Craig Robinson Arrested on Drug Charges in Bahamas

He’s best-known as Darryl from “The Office,” but Craig Robinson looked more like a common criminal during his trip to the Bahamas this week.

The “This is the End” star tried to board a plane while carrying 18 pills of ecstasy and half a gram of marijuana and was quickly arrested.

Craig, who was charged with two counts of possession, told the magistrate that he actually bought the drugs in the States and wasn’t aware they were illegal in the Bahamas.

After paying a $1000 fine, the magistrate ordered Robinson to leave the country as soon as possible.

Source: http://celebrity-gossip.net/craig-robinson/craig-robinson-arrested-drug-charges-bahamas-1009055
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3-D Printing A Masterwork For Your Living Room

Based on hundreds of photos, Cosmo Wenman generated this 3-D model of the Ares Borghese from the Basel Sculpture Hall. Wenman publishes the scans online, so that anyone can use them to 3-D print a replica of the masterpiece.

Courtesy Cosmo Wenman

Based on hundreds of photos, Cosmo Wenman generated this 3-D model of the Ares Borghese from the Basel Sculpture Hall. Wenman publishes the scans online, so that anyone can use them to 3-D print a replica of the masterpiece.

Courtesy Cosmo Wenman

You may never be able to get to Italy to see Michelangelo's David — but advances in 3-D printing technology are making it possible for you to create an almost perfect replica.

It's an idea that Cosmo Wenman is hoping will catch on. He's pushing the edges of how 3-D printing can be used to make classic works accessible.

I followed Wenman on an excursion the Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University. These days, a lot of museums let people take photos of art, and Wenman takes a lot of them.

"It gets a little exhausting and monotonous after the 500th photo," he says.

The Cantor has a large collection of Rodin's and Wenman is photographing "Bellona," a bronze bust of the Roman goddess of war.

Wenman needs a lot of photos because he wants to create what's called a 3-D scan, and that requires getting all the detail. Bellona has an engraved helmet with flaps that fall along the back of her neck like a horse's mane. She looks down her shoulder with an intense gaze, her taught neck muscles protruding.

Wenman's been making 3-D replicas of classic sculptures from museum collections around the world — including the Louvre, the British Museum and the Getty Villa.

"I'm trying to demonstrate what the regular consumer can do with consumer-grade photography and consumer-grade software and even consumer-grade 3-D printers to recreate artwork," he says.

After Wenman takes all the photos he needs, he will then process them with some free software from Autodesk and a $2,200 MakerBot 3-D printer. The software is able to bring together all of his photos and recreate an object with three dimensions.

Wenman recently started a partnership with Autodesk. After his visit to the Cantor he heads over to the company's office in San Francisco to do some 3-D printing. He stands by the printer and explains how it works.

"It's basically a hot glue gun attached to a printing armature," he says. "Instead of a printer just going back and forth spraying ink, this goes back and up and down."

The hot glue he's talking about is a type of biodegradable plastic that's good for printing large things — the printer builds up the object with the plastic, layer by layer, based on the software instructions. The result is an object that has all the contours, details and proportions of the sculpture he photographed.

As we wait for the Rodin to print, he shows me some small replicas he's made of a classic Greek torso from the Louvre with lots of rippling muscles. Part of Wenman's process also includes putting patinas on the sculpture to make it look like the original.

"And to my eye, this is worthy of display in the home," he says.

Wenman puts his art scans on the MakerBot-run website Thingiverse, so that other people can print them out at home or wherever there is a 3-D printer. Wenman sees all kinds of uses for his scans of classical works.

"Schools could use these for their instruction," he says. "They could make cheap reproductions in the classroom. Art lovers could use them for study. People could just print them and have them in their homes."

These torsos were printed in layers of biodegradable plastic. The original sculptures reside at the Louvre in Paris.

Courtesy Cosmo Wenman

These torsos were printed in layers of biodegradable plastic. The original sculptures reside at the Louvre in Paris.

Courtesy Cosmo Wenman

Wenman got support from Autodesk after the company's Tatjana Dzambazova saw his work at a 3-D printing conference in London. She says most of the showcases were about 3-D printing iPhone cases and toys. But then she saw Wenman's work.

"I saw this gorgeous sculpture of a horse and I say ... 'Oh my God, what is this?' It didn't look like a 3-D print." She looked closer and met Wenman.

"He was trying to show that you can make art, or that you can save heritage," Dzambazova says.

So far, no museums have objected to what Wenman is doing. Still, Wenman says he doesn't ask permission to take his photos. He'd prefer to ask forgiveness. But when Cantor Director Connie Wolf sees him in the gallery, she actually seems excited, because a 3-D print is a lot more like experiencing the real object.

"The ability to see a sculpture as if you're walking around it is something so important," she says. "I'm very intrigued by it, but I don't know it."

Wolf says she sees great value in what Wenman is trying to do, as long as it's for the right reasons.

"You want to be sure that people recognize these are studying tools ... teaching tools, " she says. "These are opportunities to enjoy something that's a replica as opposed to a forgery."

Wolf also says 3-D printing could raise copyright problems with contemporary sculpture. But, she sees it more like a new version of posters, which have made people more interested in seeing the original artwork.

Some museums are starting to show interest in promoting 3-D printing of art. The Metropolitan Museum held a hackathon this summer for digital artists and programmers who wanted to help scan parts of its collection. The Smithsonian, which has some 139 million objects and only one percent on display at any time, is also encouraging 3-D printing so that patrons can experience more of its collection.

Wenman hopes he's leading the way to a future where 3-D prints of sculptures by greats like Rodin or Michelangelo are as common as posters of a Van Gogh.

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/10/11/231450884/3-d-printing-a-masterwork-for-your-living-room?ft=1&f=1049
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California wildfire destroys at least 10 homes

BEAUMONT, Calif. (AP) ? A rapidly spreading wildfire chewed through a rugged Southern California mountain range on Thursday, destroying at least 10 homes, threatening more than 500 other residences and forcing some 1,800 people to flee.

Five people were injured, while more than 1,000 firefighters, 13 helicopters and six air tankers battled the flames as they pushed eastward along the San Jacinto Mountains, a desert range 90 miles east of Los Angeles, Cal Fire Riverside Chief John R. Hawkins said.

A man near the origin of the fire suffered serious burns, Hawkins said. Four firefighters were also injured, including two who suffered heat exhaustion. Officials did not have details to release on the other two.

At least 10 homes have been destroyed and Hawkins said that number would likely triple as authorities make their way into the charred areas to assess the damage.

Hawkins said the wind-fed fire that sparked at 2:05 p.m. Wednesday is one of the "most rapidly spreading, dangerous fires that I've seen" in his 50 years as a firefighter.

The fire was estimated at nearly 22 square miles Thursday, with 20 percent containment, but it was growing, causing concern that the direction could change in the area, which is known as a wind tunnel.

"The conditions at the front right now are very dangerous," Hawkins said.

Authorities still have not determined what caused the fire.

Evacuation orders were issued in five towns. Flames were marching toward the hardscrabble town of Cabazon, where hundreds scrambled to leave in the pre-dawn hours Thursday as the mountain ridge behind their homes glowed red.

Many returned after sunrise to pack up more belongings and watch the flickering line of fire snaking along the brown, scrubby mountains.

Linda Walls, 62, sat with her family in lawn chairs and watched fire crews scrambling to douse the flames marching toward her modest home less than a quarter mile away. An American flag flapped in the gusty wind that kicked up the fire. She wiped her brow, feeling the scorching heat.

Gray and pink-tinted clouds billowed across the otherwise crystal blue sky. Neighbors could be heard coughing as they filled the beds of pickup trucks with motocross bikes, boxes of clothing, toys and packaged food.

"It seems to be taking off now," she said as sirens whirred by. "All you see are the firemen inside the blaze."

At the end of her street, a group of ostriches paced in their cages as the hill above them burned. A firefighter rushing by said they would do what they can to protect them. Nearby another pen was filled with goats.

In the nearby town of Banning, Lili Arroyo, 83, left with only her pet cockatiel, Tootsie, in its cage and a bag of important papers from her home, which was rebuilt after being destroyed in a 2006 wildfire.

"The smoke was so bad you couldn't see," said Arroyo, who lives in the town of Banning. "There were embers and ash coming down all over the sky. The smoke was really thick. I was starting not to be able to breathe."

Evacuation orders covered an RV resort called the Silent Valley Club, the rural communities of Poppet Flats, Twin Pines, Edna Valley and Vista Grande, portions of the city of Cabazon along Interstate 10, and a camping area known as Black Mountain.

A veteran of many evacuations, Dana Wright, 43, wiped away a tear as she entered a shelter at a Beaumont school and went with her family to watch TV news. She had no idea whether her Poppet Flats home of 11 years had survived. Friends said a nearby home had burned.

She and her husband hoped to find a way back up into the mountains. "I just want to look to see if we have a house," she said.

Most of Southern California's severe wildfires are associated with Santa Ana winds caused by high pressure over the West that sends a clockwise flow of air rushing down into the region.

This week's fire, however, was being fanned by a counter-clockwise flow around a low pressure area over northwest California.

It was the second major wildfire in the San Jacinto Mountains this summer. A blaze that erupted in mid-July spread over 43 square miles on peaks above Palm Springs, burned seven homes and forced 6,000 people out of Idyllwild and neighboring towns.

The latest fire also burned in the footprint of the notorious Esperanza Fire, a 2006, wind-driven inferno that overran a U.S. Forest Service engine crew. All five crew members died. A man was convicted of setting the fire and sentenced to death.

After touring the area, U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., who lives in Riverside County, said 165,000 acres have burned in California this year and climate change is setting conditions for more disastrous blazes, while budget cuts are limiting resources to fight them.

"Unless we take action, things are only going to get worse," she said.

A different blaze, a 60-acre wildfire, near Wrightwood in the San Gabriel Mountains forced evacuations of about 75 homes in several mountain communities Thursday afternoon.

The fire broke out around noon, and firefighters struggled to beat back flames in steep terrain. Homes along several winding mountain roads were being evacuated. It was unclear how many homes or residents are affected.

Wrightwood is a mountain community popular with skiers located about 40 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles.

___

Associated Press writer John Antczak in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/california-wildfire-destroys-least-10-homes-235139477.html

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A glimpse of the future: The display is the computer | VentureBeat

As a fundamental innovation, the touchscreen display has moved far beyond the smartphone and wormed its way into tablets, notebook computers, and the emerging category of wearable computers. And its reach will only grow greater as displays become more flexible and accurate, according to bunch of speakers at NPD DisplaySearch?s Emerging Display Technologies event today in San Jose, Calif.

DisplaySearch

Wearable displays

The display is the computer. That?s a memorable twist on an old saying from tech guru Scott McNealy, who declared ?the network is the computer.? But Shane Wall, chief strategy and technology officer in the mobility group at Hewlett-Packard and a keynote speaker at the event, said that the new twist on the saying is becoming true. Increasingly, the value in the computer is captured in the display, he said. And increasingly, that value will be manifested in mobile devices.

?In order to make the computing real, we had to make fundamental changes in the input and the output of a computer,? Wall said. ?It?s a common saying, and it is becoming more true everyday, that the display is the computer.?

?The mobile phone and the tablet are a tiny part of what will be a huge revolution where computing will be carried on your body, embedded in your body, worn on your body, and embedded in your car, ? Wall said. ?This is a very big economic trend.?

As Microsoft was preparing its touch-oriented Windows 8 operating system, Intel did a global survey of hundreds of people and their feelings about touch. Almost 80 percent said that they wanted to interact with a computer via a touchscreen, rather than a keyboard or mouse, said Matt King, senior engineering manager at Intel.

The proliferation of touchscreens started in 2007 with the iPhone and took a big leap with th

Dean Takahashi

Shane Wall of HP

e iPad in 2010. Intel and Microsoft have now fully jumped on the touch bandwagon with Windows 8 PCs. By the end of this year, about 18 percent of new laptops will be touch-enabled. By the end of 2015, the percentage will be 40 percent. Smaller displays for devices like the iPad Mini (5 inches to 7 inches) are also becoming more popular as a category. But one of the categories where touchscreens are needed is in the 14-inch and up size, said Paul Semenza, senior vice president and analyst at NPD DisplaySearch.

Displays are also getting bigger. Sweden?s FlatFrog has customers who are in production on 32-inch display that use its optical multitouch technology, said Ola Wassvik, chief technology officer at FlatFrog.

Richard Shim, a senior analyst at NPD DisplaySearch, said that laptop shipments peaked above 200 million units in 2011, and they declined in 2012. They are expected to hit about 182 million units, down from an earlier forecast of 199 million units earlier this year. By contrast, the tablet shipment forecast was bumped up from 256 million units to 280 million units. So 2013 is the first year when tablet sales will outnumber laptop sales. And by the end of 2014, tablet sales are expected to be double the number of notebook computer sales.

?The tablet space is where the battle is,? Shim said.

Lu-Fong Chua, product line manager for Gorilla Glass (the sturdy glass that protects touchscreens) at Corning, said that device categories are blurring as laptops, tablets, and smartphones morph and all share the same types of touchscreen surfaces. Laptops were used primarily for content creation, such as productivity apps, while tablets were considered content consumption devices. But as tablets grow up and laptops morph into 2-in-1 tablet/laptop models, the roles are changing.

Chua said demographics are changing. Young people love touch interfaces.

?I?m sure you?ve seen the videos of a baby holding a magazine and trying to swipe it to change its image,? he said.

Beyond the realm of smartphones, tablets and laptops is the category of wearables such as Google Glass.

?We?ll see displays on contact lenses,? Wall said. ?It?s still early. It will be many years before we see the light of day on that. But we have some fundamental proofs on that already.?

Canatu

Wearable tech

Wall at HP said that interaction is going to change, with touch being only one of many ways to input data into a computer. You?ll be able to use gestures to communicate with devices. Cameras could be input systems. You could, for instance, visit a foreign country and point a camera at street signs. The camera app will translate the signs so you can understand them.

?It?s a land grab for what body part we can get,? Wall said. ?Things are becoming much more personal, with a display embedded on the body. ?

The only hold up in the technological race is the slow-motion progress on battery development.

?Moore?s Law doesn?t apply to batteries,? said Bob Senior, director of sales at Canatu, a maker of display technology.

Wall said, ?The key piece, this cog, the display, will be very important in the overall economy. The investor returns for touchscreen companies have been disproportionate for the companies that have made them.?

Source: http://venturebeat.com/2013/08/07/a-glimpse-of-the-future-the-display-is-the-computer/

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Times Union Center bidding on three NCAA Division I tournaments

Donna Abbott-Vlahos

The Times Union Center has hosted NCAA men?s basketball and wrestling championship tournaments in various years since the arena opened in 1990, but never women?s basketball or women?s volleyball.

The Times Union Center could host up to three NCAA Division I championship tournaments starting in 2015 -- games that would not require expanding the sports arena at an estimated cost of $6 million to $11 million.

The arena?s general manager, Bob Belber, said bids will be submitted to the NCAA to host regional championship tournaments for women?s basketball, women?s volleyball, and men?s ice hockey from 2015 to 2018.

Belber is working with the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and Siena College on the women?s basketball and volleyball bids. The Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Union College are teaming up with the arena on the hockey bid.

The bids are due Sept. 16. The NCAA will announce the winning sites in December.

The games, if awarded, are expected to draw thousands of fans to the county-owned arena for two-day tournaments in March and December of those years, and help fill local bars, restaurants and hotels.

?The reality is if you bring in, for example, the regional women?s basketball tournament my guess is we?ll probably have close to 65 to 70 percent of the people who attend the event come from outside this market, and fill every hotel in a 50-mile radius,? Belber said.

The Times Union Center last hosted an NCAA Division I tournament in 2010, when the men?s ice hockey East Regional was played there.

The arena has also hosted NCAA men?s basketball and wrestling championship tournaments in various years since the arena opened in 1990, but never women?s basketball or women?s volleyball.

?These championships that we?re bidding on we feel can bring in huge crowds,? Belber said. ?We can generate not just enough to cover expenses but to provide the NCAA with the net revenues they?re looking for.?

DeMasi covers real estate, construction, retail and hospitality.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vertical_13/~3/2p_CfgiPhPM/times-union-center-bidding-on-three.html

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Must See HDTV (July 29th - August 4th)

Calm yourself, Breaking Bad isn't back yet (that will be in next week's listing for August 11th), but football fans can look forward to the beginning of the preseason. The Cowboys and Dolphins kick things off with the Hall of Fame game Sunday night on NBC, while Discovery Channel begins its usual celebration of Shark Week and Star Trek The Next Generation season four comes to Blu-ray. Look after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

Comments

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

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Lyon County officials working oil spill in Cottonwood River

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Source: cjonline.com --- Sunday, July 28, 2013
Authorities in Lyon County on Sunday afternoon responded to an Oil spill in the Cottonwood River. Few details have been released about the spill. ?At this point crews are still trying to identify the source and contain what is in the river,? the Lyon County Sheriff?s Office posted on Twitter about 4:30 p.m. ?KDHE is on scene assessing also.? Twitter followers were first notified about the spill about 2:55 p.m. Sunday. read more ...

Source: http://cjonline.com/news/2013-07-28/lyon-county-officials-working-oil-spill-cottonwood-river

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California Prisoners Can Pay for Better Rooms

WTKR reports that some inmates in California prisons are getting much nicer accommodations than others. This preferential treatment is happening for a simple reason: they are paying for it.

A jailhouse in Fremont, California was built with the intention of being used for minimum security inmates from the county jail to stay and do landscaping and other chores. But it never got used. So the $10 million dollar facility stood empty, unused.

Jail officials came up with an idea to revitalize the money pit. They started charging prisoners to stay there.

The secret its that, although it is certainly a real jailhouse, with standard issued mattresses, locked doors, shared showers with minimal privacy, etc. But this jailhouse is small, with far fewer inmates than standard county accommodations. There are also other niceties, such as HD televisions in each room, with remote controls.

People convicted of misdemeanors who have to do a small bid of jail time can get a judges approval to stay in the smaller place. They can then pay $155 a night to stay in a much safer, smaller environment away from the usual jail population.

?You do get cable TV, but you don?t get a warm cookie on your bed,? says Lieutenant Mark Devine, of the Fremont Police Department. ?The only other thing you?re really paying for is the smallness and the quietness of the facility.?

At $155 per night per inmate, Fremont has turned this bad investment around. The jail is being called pay-as-you-go. Officials insist this is not about having built a nicer jail for people who can afford it, but simply a matter of making a return on an investment for the taxpayers.

?There is a cost to government. And that cost, where appropriate, should be borne by the people using the program or facility, or what not,? says Devine.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/webpronews/all/~3/jTvma7XL-ZM/california-prisoners-can-pay-for-better-rooms-2013-07

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Carbon tax raises costs, cuts jobs

ACCI chief economist Greg Evans has lashed out at the carbon tax, saying it has "encouraged a de-industrialisation trend in the economy" Source: News Limited

THE carbon tax has slashed hundreds of millions of dollars from company profits and forced struggling manufacturing firms to shift production - and jobs - offshore.

A national survey of Australia's $110 billion food processing industry has revealed nearly 30 per cent of businesses reported cost increases of 5 per cent or more since the carbon tax was introduced.

And 67 per cent of companies - including many small businesses - have been unable to pass on these higher costs to their customers.

Instead, they have been forced absorb the price hit on their bottom line.

Another audit by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry reveals 82 per cent of businesses report the carbon tax has reduced profits - a year since the greenhouse scheme was introduced.

Around 30 firms were surveyed by AFGC with several deciding to shift production overseas to escape the carbon impost.

While higher energy bills is the biggest expense, the carbon tax has also added to rising packaging, transport and other expenses.

One food processing firm said the carbon tax had added nearly $5 million to operating expenses - including $500,000 in packaging and $240,000 in freight and storage fees.

Murray Goulburn, Australia's largest dairy firm, says the carbon tax has added $14 million to its annual expenses for the year to June 30.

Kevin Rudd has accelerated plans to shift to a floating carbon price in order to reduce the impact on business. Source: News Limited

Robert Poole, general manager, shareholder relations, said Murray Goulburn "cannot pass on these costs" because the price of dairy was "primarily" set by the global market.

But higher energy bills remains the biggest cost burden for manufacturing with nearly 50 per cent of those firms surveyed reporting their electricity bill had jumped 15 per cent or more.

One of Kevin Rudd's first decisions after ousting Julia Gillard as Prime Minister was to accelerate by a year plans to shift to a floating carbon price - in order to reduce the impact on business.

But AFGC chief executive Gary Dawson said it was already too late for a number of companies who are "reassessing their production planning in response to high costs".

"For a big energy user the additional cost of the carbon tax on their energy bill alone runs to millions of dollars a year so of course it forces an assessment of whether there are lower cost options (offshore)," Mr Dawson said.

ACCI chief economist Greg Evans lashed out at the carbon tax and other green programs which he said "have encouraged a de-industrialisation trend in the economy".

"We are already seeing an impact on jobs and investment in industries reliant on energy. This includes food processing, plastics and chemicals, metal manufacturing and oil refining, where we have seen successive announcements of winding back investment or relocating production facilities offshore," Mr Evans said.

Innovation and Industry Minister Kim Carr said the Government's decision to move from a fixed to a floating carbon price one year early "will link Australian businesses with international markets, reduce carbon liabilities from 1 July next year and provide certainty for firms looking to invest in Australia's future".

"The food processing sector stands to benefit substantially from the Asian Century and Labor will do everything it can to see business realise the opportunities on offer," Senator Carr said.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/newscomauthenationndm/~3/p258BMTDTGs/story01.htm

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NMPreps.com Elite Combine gives New Mexico prep football players chance for exposure

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Source: www.lcsun-news.com --- Saturday, July 27, 2013
LAS CRUCES >> Kyle Henderson has added something different each year to make the NMPreps.com Elite Combine. ...

Source: http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-sports/ci_23745660/nmpreps-com-elite-combine-gives-new-mexico-prep?source=rss

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Aligarh Muslim University lifts ban on jeans for girls

A circular at a girls' hostel of Aligarh Muslim University advising students to wear "decent clothes like salwaar kameez" has sparked a furore, prompting the varsity to withdraw it.

The controversy started following a circular pasted by the provost of girls' hostel, Abdullah hall, two days back which advised students to wear "decent clothes" like salwar kameez and not to carry more than one mobile phone.

As the diktat drew criticism from various quarters, the AMU authorities on Friday night withdrew the circular while clarifying that it "never even remotely suggested that jeans or T-shirts or any other dress is on the ban list at AMU".

"We have no intention whatsoever of specifying any dress code and neither did the above circular do so. All that we have sought is that students including girls should be in a decent attire which reflects the ethos of our society.

"In any case the above circular was issued not by top university administration but the provost of one of the halls of residence," said Brigadier (Retd) S Ahmad Ali, AMU's pro-vice chancellor, who is holding charge as the acting VC in the absence of Lt Gen Shah.

Ali said there are five halls of residence for girls in the AMU and one out of these had issued an advisory mainly dealing with rules and regulations including the compulsory presentation of ID cards while entering the girls' hostels.

"The above circular was issued by the provost of Abdullah Hall and not by any senior university official. Even then, we have asked the provost to withdraw the above circular so as to remove even an iota of doubt regarding the sincerity of our intentions," he said.

Ali also refuted media reports claiming that use of Internet and social networking websites was banned in the university's hostels. "I was quite shocked to read media reports alleging that we have banned the use of Internet and social media for girls. This is a total fabrication as in fact we are in the process of implementing a project under which every student of the university who resides in the hostel including girls will have a direct access to the Internet facilities in their rooms," he added.

The acting vice chancellor expressed unhappiness saying the media reports had distorted the image of our institution. "There is no question of our trying to impose any retrograde ban," he said.

Ali also added, "Ever since a new administration assumed charge at AMU about a year back, we are leaving no stone unturned to modernise and revitalise the entire edifice of this historic institution.?

He said during the first year, the main effort was to get rid of all unlawful and mischievous elements who had in the past brought a bad name to this institution.

"We are also moving on the fast track for upgrading and modernising the academic system to take this institution to the very top in the country. During this process, we appear to have stepped on many toes and perhaps we have to pay the price for having disturbed the vested interests," he said.

Photograph: Flickr

? Copyright 2013 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent.

Source: http://www.rediff.com/news/report/aligarh-muslim-university-lifts-ban-on-jeans-eating-out/20130727.htm

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Canada's Premiers discuss disaster mitigation, emergency preparedness and response, and rail safety

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ON, July 26, 2013 /CNW/ - Premiers called on the federal government to fulfill its 2011 commitment to establish a distinct Canada-wide disaster mitigation infrastructure initiative that would be cost-shared fifty-fifty with the federal government, separate from other programs such as the Building Canada Plan. Premiers also called on the federal government to maintain the current level of financial assistance available under the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements to provinces and territories to help Canadians deal with natural disasters.

Premiers called on the federal government to commit to improve search and rescue response times, and conduct a thorough review of marine safety. For example, federal regulations should better address remediation of shipwrecks in Canadian waters and the federal government should take responsibility for the removal of shipwrecks due to inherent hazards. They also called upon the federal government to reconsider its decision to close a number of Marine Rescue Sub-Centres and Marine Communications Traffic and Service Centres throughout the country.

Premiers acknowledge the successful collaboration with the federal government to develop the National Public Alerting System, but urge that broadcasters work collaboratively with provinces and territories to move towards implementing a mandatory system.? Premiers note that serious inadequacies in emergency management in Aboriginal and remote communities remain and cooperation among governments is essential to improve services in these communities.

Following the tragic events that occurred at Lac-M?gantic, Premiers discussed the transport of hazardous materials by train. They agreed on the need to take necessary measures to ensure that such disasters never occur again. They noted that there is a clear lack of information on hazardous materials travelling on the rail network.

Premiers agreed that a system should be put in place by the federal government to monitor rail convoys transporting hazardous materials. This system would provide real-time data on the location and content of the trains, which would be shared, for public safety purposes, amongst the relevant authorities of the federal, provincial and territorial governments.

Premiers also noted that federal regulation provides that railroads must maintain liability insurance in an amount sufficient to cover the costs associated with the damage for which they are responsible. Premiers called on the federal government to take the necessary measures to ensure that the safety and liability insurance requirements are sufficient.

SOURCE Council of the Federation

For further information:

Media enquiries may be directed to:

Premier's Media Office
Government of Ontario
(416) 314-8975

Source: http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1203551/canada-s-premiers-discuss-disaster-mitigation-emergency-preparedness-and-response-and-rail-safety

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Transactive Energy: The Next Big Deal for the Smart Grid?

Transactive energy (TE) is a new hot topic in the energy industry, but what exactly is it? Frankly, it is a concept so new that it does not yet have a formal definition. Carl Imhoff, manager of electricity infrastructure for the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory summed it up by saying, ?Transactive energy is a means of using economic signals or incentives to engage all the intelligent devices in the power grid?from the consumer to the transmission system?to get a more optimal allocation of resources and engage demand in ways we haven?t been able to before.? What does this really mean?

It means that the electric distribution system is transforming from a one-way generator to end-user transmission system to a smart grid with resources like distributed generation, load management, ancillary services, and even generation resources owned by third parties or end-users. The intelligence driving TE is based on market value and economics. Whereas smart grid technology refers to the ability of the electric grid to communicate between generator, end-user and even points in between, TE takes this a step further and introduces the additional consideration of energy value.

To understand the concept of TE it is important to understand the role of dynamic pricing in the energy industry. Wholesale power markets use dynamic pricing to value energy based on demand at the time of use. This means price of electricity can fluctuate throughout the day. A TE system can actually make energy use decisions based on price signals. This could include a building energy management system programmed to respond to a high price signal by curtailing energy use via automated demand response, using microgrid generation, or even shifting load to onsite energy storage.

We can think of TE as a literal energy transaction in which energy travels through the grid from where there is supply to where there is demand. Signals can communicate not only real-time power use, but also real-time power cost. While pricing is the primary driver behind TE, grid reliability can also enter into the equation. After all, energy demand and supply is linked to price, and TE will also be able to process data indicating that grid resources need to be conserved. Curtailing electricity use at high demand or critical peak times will save end-users money on energy bills, and could even alert them to emergency situations.

A transactive energy grid will go hand-in-hand with the emerging smart grid and use similar software and devices to communicate. TE creates an interactive market for electric end users with the technology to respond to dynamic pricing and electric grid demand. The technology that makes this possible includes software capable of interpreting essential data, and distributed generation sources such as microgrids, energy storage, and even energy reduction in the form of automated demand response. In fact, facilities with distributed generation resources can even contribute excess electricity back to the power grid in a transactive energy system. Energy generated onsite by buildings, and microgrids will have monetary value to grid operators. TE is truly a two-way transaction system in which electricity can be directed to where it is needed, and priced accordingly.?

Photo Credit: Smart Grid Innovation/shutterstock

Source: http://theenergycollective.com/ecsjessica/253846/transactive-energy-next-big-deal-smart-grid

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Apple Vs. Samsung: Is There An End In Sight??

A few days ago, all eyes were on Apple (AAPL) as it reported its sales of $31.2 million iPhones in the quarter ended in June, up 20% over the previous year, beating analysts' consensus of around 27 million units. While the iPhone 5 was the most frequently activated device, certainly the older models contributed to Apple's overall sales. Why is this important? The answer lies in a series of intense and long-running patent litigation battles between Apple and its largest competitor to date -- Samsung (SSNLF.PK).

Background

First, a bit of history. The initial battle between these two tech titans started off on April 11, 2011, with Apple bringing an intellectual property infringement action in the Northern District of California alleging infringement of 7 utility patents, 3 design patents, trademarks (registered icons, logos, etc.) and trade dress (e.g., design, rectangular shape, rounded corners, silver edges, black face, display, etc.) owned by Apple. The accused products were the Samsung Nexus S, Epic 4G, Galaxy S 4G, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab. The complaint also alleged state-level claims of unfair business practices (unfair competition), unjust enrichment, and common law trademark infringement. Samsung counterclaimed with 12 utility patents and a plethora of registered trademarks of its own. Not only did Samsung fight back in California, but it expanded the litigation from just its California counter suit to new cases in the District of Delaware ?(stayed pending resolution of the ITC investigation) United States International Trade Commission (ITC) as well as Japan, Germany, Britain, South Korea, France, Italy, Netherlands, and Australia.

By the time the case reached the jury in California, the following patents remained in the case:

Apple Patents	Samsung Patents
7,469,381 - "Bounce-Back Effect" or "Rubber Banding"	7,675,941
7,844,915 - "On-Screen Navigation"	7,447,516
7,864,163 - "Tap to Zoom"	7,698,711
D504,889 - rectangular shape of the iPad with rounded corners	7,577,460
D593,087 - home button, rounded corners	7,456,893
D618,677 - iPhone rectangular shape with rounded corners
D604,305 - "On-Screen Icons"

First California Trial

On August 24, 2012, the California jury reached a verdict mostly in favor of Apple. The jury found Samsung willfully infringed all but one of Apple's patents (the Galaxy Tab 10.1 did not infringe the D504,889 patent), and Samsung was also found to have diluted Apple's trade dress related to the iPhone. Correspondingly, the jury found Apple did not infringe any of Samsung's patents. The damages award to Apple was $1,049,393,540.

Outside of Apple's home turf, the picture was quite different and a full analysis of all the suits and counter-suits is outside the scope of this article. Suffice to say, the results were mixed with both sides scoring victories in different jurisdictions.

On October 2, 2012, Samsung appealed the jury verdict in California decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Apple already lost one appeal in October where a three-judge Federal Circuit panel said that Samsung could continue selling its new Galaxy Nexus smartphones in the midst of its ongoing patent infringement defense. This appeal followed Judge Lucy Koh's denial of Apple's request for an injunction. Apple had already asked the full Federal Circuit to reconsider the three-judge panel's October ruling.

Meanwhile, the battle in the California District Court continued. In March 2013, Judge Lucy Koh reduced the $1.05 billion jury verdict by nearly half ($450.5 million) because the jury's damages calculations incorrectly compensated Apple for sales of Samsung products made before Samsung had notice of the relevant Apple patents. A new "extremely limited" damages trial was ordered to begin on November 12, 2013, while Samsung's motion to stay the new trial pending an appeal of part of the ruling was denied. The "sole purpose of the trial," Judge Koh wrote, is to correct the "impermissible legal theory" the jury used in the first trial to calculate damages for 14 of the Samsung devices at issue.

Second California Trial

Without waiting for its first trial to begin, Apple had also fired off a second complaint in the same court on August 2, 2012 alleging infringement of 8 more utility patents. Some of the major accused products were Galaxy S II Skyrocket, Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch, Nexus, Illusion, Captivate, Glide, Exhibit II 4G, Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Tab 10.1, and others. Again, Samsung countered with eight of its own patents -- accusing the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPad 2 and New iPad of infringement and later amending its infringement contentions to include the latest iPhone 5 and the 4th generation iPad.

So after the retrial on damages in the first case takes place, Apple and Samsung are scheduled to once again return to the same judge in California for yet another patent trial -- which is set to begin on March 31, 2014. That trial will focus on new products and different patents asserted by both parties. (The Apple patents-in-suit are U.S. Patent Numbers 5,946,647; 6,847,959; 8,046,721; 8,074,172; 8,014,760; 5,666,502; 7,761,414; and 8,086,604. The Samsung patents-in-suit are U.S. Patent Numbers 7,756,087; 7,551,596; 7,672,470; 7,577,757; 7,232,058; 6,292,179; 6,226,449; and 5,579,239.)

Re-Examination of the Rubber-Banding Patent

In the middle of the initial Apple/Samsung California-based court battle, an anonymous third party requested re-examination of Apple's "rubber-banding" patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,469,381) in 2012. The technology described in the patent is the functionality that causes the content displayed on the iPhone's screen to bounce back when the user scrolls to the top or bottom of a page. The USPTO rejected the claims of the "rubber-banding" in March as anticipated by the prior art. As is typical, to overcome the prior art, Apple made certain arguments to get around the cited references. After an interview with Apple's patent lawyers, the USPTO affirmed the patent in June of 2013. On July 9, 2013, Samsung jumped on the opportunity presented by the USPTO's rejection and argued that Apple "presented a brand new interpretation" of the patent to the USPTO in order to maintain its validity. The consequence was that Apple had thereby "drastically" narrowed the scope of its patent claims.

So Samsung asked the Court for yet another new trial, which according to Samsung, is necessary to determine whether Samsung's products infringe under the new interpretation. Of course, Apple responded that "Samsung's motion is a thinly disguised attempt to make new non-infringement arguments that it could have made at trial but chose not to present" and asked the Court not to give Samsung a "do-over." Apple also argued that it was too late for such a motion since the final judgment in the case was entered 10 months ago.

Given the number of cases and fora in which Apple and Samsung have been litigating, as well as the breadth of mutual patents and products at stake -- on both sides -- investors must keep in mind that determining whether Apple or Samsung is "winning" is a very murky question. Particularly where no side has parted with money (other than hundreds of millions of dollars in legal fees.) Instead, the better question for investors is the bottom line ones -- is either company being stopped from doing or selling anything? For Apple, unfortunately, the answer is yes.

The International Trade Commission

We started this article by raising a very specific issue concerning the sales of the older iPhone models. Due to an ITC patent ruling, Apple's ability to continue to sell these models in the United States may be compromised -- and Apple investors are rightfully concerned. Put another way, the looming 60 day Presidential review of the ITC ruling that older models of Apple's iPhone and iPad infringed a Samsung patent is an important one, considering that the ITC also banned Apple from selling the devices in the United States.

As discussed earlier, the ITC in August of 2011 initiated an investigation into Samsung's allegations that Apple violated the Tariff Act and infringed U.S. Patent Nos. 7,706,348; 7,486,644; 7,450,114; and 6,771,980 by importing into the U.S. and selling certain electronic devices, including iPhones and iPads. Samsung had sought an exclusion order barring imports of three models of the iPhone -- the 3G, 3GS and 4 -- as well as the iPad 3G, iPad 2 3G and iPod Touch.

First, a few words about the International Trade Commission. Patent-based ITC investigations are limited to infringing acts arising from the importation of products into the United States. See Section 1337(a)(1)(B) of the Tariff Act of 1930. ITC's Intellectual Property cases are considered "Section 337" cases, where patent infringement takes up more than 90% of all cases with the rest of the cases related to registered trademark infringement (gray market goods), copyright infringement, mask works, trade secrets, etc. Section 337 cases are assigned to ITC Administrative Law Judges with no jury trial. ITC Judges render "Initial Determinations" that are subject to review by the Commissioners. The ITC is headed by 6 Commissioners who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. No more than three Commissioners may be of any one political party.

An important difference between an ITC action and a trial in the district court action is that in the ITC, money damages are not available as a remedy. Instead, the only available remedy is the exclusion of the imported product from the U.S. market. That means, Samsung has no opportunity to collect any money by proving Apple's infringement at the ITC. That said, Samsung can gain relief from the US government ordering Apple to stop importing its products. For phones manufactured abroad, that means they cannot be sold in the US.

Other differences exist between ITC actions and trials at the district court. ITC actions are also faster, with the average time to trial of about 9-10 months, whereas patent cases in the district court can take up to three years before reaching trial. ITC investigations also involve three parties -- the Complainant, the Respondent and the Office of Unfair Import Investigations ("OUII"). The OUII is a neutral party responsible for representing the public interest. Like counsel for the Complainant and the Respondent, a staff investigation attorney from the OUII is directly involved in all facets of the proceeding, and takes a position on the merits of the case at trial.

Back to the case at hand. Following the hearing, Administrative Law Judge E. James Gildea issued a determination in September of 2012 holding that Apple had not violated any of the patents and that one of the Samsung patents was invalid. That decision was reviewed by the ITC Commission. The Commission went the other way. On Tuesday, June 4, 2013, the Commission reversed Judge Gildea's ruling with respect to one patent. The Commission found that Apple's iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3, iPad 3G, and iPad 2 3G (only AT&T models) infringed Samsung's U.S. Patent No. 7,706,348, and therefore, violated Section 337 of the Tariff Act. Because of this infringement finding, the Commission issued both a limited exclusion order and a cease-and-desist order barring Apple from importing these devices for sale in the U.S. until June 3, 2015. These devices are Apple's older iPhone models.

A limited exclusion order directs Customs Service to exclude all infringing articles that originate from a specified firm that was a respondent in the Commission investigation. (The Commission also could have, but did not, issue a general exclusion order, which directs Customs Service to broadly prohibit entry of products that infringe the patent, whether or not the products are from actual parties in the ITC investigation.) A cease-and-desist order typically involves inventory already imported into the U.S. If the Respondent is found to violate Section 337, the ITC can order that the Respondent is no longer permitted to sell any of the inventory and must destroy it or return it to outside of the U.S. Unlike exclusion orders, cease and desist orders are enforced by the Commission, not by Customs. See 19 U.S.C. ? 1337(f)(2) (which provides for civil penalties for violation of cease and desist orders).

This ruling cannot be underestimated for Apple's future sales. The order has yet to take its full effect. This is because there is additional level of required review. The ITC Commission remedial order must be sent to the President, who then has discretion, within 60 days, to disapprove the order for policy reasons. If the President does not disapprove the Commission's order within the 60 day review period, at the conclusion of the period, Apple's infringing imports may no longer be imported starting on August 4, 2013.

That is why on June 26th, Apple asked the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (authority designated by the President to review ITC rulings) to veto the ITC order barring imports of older iPhone models found to infringe a Samsung patent. Apple argued that Samsung committed to license its standard essential patents (like the one Apple was found to have infringed) on terms that are fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory (FRAND), and thus waived its right to an injunction.

The bad news for Apple is that US Presidents rarely disapprove any exclusion order issued by the ITC. This has happened only five times in the agency's history, and the last President to veto an order was Ronald Reagan in 1987.

The next logical step for Apple is to appeal the ITC order to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Again, these patent issues present a challenge for investors who may be unfamiliar with the details of all the pending cases. But keeping on top of developments is crucial, particularly when, as here, a patent ruling could have a material effect on the revenue performance of a company.

Finality

The stakes are extremely high in this battle of the technology giants, and the cases are getting more and more complicated. That is precisely why, as reported by The Wall Street Journal, settlement talks between Apple and Samsung escalated lately. Each side scored at least one big victory across two crucial venues, but it is Apple who is facing an order that bars it from selling its products. Although that order is limited to the older iPhone devices, it still could have ramifications for Apple's bottom line.

On the other hand, Apple still has opportunities to hit Samsung back. For example, the upcoming second patent trial in California is of far greater scope and potential impact for both Apple and Samsung.

A global settlement to these patent wars would allow both Apple and Samsung to consolidate their status as a smartphone "duopoly" of sorts, and use their patents to keep less-successful competitors at bay. While these companies clearly have (and have exercised) the resources to fight each other to a stalemate, their smaller or less established competitors are unlikely to have the same willpower. So both Apple and Samsung could shift their focus from using their patents in bludgeoning each other to using them to generate revenue or as blocking mechanisms from other smartphone market participants.

Taken together, a settlement of the patent wars points to a brighter future for both Apple and Samsung, one that investors in both these companies should cheer. At the same time, the risks for other competitors in the space will go up as a result, so investors in the sector would do well to monitor (either directly or through patent counsel) closely patent developments in the smartphone space. If there is a lesson that these smartphone patent wars has taught the investment community, it is that these tech giants take their patents very seriously -- and investors looking for an edge should do the same.

Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. (More...)

Source: http://seekingalpha.com/article/1574142-apple-vs-samsung-is-there-an-end-in-sight?source=feed

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Comic-Con 2013: Veronica Mars Movie Panel Gets the Neptune Gang Back Together

It seemed like all 91,585 of the project's Kickstarter donors were in attendance Friday for the Veronica Mars movie panel at Comic-Con International in San Diego. Hall H was filled with wall-to-wall screams when -- even before the cast appeared -- the first footage premiered.

And then creator Rob Thomas appeared on stage, accompanied by stars Kristen Bell, Francis Capra, Enrico Colantoni, Percy Daggs III, Jason Dohring (with a "Team Piz" T-shirt), Ryan Hansen, Chris Lowell (with a "Team Logan" T-shirt) and Tina Majorino, all greeted with roaring applause.

Thomas teased the premise for the movie, which he said had just two days left of shooting (they wrapped on the following Monday). "I can tell you that it sort of has... a Godfather III theme to it, which seems odd," he offered. "But it is Veronica... she has not worked as a private detective since the last time you saw her in Season 3, and so part of the movie is her getting pulled back into this life that she thought she had left behind."

According to Thomas, the movie is going to strike all the right chords for the dedicated Veronica Mars fans who pledged $5.7 million to get it made. "The story that I wanted to tell is the one that I think fans want to see," he said. "I wanted to get the old gang back together. I kind of know what the pleasure zones are for Veronica Mars viewers, and I wrote to those."

Bell shared a story about the day in 2007 when she learned the beloved CW television series had been canceled. "I found out the day before I shot the scene in [Forgetting] Sarah Marshall where Sarah Marshall talks about her series being canceled," she said. "So it was really, really deep and hurtful for me to shoot that scene."

Now that the project has been given new life on the big screen, what was it like to be back together again filming? Bell said, "It was with Jason, my first scene, and we just kind of kept staring at teach other like, 'Are we really here now?'"

Audience members were delighted when they were made privy to Veronica and Dick's first lines in the film. Bell said, "My first line back was, 'Charming drink names -- I can't decide between a Beast with Two Backs and a Donkey Punch -- oh, do you think they'd let me order a Virgin De-Virginator?'" And Dick's first line? Hansen yelled, "Logan!"

So what of Lowell's "Team Logan" shirt? It seems he was seeking redemption for his character's romantically destructive ways. "I wore this shirt today just so I wouldn't be shot when I stepped on stage, frankly," he admitted. "I remember getting an email from Rob, like, 'I think we're bringing Piz back,' and I was like, 'The death threats have just stopped!" he exclaimed. "I've had some funky fan interactions, that's true. I've definitely had fans approach me like I've ruined their relationship as well."

Thomas shared an experience he had when he began writing the film. "I would get on my treadmill each day and watch an episode," he said. "And I was watching all of Season 1, and we go to the Veronica/Logan first kiss -- and I rewound it. And then rewound it. And then rewound it. And then, my wife entered and I had tears in my eyes. It was an embarrassing moment, that I'm watching my own work, a kiss. It just felt so earned to me. Yes, my wife caught me crying."

During the audience Q&A, the actors were asked to name their favorite scene or episode of the series. Before divulging his answer, Hansen -- not to be outdone by Dohring and Lowell -- removed his shirt to reveal a "Team Dick" T-shirt beneath. "Anything with Jason [Dohring]," he said. "Jason was, like, my acting coach, he was amazing."

Daggs said, "'Lord of the Pies' is great. And the snickerdoodle episode... My first snickerdoodle was on the show, and then Kristen had them bringing me snickerdoodles regularly, and then I got sick!"

Colatoni's answer was more personal, explaining that he watched the show with his daughter and, "I kept catching her looking at me and back at Kristen and then me and back at Kristen. It was a wonderful moment to see how my daughter was associating my relationship with her." He laughed and then added, "She'll never ever have a dad like Keith Mars!"

So when can fans expect to get their big-screen Veronica fix? "The movie will come out early 2014 -- that's what we're shooting for," Thomas said. "We just signed a book deal for a couple new Veronica Mars books, the first of which will come out pretty close after the movie. It picks up where the movie left off."

Thomas hopes there will be a second Veronica Mars movie, but he doesn't necessarily want to return to Kickstarter to get it made. "I hope we make a ton of money on this movie and we get to do it the normal channels," he said. "I loved doing it on Kickstarter, but if we're a huge hit, I'm not sure if Kickstarter is meant to fund huge hits. I'd do it either way, honestly. Maybe next time the studio will just give us the money."

---

Article originally published on Comic Book Resources.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1927944/news/1927944/

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Mega Buzz: The Bones Wedding, Once's New Villain, and HIMYM's Locket

Emily Deschanel, Jennifer Morrison, Cobie Smulders

Every week, editors Adam Bryant and Natalie Abrams satisfy your need for TV scoop. Please send all questions?tomega_scoop@tvguide.com?or tweet them to@adam_bryant?or?@NatalieAbrams.

I'm so excited for a Bones wedding! Got any other scoop about the new season? ? Melanie
ADAM: When the new season begins, Brennan is still noticeably devastated that Booth, under the duress of Pelant, called off the engagement. "Booth is not someone who sits well with unhappiness," creator Hart Hanson says. "He wants to fix things and that's what he's trying to do. His desire [is] to kill Pelant." So will he? "He's not usually like that; he's not a killer. But... Caroline and Sweets are very concerned," he teases.

Will we get a definitive explanation of the Home Office on Once Upon a Time? ? Pedro ?
NATALIE: Yes, in the season premiere. "As we stated in the finale, Greg and Tamara don't know that they're working for Peter Pan," executive producer Adam Horowitz says. "So the Home Office is related to Pan, but that'll be cleared up pretty quickly." Oh, and it may have appeared that Ariel was in Storybrooke in that Comic-Con teaser, but the producers say that she'll actually be in Neverland.

So, how much of How I Met Your Mother's final season will be about Ted and Robin's feelings for each other? ? Jason
ADAM: The season premiere, which is titled "The Locket," will almost certainly examine that poignant hand-holding that occurred between Robin and Ted in last season's penultimate episode. But don't expect it to be neatly resolved in that one episode. "It's a story that will be explored quite a lot and in-depth," executive producer Pamela Fryman says. How will Barney feel about all this "exploration"? Well, the third episode is titled "The Broken Code." Infer what you will.

Do you know when The Vampire Diaries will pick up this season? ? Jeanine
NATALIE: "We're coming back three months later, so we'll touch base on what the characters have been doing all summer," says executive producer Caroline Dries. "We realize that poor Stefan has been drowning, dying and coming back to life. But everyone else has been having a totally fun time. Elena and Damon are a super-sexy couple and happy for once. Caroline is ready to start school. Nobody knows that Bonnie is dead, so it's bliss, but then there's Stefan just dying." Just a typical summer vacation!

I'd like some Castle scoop, please. Especially something about Lanie and Esposito! ? Cindy
ADAM: Tamala Jones' promised more "Esplanie," this season, and creator Andrew W. Marlowe seems happy to oblige. But don't get your hopes up for some grand romance. In fact, we'll probably just figure out why they're apart. "There was a scene cut from their break-up because of some time issues that I think leaves a little lack of clarity in terms of what happened and where they are," Marlowe says. "I think we owe it to the fans to give them an explanation of what's going on in their relationship."

Wow, how can Deb and Dexter come back from her trying to kill him? ? Jeremy
NATALIE: Dexter's dysfunctional family will take part in a therapy session with Vogel to work through their issues, but consider the car accident Deb's rock-bottom. "She's seen that Harry has killed himself when he realized what he taught Dexter to do; he couldn't live with himself. So she feels she's aided and abetted him," executive producer Sara Colleton says. "At first she thinks she's going to kill herself, but then she realizes that it's an impulsive thing in the moment that she does." But the siblings may come together when Vogel's life is threatened.

Is it too early to ask about scoop on The Following? ? Rachael
ADAM: Nope! The show has begun casting for some new cast members, including a villain with multiple personalities. One minute he's cool and cocky, the next he's a sensitive, bookish type?-- but at all times he's deadly. Also joining the cast is Ryan's niece, a twentysomething tech expert for the NYPD who is trying to bring what's left of the Hardy family together. Now that we know that Joe Carroll is still out there, something tells us that that's a terrible idea.

Has Rick regained his sanity on The Walking Dead? ? Lila
NATALIE: Yes, we'll see him maintain said sanity by taking less of a leadership role this season. "It's not so much Ricktatorship-y," new showrunner Scott Gimple says. In fact, Rick will return to his roots as an investigator. "It's a man trying to reclaim the man he once was," Andrew Lincoln says. "We find him battling or trying to subdue the brutality that's inherent in this man and also maybe relinquishing responsibilities for leadership for the sake of his family. You're seeing a man try to be a single dad in an apocalypse. It's a challenge."

I'm liking this Genoa story on The Newsroom. What's coming up? ? Kyle
ADAM: Although newcomer Jerry Dantana is convinced that his story is real, he'll continue to butt heads with skeptical higher-ups at ACN. But that doesn't necessarily make him a bad guy. "Jerry's not a black hat," executive producer Alan Poul says. "He just happens to be ambitious. He's driven by incredibly human motives, but [he's] vulnerable to the kind of temptations and pressures that landing a big story like this would present to him in terms of furthering his own career. ... It's just too juicy to walk away from." Fortunately for Jerry, in Sunday's episode, the team receives a piece of intel that even the biggest skeptic can't ignore.

Got any scoop on Parks and Recreation? ? Mallory
NATALIE: Yes, Diane is pregnant, but she might not be the only one! "I definitely think there's a very good chance that someone else will be pregnant on the show eventually," executive producer Mike Schur says. "Obviously Ann and Chris are actively trying, so that's certainly a possibility for them. Leslie and Ben are very happily married and they're definitely thinking about it based on last year, where they explicitly said they should talk about their family. Andy and April are also happily married."

I like Ray Donovan, but just what is the big secret between Ray, Ezra and Mickey? ? Ben
ADAM: You'll get a few more answers in Sunday's episode when Mickey drops by Ezra's house unannounced. Surprisingly, the meeting isn't as hostile as you might imagine, partly because of Ezra's crumbling mental state. But that's not the episode's only revelation: Elsewhere, Ray gets some clues about why the police aren't pursuing the priest who Mickey murdered and Terry learns some devastating news about his nurse/girlfriend -- just as he's starting to fall for her.

So shocked by Terry's death. Is there a chance that we could see him again on True Blood? ? Jenna
NATALIE: Terry is definitely dead, but a bloodsucking little birdie told me that Todd Lowe will pop up in a flashback later this season.

Natalie's Mega Rave: Last year, Once Upon a Time wowed the Comic-Con crowd when it announced the impending arrival of Captain Hook. This year, a teaser promised Ariel from The Little Mermaid! Our casting picks: Felicia Day, Molly Quinn, or Joanna Garcia-Swisher. You're welcome.

Adam's Mini Rant: Thanks, Bryan Cranston, for wearing the creepiest disguise since The Following's Edgar Allan Poe masks. As if Breaking Bad's?Heisenberg didn't already haunt my dreams.

Crave scoop on your favorite TV shows??E-mail Adam and Natalie at mega_scoop@tvguide.com?or drop us a line at?Twitter.com/TVGuide

(Additional reporting by Hanh Nguyen and Kate Stanhope)

Source: http://www.tvguide.com/News/Mega-Buzz-Bones-Once-HIMYM-Spoilers-1068206.aspx?rss=news

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Ford and Toyota to end hybrid system partnership

Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. would terminate a partnership to develop gasoline-electric systems for pickups and sports utility vehicles. Raj Nair, Ford?s product development chief, told Bloomberg through telephone that the carmaker is on pace to bring its rear-wheel-drive hybrid system to market later this decade. He said that Toyota and Ford mutually agreed to end their partnership after the research and development phase. Nair remarked that both Ford and Toyota ?gained from each other?s expertise and insight.? He told Bloomberg that they have developed ?a lot of expertise in-house? and determined that they could deliver the system on their own. Ford chief executive Alan Mulally and Toyota President Akio Toyoda personally handled the discussions over the partnership, which was announced in August 2011.

After then, Ford has increased sales of hybrid and plug-in versions of the Fusion sedan and the C-Max wagon in the United States, threatening the dominance of the Japanese carmaker in the country?s hybrid market with its Prius.

Ford and Toyota will still work jointly on standards for in-car technology and communication systems. Toyota said in a statement that the carmakers also "will consider other areas for future collaboration as well."

Nair said that Ford and Toyota have inked a deal in China to share emergency and customer-call centers. Ford recently disclosed that it more than quintupled its electric-drive deliveries to 46,197 in the first half of 2013. Toyota still leads the segment with 176,506 sales, reflecting a 4.4-percent rise over 2012. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, electric-drive deliveries across the industry surged 23 percent to over 287,000 units.

Source: http://www.4wheelsnews.com/ford-and-toyota-to-end-hybrid-system-partnership/

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djg's Amazingly Awesome Fantasy Football Leagues

I wanted to do an auction league but I have never done one before so didnt really want to jump straight $100 league as my first one so I'm going to set up a $25 league. I'll also set up a $25 league with a snake draft as it seemed like there were quite a few people who wanted to join that league but got in too late.

Both leagues will be 12 teams and PPR. I'll hold on paypal. Can accept on stars as well but I dont know how many people that will be an option for. I have held for a few contests over the last few years and everybody was paid up quickly at the end.

So yeah, post in this thread if you are interested and ill pm you my paypal details.

And remember when sending on paypal dont include anything about the league or anything that could link it back to ffb.

Roster Spots QB, WR, WR, WR, RB, RB, TE, W/R/T, K, DEF, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN

Scoring

Offense League Value Yahoo! Default Value
Passing Yards 25 yards per point
Passing Touchdowns 4
Interceptions -1
Rushing Yards 10 yards per point
Rushing Touchdowns 6
Reception Yards 10 yards per point
Reception Touchdowns 6
Return Touchdowns 6
2-Point Conversions 2
Fumbles Lost -2
Offensive Fumble Return TD 6
Kickers League Value Yahoo! Default Value
Field Goals 0-19 Yards 3
Field Goals 20-29 Yards 3
Field Goals 30-39 Yards 3
Field Goals 40-49 Yards 4
Field Goals 50+ Yards 5
Point After Attempt Made 1
Defense/Special Teams League Value Yahoo! Default Value
Sack 1
Interception 2
Fumble Recovery 2
Touchdown 6
Safety 2
Block Kick 2
Kickoff and Punt Return Touchdowns 6
Points Allowed 0 points 10
Points Allowed 1-6 points 7
Points Allowed 7-13 points 4
Points Allowed 14-20 points 1
Points Allowed 21-27 points 0
Points Allowed 28-34 points -1
Points Allowed 35+ points -4

As stated in the title, these leagues will be amazingly awesome so gtfi

Source: http://www.pocketfives.com/f13/djgs-amazingly-awesome-fantasy-football-leagues-682343/

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Sony Xperia i1 Honami caught in the flesh

After several renders, leaks and blurrycam images, we have what could be the retail version of the Sony Xperia i1, codenamed Honami.

First there was the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom. After that we saw Nokia?s answer in the Lumia 1020. Sony has also long been rumoured to make a device along similar lines, codenamed Honami. Now there are images that showcase what could be the final consumer version of the Xperia i1 in all its glory.

The device is likely to feature a 20 MP Exmor sensor at the back, and unlike the Lumia 1020 and the S4 Zoom, will not have any protrusions. Sony seems to be sticking to the same design ethos it has introduced with the Xperia Z on the Xperia i1, as the OmniBalance design is evident from the images.

In terms of hardware, the Xperia i1 is alleged to come with a 5-inch full-HD screen, Snapdragon 800 SoC which includes a 2.2 GHz quad-core CPU, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB ROM and a 3,000 mAh battery. It is the imaging section that is the most interesting. The Xperia i1 is said to house a 20-megapixel Exmor RS camera that features Sony?s G-lens and BIONZ image processor, which was only used in its digital cameras till now. The device is also IP57 certified, meaning it is water and dust-proof.

Sony is most likely going to unveil the Xperia i1 at IFA Berlin on September 4^th.

Source:?GadgetHelpline

Harish Jonnalagadda is an avid reader of science-fiction novels. A long-time Arsenal fan, his other interests include gaming, basketball and making music. He has been tinkering with hardware since he was a kid, and likes customizing his gaming rig whenever he gets the time.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vr-zone/~3/1SCAfA-ndU4/46516.html

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Japan exports continue to recover

24 July 2013 Last updated at 00:54 ET

Japanese exports continue to recover, rising for a fourth month in a row in June, boosted by a weak yen and a revival in demand from Europe.

Exports rose 7.4% from a year earlier. Sales to the European Union (EU) rose by 8.6% - the first jump in 21 months.

The Japanese yen has weakened 25% against the US dollar since November last year after a series of aggressive policy moves by Japan.

A weak currency makes Japanese goods cheaper for foreign buyers.

"This is clear evidence that the weakness of the Japanese currency has helped Japan's exports," Martin Schulz of Fujitsu Research Institute told the BBC.

"The export environment in Asia is very challenging and the fact that Japan has seen growth for four straight months is a positive sign," he added.

Meanwhile, imports rose 11.8% from a year ago, resulting in a trade deficit of 180.8bn yen ($1.8bn; ? 1.2bn).

China factor

However, the pace of growth of exports was less than the 10% rise that many analysts had expected.

That was in part due a decline in export growth to China - Japan's biggest trading partner. Shipments to China rose 4.8% in June, from a year earlier, compared to 8.3% in May.

This comes amid slowing growth in the world's second-largest economy.

China's economy grew at an annual rate of 7.5% in the April to June period, down from 7.7% in the January to March quarter, and there are fears that its growth rate may dip further in the coming months.

Analysts said any such move may hurt Japan's exports to the country.

"Overall, the picture isn't that strong," said Yasuo Yamamoto, senior economist at Mizuho Research Institute.

"China's slowdown is starting to become more dangerous."

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23429558

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