NIST announces plan to create center of excellence for advanced materials research

Public release date: 28-Jun-2013
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Contact: Michael Baum
michael.baum@nist.gov
301-975-2763
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced that it plans to establish a new Advanced Materials Center of Excellence to facilitate collaborations between NIST and researchers from academia and industry on advanced materials development.

The planned center, which NIST expects to fund at approximately $25 million over five years, will emphasize innovations in measurement technology, modeling, simulation, and data and informatics tools related to advanced materials. NIST plans to hold a competition this summer to select an organization to host the new center.

The center will play a major role in NIST's support for the President's Materials Genome Initiative (MGI), which was launched two years ago.* The MGI is a multiagency effort in materials research with a goal of cutting development times in half while reducing the cost of discovering, engineering and deploying new advanced materials.

Typically, it takes 10 to 20 years for a new material to go from initial research to first use. Advanced materials and products, from the tough new glasses used for smartphone screens to new biomaterials to repair damaged tissues and organs in the body, are critical for the United States to get to market first in order to fuel innovation, create jobs and spur economic growth.

The President's Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced a series of new initiatives in support of the MGI, including the planned NIST center of excellence. See: "Two Years Later, Bold New Steps for the Materials Genome Initiative" at http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/06/24/two-years-later-bold-new-steps-materials-genome-initiative.

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* For more on the Materials Genome Initiative, see http://www.whitehouse.gov/mgi.

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 28-Jun-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Michael Baum
michael.baum@nist.gov
301-975-2763
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced that it plans to establish a new Advanced Materials Center of Excellence to facilitate collaborations between NIST and researchers from academia and industry on advanced materials development.

The planned center, which NIST expects to fund at approximately $25 million over five years, will emphasize innovations in measurement technology, modeling, simulation, and data and informatics tools related to advanced materials. NIST plans to hold a competition this summer to select an organization to host the new center.

The center will play a major role in NIST's support for the President's Materials Genome Initiative (MGI), which was launched two years ago.* The MGI is a multiagency effort in materials research with a goal of cutting development times in half while reducing the cost of discovering, engineering and deploying new advanced materials.

Typically, it takes 10 to 20 years for a new material to go from initial research to first use. Advanced materials and products, from the tough new glasses used for smartphone screens to new biomaterials to repair damaged tissues and organs in the body, are critical for the United States to get to market first in order to fuel innovation, create jobs and spur economic growth.

The President's Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced a series of new initiatives in support of the MGI, including the planned NIST center of excellence. See: "Two Years Later, Bold New Steps for the Materials Genome Initiative" at http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/06/24/two-years-later-bold-new-steps-materials-genome-initiative.

###

* For more on the Materials Genome Initiative, see http://www.whitehouse.gov/mgi.

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-06/nios-nap062813.php

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Obama to meet with Mandela family

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) ? President Barack Obama plans to visit privately Saturday with relatives of former South African President Nelson Mandela, but doesn't intend to see the critically ill anti-apartheid activist he has called a "personal hero."

The White House did not disclose any details for Obama's plans to meet the family in a brief statement issued upon Obama's first morning in South Africa during a weeklong tour of the continent. The statement simply said that Obama and his wife would offer their thoughts and prayers at the family's difficult time.

"Out of deference to Nelson Mandela's peace and comfort and the family's wishes, they will not be visiting the hospital," the statement said.

Obama told reporters on the flight to South Africa Friday that he was grateful that he, his wife and daughters had a chance to meet Mandela previously. Obama hangs his photo of the introduction he had to Mandela in 2005 in his personal office at the White House ? their only meeting, when Obama was a senator.

"I don't need a photo op," Obama said. "The last thing I want to do is to be in any way obtrusive at a time when the family is concerned about Nelson Mandela's condition."

Obama will be just a couple miles from the hospital where 94-year-old Mandela has been for three weeks after being admitted with a lung infection. The U.S. president has a bilateral meeting and news conference with President Jacob Zuma at the Union Buildings, where Mandela was inaugurated as the country's first black president in 1994 after 27 years behind bars under racist rule.

Obama has said the imprisoned activist's willingness to risk his life for the cause of equal rights helped inspire his own political activism. Obama said his message during the visit will draw on the lessons of Mandela's life, with a message that "Africa's rise will continue" if its people are unified instead of divided by tribe, race or religion.

"I think the main message we'll want to deliver if not directly to him but to his family is simply a profound gratitude for his leadership all these years and that the thoughts and prayers of the American people are with him and his family and his country," Obama said on his flight into the country.

Obama also is paying tribute to the fight against apartheid by visiting the Soweto area Saturday afternoon for a town hall with students at the University of Johannesburg. At least 176 young people were killed in Soweto township 27 years ago this month during a youth protest against the apartheid regime's ban against teaching local Bantu languages. The Soweto Uprising catalyzed international support against apartheid, and June is now recognized as Youth Month in South Africa.

The university plans to bestow an honorary law degree on the U.S. president, while protesters are planning demonstrations against U.S. policy on issues including the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the war in Afghanistan and global warming. Hundreds marched to the U.S. Embassy on Friday, carrying signs that read: "No, You Can't Obama," a message inspired by Obama's "yes, we can" campaign slogan.

Obama, the son of an African man, has been trying to inspire the continent's youth to become civically active and part of a new democratically minded generation. Obama hosted young leaders from more than 40 African countries at the White House in 2010 and challenged them to bring change to their countries by standing up for freedom, openness and peaceful disagreement.

Obama wraps up his South Africa stay Sunday, when he plans to give a sweeping speech on U.S.-Africa policy at the University of Cape Town and take his family to Robben Island to tour the prison where Mandela spent 18 years.

___

Follow Nedra Pickler on Twitter at https://twitter.com/nedrapickler

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-meet-mandela-family-075010890.html

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Prop 8 challengers wed in California after stay is lifted

California Attorney General Kamala Harris officiates the wedding ceremony of Kristin Perry and Sandy Stiler, plaintiffs in the Prop 8 case, at San Francisco City Hall.

By Pete Williams and M. Alex Johnson, NBC News

The two couples who challenged?the law that had?barred same-sex marriage in California?were married Friday afternoon after a federal appeals court dissolved its stay blocking same-sex marriage in the state.

On the eve of San Francisco's Pride Weekend,?State Attorney General Kamala?declared Sandra Stier, 50, and Kris Perry,?48, "spouse and spouse" shortly before 5 p.m. (8 p.m. ET) at San Francisco City Hall. In their vows, the couple took each other as?"lawfully wedded wife."

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"Right now, we feel really victorious and thrilled and relieved to be at the end of this long journey and just move forward like a regular married couple," Stier said in a conference call with reporters ? but not before she introduced Perry as "my beautiful wife."

Stier said she and Perry hadn't had time to schedule a honeymoon. But Perry said that after a celebration with "all of the people we love ... Sandy and I will go somewhere alone."

Paul Katami and Jeff Zarrillo, one of the couples who successfully challenged California's Proposition 8, marry in Los Angeles.

About 90 minutes later in Los Angeles, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa married the other couple, Paul Katami and Jeff Zarrillo, on his last day in office.

The ceremony, Katami said, was "about celebrating our private commitment and our public connection."

As the ceremony began, Villaraigosa said:?"I've done a few of these over the last couple years, but never have I been prouder. Never have I been more joyful than I am today. This is a special moment."

Many state officials, including Harris and Gov. Jerry Brown, celebrated the decision Friday on Twitter:

Twitter.com

Twitter.com

San Francisco City Hall will stay open until 8 p.m. Friday and will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday for marriage licenses. The Los Angeles County registrar and clerk's office said it was deputizing extra marriage commissioners and extending days and locations to accommodate an expected rush of weddings.

Gina Alcomendias, the clerk-recorder for Santa Clara County, said few people had shown up at the County Building because the appeals court's decision came late in the day.

But "we're going to be busy Monday, I think ? the whole week next week," Alcomendias told NBC Bay Area. "Probably for a long while."

The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals lifted its stay two days after the Supreme Court declined to rule on Proposition 8, thereby upholding a lower court's decision overturning the ban.?The appeals court had blocked enforcement of that ruling pending the Supreme Court decision.

The justices also struck down?the Defense of Marriage Act, a 1996 federal law that barred recognition of same-sex marriages.

Supreme Court rulings generally don't take effect for 25 days. But Harris had called on the 9th Circuit to lift its stay as soon as possible Wednesday after Brown told the state's 58 counties to prepare for same-sex marriages.

Brown issued an order Friday afternoon making that official, declaring that "marriage licenses must be issued to same-sex couples immediately."

California Attorney General Kamala Harris instructs the Los Angeles County Clerk by telephone to begin same-sex marriages "immediately."

The Protect Marriage Coalition's?Proposition 8 Legal Defense Fund, which sponsored the ballot initiative, did not immediately return calls seeking comment. But in a statement, the group said it had been deprived of "our right to ask for reconsideration," calling the appeals court's decision an "outrageous act of judicial tyranny."

"Homosexual marriage is not happening because the people changed their mind," the group said in a statement. "It isn't happening because the appellate courts declared a new constitutional right. It's happening because enemies of the people have abused their power to manipulate the system and render the people voiceless."

Theodore Boutros, one of the plaintiffs' lawyers, said the appeals court was fully within its rights to lift its injunction, which simply restored the status quo in the circuit. Any attempt by opponents to seek reconsideration of the Supreme Court ruling is a separate matter, he said.

Watch the most-viewed videos on NBCNews.com

Miranda Leitsinger, Norma Rubio and Sossy Dombourian of NBC News contributed to this report. Follow M. Alex Johnson on Twitter and Facebook.

Related:

Same-sex marriage supporters cheer 'Cinderella moment'; opponents vow to fight on

Historic day for gay marriage after two big court decisions

Jeff Chiu / AP

Kris Perry, left, kisses Sandra Stier as they are married Friday at San Francisco City Hall in a ceremony officiated by state Attorney General Kamala Harris.

This story was originally published on Fri Jun 28, 2013 6:59 PM EDT

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663306/s/2df2fe27/l/0Lusnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A60C280C191940A790Eprop0E80Echallengers0Ewed0Ein0Ecalifornia0Eafter0Estay0Eis0Elifted0Dlite/story01.htm

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PayPal Galactic arrives to address the pressing issue of paying in space

Space tourism is coming, and it ain't gonna be cheap. The question is, how are the rich folks aboard such craft going to pay for... stuff? Since weighty cash is a non-starter, Paypal has unveiled the PayPal Galactic initiative with SETI and the Space Tourism Society to prepare for the future of extra-planetary commerce. It'll be launched today at noon EST via livestream (see the More Coverage link) by none other than astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who said that future trips to the moon or Mars will require "as many comforts from home as possible, including how to pay each other." PayPal worked with SETI to hatch the project, which will address meaty issues like a standard space currency, the risk of space fraud and dealing with customer support issues. (Sorry, space customer support issues.) We're pretty sure the conversation won't involve how to pay aliens, but as part of the Galactic launch, PayPal will also announce a new crowdfunding campaign on FundRazr to aid SETI. That'll help the ET-seeking outfit with its astrobiology and radio astronomy research and, hopefully, keep its dishes pointed skyward, so maybe one day we can horse-trade with the Ferengi.

Filed under: Science

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/9LJER8y2MVg/

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Tammy Duckworth's Impassioned Shaming of a Faux-Disabled Vet (Atlantic Politics Channel)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/315615104?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Review: Kingsgate Woodhouse Day Spa | Chic This Week

My favorite spa in Cincinnati is HANDS DOWN?Woodhouse Day Spa in Montgomery. I love its location (lots of cute shops and restaurants nearby), its products (many are organic), and that it?s not a salon and spa. It?s solely a spa, so you?re not straining to relax to the sound of hairdryers and smell of hairspray. You can truly relax.

So, of course, I was super excited when I read about the new Kingsgate Mariott Woodhouse location?in Cincy Chic a few months ago. This location is really convenient for me because?I?m always running from meeting to meeting downtown. So, I made an appointment for a facial and manicure to look fresh and fabulous for the New Kids on the Block concert on Tuesday (which was an AWESOME concert, by the way!).

The?Kingsgate Mariott, which is basically on the UC campus,?was easy to find. Woodhouse took over the previous spa?s space, so once you get into the Mariott look for ?spa? signage (not ?Woodhouse? like I did? blonde moment! haha!), and it?s located on the 3rd floor. Once you step inside, it?s like a mini version of the Montgomery Woodhouse location. It smells the same, has the same cozy white robes, and same great spa experience.

They do have a limited menu there, but have all the basic nail, massage, esthetic services. I usually get shellac if I get my nails done, and they don?t offer that at this location, so I got a regular french mani. She did one of the best French manis I?ve ever had (they?re so easy to screw up!) so I was really happy with it.

What I REALLY loved though was my facial. They used an organic cherry scrub that smelled like sweet, summery heaven. It was also pretty much a whole upper body massage too ? she worked my shoulders, arms, hands and neck ? which is where I hold all my tension anyway. After the facial, I felt super relaxed and my skin was glowing!

So, I definitely recommend checking it out, especially if you work downtown or are near the UC campus. It?s a great way to get the all the fabulous Woodhouse basics at a more convenient location!

The new Woodhouse Day Spa is located inside the Kingsgate Mariott?at?151 Goodman Drive Cincinnati, Ohio 45219. You do need to pay for parking at this location (I paid $10 for three hours), so keep that in mind. But I?d pay any amount of money?to avoid wasting time, gas and my sanity fighting traffic on I-71, so it?s definitely worth it!

Posted in: Beauty, Reviews

Tags: downtown, Montgomery, spa, Woodhouse Day Spa

Source: http://cincinnati.com/blogs/cincychic/2013/06/28/review-kingsgate-woodhouse-day-spa/

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SAfrica president cancels trip amid Mandela worry

JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? South Africa's president visited a gravely ill Nelson Mandela in the hospital on Wednesday night, and canceled a visit planned for the next day to Mozambique, an indication of heightened concern over the deteriorating health of the man widely considered the father of the country.

President Jacob Zuma found 94-year-old Mandela to still be in critical condition during the 10 p.m. visit and was briefed by doctors "who are still doing everything they can to ensure his well-being," Zuma's office said in a statement.

It said the president decided to cancel a visit to Maputo, the Mozambican capital, on Thursday, where he was to attend a meeting on regional investment.

As worries over Mandela mounted, Mac Maharaj, the presidential spokesman, declined to comment on media reports that the former president and anti-apartheid leader was on life support systems in the Pretoria hospital where he was taken June 8 to be treated for what the government said was a recurring lung infection.

"I cannot comment on the clinical details of these reports because that would breach the confidentiality of the doctor/patient relationship," Maharaj said in an interview with South Africa's Radio 702.

South Africans were torn on Wednesday between the desire not to lose Mandela, who defined the aspirations of so many of his compatriots, and resignation that the beloved former prisoner and president is approaching the end of his life.

The sense of anticipation and foreboding about Mandela's fate has grown since late Sunday, when the South African government declared that the condition of the statesman had deteriorated.

A tide of emotional tributes has built on social media and in hand-written messages and flowers laid outside the hospital and Mandela's home. On Wednesday, about 20 children from a day care center posted a hand-made card outside the hospital and recited a poem.

"Hold on, old man," was one of the lines in the Zulu poem, according to the South African Press Association.

In recent days, international leaders, celebrities, athletes and others have praised Mandela, not just as the man who steered South Africa through its tense transition from white racist rule to democracy two decades ago, but as a universal symbol of sacrifice and reconciliation.

In South Africa's Eastern Cape province, where Mandela grew up, a traditional leader said the time was near for Mandela, who is also known by his clan name, Madiba.

"I am of the view that if Madiba is no longer enjoying life, and is on life support systems, and is not appreciating what is happening around him, I think the good Lord should take the decision to put him out of his suffering," said the tribal chief, Phathekile Holomisa.

"I did speak to two of his family members, and of course, they are in a lot of pain, and wish that a miracle might happen, that he recovers again, and he becomes his old self again," he said. "But at the same time they are aware there is a limit what miracles you can have."

For many South Africans, Mandela's decline is a far more personal matter, echoing the protracted and emotionally draining process of losing one of their own elderly relatives.

One nugget of wisdom about the arc of life and death came from Matthew Rusznyah, a 9-year-old boy who stopped outside Mandela's home in the Johannesburg neighborhood of Houghton to show his appreciation.

"We came because we care about Mandela being sick, and we wish we could put a stop to it, like snap our fingers," he said. "But we can't. It's how life works."

His mother, Lee Rusznyah, said Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison under apartheid before becoming South Africa's first black president in all-race elections in 1994, had made the world a better place.

"All of us will end," Thabo Makgoba, the Anglican archbishop of Cape Town, said in an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday. "We just want him to be peacefully released, whatever he's feeling at this moment, and to be reunited with his Maker at the perfect time, when God so wills."

The archbishop said: "Ultimately, we are all mortal. At some stage or another, we all have to die, and we have to move on, we have to be recalled by our Maker and Redeemer. We have to create that space for Madiba, to come to terms within himself, with that journey."

On Tuesday, Makgoba visited Mandela and offered a prayer in which he wished for a "peaceful, perfect, end" for the anti-apartheid leader, who was taken to the Pretoria hospital to be treated for what the government said was a recurring lung infection.

In the prayer, he asked for courage to be granted to Mandela's wife, Graca Machel, and others who love him "at this hard time of watching and waiting," and he appealed for divine help for the medical team treating Mandela.

Visitors to the hospital on Wednesday included Mandela's former wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. The couple divorced in 1996.

Mandela, whose 95th birthday is on July 18, served a single five-year term as president and afterward focused on charitable causes, but he withdrew from public life years ago and became increasingly frail in recent years. He last made a public appearance in 2010 at the World Cup soccer tournament, which was hosted by South Africa. At that time, he did not speak to the crowd and was bundled against the cold in a stadium full of fans.

On April 29, state television broadcast footage of a visit by Zuma and other leaders of the ruling party, the African National Congress, to Mandela's home. Zuma said at the time that Mandela was in good shape, but the footage ? the first public images of Mandela in nearly a year ? showed him silent and unresponsive, even when Zuma tried to hold his hand.

"Let's accept instead of crying," said Lucas Aedwaba, a security officer in Pretoria who described Mandela as a hero. "Let's celebrate that the old man lived and left his legacy."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/safrica-president-cancels-trip-amid-mandela-worry-211647448.html

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Realistic robot carp created: First robot fish with autonomous 3-D movement in Asia

June 26, 2013 ? A team of researchers from the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering has developed a robot fish that mimics the movements of a carp. This robot which is essentially an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) is ready for applications, as it can be programmed to perform specific functions, for example, for underwater archaeology such as exploring nooks and corners of wreckage -- or sunken city which are difficult for divers or traditional AUVs to access. Other applications include military activities, pipeline leakage detection, and the laying of communication cable.

The team comprises Professor Xu Jianxin, Mr Fan Lupeng, graduating Electrical Engineering student and Research Fellow, Dr Ren Qinyuan. Mr Fan worked on the project for his final year which won the High Achievement Award at the Faculty's 27th Innovation and Research Award. It will also be featured at the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, a top international conference on intelligent robots, in Tokyo on 3-7 November 2013.

Said Prof Xu, "Currently, robot fish capable of 2-D movements are common, meaning that these models are not able to dive into the water. Our model is capable of 3-D movements as it can dive and float, using its fins like a real fish. Compared to traditional AUVs, they are certainly more mobile, with greater manoeuvrability. If used for military purpose, fish robots would definitely be more difficult to detect by the enemy."

Fish robots are also quieter and consume less energy, compared to traditional AUVs. Said Mr Fan who studied the movements of real life carps for three months, in order to develop their robot, "We chose to study carps because most fish swim like them. There is no literature at all on designing a mathematical model on the locomotion of fish and so we had to start from scratch. We used a camera to capture all the possible movements of a carp and then converted the data mathematically so that we could transfer the locomotion of real carp to our robot using different actuators."

This has been most challenging as fish use a lot of different muscles to move, and many actuators are required to enable the robot to move in the same manner.

Added Dr Ren, "Some fish can achieve almost 180 degree turning in a small turning radius through bending their body while traditional underwater vehicles have a much larger turning radius. Hence it is quite a feat for us to achieve this movement in our robot fish."

Other challenges included waterproofing the fish body, the motor and the control box. The fins and tails also need to be flexible and the team decided to use very fine (1mm) acrylic board for these. Buoyancy and balance for the robot is maintained by using plastic foams attached to both sides. For the diving mechanism, their robot fish is equipped with an internal ballast system to change density. The system is sophisticated enough to enable the fish to dive suddenly, as well as to the precise depth intended.

The team has constructed two fish robots. The larger prototype is about one and half metres in length, weighing about 10kg and it can dive to a depth of 1.8 metres. The smaller robot is about 60 centimetres long and weighs a mere 1.5kg. It is developed for investigation on 2D motion control and motion planning in a small place, and it can only swim at water surface.

"To my knowledge, the world's smallest fish robot is one about 12.7 centimetres (5 inches) in length. It was designed by MIT for specific military purpose and could go to a depth of 1.5 metres," said Dr Ren.

Moving forward

Underwater vehicles have long gone past the days of the submarines, said Mr Fan. Fish robots, besides being a micro submarine, can also be fully autonomous and can be programmed to perform many difficult and dangerous tasks.

The team hopes to make their robot fish even smaller and more realistic. Said Mr Fan, "We intend to equip it with more sensors like GPS and video camera to improve autonomous 3-D movement. We also intend to test out our fish with more challenging tasks such as object detection."

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/Hexvc4gQL0o/130626113027.htm

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iOS Maps Atrocities? Nah, These Are Works of Art

We're all familiar with the, uh, pitfalls of Apple's iOS Maps app. But Peder Norrby, the founder of a Stockholm-based tech company called Trapcode, has managed to capture some of the most bizarre 3D mapping glitches in high definition?turning them into lovely, surreal vignettes.

Read more...

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/3G0uW9UUfgE/ios-maps-atrocities-nah-these-are-works-of-art-585375062

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Will 'Catfish' Lead To Wedding Bells? Tune In Tonight!

Season two premiere at 10 p.m. ET on MTV follows Cassie as Nev and Max help her meet her online fiancé.
By Todd Gilchrist

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1709581/catfish-season-two-premiere.jhtml

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Imgur's Android App Officially Debuts, Content Creation Tools Coming Soon

Imgur, the simple but popular photo-sharing site that's a favorite among Reddit's user base, is today "officially" launching its first mobile application. And Imgur, due to its unconventional ways, has gone?Android-first.?(Many of its users' images fail to pass through Apple's strict guidelines on content and copyright.) Of course, the most devoted?Imgurians?have already installed the new mobile app in its earlier beta format, which was tested in the wild. This is also why the Google Play Store sports a fair number of poor reviews - users had been reporting bugs and other issues with beta builds, and marking the app accordingly.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/I7h0Y6v4dos/

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Firefighters advance containment on Colo. wildfire

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) ? Crews gained the upper hand on the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history Saturday and had more than half the blaze contained as officials prepared to lift mandatory evacuation orders for hundreds of residents.

Incident commander Rich Harvey said at an evening news conference that containment of the Black Forest Fire was at 55 percent, up from 45 percent earlier Saturday.

El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa said some residents along the north and west fronts of the initial evacuation zone were being allowed to return to their neighborhoods at 8 p.m. after authorities downgraded evacuation orders from mandatory to pre-evacuation status in specific areas.

While most mandatory evacuation orders had been lifted, as the fire zone remained at about 25 square miles, hundreds remained displaced after the fire destroyed nearly 500 homes and killed two people. The victims' bodies were found inside their garage Thursday, their car doors open as though they had been about to flee.

The announcement that crews had made significant advances on the blaze and taken control of it came the same day authorities were able to gain a clearer picture of the grim landscape it left behind after exploding Tuesday outside Colorado Springs. It's unclear what caused the fire, which sparked amid record-high temperatures and tinder-dry conditions, but officials believed it was human-caused.

No additional homes were destroyed as fire crews expanded containment lines, Sheriff Maketa said. Also, there were no new reports of injury or death, he said.

Earlier Saturday, worried residents waited for permission to return to their neighborhoods to see whether their homes were still standing.

Maketa cited deputies in saying that some areas in the fire's path had been described as looking "like a nuclear bomb went off," making it difficult to assess the damage before Saturday.

"That is the level of incineration and destruction that took place in some areas," he said.

Containment was at 55 percent by evening, up from 45 earlier Saturday. So far, it's cost more than $3.5 million to fight.

Some residents had already gotten to see the damage for themselves.

Jack and Judy Roe were able to tour their neighborhood Friday, and saw to their relief that their house had been spared. Several other homes on their block, however, where destroyed.

"Our hearts were breaking for our neighbors," Judy Roe said.

Describing the scene, she said she saw charred piles of what remained of homes, with bricks the only distinguishable feature.

"But other than that, everything is black. The ground, everything is just black," she said.

Some residents were forced to evacuate so quickly they didn't have time to pack an extra change of clothes.

"This is my wardrobe," said Bob Metzger, signaling to his jeans and polo shirt. Metzger and her wife Barbara were among those who lost their house.

The site of the wildfire is only a few miles away from the state's second most destructive wildfire, the Waldo Canyon Fire, which burned last summer.

The lessons from that fire spurred a quicker response, officials said. When the latest wildfire began in Black Forest, a thickly wooded rural region north of Colorado Springs, authorities swiftly evacuated tens of thousands of people from an area larger than the Denver metropolitan area.

White House officials said Saturday that President Barack Obama called Gov. John Hickenlooper on Friday to get an update on conditions and reinforce his commitment to help. The president also expressed his concern for the devastation and gave his condolences to families who have lost relatives.

Elsewhere in Colorado, fire crews worked to contain other smaller wildfires. In Canon City, 50 miles southwest of Black Forest, the Royal Gorge Fire burned 5 square miles and was 65 percent contained. A lightning-sparked fire in Rocky Mountain National Park had burned nearly 500 acres and was 30 percent contained.

___

Associated Press writer Ivan Moreno contributed to this report from Denver.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/firefighters-advance-containment-colo-wildfire-184819754.html

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Insurance industry records N250bn gross premium income - Vanguard

Lagos -? The insurance industry recorded N250 billion Gross Premium Income in 2012, the Commissioner for Insurance, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Mr Fola Daniel, has said.

Daniel made this known at the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) 2013 Annual Dinner on Friday night in Lagos.

The event featured the Investiture of Mr Fatai Kayode Lawal as the 45th President of the institute.

Daniel said that the increase from N157 billion in 2010 to N250 billion was due to the implementation of the Market Development and Restructuring Initiative (MDRI).

?The realities of the past three years show that the number of those insured increased from 500, 000 to 1.5 million in 2012.

?This shows that the number of the insuring public tripled within three years.

?Foreign equity ratio also increased from three in 2010 to 10 in 2012, while capacity in the oil and gas sector, which was less than 10 per cent, increased to 40 per cent in 2012,? Daniel said.

According to him, in spite of these achievements, the industry has a long way to go to meet up with developed countries including South Africa.

The NAICOM commissioner urged the new CIIN president to ensure that his administration would build on the success of the initiative.

He said that the CIIN was in the best position to bring the industry players together to chart the way forward.

He urged that the institute should have a think tank to deliberate on national issues and advise accordingly.

Daniel gave the assurance that the commission would continue to take corrective steps to move the industry forward as part of its regulatory mandate.

He said that the commission?s disciplinary actions were designed to develop the insurance industry.

The Chairman of the occasion, Mr Akintola Williams, urged insurance operators to provide the best way to tackle risks in the face of threats to businesses.

Williams, a former President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, urged all professionals to be in the vanguard of tackling the nation?s problems.

He said that professionals were aware of the Federal Government?s good intentions through its transformation agenda.

Williams hoped that the insurance industry pool of funds would help operators to tackle emerging risks as well as provide a platform to check foreign invasion of the industry.

The immediate past CIIN President, Dr Wole Adetimehin, urged Lawal to keep the institute?s flag flying.

He urged members of the institute and the media to cooperate with Lawal to make his tenure successful.

In his acceptance speech, Lawal promised that his administration would hasten the construction of the College of Insurance and Financial Management.

NAN reports that Lawal was a former Chairman of the College of Insurance and Financial Management Board.

He was also a Chief Examiner of the CIIN. (NAN)

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Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/insurance-industry-records-n250bn-gross-premium-income/

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Experience Modern Science with a Digital Microscope ...

A digital microscope is a wonder of contemporary science; a regular microscope with an inbuilt camera. All the images seen by this microscope are projected on a screen then stored in a computer?s hard drive. This is an important tool in lab experiments because it allows several people to see the specimen under observation at the same time. Digital microscopes are suitable for educational purposes because they are used to showcase results of an experiment to many students simultaneously. For researchers, they can record and store data from various experiments for further analysis and keep records for future reference.

Contemporary microscopes are amazing. Their lenses are powerful and secure. They are excellent when it comes to experimenting and delivery of correct results. The images they produce are sharp, giving researchers and science students an easy time. An hd microscope comes with a high-definition camera that delivers quality images instantly. It is a microscope that saves time because there is no delay when viewing specimens. Such a microscope is configured with a number of stands, capture and video gadgets. The microscope also has a modifiable high intensity LED that gives bright uniform lighting that produces quality pictures.

As for highly reflective parts, a digital microscope has a diffuser lighting that reduces the glare on those parts. There are other lighting options in the market for this microscope which can be bought when needed. Initially, digital microscopes were used by researchers only but today these instruments have found their way into various learning institutions boosting science education. This invention has improved teaching in various institutions as teachers are able to show students how cells multiply through the images recorded by the microscope?s camera. Lectures are no longer boring but interactive and the resulting effect of viewing these images lasts.

Modern microscopes give clearer pictures because they have a high magnifying ability. It does not matter how small the specimen is, the microscope will show everything about it in different angles without distortion of the images. Another beauty of these microscopes is that they have a high-resolution feature that ensures images projected are accurate and proper. Flexibility of these microscopes is remarkable because they are moved to the specimen. This ensures that the specimen is not tampered with. The microscopes are reasonably priced and YSC has quality microscopes. YSC has a wide collection of microscopes from different brands.

Customers are free to choose the kind of digital microscope that suits their needs and that which they can afford. Among the collection availed by YSC is research grade parallel zoom microscope, metallurgical micro- scopes, stereo zoom microscope as well as biological microscopes among others. YSC has digital microscopes from Scienscope and Meiji Techno just to mention a few. Every microscope sold by this massive supplier has a durable structure, high quality and reliable. There are professionals ready to help customers make sound choices as well as learn more about the features these microscopes have that are helpful. If the aim of buying this instrument is to get the best results and give money value, YSC is the right place.

YSC Technologies is the author of this article on digital usb microscope.
Find more information, about measurement software here

Source: http://articles-plus.com/experience-modern-science-with-a-digital-microscope.html

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UK car production on track to overtake France by 2018

By Rhys Jones

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain may overtake France as Europe's second largest automotive producer within the next five years if UK car sales and exports maintain current strong growth, industry executives said on Thursday.

"All the indications appear to be saying yes Britain will be second in a few years," Tim Abbott, managing director of German carmaker BMW's UK operations said on the sidelines of the SMMT automotive conference in London.

"It will be about the demand for the cars made in the UK but that looks to be there judging by the recent performance of the likes of Jaguar Land Rover, Nissan and BMW."

Last year 1.5 million cars were produced in Britain, compared to 1.9 million in France, according to European car industry association (ACEA) data. However, volumes are slipping in France, largely down to slowing sales at its major carmakers, PSA Peugeot Citroen and Renault.

BMW's Abbott said the output from Britain's eight main car plants could hit 2 million by 2018, ahead of the previous record of 1.92 million vehicles set in 1972. Europe's biggest producer, Germany, churned out 5.5 million vehicles last year.

Demand for new cars in recession-hit Europe fell to a 17-year low last year as euro zone unemployment reached record highs, credit dried up and households focused on repaying debt. Britain has been the continent's only bright spot, delivering 15 straight months of growth in car sales.

Japanese carmaker Nissan's plant at Sunderland in north east England is operating at close to full capacity, while production at BMW's Mini factory in Oxford, south England, is on the rise, helped by growing demand for British built cars in emerging markets.

"You could see it happening (UK overtaking France) if UK plants are at full capacity, which they are not far off being," said Nissan's executive vice president Andy Palmer.

Last year, 82 percent of the cars made in the UK were shipped overseas, according to the SMMT, with emerging markets now accounting for a third of the total.

Nissan's Palmer also said Britain needed to persuade more of the world's biggest car manufacturers and suppliers to base their operations in the UK to unlock further growth.

Britain took a step towards that goal on Thursday when British business secretary Vince Cable announced the creation of the Automotive Investment Organisation (AIO), which will be funded with up to 3 million pounds ($4.70 million)over the next two years.

Led by Joe Greenwell, the former chairman of Ford in Britain, the IAO will seek to implement the government's automotive industrial strategy, which is due to be released shortly.

(Reporting by Rhys Jones; editing by Patrick Graham)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uk-car-production-track-overtake-france-2018-163816457.html

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The new Mac Pro: purpose-built for performance

The most frequently repeated joke at WWDC about the new Mac Pro is that it looks like a trashcan or a cigarette tray. There's nothing trashy about it: it looks more like a jet turbine - an example of form following function so evident throughout Jony Ive's design catalog.

Built for speed

Just about every aspect of the Mac Pro's performance is cued to reducing bottlenecks whenever possible. Internal storage via hard disk is gone and replaced with flash memory. Flash memory connected through PCI Express (PCIe). This isn't an SSD bottlenecked by SATA - you have the much heartier bandwidth of PCIe to work with - it's 2.5 times the speed of the fastest SSDs on the market.

Thunderbolt 2 is another practical example. Each of the six Thunderbolt ports on the Mac Pro has full bandwidth - 20 gigabits per second. That's why you can have three 4K displays running simultaneously with three more dedicated to RAID storage, storage area networks or whatever else you might need, daisy chainable on other ports.

Then there are the two workstation-class graphics processors built in to the system, to help drive pixels to the displays - up to three of them operating at 4K resolution. Unimpressed, gamers? I expect you are, because these aren't for you. AMD's FirePro processors are optimized for massively parallel operations - a boon to 3D designers, render farms and other businesses.

The four memory sockets are occupied by 1866MHz DDR3, Error Correcting Code (ECC) memory. With up to 60 gigabytes per second memory bandwidth. That's twice as fast as the current-gen Mac Pro. Apple's keeping mum about specific processor configurations for now, but has said that 12 core systems will be an option.

Four USB 3.0 ports encourage universal connectivity with commodity peripherals that aren't Thunderbolt-specific.

And all of this horsepower is designed in a compact device that's not even a foot tall. Built around a common thermal core, the Mac Pro's heat radiates inward and rises like a chimney. Mac veterans wince a little recalling the convection cooling of the Power Mac G4 Cube, but even the fan has been engineered for performance: the blades are curved backwards, to run slower with more efficient heat removal. That also means quieter fan operations.

From the top to the bottom, the Mac Pro is thoroughly optimized for maximum performance. Going into it, many feared that the Mac Pro was headed for oblivion. But based on what we're seeing, Apple is simply reinventing the category.

Is the Mac Pro the new iPad?

No, the Mac Pro is not going to sell as many units as the iPad. But the tablet market existed before the iPad, and it took the iPad to disrupt tablets enough into a real business. In that respect, the Mac Pro has the same potential impact where servers and high-powered workstations are the dominant market.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/iK2fb0X_SFA/story01.htm

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Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Car Loans | Finance on Deann Aproach

Chapter 13 bankruptcy car loans ?r? available t? those wh? find themselves ?n need ?f a different vehicle ?ft?r restructuring th??r debts. H?w???r, th?r? m?? b? ??m? hoops ??? w??? need t? jump through. L?t m? ??????n further.

Wh?n someone files a chapter 13 bankruptcy th?? ?r? agreeing t? pay ?ff th??r debts within a 3 t? 5 year period. Chapter 13 consolidates ??? ???r debts ?n? requires cooperation w?th ???r creditors t? restructure a n?w payment ???n t? pay ?ff ???r existing debt.

Typically, ??? ?r? agreeing t? m?k? th? regular payments along w?th ?n added amount each month t? h??? ??? ??t caught up ?n ???r debts th?t m?? h??? fallen behind. Additionally, th?? type ?f bankruptcy w??? ?? less ??m??? t? ???r credit score versus a chapter 7.

W?th th?? form ?f bankruptcy, ??? ?r? ?b?? t? keep ???r major ??r?h???? such ?? ???r home ?n? ???r car. H?w???r, wh?t happens ?f ???r car ?h???? ?t?rt leaving ??? w?th heavy repair bills before th? 3 t? 5 year pay-?ff ???n?

If th?? happens t? ???, ??? w??? need t? contact ???r bankruptcy attorney wh? works w?th ???r court appointed trustee. Getting chapter 13 auto loans require permission fr?m ???r estate trustee. In addition, ??? w??? b? ??k?? f?r a valid reason ?n? proof f?r needing a chapter 13 auto loan.

Th?? m?? seem a ??tt?? harsh b?t th? trustee really ???? h??? ???r best interest ?t heart. H? w?nt? t? assure th?t ??? stay ?n th? well th???ht out ???n t? getting ???r finances back ?n track. N?r ???? h? want t? ??t ???r current creditors ?t risk b?????? ??? h??? m??? a promise t? th?m. Y?? w??? h??? t? convince th? trustee th?t ??? h??? a real need f?r a n?w vehicle ?? well ?? ???r plans t? repay th? n?w car loan.

T? prepare ???r presentation t? th? Chapter 13 trustee, ??? w??? need t? find a dealer ?r auto consultant wh? ??n find realistic terms f?r a loan. Y?? w??? want t? ?h?w th? trustee th?t ??? h??? found a reasonable interest rate ?? well ?? a car th?t ?? mechanically sound enough t? last th? duration ?f ???r Chapter 13 repayment term.

Another point t? consider, ???r current loan w??? need t? b? paid ?ff before ??? ??n ??t ???r next car. S?, ??? w??? h??? t? b? sure th?t ??? ??n ??th?r sell ???r car ?r trade ?t ?n t? collect enough f?r th? balance ?f ???r current car loan.

Research ?n auto consultant dealer th?t works w?th specialized situations such ?? chapter 13 bankruptcy auto loans. Set up a meeting w?th th?m t? ??t pre-approved. D? th? preliminary paperwork including th? interest rate, monthly payment ?? well ?? ?n? ?th?r fees ??? w??? b? charged.

An auto consultant m?? b? ?b?? t? h??? ??? more th?n a regular dealership b?????? th?? tend t? cater more t? individual needs, instead ?f ???t trying t? m?k? a car sale.

Source: http://www.deannaproach.com/chapter-13-bankruptcy-car-loans/

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Star Wars Battlefront game under development at DICE (video)

At its pre-E3 event today, EA confirmed the Star Wars Battlefront franchise will return. The game is currently being developed by DICE and will use the same Frostbite engine that powers the Battlefield games. EA snagged the exclusive rights to develop Star Wars games after the end of game development at LucasArts, and this is a blend of IP and developer that certainly makes sense. A brief teaser trailer appeared to show off a battle on Hoth, we'll find out more details as they become available. Take a look at the trailer embedded after the break.

Filed under: Gaming, HD

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/cZru0--z7sg/

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