Friday, May 31, 2013

Disaster News ? Lessons from Moore: Auto Insurance

The parking lot outside the demolished 7-11 store in Moore is a temporary junkyard for battered vehicles. Crumpled cars line up awaiting their owners, who can then tell their insurance company where the car is so it can be towed to a real junkyard.

How can you tell who owns a car, or even what kind of car it is, when it is battered, mud-caked and nearly unrecognizable? You rely on the vehicle identification number.

So far, there have been more than 12,600 auto insurance claims resulting from Oklahoma?s recent tornadoes. Some of these claims are total losses; others are for anything from hail damage to windshields blown out by flying debris.

If a car is a total loss, it is considered beyond repair or it is determined that it would cost more to repair it than the car is worth. Among the basic coverage types for auto insurance is comprehensive coverage, which pays for damage from natural disasters. If you are making payments on a car, the lender requires comprehensive coverage. While this is optional coverage for those who have paid in full for their cars, many choose it to protect their investment in their vehicle.

How insurers pay total loss claims for cars

Auto insurance provides comprehensive coverage on an actual cash value (ACV) basis, which means the insurance company owes what the car is worth in the local market area at the time of the loss. To determine what that cost is, insurers get quotations from qualified dealers in the area or check nationally recognized sources, such as Kelley Blue Book or the NADA Guide from the National Automobile Dealers Association.

Full replacement cost coverage is not available under a typical auto policy, although some insurers provide new car replacement for a limited number of years if the auto is insured when new.

If you are financing a vehicle that was totaled by the tornado, the insurer is likely to issue a claim check with both your name and the lien holder?s name on it. You and your lender will then agree on how to release that claims money.

Sometimes, the loan amount is more than the ACV value of the car. Many people in this situation have extra coverage through a Guaranteed Auto Protection (GAP) endorsement on their auto policy or through a separate GAP policy.

If you disagree with the auto valuation

Ask your claims adjuster to explain how the settlement amount was derived. If you still disagree, you can ask for an appraisal of the loss. There is a specific provision in the policy for appraisal which lists the responsibility of both parties, so check your insurance policy for this information.

If you remain dissatisfied, discuss your concerns with your insurance company before cashing the check. You?ll want to understand if cashing the check releases the insurer from further liability; many times this information is on the back of the check.

If you decide you want to hang onto a salvaged vehicle, you would be responsible for the cost of repairs.

What happens if you purchased only the minimum state-required liability coverage or had no auto insurance? Unfortunately, you will not have paid for coverage related to natural disasters. You may, however, qualify for a casualty loss from the Internal Revenue Service?you can find more information in this IRS Disaster Resource Guide. Additionally, the Oklahoma Insurance Department has online resources for tornado victims and a consumer hotline: 1-800-522-0071.

Source: http://disasternews.iii.org/?p=581

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Epigenetic biomarkers may predict if a specific diet and exercise regimen will work

May 30, 2013 ? Would you be more likely to try a diet and exercise regimen if you knew in advance if it would actually help you lose weight? Thanks to a new report published in the June 2013 issue of The FASEB Journal, this could become a reality. In the report, scientists identify five epigenetic biomarkers in adolescents that were associated with a better weight loss at the beginning of a weight loss program. Not only could this could ultimately help predict an individual's response to weight loss intervention, but it may offer therapeutic targets for enhancing a weight loss program's effects.

"Successful obesity treatment during adolescence could reduce morbidity at later stages of life and lead to a better quality of life," said Amelia Mart?, Ph.D., Pharm. D., co-author of this study from the Department of Nutrition, Food Science, Physiology and Toxicology at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. "It is crucial to find new markers for obesity treatment. Here, we describe five putative epigenetic biomarkers that could help to predict the response to a weight loss intervention in obese adolescents."

To make this discovery, Mart? and colleagues first performed a global methylation assay in 24 adolescents who had the best and worst response to the EVASYON weight loss program, and then expanded the sample to include 83 more adolescents. Researchers measured an epigenetic marker, DNA methylation levels, in obese adolescents from a blood sample at baseline and again at the end of the 10-week program. Participants were then divided into two groups (high and low responders) according to the weight loss achieved. The researchers found that the baseline DNA methylation levels of five epigenetic markers were associated with better weight loss response. This EVASYON program is a lifestyle and nutritional educational weight loss program that includes a multidisciplinary team of nutritionists, physiotherapists, psychologists and pediatricians. EVASYON was conducted in five Spanish cities: Granada, Madrid, Pamplona, Santander and Zaragoza.

"If you've ever wondered why some people seem to do so well on a diet and exercise plan and other fail so miserably, then now we know that the way that genes express themselves (via epigenetics) plays an important role," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal. "This report moves us a step closer when we will be able to prescribe a weight loss program tailored to more than just the lifestyle and conditioning level of the patient, but also to his or her particular genetic and epigenetic profile."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. A. Moleres, J. Campion, F. I. Milagro, A. Marcos, C. Campoy, J. M. Garagorri, S. Gomez-Martinez, J. A. Martinez, M. C. Azcona-Sanjulian, A. Marti. Differential DNA methylation patterns between high and low responders to a weight loss intervention in overweight or obese adolescents: the EVASYON study. The FASEB Journal, 2013; 27 (6): 2504 DOI: 10.1096/fj.12-215566

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/genes/~3/A2TbImB7kl8/130530094950.htm

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New Mexico Man Arrested for Drunk Driving, Sex Behind the Wheel

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/05/new-mexico-man-arrested-for-drunk-driving-sex-behind-the-wheel/

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Thursday, May 30, 2013

US-India School Partnership for Real Communication - Grants.gov ...





The synopsis for this grant opportunity is detailed below, following this paragraph. This synopsis contains all of the updates to this document that have been posted as of 05/30/2013 . If updates have been made to the opportunity synopsis, update information is provided below the synopsis.

If you would like to receive notifications of changes to the grant opportunity click send me change notification emails . The only thing you need to provide for this service is your email address. No other information is requested.

Any inconsistency between the original printed document and the disk or electronic document shall be resolved by giving precedence to the printed document.

Document Type: Grants Notice
Funding Opportunity Number: NDRFP13-02
Opportunity Category: Discretionary
Posted Date: May 30, 2013
Creation Date: May 30, 2013
Original Closing Date for Applications: Jun 20, 2013 ??
Current Closing Date for Applications: Jun 20, 2013 ??
Archive Date: Jul 20, 2013
Funding Instrument Type: Grant
Category of Funding Activity: Education
Category Explanation:
Expected Number of Awards: 1
Estimated Total Program Funding: $46,326
Award Ceiling: $46,326
Award Floor: $10,000
CFDA Number(s): 19.040 ?--? Public Diplomacy Programs
Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement: No

Eligible Applicants

Independent school districts
Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Private institutions of higher education
Individuals
?

Additional Information on Eligibility:


Agency Name

U.S. Mission to India

Description

U.S. EMBASSY NEW DELHI PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION GRANT AGREEMENT PROGRAM Funding Opportunity Title: NDRFP13-02 U.S.-India School Partnership for Real Communication CFDA Number: 19.040 - Public Diplomacy Programs Date Opened: 05/30/2013 Contact: Grant Applications Manager, U.S. Embassy New Delhi Email: ND_GrantApplications@state.gov Application Deadline: 06/20/2013 12:00 midnight Washington, DC (EDT) Section I. Funding Opportunity Description The U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section in New Delhi is soliciting proposals for grant agreements that fall into the area specified in Section II below from non-governmental organizations, and other legally-recognized non-profit institutions that meet U.S. and/or Indian technical and legal requirements to develop and implement educational and cultural programs as specified in Section II below. Information about the Public Affairs Section can be found at: http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/. Section II. U.S.-India School Partnership for Real Communication Individual high schools in India are linked with high schools in the U.S. for curriculum development partnerships, joint projects on selected themes, sharing cultural information and developing personal relationships between students and teachers. Making the most of available technology, students and teachers communicate and collaborate on a regular basis. School linkages would provide the platform for American Studies / Indian Studies curriculum development in the partner schools. Partner schools also collaborate on projects related to global issues: climate change, innovation, conflict resolution, etc. ? according to an annual theme selected by the U.S. Department of State (hereafter called USDOS). The recipient organization will identify schools in all major cities in India and America. Number and names of these cities will be finalized after discussion with USDOS. The recipient will conduct training workshops for all the selected school, so that schools have a clear understanding of the projects and its desired end results. The recipient will work closely with the schools during the roll out to resolve any teething problems. The recipient will monitor all aspects of project and conduct time bound evaluation by feedback, surveys and questionnaires, etc. and submit a mid-term and final valuation of the project for USDOS. Section III. Award Information 1. Funding Type and Amount: Grant Agreement or Grant Minimum (?Floor?) Award Amount: $10,000 Maximum (?Ceiling?) Award Amount: $46,326 The U.S. Embassy New Delhi Public Affairs Section reserves the right to award less or more than the funds described under circumstances deemed to be in the best interest of the U.S. government. 2. Project and Budget Periods: Grant projects generally should be completed in one year or less. The Public Affairs Section will entertain applications for continuation grant agreements funded under these awards, within and beyond the initial budget period, on a noncompetitive basis, subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the program, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the U.S. Department of State. Section IV. Basic Eligibility Information: 1. Non profit. The U.S. Embassy New Delhi Public Affairs Section only accepts applications from U.S. and Indian organizations that are legally registered not-for-profit non-governmental organizations / think tanks with at least two years of experience working with Schools. 2. Proper and complete registrations and rights. Applicants must acquire all required registrations in the United States and / or India. All intellectual property considerations and rights must be fully met in the United States and India. 3. Additional requirements may apply. Section V. Application Submission and Deadline See ?How to Apply? (http://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant_faqs.jsp#applying) on www.grants.gov for complete details on requirements, and note the following highlights: 1. Register. Organizations not registered with grants.gov should register well in advance of the deadline. It can take weeks to finalize registration (sometimes longer for non-U.S. based NGOs) to get the required registration numbers. To register with grants.gov, organizations must first receive a DUNS number and register with the SAM.gov, a process which can also take weeks. 2. Submit proposal. Proposals must be submitted to grants.gov and to the following email address ND_GrantApplications@state.gov. The subject line of your email should be as follows: Applicant Organization name ? NDRFP13-02 ? U.S.-India School Partnership for Real Communication. If you encounter technical difficulties with grants.gov please contact the grants.gov Help Desk at support@grants.gov or by calling 1-800-518-4726 in the U.S. Applications must be submitted by an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) of the applicant organization. Having proposals submitted by agency headquarters helps to avoid possible technical problems. Non-AOR personnel submitting applications will be rejected in Grants.gov. Pursuant to U.S. Code, Title 218, Section 1001, stated on OMB Standard Form 424 (SF-424), Department of State is authorized to consolidate the certifications and assurances required by Federal law or regulations for its federal assistance programs. Please refer to the link below for a list of certifications and assurances: http://fa.statebuy.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=161&menu_id=68 2. English. Applications are accepted in English only. Final grant agreements and any subsequent amendments will be concluded in English only. 3. Proposal plus SF-424. When submitting a proposal, applicants are required to fill out a detailed budget and the Federal Assistance Application Standard Form 424. See two attachments ?U.S. EMBASSY NEW DELHI GRANTS PROGRAM- SUGGESTED APPLICATION FORMAT? and ?SF-424.? While the grant proposal format is somewhat flexible, we recommend you use the template as a starting point, and add additional information as necessary. Please insert ?Applicant Organization name ? NDRFP13-02 ? U.S.-India School Partnership for Real Communication? in the header, along with page numbers, on every page of your application. At the minimum, your proposal should include: Cover sheet: Provide an executive summary of the project description (no more than one page) with reference to the amount and duration of the funding request. Description and justification: Applicants must submit a full description of the organizations and project, including goals and objectives. Describe innovative aspects of the project. Include r?sum?s for project partners and key personnel. List those organizations, cooperating entities, consultants, or other key individuals who will work on the project, along with a short description of the nature of their effort or contribution. Activities: Outline a plan of action that describes the scope and detail of how the proposed work will be accomplished. Account for all functions or activities identified in the application. Cite factors that might accelerate or slow down the work and state reasons for taking the proposed approach rather than alternatives. Describe any unusual features of the project, such as design or technological innovations, reductions in cost or time, or extraordinary social and community involvement. Accomplishments, monitoring and evaluation: Describe how you plan to monitor progress of research, and determine overall success and impact of the program. Budget: Provide a detailed budget of every cost associated with the project. The more information and detail that you provide about the proposed budget, with a budget narrative, the better we can determine the viability and completeness of your proposal. For the budget line item ?indirect costs? or ?administrative overhead,? any figure you provide without a specific breakout will be returned for additional information or rejected. If your organization has an approved ?Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement? or NICRA, please note that on your application and provide supporting documentation. Section VI. Review and Selection Process 1. Criteria. Each application submitted under this announcement will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the criteria enumerated in Section VII below. The criteria are designed to assess the quality of the proposed project, and to determine the likelihood of its success. The criteria are closely related and are considered as a whole in judging the overall quality of an application. Applications will be reviewed on the basis of their fullness, coherence, clarity, and attention to detail. Points are awarded only to applications that are responsive within the context of this program announcement. 2. Acknowledgement of receipt. Applicants will receive acknowledgment of receipt of their proposal. A technical review panel will review the proposal and, based upon the criteria noted below, assess the general qualification. A qualitative determination will be made regarding the program?s proposed area of activity, and those proposals that are deemed to be the best fit will be given additional consideration. A proposal that is approved but not funded will be kept on file for one year should the panel wish to reconsider, or if additional resources become available. 3. Follow up notification. Organizations whose applications were not approved or funded will be notified thru email. Section VII. Application Evaluation Criteria 1. Organizational Experience. Applicant?s experience and understanding of schools in India and the U.S., international travel/visa, and its detailed description in the proposal. (50 points) 3. Organizational capacity. The organization demonstrates expertise in identifying schools and arranging logistics for the round trip. Where project partners are included, the applicant details each partner?s respective role, provides partner organization information and r?sum?s for all persons responsible for the project and its financial administration. (25 points) 4. Budget and narrative justification. The budget and narrative justification are complete and reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The plan for services and related cost estimates is realistic. (10 points) 5. Monitoring and evaluation. The applying organization describes how to monitor progress of research, and determine overall success and impact of the program. (15 points) Section VIII. Award Administration 1. Award notices: The grant award or agreement shall be written, signed, awarded, and administered by the Grants Officer. The Grants Officer is the U.S. government official delegated the authority by the U.S. Department of State Procurement Executive to write, award, and administer grant agreements and grant agreements. The assistance award agreement is the authorizing document and it will be provided to the recipient. The grantee is likely to interact mostly with a Grant Officer Representative (GOR). 2. Anticipated time to award: Applicants of successful proposals will generally be notified within 90 days after the submission deadline. 3. Reporting requirements: All awards issued under this announcement require both program and financial reports on a frequency specified in the award agreement. The disbursement of funds may be tied to submission of these reports in a timely manner. All other details related to award administration will be specified in the award agreement. The point of contact for questions or issues related to the administration of the grant will be specified in the award agreement.

Link to Additional Information

U.S. Embassy New Delhi Request for Proposals Public Diplomacy

If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact:

Stephanie Morimura ACAO
Phone 91-11-2347-2408 ACAO Stephanie Morimura

Synopsis Modification History

There are currently no modifications for this opportunity.

?

Source: http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&oppId=235633

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Genetic variants linked to educational attainment

May 30, 2013 ? A multi-national team of researchers has identified genetic markers that predict educational attainment by pooling data from more than 125,000 individuals in the United States, Australia, and 13 western European countries.

The study, which appears in the journal Science, was conducted by the Social Science Genetic Association Consortium (SSGAC), which includes researchers at NYU, Erasmus University, Cornell University, Harvard University, the University of Bristol, and the University of Queensland, among other institutions.

The SSGAC conducted what is called a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to explore the link between genetic variation and educational attainment -- the number of years of schooling completed by an individual and whether he or she graduated college. In a GWAS, researchers test hundreds of thousands of genetic markers for association with some characteristics such as a disease, trait or life outcome.

Because the sample included people from different countries -- where markers for schooling vary significantly -- the research team adopted the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) scale, which is a commonly used method for establishing a uniform measure of educational attainment across cohorts.

Anticipating that very large samples would be required to credibly detect genetic associations, the SSGAC researchers assembled a total sample size more than 10 times larger than any previous genetic study of any social-scientific outcome. The team examined associations between educational attainment and genetic variants called single-nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs, which are tiny changes at a single location in a person's genetic code.

The study found that the genetic markers with the strongest effects on educational attainment could each only explain two one-hundredths of a percentage point (0.02 percent). To put that figure into perspective, it is known from earlier research that the SNP with the largest effect on human height accounts for about 0.40 percent of the variation.

Combining the two million examined SNPs, the SSGAC researchers were able to explain about 2 percent of the variation in educational attainment across individuals, and anticipate that this figure will rise as larger samples become available.

"We hope that our findings will eventually be useful for understanding biological processes underlying learning, memory, reading disabilities and cognitive decline in the elderly," said co-author Daniel Benjamin, a behavioral economist at Cornell who is a co-director of the SSGAC.

"Another contribution of our study is that it will strengthen the methodological foundations of social-science genetics," said David Cesarini, an NYU assistant professor at the Center for Experimental Social Science and the Center for Neuroeconomics, who also co-directs the SSGAC. "We used 125,000 individuals to conduct this study. Previous studies used far smaller samples, sometimes as small as 100 individuals and rarely more than 10,000. These small samples make sense under the assumption that individual genes have large effects. However, if genes have small effects, as our study shows, then sample sizes need to be very large to produce robust findings that will reliably replicate in other samples."

The researchers were careful to note that they have not discovered "the gene for education" or that these findings somehow imply that a person's educational attainment is determined at birth.

"For most outcomes that we study as social scientists, genetic influences are likely to operate through environmental channels that are modifiable," explained NYU sociologist Dalton Conley, one of the study's co-authors who also serves on the Advisory Board of the SSGAC. "We have now taken a small but important first step toward identifying the specific genetic variants that predict educational attainment. Armed with this knowledge, we can now begin to examine how other factors -- including public policy, parental roles, and economic status -- dampen or amplify genetic effects and ultimately devise better remedies to bolster educational outcomes."

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/Lz-QKfzzzxQ/130530141959.htm

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Getting 60 votes for amnesty is ?pretty easy,? says Reid (Powerlineblog)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/309089337?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Link between domestic violence and perinatal mental health disorders

May 28, 2013 ? Women who have mental health disorders around the time of birth are more likely to have previously experienced domestic violence, according to a study by UK researchers published in this week's PLOS Medicine.

The researchers, led by Louise Howard from King's College London, found that high levels of symptoms of perinatal* depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder were linked to having experienced domestic violence either during pregnancy, the past year, or over a woman's lifetime.

The researchers (also the authors of the published study) reached these conclusions by reviewing 67 relevant studies (in a systematic review) and combining the results.

They found that around 12-13% of postnatal depression (i.e. high levels of postnatal depressive symptoms) is linked with experiences of domestic violence during pregnancy. In a further analysis, the authors found that women with antenatal and postnatal depression were three times more likely to have experienced domestic violence in the past year and 5 times more likely to have experienced domestic violence when pregnant. Women with antenatal anxiety disorders were also three times more likely to have experienced domestic violence over her lifetime but this figure was less in women with postnatal anxiety disorders.

However, it is important to note that these findings cannot prove that domestic violence can cause perinatal mental health disorders or provide evidence that perinatal mental health disorders can lead to subsequent domestic violence, and there is no information on other perinatal mental disorders, such as eating disorders and puerperal psychosis.

The authors say: "Our finding that women with high levels of symptoms of a range of perinatal mental disorders have a high prevalence and increased odds of having experienced domestic violence both over the lifetime and during pregnancy highlights the importance of health professionals identifying and responding to domestic violence among women attending antenatal and mental health services."

They continue: "Further data is? needed on how maternity and mental health services should best identify women with a history or current experience of domestic violence, respond appropriately and safely, and thus improve health outcomes for women and their infants in the perinatal period."

*Note: the perinatal period refers to the period before, during, and after pregnancy

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/mind_brain/depression/~3/KW6uU5JIa_w/130528181026.htm

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Fuel tanker reportedly hijacked off Nigeria coast

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) ? Pirates hijacked a fuel tanker off the coast of Nigeria's oil-rich delta, taking Pakistani and Nigerian sailors hostage in the latest attack targeting the region, private security officials said Tuesday.

The gunmen boarded the MT Matrix I some 40 nautical miles off the coast of Nigeria's Bayelsa state early Saturday morning, the officials said, taking a number of the crew hostage. It wasn't immediately known what happened to the rest of the crew. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity as the Nigerian government was not speaking publicly about the hijacking.

A military spokesman in the delta referred calls for comment Tuesday to Nigeria's navy. Commodore Kabir Aliyu, a navy spokesman, said there had been no report of a hijacking made to officials.

Some shippers in the region don't report hijackings publicly, out of fears of having their insurance premiums rise.

Telephone numbers for Pakistan's High Commission in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, could not be immediately connected Tuesday.

Nigerian naval authorities listed the ship as one of several allowed to bring subsidized gasoline into the country in May as part of a program costing the nation billions of dollars a year.

Naval officials listed the ship as being operated by a company called Integrated Shipping Services Nigeria Ltd. A telephone number for the company could not be immediately found. Other registries listed the ship as being operated by Val Oil Trading SA of Athens, Greece. A number for that company could not be immediately found. Officials at Matrix Energy Ltd., a Nigerian company listed as doing business with Val Oil Trading, did not immediately return a call for comment.

The Gulf of Guinea, which follows the continent's southward curve from Liberia past Nigeria to Gabon, has seen an escalation in violent pirate attacks from low-level armed robberies to hijackings and cargo thefts. London-based Lloyd's Market Association ? an umbrella group of insurers ? has listed Nigeria, neighboring Benin and nearby waters in the same risk category as Somalia, where two decades of war and anarchy have allowed piracy to flourish.

Oil tanker hijackings have happened more and more in recent months, with pirates stealing the fuel onboard, as opposed to kidnapping sailors for ransom. Estimates suggest pirates likely are able to make as much as a $2 million profit for offloading 3,000 tons of fuel. Foreign hostages still draw tens of thousands of dollars in ransoms, with nearly all released unharmed after their companies pay for their freedom.

The piracy and kidnappings have grown around Nigeria's oil delta, despite a 2009 government amnesty program for militants there.

___

Jon Gambrell can be reached at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP .

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fuel-tanker-reportedly-hijacked-off-nigeria-coast-121845103.html

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Smartphones to outsell feature phones in 2013

Smartphone Market Share 2013

Growth at the high end of the smartphone market might be slowing, but it seems like nothing can stop the low-end smartphone market. Smartphones out-shipped feature phones for the first time in Q1 this year and according to market research firm DisplaySearch, smartphones will continue to dominate basic cell phones for the rest of 2013. The firm sees smartphone shipments hitting 937 million units this year, handily topping the 889 million feature phones expected to ship. By 2016, smartphones shipments will hit 1.45 billion units thanks to growth in emerging markets, and smart handsets will make up an estimated two-thirds of the global cell phone market at that time.

[More from BGR: Schmidt: If governments want Google to pay more taxes, they should change tax laws]

[More from BGR: Xbox One vs. PlayStation 4: PS4 wins on specs]

?The global smartphone market is expected to continue growing rapidly over the next two years,? said Shawn Lee, research director at DisplaySearch. ?With larger, higher-resolution displays, faster processors, and higher-capacity cellular systems being built, the smartphone is not only becoming a must-have device, but is satisfying many needs that formerly required other computing and consumer electronics devices.?

This article was originally published on BGR.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/smartphones-outsell-feature-phones-2013-214518993.html

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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

96% Blancanieves

All Critics (50) | Top Critics (13) | Fresh (47) | Rotten (2)

Most films are experiences to be ignored or at best forgotten. "Blancanieves" is a little classic to be treasured.

It is a full-bodied silent film of the sort that might have been made by the greatest directors of the 1920s, if such details as the kinky sadomasochism of this film's evil stepmother could have been slipped past the censors.

Blancanieves, which won 10 Goyas (Spain's equivalent of the Oscars) and was a smash hit in its native Spain, has traces of a kinky undertone and an uncommon willingness to embrace the darkness inherent in this fairy tale.

As if bewitched, the legend of Snow White is transferred to Seville in the early twentieth century and transformed into high melodrama.

Sensuous, mischievous, hotblooded retelling of the old Teutonic fairy tale.

This gorgeous silent film is an unexpected gift from the gods of pure cinema.

A boldly conceived fairy tale from Spain

Succeeds in all its cinematic experiments

The story might be familiar, but Berger's film is so beautifully shot and so wonderfully scored - and so distinctively Spanish - that it stands as its own film.

Blancanieves holds to the structure, but not strictures, of the source fairy tale.

A new, purely silent movie from Spain that never once speaks and doesn't need to speak. What's more, it seems to get the infinite possibilities of silence, and how much passion can come from it.

Berger's film doesn't show loyalty to any traditional version of Snow White. Berger's Blancanieves takes a darker approach, which seems appropriate.

A completely enchanting fairy tale about the vicissitudes of fate, in live action and glorious black and white.

The fun in the Spanish "Blancanieves" is the way it plays with our expectations.

May not have much depth to its characters or particular surprise, but its lovely depiction of family's ability to harm and mend has the flair of flamenco and the sorrow of opera.

No, "Blancanieves" isn't subtle, but it's an unforgettable time at the movies.

Inspired filmmaking steeped in the imagery of silent film history, a dark Iberian strain of Roman Catholicism and the magic of fairy tales.

... lusty and heartfelt, fiery flamenco and spirited country jig. Don't go expecting a Disney-fied fable. Berger seasons with S&M and the kind of macabre touches you'd expect in vintage Browning or Bunuel.

If not for some faintly disturbing imagery and a pleasingly feminist heroine, you could mistake this for a movie actually made in the 1920s (and even those two factors weren't utterly unknown then).

A loving tribute to European silent films of the 1920s; a reminder that cinema need not be constrained by words.

By the time the film arrives at its grand theatrical finale, you're almost prepared for Berger's last great twist. Almost.

this beautifully shot and imaginatively told fairy tale should be seen my many, but only a few will likely get to enjoy it. This is a shame for the audience it is intended for.

This film is simply gorgeous, pure beauty on film, a vision that leaves you breathless and reeling.

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Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/blancanieves/

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UN rights body agrees to urgent debate on Syria

GENEVA (AP) ? The U.N.'s top human rights body agreed Monday to hold another urgent session on the civil war in Syria, hoping to prod accountability for the killing of thousands of civilians.

The U.S., Turkey and Qatar persuaded the 47-member Human Rights Council to hold a debate Wednesday looking into the violence in the Syrian town of Qusair, near Lebanon.

The move came as the U.N.'s top human rights official, Navi Pillay, warned that the international community was failing Syria's victims.

The council has passed nine previous resolutions on Syria seeking to end the violence and impose accountability for the killings, rapes, torture, shelling of civilians and other horrific abuses.

Diplomats exchanged sharp words Monday over the more than 70,000 people killed in Syria and the millions displaced since the uprising against President Bashar Assad began in March 2011.

Ambassador Oguz Demiralp of Turkey said Assad's regime is "attacking its own citizens with heavy weapons" in Qusair, which has been under siege by government forces and members of Lebanon's Hezbollah group since last week.

"This time the Syrian regime is blatantly hand-in-hand with foreign culprits," he said. "Those who cling to power in Syria seem to have lost sense of reality and humanity."

Syrian Ambassador Faysal Khabbaz Hamoui accused the council of catering to nations that support the rebels and claimed that Pillay's rights office has taken an "irresponsible and biased attitude" toward his government.

But British Ambassador Karen Pierce and other diplomats praised Pillay's "vital words" on Syria.

Pillay told the council that civilians unfairly bear the brunt of a crisis that is threatening the region's stability and in which "human rights violations have reached horrific dimensions."

She said she was extremely concerned about the possibility that hundreds of civilians have been killed or wounded and thousands trapped by indiscriminate shelling and aerial attacks by Syrian government forces in Qusair.

Pillay warned that the Syria government is shelling residential areas and directly targeting schools and hospitals. She also said "wanton human rights violations" were being committed by the rebels.

She repeated her call for the U.N. to refer Syria for war crimes prosecution with the International Criminal Court.

Down the hallway, diplomats at the World Health Assembly shared their concerns about Syria's growing cases of mental illness and diseases such as typhoid, hepatitis A and measles, and its severely disrupted health care system.

Next week a U.N. panel investigating war crimes in Syria is to deliver an update on their work that is expected to deal with the suspected use of chemical weapons in the war.

That could add to pressure on Syria from the U.N. General Assembly, which two weeks ago approved an Arab-backed resolution demanding a political transition in Syria.

Next month, the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council ? the U.S., Russia, China, Britain and France ? hope get Assad's regime and its opponents to the negotiating table in Geneva.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/un-rights-body-agrees-urgent-debate-syria-200711797.html

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Bulgaria's PM-designate pledges help for poor

By Tsvetelia Tsolova

SOFIA (Reuters) - The man most likely to form Bulgaria's next government pledged on Sunday to spend more to help society's most deprived, but said he would keep public debt low enough to maintain a currency peg to the euro.

Plamen Oresharski, 53, offers the best chance for ending a political stalemate that has dragged on since the government quit in February in the face of protests against austerity measures in the European Union's poorest country.

Bulgaria needs a working government to hammer out a 2014 budget and lobby for EU funds required to end an economic crisis and raise living standards.

The center-right party that led the former government won most seats in a May 12 election but could not command a majority, so it passed the baton to Oresharski, a former finance minister, to build a cabinet of technocrats supported by the Socialists and the ethnic Turkish MRF.

The country's president has mandated him to form a government. He must still win a vote on confidence in parliament, a prospect seen as likely given that all he needs is one abstention among MPs from the center-right GERB or the nationalist Attack party.

"I have not been involved in political talks, but from some signs it is obvious that Attack will either abstain or not vote. That gives us certain reasons to be confident," the softly-spoken Oresharski told Reuters.

With the average salary at just 400 euros ($520) per month, pensions half that and every fifth Bulgarian living below the poverty line, the new government needs to show it can work to improve incomes or risk fresh demonstrations.

Although he is not a member of the political parties that have long dominated Bulgarian politics, Oresharski hardly symbolizes a fresh start.

He oversaw a period of dizzying economic boom and dramatic bust as finance minister in a Socialist-led administration that lasted from 2005 to 2009.

Given the May vote's inconclusive result and continued public frustration with the political class, Oresharski is treading carefully, promising policies with broad support across the parties.

He said the new government would look to find up to 200 million levs ($132 million) from the budget to help poorer people pay electricity and heating bills, create temporary jobs and boost support for mothers.

"I believe there is a way to restructure spending and keep the deficit at the planned level of 1.3 percent of gross domestic product this year," Oresharski said in an interview.

The new cabinet would keep flat income and corporate tax rates unchanged at 10 percent - some of the lowest in the EU - to attract foreign investors and help propel growth beyond an expected 1 percent this year, he said. Before the May vote, the Socialists had pledged to cut tax for lower earners.

Oresharski said he would discuss raising the minimum wage from 310 levs per month and increasing pensions, which have been frozen since 2009, in line with inflation, by boosting tax collection rather than raising additional loans.

The government would stick with a Socialist promise to create 250,000 more jobs in the country of 7.3 million and try to keep electricity prices unchanged. It promises to restructure an opaque and inefficient energy sector in an attempt to avoid more of the protests, which started when bills rose in cold weather.

It will also consider restarting a nuclear power plant project at Belene, canceled by the previous government, if a new review showed the 2,000 megawatt plant made economic sense, Oresharski said. ($1 = 1.5126 Bulgarian levs) ($1 = 0.7734 euros)

(Editing by Tom Pfeiffer)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bulgarias-pm-designate-pledges-help-poor-114226886.html

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US, Russia discuss peace plan as Syria worsens

PARIS (AP) ? The top U.S. and Russian diplomats met Monday to try to accelerate frustratingly slow peace efforts in Syria, where the signs point only to a worsening conflict.

Capping off an eight-day trip to the Middle East and Africa, Secretary of State John Kerry flew into the French capital to see Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and exchange updates on their respective diplomatic efforts.

The United States and its Arab allies are attempting to secure the participation of Syria's fractured opposition at an international peace conference in Geneva, planned for next month. Russia is pledging to deliver Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime to the talks.

But despite claims of progress by both powers, there is little evidence to suggest either side in Syria is ready to halt more than two years of violence that has killed more than 70,000 people. President Barack Obama has demanded that Assad leave power; Russia has stood by its closest ally in the Arab world.

Kerry said the U.S. and Russia each are committed to starting a political transition that "would allow the people of Syria to decide the future of Syria."

"We are committed to this," Kerry told reporters upon conclusion of the meeting. "We both want to make this conference happen, if possible, together with many other countries that will join up."

"It is our hope that we will come out of here with greater clarity about some of the issues that need to be worked on in the days ahead," he added.

Lavrov suggested much work remains if any peace conference is going to make headway, calling it a "very tall order." He also signaled continued disagreement between Washington and Moscow on the participants at the conference, saying it should include more interested parties than previous diplomatic gatherings. It was an apparent reference to Iran, which the United States and the Syrian opposition don't want to see involved in any negotiation.

The one-on-one Paris meeting between Kerry and Lavrov, to be immediately followed by a dinner that includes French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, occurred as Sen. John McCain slipped into Syria Monday to meet with rebels, and at an increasingly dangerous time for the country.

For the past week, regime troops and allies from Lebanon's Hezbollah ? and even some Iranian fighters ? have waged an offensive in Qusair, gaining ground against the rebels behind intense bombardments of the strategic western Syria town.

Hezbollah's enhanced role poses an assortment of concerns for the Obama administration, with the group's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, vowing over the weekend that his militants would back Assad to victory.

Beyond providing powerful reinforcements to Assad's regime, Hezbollah's involvement increases the risk of spillover into Lebanon, a country as ethnically divided and fragile as Syria. Two rockets struck a Hezbollah stronghold in southern Beirut on Sunday, raising fears that the country could be plunged back into civil war.

And any conflict with Hezbollah threatens to drag in Israel, which has proven with airstrikes it won't tolerate large-scale and advanced weapons transfers to its northern border. Lebanon's state-run news agency reported one missile fired from that area toward the Jewish state on Sunday night.

For Kerry and other would-be peacemakers, the confluence of developments only reaffirms the need for a serious peace process to begin.

The Americans have stressed that any talks be carried out in good faith and lead to the full transfer of power to an interim government. Logic, they say, compels that this government not include Assad or other members of his government culpable in widespread abuses.

Getting to the talks hasn't been easy. Kerry is waiting for Syria's Sunni-led opposition coalition to unearth itself from a mountain of internal divisions, from adding new representatives to determining how Islamist or how secular to define their movement.

Opposition leaders met among themselves Monday in Istanbul for the fifth straight day. And while they've grappled for unity, they haven't given a firm yes to the peace strategy outlined by Kerry and Lavrov earlier this month.

McCain spokeswoman Rachel Dean confirmed the Arizona Republican met with rebels in Syria. She declined further comment. McCain has been a leading proponent of arming the rebels and other aggressive military steps against the Assad regime.

Russia has achieved, rhetorically at least, greater success. The Syrian government said Sunday it agreed "in principle" to send delegates to Geneva, strengthening Moscow's hand ahead of any direct ? and potentially proxy ? U.S.-Russian diplomatic negotiations.

With Syria's opposition scrambling politically and militarily, the European Union apparently is moving to bolster the opposition effort.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Monday the EU has decided to lift the arms embargo on the Syrian opposition while maintaining all other sanctions against Bashar Assad's regime after June 1.

The Obama administration has been mulling a similar step for months. Despite Assad's military advances and evidence that his forces used chemical weapons against the rebels, the Obama administration remains wary about getting too involved.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-russia-discuss-peace-plan-syria-worsens-201019271.html

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Monday, May 27, 2013

Angelina Jolie's aunt dies of breast cancer

(Reuters) - Angelina Jolie's aunt died of breast cancer on Sunday, a hospital spokesman in California said, nearly two weeks after the actress wrote about electing to have a double mastectomy after learning she had inherited a high risk of breast cancer.

Debbie Martin, the younger sister of Jolie's mother, died at age 61 at Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, near San Diego.

Her husband, Ron Martin, told Britain's Sky News that his wife had the same defective BRCA1 gene as Jolie.

Jolie's mother, Marcheline Bertrand, died of breast cancer in 2007 at age 56.

On May 14, Jolie, the Oscar-winning film star, revealed she had a double mastectomy in an article in the New York Times, saying she hoped her story would inspire other women fighting the life-threatening disease.

Jolie, 37, is raising a family with fellow actor and fiance Brad Pitt. She wrote that she went through with the operation in part to reassure her six children that she would not die young from cancer, as her own mother did.

"We often speak of 'Mommy's mommy,' and I find myself trying to explain the illness that took her away from us. They have asked if the same could happen to me," wrote Jolie.

"I have always told them not to worry, but the truth is I carry a 'faulty' gene."

The actress, who won an Oscar as best supporting actress for her 1999 role in the film "Girl, Interrupted," said she opted for the surgery after her doctors had estimated she had an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer, due to an inherited genetic mutation.

(Reporting by Jane Sutton and Daniel Trotta; Editing by Peter Cooney and Bill Trott)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/angelina-jolies-aunt-dies-breast-cancer-041525062.html

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Paul Graham: 37 Y Combinator Companies Have Valuations Of Or Sold For At Least $40M

Twitter _ paulgY Combinator co-founder Paul Graham just tweeted an interesting data point about the valuations of YC startups. As of now, Graham says that 37 Y Combinator companies, out of 511 startups, have valuations of or sold for at least $40 million. Currently the total valuation for the 511 startups is $11.5 billion, as Graham writes on Hacker News.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/9FGYb37ANks/

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Celebrity Splits: Which Couple Should Get Back Together?

Source:

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Sunday, May 26, 2013

Jolie aunt dies of breast cancer days after op-ed

ESCONDIDO, Calif. (AP) ? Less than two weeks after Angelina Jolie revealed she'd had a double mastectomy to avoid breast cancer, her aunt died from the disease Sunday.

Debbie Martin died at age 61 at a hospital in Escondido, Calif. near San Diego, her husband, Ron Martin, told The Associated Press.

Debbie Martin was the younger sister of Jolie's mother, Marcheline Bertrand, whose own death from ovarian cancer in 2007 inspired the surgery that Jolie described in a May 14 op-ed in the New York Times.

According to her husband, Debbie Martin had the same defective BRCA1 gene that Jolie does, but didn't know it until after her 2004 cancer diagnosis.

"Had we known, we certainly would have done exactly what Angelina did," Ron Martin said in a phone interview.

Debbie Martin's death was first reported by E! News.

Ron Martin said after getting breast cancer, Debbie Martin had her ovaries removed preventively because she was also at very high genetic risk for ovarian cancer, which has killed several women in her family.

The 37-year-old Jolie said in her op-ed that her doctors estimated that she had a 50 percent risk of getting ovarian cancer but an 87 percent risk of breast cancer so she had her breasts removed first, reducing her likelihood to a mere 5 percent.

She described the three-step surgical process in detail in the op-ed "because I hope that other women can benefit from my experience."

The story, a surprise to most save those closest to Jolie, spurred a broad discussion of genetic testing and pre-emptive surgery.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/jolie-aunt-dies-breast-cancer-days-op-ed-002534814.html

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Stone Temple Pilots sue ex-frontman Scott Weiland

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? The Stone Temple Pilots accuse former frontman Scott Weiland of misusing the band's name to further his solo career and want a judge to strip the rocker of his ability to use the group's name or songs.

A lawsuit filed Friday in Los Angeles accuses Weiland of being chronically late to concerts while the group was together and having his lawyer attempt to interfere with the airplay of the group's new single "Out of Time."

Weiland and Stone Temple Pilots parted ways in February, and the 45-year-old singer said at the time that he learned of his ouster from a statement released to the media.

The lawsuit sheds light on the band's breakup, accusing Weiland of interacting with band mates only through lawyers or managers and showing up late to the group's 2012 shows. It cites Weiland's addiction struggles and poor performances as detriments to the band's earning potential.

"The band endured much strife and lost significant opportunities because of Weiland," the suit states.

In a message posted to his website Friday, Weiland said his former band mates shouldn't call themselves Stone Temple Pilots either.

"First of all they don't have the legal right to call themselves STP because I'm still a member of the band," he said. "And more importantly, they don't have the ethical right to call themselves Stone Temple Pilots because it's misleading and dishonest to the millions of fans that have followed us for so many years."

The suit claims the band owns the rights to the name Stone Temple Pilots, and the band's songs, copyrights and trademarks. Weiland has used many of the band's hits in his solo shows, the lawsuit states. The band wants a judge to block him from even calling himself a former member of the band.

The band has been reconstituted with Chester Bennington of Linkin Park taking the frontman role.

Although he did not mention the lawsuit, Weiland disputed that he is using the band's name to promote his new shows.

"When I tour on my own, it's never as Stone Temple Pilots. It's as Scott Weiland," he wrote. "The fans deserve to know what they're getting."

The lawsuit claims that Weiland's lawyer called the head of programming at KROQ, a Los Angeles modern rock station, and said if the station played "Out of Time" it would be infringing on Weiland's rights.

"Enough is enough," the band's lawsuit states. "Without relief from the court, Weiland will continue violating STP's rights, misappropriating STP assets and interfering with the band's livelihood."

The lawsuit states the band entered into agreements in 1996 and 2010 that state that no former members can use the Stone Temple Pilots name.

The band's hits include "Vasoline," ''Interstate Love Song" and "Plush," which won a Grammy in 1993 for best hard rock performance with vocal.

Weiland alluded to lawyers getting involved when the band's statement about his departure was released.

Phone messages left for Weiland's manager Andrea Pett-Joseph and lawyer Gary Stiffelman were not immediately returned Friday.

___

Anthony McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP .

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stone-temple-pilots-sue-ex-frontman-scott-weiland-235813948.html

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Richard Butler Art: Psychedelic Furs Frontman Shows Off 'Ahatfulofrain' (PHOTOS)

Have you been wondering what the illustrious Richard Butler of the Psychedelic Furs has been up to lately?

Fans probably know that the New Wave sextet reunited for some aughties touring, bringing the "Pretty in Pink" gang back together again after their 1990 split. But we're interested in Butler off the stage and on the canvas. An exhibit at Freight + Volume in New York, titled "ahatfulofrain," is showcasing the latest batch of Butler's soft, dreamy paintings.

richard butler art
whenisaidiwassorryilied, 2012, Oil on canvas, 24 x 20 inches


Unlike the Ronnie Woods and Bob Dylans of the music-to-art crossover world, Butler actually has real talent for creating captivating artwork, most of which is based on the image of his daughter. "She has become a cipher for me, an every man/woman."

Occupied by his familiar female face, the portraits on view feature heavy swaths of muted tones and neatly patch-worked brushstrokes reminiscent of Francis Bacon's figures. Floating heads are surrounded in twinkling lights and bowler-capped women are outfitted with mime-like make-up, accompanied by jumbled titles like "thelastauguriesofjuanitadelacruz" or "whenisaidiwassorryilied."

It's a curious universe that's ultimately intriguing; eye-catching for Butler's attraction to bizarre, listless characters. Scroll through the images below for a better taste of "ahatfulofrain" and let us know what you think of the works in the comments.

  • thelastauguriesofjuanitadelacruz

    thelastauguriesofjuanitadelacruz, 2013 Oil on linen 40 x 32 inches

  • betweenthewars

    betweenthewars, 2012 Oil on canvas 22 x 18 inches

  • themagiciansassistant

    themagiciansassistant, 2013 Oil on canvas 24 x 18 inches

  • noisymouth

    noisymouth, 2013 Oil on linen 24 x 18 inches

  • whenisaidiwassorryilied

    whenisaidiwassorryilied, 2012 Oil on canvas 24 x 20 inches

  • devilsbreath

    devilsbreath, 2012 Oil on canvas 56 x 44 inches

  • whenisaidiloveyouilied,

    whenisaidiloveyouilied, 2012 Oil on canvas 24 x 20 inches

  • maggieconfessional

    maggieconfessional, 2013 Oil on canvas 35 x 44 inches

  • music-samheaventothecometkings

    music-samheavenandthecometkings, 2012 Oil on canvas 24 x 20 inches

"ahatfulofrain" is on view at Freight + Volume until May 25, 2013.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/24/richard-butler-art-psyschedelic-furs-frontman-paintings-ahatfulofrain_n_3326941.html

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Saturday, May 25, 2013

Microsoft details how Xbox One cloud servers will tackle processor ...

Image

One of the Xbox launch's big reveals was that Microsoft added 300,000 servers to Xbox Live, and now GM Matt Booty has detailed to Ars Technica how that'll improve game play. He said the improved cloud architecture will speed up GPU- or CPU-heavy chores that aren't dependent on latency -- like lighting or cloth dynamics -- by pre-calculating them before applying them to a scene. To make that happen, the Xbox One server cloud will provide three virtual devices for "every Xbox one available in your living room." It'll be up to game developers to manage transitions between console-only and cloud assisted graphics, though, since the first few seconds of lighting in a new scene will need to be handled by the console before servers can take over. Of course, that means many titles may look better when you're online, but he added that you'll still be able to play if the internet is cut and "the game is going to have to intelligently handle that."

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/24/xbox-cloud-computing-gaming/

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Hezbollah, Syrian government forces push for advance in Qusair

By Erika Solomon

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian government forces and the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah launched a fierce campaign to seize more rebel territory in the border town of Qusair on Saturday, sources on both sides of the conflict said.

Rebels fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad said additional tanks and artillery had been deployed around opposition-held territory in Qusair, a Syrian town close to the Lebanese border.

"I've never seen a day like this since the battle started," said Malek Ammar, an activist speaking from the town by Skype. "The shelling is so violent and heavy. It's like they're trying to destroy the city house by house."

More than 22 people in opposition-held areas were killed by Saturday afternoon, most of them rebels, and dozens were injured, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Rebels are largely surrounded in Qusair, a town of 30,000 that has become a strategic battleground. Assad's forces want to take the area to secure a route between the capital Damascus and his stronghold on the Mediterranean coast, effectively dividing rebel-held territories in the north and south.

The opposition has been fighting back, seeing it as critical to maintain cross-border supply routes and stop Assad from gaining a victory they fear may give him the upper hand in proposed U.S.-Russia led peace talks next month.

Syria's two-year uprising against four decades of Assad family rule began as peaceful protests but devolved into an armed conflict that has killed more than 80,000 people.

Assad's forces are believed to have seized about two-thirds of Qusair, but the price has been high and rebels insist they are preventing any further advances.

An official close to Hezbollah told Reuters that the fighters' advances in Qusair were happening at a very slow pace.

"We are in the second phase of our plan of attack but the advance has been quite slow and difficult. The rebels have mined everything, the streets, the houses. Even the refrigerators are mined."

Assad and Hezbollah forces have also been working to capture territory in areas surrounding Qusair. Manar TV, Hezbollah's media wing, said the Syrian army recaptured the Dabaa airport near the town, which rebels had seized several weeks ago.

SECTARIAN FIGHTING THREATENS REGION

The fighting in Qusair has also highlighted the increasingly sectarian tone of Syria's political struggle, which is not only overshadowing the revolt but threatening to destabilize the region. Israel has launched two air strikes in Syria, and Lebanon, which fought its own sectarian-fuelled 15-year civil war, has seen a rise in Syria-linked violence.

Syria's Sunni Muslim majority has led the struggle to topple Assad, and has been joined by Islamist fighters across the region, some of them linked to the militant group al Qaeda.

Assad comes from the minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam, and has relied on an army led mostly by Alawite forces. He has been bankrolled by regional Shi'ite power Iran, a longtime ally, and now increasingly by the country's Lebanese proxy, Shi'ite Hezbollah, founded as a resistance movement to Israel.

Syrian rebels now say that whatever the outcome, they will plot sectarian revenge attacks on Shi'ite and Alawite villages on either side of the border.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory, which has a network of activists across Syria, said Assad forces led by Hezbollah were trying to advance from three directions in the city.

"Every area they didn't have a foothold in, they are trying to gain one now," Rami Abdelraham, head of the Observatory, told Reuters by telephone.

Rebels from across Syria say they have sent some of their units into Qusair.

Colonel Abdeljabbar al-Okaidi, the Aleppo-based regional leader of a moderate, internationally-backed Supreme Military Council said he and the Islamist brigade al-Tawheed had sent forces to the outskirts of the town to help the Qusair fighters.

But activist Malek Ammar said no forces had arrived yet and insisted the rebels locked in Qusair were still on their own.

"No one is helping Qusair other than its own men," he said.

(This story has been corrected to change source of Hezbollah information to official, paragraph nine)

(Additional reporting by Laila Bassam; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hezbollah-syria-government-forces-push-advance-qusair-112749533.html

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