Hamas Gaza ruler meets Egypt intelligence chief

CAIRO (AP) ? Egypt's state news agency says the Gaza Strip's Hamas ruler has met with Egypt's intelligence chief to discuss Palestinian reconciliation and the cease-fire between the militant group and Israel.

Ismail Haniyeh's met with Rafaat Shehata on Sunday, a day after arriving in Egypt. Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi mediated a cease-fire between Hamas and Israel last year.

Relations between Egypt and Hamas are high on the agenda. Hamas, a Palestinian offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood ? the group from which Morsi hails ? has come under attack by some in Egypt who accuse it of harboring militants that operate in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.

Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal is also in Egypt, where the group is expected to choose its next leader. Mashaal is a top candidate for the post.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hamas-gaza-ruler-meets-egypt-intelligence-chief-190516638.html

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Outrage, sadness as Americans barred from adopting Russian children

NBC News

Sonia greets her new parents, Kristina and Rich England.

By Jim Maceda, Correspondent, NBC News

BRYANSK, Russia --?Kristi and Rich England of Marshall, Minn., shook with nerves and joy on their fourth and last trip to an orphanage in Bryansk, in?rural Russia. ?

They were finally taking Sonia, a partially blind and hyperactive 3-year-old, home with them.?The tearful Feb. 12 meeting, punctuated by Sonia?s screams of ?mama? and ?dada,? was all the more emotional because the Englands knew that they were the last lucky couple to leave Russia with an adopted child.?

?So many other families have seen their children and have loved their children and can?t bring them home,? said Kristi England, 34, a family doctor. ?It?s so unfair in so many ways.?

Those already undergoing the costly process of adopting a child from Russia found out Russian president Vladimir Putin signed a law barring any future adoptions, canceling the ones in progress. NBC's Kerry Sanders reports.

The process wasn?t easy ? the Englands endured multiple background checks and spent at least $50,000 to ensure that Sonia, now called Sophia, could go home with them.

But the ban signed into law on Dec. 28 barring all U.S. adoptions ? which numbered more than 60,000 over the past two decades ? has marooned hundreds of families in the middle of adopting, and stranded thousands of children in orphanages throughout Russia.??

"We should do all we can so that orphaned children find a family in our country, in Russia," President Vladimir Putin said in defense of the ban.

Fueling the outrage in Russia over the fate of children adopted by Americans, Russian media reported earlier this week that Alexander Abnosov, 18, showed up in the Volga River port town of Cheboksary saying his adoptive family had mistreated him. He had left Russia five years earlier, having been adopted by a family outside Philadelphia, but said he fled after suffering from verbal abuse by his adoptive mother. ?

"She would make any small problem big and always try to find a reason to shout at you," he told Russia?s state-owned Channel 1.

While UNICEF estimates there are about 740,000 children not in parental custody in Russia, only about 18,000 Russians are on the waiting list to adopt.?

But while Putin denies any direct connection, Kremlin-watchers say the ban is really about geopolitics and not about protecting kids.

NBC News

Russian child psychologist Valentina Rakova Valentina (left) stands with Kristina and Richard England and newly adopted Sonia in an orphanage in Bryansk, rural Russia.

They say it was retaliation by Moscow for an American law banning any Russian human rights violators from U.S. soil, enacted after the suspicious death in prison of Sergey Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer working for Heritage Fund, an American private equity firm.?

Russian media didn't hesitate to bolster the official line. ?

Despite the negative reports, child psychologist Valentina Rakova, who has worked in the Bryansk orphanage for 30 years, says the ban is terrible for children.?

?Here in Russia we have many examples of bad parents -- even worse than these American cases -- where kids are just tossed out,? she said as she coiffed Sonia, who requires special medical attention.

?A child like Sonia, no Russian would accept her,? Rakova said. ?Before the ban, orphans were offered to Russian families but no one took them in.??

Rakova's experience confirms the U.N.'s statistics. As far as she has seen, Americans are far more likely to adopt children who are ill or suffer from a disability.

Becky Preece, a housewife from Nampa, Idaho, is one such American. ?

She was finally able to take home 4-year-old Gabe, who has Down syndrome, in February, after years of filling out paperwork and a court battle. ?

Preece, who like the Englands beat the ban by days but was then delayed by red tape, said she saw a complete disconnect between the horrors of Russia?s adoption ban and the kindness and hospitality of the Russians themselves.?

NBC News

Becky Preece from Nampa, Idaho, adopted 4-year-old Gabe just days before the ban on Americans adopting Russian orphans went into force.

?It?s not a matter of the people,? she said while walking with the little boy in the thick Moscow snow.

?It?s politically charged and it?s something that is hard for us to understand because it?s so different from the experience that we?ve had here.?

Preece said she was excited to get Gabe into school back home, and watch him bond with his new brother who also has Down syndrome.?

?They need the infrastructure, they need the kind of support that we get at home for our children,? she said.?

But for the hundreds of American families who missed the cut and are now unable to bring their adoptive children home, the future could mean months -- even years -- of waiting and praying that the two superpower rivals find common ground before more of society?s most vulnerable pay the price.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Jim Maceda is a London-based correspondent who has covered the Soviet Union and Russia since the 1980s.?

Related:

Boy's Christmas wish: Adoption of little brother caught in US-Russia spat

Thousands march in Moscow to protest Russian adoption ban

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Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653387/s/2a273b3e/l/0Lworldnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A30C30A0C1750A4450A0Eoutrage0Esadness0Eas0Eamericans0Ebarred0Efrom0Eadopting0Erussian0Echildren0Dlite/story01.htm

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Business, labor groups reach immigration deal as overhaul advances

By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Major U.S. business and labor groups have reached an agreement on a guest-worker program that removes a major hurdle to a broad immigration overhaul and clears the way for Senate legislation to be introduced soon, a source familiar with the deal said on Saturday.

The agreement was reached on Friday night between the head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Tom Donohue, and the president of the AFL-CIO labor organization, Richard Trumka, with New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer acting as the mediator, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

A guest-worker program has been a major stumbling block to efforts by a bipartisan group of senators known as the Gang of Eight to come up with a compromise on a way to create a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States.

Labor unions have worried that a flood of low-wage immigrant laborers would take away jobs from Americans. The agreement covers the pay levels for low-skilled temporary workers and the types of jobs that would be included.

Schumer briefed White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough on Saturday on the breakthrough, the source said.

The agreement still must be approved by the Gang of Eight senators. If they do so as expected, Senate legislation on a broad new immigration law would be advanced in the Senate in the coming weeks.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Will Dunham)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/business-labor-groups-reach-immigration-deal-overhaul-advances-193136796.html

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Home Improvements - Outdoor Decoration with Northern Virgina ...

A house with some extra outdoor space could be very well turned into a fine living space with Northern Virgina concrete patios. This would create a good space for the friends and family to use a common place outside the house, for recreational activities. Getting a concrete patio done is best if you wish to have a seamless integration of both the exterior and interior living areas. This particular upgrade of the backyard to a decorative space of concrete patio will instantly make an improvement in the overall appearance of the entire place. This will be more so because the concrete is easier to maintain. Moreover, it stands up to all kind of harsh weather conditions while needing very minimalistic maintenance.

The design options are unlimited with the Northern Virgina concrete patios, as it can be molded into any shape, size or corners of the landscape. The color options are also endless with the use of integrated colors or stains to it. This allows it to match the Northern Virgina concrete patios with the exterior and the landscape of the house. This is not very much convenient with the use of Northern Virgina brick patios or with the Northern Virgina flagstone patios. However, the concrete could always be stamped or engraved to get the required pattern that would mirror the more costly paving materials, like flagstone, brick, slate as well as tile.

The cost on Northern Virgina concrete patios is less in comparison to Northern Virgina brick patios and Northern Virgina flagstone patios. It is important to comprehend that the lower cost of the investment in the concrete patio, coupled with a wide variety of choices in colors and patterns; combined with the lowest cost of maintenance makes it absolutely economical. This fact can be checked and rechecked as many times as a doubtful owner of a house may want.But the cost will always be economically viable in comparison to the budget of other patio designs. Adding to that is the customized design by the professionals in patio designing, could easily accommodate the restricted corners of the backyard, the garden, swimming pool, pool pumps at a little more consultancy charges. Though, all these will be worth the total satisfaction that the owner will have after the complete installation of concrete patio is over.

After the professional designing, the proficient and experienced experts install the concrete patio in line with the prescribed design that they have received. A planned outline of the entire work is very necessary in order to save time and money. The most appropriate thing a home owner can do before he jumps in speculating the entire idea by himself, he may get the professional consultation at his place by the experienced people of this field. This will let him have the idea on what are the best options available at what price. It will further allow him to prepare the budget for the entire things, which is the most important part of it; money. This way the outdoor decoration could be very well achieved by the Northern Virgina concrete patios.

This Article is about Northern Virgina Brick Patios and Northern Virgina Concrete Patios for More Information Please Visit Us Our Website :http://stonepatiosdesignconstructionva.com/

Source: http://home-improvements.s-article.com/outdoor-decoration-with-northern-virgina-concrete-patios.html

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Protein Needs for Women: Sources of Protein - Shape Magazine

Every other day it appears that food manufacturers are using a new buzzword to sell products. "Natural," "gluten-free," "low-fat," the list goes on and on. And lately it seems the new kid on the block is "protein."

I admit when nutrition counseling in my office, I promote that all meals and snacks include protein. Protein does help to keep you fuller longer and therefore my patients are less likely to overeat at their next meal. But does more mean better?

According to many health organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the typical American consumes more protein than he or she needs. The U.S.D.A. recommends the average adult get 10 to 35 percent of his or her calories from protein. For example, a 125-pound, 5?5? woman needs only 46 grams of protein a day. (Keep in mind I not talking about the high-endurance athlete or someone else with special needs, I am talking about the average Jane.)

To put that in perspective, a cup of milk has 8 grams of protein, 3 ounces of chicken (and who really sticks with the portion size?) has 21 grams, a 6-ounce container of Greek yogurt has about 18 grams, and one large egg has 6 grams. That alone totals 52 grams?see, it can add up rather quickly.

So do you need to start looking for foods with "protein" front and center on the label? I think it depends first on the type of product: A breakfast cereal that will be eaten with milk, maybe not, but a product that will be eaten on its on, such as a granola-type bar, probably yes.

RELATED: Chicken is a great source of lean protein?but it can get boring fast. Discover 30 new ways to cook chicken breast, and you'll look forward to dinner every night.

For example, if you are grabbing a granola bar before heading to the gym, read the label; 6 grams of protein would be great. But also ask yourself about the other nutrients. Does it have fiber? Healthy fats? Is there too much sugar? Yes to those questions is more important than the bar having 20 grams of protein because more is not better.

However, I do think that overall the message of adding protein to your meals is still important. What I tell my patients is think about your meal in components: a quarter should be a high-fiber carbohydrate, another quarter lean protein, and the rest filled with fruits and veggies. As for your snacks, think of them as a mini meal, half protein and half carbs (grain, fruit, or veggies).

Bottom line: Yes protein is important, but so many other nutrients are as well.

Source: http://www.shape.com/blogs/weight-loss-coach/how-much-protein-do-you-need

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Why We Write | The RANT

Thursday, 12:40pm
Reno, NV
?I write because I cannot NOT write.? (Charlotte Bronte)

Howdy?

I want to cover three important things today.

Important Thing #1: Very exciting news this morning: My first Kindle ebook (?The Entrepreneur?s Guide To Getting Your Shit Together?) elbowed its way into best-seller territory on Amazon in less than half a day. It?s #4 on the ?entrepreneur? books-for-sale chart, with a bullet, and surging on the ?business? charts (in the top 35).

This is like watching your latest album climb the Billboard rankings. I labored over the book (with superb editing help from our pal David ?Flashman? Raybould) for many months, whipping it into shape and waiting for the right moment to dive into the wonderful new world of self-publishing that has just hit the Big Turning Point.

Now, it?s up to the reading public to decide if it?s worthwhile or not. A little scary, a little thrilling, a lot of fun for a writer who has craved being in control of publishing my own stuff, in my own damn way, for most of my life.

And, as satisfying as it is to read the great buzz-comments on the Amazon page (and in social media) for this new tome? it?s even more energizing to have finally busted my cherry in digital publishing. This first book took a while to finish and get launched. The next one will follow blazingly quick, and there are even more in the hopper.

If you are so inclined, you can check out a free preview of the book (or even, gasp, buy it) here.

Leave a comment, too. And hit the ?share? button on the page. The tome is getting rave reviews, which makes sense since it?s a lovingly-revised compilation of my best Rant newsletters (which I mailed to subscribers for 6 amazing years). This is time-tested stuff, the best ?here?s what Carlton?s been teaching all these years? resource possible.

Hope you enjoy it, if you buy it. Hope you stay awake all night thinking about it if you don?t buy it, and feel compelled to buy it first thing in the morning. Cuz it?s damn cheap as a digital book, and you really SHOULD own it. (And yes, we?ll be offering a paperback version down the road, but this digital version is what you need right now.)

Important Thing #2:?I now know much about self-publishing ebooks that was a mystery to me before.

For example? the publishing industry is in complete upheaval now. The tipping point was last summer, when Amazon introduced it?s ?so easy an idiot can do it? self-publishing model for Kindle (and other e-reading devices)? and it turned out to actually BE just that easy to do.

This was a huge blow to the traditional publishers. Much like the revolution in digital music-sharing spelled big-time trouble to the entrenched old-school music industry. At first there was denial, then disbelief, and finally much gnashing of teeth and rending of clothes as it became crystal clear that the Publishing Game had changed permanently and dramatically.

Now, I?ve dealt a bit with traditional publishers. The old model sucked for writers like me, because there were huge roadblocks on the way to getting a book produced and put on shelves in bookstores? including agents who were assholes, publishers who hated anything outside of their comfort zone, and a sales process rigged like a back-alley craps game. (My favorite line about gambling: ?If you look around the table and you don?t know who the sucker is? then you?re the sucker.?)

I was given the fisheye by so-called ?publishing professionals? who assured me a deal was in the works, if only I changed everything funny and outrageous and important in my writing. Oh, and they?d charge $20 for my book, and give me (maybe) 90 cents of that, down the road after the accountants had cooked the books.

Traditional publishers mocked ebooks, smug in their surety of how things would never change. They were slow to accept even Kindle?s open-armed invitation to make digital books more inviting.

I have zero sympathy for them now that ebooks are outselling ?real? books (where trees must die so they can be printed)? and especially now that those agents are increasingly out of a job, and the publisher mucky-mucks are looking at early retirement now that ANYBODY can self-publish on Amazon? and enjoy a level playing field amongst other authors. Which is something the trad pub folks just hate.

And they can?t even mock self-publishers anymore, after Amazon bought Create Space, which prints your book, on demand, for a couple of bucks, and ships it for you. No need to pre-order a print run (or store boxes of your damn book in the garage). You just do the writing, and they take care of everything else. You make a sale, they print ?er up and ship. And you collect your moolah.

Plus, if you really have your little heart set on seeing your tome on a shelf at Barnes & Noble, they can help you get that done, too.

All this revolution has all taken place just in the past year or so. Ebooks have been doing well for a while, but with the recent smoothing-out of the process (making it truly brain-dead simple to plunder the vast market share that Amazon provides) and the sheer volume of ebook reading devices (including your mobile arsenal) now out there? it?s officially a brand-new world of sizzling opportunity for writers.

Now, there are numerous entrepreneurs offering you advice and insight on using these new powers of self-publishing, and you can hook up with them if you like.

However, this ain?t brain surgery. You really can figure out almost everything on your own. I opted to have a colleague (the very tech-savvy Lawton Chiles) help me finish the formatting, and get this first book actually up on Amazon? and it was an excellent small investment that sped up the process hugely. I also paid my primo designer pal Rick Allen to do the cover. All optional, all at extra ?(but very reasonable) cost? and all worth it, because it shortcut the process and assured the best possible finished book.

So I?m happy.

And you should be happy, too. If you have a book cooking inside you, or even if you just have an idea for a book? there is now a functional, efficient and profit friendly vehicle for you to quickly create a digital book that can literally be ready for purchase overnight. (And you get to KEEP most of the sale, instead of getting crumbs from a trad publisher.)

Entrepreneurs are especially getting hip to the wild opportunities this revolution has created. Short books that introduce you to the market can be offered for free or a couple of bucks. You can release material in serial form, so a new chapter appears once a week (just like magazines used to offer novels chapter by chapter in subsequent issues). You can choose to release an audio book, or a series of podcasts, or ? hell ? you can re-invent the entire CONCEPT of what a ?book? is, and see if the world likes it.

We are in the early days of a self-publishing Brave New World that is so exciting for authors and wannabe-authors I get teary just considering where it might go.

Which leads us to the last point?

Important Thing #3:?When I was a kid, I enjoyed both writing short science fiction stories and graphic novels of cartoons in a long-story format. It was immature stuff, but it was edgy and entertaining.

My audience consisted solely of my pals, a few teachers who caught me drawing during class, and occasionally a stranger who?d borrowed a mimeographed copy somewhere. I didn?t really care ? I wasn?t writing for an audience, I was writing for the pure joy of creating something from nothing. I?ve always been a storyteller, and writing them out (sometimes with accompanying illustrations) was a thrill in and of itself.

I was almost embarrassed to have anyone else see these efforts. Their praise made me wince (I?ve been a shy dude forever), and their criticism broke my heart (usually because it was so far off-base and irrelevant).

I don?t believe I would have pursued getting any of that early stuff published, even if it was possible. It was my training period, in a way. I was self-aware enough to know it was early-stage stuff, not a final product.

However? just knowing that I COULD publish it would have re-focused my energies ten-fold. What a trip, to decide on my own when I was ready to release my stuff into the world.?Not when some publisher decided. When I decided.

I got a taste of wider readership in high school, when I took journalism (wanting to earn a spot writing for the Teepee Times sports page)? and the teacher caught me doodling and ordered me to do a weekly cartoon on the editorial page instead. I was terrified, especially to be working in ink for the first time (pencils have erasers), and to have my drawings and humor laid out bare and vulnerable in front of God and everybody like that. Every week.

I survived for two seasons. There was no credible celebrity involved, either ? I had to play it safe in the newspaper, and the other kids just took it for granted that another dumb Carlton ?toon would be in the weekly issue. No biggie. One transfer junior from La Habra (tough school) offered me $5 to draw a grinning demon on his notebook, but otherwise my high school ?career? as a cartoonist was uneventful.

Then, the same thing happened in college. I happened to meet the editor of the university daily, who demanded that I do a weekly cartoon? and he didn?t care what I did with it. That got me reinvested, and I drew edgy, weird stuff that did get me a little notice. Decades later, I occasionally still get a nod from someone who remembers my strip fondly.

This was the same period of time when Doonesbury was just making waves, and other ?underground? comix were getting noticed. But I had no idea how to go further with the career, so I just stopped.

The ?bug? for being published, however, had been planted.

When I first met Gary Halbert, one big thing we had in common was a reverence for the ?classic? age of self-publishing back in the 1950s. A nobody like Hugh Hefner could scrape together $500 and enter a crowded magazine market doing most of the writing (he was also a cartoonist, remember)? and, if his stuff stood out from the pack, he might create a little empire. The field was wide open. (Underground comix ? which are now mainstream ? went the same route.)

But traditional publishing remained a closed game, dominated by big-name authors and taste-making mavens who decided what America could and couldn?t read en mass. Gary?s way around that was to publish his own newsletter (which you can peruse at www. thegaryhalbertletter.com), mailed monthly to subscribers. I took the same route with my direct-to-consumer Marketing Rebel Rant newsletters.

It was freaking exhilarating to write, design, print and mail my own publication. The audience was still small (it cost a cool grand back then to be a subscriber to the Rant for a year), but large enough to support my speaking career by ensuring most events would have at least a handful of supporters egging on the crowds.

We still self-publish my first course/book, ?Kick-Ass Copywriting Secrets of a Marketing Rebel?, and the Simple Writing System. We have a printer back east who binds and ships the packages (along with whatever CDs or DVDs are included).

But, again, the audience for these are whoever I can entice into my world through my blog, or via a speaking engagement. That ensures a healthy, but relatively segmented base.

So, when I caught wind of what Amazon was doing with the Kindle store, I perked up fast. This is a global market we?re talking about here, and Amazon is the 600-pound gorilla dominating the process.

Yes, allowing ?just any bozo with a manuscript? to self-publish and be available on their world-wide virtual bookshelves may lead to a certain amount of chaos. Some prospects will be overwhelmed with the choices. Some undeserving books will catch fire, while better ones sink into obscurity.

The bits of marketing you are allowed on your sales page are critical to your self-published dreams of grandeur. Just like every other marketplace in the universe.

However, with the interactive opportunities also available? comments, testimonials, ?buyers also bought? lists of robot-guessed stuff you might also want to buy, sharing in social media, etc? I see excellent chances for quality stuff to stay high on the charts for very long periods.

You aren?t dependent on a trad publisher dripping your book out to a few big-city bookstores? or on your ability to generate PR by going on endless author tours (and maybe snagging a desultory 2-minute slot on some foul-mouthed radio or cable chat show)? or on the sodden criticism of some unqualified reviewer in the New York Times (or Beaverton Gazette).

All the obstacles to producing and getting your book in front of a wide audience have now been obliterated.

O. Blit. Erated.

I was excited when the Web marketplace really got going a decade ago, and I?m a Net Junkie for sure. Modern tech changed my world view and my lifestyle habits. I?m fully wired, dude.

However? this publishing revolution rivals all the recent tech innovations put together.

This ain?t your father?s blog. This ain?t your grandfather?s hard-cover trilogy.

Nope.

What we got here is a stunning opportunity for the Little Author to beat up the Big Authors, in heroic fashion.

Self-publishing will change your life in ways none of us can yet imagine. (The TED talks on this subject are expanding exponentially.)

For those of us who?ve been hoping for fresh audiences, it?s paradise. Yet another thrill ride aimed right at entrepreneurs.

Now, go buy my book already.?

Stay frosty,

John

P.S. If you want to contact Rick, my designer? or Lawton, who helped get the book formatted and looking good on all devices? or Flashman, who is a primo copywriter and brilliant editor? just email my long-suffering assistant Diane at consult@john-carlton.com and ask for their contact info.

I only work with the best, and this team is spectacular at what they do. And, they?re open to working with you?

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Source: http://www.john-carlton.com/2013/03/why-we-write/

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Virtual reality, goggles and all, attempts return

FILE - In this March 25, 2009 file photo, Video game enthusiasts attend the Game Developers Conference, in San Francisco. The schedule for the 2013 GDC held March 25-29, illustrates the dramatic changes that have reshaped the gaming industry in recent years, an evolution that's as much about business models as it is about pixels. GDC organizers have added a summit on free-to-play games, planned talks on topics like crowd funding and micro-transactions and coordinated panels with such titles as "Making Money with Mobile Gaming" and "Why Won't FarmVille Go Away?" (AP Photo/Ben Margo, Filet)

FILE - In this March 25, 2009 file photo, Video game enthusiasts attend the Game Developers Conference, in San Francisco. The schedule for the 2013 GDC held March 25-29, illustrates the dramatic changes that have reshaped the gaming industry in recent years, an evolution that's as much about business models as it is about pixels. GDC organizers have added a summit on free-to-play games, planned talks on topics like crowd funding and micro-transactions and coordinated panels with such titles as "Making Money with Mobile Gaming" and "Why Won't FarmVille Go Away?" (AP Photo/Ben Margo, Filet)

FILE - In this March 25, 2009 file photo, Video game enthusiasts attend the Game Developers Conference, in San Francisco. The schedule for the 2013 GDC held March 25-29, illustrates the dramatic changes that have reshaped the gaming industry in recent years, an evolution that's as much about business models as it is about pixels. GDC organizers have added a summit on free-to-play games, planned talks on topics like crowd funding and micro-transactions and coordinated panels with such titles as "Making Money with Mobile Gaming" and "Why Won't FarmVille Go Away?" (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? It's back.

The virtual reality headset, the gizmo that was supposed to seamlessly transport wearers to three-dimensional virtual worlds, has made a remarkable return at this year's Game Developers Conference, an annual gathering of video game makers in San Francisco.

After drumming up hype over the past year and banking $2.4 million from crowdfunding, the Irvine, Calif.-based company Oculus VR captured the conference's attention this week with the Oculus Rift, its VR headset that's more like a pair of ski goggles than those bulky gaming helmets of the 1990s that usually left users with headaches.

"Developers who start working on VR games now are going to be able to do cool things," said Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey. "This is the first time when the technology, software, community and rendering power is all really there."

While VR technology has successfully been employed in recent years for military and medical training purposes, it's been too expensive, clunky or just plain bad for most at-home gamers. Oculus VR's headset is armed with stereoscopic 3-D, low-latency head tracking and a 110-degree field of view, and the company expects it to cost just a few hundred bucks.

A line at the conference snaked around the expo floor with attendees waiting for a chance to plop the glasses on their head and play a few minutes of "Hawken," an upcoming first-person shooter that puts players inside levitating war machines.

Attendance was also at capacity for a Thursday talk called "Virtual Reality: The Holy Grail of Gaming" led by Luckey. When he asked the crowd who'd ordered development prototypes of the technology, dozens of hands shot into the air.

"There's been a lot of promise over several decades with the VR helmet idea, but I think a lot of us feel like Oculus and other devices like it are starting to get it right," said Simon Carless, executive vice president at UBM Tech Game Network, which organizes the Game Developers Conference. "We may have a competitive and interesting-to-use device, which you could strap to your head and have really immersive gaming as a result."

Sony and Microsoft are reportedly working on similar peripherals, as are other companies. Luckey contends that the innovations Nintendo made with its Wii U, Sony is planning with its upcoming PlayStation 4 and Microsoft is likely tinkering with for its successor to the Xbox 360 don't seem like enough.

"We're seeing better graphics and social networks, but those aren't things that are going to fundamentally change the kind of experiences that gamers can have," said Luckey.

A growing list of high-profile game makers have sung the device's praises, including Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, "Minecraft" mastermind Markus Peterson, id Software's John Carmack, "Gears of War" chief Cliff Bleszinski and Valve boss Gabe Newell.

Valve is planning to release a VR version of its first-person shooter "Team Fortress 2" for the Rift, but Luckey is hoping that designers in attendance at this week's conference begin creating games especially for the doodad.

"The doors are already open," noted Luckey. "People are already telling us things they want to do with the Rift that they can't do with traditional games."

Luckey said prototype versions of the technology are being distributed to developers now, and he anticipates releasing a version for consumers by next year.

___

Online:

http://www.oculusvr.com

___

Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-03-29-Games-Virtual%20Reality-Oculus/id-a74d4edea71b4a3abda0ca6c1d7055fe

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Power Play International, a Leading Social Media Marketing and ...

Power Play International, a Social Media Marketing and Website Design Agency, today released its enhanced web services.

New York, Melville (PRWEB) March 26, 2013

Power Play International, a Long Island Web Design Company as well as a leading Internet marketing company headquartered in Melville, New York, today released its increased web services roll. The list is critical to companies seeking to update their online business existence, manage their on-line standing as well as for those ?small businesses just starting out.?

?The Internet Market is competitive on an international scale,? notes Dean Spinato, President and Director of Business Development, Power Play International, Inc. ?Even successful web businesses need to update to keep up with ever-changing search engine algorithms, search engine optimization is constantly shifting?all businesses must be prepared for Google Penguin. With the latest Google Penguin algorithm update, designed to weed out Internet pollution and junk, Google is getting more particular about how sites are judged on quality,? Mr. Spinato states. However, it is important to understand what businesses need, then choose a firm that can meet if not exceed your expectations. Tendencies that have become essential include: custom content development, social media extensions, applicable web design, media experience and cellular sites. The key is finding a good price for a clients business that will be best served by a job.

The manner that Power Play International reacts to their client?s needs to keep up and grow their businesses. PPI will work with the client to develop a branded web design that will best meet your business goals. Power Play International will complete and collaborate a comprehensive intake form to identify their needs. As a guide making use of this, NYC Web Design team will create a design and execution strategy that accomplishes the companies vision. This will be an interactional process that results in a unique site and on-line engine that will forever improve the companies brand.

About Power Play International:

Power Play International is a gifted, seasoned team of web development professionals. Long Island Web Design?s customer list includes members of the sports world, attorneys, financial consultants, music business professionals and many cable TV news guests.

Based in New York City NYC Web Design, Power Play International is well prepared to manage a variety of Internet service needs, from helping a newly created business get on the Web, to creating impressive sites for individuals without a Web presence as well as redesigning existing websites with modern design trends and an easy to use content management system. Power Play International will provide the VIP treatment the customer deserves.

Here at Power Play international, the main goal is to strive on giving the chance for company and individuals to grow with the internet. Power Play International is very excited about the new inventions developed for creating the next generation of interactive websites and how it can be tailor-made to match your needs.

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Article source: http://www.timesunion.com/business/press-releases/article/Power-Play-International-a-Leading-Social-Media-4385273.php

Source: http://residualrx.com/2013/03/28/power-play-international-a-leading-social-media-marketing-and-website-2/

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Falcons agree to 2-year deal with Osi Umenyiora

ATLANTA (AP) ? The Atlanta Falcons found a replacement for John Abraham on Wednesday by reaching an agreement with free-agent defensive end Osi Umenyiora on a two-year, $8.5 million contract.

The Falcons released the 34-year-old Abraham, the team leader with 10 sacks in 2012, on March 1, the same day they also released running back Michael Turner and cornerback Dunta Robinson.

The team replaced Turner by signing Steven Jackson to a three-year, $12 million deal March 14. Now Umenyiora joins Jackson as Atlanta's second major free-agent addition.

The Falcons scheduled a news conference with Umenyiora for Thursday.

The 31-year-old Umenyiora gives the Falcons a slightly younger replacement at defensive end, but his production has declined in recent years. He had only six sacks for the Giants in 2012, when he started only four of 16 games. He had 55 tackles, five for losses, and one forced fumble.

He had a career-high 14? sacks in 2005, when he was a first-team All-Pro selection. He has reached double figures in sacks only one of the last four years ? 11? in 2010.

Umenyiora, 6-foot 3 and 255 pounds, was a second-round pick from Troy State by New York in 2003. He has 75 sacks, 31 forced fumbles and 13 fumble recoveries in his career and helped the Giants win two Super Bowl championships.

He set an NFL record with 10 forced fumbles in 2010 and a Giants record with six sacks in a 2007 win over Philadelphia.

The presence of defensive ends Jason Pierre-Paul and Justin Tuck made Umenyiora a part-time starter last season, but he'll be expected to replace Abraham as the Falcons' top pass-rusher. Defensive end Kroy Biermann was second on the Falcons with only 4 sacks last season.

Umenyiora's agent, Tom Condon, couldn't be immediately reached for comment.

Umenyiora made a brief reference to his new NFL home on his Twitter feed when he tweeted "(hash)RISE UP" ? the Falcons' slogan.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-03-27-FBN-Falcons-Umenyiora/id-f4d44a75640d41be8ddc5b01bb7e1958

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'Graceful Eruption' on Sun Revealed in Stunning Photo

A NASA spacecraft that constantly watches the sun has captured an amazing view of a solar eruption that exploded from the star's surface this month.

The new image, which NASA featured as its image of the day today (March 28), shows the solar prominence ? a delicate combination of super-hot plasma and magnetic fields ? just after it snapped, sending plumes of material out into space.

NASA scientists dubbed the sun storm a "Graceful Eruption." It occurred on March 16 and was captured by the space agency's Solar Dynamics Observatory, which records spectacular views of the sun in high definition.

"A solar prominence began to bow out and broke apart in a graceful, floating style in a little less than four hours," NASA officials explained in an image description. "The sequence was captured in extreme ultraviolet light. A large cloud of particles appeared to hover further out above the surface before it faded away."

The SDO spacecraft also captured a dazzling video of the graceful solar eruption.?

The sun is currently in an active phase of its 11-year solar cycle and is expected to reach peak activity this year. The current solar weather cycle is known as Solar Cycle 24.

NASA's SDO spacecraft is one of several observatories that monitor the sun's activity and solar weather events.

Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or follow him?@tariqjmalik?and?Google+. Follow us?@Spacedotcom,?Facebook?and?Google+.?Original article on?SPACE.com.

Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/graceful-eruption-sun-revealed-stunning-photo-160540536.html

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Sarah Chalke: My Son Had Kawasaki Disease

"You present with all these symptoms, you get a lot of repeated misdiagnoses, you keep getting sent home [by doctors]," Chalke, 36, tells TVLine.

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/kjx5b6z5DPM/

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Ooyala Launches Discovery Guide For Personalized Channels, Hook Plugin For Android Mobile Video Viewing

Video distribution platform Ooyala wants to get more people watching more video on more devices. That's it's job, right? Well, ahead of NAB, the company is launching a couple of features that will help do just that. That includes a new discovery engine that its clients can use to extend the amount of time people spend watching their videos.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/Zi1fPg4w_mA/

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Hot Wheels: BMW unveils new diesel 3-Series sedan

This photo provided by BMW shows the new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo, one of two important variations of its popular 3-Series small luxury sports sedans. On Wednesday, March 27, 2013, the German automaker will formally unveil the new 3 Series Gran Turismo, which has a bigger distance between the front and rear wheels to create more rear-seat legroom and cargo space in the trunk. The company also will unveil the 328d in the U.S., a 3-Series equipped with a diesel engine that could get more than 40 miles per gallon on the highway. (AP Photo/BMW)

This photo provided by BMW shows the new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo, one of two important variations of its popular 3-Series small luxury sports sedans. On Wednesday, March 27, 2013, the German automaker will formally unveil the new 3 Series Gran Turismo, which has a bigger distance between the front and rear wheels to create more rear-seat legroom and cargo space in the trunk. The company also will unveil the 328d in the U.S., a 3-Series equipped with a diesel engine that could get more than 40 miles per gallon on the highway. (AP Photo/BMW)

This photo provided by BMW shows the interior of the new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo, one of two important variations of its popular 3-Series small luxury sports sedans. On Wednesday, March 27, 2013, the German automaker will formally unveil the new 3 Series Gran Turismo, which has a bigger distance between the front and rear wheels to create more rear-seat legroom and cargo space in the trunk. The company also will unveil the 328d in the U.S., a 3-Series equipped with a diesel engine that could get more than 40 miles per gallon on the highway. (AP Photo/BMW)

This photo provided by BMW shows the new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo, one of two important variations of its popular 3-Series small luxury sports sedans. On Wednesday, March 27, 2013, the German automaker will formally unveil the new 3 Series Gran Turismo, which has a bigger distance between the front and rear wheels to create more rear-seat legroom and cargo space in the trunk. The company also will unveil the 328d in the U.S., a 3-Series equipped with a diesel engine that could get more than 40 miles per gallon on the highway. (AP Photo/BMW)

This photo provided by BMW shows the new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo, one of two important variations of its popular 3-Series small luxury sports sedans. On Wednesday, March 27, 2013, the German automaker will formally unveil the new 3 Series Gran Turismo, which has a bigger distance between the front and rear wheels to create more rear-seat legroom and cargo space in the trunk. The company also will unveil the 328d in the U.S., a 3-Series equipped with a diesel engine that could get more than 40 miles per gallon on the highway. (AP Photo/BMW)

NEW YORK (AP) ? BMW is giving fans of its 3-Series more room and better gas mileage in two important variations of the small luxury sports sedan that it's rolling out at the New York International Auto Show this week.

On Wednesday, the German automaker will formally unveil a new 3 Series Gran Turismo, which has a bigger distance between the front and rear wheels to create more rear-seat legroom and cargo space in the trunk. The company also will unveil the 328d in the U.S., a 3-Series equipped with a diesel engine that should get more than 40 miles per gallon on the highway.

The 3-Series is the top-selling luxury car in the U.S. BMW sold almost 99,000 3-Series sedans, coupes, and wagons last year, up more than 6 percent from 2011. Luxury automakers overall sold more than 1 million cars in the U.S. last year, an increase of almost 12 percent over 2011.

The Gran Turismo will be available in the fall at U.S. dealers, while the 328d will arrive at showrooms later this year.

Here are the highlights of the two vehicles:

UNDER THE HOOD: The Gran Turismo has the same engines and transmissions as the standard 3-Series: a 2-liter four-cylinder engine or a 3-liter inline 6-cylinder. All-wheel-drive is standard. The 328d will have a four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine that puts out 180 horsepower. BMW says the car can go from zero to 60 in about 7.2 seconds.

OUTSIDE: The Gran Turismo has a sloped back and tailgate, and is 4.3 inches longer between the front and rear wheels than a standard 3-Series sedan. The 328d looks the same as the standard 3-Series except for a diesel badge.

INSIDE: The 328d's interior will look similar to the standard 3-Series, while the five-passenger Gran Turismo will have a little more back-seat legroom and a trunk that's one cubic foot larger than the regular 3-Series.

GAS MILEAGE: BMW says preliminary estimates show the diesel model gets 45 mpg on the highway. City mileage estimates weren't available. The Gran Turismo should get about what a standard 3-series gets: up to 36 mpg on the highway with a manual transmission and a four-cylinder engine and 33 mpg on the highway with the six cylinder motor and automatic transmission.

PRICE: About $40,000 to start for the diesel. The Gran Turismo 328i starts at just over $42,300. A 320i now starts at just under $33,000, while a 335i begins at just over $45,000.

CHEERS: The 328d brings great gas mileage and performance to the 3-Series, which already was strong in both categories. The Gran Turismo 328i promises a more comfortable ride for passengers on longer trips.

JEERS: The diesel and the Gran Turismo are pricey compared to some of the standard models.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-03-27-Auto%20Show-Hot%20Wheels-BMW%20Diesel%203-Series/id-372aee4699aa4a1eb68bce015f74b622

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Logitech launches keyboard folios for iPad, iPad Mini (video)

The iPad was never designed to be a laptop, but some people can't resist the urge to change a gadget's nature. For that purpose, Logitech is outing keyboard folios for the iPad and iPad Mini that double as a hands-free viewing stand for those long-haul flights. Your fingers will be hovering over a Bluetooth keyboard with membrane scissor keys, covered in your choice of colored fabric shell. The hardware is marked down to be available in the US and Europe in April, setting you back $100 for the iPad edition and $89.99 for the 7.87-inch version -- and if you'd like to learn more, you can check out the videos we've stashed after the break.

Gallery: Logitech Keyboard Folio press shots

Filed under: Peripherals, Tablets, Apple

Comments

Source: Logitech

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

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Self Help Tips That Are Easy To Understand | Cessiosturim

As long as you are open to it, there are always new opportunities for personal growth and improvement. If you want to grow and be a better person, start with learning and applying that knowledge to your life as often as possible.

Most employers don?t care about your school or college, they care about the degree you earned and if you can complete the work. There are only very few exceptions to this rule, such as working with a large financial institution. However, the important thing is to get a good education and increase your opportunities.

Make sure the goals you set for yourself are small and manageable so you can easily achieve them and develop the lifestyle that will make you happy. If you find what your weaknesses are, you can work to eliminate them and become a better person.

Make it a habit to constantly ask yourself what?s important in your life and whether you are still focused on it. Your life will be more peaceful, satisfying, and happy if you can stop obsessing over negative or meaningless things and concentrate your energy on what you really care about.

Do not go shopping for comfort. Instead of spending money, find a hobby. Doing something more productive will help keep money in your pocket and help your stress level.

Try not to take yourself too seriously. Everyone is a part of the world?s puzzle. Every individual can gain valuable insight from those around him, especially when acknowledging that no one person has all the answers. You?ll be open to more opportunities if you know this. Keeping an open mind will create a vacuum through which new ideas and information can flow.

A positive attitude will do wonders for your personal growth. Being a pessimistic sourpuss will hinder your efforts to get ahead and could even make your situation worse. Instead, stay positive and tell yourself that having a good attitude will help you achieve your goals.

Think of the gap between your current situation and your wishes as something you have to conquer. This can help you get where you plan to be. By living in denial of these facts, you will sabotage your efforts of reaching your true potential.

Becoming healthier will help immensely during personal development. It?s a well-known fact that a healthy body is a happy body. A healthy body also means that your mind will be sharper, and you may not have to spend as much money on heath care. Make a concerted effort to adopt healthy practices.

Maintaining benevolent wishes for others can lead to an increase in the good things you bring into your own life. Wish others well in life so you feel positive empowerment. If you keep your thoughts and feelings positive, you will find yourself less affected by negative emotions.

Organization should be central in your life. The process of cleaning up and organizing provides a massive boost to your self-esteem. Furthermore, you will feel accomplished after you finish this undertaking. Your stress level will also diminish as your life becomes more orderly. Having everything in its own place instills a calming energy.

These tips will give you a head-start on learning how to improve your self improvement. Personal development is a lifelong endeavor, so always be open to new self-betterment strategies.

Source: http://cessiosturim.unblog.fr/2013/03/25/self-help-tips-that-are-easy-to-understand/

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Bulgaria ex-minister faces corruption charge over EU food scheme

Mar 26 (Reuters) - Leading money winners on the 2013 PGATour on Monday (U.S. unless stated): 1. Tiger Woods $3,787,600 2. Brandt Snedeker $2,859,920 3. Matt Kuchar $2,154,500 4. Steve Stricker $1,820,000 5. Phil Mickelson $1,650,260 6. Hunter Mahan $1,553,965 7. John Merrick $1,343,514 8. Dustin Johnson $1,330,507 9. Russell Henley $1,313,280 10. Kevin Streelman $1,310,343 11. Keegan Bradley $1,274,593 12. Charles Howell III $1,256,373 13. Michael Thompson $1,254,669 14. Brian Gay $1,171,721 15. Justin Rose $1,155,550 16. Jason Day $1,115,565 17. Chris Kirk $1,097,053 18. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bulgaria-ex-minister-faces-corruption-charge-over-eu-171515055.html

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How Online Comments Are Becoming A Big Business - Webmaster ...

Comments are awesome, I enjoy reading them almost as much as the article itself sometimes. Businesses could really learn a thing or too from comments left by users.

Source: http://www.v7n.com/forums/online-business-forum/337422-how-online-comments-becoming-big-business.html

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Art world shivers at sale of Henry Moore statue

This undated photo made available on Friday March 22, 2013 by the Yorkshire Sculpture Park shows the Henry Moore "Draped Seated Woman" statue, on loan to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park by the London borough of Tower Hamlets, in Wakefield, England. The cash-strapped London borough of Tower Hamlets, one of the poorest communities in Britain, plans to sell the statue, estimated to be worth as much as 20 million pounds ($30 million). (AP Photo/Jonty Wilde, Yorkshire Sculpture Park) EDITORIAL USE ONLY

This undated photo made available on Friday March 22, 2013 by the Yorkshire Sculpture Park shows the Henry Moore "Draped Seated Woman" statue, on loan to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park by the London borough of Tower Hamlets, in Wakefield, England. The cash-strapped London borough of Tower Hamlets, one of the poorest communities in Britain, plans to sell the statue, estimated to be worth as much as 20 million pounds ($30 million). (AP Photo/Jonty Wilde, Yorkshire Sculpture Park) EDITORIAL USE ONLY

LONDON (AP) ? The massive bronze sculpture is formally known as "Draped Seated Woman," a Henry Moore creation that evoked Londoners huddled in air raid shelters during the Blitz.

To the East Enders who lived nearby, the artwork was known as "Old Flo," a stalwart symbol of people facing oppression with dignity and grace.

But now, Old Flo may have to go.

The cash-strapped London borough of Tower Hamlets, one of the poorest communities in Britain, plans to sell the statue ? estimated to be worth as much as 20 million pounds ($30 million).

Art lovers fear the sale of such a famous sculpture would set a worrisome precedent, triggering the sell-off of hundreds of lesser works housed in parks, public buildings and little local museums as communities throughout Britain struggle to balance their budgets amid the longest and deepest economic slowdown since the Great Depression.

"If the sale of Old Flo goes through, it can open the flood gates," said Sally Wrampling, head of policy at the Art Fund, the national fundraising charity for art and one of the groups campaigning to block the sale.

The proposal embodies a dilemma faced by many struggling households: Do you sell the family silver to get through tough times?

Tower Hamlets, where a recent study found that 42 percent of children live in poverty, is 100 million pounds in the red.

The sculpture hasn't even been in the borough for 15 years. It was moved to a sculpture park in the north of England when authorities tore down the housing project where it had been placed. The council says just the insurance alone for the massive bronze would be a burden to taxpayers.

"We make this decision with a heavy heart," said Rania Khan, a local councilor who focuses on culture issues. "We have to make tough decisions."

Local authorities throughout the country are being hit by funding cuts as the central government seeks to balance the budget and reduce borrowing. Funding for local government will fall 33 percent in real terms between April 2011 and March 2015, according to the Local Government Association. The Institute for Fiscal Studies says the cuts tend to hit poor, urban areas like Tower Hamlets hardest, because their spending was higher to begin with.

Some 2,000 museums in Britain are local affairs. Bury Council sold a painting by L.S. Lowry in 2006, and Southampton City Council backed down from plans to sell an Auguste Rodin bronze in the face of public protest. The Museums Association has advised the Northampton council to hold off on the sale of an Egyptian funerary monument estimated to be worth 2 million pounds until more consultation can be done.

The depth of the recession and the lack of hope that things will improve soon are fueling the debate.

The latest figures from the Office for Budget Responsibility, an independent agency created in 2010 to advise the government, show the economy is growing more slowly than previously forecast, reducing tax revenue and prolonging the government's austerity program.

One thing is certain: Tower Hamlets, a community of 254,000 people, desperately needs the money.

Khan says she believes Moore, the son of a coal miner and lifelong socialist who died in 1986, would be moved by the plight of her constituents. She knows women who will be hard hit by proposed limits on benefit payments ? people for whom as little as five pounds can make a huge difference ? and families living in housing with mold growing on the walls.

"If he thought the sale of the sculpture would benefit the lives of thousands in Tower Hamlets ... I think he would be in favor," Khan said.

Moore attended art school on a scholarship for ex-servicemen. He became fascinated with the human form, creating works with undulating curves that reflect rolling hills and other features of nature. His most beloved motif was the reclining female figure, like that of Old Flo.

The statue features the graceful draping that Moore traced to his observation of people huddled in the Underground during the Blitz. In a 1966 interview with the BBC, Moore talked about the fear and exhilaration of Londoners sheltering against the Nazi barrage. He had concern for those he was drawing: He never sat sketching but waited until the following day and drew from memory ? rather than capturing people in their makeshift bedrooms.

Alan Wilkinson, one of the foremost Moore scholars, said the artist would have been sympathetic about the hard times in Tower Hamlets, but would want his sculptures seen the way they were intended to be seen ? in public spaces.

"Public sculpture was incredibly important for him," Wilkinson said. "He was very fussy about where it was placed."

Moore sold Old Flo at discount to the London County Council, a forerunner of the city's current administration, in 1962 on condition the statue would be displayed publicly. It was placed at a public housing project.

The East End was one of the areas hardest hit by Nazi bombs, and its residents were directly connected to the work.

Now war memories have faded. The median age of people in Tower Hamlets is 29, the lowest in London, and 43 percent of the population was born outside the U.K., according to the latest census figures.

Old Flo's story hasn't been told to the current generation, said Patrick Brill, an artist who uses the pseudonym Bob and Roberta Smith.

"If we don't cherish these things, we lose a bit of our history," he said. "If you lose your history, you lose a bit of yourself, really."

Still, Old Flo has a fan club. Danny Boyle, director of films such as "Slumdog Millionaire" and "Trainspotting," signed an open letter asking the council to reverse its decision. A flash mob of people dressed as Old Flo appeared at the Tower Hamlets offices in November to protest the sale. Another London borough has laid claim to the statue.

Critics believe money raised by the sale would quickly vanish? and Old Flo would disappear into the private collection of a foreign hedge fund owner or Russian oligarch, taking Moore's message into hiding

Rushanara Ali, a member of Parliament who represents part of Tower Hamlets, raised the issue during a December debate, suggesting the proposal was more the result of "profligacy and extraordinary waste," than tough economic times.

"This bonfire of public art is not the answer," Ali said. "One has to ask, where does this end? What precedents will be set for other areas that may wish to make such sales to deal with financial challenges?"

Noting Moore's interest in the work of Pablo Picasso, Brill said Old Flo was influenced by "Guernica," the 1937 painting that shows the suffering inflicted by war. As such, she still has resonance for the people of Tower Hamlets, an area that has been home to generations of immigrants, including the Bangladeshis who today account for 32 percent of the population.

"Old Flo ... is a very British 'keep calm carry on' image of the same thing as 'Guernica,'" he said. "Old Flo is East London's monument to people seeking sanctuary. She is our 'Guernica.'"

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-03-24-Britain-Moore%20or%20Less/id-4b03297e4e8d4c11b2bc58c44fdc6b1b

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Application Launcher - VB.NET | Dream.In.Code

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Emoticons

"); // Add smilies into the mix ipb.editor_values.set( 'show_emoticon_link', false ); ipb.editor_values.set( 'bbcodes', $H({"snapback":{"id":"1","title":"Post Snap Back","desc":"This tag displays a little linked image which links back to a post - used when quoting posts from the board. 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Only this piece of the entry will be displayed on the main blog page and will show up in the RSS feed.","tag":"extract","useoption":"0","example":"[extract]This is an example![/extract]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"blog":{"id":"34","title":"Blog Link","desc":"This tag provides an easy way to link to a blog.","tag":"blog","useoption":"1","example":"[blog=100]Click me![/blog]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"entry":{"id":"35","title":"Blog Entry Link","desc":"This tag provides an easy way to link to a blog entry.","tag":"entry","useoption":"1","example":"[entry=100]Click me![/entry]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"twitter":{"id":"36","title":"Twitter","desc":"A tag to link to a user's twitter account","tag":"twitter","useoption":"0","example":"[twitter]userName[/twitter]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":"twitter.png"},"inline":{"id":"37","title":"Inline Code","desc":"Formats code inline instead of in a seperate code box. ","tag":"inline","useoption":"0","example":"[inline]style=\"font-size: 12px;\"[/inline]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"il":{"id":"38","title":"Abbreviated Inline (IL)","desc":"Abbreviated version of the [inline] tag. ","tag":"il","useoption":"0","example":"[il]Code Here[/il]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":"il2.png"},"code":{"id":"41","title":"Code","desc":"Allows you to enter general code","tag":"code","useoption":"1","example":"[code]$text = 'Some long code here';[/code]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"1","image":""}}) ); ipb.vars['emoticon_url'] = "http://cdn.dreamincode.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/default"; //Search Setup ipb.vars['search_type'] = 'forum'; ipb.vars['search_type_id'] = 67; ipb.vars['search_type_2'] = 'topic'; ipb.vars['search_type_id_2'] = 316591; //]]>

1 Replies - 51 Views - Last Post: Today, 06:57 PM Rate Topic:

#1 Zartanian ?

Reputation: 0

• Posts: 1
• Joined: Today, 05:27 PM

Posted Today, 05:47 PM

Here is what I am trying to accomplish. I am making a simple application launcher using windows forms. I am trying to find a way to find a application based on a registry point. I have been using the shell command but quickly learned if the program is not in the directory specified the application fails. So I would like to look in the registry to find the path rather then using a absolute directory.

I am rather new to this but below is where I was heading...and it is wrong

[code]
Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
Shell("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\App\load.exe")
End Sub
[\code]

Thank you for help!

Is This A Good Question/Topic? 0

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Replies To: Application Launcher

#2 andrewsw ?

Reputation: 678

• Posts: 2,052
• Joined: 12-December 12

Re: Application Launcher

Posted Today, 06:57 PM

You cannot launch an application from a registry key, unless a key happens to store the full path to an application and you already know where this key lives.

Searching the registry can be quite involved as well, and time-consuming, unless you know more or less where a particular key or value lives.

Are you new to VB.NET, or new to using the Registry? If the first then I recommend you leave the registry alone until you have covered the fundamentals of the language.

If you are attempting to launch a specific, well-known, application then you might not need the location, if it is stored in the environment-paths:

Shell("Notepad.exe")

Shell returns a FileNotFoundException so you could try..catch this.

This post has been edited by andrewsw: Today, 06:58 PM

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Source: http://www.dreamincode.net/forums/topic/316591-application-launcher/

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