Saturday, March 30, 2013

Venture Investing Remains Soft In First Quarter | peHUBpeHUB

The first quarter won?t close till Sunday, but an early look finds the soft venture-investment environment continued.

Venture capitalists in the United States put $6.2 billion to work in the quarter fueling 707 deals, according to a tally by PitchBook. This is largely unchanged from the fourth quarter in dollars terms, when PitchBook says $6.3 billion was invested. It is down 11% in number of deals.

PitchBook?s numbers for past quarters diverge quite noticeably from those in the MoneyTree Report, issued by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the National Venture Capital Association and Thomson Reuters. So a final pronouncement on the quarter will likely have to wait for several weeks until all the various investment studies come out.

Still, the early peek suggests an industry still consolidating as a weak fundraising environment makes investment capital more precious.

In its early look at the quarter, PitchBook says median early stage and late stage pre-money valuations slipped compared to the fourth quarter?a result that appears consistent with chatter about a Series A crunch facing entrepreneurs. But they rose for seed and angel deals.

The median pre-money valuation for early stage transactions was $14.33 million?while for late stage deals it was $66.69 million, according to PitchBook. The number for seed and angel deals was $5.38 million.

The top five deals in the quarter were:

  • Pinterest?s $200 million funding;
  • AirWatch?s $200 million funding;
  • SevOne?s $150 million funding;
  • LivingSocial?s $110 million funding; and
  • Lynda.com?s $103 million funding.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Source: http://www.pehub.com/193837/venture-investing-remains-soft-in-first-quarter/

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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Nexus 7 now available in India directly from the Play Store

Nexus 7 India

The Nexus 7 has just appeared for sale on the Google Play store in India, with a shipping date of April 5. There hasn't been any official announcement to our knowledge, but a couple of quick people on Twitter found it as soon as it went live in the store -- and it doesn't get much more official than that. If you're in India, you can add it to your cart for Rs. 15,999 (about $295) and have it shipped "by April 5, 2013".

Even though the Nexus 7 may seem like old news to those of us who have had easy access to them for several months, it's a huge deal to see Google finally selling Nexus devices directly to India. Google has been making huge efforts to expand Android's presence in the country, which has been growing its mobile and smartphone usage dramatically over the last year.

Thanks, @sandeepnargund and @atulalvenkar!



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/HKcC22ntIoE/story01.htm

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Sunday, March 24, 2013

Panasonic brings out a Miracast adapter for Japanese TV viewers (video)

Panasonic brings out a Miracast adapter for Japanese TV viewers

It's easy to snag a Miracast-capable device if you're willing to shop for a brand new TV or a set-top box. but it's much tougher if Miracast is the only thing you're looking for. Minimalists will be happy, then, that Panasonic just released a dedicated adapter for the job. Plug the very utilitarian-looking brick into an HDMI jack and you can wirelessly stream HD-grade video from any supporting device on the same WiFi network; Panasonic would naturally prefer that it's the company's new Eluga X smartphone. The adapter is so far only available in Japan for an estimated and rather steep ¥8,980 ($95), although we're hoping that it eventually crosses the Pacific at a price that befits the narrow focus.

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Via: Akihabara News

Source: Panasonic (translated)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/22/panasonic-brings-out-a-miracast-adapter-for-japanese-tv-viewers/

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Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Cancer researchers discover new type of retinoblastoma in babies

Mar. 12, 2013 ? A team of Canadian and international cancer researchers led by Dr. Brenda Gallie at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network (UHN), has discovered a new type of retinoblastoma, a rapidly developing eye cancer that affects very young babies- a finding that can immediately change clinical practice and optimize care for these children.

The finding, published online in Lancet Oncology, is a breakthrough in recognizing that a single cancer gene (an oncogene) drives an aggressive retinoblastoma that starts long before birth in families with no history of the disease, says surgeon Dr. Gallie, an ophthalmologist who is also affiliated with The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto.

"This research completely challenges conventional thinking and clinical practice," says Dr. Gallie. "The common type of retinoblastoma is initiated by damage to both copies of the RB1 tumor suppressor gene; the predisposition to this type of retinoblastoma can be inherited, so the other eye of the child and those of infant relatives are at risk to develop tumours. When we remove the eye with a large tumour in very young babies and show it is the new oncogene-driven type of retinoblastoma, there is believed to be zero risk for retinoblastoma developing in the other eye or in other infants in the family. This is a major advance in personalized cancer medicine for these children and families."

The oncogene-driven tumours are much larger than those anticipated in children with inherited retinoblastoma at the same age. "The earliest diagnosis comes when parents observe a white (instead of black) pupil of the eye, and the doctors listen to their observations and understand the urgency of referral. Sometimes Mom really does know best and clinicians should pay close attention."

Although less than 2% of unilateral retinoblastoma tumors are driven by the oncogene, the early age of onset predicts that about 1 in 5 babies diagnosed under six months of age actually has oncogene-driven retinoblastoma. "All the babies were completely cured by surgery," says Dr. Gallie.

"We've thought for a long time that all retinoblastoma were caused by loss of the retinoblastoma gene. Our study now reveals that's not the whole story: a new type of retinoblastoma, with normal retinoblastoma genes, is instead driven by extra copies of a powerful cancer gene, causing the cancer to grow very rapidly long before birth. The average age of diagnosis is four months."

This study, on which several clinical laboratories collaborated, demonstrates that molecular diagnostics can identify novel malignant diseases that elude traditional microscopic study of tissue. The researchers analysed more than 1,000 primary unilateral non-familial retinoblastoma tumours to validate oncogene-driven retinoblastoma. The Canadian research team included three UHN Research Institutes; Impact Genetics, Toronto; the B.C. Cancer Research Centre and University of British Columbia, Vancouver; the Cross Centre, Edmonton; The Hospital for Sick Children and the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research. The international collaborators were from the Netherlands, Germany, France and New Zealand.

The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Canadian Retinoblastoma Society, Hyland Foundation, Toronto Netralaya and Doctors Lions Clubs, the Alcon Research Institute, and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Care. Dr. Gallie's research is also funded by The Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute through The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation at UHN.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University Health Network (UHN).

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Diane E Rushlow, Berber M Mol, Jennifer Y Kennett, Stephanie Yee, Sanja Pajovic, Brigitte L Th?riault, Nadia L Prigoda-Lee, Clarellen Spencer, Helen Dimaras, Timothy W Corson, Ren?e Pang, Christine Massey, Roseline Godbout, Zhe Jiang, Eldad Zacksenhaus, Katherine Paton, Annette C Moll, Claude Houdayer, Anthony Raizis, William Halliday, Wan L Lam, Paul C Boutros, Dietmar Lohmann, Josephine C Dorsman, Brenda L Gallie. Characterisation of retinoblastomas without RB1 mutations: genomic, gene expression, and clinical studies. The Lancet Oncology, 2013; DOI: 10.1016/S1470-2045(13)70045-7

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/yAKUeC8U1eU/130312231012.htm

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Yoga, warmth, and lush greenery in the garden

At the Naples Botanical Garden in sunny Florida, blossoms swirl as winter-weary bodies unfurl in the warmth and more than 150 acres of lush greenery.

By Craig Summers Black / March 12, 2013

A trellis of queen?s wreath, or sandpaper vine (Petrea volubilis), provided a backdrop to the morning yoga class at the Naples Botanical Garden on the west coast of Florida..

Courtesy of Craig Summers Black

Enlarge Photos

I have alternating memories of my first experience with a yoga class, which was conducted on a balmy winter morning under a teasing sun on the grounds of the Naples Botanical Garden on the west coast of Florida. (Yes, I took yet another trip to get warm. Iowa winters are tough.)

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1: I remember attuning my now-bendable body with nature as the violet flower petals of Queen?s Wreath [see first photo above]? danced around my head cloudlike amid the verdant splendor.

Or 2: I remember lying in a grassy puddle for an hour, hacking up sandpaper vine (its other name) blossoms after every other studied inhalation. Guess I was supposed to bring a mat. (And not just a mat ? a yoga mat.) Who knew?

But the limbering-up was much needed after a few days of sloth on Marco Island, and any event that involves a botanical garden is aces in my book. This one prides itself on being ?a place of bliss? and ?a state of happiness.? Perhaps with more yogic practice I will one day achieve grace in the garden.

The 170-acre garden is only 20 years old, and received a stunning renovation 15 years later. My favorite aspects were the 2-1/2 miles of hiking trails and the 90 acres of restored native preserve. (Think swamp and scrub.) Almost 300 native species occur naturally on a site just outside the ritzy shopping district.

Other gardens include Florida, Caribbean, Brazilian and Asian landscapes [see second and third photso above; click on the arrow at the right base of the first photo], and also water, children?s, and butterfly gardens. In the Children?s Garden, I especially liked the little garden elf and the sign explaining horticultural ?gnomenclature.? Puns and posies. Can?t beat that.

And another thing: I sure wish I had also ventured into the garden the day before as well. They have a puppy day, and visitors are invited to bring their dogs. Never heard of anything like that before. Puns and posies and puppies!

What else I?m into this week: Reading issues of the garden?s magazine.

-----

Craig Summers Black,The Transplanted Gardener, is an award-winning garden writer and photographer who blogs regularly here at Diggin' it. You can read more of what he's written here at the Monitor by clicking here. You may also follow Craig?s further adventures in gardening, music, and rural life on Twitter.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/bzuyPdCXPv8/Yoga-warmth-and-lush-greenery-in-the-garden

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Hate mail flies in battle over King Richard III

The bones of Richard III have been discovered in Leicester. NBC's Stephanie Gosk reports.

By Alan Boyle, Science Editor, NBC News

The fight over the final disposition of King Richard III's 528-year-old remains has escalated to the point that people are sending hate mail to York's cathedral, the police are being called in to investigate, and a member of Parliament is pleading with the rivals to avoid sparking another "War of the Roses."

On strictly legal grounds, the matter was resolved even before the remains were unearthed?in a parking lot near Leicester Cathedral last year. Britain's Justice Ministry granted researchers from the University of Leicester a license to conduct the excavation there and to determine the disposition of any human remains found there.

Last month, the researchers announced that a skeleton found at the site belonged to Richard III, based on DNA tests. The discovery resolved a longstanding mystery over what happened to Richard's remains after his death in the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. That battle marked a turning point in the Wars of the Roses, a decades-long contest between the houses of Lancaster and York for the English throne.?


Richard III has gotten a bad rap through the centuries ??in part because William Shakespeare's play about the monarch cast him as a hunchbacked villain. But historians say he wasn't that terrible of a guy, and since last month's announcement, Richard III's fans have been arguing over whether he should be reburied in Leicester, where he was found; in York, where he had family ties; or in London's Westminster Abbey, the resting place for many of England's kings.

The University of Leicester is already working to arrange a burial at Leicester Cathedral next year, but some of the opponents of that plan?? including nine descendants of Richard III's siblings?? have taken up York's case. The arguments are apparently getting uglier: Hugh Bayley, a member of Parliament representing York Central, said that York Minster's dean, Vivienne Faull, has received some letters "so extreme that she has referred the correspondence to the police."

Faull was dean of Leicester Cathedral before coming to York, and she has shied away from contesting Leicester's claim to the remains. "It has been suggested that opponents have accused her of bias because of her previous links to Leicester Cathedral," The Telegraph reported.

The Yorkshire Post quoted a spokesman for the Dean and Chapter of York as confirming that "a small number" of the letters relating to the fuss over Richard III's remains have been abusive. "These have been passed to the Minster Police, and they continue to monitor the situation closely," the spokesman was quoted as saying.

The British government's current view is that Richard III's final disposition is up to the University of Leicester, but during Tuesday's speech in the House of Commons, Bayley urged the government to establish an independent commission to decide the matter. In the meantime, he called for what Shakespeare might have termed "some little pause" in the battle.?

?I would say to everybody ??calm down," Bayley said. "Let us all respect the memory of a former king of our country, and let us discuss, in a dignified and sober way, where his remains should finally be put to rest. We do not want to reignite the Wars of the Roses.?

More about Richard III:


Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's?Facebook page, following?@b0yle on Twitter?and adding the?Cosmic Log page?to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out?"The Case for Pluto,"?my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.

Source: http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/12/17288251-police-investigating-hate-mail-sent-to-york-in-battle-over-king-richard-iii?lite

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Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Deal of the Day: 40% off Incipio DualPro Hard Case for iPhone 5

Today Only: Purchase the Incipio DualPro Hard Case for iPhone 5 and save $11.99!

Defend your iPhone 5 throughout your daily adventures with the innovative two-part DualPro case. Incipio?s rugged design combines a plextonium hard-shell frame with a shock absorbing silicone core. No matter where your excursions take you, the DualPro offers superior protection. Comes in black, pink, violet, white, gray and blue.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/XSd1vL0q5v0/story01.htm

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BandPage Helps Any Musician Get Richer By Selling One-Of-A-Kind Experiences To Top Fans

Screen Shot 2013-03-11 at 4.21.48 PMWhales are big spenders, the ones that prop up casinos and social games. In music, whales are bands' rabid fans. BandPage's new "Experiences"?feature lets artists sell them seats on stage, unique merch, or even a trip to the bowling alley with the band. The shift from MP3s to streaming means monetizing the long tail that earns musicians cents not dollars, but BandPage Experiences could keep them afloat.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/ts1q7XARf8c/

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'Spring Breakers' has bikini-clad debut at SXSW

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) ? Iconoclastic director Harmony Korine unveiled what may be one of the most twisted spring break movies in recent memory with a screening heralded by a roving motorcade of scooter drivers in bikinis and ski masks and lasting into the wee hours Monday at the South by Southwest film festival.

"Spring Breakers," positioned as both a celebration and an indictment of the annual bacchanal, follows four bikini-clad college students through a series of improbable adventures. After financing their excursion to the Florida coast with a robbery, the young women descend farther into the criminal underworld than intended.

The movie has been highly anticipated thanks to a widely viewed online trailer showing former Disney starlets transformed into heavily armed, lightly clad mean girls bent on having a good time at all costs.

As the venue for a domestic premier, the promoters chose South by Southwest, held in the college town of Austin.

Asked whether the whole affair should be read as satire, Korine said, "I more want you to have a physical experience."

And the movie?

"It does have its cake and eat it too," said James Franco, the wide-ranging actor best known as a villain in the Spider-Man series and starring as a cornrow-headed thug in "Spring Breakers."

The film also features Selena Gomez, the 20-year-old pop music singer known as Justin Bieber's ex-girlfriend and for her role on Disney's now defunct "Wizards of Waverly Place."

When the lights went down, Korine's fever dream of gunplay, body shots and girls gone wild found a receptive audience.

In a Q-and-A session, an audience member asked Korine about the open-ended final scene.

"I end it there because I want you to dream on it," he said, adding, "Why do you want to be told everything all the time?"

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/spring-breakers-bikini-clad-debut-sxsw-182526603.html

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6 teens killed, 2 hurt in northeast Ohio SUV crash

Mindy Morgan reads a note at the memorial where six teens were killed in a car crash on Park Ave. in Warren, Ohio on Sunday, March 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Scott R. Galvin)

Mindy Morgan reads a note at the memorial where six teens were killed in a car crash on Park Ave. in Warren, Ohio on Sunday, March 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Scott R. Galvin)

Leaman Joe, left, hugs Michael Parker, at the crash site that killed their friends on Park Ave. in Warren, Ohio on Sunday, March 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Scott R. Galvin)

An unidentified woman and her children visit the crash site that claimed the lives of six teens early in the morning on Park Ave. in Warren, Ohio on Sunday, March 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Scott R. Galvin)

Dominique Ellison, left, and Rickie Bowling, of Warren, bring stuffed animals to a memorial in honor of their friends who died in a car crash on Park Ave. in Warren, Ohio on Sunday, March 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Scott R. Galvin)

Map locates Warren, Ohio, near the location of a fatal SUV crash

(AP) ? A speeding sport utility vehicle taken without permission and carrying eight teenagers crashed into a guardrail Sunday morning and flipped over into a swampy pond in northeast Ohio, killing five boys and the young woman driving, the state highway patrol said.

The Honda Passport veered off the left side of a road and overturned just south of the city of Warren, about 60 miles east of Cleveland, Lt. Anne Ralston said. Investigators say it came to rest upside down in the swamp and sank with five of the victims trapped inside. A sixth, who was thrown from the SUV during the crash, was found under it when the vehicle was taken out of the water.

The two boys who survived escaped from the submerged vehicle and ran a quarter-mile to a home to call 911, the highway patrol said.

State Highway Patrol Lt. Brian Holt said at an evening news conference that speed was a factor, although investigators were still trying to determine the speed at the time of the accident.

"We will not be speculating on alcohol and-or drug usage pending toxicology reports," Holt said.

No one in the vehicle had permission to take it, but there were no theft reports, Holt said. The vehicle was licensed to a resident of Youngstown, about 20 miles away, he said.

After the news conference, the gates of an impound lot were opened to show the wreck, with windows smashed and extensive damage to the front end, hood and roof.

Ralston didn't know where the teens were headed when the crash happened at about 7 a.m. and Holt said later it wasn't clear how long they had been out.

"All I know is my baby is gone," said Derrick Ray, who came to the crash site after viewing his 15-year-old son Daylan's body at the county morgue. He said he knew that his son, a talented football player who was looking forward to playing in high school, was out with friends, but didn't know their plans.

A pile of blue, green and copper-red stuffed bears grew at a makeshift memorial at the crash site along a two-lane road tightly bordered with guardrails on either side in an industrial area. The sport utility vehicle had sheared off tall cattails along the guardrail.

There were also notes at the memorial, including a letter from Daylan Ray's 12-year-old half-sister, Mariah Bryant, who said she had learned they were related only in the past year.

"It hurts, it really does, because they are so young and, like, they could have had so much more to life," she said. "We just really started getting close, and it's hard to believe he's gone."

Warren Fire Department Capt. Bill Monrean said a cold water rescue team was deployed to the scene and got five teens out of the submerged vehicle.

"Being a cold water rescue situation, cold water extends life," Monrean told AP Radio. "We knew we had a chance; even being in there a while."

Two of the teens, both 15, were brought to a hospital in full cardiac arrest, St. Joseph Health Center nursing supervisor Julie Gill said, and were pronounced dead there. She said they were treated for hypothermic drowning trauma, indicating they had been submerged in cold water.

The two who survived, 18-year-old Brian Henry and 15-year-old Asher Lewis, both of Warren, were treated for bruising and other injuries and released, she said.

All those killed were ages 14 to 19, authorities said. State police identified them as the 19-year-old driver Alexis Cayson; Andrique Bennett, 14; Brandon Murray, 17; and Kirklan Behner, Ramone White and Ray, all 15. The Highway Patrol said Cayson was the only female in the vehicle.

Rickie Bowling, 18, a friend of Behner, sobbed at the crash scene as she recalled his playfulness and reputation as a cut-up.

"He was one of a kind," she said. "Everyone knew him in the neighborhood. In school, he always made everyone laugh."

Bowling said the tragedy highlighted the importance of savoring life. "Basically, enjoy every second in life," she said. "Enjoy life while you've got it and while you're here and enjoy people that you love."

She said she would rely on her faith in the difficult days ahead. "The only way to look at it is on the bright side: he's in a better place," she said.

Jasmine McClintock, 22, a friend of a victim, visited the crash scene and said it should serve as a warning for parents to be aware of their children's activities.

"I hope it's an eye-opener for parents," she said while watching the slow ripple of the pond water littered with debris, some apparently from the crash.

McClintock said she was troubled by the question of what the victims were doing out at that hour, not knowing if they had been out all night or left home early.

"That's the part that boggles my mind. It's like on a Sunday if you're not going to church, what are you doing at 7 a.m. out driving," she asked.

Officials opened a school where several of the victims attended to provide counseling for families Sunday night. Superintendent Michael Notar called the crowded closed-door session heartbreaking and said counselors would be available Monday in schools.

Cheryl Moore, 54, whose nephew is a classmate of some of the victims, emerged from the counseling session and said it was helpful. "I just feel we have to come to grips with what happened today," she said.

All eight were from Warren. It's not believed that any of them were closely related, the highway patrol said.

Near the Pennsylvania state line, Warren is a mostly blue-collar city that was hit by the decline of U.S. steel mills; it has more than 41,000 residents in the industrial Mahoning Valley region.

___

Associated Press writer Dan Sewell in Cincinnati contributed this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-03-11-Ohio%20Crash-Teens%20Killed/id-d6fa37704d1e40f192e5e0a7bf0cb356

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Monday, March 11, 2013

AP Sources: Vikings trade Percy Harvin to Seahawks

FILE - In this Sept. 9, 2012, file photo, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin runs with the ball during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Minneapolis. The Vikings have agreed to trade the unhappy receiver to Seattle for a package of draft picks that includes the Seahawks' first-round selection next month, No. 25 overall. A person with knowledge of the deal confirmed the details to The Associated Press on Monday, March 11, 2013, on condition of anonymity because the trade will not be official until Harvin passes a physical. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 9, 2012, file photo, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin runs with the ball during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Minneapolis. The Vikings have agreed to trade the unhappy receiver to Seattle for a package of draft picks that includes the Seahawks' first-round selection next month, No. 25 overall. A person with knowledge of the deal confirmed the details to The Associated Press on Monday, March 11, 2013, on condition of anonymity because the trade will not be official until Harvin passes a physical. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)

FILE - In this June 19, 2012, file photo, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin speaks during an NFL football news conference in Eden Prairie, Minn. The Vikings have agreed to trade the unhappy receiver to Seattle for a package of draft picks that includes the Seahawks' first-round selection next month, No. 25 overall. A person with knowledge of the deal confirmed the details to The Associated Press on Monday, March 11, 2013, on condition of anonymity because the trade will not be official until Harvin passes a physical. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)

(AP) ? Percy Harvin is headed to Seattle, and Adrian Peterson isn't happy about it.

Harvin, Minnesota's moody and multi-talented young wide receiver, will join the Seahawks for a package of draft picks that includes Seattle's first-round selection next month, No. 25 overall. Two people with knowledge of the deal confirmed the details Monday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade won't be official until the league's new year begins Tuesday and Harvin passes a physical.

The 24-year-old Harvin will give second-year quarterback Russell Wilson a dynamic playmaker not yet at his peak. His departure from Minnesota will leave an even bigger void in a group of receivers that was already one of the thinnest in the NFL ? and at least one disappointed former teammate in Peterson, the star running back and league MVP.

"The best all around player I ever seen or you'll ever see! Goes to Seattle! I feel like I just got kicked in the stomach. Several times!!!" Peterson posted on Twitter.

Defensive tackle Kevin Williams, in an interview on SiriusXM satellite radio, expressed his concern, too.

"I mean, I can't say I'm just happy about it. Who knows how much longer I have in Minnesota?" Williams said, adding: "I can't tell you one receiver that's on the team right now."

Foxsports.com first reported the trade, which will also send Seattle's seventh-round pick this year and third-round selection in 2014 to Minnesota for Harvin, who was producing at an All-Pro level until badly spraining his left ankle last Nov. 4 in a game at Seattle. He was placed on injured reserve a month later, abruptly ending a season that began so strongly. He led the NFL in total yards, including rushing, receiving and returning, at the time of his injury.

Harvin first caused a stir June 19 when he expressed unspecified dissatisfaction with "some things" about the team. The next day, Harvin asked to be traded, only to quietly rescind the request and show up at training camp as if nothing had happened. Harvin clarified his feelings a bit after the season started by acknowledging a lack of understanding about his role in offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave's scheme.

The Vikings lined him up all over the field, including as a running back, but to preserve his health they often limited his snaps and turns as a kickoff returner. Harvin was by far quarterback Christian Ponder's favorite target, but the struggles of the passing attack that increased around midseason did not help Harvin's mood. He was seen shouting at coach Leslie Frazier on the sideline after one failed possession inside the 20-yard line in the last game he played for the Vikings. Ponder passed for only 63 yards in that game, a 30-20 loss, but the Vikings rallied behind Peterson's record-setting performances to win their last four games and finish 10-6 for a spot in the playoffs.

Harvin will enter the fifth and final season of his rookie deal with a $2.9 million salary that's well under market value. The Vikings have a history of giving their core players new contracts before they enter the final years of their current deals, and that obviously didn't happen with Harvin. As a slot receiver, as exceptional and varied as his skills are, Harvin didn't give them the tall, fast, game-breaking target on the outside that they've been lacking since they got rid of Randy Moss.

The other long-term concern about Harvin is his punishing, hard-nosed running style.

Listed at 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds with a history of debilitating migraine headaches, Harvin could be at more of an injury risk as his career moves on because so many of his yards come after first contact. For all the toughness he brings to a team ? in contrast to Moss, whose effort was sometimes underwhelming ? Harvin tries to run through tacklers as often as he tries to dodge them. Though he missed only three games in 3? seasons until hurting his ankle, Harvin missed dozens of practices over those years because of the migraines.

The Vikings now have more room under the salary cap to pursue one of the free agents on the market that opens Tuesday, with Greg Jennings and Mike Wallace the best available but sure-to-be-expensive options. Either way, they'll make wide receivers a primary focus of the draft.

Stephen Burton, Greg Childs, Chris Summers and Jarius Wright are the only receivers currently on the roster. Wright, a rookie last season who replaced Harvin in the slot after the injury, is the only one with more than 73 yards receiving for his career.

The Seahawks, who also signed former Vikings wide receiver Sidney Rice two years ago, have another valuable piece in their bid to take the NFC title away from San Francisco. The 49ers were thought to have interest in Harvin, too.

"He's so good you just have to showcase him, and that's what they're doing," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said in October before the Vikings-Seahawks game. Carroll, who recruited Harvin out of high school when he was at USC, added: "He's a fantastic player."

Rice and Golden Tate are the top two returning receivers for the Seahawks, who finished 11-5 and lost in the second round of the playoffs. In 2009 when Brett Favre came out of retirement to join the Vikings, Rice racked up a career-high 1,312 yards receiving and eight touchdowns. Harvin had 790 yards and six scores.

___

AP Sports Writer Tim Booth in Seattle contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-03-11-Vikings-Harvin%20Traded/id-625f9bfe4eed4da989c123df31e9c103

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Cassini returns images of battered Saturn's moon Rhea

Mar. 11, 2013 ? Following its last close flyby of Saturn's moon Rhea, NASA's Cassini spacecraft captured these raw, unprocessed images of the battered icy moon. They show an ancient, cratered surface bearing the scars of collisions with many space rocks. Scientists are still trying to understand some of the curious features they see in these Rhea images, including a curving, narrow fracture or a graben, which is a block of ground lower than its surroundings and bordered by cliffs on either side. This feature looks remarkably recent, cutting most of the craters it crosses, with only a few small craters superimposed.

Cassini flew by Rhea at an altitude of 620 miles (997 kilometers) on March 9, 2013. This flyby was designed primarily for the radio science sub-system to measure Rhea's gravity field. During closest approach and while the radio science sub-system was measuring the icy satellite's gravity field, the imaging team rode along and captured 12 images of Rhea's rough and icy surface. Outbound from Rhea, Cassini's cameras captured a set of global images from a distance of about 167,000 miles (269,000 kilometers).

Data from Cassini's cosmic dust analyzer were also collected to try to detect any dusty debris flying off the surface from tiny meteoroid bombardments. These data will help scientists understand the rate at which "foreign" objects are raining into the Saturn system.

This was the mission's fourth close encounter with Rhea. The spacecraft will pass the moon, but at a much greater distance, in a few years.

The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of Caltech. For more information on Cassini, visit http://www.nasa.gov/cassini and http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov .

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/T5uPdvXmlv0/130311144145.htm

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Batman's mythology getting new boost from DC

Batman's transformative years are getting a few new twists.

DC Entertainment is going back into Bruce Wayne's past to see how he began his transformation from wealthy socialite to the scourge of Gotham's criminal underworld.

Key elements of the character's history are staying the same ? the murder of Wayne's parents, for example ? says Scott Snyder, the writer of "Batman" since its relaunch debuted in 2011.

"It's not 'let's redo the origin,'" he said Monday. "It's time for a new story showing how Batman became who he is in the New 52."

Snyder said the decision grew out of the success of the first year-and-a-half of DC's New 52, a sweeping reorganization of the publisher's characters that saw many given new origins and costumes that blended those from their first appearances decades ago with contemporary changes.

Snyder said readers will see how the crime fighter found his calling and what challenges he faced when first donning the costume of the Dark Knight.

The augmented origin begins June in the pages of "Batman" in an 11-issue story called "The Zero Year" that is illustrated by Greg Capullo.

"We tried to preserve as much of Batman's history as we could and keep what we could of this history intact," Snyder said of the change. "It's 'The Zero Year,' the one that no one has told the story of before. We see how Bruce became the Batman, built the cave, faced off with his first super villain."

It's not so much an origin story as it is a view into Batman's formative years.

"We're not going to take apart 'Year One,'" Snyder said, referring to the Frank Miller-David Mazzucchelli four-issue arc that recounted how Wayne began to fight crime after years away.

Instead Snyder, an Eagle Award-winning writer whose other efforts for DC include "Swamp Thing" and "American Vampire," said the "Zero Year" story will give readers new glimpses into the Bob Kane-created character who made his first appearance in the pages of "Detective Comics" No. 27 in May 1939.

"It's time for a new story showing how Batman became who he is in the New 52," said Snyder. "It builds up the mythology."

___

Moore reported from Philadelphia. Follow him at http://www.twitter.com/mattmooreap

___

Online:

http://www.dccomics.com.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/batmans-mythology-getting-boost-dc-062800003.html

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Thursday, March 7, 2013

TerraGo Releases Enhancements to 3D Composer for Adobe Acrobat and Mobile for Android Offerings

Using QR Codes to Deliver Maps Electronically - cartographers are tapping into technology in the form of Quick Response Codes (QR codes) to help promote, sell and deliver maps electronically. Ted Florence discusses QR codes, what they are and how they are useful for maps and map producers.?

10 Resources To Help You Get Started Programming with Python - There's no question that if you want a head start in your career as a GIS Analyst, programmer, or other technology professional that Python programming is a must. Just look around on twitter, follow some geo hacks on Google +, check out the developer resources, and attend a GeoGeek meetup of WhereCamp and you'll hear about python.

Exploring Foursquare with The Explore foursquare map - A look at some clever mapping functionality available to users of the foursquare service

58% Use Location-based Apps Despite Privacy Concerns - A telephone poll of 1,000 Americans shows that many people are concerned about geolocation, which uses data from a computer or mobile device to identify a physical location

The Really Big List of Mapping, Geo location Mobile developer resources, APIs and Tools? - The Mobile Ecosystem... no question that mobile is huge and the opportunity for developers, in particular, geo developers! There's loads of developer resources on the web so to help the developer, here's a listing of just some of the fine dev resources, blogs, toolsets and more to consider when developing or porting your app to a smartphone or Tablet.

Mobile Technology Feature - Top 10 Business Apps for Android - Android has become one of the most popular mobile operating systems in the world due to advanced software, competitive manufacturers, and an app market that is filled with exciting and useful applications. Read on for this fine Top 10 List compiled by tech writer, Blake Sanders

ArcGIS.com Mashup Tutorial with Flickr and Foursquare data - Here's a simple "how to" tutorial on working with the free ArcGIS.com to easily import KML or RSS data from Flickr and foursquare into ArcGIS to create your own custom map mashup.

Most Users of Free Photo Apps Say Adding Cool Effects is Most Useful? - Adding cool effects to photos was rated as the most useful thing by more than half of consumers surveyed using free online photography services, according to CatchFree a free online service that helps people find the best free mobile and web applications to perform useful tasks.

10 Things That You Should Be Including In Your Press Release - We'd like to share a short list of 10 items that anyone creating a press release might/should consider including in their press release.?

Flickr GPS Photo Tag Tip? - Here's a tip for Flickr users who want to share their GPS information with their photos. note, in order to do this you'll need to be capturing photos using a GPS-enabled or GPS-aware camera (see you're smartphone hardware settings to ensure that GPS or location sharing is turned "ON)".?

Source: http://www.lbszone.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9827&Itemid=2

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AppSense Says Windows Desktop Alive and Well in the Post-PC Era

Those who follow me are familiar with my affinity with?Brian Madden?s take on the future of windows desktop. Specifically, that after the nuclear holocaust we will be left with cockroaches, Twinkies and Windows applications. TheTwinkie isn?t doing so well?but Windows applications are still a critical line-of-business in the enterprise. Sure,?SaaS has replaced some on-premise, traditionally-installed Windows applications, but many still remain.

Why Windows Applications Are So Sticky?

In-house Development: ?Many organizations have proprietary windows applications or customized applications in their environments that are developed using a wide variety of new and old languages and development platforms (Delphi, pre-.NET Visual Basic, Borland, MFC, etc.) Some of these are still supported and some are not. More commonly, the people who developed those applications have gone, and the skills to manage the applications have gone with them. However, the old application is still in use and critical to the business, so compatibility fixes and workarounds keep it alive. This is one major reason many enterprises are stuck on Windows XP.

To learn more and to read the entire article at its source, please refer to the following page, Alive and Well: the Windows Desktop in the Post-PC Era- AppSense Blog

?

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Source: http://feeds.dabcc.com/~r/AllArticles/~3/yfaKEEOxfjQ/article.aspx

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OSU Football Player Accused Of Neglecting Dogs

',
calendar:'',
week:'{week}', dayClickable:'{date}', dayCurrent:'{date}', dayNone:'', day:'{date}', search:'' }, // Stored objects $container = $(loc), now = new Date(), current = now, minDate = new Date('12/5/2007'), station = wng_pageInfo.affiliateName||'kotv', months = ['January', 'February', 'March', 'April', 'May', 'June', 'July', 'August', 'September', 'October', 'November', 'December'], monthLengths = [31, 28, 31, 30, 31, 30, 31, 31, 30, 31, 30, 31], // Helper methods renderTemplate = function(tpl, vars) { var retVal = templates[tpl]; if (typeof(retVal) === 'string') { for (var i in vars) { var regEx = new RegExp('\{' + i + '\}', 'g'); retVal = retVal.replace(regEx, vars[i]); } } else { retVal = null; } return retVal; }, // Renderers makeCalendar = function(date) { // Copy the date to a new object (so as not to overwrite the original) and set us to the beginning of the month date = new Date(date); date.setDate(1); current = date; var month = date.getMonth(), year = date.getFullYear(), firstDay = date.getDay(), out = '', days = '', colCount = 0, monthLength = monthLengths[month] + (month == 1 && year % 4 == 0 ? 2 : 1); // Figure up the month length taking into consideration leap years. Not accurate to 100+ years // Render the days before the start of the month if necessary for (var i = 0; i = minDate) { tpl = 'dayClickable'; } days += renderTemplate(tpl, {date:i}); colCount++; if (colCount % 7 == 0) { out += renderTemplate('week', {week:days}); days = ''; } } // Tack on the last week if (days != '') { out += renderTemplate('week', {week:days}); } // Render to the DOM out = renderTemplate('calendar', {days:out}); out = renderTemplate('controls', {month:months[month], year:year}) + out + templates.search; $container.html(out); // Determine whether the previous/next buttons should be shown date.setDate(1); if (date 12) { month = 1; year++; } makeCalendar(new Date(month + '/1/' + year)); } }, // Init init = function() { $container.addClass('gnmCalendar'); makeCalendar(now); }; init(); };

Source: http://www.news9.com/story/21539312/osu-football-player-accused-of-neglecting-dogs

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Wednesday, March 6, 2013

A plague of locusts? A swarm of the insects crosses into Israel from Egypt

A swarm of locusts has crossed into Israel from neighbouring Egypt, raising fears that Israel could be hit with a biblical plague ahead of the Passover holiday. The locust alert comes ahead of the weeklong Passover festival, which recounts the biblical story of the Israelite exodus from Egypt. According to the Bible, a huge swarm of locusts was the eighth of 10 plagues God imposed on Egyptians to persuade Pharoah to free the ancient Hebrews from slavery.

Picture: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images

Source: http://telegraph.feedsportal.com/c/32726/f/568307/s/2945748b/l/0L0Stelegraph0O0Cearth0Cearthpicturegalleries0C99127880CA0Eplague0Eof0Elocusts0EA0Eswarm0Eof0Ethe0Einsects0Ecrosses0Einto0EIsrael0Efrom0EEgypt0Bhtml/story01.htm

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Forget Mobile Payments, Here?s Where NFC Really Shines

Your phone may or may not already contain an NFC (near field communication) chip ? if you have an Android phone, it might; if you have an iPhone, it doesn?t. We?ll begin to see NFC in more and more phones, though.

And one of the main marketing points for these NFC chips has been the ability to tap your phone on a payment terminal in a retail environment instead of taking five seconds to pull your wallet out of your pocket like a heathen. Samsung, for instance, also promotes NFC as a way to share music playlists and ? ahem ? private, marital videos by tapping two NFC-equipped phones together.

But if you ask me, a man of arguably inconsequential stature, the true power of NFC lies in its ability to unlock doors without using traditional keys.

If you work for a large-ish company, you may already have a keycard that either uses NFC or NFC-like technology to grant you access to certain employee-only areas. Now imagine having a keycard integrated directly into your NFC-equipped smartphone and outfitting your house with NFC door locks. Instead of fumbling for your keys when you get home, you?d just tap your phone against the lock. If you?re like me and you don?t use a car every day, you?d be able to leave the house with your wallet and your phone ? no need to carry keys around. (Of course, all the mobile payment companies would rather you leave your wallet at home, too.)

The technology gets even more intriguing when you consider that smartphones are always connected: Granting someone with an NFC-equipped phone time-limited access to your house simply by e-mailing them is a logical extension of the technology. Germany?s Fraunhofer Society ? famous for inventing MP3 technology, among other things ? is working on a system called Key2Share that would allow you to do just that.

According to CNet?s Stephen Shankland:

Key2Share uses smartphones equipped with near-field communications (NFC) short-range wireless networking abilities to unlock phones. But because approval to use the key becomes digital data, a person can e-mail that approval.

It could be useful for other situations, too, said Ahmad-Reza Sadeghi, a researcher involved with the project. For example, a hotel could send a key to important customers by text message or e-mail so they can bypass check-in. And a company could also quickly revoke access if an employee loses a smartphone then issue new keys as fast.

Sadeghi told CNet, ?It is not that far from being a product, but it is not there yet.? Fraunhofer?s system skews more toward a corporate environment ? there?s an entire paragraph?in the marketing materials devoted to protecting the system against attacks ? but it?s not a stretch to imagine a consumer version somewhere down the line.

There are a handful of similar products already on the market, however. The $179 Lockitron, for instance, is a Wi-Fi-connected apparatus that you can retrofit over the top of an existing deadbolt and use to remotely grant people access to your home. It doesn?t require NFC-equipped phones, either: In fact, iPhone users can program the door to unlock when they get within a few feet of it. And a U.K. upstart called Onefinestay uses a connected keyless entry system to let people rent out their homes without exchanging physical keys with renters.

So this technology exists and is in use already; that Fraunhofer is throwing weight behind it is a good sign we may see more and more of it around the world. Just don?t forget your phone. Or maybe hide a backup phone under a fake rock? that?s waterproof? and sports a built-in solar charger.

Need to lend your key? E-mail it, Fraunhofer says [CNet]

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/forget-mobile-payments-where-nfc-really-shines-151009165--finance.html

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China's new priority: social wellbeing over growth

BEIJING (AP) ? China's government promised its people Tuesday deficit-fueled spending to fight deep-seated corruption, improve the despoiled environment and address other quality-of-life issues demanded by an increasingly vocal public looking for change.

In the government's annual policy speech, retiring Premier Wen Jiabao signaled that leaders would no longer emphasize growth at all costs and would down-shift development to put priority on social programs.

"We must make ensuring and improving people's wellbeing the starting point and goal of all the government's work, give entire priority to it, and strive to strengthen social development," Wen said in a 100-minute speech opening the national legislature's annual session in the Great Hall of the People, his last address before stepping down.

The marked shift in emphasis is emblematic of a once-a-decade leadership transition that began four months ago when Xi Jinping and other younger leaders were appointed to run the ruling Communist Party. The largely ceremonial legislature, known as the National People's Congress, caps the transition and approves appointments to top government posts to manage the economic and foreign policies of the world's second largest economy and fledgling global power.

Wen's address, though given by the outgoing premier, and the accompanying budget presented by the government Tuesday are consensus documents approved by the new Xi leadership team. In a sign of changing styles, the language in Wen's report is much plainer than the often turbid phrasing of years past. It made only passing reference to such ideological rubrics as "socialism with Chinese characteristics" and the guiding theories of reform-era patriarch Deng Xiaoping.

Hundreds of soldiers, police and plainclothes security officer ? equipped with fire extinguishers and anti-explosive blankets ? ringed the Great Hall and the adjacent Tiananmen Square for the opening session. The public was kept well away behind cordons as the nearly 3,000 congress deputies gathered for the 13-day session.

The legislature, most of whose members belong to the party and are bound to vote as the leadership dictates, will approve a proposed streamlining of government ministries, as well as appointments. In reality, the decisions have already been made by Xi and party power-brokers behind closed doors.

Among the changes: Xi will be formally given the title of president, taking the last of the titles from his predecessor, Hu Jintao. The party's No. 2, Li Keqiang, will replace Wen as premier.

Together, the new leaders come to power at a time when Chinese feel the policies that delivered stunning growth are foundering in the ill-effects of corruption and environmental degradation and that benefits unfairly accrue to a party-connected elite. Xi has raised expectations for change in his first months in office, talking about the urgent need to stanch graft and adhere to laws rather than rule by untrammeled power.

"Whether it has been 'harmonious society' or 'beautiful China,' those are really sort of idealistic goals they have held up, the kind of life that Xi Jinping has articulated," said Dali Yang, a China politics expert at the University of Chicago. "The challenge now is that everywhere people look, China is far from harmonious, or beautiful for that matter."

Wen's speech put special emphasis on programs to boost the quality of life. He repeated a phrase he has used for several years to describe the excesses of China's government-directed, investment-heavy economic model, calling growth "unbalanced, uncoordinated and unsustainable." He ticked through a list of problems from excess factory capacity to a yawning income gap that has left the public disgruntled and fueled protests.

"Some people still lead hard lives," he said.

Three times he called for a change in the growth model to reduce waste, build out the service sector as a source of much-needed employment and direct spending to subsidized housing and other social programs that would boost household consumption.

Overall government spending will increase 10 percent to 13.8 trillion yuan ($2.2 trillion) helped by a 50 percent increase in this year's fiscal deficit. Defense spending will increase 10.7 percent to 720 billion yuan ($114 billion) ? higher than the overall spending rate but a slight slowdown from last year's increase of 11.2 percent.

Restoring the battered environment came in for special attention, with Wen calling for reducing energy consumption, improving conservation and solving the country's serious air, soil and water pollution.

"In response to people's expectations of having a good living environment, we should greatly strengthen ecological improvement and environmental protection," Wen said. "The state of the ecological environment affects the level of the people's wellbeing and also posterity and the future of our nation."

Wen underlined the commitment to the anti-corruption campaign that party leaders have stressed is vital to their legitimacy and survival.

"We should unwaveringly combat corruption, strengthen political integrity, establish institutions to end the excessive concentration of power and lack of checks on power and ensure that officials are honest, government is clean and political affairs are handled with integrity," Wen said.

The appeal to bread-and-butter issues resonated with the delegates, many of whom have little power but are picked to make the congress appear broadly representative.

"I felt very, very happy. Especially at the end, I was so moved my eyes filled with tears," said Zhou Zhenbo, a migrant worker in Shanghai who said he is particularly interested in plans to broaden access to housing and education.

Yet Wen offered few concrete proposals on curbing corruption and other sources of public disaffection. A proposal being tested in a few areas that would require officials to disclose assets publicly was not mentioned.

Another public irritant ? the enormous state security system that is used to repress threats to the party and runs roughshod over the legal system ? also got scant mention. The budget allocates an 8 percent increase in spending on public safety, to 769 billion yuan ($124 billion), making this the third year in a row that outlays for the police, courts and other law enforcement exceeds defense spending.

Leaders targeted a 7.5 percent economic growth rate for the coming year, which is the same as last year and lower than the 8 percent rate that dominated planning for decades. However, the figure is largely symbolic because in reality growth has typically been higher. Last year's growth was 7.8 percent and this year's is expected to be even higher.

This year's boost for national defense continues a nearly unbroken two decades of annual double-digit percentage increases that have made China the world's No. 2 military spender behind the U.S. The substantial outlay shows that Xi wants robust backing for the People's Liberation Army at a time when China has tense territorial disputes with neighbors and wants to reduce U.S. influence in the region.

___

Associated Press writers Gillian Wong, Christopher Bodeen and Didi Tang contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chinas-priority-social-wellbeing-over-growth-031357723.html

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Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Analysis: Canadian dollar set to drop further as economy struggles

NEW YORK/TORONTO (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar, which has been declining against the U.S. dollar so far this year, is expected to slip further in the near term as a slowing Canadian economy and cooling housing market keep the nation's interest rates near historic low levels.

Speculators turned bearish on the loonie last week, with data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission showing investors going net short for the first time since a brief retreat in mid-2012.

"There's been a very significant souring of the mood on the Canadian dollar over the past few weeks," said Shaun Osborne, chief currency strategist at TD Securities in Toronto.

The Canadian dollar, known in currency markets as the loonie because of the loon species of bird that appears on the nation's $1 coins, has fallen 3.5 percent against the U.S. dollar in 2013, lately trading at C$1.0267, a move that contrasts starkly with the 20 percent gain achieved over the past 10 years.

The recent decline reflects Canada's dimming growth prospects. Data out Friday showed its economy grew by just 0.6 percent on an annualized basis in the fourth quarter, below the Bank of Canada's already reduced 1 percent forecast, and the economy actually shrank in December.

Growth has been hurt by a sharp slowdown in the country's once-hot housing market after the government last year imposed tougher mortgage rules to try to prevent a property bubble.

Deep discounts for Western Canadian oil, caused partly by a lack of pipeline capacity, have also hit growth. And the Canadian dollar's previous rise has hurt export-oriented manufacturers in Ontario and Quebec.

At the same time, the U.S. stock market's Dow Jones industrial average hit a new record on Tuesday and is up nearly 9 percent so far this year, which should be reflected in some increases in foreign capital flows into the U.S. dollar. By contrast, the Toronto Stock Exchange S&P/TSX composite index has risen only 2.8 percent in 2013.

The slowdown means that Canada's central bank will likely keep monetary policy looser for a longer period than previously expected to try to boost growth.

Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney, who leaves later this year to head the Bank of England, is expected to keep Canadian interest rates unchanged at a policy announcement on Wednesday. The disappointing data has many looking for the central bank to continue to tone down its previously hawkish language.

Forecasters don't expect a hike in the benchmark interest rate of 1 percent until at least the first quarter of 2014, according to a February Reuters poll. Previous polls pegged a rate hike for late 2013.

Interest-rate expectations play a prominent role in how investors bet in foreign exchange markets, with lower rates tending to reduce a currency's appeal.

The difference in yield between a two-year Canadian government bond and its U.S. equivalent was 95 basis points in mid-January. It has tightened to about 70 basis points since the Bank of Canada said in late January that a rate hike was "less imminent."

"The swing in positioning really has gone in lockstep with the decline in short-term interest rates in Canada," Osborne said.

Alessio de Longis, a portfolio manager at Oppenheimer Funds in New York who helps oversee $24 billion in assets, said it has held a "very large underweight" position in the Canadian dollar since the middle of January.

"Canada has a sharply deteriorating current account deficit and a very overvalued housing market," said de Longis. "In other countries, when the housing market cooled, their central banks had plenty of room to cut rates, but with BoC rates at 1 percent it has limited ammunition on that end."

Analysts said Canada's solid fiscal position and triple-A debt rating, a rarity among its Group of Seven peers, could act as a buffer against the currency's decline. But they warn dramatic changes in North American oil production, which has made the United States less reliant on Canadian supply, leaves the loonie vulnerable.

Oppenheimer's de Longis, who oversees the Currencies Opportunities Fund, said his team has been selling the currency outright in the spot market and bought bearish puts in the options markets.

"We expect the loonie to hit C$1.05-1.06 by mid-year and view C$1.10-1.20 as reasonable valuations," he said.

The options market shows demand firmly in favor of U.S. dollar calls, the right to buy dollars at a future date, with three-month risk reversals trading as high as 1.3 percent last week, the highest since September of 2012.

Risk reversals are a broad gauge of currency market sentiment that measure demand for protection against a currency's rise or fall. In this case, it measures the demand for call options in the U.S. dollar vs. the Canadian dollar; a rising value suggests increasing demand for the greenback.

Momentum indicators are suggestive of further gains for the U.S. dollar, said Camilla Sutton, chief currency strategist at Scotiabank in Toronto. She noted the 50-day moving average crossed above the 200-day moving average recently, a bullish indicator for the U.S. dollar.

Even if U.S. economic growth is hit short-term by government spending cuts that began March 1, it is unlikely to help the loonie. Soft U.S. growth is negative for the Canadian dollar due to the country's exposure to the U.S. economy, Bank of America-Merrill Lynch said in a research report published on Monday.

Still, analysts said the loonie's longer-term outlook is more positive. They note the Bank of Canada is still projected to raise interest rates well ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve.

A separate poll on the outlook for the loonie conducted in early February suggested it would strengthen slightly through 2013.

While Scotiabank forecasts C$1.04 in the near-term, it is predicting a drop to C$1.01 by the end of the year and for it to hit C$0.99 by the end of 2014.

"The Canadian housing market is a major concern to Canadian dollar investors; however we see housing drivers, like interest rates, immigration, employment and commodities, as supporting only a moderation in housing, not a collapse and that this in turn should prove positive for the Canadian backdrop," Scotiabank's Sutton wrote on Tuesday.

(Reporting By Julie Haviv in New York and Alastair Sharp in Toronto; Editing by Jeffrey Hodgson, David Gaffen and Tim Dobbyn)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/analysis-canadian-dollar-set-drop-further-economy-struggles-203951662--sector.html

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David Copperfield's plane makes unscheduled stop

FILE -In this May 9, 2011 file photo, magician David Copperfield attends the 46th Annual 2011 National Magazine Awards in New York. Early Monday morning, March 4, 2013, the private plane carrying Copperfield made an unscheduled stop at Peoria International Airport in Illinois after it made a "frightening" sound en route from Las Vegas to New York where Copperfield was to appear on NBC's Today Show. Copperfield filmed the interview remotely from Byerly Aviation in Peoria. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes, File)

FILE -In this May 9, 2011 file photo, magician David Copperfield attends the 46th Annual 2011 National Magazine Awards in New York. Early Monday morning, March 4, 2013, the private plane carrying Copperfield made an unscheduled stop at Peoria International Airport in Illinois after it made a "frightening" sound en route from Las Vegas to New York where Copperfield was to appear on NBC's Today Show. Copperfield filmed the interview remotely from Byerly Aviation in Peoria. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes, File)

(AP) ? A private plane carrying magician David Copperfield made an unscheduled stop in Illinois after it made a "frightening" sound en route from Las Vegas to New York.

Peoria International Airport officials say Copperfield's plane landed there after it began experiencing problems around 1:45 a.m. Monday.

The (Peoria) Journal Star reports (http://tinyurl.com/crvxjjr ) that Copperfield was supposed to appear live on NBC's Today Show on Monday, but ended up filming the interview remotely from Byerly Aviation in Peoria, 160 miles southwest of Chicago.

The famed illusionist told the Today Show that the plane made crackling noises at 37,000 feet that he recorded on his cellphone. He says he "kind of freaked out." He also Tweeted that the incident was "so scary."

Copperfield took a commercial flight back to Las Vegas this morning.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-03-04-US-People-Copperfield/id-307655fed59a451eb69e4985ed67b083

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