Hitachi wins ?1.2 billion UK train carriage order

LONDON (Reuters) - The Department of Transport (DfT) on Thursday said it had awarded Hitachi's European rail arm a 1.2 billion pound order to build more train carriages to be used on one of Britain's busiest intercity routes.

The trains are due to be introduced on the East Coast Main Line that connects London with Newcastle and Aberdeen in 2018.

Hitachi Rail Europe will build the 270 carriages for the train, called the class 800 series, in Britain. The contract comes after the DfT agreed an initial order last year for 596 carriages with Agility Trains, a consortium of Hitachi and British infrastructure project manager John Laing.

"This new order for class 800 series trains is part of the government's commitment to invest in our nation's infrastructure," Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said.

The latest carriage order will be operational on the train line from 2019 and will boost passenger capacity by 18 percent as well as cut journey times between London, Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh, the DfT said.

Hitachi Rail Europe's Chief Executive Alistair Dormer said the deal would extend firm orders until the end of the decade at its new factory in County Durham, north east England, where the carriages will be built.

(Reporting by Brenda Goh, Editing by Kate Holton)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/japans-hitachi-wins-1-8-billion-order-build-062047807.html

christina hendricks camp david hawaii weather the jerk lake havasu halo 4 jewel

Bluetooth Low Energy coming to select Nokia Lumias via software update

It looks like Nokia's Windows Phones have some secrets to spill in a future software update. At a gathering in Hong Kong, as reported by BlogJack, the company said that Bluetooth LE support (part of the 4.0 standard) will come to the Lumia 520, 620 and 720. Strangely absent from that list are the Lumia 820, 920 and the 925 -- all of which are powered by Qualcomm chips that support BT 4.0 at the hardware level. We're also not entirely sure if this update is a part of a more mature Windows Phone release that Microsoft plans on pushing out later this year or whether it's specific to the "Amber" refresh that's tailored to Lumia devices. We've asked Nokia for further details, and we also plan on getting some face-to-face time at its unveiling of a whole new Lumia this Thursday.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Nokia

Comments

Via: WMPoweruser

Source: BlogJack (translated)

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/FpuRy4RZ5NI/

miguel Bachelorette 2013 reality steve kevin hart 2 Chainz Big Brother 15 BET AWARDS 2013

VIDEO: SF Gay Men's Chorus Celebrates Wedding Of Prop 8 Plaintiffs #prop8 #sfgmc...

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.facebook.com/ontopmag/posts/10153022666925512

food network star British Open 2012 bane Aurora Colorado Rajesh Khanna friday the 13th toy story 4

The 'Internet of Things' pits?George Jetson vs. George Orwell

Red Tape Chronicles

Bob Sullivan, Columnist NBC News

June 29, 2013 at 3:01 PM ET

Kim Kyung Hoon / Reuters file

A model in Tokyo poses in an LED dress designed by Swarovski and Hussein Chalayan. One day soon, electronic clothing like this will even be connected to the Internet.

Doors that magically unlock as you approach. Clothes that advise you when they're out of style, then tell your car how to get to the nearest sale. Cough medicine that tells you when it's time to go to the doctor. This magical, futuristic world now called the "Internet of Things" is coming straight from science fiction into your home. Like "the cloud," the "Internet of Things" is largely a marketing term designed to create buzz around a series of not-yet-ready-for-prime time technologies, and also like the cloud, you won't be able to avoid hearing about it soon.

But this time, the stakes are much higher. It?s a full-on cage match between George Jetson and George Orwell.

Maybe it's a miracle to think about high-tech insulin pumps that patients never need to touch, while doctors control them from thousands of miles away. But what happens when a hacker hijacks that insulin pump ? or simply threatens to hijack it, and messages the patient that he'd better pay a ransom to keep it functioning properly? Those runaway gadgets from "The Jetsons" cartoon might not be such a laughing matter in real life.

We already have an Internet of Things ? your PC, laptop, tablet, everything already connected to the Internet. What the "IoT" crowd means by "things" is "everything." They want to attach tiny computers and sensors to just about every object in the world, and make them all talk to each other.

"We have everyday objects we've been interacting with for years, and many of these objects are now gaining intelligence and connectivity," said Jason Johnson, leader of the IoT consortium. "We will create this fabric of connected devices."

The back story
The idea of putting little connected computers everywhere, even floating in the air around us, isn't new. You'll find popular references to "ubiquitous computing" nearly 20 years ago. Since then, there has been one failed effort after another to bring James Bond-like automation to our lives. Take the hobbyist X-10 technology, which let users turn off household lights via remote control ? X-10 gadgets had trouble competing with The Clapper, much less "The Jetsons."

Today, continually shrinking sensors and processors put us on the threshold of the Internet of Things. In fact, some of this futuristic wizardry already has a devoted following. Members of the burgeoning Quantified Self movement use iPhones and wearable sensors like Fitbit to measure their heart rate, blood pressure and sleep patterns, upload that data into spreadsheets, sometimes even share it automatically via Twitter and Facebook. They use the data to find the optimal temperature to go for a run, or the best humidity conditions in which to sleep.

Fitbit

The Fitbit system combines wireless trackers, a Wi-Fi smart scale, smartphone apps and cloud-based information management to help people keep in shape.

Advanced medicine also already employs many of these technologies. For instance, probes with cameras work their way through our circulatory systems into our hearts, sending back detailed pictures to doctors who can make repairs in minutes in situations that would previously proved fatal.

When that kind of technology inevitably gets cheap ? when our pens, cars, toilets and everything else can see and hear us ? many exciting notions become possible. You might never run out of toilet paper, for example. At the same time, you might share uncomfortably up-to-date health information with your doctor.

What could go wrong?
But anyone who's every suffered a dropped phone call, gotten bad directions from a GPS, or even had a printer jam will realize that technology lets us down as often as it lifts us up. So aren't we setting ourselves up for gadget failure hell?

No, says Johnson, for two reasons. First, stepping on the shoulders of other futuristic failures, Internet of Things entrepreneurs know they have to prioritize substance over glitz. And second, the gadgets they sell must have an old-fashioned backup system.

"You must solve a real problem for people," he said. "We have to make sure our products and services aren't just gizmos that will shortly outgrow the gee-whiz factor. We have to have a positive impact on people's lives, making them simpler and more relaxed."

One such gadget, Johnson hopes, is the August Smart Lock ? making it is his day job. The front door lock recognizes who is approaching your home and lets you open the door on command. No need to give the dog walker a spare key; Smart Lock users can grant access to certain people at certain times, even during emergencies.

"It lets you rethink what it means to give access to your home," he said.

Smart Lock has a second important feature: If the power goes out, the homeowner can use an old-fashioned key to get in. For the Internet of Things to work, there must be a plan B when it doesn't work, Johnson says. Anyone stuck in a car with a dead battery and electric windows can appreciate that.

August

The August Smart Lock, which installs over a standard deadbolt, lets you unlock your door over the Internet.

Big Brother
Potentially comical failures ? what if your toilet paper sensor battery goes dead? ? are not the biggest potential obstacle for the Internet of Things, however.

The NSA is.

If you are even the slightest bit worried about the federal government reading your email, how concerned will you be that it could create a database of every bowel movement? Far fetched? Imagine what the National Institute of Health could do with such data.

Every one of these computer things will collect data that could end up in the hands of law enforcement, marketing companies, or even hackers, and at the moment, there is little to stop that. This worries Kevin Mahaffey, who runs mobile security company Lookout Inc.

"There are two possible ways this works. A world where everything you do is surveilled, and everything is potentially hacked by someone,? Mahaffey said. "But the alternative way is a world where you as an individual can control this data. And that's a pretty exciting world, a world where you can have the benefit of the technology, but not some Orwellian dystopia, where even in your own home you aren?t safe from the Internet-connected pen."

One privacy nightmare ? the reselling of bathroom data to drug companies, an insulin pump hacker attack, or a law enforcement incident involving home automation or monitoring ? could derail the Internet of Things for years, Mahaffey warns.

Johnson acknowledges this, but he believes companies in his space can rise to the challenge of balancing convenience with privacy.

?All the Internet of Things companies, we're capturing a lot of data about users,? Johnson said. Government regulations and industry policies should restrict usage of the data, but communication with consumers will also be key. ?We need to be very cognizant of the sensitivity of that data and how we make users aware of how this data can be used ? It's important they understand what?s going on.?

Facebook or Twitter: Get notice of new Red Tape stories.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663301/s/2df996a2/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Ctechnology0Cinternet0Ethings0Epits0Egeorge0Ejetson0Evs0Egeorge0Eorwell0E6C10A462818/story01.htm

maria menounos Mermaids New Evidence Raspberry Pi memorial day stacy keibler stacy keibler bachelorette

A Surprisingly Touching ?It Gets Better? Video From the Dept. of Education

---

Instead of a wooden video explaining why bullying is a problem, the Department of Education added a personal touch to the issue.

In the 'It Gets Better' style, gay and lesbian staff members spoke candidly about their experiences being harrassed and ostracized because of their sexuality.

A former teacher spoke about the importance of helping students?gay or not?feel safe and supported. "LGBT students who do not have a supportive teacher are less likely to be successful," she said.

Another staff member spoke warmly of his partner. He said, "I've been with my partner for 35 year," and we're good for each other. For a long time, he said, life was very difficult and he had trouble with his identity.

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said at the close of the video:

I really believe that we can't just say 'it gets better.' All of us have to work right now to make things better today, not tomorrow. If you are a 14-year-old or a 15-year-old, asking you to wait four or five years for things to get better, that can seem like an eternity...Students shouldn't have to wait that long. I want to be clear that all of us have the power to make things better today, not tomorrow..

This video was released on the heels of the recent decision by the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Education to collect anti-lgbt bullying data nationwide.

GLSEN's executive director said, according to Towelroad, that "LGBT-inclusive data collection may seem like a wonky goal. But let me tell you, data drives decision-making, and what is measured is what is valued when it comes to government action."

Related stories on TakePart:

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/surprisingly-touching-gets-better-video-dept-education-183200743.html

celebration church new york auto show 2012 tulsa easter eggs pineapple upside down cake free ecards flying car

Action Line: July 4 sales only start with barbecue ... - Comments on

Dear Action Line: Besides fireworks and barbeque supplies, what else is on sale July 4 week? ? F.S.K., Tulsa.

Most of us will be shopping for barbecue supplies, American flags and fireworks, but the Independence Day holiday holds many other shopping opportunities. Special sales over Independence Day weekend will offer seven categories you can usually save on, said consumer and money-saving expert Andrea Woroch, who is featured on NBC?s ?Today,? MSNBC, Kiplinger Personal Finance and CNNMoney.

Barbecue grills: Independence Day being the ?barbecue holiday,? grill equipment sales will abound. This is the time to stock up on propane and propane accessories. If you live in an apartment, read its use rules before buying outdoor cooking gear. Many complexes allow only electric grills due to the fire-hazards of flame cookers. In Tulsa it is illegal to use a fire cooking device on apartment balconies.

Summer gear: Summer?s first day was June 20 but retailers view July 4 as ?the first day of summer apparel closeout season? and they?re looking to unload the stuff. Cheap prices on warm-weather clothes will help clear the way for next season?s styles.

Tools: Warm weather is the time to throw the doors open and catch up on projects. Craftsmen will find savings on many handheld and power tools July 4 week from merchants such as Sears and Lowe?s.

Home improvement supplies: Many Americans see the long weekend as the time for yard work and home improvement and they can save money thanks to the markdowns on paint, lawn mowers and landscaping materials. While working in the heat, use these Popular Mechanics tips ( tulsaworld.com/PMhotworktips), Woroch said.

Outdoor furniture: The best prices on outdoor furniture are available as temperatures start to chill, but Independence Day weekend still offers plenty of deals. You might pay slightly more now but the cost will be offset by the furniture use you?ll get all summer.

Appliances: July?s scorching temperatures drive many to indoor, air-conditioned confines. More time spent inside focuses attention on appliances needing upgrades. Home Depot, Lowe?s, Ace Hardware and Sears plan for this, offering some of the year?s best appliance prices during their Fourth of July sales. But don?t make a major purchase without reading Consumer Reports? ratings on washers, vacuums, refrigerators, dishwashers, grills and lawn mowers at tulsaworld.com/CRhomeappliances

Laptops: What do Windows 8, Intel?s new Haswell chips and devices with last year?s Ivy Bridge processors and the rising popularity of tablets have in common? Great laptop prices this summer. Last year, parents spent almost $700 on back-to-school shopping, said National Retail Federation spokeswoman Kathy Grannis ( tulsaworld.com/NRFBack2School13).

---

Submit Action Line questions by calling 918-699-8888, emailing phil.mulkins@TulsaWorld.com or by mailing them to Tulsa World Action Line, PO Box 1770, Tulsa OK 74102-1770.

Consumer Awareness

Action Line: Saving for retirement is a wise habit

Dear Action Line: I?ve made many mistakes in life, but how do I avoid making them in retirement investing? ? B.P., Tulsa.

Action Line: State treasurer searches for owners of unclaimed property

Retirees often save for the day they will need assistance but oftentimes forget where these savings are or die without telling heirs where they are. Along comes the Unclaimed Property Program of the Oklahoma State Treasurer?s office, which (generally) takes possession of such funds after they have lain idle five years or longer. They remain in state custody until rightful owners or heirs come along to liberate them.

Only active print or digital subscribers of the Tulsa World are allowed to post comments on stories posted to Tulsaworld.com. After you fill out the form below and click submit, your comment will be published instantly online along with your screen name.

By clicking ?Submit? you are agreeing to our terms and conditions.

Article source: http://www.tulsaworld.com/site/articlepath.aspx?articleid=20130628_15_E4_bDearA251039

Source: http://usedclothessingapore.com/fashion-news/action-line-july-4-sales-only-start-with-barbecue/

sbux nfldraft asante samuel salton sea arizona immigration law aubrey huff the killers

Topography of Eastern Seaboard muddles ancient sea level changes

May 16, 2013 ? The distortion of the ancient shoreline and flooding surface of the U.S. Atlantic Coastal Plain are the direct result of fluctuations in topography in the region and could have implications on understanding long-term climate change, according to a new study.

Sedimentary rocks from Virginia through Florida show marine flooding during the mid-Pliocene Epoch, which correlates to approximately 4 million years ago. Several wave-cut scarps (rock exposures), which originally would have been horizontal, are now draped over a warped surface with up to 60 meters variation.

Nathan Simmons of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and colleagues from the University of Chicago, Universite du Quebec a Montreal, Syracuse University, Harvard University and the University of Texas at Austin modeled the active topography using mantle convection simulations that predict the amplitude and broad spatial distribution of this distortion. The results imply that dynamic topography and, to a lesser extent, glacial adjustment, account for the current architecture of the coastal plain and nearby shelf.

The results appear in the May 16 edition of Science Express, and will appear at a later date in Science Magazine.

"Our simulations of dynamic topography of the Eastern Seaboard have implications for inferences of global long-term sea-level change," Simmons said.

The eastern coast of the United States is considered an archetypal Atlantic-type or passive-type continental margin.

"The highlight is that mantle flow is a major component in distorting the Earth's surface over geologic time, even in so-called 'passive' continental margins," Simmons said. "Reconstructing long-term global sea-level change based on stratigraphic relations must account for this effect. In other words, did the water level change or did the ground move? This could have implications on understanding very long-term climate change."

The mantle is not a passive player in determining long-term sea level changes. Mantle flow influences surface topography, through perturbations of the dynamic topography, in a manner that varies both spatially and temporally. As a result, it is difficult to invert for the global long-term sea level signal and, in turn, the size of the Antarctic Ice Sheet, using east coast shoreline data.

Simmons said the new results provide another powerful piece of evidence that mantle flow is intimately involved in shaping Earth's surface and must be considered when attempting to unravel numerous long-term Earth processes such as sea-level variations over millions of years.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/jW9qO3BU-Bs/130516182028.htm

dallas clark litter marinol flight attendant pau gasol trade michael madsen day light savings

Euro zone economy shrinks in first-quarter, marks longest ever recession

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The euro zone's economy contracted for the sixth straight quarter at the start of this year, data showed on Wednesday, marking its longest recession on records dating back to 1995.

Falling output across the bloc, from France to Finland, meant the 17-nation economy shrunk 0.2 percent in the January to March period, the EU's statistics office Eurostat said.

That was slightly worse than the 0.1 percent contraction forecast by economists polled by Reuters and highlighted the devastating impact of the euro zone's debt and banking crisis that has driven unemployment to a record 19 million people.

While Germany managed to grow 0.1 percent in the first quarter, the bloc's recession is now longer than the five quarters of contraction that followed the global financial crisis in 2008/2009 and dampens optimism of a quick recovery.

The European Central Bank's promise to buy the bonds of struggling governments has removed the threat of a euro zone break-up, but the crisis that began in Greece in 2009 has seeped across the bloc to suck in the wealthy nations such as France.

EU leaders are already trying to shift away from the budget cuts that have dominated the response to the debt crisis since 2009 while the ECB cut the cost of borrowing to a new record low of 0.5 percent this month.

But the move is likely not to be enough to break a damaging cycle in which governments are cutting back spending, companies are laying off staff, Europeans are buying less and young people have little hope of finding employment.

For further details of Eurostat data click on: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/eurostat/home/

(Reporting by Robin Emmott; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/euro-zone-economy-shrinks-first-quarter-marks-longest-090551234.html

wall street journal us map Electoral Map concede Obama Acceptance Speech Prop 30 Election 2012

No Powerball winner; jackpot soars to $475 million

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) ? So you didn't win Wednesday's $360 million Powerball jackpot? Make that you and everyone else.

A message early Thursday on the multistate lottery's website said the jackpot has soared to $475 million after none of the ticket sold matched all the winning numbers in Wednesday night's drawing: 2, 11, 26, 34, 41 and a Powerball of 32.

The next drawing will be held Saturday.

A jackpot of $475 million ranks as the second largest in Powerball history and third biggest overall.

Lottery officials expect jackpot totals of this size to continue to climb in shorter amounts of time, thanks in part to a game redesign in January 2012 that increased the odds of winning some kind of prize, but also lowered the possible number combinations to win the Powerball.

There's also "cross-selling" of Powerball and Mega Millions tickets ? states being able to sell both Powerball tickets and Mega Millions tickets ? that began in January 2010. As a result, large jackpots will continue to surpass all-time jackpot records set years ago, said Mary Neubauer, spokeswoman for the Iowa Lottery. Iowa is one of the founding Powerball states.

"It usually took a handful of months, if not several months, for a jackpot to reach this large amount," she said. "Now it's achieving that within a handful of weeks. I think the redesign is achieving exactly what we had wanted it to achieve, which is the bigger, faster-growing jackpot."

The redesign means players don't necessarily have to strike big to get lucky. A $1 increase and new $1 million and $2 million prizes means the odds of winning something have increased. Just last Saturday, there was no Powerball jackpot winner, but more than a dozen tickets won $1 million prizes in 10 states.

In fact, more than half of the all-time jackpot records have been reached in the last three years. The top two all-time jackpots ? $656 million from a Mega Millions jackpot and $587.5 million from a Powerball jackpot ? were achieved in 2012.

The last major jackpot win came when a New Jersey man won a $338.3 million jackpot on March 23. It is now considered the fourth largest Powerball jackpot in history.

Players aren't complaining about the large sums. That just gets them thinking.

"I'd hire someone to tell me what to do with the money," said R.J. Konyek, 36, an engineer for Union Pacific in Omaha, Neb. "I'd definitely be up for the challenge (of spending the jackpot)."

Insurance agent Joe Williams, of Middleton, Wis., is trying like so many others to get lucky with Powerball. He won $500 several years ago and now wants to score a little higher. Williams doesn't necessarily spend more when the prize is high. But his $4 investment in the quick-pick option means he does spend.

"I know rationally it makes no sense," he said. "But at the same time, without a ticket, I have zero chance."

Ervin Torok, a truck driver from Sioux Falls, S.D., also is looking for his second chance. He won a $500 prize a few years back.

"You never know," Torok, 52, said while checking some lottery tickets from a gas station. "Maybe one day you'll get lucky and win."

Tom Powers, 52, a janitor from Omaha, Neb., bought several tickets Tuesday from a convenience store. He said he would definitely walk away from work if he won the jackpot, but he's not sure how he would spend all the winnings.

"It's really unfathomable the amount of money this is putting out," Powers said.

___

Associated Press writers Kevin Wang in Madison, Wis., Kristi Eaton in Sioux Falls, S.D., and Josh Funk in Omaha, Neb., contributed to this report.

___

Follow Barbara Rodriguez at http://twitter.com/bcrodriguez

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/no-powerball-winner-jackpot-soars-475-million-054312711.html

jennifer love hewitt 4/20 boston Cnn Live Logan airport Miranda rights Police Scanner

YouTube Expands Live Access To All Partners In Good Standing With 1,000 Subscribers Or More

YouTube’s live offering took a big step forward today, with the announcement that access to the feature will soon be available to a huge number of its partners. While YouTube Live was previously only available to a handful of handpicked channels and partners, the feature will now be rolled out to any YouTube channel in good standing with more than 1,000 subscribers. The opening up of YouTube Live to more creators comes two years after the company first announced the feature. But it also is being rolled out after YouTube has had some serious stress testing on the product, including live streaming of the 2012 Olympics and the big Red Bull dude-jumping-from-space thing. Now open to more users, the ability to stream live video could change the way that YouTube creators communicate with audiences, as they’re finally able to step beyond the current on-demand paradigm of uploading videos to the site. Now, they’ll be able to schedule live events, as well as launching impromptu live streams to be shared with their subscribers. To check if they’re eligible, creators should check their Account Features page for an ?Enable? button to sign up for Live. YouTube creators who qualify will get live transcoding in the cloud and the ability to stream multiple camera angles. YouTube, meanwhile, will take care of all the hard work on the back end to get those live streams to as many devices as possible. YouTube uses adaptive bit-rate streaming to power the feature, giving viewers will get access to the high-quality video available, regardless of whether they’re watching on a PC, mobile phone, or tablet.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/u3L1K0r5xHQ/

Election results 2012 exit polls Presidential Polls California Propositions Electoral College chuck pagano A Gay Lesbian

China's MeituKiss phone boasts dual 8MP cameras, wants to be a girl's best friend

Today we have a message for Oppo, Zopo, Vivo and Spice: 5-megapixel front-facing cameras are so yesterday for phones. Launched by Meitu, the developer behind the popular Chinese camera app Meitu Xiuxiu, the MeituKiss phone challenges the aforementioned brands with not one but two 8-megapixel f/2.2 cameras -- one on each side of the phone. The company makes it rather obvious that this Android 4.2 device -- available in pink or white -- is solely targeted at ladies, who in the Far East have a habit of taking self-portrait shots on the regular. So naturally, the MeituKiss does face beautification as well.

For CN¥2,199 or about $360, the rest of the specs aren't too shabby, either. The 9.3mm-thick phone comes with a 4.5-inch, 720p gapless IPS display, a 1.2GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6589 SoC, a removable 1,800mAh battery, 8GB of built-in storage and microSD expansion. As for radios, you get the usual WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth 4.0, but there's only WCDMA 2100 for 3G. We're just as baffled by the fact that the MeituKiss can only capture video at up to 720p only, especially since each of the Sony sensors here has its own Fujitsu ISP. Regardless, pre-order starts today for the first lot of 18,888 units, followed by a full launch on June 6th should you miss the first round.

Gallery: China's MeituKiss phone boasts dual 8MP cameras, wants to be a girl's best friend

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Comments

Source: Meitu

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/F8jZtPMXkGo/

Met gala lauryn hill teacher appreciation week Jodi Arias trial cinco de mayo Mike Jeffries Abercrombie nascar

The IPKat: Time to spare? Want to understand copyright a bit better ...

As a great believer in spreading the word, this Kat considers that -- whatever you are doing in the field of creative endeavour -- you will make better decisions if you are better informed. ?If you are a creator of an original work, it's useful to know if there are any legal strings attached to it or if anyone can use it for any purpose they want. ?If you are creating that work for someone else, what could be more useful than to know if any legal rights in it belong to you or to the person you've created it for, and whether, even if it's yours by right, your client or customer can use it too. ?If you're in business as a publisher, broadcaster, film producer or internet service provider, you want to know what risks you're taking when you seek to make copies of someone else's work, even if they tell you that you can, and you need to know what to do if, even though you are simply communicating a work to the general public or subscribers, you are accused of copying, transmitting or hosting allegedly infringing material. ? And if you are in the business of citing, analysing, criticising or adapting the works of others, it's important to know where to draw the line and to understand what happens if you trespass on not just the legal rights of the copyright but also the feelings and the reputation of the author.

You may be thinking at this point, "What on earth is the IPKat bothering to tell us? Surely this is all banal, obvious stuff, which every lawyer and sensible layman already knows!" ?If that is your view, why not take a look at the debris of some of the litigated copyright infringement and ownership disputes that have littered the courts over the past few years. ?If you do, you will find ample evidence that litigants and/or their commercial and/or legal advisers (i) didn't know how copyright affected their businesses, (ii) did know but were wilfully blind to it, or (iii) took the trouble to find out what the legal position was only after the event, when it was too late to avoid trouble.

In the vast majority of instances in which a business depends on or exploits copyright-protected material, there is no way to be one hundred percent safe from the risk of being at one end or the other of a copyright infringement action. But the risk can be minimised by anyone who takes the trouble to gain an adequate degree of familiarity with the rules of the game. ?This is where the King's College, London, distance learning programme for copyright comes in. ?It's a rigorous eight-month programme, taught to a high standard by a remarkably strong team of specialist copyright educators and practitioners drawn from the disparate legal cultures of the United States, the European Union and the contrasting common law and civil law national jurisdictions of key EU Member States. ?Led by Katfriend Professor Tanya Aplin, this team not only provides materials for the various course modules but will assess three substantial compulsory written assignments. Candidates also have the opportunity to attend three weekend residential seminars, which is probable advisable if they want to thrive in the three-hour written examination which they are obliged to take in May 2014. So if you have some spare time between October and May, fancy a chance to improve your copyright skills and even collect another qualification for your CV or for your personal satisfaction, this course may just be for you.

**********************************************

The Postgraduate Diploma/Masters in UK, EU and US Copyright Law 2013-2014 is brought to your doorstep by a bevy of copyright scholars from King's College, London. ?This course commences on 1 October 2013.?Further details of the course, and registration, are accessible?here.

Source: http://ipkitten.blogspot.com/2013/05/time-to-spare-want-to-understand.html

tyler perry face transplant fab melo google glasses kim kardashian and kanye west henrik stenson jobs act

Advertisement:

We were unable to forward you to the advertisement you clicked on.

The likely cause for this is that your browser, feed reader, or email application is configured to not accept cookies, or your reader may launch an external browser to view links without sharing cookies.

• If you're using Internet Explorer, make sure your privacy setting is at medium or below.
  • Select 'Internet Options' from the 'Tools' menu in your browser window
  • Click the Privacy tab
  • Adjust your privacy setting if necessary
    ?
• If you're using a reader that embeds Internet Explorer (examples: Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Feed Demon), you'll also need to select Internet Explorer as your default web browser.
  • Open Internet Explorer
  • Select 'Internet Options' from the 'Tools' menu in your browser window
  • Click the 'Programs' tab and check the box for Internet Explorer to check if it is the default browser and save your change
  • Close your browser, re-open it, and when prompted, select Internet Explorer as your default
  • You can then click on an ad in your newsletter and visit the site you wish to view

Source: http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?s=175313a8c22f8d85b752dcbe611d981a&p=4

Brian Banks amber alert LucasArts Finding Dory Chaz Ebert Mike Rice yu darvish

Knicks JR Smith plays through illness vs. Pacers

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ? Knicks guard J.R. Smith played against the Pacers in Game 3 on Saturday night after being iffy to go because of an illness.

Smith, the NBA's top sixth man, entered the game late in the first quarter and missed his first two shots -- both came up short.

Coach Mike Woodson said during his pregame availability that Smith would warm up before a decision would be made. Smith missed the Knicks morning shootaround after spiking a 102-degree fever, but Woodson said the temperature came down throughout the day.

If Smith is effective, he could have a big impact in a series that is tied at 1.

Smith averaged 18.1 points and 5.3 rebounds during the regular season and won the NBA's Sixth Man Award. But his playoff numbers are down to 14.4 points and 4.7 rebounds, and he's just 7 of 30 from the field in the first two games against Indiana.

Amare Stoudemire also was active for the game and entered in the second quarter. He has not played in more than two months after having surgery on his right knee.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-05-11-BKN-Knicks-Smith-Illness/id-de3ffe25e755495487adea7494ef6eb1

gary carter this means war bobby brown suzanne somers colbert colbert report legionnaires disease

Bangladeshi engineer arrested in building collapse

A worker is seen through a broken cement wall as he toils in the collapsed garment factory building in search for bodies on Thursday, May 2, 2013 in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh. Rescuers found more bodies in the concrete debris of a collapsed garment factory building Thursday and authorities say it may take another five days to clear the rubble. In addition to the 430 confirmed dead, police report another 149 people are still missing in what has become the worst disaster for Bangladesh's $20 billion-a-year garment industry that supplies global retailers. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

A worker is seen through a broken cement wall as he toils in the collapsed garment factory building in search for bodies on Thursday, May 2, 2013 in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh. Rescuers found more bodies in the concrete debris of a collapsed garment factory building Thursday and authorities say it may take another five days to clear the rubble. In addition to the 430 confirmed dead, police report another 149 people are still missing in what has become the worst disaster for Bangladesh's $20 billion-a-year garment industry that supplies global retailers. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

In this photograph taken on Wednesday, May 1, 2013, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Farida, center, cries as she searches for her sister-in-law Fahima, seen in photographs. Just moments before Fahima was to be placed in one of the dozens of unmarked graves dug for victims of Bangladesh's building collapse, Farida was able to claim and leave with her sister-in-law's body. For Farida and countless other relatives of the garment workers who disappeared when Rana Plaza came crashing down, the past week has been one of tumbling expectations, as hope that their loved ones survived faded into the realization that they may have to return home without even a body to bury. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

A woman grieves while others hold up pictures of their missing relatives at a school turned make-shift morgue where family members come to identify and claim bodies found in the garment factory building collapse, Thursday, May 2, 2013, in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh. Rescuers found more bodies in the concrete debris of a collapsed garment factory building Thursday and authorities said it may take another five days to clear the rubble. In addition to the 430 confirmed dead, police report another 149 people are still missing in what has become the worst disaster for Bangladesh's $20 billion-a-year garment industry that supplies global retailers.(AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

Women cover their noses as they watch people identify bodies at a school turned make-shift morgue where family members come to identify and claim bodies found in the garment factory building collapse, Thursday, May 2, 2013, in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh. Rescuers found more bodies in the concrete debris of the collapsed garment factory building Thursday and authorities said it may take another five days to clear the rubble. In addition to the 430 confirmed dead, police report another 149 people are still missing in what has become the worst disaster for Bangladesh's $20 billion-a-year garment industry that supplies global retailers.(AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

Anna, 16, who worked as a helper at Rana Plaza, was trapped for 3 days and had her right hand amputated in order to be rescued, has her hair brushed by her mother at the Enam Medical College on Thursday, May 2, 2013, in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh. Rescuers found more bodies in the concrete debris of a collapsed garment factory building Thursday and authorities said it may take another five days to clear the rubble. In addition to the 430 confirmed dead, police report another 149 people are still missing in what has become the worst disaster for Bangladesh's $20 billion-a-year garment industry that supplies global retailers. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) ? More than 500 bodies have been recovered from the Bangladesh garment-factory building that collapsed last week, authorities said Friday after arresting an engineer who warned the building was unsafe but is also accused of helping the owner add three illegal floors to the structure.

Abdur Razzak Khan worked as the Rana Plaza owner's consultant when the owner made the illegal addition atop his five-story building, police official Ohiduzzaman said Friday. Khan was arrested Thursday on a charge of negligence.

Owner Mohammed Sohel Rana called Khan to inspect the building after it developed cracks on April 23, local media reported. That night Khan appeared on a private television station saying that after his inspection he told Rana to evacuate the building because it was not safe.

Khan, a former engineer at Jahangirnagar University near Savar, said he drew attention of the government engineers for the building to be examined further.

Police ordered the building evacuated, but witnesses say Rana told people gathered outside the next morning that the building was safe and that garment factory managers told their workers to go inside. It collapsed hours later.

The elected mayor of Savar municipality, Mohammad Refatullah, also has been suspended for alleged negligence in approving the design and layout of the doomed building, said Abu Alam, a top official of the local government ministry.

Alam said an official investigation has found that the mayor ignored rules in approving the design and layout. The mayor is from main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, and the opposition BNP has criticized the suspension as politically motivated.

The confirmed death toll reached 501 as workers continued to pull bodies from the wreckage. The building collapse was the deadliest disaster in Bangladesh's $20 billion-a-year garment industry, far surpassing a fire late last year that killed 112 workers at a garment factory that had locked doors and no fire escapes.

Workers were carefully using cranes to remove the concrete rubble Friday morning.

"We are still proceeding cautiously so that we get the bodies intact," said Maj. Gen. Chowdhury Hassan Suhwardy, the commander of the area's army garrison supervising the rescue operation.

The official number of missing has been 149 since Wednesday, though unofficial estimates are higher.

Rana was arrested earlier and is expected to be charged with negligence, illegal construction and forcing workers to join work, which are punishable by a maximum of seven years in jail. Authorities have not said if more serious crimes will be added.

The Bangladesh High Court has ordered the government to confiscate Rana's property and freeze the assets of the owners of the factories in Rana Plaza so the money can be used to pay the salaries of their workers.

Among the garment makers in the building were Phantom Apparels, Phantom Tac, Ether Tex, New Wave Style and New Wave Bottoms.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-05-03-AS-Bangladesh-Building-Collapse/id-5e9150c6f2bf4400aa08efb27f523aeb

lamichael james lamichael james acl earthquake los angeles unemployment 2012 nfl draft grades young justice

Want Excellent Plumbing Advice? Then Read The Article Below ...

Pleasanton plumbing can be a very personal form of do-it-yourself. It demands particular needs of the individual?s home. This vast world has a lot of techniques, equipment, and regulations it can easily seem a lttle bit confusing about where you?ll want to begin. These pointers can help you understand the confusion.

Avoid being afraid to a specialist. Do not take on on jobs to economize, discover sure the best way to fix them. Calling a specialist plumber saves you money, the knowledge and know-how do fix your problem sooner with less fuss.

In case you have an ice maker or another plumbing visiting your refrigerator, every six months possibly even pull the refrigerator out of the wall and inspect this plumbing. There should be no condensation or corrosion on these plumbing lines, if you have, speak to a plumber and still have them see it.

Tend not to place pieces of the toilets that will not belong there. As an example, an advanced female, do not get rid of sanitary pads or tampons in your toilet. This could cause severe injury to your toilet which could demand a plumber, or perhaps worse, a new toilet!

To assist you find the best plumber, you should get recommendations from people that you trust. Asking a buddy or even a neighbor is usually more trustworthy than picking a random plumber from the phone book. You need a competent plumber, otherwise you could be set for an even bigger problem in the future.

Basic issues with toilets can be quite a quick fix for even the rawest amateur plumber and it is worth attempting if you possibly could spend some time to investigate the problem. Search for the essential part or parts from the local home improvement store and request for support in the best way to properly install them.

One which just fix a rest room it doesn?t flush properly, it is important that you discover what is causing the situation. Based on what the issue is, you just might correct it yourself. However, more complex toilet flushing problems may necessitate the assistance of a plumber.

As a way to get a full plumber you could be comfortable with, remember which of your friends are actual home owners and never renting. At some time, every homeowner has experienced to in a plumber. They can present you with a fantastic personal reference that they had a confident exposure to.

While plumbing Pleasanton can be a very personal form of do-it-yourself, it lets you do share the key goal of the need to be functional in your house. Basically of these tips, there are numerous approaches, but they are all created around the idea of having a great plumbing system.

Source: http://www.grandview-infocom.com/92-want-excellent-plumbing-advice-then-read-the-article-below

redbox Nemo Storm weather forecast national weather service weather channel Rivals Kaepernick

National Air Traffic Controllers Association representative says staff ...

Tom Rizzardo, the Dallas-Fort Worth facility representative of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, says the weather would not have made a difference in yesterday?s diverted flights from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport if there had been enough air traffic controllers working.

The Federal Aviation Administration attributed the diverted flights to ?a combination of weather and staffing shortages? as a result of automatic federal spending cuts. The agency on Sunday began furloughing employees.

Yes, Rizzardo said, the airport and airlines faced a combination of factors yesterday, but a staffing shortage at D/FW Approach Control ?began the domino effect? of flight diversions. Some air traffic control shifts have been operated with as few as four people instead of seven controllers.

?When the arrival rate [of airplanes] has to be cut to 75 percent or 50 percent of normal due to staffing restrictions that causes aircraft to be sequenced into lengthier streams and ? forces them into holding pattern,? Rizzardo wrote today in an email. ?In this case, we anticipated a 30-minute delay because we were unable to run triple approaches to the D/FW Airport due to the lack of staffing.?

However, when weather conditions forced a runway change, the planes could not withstand a longer delay and needed to divert, Rizzardo said. If full staffing had been in place, the planes either would have landed or their delay time would have been shorter, he added.

Rizzardo expects flight delays and other issues to get worse in the coming weeks ?as mandatory vacation time? puts more demands on staff.

Source: http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/2013/04/national-air-traffic-controllers-association-representative-says-staff-shortage-created-domino-effect-yesterday-at-dfw-airport.html/

hanukkah justin tv justin tv Sarah Savage Jaimie Alexander Army Navy Game john lennon

MetroPCS shareholders approve T-Mobile offer

NEW YORK (AP) ? MetroPCS Communications Inc., the country's fifth-largest cellphone carrier, says its shareholders have approved the company's takeover by No. 4 T-Mobile USA.

The deal is intended to produce a stronger combined company. By combining the space allocated to each company on the airwaves, the new company should be able to deliver faster wireless data downloads, a crucial competitive factor.

The approval at a Wednesday's special shareholder meeting in Richardson, Texas, came after T-Mobile USA sweetened its bid. Its initial offer was approved by MetroPCS' board, but shareholders and shareholder advisory firms called it inadequate.

The deal gives MetroPCS shareholders 26 percent of the combined company. Shareholders of T-Mobile's German parent, Deutsche Telekom AG, will own the rest.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-04-24-T-Mobile%20USA-MetroPCS/id-6440adfadd3c4135a946990719a6d44f

2012 grammy awards powerball results pebble beach golf beverly hilton roland martin whitney houston dead at 48 whitney houston dead 2012

US child porn suspect captured after 5 years

Nicaragua's National Police agents escort U.S. citizen Eric Justin Toth to be presented to the press at a police station in Managua, Nicaragua, Monday April 22, 2013. Toth was detained by police Saturday, April 10, 2013, in Esteli, a city near Nicaragua's border with Honduras. Toth is on the FBI's 10 most-wanted fugitives as a suspect in a child pornography investigation, authorities confirmed Monday. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

Nicaragua's National Police agents escort U.S. citizen Eric Justin Toth to be presented to the press at a police station in Managua, Nicaragua, Monday April 22, 2013. Toth was detained by police Saturday, April 10, 2013, in Esteli, a city near Nicaragua's border with Honduras. Toth is on the FBI's 10 most-wanted fugitives as a suspect in a child pornography investigation, authorities confirmed Monday. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

Nicaragua's National Police agents escort U.S. citizen Eric Justin Toth, center, to be presented to the press at a police station in Managua, Nicaragua, Monday April 22, 2013. Toth was detained by police Saturday, April 10, 2013, in Esteli, a city near Nicaragua's border with Honduras. Toth is on the FBI's 10 most-wanted fugitives as a suspect in a child pornography investigation, authorities confirmed Monday. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

Nicaragua's National Police agents escort U.S. citizen Eric Justin Toth to be presented to the press at a police station in Managua, Nicaragua, Monday April 22, 2013. Toth was detained by police Saturday, April 10, 2013, in Esteli, a city near Nicaragua's border with Honduras. Toth is on the FBI's 10 most-wanted fugitives as a suspect in a child pornography investigation, authorities confirmed Monday. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

Nicaragua's National Police agents escort U.S. citizen Eric Justin Toth while presented to the press at a police station in Managua, Nicaragua, Monday April 22, 2013. Toth was detained by police Saturday, April 10, 2013, in Esteli, a city near Nicaragua's border with Honduras. Toth is on the FBI's 10 most-wanted fugitives as a suspect in a child pornography investigation, authorities confirmed Monday. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

This image provided by the FBI shows a 2008 photo of Eric Justin Toth who was detained Saturday April 20, 2013 in Esteli, a city near Nicaragua's border with Honduras. Police in Nicaragua have detained the former U.S. school teacher who was on the FBI's 10 most-wanted fugitives as a suspect in a child pornography investigation, authorities confirmed Monday April 22, 2013. (AP Photo/FBI)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Investigators say Eric Justin Toth's five-year run as a fugitive began when he was fired from his teaching job at a prestigious private school in Washington after being confronted about images of child pornography taken with a school camera in the man's possession.

It ended over the weekend when Nicaraguan authorities, acting on a tip, found him living in that Central American country ? with phony passports, driver's licenses and credit cards, authorities said. The FBI is investigating why Toth was living there and has previously said he may have been advertising as a nanny or tutor while on the lam.

Now, investigators are trying to piece together how he avoided capture even after he was added to the FBI's Most Wanted list, a notorious designation reserved for those considered dangerous criminals and that has featured the likes of Osama bin Laden and Whitey Bulger. Prosecutors are encouraging any other abuse victims to come forward as they proceed with a federal child pornography case against the 31-year-old Toth, who was ordered held without bond during a brief court appearance Tuesday.

"The fact that he is a known child predator and that he's been on the run for five years, we assume that there's potentially other victims in other places that he's been over the past five years," said Valerie Parlave, the head of the FBI's Washington field office.

A federal public defender assigned to Toth didn't immediately return a call seeking comment. Phone listings for possible relatives of Toth either declined to comment or did not return phone messages.

The arrest on Saturday, in a city near Nicaragua's border with Honduras, ended a frustrating international manhunt for the computer-savvy third-grade teacher and former camp counselor.

There were tantalizing clues along the way ? a fake suicide note in Minnesota, an apparent sighting at a shelter in Arizona, a tip that led agents on an extensive search of South America. Yet Toth continued to elude authorities, even as pictures of his bespectacled and sometimes bearded face were featured on news programs, billboards around the country and the FBI's list.

The big break came from a tip last week after a female tourist who encountered Toth in a social setting recognized him and contacted authorities, said FBI spokeswoman Jacqueline Maguire.

Toth first arrived in Nicaragua in October and appeared to have spent at least part of his time there creating false identities and ID documents, police said. When his house was raided, police found passports, driver's licenses and credit cards from three banks, under different names, suggesting he was preparing new false identities to use, said national Police Chief Aminta Granera. Toth was living under an assumed name, authorities said, and the FBI used records of a recent purchase to pinpoint his whereabouts.

Federal prosecutors unsealed a criminal complaint Tuesday charging Toth with possessing and producing child pornography, charges that together carry a maximum 50-year prison sentence. Toth wore a blue jail jumpsuit, his hair considerably longer than in the photographs the FBI had made public, and he spoke softly in response to a judge's perfunctory questions.

Prosecutors revealed no new details of their case in court. But according to the complaint, multiple images of child pornography ? including one video in which Toth allegedly appeared alongside an undressed young boy ? were located in June 2008 on a media card found inside his classroom at Beauvoir, a private elementary school on the grounds of the Washington National Cathedral.

Although "not the most socially adept guy," he was an engaged teacher who helped students think outside the box in math and logic and who even incorporated lessons on why people do or don't do the right things, recalled Michele Booth Cole, whose daughter was in one of Toth's classes.

"He wasn't teaching from the textbook. It was really much more creative and thought-provoking for the kids," said Cole, executive director of Safe Shores ? the DC Children's Advocacy Center, which helps abused children.

The media card with the pornographic images was found in in a box addressed to Toth at the school's address, the complaint says. Although some of the images showed children laughing and playing, others were every parent's nightmare, said Ron Machen, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.

Those include photographs and videos showing the hand of an adult male fondling a boy, the complaint says. Another video, taken in what appears to be a classroom at the school, shows a man investigators believe to be Toth with an undressed prepubescent boy.

Toth was fired after the images were discovered by fellow school employees and escorted from the school. He disappeared immediately, long before anyone could arrest him.

But there were soon clues that would set agents in motion.

His car was found later that summer in a long-term parking lot at the Minneapolis airport along with a fake suicide note inside that claimed he was going to kill himself in a nearby lake. But no body was found, and investigators concluded it was a ruse.

"Clearly he was trying to throw investigators off at that point," said FBI Special Agent Kyle Loven, an agency spokesman in Minneapolis.

He was believed to have been sighted in Phoenix in 2009, apparently working as a quasi-counselor at a shelter under an assumed name, the FBI has said. He was gone before agents could get to him.

Authorities also believe Toth, who is from the Midwest, traveled while on the run to Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

In April 2012, the FBI, concerned that the trail was going cold and that Toth's experience in interacting with children and earning their trust might be putting other kids at risk, announced that it was adding him to the bureau's Most Wanted fugitives list, where he filled a slot left vacant by the death of bin Laden.

Ron Hosko, then the special agent in charge of the criminal division of the FBI's Washington field office, said at the time, "This is a dangerous person because of his nature, because he is a child predator, because of his ability to groom both adults and potentially these children to develop some sorts of bond of trust."

___

Associated Press researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York and writers Luis Manuel Galeano in Managua, Nicaragua, and Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis contributed to this report.

___

Follow Tucker on Twitter at http://twitter.com/etuckerAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-04-23-Nicaragua-American%20Arrested/id-16babee3aaf048cf8560fff3bddb6c8b

michael bush the host trailer whitney houston cause of death marquette city creek center hilary duff michigan state

WHO: New flu passes more easily from bird to human

BEIJING (AP) ? A new strain of bird flu that emerged in China over the past month is one of the "most lethal" flu viruses so far, worrying health officials because it can jump more easily from birds to humans than the one that started killing people a decade ago, World Health Organization officials said Wednesday.

Scientists are watching the virus closely to see if it could spark a global pandemic but say there is little evidence so far that it can spread easily from human to human.

WHO's top influenza expert, Dr. Keiji Fukuda, told reporters at a briefing in Beijing that people seem to catch the H7N9 virus from birds more easily than the H5N1 strain that began ravaging poultry across Asia in 2003. The H5N1 strain has since killed 360 people worldwide, mostly after contact with infected fowl.

Health experts are concerned about H7N9's ability to jump to humans, and about the strain's capacity to infect birds without causing noticeable symptoms, which makes it difficult to monitor its spread.

"This is definitely one of the most lethal influenza viruses we have seen so far," Fukuda said. But he added that experts are still trying to understand the virus, and that there might be a large number of mild infections that are going undetected.

The H7N9 bird flu virus has infected more than 100 people in China, seriously sickening most of them and killing more than 20, mostly near the eastern coast around Shanghai. Taiwan on Wednesday confirmed its first case, a 53-year-old man who became sick after returning from a visit to the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu.

In comparison, the earlier bird flu strain, H5N1, is known to kill up to 60 of every 100 people it infects.

Wednesday's briefing came at the end of a weeklong joint investigation by WHO and Chinese authorities in Beijing and Shanghai.

Experts said they still aren't sure how people are getting infected but said evidence points to infections at live poultry markets, particularly through ducks and chickens. They said it was encouraging that reported infections appeared to slow down after the closure of live poultry markets in affected areas.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/flu-passes-more-easily-bird-human-073635353.html

Yunel Escobar Eye Black Cruel Summer Endeavor shaun white carolina panthers Revolution TV Show bankofamerica

Anger in Lebanese streets as Syria border fighting rages

By Dominic Evans

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Stripped to the waist, his face heavily bruised and a rope around his neck, the grey-haired Syrian man was led by his captors on a humiliating parade through the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli.

"I am an Alawite shabbiha," read slogans daubed on the bare chest of the man, referring to militias from a minority sect fighting for President Bashar al-Assad in neighboring Syria. Vigilantes led the man through Tripoli, a predominantly Sunni Muslim city, on Monday.

No one stepped in to stop the degrading procession until he was handed over to army intelligence, Tripoli residents said, his treatment yet another sign that the Lebanese state is losing its battle to contain street tensions over Syria's bloodshed.

Long-standing sectarian tensions in Lebanon have been further fuelled this week by heavy clashes in the border region. Lebanese Sunni Muslims support the Sunni-led opposition fighting Assad. Most Lebanese Shi'ite groups support Assad and the Alawite sect to which he belongs, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam which has largely supported the Assad family's four-decade rule.

Along the border, pro-Assad forces - including fighters believed to be from Lebanon's powerful Shi'ite guerrilla movement Hezbollah - have made strategic gains in recent days.

They appear to be creating a crucial corridor between Assad's seat of power, Damascus, and the Alawite stronghold region along Syria's Mediterranean coast.

On the same day the Syrian man was dragged across Tripoli, two prominent Sunni clerics called on Lebanese men to defend the rebels in Syria, either by sending weapons or joining in combat.

"It is a duty for any Muslim who is able to reach our Syrian brothers, to enter Syria to defend its people, its mosques and religious sites," Sheikh Ahmed al-Assir told supporters in Lebanon's southern port town of Sidon.

Assir singled out the besieged rebel-held town of Qusair, near the Lebanese frontier, and central Homs, Syria's third largest city, as strategic priorities. Homs has been roughly divided between government and insurgent-held areas.

The porous border around Qusair and Homs is a vital smuggling route for the rebels. But the rebels also want to seal off the border from government forces to sever Damascus from Syria's Alawite coast.

As clashes intensify along the border, rocket fire has been hitting Lebanon with increasing frequency. Suspected rebel rockets hit the Shi'ite town of Hermel, 10 km (six miles) inside Lebanese territory.

Rebels have threatened to "move the battle into Lebanon" if the Syrian government offensive, which they described as Hezbollah-led, continues.

"DISSOCIATION" POLICY IN TATTERS

Assir's call to arms and the vigilante action in Tripoli further undermine Lebanon's tattered policy of "dissociation" from Syria's turmoil - a stance which Assad himself mocked in a meeting with sympathetic Lebanese politicians at the weekend.

"No one can distance himself (from the conflict) while being consumed by flames," Assad told his visitors.

His remarks could further fan the fear of many Lebanese that their country is vulnerable to being dragged into Syria's bloodshed. Syria has historically dominated its small neighbor, where it maintained a military presence for 29 years until 2005.

Since the start of the anti-Assad uprising, which has mushroomed into civil war, Lebanon has been hit by street fighting in Tripoli between Sunni and Alawite gunmen, cross-border shelling, and the assassination in October of a top security official.

In Tripoli, the popular hardline preacher Sheikh Salem al-Rafei told worshippers on Monday that Sunni Lebanese fighters should go into Syria.

He argued that Hezbollah fighters were killing Sunni Muslims in Syria and justifying their actions as defense of Lebanese Shi'ites who live just inside Syria's side of the border.

"If Hezbollah is defending the oppressed Lebanese Shi'ites, we will also defend the oppressed Lebanese Sunnis in Syria," he said. "We will send support - men...and weapons to support (them)."

Hezbollah denies it has sent guerrillas to fight alongside Assad's forces inside Syria, but has held regular funerals for fighters it said were carrying out "jihadi duties". It says any Hezbollah fighters involved are local Shi'ite residents of Lebanese villages inside Syria, defending their territory.

(Editing by Mark Heinrich)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/anger-lebanese-streets-syria-border-fighting-rages-123516097.html

annette funicello margaret thatcher farrah abraham Accidental Racist joel osteen Fallon Fox Chris Webber

American Golfer: Golf Road Warriors Take on ?The Best Island ...

(Portland, Ore.) ? TheAPosition.com kicks off its spring golf season with a tropical flourish by sending five journalists to Maui from April 21-27 to sample the Magical Isle?s world-class golf courses, beaches, hotels, cuisine, and more. ?Four writers and a videographer will create and broadcast daily original content via a collection of websites and social media that will be further disseminated by sponsor partners. ?The content will include short travelogues, videos, and reviews of courses, restaurants, and other attractions, as well as the observations of a team of seasoned golf enthusiasts. This edition of Golf Road Warriors involves members of The A Position who have reported from previous trips to Myrtle Beach, Scottsdale, Reynold?s Plantation, Palm Springs, Casa de Campo, and other locales.

Brian McCallen is a long-time golf travel writer whose credits include GOLF Magazine (where he was a Senior Editor for 16 years), Robb Report, Cigar Aficionado, Travel & Leisure, the Washington Post and many others top publications. ?McCallen is also the author of a number of books about the world?s best golf destinations.

Manhattan-based writer Jim Frank has been a golf journalist and editor for more than 30 years, including stints as Executive Editor of GOLF Magazine from 1990-2003, and founder of Golf Connoisseur. ?Franks has edited and published countless articles in the best golf and travel publications and published several books.

Award-winning writer Tom Bedell is the only member of both the Golf Writers Association of America and the North American Guild of Beer Writers. ?His work has appeared in Travel & Leisure Golf, Celebrated Living, Lexus Magazine, and many other top publications.

Jeff Wallach, Executive Editor of the A Position, has published in The New York Times, Money Magazine, Outside, and other magazines and newspapers. The author of five books, he claims to have a pretty good short game for a journalist.

On Maui the writers will be videoed by Jamie McWilliams, whose extensive sports background has included producing, directing, and writing for NFL Films. ?McWilliams has worked as the videographer for a number of Golf Road Warriors adventures. ?He will document adventures at such great golf courses as Wailea Gold, Kapalua?s Plantation Course, King Kamehameha Golf Club, and Kaanapali?s Royal Course.

Check out the warriors? field reports at GolfRoadWarriors.com and theAposition.com.

Contact: AmericanGolferBlog@gmail.com

Source: http://americangolfer.blogspot.com/2013/04/golf-road-warriors-take-on-best-island.html

april fools day April Fools Jokes Julie Roberts roses april fools Good April Fools Jokes Dumpster