Sunday, March 31, 2013

2020 US Census expected to move online, catch up with 2010

2020 US Census poised to move online

The US Census is an expensive beast to run when paper is involved: multiply the $96 per household of the 2010 Census by millions of households and you'll feel the government's pain. When the mandate is to keep those expenses in check for the 2020 study, it's almost no surprise that the Census Bureau is now telling the Washington Post that it expects to rely on the internet for its next decennial survey in the wake of smaller-scale trials. The anticipated move is about more than just cutting the costs of lengthy forms and postage stamps, though. While frugality is the primary goal, joining the modern era should also reduce the need for follow-ups -- the Bureau would know as soon as we were done, after all. There's no question that an online Census is overdue when swaths of the US government (and society) can already skip traditional paperwork, but we still appreciate having a tentative schedule for one of the last great digital transitions.

[Image credit: USDA, Flickr]

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Source: Washington Post

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/30/2020-us-census-expected-to-go-online-at-last/

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Saturday, March 30, 2013

Why Apple Doesn't Own the iPad Mini Trademark

Apple is usually very protective of their intellectual property, so they're probably pretty pissed that a trademark officer rejected their application to own the phrase "iPad Mini." They wield patents like lightsabers and are not afraid to chop off the hands of people they feel are infringing on their intellectual empire. But the United States Patent and Trademark Office's reviewing attorney didn't think Apple made enough of a case to own the "mini" name.?

RELATED: Bus Line or iPad Mini Line?

Patently Apple discovered Apple's rejection letter was just released over the last few days, even though Apple was informed of the denial on January 24, 2013. There's no reason provided for the delay releasing the letter, but we do know why Apple was denied the trademark: "the applied-for mark merely describes a feature or characteristic of applicant?s goods," the reviewer writes. The USPTO attorney makes the case that the iPad mini doesn't have a "a unitary mark with a unique, incongruous, or otherwise nondescriptive meaning in relation to the goods and/or services." It's just small, he says.

RELATED: Apple Is Pulling an October Surprise with the iPad Mini

Additionally, Apple usually forwards their product website address instead of providing "a?specimen," in this case a real life iPad Mini, with their application. But this reviewer didn't appreciate that and said as much in his rejection letter.?

RELATED: All of Apple's New Small Stuff: iPad Mini and a Slimmer iMac

So, this seems to be a funny little formality more than anything. Apple can still earn the trademark if they can better explain how the iPad mini is different and unique from the larger, normal-sized iPad, besides the size deficiency, which shouldn't be a problem for Apple's team of stormtroopers lawyers. This seems like the case of one stickler trying to stick it to an evil empire over some details more than anything. Maybe the lawyers who wrote the initial application got lazy. Maybe the reviewer is a diehard Samsung fan.?

RELATED: Prepare for an iPad Mini This Month

Here's the decision, via TechCrunch:?

RELATED: The iPad Mini Did Not Break a Weekend Sales Record

USPTO Refuses Apple's iPad mini Trademark Application

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/why-apple-doesnt-own-ipad-mini-trademark-184542047.html

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Use a Sharpie to Make Custom Coffee Mugs, Personalized Plates, and More

Use a Sharpie to Make Custom Coffee Mugs, Personalized Plates, and More If you don't already have a favorite mug, or you want a fun, easy weekend project, grab a Sharpie and some white mugs, plates, or other dinnerware. That's all you need to make your own completely custom dishes, whether it's just a mug with a doodle on the side or a an intricately designed set of plates no one else has.

All you need are white mugs or plates (find them super-cheap at thrift stores or restaurant supply stores), and an ordinary Sharpie permanent marker. You can go crazy freehand and just start drawing on the plates or write your name or favorite quote on the mugs, or you can take some time and make a stencil to fill in with black or multi-colored markers for more intricate designs. When you're finished, just pop the mugs or plates into the oven (while cold) and bring it up to 350?F (~175?C) for about a half-hour to set the design.

It's that level of simplicity that makes this project so easy, and fun for kids and adults alike. Over at Cabin Connection, Lyndsey Gammage tested several different methods to get the longest-lasting, best-looking results, and found that oil-based Sharpie markers are ideal, along with an Acrylic sealing spray (easily found at most hobby stores) to keep the design from fading over time. Hit the link below to read more about her tests, or hit the Sweetest Occasion link to see how the mugs in the image above were made (and how to do great-looking custom plates using a stencil).

How to Bake Permanent/Sharpie Marker on Ceramic Coffee Mugs | CabinConnection.com

DIY Sharpie Dinnerware | The Sweetest Occasion

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/ZlhEiZge69c/use-a-sharpie-to-make-custom-coffee-mugs-personalized-plates-and-more

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Friday, March 29, 2013

Happy 27th Birthday, Lady Gaga!

As Gaga celebrates the big 2-7 on a golden wheelchair, her Little Monsters send her their birthday wishes.
By Jocelyn Vena


Lady Gaga
Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1704485/lady-gaga-birthday.jhtml

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Large robotic jellyfish could one day patrol oceans

Mar. 28, 2013 ? Virginia Tech College of Engineering researchers have unveiled a life-like, autonomous robotic jellyfish the size and weight of a grown man, 5 foot 7 inches in length and weighing 170 pounds.

The prototype robot, nicknamed Cyro, is a larger model of a robotic jellyfish the same team -- headed by Shashank Priya of Blacksburg, Va., and professor of mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech -- unveiled in 2012. The earlier robot, dubbed RoboJelly, is roughly the size of a man's hand, and typical of jellyfish found along beaches.

"A larger vehicle will allow for more payload, longer duration and longer range of operation," said Alex Villanueva of St-Jacques, New-Brunswick, Canada, and a doctoral student in mechanical engineering working under Priya. "Biological and engineering results show that larger vehicles have a lower cost of transport, which is a metric used to determine how much energy is spent for traveling."

Both robots are part of a multi-university, nationwide $5 million project funded by U.S. Naval Undersea Warfare Center and the Office of Naval Research. The goal is to place self-powering, autonomous machines in waters for the purposes of surveillance and monitoring the environment, in addition to other uses such as studying aquatic life, mapping ocean floors, and monitoring ocean currents.

Jellyfish are attractive candidates to mimic because of their ability to consume little energy owing to a lower metabolic rate than other marine species. Additionally, they appear in wide variety of sizes, shapes and colors, allowing for several designs. They also inhabit every major oceanic area of the world and are capable of withstanding a wide range of temperatures in both fresh and salt waters. Most species are found in shallow coastal waters, but some have been found in depths 7,000 meters below sea level.

Partner universities in the project are Providence College in Rhode Island, the University of California Los Angeles, the University of Texas at Dallas, and Stanford University. Priya's team is building the jellyfish body models, integrating fluid mechanics and developing control systems.

Cyro is modeled and named after the jellyfish cyanea capillata, Latin for Llion's Manemain jellyfishJellyfish, with "Cyro" derived from "cyanea" and "robot." As with its predecessor, this robot is in the prototype stage, years away from use in waters. A new prototype model already is under construction at Virginia Tech's Durham Hall, where Priya's Center for Energy Harvesting Materials and Systems is based.

"We hope to improve on this robot and reduce power consumption and improve swimming performance as well as better mimic the morphology of the natural jellyfish," Villanueva said, adding that the project also allows researchers such as himself to better understand aquatic creatures live. "Our hopes for Cyro's future is that it will help understand how the propulsion mechanism of such animal scales with size."

A stark difference exists between the larger and smaller robots. Cyro is powered by a rechargeable nickel metal hydride battery, whereas the smaller models were tethered, Priya said. Experiments have also been conducted on powering jellyfish with hydrogen but there is still much research to be done in that area.

In both cases, the jellyfish must operate on their own for months or longer at a time as engineers likely won't be able to capture and repair the robots, or replace power sources. "Cyro showed its ability to swim autonomously while maintaining a similar physical appearance and kinematics as the natural species," Priya said, adding that the robot is simultaneously able to collect, store, analyze, and communicate sensory data. This autonomous operation in shallow water conditions is already a big step towards demonstrating the use of these creatures."

How does the robot swim? Its body consists of a rigid support structure with direct current electric motors which control the mechanical arms that are used in conjunction with an artificial mesoglea, or jelly-based pulp of the fish's body, creating hydrodynamic movement.

With no central nervous system, jellyfish instead use a diffused nerve net to control movement and can complete complex functions. A parallel study on a bio-inspired control system is in progress which will eventually replace the current simplified controller. As with the smaller models, Cyro's skin is composed of a thick layer of silicone, squishy in one's hand. It mimics the sleek jellyfish skin and is placed over a bowl-shaped device containing the electronic guts of the robot. When moving, the skin floats and moves with the robot, looking weirdly alive.

"It has been a great experience to finally realize the biomimetic and bio-inspired robotic vehicles," Priya said. "Nature has too many secrets and we were able to find some of them but many still remain. We hope to find a mechanism to continue on this journey and resolve the remaining puzzles."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Virginia Tech (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University), via Newswise.

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


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/matter_energy/electricity/~3/kLqBg1DBw1g/130328124807.htm

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S.Africa imports no Iranian crude again in February

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa did not import any crude oil from Iran for a ninth consecutive month in February, data showed on Thursday, as Pretoria steers clear of the shipments because of sanctions.

South Africa used to import a quarter of its crude from Iran but has come under Western pressure to reduce the purchases as part of sanctions aimed at halting Tehran's suspected pursuit of nuclear weapons.

In May last year, imports from Iran stood at 285,524 tonnes but since June, Africa's biggest economy has replaced the shipments with crude from other suppliers.

Saudi Arabia was again the major supplier in February with shipments of 719,330 tonnes, data from the South African Revenue Service showed. Other crude imports were from Angola, Nigeria, Russia, Yemen, Ghana and Equatorial Guinea, with shipments totalling 1.75 million tonnes.

While the United States extended South Africa's exemption from financial sanctions in December due to the Iranian cuts, Pretoria is still hampered by European Union sanctions that prevent insurance companies from underwriting Iranian shipments.

The EU has not granted any waivers, even though South Africa has been lobbying Brussels because it has to pay more to source crude from countries other than Iran.

Also, some of the South African refineries are designed to treat Iranian-type crude only and require modifications to accept other products.

Refiners in South Africa include Shell, BP, Total, Chevron, petrochemicals group Sasol, and Engen, which is majority-owned by Malaysian state oil group Petronas .

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/africa-imports-no-iranian-crude-again-february-150858494--sector.html

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1-Day ?RM0.99 .NET Domain Gila Promo? - Virtual-Strategy Magazine

Penang, Malaysia, March 28, 2013 --(PR.com)-- Exabytes Malaysia (http://www.exabytes.my ), a major web hosting provider in Malaysia will be launching its last wave of massive .NET domain promotions, ?RM0.99 .NET Domain Gila Promo? on March 31, 2013. The one-day special offer will allow customers to register their.NET domains at RM0.99 each for the first year, instead of the normal price RM55. .NET domain extension is the third most popular top-level domain in the world as in 2011 and it is open for registrations to any individuals or businesses of various types and sizes.

A web hosting provider with 11 years of solid experience in server management and web hosting and serves more than 65,000 clients in over 121 countries, Exabytes is keen on reminding offline business owners the criticalness of expanding their businesses online. ?There are now two billions Internet users in the world and not expanding your businesses online simply means forgoing these two billion users especially the younger generation as your potential customers. With Exabytes RM0.99 .NET Gila Promo, your entry into the online business world costs you less than a Ringgit,? CEO of Exabytes Mr. Chan Kee Siak was quoted as saying.

According to Mr. Chan, the benefits of expanding a business online can be summarized as:

Global business reach - unlimited business growth
24?7 business ? no time constraints
Low start-up cost
Low operating cost - no retail sales personnel, monthly rent, utility expenses are needed
Lower advertising costs online - online advertisements are much cheaper compared to offline advertisements
Provide the most competitive price - since plenty of costs and time are saved, it gives business owners the price edge over their competitors
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?Besides, to protect the privacy of domain registrants, we strongly encourage our customers to sign up for WHOIS ID Protection during domain registration to prevent spammers from obtaining their contact information. Many domain owners already realized that once they register a domain, their contact information is made available to the public on the Internet. But the fact is, you can request your contact information to be hidden from the public by signing up for WHOIS ID Protection, which is only RM12.90 per year,? Chan added.

?RM0.99 .NET Domain Gila Promo? is a one-day-only promotion valid on March 31, 2013. The purchase of domains is however, based on first comes first served basis and the promotion ends when a total of 100 domains are sold off. For details on the promotion and registrations of domains, visit: http://www.exabytes.com.my/services/domain/index.php#tlddomain

Exabytes Malaysia
A web hosting provider that currently serves more than 65,000 clients in over 121 countries and manages over 1,000 servers, Exabytes has 11 years of solid experience in server management and web hosting. Its commitments to customers include 24x7x365 professional technical support, 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee, 100-Day Money Back, friendly customer service team, 99.9% Network Uptime and 99.5% Server Uptime Guarantee.

For partner benefits and details of other promotions and products of Exabytes Singapore which include shared web hosting, dedicated server hosting, reseller hosting, cloud hosting, SSL web certificate, Virtual Private Servers (VPS), Content Delivery Network (CDN), server management, Ebuzz Email/Voice/SMS Marketing, Kaspersky Hosted Email Security, TRUSTe Privacy Services, Server Co-location, student hosting, charity hosting, online shopping mall and hosted eCommerce platform (Easy.my), domain registrations, website design, company logo design, Facebook fan page design, etc, visit http://www.exabytes.my or email sales@exabytes.com.my

Contact Information:
Exabytes Malaysia
Sanz Teoh
+604-6308283
Contact via Email
http://exabytes.com.my

Click here to read the full story: 1-Day ?RM0.99 .NET Domain Gila Promo? from Exabytes

Press Release Distributed by PR.com

Source: http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2013/03/28/1-day-%E2%80%9Crm099-net-domain-gila-promo%E2%80%9D-exabytes

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Friday, March 15, 2013

How Larry Page Is Running Google - Business Insider

Google just went through its biggest reorganization since cofounder Larry Page took back the CEO reins in 2011.

The changes show a company in flux, pushed by a contrarian who wants startup-like speed at the same time that he demands a unified, cohesive approach to product development. A CEO who expects his management team to be driven, independent types who are also team players.

No one said Google was an easy place to work. And with Page aiming for seemingly impossible goals?what he calls "moonshots"?a little turmoil seems inevitable.

The re-reorg

This week, three executives?Sundar Pichai, Susan Wojcicki, and Alan Eustace?got expanded responsibilities.

Two executives?Andy Rubin and Jeff Huber?lost out, moving to ill-defined new projects. (Huber is officially joining Google X, Google's skunk works for projects like self-driving cars and Google Glass, the new Internet-connected headsets people are buzzing about. Rubin's new remit is less clear.)

When Page took over, he replaced Google's all-powerful operating committee of top executives with what people call the "L-team"?a set of senior vice presidents, some newly promoted, who reported directly to him and worked in close physical proximity to each other at Google headquarters for some part of every week.

That structure served Page's two simultaneous goals?both at tension with each other from the get-go.

The first goal was to break Google up into smaller parts that moved more like startups. The model here was Android, which Rubin founded as a startup and sold to Google in 2005, and YouTube, bought a year later. Both were initially left to run under their founders as semi-autonomous units.

At the same time that Page gave his new leadership team more autonomy, though, he demanded more collaboration, integration, and unity among Google's products.

(You saw a very similar autonomy-versus-collaboration debate play out in the ousters of Scott Forstall at Apple and Steven Sinofsky at Microsoft.)

Winners and losers

One visible result of that is Google+.?Say what you'll want about the traction Google's social hub has attained among consumers: It is a very clear triumph of internal politics, with Google+ head Vic Gundotra successfully winning over skeptical colleagues to go along with the plan to have a single way for users to share content from and on Google.

Android was a clear win on the autonomy front: In announcing that Rubin was stepping down and handing the group over to Pichai, Page said that Android had "exceeded even the crazy ambitious goals" initially set for it, becoming the world's top smartphone operating system.

But Android was a less-clear success in achieving a hand-in-glove fit with other Google efforts. Until a year ago, Android had its own Web browser, even as Google's Chrome, under Pichai, was on its way to becoming the top Web browser in the world. Google's fragmented digital-content strategies, which included separate stores for apps, books, and music, likewise hobbled its competitive efforts with Apple until Google finally unified them in its iTunes-like Google Play store.

Huber's Geo and Commerce unit, a conglomeration of disparate products like Maps, Wallet, and Offers, had some logic to it, especially in trying to tackle the gnarly local-business market. But Huber struggled to build a new organization essentially from scratch. A steady stream of executives either left his organization or left Google altogether?Marissa Mayer, Stephanie Tilenius, Sameer Samat, Eric Rosenblum, John Hanke, Ben Ling, and Jennifer Dulski, among others.

And other executives encroached on his territory: Google Shopping moved to Wojcicki's Ads group, while Google+ more or less took over local-business listings.

Now the organization is being completely broken up, with Maps going to Eustace's Knowledge group, which runs search, and all the e-commerce-related efforts?those that hadn't already moved?going to Wojcicki's Ads group.

What's next for Team Larry

So what does Page want? It's pretty clear that executives like Pichai, Eustace, Gundotra, and Wojcicki are getting rewarded with more responsibility for making clear arguments for how Google's products should fit together. Rubin and Huber appear to have been less successful in defining what businesses should or shouldn't fall under their umbrellas, and now they're heading to Google X.

All that said, at Google, working on secret new projects isn't exactly a comedown. It has a certain cultural cachet?indeed, Google dangles the prospect of working on Google X projects as a way to retain restive engineers. So it's not bad for Huber or Rubin that they get to work on fun projects instead of battling for turf at the Googleplex.

Heck, some of their newly empowered colleagues might be jealous.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-larry-page-is-running-google-2013-3

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BlackBerry plans security feature for Android, iPhone

By Euan Rocha

TORONTO (Reuters) - BlackBerry will offer technology to separate and make secure both work and personal data on mobile devices powered by Google Inc's Android platform and by Apple Inc's iOS operating system, the company said on Thursday.

The new feature could help BlackBerry sell high-margin services to enterprise clients even if many, or all, of their workers are using smartphones made by BlackBerry's competitors. That may be crucial for the company as it has lost a vast amount of market share to the iPhone and to Android devices, such as Samsung Electronics Co's Galaxy line.

Jefferies analyst Peter Misek said he expects BlackBerry's device management software to gain traction this year, and boost revenue next year.

"Supporting devices with the best, most secure, and easiest-to-use mobile solution should enable RIM to transform into what we believe is an attractive model," he said in a note to clients.

The offering could help BlackBerry shore up its profitable services business. BlackBerry's shares plunged in December after it said it would change the way it charges for services, cutting fees for customers that do not need advanced security and other enhanced features.

The new Secure Work Space feature will be available before the end of June, and will be managed through BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, the platform that allows BlackBerry's corporate and government clients to handle devices using different operating systems on their networks.

BlackBerry said the feature fences off corporate email, calendar, contacts, tasks, memos, web browsing and document editing from personal apps and content, which could be less secure.

BALANCING ACT

In a bid to regain market share and return to profit, BlackBerry introduced a new line of smartphones powered by its BlackBerry 10 operating system earlier this year.

The touch screen version, dubbed the Z10, is on sale in more than 20 countries, while a device called the Q10, with a physical keyboard, will be available in April.

The new devices have a feature called Balance, which keeps corporate and personal data separate. It allows information technology departments to manage the corporate content on a device, while ensuring privacy for users, who can store and use personal apps and content on the same phone without corporate oversight.

With Secure Work Space, "we're extending as many of these (Balance) features as possible to other platforms," David Smith, BlackBerry's head of mobile enterprise computing, said in a statement.

BlackBerry's move comes as Samsung, whose Galaxy devices have gained great popularity, attempts to make itself a more viable option for business customers with security features such as Samsung Knox and SAFE, or Samsung for Enterprise.

BlackBerry said Secure Work Space means clients would not need to configure and manage expensive virtual private network (VPN) infrastructure in order to give workers' devices access to data and applications that reside behind corporate firewalls.

"Secure Work Space also offers the same end-to-end encryption for data in transit as we have offered on BlackBerry for many years, so there is no need for a VPN," Peter Devenyi, head of enterprise software, said in an interview.

SELLING SERVICES

The new feature could also help stem declines in BlackBerry's service revenue. That business has long been a cash cow for BlackBerry because of the large clients that pay to use its extensive network and security offerings.

However, the company has been under pressure to reduce its infrastructure access fees, and opted to do so during the transition to BlackBerry 10. Due to the changes, BlackBerry's service revenue is expected to decline over the course of this year.

Giving its large array of corporate clients the ability to manage BlackBerry devices, along with Android smartphones and iPhones on their networks might encourage both corporate and government clients to continue to pay for and use BlackBerry's device management services.

BlackBerry plans to report quarterly results on March 28.

Last week, Chief Executive Thorsten Heins said sales of the Z10 had surpassed BlackBerry's expectations in emerging markets such as India, where cheaper entry-level phones are typically popular.

On Wednesday, the company said it had received an order for 1 million BlackBerry 10 smartphones - the largest order it has ever had from a single customer - and its shares jumped.

BlackBerry's volatile stock closed up 8.2 percent at $15.65 on the Nasdaq on Wednesday, while its Toronto-listed shares rose by a similar margin to C$16.04.

The shares pared gains on Thursday, falling 2.3 percent to $15.29 in late morning trading on the Nasdaq. In Toronto, its shares were 2 percent lower at C$15.72.

(Reporting by Euan Rocha and Allison Martell; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe, Lisa Von Ahn and Peter Galloway)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blackberry-offer-security-solution-android-ios-114354402--sector.html

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Up to 7 teams may be in running for NCAA top seeds

Miami's Shane Larkin reacts following a shot during practice for an NCAA college basketball game at the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in Greensboro, N.C., Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Miami's Shane Larkin reacts following a shot during practice for an NCAA college basketball game at the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in Greensboro, N.C., Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Colorado's Andre Roberson (21) battles for a loose ball against Oregon State's Ahmad Starks (3) in the first half of a Pac-12 tournament NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, March 13, 2013, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Fresno State's Tyler Johnson shoots over Colorado State's Jonathan Octeus during the first half of a Mountain West Conference tournament NCAA college basketball game on Wednesday, March 13, 2013, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

Virginia head coach Tony Bennett participates with his team during practice for an NCAA college basketball game at the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in Greensboro, N.C., Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Miami head coach Jim Larranaga watches his team during practice for an NCAA college basketball game at the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in Greensboro, N.C., Wednesday, March 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Up to seven teams could be in the running for No. 1 seeds in the NCAA men's tournament, the chairman of the selection committee said Wednesday, providing a lot more uncertainty than a year ago.

Mike Bobinski, who is also the athletic director at Xavier, said the coveted seeds were more obvious in 2012, when the only suspense was who would get the last of the No. 1 spots.

"A year ago, I think the one line of the tournament and bracket was in pretty clear focus," said Bobinski, who is leaving Xavier to take over as Georgia Tech's AD after the tournament. "This year looks a little bit different. I anticipate there will be a number of teams we'll be considering and discussing for that one line of the bracket."

Not surprising, given a wide-open season where no team has established itself as clearly the class of the field.

"It's probably as big as it's ever been," Bobinski said, talking about potential No. 1 seeds. "I'm not sure it's any larger than a couple years back, but there's probably never been any more for the top line."

A year ago, everyone knew Kentucky, Syracuse and North Carolina would get the top spots, even though all lost in their conference tournaments. Michigan State received the final No. 1 after a victory over Ohio State in the Big Ten title game, just hours before the 68-team field was announced.

This year, Gonzaga is ranked No. 1 in The Associated Press rankings for the first time ever, but doesn't come from one of the glamour conferences. Second-ranked Duke is projected as the top team in the RPI, a crucial component in the selection committee process. Traditional powerhouses Indiana, Louisville, Georgetown and Kansas are also in contention for top seeds, with their final seeding likely dependent on how they do in their conference tournaments.

"I can't speak for the entire committee, but as I walk into our process this year I would tell you I've probably got seven teams in my mind for the first four spots," Bobinski said. "That will come into focus in the next few days, but it's more than four for the top four."

The top seeds are crucial, because the selection committee makes a special effort to ensure those teams play close to home in the opening rounds and, if possible, won't have to face a team at any point up to the Final Four where they would be at a definite geographical disadvantage.

While there have been some questions about the No. 1 teams getting too much of a favorable ride, Bobinski doesn't buy that argument at all.

"I don't feel at all that we're over-favoring the top seeds. They've earned that," he said. "We're not setting out to advantage them any further than what they've earned by being the best four teams in the country."

Bracketology has become its own little industry, with numerous Web sites and media outlets projecting for weeks, even months, what the NCAA might look like. That's all well and good, Bobinski said, but it was little impact on the selection committee.

"We know all those folks and enjoy what they do," he said. "They react on a day to day, even half to half, basis, I understand that. It helps to drive interest and build interest. But we have a different circumstance here. We allow all the dust to settle, and then evaluate it in totality."

After the 31 automatic qualifiers are set, the committee will pick the remainder of the field and do all the seeding. Bobinski and the other members planned to get started on the process Wednesday, taking an early vote to identify which teams are most likely to be under consideration for those at-large bids.

"There's no minimums for how many teams, and there's no finality" until Sunday, he said. "We'll take every bit of time to make sure we get this as right as we can."

There could be a number of crucial decisions to make in the final hours, at both the top and the bottom of the bracket.

"We would love to have the top line coming into Sunday," Bobinski said. "But we're going to do what the field tells us to do. We'll allow for some adjustments at the last minute. In an ideal world, that wouldn't be the case."

___

Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-03-13-BKC-NCAA-Tournament/id-1173354f0bbc4744bfc8673f8c572849

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Monday, March 11, 2013

Survivors of Calif sailboat race accident released

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Five sailors who survived when their boat smashed into rocks during a race in storm-churned seas off Southern California, killing a fellow crewmember, have been released from San Diego hospitals.

The survivors were treated for cuts, bruises and hypothermia, Chuck Hope, commodore of the San Diego Yacht Club, told UT San Diego Sunday (http://bit.ly/14KsMEg). The yacht club was a co-host of the 139-nautical-mile Islands Race.

The five crewmembers of the Uncontrollable Urge were rescued after the 32-foot sailboat lost its steering and the craft began drifting toward San Clemente Island, where it broke apart, Coast Guard Petty Officer Connie Gawrelli said Saturday.

Craig Thomas Williams, a 36-year-old architect from Serra Mesa, was killed. Race officials identified the other crew members as James Gilmore, the skipper and owner of the boat; Mike Skillicorn; Doug Pajak; Ryan Georgianna; and Vince Valdes.

On Friday night, the crew radioed the mayday call and also activated a feature on the boat that provides authorities with GPS coordinates and other crucial information, she said. But the crew then declined assistance and instead requested a tow boat. Stormy conditions, however, kept the tow boat from getting to them.

"They were not in immediate danger and thought they would be able to manage completing the race and get assistance on their own," Hope said. "Then things got worse."

He said the crew couldn't deploy a life raft or anchor the boat. They abandoned ship when the boat entered the surf line and broke apart.

When the Coast Guard reached the crew, they found Williams unresponsive in the water, the San Diego County Medical Examiner's office said. He and the other five crew members were hoisted into a helicopter and flown to a hospital.

Williams was a member of the Silver Gate Yacht Club in San Diego, where the Uncontrollable Urge is docked, said Carey Storm, the club's commodore.

"This is a very difficult time for the Williams family, the skipper of Uncontrollable Urge and the other surviving crew members," Carey Storm said. "(The club) and the entire Southern California racing community is a close family, and the loss of one of our members impacts us all greatly."

Carey said Sunday that a memorial fund has been established to help support Williams' young daughter and wife, who is pregnant.

Gilmore, the owner of the Uncontrollable Urge, tweeted Friday that he was taking the new boat on its first race, and noted that the forecast called for 25-knot winds.

"Gonna see what this boat can do!" he tweeted.

Hope said the Uncontrollable Urge was known within the sailboat racing circuit and that its crew and skipper were experienced.

"Those guys been around, they're very good sailors," he said. "This was not a case of someone getting in over their head."

He said stormy conditions in the open seas caused equipment failures for two other boats, forcing their crews to drop from the race. The Uncontrollable Urge crew radioed that the boat's rudder failed.

"This was not an isolated incident," Hope said. "Conditions were pretty fierce."

The overnight race began in Newport Harbor in Orange County on Friday and was to take participants around Catalina and San Clemente islands before finishing off in San Diego's Point Loma.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-03-10-Sailboat%20Race%20Death/id-eefe600fb7b04c76b14052f91317a904

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Sunday, March 10, 2013

Budget cuts end White House tours, but not finger-pointing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The sixth-grade class at St. Paul's Lutheran School in Waverly, Iowa, sent a message this week that was heard in the White House briefing room.

"The White House is our house," the class said in a video posted on Facebook. "Please let us visit."

But their trip to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, which had been set for March 16, is off. White House tours will be suspended starting on Saturday due to mandated across-the-board spending cuts known as "sequestration." The move will save the federal government an estimated $74,000 a week.

Many were left holding worthless tour tickets, secured months in advance through members of Congress. There is no rain check for a White House tour.

The children's video caught the attention of White House reporters, and of the top Republican in Congress.

"What is your answer, or the president's answer, to the sixth-graders at St. Paul's Lutheran School?" one reporter asked White House Press Secretary Jay Carney.

"It is extremely unfortunate that we have a situation like the sequester that compels the kinds of tradeoffs and decisions that this represents," said Carney.

He said the Secret Service, which is involved in the tours, offered various options to deal with sequester-related cuts ranging from canceling tours to furloughs and cuts in overtime.

"And in order to allow the Secret Service to best fulfill its core missions, the White House made the decision that we would, unfortunately, have to temporarily suspend these tours," Carney said.

When another White House spokesman was asked whether private donations might put the tours back on track, he said that step might be unfeasible given the technical requirements of the sequester.

The last time the White House closed its doors to school groups was after the September 11, 2001, attacks. The tours resumed the following February, with a suspension in the spring of 2003 during the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

The general public was not allowed back into the White House until September 2003.

'A LITTLE BIT HEARTBREAKING'

The decision found little favor with supporters of St. Paul's sixth-graders, who asked Facebook viewers to "like" their video to agitate for putting the tour back on their Washington itinerary.

By late Friday, nearly 1,000 had "liked" the post, nearly 500 had shared it and more than 100 had commented.

House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner boasted that tours of the Capitol would continue.

"Even though our budget's been cut like everyone else's, thanks to proper planning, we're able to avoid furloughs amongst Capitol workers, and tours are going to remain available for all Americans," Boehner told reporters on Thursday.

He called the White House decision "disappointing" and "silly," the result of a failure to find savings in other parts of the budget.

Benno Nelson, a Los Angeles-based film director and self-described "civic nerd" who is planning a family trip to Washington in May, had a one-word response when told of the tour cancellations: "Nooooo!"

"Definitely to get a tour of the White House is something I was really looking forward to, and I planned it in advance and called my congressman. ... To hear that they're not doing that is a little bit heartbreaking," he said.

The recorded White House message for those looking for tour information is as contrite as a recorded message can get:

"Due to staffing reductions resulting from sequestration, we regret to inform you that White House tours will be canceled effective Saturday, March 9, 2013, until further notice. Unfortunately we will not be able to reschedule affected tours. We very much regret having to take this action, particularly during the popular spring touring season."

(Reporting By Deborah Zabarenko, additional reporting by Richard Cowan and David Lawder; Editing by Marilyn W. Thompson and Xavier Briand)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/budget-cuts-end-white-house-tours-not-finger-061937089--business.html

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No Google Glasses allowed, declares dive bar

Google?s high-tech augmented reality ?Project Glass? spectacles are still in development, and not available for purchase. But Seattle?s 5 Point Cafe is getting ahead of the game ? and fueling a debate over privacy ? by banning the devices from the bar in advance.

The 5 Point posted this message on its Facebook page this week: ?For the record, The 5 Point is the first Seattle business to ban in advance Google Glasses. And a** kickings will be encouraged for violators.?

Why is the 5 Point doing this?

?I?m a thought leader,? jokes Dave Meinert, owner of the 5 Point, speaking on the Luke Burbank Show at GeekWire news partner KIRO-FM Friday morning. ?First you have to understand the culture of the 5 Point, which is a sometimes seedy, maybe notorious place. People want to go there and be not known ... and definitely don?t want to be secretly filmed or videotaped and immediately put on the Internet.?

He admits, ?Part of this is a joke, to be funny on Facebook, and get reaction. But part of it?s serious, because we don?t let people film other people or take photos unwanted of people in the bar, because it is kind of a private place that people go.?

Meinert notes that the 5 Point is near Amazon, and acknowledges that ?tech geeks? have been known to patronize the bar. ?It?s OK if you wear them,? he says. ?I just don?t want them worn inside.?

Presumably this rule would apply to Seattle?s notorious Creepy Cameraman, too.

Check out the original post on GeekWire for Luke Burbank?s full interview with Meinert. See KIRO Radio for more.

More from GeekWire:

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/no-google-glasses-allowed-declares-dive-bar-1C8781187

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Saturday, March 9, 2013

Florida lawmakers move to make texting-while-driving illegal

TALLAHASSEE, Florida (Reuters) - Florida is one of just a few states without any type of ban on text messaging while driving, but that could soon change as lawmakers move to slam the brakes on distracted drivers in the fourth-most-populous state.

"Texting while driving is an epidemic in Florida," Representative Doug Holder, the longtime sponsor of a bill to limit the practice and improve safety on Florida's roads and highways, said on Friday.

"This (texting) endangers everybody around you," he said.

Holder spoke to Reuters a day after his bill won unanimous approval in a House transportation subcommittee in Tallahassee.

A similar bill has already been cleared by two committees in the state Senate. The legislation, which has fizzled in previous sessions in the state capitol, is widely expected to be signed into law by Republican Governor Rick Scott later this year.

Both bills would make texting while driving a secondary offense. That means a motorist would have to commit another violation, such as careless driving or running a red light, to be pulled over. But when stopped, a driver could be hit with two tickets, one for the primary infraction and another for texting.

The bills carry a penalty of $30 for first-time texting offense and $60 for a second offense within five years. Also, a crash while texting would require six points against the driver's license and texting in a school zone would carry two points.

The pending bills would allow drivers to use hand-held messaging devices while idling at a stop light, or when pulled off to the road shoulder. Police and other emergency responders would be exempt.

President Barack Obama, citing "deadly crashes involving drivers distracted by text messaging while driving," signed an executive order in October 2009 banning federal employees from texting while driving.

Many state and local governments have been slow to follow the president's lead, despite what some safety advocates see as the growing danger posed by people texting while behind the wheel.

Florida currently stands with Arizona, Montana, South Carolina and South Dakota as one of just five states with no texting while driving restrictions.

Smooth sailing for the legislation in Tallahassee this year is largely attributable to a group of insurance, education, legal, medical and automotive lobbyists calling itself the "FL DNT TXT+DRIVE COALITION."

The organization put together some chilling testimonials from family members of victims due to texting-related accidents.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said 3,700 crashes in the state in 2011 stemmed from driver distraction due to electronic devices.

Gary Browne, an auto collision repairman who sees a lot of mangled cars, said people need to know that it is not acceptable to take their eyes off the road for texting while driving.

Browne's 53-year-old wife Cheryl died in May 2011 after a texting driver in a pickup truck plowed into her car while she was stopped at a red light in Melbourne, Florida.

"That's the problem, it's so acceptable," said Browne. "It's like nobody cares. People need to realize you can't do it."

(Additional reporting by Barbara Liston; Editing by Tom Brown and Dan Grebler)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/florida-lawmakers-move-texting-while-driving-illegal-235603085.html

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The 100th day: Learning's tipping point deep in the school year

The 100th day of school is a tipping point where accretion of grade-level knowledge begins to show; it's a benchmark in leaps of consciousness that teachers celebrate.

By Todd R. Nelson,?Guest Blogger / March 8, 2013

Caleb Siever, a student at The School in Rose Valley, Pa., wipes off a whiteboard using some elbow grease.

Courtesy of Jamie Siever

Enlarge

Most elementary schools celebrated the 100th?day of school around this time of year. ?Bring in 100 of something,? the teachers will say. And the day will be devoted to enumerating all manner of things: pennies, Cheerios, acorns, etc. In my former school, it was the day when Zero the Hero saved the day by restoring the specially decorated 100 cake. You can?t have 100 without Zero.

Skip to next paragraph Todd R. Nelson

Correspondent

Todd R. Nelson is head of school at The School in Rose Valley outside Philadelphia. He has been a Monitor contributor of Home Forum essays, poems, Op-Ed commentaries and feature articles since 1989. He writes a monthly column for Teachers.net. He and his wife, Lesley, have three adult children.

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The day is also a tipping point. It sneaks up on you. Suddenly, the psychic midpoint of the school year has arrived. It has been circling and watching and coming closer and closer and then ? it pounces.??Though it may feel like the midpoint, that doesn?t necessarily mean ?half over.? Like the proverbial glass that is half full or half empty, it depends on whether you?re filling it up or pouring it out!

At my school we?re still filling up. This apparent defiance of the laws of physics is more than a trick of the mind. Even though the second half of a school year can feel like the Westward slope on which we are hurtling toward June, time passes in unique ways for each time traveler. The external benchmarks describe one kind of time passage, and the second half of a school year is more like two thirds of the year in terms of the learning we can pour in. Better to focus on the upcoming tipping points, to use a popular phrase, which are internal, less predictable, and indicators of more profound growth. The good thing about going downhill isn?t just the speed?it?s the momentum.

Here?s a way of looking at a tipping point. A child enters, say, fifth grade long before they truly become a fifth grader. Fully inhabiting any new grade takes a while. There?s an accretion of fifth?graderness?required. There are new routines to master, a new teacher and classmates to know, new curriculums and traditions to practice. But those are just the quantifiable parts. A tipping point comes when we move beyond mere format to fully inhabit the new sense of ability, of accomplishment, of our individual capacities and possibilities. It?s tipping from being?in?fifth grade to being?a fifth grader.?It has been out there awaiting your arrival.

How do you know you?re at the tipping point? Ask around and answers will abound. ?The most obvious way in kindergarten,? writes our teacher, Annie, ?is to witness them flying into the classroom in the morning completely independently. Even when they are followed by parents posing as Sherpas, children have hung up their coats, signed in and become engaged in projects and games. They are often followed by adults with wistful expressions, hoping for an extra hug or a goodbye kiss. They might even welcome a modicum of trouble with separation. A token tear or two! A little clinginess to remind them of the good old days when they felt more needed. Parents, apparently, are tipping too!?Now their full-fledged kindergarteners own the classroom, anticipate what the day has in store, and can?t wait to get on with it!? Here are the nascent seeds of executive functioning.

Another teacher, Robin, calls the middle of the preschool year ?a protein-packed time indeed.? Our youngest students are making ?deeper connections and fierce friendships can emerge,? she says. ?Children who were playing in solitary or parallel fashion have matured enough and developed enough trust to enter into more collaborative play. The room grows a bit more boisterous, and the children begin to display a wider range of emotion than was evident in the beginning.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/bIAQAPJAcqY/The-100th-day-Learning-s-tipping-point-deep-in-the-school-year

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The cast of characters in the Bolshoi attack

FILE - In this Monday, Feb. 4, 2013 file photo, artistic director of the Bolshoi ballet Sergei Filin speaks to the media as he leaves a hospital in Moscow, Russia. The artistic director, a boyish 42-year-old former Bolshoi dancer, suffers severe burns to his eyes and face in the Jan. 17 attack, which the theater management links to Filin?s power to decide which dancers are awarded the prized roles. The attack exposes a culture of fierce competition and intrigue at the famed theater. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)

FILE - In this Monday, Feb. 4, 2013 file photo, artistic director of the Bolshoi ballet Sergei Filin speaks to the media as he leaves a hospital in Moscow, Russia. The artistic director, a boyish 42-year-old former Bolshoi dancer, suffers severe burns to his eyes and face in the Jan. 17 attack, which the theater management links to Filin?s power to decide which dancers are awarded the prized roles. The attack exposes a culture of fierce competition and intrigue at the famed theater. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)

Bolshoi soloist Pavel Dmitrichenko listens in a courtroom in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, March 7, 2013. The 29-year-old soloist admits to organizing the attack, but tells a Moscow court Thursday that he never intended for it to cause such harm to Filin. In his most famous roles the dancer plays villainous or violent men, and his new real-life role adds a creepiness factor to the photographs of him leaping across the stage with a dagger or sword in hand. Dmitrichenko says he was angry at Filin for what he describes as corruption and favoritism at the theater, while reports have played up his relationship with a young ballerina who feels she has been unfairly passed over for starring roles. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

FILE - In this Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013 file photo Bolshoi ballet dancer Anzhelina Vorontsova talks with Nikolai Tsiskaridze, left, during a rehearsal in the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, Russia.. The newspaper Izvestia reports that Vorontsova, who is Dmitrichenko's girlfriend, asked the ballet chief Filin in December to cast her as the lead in "Swan Lake," but Filin turned her down, making disparaging comments about her weight and choice of teachers. Ballet critics concur on the extra pounds and note that Filin then gives the ballerina a major role in the showcase ballet "The Nutcracker." (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

In this photo made Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, Bolshoi dancer Nikolai Tsiskaridze leads a rehearsal in the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, Russia. The veteran principal dancer takes ballerina Anzhelina Vorontsova under his tutelage when she joins the Bolshoi and, according to the dancers cited by newspaper Izvestia, understands that Bolshoi Artistic Director Sergei Filin's criticism of the ballerina is directed at him as her teacher. Tsiskaridze has long been highly critical of theater management and has been seen as maneuvering to take over the theater himself. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

In this frame grab taken from video on Moscow Interior Ministry branch website on Wednesday, March 6, 2013, Yuri Zarutsky is in Moscow. The thuggish ex-con with tattoos on his hands is accused of carrying out the attack. Dmitrichenko says Zarutsky offered to rough up Filin for him and he agreed, but that he did not tell him to use acid. Police say Dmitrichenko paid Zarutsky 50,000 rubles (about $1,600). (AP Photo/ Interior Ministry branch website)

(AP) ? The story of the acid attack on the Bolshoi ballet chief has plot twists and colorful characters worthy of the grand Moscow theater. Here is a look at the cast, which includes the Bolshoi soloist who confessed to organizing the attack, his ambitious dancer girlfriend and the ex-con accused of throwing the jarful of acid at the ballet chief on a dark winter night.

? Sergei Filin. The artistic director, a boyish 42-year-old former Bolshoi dancer, suffers severe burns to his eyes and face in the Jan. 17 attack, which the theater management links to Filin's power to decide which dancers are awarded the prized roles. The attack exposes a culture of fierce competition and intrigue at the famed theater, where Filin's rivals include a veteran principal dancer and his prot?g?s.

? Pavel Dmitrichenko. The 29-year-old soloist admits to organizing the attack, but tells a Moscow court Thursday he never intended for it to cause such harm to Filin. In his most famous roles the dancer plays villainous or violent men, and his new real-life role adds a creepiness factor to the photographs of him leaping across the stage with a dagger or sword in hand. Dmitrichenko says he was angry at Filin for what he describes as corruption and favoritism at the theater, while reports have played up his relationship with a young ballerina who feels she has been unfairly passed over for starring roles.

? Anzhelina Vorontsova. The talented young ballerina is brought to Moscow in 2008 to finish her studies courtesy of Filin, who expects she will then join him at the other Moscow ballet company where he is then artistic director. Instead, she goes to the Bolshoi. The newspaper Izvestia, citing interviews with unidentified fellow dancers, reports that Vorontsova, who is Dmitrichenko's girlfriend, asks the ballet chief in December to cast her as the lead in "Swan Lake," but Filin turns her down, making disparaging comments about her weight and choice of teachers. Ballet critics concur on the extra pounds and note that Filin then gives the ballerina a major role in the showcase ballet "The Nutcracker."

? Nikolai Tsiskaridze. The veteran principal dancer takes Vorontsova under his tutelage when she joins the Bolshoi and, according to the dancers cited by Izvestia, understands that Filin's criticism of the ballerina is directed at him as her teacher. Tsiskaridze has long been highly critical of theater management and has been seen as maneuvering to take over the theater himself.

? Yuri Zarutsky. The thuggish ex-con with tattoos on his hands is accused of carrying out the attack. Dmitrichenko says Zarutsky offered to rough up Filin for him and he agreed, but that he did not tell him to use acid. Police say Dmitrichenko paid Zarutsky 50,000 rubles (about $1,600).

? Andrei Lipatov. He is accused of driving Zarutsky to and from the scene of the crime, but Lipatov insists he had no knowledge of the planned attack. He appears with Zarutsky and Dmitrichenko in a court on Thursday, where a judge orders all three held until April 18 while investigators finish their work.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-03-07-Russia-Bolshoi%20Attack-Cast/id-9b48a7b8acf34f4d8972c1aa2b38c5d3

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Friday, March 8, 2013

Chris Brown on Valet Beef: All About Principle!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/03/chris-brown-on-valet-beef-all-about-principle/

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Is Miley Really Done with Personal Tweets? We Doubt It!

Miley Cyrus is so mad, she's ready to quit Twitter (or so she says). The singer visited the site yesterday to deny reports that her relationship with fiance Liam Hemsworth is on the rocks.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/miley-cyrus-blames-liam-hemsworth-split-rumors-twitter-hiatus/1-a-526015?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Amiley-cyrus-blames-liam-hemsworth-split-rumors-twitter-hiatus-526015

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Chavez death brings uncertainty, hope to oil patch

(AP) ? Venezuela's oil production is poised to reverse a dramatic decline that has seen exports fall by nearly half during Hugo Chavez's time as president.

Following Chavez's death Tuesday, Venezuela, which is a member of OPEC and sits on the world's second-largest oil reserves, faces near-term political uncertainty that could bring further turmoil to its oil industry. And even under the best circumstances it would take years to increase production and exports, analysts say. But any new government would have a powerful economic incentive to make that a top priority.

Exports fell from 3 million barrels per day in 2000 to 1.7 million barrels per day in 2011. Chavez relied heavily on the country's oil income to fund social programs, but reinvested relatively little of it to exploit new oil fields and replace depleted ones.

There has been no indication from the country's national oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., or PDVSA, whether it will invite more foreign investment or increase its own investment in new production. But Chavez held such sway over the company's direction that his death means the direction could change dramatically.

"Without his charisma and force of character, it is not at all clear how his successors will maintain the system he created," said Daniel Yergin, author of a Pulitzer Prize winning book on global energy politics.

The discontent in Venezuela that grew with the decline of oil prices in the late 1990s helped Chavez get elected. The high oil prices that followed helped him consolidate power by allowing him to fund programs popular with Venezuelans and making allies in the region by offering cut-rate oil deals, according to Yergin.

But his refusal to reinvest in the industry, along with a strike at PDVSA in 2002 that sapped the company of some of its best talent, led to deep decay in the country's most important industry. Chavez nationalized some oil and gas assets owned by international oil companies, such as Exxon Mobil, in order to make PDVSA the majority stakeholder in all Venezuelan projects. That prompted Exxon and others to abandon work in the country, further reducing the country's access to oil and gas technology and expertise.

Citgo, the company's U.S. division, operates refineries in Texas, Louisiana and Illinois, and sells fuel through thousands of gas stations. Citgo has been used by Chavez to distribute discounted heating oil to poor American families in a high-profile program aimed at criticizing Washington's approach to the poor.

The world oil market's response to Chavez's death was muted ? oil rose slightly in electronic trading in New York to $91.05 per barrel. That's 8 times the price of a barrel when Chavez took office 14 years ago.

Analysts say Venezuelan production will likely fall further in the short term because PDVSA executives may lack clear instructions from a government in transition about how to proceed. But Venezuelan oil supply has been declining for so long and oil markets are well supplied that traders are not concerned that further erosion in Venezuelan supply will disrupt markets.

That could change, however, if instability erupts as new leaders jostle for power and new elections are held, according to Sarah Ladislaw, co-director of the Energy and National Security Program at the Center for International and Strategic Studies. Dramatic unrest could lead to a sharp drop in exports and higher oil prices.

The political uncertainty is already keeping countries who had been investing in the Venezuelan oil industry, including Russia, China and India, on the sidelines.

But once a new government is established, it will likely look to fix the country's energy industry as quickly as possible to help alleviate a dismal economic situatio.

Venezuela's refineries are so weak that the country is forced to import enormous amounts of fuel from the U.S. and elsewhere even as it exports crude. Those imports are especially costly because the government heavily subsidizes gasoline. Venezuelans pay only a few cents per gallon for gasoline, and the subsidies cost the government $25 billion per year, according to Jason Bordoff, Director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University.

An increase in oil production and exports could be a boon for the country. "The potential for Venezuelan supply is enormous," Bordoff says.

___

Follow Jonathan Fahey on Twitter at http://twitter.com/JonathanFahey .

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-03-06-Chavez%20Death-Oil%20Industry/id-9920bf2b0b224ec49f518211b2b4cced

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Thursday, March 7, 2013

Wedding Birdcage Veil, Bridal Hair Accessories, Ivory White or Black Net, VANDA by YJDesign

Wedding Birdcage Veil, Bridal Hair Accessories, Ivory White or Black Net

VANDA BIRDCAGE VEIL (veil only, fascinator not included)
* MADE TO ORDER in 2 WEEKS *

- medium small veil, measuring about 9" long (comb to bottom rim) and 15" wide (side to side)
- the bottom rim has a bolder line (untrimmed edge) for a more defined look

Securing options:
- comb (default)
- clip (at $5 more - please ask before purchase)

Color options:
- Ivory (default)
- White
- Black

Vanda veil is gathered at the comb and has 'open' or fly away sides. This makes it versatile and covers more of the face than the closed types. This can be worn straight (like that shown on the real bride) or at an angle. You only need to use one or two bobby pins to style it or make it higher on your head, etc.

This is a VEIL ONLY listing. RACHEL flower fascinator is sold separately at
http://www.etsy.com/listing/55535646/bridal-flower-fascinator-wedding-feather

Also available as a RACHEL VANDA combo set - pic 5, at
http://www.etsy.com/listing/55215103/ivory-or-white-flower-feather-birdcage

View more veils and fascinator veil sets at
http://www.etsy.com/shop/YJDesign?section_id=5718703

~ Customer Feedback ~
"Shipping was incredibly fast. Veil was exactly as described/pictured online. Thanks!" Feb 27, 2011

-> Back to my shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/YJDesign

-> Need colored accessories? http://www.etsy.com/shop/YJCouture

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Shipping from AUSTRALIA -> time info & policies http://www.etsy.com/shop/YJDesign/policy
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Notes:
* You can ask to change to a clip (or clips) at $5 more. Please ask to make you a special listing before buying.
* To add glitter, you can ask for mini swarovskis on the veil. Please ask for a quote and will adjust the price before buying.


Have any questions? Contact the shop owner.

Source: http://www.etsy.com/listing/56657074/wedding-birdcage-veil-bridal-hair

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