Boeing sees no big impact from 787 woes, profit beats

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Boeing Co posted stronger-than-expected profit on Wednesday as its backlog of orders rose, and said its 2013 forecast assumed no significant impact from the grounding of its 787 Dreamliner jet by regulators.

Shares were up 0.5 percent at 74.10 in early trading.

Aviation safety agencies in the United States and Japan are investigating what caused lithium-ion batteries to burn on two 787 passenger jets earlier this month, prompting regulators to ground the planes worldwide.

Boeing said it is continuing to build the Dreamliner but has halted deliveries, and analysts have raised concerns about the cost of the grounding and for fixing the battery problem on about 125 jets that Boeing has built so far.

"Our first order of business for 2013 is to resolve the battery issue on the 787 and return the airplanes safely to service with our customers," said Boeing Chief Executive Jim McNerney.

Earlier Wednesday, Japan's two biggest airlines said they had repeatedly replaced sub-par lithium-ion batteries on their Dreamliners in the months before the two incidents that led to the 787 groundings. On January 16, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration ordered U.S. airlines to stop flying 787s, and other regulators around the world quickly followed suit.

The comments from All Nippon Airways Co Ltd, the biggest customer of the 787 to date, and Japan Airlines Co Ltd indicated problems with the battery's reliability long before one caught fire on a JAL 787 at Boston's Logan Airport on January 7, and a second battery was badly charred and melted on an ANA domestic flight a few days later.

That flight was forced to make an emergency landing. The two airlines operate 24 of the 50 787s in service. United Airlines is the only U.S. carrier currently flying the 787.

Boeing declined to comment on the latest failed battery revelations, citing an ongoing investigation by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.

But in giving its outlook for 2013, the company said its figures assume "no significant financial impact from the FAA directive."

Ken Herbert, an analyst at Imperial Capital, said it was difficult to estimate the impact from the grounding. "It's too early, and too risky, to say," he said, noting there were numerous grounding-related issues for Boeing and for airlines, and still many unknowns.

The NTSB has not yet established a cause for either of the two battery incidents.

Meanwhile, Boeing said net income fell to $978 million, or $1.28 per share, in the fourth quarter, from $1.39 billion, or $1.84, in the year-ago period, when it posted a special tax gain.

Analysts expected earnings of $1.19 a share.

Herbert said wider profit margins from its commercial airplanes helped the company to beat estimates.

But he was disappointed by its 2013 profit outlook of $5.00 to $5.20 a share, compared with his target of $5.60. The figures include pension charges.

The consensus Wall Street estimate was $5.13 a share for 2013, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Revenue for the quarter rose 14 percent to $22.3 billion.

The company said it booked 394 net aircraft orders in the quarter, and that its total order backlog was nearly 4,400 planes valued at $319 billion, a record tally.

(Reporting by Alwyn Scott; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boeing-profit-drops-sees-no-significant-impact-787-125728755--finance.html

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Japan's Abe to change post-war constitution

Japan's Abe to change post-war constitution
Thursday, 31 January, 2013, 11:02am
Agence France-Presse in Tokyo

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Photo: AP

Japan?s hawkish Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told parliament on Thursday that he intends to change the country?s post-second world war constitution, lowering the bar for further amendments.

?I will start with amending Article 96 of the constitution, a move that many factions [inside his Liberal Democratic Party] support ? Abe told upper house lawmakers, referring to the clause stipulating amendments require a two-thirds majority in parliament.

In the run-up to his landslide election victory in December, Abe said he wanted to study the possibility of altering the definition of Japan?s armed forces contained in the document.

The country?s well-funded and well-equipped military is referred to as the Self-Defence Forces, and barred from taking aggressive action. Its role is limited to defence of the nation.

Abe has said he would like to look into making the SDF into a full-fledged military, a plan that sets alarm bells ringing in Asian countries subject to Japan?s sometimes-brutal occupation in the first half of the 20th century.

US occupying forces imposed the constitution in the aftermath of the second world war, but its war-renouncing Article Nine is held dear by many Japanese.

Japan's Abe to change post-war constitution | South China Morning Post

Source: http://www.defence.pk/forums/china-far-east/232465-japans-abe-change-post-war-constitution.html

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Family to Kris Humphries: Let It Go, Loser!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/01/family-to-kris-humphries-let-it-go-loser/

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South Africa's First Black Billionaire Pledges To Donate Half His Wealth

If you were looking for good news, here's a bit of it from South Africa: Patrice Motsepe, the country's first black billionaire, announced today that he will donate half his fortune in order to help the poor.

Reuters reports:

"Mining magnate Motsepe, with assets estimated by Forbes magazine of $2.65 billion, said he is making the pledge to benefit the millions of South Africans who have seen little gain in their personal fortunes since white-minority rule ended in 1994.

"The Giving Pledge is a philanthropic initiative started by U.S. billionaire Warren Buffet along with Bill and Melinda Gates that has recruited nearly 100 billionaires, mostly Americans, who have pledged to donate the majority of their wealth to charity."

According to The Financial Times, Motsepe's wife, Precious, said that his wealth would be given away throughout his lifetime.

Motsepe, the Times adds, amassed his fortune as the chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, a mining company. He is South Africa's fourth richest man. The fifth, reports the Times, is his brother-in-law Cyril Ramaphosa.

There's no word whether Ramaphosa will join Buffet's Giving Pledge.

Source: http://northernpublicradio.org/post/south-africas-first-black-billionaire-pledges-donate-half-his-wealth

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Home prices see best yearly gain since 2006

By Leah Schnurr

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Home prices rose in November to rack up their best yearly gain since the housing crisis began, a further sign that the sector is on the mend.

But data on consumer confidence on Tuesday was less encouraging, with moods falling to their lowest level in more than a year as Americans became more pessimistic about the economic outlook and their financial prospects in the wake of higher taxes for many.

The S&P/Case Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas gained 0.6 percent in November on a seasonally adjusted basis, in line with economists' forecasts.

Prices in the 20 cities rose 5.5 percent year over year, making for the strongest yearly price increase since August 2006 when prices were on their way down.

The housing market became a bright spot for the economy last year as prices rose and inventory tightened. The sector is expected to contribute to economic growth in 2013.

"What we're seeing is really a gradual improvement in the overall economy," said Anthony Chan, chief economist for Chase Private Client in New York.

Rising home prices and recent gains in the stock market should blunt the impact of tax increases for consumers and spending should improve by the second half of the year, said Chan.

Homebuyers also have been enticed by historically low interest rates. The Federal Reserve's latest stimulus efforts are helping to keep rates low, as the central bank buys assets including mortgage-backed securities.

The Fed meets on Tuesday for the first session of a two-day meeting, with a statement due on Wednesday.

It was the 10th month in a row that prices have increased, the longest string of gains since before 2006. Last year's rise in prices beat a nine-month consecutive run in 2009 and 2010, when the market was boosted by a homebuyer tax credit.

A number of challenges remain for the housing market, including tight access to mortgages and on-going foreclosures.

Highlighting the hurdles on the path to recovery, separate government data showed the homeownership rate slipped to 65.4 percent in the fourth quarter from 65.5 percent.

Consumer attitudes dropped more than expected to 58.6 in January, data from The Conference Board showed. It was the lowest level since November 2011.

At the start of the year, U.S. politicians came to an agreement that averted the so-called fiscal cliff of spending cuts and tax increases that had been set to come into effect.

But the deal did raise taxes for many Americans, while a payroll tax holiday came to an end. Lawmakers still face a number of budget decisions.

"Consumers are probably pretty unhappy to notice that their payroll taxes have gone up," said David Sloan, economist at 4Cast Ltd in New York.

U.S. stocks pared slight gains immediately after the report was released, but Wall Street was modestly higher by midday.

The Conference Board's consumer expectations index tumbled to its lowest level since October 2011 at 59.5, while the present situation measure slipped to 57.3.

Consumers' views on the labor market were also weaker, with the "jobs hard to get" index rising for the first time since September.

Economists said the pain should be short lived and that confidence was likely to perk back up as long as Washington can come to an agreement on the budget issues yet to be resolved.

"This might bounce back pretty quickly as people get used to a smaller paycheck. Right now, it's a sticker shock," said Craig Dismuke, chief economic strategist at Vining Sparks in Memphis, Tennessee.

Home prices on a non-adjusted basis slipped 0.1 percent. The non-adjusted numbers showed prices fell in about half of the cities covered by the survey, with the winter months typically a weak period for housing, the survey said.

Phoenix, which saw its housing market rebound sharply last year, led with the biggest yearly gain at 22.8 percent. New York was the only city to fall, down 1.2 percent from the previous year.

(Additional reporting by Richard Leong and Chris Reese; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/home-prices-continue-climb-november-140149324.html

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Editorial: Engadget on BlackBerry 10

January 30th has been circled on our calendars for quite some time. It's the day that Research in Motion (now known as BlackBerry) officially pulled the curtains away from its next-gen BlackBerry OS -- aka BB 10 -- revealing all of its secrets to the world after no less than 15 months of development. Don't underestimate the importance of this move; this is just the beginning of BlackBerry's battle to remain relevant in the mobile industry. Now that BlackBerry 10 devices are ready to spend time in the public eye, what does our editorial staff think about the products -- as well as BlackBerry's future? Engadget sounds off about BlackBerry 10 after the break.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, RIM

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/MMKcI3La8JE/

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Olympus unveils Stylus XZ-10 with f/1.8-2.7 zoom, smartphone sharing app

Olympus is carrying on the recent compact camera trend of fast-ish zoom lenses and wireless sharing capability with the launch of the 12-megapixel Stylus XZ-10. The new model follows in the footsteps of the company's top compact dog XZ-2 model, sporting a slightly smaller 1/2.3-inch sensor and a wider range 5x optical zoom with a similar f/1.8-2.7 iris. Otherwise, it's aimed more at the casual carry-around crowd with a 40 percent smaller body, touch-screen focus selection, control ring exposure adjustment, a 3-inch 920k dot TFT LCD, art filters (in the smartphone app), image (or film) stabilization and 1080P 30 fps HD video. Olympus is also trumpeting its smartphone OI.Share capability, allowing images to be sent wirelessly to an iOS or Android device and edited with the included app -- provided you have the optional Toshiba FlashAir card. It'll be arriving in March in black, brown or white at a rather steep-sounding £349, which equates to $550, though exact US pricing hasn't been revealed yet. See the PR after the break for more nitty-gritty.

Gallery: Olympus XZ-10 Press Gallery

Show full PR text

Announcing the OLYMPUS STYLUS XZ-10 compact digital camera, equipped with the new PHOTO STORY function for new photographic possibilities

Olympus Imaging (Haruo Ogawa, president) is proud to announce the OLYMPUS STYLUS XZ-10, on sale from Late February, 2013. This model packs a high speed, high-quality i.ZUIKO DIGITAL 5x optical zoom lens, and versatile functions such as the new PHOTO STORY for expanding photographic expression, all in a lightweight and compact camera body.

Main Features

With the 26mm - 130mm (35mm film camera equivalent) f/1.8 - 2.7, high speed 5x optical, high-quality i.ZUIKO DIGITAL lens, and the inclusion of iHS Technology, high-quality images with beautifully defocused backgrounds and shots under dim light are possible.

The OLYMPUS STYLUS X series is a lineup of compact digital cameras that offer superb image quality and expressive power, and is the first compact digital camera equipped with a lens bearing the ZUIKO name. The ZUIKO lens was first included on the Semi Olympus I; the first-ever Olympus camera in 1936. The ZUIKO has been used for the past 77 years, continuing its tradition as a high-performance lens. In January 2011, the OLYMPUS XZ-1 was announced as the first model in the X series, and in September 2012, the STYLUS XZ-2 was announced as the X series flagship model. Both models are equipped with a high speed f/1.8-2.5 lens which is bright from wide-angle to telephoto, achieving acclaim as capturing high-quality images that rival SLR cameras.

The STYLUS XZ-10 brings the superb image quality of the X series to a high-end compact that can be enjoyed on a daily basis due to its advanced portability, functionality, and performance. A refined, solid design is used for the slim camera body with the pursuit of a compact, and lightweight form. The control ring and Touch AF Shutter made popular on the XZ-2 are still available on the XZ-10, providing spectacular performance and the ability to capture every photo opportunity. For those who want to capture everyday scenes as special memories, rich in personality, PHOTO STORY has been added to Art Filters. This function captures multiple viewpoints in a single image and puts them together for an artistic creation. With the OI.Share smartphone application, users can quickly and easily share images and post them to social networking services. Keeping up with the times, Olympus has crammed new ways to enjoy photos into a small package.
Main Functions - Details

1-1. 26mm-130mm Focal Length (conversion) f/1.8-2.5 iZUIKO Zoom Lens
The lens on the STYLUS XZ-10 is a 5x optical zoom that covers a focal range from 26-130mm (35mm film camera equivalent). The XZ-10 boasts an f/1.8-2.7, high speed lens, with the brightest aperture value in its class at f/2.7 on the telephoto end over 100mm, making beautifully defocused images and high-quality images under dim light condition possible at telephoto settings. This bright lens is also perfect for capturing moving subjects. This lens is a combination of Olympus's superb lens technology, and the spare-no-expense design process by including DSA (Dual Super Aspherical) and EDA (Extra-low Dispersion Aspherical) lenses in the lens group, for the high depictive quality equal to that of Olympus interchangeable SLR ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses. Additionally, to thoroughly eliminate ghosting and lens flares, reflectivity was kept to half of the previous value at a wavelength of 450 to 650 nm, thanks to the lens surface treated with the Olympus-original ZERO (ZUIKO Extra-low Reflection Optical) coating. These measures ensure highly clear depictive performance with a sense of transparency, even in backlit or other unfavorable conditions.

1-2. iHS Technology
iHS stands for "intelligence", "high-speed", and "high-sensitivity". With a 1/2.3 type, 12.0 megapixel,*2 high-speed, high-sensitivity, back-illuminated CMOS sensor, and the TruePic image processing engine designed for the OLYMPUS PEN, users will always be able to capture the subject they want, beautifully, and without missing a shot. In addition, the XZ-10 also inherits Fast AF from the OLYMPUS PEN.

2. Compact, Lightweight Body and Slim, Solid Design
When compared to the XZ-2, the XZ-10 is slimmer with a 40% smaller volume. With this smaller design, high-quality images can be enjoyed in a camera with high mobility. A built-in lens barrier and fixed grip have been included in answer to many requests, improving portability and operability. With three colors to choose from including black, white, and brown, users can select one that best fits their lifestyle.

3-1. New Function: PHOTO STORY
The new function, PHOTO STORY, is included on the XZ-10 to bring out users' artistic abilities and powers of expression when shooting. By capturing a scene from multiple viewpoints and then combining them into a single image, everyday scenes and memorable scenes can be recorded in various ways. Users simply turn the mode dial to PHOTO STORY, choose a favorite theme (Standard, Speed, Zoom In/Out, Fun Frame), and touch inside the frame to use Touch AF Shutter and easily complete their artistic shots. At the same time, it is easy to create images with style and personality by combining the type, effect, frame aspect ratio, and number of images according to the selected theme. The finished image can be checked in Live View and users can continue shooting various types of images. Because multiple viewpoints are included in a single image, recreating the story of the scene is possible, making it easier to put yourself in that captured scene.
Selectable PHOTO STORY Themes (4 types)
Standard: Simple type with split images
Speed: Slide a finger to shoot continuously (Finger can be slid to split multiple images)
Zoom In/Out: Combines both close-up and pull-back effects
Fun Frame: Film formats or Instant camera formats where the date can be added

3-2. Art Filter
With 11 Art Filters and 5 Art Effects, users can create more stand-out pictures for users to enjoy.

4-1. Touch AF Shutter
The Touch AF Shutter function allows users to instantly select the exact location they want to focus on simply by touching the screen on the rear of the camera. By including the FAST AF system, which is the crystallization of years of Olympus AF technology, and the easy controls of the touch screen, subjects throughout the screen can easily be focused on, whether in the center, background, or edges, allowing users to snap the shutter at just the right moment. Touch screen operations also include Live Guide settings, AF position selection, magnified playback, and browsing of images. With these features, a truly comfortable photo experience is achieved.

4-2. Control Ring
Just as with the XZ-2, a function can be selected for each shooting mode and assigned to the control ring. Because settings such as the aperture value or exposure compensation can be quickly adjusted with a twist of the control ring, users can capture photos exactly the way they want without missing a shot. These features realize an optimum control scheme for artistic expression.

4-3. Fn (Function) Button
The Fn (Function) button has been placed on the back of the camera for assigning frequently used functions. Users can choose multiple functions out of 16 options to assign based on their shooting style or convenience. Users can easily call up or switch between functions assigned to the Fn (Function) button and control ring and change setting values as needed, allowing them to quickly set up their preferred style.

5. Smartphone Application: OI.Share
OI.Share is a free iPhone and Android smartphone application used for easily sharing high-quality images. When used together with a Toshiba-brand FlashAirTM*1 card (equipped with an internal wireless LAN), images can easily be sent using a smartphone. Because communication settings can be made from within a dedicated menu on the camera, by connecting to a smartphone, it is easy to send images without ever using a computer. After importing images, OI.Share can be used to apply Art Filters or link to social networking apps to share photos and communicate through images. A one-time password can also be issued for connecting to multiple smartphones simultaneously to share images with friends and family on the spot.

Effective number of pixels: 12 million*2
Zoom factor: 5x optical zoom, 10x super resolution zoom
Wide: 26mm wide-angle (35mm film camera equivalent)
Image stabilization: DUAL IS
(CMOS shift type & high-sensitivity shooting, Multi-motion Movie IS)
Rear display 3.0 type, 920,000 dots, TFT color LCD
Movie shooting: Full High-definition movies (MOV/H.264)
Other Features

Handheld Night shooting mode with the flash can be used to beautifully capture night scenes and people
Advanced iAUTO function with 29 automatically detectable scenes
Dual IS - Cutting-edge image stabilization technology for reducing subject blur
Multi Motion image stabilization support for movies compensates for slow, strong camera shake that occurs when breathing or walking
High-Speed Movie for slow-motion playback of quickly moving subjects
Electric auto pop-up flash
Intuitive GUI linked with the control ring
Equipped with an ND filter for controlling exposure in 3 steps, for beautifully defocused shots even in bright condition
Super Macro shooting for distances up to a minimum of 1 cm
4 aspect ratios for matching the framing needs of any subject
Supported media: Memory cards, (SD, SDHC, SDXC, UHS-1 compatible), Eye-Fi cards, FlashAirTM

Filed under: Cameras

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/30/olympus-unveils-12-megapixel-compact-stylus-xz-10/

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Emma & Rikard | DIY Summer Wedding in Sweden

Escape the winter blues with this breezy summer wedding from Nordica Photography!

The groom designed all of the printed items, including invitations and ceremony program fans. The bride bought fabric at IKEA which she cut into ribbons to hang from the tree at their ceremony.

Instead of a photo booth, guests were encouraged to take snapshots with a Fuji Instax purchased by the bride and groom.

Why did you choose this location for your wedding? ?Rikard proposed in Monet?s garden in Giverny, France so Monet?s garden was what we had in mind when we were looking for a wedding location. Plus we always dreamt about having the reception outside, so it made the choice very simple when we found the green house.

What inspired you when you were planning your wedding? ?Nature and flowers. The inspiration for our stationary came from an old floral book called ?Nordic flora.?

What was your favorite moment or part of the day?? From Emma: The ceremony! Walking down the hill with my father, seeing Rikard and all our family and friends was an amazing feeling. We put a lot of effort into choosing the right music for the ceremony and having the band play really made the feeling extra special. From Rikard: When Emma said ?I do,? when I got to lift her up in the greenhouse during dinner, when she came walking down the hill with her father, when we danced together all night long.. The whole day was like magic and I was forced to pinch my arm every now and then to make sure I was not dreaming!

What was the best advice you received as a bride? ?The best advice I got was to pick a comfortable dress that you?r actually able to walk in without three people lifting your skirt. And to wear flats all day! Also, dance, dance, dance! If you want your guests to dance, you have to be dancing!

?

See more of this outdoor Swedish summer wedding in the gallery!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SnippetInkDailyWeddingInspiration/~3/YWDS-xaud-Q/

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West Nile virus spreading due to mosquitoes in orchards and vineyards, experts warn

Jan. 30, 2013 ? Washington State University researchers have linked orchards and vineyards with a greater prevalence of West Nile virus in mosquitoes and the insects' ability to spread the virus to birds, horses and people.

The finding, reported in the latest issue of the journal PLOS ONE, is the most finely scaled look at the interplay between land use and the virus's activity in key hosts. By giving a more detailed description of how the disease moves across the landscape, the study opens the door to management efforts that might bring the disease under control, says David Crowder, a WSU entomologist and the paper's lead author.

Since it was first seen in New York in 1999, West Nile virus has reached across the country and shown few signs of abating. Last year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control had the highest number of reported cases -- 5,387, including 243 deaths -- since 2003.

Roughly one in five infected people experience a fever, headache, body aches and, in some cases, a skin rash and swollen lymph glands. One in 150 people can get a high fever, headache, neck stiffness, disorientation and neurological problems.

Most efforts to figure out the ecological workings of the virus have focused on reports of infected people, "a crude indicator at best," says Crowder. Almost all victims have no symptoms or are misdiagnosed, while others can be infected far from where they file a report, he says.

Agricultural areas have seen higher percentages of infected people, but that still does not get at the underlying mechanism.

"Is that because there are more birds there?" says Crowder. "Is that because there are more mosquitoes there? That hasn't really been linked together."

Crowder, working with fellow entomologist Jeb Owen, other WSU colleagues and the state Department of Health, merged data from a variety of sources, including West Nile infections in humans, horses and birds, surveys of virus-bearing mosquitoes, breeding bird surveys, and detailed land use maps and climate data from around the Northwest.

The researchers found that habitats with high instances of the disease in horses and birds also have significantly more mosquitoes -- as well as American robins and house sparrows, the two bird species implicated the most in the disease's transmission.

"These same habitats are also resulting in much higher rates of infection within mosquitoes themselves," said Crowder.

"We find that all three of these things -- abundances of house sparrows and American robins, abundance of mosquitoes and the actual prevalence of West Nile in mosquitoes -- are increasing in landscapes with a higher proportion of land in orchard habitats." These habitats, says Crowder, include both orchards and vineyards.

It's still unclear why the habitats would create such a perfect storm for the virus. The researchers speculate that mosquitoes are drawn to orchards for plant nectar during flowering, while robins and house sparrows use them for nesting and feeding. Together, the insects and birds become focal points for the disease.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Washington State University. The original article was written by Eric Sorensen.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. David W. Crowder, Elizabeth A. Dykstra, Jo Marie Brauner, Anne Duffy, Caitlin Reed, Emily Martin, Wade Peterson, Yves Carri?re, Pierre Dutilleul, Jeb P. Owen. West Nile Virus Prevalence across Landscapes Is Mediated by Local Effects of Agriculture on Vector and Host Communities. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (1): e55006 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055006

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

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/kVKjNpbbJ28/130130184318.htm

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From gulags to dusty donkeys, Google Maps reveals Earth's mysteries

16 hrs.

Rosa Golijan , NBC News

On Monday, Google officially updated North Korea on Google Maps. Thanks to crowd-sourced data, the area is no longer blank, but instead includes markings for just about everything???right down to the locations of its prison camps. This isn't the first time Google Maps (and its 3-D counterpart, Google Earth) helped reveal previously obscured ??or even unknown ??geography.

In late 2011, Google Maps images called attention to strange patterns etched into the surface of China's Gobi Desert. There were speculations that the patterns were related to weapons-testing sites or even messages from aliens,?but?the?consensus,?according?to?Natalie Wolchover?of?Life's?Little?Mysteries,?was?that?they?were?satellite?calibration?patterns.?

Another pattern found not far from there, a?"Stonehenge-like arrangement of objects radiating outward, with fighter jets parked at its center,"?is?likely?used to test radar from space.

A year later, yet another mysterious pattern was spotted in yet another Chinese desert.?LiveScience's?Tia Ghose?reported?that?these?were?the?result?of?geological surveys for nickel mines.

Google Earth, another aspect of Google's geo project,?has also?helped an?archaeologist discover ancient Egyptian ruins.Much of the excitement over that discovery evaporated though as ? after some initial confusion regarding whether they ruins were previously undiscovered pyramids or other formations ? it turned out that at least some other researchers were already aware of this point of interest.

Thanks to Google Maps' Street View, folks have been exploring areas they may never see in person. For example, thousands of images from Australia's Great Barrier Reef and other coral locales were stitched together into 360-degree panoramas, so that anyone can take a trip from the comfort of his or her own desk.

"This will allow the 99.9 percent of the population who have never been diving to go on a virtual dive for the first time," said Richard Vevers, project director for the Catlin Seaview Survey (which worked in partnership with Google to capture images for these panoramas), told NBC News?when the project was first publicized.

Ancient Mexican monuments such as Teotihuacan, Chichen Itza and Palenque are also included in virtual tours, along with?countless businesses which, as part of an extension to the Google Street View project, allow users to virtually explore building interiors.

Sometimes Google's mapping products can cause controversy. When?a data glitch related to Google Earth's underwater seafloor imagery led to the appearance of a grid-like pattern, some proclaimed it?must indicate the existence of Atlantis. The "evidence" of the mythical city's presence disappeared as soon as Google incorporated fresh data and smoothed over imaging artifacts.

At least one mapping controversy ended with new research, however.?When a Nicaraguan general?alleged that Google Maps displayed erroneous borders between his country and Costa Rica. The secretary general of the Organization of American States was sent in to examine the area and resolve the cartographic drama.

And then there was that time a?Google Street View car ran over a donkey ? or at least appeared to. ?"Over the last 24-hours concerned members of the public and the media have been speculating on the fate of a donkey pictured in Street View in the Kweneng region of Botswana,"?wrote?Google's?Kei?Kawai?in?a?blog?post.?Fortunately?for?Google,?the?car?took?many?photos,?and?a?review?of?them?clearly?showed?the?donkey?moving?aside?safely.?"I'm pleased to confirm the donkey is alive and well."

Google's not above showing us what's behind the curtain in its own data centers, either. Thanks to Street View tours of the interiors of the company's previously unseen buildings, we now know that Stormtroopers and R2 units guard our precious data.

Want more tech news?or interesting?links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on?Twitter, subscribing to her?Facebook?posts,?or circling her?on?Google+.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/gulags-dusty-donkeys-google-maps-reveals-earths-mysteries-1B8166498

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Soldier with new arms determined to be independent

BALTIMORE (AP) ? After weeks of round-the-clock medical care, Brendan Marrocco insisted on rolling his own wheelchair into a news conference using his new transplanted arms. Then he brushed his hair to one side.

Such simple tasks would go unnoticed in most patients. But for Marrocco, who lost all four limbs while serving in Iraq, these little actions demonstrate how far he's come only six weeks after getting a double-arm transplant.

Wounded by a roadside bomb in 2009, the former soldier said he could get by without legs, but he hated living without arms.

"Not having arms takes so much away from you. Even your personality, you know. You talk with your hands. You do everything with your hands, and when you don't have that, you're kind of lost for a while," the 26-year-old New Yorker told reporters Tuesday at a news conference at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Doctors don't want him using his new arms too much yet, but his gritty determination to regain independence was one of the chief reasons he was chosen to receive the surgery, which has been performed in the U.S. only seven times.

That's the message Marrocco said he has for other wounded soldiers.

"Just not to give up hope. You know, life always gets better, and you're still alive," he said. "And to be stubborn. There's a lot of people who will say you can't do something. Just be stubborn and do it anyway. Work your ass off and do it."

Dr. W.P. Andrew Lee, head of the team that conducted the surgery, said the new arms could eventually provide much of the same function as his original arms and hands. Another double-arm transplant patient can now use chopsticks and tie his shoes.

Lee said Marrocco's recovery has been remarkable, and the transplant is helping to "restore physical and psychological well-being."

Tuesday's news conference was held to mark a milestone in his recovery ? the day he was to be discharged from the hospital.

Next comes several years of rehabilitation, including physical therapy that is going to become more difficult as feeling returns to the arms.

Before the surgery, he had been living with his older brother in a specially equipped home on New York's Staten Island that had been built with the help of several charities. Shortly after moving in, he said it was "a relief to not have to rely on other people so much."

The home was heavily damaged by Superstorm Sandy last fall.

"We'll get it back together. We've been through a lot worse than that," his father, Alex Marrocco, said.

For the next few months, Marrocco plans to live with his brother in an apartment near the hospital.

The former infantryman said he can already move the elbow on his left arm and rotate it a little bit, but there hasn't been much movement yet for his right arm, which was transplanted higher up.

Marrocco's mother, Michelle Marrocco, said he can't hug her yet, so he brushes his left arm against her face.

The first time he moved his left arm was a complete surprise, an involuntary motion while friends were visiting him in the hospital, he said.

"I had no idea what was going through my mind. I was with my friends, and it happened by accident," he recalled. "One of my friends said 'Did you do that on purpose?' And I didn't know I did it."

Marrocco's operation also involved a technical feat not tried in previous cases, Lee said in an interview after the news conference.

A small part of Marrocco's left forearm remained just below his elbow, and doctors transplanted a whole new forearm around and on top of it, then rewired nerves to serve the old and new muscles in that arm.

"We wanted to save his joint. In the unlucky event we would lose the transplant, we still wanted him to have the elbow joint," Lee said.

He also explained why leg transplants are not done for people missing those limbs ? "it's not very practical." That's because nerves regrow at best about an inch a month, so it would be many years before a transplanted leg was useful.

Even if movement returned, a patient might lack sensation on the soles of the feet, which would be unsafe if the person stepped on sharp objects and couldn't feel the pain.

And unlike prosthetic arms and hands, which many patients find frustrating, the ones for legs are good. That makes the risks of a transplant not worth taking.

"It's premature" until there are better ways to help nerves regrow, Lee said.

Now Marrocco, who was the first soldier to survive losing all four limbs in the Iraq War, is looking forward to getting behind the wheel of his black 2006 Dodge Charger and hand-cycling a marathon.

Asked if he could one day throw a football, Dr. Jaimie Shores said sure, but maybe not like Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.

"Thanks for having faith in me," Marrocco interjected, drawing laughter from the crowd.

His mother said Marrocco has always been "a tough cookie."

"He's not changed that, and he's just taken it and made it an art form," Michelle Marrocco said. "He's never going to stop. He's going to be that boy I knew was going to be a pain in my butt forever. And he's going to show people how to live their lives."

___

Associated Press Chief Medical Writer Marilynn Marchione in Milwaukee and AP writer David Dishneau in Hagerstown, Md., contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/soldier-arms-determined-independent-215413730.html

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Microsoft Office 2013, Office 365 Home Premium available now; 365 for business coming later

Until now, we've known almost all there is to know about Microsoft Office 2013 and Office 365: we got hands-on with the new features last summer, and the company has even confirmed pricing. The only thing we weren't sure of was the exact on-sale date, but even that got leaked when a Canadian retailer put up a pre-order page indicating the two products would ship January 29th. Well, what do you know? Today is January 29th and sure enough, Office 2013 is on sale, along with the subscription service Office 365. To be clear, while every version of the boxed software is now out, 365 is only being offered to consumers; the business version will arrive later, on February 27th.

For now, Office 365 Home Premium is priced at $99.99 for an annual subscription, with licenses to install the suite on up to five PCs and Macs at once. There's also a "University" version for college students and faculty, which costs $79.99 for a four-year plan. Either way, the sub includes 20GB of SkyDrive storage, which is to say if you previously only had 7GB of space, your limit will now get bumped to 20 gigs. (In other words, people grandfathered into 25GB don't get an additional 20 gigabytes.) Of course, you can always deactivate a particular machine through Office.com if you need to free up a license. Naturally, too, as a part of the subscription you'll always have the most recent version. That means Office 2013 for Windows users; Office for Mac 2011 if you're on OS X. That last piece is a bit of a bummer, for sure, but for what it's worth Microsoft has said a new Mac product is in the works, and that subscribers will get it as part of a future software update.

If you'd rather buy the software outright, you can do that today too. At the low end, there's Office 2013 Home and Student 2013 ($139), which comes with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote. Home and Business adds Outlook for $219, while the top-of-the-line Professional package includes all of the above along with Access and Publisher for $399. Remember, though: these come with only one user license, and you don't get any complimentary cloud storage or upgrades to future versions. It's your money, obviously, but it seems clear to us that Microsoft has gone out of its way to make its Office 365 service the more attractive option. So, you might want to think long and hard about how much owning your software really means to you before going the old-fashioned route.

Show full PR text

Microsoft Releases Office 365 Home Premium
Jan. 29, 2013
New consumer cloud service works across devices to help busy people simplify their lives and get more done.

NEW YORK - Jan. 29, 2013 - Microsoft Corp. today announced worldwide availability of Office 365 Home Premium, a reinvention of the company's flagship Office product line for consumers. Office 365 Home Premium is a cloud service designed for busy households and people juggling ever-increasing work and family responsibilities. The new offering includes the latest and most complete set of Office applications; works across up to five devices, including Windows tablets, PCs and Macs; and comes with extra SkyDrive storage and Skype calling - all for US$99.99 for an annual subscription, the equivalent of US$8.34 per month.

"Today's launch of Office 365 Home Premium marks the next big step in Microsoft's transformation to a devices and services business," said Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft. "This is so much more than just another release of Office. This is Office reinvented as a consumer cloud service with all the full-featured Office applications people know and love, together with impressive new cloud and social benefits."

Microsoft also announced it will now deliver many new features and services to the cloud first, transforming the company's traditional three-year release cycle. Now, new features and services stream to subscribers as soon as they are ready, keeping subscribers always up to date while eliminating the hassles of upgrading.

"This is a major leap forward," said Kurt DelBene, president of the Microsoft Office Division. "People's needs change rapidly, and Office 365 Home Premium will change with them."

Simultaneously, Microsoft today released Office 365 University for college or university students, faculty and staff at a price of just US$79.99 for a four-year subscription - the equivalent of US$1.67 per month. Globally, the company also released updated versions of the traditional Office suite: Office Home and Student 2013, Office Home and Business 2013 and Office Professional 2013. Office 365 for businesses will be released globally with new capabilities on Feb. 27.

Time to Do the Things You Want

In a recent global survey,* nearly 60 percent of people said they don't have the time to do the things they want to do, and more than 80 percent said they could save one or more hours a day if they were better organized. Office 365 Home Premium is designed to help people be more productive from virtually anywhere and find the flexibility to do the things they want.

"Between kids and career, I'm never completely at home or completely at work - and thanks to technology, that suits me just fine," said Jen Singer, an author, blogger and mom of two teen boys. "With Office 365 Home Premium, I can work around my kids' schedules, so I can drive the soccer carpool, coordinate errands while at a doctor's office and still hit my deadlines at work. And, with one subscription for everyone in my family, it's an absolute steal."

To help people find more time to do the things they want, Microsoft is introducing Time to 365 (http://www.office.com/timeto365), a new crowd-sourced website where people can find and share tips, tricks, ideas and inspiration from around the world. Contributors include experts such as "techorating" pro Janna Robinson (http://www.jannarobinson.com) and everyday working parents who have found ways to simplify their lives. Tips on the site include, for example, an idea for organizing your grocery list with OneNote on your phone, a pointer on how to pick the right-sized TV for your living room, and ways to use Office applications to help plan a child's birthday party.

About Office 365 Home Premium

Office 365 Home Premium is available in 162 markets in 21 languages and includes the following:

o. The latest and most complete set of Office applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher and Access

o. One license for the entire household to use Office on up to five devices, including Windows tablets, PCs or Macs, and Office on Demand available from any Internet-connected PC**

o. An additional 20 GB of SkyDrive cloud storage, nearly three times the amount available with a free SkyDrive account

o. 60 free Skype world calling minutes per month to call mobile phones, landlines or PCs around the world***

o. Future upgrades, so you always use the latest time-saving technology

People can learn more about Office 365 Home Premium or try it free for 30 days at http://www.office.com.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

* Microsoft surveyed more than 10,000 people in over 20 countries.

** App availability varies by operating system, device and language.

*** Skype world minutes not available in all countries. Calls to select countries.

Filed under: Software, Microsoft

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Source: Microsoft

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/m5yaUrQToBc/

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BlackBerry Z10 Camera: The Worst Low-Light Performance We've Seen in a Long Time

For the old BlackBerry, a handset's camera was an ancillary feature. But the new hip BlackBerry is supposed to be tuned into how regular people—not just suits—use their phones. The BlackBerry Z10's camera has a chance to prove it's better than the rest. And if our initial low-light camera test is any indication, the camera is a complete failure. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/XKvwQ48aYig/blackberry-z10-camera-the-worst-low+light-performance-weve-seen-in-a-long-time

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92% Amour

All Critics (140) | Top Critics (38) | Fresh (129) | Rotten (11)

As remarkable as Haneke's films are, not a one has been as transcendently generous as Amour, which is nominated for five Academy Awards, including best picture, best director and best foreign-language film.

"Amour" isn't just a great movie, it's a movie that may actually do you some good.

Shot in long, static takes, Amour stares directly into the indignities of old age and the curse of a slow death.

Each actor draws on a lifetime's worth of experience, performing with grace and rare, uncompromising realism.

There's nowhere to hide: The film cuts no corners and stings with the authenticity of life's fragility.

This is beautiful film, and a terrible one: devastating to stick out, and yet one of the most remarkable romances ever made...

One of the ten best films of 2012.

Amour may not inspire the kind of emotional epiphany that similar illness-driven dramas tend to, the results are still riveting.

Death is part of love's bargain, and Haneke lays this fact bare.

It is hard to recommend Amour. Austrian director Michael Haneke's film cannot justly be described as entertaining, and it will likely leave you sad and weary. But it is a film you must see.

"Amour" isn't easy to watch, but its rewards are many.

"Amour" isn't a fun time out at the movies, and I kind of doubt I'll ever see it again. But it's an amazingly act, absolutely heartbreaking film.

A viewer may want to watch Amour, because it is a work of art.

Relativamente doce para os padr?es de um cineasta acostumado a torturar seu p?blico e a encarar a humanidade com imenso ceticismo, representa uma experi?ncia dif?cil por nos lembrar o tempo inteiro de que todos dividiremos o mesmo desfecho.

A bitter, pitiless piece of work. We can admire its components, but we're repulsed by its vision.

Haneke's self-indulgent approach is getting old to me. His devoted fans will like it, but others will most likely be scratching their heads trying to figure out how this got a Best Picture nomination.

It's upsetting material lined with lead by Haneke, who searches for the meaning of love but can't help but dwell on the details of decay.

Amour is as heartbreaking and real as it gets.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/771307454/

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Zimbabwe checks bank balance: only $217

By M. Alex Johnson, staff writer, NBC News

Desmond Kwande / AFP/Getty Images

Crippling inflation in Zimbabwe led the government to issue a 100 trillion-dollar note in 2009, leading to reforms that have tamed the cost of living but left the country with almost no cash.

Before you get depressed about the state of your finances, spare a thought for the nation of Zimbabwe, which as of Tuesday had exactly $217 in the bank.

That's 217 dollars, not $217 million or $217 billion.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti said Tuesday that that was all that was left in the country's public accounts after it paid its civil servants last week, the South African Press Association reported. He told reporters in the capital, Harare, that some of them were probably better off than the state.

---

After a decade of inflation hit 500 billion percent in 2008 ? leading to the issuance of 100 trillion-dollar bills in Zimbabwean currency ? the country switched to the U.S. dollar and formed a coalition government in 2009, which the International Monetary Fund credited?in September with taming inflation and stabilizing the economy.

But the debt the country built up during those years of nationalist rule by President Robert Mugabe left it with a minimal tax base and few cash reserves, the IMF said, leaving Zimbabwe vulnerable to economic "shocks."

One of those would appear to be the regular wage bill for civil servants ? which accounts for 73 percent of the national budget.

Biti, an opposition member of Mugabe's coalition, said the lack of cash threatened elections that are expected some time after a March referendum on a new constitution.

Watch World News videos on NBCNews.com

"The government finances are in a paralysis state at the present moment," he said, adding that the country might have to seek donations to stay afloat.

Related links:

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/29/16758970-zimbabwe-checks-its-bank-balance-finds-only-217?lite

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Erectile Dysfunction May Signal Hidden Heart Disease ... - Health.com

By Randy Dotinga
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Jan. 29 (HealthDay News) ? Doctors should look more closely at the overall health of impotent men, a large new study suggests.

Men with even mild erectile dysfunction ? but no known heart problems ? face a major extra risk of developing cardiovascular conditions in the future. And as erectile dysfunction becomes more pronounced, signs of hidden heart disease and earlier death risk grow.

Not surprisingly, men already known to have a heart condition along with severe erectile dysfunction fare worst of all, the Australian researchers found.

Among men aged 45 and up without diagnosed heart disease, those with moderate or severe erectile dysfunction were up to 50 percent more likely to be hospitalized for heart problems, according to an adjusted analysis. Erectile dysfunction boosted the risk for hospitalization even more when men had a history of cardiovascular disease.

Erectile problems, which become more likely as men grow older, aren?t a guarantee of heart problems. Still, men with erectile dysfunction should ?take action by seeing a health professional and asking for a heart check,? said study lead author Dr. Emily Banks. ?Men with erectile dysfunction need to be assessed for their future risk of cardiovascular disease, and any identified risk must be managed appropriately.?

Banks is a professor of epidemiology at the Australian National University?s National Center for Epidemiology and Population Health.

Banks said an estimated 60 percent of men aged 70 and up suffer from moderate to severe erectile dysfunction. The condition can place major limits on sexual activity and require the use of drugs like Viagra that can come with side effects and awkward challenges when it comes to the timing of doses.

A variety of causes can contribute to impotence, but ?it is widely acknowledged that erectile dysfunction is predominantly the result of underlying cardiovascular disease,? Banks said.

Doctors already believe that erectile dysfunction is an early warning sign of heart problems, but it?s not clear why. It?s possible, Banks said, that the arteries of the penis are smaller than those of other parts of the body and may be more likely to reveal problems when their lining deteriorates.

The new study aims to gain more insight into how the severity of erectile dysfunction translates into a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. The researchers tracked more than 95,000 men aged 45 and up, and compared data collected between 2006 and 2009 to data collected in 2010.

The researchers adjusted their statistics so they wouldn?t be thrown off by factors like high or low numbers of men who smoked or drank alcohol, or were wealthy or poor. They found that the men with severe erectile dysfunction, compared to those with no problem, were eight times more likely to have heart failure, 60 percent more likely to have heart disease and almost twice as likely to die of any cause.

What does this mean in the big picture?

?Heart problems are very common, so even a relatively moderate increase in risk translates into quite a number of affected individuals,? Banks said. ?Among men with no past history of cardiovascular disease, an estimated six per 1,000 men per year who did not have erectile dysfunction went on to be admitted to the hospital for coronary heart disease. This compares with eight per 1,000 men per year with moderate erectile dysfunction and nine per 1,000 men per year among those with severe erectile dysfunction.?

Also, she said, ?among men with a past history of cardiovascular disease, an estimated 20 per 1,000 men per year of those without erectile dysfunction went on to be admitted to the hospital for coronary artery disease. This compares with 28 per 1,000 men per year with moderate erectile dysfunction and 34 per 1,000 men per year with severe erectile dysfunction.?

Could drugs for erectile dysfunction, such as Viagra, actually help men with undiagnosed heart problems? Maybe.

?Medications to treat erectile dysfunction have proven benefits in treating [lung] hypertension and are being evaluated as a treatment for heart failure,? said Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles. ?However, there are no proven benefits for reducing the risk of heart attack or stroke.?

Fonarow agreed with the study?s conclusion that men with erectile dysfunction should get their hearts checked, especially since cardiovascular disease can have no symptoms.

The study authors said, however, that more research is needed before the presence of erectile dysfunction can be considered a clinical predictor of heart disease risk.

The study appears in the January issue of the journal PLoS Medicine.

More information

For more about erectile dysfunction, try the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Source: http://news.health.com/2013/01/29/erectile-dysfunction-may-signal-hidden-heart-disease/

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You Can Thank Galileo For This Marvelous Modern Clock

Galileo was the first to think to use a pendulum as a time keeper in 1637. An actual clock using the precise weighted mechanism was patented in 1656 by Dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens. Roughly 350 years later, Christian Kim has reinterpreted the classic ticker with the modern Pendulum clock for Zwilling. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/q9I2unjGQFs/you-can-thank-galileo-for-this-marvelous-modern-clock

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Tornado Warning for Marion County in TN until 7:45am. http://bit.ly/NxCfXh

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BenQ MW519

The BenQ MW519 is a likable data projector most fitting for classroom use. Its data image quality, which is best over a digital connection, is fine for typical presentations, while video quality is suitable for shorter clips. Some appealing features include 3D readiness, long lamp life, and several eco-friendly features.

This DLP-based projector is rated at 2,800 lumens of brightness, and has native WXGA (1,280 by 800) resolution. It has large and responsive metal zoom (1.2:1) and focus rings. Its design is simple yet handsome, with matte-black sides and a glossy black top. One downside to the glossy sheen is that it tends to be a "fingerprint magnet," though the prints it collected could be cleaned off easily enough with a cloth. The projector measures 4.4 by 11.9 by 8.7 inches (HWD) and weighs a reasonably portable 5 pounds, although it lacks a carrying case.

The MW519 has a solid selection of ports, including HDMI; composite video/audio; S-video; two VGA inputs to connect with computers and one to connect with a monitor; two audio-in and one audio-out jack, an RS232 jack, and a USB type B connector for connecting with a computer.

Performance
I tested the projector in our studio, doing the official tests in theater-dark conditions but also viewing images and video in varying conditions of ambient light. The image filled our test screen (about 60 inches diagonal) with the projector about 6 feet away from the screen. The image was able to stand up to considerable ambient light without it looking degraded.

I did our data image testing (using the DisplayMate ?suite of projector tests) when connected to a computer over a VGA connection, and then repeated the tests over an HDMI connection. Although in both cases the data image quality was suitable for typical classroom presentations, in several areas the HDMI results were superior.

A strong point over both connections was the MW519's ability to display type that was readable down to our smallest test size. There was slight tinting with both connections, with some white areas showing a hint of yellow, while actual yellows looked dull or mustardy in all color modes.

With VGA, some grays?particularly ones with hatched patterns?looked green in all color modes, although less so in Presentation mode. ?Over the HDMI connection, the grays looked fine, and a slight pixel jitter visible in some textured images over VGA disappeared when I switched to HDMI. With HDMI, it was also much easier to distinguish very light shades of gray.

With both connections, in some bright areas against dark backgrounds I notices the rainbow artifacts frequently seen in DLP projectors, in which little rainbow-like flashes can be seen by people sensitive to the effect, especially when one moves one's head, or in moving images. It's generally less of a problem with data images than with video, and even people somewhat sensitive to it aren't likely to be bothered by it in the MW519's still images.

Video Quality
As is often the case, the rainbow effect was more of an issue in video. Although the effect wasn't unusually severe for a DLP projector, rainbow artifacts were apparent enough in some darker scenes that people who are sensitive to the effect are likely to be distracted by it, making the projector best for shorter clips.

Also effectively limiting the MW519 to shorter clips (or to use in a small room for video) is the feeble 2-watt audio system. It was sometimes difficult to hear, even at full volume, when I sat fairly close to the projector.

The projector has several eco-friendly features that can increase lamp life to as much as 6,500 hours. EcoBlank mode lets teachers easily take a break from a presentation, blanking the screen out and lowering energy consumption up to 70% while paused. The projector will also automatically enter EcoBlank mode after 3 minutes without a signal. SmartEco mode automatically adjusts lamp brightness depending on lighting conditions.

The MW519 is also 3D-capable, with support for 3D Blu-Ray via HDMI,?as well as NVIDIA?3DTV?Play, enabling it to display 3D content from NVIDIA 3D Vision. The active shutter 3D glasses are not included, and can cost up to $70 per pair. One other nice feature is built-in closed captioning for displaying subtitles.

The ViewSonic PJD6553w, also a DLP-based projector with WXGA resolution, is brighter than the MW519 at 3,500 rated lumens. It not only showed very good data image quality, it had better than average video quality for a DLP projector thanks to a minimal rainbow effect, and a more powerful 10W audio system.

The Editors' Choice Epson PowerLite 1835 XGA 3LCD Projector has a slightly higher price and a lower (XGA, 1,024 by 768) native resolution than the MW519, but it's brighter (3,500 lumens), has very good data and video image quality (as an LCD-based projector, it's immune to the rainbow effect), and a loud audio system (though it didn't have the best sound quality).

The BenQ MW519 is a likable projector for classroom use, with good data image quality, especially over an HDMI connection, and power-saving features that can extend lamp life. It's bright enough for use in mid-sized rooms, although its audio is faint. It is 3D capable, but outfitting an entire class with 3D glasses might prove a tough sell to the school administrators. It's best for use mostly with data presentations; there are better choices if video and audio quality are priorities.

More Projector Reviews:

??? BenQ MW519
??? Epson PowerLite 1835 XGA 3LCD Projector
??? Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 3020e
??? ViewSonic PJD6683ws
??? 3M Projector Sleeve
?? more

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Subaru's First Hybrid Expected Soon, New York Auto Show Debut ...

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There aren't many automakers left that don't offer some form of hybrid in their lineup, but Japanese firm Subaru can count themselves among the "have nots".

Subaru is best-known for its all-wheel drive systems rather than fuel efficiency, but since 2011's hybrid Advanced Tourer Concept, we've known there was something in the works.

Now, sources suggest the first hybrid Subaru could debut soon, potentially at the end of March, during the New York Auto Show.

It still isn't clear what hybrid system Subaru is going to use.

Mild hybrids have been suggested, with a system not dissimilar from that used by Honda in its Integrated Motor Assist setup. The 2011 Subaru Advanced Tourer concept used such a setup, with an electric motor mounted between a 2.0-liter flat-four gasoline engine, and a continuously-variable transmission.

A full hybrid has also been suggested, similar to that used by technology partner Toyota--but a mild hybrid system is looking more likely. This also means the car probably won't feature an electric-only mode--but it should at least help raise Subaru's fuel efficiency ratings.

Autoblog suggests the car could debut as soon as the New York Auto Show, and the model should eventually hit U.S. soil.

Mild hybrid or otherwise, an all-wheel drive Subaru hybrid should at least give those in Snow Belt states an extra option for winter-ready gas-sippers.

+++++++++++

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Source: http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1081965_subarus-first-hybrid-expected-soon-new-york-auto-show-debut-possible

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Could Brazil's nightclub fire spur more regional accountability?

Today marks 500 days until the kick-off of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. It's a moment that normally would bring worldwide attention to the country, also host of the 2016 summer Olympics, as it seeks to secure a spot on the international stage.

Instead, Brazil is in the spotlight for a tragic club fire that took more than 230 lives, many of the victims under the age of 20. The fire was caused by a pyrotechnic display set off by band members late Saturday evening that caused the venue to fill up, within minutes, with a cloud of deadly smoke. Many of the victims were found in the bathrooms, with reports noting they may have mistaken it for an exit or were trying to escape through back windows.

Today, FIFA was slated to unveil the official World Cup poster in Brazil, but the event was cancelled ?in respect for the more than 200 people who died in a tragic incident in Santa Maria, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul,? the group said in a statement.

The deadly fire comes at a time when Brazil is under increased scrutiny for its preparedness to host upcoming mega-events. And negative press is likely to abound, as it has each time something tragic has occurred in Brazil since it found out it was to play back-to-back host.

But maybe the spotlight can inspire widespread accountability in a region that has been plagued by multiple tragedies that are often due to lax safety standards, poor oversight, and overcrowded conditions.

RECOMMENDED: How well do you know Brazil? Take our quiz and find out!

The Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria was not unique in terms of club fires and deadly riots in Latin America.

Just last week, a prison riot in Venezuela left 54 dead, and nearly double that injured. The prison, Uribana, was holding 1,400 prisoners at the time that fighting broke out, according to Bloomberg, but is only designed to hold 850 prisoners. It follows another tragic incident in a jail in Venezuela in August 2012, when fighting left 20 dead, something Human Rights Watch said underscores the rampant overcrowding in Venezuelan prisons.

And tragic events reach beyond South America. A year ago, a fire broke out in a prison in Honduras that killed 350 people. And in June 2009 in Mexico, 49 victims, ages 3 and under were trapped inside a daycare in the city of Hermosillo in the northwest of the country.

Get our FREE 2013 Global Security Forecast now

Fires in nightclubs have been particularly common around the globe. The Associated Press looks at some of the most infamous tragedies in recent years including:

- A blaze at the Lame Horse nightclub in Perm, Russia, broke out in December 2009, when an indoor fireworks display ignited a plastic ceiling decorated with branches, killing 152.

- A December 2004 fire killed 194 people at an overcrowded working-class nightclub in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after a flare ignited ceiling foam.

- A nightclub fire in the US state of Rhode Island in 2003 killed 100 people after pyrotechnics used as a stage prop by the 1980s rock band Great White set ablaze cheap soundproofing foam on the walls and ceiling.

As is the case in the wake of tragedies anywhere, politicians and safety inspectors have promised to investigate any wrong-doing in Brazil. The club owner and two band members have been arrested, according to CNN. Some reports note security guards may have been blocking some exits. Activists, victims, and safety officials repeatedly promise to improve overcrowding in prisons, and corruption that allows venues ? from daycare to drug rehabilitation centers, to nightclubs ? to get away with sub-par standards that too often turn fatal. Could this event push the sentiment that follows events of this sort to action? Will Brazil, which says it's fighting against a culture of impunity as it modernizes and becomes a global player, take a new lead?

Citizens will await impatiently to see justice served. In the meantime, there are precuations that individuals can take on their own, as John Barylick, author of "Killer Show" about the Rhode Island fire, lays out helpfully here.

The advice includes:

? Be observant. Is the concert venue rundown or well-maintained? Does the staff look well-trained?

? As you proceed to your seat, observe how long the process takes. Could you reverse it in a hurry? Do you pass through pinch points? Is furniture in the way?

? Once seated, take note of the nearest exit. (In an emergency, most people try to exit by the door they entered, which is usually not the closest, and is always overcrowded.) Then, share the location of that nearest exit with your entire party. Agree that at the first sign of trouble, you will all proceed to it without delay.

? Once the show begins, remain vigilant. If you think there's a problem, LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. Do not stay to "get your money's worth" despite concerns about safety. Do not remain to locate that jacket or bag you placed somewhere. No concert is worth your life. Better to read about an incident the next day than be counted as one of its statistics.

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/could-brazils-nightclub-fire-spur-more-regional-accountability-145256874.html

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