It's no secret that many Android phones and tablets show a decrease in performance over time. Nexus devices are not immune -- it's particularly noticeable with the original Nexus 7. Our friend Brian Klug over at AnandTech discovered an interesting tidbit while testing the new and improved Nexus 7: Android 4.3 supports TRIM. What this means is that Google's mobile OS can now instruct the flash storage controller when to collect / recycle unused data pages / blocks. The net result is that devices running Android 4.3 will no longer become sluggish with time -- in fact, existing Nexus handsets and tablets will see performance improve after the update. It also looks like Jelly Bean invokes TRIM maintenance once within a 24-hour window (after one hour of inactivity), and only if the battery is 80% full (30% when charging). Follow the source link below for all the details.
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is warning that the Pentagon may have to mothball up to three Navy aircraft carriers and order more sharp reductions in the size of the Army and Marine Corps, unless Congress acts to avoid massive budget cuts beginning in 2014.?
Hagel told Pentagon reporters on Wednesday that the full result of the sweeping budget cuts over the next 10 years could leave the nation with an ill-prepared, under-equipped military doomed to face more technologically advanced enemies.
During the press briefing Wednesday, Hagel outlined several options for dealing with the sequestration in 2014 -- including changes to military pay and benefits and consolidating headquarters staff members.
The proposed cuts stem from a four-month long "Strategic Choices and Management Review" that the Department of Defense began working on after sequestration went into effect on March 1.
?2013 Associated Press and Inergize Digital. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
A Kyrgyz court has found the former mayor of Bishkek, Nariman Tuleev, guilty of corruption and sentenced him to 11 years in prison.
Several former senior officials of the Bishkek city administration were also convicted on July 30 on similar charges and given sentences of five to 13 years.
Tuleev says the charges against him were politically motivated.
He served as Bishkek mayor under former President Kurmanbek Bakiev, who was ousted after a popular uprising in 2010.
Tuleev later became a member of parliament for the opposition Ata-Jurt party.
He ran for president in 2011 but pulled out of the race ahead of the vote.
He was arrested in June 2012 and charged with corruption and mismanagement while in office, which prosecutors say cost the state $1.4 million.
Based on reporting by Interfax and RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service
Some women with abnormal breast lesions may avoid surgeryPublic release date: 30-Jul-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Linda Brooks lbrooks@rsna.org 630-590-7762 Radiological Society of North America
OAK BROOK, Ill. -- Surgery is not always necessary for women with a type of breast tissue abnormality associated with a higher risk of cancer, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology. Researchers said that periodic imaging and clinical exam are effective in these patients when radiology and pathology findings are benign and concordant, or in agreement.
Atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) are abnormal breast lesions that occasionally appear as incidental findings in breast biopsies. Women with ALH or LCIS have a four to 10 times higher risk of developing breast cancer, according to Michael A. Cohen, M.D., FACR, professor of radiology at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. As a result, it is often recommended that ALH and LCIS diagnosed on image-guided core biopsy be removed surgically.
"Because of the possibility of upgrade to cancer, the bulk of the published literature says that the prudent thing to do is excise ALH and LCIS," Dr. Cohen said.
But new research from Dr. Cohen, Kristen Atkins, M.D., and colleagues may alter that thinking.
Dr. Atkins is a pathologist and associate professor at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va. At one time, Drs. Cohen and Atkins were colleagues there and had many discussions about balancing the risk of cancer in ALH and LCIS patients with the costs and potential complications of surgery.
"From a pathology perspective, ALH and LCIS are often very tiny lesions, so we wondered why they were getting excised," Dr. Atkins said. "These surgeries may involve general anesthesia and possible disfigurement."
The researchers studied 10 years of pathology and radiology data to look for a correlation between the number of ALH and LCIS cases that were upgraded to cancer after surgery or follow up and the concordance between the radiologist and pathologist.
The research yielded 50 cases from 49 women aged 40 to 73 years. Radiologist and pathologist findings were concordant in 43 of the 50 cases. None of the benign concordant cases were subsequently upgraded to cancer, strongly suggesting that observation in these patients would have been a viable alternative to surgery. Of the seven discordant cases, two were upgraded to ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS, an early-stage, noninvasive form of breast cancer.
Dr. Cohen repeated the study after moving to Emory and found the same results.
"When there's no discordance between the radiologist and pathologist after thorough radiology-pathology correlation, there's no upgrade from ALH or LCIS to cancer in our study," Dr. Cohen said. "These findings show that some women can avoid surgery, and that yearly mammograms along with MRI or ultrasound as second-line screening tools may suffice."
The researchers suggested that their findings will help physicians and patients make informed decisions about ALH and LCIS.
###
"Atypical Lobular Hyperplasia and Lobular Carcinoma in Situ at Core Breast Biopsy: Use of Careful Radiologic-Pathologic Correlation to Recommend Excision or Observation." Collaborating with Drs. Cohen and Atkins were Brandi Nicholson, M.D., and Sandra Rao, M.D.
Radiology is edited by Herbert Y. Kressel, M.D., Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass., and owned and published by the Radiological Society of North America, Inc.
RSNA is an association of more than 51,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists promoting excellence in patient care and health care delivery through education, research and technologic innovation. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Ill.
For patient-friendly information on mammography, MRI and ultrasound, visit RadiologyInfo.org.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Some women with abnormal breast lesions may avoid surgeryPublic release date: 30-Jul-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Linda Brooks lbrooks@rsna.org 630-590-7762 Radiological Society of North America
OAK BROOK, Ill. -- Surgery is not always necessary for women with a type of breast tissue abnormality associated with a higher risk of cancer, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology. Researchers said that periodic imaging and clinical exam are effective in these patients when radiology and pathology findings are benign and concordant, or in agreement.
Atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) are abnormal breast lesions that occasionally appear as incidental findings in breast biopsies. Women with ALH or LCIS have a four to 10 times higher risk of developing breast cancer, according to Michael A. Cohen, M.D., FACR, professor of radiology at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. As a result, it is often recommended that ALH and LCIS diagnosed on image-guided core biopsy be removed surgically.
"Because of the possibility of upgrade to cancer, the bulk of the published literature says that the prudent thing to do is excise ALH and LCIS," Dr. Cohen said.
But new research from Dr. Cohen, Kristen Atkins, M.D., and colleagues may alter that thinking.
Dr. Atkins is a pathologist and associate professor at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va. At one time, Drs. Cohen and Atkins were colleagues there and had many discussions about balancing the risk of cancer in ALH and LCIS patients with the costs and potential complications of surgery.
"From a pathology perspective, ALH and LCIS are often very tiny lesions, so we wondered why they were getting excised," Dr. Atkins said. "These surgeries may involve general anesthesia and possible disfigurement."
The researchers studied 10 years of pathology and radiology data to look for a correlation between the number of ALH and LCIS cases that were upgraded to cancer after surgery or follow up and the concordance between the radiologist and pathologist.
The research yielded 50 cases from 49 women aged 40 to 73 years. Radiologist and pathologist findings were concordant in 43 of the 50 cases. None of the benign concordant cases were subsequently upgraded to cancer, strongly suggesting that observation in these patients would have been a viable alternative to surgery. Of the seven discordant cases, two were upgraded to ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS, an early-stage, noninvasive form of breast cancer.
Dr. Cohen repeated the study after moving to Emory and found the same results.
"When there's no discordance between the radiologist and pathologist after thorough radiology-pathology correlation, there's no upgrade from ALH or LCIS to cancer in our study," Dr. Cohen said. "These findings show that some women can avoid surgery, and that yearly mammograms along with MRI or ultrasound as second-line screening tools may suffice."
The researchers suggested that their findings will help physicians and patients make informed decisions about ALH and LCIS.
###
"Atypical Lobular Hyperplasia and Lobular Carcinoma in Situ at Core Breast Biopsy: Use of Careful Radiologic-Pathologic Correlation to Recommend Excision or Observation." Collaborating with Drs. Cohen and Atkins were Brandi Nicholson, M.D., and Sandra Rao, M.D.
Radiology is edited by Herbert Y. Kressel, M.D., Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass., and owned and published by the Radiological Society of North America, Inc.
RSNA is an association of more than 51,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists promoting excellence in patient care and health care delivery through education, research and technologic innovation. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Ill.
For patient-friendly information on mammography, MRI and ultrasound, visit RadiologyInfo.org.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Ben Stiller has been hard at work on his directorial follow-up to 2008's "Tropic Thunder," an adaptation of the James Thurber short story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty." What Stiller's take on "Walter Mitty" might look like was largely a mystery until the first trailer for the movie debuted online today and caught many [...]
Should former congressman Anthony Weiner stay in the New York City mayoral race?
The White House won't touch that question with a ten-foot pole.
A reporter raised the issue at the daily briefing, asking spokesman Josh Earnest whether President Barack Obama had expressed any view on whether Weiner should quit.
LAKELAND | Florida Polytechnic University may offer free tuition even beyond the first year of enrollment to boost enrollment at the new school.
The state's 12th university is scheduled to open its doors to a projected 500 students in the fall of 2014.
University leaders have established the goal of obtaining Southern Association of Colleges and Schools candidacy status by mid-2015 and accreditation by the end of 2016.
With accreditation on the horizon, Florida Poly leaders are banking on free tuition to help draw the best and the brightest students to the campus early on.
During a meeting Friday of the university's Academic Affairs Committee, members discussed the possibility of offering free or reduced tuition beyond the first year.
Trustee Sandra Featherman wondered how the school will be able to afford to operate for a year without tuition.
"Where is the money going to come from for our programs?" she asked.
Chief Executive Officer Ava Parker said the topic of tuition waivers and funding for the scholarships will be addressed at the next board meeting.
"We have communicated those numbers to the foundation," she said.
The Florida Polytechnic University Foundation, the fundraising arm of the school, would need to bring in about $3 million to cover a year's tuition for about 500 students.
Featherman said she wants to talk about allowing students to attend a second and perhaps third year at discounted rates as well.
"I personally dislike front loading," she said. "We don't want to bring them in and let them sink."
Students could have a tapering off of scholarship funds, such as a 75 percent waiver, then 50 percent, etc., she said.
School officials said once the school obtains accreditation and is established, such incentives won't be necessary ? but initially scholarships will be necessary.
Florida Poly was created by legislation that essentially called for the phasing out of the former University of South Florida Polytechnic, which was based in Lakeland. Florida Poly took over its budget and the under-construction building designed by architect Santiago Calatrava.
Before the changes were made, USF Poly had promoted a "Hot 100" drive that was to provide free tuition, books and waived fees for that many first-year students.
Florida Poly hired two people earlier this month who will start the school's admissions team and focus on student recruitment.
Scott Rhodes, who has more than 14 years' experience in higher education, was named executive director of admissions.
The associate director will be Beth Pierpoint, a lawyer who most recently was director of admissions for Barry University School of Law in Orlando.
[unable to retrieve full-text content]The threat of infants being killed by unrelated males is the key driver of monogamy in humans and other primates, a new study suggests.
Dion Hinchliffe posted a modernizing round up of Enterprise 2.0 tools, and I thought it would be useful to highlight:
How you can use the Google suite for the same functions and benefits
What else you can do with Google, and what this broad scope means for CIOs
In short one thing of particular note about Google is just how much they do. When it comes to ?Cloudy, Social, Mobile?, there?s really no one quite like Google.
Enterprise 2.0 on Google ? Take your Google Apps experience into Orbit
First off the value of this suite is illustrated by this list of tools that Dion suggested.
For example not only can Google offer equivalent functions, such as their own Google Drive to match Box, but also they have other tools for the others in the list too.
As this article describes the value of these tools and especially how Google approaches it, is the wholesome integration of social media like features. You have the same file collaboration, and with all the supporting social tools that come from the other parts of the Google environment, like Google+.
And this is just one of the apps contained within their Google Apps office collaboration set, so you have the online apps as you have always used for Word, Excel type collaboration. Except Google does it all online natively, baking in lots of user productivity boosting features and project team organizing tools.
Out of the box you have what is probably the best desktop video collaboration tool, Google Hangouts, which you can also use to produce online events that you stream through Youtube.
So after a first pass you can see a big value of Google they are one supplier who can do many of the things that a list of a bunch of different vendors to achieve elsewhere.
However to be fair it?s also true that to be of full value to the enterprise market Google has to work with and build in product offerings from third-party partners too, so ultimately it?s the same assembly process.
Their core Cloud platform is really great but in some areas is best finalized through add in of a partner application. For example there is no in-built option for a Microsoft Sharepoint alternative, and this is what?Arachno Orbit caters for, an equivalent option to the Sharepoint function Dion describes in his list.
Read more in?this Tech Republic review which?gives an insight what is not only an ability to repeat a Sharepoint type function but also do it better in a more modern, Google Cloud-like way.
Android Everywhere
There are a myriad other plug-in apps as well, so in terms of providing the type of collaboration functionality central to an Enterprise 2.0 strategy, the Google suite is as armed to the teeth as you might imagine.
The story doesn?t stop there though, it gets bigger and better with Google.
As well as providing this type of cool collaboration functionality to users is naturally a goal for CIOs, and so is reducing costs and other business goals.
This is relevant to highlight when we also consider the broader IT landscape a CIO must manage, one that extends out on to devices like smartphones and line-of-business units like parcel trackers. What will be eaten up by the ?Internet of Things?.
As an immediate cost avoidance exercise this means CIOs can take steps like re-consider that enterprise licencing agreement for Microsoft Office. It takes time to wean users from their entrenched habits around Outlook, Word et al, but as this changes and we also see Android the operating system become more prevalent there is a whole shift possible. One that offers big $$ avoidance.
Android devices can be equipped with local apps like Office Suite Pro, to replicate the same MS Office functionality but again more as part of a native Cloud suite.
Longer term there is a continuing role for Android as a distributed OS enabler that can accelerate the deployment of new technology models and services, more sophisticated parcel trackers, and importantly can achieve this by also lowering costs through achieving a greatly reduced technology platform cost as well.
Most importantly this would be achieved by a platform that can offer an end-to-end integrated suite both horizontally, for the Enterprise 2.0 collaboration functionality, as well as vertically, integrating different stack layers (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS).
That?s a hugely powerful offering that no other vendor can match, not really.
The post Android Everywhere ? A modern Enterprise 2.0 strategy built on Google Enterprise appeared first on Cloud Computing Best Practices.
HARLINGEN, Texas (AP) - A Texas woman wants $1 million in damages from a steakhouse known for letting patrons throw peanut shells on the floor after she says she slipped and fell on the droppings.
Amelia Tijerina says she suffered physical pain, mental anguish and physical impairment after she slipped on the peanut shells scattered across the floor of the Texas Roadhouse. The McAllen Monitor reports (http://bit.ly/12T54Fu) Tijerina is also seeking damages for medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity and court costs.
Tijerina argues the restaurant is responsible for the peanut shells, and should have either warned her about the danger or removed them.
Texas Roadhouse Inc. moved the lawsuit from a state district court to a federal court and has requested a jury trial. It argues Tijerina's actions caused the injury.
___
Information from: The Monitor, http://www.themonitor.com
During the surge years in the Iraq War, Operation Purple sent roughly 250 military kids in Oregon each summer to camp. "Every minute of the day is tailored to support the military community and their kids," says Ethan Erickson, Executive Director of Tsuga Community Commission which runs the camp. With the end of that war, the spotlight on US military has moved away as has significant funding for programs like Operation Purple. "The waiting list is always longer than the number of kids we can support," Erickson says. This summer 78 kids aged nine to sixteen converged on Silver Fall State Park to laugh, play, learn about ecology and experience being in a community that shares a strong common thread.
The unofficial start to the high school football season is here.
University High's Jon Lewis is one of several local players playing in the 68th Rudy Mumley OVAC All-Star Charity Football Classic at Wheeling Island Stadium Sunday.
The annual game that pits Ohio versus West Virginia kicks off at 7:15 Sunday.
Players have spent all week with their new teammates practicing at Bethany College. West Virginia has won two of the past three years, but last year it was the buckeyes of Ohio that won the title.
"We're hoping we can play kids on offense and defense both, but at the same time we want to be able to spell kids," said West Virginia coach Mike Young. "We defiantly will play our best kids to win the ball game, but at the same time ,we want to give every kid an opportunity to play."
"You come here and want to make it enjoyable like you would in any all star game," said Mark Holenka, Ohio's head coach. "You want to build comradery, build relationships. A lot of time, talking to different people in the past, the people they roomed with that week have become friends for life, they still keep in contact with these people."
University High School's Jon Lewis, Deion Cunningham, Tim Kocher, and Trevor Layton are rostered.
Morgantown be represented by Blaine Stewart, Jalen Thomas, and Alex Weidman.
Clay-Battelle's Tyler Menas was selected to play, but will be sidelined due to a should injury.
RADAR AND THE FORECAST AT CLICKONDETROIT.COM ON THE WEATHER TAB AT ANY TIME. Carmen: NOW THE SUSPICIOUS DEATH OF A U OF M MEDICAL STUDENT. AN AUTOPSY REVEALED THAT PAUL DEWOLF WAS KILLED BY A SINGLE GUNSHOT WOUND. HE WAS FOUND DEAD IN HIS APARTMENT BY A COWORKER ON WEDNESDAY WHEN HE FAILED TO SHOW UP FOR WORK. INVESTIGATORS DIDN'T FIND ANY GUNS AT THE APARTMENT AND A REPORT THAT THE APARTMENT WAS ORDERLY AND VALUABLES APPEARED UNTOUCHED. POLICE ARE STILL ACTIVELY INVESTIGATING HIS DEATH AS A HOMICIDE. OUR LAUREN PODELL REPORTS DEWOLF IS REMEMBERED FOR HAVING BIG GOALS AND A BIG PERSONALITY. Lauren: 25-YEAR-OLD PAUL DEWOLF'S DREAMS OF BECOMING A SURGEON BEGAN AT GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY, WHERE PAUL MET THESE GUYS, WHO ARE NOT ONLY FRIENDS BUT BROTHERS FROM THE FRATERNITY. I DON'T SEE HOW ANYONE WOULD EVER WANT TO HURT PAUL. WHAT WOULD DRIVE SOMEONE TO HURT HIM IN THIS WAY BLOWS MY MIND. Lauren: WHETHER THEY FOUND OUT FROM SOCIAL MEDIA OR A CALL, THE NEWS THAT THEIR FRIEND WAS FOUND IN A POOL OF BLOOD SPREAD FAST AND HIT HARD. USUALLY YOU THINK IT'S WEDDINGS AND FUNERALS AND OVER 40 YEARS, NOT NOW. Lauren: HE CONTINUED HIS MEDICAL STUDIES AT UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. WHEN HE DIDN'T SHOW UP AT THE VETERANS AFFAIRS HOSPITAL FOR A SCHEDULED PROCEDURE, A COWORKERS WENT TO HIS APARTMENT WHERE HE WAS FOUND DEAD. HE WAS AN ATHLETE WITH A BIG PERSONALITY, DRESSING UP IN SILLY COSTUMES, A TALENTED STUDENT WITH BIG DREAMS. HE WANTED TO BECOME AN ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON. BESIDES BEING A MEDICAL STUDENT, PAUL SERVED AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT IN THE AIR FORCE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS
MUMBAI: Ratings agency Crisil has sounded an alarm on the deteriorating health of corporate India. A third of the 11,500 companies it rates may not be in a position to service debt this fiscal as the Reserve Bank of India's liquidity tightening to shore up the rupee stretches payment cycles, it said.
"RBI's recent measures - capping the access of banks to systemic liquidity, and mandating a higher minimum daily cash reserve requirement - have halted the declining interest rate cycle and tightened systemic liquidity," Crisil said in a statement.
"Stress will increase in sectors such as power, construction, engineering and steel, and lead to higher non-performing assets in the banking system," said Roopa Kudva, managing director and chief executive officer of Crisil. "Credit quality of corporates is likely to be weakened by slow growth in GDP, heightened currency volatility, and higher-than-expected interest rates."
RBI in the last two weeks has cut banks' borrowings from it through the liquidity facility and raised penal rates of borrowing by 200 basis points. These moves have pushed up interest rates by as much as 300 bps on some instruments, leaving corporates reeling under financial strain.
The stage is set for numerous rating downgrades of companies where more than Rs 1.1 lakh crore of loans are due for restructuring this fiscal, says Crisil. This financial strain could worsen the banking sector's plight by pushing up bad loans to 4% of total assets, from 3.3%.
The ratings firm has also scaled down its growth forecast for the economy from 5.5% to 5% this fiscal. In contrast with 2009, the global environment is much more stable today, and challenges for India's economy are mainly domestic. Industrial growth plummeted to a 20-year low of 1% in 2012-13, growth in private demand slowed down to a 12-year low of 4%, and private corporate investment continues to be weak, said Crisil.
The president of Human Rights First, which has campaigned to shut down Guant?namo, testified at the?hearing, the first time in five years the issue has been debated by Judiciary Committee members.
By Warren Richey,?Staff writer / July 24, 2013
Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., right, accompanied by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, during the Senate subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights & Human Rights' hearing on the future of prisoners at the Guantanamo Detention Center.
AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
Enlarge
Terror suspects being held at the Guant?namo prison camp should be sent home or brought to the United States for trial or continued open-ended detention in American prisons, a Senate subcommittee was told Wednesday.
Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of The Christian Science Monitor Weekly Digital Edition
The recommendation came from the president of the Washington-based group Human Rights First, which has long campaigned to shut down the terror prison camp at the US naval base in Cuba.
?It is a risk-management exercise, and the risk is manageable,? Elisa Massimino told the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights.
?This is something on which the president and Congress have to work together,? she said. ?Congress needs to trust the commander-in-chief to make these decisions.?
The hearing marked the first time in five years the issue has been debated by members of the Judiciary Committee. But it remains unclear whether the hearing reflects a genuine shift in momentum toward closure of the controversial prison camp, or whether it was just an opportunity for debate.
President Obama pledged as a candidate five years ago that closing Guant?namo would be among his first actions if elected president. But Congress responded by imposing a series of restrictions that made it impossible for his administration to follow through with the promise.
Now, some members of Congress are hopeful that a new effort to close the prison camp will take root.
?It is time to end this sad chapter in our history,? Sen. Dick Durban (D) of Illinois said at the start of the hearing. ?Eleven years is too long.?
While several Democratic members of the subcommittee participated in the hearing, only one Republican, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, attended.
Senator Cruz does not support the closure of Guant?namo. ?President Obama tells us the war on terror is over and we can now take a holiday,? he said. ?I don?t believe the facts justify that rosy assessment.?
Cruz accused those favoring the closing of Guant?namo of pushing a utopian fiction that the released detainees would go home, lay down their arms, and embrace global peace.
?We have seen in Boston, Benghazi, and Fort Hood that radical terrorism remains a real and live threat,? he said.
At issue is what to do with the 166 detainees who remain at the Guant?namo detention camp. Most of the detainees have been held at the camp without charge or trial since it opened in early 2002. In protest more than 100 of them have participated in a five-month hunger strike.
Ms. Massimino said her organization had developed an exit strategy. She urged the White House to develop a comprehensive plan and to use the ongoing debate over the National Defense Authorization Act to authorize the transfer of detainees to the US for prosecution or continued detention.
Source: reviews.cnet.com --- Thursday, July 25, 2013 Expansys offers the Wireless Xcessories Waterbox Case for Samsung Galaxy S4 in White, model no. WATERBOXGS4WH, Orange , model no. WATERBOXGS4OR, Blue , model no. WATERBOXGS4BL, or Pink , model no. WATERBOXGS4PK, for $26.99 with free shipping . That's tied with our mention from last week and the lowest total price we could find in any color by $2, outside of the price below. This case is dust-, dirt-, snow-, and waterproof and fits the Samsung Galaxy S4 and S3. A close price: The Cell Guru offeres it in White for $25.33 plus $1.99 for shipping. [Read more] ? ? ? ? ...
SEATTLE (AP) -- Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn is stepping into the immigration debate by offering young immigrants eligible to stay in the country under a federal program help with the paperwork.
The mayor's office announced Wednesday that immigrants applying for President Barack Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program can call Seattle City Light to have their names added to their utility bill. The program requires proof of residency and the mayor aims to help them with that paperwork.
McGinn says it's a small change that will help immigrants seeking to stay in the country.
That federal program provides young immigrants who arrived in the United States as children a legal way to live in the country on renewable two-year stays, if they meet certain age and non-criminal history criteria.
Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU, 1920x1200 display, 4G LTE option
We're live from Google's San Francisco event, where the company has just unveiled the successor to last year's Nexus 7 tablet — the new Nexus 7! This year's 7-inch tablet is once again made by Taiwanese manufacturer ASUS, and boasts a higher-resolution screen, faster CPU.
The 2013 Nexus 7 is powered by a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU and the display resolution has been bumped up to 1920x1200, while still fitting in a 7-inch diagonal frame. Unlike last year's model it also boasts a 5-megapixel rear camera and dual rear speakers.
In the U.S. there'll be a 4G LTE model offered, too.
Keep watching our liveblog for continuing coverage of Google's announcements today.
LIVE LAMBS FOR SALE AT JOHNSTON?S MEAT MARKET SATURDAY ? JULY 27 ? 9:00 AM TO 2:00 PM
We did this last year and it was really successful. The lambs are there for your selection and Johnston?s will process to your specifications. I imagine their lunch wagon will be open and serving the usual barbecued goodies.
Lambs will weigh in at 70 to 85 pounds live weight. Lamb is any sheep that is not one year old. It is sheep after its first birthday. Some folks use the word mutton but the connotation is that the animal is old and tough. Not true. A domestic sheep up to two years of age will taste no different than a much younger animal.
I?ve never tested anything over two years of age but I?m told it is all in the cooking.
LAKE ELLA GROWERS MARKET ? LAMB CUTS AND MAYHAW JELLY WEDNESDAY ? JULY 31 ? 3:00 PM TO 6:30 PM
We will schedule to come once a month. This time we have lamb cuts available. We should have goat next month. As always, there will be some samples available ? Merquez and Mayhaw Jelly. We are limited to what we can bring and would be happy to send you a list of available cuts and weights if you would like to order ahead.
We also list weekly on the Red Hills Online Market. You might consider joining and order once a week if the Wednesday market is not convenient for you. Check out the RHOM website. You can order 24 hours a day from you own home from Sunday through Wednesday morning. The theme is ?Shop Naked?. Please don?t send pictures!
NEW LEAF MARKET FARM TOUR SATURDAY ? OCTOBER 19 ? 10 AM TO 5:00 PM SUNDAY ? OCTOBER 20 ? 10 AM TO 4:00 PM
There are 41 farms on the tour this year. This is our sixth year and we are excited. So much to do and things to see. Hay rides all day long, Painted Pony will be here to offer those popular pony rides along with other local vendors. There are always those cute farm animals to see and pet.
We ask our friends that have farm or craft products to join us each year. It gives them a venue since most are to small to act as host on their own. It also makes it interesting to see what other folks are doing and how they do it. We are looking for the blacksmithing folks to join us again. They came to the Mayhaw Festival and provided a new new venue of things to see. There were antique tractors, blacksmithing demonstrations and they also entertained us with a gospel singing group. Then there is our fascination with many phases of wool ? cleaning, dyeing, spinning, weaving, knitting and crocheting. I?m even trying to arrange for a vegetable canning demonstration by our Jefferson County Extension office.
FARM TO TABLE DINNER SUNDAY ? OCTOBER 20 STARTING A 6:00 PM
Back by request ? local food served in a farm setting. Tickets are $65.00. It was so much fun last year and well attended. Make your reservations early. Tickets will be available through New Leaf Market and Golden Acres Ranch. Now wear your farm shoes and comfortable duds. There will be a hayride tour of the farm and a bonfire as the sun goes down.
Unique Leasing Inc. and Pillar Technology Group are promising to add jobs in Columbus in exchange for incentive deals.
Columbus City Council has approved two incentive deals that could bring 77 new jobs to the city and retain nearly 100 in the region.
Council members on Monday night approved a five-year, 25 percent Jobs Growth Incentive for Texas-based Unique Leasing Inc. and a five-year, 50 percent Downtown Office Incentive to Pillar Technology Group.
Unique Leasing plans to relocate its London trucking operations to 3879 Fisher Road in west Columbus. The move involves the relocation of 37 jobs and the creation of 43, according to the city.
The Pillar Technology software development and consulting business plans to create 40 full-time positions above the 56 jobs it has in the Smith Brothers Hardware Co. building at 580 N. Fourth St.
Brian R. Ball covers real estate, allied construction industries, development and the hospitality and hotel sectors for Business First.
Beginning July 26, AT&T* will offer customers even more choice with the launch of the Nokia Lumia 520, the first Windows Phone in the AT&T GoPhone portfolio. The 4G-capable Nokia Lumia 520 will be available for $99.99.
The Lumia 520 offers the intuitive functionality of the Windows Operating System and the outstanding imaging capabilities found on other smartphones in the Nokia Lumia family, all in a more affordable package. You can take great photos with the 5-megapixel camera and Nokia digital camera lenses, add motion to your pictures with Cinemagraph, or capture super-wide-angled pictures to take in more of the scene. In addition, you can use Smart Shoot to capture five sequential images and select different faces and portions of the photos to compile into one final group picture.
The super sensitive 4-inch IPS LCD WVGA display allows you to use the phone with fingernails or while wearing gloves.
?We are excited to launch the first 4G Windows Phone 8 smartphone in our GoPhone portfolio,? said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president ? Devices. ?A diverse device ecosystem benefits everyone, and the addition of an affordable Windows device gives our customers yet another choice that fits their needs.?
AT&T GoPhone customers can enjoy the affordability and simplicity of no annual contract wireless plans on the nation?s largest 4G network. AT&T 4G service is available with any GoPhone smartphone plans.
The Nokia Lumia 520 comes with access to free** global HERE Maps which provide information, photos and reviews on popular nearby places including directions or use HERE Drive to access turn-by-turn navigation, even when offline? To make getting around even easier, HERE Transit provides instant access to the best way across town using public transportation, offering a detailed overview of stations and stops, departure and arrival times, and estimations on your walking times.
Like our other Nokia smartphones, the Lumia 520 comes with Nokia Music that lets you stream unlimited music for free***. Tap into the latest tracks or create your own channels based on the artists you love. Accessing your favorite things is easy with this Windows Phone 8 smartphone. Customers can pin playlists, HERE routes, web pages and documents directly to the start screen as Live Tiles to get to your favorite content quickly. Select from various apps to be placed as Live Tiles and resize to reflect your personal priorities. Microsoft Office is built into your phone, and can seamlessly sync with laptops.
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TypeSmartphone
Operating systemWindows Phone (8)
Screen size4 inches
Internal memory8 GB
Carriers (US)T-Mobile
Dimensions4.69 x 2.52 x 0.39 in
Weight4.37 oz
AnnouncedFebruary 25, 2013
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write a reviewMicrosoft Windows Phone 8
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reviews ?13
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AnnouncedOctober 29, 2012
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8.4average user rating
Ease of use9.5
Speed9.7
Configurability8.0
Ecosystem (apps, drivers, etc.)7.1
Openness6.5
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CAIRO (Reuters) - The biggest mistake deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi made was stopping wheat imports, Egypt's new minister of supplies said, pledging to ensure that supplies of a strategic good like wheat do not reach the critically low levels they did during Mursi's year in office.
Mohamed Abu Shadi, a 62-year-old former police general with a doctorate in economics, said Mursi's government made "incorrect calculations" regarding Egypt's wheat stocks.
The estimates made by former supplies minister Bassem Ouda, who hails from Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood, were "based on guesses, not on facts", Abu Shadi told Reuters in an interview.
When asked why Mursi's administration was unable to accurately assess its wheat stocks, a crucial issue for a country where much of the population of 84 million relies on heavily subsidized loaves of bread, Abu Shadi replied: "That was why he left."
Abu Shadi said Egypt's current stocks of wheat were enough to last until November 25 adding that after the arrival of 480,000 metric tons purchased this month, Egypt would have stocks to last until the end of the year.
Abu Shadi said the military-backed interim government would aim to increase total stocks to between 5 million and 6.5 million metric tons by the end of Egypt's current fiscal year next June. He said the government currently had reserves of 3-6 million to 3.7 million metric tons of local wheat and 500,000 of imported wheat.
Sworn in last week as part of the military-backed interim government running the country, Abu Shadi is in charge of regulating wheat stocks and dealing with the subsidized fuel and bread system that eats up almost a quarter of the state's budget.
Bread has long been a sensitive issue in Egypt. Mubarak faced unrest in 2008 when the rising price of wheat caused shortages. Similar problems in the 1970s provoked riots against former President Anwar Sadat.
Egypt is the world's largest importer of wheat, but it froze its international purchase for months, from February until the eve of Mursi's overthrow on July 3, hoping for a bigger domestic crop. It was its longest absence from the market in years.
Although it also grows its own wheat, Egypt still needs huge quantities of foreign wheat with higher gluten content to make flour suitable for subsidized bread.
Abu Shadi ordered the purchase of 300,000 metric tons of Romanian, Ukrainian, and Russian wheat on Thursday, his second day in office. It dwarfed a July 2 tender of 180,000 metric tons ordered by his Mursi-era predecessor Ouda.
Mamdouh Abdel Fattah, who managed Thursday's purchase, said days after Mursi's overthrow this month that Egypt was unlikely to buy wheat from abroad any time soon.
Fattah is the vice chairman of the state grain buying agency, the General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC). The agency typically announces tenders the night before they occur.
The 300,000-tonne purchase was the new minister's first step to boost dwindling stocks of imported wheat that Ouda told Reuters on July 11 were only enough to last for two months.
Mursi's ousted government had said it would purchase 4 million to 5 million metric tons of local wheat but had only bought 3.7 million metric tons of home-grown wheat during the harvest which ended last month.
RE-SUPPLYING
Political turmoil and street violence since the January 2011 uprising that ousted veteran autocrat Hosni Mubarak have steadily driven Egypt into a deep economic crisis, scaring off investors and tourists and draining foreign currency reserves needed to secure critical imports like wheat and fuel.
Abu Shadi said he was optimistic that the economy would begin to recover, saying this would come as the political and security situation stabilized, but did not give details on how the government would pay for his plans for rebuilding stocks.
He said he did not have details of his ministry's budget, but said that a recent package of $12 billion in loans and grants from Gulf nations was enough to support Egypt through the transition, echoing similar comments by the new planning minister last week.
Abu Shadi said he would work to boost next season's local wheat harvest, which runs from April to June, to reduce dependence on imports.
But the minister said international purchases would continue. "We are open to everyone," he said, saying the government would "definitely" issue more tenders, though he did not specify when.
He singled out Russia, one of Egypt's main wheat suppliers, saying that his ministry would speak with officials there "within days" to discuss price and payment facilities.
Russia's Agriculture Ministry offered last week to hold discussions on possible humanitarian deliveries of wheat to Egypt.
Abu Shadi dismissed that possibility: "No one gives a grant of wheat," he said.
"PROTECTING" SUBSIDIES
In his previous work as a senior official in the Supplies Ministry, he built a reputation for targeting theft and corruption in a subsidies scheme that is notorious for being abused.
But the current state of the supply system shows that his efforts had limited success. Bread and fuel subsidies eat up more than 106 billion Egyptian pounds ($15.14 billion)annually.
Despite his plans to purchase more imported wheat and increase local production, Abu Shadi did not reveal any parallel plans to clamp down on waste and losses in the supply system that could help to plug a budget deficit that has ballooned since the 2011 uprising.
Admitting it would not be possible to completely stop fuel smuggling or corruption in the subsidized bread system, Abu Shadi said increased security measures were the answer to targeting "criminals".
He pledged to "protect" the subsidies system for "those who need it", and said any reforms to the system would only happen after securing broad consensus from all groups with the consumers of the products being the priority.
Reform of the broken system was viewed as a prerequisite to securing a $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund that Mursi's administration had sought this year.
Months of talks ran aground with the government unable to agree to steep cuts to the unaffordable food and fuel subsidies.
He also said the government would go ahead with a smart card system pushed by Mursi's government in an attempt to reduce the state's expensive energy bill, another step towards meeting the IMF's terms for the loan.
"We will complete the system of smart cards ... it will be the beginning of the citizen's right to obtain the quantities they want and after a period, we will determine the consumption amount for citizens." ($1 = 7.0025 Egyptian pounds)
WASHINGTON -- Former Gov. John Baldacci was walking the corridors of Capitol Hill once again last week along with former Maine Senate President Rick Bennett as part of a delegation of Mainers pushing for action on the federal debt.
MONTGOMERY, Minn. - To every thing there is a season. And the time has come to put a cap on the abandoned 145-year-old Catholic church adopted by Greg Thomas.
"It's been far beyond anything I could ever imagine," says Thomas, as worker crews began replacing the church's leaky roof.
KARE 11 first reported last fall on the comfort Thomas found at the church. When he began restoration four years ago, the church's foundation was crumbling and its paint peeling.
Thomas was in even worse shape, having been diagnosed with stage 4 head and neck cancer.
"They basically told my family to go ahead and start planning my funeral," he said.
That story, shared thousands of times online, touched a nerve. More than 300 cards and letters arrived in Montgomery, from across the United States and Canada, containing more than $13,000 in donations.
"We needed you to help restore our faith in these dark times," wrote one donor in a note that accompanied her check.
Even the slate shingles for the new roof were donated by a Kansas City company, Davinci Roofscapes.
"I think this whole thing has been ordained by the good Lord himself," Thomas said.
His faith is not surprising. Thomas is now cancer free. The feeding tube through which he has eaten for the past four years was removed last month.
With that new roof keeping things dry, Thomas can now complete the restoration of the inside of the church.
And then what? Like everything else in Thomas' life, he'll tell you, that's in God's hands.
"Too many things have happened here to deny his power," he says, "and I know he has a plan for this church and I'm here to try and see it through."
In an exclusive interview on ABC?s ?This Week,? Detroit Mayor Dave Bing said he hopes the city?s decision to file for bankruptcy?will provide a new beginning for the Motor City.
?I?m surely hoping that this will be a new start. ?Detroiters are a very, very resilient people,? Bing said on ?This Week.? ?Detroit is a very iconic city, worldwide, and our people will fight through this. And we will come back.?
The city of Detroit made history on Thursday when it became the largest U.S. city to file for bankruptcy. Detroit?s emergency financial manager Kevyn Orr filed for Chapter 9 protection, citing the city?s $18 billion in debts to over 100,000 creditors.
Bing, a Hall of Fame former NBA basketball player who has been mayor since 2009, told ABC News? George Stephanopoulos he is unsure what role the federal government will play in Detroit?s comeback, saying ?not yet? when asked if there would be a federal bailout.
?I think it?s very difficult right now to ask directly for support,? Bing said. ?I have gotten great support from this administration. ?I?ve got great support from a lot of the different departments within the administration. They have been helpful, but now that we?ve done our bankruptcy filing, I think we?ve got to take a step back and see what?s next.?
?There?s a lot of conversation, a lot of planning, a lot of negotiations that will go into fixing our city,? he added.? ?We have to have an organized plan so we know that whatever we get is going to be invested where we can maximize the return on the investment and give the people the kind of services that they need, give them the idea that they can live in this city and be safe.?
On Friday, a judge ruled the bankruptcy filing unconstitutional, saying it threatens the pension benefits of retirees. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette plans to appeal that ruling on behalf of the Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder?s office.
ABC News
This morning, Bing told Stephanopoulos that lawyers shouldn?t ?dictate what?s going to happen? next in Detroit.
?Well, I?m not a lawyer. And I?m glad I?m not at this point in time. But I?m hearing ? I am hearing that, you know, that the federal constitution will trump the state constitution,? Bing said. ?But whatever happens, we can?t allow lawyers to dictate what?s going to happen in our city and its comeback. ?We?ve got to throw away a lot of the bickering and fighting amongst us and do what?s best to bring cities like Detroit back.?
The mayor told Stephanopoulos that Detroit?s problems set a precedent for other cities across America.
?There are over 100 major urban cities that are having the same problems that we?re having,? Bing said. ?We may be one of the first, we are the largest, but we absolutely will not be the last. And so we?ve got to set a benchmark in terms how to fix our cities and come back from this tragedy.?
10 Biggest Dilemmas Detroit Has to Face
Bing also discussed what the city?s money woes mean for the Motor City?s future and sent a message to Detroiters that ?the cavalry is coming.?
?We?ve got to make sure that those people understand that we care about them. That we?re going to reinvest in our neighborhoods and give them the things that they need,? Bing said.
?I think our city is going to come back.? It?s not going to happen overnight.? And we?ve got to be very strategic in whatever we do that we can?t fix it all overnight.? People need to understand that,? Bing cautioned. ?We?ve got to better communicate that to people and let them know that the cavalry?is coming.?
In the past 50 years, Detroit?s racial landscape has gone from approximately 80% white residents to 80% African-American. When asked to respond to what Washington Post reporter Keith Richburg wrote??- which read in part ?Older Detroiters are correct that the city was surrounded by a ring of often-hostile white suburbs, in a largely conservative state that had little time for a poor, destitute, Democratic and black city? The governor?s appointment of an emergency financial manager? is again seen as a hostile, racist takeover by the state over the city?s elected black leadership??- the mayor said he did not want to make this a ?black and white issue?
?It?s a financial issue, and it?s green. We?ve got to get some funding that?s necessary to help us fix our problem right now,? Bing said. ?The polarization between our city and our suburbs is something that?s been going on for the last 60 years. We?ve got to change it.?
?Once again, if Detroit fails, doesn?t make it, then all these surrounding suburbs are going to feel the brunt of it also,? he added.
Like ?This Week? on Facebook here. You can also follow the show on Twitter here.
Go here to find out when ?This Week? is on in your area.
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Public release date: 30-Jul-2013
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Expansys offers the Wireless Xcessories Waterbox Case for Samsung Galaxy S4 in White, model no. WATERBOXGS4WH, Orange , model no. WATERBOXGS4OR, Blue , model no. WATERBOXGS4BL, or Pink , model no. WATERBOXGS4PK, for $26.99 with free shipping . That's tied with our mention from last week and the lowest total price we could find in any color by $2, outside of the price below. This case is dust-, dirt-, snow-, and waterproof and fits the Samsung Galaxy S4 and S3. A close price: The Cell Guru offeres it in White for $25.33 plus $1.99 for shipping. [Read more] ? ? ? ? ...
We did this last year and it was really successful. The lambs are there for your selection and Johnston?s will process to your specifications. I imagine their lunch wagon will be open and serving the usual barbecued goodies.
We will schedule to come once a month. This time we have lamb cuts available. We should have goat next month. As always, there will be some samples available ? Merquez and Mayhaw Jelly. We are limited to what we can bring and would be happy to send you a list of available cuts and weights if you would like to order ahead.
There are 41 farms on the tour this year. This is our sixth year and we are excited. So much to do and things to see. Hay rides all day long, Painted Pony will be here to offer those popular pony rides along with other local vendors. There are always those cute farm animals to see and pet. 
Back by request ? local food served in a farm setting. Tickets are $65.00. It was so much fun last year and well attended. Make your reservations early. Tickets will be available through New Leaf Market and Golden Acres Ranch. Now wear your farm shoes and comfortable duds. There will be a hayride tour of the farm and a bonfire as the sun goes down.
Microsoft Windows Phone 8
