New Greek observatory sheds light on old star

Feb. 27, 2013 ? Continuing a tradition stretching back more than 25 centuries, astronomers have used the new 2.3-m 'Aristarchos' telescope, sited at Helmos Observatory (2340m high) in the Pel?ponnese Mountains in Greece, to determine the distance to and history of an enigmatic stellar system, discovering it to likely be a binary star cocooned within an exotic nebula.

The researchers, Panos Boumis of the National Observatory of Athens and John Meaburn of the University of Manchester, publish the first scientific result from the telescope in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Stars of a similar mass to the Sun end their lives by ejecting much of their outer atmosphere into space, leaving behind a remnant core that eventually becomes a so called white dwarf. The shells of ejected material sometimes have the superficial appearance of planets so were named planetary nebulae. Astronomers can study the motion and appearance of the material in planetary nebulae to deduce how the remnant stars have changed over time.

In the 1950s the planetary nebula KjPn8 was discovered on Palomar Observatory Sky Survey plates. Follow up work in the 1990s by Mexican astronomers at the San Pedro Martir Observatory led to the discovery of giant lobes around the system, one quarter of a degree across, while in 2000 the central star was finally revealed by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Dr Boumis and Prof. Meaburn set out to study this system, installing a narrowband imaging camera on the Aristarchos telescope, the largest aperture instrument in south-eastern Europe, to measure the expansion more accurately.

By measuring the velocity and increasing size of the expanding material, the two scientists were able to deduce the distance to the system and date the history of the three ejected lobes. They found that KjPn8 is around 6000 light years away and that the material was thrown out in three phases 3200, 7200 and 50000 years ago.

The inner lobe of material is expanding at 334 km per second, suggesting it originates in an Intermediate Luminosity Optical Transient (ILOT) event. ILOTs are caused by the transfer of material from a massive star to its less massive companion, in turn creating jets that flow in different directions. Boumis and Meaburn believe that the core of KjPn8 is therefore a binary system, where every so often ILOT events lead to the ejection of material at high speed.

Dr Boumis is delighted to see the first results from the new telescope giving clues to the history of such an intriguing system. He comments: "Greece is one of the global birthplaces of astronomy, so it is fitting that research into the wider universe continues in the 21st century. With the new telescope we expect to contribute to that global effort for many years to come."

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Royal Astronomical Society (RAS).

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. P. Boumis, S. Akras, E. M. Xilouris, F. Mavromatakis, E. Kapakos, J. Papamastorakis, C. D. Goudis. New planetary nebulae in the Galactic bulge region with l > 0o- II. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2006; 367 (4): 1551 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.10048.x

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/space_time/astronomy/~3/eg9GNNpVhU8/130227085842.htm

2013 srt viper scott walker recall fisker atlantic social darwinism jamie lynn spears wisconsin recall election april 4

Michelle Malkin ? Donna Brazile wants to know why her health ...

**Written by Doug Powers

In what Twitchy has referred to as the funniest Tweet of the day, Donna Brazile, longtime Democratic political strategist, current vice chair of the DNC and big supporter of Obamacare, is puzzled:

Think hard, Donna. I?ll give you one hint:

File Brazile?s conundrum with these other Tweets from history:

@RealLyndonJohnson: ?Just got off the phone with the OEO and asked ?em to explain why I just saw some poor people. #NoGoodAnswer?

@BruceIsmayWSL: ?Hey @CapSmith, ship can?t sink and the tub didn?t overflow, so what?s the real reason for the water in my state room??

@RepAndyVolsteadMN: ?Just asked Attorney General why organized crime rate jumped. No good answer.?

**Written by Doug Powers

Twitter @ThePowersThatBe

~ For the latest breaking news, be sure to join Michelle's e-mail list ~

Source: http://michellemalkin.com/2013/02/27/donna-brazile-health-insurance-premium/

gunner kiel groundhog soulja boy punxsutawney phil ground hog groundhog day 2012 serrano

Can South Africa's justice system handle the Oscar Pistorius case? (+video)

The lead detective in the Oscar Pistorius murder case has been replaced. But can the South African police force recover from the mistakes made to date?

By Staff,?CSMonitor.com / February 21, 2013

Detective Hilton Botha sits inside the court witness box during the Oscar Pistorius bail hearing in Pretoria, South Africa. Botha is off the case, and now faces attempted murder charges himself over a 2011 shooting, police said Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013,

AP Photo/Themba Hadebe

Enlarge

The lead investigator in the Oscar Pistorius murder case has been replaced. Why? Detective Hilton Botha himself now faces charges of attempted murder.

Skip to next paragraph

Recent posts

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_adtest = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

Subscribe Today to the Monitor

Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of
The Christian Science Monitor
Weekly Digital Edition

Hilton Botha, the lead investigator in the Oscar Pistorius case was replaced Thursday. Botha faces attempted murder charges.

Yes, the detective investigating the murder of Reeve Steenkamp had attempted murder charges reinstated on Feb. 4 ? some 10 days before the Pistorius case. Botha and two other police officers face seven counts of attempted murder in a 2011 shooting incident. The drunk policemen allegedly fired at a minibus they were trying to stop.

In an attempt to rebound from this setback, South Africa's National Police Commission Riah Phiyega said Thursday that a team of "highly skilled and experienced' detectives will now take over the investigation. South African Olympic runner Pistorius faces a premeditated murder charge for the killing of his girlfriend Reeva SteenKamp.

But this sudden removal of Botha, in addition to his testimony during three days of bail hearings, is raising questions not only about the quality of the prosecution's case but the effectiveness of South Africa's judicial system.

During Thursday's bail hearing, Pistorius's defense attorney Barry Roux cast doubt on the version of events given by Botha on previous days.? Prosecutors claimed Steenkamp had fled to the bathroom after a fight, fearing an enraged Pistorius. But Pistorius's version of events was that she had gone to the bathroom to relieve herself, and he didn't know it was her behind the door when he fired the gun four times. He thought she was an intruder.

On Thursday, Botha conceded that the angle of the shots was consistent with Pistorius's version of events.

As The Guardian live blog on the case reported:

"Defence lawyer Barry Roux said that Steenkamp?s bladder was empty when she died, indicating she had indeed got up to use the toilet. Usually at 3am you would not find an empty bladder, Roux said. Roux said Steenkamp?s autopsy showed no sign of defensive wounds or an assault. Botha said that was correct. Roux said that Steenkamp might have locked the toilet door to protect herself when she heard Pistorius shouting that there was a burglar. And he said that Botha could not say for sure that the shots were fired from 1.5m away and at the angle he described ? and Botha admitted he couldn?t be sure about that. Roux also criticised Botha?s handling of the crime scene, saying the police had failed to find a bullet cartridge and that Botha had walked in to the house without protective feet covers on, contaminating the scene."

And there were other mistakes that came to light on Wednesday, as The Christian Science Monitor reported, "Police ... left a 9 mm slug from the barrage that killed Reeva Steenkamp inside a toilet and lost track of illegal ammunition found inside the house."

"Unfortunately there are too many instances of poor police work," Gerhard Kemp, a professor of criminal law at the University of Stellenbosch, told Reuters. "It's absolutely not CSI. It's a totally different world."

On Thursday, Desmond Nair, the magistrate in charge of the bail hearing, also raised questions about the competence of Botha's work, asking why the police hadn't acquired Steenkamp's phone records yet.

"Do you agree that [if] the deceased received SMSs or Phonecalls at 3 a.m., would it change the position of case?" the judge asked.

Pistorius's attroney, Roux pressed his advantage Thursday. "The poor quality of the evidence offered by investigative officer Botha exposed the disastrous shortcomings of the state's case," Roux said. "We cannot sit back and take comfort that he [Botha] is telling the truth."

Asked about Botha's court performance and handling of the investigation, National Police Commission Phiyega said South Africa's police force "can stand on its own" compared to others around the world, according to The Associated Press.

And Reuters reports:

With huge international media interest in the case against a global celebrity, many South Africans feel that apparent initial slip-ups by the police are hurting the country's image.

"Bring someone from outside to sort out this mess," said businessman Godfrey Baloyi. "The whole justice system needs an overhaul."

The bail hearing in Pretoria is scheduled to continue on Friday.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/P76Hp9gzA4s/Can-South-Africa-s-justice-system-handle-the-Oscar-Pistorius-case-video

Meteor Shower August 2012 jessie j jessie j David Boudia David Rakoff Bourne Legacy Chad Johnson

Vt. lye victim gets new face at Boston hospital

Dr. Bodhan Pomahac, at podium, with his surgical team, speaks to reporters regarding the face transplant of Carmen Blandin Tarleton, pictured left, at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Tarleton underwent the surgery earlier this month. The 44-year-old Tarleton,of Thetford, Vt., was attacked by her former husband in 2007. He doused her with industrial strength lye. She suffered chemical burns over 80 percent of her body. The mother of two wrote a book about her experience that describes her recovery.(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Dr. Bodhan Pomahac, at podium, with his surgical team, speaks to reporters regarding the face transplant of Carmen Blandin Tarleton, pictured left, at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Tarleton underwent the surgery earlier this month. The 44-year-old Tarleton,of Thetford, Vt., was attacked by her former husband in 2007. He doused her with industrial strength lye. She suffered chemical burns over 80 percent of her body. The mother of two wrote a book about her experience that describes her recovery.(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

FILE - In this Aug. 20, 2008 file photo, Carmen Tarleton is interviewed in her home in Thetford, Vt. Tarleton, the Vermont woman whose face was disfigured in a lye attack received a face transplant. Doctors at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital say 44-year-old Tarleton underwent the surgery earlier in February, 2013. A team worked 15 hours to transplant the facial skin, including the neck, nose, lips, facial muscles, arteries and nerves. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File)

This undated photograph provided by the Brigham and Women's Hospital on Wednesday Feb. 27, 2013 shows face transplant patient Carmen Blandin Tarleton, right, with her sister Kesstan Blandin, before she was attacked. Tarleton, 44, underwent the face transplant surgery earlier in February 2013. She was doused with industrial strength lye by her former husband in 2007 and suffered chemical burns over 80 percent of her body. The mother of two wrote a book about her experience that describes her recovery. (AP Photo/Brigham and Women's Hospital)

This July 2011 handout photograph provided Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013 by the Brigham and Women's Hospital shows face transplant patient Carmen Blandin Tarleton, of Thetford, Vt., before her surgery, at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Tarleton underwent the face transplant surgery earlier in February. The 44-year-old Tarleton,of Thetford, Vt., was attacked by her former husband in 2007. He doused her with industrial strength lye. She suffered chemical burns over 80 percent of her body. The mother of two wrote a book about her experience that describes her recovery. (AP Photo/Brigham and Women's Hospital)

Doctors applaud after Kesstan Blandin, sister of face transplant patient Carmen Blandin Tarleton, read a statement from her sister at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Tarleton underwent the surgery earlier this month. The 44-year-old Tarleton, was attacked by her former husband in 2007. He doused her with industrial strength lye. She suffered chemical burns over 80 percent of her body. The mother of two wrote a book about her experience that describes her recovery.(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

BOSTON (AP) ? The 2007 chemical attack left the Vermont nurse unrecognizable to anyone who knew her.

But now Carmen Blandin Tarleton's face has changed again following a facial transplant this month.

Doctors at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston said Wednesday that the 44-year-old's surgery included transplanting a female donor's facial skin to Tarleton's neck, nose and lips, along with facial muscles, arteries and nerves.

"I know how truly blessed I am, and will have such a nice reflection in the mirror to remind myself what selfless really is," Tarleton wrote on her blog Wednesday.

The Thetford, Vt., woman suffered burns on more than 80 percent of her body and was blinded after her estranged husband attacked her with a baseball bat and doused her with lye in 2007.

Tarleton, who once worked as a transplant nurse, has undergone more than 50 surgeries since the attack, including work to restore some of her vision.

The latest surgery took 15 hours and included a team of more than 30 medical professionals. The lead surgeon, Bohdan Pomahac, called her injuries among the worst he's seen in his career.

"Carmen is a fighter," the doctor said Wednesday. "And fight she did."

Pomahac's team has performed five facial transplants at the hospital. He said the patient is recovering very well and is in great spirits as she works to get stronger.

He said she was very pleased when she saw her face for the first time, and that her appearance will not match that of the late donor's face.

"I think she looks amazing, but I'm biased," he said with a smile.

The donor's family wants to remain anonymous, but released a statement through a regional donor bank saying that her spirit would live on through Tarleton and three other organ recipients.

The estranged husband, Herbert Rodgers, pleaded guilty in 2009 in exchange for a prison sentence of at least 30 years.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2013-02-27-Lye%20Attack-Face%20Transplant/id-e0fb44bf9c5049b0a797a8dd23609fe5

rihanna thug life tattoo arizona governor patrick witt leprosy tampa bay buccaneers birdman whip it

Ohio court hearing arguments in school Bible case

FILE - In this April 16, 2008 file photo, John Freshwater, center, addresses a crowd on Mount Vernon's public square in Mount Vernon, Ohio. The Ohio Supreme Court is ready to hear arguments in the case of Freshwater, a fired public school science teacher who kept a bible on his desk and was accused of preaching religious beliefs in class. (AP Photo/Mount Vernon News, Pam Schehl, File)

FILE - In this April 16, 2008 file photo, John Freshwater, center, addresses a crowd on Mount Vernon's public square in Mount Vernon, Ohio. The Ohio Supreme Court is ready to hear arguments in the case of Freshwater, a fired public school science teacher who kept a bible on his desk and was accused of preaching religious beliefs in class. (AP Photo/Mount Vernon News, Pam Schehl, File)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) ? Attorneys for a fired public school science teacher who kept a Bible on his desk plan to argue before the Ohio Supreme Court that the teacher's dismissal was unconstitutional.

The Mount Vernon School Board dismissed John Freshwater in 2011 after investigators reported he preached Christian beliefs in class when discussing topics such as evolution and homosexuality and was insubordinate in failing to remove the Bible from his classroom.

Freshwater also was accused of using a science tool to burn students' arms with the image of a cross, but that allegation was resolved and was not a factor in his firing.

Two lower courts previously upheld Freshwater's dismissal, but the state Supreme Court agreed to hear a portion of his claims over his firing. The hearing was to be held Wednesday.

The court said Freshwater can argue it is unconstitutional to fire someone without clear guidance on what teaching materials or methods are acceptable. Freshwater also can argue it is unconstitutional to fire someone over the mere presence of a religious text such as the Bible in a classroom.

As an eighth-grade science teacher, Freshwater tried to encourage his students to examine facts and theories and hypotheses and then question them and differentiate between them, his attorney said in a court filing last year.

A voluntary discussion of creationism or "intelligent design" as part of the mandatory discussion of evolution is unquestionably part of a secular education program, attorney Kelly Hamilton wrote.

"Freshwater did not engage in religious proselytization ? he discussed a scientific theory that happens to be consistent with the teachings of multiple major world religions," Hamilton wrote.

The board's actions, he concluded, were nothing less "than the censorship of ideas."

Freshwater is getting legal backing from the Charlottesville, Va.-based Rutherford Institute, a civil liberties group.

Attorneys for the school board countered that Freshwater had long tried to push religion in the classroom.

As far back as 1994, a middle school principal told Freshwater to stop distributing an "Answers in Genesis" pamphlet with information about a creationist organization's upcoming seminar, according to a filing by board attorneys asking the court to uphold Freshwater's firing.

Freshwater also used a handout titled "Survival of the Fakest," to teach his students to doubt science, the board's attorneys said.

"Whenever Freshwater was told by a superior to cease using an inappropriate handout in class, he would simply find another one to use," the board's attorneys said in a filing last fall.

Science education and humanist and secular groups have joined the side of the school board.

The board once concluded Freshwater had used a high-frequency generator, which other teachers have used to demonstrate electrical current, to burn a cross onto a student's arm. The cross lasted a few weeks.

The student's family settled a federal lawsuit against the district in an effort to move on.

___

Andrew Welsh-Huggins can be reached at http://twitter.com/awhcolumbus

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-02-27-US-Teacher-Bible/id-003a20033ae94fa38c63de8f0f4b7842

angela corey zimmerman charged bonobos charles manson al sharpton actuary elon musk

Kate Gosselin & Kendra Trading Lives? Seems Pretty Uneven!

When celebrities sign on to do Wife Swap, they know they'll paired with someone who's their complete opposite. Still, we're guessing that ex-Playboy Playmate Kendra Wilkinson had a minor heart attack when she discovered she'd be swapping families with Kate Gosselin: a single mother of eight. Considering that Wilkinson is a married mother of one, we'd say it was a pretty uneven trade!

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/kate-gosselin-kendra-wilkinson-wife-swap-seems-uneven/1-a-524141?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Akate-gosselin-kendra-wilkinson-wife-swap-seems-uneven-524141

nba playoffs rosario dawson young jeezy world wildlife fund gsa keith olbermann andrew bynum

Telit expands Qualcomm-based portfolio with LTE Concept product ...

Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, Spain. February 25, 2013 ? Telit Wireless Solutions today announced the expansion of its long-standing relationship with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. At the same time it is expanding its mobile computing offerings with Intel?

The collaboration with Qualcomm is marked by the introduction of a 4G LTE product and the development of variants for the company?s top selling 3G modules in the xE910 product family.

The complete portfolio allows the global vendor of machine-to-machine (M2M) modules and value-added services, to offer form factor-compatible Qualcomm Technologies-based solutions for CDMA, UMTS and LTE radio technologies to address the communications needs of M2M and Internet of Everything (IoE) application developers.

The LE910, based on Qualcomm Technologies? GobiTM MDM9215, will be Telit?s first LTE module delivered in the xE910 product family, and the company?s second LTE offering, following the LE920 LTE automotive-grade module announced last year, also based on the MDM9215.

In January 2013, Telit introduced two new xE910 modules?the HSDPA UE910 V2 based on Qualcomm Technologies? QSC6270-Turbo chipset and HSPA+ HE910 V2 based on Qualcomm Technologies? MDM6200 chipset?to address the growing demand for 3G solutions. Variants of both products with support for Oracle Java ME Embedded 3.2 are being planned. With the LE910, the xE910 product family is now poised to address not only the 2G to 3G migration, but also the growing set of opportunities and applications that require LTE.

The Qualcomm Technologies? chipsets have enabled Telit to build the xE910 family to provide interchangeability between 3GPP2?CDMA (1xRTT, EV-DO) and 3GPP?UMTS (HSDPA, HSPA+) and LTE variants, making the adaptation of customer applications to regional technical requirements quick and easy while minimizing time to market and total cost of ownership.

Visitors to the Telit booth at Mobile World Congress (Hall 5, G70) can glean the breadth of the product portfolio at the ?Qualcomm Technologies Corner?, including existing and prototype products and their respective chipsets. Included in the display will be the LE910 product concept and a number of commercially available and prototype modules for the automotive industry.

?The increased scope of our relationship with Qualcomm comes at an exciting time, when we are seeing strong demand from the M2M market for our products and solutions,? said Oozi Cats, CEO of Telit. ?By expanding our portfolio with products such as the LE910 module we can address the 3G and 4G market which were previously beyond our reach.?

?We are pleased to work with Telit to bring 4G LTE to the CDMA, HSPA and HSPA+ platforms based on certain Qualcomm Technologies? chipsets,? said Nakul Duggal, vice president of product management, new markets, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. ?Qualcomm Technologies has an extensive 3G and 4G LTE chipset portfolio, helping Telit deliver solutions in various product tiers to address the myriad of technical and regional needs of M2M and IoE developers.?

Telit has been a one-stop-shop for the M2M community for more than a decade, leveraging a broad portfolio of hardware in cellular, short range and positioning technologies, artfully complemented by services and connectivity from m2mAIR. By applying products and services in synergizing bundles, delivered with global support and logistics matching each individual need or want, Telit aims to help eliminate technical risk, shortening time to market to the Internet of Everything.

Telit to expand its mobile computing offerings through collaboration with Intel?

Telit has also used Mobile World Congress to announce the introduction of a family of new data cards in the new M.2, Next Generation Form Factor (NGFF). The data cards augment the company?s mobile computing product line currently comprised of mPCIe modules in HSPA+ and 1xEvDO cellular technologies. The new data cards are to be based on Intel?s designs for LTE/DC-HSPA+ and HSPA+. They target not only new always-connected consumer and leading edge adopter applications such as Ultrabook?, laptops, tablets, but also commercial and industrial devices, as the current favored mPCIe form factor gets gradually replaced by M.2.

Telit has since 2002, applied Intel chipsets in many of its M2M modules but starting in September 2012 the two companies agreed to design and market data card products, to keep pace with growing global demand for mobile broadband solutions. Telit?s new M.2 lineup will include LN930 and HN930 product families conceived to address both global, regional, and speed requirements from cutting edge LTE/DC-HSPA+ and HSPA+ applications in mobile computing and gadgets. The Intel-based LTE products are set to deliver speeds up to 100 Mbps down and 50 Mbps up; Dual Carrier HSPA+ 42 Mbps down and 11.5 Mbps up; and HSPA+ 21 Mbps down and 5.76 Mbps up.

The sub-compact and ultra slim 30x42mm M.2 data cards include global satellite (and assisted) positioning technology and certified drivers for Windows?7 & 8. They also feature the industry?s new Firmware Switching standard enabling the host Operating System and drivers to switch the card?s firmware to the latest and specific cellular network approved revision, thus overcoming a long-standing complexity hurdle in provisioning cellular connectivity devices in non-operator branded consumer products. The switching is triggered by the simple insertion of the consumer or operator supplied SIM card into the PC?s SIM card slot.

The new data cards interface to the host computer or gadget through a USB 3.0 connection supporting selective suspend (SS) and link power management (LPM). The SS feature allows the device driver to turn off (standby) the data card when it goes idle. When the card is again active or required, the system wakes it and resumes normal operation. Both SS and LPM are critical for latest generation battery powered consumer devices such as the Ultrabook?, conceived to ensure the user can reap several hours of use before a battery recharge is needed. The data cards employ these and other power-saving standards and policies to enhance the user experience of the host device.

Telit?s industrialisation plans call for start of samples programme in Q2 and commercial availability in Q3 2013. To accelerate time to market for the PC OEMS, Intel has validated M.2 cards for use with the Intel Tablet and Ultrabook? reference designs.

?Intel is pleased to be working with Telit to bring to market highly competitive modules offering worldwide coverage, high performance, and an optimised user experience,? said Horst Pratsch, head of Product Line Modules & M2M at Intel Corporation. ?Telit 3G and 4G M.2 modules take advantage of Intel?s experience in ramping cellular technology globally in industry leading smartphone devices, along with integration, validation, and optimisation in Intel computing platforms.?

?Until recently, a large cellular infrastructure equipment vendor held a 50% market share in the data card market used in mobile computing, primarily with the mPCIe format. However, this supplier has exited the market representing a potentially disruptive development in the supply chain,? said Oozi Cats, Telit?s CEO. ?Telit is perfectly positioned to step in to fill the gap given the high confidence level we enjoy with our customers, particularly OEMs with respect to long-term, high-volume supply as well as our strong global and local support structure.?

Ten years on, leveraging the industry?s broadest portfolio of hardware in cellular, short range and positioning technologies, is complemented by services and connectivity from m2mAIR. By applying products and services in bundles, delivered with global support and logistics matching each individual need or want, Telit intends to eliminate technical risk, thereby shortening time-to-market (TTM) to the Internet of Things, whichever industry or segment you come from.

Source: http://www.m2mnow.biz/2013/02/25/10287-telit-expands-qualcomm-based-portfolio-with-lte-concept-product-and-builds-intel-collaboration/

ricky martin chauncey billups caucus results exton ricky williams kurt warner kurt warner

Artin Afsharjavan A Reputed Computer Scientist - ArticlesWide.com

The world is full of profiled people who claim to be the celebrities. But, it is very rare to find the actual personality which deserves to be the real celebrity & an ideal example for rest of the people all over the world. Artin Afsharjavan is one of such people who has build their own path, even if, the circumstances has imposed many restrictions & difficulties.

The earlier life of Artin Afsharjavan was spent in poor conditions. He lived with his parents in Texas. His father owned the farm house which was the sole means of living for them. However, the interest of Artin in formal studies and his research & development oriented attitude made his parent to realize his potential. He joined the local school for formal studies. After the high school, he was sent to California where he attained the gradation degree in reputed California University. In addition of being the topper in studies, he has been in the top ranks of any competition. Artin has earned a reputed position for his university in international programming championship.

The gradation was not the last stop for Artin Afsharjavan. His thirst for knowledge has molded his career towards the masters degree in management from the same university. The combination of research orientated attitude & management skills has made business as the main passion of Artin. After working in the reputed software companies in California, Artin has come up with innovative business strategies.

Today, Artin Afsharjavan owns a private LLC which supplies the avant-garde IT solutions throughout the world. He has, recently, worked on the development of communication channels for the transportation truck systems which is capable of providing all the information to the driver including the net profit on every load & round. Artins research on AI logics assembly has opened new gates of opportunity for his future. He has recently signed up the deal with software companies to supply the completed project till 2020.

In personal life, Artin Afsharjavan is very simple & decent being. He likes to play baseball. However, his passion is to enjoy the motocross in the free time, if he gets. Although, he is not pro, his stunts are highly stunning & amazing. According to Artin, motocross provides him the zeal to progress & do something new in his professional life. This is the only linking between his pro & personal life. Otherwise, he has never been seen mixing both the aspects of his life.

His passion for motocross does not means that he do not like indoor gaming. He is fond of computer games. His main priority is to play chess with his computer. Interestingly, the program which he uses for chess algorithms is designed by him. Sometimes, he enjoys going out & listen music, but thats very rare because of scarcity of time. Most of the time of Artin Afsharjavan goes in designing the new algorithms for his programs which is an indication of his hard working attitude. In short, he has very effective & amazing personality & attitude that mesmerize anyone who meets him.

Artin Afsharjavan A Reputed Computer Scientist

Source: http://www.articleswide.com/article/17855-Artin_Afsharjavan_A_Reputed_Computer_Scientist.html

katt williams greg mcelroy new york post bob costas bowl projections Jovan Belcher Charlie Batch

Rihanna, Chris Brown Inspired 'SVU'? You Be The Judge With Exclusive Preview!

MTV News has an exclusive first look at Wednesday's episode, which is rumored to be based on Brown's 2009 assault of Rihanna.
By Jocelyn Vena

Tiffany Robinson on "Law and Order: SVU"
Photo: NBC

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1702565/law-and-order-svu-rihanna-chris-brown-exclusive.jhtml

aurora borealis gcb mary j blige dionne warwick patricia heaton arsenic and old lace leslie

Agent99 PR appointed to two Hunter Valley Wine organisations ...

PR company Agent99 Public Relations has been appointed to two Hunter Valley-based organisations. The agency will look after campaigns for both the Hunter Valley Wine Country Tourism and the Hunter Valley Wine Industry Association.

The announcement:

Agent99 Public Relations has secured a double win as it takes on two of the biggest power players in the Hunter Valley region. The boutique PR agency continues to carve out its position of Australia?s leading specialist for the Hunter Valley Region as it adds new campaigns for Hunter Valley Wine Country Tourism (HVWCT) and Hunter Valley Wine Industry Association (HVWIA) to its growing portfolio.

Agent99 will roll out an all-inclusive creative campaign for HVWCT in a strategic effort to build on the change in perception of the iconic region. The campaign will see the agency deliver media relations initiatives with the objective of promoting a little known experience and creating a fresh outlook on brand advocacy for the Hunter Valley.

The campaign is set to embrace social media, highlighting the Hunter Valley?s thriving culture and the reasons why it?s attracting a younger food and wine loving demographic.

Agency Director Sharon Zeev Poole says, ?We can?t wait to host media in the region to uncover some of the Hunter Valleys best kept secrets. Our primary objective is to showcase how breathtaking, accessible and entertaining the oldest winemaking region in Australia truly is. Nothing can do this as effectively as firsthand experience.?

Agent99 PR will also work closely with HVWIA in promoting Wine & Food month this coming June. The agency will undertake a strategic combination of short and long lead campaigns along with a media famil that will provide journalists an exclusive preview into what is expected at this year?s iconic event. This marks the sixth year that Agent99 PR has been contracted to promote the events on behalf of the organisation.

The agency has positioned itself as an authority in the public relations space of the Hunter Valley and maintains an impressive portfolio of some of the regions key players, from Bimbadgen Winery to Hunter Valley Chefs & Co., Margan Restaurant, and Hunter Valley Gardens.

Sharon Zeev Poole says, ?We?re thrilled to be given the opportunity to once again demonstrate our experience, knowledge and close relationship with the region as our Hunter Valley portfolio grows.?

Source: Agent 99 Press release

February 26th, 2013 at 10:15 am

Source: http://mumbrella.com.au/agent99-pr-appointed-to-two-hunter-valley-wine-organisations-141933

american idol bonnaroo robin roberts school closings Ashley Morrison El Chapo Guzman ufc

Census Bureau drops use of segregation-era term

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-stopping-term-negro-census-surveys-164013710--politics.html

westminster dog show 2012 words with friends words with friends phlebotomy dog show best in show bret michaels

Former Vice President Dick Cheney and Liz Cheney to jointly deliver Keynote Dinner Address for 5th Annual Steamboat Institute Freedom Conference -- August 23, 2013

By PR Newswire

Article Rating:

February 23, 2013 08:01 AM EST

Reads:

153

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo., Feb. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Former Vice President Dick Cheney and Liz Cheney will jointly deliver the keynote dinner address of the?5^th Annual Steamboat Institute Freedom Conference on Friday, August 23, 2013.

"We're incredibly honored to have both Vice President Cheney and Liz Cheney address The Steamboat Institute.? Vice President Cheney has been an eyewitness to history at the highest levels, and we are grateful for his leadership and courage during the difficult years following the 9/11 attacks.? With Liz Cheney's experience in the State Department and her unique perspective on her father's career, our guests will be treated to an unforgettable evening," said Jennifer Schubert-Akin, Steamboat Institute chairman and founding board member.

Other speakers for the 2-day event will be announced in the coming weeks and months.

The Steamboat Institute Board of Directors includes Chairman?Jennifer Schubert-Akin, Vice Chairman?Rick Akin,?Anne Lowe,?Gary Hofmeister,?Cheri Carsten, Charlie MacArthur ,?Kelly Victory, M.D. and Kirsten Fedewa (Ex-Officio).

"We're extremely proud that The Steamboat Institute continues to attract some of the greatest conservative leaders of our generation. We are looking forward to a robust exchange of ideas at our summer conference, August 23-24th, in the beautiful ski resort community of Steamboat Springs, Colorado," said Schubert-Akin.

For more information and to register for the 2013 Steamboat Institute Conference, please visit:?www.steamboatinstitute.org. ?Sponsorship opportunities are also available.

SOURCE The Steamboat Institute

Source: http://www.sys-con.com/node/2551331

mark jenkins super bowl commercials 2012 mia amar e stoudemire m.i.a. adrianne curry hoekstra

Week In Sports: The NFL Begins Hunt For New Talent

By editor

Originally published on Sat February 23, 2013 4:03 am

The NFL scouting combine began this week, and in the spirit of evaluation, Weekend Edition guest host Don Gonyea takes an abbreviated Wunderlic test. Plus, NPR sports correspondent Tom Goldman chats with the infamous Pete Rose about being erased from this year's set of baseball cards.

Source: http://kuow.org/post/week-sports-nfl-begins-hunt-new-talent

enquirer national inquirer knicks vs heat kate walsh cnn debate equatorial guinea marine helicopter crash

Flu Season Amplifies Calls for Paid Sick Leave (WSJ)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/286775172?client_source=feed&format=rss

portland weather clintonville battlestar galactica blood and chrome my morning jacket roger goodell psychosis dianna agron

GM pledges $7.3 billion investment in South Korea unit

SEOUL (Reuters) - General Motors Co said it would invest $7.3 billion in its South Korean unit over the next five years -- an amount which will likely help relieve concerns that the U.S. automaker was set to reduce its presence in the country.

Fears of output cuts and layoffs had grown after GM said it was interested in gaining full control of GM Korea by buying a 17 percent stake from the unit's second-biggest shareholder, a move that was seen as possibly paving the way for restructuring steps.

Those worries intensified after GM Korea said late last year it would not build its next-generation Chevrolet Cruze small car in South Korea.

But GM said its 8 trillion won investment in improving manufacturing and engineering capabilities underscores South Korea's importance as a key production and development base, even if the domestic market is relatively small.

"GM Korea will continue to play a major role in our global growth plans," Tim Lee, head of international operations at GM, said in a statement.

GM Korea, which has five manufacturing facilities in South Korea, said it will produce six upgraded versions of GM models currently built, including global mini, small and midsize cars. It reiterated it will build GM's first global full battery electric vehicle.

South Korea exports Chevrolet-branded cars to Europe and other regions and accounts for about a quarter of GM's Chevy production globally. It also has design and engineering centers in South Korea, which have developed the Spark and Aveo mini cars and the Trax sport utility vehicle.

GM Korea reiterated a plan to double the size of its design center at its headquarters in Incheon by the end of this year, making it GM's third biggest after the United States and Brazil.

GM, which is the No.3 automaker in South Korea after Hyundai Motor Co and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp , aims to nearly double its South Korean market share to 20 percent for the mid- and long-term.

(Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gm-pledges-7-3-billion-investment-south-korea-042659594--finance.html

no child left behind no child left behind neurofibromatosis steve jobs fbi file suge knight obama birth control mortgage settlement

Iran announces uranium finds, days before nuclear talks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FROM MINE TO CENTRIFUGE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

whitney houston found dead i will always love you whitney houston 2012 grammy awards powerball results pebble beach golf beverly hilton roland martin

Lew willing to push China on yuan exchange rate

Jack Lew, US President Barack Obama?s nominee for secretary of the Treasury, said he would press China to adopt a ?market-determined? exchange rate.

Lew, in written answers to questions from members of the Senate Finance Committee obtained yesterday by Bloomberg News, said if he is confirmed, ?addressing China?s exchange rate would be a top priority.?

He also said, in response to questions from Republican Senator Orrin Hatch, that he would push China to ?level the playing field for our workers and firms, and support a sustained shift to domestic consumption-led growth in China.?

Lew cited ?progress? in China, including a 15 percent gain in the yuan against the dollar in real terms since June 2010 and a decline in the current-account surplus from a peak of more than 10 percent of GDP to less than 3 percent.

Still, he said, ?more progress is needed.?

Lew, Obama?s former chief of staff and former director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, was questioned by the committee at a confirmation hearing on Feb. 13. He will replace Timothy Geithner if confirmed.

Source: http://libertytimes.feedsportal.com/c/33098/f/535603/s/28d0a951/l/0L0Staipeitimes0N0CNews0Cbiz0Carchives0C20A130C0A20C220C20A0A3555379/story01.htm

tony stewart kurt busch kurt busch nba dunk contest 2012 act of valor woody guthrie benson henderson

Nepalis Adapt to Changing Climate

A new survey aims to reveal how people living at the "third pole" are changing in response to global warming

By Kieran Cooke and DailyClimate.org

A view from the Monkey Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal. Image: Flickr/nodogplease

KATHMANDU ? Environmental resource conflict ? or the potential for it ? is never far away in the Himalayas.

In the west of the region, arguments between Pakistan and India over vital water resources in areas bordering the two countries continue. In the east tensions are rising as India expresses concerns about a spate of planned dam-building projects by China on rivers flowing into Indian territory, particularly on the mighty Brahmaputra. Meanwhile Nepal and the north Indian state of Bihar accuse each other of mismanaging water resources that straddle the border.

Regional cooperation is limited and, in many areas, non-existent. In some countries data on vital environmental factors, such as river flows and management, falls into the category of national security and is closely guarded.

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, founded in the early 1980s and based in Kathmandu, Nepal's capital, is the only intergovernmental body gathering cross-border environmental information and monitoring climate change across a region stretching from the mountains of the Hindu Kush and Afghanistan in the west to Yunnan in southwest China in the east.

It's an area described as a climate "hot spot," with temperatures in many parts rising faster than the global average.

In an ambitious project, the center has been gathering information on communities' attitudes and responses to climate change and socio-economic factors affecting their livelihoods. More than 6,000 households ? mainly in mountain areas ? have responded to a detailed questionnaire.

Results are still being analyzed and documented, says Valdemar Holmgren, a climate change adaptation specialist at the center. "But early indications from one area in Nepal clearly show people are fully aware of changes in climate patterns."

The survey indicates that more than 80 percent of households in the Koshi River basin in the east of Nepal notice a change in temperature, while about 90 percent note changes in rainfall.

"Seasonality is not the same as it used to be", says Holmgren. "In many areas farmers are changing crops in order to adapt to changing climate conditions. But for many it is very hard."

Often, say specialists, climate is not the sole reason or the driving factor in people altering their way of life.

"In many mountain communities climate change might not be, at present, the central problem," says Holmgren. "Outward migration of the men in search of work is a big issue, with women left to do the work and manage the family finances. Changes in climate become an additional pressure on communities struggling to cope."

"The climate is increasingly erratic. In between days of rainfall there are long, dry periods."

Exactly how much climate change is occurring in the Himalayan region is a matter of considerable debate. The gathering of data across such a vast and inaccessible region is a complex business, made more difficult by regional suspicions and rivalries.

A recent report by the United Nations Environment Programme said that between 1982 and 2006, the average annual mean temperature in the region increased by 1.5?C, with an average increase of 0.06?C per year although, said the report, "the rate of warming varies across seasons and ecoregions."

Dhrupad Choudhury, program manager at the Integrated Mountain Development Center, says that within Nepal change is evident, though it manifests itself differently in various parts of the country.

Communities clearly see a reduction in the duration of rainfall. The monsoon is arriving later in the west of the country, while in the east it is completing earlier.? This means that in some areas crops wilt and production falls.

"The climate is increasingly erratic," Choudhury said. "In between days of rainfall there are long, dry periods ? overall the perception is that production has gone down across the region."

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=45f1e88c367fe6ca0b91229486b4c2f0

pauly d project adrienne rich autism cesar chavez day raspberry ketone ron burgundy millennial media

Indian police search for evidence in bomb attack

Relatives and neighbors mourn by the body of Swapna Reddy, killed in Thursday?s explosion, at their house in Hyderabad, India, Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. A day after two bicycle bombs killed more than a dozen people and wounded more than 100, investigators into India's worst bombing in more than a year searched Friday for possible links to anger over the execution of a Muslim militant. (AP Photo/ Mahesh Kumar A.)

Relatives and neighbors mourn by the body of Swapna Reddy, killed in Thursday?s explosion, at their house in Hyderabad, India, Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. A day after two bicycle bombs killed more than a dozen people and wounded more than 100, investigators into India's worst bombing in more than a year searched Friday for possible links to anger over the execution of a Muslim militant. (AP Photo/ Mahesh Kumar A.)

Flowers are placed in memory of those killed, at one of the two bomb blast sites, in Hyderabad, India, Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. A day after two bicycle bombs killed more than a dozen people and wounded more than 100, investigators into India's worst bombing in more than a year searched Friday for possible links to anger over the execution of a Muslim militant. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

An official of India's National Investigation Agency looks for evidence in the debris at one of the two bomb blast sites, in Hyderabad, India, Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. A day after two bicycle bombs killed more than a dozen people and wounded more than 100, investigators into India's worst bombing in more than a year searched Friday for possible links to anger over the execution of a Muslim militant. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Relatives and neighbors mourn by the body of Swapna Reddy, killed in Thursday?s explosion, at their house in Hyderabad, India, Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. A day after two bicycle bombs killed more than a dozen people and wounded more than 100, investigators into India's worst bombing in more than a year searched Friday for possible links to anger over the execution of a Muslim militant. (AP Photo/ Mahesh Kumar A.)

Relatives and others carry the coffin of Aijaz Ahmed, killed in Thursday?s explosion, during his funeral in Hyderabad, India, Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. Indian police are investigating whether a shadowy Islamic militant group was responsible for a dual bomb attack that killed over a dozen people outside a movie theater and a bus station in the southern city of Hyderabad, a police official said Friday. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

HYDERABAD, India (AP) ? Indian police are investigating whether a shadowy Islamic militant group was responsible for a dual bomb attack that killed 16 people outside a movie theater and a bus station in the southern city of Hyderabad, a police official said Friday.

The group, the Indian Mujahideen, is thought to have links with militants in neighboring Pakistan. India's recent execution of an Islamic militant is being examined as a possible motive for the bombings, said the official, an investigator who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to reveal details of the probe.

Police have not detained anyone in connection with Thursday evening's attacks, the first major terror bombings in India since 2011.

According to a New Delhi police report, two suspected Indian Mujahideen militants who were arrested last year said during questioning that they had done reconnaissance of Dilsukh Nagar, the Hyderabad district where the blasts occurred. They had also visited various spots in New Delhi, Mumbai and Pune.

In a statement in India's Parliament, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said that in response to the "cowardly terror attack," the government will "make all efforts to apprehend the perpetrators and masterminds behind the blast and ensure that they are punished as per the law."

Earlier Friday, as he toured the site of the bombings, Shinde said there had been a general alert about the possibility of an attack somewhere in India for the past three days. "But there was no specific intelligence about a particular place," he said.

The bombs were attached to two bicycles about 150 meters (500 feet) apart in Hyderabad's Dilsukh Nagar district, Shinde said. He said in addition to the 16 dead, 117 others were injured.

The bombs exploded minutes apart in a crowded shopping area. The blasts shattered storefronts, scattered food and plates from roadside restaurants and left tangles of dead bodies. Passersby rushed the wounded to hospitals.

Top state police officer V. Dinesh Reddy said improvised explosive devices with nitrogen compound were used in the blasts, which he blamed on a "terrorist network."

Pakistan strongly condemned the blasts.

"Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. All acts of terrorism are unjustifiable regardless of their motivation," the Pakistan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

On Friday morning, Indian police with cameras, gloves and plastic evidence bags used pointers to gingerly look through the debris in Hyderabad. Officials from the National Investigation Agency and commandos of the National Security Guards arrived from New Delhi to help with the investigation.

India has been under a heightened state of alert for nearly two weeks since Kashmiri militant Mohammed Afzal Guru was hanged for his involvement in a 2001 attack on India's Parliament that killed 14 people, including five of the gunmen.

Since the execution, near-daily protests have rocked Indian-ruled Kashmir, where many people believe Guru did not receive a fair trial. Anger in a region where anti-India sentiment runs deep was further fueled by the secrecy with which the execution was carried out.

Hyderabad, a city of 10 million in the state of Andhra Pradesh, is a hub of India's information technology industry and has a mixed population of Muslims and Hindus.

"This (attack) is to disturb the peaceful living of all communities in Andhra Pradesh," said Kiran Kumar Reddy, the state's chief minister.

The explosions were the first major terror attack since a September 2011 blast outside the High Court in New Delhi killed 13 people. The government has been heavily criticized for its failure to arrest the masterminds behind previous bombings.

Thursday's attack occurred in the same Hindu-dominated area where a blast outside a Hindu temple killed two people in 2000. In 2007, a twin bombing killed 40 people in two other Hyderabad districts.

The United States, whose secretary of state, John Kerry, met Thursday in Washington with Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, condemned the attack.

"The United States stands with India in combating the scourge of terrorism and we are also prepared to offer any and all assistance Indian authorities may need," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said at a news briefing.

Rana Banerji, a former security official, said India remains vulnerable to such attacks because there is poor coordination between the national government and the states. Police reforms are moving very slowly and the quality of intelligence gathering is poor, he said.

"The concept of homeland security should be made effective, on a war footing," he said.

___

Associated Press writers Ashok Sharma in New Delhi and Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-02-22-AS-India-Explosions/id-d38402567b0a499e8b8740c9ad260285

Alex Karras BCS Rankings 2012 vampire diaries derek jeter Red Bull Stratos Redbull Stratos steve mcnair

Review: 'Ultima' an earnest coming-of-age tale

"Bless Me, Ultima," the book, is a widely read and critically acclaimed piece of Chicano literature that also has been quite divisive since its publication in 1972. Some critics and parents have decried Rudolfo Anaya's novel as anti-Catholic or too profane and pushed to have it banned from school districts across the country.

"Bless Me, Ultima," the movie, is a mostly gentle and tastefully photographed depiction of a young boy's coming of age in rural 1940s New Mexico. His maturation includes a questioning of the Catholic faith of his parents and a curiosity about the Native American mysticism of his elders. But such musings feel more like an inherent part of the progression into adolescence, a fine-tuning of identity, rather than an intentionally subversive force.

Besides, Luke Ganalon, who plays the boy at the center of the story, couldn't be a more adorably precocious and optimistic little scamp. What sort of damage could he possibly do?

Writer-director Carl Franklin presents the journey of Ganalon's character, the wide-eyed Antonio Marez, in ways that are restrained and sometimes even stiff, despite the magic and violence that co-exist alongside each other. Some of the small-town "types" come off as a bit cartoonish: the eyepatch-wearing villain, the slurring and staggering drunk, But there is an earnestness and genuine sense of affection here that are appealing.

At the film's start, an elderly curandera, or folk healer, has come to live out her final days with Antonio's family in their modest home. Ultima (the formidable Miriam Colon) emerges from a car gingerly but her inner strength is clear, as is her connection with Antonio; as a midwife, she brought him into the world. His former vaquero father (Benito Martinez from "The Shield") and devout mother (Dolores Heredia) are duly respectful of her wisdom and power, while Antonio and his older sisters are a bit awed. (The three elder sons are off fighting in World War II.)

Whispers in town that Ultima is a bruja, or witch, add to her mystery, as does the way she seeks revenge for a curse that's placed on a family member. But her inner kindness becomes more obvious to Antonio as she walks the land with him, teaches him about the usefulness of various plants and offers advice on the importance of spirituality. In case that dialogue alone didn't sufficiently spell out the film's themes, pervasive voiceover from Alfred Molina as the adult Antonio ? beginning with the rhetorical question, "Why is there evil in this world?" ? often hammers us over the head. The inclusion of such prose is a nod to the film's literary origins but probably worked better on the page.

Other moments are more subtle, though, as in the wordless ostracizing Antonio experiences on his first day of school as a poor and illiterate but eager farm kid. One of the first friends he makes is already a young atheist who speaks matter-of-factly about the tragedies that made him doubt his faith at such an early age; he does, however, attend catechism classes each week ? if only to hang out with his buddies.

Amen to that.

"Bless Me, Ultima," an Arenas Entertainment release, is rated PG-13 for some violence and sexual references. Running time: 100 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.

___

Motion Picture Association of America rating definition for PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/review-ultima-earnest-coming-age-tale-012510809.html

Pretty Little Liars Rob Parker Comcast Pokemon X and Y Rob Ryan Silver Linings Playbook bethenny frankel

Sony Officially Unveils The PlayStation 4: X86 CPU And 8GB Memory, But About Experiences, Not Specs

Sony had an event today and as expected, it introduced the PlayStation 4. The next-gen platform is designed to shift focus from the living room to the gamer, Sony said, and overall, PlayStation's approach is meant to make it possible for gamers to play wherever they want, whenever they want. The console has 8GB of memory and an impressive x86 CPU, but that's not what Sony claims to be focused on.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/mv1zIx5LJUA/

jon hamm jon hamm kim kardashian law school rankings ncaa bracket predictions jeff foxworthy heather morris the bachelor finale

'Furby' Assault: Ashley Trimmer, 27, Allegedly Used Toy To Attack Boyfriend

We've heard everything from a toy lightsaber to a Swedish sausage being used in an attack, but this furry weapon of choice may be a first.

According to police in Pennsylvania, 27-year-old Ashley Trimmer used a "Furby" toy to assault her live-in boyfriend during an altercation over a Facebook post Wednesday, KDKA reports.

The Moon township resident was arrested and charged with simple assault after the early morning incident.

According to the criminal complaint obtained by the Smoking Gun, two officers arrived at the house shared by Trimmer and her boyfriend, William Ley, after receiving reports of a domestic dispute. Ley told the responding officers that Trimmer first threw the "Furby" toy at him -- striking him on the right side of his face -- before lobbing a Sony PlayStation controller at the other side of his head. The latter injured Ley, causing some bleeding, the report states.

In cases of domestic assault that result in injury, officers are required to make an arrest no matter how minor the harm, Moon police Chief Leo McCarthy revealed to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Trimmer was released Wednesday after her mother posted $2,000 bail, the Smoking Gun reports.

Also on HuffPost:

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/21/furby-assault-ashley-trimmer-attacked-boyfriend_n_2734499.html

dale earnhardt jr michigan primary daytona 500 winner cleveland plain dealer john scott barry sanders barry sanders

Great white shark takes trip to California

NOAA photo library

In case you were wondering: There are more shark attacks in U.S. waters than in any other region of the world.

By Becky Oskin
LiveScience

A 15-foot-long (4.5 meters) great white shark unexpectedly veered toward California last week, an unusual winter trip never before tracked by researchers. Scientists monitor the sharks using satellite tags.

The female great white shark, called Arden Grace, swam around Southern California's Channel Islands, visiting San Miguel Island and San Clemente Islands, beginning Feb. 14. Arden Grace, who has a satellite tracking tag on her dorsal fin, was likely hunting seals that live on the islands, said Michael Domeier, president of the Marine Conservation Science Institute, the Hawaii-based nonprofit research organization that tagged Arden Grace.

"She may be cruising the California coast and eating California seals," he said.

The trip is surprising for several reasons, Domeier said. First, Arden Grace is part of a population group based around Guadalupe Island in the Pacific Ocean, west of Baja California, Mexico. She is the first adult Guadalupe Island shark known to enter coastal California waters, Domeier said. In 2008, a great white shark from Northern California's Farallon Islands group was tracked to Guadalupe Islands, but the two populations have never interbred, Domeier said. [Image Gallery: Great White Sharks]

Second, during this time of year, great white sharks from Mexico and California are usually found hundreds of miles offshore in the open ocean, in a region called the "White Shark Caf?," their shared offshore foraging area. "The timing is not at all what we would have expected from the more than 100 sharks we've tagged," Domeier said.

Finally, Arden Grace's coastal exploration may be a sign she's not pregnant, though her size indicates she's a mature adult, Domeier said. Water is warmer in the shared feeding grounds, and some scientists think pregnant sharks prefer the balmy temperatures. "When mature females are pupping, they stay offshore in the middle of the ocean for 16 months," he said.

Tracking from Arden Grace's tag dropped off Tuesday, because the shark is underwater, Domeier said. "She's got her head down and we're not sure where she's going to pop up," he said. "I suspect she's going to turn around pretty quickly and head offshore, but she may really surprise us and go up into Central California. "

You can track the next stops on Arden Grace's journey via the MCSI's Expedition White Shark app?or on its Facebook page.

"There always seems to be a new chapter to great white sharks, and the more research we do, the more we learn about them. They continue to surprise us," Domeier said.

Reach Becky Oskin at boskin@techmedianetwork.com. Follow her on Twitter @beckyoskin.?

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://science.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/20/17033907-great-white-shark-takes-surprising-trip-to-california?lite

stephen hawking marion barry virginia beach jet crash ridiculously photogenic guy amanda bynes dui ghost ship tiger woods masters