Sunday, March 31, 2013

Paulos: Investing in workers makes cents | The Salt Lake Tribune

I have owned my advertising and PR agency here in Salt Lake City, The Summit Group Communications, for 31 years. Now, that certainly does not make me John D. Rockefeller or Steve Jobs, but I have learned some very important things, like the correlation between the culture of a workplace and its bottom-line success.

When I talk about a company?s culture, I am not talking about its brand ? which is what a company is and provides for its consumers. I am talking about who and what a company is for its most important assets ? its employees.

I have found (and, as it turns out, there is fascinating research to support) that the happier employees are, the better they perform for the company, directly affecting its profits. And, as research conducted by the American Sociological Association shows, diversity in the workplace also has a direct and positive correlation with profit. In fact, it showed that "workplace diversity is among the most important predictors of a business? sales revenue, customer numbers and profitability."

So, how to create a happy and diverse workforce?

First, recruit well. There is incredible talent out there looking for rewarding work. For example, I want my compensation packages to be competitive, opening the company up to as broad a talent pool as possible. And especially as the job market continues to recover, potential employees are scrutinizing potential employers as much as we are evaluating them.

Second, we have to take care of our employees so they want to stay. This means having inclusive policies and procedures ? whether mandated by law or not ? so that everyone is treated fairly and can work in environments free from discrimination and harassment. We have to spell this out and we have to enforce it. No exceptions. Some of history?s most successful individuals were women, people of color, gays and lesbians, people with disabilities and so on. Successful businesses invite and protect everyone.

Creating a happy and diverse workforce also includes investing in programs that make work fun and positive. This is not to say that all companies have to provide a game room the size of Google?s, but a rolling nacho cart every now and again can be quite nice. At TSG, we liken our work to running intervals. We expect our folks to sprint for us, so we make sure to provide them with rest and proverbial Gatorade.

Without progressive benefits, inclusive nondiscrimination policies, institutionalized programs for fun and good health, we all suffer. And although it creates a competitive advantage for me when other companies do not provide the basic protections and benefits to their employees, I very much believe that all workers deserve open and safe workplaces.

Now, I certainly want my company to see continued success, but for me, taking care of my employees is more about doing what I think is right than it is about profit. And while we may not all agree on that, can we all agree to invest in a safe and productive workplace for the people who make sacrifices for us every day?

story continues below

Bill Paulos founded The Summit Group Communications in 1982. Today, its 80 employees do business in 32 states and TSG is the longest running, independently owned advertising and public relations firm in Utah.

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/opinion/56075825-82/employees-company-paulos-bill.html.csp

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Select Suitable Accommodation For A Comfortable Visit In Gurgaon

If you are visiting Gurgaon, it's imperative to know about different accommodation available. From budget hotels to luxury business hotels, there are plethora to comfort and please you.

Accommodation is, of course, the most important factor for any visit and the purpose can't be fulfilled without the comfortable, suitable and relaxing accommodation. Be it a vacation or a business meeting, the place you stay in should cater to the requirements properly. Even fun in tough without suitable ambience and surroundings.

Gurgaon is a known place on India's map. Having plethora of IT and other companies, this place is well -equipped with comfortable lodging and housing. As corporate travelers frequently visit the place, they have enough options to choose from. From cheap stay to luxury business hotels, you can opt anything as per your pocket. For people on short trips, bed and breakfast hotels are a good option.

However, those visiting the first time may feel difficulty in searching the suitable one. First timers can search around IFFCO Chowk and MDI. These two are very common spots in Gurgaon. Boasting of big malls, corporate, and enough entertainment; there are various good lodging options near these areas.

So, whether you are visiting the place for vacation or for business purposes; staying in a Hotel near IFFCO Chowk or MDI Gurgaon will be the right option. These places are well-connected to other parts, enjoy good transportation and give good entertainment options as stated. Hotels offer you the best comfort, dining facilities, banquets and all that you require to make your stay purposeful and useful.

Signature tower is another important place frequently visited by people for different purposes. There are many hotels near signature tower also but they may make a bigger dent in your pocket. So, if you are staying on your own expense, you may be a bit hesitant. However, you can opt for Budget stay in Gurgaon that can help make your stay comfortable and your keep your pocket in place. These hotels are not very well furnished obviously; but there will not be any problem as far as basic amenities are concerned. Gurgaon offers both luxury and cheap places to stay and this is one of the best things for travelers. Choose any of these places for your stay as per your budget.

If you are a frequent traveler, you must know about suitable places to stay in. Browse the net and you will come to know about many options. However there are few things to keep in mind before you plan to choose a hotel. Always select a hotel or accommodation that offers food facilities. The place should provide you options of breakfast, lunch and dinner at affordable prices. Also make sure the hotel in reputed and located in a good area devoid of any crimes or illegal activities. Enjoy your stay in Gurgaon. Have a nice time!

About the Author:
Both Corporate and leisure travelers can find suitable and luxury accommodation at a Hotels near IFFCO Chowk and MDI which are famous Budget hotel in Gurgaon which are best for cheap stay with all modern amenities along with Bed and Breakfast services

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Select-Suitable-Accommodation-For-A-Comfortable-Visit-In-Gurgaon/4512309

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Raw Five-Point Preview: April 1, 2013

All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, logos and copyrights are the exclusive property of WWE, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. ? 2013 WWE, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This website is based in the United States. By submitting personal information to this website you consent to your information being maintained in the U.S., subject to applicable U.S. laws. U.S. law may be different than the law of your home country. WrestleMania XXIX (NY/NJ) logo TM & ? 2013 WWE. All Rights Reserved. The Empire State Building design is a registered trademark and used with permission by ESBC.

Source: http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2013-04-01/raw-five-point-preview-april-1-2013

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Saturday, March 30, 2013

Justin Bieber Battery Case: Headed for Prosecution

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/03/justin-bieber-battery-case-headed-for-prosecution/

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Artificial spleen to treat bloodstream infections: Sepsis therapeutic device under development

Mar. 30, 2013 ? The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University announced today that it was awarded a $9.25 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to further advance a blood-cleansing technology developed at the Institute with prior DARPA support, and help accelerate its translation to humans as a new type of sepsis therapy.

The device will be used to treat bloodstream infections that are the leading cause of death in critically ill patients and soldiers injured in combat.

To rapidly cleanse the blood of pathogens, the patient's blood is mixed with magnetic nanobeads coated with a genetically engineered version of a human blood 'opsonin' protein that binds to a wide variety of bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites, and toxins. It is then flowed through microchannels in the device where magnetic forces pull out the bead-bound pathogens without removing human blood cells, proteins, fluids, or electrolytes -- much like a human spleen does. The cleansed blood then flows back to the patient.

"In just a few years we have been able to develop a suite of new technologies, and to integrate them to create a powerful new device that could potentially transform the way we treat sepsis," said Wyss founding director and project leader, Don Ingber, M.D., Ph.D. "The continued support from DARPA enables us to advance our device manufacturing capabilities and to obtain validation in large animal models, which is precisely what is required to enable this technology to be moved towards testing in humans."

The team will work to develop manufacturing and integration strategies for its core pathogen-binding opsonin and Spleen-on-a-Chip fluidic separation technologies, as well as a novel coating technology called "SLIPS," which is a super-hydrophobic coating inspired from the slippery surface of a pitcher plant that repels nearly any material it contacts. By coating the inner surface of the channels of the device with SLIPS, blood cleansing can be carried out without the need for anticoagulants to prevent blood clotting.

In addition to Ingber, the multidisciplinary team behind this effort includes Wyss core faculty and Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Science faculty member Joanna Aizenberg, Ph.D., who developed the SLIPS technology; Wyss senior staff member Michael Super, Ph.D., who engineered the human opsonin protein; and Mark Puder, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pediatric Surgery at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School who will be assisting with animal studies.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Wyss Institute.

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


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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/O8CKu3xNkz0/130330130531.htm

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Low-power use for mobile devices: 60 GHz radio frequency chip

Mar. 29, 2013 ? As the capacity of handheld devices increases to accommodate a greater number of functions, these devices have more memory, larger display screens, and the ability to play higher definition video files. If the users of mobile devices, including smartphones, tablet PCs, and notebooks, want to share or transfer data on one device with that of another device, a great deal of time and effort are needed.

As a possible method for the speedy transmission of large data, researchers are studying the adoption of gigabits per second (Gbps) wireless communications operating over the 60 gigahertz (GHz) frequency band. Some commercial approaches have been introduced for full-HD video streaming from a fixed source to a display by using the 60 GHz band. But mobile applications have not been developed yet because the 60 GHz radio frequency (RF) circuit consumes hundreds of milliwatts (mW) of DC power.

Professor Chul Soon Park from the Department of Electrical Engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and his research team recently developed a low-power version of the 60 GHz radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC). Inside the circuit are an energy-efficient modulator performing amplification as well as modulation and a sensitivity-improved receiver employing a gain boosting demodulator.

The research team said that their RFIC draws as little as 67 mW of power in the 60 GHz frequency band, consuming 31mW to send and 36mW to receive large volumes of data. RFIC is also small enough to be mounted on smartphones or notebooks, requiring only one chip (its width, length, and height are about 1 mm) and one antenna (4x5x1 mm3) for sending and receiving data with an integrated switch.

Professor Park, Director of the Intelligent Radio Engineering Center at KAIST, gave an upbeat assessment of the potential of RFIC for future applications:

"What we have developed is a low-power 60-GHz RF chip with a transmission speed of 10.7 gigabits per second. In tests, we were able to stream uncompressed full-HD videos from a smartphone or notebook to a display without a cable connection. Our chip can be installed on mobile devices or even on cameras so that the devices are virtually connected to other devices and able to exchange large data with each other."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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


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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/wDhOcuqbnp4/130329161245.htm

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Friday, March 29, 2013

New York state passes budget on time third year in a row

By Cheryl Clark

ALBANY, New York (Reuters) - New York's Assembly passed the state's $135 billion budget for fiscal year 2013-2014 on Thursday just before midnight, the third budget in a row to be delivered on time in a state known for regularly being late.

Lawmakers rushed to sign off on the legislation during a week that was punctuated with religious holidays and have succeeded in getting the job done ahead of the start of the state's fiscal year on April 1.

Getting the budget ready on time may not sound like much to be proud of, but it is being touted as a triumph in a state where seasoned budget watchers recall over a decade of tardiness when budgets would sometimes run into late summer.

"While three on-time budgets in a row shouldn't sound like much, in New York state this is the first time it has happened in almost 30 years," state Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a video address on his website on Friday. "Year after year the budgets became a flashpoint for the chaos and dysfunction of state government."

Stripping the government in Albany of its tardy image was key for Cuomo who is keen to burnish his credentials as a capable operational manager able to bridge party lines. His name has often been raised as a possible Democratic presidential candidate when President Barack Obama's term ends in 2016.

The Assembly's 13-hour session broke up just before midnight on Thursday and featured extended debate over a stack of failed amendments. They included one that tried to torpedo a tax incentive widely seen as a way to lure the Tonight Show, a popular and long-running late-night talk show, from California back to New York City where it began life in the 1950s.

The measure provides a tax break for certain types of television production and has detailed criteria that fit the Tonight Show. There have been reports that its producers at NBC are considering bringing it back to New York.

A Republican amendment to restore $90 million in funding for the developmentally disabled failed but there were impassioned pleas to revisit the issue on both sides.

The money was cut because a Washington Congressional committee said New York state was overbilling the federal government for Medicaid funds for centers that treat people with developmental disabilities. That led to the state cutting $1.1 billion from the budget proposal in February.

Religious holidays during the week complicated the ratification process. The Senate signed off on the budget after a session that broke up two hours before dawn on Wednesday.

As a package the budget holds spending growth under 2 percent; raises the minimum wage incrementally to $9 an hour by the end of 2015; extends higher tax rates for millionaires and tax breaks for the middle class that were to expire next year.

It also increases state funding for schools by $1 billion and creates a tax rebate program that will deliver $350 checks to a million middle-income families with children right before state elections in 2014.

The budget also closes a $1.3 billion spending gap. Cuomo has succeeded in narrowing a budget gap that was around $10 billion when he took office in 2011.

Standard & Poor's rates New York's bonds AA with a positive outlook and praised the state's conservative budgeting in a report at the beginning of March.

However, the state still faces significant economic difficulties, especially in the north where a decades-long outflow of industries has left high unemployment.

"New York faces an ongoing challenge maintaining budget balance amid slow economic growth and tax revenue that persistently lags projections," the state top financial watchdog Thomas DiNapoli said in statement on Friday. "The year ahead won't be an easy road."

(Writing by Edward Krudy; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/york-state-passes-third-time-budget-row-141823285--business.html

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South Korean Politician Moves to Repeal Biased Copyright Law ...

On Friday, South Korea's National Assembly will meet with advocates for and against the country's ?three strikes? law that restricts the online activities of Internet users who violate copyright regulations. On March 24, 2013, Mr. Choi Jae-Cheon, a member of the Culture, Broadcasting, and Tourism Standing Committee of the Korean National Assembly, along with other twelve other sponsors, announced his proposal to repeal this provision of the law, which has been in force since 2009.

Korean National Assembly. Photo by Flickr user jeroen020. (CC BY-SA)

According to an official press release [ko], the South Korean government?introduced the three-strikes copyright control regime in July of 2009. Originally nicknamed the ?netizen-killing law,? the legislation stipulates that if an Internet user violates copyright law online, he or she will receive up to three warnings from the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (hereafter ?MCST?), which is responsible for media content policy in South Korea. If the user's behavior does not change after three warnings have been issued, authorities can disable the person's web service account or shut down the bulletin board he or she used by administrative order.

This legal procedure is different from the three-strikes copyright regulation in France known as the HADOPI law. (France and New Zealand have adopted three-strikes copyright regulations; the United States has a somewhat similar six-strikes guideline.) In France, a person's Internet access cannot be blocked until his or her case has been reviewed and approved by a judge. But in South Korea, the executive branch is the sole enforcer of the regulation, making the process less transparent and more vulnerable to arbitrary decision-making.

Since the law was enacted, the Korean government has sent 468,446 takedown notices to users and shut down 408 website accounts. The law has affected far more users than it was originally intended to ? it was passed with the goal of targeting users engaging in massive amounts of illegal downloading, estimated at about 1,000 users. But in fact, according to Mr. Choi's investigation based on his team's collected data from MCST, among 380 users whose accounts have been shut down, 174 (45.8%) of them inflicted damages of less than US$.90. Mr. Choi argues that their punishment, which constrains their right of access to information, is much harsher than the cost they incurred. Therefore, the law not only violates legal due process ? it is also inefficient from an economic perspective, and it imposes a punishment that is?disproportionate to the crime.

A coalition of Korean Internet companies, experts, and civic groups including Jinbo.net,?IP Left, and?newly formed digital rights group Open Net [ko] have all voiced their support for repealing the law. In a post [ko] entitled ?Why We Can't Just Watch the Corruption of Copyright Law,? Open Net questioned the alleged economic motivations of the policy:

????? ?? 3?? ?? ?? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ?????? ??? ?? ?????? ??????. ????? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ??? ????? ?? ??? ??? ?? 47? ?? ???. 2009? ?? ? ?? ???? ?? ???? 3??? ??? ????? ?????? ????. ??? ?????? ?? ???? ? ??? ???? ????? ??? ??? ?? ????. ?? ???? ???? ?? 9??? ????? ????? ?????. (?) ?????? ??? ?? ??? ?? ??? ? ? ?????

Three-strikes law has been in force for the past three years. But it is already apparent that the government targeted not the heavy illegal down-loaders, but lay users. About 470,000 website accounts were warned by the government under the three-strikes law. In 2009, the government analyzed that number as only 1,000. Are we to believe that it has exponentially increased in the past couple of years? No way. Among users whose accounts have been shut down, there were none who traded copyrighted materials for commercial benefits. Some users were punished even though the amount of their indemnity was marginal, at US$0.9.

[...]

How then we can call the three-strikes law a regulation targeted at heavy down-loaders?

This and other Internet-related policies have brought together professors and activists who are forming new non-profit organizations focused on Internet rights. This emerging public coalition shows a promising sign of a new?counter-force against state-guided Internet and communication policy making processes in South Korea.

Source: http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2013/03/28/south-korean-politician-moves-to-repeal-biased-copyright-law/

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Travel Tips - Better Business Center - Tork

airplane_smallDonna Duberg examines hygiene and infection prevention while traveling in an ongoing series on SCA?s Tork Better Business Center.???

The opportunity to try new and unique foods is one of the best reasons why traveling abroad is so much fun.?

Unfortunately, 20 to 50 percent of international travelers ? an estimated 10 million people ? develop Traveler?s Diarrhea, the most common illness affecting travelers a year and can occur as a result of food poisoning. Foodborne illnesses stem from eating contaminated foods that have not been safely prepared or stored. The most common bacteria include Salmonella, E. coli and Campylobacter.?

Here are five tips to help prevent foodborne illnesses while overseas:?

1)????? Research your destination. Stay up-to-date on current health news in the location you are visiting. This will help you track any major health advisories, particularly those for E. coli, cholera or Salmonella outbreaks. It will also keep you abreast of foods and areas that you should avoid. Finally, make sure you gather all the necessary healthcare information such as nearby hospitals and/or other healthcare facilities should an emergency occur. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers useful information on their website.

2)????? Avoid tap water. Contaminated water is one of the leading causes of Traveler?s Diarrhea. Stick to bottled beverages that have been properly sealed and avoid putting ice cubes in your drinks. According to the CDC, filtered water or hot beverages ? such as tea ? are okay to drink as long as it?s had at least a minute to boil.

3)????? Avoid raw or undercooked foods. Stick to foods that have been thoroughly cooked to ensure that all harmful microorganisms are killed. This includes seafood that may have been washed with contaminated water or non-pasteurized dairy products ? all of which can pose a serious risk to your health.

4)????? Talk to your doctor. Schedule an appointment with your doctor to ensure you?re fit for traveling abroad. This is the perfect time to get all of your immunizations and have a thorough discussion with your health care provider about ways to avoid foodborne illnesses. The CDC also offers valuable health information for travel anywhere in the world.

5)????? Hygiene is key. Wash hands thoroughly throughout the day to ensure that you?re not infecting yourself with any harmful bacteria before or during a meal. It might be a good idea to keep bottled water or hand sanitizer with you if clean water isn?t easily accessible. Additionally, always be wary of the establishments you dine at. If it looks dirty, chances are it is dirty.

Source: http://betterbusiness.torkusa.com/travel-tips-how-to-avoid-food-poisoning-while-traveling-abroad/

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Thursday, March 28, 2013

PFT: Ravens add ex-Raiders DB Huff to secondary

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Free agency opened 15 days ago.? This year, the initial surge of cash was more limited than ever, more than a few guys settled for one-year deals, and plenty of other players are still waiting to get paid.

For some, the issue is cap space.? For many, it can?t be.? As of Tuesday, March 26, 13 teams still had more than $10 million in spending room for 2013, and five still had more than $20 million, per a source with knowledge of the NFLPA?s calculation of remaining cap room.

Leading the way are the Bengals, who despite numerous re-signings still have $28.9 million to spend.? The Browns come in a close second, with $28.7 million.

The Bucs get the bronze for saving their gold, with $26.8 million.? Also, the Jaguars have $26.6 million, and the Eagles have $26.3 million.

Others with eight figures include the Packers with $18.3 million, the Bills with $16.8 million, the Dolphins with $15.7 million, the Cardinals with $14.0 million, the supposedly spending-to-the-cap Patriots with $13.4 million, the supposedly cap-strapped Jets with $13.0 million, the Colts with $11.7 million, and the Titans with $10.7 million.

This year, teams are required to spend 89 percent of the unadjusted cap.? But that number is determined at least for now on a four-year rolling average, which essentially allows teams to pocket 44 percent of a single year?s spending limit from 2013 through 2016.? Based on the current cap numbers, some teams are well on their way to that number.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/27/ravens-agree-to-terms-with-michael-huff/related/

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Texas man convicted after husband cleared in wife's 1986 murder

By Monique Ching

(Reuters) - A Texas jury convicted a 58-year-old man on Wednesday in the 1986 murder of a woman near Austin whose husband previously was wrongfully convicted in the case and served 25 years in prison before being exonerated with the help of DNA evidence.

Jurors deliberated for about three hours in San Angelo before finding Mark Alan Norwood guilty of beating Christine Morton to death in bed in her home in Round Rock, north of Austin.

Norwood, from Bastrop, Texas, had been implicated in the case through blood and hair samples from a bandana found near the house the day after the murder.

Norwood was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted but is eligible for parole in 15 years.

The victim's husband, Michael Morton, served a quarter century behind bars before DNA evidence helped clear him in 2011 and connected Norwood to his wife's death.

"I've learned so much, I've been through so much," Michael Morton said after the jury reached its verdict.

Outside the courtroom, Morton embraced Norwood's family while a deputy transported a stoic Norwood to the Tom Green County jail.

Prosecutors made their case by showing similarities between the Morton case and the 1988 beating death of Debra Baker, an Austin woman. Norwood also is charged with murder in her death.

In both cases, the slain woman was found in bed with pillows covering her head. Both received six to eight blows to the head. One expensive item and cash were stolen from each home, but jewelry sitting in plain sight remained untouched.

Texas Department of Public Safety laboratory staff compared Norwood's DNA profile with DNA from a hair found in Baker's bed in 2011 and found him to be a possible candidate.

Norwood's family came to his defense.

"My son, first off, is innocent," said Dorothy Norwood, Mark Norwood's mother. "I know his character. He has had an interesting family life, but he has always been kind."

Connie Hoff, Norwood's sister who lives in California, added, "We understand Michael Morton's journey. Mark is experiencing what Michael went through. History is repeating itself."

The New York-based Innocence Project and Houston lawyer John Raley worked on Morton's behalf to get DNA testing done on the bandana found near the crime scene.

(Editing by Brendan O'Brien and Will Dunham)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/texas-man-convicted-husband-cleared-wifes-1986-murder-025910951.html

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What to Wear to a Music Festival Pt I - the skinnyblondegirl blog ...


Music festival season isn't here quite?yet, but that doesn't mean you can't start planning your summer must-haves and music festival ensembles. At any music festival, you want to look stylish, remain comfortable, and not go over-the-top. In this post I'm showing you the first of many music festival style posts I'll be doing over the next few months. This time I'm focusing on a classic outdoor festival, whether it is folk music, indie music, or whatever else. This is the sort of outfit I'd wear to Coachella, Osheaga, or Lollapalooza.

To me, the fundamentals of a good festival outfit are the sunglasses and shoes. For sunglasses, I opted for a pair of Michael Kors Sunglasses uk from www.shadesoftime.co.uk. Proper sun protection for your eyes is crucial all year round, and even more when you're standing under the hot sun all day long dancing to songs by your favourite bands. For the shoes, I went with a flat pair of leather sandals (with ankle strap) from Aldo Shoes. The reason I chose these ones is because a) they're on sale and b) they're not flip flops. An unfortunate part of going to any concert is that your feet get stepped on a hundred times throughout the day. For this reason, you should avoid flip flops since they're basically an open invitation to get stepped on, plus if you're like me they're way too easy to trip while wearing (sigh).

I love this tank top from Topshop because of its geometric meets tribal print and interesting back. You could wear a bathing suit top underneath or a bandeau and be festival-ready in no time. If you're going to wear a traditional bra, I'd recommend getting something with convertible straps and wearing it as a halter. That way you still get support and all that goodness without showing straps and ruining the adorable back of the top. I'd recommend pairing a dark top like this with light washed denim shorts - something with a destroyed finish and high waist.

To top it all off, I'd throw on a bracelet or two like the one pictured above from Aldo. The colours work well with the top and the gold goes with the sunglasses and shoe hardware. Avoid necklaces if possible since they're bound to smack you in the face when jumping to any songs and can get caught in your hair really easily. I speak from experience on both of those points (another sigh). Anyways, let me know what you think of my first festival outfit and fill me in on your summer music plans!





This is a sponsored post. For information on my disclosure policy, click?here.

Source: http://www.theskinnyblondegirl.com/2013/03/what-to-wear-to-music-festival-pt-i.html

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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

The First 6 People Who'll Get Google Glass

Google's finally starting to reveal the winners of its #ifihadglass promotion, and surprise! You're not one of them. Not yet, anyway, unless you happen to be one of the following six golden ticket recipients. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/qSmakt6Eqx8/here-are-6-people-wholl-get-google-glass-before-you

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Deal of the Day ? Dell Vostro 470 Core i5 desktop with GeForce GT 620 and a 21.5? LCD monitor

Tuesday’s LogicBUY Deal is the configurable Dell?Vostro 470 and 21.5″ E2213H LED-backlit LCD monitor, starting at?$579. ?Base features: 3rd-gen Core i5-3450 3.1GHz Quad-core CPU 4GB DDR3 1600MHz RAM 500GB 7200RPM hard drive, DVD burner, 19-in-1 card reader Wireless-N, Bluetooth 4.0, Gigabit Ethernet GeForce GT 620 dedicated graphic 15-months Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security Windows 7 [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/03/26/deal-of-the-day-dell-vostro-470-core-i5-desktop-with-geforce-gt-620-and-a-21-5-lcd-monitor/

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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Springer and the Basque Center for Applied Mathematics launch new book partnership

Springer and the Basque Center for Applied Mathematics launch new book partnership [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 25-Mar-2013
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Contact: Alexander Brown
alexander.brown@springer.com
212-620-8063
Springer Science+Business Media

New books in English to highlight applied mathematics for the international mathematics community

Springer and the Basque Center for Applied Mathematics (BCAM) will partner to publish BCAM SpringerBriefs. The books will consist of concise summaries of cutting-edge research and practical applications in mathematics.

These new SpringerBriefs will focus on the publication of content in a number of disciplines within mathematics. These fields include applied mathematics, finance, statistics and computer science. BCAM has appointed an international board to manage the editorial responsibility for the new books, made up by Enrique Zuazua in Bilbao, Spain; Irene Fonseca in Pittsburgh, USA; Juan J. Manfredi in Pittsburgh, USA; Emmanuel Trlat in Paris, France; and Xu Zhang in Chengdu, China. All books in the series will be available as eBooks on Springer's online platform, SpringerLink (link.springer.com), and in print-on-demand (POD) format.

Prof. Enrique Zuazua of the BCAM said, "The books accepted for publication here will demonstrate a high level of work, showing the interplay between mathematics and applied sciences. We chose to work with Springer because of its strong tradition in mathematics publishing, to support BCAM in disseminating and developing scientific discoveries and knowledge worldwide."

"Working with this esteemed center, we aim to promote valuable research results carried out or sanctioned by BCAM, which are worthy of worldwide distribution," said Dr. Francesca Bonadei, Executive Editor Mathematics, Statistics and Engineering at Springer. "Springer is proud to introduce this cooperation to the international scientific community."

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The mission of the Basque Center for Applied Mathematics (http://www.bcamath.org/en/) is to strengthen the Basque science and technology system by performing interdisciplinary research on the frontiers of mathematics, and to attract and train talented scientists. The goal is to get the excellence of its results recognized at an international level.

Springer Science+Business Media (http://www.springer.com) is a leading global scientific publisher, providing researchers in academia, scientific institutions and corporate R&D departments with quality content via innovative information products and services. Springer is also a trusted local-language publisher in Europe especially in Germany and the Netherlands primarily for physicians and professionals working in the automotive, transport and healthcare sectors. Roughly 2,500 journals and more than 7,000 new books are published by Springer each year, and the group is home to the world's largest STM eBook collection, as well as the most comprehensive portfolio of open access journals. Springer employs more than 7,000 individuals across the globe and in 2011 generated sales of approximately EUR 875 million.



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Springer and the Basque Center for Applied Mathematics launch new book partnership [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 25-Mar-2013
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Contact: Alexander Brown
alexander.brown@springer.com
212-620-8063
Springer Science+Business Media

New books in English to highlight applied mathematics for the international mathematics community

Springer and the Basque Center for Applied Mathematics (BCAM) will partner to publish BCAM SpringerBriefs. The books will consist of concise summaries of cutting-edge research and practical applications in mathematics.

These new SpringerBriefs will focus on the publication of content in a number of disciplines within mathematics. These fields include applied mathematics, finance, statistics and computer science. BCAM has appointed an international board to manage the editorial responsibility for the new books, made up by Enrique Zuazua in Bilbao, Spain; Irene Fonseca in Pittsburgh, USA; Juan J. Manfredi in Pittsburgh, USA; Emmanuel Trlat in Paris, France; and Xu Zhang in Chengdu, China. All books in the series will be available as eBooks on Springer's online platform, SpringerLink (link.springer.com), and in print-on-demand (POD) format.

Prof. Enrique Zuazua of the BCAM said, "The books accepted for publication here will demonstrate a high level of work, showing the interplay between mathematics and applied sciences. We chose to work with Springer because of its strong tradition in mathematics publishing, to support BCAM in disseminating and developing scientific discoveries and knowledge worldwide."

"Working with this esteemed center, we aim to promote valuable research results carried out or sanctioned by BCAM, which are worthy of worldwide distribution," said Dr. Francesca Bonadei, Executive Editor Mathematics, Statistics and Engineering at Springer. "Springer is proud to introduce this cooperation to the international scientific community."

###

The mission of the Basque Center for Applied Mathematics (http://www.bcamath.org/en/) is to strengthen the Basque science and technology system by performing interdisciplinary research on the frontiers of mathematics, and to attract and train talented scientists. The goal is to get the excellence of its results recognized at an international level.

Springer Science+Business Media (http://www.springer.com) is a leading global scientific publisher, providing researchers in academia, scientific institutions and corporate R&D departments with quality content via innovative information products and services. Springer is also a trusted local-language publisher in Europe especially in Germany and the Netherlands primarily for physicians and professionals working in the automotive, transport and healthcare sectors. Roughly 2,500 journals and more than 7,000 new books are published by Springer each year, and the group is home to the world's largest STM eBook collection, as well as the most comprehensive portfolio of open access journals. Springer employs more than 7,000 individuals across the globe and in 2011 generated sales of approximately EUR 875 million.



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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.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-03/ssm-sat032513.php

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Pulitzer Prize-winner Anthony Lewis dies at 85

BOSTON (AP) ? Two-time Pulitzer winner Anthony Lewis, whose New York Times column championed liberal causes for three decades, died Monday. He was 85.

Lewis was married to Margaret Marshall, former chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. She retired in 2010 to spend more time with her husband after he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. A court spokeswoman confirmed his death.

Lewis worked for 32 years as a columnist for The New York Times, taking up causes such as free speech, human rights and constitutional law.

His Pulitzers came during his years as a reporter. He won his first in 1955 for defending a Navy civilian falsely accused of being a communist sympathizer, and he won again in 1963 for reporting on the Supreme Court.

His acclaimed 1964 book, "Gideon's Trumpet," told the story of a petty thief whose fight for legal representation led to a landmark Supreme Court decision.

Lewis saw himself as a defender of decency, respect for law and reason against a tide of religious fundamentalism and extreme nationalism. His columns railed against the Vietnam War, Watergate, apartheid in South Africa and Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza.

He wrote his final "Abroad at Home" column for The Times on Dec. 15, 2001, warning against the U.S. fearfully surrendering its civil liberties in the wake of the terrorist attacks three months earlier.

"The hard question is whether our commitment to law will survive the new sense of vulnerability that is with us all after Sept. 11," he wrote. "It is easy to tolerate dissent when we feel safe."

Gail Collins, then the editorial page editor of the Times, said when Lewis resigned that he had been an inspiration.

"His fearlessness, the clarity of his writing and his commitment to human rights and civil liberties are legendary," Collins said. "And he's also one of the kindest people I have ever known."

"Gideon's Trumpet" became a legal classic, telling the story of Clarence Earl Gideon, whose case resulted in the creation of the public defender systems across the nation. In Gideon v. Wainwright, the high court ruled that criminal defendants are entitled to a lawyer even if they cannot afford one.

Gideon's victory, Lewis wrote, "shows that even the poorest and least powerful of men ? a convict with not even a friend to visit him in prison ? can take his cause to the highest court in the land and bring about a fundamental change in the law."

The best-selling book was later made into a television movie starring Henry Fonda.

Fighting for the underdog was a theme for Lewis. He won his first Pulitzer Prize at the age of 28 for a series of articles in the Washington Daily News that were judged responsible for clearing a civilian employee of the U.S. Navy from McCarthy-era allegations that he was a security risk.

Lewis said Abraham Chasanow was a middle-class man, uninterested in politics, who was terrorized by the federal loyalty-security program of the 1950s when unnamed informants alleged Chasanow was a radical communist sympathizer. The Navy ultimately apologized to Chasanow.

A consistent advocate of free speech, Lewis titled his 2008 book "Freedom for the Thought That We Hate: A Biography of the First Amendment." It detailed how laws beginning with the 1798 Sedition Act, which made it a crime to criticize government officials, have abridged freedom of expression.

"We need to celebrate and understand our unique freedom, and it is unique in this country this freedom of speech and press," Lewis told the Times in 2007. "And I don't actually think we understand it well."

Freedom of expression was also a topic for Lewis in his 1991 book, "Make No Law: The Sullivan Case and the First Amendment," about a 1964 U.S. Supreme Court decision that protected news organizations from some libel suits.

Joseph Anthony Lewis was born in New York City on March 27, 1927, the son of a nursery school director and a textile company director. He attended the elite Horace Mann School in the Bronx and graduated from Harvard College in 1948.

He joined the Times in 1948 and spent most of his career there, except a stint at the now-defunct Washington Daily News, where he worked from 1952 to 1955.

He studied law for a year at Harvard in the 1950s so he could go on to cover the Supreme Court for the Times, and served as chief of the newspaper's London bureau from 1965 to 1972. He began his twice-weekly "Abroad at Home" column from London in 1969 and moved to Boston in 1972.

In 1984, he married Marshall, who in 1996 was appointed to the Massachusetts Supreme Court. She was made chief justice in 1999 and wrote the court's 2003 decision legalizing same-sex marriage. When she announced her retirement in 2010, Marshall said she was leaving "so that Tony and I may enjoy our final seasons together."

When Lewis retired, he told the Times that his career as a columnist had led him to two conclusions.

"One is that certainty is the enemy of decency and humanity in people who are sure they are right, like Osama bin Laden and (then-Attorney General) John Ashcroft," he said. "And secondly that for this country at least, given the kind of obstreperous, populous, diverse country we are, law is the absolute essential. And when governments short-cut the law, it's extremely dangerous."

He also taught at universities including Harvard, Columbia, California, Illinois, Oregon, Arizona and Stanford.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pulitzer-prize-winner-anthony-lewis-dies-85-152707734.html

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How to view leaderboards, achievements, and more with Game Center on iPhone and iPad

How to view leaderboards, achievements, and more with Game Center on iPhone and iPad

If you play a lot of multiplayer games on your iPhone or iPad and have a Game Center account, you can easily create matches and play against your friends. Game Center is also great for tracking achievements inside a game as well as leaderboard standings between you and your friends.

Not sure how to access them? Follow along.

  1. Launch the Game Center app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Tap on the Games tab in the bottom navigation.
  3. Find the game that you'd like to view leaderboards and achievements for and tap on its name. Notice that some may not have any and that's typically dependent upon whether or not that specific game has support for them built-in.
  4. Here you can toggle between leaderboards, achievements, and who is playing that game out of your friends. Tapping into any of the leaderboards or achievements will show you how you rank against all your friends.

Achievements are also a great place to look to see what you've unlocked and achieved in different games. Sometimes I like to go back even after beating a game and try to unlock the achievements that I wasn't able to get the first time around.



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/iBAqf-GX2Wk/story01.htm

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Monday, March 25, 2013

Cat Walks Dog Home On Leash (VIDEO)

Looking for the perfect video for your lazy Sunday afternoon? This cat walking its dog home should hit the spot.

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/24/cat-walks-dog-home-on-leash_n_2944786.html

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Last chance! Comment to win a FREE iPhone!

iMore app contest! Comment away for your chance to win a FREE iPhone!

Leave great comments during the month of March and you're entered to win a free iPhone!

Like we announced at the beginning of the month, the iMore 2.0 app is here! That's right, in 2013, iMore re-revolutionized our app, and we're thrilled to finally get it into the App Store and onto your iPhones! And it wouldn't be Mobile Nations if we didn't celebrate with a contest. So... We're giving away an iPhone!

AND THERE'S ONLY ONE WEEK LEFT TO ENTER!

Here's how!

How to enter!

  1. Download the free iMore app from the App Store - iTunes link
  2. Leave a comment on this post (or the original one, either is fine!) telling us you want to enter
  3. Start leaving high quality comments on all the other articles that interest you

How we'll choose the winner!

  1. We'll randomly pick an entrant from the comments on this post.
  2. We'll check their iMore profile to see how often and how well they commented this month.
  3. If they're awesome, with tons of high quality comments, they'll win a free iPhone (technically a $500 App Store gift certificate).

Why Step 3? It removes spammers, trolls, litterbugs, and people who simply post "FIRST! ZOMG I WANNA WIN" on every article from the mix, clearing the skies for awesome community members like you!

Contest ends March 31, 2013 at 11:59pm PT, and our usual rules apply.

So start commenting!!

That's it, that's all! Get the new iMore app, comment often, and comment well, and you're entered to win a FREE iPhone!



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/Ry89sdIx3nM/story01.htm

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Pew Research Center founder: Numbers prove it ... GOP is increasingly estranged from America

Interesting Washington Post opinion piece from Andrew Cohut, co-founder of the Pew Research Center and former president. He was also a former president of Gallup.

Some excerpts from the column:

"In my decades of polling, I recall only one moment when a party had been driven as far from the center as the Republican Party has been today.

The outsize influence of hard-line elements in the party base is doing to the GOP what supporters of Gene McCarthy and George McGovern did to the Democratic Party in the late 1960s and early 1970s ? radicalizing its image and standing in the way of its revitalization."

The Republican Party?s ratings now stand at a 20-year low, with just 33 percent of the public holding a favorable view of the party and 58 percent judging it unfavorably, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. Although the Democrats are better regarded (47 percent favorable and 46 percent unfavorable), the GOP?s problems are its own, not a mirror image of renewed Democratic strength.

Race has loomed larger in voting behavior in the Obama era than at any point in the recent past. The 2010 election was the high mark of ?white flight? from the Democratic Party, as National Journal?s Ron Brownstein called it ? the GOP won a record 60 percent of white votes, up from 51 percent four years earlier.

The party?s base is increasingly dominated by a highly energized bloc of voters with extremely conservative positions on nearly all issues: the size and role of government, foreign policy, social issues, and moral concerns. They stand with the tea party on taxes and spending and with Christian conservatives on key social questions, such as abortion rights and same-sex marriage.

These staunch conservatives, who emerged with great force in the Obama era, represent 45 percent of the Republican base. According to our 2011 survey, they are demographically and politically distinct from the national electorate. Ninety-two percent are white. They tend to be male, married, Protestant, well off and at least 50 years old.

To the conservative base, Obama, as an African American in the White House, may be a symbol of how America has changed. Unease with him sets conservative Republicans apart from other voting blocs ? including moderate Republicans, who have hardly been fans of the president. For example, a fall 2011 national survey found 63 percent of conservative Republicans reporting that Obama made them angry, compared with 29 percent of the public overall and 40 percent of moderate Republicans.

I see little reason to believe that the staunch conservative bloc will wither away or splinter; it will remain a dominant force in the GOP and on the national stage. At the same time, however, I see no indication that its ideas about policy, governance and social issues will gain new adherents. They are far beyond the mainstream.

Any Republican efforts at reinvention face this dilemma: While staunch conservatives help keep GOP lawmakers in office, they also help keep the party out of the White House. Quite simply, the Republican Party has to appeal to a broader cross section of the electorate to succeed in presidential elections.

This became apparent last fall. Voters generally agreed with the GOP that a smaller government is preferable to a larger, activist one, and therefore they disapproved of Obamacare. However, exit polls showed popular support for legalizing same-sex marriage and giving illegal immigrants opportunities for citizenship.

This combination of conservative and liberal views is typical. To win, both parties must appeal to the mixed values of the electorate. But it will be very hard for the Republican Party, given the power of the staunch conservatives in its ranks."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-numbers-prove-it-the-republican-party...

Source: http://current.com/community/94082659_pew-research-center-founder-numbers-prove-it-gop-is-increasingly-estranged-from-america.htm?xid=RSSfeed

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Sunday, March 24, 2013

Strange as it sounds, Heat want to get better

Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade reacts after a play during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons Friday, March 22, 2013 in Miami. (AP Photo/El Nuevo Herald, David Santiago)

Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade reacts after a play during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons Friday, March 22, 2013 in Miami. (AP Photo/El Nuevo Herald, David Santiago)

A Miami Heat fan displays a sign about the MiamI Heat's winning streak during the second half of a NBA basketball game in Miami, Friday, March 22, 2013 against the Detroit Pistons. The Heat won 103-89. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter)

Miami Heat's coach Erik Spoelstra signals his team during the second half of a NBA basketball game in Miami, Friday, March 22, 2013 against the Detroit Pistons. The Heat won 103-89. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter)

(AP) ? The Miami Heat have won 25 straight games, turned what was a super-close Eastern Conference race into a runaway and seem to be finding different ways to prevail on a nightly basis.

And no, they are not particularly thrilled with themselves right now.

From the Heat perspective, it's almost like they are simultaneously slumping and streaking after facing double-digit deficits in three consecutive games, yet finding ways to win them all, much like each of the 22 games that preceded this week.

"I'm taking the world view, that we have room to improve," forward Shane Battier said. "By no stretch of the imagination are we playing our best basketball right now. We're winning ball games, but we have a lot of room for improvement. We have not started well the last couple games and our defensive focus has not been there. It's been there in the second half and when we need it, but we need to do it more consistently."

Even as they move closer to the NBA-record winning streak of 33 straight established by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1971-72, the bigger concern in the Heat locker room is that they are nowhere near a playoff gear with just 14 games remaining before the postseason arrives. They've trailed after five of their past six opening quarters, been losing at halftime in three straight outings and have been outshot in three of their last six contests.

The next opportunity to fix some of those issues comes Sunday at home against Charlotte (16-52) ? a team that has won two straight, yet is a mere 38 games behind the Heat (54-14) in the East standings.

"It's on the radar, no question about it," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We need to put together complete games. That's three games in a row where we haven't gotten off to that energetic start that we're looking for. We'll have an opportunity to get back to it on Sunday. No excuses. We're not making excuses for ourselves, the schedule or anything. Just more consistency."

The latest close call wasn't exactly all that close. Miami trailed Detroit by 11 points on Friday night, before clamping down in the second half and pulling away for a 103-89 win, with LeBron James finishing with 29 points, eight assists and eight rebounds.

"We never expect anything to be easy," James said.

But the 17-point deficit at Boston (and a separate 13-point hole in the fourth quarter) that was followed by the 27-point lead Cleveland held over the Heat in a most bizarre game on Wednesday may be perceived as some warning signs, and the Heat freely acknowledge they have to be addressed.

At the same time, though, to say the reigning NBA champions are nervous about where they are right now would be a gross exaggeration.

"Everybody wants us to win by 30 every night," guard Dwyane Wade said. "Sorry, guys. It's not possible."

Wade said he has seen mentions on his Twitter timeline lately from fans who aren't exactly pleased with the close calls, with one mention saying that the Heat are causing heart attacks.

He doesn't see the in-game lulls as causes of angst. He sees them as fun.

"I think it's great for the game," Wade said. "Keep people entertaining, keep people watching, keep people in the stadium for most of the game. ... For us, it doesn't matter if we're up or down. We play games within games. We go on runs at different times. We have a lot of confidence. We don't do it on purpose, but we have a lot of confidence in our team and we can go on runs very fast."

That's been proven.

Erasing the 13-point Boston lead in the final 8 minutes on Monday, a 45-12 run over a 12-minute stretch in Cleveland on Wednesday, a 19-8 start in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter to pull away from the Pistons for good on Friday, those are just the latest examples of what Wade says is the Heat calling card.

In Spoelstra's eyes, it's helping the playoff-readiness process.

"Teams are coming at us. That's a good thing," Spoelstra said. "We can't sleepwalk into a game. We have to bring it, we have to play well at both ends, we have to dig, we have to earn wins and we're playing against our opponents' best games. That only helps. That sharpens you. The more you get tested in this league, the better you get, as long as you handle it the right way."

If the Heat beat Charlotte, the win streak goes to 26. And then yet another road test ? the latest big challenge in a month where the Heat play a schedule loaded with 18 games and almost no practices ? awaits, with games every other night starting Monday at Orlando, Chicago, New Orleans and San Antonio.

"I enjoy going on the road and hearing fans say, 'You guys suck,'" Wade said. "Really? We're not too bad. When the playoffs start, we're going to have to buckle down and it becomes a new season. But right now, in this season, man, we're enjoying it."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-03-23-BKN-Streaking-Heat/id-3549706b53254873a1927f2a17d0ae3a

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BAUX ? A customizable Bic style pen

BAUX is a Kickstarter project for custom machined aluminum pens that use Bic pen parts. Made of Bauxite, an aluminum ore, BAUX pens aren’t really pens at all. They are really just the barrel of the pen, which you combine with readily available Bic pen parts to create your own unique writing instrument. Bic pens [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/03/24/baux-a-customizable-bic-style-pen/

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Italy president asks Bersani to see if can form government

By James Mackenzie and Barry Moody

ROME (Reuters) - President Giorgio Napolitano asked center-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani on Friday to assess whether he can win enough support in Italy's divided parliament to form a government and end the political deadlock left by elections last month.

After two days of consultations with political leaders, Napolitano said he had given Bersani a mandate to talk to other parties and see if he can get the guaranteed support needed for a vote of confidence in both houses of parliament, where no single group has a workable majority.

The stalemate has left Italy, the euro zone's third-largest economy, facing the prospect of weeks of uncertainty as the bank crisis in Cyprus has reawakened fears of a renewed bout of financial market turmoil in the currency bloc.

Bersani, whose center-left alliance won control of the lower house but not of the Senate, must report back to Napolitano as soon as possible on whether he can get enough support from rival political forces to form a governing majority.

The 61-year-old former communist said he would seek to form a reform-minded government "with the maximum balance and determination".

He has said he hopes to present a limited program of economic and institutional reforms that could be backed by all forces in parliament but he faces formidable obstacles after a bitter election campaign.

Bersani until now has sought support from the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement and refused overtures from Berlusconi, who wants to share power in a grand coalition between center-right and center-left.

However he has been repeatedly and rudely rebuffed by the 5-Star leader, ex-comic Beppe Grillo, who says his group will not back any government formed by one of the mainstream parties.

In a television interview on Friday evening, Berlusconi said Bersani's only chance of forming a government was to go into coalition with his center-right group.

"It would put Italy in grave danger if Bersani were to insist on the wrong route, we would not have a government but a leap into the dark," he said.

In his speech, Napolitano noted Berlusconi's call for a coalition, but said the formula had failed in December when the center-right withdrew support from technocrat premier Mario Monti, who had been supported by both right and left.

CONSULTATIONS

Bersani said he would seek broad support from parliament but also from unions and other groups. He met the speakers of parliament on Friday and is due to meet unions and employers on Saturday before meeting political parties next week.

"I will certainly go to work with consultations that are necessary with the forces in parliament but without neglecting contact with the main groups in society," he said.

He gave no indication of how long the process would take but insisted he would not be rushed. "It's a difficult situation but I will take the time needed," he said.

If no durable accord can be reached, Italy faces a return to the polls within months, delaying any prospect of substantial reform to its stagnant economy, stuck in its longest recession in 20 years.

Financial markets have been watching the political uncertainty closely although so far there has been no sign of the panic that gripped investors during the 2011 crisis which brought down the last Berlusconi government.

The main barometer of confidence, the spread between yields on Italian 10-year government bonds and their more stable German counterparts, closed the week at 314 points, well short of the level of more than 550 seen in late 2011.

However Italy's 2-trillion-euro ($2.60-trillion) public debt is vulnerable to any bond market turbulence and public finances have deteriorated sharply during the recession, despite the tax hikes and spending cuts imposed by Monti.

Napolitano said Italy must move quickly but carefully to form a government capable of addressing deep economic and social problems. He said the election had shown there was discontent with traditional politics in Italy and called for national unity and an end to paralyzing conflict between the parties.

Time is running out, however. Apart from the pressure from financial markets, parliament must begin the process of electing a successor for Napolitano by mid-April in time to complete the process by the time his term ends on May 15.

The head of state rejected suggestions that the process of forming a government was taking too long. A month has passed since the election but Napolitano said the country was moving as quickly as possible within constitutional restraints.

Underlining the tense political climate, the PDL is due to hold a rally on Saturday to protest against two trials Berlusconi faces over his appeal against a tax fraud conviction and separate charges of paying for sex with a minor.

($1 = 0.7694 euros)

(Additional reporting by Naomi O'Leary; Editing by Michael Roddy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/no-sign-political-unity-italy-awaits-presidents-decision-131952759--sector.html

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