Google tossed out an update to Google Play Books this evening, making it a whole lot better by fixing "over 90" issues, allowing users in India to be able to install and use the app, and finally tossing in some UI improvements. While they don't go into any detail about the 90 issues that were addressed they do tell us that they added a drop-down menu in the library to filter books by type, and now place names are identified on the current page when the controls are up and showing. Of course, support for India and the growing smart phone user base there is huge, and long overdue.
What wasn't addressed is the lack of the ability to import your own DRM-free books. Until that happens this is one I'll hide in my app drawer, no matter how great the app is. Hit Google Play to update or click the Google Play link above.
Valve has revealed the next 12 software titles that have been approved by the community as part of its Steam Greenlight system. There are some pretty nifty games and utilities in the mix this time out including Anodyne (a game that was given away by its developers on Pirate Bay and saw a surge in votes on Greenlight as a result), the painting program Black Ink, the crazy survival racing game Distance, a PC optimization program called Driver Fusion, the PC version of the popular mobile title Organ Trail: Director's Cut the much-anticipated port of Kingdom Rush, and many more.
A full list can be found below:
?Black Ink ? This innovative painting tool gives artists a incredibly powerful customization of brushes.
?Driver Fusion ? Keep your PC optimized and running fast, easily managing your devices and removing unnecessary drivers.
?Anodyne ? The two-man development team behind Anodyne recently gave away the game on Pirate Bay, sparking a huge surge in votes and attention from the community and press.
?Distance ? Featured in PC Gamer?s ?best pc games of 2013? and successfully funded on Kickstarter, Distance is a unique survival racing game where you boost, jump, rotate, and even fly through a chaotic and twisted city.
?Evoland ? This journey through the history of action/adventure gaming caught our attention early on with their dramatic gameplay video and proved to also be a community favorite, getting voted up the charts in just a month.
?Huntsman:The Orphanage ? This unconventional survival-horror game has captured the interest of the community by showing a lot of detail, posting gameplay videos and responding frequently to fans.
?Kingdom Rush ? This highly rated tower-defense mobile game comes to PC and Mac, exciting the gaming press and picking up supporters across the Greenlight community.
?Legends of Dawn ? This open-world RPG has moved up the Greenlight charts quickly and steadily since being posted at the end of December. Along the way, they almost doubled their funding goal on Kickstarter.
?Organ Trail: Director's Cut ? This retro zombie survival game brings you back to the days of gaming where your friends lived long enough to die of dysentery.
?Receiver ? Detailed FPS game that puts you in control of solving puzzles and the mechanics of operating your weapons.
?Surgeon Simulator 2013 ? This simulation game quickly climbed the charts with their free demo and hilariously tricky gameplay.
?War Thunder ? This World War II MMO has seen huge success in its open beta, already logging a half-million players and tens of millions of hours played, translating to a huge community of voters on Greenlight as well.
Most first-time mothers wait until after 6 weeks before resuming sex following childbirthPublic release date: 26-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Rebecca Jones rjones@rcog.org.uk 020-777-26444 Wiley
Most first-time mothers wait until after 6 weeks postpartum to resume vaginal sex following childbirth and women who have an operative vaginal birth, caesarean section, perineal tear or episiotomy appear to wait longer, suggests a new study published today (27 February) in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
The study, conducted by the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Australia, used data from the Maternal Health Study, a large prospective pregnancy cohort in which data were collected from self-administered questionnaires in early pregnancy and at 3, 6 and 12 months postpartum. The study used a sample of 1507 first-time mother to investigate the timing of resumption of vaginal sex and assess associations with methods of birth, perineal trauma and other obstetric and social factors.
Results show that 41% of women attempted vaginal sex by 6 weeks postpartum, 65% by 8 weeks, and 78% by 12 weeks, with this figure increasing to 94% by 6 months postpartum.
The study also found that sexual activity was resumed earlier than vaginal sex, with 53% resuming sexual activity by 6 weeks postpartum.
Furthermore, women aged 30-34 years were significantly less likely to have resumed vaginal sex compared with younger women, aged 18-24 years, by 6 weeks post partum (40% compared with 63%).
Women who had a caesarean section, a birth assisted with forceps and those who had an episiotomy or sutured tear were also less likely to have resumed vaginal sex by 6 weeks postpartum compared with women who had had a spontaneous vaginal birth and intact perineum. The results show that 45% of women who had a caesarean section, 32% who had a forceps-assisted birth, 32% who had an episiotomy and 35% who had a sutured tear had resumed vaginal sex by 6 weeks, compared with 60% who had a spontaneous vaginal birth with intact perineum.
The paper states that only around 10% of women having a first baby will achieve a vaginal birth with an intact perineum. Hence, for the vast majority of women and their partners, it is reasonable to anticipate a delay in resuming vaginal sex related to the events of labour and birth, say the authors.
Associate Professor Stephanie Brown from the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Victoria, Australia and lead author of the study said:
"The most important finding from the study is the wide time interval over which couples resume sex after childbirth. Most couples do not resume sex until after 6-8 weeks postpartum, and many delay much longer than this.
"This is useful information for couples to know before their baby is born, and may help reduce feelings of anxiety and guilt about not resuming sexual activity sooner."
Ellie McDonald, from the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and co-author of the research said:
"The study findings provide evidence that both method of birth and degree of perineal trauma play a role in the resumption of sex after childbirth.
"It is possible that some couples delay resumption of sex until after the 6-week check-up on the grounds of waiting to check that everything is back to normal. This may explain the relatively large number of women that resume vaginal sex at 7-8 weeks postpartum."
John Thorp, BJOG Deputy-Editor-in-Chief added:
"It is very common for women and their partners to want information about when sexual activity may be safely and comfortably resumed, and what to expect in relation to the impact of childbirth on their relationship.
"Having reliable information to guide clinical practice can dispel common myths about what is normal during the postnatal period as well as enabling clinicians to tailor information to a woman's individual circumstances.
"This study provides important new evidence to guide information given to women and their partners about what to expect after childbirth. However, it is important to remember that these decisions are down to the individual couple and when it feels right for them."
###
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Most first-time mothers wait until after 6 weeks before resuming sex following childbirthPublic release date: 26-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Rebecca Jones rjones@rcog.org.uk 020-777-26444 Wiley
Most first-time mothers wait until after 6 weeks postpartum to resume vaginal sex following childbirth and women who have an operative vaginal birth, caesarean section, perineal tear or episiotomy appear to wait longer, suggests a new study published today (27 February) in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
The study, conducted by the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Australia, used data from the Maternal Health Study, a large prospective pregnancy cohort in which data were collected from self-administered questionnaires in early pregnancy and at 3, 6 and 12 months postpartum. The study used a sample of 1507 first-time mother to investigate the timing of resumption of vaginal sex and assess associations with methods of birth, perineal trauma and other obstetric and social factors.
Results show that 41% of women attempted vaginal sex by 6 weeks postpartum, 65% by 8 weeks, and 78% by 12 weeks, with this figure increasing to 94% by 6 months postpartum.
The study also found that sexual activity was resumed earlier than vaginal sex, with 53% resuming sexual activity by 6 weeks postpartum.
Furthermore, women aged 30-34 years were significantly less likely to have resumed vaginal sex compared with younger women, aged 18-24 years, by 6 weeks post partum (40% compared with 63%).
Women who had a caesarean section, a birth assisted with forceps and those who had an episiotomy or sutured tear were also less likely to have resumed vaginal sex by 6 weeks postpartum compared with women who had had a spontaneous vaginal birth and intact perineum. The results show that 45% of women who had a caesarean section, 32% who had a forceps-assisted birth, 32% who had an episiotomy and 35% who had a sutured tear had resumed vaginal sex by 6 weeks, compared with 60% who had a spontaneous vaginal birth with intact perineum.
The paper states that only around 10% of women having a first baby will achieve a vaginal birth with an intact perineum. Hence, for the vast majority of women and their partners, it is reasonable to anticipate a delay in resuming vaginal sex related to the events of labour and birth, say the authors.
Associate Professor Stephanie Brown from the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Victoria, Australia and lead author of the study said:
"The most important finding from the study is the wide time interval over which couples resume sex after childbirth. Most couples do not resume sex until after 6-8 weeks postpartum, and many delay much longer than this.
"This is useful information for couples to know before their baby is born, and may help reduce feelings of anxiety and guilt about not resuming sexual activity sooner."
Ellie McDonald, from the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and co-author of the research said:
"The study findings provide evidence that both method of birth and degree of perineal trauma play a role in the resumption of sex after childbirth.
"It is possible that some couples delay resumption of sex until after the 6-week check-up on the grounds of waiting to check that everything is back to normal. This may explain the relatively large number of women that resume vaginal sex at 7-8 weeks postpartum."
John Thorp, BJOG Deputy-Editor-in-Chief added:
"It is very common for women and their partners to want information about when sexual activity may be safely and comfortably resumed, and what to expect in relation to the impact of childbirth on their relationship.
"Having reliable information to guide clinical practice can dispel common myths about what is normal during the postnatal period as well as enabling clinicians to tailor information to a woman's individual circumstances.
"This study provides important new evidence to guide information given to women and their partners about what to expect after childbirth. However, it is important to remember that these decisions are down to the individual couple and when it feels right for them."
###
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
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I don't remember the last time I saw a cassette tape in real life. Seriously, it's been years. But when I see these cassette tapes refashioned as pieces of art, I'm happy. I love seeing old media being used in a way it was never meant to be (and the only way it could be now). More »
Just over a century after the Titanic sank to the bottom of the North Atlantic, an Australian billionaire has officially floated plans to build a successor.
On Tuesday, Clive Palmer, chairman of Brisbane-based Blue Star Line, revealed blueprints for Titanic II, a ?full-scale re-creation? of the illustrious, if ill-fated, ship at a press conference on the Intrepid Air, Sea & Space Museum in New York.
Set to sail in 2016, the ship is one of several ? the QE2 and SS United States are among the others ? that seek, in one or way or another, to recapture the glory days of the great ocean liners and ensure that their legends live on.
First up: Titanic, or more precisely, Titanic II, a modern-day version of the ship that sank on its maiden voyage in April 1912. During today?s press conference, Palmer referred to the original as a ?ship of dreams? and its successor as a ship ?where dreams come true.?
As envisioned, that dream entails building an 883-foot-long, 55,800-ton vessel with space for 2,435 passengers. That?s small by today?s standards ? the Queen Mary 2 measures 151,000 tons; the Oasis of the Seas, 220,000 tons ? but big enough to offer a casino, gymnasium and other features reminiscent of the original.
In other nods to the past, passengers will wear period clothing from 1912 and be able to book passage in first, second or third class.
"It will be 98% the same," Palmer told the BBC last year. Presumably, the other 2% will apply to the welded (not riveted) hull, the modern propulsion system and the addition of enough lifeboats to preclude problems with things that go bump in the night at sea.
While Palmer declined to discuss the cost of the ship, other ocean liner aficionados have expressed doubts about the viability of the project ever since the idea was first floated last year.
?It?s like a Disneyland representation of the Titanic,? said maritime historian Peter Knego. ?You can?t build with wood anymore, you can?t rivet, you can?t do all the things that made the Titanic what she was.?
Nor, says Knego, can you ignore the fact that the vast majority of today?s cruisers prefer ships with waterparks, climbing walls and other resort-style amenities. By comparison, interest in transatlantic crossings, like the ones Titanic II is expected to begin making in 2016, went into sharp decline the moment Pan Am and BOAC began flying jets across the pond in 1958.
?There?s probably a couple thousand people in the world who?d be fascinated by a transatlantic crossing on a replica of the Titanic,? Knego told NBC News. ?It would also have to compete against the Queen Mary 2 and there are times that the QM2 isn?t even full.?
Original ships, alternative uses While Titanic II seeks to turn back the clock to the glory days of the ocean-liner era, proof that time doesn?t stand still sits, rusting and peeling, at a dock in Philadelphia. Originally launched in 1952, the SS United States was as famous in its day as the Titanic was 40 years earlier but without the morbid associations.
?It?s the most famous ship that didn?t sink,? said Susan Gibbs, executive director of the SS United States Conservancy, which seeks to preserve the vessel. ?It?s still with us and is by many accounts one of the most storied U.S. liners ever built.?
That story, much condensed, goes like this: Entering transatlantic service in 1952, the ship immediately became the unofficial flagship of the U.S. fleet, recognizable for its knife-like bow and red, white and blue funnels. She broke the transatlantic speed record on her maiden voyage and holds the westbound record for fastest passenger service to this day.
?When she was built, she represented the country,? said Knego. ?People were aware of her like they?re aware of the space shuttle now.?
Alas, the subsequent rise of transatlantic jet service essentially killed the market for transatlantic sailings and the ship was taken out of service in 1969. Since then, it?s had several owners, been stripped of its fittings and avoided several dates with the scrapyard.
Since 1996, the ship has sat at the dock in Philadelphia, its hull streaked with rust and its red, white and blue funnels faded to shades of pink and gray. The good news is that the ship is structurally sound and asbestos-free; the bad news is that carrying costs (maintenance, insurance, etc.) average $75,000 per month.
?That?s a heavy lift and one that can?t be borne indefinitely,? said Gibbs, who, it turns out, is the granddaughter of the ship?s designer, William Francis Gibbs. Scrapping the ship remains a threat, ?but everyone involved will work their hearts out to avoid that fate,? she told NBC News.
Those efforts include a grassroots campaign called SaveTheUnitedStates.org and and plans to turn the ship into a waterfront attraction with hotels, retail outlets and a museum dedicated to the ship, 20th century design and the American ingenuity that underscored it.
According to Gibbs, discussions have been undertaken with several municipalities that might host the ship with New York being the most likely venue: ?It was the ship?s homeport during its service career; it attracts a lot of tourists, and it?s a bustling city with high hotel occupancy rates.?
The effort would not come cheap but it?s also not without precedent. The first Queen Mary has been a dockside hotel/tourist attraction in Long Beach, Calif., since the early 1970s, although, it, too, has faced a series of financial setbacks.
More recently, the Queen Elizabeth 2, or QE2, which has been sitting idle in Dubai since 2008, was sold to Oceanic Group, a Singaporean company that plans to turn it into a hotel/attraction in an as-yet-unnamed Asian city.
Given the above, it?s clear that these grand old ships have incredible appeal just as there?s no denying that their futures are marked by ocean-liner-sized question marks. For Clive Palmer, it?s about recapturing the essence of one iconic vessel; for Susan Gibbs, it?s about ensuring that the essence of another isn?t lost forever.
For his part, Peter Knego has his own wish: ?For people who appreciate classic skyscrapers and old movie theaters, scrapping the United States would be like demolishing the Empire State Building,? he told NBC News. ? If only (Palmer) would invest in the ship instead of recreating one that never completed its maiden voyage ...?
Rob Lovitt is a longtime travel writer who still believes the journey is as important as the destination. Follow him at Twitter.
VIENNA (AP) ? The story of Natascha Kampusch, who grew from a 10-year old to a young woman as a captive of a sadistic abductor, is now a movie.
The film depicting her more than eight-year long ordeal premiered late Monday in Vienna. Titled "3096 Days," the English-language film is based on Kampusch's biography.
Thure Lindhardt, who played abductor Wolfgang Priklopil, says the role was "challenging," while Campbell-Hughes describes her portrayal of Kampusch as "a very great responsibility."
Prominent Austrians in the audience came away impressed. Former Interior Minister Karl Blecha said the film succeeded in depicting the horrors of Kampusch's torment.
Kampusch was snatched off a Vienna street when she was 10 and held prisoner until she fled in August 2006. Priklopil committed suicide within hours of her escape.
Samsung's Galaxy Note just grew to 8 inches. It's actually really nice. It combines a bunch of the stuff that Samsung's been building in the Galaxy S and Note series and puts them into a nearly perfectly sized tablet. Two things, though. One, we don't know how much it costs, and price is a huge deal for 7- and 8-inch tablets. Two, the international version is a freaking 8-inch phone. More »
LONDON (Reuters) - Iran still has time to find a diplomatic solution to the international standoff over its nuclear program but the Islamic Republic must negotiate with world powers in good faith, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday.
"The window for a diplomatic solution simply cannot by definition remain open forever. But it is open today. It is open now," Kerry told reporters in London.
"There is still time but there is only time if Iran makes the decision to come to the table and negotiate in good faith. We are prepared to negotiate in good faith, in mutual respect in an effort to avoid whatever terrible consequences could follow failure. And so the choice really is in the hands of the Iranians. And we hope they will make the right choice."
(Writing by Guy Faulconbridge Editing by Maria Golovnina)
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) ? Investors are keeping a wary eye on Italy as the country heads to the polls Sunday and Monday to elect a new parliament. They fear that a new government and prime minister could weaken or scrap the economic reforms and budget cuts begun by outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti during his 15 months in office and hurt Italy's chances of recovering from a decade of low growth.
While the markets are unlikely to punish Italy as they did in 2011-12, they will want to make sure a new government doesn't mean a return to Italy's bad old days.
Here are some questions and answers about this weekend's elections matter for Italy and the rest of Europe.
Q: Why all the worry?
A: Italy's economy ? the third-largest among the 17 European Union countries that use the euro ? has only grown less than a half percent a year on average for a decade. That is compared to 1.25 percent in other rich industrialized countries. Faster growth is needed to shrink Italy's mounting debt burden, which already equals 127 percent of its annual gross domestic product.
Because of its size, Italy's problems can dent market confidence in the whole eurozone. Doubts about Italy's ability to manage its debt caused markets to question whether the euro could survive in 2011-12.
Q: What's wrong with its economy?
Before it joined the euro in 1999, the country used to give its economy a boost by to devaluing its old currency, the lire ? a trick that used to make its exports cheaper.
Devaluation helped mask underlying problems such as labor rules that favor vested interests such as unions and established workers, which kill off job prospects for younger people; a high business tax burden and heavy cost to businesses from expensive public utilities and red tape.
Italy "remains in dire need of structural reforms to boost competitiveness and improve trend growth," wrote economists Norbert Aul and James Ashley at RBC Capital Markets. They noted that the only economies that have grown more slowly in the past 12 years are Zimbabwe, San Marino, and Portugal.
A growing economy would increase government revenue from business and income taxes and the country's debt.
Q: Where does Monti come into all this?
A: Italy's political parties installed Monti, a former EU commissioner and academic, as prime minister to lead a temporary crisis government of financial experts in November, 2011. His predecessor, Silvio Berlusconi, resigned after high borrowing costs, fed by fears Italy would not pay its debts, threatened the country with financial ruin and rattled confidence in the eurozone.
Monti set about easing some of Italy's anti-business practices, such as labor laws that made it extremely difficult to fire longtime workers. He reduced the budget deficit with the help of an unpopular tax on homes.
Italy's deficit is down to around 3 percent of gross domestic output for last year ? not great, but it complies with the official limit for eurozone members.
However, in January, Monti resigned as Prime Minister after Berlusconi's party withdrew its support and criticized his cutbacks - hence the new elections.
Q: So now the elections are under way, what are investors afraid of?
A: Italy's Byzantine election laws could mean many different outcomes. The worst result would be no party or coalition being able to form a government, leading to new elections.
Researcher Vincenzo Scarpetta at the Open Europe think tank says the probability of this is "very low" but that re-run elections could mean "potentially, huge market pressure, which Italy can hardly afford." This pressure would come in the form of rising interest rates on government debt.
Another possibility could be a parliament so divided that it can't govern effectively, or a shaky coalition of parties with clashing agendas ? meaning that any policies would be the result of endless compromise and back-room deals. A badly split parliament "would surely affect investors' confidence as Italy's political future would remain unclear," said Aul and Ashley.
The return of a government led by Berlusconi's center-right coalition ? regarded as unlikely ? could also dismay markets given his call to repeal Monti's home tax and the lack of confidence markets showed in him in 2011.
Q: What do markets want to see?
A: Analysts say investors seem to be anticipating that the center-left Democratic Party, led by Pier Luigi Bersani will win. Bersani opposes budget austerity but is regarded as not totally against all efforts to improve conditions for business. Markets would like it best if he wins but still needs the seats won by small parties led by Monti to govern. That would mean the government might continue with some of the reforms.
Q: So should we expect market chaos and the eurozone crisis to erupt again?
A: Not right away, no. Italian law requires extensive consultation, so it could take weeks to tell who is in charge. In 2008, it took 24 days for Berlusconi to be sworn in despite a landslide win.
However, an anti-reform result could mean Italy's borrowing costs could rise in the days and weeks following the election.
That would be a sure sign that bond investors are more skeptical of the country's long-term ability to pay.
But it's considered unlikely that the yields would immediately rise to the record levels of last year that threatened to push Italy to default. That is thanks to the European Central Bank, which has done much to calm fears that a country will be unable to pay its debts. In September, the ECB offered to buy unlimited amounts of bonds issued by indebted countries, if they agree to reforms and to cut their deficits. No one has used the program yet but its mere existence has lowered Italy's borrowing costs.
Nonetheless, a new Italian government that rejects reform "will lead to more uncertainty, higher yields and a gradual process toward the situation we had last year," says Carsten Brzeski, an analyst at ING in Brussels.
The big problem is the long-term absence of growth rather than what the markets do next week.
Economists Aul and Ashley warn: "Whichever party ends up in power... needs to focus upon Italy's economic frailties as a matter of priority."
Brown will become the 36th American college offering medical insurance coverage for what's called "transition-related medical expenses" for men who want to physically become women, or women who want to physically become men.
"There is a growing number of colleges and universities that have recognized the underlying medical condition, which is gender dysphoria, a rare but serious condition that requires treatment up to and including gender reassignment surgery," said Jennifer Levi, a spokeswoman with the Transgender Law and Policy Institute (TLPI), a non-profit advocacy organization for transgender people.
"Many people with gender dysphoria take cross-gender hormones to alter their physical appearance and for some people that's sufficient but for others it's not, and they may require more extensive treatment like genital surgery, facial feminizing surgery, and other treatment options," Levi told RIA Novosti.
Brown's new student insurance policy goes into effect Aug 15.
"Brown is committed to supporting the full range and diverse needs of all our students," Brown University said in a statement.
Other colleges that offer sex-change surgery insurance benefits are among the nation's most elite schools, including Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, Harvard, Emory and Stanford Universities. Another 25 schools cover hormone therapy but not surgery.
The trend mirrors a growing level of acceptance for gay and transgender people in America. A 2012 Gallup Poll found 54 percent of American adults consider gay and lesbian relations to be "acceptable", up from 38 percent in 2002.
The greater societal acceptance is driving the movement for change on college campuses, said Levi.
"Colleges and universities that are at the forefront of providing the services their students need, in the past they haven't had students who've come forward and said, 'hey, this isn't fair', or 'hey, this is something I really need', but now those students are coming forward," she said.
Another factor behind the trend can be traced to the medical community.
The American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association both now say they consider gender reassignment procedures as medically necessary when prescribed by a physician and support their inclusion in health insurance coverage.
"There is a sense in the medical community that gender dysporia is a serious medical condition, and without these surgeries we can predict that many young people will have serious mental health issues up to and including suicide," Levi said.
"It's debilitating, and it's important that the medical community recognizes that without proper medical treatment, these individuals won't be able to engage in daily activities."
WEYERS CAVE --Community colleges in Virginia received grants to help put veterans back to work. The grants are from the Virginia Industry Foundation, or VIF.
Some of the grants will go to the Valley. The grants will help veterans attending Blue Ridge Community College.
Grants will be offered to military veterans who are going into manufacturing careers. The plan is called M2M, Military to Manufacturing.
This program will be used at community colleges around the state. The goal is to help veterans transition from the military into a new field.
A spokeswoman with the VIF said the organization wanted to have an 81-percent placement rate after vets graduate. Veterans at Blue Ridge Community College said opportunities like these could open new doors.
"This means it's going to be a second chance at life, I mean, the opportunities are hard when you first get out of the military, I can vouch for that personally. Coming to school has helped me striving for my own dreams and that right there is going to help other veterans for what they are striving for," said Cpl. Keith G., II.
The program will also offer veterans a certification in the manufacturing field. The grant will also go towards any remedial classes needed to graduate.
San Francisco: Facebook allowed users on Friday to make free calls to friends at the social network using its application tailored for iPhones or iPads.
An updated Facebook app for the Apple mobile devices shows when friends are online and then gives the option of ringing them up by tapping an icon on the screen.
Calls are routed over the internet using telecom service data plans or connections to Wi-Fi hotspots. Facebook introduced a version of the feature earlier this year in its messenger programme.
Upgrades in the Facebook 5.5 app included a button designed to make it easier to ?like? online content and post comments at the social network.
At long last, Sony has revealed its newest home video game machine ? the PlayStation 4. Well, sort of.
At a flashy, big-screen-filled event in New York City on Wednesday, the electronics giant told a crowd full of journalists that the PlayStation 4 will arrive in stores this holiday season. And while Sony revealed a number of details about the successor to the PlayStation 3, it also left us with plenty of questions.
For example, what does the PlayStation 4 look like?
But since the big announcement, some new details about the machine (and some new questions) have emerged. Here's a look at the PlayStation 4 intel so far.
What we know
Game prices: Jack Tretton, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, told CNBC that PlayStation 4 game prices would range from 99 cents to $60. We expect that $60 applies to your standard AAA game titles ? which makes it in line with what gamers currently pay and perhaps even less. Some PS3 games have been priced at $70.
Not backwards compatible but ... The PlayStation 4 will not be backwards compatible with PlayStation 3 games, Shuhei Yoshida ? President of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios ? told a group of game journalists after Wednesday's event. However, he said the machine may make older PS1, PS2 and PS3 games available on the PS4 via streaming. (Sony did purchase streaming game service Gaikai last year, after all.)
A new DualShock controller: There's a new controller in town. Sony gave us a good look at its motion-control enabled DualShock 4 controller on Wednesday and has since revealed some pretty pictures showing off the "share" button that will allow players to instantly broadcast their game live, as well as the touchpad.
The controller also features a built-in speaker and headset jack and a lightbar on the front that will be used for things like showing players when their character has taken damage during a game. The lightbar will also be used in conjunction with ...
A new PlayStation Eye camera: Sony's PlayStation Eye camera has been redesigned and, it must be said, it looks a bit like Microsoft's motion-and-voice-sensing Kinect peripheral. AmIright?
In a post on the official PlayStation blog, Yoshida says of the dual-camera peripheral, "it can sense the depth of the environment in front of it and also track the 3D location of the controller via its light bar. The new camera incorporates four microphones capable of accurate sound detection and source origination, and it will support the PlayStation Move motion controller with more precision than ever before."
The camera will also be able to track the 3D location of the DualShock 4 controller thanks to the controller's lightbar.
Some of the technical specs: Following Wednesday's reveal, Sony issued a press release outlining the PS4's technical specs ? or at least the specs they're willing to reveal at the moment. Here's the official geeky outline of console's guts:
Main Processor Single-chip custom processor CPU : x86-64 AMD "Jaguar", 8 cores GPU : 1.84 TFLOPS, AMD next-generation Radeon based graphics engine
Memory GDDR5 8GB
Hard Disk Drive Built-in
Optical Drive (read only) BD 6xCAV DVD 8xCAV I/O Super-Speed USB (USB 3.0) ?AUX
AV output HDMI Analog-AV out Digital Output (optical)
Onlinewon't be required:While rumors have been circulating claiming that Microsoft's forthcoming competing game machine ? the yet-to-be-announced successor to the Xbox 360 ? will require owners to have a connection to the internet to play games, Sony has gone on the record saying that will not be the case with the PlayStation 4.
In an interview with Eurogamer, Yoshida said, "Oh yes, yes, you can go offline totally. Social is big for us, but we understand there are some people who are anti-social! So if you don't want to connect to anyone else, you can do that."
Some of the games: We don't yet know exactly what the launch-day lineup of games is going to look like when the PS4 arrives in stores, but we did get a look at a number of games that are in the works. Ubisoft's open-world hacker game "Watch Dogs" will arrive on the day of launch, and Bungie's new project "Destiny" is coming to the machine as well.
For a full run-down of the PS4 games that were revealed and a look at them in action, check out this story.
WHAT WE DON'T KNOW
What the PlayStation 4 looks like: The PlayStation 4 itself was conspicuously missing from its own coming-out party. We saw the new controller, we saw the new camera, we saw a bunch of games and tech demos. But we didn't get a single glimpse of the machine itself.
Apparently we didn't get to see the PS4's design because it hasn't been finalized yet.
"We don?t have a mass-production box that we can bring out and pull out," Tretton told AllThingsD. "That?s still in development in terms of final specs and design."
Furthermore, Yoshida told game site Kotaku.com, "we have to keep something new for later. Otherwise you'd get bored." (We predict that means Sony will show off the machine itself at the big Electronic Entertainment Expo this summer.)
But as InGame editor Todd Kenreck points out in his video below, the external shape of the machine is not what really matters.
How much it willcost: Sony has not yet put a price tag on its future game machine, though recently leaked information suggests it will come in two versions, priced at $429 and $529
Sony misfired in a big way when it introduced the PlayStation 3 at a whopping $600. The good news is, it sounds like the company has perhaps learned its lesson.
"I think our goal with this is to debut at a more consumer-friendly price," Tretton told AllThingsD, when asked about the PS4 price. "But we haven?t made any final decisions about what the price will be at launch."
The state of used games? Rumors have been circulating for some time that Sony and Microsoft's new game machines will block the use of used games. Needless to say, that has not sat well with many gamers, who feel that if they buy a game disc that means they own that game and should be able to share and resell it as they please. Meanwhile, used games are a great way for people on tight budgets to pick up a title at a more affordable price.
Sony didn't reveal anything about the PS4 and used games during its main event. However, Eurogamer popped the question to Yoshida and got an answer ... of sorts. Here's how it went:
Eurogamer: One of the questions my readers really want an answer to is whether you're going to block the use of second-hand or 'used' games, because it's a huge concern for them.
Shuhei Yoshida: Do you want us to do that?
Eurogamer: No. I think if you buy something on a disc you have a kind of moral contract with the person you've bought it from that you retain some of that value and you can pass it on. Do you agree?
Shuhei Yoshida: Yes. That's the general expectation by consumers. They purchase physical form, they want to use it everywhere, right? So that's my expectation.
Eurogamer: So if someone buys a PlayStation 4 game, you're not going to stop them reselling it?
Shuhei Yoshida Aaaah. [Asks PR adviser.] So what was our official answer to our internal question? [Consults adviser.] So, used games can play on PS4. How is that?
So take from that what you will. It looks good for used game fans, but there's certainly plenty of wiggle room in his statements.
Winda Benedetti writes about video games for NBC News. You can follow her tweets about games and other things on Twitter here @WindaBenedetti and you can follow her on Google+. Meanwhile, be sure to check out the IN-GAME FACEBOOK PAGE to discuss the day's gaming news and reviews.
GAUHATI, India (AP) ? Adolf Hitler is running for election in India. So is Frankenstein.
The tiny northeast Indian state of Meghalaya has a special fascination for interesting and sometimes controversial names, and the ballot for state elections Saturday is proof.
Among the 345 contestants running for the state assembly are Frankenstein Momin, Billykid Sangma, Field Marshal Mawphniang and Romeo Rani. Some, like Kenedy Marak, Kennedy Cornelius Khyriem and Jhim Carter Sangma, are clearly hoping for the electoral success of their namesake American presidents.
Then there is Hitler.
This 54-year-old father of three has won three elections to the state assembly with little controversy over being named after the Nazi dictator.
His father had worked with the British army, but apparently developed enough of a fascination with Great Britain's archenemy to name his son Adolf Hitler ? though he also gave him the middle name Lu, Hitler said.
"I am aware at one point of time Adolf Hitler was the most hated person on earth for the genocide of the Jews. But my father added 'Lu' in between, naming me Adolf Lu Hitler, and that's why I am different," Hitler told The Associated Press from the small village of Mansingre, 200 kilometers west of Gauhati, the capital of the nearby state of Assam.
Hitler said his name has not stopped him from traveling the world, including to the United States and Germany.
"I never had problems obtaining a visa but I was asked many times during immigration as to why I should have such a name. I told the immigration staff I possibly didn't have a role in my naming," he said.
India played little role in World War II, and many Indians view Hitler not as the personification of evil but as a figure of fascination. Hitler's book "Mein Kampf" is prominently displayed at many Indian bookstores. The owner of a menswear shop named his store "Hitler," then expressed puzzlement last year after Israel complained.
Musfika Haq, a teacher in Meghalaya's capital, Shillong, said such names are common in the state.
"Parents obviously get fascinated by names of well-known or great leaders, but must be unaware that some of them, like Hitler, had been highly controversial," he said.
? Euripides on Brevity: Judges, Juries, Clients, Other Humans. They want you to Just Say It. | Main | Writing Well: Working At It. ?
February 21, 2013
Living Well, Writing Well: London Renaissance Man John Dryden.
Glorious John. During his life John Dryden (1631-1700) had few peers as a well-rounded English man. The major literary influence and figure of his time, Dryden was poet, critic, playwright and leader. Indeed, the period of England's Restoration is also called the Age of Dryden. Samuel Johnson, born a few years after Dryden's death, once called Glorious John's compositions "the effects of a vigorous genius working upon large materials".
Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzb?hel Desk) at February 21, 2013 11:59 PM
TUSTIN, Calif. (AP) ? The first of three people killed in a gunman's rampage was identified Wednesday as a 20-year-old woman but police did not know why she was in the home of the shooter, who lived with his parents and was described by authorities as a video game-playing loner.
Courtney Aoki, 20, of Buena Park was shot multiple times early Tuesday in the home where gunman Ali Syed, 20, lived, said Orange County sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino.
Authorities don't know her occupation, how she might have known Syed, how she got in the house ? or what drove Syed to kill her with a shotgun and then leave a trail of dead and wounded as he stole a series of cars and eventually committed suicide at an intersection.
"There is no evidence, no notes that would explain his very bizarre and violent behavior," Amormino said, adding there was no evidence of a sexual assault and the woman was found fully clothed.
The shootings and carjackings lasted about an hour and created chaos and terror for early morning commuters who were shot at, had their car stolen or saw someone get shot.
In one 911 call, a panicked construction worker reported that the foreman at his business had been shot and one of the company's trucks stolen. The man then followed Syed in another truck as he fled on the freeway, telling a dispatcher his location.
"The guy has a shotgun and I need an ambulance too," the caller said. "There is someone who has been shot. Hurry up! I need an ambulance. Right away. Fast. There's someone with a shotgun. There's someone down! There's someone down!"
Syed was a loner and a "gamer" who spent hours holed up in his room, authorities said.
"He took one class at college and he did not work, so that gives him most of the day and evening and most of the time in his free time he was playing video games," Amormino said.
A 12-gauge shotgun used in the killings belonged to Syed and was purchased by his father about a year ago, he said.
The rampage began before dawn Tuesday at the home in Ladera Ranch, a wealthy Orange County suburb about 50 miles south of Los Angeles, and ended 25 miles to the north during the early morning rush hour.
Syed killed two more people during carjackings, injured at least three more, and shot up cars zooming down a busy freeway interchange before he ended it by putting the shotgun to his own head as police closed in.
The shooter forced one commuter out of his BMW, marched him to a curb and shot him three times from behind as shocked witnesses looked on, Tustin police Chief Scott Jordan said.
Syed had no criminal history and no history of mental illness or mental disability, said Lt. Paul Garaven, a Tustin police spokesman.
An autopsy will determine whether Syed had any drugs in his system, but Amormino said no illegal drugs were found in the house and there were no signs he was using illegal substances.
His parents did not recognize the woman who was shot to death in the Ladera Ranch home, he said.
Syed's parents called police at 4:45 a.m. Tuesday after hearing the gunshots, but Syed had already sped off in their black SUV.
Officials released the 911 call Syed's parents made as a dispatcher tried to elicit information from the shooter's panicked, sobbing mother as a house alarm blared in the background.
"I think somebody was shot," the mother said in her first comprehensible statement. "I heard a gunshot."
The dispatcher then asked questions to sort out what happened including whether there was an intruder or if the mother had been shot.
"Yes, there is somebody in our house," the mother said.
After several minutes, Syed's father took the phone and said he believed his son may have gotten in a fight with a friend. The father said Syed left the home and took their car but he and his wife had not entered his son's room to see what happened.
"We were asleep, we heard something, it sounded like a gunshot," he said.
From Ladera Ranch, the gunman headed north and pulled off Interstate 5 in Tustin, about 20 miles away, with a flat tire, police said.
There he fired at and wounded a man in a car, then carjacked a vehicle from a man at a gas station and got back on the freeway, where he fired at commuters, authorities said.
The shooter then exited the freeway in nearby Santa Ana and carjacked a BMW, killing driver Melvin Lee Edwards, 69, of Laguna Hills.
Edwards served as a U.S. Army combat infantry officer in Vietnam and graduated from the University of Southern California, according to a biography on his company's website. He and his wife, Cheryl, had celebrated their 42nd anniversary on Feb. 12 and have two adult children, his brother-in-law, Jeff Osborn, told the AP in a phone interview.
"He was an extremely remarkable person. I know it's an old cliche, but he really did love life," he said. "The world's a lot smaller today for not having him here."
One 911 caller told a dispatcher she watched through her rear-view mirror as a man later identified as Edwards got shot and another caller reports that he's can see him lying near the off-ramp.
Syed took Edwards' BMW and next popped up at a Tustin business, where he shot and killed construction worker Jeremy Lewis, 26, of Fullerton. Lewis' co-worker rushed to intervene and was shot in the arm, Jordan said.
Syed took the second construction worker's utility truck and fled to Orange.
He jumped from the moving truck at an intersection about five miles away as officers began to follow him and shot himself in the head.
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Public release date: 26-Feb-2013
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