heyday in the 1990s, Rodman was a poster boy for excess. He called his 1996 autobiography "Bad as I Wanna Be" ? and showed up wearing a wedding dress to promote it.

Shown a photo of a snarling Rodman, piercings dangling from his lower lip and two massive tattoos emblazoned on his chest, one North Korean in Pyongyang recoiled and said: "He looks like a monster!"

But Rodman is also a Hall of Fame basketball player and one of the best defenders and rebounders to ever play the game. During a storied, often controversial career, he won five NBA championships ? a feat that quickly overshadowed his antics for at least one small North Korean group of basketball fans.

Along with soccer, basketball is enormously popular in North Korea, where it's not uncommon to see basketball hoops set up in hotel parking lots or in schoolyards. It's a game that doesn't require much equipment or upkeep.

The U.S. remains Enemy No. 1 in North Korea, and North Koreans have limited exposure to American pop culture. But they know Michael Jordan, a former teammate of Rodman's when they both played for the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s.

During a historic visit to North Korea in 2000, then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright presented Kim Jong Il, famously an NBA fan, with a basketball signed by Jordan that later went on display in the huge cave at Mount Myohyang that holds gifts to the leaders.

North Korea even had its own Jordan wannabe: Ri Myong Hun, a 7-foot-9 star player who is said to have renamed himself "Michael" after his favorite player and moved to Canada for a few years in the 1990s in hopes of making it into the NBA.

Even today, Jordan remains well-loved here. At the Mansudae Art Studio, which produces the country's top art, a portrait of Jordan spotted last week, complete with a replica of his signature and "NBA" painted in one corner, seemed an odd inclusion among the propaganda posters and celadon vases on display.

An informal poll of North Koreans revealed that "The Worm" isn't quite as much a household name in Pyongyang.

But Kim Jong Un, also said to be a basketball fanatic, would have been an adolescent when Rodman, now 51, was with the Bulls, and when the Harlem Globetrotters, an exhibition basketball team, kept up a frenetic travel schedule worldwide.

The notoriously unpredictable and irrepressible Rodman said he has no special antics up his sleeve for making his mark on one of the world's most regimented and militarized societies, a place where order and conformity are enforced with Stalinist fervor.

But he said he isn't leaving any of his piercings behind.

__

Follow AP's bureau chief for Pyongyang and Seoul at www.twitter.com/newsjean . AP writer Matthew Pennington contributed to this report from Washington.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-02-26-NKorea-Rodman/id-c9d167a3e782432f8f2b8d5d57ca60b6

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White House details budget fallout amid blame game

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The White House has detailed the potential fallout in each state from budget cuts set to take effect at week's end, while congressional Republicans and Democrats keep up the sniping over who's to blame.

Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., said on "Fox News Sunday" that there was little hope to dodge the cuts "unless the Republicans are willing to compromise and do a balanced approach."

No so fast, Republicans interjected.

"I think the American people are tired of the blame game," Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., said on CBS' "Face the Nation."

Yet just a moment before, she was blaming President Barack Obama for putting the country on the brink of massive spending cuts that were initially designed to be so unacceptable that Congress would strike a grand bargain to avoid them.

The $85 billion budget mechanism could affect everything from commercial flights to classrooms to meat inspections. With Friday's deadline nearing, few in the nation's capital were optimistic that a realistic alternative could be found.

And, yes, those cuts will hurt.

They would slash from domestic and defense spending alike, leading to furloughs for hundreds of thousands of government workers and contractors.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has said the cuts would harm the readiness of U.S. fighting forces. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said travelers could see delayed flights. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said 70,000 fewer children from low-income families would have access to Head Start programs. And furloughed meat inspectors could leave plants idled.

White House officials pointed to Ohio ? home of House Speaker John Boehner ? as one state that would be hit hard: $25.1 million in education spending and another $22 million for students with disabilities. Some 2,500 children from low-income families would also be removed from Head Start programs.

Officials said their analysis showed Kentucky would lose $93,000 in federal funding for a domestic abuse program, meaning 400 fewer victims being served in Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's home state. Georgia, meanwhile, would face a $286,000 budget cut to its children's health programs, meaning almost 4,200 fewer children would receive vaccinations against measles and whooping cough.

The spending cuts have frustrated governors attending the National Governors Association meeting in Washington. They contend it has created widespread uncertainty in the economy and hampered economic recovery in their states.

"The No. 1 risk, in my view, to the continuing economic comeback of Michigan is the federal government," Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican and former business executive, said in an interview. Snyder said many companies remain in limbo on whether to invest in their business because of the financial uncertainty.

"What's the likely outcome? Are they going to put in a solution that's set for two or three years or are they simply going to say now it's going to move to the fall? It's not good," he said.

The White House compiled its state-by-state reports from federal agencies and its own budget office. The numbers reflect the impact of the cuts this year. Unless Congress acts by Friday, $85 billion in cuts are set to take effect from March to September.

As to whether states could move money around to cover shortfalls, the White House said that depends on state budget structures and the specific programs. The White House did not have a list of which states or programs might have flexibility.

Republican leaders were not impressed by the state-by-state reports.

"The White House needs to spend less time explaining to the press how bad the sequester will be and more time actually working to stop it," said Michael Steel, a spokesman for Boehner.

___

Associated Press writer Ken Thomas contributed to this report.

___

Follow Philip Elliott on Twitter: https://twitter.com/philip_elliott

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/white-house-details-budget-fallout-amid-blame-game-083230275--politics.html

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Aptina unleashes 1080p and 4K mobile sensors, entire point-and-shoot segment cringes

Aptina unleashes 1080p and 4K mobile sensors, entire pointandshoot segment cringes

Hear that? That's the sound of the entire point-and-shoot camera industry bracing for yet another blow. As smartphone cameras mature, it's becoming ever more difficult to convince consumers to use anything other than their phone outside of special occasions where ILCs or DSLRs are necessary. Aptina has a lot to do with that. Here at Mobile World Congress, the sensor outfit has announced its 12 megapixel and 13 megapixel mobile image sensors, aimed squarely at next-gen flagship phones that ought to be coming out in Q2 or Q3 this year. The smaller 1.1-micron pixel construction is the standout feature, with the AR1230 capable of capturing 4K video at 30fps as well as 1080p video at up to 96fps. The AR1330 throws in electronic image stabilization support at 1080p, while snagging 4K UHD and 4K Cinema formats at 30fps.

Over on the tablet PC / TV front, the AR0261 is a new 1080p-capable sensor that's destined to redefine what a front-facing camera can accomplish. It relies on a 1.4-micron pixel, and should have no issues capturing faces at up to 60fps when using its 720p mode. Furthermore, Aptina promises that this guy can work with applications involving gesture recognition and 3D video capture, but sadly, no OEMs are coming forward just yet with concrete plans to include it.

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Source: Aptina

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/25/aptina-1080p-4k-mobile-sensors-smartphones/

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News in Brief: Nutrients matter in tropical forests

Soil phosphorus levels drive tree species? different growth patterns

By Meghan Rosen

Web edition: February 25, 2013

Enlarge

LEAFY CHANGE

In a Panamanian forest, a patch of phosphorus-rich soil (right) supports trees that lose their leaves, unlike the phosphorus-poor soil (left).

Credit: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Don?t blame a lack of rain: A tropical forest of dry, bare-branched trees might be that way because of soil chock full of phosphorus.

In Panama?s dry season, leafy woodlands stand starkly next to forests of naked trees. Scientists had thought that rainfall caused the contrasting growth patterns because different soils there have different abilities to hold water. Narrow bands of rocky outcrops shoot through Panama?s soil, and rocky soils often hold little water.

But when ecologist Richard Condit of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama City and his colleagues analyzed samples from 72 forest sites across Panama, they found that soil moisture levels between neighboring leafy and leafless trees didn?t differ as much as they had expected.

Instead, phosphorus levels seemed to drive the growth patterns of leafy versus leafless trees, the researchers report online February 25 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The leafy trees, Condit says, evolved to live in low-phosphorus soils. Even in dry seasons, these trees hold onto their leaves ? losing water ? because nutrients are scarce, and making new leaves is expensive. Where phosphorus is abundant, however, trees can afford to dump their leaves, and grow new ones when the soil is wet.

The results surprised Condit. ?I didn?t expect nutrients to be so important.?

Source: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/348596/title/News_in_Brief_Nutrients_matter_in_tropical_forests

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New Details On Oscar Pistorius & Reeva Steenkamp Tragedy

New Details On Oscar Pistorius & Reeva Steenkamp Tragedy

Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp photosOlympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius, who is called the Blade Runner, reportedly crushed his girlfriend?s skull with a cricket bat before shooting her dead. Insiders report Oscar believed Reeva was cheating on him and reportedly went crazy when she told him she was pregnant with Oscar’s child. Reeva’s family that saw her body before she was ...

New Details On Oscar Pistorius & Reeva Steenkamp Tragedy Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2013/02/new-details-on-oscar-pistorius-reeva-steenkamp-tragedy/

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Thoughts on the present discontents (Powerlineblog)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

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Pale blush, greys and metallic sparkle grace Oscars red carpet

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Ethereal, strapless silhouettes and wavy tresses gave the Oscars red carpet a patina of old Hollywood glamour on Sunday as the year's top actresses and presenters led the way in blush, grey and black sequined gowns.

"Silver Linings Playbook" Best Actress nominee Jennifer Lawrence, 22, wowed critics with her off-white Christian Dior Couture strapless gown with a full-tiered skirt and a long necklace dropping down her back.

The actress, who is the face of Christian Dior's Miss Dior brand and has been wearing the designer to the awards leading up to the Oscars, said it was the only dress she tried on for the event.

Fellow Dior brand ambassador Charlize Theron wore a white strapless couture gown from the French fashion house.

Halterneck column gowns were a popular trend on the red carpet as stars opted for a long and lean silhouette this year.

"Les Miserables" star and Best Supporting Actress nominee Anne Hathaway split critics with her blush pink Prada halterneck satin strapless gown with a daring low back. In an interview on the red carpet Hathaway quipped, "it's business in the front and party in the back."

Her co-star Amanda Seyfried opted for a pale grey and lilac embroidered Alexander McQueen halterneck dress, while "Twilight" actress and Oscar presenter Kristen Stewart wore a blush halterneck Reem Acra dress.

Blush and nude hues were a hot trend on the runways for spring. "The Master" supporting actress nominee Amy Adams stunned crowds in a strapless pale grey full-skirted tulle Oscar de la Renta gown, while last year's supporting actress winner Octavia Spencer wore a blush Tadashi Shoji number.

Contrasting the off-white gowns were the actresses picking gold, gunmetal greys and bright colors that stood out on the red carpet at Hollywood's Dolby Theater.

Jessica Chastain, nominated for Best Actress for "Zero Dark Thirty," channeled golden-age Hollywood glamour with a deep gold sequined Armani Prive strapless dress, accessorizing with soft side waves in her auburn hair.

"There were no misses this year, everyone had very good taste," said Avril Graham, executive fashion and beauty editor at Harper's Bazaar.

"Anne Hathaway had a shade of Audrey Hepburn in her pastel Prada and Jessica Chastain was a superstar red carpet hit in her gold sleek shimmering Armani," she added.

H&M GETS OSCAR MOMENT

Naomi Watts, Best Actress nominee for "The Impossible," wore a gunmetal sequined one-shouldered Giorgio Armani gown while Zoe Saldana's white strapless bustier Alexis Mabille dress was offset by grey underlays peeking out.

Metallic sparkle was the pick for Catherine Zeta Jones, in a gold sequined Zuhair Murad gown, Nicole Kidman in a black sequined fitted L'Wren Scott dress and Halle Berry in a strong-shouldered silver and black striped Versace fitted gown.

Quvenzhane Wallis, the 9-year-old actress competing with Best Actress nominees Lawrence, Watts, Chastain and Emmanuelle Riva, accessorized her navy sparkling Armani gown with a fluffy puppy purse.

"The Sessions" Supporting Actress nominee Helen Hunt shunned high-end designers to wear retail brand H&M in a navy blue strapless gown, stunning fashionistas with her choice.

"Lincoln" Supporting Actress nominee Sally Field added color to the red carpet in a full-sleeved vibrant red Valentino dress.

Reese Witherspoon stood out in a strapless cobalt blue Louis Vuitton gown, "Django Unchained" star Kerry Washington wowed critics with her coral and blush Miu Miu dress and Jennifer Garner, holding husband Ben Affleck's hand, wore an eggplant purple strapless flowing Gucci gown.

(Editing by Mary Milliken and Stacey Joyce)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pale-blush-greys-metallic-sparkle-grace-oscars-red-022816916.html

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Certificate Expirty Leads to Total Outage For Microsoft Azure Secured Storage

... this is what you get. Sure, it's possible the same thing can happen for any company. But at least then you can fire your incompetent staff.

Once you deploy to a vendor, you are stuck. From what I've seen, you can't easily move data and code from one vendor to another. One of our clients is in the UK Azure cloud and we have to BCP about 6M rows from their server to our system every week. Takes over 90 minutes, and constantly fails because of losing the connection. We've looked at deploying systems to various clouds, and the costs were not worth it.

I will NEVER put any critical business system in someone else's cloud. At worst, I might put it in someone's data center on *MY* servers. The cloud seems to be fine for small business startups and non-important data for personal use. Businesses who no one would even notice if their site was down for a day.

BTW.. 'Cloud' computing is just remote virtual servers over the Internet. It's really not something new and original. People act like it's some amazing new 'thing'. Well.. it's not. It's just another way of letting companies with limited or no tech skills put up a web site or store data. It's expensive, proprietary, and I doubt very cost effective in the long run.

Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdot/~3/u4v-dA3ItAc/story01.htm

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Sony NSZ-GS7 update brings Google TV's newer voice search and YouTube perks

Sony NSZGS7 update brings Google TV's newer voice search and YouTube perks

Someone must have declared it Google TV Update Week without telling us: just days after a Vizio Co-Star upgrade, Sony's NSZ-GS7 Internet Player is getting its own tune-up. The Sony update parallels its Vizio counterpart in focusing mostly on the features from the fall 2012 Google TV revamp, including PrimeTime and the updated YouTube app. Viewers pining for Amazon VOD access can also grab its app through Google Play. Sony mostly claims an edge over Vizio through its support for the equally new voice search feature: owners just have to chat with Sony's remote to get things done, instead of leaning on phone or tablet control. However GS7 owners plan to steer their TVs, they'll just need to check for a software update in the days ahead to rejuvenate their set-top boxes.

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/23/sony-nsz-gs7-update-brings-google-tvs-newer-voice-search/

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