Suit: 185K spyware images sent to rental computers

PITTSBURGH (AP) ? Spyware installed on computers leased from furniture renter Aaron's Inc. secretly sent 185,000 emails containing sensitive information ? including pictures of nude children and people having sex ? back to the company's corporate computers, according to court documents filed Wednesday in a class-action lawsuit.

According to the filings, some of the spyware emails contained pictures secretly taken by the rental computers' webcams or other sensitive information including Social Security numbers, social media and email passwords, and customer keystrokes, the Federal Trade Commission determined last year.

The attorneys also claimed Atlanta-based Aaron's hasn't properly notified at least 800 customers allegedly targeted by spyware made by DesignerWare, a company located in North East, Pa.

"Because Aaron's has been so uncooperative in agreeing to give proper notice and assistance to its customers, we've had to ask the court to intervene and order them to do it, so that people can protect their most private kinds of rights and property," said Maury Herman, a New Orleans attorney who was one of several to file the documents.

Aaron's officials have previously said the company never installed the spyware on computers rented out of company-operated stores and blamed individual franchisees for installing it. But the new filings claim Aaron's nonetheless received the secretly recorded data.

Aaron's said in a statement that it disagrees with the claims in the lawsuit and will defend the case vigorously. The company reiterated its assertion that some of its 700 franchise stores used the spyware, not the 1300-plus company-owned stores.

Attorneys for DesignerWare didn't immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

The new allegations grew out of a Federal Trade Commission settlement last year and are contained in documents filed in U.S. District Court in Erie. That's where a Casper, Wyo., couple, Brian and Crystal Byrd, have sued DesignerWare, Aaron's, the local franchise from which they rented a computer in 2010, and 45 other unidentified franchises they believed were using the spyware.

The filings seek court permission to file a new complaint adding 54 franchisees based on the 185,000 emails since traced to Aaron's computer servers.

"Aaron's, like the proverbial ostrich, has buried its head in the sand, hoping this litigation would just go away without having to do anything to protect its customers," the Byrds' attorneys wrote.

The couple's May 2011 lawsuit claimed the manager of the Casper store showed Brian Byrd a webcam picture of himself operating a rental computer after the manager activated the spyware in the process of trying to repossess the computer, which the manager mistakenly believed the Byrds hadn't paid off under their rent-to-own agreement.

Attorneys for DesignerWare have since said in court documents its PC Rental Agent software is benign and simply helps rental companies track computer use and shut down the devices if customers don't pay.

But the FTC found, in a settlement publicized in September, the software could do much more when "Detective Mode" was activated: Capturing screenshots, taking webcam images, logging keystrokes and forwarding that information to Aaron's by email.

The FTC settlement bars DesignerWare, the Aaron's franchise that operated the Wyoming store, and six other businesses that operated rental stores from using any location-tracking software without customer consent and from deceptively collecting information.

On Wednesday, attorneys for the Byrds also filed a new lawsuit in Fulton County, Ga. ? where Atlanta is located ? on behalf of a customer who claims an Oregon Aaron's franchise tracked her physical location by having Detective Mode trace her WiFi use of the computer.

That lawsuit, and the new documents filed in the Byrd's federal lawsuit, contends Aaron's corporate officials condoned the widespread use of the spyware on franchise rental computers.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/suit-185k-spyware-images-sent-rental-computers-235100144.html

eminem eminem yankees Tagg Romney Bosses Day Cabin Fever 2 Alexis Wright Zumba

EA to bring micro transactions to every console and PC game ...

Gamers the world over are going to be fairly cheesed off about Electronic Arts' latest decision to bring micro transactions to console and PC games.?

The controversial move was announced by Blake Jorgensen, the games developer's CFO, at a?Morgan Stanley technology, media and telecom conference.?

"We're building into all of our games the ability to pay for things along the way, either to get to a higher level to buy a new character, to buy a truck, a gun, whatever it might be," Jorgensen explained.

But this sudden shift towards micro transactions in the gaming world needs to be put in perspective. Take Real Racing 3 for example, which we recently reviewed, not once were we forced to hand over money when we didn't want to. The same applies to Dead Space 3, which implements a micro transaction system which you can completely ignore if you wish.

READ: Dead Space 3 review

It all depends on how these micro transactions are deployed in each game. For some titles, the ability to pick up weapons at a price means you can literally buy your way to the top in multiplayer games. This isn't anything new: games like World of Warcraft have had whole businesses set up based around the idea of purchasing pre-levelled characters, so you don't have to put the hours in.

Sure, it's a means for EA to make a bit more cash and could, if implemented wrongly, mean an unfair advantage for those with money to spare. On the other hand, the decision could mean cheaper games, although we doubt it.

Provided that EA doesn't switch out traditional progression means for micro transactions and that gamers who have already spent their ?40 on buying a title don't miss out on content if they don't spend extra, then it shouldn't be an issue.

We'll just have to wait and see.

Source: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/50173/ea-micro-transactions-every-games

michele bachmann donald trump Election 2012 map Election Results Map Early voting results BBC Dick Morris

Thailand, Muslim militants agree to peace talks

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) ? Thailand's government signed a breakthrough deal with Muslim insurgents for the first time ever Thursday, agreeing to hold talks to ease nearly a decade of violence in the country's southern provinces that has killed more than 5,000 people.

The agreement was announced in Malaysia's largest city, Kuala Lumpur, between Thai authorities and the militant National Revolution Front, also known by its Malay-language initials, BRN. It is seen as a positive step, but is unlikely to immediately end the conflict because several other shadowy guerrilla movements also fighting in southern Thailand have yet to agree to talks.

"God-willing, we'll do our best to solve the problem. We will tell our people to work together," Hassan Taib, a Malaysian-based senior representative of the BRN, said after a brief signing ceremony with Lt. Gen. Paradorn Pattanathabutr, secretary general of Thailand's National Security Council.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who met with his Thai counterpart, Yingluck Shinawatra, later Thursday, said Thai officials and the insurgent representatives would hold their first meeting in Malaysia within two weeks.

Najib described the signing as "merely the starting point of a long process" because many issues have to be resolved, but added that it was a "solid demonstration of the common resolve to find and establish an enduring peace in southern Thailand."

Yingluck said talks would be conducted "within the framework of the constitution" of Thailand to address the root causes of the unrest.

"I have to say we are seeing a better direction in solving the problem, and I consider it a good start," she said after meeting with Najib. "We need to move forward as soon as possible."

The first round of talks will focus on how both sides can cooperate, said Mohamed Thajudeen Abdul Wahab of Malaysia's National Security Council.

Violence has occurred nearly every day in Thailand's three southernmost provinces since the insurgency erupted in 2004. The militants have mainly targeted security forces and teachers, who are seen as representatives of the government of the Buddhist-dominated nation.

Muslims in the border region, which was an independent Islamic sultanate until it was annexed by Thailand in the early 20th century, have long complained of discrimination by the central government in Bangkok, and the insurgents are thought to be fighting for autonomy. But the insurgency remains murky, with militants making no public pronouncements on their goals.

Paradorn said Thai security forces would continue to patrol the region.

"It's not unusual that there might be groups that disagree with the talks, so our military operations will continue. But the discussion will have to carry on at the same time," Paradorn told reporters in Bangkok on Wednesday before leaving for Malaysia.

He said fewer than 1,000 insurgents are living on the Malaysian side of the border. Most are ethnic Malays.

The Thai government and military have struggled to identify legitimate participants for the peace process, as the militant leadership is not clear and no groups have stepped out to take responsibility for the daily attacks in recent years. The insurgency is believed to be highly decentralized, with local units having the freedom to choose targets and campaigns.

The BRN is one of several separatist movements that have made public calls for a separate state in Thailand's Muslim-dominated south. It is unclear how many groups of insurgents the Thai authorities intend to bring in.

"This is a welcome development," said Srisompob Jitpiromsri, a political scientist at Prince of Songkla University in Thailand. "Not only that it is the first time the Thai government recognized the status of a separatist group, but also the process has included Malaysia as the facilitator of the talks, which will likely draw more participants in the peace process."

Other experts argue that bringing more insurgents to the negotiating table will not be easy.

"There are several groups who would like to talk to the Thai authorities, but they won't come out because the Thai government cannot guarantee their safety. What they want is amnesty, which the Thai government can't promise," said Panitan Wattanayagorn of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.

"The insurgents, too, will have to talk among themselves before making any decisions," he said. "So it is not clear that we will see a decline in the incidents in the near future."

Other groups fighting in southern Thailand include the Pattani United Liberation Organization, which has made public calls for a separate state.

In the past decade, Malaysia has also brokered negotiations between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the largest Muslim rebel group in the southern Philippines.

That has so far resulted in a preliminary peace pact signed in October to grant minority Muslims in the southern Philippines broad autonomy in exchange for ending more than 40 years of violence that has killed tens of thousands of people and crippled development.

Malaysia's government has repeatedly said it wants to see a peaceful resolution to its neighbors' conflicts and has denied funding, arming or providing any other support to militants.

___

Doksone reported from Bangkok.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/thailand-muslim-militants-agree-peace-talks-102330282.html

Vicki Soto Adam Lanza fox news obama cnbc dexter dexter

Ethiopian leader very present 6 months after death

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) ? Ethiopia's long-ruling leader died half a year ago, but it seems Meles Zenawi still holds on to power. In the capital, his face looks down from hundreds of posters plastered on walls, and government representatives vow to implement the late Meles' vision without alteration.

Meles, who held tight control of the country since 1991, died Aug. 20 at the age of 57. A major U.S. counter-terrorism ally, Meles was credited with uplifting the country's poor, but he was condemned for human rights abuses and crushing the opposition.

Since his sudden death, Meles' pictures and past statements have become commonplace throughout Addis Ababa, the capital, and smaller cities and towns.

"Our great leader ... we will never forget you!" reads one gigantic billboard erected in the capital's main street.

An upcoming meeting of the congress is billed as an opportunity to achieve goals, speed up development and build democracy "based on the vision of Meles." That vision can be boiled down to two things: economic advancement, and a tight hold on political power.

While Meles has many fans in Addis Ababa, some residents feel the six-month lionization has gone on too long.

"During the news of his death and funeral, all the pictures and tributes were understandable and also fitting as a lot of people wanted to celebrate a man's life who had left a clear mark in the nation's history," said resident Adey Derbew.

"But now ... when you see such a sustained campaign spearheaded by the government, you wonder what it is really about. I think it actually hurts the people's confidence in the government as the current leaders are saying that their best one is gone," she said.

State-run media still carry headlines of officials vowing to follow the late leader's visions in all sectors, ranging from pastoralist area development projects to efforts to modernize the country's military.

Meles long insisted he wanted to create a developmental state with his ruling party dictating the country's fate. Meles said the opposition would undermine the country's constitution if they get the chance. An untold number of opposition leaders were jailed during his rule.

"You are allowed, as they say, until you become a 'clear and present danger' to public institutions," Meles said to the lone opposition member of parliament.

A number of projects and activities, including the country's national soccer tournament, have been named after Meles in recent months.

On Jan. 17 the parliament issued legislation to establish The Meles Foundation. The upcoming foundation will include a mausoleum where the body of the late premier will rest and be visited by the public. Officials say the foundation premises will also showcase the late leader's writings and documentary videos done on his life, while promoting research on developing states and green economies.

Ethiopia's new leader, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, also continues to praise Meles in all of his major speeches both at home and abroad.

Following Meles' death, the country saw its first ever peaceful power transfer. Though the power transition went smoothly, Hailemariam has three deputies, each from the other three parties of the ruling coalition. That was not the case for Meles, who was a founding chair of the ruling party and accompanied by a low-profile deputy. Meles was re-elected to the position and premiership several times, always unchallenged.

Hailemariam's leadership is unlikely to be challenged anytime soon. Next month when some 2,500 ruling party elites and supporters meet for a congress in a regional town, Bahir Dar, he is expected to be re-elected as party chairman. Senior officials back in September, however, announced that Hailemariam can serve only two terms as prime minister.

The memory of Meles will also cast its weight on the decision. The head of the secretariat of the ruling party, Redwan Hussein, told journalists on Thursday that the congress will serve "to renew commitment, to achieve the goals, to speed up development and build democracy based on the vision of Meles."

Some observers of Ethiopian politics are concerned that Meles' policies are sticking around too long, such as suppression of the free press.

The country's largest weekly, Feteh, and the opposition paper Finote Netsanet were forced off the market last year after the state-owned Berhanena Selam printing company refused to continue printing them. Charges against the editor of Feteh, Temesgen Desalegn, were dropped during Meles' funeral, but those charges were revived last month.

"Hailemariam has thus far perpetuated the policies of late Meles Zenawi in limiting the growth of independent media in Ethiopia," said Mohamed Keita, Africa Advocacy Coordinator of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. "But he still has an opportunity to show strong leadership. He holds the power to remove Ethiopia from the list of nations in Africa with journalists in prison."

Tired of the lack of opportunity to gain political traction, leading opposition parties have decided to boycott local elections due in April.

"Thirty-three opposition parties have demanded the election be carried out properly and for the electoral board to be neutral and independent. We wanted to talk about this . they said no," said Girma Seifu, the lone opposition member of parliament. "So we said in that there is no point of contesting, as these people are determined to have themselves elected by any means. There is no competition; it is only the ruling party's candidates that are contesting the seats, so there is no real election."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ethiopian-leader-very-present-6-months-death-141152673.html

paris jackson US weekly amelia earhart Sally Ride Ichiro minka kelly James Holmes court

THE RESET: Both sides now see spending cuts likely

New Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel speaks to service members and civilian employees at the Pentagon, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, after being sworn-in. Hagel took charge of the Defense Department Wednesday after a bruising confirmation fight _ and two days before billions in budget cuts are scheduled to hit the military. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

New Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel speaks to service members and civilian employees at the Pentagon, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, after being sworn-in. Hagel took charge of the Defense Department Wednesday after a bruising confirmation fight _ and two days before billions in budget cuts are scheduled to hit the military. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

FILE - In this Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, file photo, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio wraps up a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, where he and GOP leaders challenged President Obama and the Senate to avoid the automatic spending cuts set to take effect in four days. The scheduled cuts in defense spending, unemployment benefits and other programs could slow an already struggling economy. And. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

President Barack Obama is waiting until after deep automatic spending cuts actually kick in before meeting with congressional leaders to search for ways out of the nation's latest fiscal crunch. The timing says a lot about the nature and timing of the crisis.

He'll meet at the White House with the four top House and Senate leaders on Friday. The "sequester" cuts begin midnight Thursday.

The scheduling reflects the growing consensus on both sides that they're still too far apart to block the cuts, a recognition that most of the reductions won't hit right away and the knowledge that there's another month to find a better fix.

But panic may rise as March 27 approaches. That's when the current stopgap government budget expires and Congress must pass a new one for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.

Individual cuts can be modified or eliminated during that budget process.

While the sequester will slash government spending authority by $85 billion, the actual spending cuts will be about $44 billion, says the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

Both parties have been heatedly blaming each other for the impasse as Obama makes campaign-like trips to spotlight the impact on various sectors of the economy.

The maneuvering comes as polls show a divided nation over the looming spending cuts.

A new Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll shows about half of Americans call the cuts too severe and a slightly smaller percentage say they're necessary to reduce the deficit. Other recent polls show similar findings.

Former Nebraska Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel, freshly confirmed by the Senate as defense secretary, mentioned the latest fiscal crisis ? which hits defense accounts particularly hard ? in his first remarks on the job on Wednesday.

"We're dealing with less dollars coming down," Hagel told Pentagon workers. He said he's particularly troubled by "the uncertainty" that lies ahead.

"Now, I've got to go to work," he said.

___

Follow Tom Raum on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tomraum

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-02-27-US-The-Reset/id-fdfa2796b6604401987693a771d07f23

jamie moyer bone cancer hossa the cell dickclark gavin degraw gavin degraw

Teen Walking 10 Miles In Snow For Job Interview Makes Headlines (VIDEO)

Teen Walking 10 Miles In Snow For Job Interview Makes Headlines (VIDEO)

Art Bouvier, the owner of a Cajun food restaurant in Indianapolis saw a young man trudging through the snow and ice last week. The teen boy stopped to ask Bouvier, the owner of Papa Roux Po Boys and Cajun Food, how far it was to the location of his job interview. Little did he know, ...

Teen Walking 10 Miles In Snow For Job Interview Makes Headlines (VIDEO) Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2013/02/teen-walking-10-miles-in-snow-for-job-interview-makes-headlines-video/

whitney houston national anthem beverly hills hotel beverly hills hotel the watchmen whitney houston dies dolly parton i will always love you beverly hilton hotel

Newt Pheromones Put Females into Mating Frenzy

It may be time to crown male newts as the female-arousing kings ? the amphibians release powerful pheromones that put females in the mood to mate with practically any adult around, even other females from different newt species, new research shows.

"The females react as if they're under the influence of drugs," said lead researcher Franky Bossuyt, a biologist at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Free University of Brussels) in Belgium. "We were convinced that if we put in a plastic toy moving at the right speed, they would follow it."

Newts typically live on land as adults and mate exclusively in water. During the breeding season, males adopt intense color patterns and grow skin extensions on their legs, tail and crest. These changes are thought to make males more attractive to females.

When two newts meet, the male releases pheromones and waves his tail, sending the chemical signals to the female. They then play out a mating dance akin to a short game of tag, with the female following after the male. To let him know she's ready to get down to business, the female touches the male's tail with her nose, prompting him to deposit his spermatophore ? a jellylike mass containing sperm??onto a substrate in the water, such as a leaf. Finally, he leads the female over the sperm packet, which sticks to her cloaca (the orifice leading to intestinal, reproductive and urinary tracts), resulting in insemination.

For years, scientists thought males waved their tails to disperse "attractant pheromones," which broadcast the male's presence and bring newt pairs together. But there's a problem with this idea: The newts have already introduced themselves before the male waves his tail. "The females are not attracted to the males by the tail-waving, at least with the newts I've seen," Bossuyt said.

Instead, the researchers thought, the tail fanning might disperse "courtship pheromones" that alter the female's behavior to stimulate mating.

Newt mating game

To find out, researchers placed male-female pairs of alpine newts (Ichthyosaura alpestris) and palmate newts (Lissotriton helveticus) into water-filled plastic containers for receptivity tests. The newts passed the test and were ready for the next phase if they completed the courtship ritual (females weren't allowed to complete the insemination).

The team then put two-female pairs into pheromone-infused courtship?water; some pairs consisted of two alpine newts, other pairs had one female of each species. If the water contained pheromones from a male of her species, the female would desperately try to court the other female. In some cases, two female alpine newts tried to follow each other, resulting in the pair circling one another. In some two-species trials, one female chased after another, even as the unreceptive partner tried to escape the container. [See video of the sex-crazed newts]

But the amphibians didn't remain patient forever. Not receiving the spermatophore she expected, the courting female eventually started waving her tail at her partner, possibly sending out pheromones.

Frustrated females

"Female tale-waving?is a kind of frustration behavior," Bossuyt explained, adding that females also tail-waved in receptivity tests to get males to continue courtship after researchers removed the spermatophores. In natural settings, this behavior probably happens only in uncommon situations, such as when a male is too tired for courtship. "So female tail-waving likely happens in nature, but you will not easily observe it," he said.

The results suggest the pheromones don't just announce the male's arrival, given how they induced such an overpowering mating reaction in the females. The researchers think males may have evolved such potent pheromones out of necessity, since newts often breed in turbid water with other newt species, making it difficult to mate based on vision alone.

It seems a male newt's flashy appearance matters little to females: It's all about his smell.

The research was detailed online this month in the journal PLOS ONE.

Follow LiveScience on Twitter?@livescience. We're also on Facebook?& Google+.

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

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/newt-pheromones-put-females-mating-frenzy-210134264.html

bill maher seabiscuit dingo nba all star weekend malin akerman jeff carter chomp

MetroPCS widens Rich Communications Services to all North American carriers

There's been a degree of irony to MetroPCS' support for Rich Communication Services when it's been limited to the one carrier's network in the US -- where's that universal chat and sharing we were promised? The carrier plans to live up to those lofty expectations with word that its Jibe Mobile-developed Joyn service will talk to devices on any North American carrier that supports the spec. That currently doesn't equate to ubiquitous access when RCS isn't widespread, but it's a start. We'll just have to wait for the expanded service to deploy later this year, and for more hardware to hit the streets.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

Comments

Source: MetroPCS

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/wL5ozRduAP0/

masters leaderboard frozen four joe avezzano kanye west theraflu joey votto the masters live mega millions winner

Sleep reinforces learning

Feb. 26, 2013 ? During sleep, our brains store what we have learned during the day ? a process even more effective in children than in adults.

It is important for children to get enough sleep. Children's brains transform subconsciously learned material into active knowledge while they sleep -- even more effectively than adult brains do, according to a study by Dr. Ines Wilhelm of the University of T?bingen's Institute for Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology. Dr Wilhelm and her Swiss and German colleagues have published their results in Nature Neuroscience.

Studies of adults have shown that sleeping after learning supports the long-term storage of the material learned, says Dr Wilhelm. During sleep, memory is turned into a form that makes future learning easier; implicit knowledge becomes explicit and therefore becomes more easily transferred to other areas.

Children sleep longer and deeper, and they must take on enormous amounts of information every day. In the current study, the researchers examined the ability to form explicit knowledge via an implicitly-learned motor task. Children between 8 and 11, and young adults, learned to guess the predetermined series of actions -- without being aware of the existence of the series itself. Following a night of sleep or a day awake, the subjects' memories were tested. The result: after a night's sleep, both age groups could remember a larger number of elements from the row of numbers than those who had remained awake in the interim. And the children were much better at it than the adults.

"In children, much more efficient explicit knowledge is generated during sleep from a previously learned implicit task, says Wilhelm. And the children's extraordinary ability is linked with the large amount of deep sleep they get at night. "The formation of explicit knowledge appears to be a very specific ability of childhood sleep, since children typically benefit as much or less than adults from sleep when it comes to other types of memory tasks."

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 Universitaet T?bingen.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Ines Wilhelm, Michael Rose, Kathrin I Imhof, Bj?ern Rasch, Christian B?echel, Jan Born. The sleeping child outplays the adult's capacity to convert implicit into explicit knowledge. Nature Neuroscience, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nn.3343

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/mind_brain/child_development/~3/fV85990kCLg/130226081155.htm

colbert colbert report legionnaires disease underwear bomber unclaimed money godspell media matters

reading - Community Checkpoint ? Corellian Run Radio

Highlighted Guild

• White Wolves ? Galactic Republic

Community Checkpoint has interviewed many different guilds, and though they may vary in their faction, playstyle, casual vs. hardcore and etc. the one main thing they all have in common is teamwork/camaraderie. This week?s guild has the same attitude. In fact, not only do they embrace the social aspect of being a guild, but it was something they took from the wolf?the pack mentality. Wolves, in nature, work together to bring down bigger game, but wolves also are a very social creature. How exactly do the White Wolves achieve this, is part of what we will learn today.

We ?run with the pack? & learn about the White Wolves after the Jump?

?

?

?

?

?

?

*captions: The / means that they were in on an alt, but the underscored names are what they are usually called by fellow guildmates*

?

?

How did the White Wolves come together as a guild?
That was more than 13 years ago ? no one can remember that far back?NO ONE! It will forever remain a mystery unsolved. We know that it involved Ultima Online and some geeks / British people ? but we have very few relics from that ancient past.

?

On the guild website, you are referred to as an ?Online Gaming Community.? How does this differ from a guild and what does that reference mean to you?
Well first off, an online gaming community can host several guilds. Our website is the common platform, which is the ?base? for our different guilds. But in essence the gaming community is about bringing people together from all over the world, who are interested in gaming ? though not one particular game. That means that there?s room for discussions about and playing of single player games, as well as different multiplayer/MMOs. Currently we have people active in SWTOR, GW2, TSW and LOTRO ? but we also have some very active community members that are not playing any of those games.

?

The guild has been around since around 1999, what games have the White Wolves been a part of and what games is your community playing currently?
Well the community started in 1999 in Ultima Online and was called the Knights of the White Wolves back then. Around 2004/5 it moved on to Star Wars Galaxies which became the main game of the community, and in many ways is where the core of the current community met each other. Since then The Wolves have been present, with varying strength, in Age of Conan, EVE Online, Star Trek Online, Warhammer Online, Lord of the Rings Online, The Secret World, Guild Wars 2, War Z and not least of course Star Wars: The Old Republic. SWTOR is currently the most active MMO within the community.

?

The guild/community has embraced the pack mentality of wolves with your slogan, ?Alone we?re Deadly?Together we?re Unstoppable!? How do the White Wolves apply this to games, specifically SWTOR?
The social aspect of playing is very much at the core of what we do. As such we are an inherently casual community that poses no attendance or gear requirements to our members. Rather we believe that everyone should be allowed to play the games the way they want and feel most comfortable with. This is the deadly lone wolves. But where it become ridiculously fun to be a member of the White Wolves is in the things we do together ? and we are ensuring that we have a high rate of common activities. This can be everything from the approximately three weekly organized ops, to leveling Imperial characters together, doing the impromptu world boss or assisting another?s alt. All the while we banter on our mumbles server. This is where you can also feel that it is really a community ? currently SWTOR is the best vessel for us to come together and do crazy stuff. Another game might come along in the future and provide a better vessel and then some will move on to that while others will stay. And we will still all be part of the community.

Colonel Vorgath Hard Mode:
Davhek, Makk, Lu?ka, Bru/Massie, Nijinsky, Artucrus, Aleesia/Antze, Rieko

If someone were to ask what type of guild, the White Wolves are as far as playstyle, what would you tell them? How does the guild?s playstyle reflect the community and ?pack? attitude?
Well I touched upon in the previous question ? but there is no doubt, that our focus is to ensure that we have fun. This entails seeing as much of the game as possible as well, which is why we are also pushing end-game. But we are careful never to let the process of getting to endgame sour our experience. People who join the Wolves, should first and foremost be willing to be part of a community where we help each other, talk crap to each other on mumbles and generally be ready to engage on a social level not just as co-players in a game.

?

I was reading the White Wolves Twitter feed and saw that the guild was making progress in the Explosive Conflict Operation. How is it going and how soon do you think Kephess will meet the ?teeth? of the White Wolves?
Muahahahaha ? Kephess was overwhelmed by a pack of White Wolves on Thursday 21 February 2013 ? on Hard Mode that is. We even made two videos. The members involved in taking down Kephess in Explosive Conflict Hardmode: Nijinsky, Artucrus, M?kk, Rieko, Massie/Bru, Ldd/Lddowser, Val?ar/Cuti, Davhek

The White Wolves doing a little victory celebration??Harlem Shake style.?

To see how they accomplished this feat, be sure to check out the two videos that shows them taking down Kephess in Explosive Conflict Hardmode:

White Wolves Kephess video #1 posted by Youtube user Alexander Ege

White Wolves Kephess video #2 posted by Youtube user pramsdale

Now we have our eyes set on new horizons?Terror from Beyond Hard Mode, Eternity Vaults Nightmare Mode or something completely different. Time will tell, but we are looking at pushing to the end-game content, as we have a lot of experienced players that have been with SWTOR from the start and want to see it all.

Operator IX:
Nijinsky, To?am/Lu?ka, M?kk, Rieko, Gaggali/Murrue, Antze, Artucrus, Byvoa/Byv

Terror From Beyond SM:
Rieko, Juli?ana/Artucrus, Antze, M?kk, Byv, Lu?ka, Davhek, Massie

Along the lines of gameplay in SWTOR, how has the guild found the new Reputation System & the Gree event in Patch 1.7 to be? Are there some areas you would like to see BioWare change or improve in future events and/or reputation?
There is quite a lot of differing opinions amongst the White Wolves members. Generally I don?t like that the reputation system per se is applauded much. It doesn?t diminish the game, but also adds very little. The new Ilum area and the Gree events are another story ? it is new content with new quests and World Bosses ? something that is always welcomed. As for what Bioware should focus on? Well, for one they should be wary to just copy from a certain World where there is War (and crafting!) ? now they are adding achievements?! Personally I really look forward to seeing the class missions progress. Also one thing that they have excelled at is creating Operations that have interesting and tricky boss fights. The really master the way to make good mechanics in these fights ? something they have also translated into some of the missions in Black Hole and Section X. They should continue to do this, and not be afraid to demand a little from the players in case of puzzles and team work.

Section X World Boss ? Dreadtooth:
Byv/Byvette, Artucrus/Juli?ana, M?kk, Antze/Aleesia, Vlugtski, Lu?ka, Rieko, Nijinsky, Terranus/Massie, Lddowser, Arakal, and Tri?ol

Are the White Wolves looking to recruit new members into the pack? Are there any specific requirements that potential recruits need to meet or do? What faction and server can these potential new members locate the White Wolves in SWTOR? How is the best way for players to contact the guild if they are looking to join or learn more about the White Wolves Online Gaming Community?
The Wolves are always accepting new members ? for all the different games, not just SWTOR. And for SWTOR we accept both level 50?s and those that have just started their first toon. Whether you have plenty of MMO experience or this is your first. You need to be older than 18 but other than that there are no particular requirements. If you are looking for a hard core guild, the Wolves will probably not be your place. But if you are looking for a fun, crazy, social guild where we are aiming to see as much of the game as possible, but insist on having fun while doing so, we might be something for you. We appreciate quirky behavior and encourage you to be yourself and play the way you want to. You are amongst fellow Wolves after all.
The best way to contact us would probably be to go to our website and write on the forums, which is serving as a ?focal point? for all our activities. Otherwise you can contact our esteemed Guild Leader M?kk (alts: Karrina, Davadd, Dackard) or one of our officers Artucrus (Alts: Offengodt, Juli?ana & Bob?oh), Nijinsky, Rieko (alt: Eding), Massie (alt: Bru, Louis, Braithe & Terranus), Cuti (alt: Val?ar, Biif), Lddowser (alt: Ldd & Superld) and Byvoa (alt: Byvette & Byv). We are on the Red Eclipse English EU server and on the Republic side. We do have an Imperial guild on the same server called the Black Wolves but that is more for a bit of fun than anything.

?

?

Thanks to the members of the White Wolves, especially their guild leader M?kk and the officers of the guild. Although he might not want to take any credit, I need to thank Artucrus for all his help in correspondence and gathering the responses. If there is anyone on the Red Eclipse server looking for a Republic guild, why not contact the Whites Wolves and run with the pack.

Would you like to have your guild, server event or even your SWTOR website highlighted on Community Checkpoint? If so, why not contact me, so we can share with the community about what you are doing. Just submit your guild/group?s website and some basic information in an email to me at, jason@corellianrun.com. Here at Corellian Run Radio, I am looking forward to highlighting more guilds and the many of you working at planning events, contest, etc. Thanks and see you next week!

?

?

?

Source: http://corellianrun.com/2013/02/25/community-checkpoint-29/

mike the situation jacksonville jaguars jacksonville jaguars benjarvus green ellis shaka smart hungergames bagpipes

Indigo is a cloud-based, cross-platform personal assistant for Android and Windows Phone 8 (hands-on)

The idea of a personal assistant needs no introduction: you already know Siri, and those of you fortunate to own a Jelly Bean handset (or at least a hacked ICS one) have the privilege of using Google Now So there's very little we haven't seen here. And yet, we were inclined to take a look at Indigo, a new personal assistant for Android and Windows Phone 8 that launched yesterday, and will be available as a free download in the coming weeks. Meet us past the break to find out why.

Gallery: Indigo personal assistant hands-on

Filed under: Software, Mobile

Comments

Source: Indigo

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/26/indigo-personal-assistant-hands-on/

Sandy Hurricane flight tracker Marina Krim Justin Bieber cancer lil wayne Mockingbird Lane peyton manning

Three years on, BP's day in court

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ? Nearly three years after a deadly rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico triggered the nation's worst offshore oil spill, a federal judge in New Orleans is set to preside over a high-stakes trial for the raft of litigation spawned by the disaster.

Barring an 11th-hour settlement, U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier will hear several hours of opening statements Monday by lawyers for the companies involved in the 2010 spill and the plaintiffs who sued them. And the judge, not a jury, ultimately could decide how much more money BP PLC and its partners on the ill-fated drilling project owe for their roles in the environmental catastrophe.

BP has said it already has racked up more than $24 billion in spill-related expenses and has estimated it will pay a total of $42 billion to fully resolve its liability for the disaster that killed 11 workers and spewed millions of gallons of oil.

But the trial attorneys for the federal government and Gulf states and private plaintiffs hope to convince the judge that the company is liable for much more.

With billions of dollars on the line, the companies and their courtroom adversaries have spared no expense in preparing for a trial that could last several months. Hundreds of attorneys have worked on the case, generating roughly 90 million pages of documents, logging nearly 9,000 docket entries and taking more than 300 depositions of witnesses who could testify at trial.

"In terms of sheer dollar amounts and public attention, this is one of the most complex and massive disputes ever faced by the courts," said Fordham University law professor Howard Erichson, an expert in complex litigation.

Barbier has promised he won't let the case drag on for years as has the litigation over the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill, which still hasn't been completely resolved. He encouraged settlement talks that already have resolved billions of dollars in spill-related claims.

"Judge Barbier has managed the case actively and moved it along toward trial pretty quickly," Erichson said.

In December, Barbier gave final approval to a settlement between BP and Plaintiffs' Steering Committee lawyers representing Gulf Coast businesses and residents who claim the spill cost them money. BP estimates it will pay roughly $8.5 billion to resolve tens of thousands of these claims, but the deal doesn't have a cap.

BP resolved a Justice Department criminal probe by agreeing to plead guilty to manslaughter and other charges and pay $4 billion in criminal penalties. Deepwater Horizon rig owner Transocean Ltd. reached a separate settlement with the federal government, pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge and agreeing to pay $1.4 billion in criminal and civil penalties.

But there's plenty left for the lawyers to argue about at trial, given that the federal government and Gulf states haven't resolved civil claims against the company that could be worth more than $20 billion.

The Justice Department and private plaintiffs' attorneys have said they would prove BP acted with gross negligence before the blowout of its Macondo well on April 20, 2010.

BP's civil penalties would soar if Barbier agrees with that claim.

BP, meanwhile, argues the federal government's estimate of how much oil spewed from the well ? more than 200 million gallons ? is inflated by at least 20 percent. Clean Water Act penalties are based on how many barrels of oil spilled.

Barbier plans to hold the trial in at least two phases and may issue partial rulings at the end of each. The first phase, which could last three months, is designed to determine what caused the blowout and assign percentages of blame to the companies involved. The second phase will address efforts to stop the flow of oil from the well and aims to determine how much crude spilled into the Gulf.

The trial originally was scheduled to start a year ago, but Barbier postponed it to allow BP to wrap up its settlement with the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee.

Barbier, 68, was nominated by President Bill Clinton and has served on the court since 1998. He had a private law practice, primarily representing small businesses and other plaintiffs in civil cases, and served as president of the New Orleans Bar Association before he joined the bench.

Dane Ciolino, a Loyola University law professor who has represented criminal defendants in Barbier's court, described him as a "no-nonsense" but even-tempered judge.

"He's very good at getting down to the pertinent issues," Ciolino said. "Some judges could be described as impatient, short or gruff. He is none of that."

Despite the bitter disputes at the root of the case, Barbier has maintained a collegial atmosphere at his monthly status conferences with the lawyers, cracking an occasional joke or good-naturedly ribbing attorneys over their college football allegiances.

Cordial with each other in the courtroom, the competing attorneys have saved their harshest rhetoric for court filings or news releases. Despite its settlement with BP last year, the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee attorneys won't be allies at trial with the London-based oil giant. And they still haven't resolved civil claims against Transocean or cement contractor Halliburton.

"These three companies' reckless, greed-driven conduct killed 11 good men, polluted the Gulf for years and left the region's economy in shambles. Any statement to the contrary is self-serving nonsense," Steve Herman, a lead plaintiffs' attorney, said in a recent statement.

A series of government investigations has exhaustively documented the mistakes that led to the blowout, spreading the blame among the companies. Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange said witnesses scheduled to testify at trial will reveal new information about the cause of the disaster.

"I think you're going to learn a lot, particularly about the culture that existed at BP and their priorities," Strange said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/trial-set-open-gulf-oil-spill-litigation-092735476.html

9/11 Memorial 911 masterchef Dictionary.com Chicago teachers strike september 11 2001 september 11 2001

Futures rise in rebound after steep losses on Italy vote

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures rose on Tuesday, indicating equities would partially rebound from a steep drop over Italian election results as investors saw opportunities to buy beaten-down shares.

Market participants speculated a coalition government would eventually emerge in Italy and ease worries about a new euro zone debt crisis.

Groups in Italy opposed to economic reforms posted a strong showing, resulting in a political deadlock with a comedian's protest party leading the poll and no group securing a clear majority in parliament.

"We've gone to an environment of political stability to instability, and until we get some type of clarity over who is in charge, which could take days, the market will have renewed concerns," said Art Hogan, managing director of Lazard Capital Markets in New York.

"Investors are taking advantage of the drop, and once some kind of coalition government is formed most of our concerns will be put to rest," Hogan said.

S&P 500 futures rose 3.9 points and were above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures added 38 points and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 5.75 points.

Major indexes fell more than 1 percent on Monday, with the S&P 500 having its biggest daily drop since November as investors fretted that if Italy does not undertake reforms, that could once again destabilize the euro zone. European equities <.fteu3>, which closed before the results on Monday, fell 1.1 percent.

Investors will pay close attention to the first of two days of congressional testimony by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke for insight into the central bank's view of the economy, as well as the outlook for its bond buying program. Last week, equities fell on concerns the program might end sooner than had been anticipated.

Bernanke appears before the Senate Banking Committee at 10 a.m. (1500 GMT).

Economic data will include the CaseShiller report on December home prices at 9 a.m. (1400 GMT). Analysts expect a 0.5 percent rise. January consumer confidence is scheduled for 10 a.m. and is seen rising to 61.0 from 58.6 in the previous month. New-home sales for January also are due at 10 a.m.

The rise in U.S. futures suggests that a recent trend of investors buying on dips will continue. Last week, concerns the Fed might roll back its stimulus policy earlier than expected prompted a sharp two-day decline, though equities recovered most of the lost ground by the end of the week.

Financial shares may be among the most volatile, as the group is closely tied to the pace of global economic growth. Morgan Stanley was one of the top percentage losers on the S&P on Monday, dropping more than 6 percent on concerns about the company's exposure to European debt. It rose 0.8 percent to $22.20 in premarket trading on Tuesday.

Dow component Home Depot Inc , the world's largest home improvement retailer, reported adjusted earnings and sales that beat expectations. Its stock rose 1.5 percent to $64.90 in premarket trading.

For the benchmark S&P 500 index, 1,500 will be watched as a key level after the index closed below it on Monday for the first time since February 4, with selling accelerating after falling below it. An inability to break back above it could portend further losses.

The S&P remains 4.3 percent higher on the year. With 83 percent of the S&P 500 having reported so far, 69 percent beat profit expectations, compared with a 62 percent average since 1994 and 65 percent over the past four quarters, according to Thomson Reuters data. Fourth-quarter S&P earnings are seen having risen 6 percent, above a 1.9 percent forecast at the start of the earnings season.

(Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Kenneth Barry)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stock-index-futures-point-small-rebound-093850435--finance.html

bo ryan the last waltz earth day activities mel gibson splunk dark shadows iau

Warrant issued for Vegas Strip shooting suspect

LAS VEGAS (AP) ? Police said Monday they have a warrant for a 26-year-old ex-convict identified as the prime suspect in a shooting and fiery crash that killed three people last week on the Las Vegas Strip.

"We can say with certainty that Ammar Harris is the suspect who fired the fatal shots," Las Vegas police Capt. Chris Jones told reporters at an afternoon update about a manhunt that he said would be advertised on southern Nevada billboards.

Police previously released a photo of Harris taken after his arrest last year in Las Vegas in a 2010 prostitution case. It showed Harris with tattoos on his right cheek and words on his neck above an image that appeared to depict an owl with blackened eyes. Jones said Harris should be considered armed and dangerous.

Jones said investigators were looking everywhere Harris had lived in the past. He wasn't specific.

Public records show that Harris previously lived in South Carolina and Georgia, and told a police officer when he was arrested in Miami Beach last December that he had lived in Florida for about a year.

Harris was convicted in 2004 in Orangeburg, S.C., of felony possession with intent to sell a stolen pistol, Jones said. The conviction was not in California, as police said earlier.

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson attended the news conference and said afterward that the case was getting top priority from prosecutors and he hoped Harris would turn himself in. He said the warrant was issued Friday.

"If Mr. Harris is listening, I would urge him to surrender," Wolfson said.

Harris used the name Ammar Asim Faruq Harris when he was arrested last May in Las Vegas in the June 2010 case. He was charged with robbery, sexual assault, kidnapping and coercion with a weapon.

Las Vegas police also sought pandering by force and ex-felon in possession of concealed weapon charges stemming from allegations that Harris was a pimp and attacked a woman.

Court records show the case was dismissed last June. The prosecutor and a public defender who handled the case didn't immediately respond to messages Monday.

In Miami Beach, Harris was arrested Dec. 7 after he was accused of driving a silver 2006 Hummer H3 the wrong way on a congested street at 2 a.m. The arresting officer said Harris produced a Florida state identification card and provided a Miami address. The status of the case in Miami-Dade courts was unclear Monday.

In Atlanta, Harris was arrested in June 2004 on a felony marijuana possession with intent to distribute charge. According to court records, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge and was sentenced to three months in jail.

Fulton County jail records show Harris spent about two weeks in jail in February 2008 after a misdemeanor battery arrest. The outcome of that case was not immediately clear Monday.

In Las Vegas, investigators say Harris was driving a black Range Rover SUV when he fired shots into a Maserati before dawn Thursday, killing an aspiring rapper and causing a crash that killed two people when the Maserati slammed into a taxi that exploded in a fireball at the heart of the Strip.

Police said several other people were with Harris in the SUV as it fled the scene of the six-vehicle, chain-reaction crash on Las Vegas Boulevard near the Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Bally's and Flamingo resorts.

Jones and police homicide Lt. Ray Steiber said they were confident that Harris was the only shooter. They didn't say whether police intend to prosecute anyone else in the SUV.

But, "To anyone who is aware of his location or is assisting Ammar Harris in any way, you will be arrested and prosecuted," Jones said. "You may think you're being a friend, but keep in mind Ammar Harris is wanted for the murder of three citizens."

The SUV was the focus of an intense search before it was found Saturday parked in the garage of a gated apartment complex just a couple of blocks east of the Strip. Harris wasn't found at a nearby apartment where he was believed to have been living.

Kenneth Wayne Cherry Jr. was mortally wounded when the dark gray Maserati he was driving was peppered by gunfire from the SUV. Taxi driver Michael Boldon, 62, of Las Vegas, and passenger Sandra Sutton-Wasmund, 48, of Maple Valley, Wash., died in the taxi.

Police say the triple homicide stemmed from an altercation between Cherry and Harris in a valet area of the upscale Aria resort a block south of the crash scene at Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo Road.

A passenger in the Maserati was wounded in the arm, and four people from four other vehicles were treated for non-life-threatening injuries after the crash.

Las Vegas police sought help during last week's search for the Range Rover from local and federal authorities in Nevada and neighboring states of Arizona, California and Utah.

___

Associated Press writer Kate Brumback in Atlanta contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/warrant-issued-vegas-strip-shooting-suspect-230215329.html

lindsay lohan saturday night live snl lindsay lohan valley fever project x the lorax lorax fisker karma

iMore show. Tonight. 6pm PT. 9pm ET. Be here!

Forget the Walking Dead (or whatever they call the Oscars these days...) because the iMore show is coming your way LIVE tonight. David Chartier is joining us, and we'll be talking about Google's new hardware and what, if anything, it means for iOS and Apple users. We'll also be talking about default apps on iPhone and iPad, and a whole lot more. You don't want to miss it.

6pm PT, 9pm ET. Be here.

Want to go full screen? Head to iMore.com/live. Want to watch via iPhone or iPad? Grab the Ustream app and search for "mobilenations". Want to subscribe to any or all of our shows? Head on over to our podcast page.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/3VP2PPpqvIU/story01.htm

College Football Scoreboard nfl scores nfl scores Devon Walker Tom Cruise ryan reynolds Star Trek: The Original Series

CoreAlign From the Perspective of a World Champion 800m Runner ...

By Diane Cummins, 800m Olympic Champion 2012 Women?s Age 35 ? 39 and 10x Canadian National Champion

I am a runner, and I love CoreAlign. As an Olympic athlete it may be hard to believe that CoreAlign has taught me more about how to run and about my athletic strengths and weaknesses than any other form of exercise I have done to date. The exciting aspect of CoreAlign is that you can?t cheat. You can?t hide from your weaknesses, and you can?t fake your strengths or lack thereof I soon found out.

Through CoreAlign, I learned what is needed to get to the finish line stronger and faster without having to ?try harder?.

CoreAlign is a set of hundreds of exercises incorporating every day functional movements that require the recruitment of the appropriate muscles in sequence to perform the task efficiently and correctly. Through what appears to be some basic exercises, I have built a foundation of strength, balance, and flexibility, all of which were previously lacking in my training program. This addition to my training program has a strong correlation with improved running performance and decreased running related injuries.

The principles and theory behind CoreAlign directly relate to running and running form. I have found them to be extremely beneficial in the following ways:

1. I have learned how to use the ground as a source of ENERGY, effectively moving me horizontally with a stronger, more powerful stride.
2. I have learned that being able to stand BALANCED and strong on one leg helps me be more stable while in the running stride, and more efficient in transferring my body weight to the other leg in the running stride pattern.
3. I have learned that SYMMETRY is important for overall performance. It lends to good technique especially in a fatigued state. Good technique creates efficiency in movement, which ultimately leads to faster times at easy efforts. Good symmetrical running technique/form needs to be executed repetitively over time or distance to avoid compensations that could lead to injuries.
4. I have learned that the small STABILIZING MUSCLES we often ignore in strength workouts are as important as the big powerhouse ones that make us move. Developing strong, correct and effective use of the stabilizing muscles can prevent some of the more common running injuries.
5. I have learned that STRENGTH is not necessarily defined by how many times I can lift my body weight but rather the ability to execute functional movements pain free with efficiency and then repeat.
6. I have learned that FLEXIBILITY is required for full range of motion in the running stride and it can prevent muscle tension leading to aches, pains and injuries.
7. I have learned that a STRONG CORE can be developed through all exercises and not just by doing sit-ups every day. Core strength is a functional necessity that cannot be ignored by any runner.

The exercises in CoreAlign have helped me become a more efficient, stronger runner with fewer injuries, which in the end, has been a far more enjoyable overall experience.

I have definitely gained a lot from CoreAlign by making it a part of my training schedule on a regular basis.? I encourage you try it out and discover a deeper understanding of running, and of the running potential you never thought possible.

For more information on CoreAlign, visit or Core Studio website by clicking here.

Join us next time for CoreAlign from the Perspective of an Expert Physical Therapist, Angela Listug-Vap, DPT, FAAOMPT.

Source: http://healthandfitness101.com/?p=3601&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=corealign-from-the-perspective-of-a-world-champion-800m-runner

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

Governors Pushed To Implement Jobs Programs For People With Disabilities

WASHINGTON -- The Republican governor of South Dakota shared his personal experience growing up as the child of two deaf parents as part of the National Governors Association meeting this weekend, urging his fellow governors to promote jobs programs for people with disabilities.

South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard told his colleagues his experiences Sunday morning during a panel discussion, part of several sessions this weekend dedicated to the subject of employment for people with disabilities. Delaware Gov. Jack Markell (D), the NGA chairman, has made the issue this year's platform for NGA.

?I?m embarrassed to say that I have not done a lot as governor in this area," Daugaard said. "I want to do more.?

Daugaard went on to share details of his parents' lives, with his father working as a farmer and janitor, some of the only job opportunities available to him at the time. While the morning session was highlighted by Daugaard's personal experiences, governors also used the meetings to discuss ways states can create jobs for people with disabilities.

Carl Van Horn, the director of the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University in New Jersey, told governors Sunday morning that people with disabilities have an unemployment rate at twice the national average and the rate is likely to rise with the aging population. Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy (D) told his colleagues that the number of persons with disabilities seeking to enter the workforce will also continue to rise, due to the number of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with disabilities who have exited from rehabilitation.

?We owe it to these patriots to make sure that they have a job," Malloy said. "We should do everything in our power to make sure they do.?

Malloy noted that one of the main concerns in his state has been that many people with disabilities work part time and do not receive benefits, but the income they make could cost them benefits from Medicaid. He said that he has created a program to allow for the state to provide benefits for people with disabilities who work part time, so they can enter the workforce.

On Saturday, Walgreens CEO Gregory Wasson told governors about his company's programs training and employing those with disabilities in retail stores and distribution centers. Wasson told governors that those hired by Walgreens have worked well in a fast environment and have contributed to corporate goals. He noted, though, that when states and companies work on the issue of employment for people with disabilities, they need to address individual business needs, and not adopt any one strategy.

?This cannot be a cookie cutter approach," Wasson said.

Markell, the NGA chairman, told governors that the NGA will continue exploring ways states can work to develop programs for employing those with disabilities. As part of the goal to develop a list of best practices for state governments, the association is planning two institutes in May for governors and their staffs to meet with business leaders and share findings.

Among the areas governors were told to focus on were utilizing business leaders as advocates and meeting with parents of the disabled to promote to them the idea that their child can get a job. Malloy said that with the rate of autism rising nationally, the jobs issue needs to be addressed.

?That means more people even with severe autism can work part time or full time," Malloy said. "That means that the job pipeline needs to be there. We need to move away from warehousing people. The best place to spend your day if you have disabilities is in a job. It is our obligation to break down the barriers.?

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/2013/02/24/jobs-for-people-with-disabilities_n_2754163.html

protect ip act jim caldwell internet blackout jessica capshaw seattle times seattle times walker recall

Qualcomm's AllJoyn P2P software framework adds audio streaming and notifications, we go eyes-on

Qualcomm revealed that it was expanding its AllJoyn software platform today with some new services designed to help create a network of connected devices. Essentially, these services take the AllJoyn P2P software framework and package it in a way that makes it easier for hardware makers to implement. Qualcomm sees these new services enabling a kind of hub and spoke organization where myriad devices -- from coffee makers to stereos -- connect to a single internet gateway. With such a framework in place, users can control those devices and receive notifications from them on a smartphone or tablet.

To get an idea of what AllJoyn can do, imagine a world where your washing machine sends you a text when the laundry's done and you can tell your coffee maker to start brewing using your smartphone. In addition to an appliance and gadget connectivity network, AllJoyn's also rolling out a open source, wireless audio streaming protocol. Like AirPlay or Sonos' wireless technology, it allows users to stream music from mobile devices to any set of AllJoyn-enabled speakers. But, unlike those closed competitors, AllJoyn's solution is open source and freely available to speaker and stereo manufacturers. Intrigued? You can see an AllJoyn-enabled coffee maker and the AllJoyn-compatible DoubleTwist app do some music streaming in our video after the break.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile

Comments

Source: Qualcomm

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/0wQswoPEv7A/

the third man 2012 nfl draft order mohamed sanu chris polk chicago bulls st louis blues rueben randle

With Pope Benedict's retirement, the where is clearer than the how (+video)

Workers are renovating a former nunnery in the Vatican to house the retired pope. How he will interact with his future successor remains uncertain.?

By Nick Squires,?Correspondent / February 24, 2013

Pope Benedict XVI delivers his blessing during his last Angelus noon prayer, from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, Feb. 24.

Domenico Stinellis/AP

Enlarge

It is about to become the world's most famous retirement home, its occupant the world's most famous retiree.?

Skip to next paragraph

' + 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

A former nunnery set within the stone walls of the Vatican is being extensively refurbished by workers in preparation for the arrival of Benedict XVI, who steps down as Pope and head of the world?s 1.2 billion Catholics on Thursday.

The 85-year-old German pontiff?s decision to live out the rest of his days just a few hundred yards from where his successor will guide the crisis-hit Church has thrown up some highly awkward questions for the Holy See.

Will the ex-Pope interfere in his replacement?s affairs? How will they greet each other when they bump into each other in the Vatican gardens or anywhere else in the tiny sovereign nation? And will Benedict become a sort of shadow Pope, his presence looming large over the new papacy?

Vatican officials insist that Benedict plans to adopt a quiet life of prayer and reflection and that he will not meddle in the affairs of the Holy See.

But at his last ever Sunday address today, Benedict assured 100,000 people crowding St Peter?s Square that he would not be ?abandoning? the Church.

He raised questions about exactly what his role will be when he told the faithful that he would?"continue to serve it [the Church] with the same dedication and the same love which I have tried to do so until now, but in a way more suitable to my age and to my strength."

A former nunnery, with a view

Whatever his role turns out to be, it will be performed in comfort. The three-story nunnery, which has an adjoining chapel, boasts a study, a library, and living quarters for the band of personal staff that Benedict will bring with him from his papal apartments.

Set on a hill within the Vatican City State, it commands wonderful views of the terracotta rooftops of Rome, the Spanish Steps, and the distant Apennine mountains, which at this time of year are coated in glistening snow.

Gardeners were busy weeding and trimming the surrounding gardens and a cement mixer churned away in the driveway which leads to the entrance of the residence.?

Mature palm trees and umbrella pines provide shade and the roof of the Sistine Chapel looms so close it almost seems to be in touching distance.

It is there that 116 cardinals will gather next month to elect Benedict?s successor in a secretive, centuries-old process known as a conclave. (Read here for how a conclave works.)

Past conclaves have lasted for weeks and occasionally ended?in fist fights between feuding cardinals. In modern times, it is rarely more than a few days before white smokes wafts from a chimney stack on the Sistine Chapel?s roof, signaling the election of a new Pope.

First, to a castle

Benedict will not move into the ex-convent immediately. On Thursday afternoon at around 5 pm local time he will be flown by helicopter to Castel Gandolfo, a magnificent castle which sits on the lip of a steep-sided extinct volcano.

It is the traditional summer residence of the papacy and has been used by successive popes for 400 years to escape the squalor, heat, and intrigue of Rome.

Benedict is expected to spend around two months living in the?castle, while renovations to the nunnery are completed.

Attached to the castle is a huge estate made up of landscaped gardens, box hedges, mature oak trees, fish ponds, and fountains ? a perfect place for Benedict to indulge in long contemplative walks and contemplate the ramifications of his historic resignation.

There is even a small model farm, consisting of a freshly-planted vineyard, greenhouses, orange and lemon trees, and a herd of 25 Friesian cows, which are prized for their milk and yogurt.

A broad, shaded terrace, built over the remains of a Roman villa constructed by the Emperor Domitian, offers views of the Mediterranean. ?There are also the remains of a Roman theater, which was excavated in the 1970s,? says?Pier Paolo Turoli, the administrator of the estate.

Benedict will live in an apartment within the castle, the oldest parts of which date back to the 13^th ?century.

?It was acquired by the Vatican in 1596 when the Savelli family, who owned it, were unable to pay a debt to the Papacy,? says Saverio Petrillo, whose official title is director of the Papal villas.

When Benedict's helicopter arrives at the estate on Thursday he will be driven to the castle, which looms imposingly over the main piazza of the tiny village of Castel Gandolfo.

He will appear at a balcony over the entrance gate and greet thousands of well-wishers crammed into the cobbled square.

Final hours as pope

Then he will pray in the private chapel as the final moments of his pontificate tick away ??at 8 pm precisely local time, he will cease to be Pope and he will no longer be Benedict XVI, the 264th successor to St. Peter.

Vatican officials say he will pray, study, and write during his retirement. He has produced several books, the last one the final part of a trilogy on the life of Christ.

Benedict has said he will live "hidden from the world," but Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi has said he could provide "spiritual guidance" to his successor.

His retirement will certainly be more opulent than that enjoyed by the tiny number of Popes who have resigned in the past.

When Celestine V resigned after a few months in 1294 and returned to his former life as a hermit, he was hounded by the Church, with his successor fearing he could be a threat and set up as an anti-Pope.?

He was captured after an attempt to flee to Dalmatia and imprisoned in a castle south of Rome, where he died a few months later.

It is widely believed that an unnamed character in Dante's Inferno refers to Celestine; Dante consigned the man to Hell for his "great refusal."

Benedict's resignation may have been an ecclesiastical bombshell, but perhaps not even his sternest critics would wish a similar fate on him.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/dJHGfIcHS-o/With-Pope-Benedict-s-retirement-the-where-is-clearer-than-the-how-video

bill cosby us open bill nye Hurricane Isaac 2012 Snooki Baby terrell owens terrell owens