Ron Cook: Former Penguins coach Therrien, Canadiens thriving

They say there is no better sports city in which to win than New York, New York.

Well, they might be wrong.

"This is a pretty good place to have success ... Montreal," Mike Therrien was saying Thursday over the telephone.

There is no more passionate fan base than that of the Canadiens. Therrien has experienced both sides of it. He felt the sting when he was fired in January 2003 after three seasons in his first run as Montreal coach. Now, after getting an unlikely second chance when he was hired again by the Canadiens in June, he owns the city. The Canadiens, who finished 15th -- dead last -- in the Eastern Conference last season, went into their home game Thursday night against the New York Islanders with an 11-4-1 record, the most points in the conference.

It's a remarkable story, one that has surprised the hockey world. But shouldn't the Canadiens' success under Therrien have been expected? Don't hockey people remember the job he did as Penguins coach? Don't they realize he's as good of a turnaround coach as there is in sports?

Therrien took over a Penguins team that was a disgrace in December 2005. His early days are remembered for his infamous rant after a home loss to Edmonton.

"That defensive squad, I think their goal is to be the worst defensive squad in the league. ... There's a lot of guys who don't care. They pretend to care, but I know they don't care."

But the tough love from Therrien worked for the Penguins. He demanded much-needed accountability, at times to the point that the players hated him. But the team improved by a franchise-record 47 points the next season. They went to the Stanley Cup final in 2007-08.

Eventually, the players tuned out Therrien. Tough love takes its toll. He was fired in February 2009 with the Penguins out of the playoff picture. Dan Bylsma took over as coach and led the team to the Stanley Cup. He deserves big props. But save some for Therrien, who left behind discipline and structure that contributed to the title.

Despite the success in Pittsburgh, Therrien wasn't a popular choice in Montreal. Many remembered his failures with the Canadiens the first time. Others felt he got the job only because he was French-Canadian, a Montreal native. The previous Canadiens coach, Randy Cunneyworth, was the franchise's first non-French speaking coach in four decades. His time with the team was a sporting disaster.

Therrien said he is much better-equipped to deal with the incredible pressure that goes with being the Montreal coach. His English is better, which is important in one of the world's best international cities. He's more comfortable being, well, Mike Therrien.

"I have my foundation as a coach, and that's probably the same," he said. "But you learn through the years. Experience means more than just getting gray hair. I was well-prepared for this challenge."

Therrien talked of "changing the culture" in Montreal, just as he did in Pittsburgh. "I tried to come in and communicate with the players." Therrien brought in a couple of trusted allies to have his back. He coached winger Brandon Prust back in their junior days and had winger Colby Armstrong with the Penguins.

"Those are character players," Therrien said. "You always want to surround yourself with quality people."

The players have bought into Therrien's system. They play an aggressive forecheck. They pressure the puck coming out of the opponent's zone. They believe good defense will lead to offensive opportunities.

"We gave the players a plan that we believe will lead to success," Therrien said. "They realize we're doing things to try to help them. It's been really good so far. We don't give up many shots. We don't give up many chances. If we stick to that, I believe we can be successful."

Goaltender Carey Price has been Montreal's best player, veteran center Tomas Plekanec its best forward. Therrien has been praised for bringing along rookie forwards Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher with a nice touch. But he might have done his best work with veteran winger Erik Cole and star defenseman P.K. Subban. Cole has struggled at times, prompting Therrien to cut his ice time. Subban was a contract holdout until Jan. 28, and Therrien delayed his return to the lineup by a game, then limited his playing time in the beginning.

The message?

The team comes above all.

The other players noticed.

"Everyone has to be accountable for their actions," Therrien said. "That's always been my philosophy."

Pittsburgh fans will get their first look at Therrien behind the Canadiens bench when the Penguins play March 2 in Montreal.

"That's going to be a special night," Therrien said. "I enjoyed my time in Pittsburgh. I miss Pittsburgh. I have a lot of respect for those players and that organization."

It's nice to think Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Brooks Orpik, Marc-Andre Fleury and so many others have the same respect for Therrien even if they didn't always appreciate his methods. He did what a good coach is supposed to do. He didn't just make the players better. He helped them win a Cup.

Source: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/ron-cook/ron-cook-former-penguins-coach-therrien-canadiens-thriving-676444

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Military's First Black Pilots Honored At Air Station Miramar

Friday, February 22, 2013

City News Service

The U.S. military's first black pilots were honored today at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, and a three-mile stretch of Interstate 15 near the base was renamed as the "Tuskegee Airmen Highway.''

Renaming the highway from Miramar to Mercy roads honors the men "who faithfully served America while fighting the enemy in World War II and segregation at home,'' according to a MCAS Miramar statement.

Seven San Diego-area Tuskegee Airmen -- Alfonso Harris, George T. Mitchell, Nelson Robinson, Buford Johnson, Louis Hill, Ted Lumpkin and Claude Rowe -- attended the highway sign unveiling, officials said.

"We were not just fighting for our country, we were fighting for our dreams and we were willing to give our lives for it. Our country has come a long way, and we are honored and grateful to receive this recognition,'' Rowe said following the passage of legislation by Sen. Joel Anderson, R-San Diego, that made the highway dedication possible.

Funding for new signage was raised by the Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Tuskegee Airmen Chapter in San Diego, which successfully lobbied the Legislature to approve the freeway renaming.

Sixty-six Tuskegee Airmen were killed in combat and another 33 were shot down and held as prisoners of war. Fourteen of them received the Bronze Star. In 2007, the Tuskegee Airmen were collectively awarded a Congressional Gold Medal.

"The Tuskegee Airmen not only helped defeat fascism overseas, but just as importantly, they broke down the barriers of racism and segregation here in America, which led to the complete racial integration of the military,'' Anderson said. His resolution also recognized the nonprofit Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. which aims to introduce youths to aviation.

In addition to unveiling new signage, three T- 34 aircraft and a World War II-era P-51 Mustang, the type the Tuskegee Airmen flew in combat, conducted a flyover.

Prior to the highway dedication, the Tuskegee Airmen were honored during an 8 a.m. morning colors ceremony. Robinson, a retired Air Force master sergeant, was in attendance, according to 3rd MAW public affairs.

Robinson was one of nearly 1,000 black aviators trained at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Tuskegee, Ala., from 1941 to 1946. About 450 of them fought in World War II, flying 1,578 missions and destroying 261 enemy aircraft.

Source: http://feeds.kpbs.org/~r/kpbs/local/~3/KUqYJJnbbOA/

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Emma Watson Has iPhone Woes!

Emma Watson runs across a street before the stoplight changes on Thursday (February 21) in New York City?s Lower East Side.

The 22-year-old actress headed out to lunch while in the neighborhood.

PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Emma Watson

Emma recently tweeted some upsetting news about her iPhone and a bowl of soup!

?I just dropped my iPhone in my soup. I think it might be time to tone down the multitasking..? she updated on her account. Hope her phone made it through the incident okay!

Like Just Jared on Facebook

Source: http://www.justjared.com/2013/02/22/emma-watson-has-iphone-woes/

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NYPD, Microsoft create crime-fighting tech system

NEW YORK (AP) ? A 911 call comes in about a possible bomb in lower Manhattan and an alert pops up on computer screens at the New York Police Department, instantly showing officers an interactive map of the neighborhood, footage from nearby security cameras, whether there are high radiation levels and whether any other threats have been made against the city.

In a click, police know exactly what they're getting into.

Such a hypothetical scenario may seem like something out of a futuristic crime drama, but the technology is real, developed in a partnership between the nation's largest police department and Microsoft Corp., and the latest version has been quietly in use for about a year.

The project could pay off in more ways than one: The NYPD could make tens of millions of dollars under an unprecedented marketing deal that allows Microsoft to sell the system to other law enforcement agencies and civilian companies around the world. The city will get a 30 percent cut.

The Domain Awareness System, known as the dashboard, gives easy access to the police department's voluminous arrest records, 911 calls, more than 3,000 security cameras citywide, license plate readers and portable radiation detectors. This is all public data ? not additional surveillance.

Right now, it is used only in NYPD offices, mostly in the counterterrorism unit. Eventually, the system could supply crime-fighting information in real time to officers on laptops in their squad cars and on mobile devices while they walk the beat.

"It works incredibly well," said Jessica Tisch, director of planning and policy for the counterterrorism unit.

For example, officers used the system during a deadly shooting outside the Empire State Building in August. Dozens of 911 calls were coming in, and it initially looked like an attack staged by several gunmen. But officers mapped the information and pulled up cameras within 500 feet of the reported shots to determine there was only one shooter.

Analysts are cautious about the potential profits, saying that largely depends on Microsoft's sales efforts and whether any major competition arises. While there other data-drilling products made by other companies, they say the NYPD's involvement could set the dashboard apart.

"This is the kind of stuff you used to only see in movies," said analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group, a technology analysis firm. "Getting it to work in a way that police departments can use in real time is huge."

The venture began in 2009 when the NYPD approached Microsoft about building software to help mine data for the Lower Manhattan Security Initiative, a network of private and public cameras and other tools monitored by the department's counterterrorism bureau. Development cost the department between $30 million and $40 million, officials said.

"Usually, you purchase software that you try to work with, but we wanted this to be something that really worked well for us, so we set about creating it with them," said Richard Daddario, the NYPD's deputy commissioner for counterterrorism.

Officers were involved throughout the process with the programmers, offering advice on what they need during an emergency.

"It was created by cops for cops," Tisch said. "We thought a lot about what information we want up close and personal, and what needs to be a click away. It's all baked in there."

The system uses hundreds of thousands of pieces of information. Security camera footage can be rewound five minutes so that officers can see suspects who may have fled. Sensors pick up whether a bag has been left sitting for a while. When an emergency call comes in, officers can check prior 911 calls from that address to see what they might be up against.

Prospective clients can customize it to fit their organization.

Dave Mosher, a Microsoft vice president in charge of program management, said the company started to market the system in August and is looking at smaller municipalities, law enforcement agencies and companies that handle major sporting events.

He would not say whether any clients have been lined up and would not give details on the price except to say that it would depend on how much customization must be done.

Shawn McCarthy, an analyst with the research firm IDC, described the partnership ? and outcome ? as unusual in the tech world. "I see huge potential, but so much depends on the price and competition," he said.

No firm timetable has been set on when the dashboard will be rolled out to the entire 34,000-offficer department.

___

Associated Press video journalist Bonny Ghosh contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.kval.com/news/tech/NYPD-Microsoft-create-crime-fighting-tech-system-192291061.html

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Antique Skeleton Key Vintage Metal Key Rusty Ornate Gothic Old Industrial for Altered Art Steampunk DIY Jewelry Wedding by KeyLimeSupplies

This listing for for one (1) antique skeleton key perfect for your DIY jewelry projects, steampunk or gothic home decor, wedding decor, altered art, or whatever you can imagine!

This particular batch of rusty vintage metal keys came to me very rusty -- these old skeleton keys have been cleaned with a mild, all-natural rust remover. They still have bits of rust, for that lovely aged patina that old metal gets, but removing the rust allows the natural details to peek through.

I'm not sure of the exact age of these vintage metal keys or the exact metal content -- if it helps, these keys are magnetic. I believe them to be cast iron, but I'm no expert so I could be wrong!

The antique skeleton keys measure between 1.5 inches (40 mm) - 3.5 inches (85 mm).

You will get one (1) randomly selected key.

Different quantities are available:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/KeyLimeSupplies?section_id=11453047

Enter the main storefront:
http://keylimesupplies.etsy.com

Combined shipping is available on all items.

(If you prefer very rusty keys -- I will be listing those uncleaned, as-found keys soon -- convo me if you don't see them available).

Have any questions? Contact the shop owner.

Source: http://www.etsy.com/listing/124393427/antique-skeleton-key-vintage-metal-key

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Guess how much Americans spent on their pets last year

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The economy may have remained sluggish last year but Americans refused to scrimp on their pets, with animal lovers spending upwards of $53 billion on food, veterinary care, kennels and other services in 2012.

That's up 5 percent from 2011, when spending first broke the $50 billion barrier, says the American Pet Products Association, a trade group based in Greenwich, Conn. And APPA President and CEO Bob Vetere predicts another 4 percent gain this year.

At about $34.3 billion, food and vet care represented about two-thirds of total spending, with money spent on supplies and over-the-counter medications rising by more than 7 percent. Spending on the growing market of alternative vet care, such as acupuncture, totaled about $12.5 billion.

Vetere says spending on services like grooming, boarding, hotels and pet-sitting grew nearly 10 percent during 2012 to almost $4.4 billion.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/americans-spent-over-53-billion-204113115.html

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Medicaid meeting tops Gov. Terry Branstad?s agenda in visit to Washington

Gov. Terry Branstad departed Iowa ahead of the snow storm on Thursday for several days of meetings in Washington D.C. that will include a face-to-face conversation with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

The meeting with Sebelius, scheduled for Friday afternoon, will focus on the potential expansion of Medicaid, the health-care program for the poor.

Expanding Medicaid services, which are funded jointly by the state and federal government, is a centerpiece of the Obama administration?s health-care efforts, and would put potentially tens of thousands more Iowans on the rolls.

The federal government has committed to paying 100 percent of the costs of the additional enrollees for three years and at least 90 percent after that. But Branstad has ardently opposed the expansion, questioning whether the feds can maintain that commitment and suggesting state government could ultimately be stuck with the bill.

Friday?s meeting will be an opportunity to air those concerns one-on-one, and perhaps find areas of compromise.

?We hope this meeting is the beginning of a dialogue with our federal partner on health care and other important topics,? Branstad spokesman Tim Albrecht said.

The governor has been steadfast in his opposition to the Medicaid expansion even as other Republican governors who initially opposed it have changed their mind.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer have reversed course in recent weeks, and in a big turnabout, Florida Gov. Rick Scott did as well on Wednesday.

Albrecht noted that Scott became a supporter after only Florida was awarded a waiver from the federal government allowing the state to privatize its Medicaid operations.

?Gov. Scott was able to secure significant flexibility in delivering Medicaid in Florida that will improve the health outcomes for his residents while controlling the costs through a specific waiver,? he said.

At this point, Iowa has received no such waivers changing how it might deliver care through the program. Branstad has pushed for health and wellness campaigns, new efforts to attract medical professionals to Iowa and limits on medical malpractice lawsuits to improve health care in the state.

?Gov. Branstad is committed to health care reform in Iowa that improves the quality of care, lowers costs and, most importantly, makes Iowans healthier,? Albrecht said.

Branstad will be in Washington through Monday, and also will attend meetings of the National Governors Association, the Republican Governors Association and the Council of Governors. He?ll use the trip to meet with potential economic development partners, Albrecht said.

Tags: health care, Jan Brewer, John Kasich, Kathleen Sebelius, Medicaid, Medicaid expansion, Rick Scott, Terry Branstad

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IowaPolitics/~3/O2rt93VqDIs/article

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Brothers for Life (Kai Po Che): Berlin Review - The Hollywood ...

The Bottom Line

Director Abhishek Kapoor vividly plants a male bonding and sports tale within the horrors of modern Indian history.

Venue

Berlin Film Festival (Panorama Special)

Cast

Sushant Singh Rajput, Rajkumar Yadav, Amit Sadh, Amrita Puri

Director

Abhishek Kapoor

Screenwriters

Pubali Chaudhuri, Supratik Sen, Abhishek Kapoor, Chetan Bhagat

A rollicking male bonding picture about three buddies who open a cricket academy in India?s exotic Gujarat, Brothers for Life turns extremely dark and violent in the last half hour, becoming a far more significant film holding strong crossover potential as well as festival interest. Actor turned director Abhishek Kapoor (his 2006 Aryan was a boxing drama) puts muscle and passion into the game, but comes into his own in depicting the horrors of the ferocious Hindu-Muslim clashes that shook Ahmedabad in 2002. The Walt Disney subsidiary UTV, which also produced, is releasing world-wide on Feb. 22 in the U.S. and U.K. following its Berlin Panorama premiere.

PHOTOS: Berlin 2013: Behind the Scenes of THR's Actors Roundtable

It?s the year 2000 and India is riding a wave of hope and prosperity. In the ancient city of Ahmedabad, three determined youths beg their relatives to finance their dream: a sports shop and school which will train tomorrow?s cricket stars. The check is already in the pocket of sensible, accountant-minded Govind (Rajkumar Yadav, who had a role in Gangs of Wasseypur) when the moody Ishaan (dancer and popular TV actor Sushat Singh Rajput) loses his temper over his sister?s suitor and bashes in a brand new car.? Uncle naturally thinks twice about bankrolling the enterprise.

Luckily their serious pal Omi (TV actor Amit Sadh) has an uncle, too, one who is running for political office and has plenty of cash on hand. They set up shop inside a Hindu temple complex and are soon rolling along. But Govind has set his sights on a bigger place in a new shopping mall going up across the highway.

While he makes business plans, Ishaan finds personal satisfaction in coaching Ali, a pint-sized talent from a Muslim neighborhood. At Ishaan's house, Govind tutors his pretty but unscholastic sister Vidya (Amrita Puri of Aisha) in math. Her head is full of other ideas, however, and she uses her feminine savvy to make him fall for her.? Naturally, they keep Ishaan in the dark, even when they spend the night together after a colorful dance festival.

PHOTOS: Berlin 2013: Behind the Scenes of THR's Directors Roundtable

The scene of the three boys going to a fortress on the beach to celebrate their first paycheck is choreographed to the sound of Amit Trivedi?s joyful score. Their bare-chested horsing around shows they know how to flex muscles in front of a camera, and ends with all three making daredevil leaps into the sea.

Had the film continued in this vein, it wouldn?t stand out from the many Bollywood stories revved up by catchy songs and gym-trained young actors with toothy white smiles. Instead, Kapoor boldly plunges into two major historical events:? the 2001 earthquake that killed 18,000 people and which sends Govind's dreams crashing down, and the controversial Ayodhya temple dispute.

Few viewers who are unfamiliar with scriptwriter Chetan Bhagat?s novel The 3 Mistakes of My Life, on which the film is based, will be expecting these happy-go-lucky characters to get involved in the violent Hindu-Muslim clashes of 2002. At least 58 people died, many burned alive, on a train carrying Hindu activists wanting to build a temple in Ayodhya on the site of a 16th century mosque. In the wave of rioting and violence that followed, thousands more were killed in Gujarat. Kapoor stages a single, terrifyingly vivid attack of Hindus against the population living in the Muslim quarter, who are barricaded in fear behind strong doors, torn down by the fury of the mob. The involvement of all the young characters in the massacre turns the final scenes into very powerful drama. The film ends on a well-handled note of reconciliation that allows audiences to leave the theater with a tear in the eye.

Though all three main actors are well cast, Ishaan is the true hero of the tale and the handsome, impulsive Sushan Singh Rajput embodies him as a mesmerizing presence. Cinematography by Anay Goswamy works hand in hand with Sonal Sawant?s production design to bring the labyrinths of the ancient city to life and give them an integral role in the modern story.

Venue: Berlin Film Festival (Panorama Special), Feb. 13, 2013.
Production company: UTV Motion Pictures
Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Rajkumar Yadav, Amit Sadh, Amrita Puri
Director: Abhishek Kapoor
Screenwriters: Pubali Chaudhuri, Supratik Sen, Abhishek Kapoor, Chetan Bhagat based on Bhagat?s novel
Producers: Ronnie Screwvala, Siddharth Roy Kapur
Executive producer:? Ajay G. Rai
Director of photography: Anay Goswamy
Production designer: Sonal Sawant
Costumes: Niharika Khan
Editor: Deepa Bhatia
Music: Amit Trivedi
Sales Agent: UTV Motion Pictures
127 minutes.

Source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/brothers-life-kai-po-che-421864

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Supernova remnants produce cosmic rays

Feb. 14, 2013 ? A new study using observations from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope reveals the first clear-cut evidence the expanding debris of exploded stars produces some of the fastest-moving matter in the universe. This discovery is a major step toward understanding the origin of cosmic rays, one of Fermi's primary mission goals.

"Scientists have been trying to find the sources of high-energy cosmic rays since their discovery a century ago," said Elizabeth Hays, a member of the research team and Fermi deputy project scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "Now we have conclusive proof supernova remnants, long the prime suspects, really do accelerate cosmic rays to incredible speeds."

Cosmic rays are subatomic particles that move through space at almost the speed of light. About 90 percent of them are protons, with the remainder consisting of electrons and atomic nuclei. In their journey across the galaxy, the electrically charged particles are deflected by magnetic fields. This scrambles their paths and makes it impossible to trace their origins directly.

Through a variety of mechanisms, these speedy particles can lead to the emission of gamma rays, the most powerful form of light and a signal that travels to us directly from its sources.

Since its launch in 2008, Fermi's Large Area Telescope (LAT) has mapped million- to billion-electron-volt (MeV to GeV) gamma-rays from supernova remnants. For comparison, the energy of visible light is between 2 and 3 electron volts.

The Fermi results concern two particular supernova remnants, known as IC 443 and W44, which scientists studied to prove supernova remnants produce cosmic rays. IC 443 and W44 are expanding into cold, dense clouds of interstellar gas. These clouds emit gamma rays when struck by high-speed particles escaping the remnants.

Scientists previously could not determine which atomic particles are responsible for emissions from the interstellar gas clouds because cosmic ray protons and electrons give rise to gamma rays with similar energies. After analyzing four years of data, Fermi scientists see a distinguishable feature in the gamma-ray emission of both remnants. The feature is caused by a short-lived particle called a neutral pion, which is produced when cosmic ray protons smash into normal protons. The pion quickly decays into a pair of gamma rays, emission that exhibits a swift and characteristic decline at lower energies. The low-end cutoff acts as a fingerprint, providing clear proof that the culprits in IC 443 and W44 are protons.

"The discovery is the smoking gun that these two supernova remnants are producing accelerated protons," said lead researcher Stefan Funk, an astrophysicist with the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology at Stanford University in Calif. "Now we can work to better understand how they manage this feat and determine if the process is common to all remnants where we see gamma-ray emission."

In 1949, the Fermi telescope's namesake, physicist Enrico Fermi, suggested the highest-energy cosmic rays were accelerated in the magnetic fields of interstellar gas clouds. In the decades that followed, astronomers showed supernova remnants were the galaxy's best candidate sites for this process.

A charged particle trapped in a supernova remnant's magnetic field moves randomly throughout the field and occasionally crosses through the explosion's leading shock wave. Each round trip through the shock ramps up the particle's speed by about 1 percent. After many crossings, the particle obtains enough energy to break free and escape into the galaxy as a newborn cosmic ray.

The supernova remnant IC 443, popularly known as the Jellyfish Nebula, is located 5,000 light-years away toward the constellation Gemini and is thought to be about 10,000 years old. W44 lies about 9,500 light-years away toward the constellation Aquila and is estimated to be 20,000 years old. Each is the expanding shock wave and debris formed when a massive star exploded.

The Fermi discovery builds on a strong hint of neutral pion decay in W44 observed by the Italian Space Agency's AGILE gamma ray observatory and published in late 2011.

NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope is an astrophysics and particle physics partnership. Goddard manages Fermi. The telescope was developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy, with contributions from academic institutions and partners in the United States France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Sweden.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

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Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_technology/~3/sSfVubV8Rlg/130214194147.htm

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It's All About the Reader (and 24 Other Rules About Writing)

Whether you maintain a humble personal blog or are an aspiring novelist, this manifesto on writing can help you stay focused on the most important thing about writing: getting read. Compiled by former Guardian editor Tim Radford, these 25 "commandments for journalists" offer clear guidelines for anyone serious about writing.

Radford says that, ultimately, there's no other reason for a journalist to write unless you make someone read your stories. So his first seven rules are:

1. When you sit down to write, there is only one important person in your life. This is someone you will never meet, called a reader.

2. You are not writing to impress the scientist you have just interviewed, nor the professor who got you through your degree, nor the editor who foolishly turned you down, or the rather dishy person you just met at a party and told you were a writer. Or even your mother. You are writing to impress someone hanging from a strap in the tube between Parson's Green and Putney, who will stop reading in a fifth of a second, given a chance.

3. So the first sentence you write will be the most important sentence in your life, and so will the second, and the third. This is because, although you ? an employee, an apostle or an apologist ? may feel obliged to write, nobody has ever felt obliged to read.

4. Journalism is important. It must never, however, be full of its own self-importance. Nothing sends a reader scurrying to the crossword, or the racing column, faster than pomposity. Therefore simple words, clear ideas and short sentences are vital in all storytelling. So is a sense of irreverence.

5. Here is a thing to carve in pokerwork and hang over your typewriter. "No one will ever complain because you have made something too easy to understand."

6. And here is another thing to remember every time you sit down at the keyboard: a little sign that says "Nobody has to read this crap."

7. If in doubt, assume the reader knows nothing. However, never make the mistake of assuming that the reader is stupid. The classic error in journalism is to overestimate what the reader knows and underestimate the reader's intelligence.

It's the kind of list aspiring scribes should print out and review every now and then. See the whole manifesto at the link below.

A manifesto for the simple scribe ? my 25 commandments for journalists | The Guardian via Scientific American

Photo by Eduardo

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/8hTwbHKUKc0/its-all-about-the-reader-and-24-other-rules-about-writing

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Golf Magazine Innovators 2013: Fitting the swings of today to a high-tech tee

Dennis Scully / Dennis Murphy-D

Mark Timms has started a new custom-fitting business called CoolClubs.

The Fitting Pioneer
Mark Timms, 49

I was always good at math, and I worked in finance for a while. But my interest in golf and building things got the better of me, and in 1990 I opened a store called Custom Golf.

Clubfitting techniques have come a long way since then. In fact, back then, a lot of fitting was done simply by looking at the person's stature and swing and making an educated guess! I realized how poorly many players' clubs fit them, and I knew that better-fitting equipment could help golfers hit it better and have a lot more fun.

In 2000, after accumulating a lot of clubfitting knowledge, I moved to Scottsdale and started HotStix. I began writing fitting software that I could use to consistently get the right clubs into players' hands. We enjoyed a lot of success custom-fitting high-performance clubs while gathering a lot of data on thousands of swings.

I sold HotStix in 2006 and started a new custom-fitting business called CoolClubs. Our six CoolClubs locations use state-of-the-art launch-monitor and fitting technology, and we now have more than 12,000 demo clubs to help players beat what they have in their bag. I feel extremely confident that if there's a club out there that will perform better than what you have, we'll find it and build it to your exact specifications.

coolclubs.com; 888-284-9292

Source: http://www.golf.com/equipment/golf-magazine-innovators-2013-fitting-swings-today-high-tech-tee

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Professional Master in Aquaculture Business Management ...

A one-year Professional Master in Aquaculture Business Management will be offered starting this August 2013.

The Professional Master Program has the following objectives:

1. To integrate the knowledge of aquaculture technology with the business of aquaculture.
2. To equip students with the knowledge of aquatic food markets, the supply and production chain and business efficiency.
3. To train professionals to use business language effectively, and to lead aqua business negotiations successfully.

The courses will be offered in two semesters, followed by a research project and an international field trip (optional). Students are required to complete a total of 34 credits to receive the professional master degree. In each semester, students have to take 14 credits from the following list of 2-credit courses:

August semester (Aug-Dec)

• Aquaculture Business Management: Principles and Practices
• Global Aquaculture Business ? Managerial Perspective
• Business Communications
• Environmental Management and Sustainable Aquaculture
• Strategic Marketing of Aquatic Products and Services
• Aquaculture Certification and Quality Control
• Aquaculture Economics and Managerial Accounting
• Aquaculture Project Management
• Aquaculture Systems
• Aquaculture Seed Business

January semester (Jan-May):

• Managing Technology
• Aquaculture Supply Chain Management
• Entrepreneurship and Aquaculture Business Plan Development
• Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethics
• Postharvest management and food safety in aquaculture
• Decision making and negotiations in aquaculture business
• Statistics for managers
• Aqua Feed Business

June-July:

• Students complete a six-credit research project (problem solving): A case study on Aqua Business directly relevant to their company or organization

Teaching faculty will be from AIT?s? School of Management (SOM) and the Aquaculture and Aquatic Resources Management (AARM) Program of the School of Environment, Resources and Development. Each course will be co-taught by two faculty members from SOM and AARM.

Applicants for the Professional Master Program should have the following:

• Bachelor?s degree (normally from a four-year program), or its equivalent, in an appropriate field of study
• Minimum of 3 years of working experience in the field of aquaculture fisheries and/or business management fields
• Proficiency in English

For information on the admission requirements and procedures, costs and expenses, etc., ?please visit ?http://www.ait.ac.th/AIT/prospective-students. Please note that the tuition fee for the professional master program (34 credits x 14,000 Baht/credit = 476,000 Baht) is less than the regular master program (48 credits x 14,000 Baht/credit = 672,000 Baht). Please check the other expenses listed in the website.

Application for admission can be submitted online at http://www.services.ait.ac.th/admissions/

Application submission deadline: 01 July 2013

Classes begin: 13 August 2013

For more information about the professional master program, please email me at gallardo@ait.asia

Kindly disseminate this information to your contacts.

?

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Source: http://www.aqua.ait.ac.th/?p=819

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Two National Academy members join Texas Tech faculty

The Texas Tech University Whitacre College of Engineering has added two National Academy members to its faculty.

Fazle Hussain will serve as the President?s Distinguished Engineering Chair, and Chau-Chyun Chen will be the Jack Maddox Distinguished Engineering Chair in Sustainable Energy.

Election to the National Academy is considered one of the highest professional honors among engineers, according to a Tech news release. Hussain was elected in 2001 for fundamental experiments and concepts concerning important structures in turbulence, vortex dynamics and acoustics, and for new turbulence measuring techniques. Chen was elected in 2005 for his contributions to molecular thermodynamics and process modeling technology for designing industrial processes with complex chemical systems.

?Their individual research interests will help us address diverse challenges such as how to better utilize a scarce resource like water, and working with our health care community to look at ways to better understand the fundamental mechanisms behind strokes,? said Al Sacco, dean of the College of Engineering, in a statement.

Lawrence Schovanec, interim university president, said the National Academy members were hired in the fall.

Fazle, who will serve as a professor in the department of mechanical engineering, is on campus now. Chen will move to Lubbock this summer and will be a faculty member in the department of chemical engineering.

Both were approved for tenure by the Tech University System Board of Regents in December.

Chen and Hussain are the second and third National Academy members on Tech?s faculty. Kishor Mehta, the former director of the Wind Science and Engineering Research Center, also is a member.

Hiring

Schovanec said Tech will add ?a lot of faculty? this year. He declined to estimate a count, but said it could be double the amount hired in the past.

The interim president has talked with chairs and deans who say they have never seen better pools of candidates. And that?s one reason they?re making hires, Schovanec said.

Chen?s hire was made possible through the Maddox family?s support of, he added.

The hire of National Academy members improves the reputation of the university, Schovanec said. It?s a good recruiting tool for faculty members, and boosts the institution?s rankings.

Impact

The Center for Measuring University Performance ranks all the institutions based on the number of National Academy members, Schovanec explained.

?(According to the most recent data), adding these two National Academy members will move us from 98th in the nation, among public institutions, to 47th,? he said. ?There are relatively small numbers of National Academy members at most institutions ? some may have none ? so we?ll show up in a pretty elite group of institutions.?

Schovanec said the two hires will create a great impact on the university and its research programs.

Chen will have additional resources to support research, graduate students, equipment and activities related to scholarship and research. He will be able to hire supporting faculty and attract students.

?You build research programs around these types of hires,? Schovanec said. ?... These type of hires act as a catalyst for enhanced research activity.?

To comment on this story:

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Source: http://lubbockonline.com/filed-online/2013-02-13/two-national-academy-members-join-texas-tech-faculty

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Pope's sudden resignation sends shockwaves through Church

All Articles

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Pope's sudden resignation sends shockwaves through Church
Philip Pullella (Reuters, February 11, 2013)

Vatican City - Pope Benedict stunned the Roman Catholic Church on Monday when he announced he would stand down, the first pope to do so in 700 years, saying he no longer had the mental and physical strength to carry on.

Church officials tried to relay a climate of calm confidence in the running of a 2,000-year-old institution, but the decision could lead to uncertainty in a Church already besieged by scandal for covering up sexual abuse of children by priests.

The soft-spoken German, who always maintained that he never wanted to be pope, was an uncompromising conservative on social and theological issues, fighting what he regarded as the increasing secularization of society.

It remains to be seen whether his successor will continue such battles or do more to bend with the times.

Despite his firm opposition to tolerance of homosexual acts, his eight year reign saw gay marriage accepted in many countries. He has staunchly resisted allowing women to be ordained as priests, and opposed embryonic stem cell research, although he retreated slightly from the position that condoms could never be used to fight AIDS.

He repeatedly apologized for the Church's failure to root out child abuse by priests, but critics said he did too little and the efforts failed to stop a rapid decline in Church attendance in the West, especially in his native Europe.

In addition to child sexual abuse crises, his papacy saw the Church rocked by Muslim anger after he compared Islam to violence. Jews were upset over rehabilitation of a Holocaust denier. During a scandal over the Church's business dealings, his butler was accused of leaking his private papers.

In an announcement read to cardinals in Latin, the universal language of the Church, the 85-year-old said: "Well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of St Peter ...

"As from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours (1900 GMT) the See of Rome, the See of St. Peter will be vacant and a conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is."

POPE DOESN'T FEAR SCHISM

Benedict is expected to go into isolation for at least a while after his resignation. Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said Benedict did not intend to influence the decision of the cardinals in a secret conclave to elect a successor.

A new leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics could be elected as soon as Palm Sunday, on March 24, and be ready to take over by Easter a week later, Lombardi said.

Several popes in the past, including Benedict's predecessor John Paul, have refrained from stepping down over their health, because of the division that could be caused by having an "ex-pope" and a reigning pope alive at the same time.

Lombardi said the pope did not fear a possible "schism", with Catholics owing allegiances to a past and present pope in case of differences on Church teachings.

He indicated the complex machinery of the process to elect a new pope would move quickly because the Vatican would not have to wait until after the elaborate funeral services for a pope.

It is not clear if Benedict will have a public life after he resigns. Lombardi said Benedict would first go to the papal summer residence south of Rome and then move into a cloistered convent inside the Vatican walls.

The resignation means that cardinals from around the world will begin arriving in Rome in March and after preliminary meetings, lock themselves in a secret conclave and elect the new pope from among themselves in votes in the Sistine Chapel.

There has been growing pressure on the Church for it to choose a pope from the developing world to better reflect where most Catholics live and where the Church is growing.

"It could be time for a black pope, or a yellow one, or a red one, or a Latin American," said Guatemala's Archbishop Oscar Julio Vian Morales.

The cardinals may also want a younger man. John Paul was 58 when he was elected in 1978. Benedict was 20 years older.

"We have had two intellectuals in a row, two academics, perhaps it is time for a diplomat," said Father Tom Reese, senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University. "Rather than electing the smartest man in the room, they should elect the man who will listen to all the other smart people in the Church."

Liberals have already begun calling for a pope that would be more open to reform.

"The current system remains an 'old boy's club' and does not allow for women's voices to participate in the decision of the next leader of our Church," said the Women's Ordination Conference, a group that wants women to be able to be priests.

"GREAT COURAGE"

The last pope to resign willingly was Celestine V in 1294 after reigning for only five months, his resignation was known as "the great refusal" and was condemned by the poet Dante in the "Divine Comedy". Gregory XII reluctantly abdicated in 1415 to end a dispute with a rival claimant to the papacy.

Lombardi said Benedict's stepping aside showed "great courage". He ruled out any specific illness or depression and said the decision was made in the last few months "without outside pressure". But the decision was not without controversy.

"This is disconcerting, he is leaving his flock," said Alessandra Mussolini, a parliamentarian who is granddaughter of Italy's wartime dictator. "The pope is not any man. He is the vicar of Christ. He should stay on to the end, go ahead and bear his cross to the end. This is a huge sign of world destabilization that will weaken the Church."

Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, secretary to the late Pope John Paul, said the former pope had stayed on despite failing health for the last decade of his life as he believed "you cannot come down from the cross."

While the pope had slowed down recently - he started using a cane and a wheeled platform to take him up the long aisle in St Peter's Square - he had given no hint recently that he was considering such a dramatic decision.

Elected in 2005 to succeed the enormously popular John Paul, Benedict never appeared to feel comfortable in the job.

"MIND AND BODY"

In his announcement, the pope told the cardinals that in order to govern "... both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me."

Before he was elected pope, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was known as "God's rottweiler" for his stern stand on theological issues. After a few months, he showed a milder side but he never drew the kind of adulation that had marked the 27-year papacy of his predecessor John Paul.

U.S. President Barack Obama extended prayers to Benedict and best wishes to those who would choose his successor.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the pope's decision must be respected if he feels he is too weak to carry out his duties. British Prime Minister David Cameron said: "He will be missed as a spiritual leader to millions."

The Archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the worldwide Anglican communion, said he had learned of the pope's decision with a heavy heart but complete understanding.

CHEERS AND SCANDAL

Elected to the papacy on April 19, 2005, Benedict ruled over a slower-paced, more cerebral and less impulsive Vatican.

But while conservatives cheered him for trying to reaffirm traditional Catholic identity, his critics accused him of turning back the clock on reforms by nearly half a century and hurting dialogue with Muslims, Jews and other Christians.

After appearing uncomfortable in the limelight at the start, he began feeling at home with his new job and showed that he intended to be pope in his way.

Despite great reverence for his charismatic, globe-trotting predecessor -- whom he put on the fast track to sainthood and whom he beatified in 2011 -- aides said he was determined not to change his quiet manner to imitate John Paul's style.

A quiet, professorial type who relaxed by playing the piano, he showed the gentle side of a man who was the Vatican's chief doctrinal enforcer for nearly a quarter of a century.

The first German pope for some 1,000 years and the second non-Italian in a row, he traveled regularly, making about four foreign trips a year, but never managed to draw the oceanic crowds of his predecessor.

The child abuse scandals hounded most of his papacy. He ordered an official inquiry into abuse in Ireland, which led to the resignation of several bishops.

Scandal from a source much closer to home hit in 2012 when the pontiff's butler, responsible for dressing him and bringing him meals, was found to be the source of leaked documents alleging corruption in the Vatican's business dealings.

Benedict confronted his own country's past when he visited the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz. Calling himself "a son of Germany", he prayed and asked why God was silent when 1.5 million victims, most of them Jews, were killed there.

Ratzinger served in the Hitler Youth during World War Two when membership was compulsory. He was never a member of the Nazi party and his family opposed Adolf Hitler's regime.

---

Related Sections | Catholic

Source: http://wwrn.org/articles/39082/

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No Silly Love Songs? Celebrate Valentine s Day with Our Latest eBook: Love, Sex and Science

Will ?Love Will Keep Us Together? or is it true that ?Love Is a Battlefield?? Whereas the topic of romance has provided limitless inspiration for artists, writers and musicians, scientists are just as fascinated by affairs of the heart, though they seldom sing about it. Cupid?s unpredictable arrow explains little, so it can be more useful to understand how our brains and bodies are biologically involved in choosing the target. In Scientific American?s latest eBook, Disarming Cupid: Love, Sex and Science, our editors take a step back and examine romance research that relies on fMRI studies and other tools.

Authors in this ebook examine love and sex from a variety of angles, starting with perceived sex differences among men and women, which are discussed in Section 1, ?Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus,? but are we really as different as that? As the opening story shows, few other questions can get at the heart of this debate like ?Can heterosexual men and women ever be ?just friends??? (Spoiler alert: new research sadly suggests that the answer is ?no?.)

Subsequent sections tackle other facets of love, including the implications of the dramatic rise in online dating and how we choose our romantic partners. Section 4, ?Sex and Love in the Brain,? gets to the meat of the matter, looking at neurology. In particular, the article ?All You Need Is Love? finds?or, perhaps for some, verifies?that romantic love stimulates the same brain pathways that an addictive drug would. Section 5 focuses on issues of gender and sexuality. ?Do Gays Have a Choice?? analyzes a wealth of scientific evidence and shows that sexual orientation is determined more by genes and environment, than by individual choice. Finally, the eBook grapples with the darker aspects of love, such as the psychology of prostitution and the sex appeal of narcissists.

After all, love?s paradoxes are part of why it is such an engaging topic for cultural discourse. As Pascal said, ?The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing.? Hopefully, this eBook will change the ?nothing? to ?at least something.?

Click here to buy this and other Scientific American eBooks:?http://books.scientificamerican.com/sa-ebooks/.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=ae4d00f4637d0d5c4e7f116debc6850b

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Australian Parliament summons Apple, Microsoft, Adobe to justify higher prices

Had we been wild and spontaneous enough to buy a MacBook Air in Australia in 2011, we'd have been looking at a 15 percent premium over the US price. According to MacRumors, throwing some Adobe software into our antipodean shopping cart would have pushed that disparity even higher -- to as much as to 75 percent. Which is why the Australian Parliament has been investigating the way tech giants price their goods in that country, and why it has now formally summoned Apple, Microsoft and Adobe to come over and account for themselves in Canberra on March 22nd. Whether price differences are due to higher costs of taxes and warranties, as Apple has privately suggested in the past (see More Coverage), or whether there are more dubious reasons, this pile of laundry is about to get aired.

Filed under: Misc, Laptops, Software, Apple, Microsoft

Comments

Via: TechCrunch

Source: MacRumors (2011), Aust. House of Representatives (PDF)

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/VmvxwhzZe28/

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Scientists using holiday snaps to identify whale sharks

Monday, February 11, 2013

Holidaymakers' photos could help scientists track the movements of giant endangered sharks living in the waters of the Indian Ocean. A new study, led by a researcher from Imperial College London, is the first to show that these publically sourced photographs are suitable for use in conservation work.

Tourists scuba diving and snorkelling in the Maldives frequently take underwater pictures of the spectacular and docile whale shark, often called the world's largest fish. Conservationists have long hoped to use this photographic resource to help them trace the sharks' life history, relationships and geographic distribution, although the value of these amateur snapshots has never been properly measured.

Tim Davies of Imperial's Department of Life Sciences is the lead author on a study published in Wildlife Research, the first to examine how reliable photographs sourced from the public actually are. He and his team did this by comparing results using tourist images with results based on surveys by marine researchers specifically aiming to track the sharks.

In order for a shark to be clearly identified, any photograph must capture the distinctive pattern of spots located directly behind the gills. This unique marking serves as a 'fingerprint', which can then be scanned with a computer programme to tell the animals apart.

The study looked at hundreds of images taken by the public, of which many were downloaded from image-sharing websites such as Flickr and YouTube. Individual whale sharks could be successfully identified in 85 per cent of cases, surprisingly close to the 100 per cent identification possible in photographs taken by researchers.

Speaking about the results, Davies said: "Globally, this outcome provides strong support for the scientific use of photographs taken by tourists for whale shark monitoring. Hopefully, this will give whale shark research around the world confidence in using this source of free data. In the Maldives in particular, where whale shark tourism is well established and very useful for collecting data from throughout the archipelago, our results suggest that whale shark monitoring effort should be focused on collecting tourist photographs."

Although they are widely thought to be rare, the conservation status of the whale shark has long remained uncertain. This study therefore allowed the team to measure the populations of whale sharks in the area, which they estimate have not declined in recent years. Davies added: "Hopefully, as more data come in from tourists over the years and from further across the archipelago, we will be able to build up our understanding of the Maldives population and monitor its status closely."

###

Imperial College London: http://www.imperial.ac.uk/press

Thanks to Imperial College London for this article.

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

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126713/Scientists_using_holiday_snaps_to_identify_whale_sharks

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Military Weighs Cutbacks, Shifts In Drone Programs

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AP) ? The Pentagon for the first time is considering scaling back the massive buildup of drones it has overseen in the past few years, both to save money and to adapt to changing security threats and an increased focus on Asia as the Afghanistan war winds down.

Air Force leaders are saying the military may already have enough unmanned aircraft systems to wage the wars of the future. And the Pentagon's shift to Asia will require a new mix of drones and other aircraft because countries in that region are better able to detect unmanned versions and shoot them down.

If the Pentagon does slow the huge building and deployment program, which was ordered several years ago by then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates, it won't affect the CIA drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and elsewhere against terror suspects. Those strikes were brought center stage last week during the confirmation hearing for White House counterterror chief John Brennan, President Barack Obama's pick to lead the CIA.

Gen. Mike Hostage, commander of Air Combat Command, said senior leaders are analyzing the military's drone needs and discussions are beginning. But he said the current number patrolling the skies overseas may already be more than the service can afford to maintain.

Overall, Pentagon spending on unmanned aircraft has jumped from $284 million in 2000 to nearly $4 billion in the past fiscal year, while the number of drones owned by the Pentagon has rocketed from less than 200 in 2002 to at least 7,500 now. The bulk of those drones are small, shoulder-launched Ravens owned by the Army.

The discussions may trigger heated debate because drones have become so important to the military. They can provide 24-hour patrols over hotspots, gather intelligence by pulling in millions of terabytes of data and hours of video feeds, and they can also launch precisely targeted airstrikes without putting a U.S. pilot at risk.

The analysis began before Brennan's confirmation hearings, where he was questioned sharply about the CIA's use of drones to kill terror suspects, including American citizens overseas. The CIA gets its attack drones from the Air Force fleet, but any decision to stop building them would be unlikely to have any effect on that program.

The Air Force discussions are focused more on whether the military's drone fleet is the right size and composition for future conflicts.

There has been a seemingly insatiable appetite within the military for the unmanned hunter/killers, particularly among top combat commanders around the world who have been clamoring for the drones but have seen most resources go to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We are trying to do the analysis and engage in the discussion to say at some point the downturn in operations and the upsurge in capabilities has got to meet," Hostage said.

Hostage, interviewed in his office at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Va., amid the intermittent roar of fighter jets overhead, said the military's new focus on the Asia-Pacific region will require a different mix of drones and other aircraft. Unlike in Afghanistan, where the U.S. can operate largely without fear of the drones being shot down, there are a number of countries in the Pacific that could face off against American aircraft ? either manned or unmanned.

Right now, Predator and Reaper drones that pilots fly remotely from thousands of miles away are completing 59 24-hour combat air patrols a day, mostly in Afghanistan, Pakistan and areas around Yemen and the Africa coast. The standing order is for the Air Force to increase that number of air patrols to 65 a day by May 2014, although officials say that is an arbitrary number not based on an analysis of future combat requirements.

The staffing demands for that increase have put a strain on the Air Force, as they would require nearly 1,700 drone pilots and 1,200 sensor operators. Currently there are fewer than 1,400 pilots and about 950 sensor operators.

Lt. Gen. Larry D. James, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for intelligence, said no recommendations for changes to the projected drone fleet have been sent yet to Pentagon leaders. A key part of the decision will involve what types of drones and other aircraft will be needed as the military focuses greater concentration on the Pacific.

While Predators and Reapers have logged more than 1 million hours of combat patrols in the skies over Afghanistan and Iraq, where insurgents don't have the ability to shoot them down, they would be likely to face challenges in the more contested airspace over the Pacific.

Countries with significant air power or the ability to shoot down aircraft are scattered across the region, including China, Russia and North Korea ? as well as key U.S. allies such as Japan and Australia. America's pivot to the Pacific reflects a growing strategic concern over China's rise as a military power, amid simmering disputes over Taiwan and contested islands in the south and east China seas.

Hostage said the Predators and Reapers can be used in the Pacific region "but not in a highly contested environment. We may be able to use them on the fringes and on the edges and in small locales, but we're much more likely to lose them if somebody decides to challenge us for that space."

James said the Air Force is evaluating how much to continue to invest in drones like the Reapers that can be used for counterterrorism missions in more so-called permissive environments, versus how much investment should be shifted to other aircraft. The Air Force uses an array of aircraft, such as the U-2 spy plane, the high-altitude Global Hawk drone or satellites and systems that can gather intelligence from space.

David Deptula, a retired Air Force three-star general who was deputy chief of staff for intelligence, said the military needs to measure its drone requirements by the amount of data and intelligence needed by troops to accomplish their mission. The focus should not be on the number of drone patrols but on how well the information is being received and analyzed.

As technologies advance, he said, the Pentagon can reduce the number of drones in orbit, while still increasing the video, data and other information being transmitted.

"There are smarter ways to deliver the capabilities that are more cost effective" than just building more drones, he said.

Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=171721843&ft=1&f=

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Steve Jobs' dream before he died 'was to design iCar'

Apple's visionary co-founder Steve Jobs' final ambition before he died was to see Apple to dominate the roads with its 'iCars'.

According to a report by Business Insider, the co-founder and CEO of the iPhone maker told associates he wanted to create an Apple car.

Jobs also reportedly told the 'Times', during a meeting prior to his death, that he wanted to ''take on Detroit''.

According to the 'Daily Mail', longtime Apple board member Mickey Drexler, who is also the CEO of J Crew, confirmed the report, saying 'Steve''s dream before he died was to design an iCar.'

Drexler believes the never-realized Apple car could have made a serious impact in the American car market.

Meanwhile, Apple's largest rival Google has already famously put weight behind a self-driving car, the paper said.

The Google driver-less car, as it's most often known, has been the subject of countless videos and news articles detailing the likelihood (or unlikelihood) of its success or even feasibility, it added.

Tags: Steve Jobs, Apple icar, Apple iPhone

Reader's Comments | Post a comment

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/steve-jobs-dream-before-he-died-was-to-design-icar/1072518/

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NYC Valentine's Day sewage tour back by 'demand'

NEW YORK (AP) ? Lovers of the unusual are getting another chance to impress their Valentines this year in New York City.

The Department of Environmental Protection is again offering Valentine's Day tours of the Newtown Creek sewage treatment plant in Brooklyn's Greenpoint section.

The DEP says it's offering three tours this year due to "overwhelming demand."

The 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. tours were quickly filled. So another was added at 11 a.m. Thursday.

Highlights include the plant's giant egg-shaped digesters, which break down noxious waste into harmless sludge and gas.

During last year's tour, the plant's gung-ho superintendent warned the visitors a digester egg was about to emit a foul odor. It didn't disappoint.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nyc-valentines-day-sewage-tour-back-demand-210441814.html

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Graham threatens to hold up Hagel, Brennan votes (cbsnews)

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'Absolutely beautiful' scene in town with most snow

NBC's Ron Allen joins Lester Holt with the latest from Connecticut, a state that had some of the highest snow totals.

By Ian Johnston, Staff Writer, NBC News

The town of Hamden, Connecticut, saw one of the highest snowfall totals from the storm, according to the National Weather Service.

The storm dumped 40 inches, the weather service said, the highest total recorded. Milford, Connecticut, was nearly as snowy at 38 inches.

Harry Gagliardi Jr., a Hamden district representative, woke to find an ?absolutely beautiful? scene.

?I?m just looking outside now. I didn?t realize how much snow there is,? he said, saying it had covered a four-foot wall just outside his house.

?The winds are blowing, but it doesn?t seem to be too bad right now,? he said, adding that the snow appeared to have stopped although it was being picked up by the wind.

Speaking just after 7 a.m. ET, Gagliardi said he lived on a hill and, from that vantage point, said ?it doesn?t look like anybody is going up or down.?

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He was one of tens of thousands of customers affected by power failures in the region. ?We lost power for about two hours last night, then it came back on,? he added.

?It?s beautiful to look at, but it?s going to be a pain to clean up,? he said. ?Where are we going to put all this snow??

In addition to snarling roads and cutting power, the snow has also caused a problem for his dog Heidi, Gagliardi said. ?I have a small dog that needs to go out shortly,? he said.

Baby due Sunday
Joe DeMartino and his wife Michelle, of Fairfield, Conn., were hoping they did not experience a rather more serious problem as they are expecting their first baby Sunday, The Associated Press reported.

"It adds an element of excitement,? she said.

Her husband had stocked up on gas and food, got firewood ready and was installing a baby seat in the car. The couple also packed for the hospital. "They say that things should clear up by Sunday. We're hoping that they're right," he said.

NBC station WHDH showed film from Foxboro in Massachusetts, where correspondent Nicole Oliverio filed a report while sitting down as she struggled to walk in snow shoes. There was laughter in the studio when she finally managed to get to her feet.

Some were delighted by the chance to get out in the snow.

When told an estimated 8 to 10 inches of snow was predicted overnight at Elk Mountain in Uniondale, Pennsylvania, eight-year-old skier Sophia Chesner's eyes grew wide, Reuters reported.

"Whoa!" said the 8-year-old from Moorestown, New Jersey, who was on a ski vacation with her family.

Sled race postponed
Her sister, Giuliana, 4, said no matter how good the skiing was, she had other priorities once the snow piled up. "First thing I'm going to do is build a snowman and look for a Sasquatch footprint," Guiliana Chesner said.

But it was too much for organizers of the country's championship sledding race, which had been scheduled to get underway in Camden, Maine, on Saturday.

They postponed the event ? which will feature some 400 teams -- by one day.

"As soon as the weather clears on Saturday and it is safe, the toboggan committee will be out at Tobogganville cleaning up the chute as quickly as they can," said Holly Edwards, chairwoman of the U.S. National Toboggan Championships. "It needs to be shoveled out by hand."

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Hartford, Connecticut Mayor Pedro Segarra joins MSNBC's Alex Witt to discuss heavy snows in his city where overnight they saw four inches of snow falling per hour.

Related:

Monster storm dumps more than two feet of snow on Northeast

Watch live video of the Northeast blizzard

The Weather Channel live blog

State-by-state impact of the storm

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/09/16909597-absolutely-beautiful-scene-in-conn-town-hit-by-most-snow?lite

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