First lady announces effort to help kids exercise

First lady Michelle Obama greets educators and state and community officials at a "Let's Move!" program at the Eastside and Northside Elementary Schools in Clinton, Miss., Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Obama and television chef/personality Rachel Ray visited with the children and conducted a cooking contest between the schools' chefs. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

First lady Michelle Obama greets educators and state and community officials at a "Let's Move!" program at the Eastside and Northside Elementary Schools in Clinton, Miss., Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Obama and television chef/personality Rachel Ray visited with the children and conducted a cooking contest between the schools' chefs. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

CHICAGO (AP) ? Imagine students learning their ABCs while dancing, or memorizing multiplication tables while doing jumping jacks?

Some schools are using both methods of instruction and Michelle Obama would like to see more of them use other creative ways to help students get the recommended hour of daily exercise.

In Chicago on Thursday, the first lady was announcing a new partnership to help schools do just that. It starts with a website, www.letsmoveschools.org , where school officials and others can sign up to get started.

Mrs. Obama said too many penny-pinched schools have either cut spending on physical education or eliminated it outright to put the money toward classroom instruction. But the first lady who starts most days with a workout ? and other advocates of helping today's largely sedentary kids move their bodies ? say that's a false choice, since studies that show exercise helps youngsters focus and do well in school.

The effort is one of the newest parts of Mrs. Obama's 3-year-old campaign against childhood obesity, known as "Let's Move," which she has spent the week promoting.

"With each passing year, schools feel like it's just getting harder to find the time, the money and the will to help our kids be active. But just because it's hard doesn't mean we should stop trying," the first lady says in her prepared remarks. "It means we should try harder. It means that all of us - not just educators, but businesses and nonprofits and ordinary citizens - we all need to dig deeper and start getting even more creative."

She was being joined for the announcement at McCormick Place in her hometown by several Olympians, including gymnasts Dominique Dawes and Gabby Douglas, sprinter Allyson Felix, tennis player Serena Williams and decathlete Ashton Eaton, along with San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and triathlete Sarah Reinertsen, whose left leg was amputated above the knee when she was a child.

Research shows that daily exercise has a positive influence on academic performance, but kids today spend too much time sitting, mostly in school but also outside the classroom while watching TV, playing video games or surfing the Internet. Federal guidelines recommend that children ages 6-17 get at least 60 minutes of exercise daily, which can be racked up through multiple spurts of activity throughout the day.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan said he's proof of the link between exercise and academic performance. As a boy, he said he had a hard time sitting still in class but that exercise helped him focus.

"What's true for me is true for many of our nation's children," he said in an interview.

Duncan, who played basketball professionally in Australia for several years, said the choice is not between physical activity or academics, especially with about one-third of U.S. kids either overweight or obese and at higher risk for life-threatening illnesses like heart disease or diabetes.

"It's got to be both," he said. Duncan cited the examples of students learning the alphabet while dancing or memorizing multiplication tables while doing jumping jacks.

Under the new "Let's Move" initiative, modest grants will be available from the Education Department to help some programs get started.

Mrs. Obama called on school staff, families and communities to help get 50,000 schools involved in the program over the next five years.

The President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition, the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation will oversee the program. Funding and other resources will come from Nike Inc., the GENYOUth Foundation, ChildObesity180, Kaiser Permanente and the General Mills Foundation.

Nike has committed $50 million to the effort over the next five years; the remaining groups together have pledged more than $20 million.

"All kids deserve a chance to realize their full potential and we believe creating active schools will help kids do better in school and most importantly in life," said Nike President and CEO Mark Parker.

___

Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsuperville

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2013-02-28-Michelle%20Obama/id-f95e7916643c414fba6cc86edbf3adb6

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Tomahawk (for Mac)

Apple's iTunes?may be the marketplace at which many consumers purchase their digital music, but that doesn't mean that it's without flaws. The most frequent complaints involve iTunes' perceived bloat, which manifests as long load times as you move between sections. A number of iTunes alternatives have emerged over the years, but one of the most intriguing is Tomahawk, a free, open-source iTunes alternative that lets music lovers listen to tunes aggregated from a variety of sources?your computer's hard drive, Spotify, SoundCloud, Last.fm, and other streaming services. Tomahawk deftly brings those multiple music destinations in one central hub, but a few niggles may prove annoying.

Getting Started
The first time you launch Tomahawk, it automatically scans your computer's hard drive for local audio files and pulls them into "My Collection." The app doesn't do that with each launch unless you set it up to do so within Preferences.

Tomahawk has a familiar paned, iTunes-like interface. The left column offers easy access to your playlists, search history, favorited ("Loved") tracks, hot songs ("Charts"), and other categories.

You can listen to the music on your hard drive, but the magic occurs when you allow Tomahawk to tap Last.FM, Spotify, Grooveshark, and other free and subscription-based services by installing "revolvers" (Tomahawk's name for the music plug-ins) from with-in the app. A small icon to the right of each song highlights the music source. Big names like MOG, Rdio, and Slacker?are missing because, as Tomahawk states, "many do not yet have public APIs." People like me who've spent hours customizing Slacker have very little reason to make the leap to Tomahawk.

The Tomahawk Experience
Still, the revolvers come in handy. When you perform a search, Tomahawk scours your sources (both the music on your computer and stream music services you set up) for content and ranks the results on how closely they match your query. For example, entering "Wu Tang," returned several "Wu-Tang Clan" matches, but they were listed as bad matches because I didn't use the band's proper name. Tomahawk didn't prevent me from firing up "7th Chamber," but it did make me mindful of accurate band names.

Tomahawk?despite its desire to want me to use accurate queries?returns rather loose results. A Red Hot Chili Peppers search showcased tracks not only the famous funk-rock band, but also from a few randoms that have "Chilli" and "Hot" in their names as well. I would've preferred a much tighter search engine to cut down on the clutter, but it still functioned reasonably well.

Search for an artist and Tomahawk serves up an artist page that has a short bio, popular songs, and related artists so there is a music discovery element, too. That said, the music discovery and customization isn't as thorough as Slacker's slider-based options.

The music quality was serviceable (not great) and there was a noticeable delay before the start of each track. Worse, Tomahawk returned a few awful, amateur covers from SoundCloud when I searched for Foo Fighters' "Big Me" and Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Breaking the Girl." There was no way to distinguish them from the legitimate recordings, which proved vexing (or, depending on the level of awful, hilarious).

Tomahawk also lets you create smart playlists based on parameters you set and custom music stations.

Getting Social
Nearly every music service has some form of social networking capability, but Tomahawk lets you connect with others in a manner that's deeper than simply Tweeting or Facebooking a song link.

Tomahawk lets you connect to a buddy's library if you share the same network. Jabber and Twitter connectivity lets you party with people who aren't on the same network. It works remarkably well, and may be Tomahawk's more overlooked (but cool) features.

The Wrap Up
Music fans who easily lose themselves while listening and tweaking their stations will like what Tomahawk offers as it's a very respectable (nearly) all-in-one music listening solution. On the other hand, those who simply like to hit play and lean back may be overwhelmed by the numerous options (and the app itself doesn't do the best job of explaining what certain features do). As such, Tomahawk is an app for the hardcore who can overlook some of the music app's flaws.

More Music Services Reviews:
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/i_wW41Pg8iA/0,2817,2416051,00.asp

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Football's next big hit? Steady 'ball's eye view' of game now possible

John Roach , NBC News ? ? ? 11 hrs.

For anyone who?s ever imagined what it?s like to be a football caught in the end zone and spiked on the turf in celebration, your dream is alive. Robotics researchers have embedded a camera into a football and developed an algorithm to give fans a new view ? from the pigskin?s perspective.

When the football is thrown in a spiral, the embedded camera records a succession of frames as the ball rotates. The challenge is that, since footballs can spin at a stomach-churning 600 revolutions per minute, the raw video is unwatchable. The software algorithm converts the blurry, spinning footage into a stable, wide-angle view by discarding sky-facing frames and stitching together the remaining frames for a panorama.

The result is a field-facing view from the ball's perspective as it?s tossed down the field. Check it out in the video below.

The researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Electro-Communications in Tokyo realize the NFL may block the idea before camera-embedded footballs are fielded for regular play, but the technology is promising for game analysis during the pre-and post-game shows, for example.

The researchers suggest an artsy project that could capture the expressions of the faces of players during a game of catch. Perhaps this could be used to provide a baseball?s view of a homerun hit or a soccer ball soaring into the goal. How about a golf ball? In any case, as cameras get smaller ? and more shock-resistant ? more possibilities arise.

Progress on the BallCam will be presented March 8 at the Augmented Human International Conference in Stuttgart, Germany. Further fine tuning is needed to make the images flawless, such as a faster camera sensor and other techniques to reduce all the blurring.

John Roach is a contributing writer for NBC News. To learn more about him, check out his website. For more of our Future of Technology series, watch the featured video below.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/futureoftech/footballs-next-big-hit-steady-balls-eye-view-game-now-1C8589666

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'White Collar': Emily Procter Is The New Boss, But Is She Just There To Do Sen. Pratt's Bidding? (VIDEO)

"666 Park Avenue"

<strong>"666 Park Ave.," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/16/666-park-avenue-canceled_n_2147290.html">ABC pulled the plug</a> on this supernatural drama earlier in the season.

"The Bachelor"

<strong>"The Bachelor," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: While ratings may have dropped, "The Bachelor" will likely see another season on ABC as tabloids and viewers still care about the comings and goings of contestants.

"Body of Proof"

<strong>"Body of Proof," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: ABC is keen on this Dana Delany drama, but the ratings for this upcoming third season will be the true test.

"Castle"

<strong>"Castle," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed. <strong>Why</strong>: Strong ratings and a dedicated viewership will keep "Castle" on the schedule.

"Dancing With the Stars"

<strong>"Dancing With the Stars," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The series is hurting in the ratings ... by "DWTS" standards. It's still a strong player for ABC, but the new season hasn't premiered yet.

"Don't Trust The B---- In Apt. 23"

<strong>"Don't Trust The B---- In Apt. 23," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/22/apartment-23-canceled-dont-trust-the-b_n_2528858.html">ABC pulled the low-rated comedy</a> from it schedule and the stars took to Twitter to announce the cancellation.

"Family Tools"

<strong>"Family Tools," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: This ABC comedy has yet to debut, but a May 1 premiere date doesn't look great.

"Grey's Anatomy"

<strong>"Grey's Anatomy," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: America still loves McDreamy and the goings on at Seattle Grace. Expect "Grey's" to return.

"Happy Endings"

<strong>"Happy Endings," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: Always the bubble show, never the surefire renewal hit. "Happy Endings" has suffered from many ratings ailments, including bad scheduling (<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/happy-endings-friday-abc_n_2683091.html">it's moving to Friday night</a>) and lack of promo. But this ahmahzing show has some serious fans that could keep it afloat for another season ... maybe on another network (a la "Cougar Town.")

"How To Live With Your Parents (For The Rest Of Your Life)"

<strong>"How To Live With Your Parents (For The Rest Of Your Life)," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: The ABC comedy starring Sarah Chalke has yet to debut, but its late season bow doesn't exactly bode well for its future.

"Last Man Standing"

<strong>"Last Man Standing," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Viewers still love Tim Allen! Paired with "Malibu Country," "Last Man Standing" has been performing well on Friday nights and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/jonathan-taylor-thomas-last-man-standing-home-improvement_n_2686307.html">will soon see Allen's "Home Improvement" co-star Jonathan Tyler Thomas</a>.

"Last Resort"

<strong>"Last Resort," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/16/last-resort-canceled-abc_n_2147316.html">ABC killed the Shawn Ryan drama</a> in late 2012.

"Malibu Country"

<strong>"Malibu Country," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: "Malibu Country" has been performing well on Friday nights. Lesson: Never underestimate the star power of Reba.

"The Middle"

<strong>"The Middle," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Now in its fourth season, "The Middle" is still pulling in more than 8 million viewers an episode as the anchor of ABC's Wednesday comedies.

"Mistresses"

<strong>"Mistresses," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: ABC sent out the pilot with its 2012-2013 offerings, but the drama, which is based on the UK series of the same name, has yet to premiere despite having Alyssa Milano and "Lost" alum Yunjin Kim.

"Modern Family"

<strong>"Modern Family," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: A fan favorite and Emmy darling, "Modern Family" will be back and will make ABC lots of money in syndication.

"Nashville"

<strong>"Nashville," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: Critical acclaim doesn't always equate to rating success. The show has stabilized in Nielsen ratings, but its future really depends on the strength of ABC's drama pilots.

"The Neighbors"

<strong>"The Neighbors," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: One of the few "hits" of the season, "The Neighbors" has found an audience and kept it pretty steadily week after week (<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/11/abc-shows-fall-tv-2012-2013_n_1581796.html">much to our dismay</a>).

"Once Upon a Time"

<strong>"Once Upon a Time," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: A ratings hit in its second season, "Once Upon a Time" is almost sure to be back for a third season full of fairytale adventures.

"Private Practice"

<strong>"Private Practice," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Ended <strong>Why</strong>: The "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff said goodbye in January 2013.

"Red Widow"

<strong>"Red Widow," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: The show has a late February debut on ABC.

"Revenge"

<strong>"Revenge," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: "Revenge" has fallen out of critical favor and seen lower ratings in its new Sunday night home. But none of ABC's freshman dramas are doing well, so that works in the show's favor.

"Rookie Blue"

<strong>"Rookie Blue," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The Canadian co-production will return for a fourth season on ABC during the summer of 2013.

"Scandal"

<strong>"Scandal," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Shonda Rhimes has another hit on her hands. Now in its second season, "Scandal" has benefited from word-of-mouth and has been rising in the ratings (even recently beating out its lead in "Grey's Anatomy"). A likable star -- Kerry Washington -- and continued buzz will keep "Scandal" on the schedule.

"Suburgatory"

<strong>"Suburgatory," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: The series started Season 2 off strong in the ratings, but its audience has slowly eroded. Its not the worst-performing ABC sitcom, but its buzziness has died down as well.

"Zero Hour"

<strong>"Zero Hour," ABC</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: The Anthony Edwards vehicle debuted to 6.3 million viewers with a 1.3 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, making it <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/15/zero-hour-ratings_n_2695800.html">the least-watched premiere for a scripted series in ABC's history</a>. Obviously, things aren't looking good for the "ER" star's comeback, but maybe the ratings will improve.

"2 Broke Girls"

<strong>"2 Broke Girls," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: It's not doing "The Big Bang Theory" numbers, but "2 Broke Girls" has maintained a viewership over its two seasons.

"The Amazing Race"

<strong>"The Amazing Race," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: As an Emmy and fan favorite, "The Amazing Race" has been a strong player for CBS.

"The Big Bang Theory"

<strong>"The Big Bang Theory," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Now in its sixth season, "Big Bang" is reaching series-high ratings. Even up against reality powerhouse "American Idol," "The Big Bang Theory" has been delivering with crazy high numbers in the 18-49 demographic, beating out what was once Fox's juggernaut.

"Blue Bloods"

<strong>"Blue Bloods," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The Tom Selleck-fronted police drama is a strong ratings performer for CBS on Fridays. It will likely be back to help launch new Friday shows and produce enough episodes to enter syndication.

"Criminal Minds"

<strong>"Criminal Minds," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: As one of CBS's strong procedural players, the series has been steady in the ratings and will likely be renewed to help anchor a night and launch a new drama.

"CSI"

<strong>"CSI," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Of the two "CSI" shows on the air, "CSI" is the stronger player in the TV landscape. The show is nowhere near its earlier ratings, but after such a successful run, CBS would be smart to bring the show -- and some old faces back -- for an abbreviated farewell season.

"CSI: NY"

<strong>"CSI: NY," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: The spinoff series will be entering Season 10 in the 2013-2014 season. The ratings have faded over the years, but they're still pretty stable, especially for Fridays. It's a toss up, depending on how well CBS's development slate goes.

"Elementary"

<strong>"Elementary," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: One of the very few freshman series hits during the 2012-2013 TV season, CBS is very keen on this modern-day take on Sherlock Holmes. The audience has been steady and the network even gave it the post-Super Bowl timeslot.

"Golden Boy"

<strong>"Golden Boy," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Too soon to tell <strong>Why</strong>: CBS certainly has a handsome star at the front of this cop drama, but its late season entry and Friday timeslot could be a hint toward CBS's confidence in the show.

"The Good Wife"

<strong>"The Good Wife," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: A former ratings champ, "The Good Wife" has slipped to series low ratings on Sunday nights. Blame football overrun, fan-detested storylines or too many guest stars, but "The Good Wife" is certainly in the danger zone. What it has going for it: star power and critical praise, plus its nearing a good syndication sweet spot.

"Hawaii Five-0"

<strong>"Hawaii Five-0," CBS</strong <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: Its ratings -- bouncing around 8-10 million viewers an episode, are great ... if you're a show on NBC. By CBS standards, they're kind of meh, but this show has stars with very active fan followings. CBS could axe the drama to make room for new procedurals, or stick with it to get the show close to syndication gold.

"How I Met Your Mother"

<strong>"How I Met Your Mother," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: CBS handed out a ninth and final season to this comedy with the entire cast returning. Expect to meet the mother, finally.

"Made In Jersey"

<strong>"Made In Jersey," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: CBS pulled the plug on this legal drama very early on in the season because of low ratings.

"The Mentalist"

<strong>"The Mentalist," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: "The Mentalist" has fallen to mediocre ratings -- by CBS standards -- and could be axed in favor of making room for a new drama.

"Mike & Molly"

<strong>"Mike & Molly," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The ratings are down a little bit from last year, but Melissa McCarthy's star continues to rise. CBS will likely bring the show back for another season.

"NCIS"

<strong>"NCIS," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Renewed <strong>Why</strong>: CBS reached a deal with series star Mark Harmon in early 2013, keeping the No. 1 show in America around for a Season 11.

"NCIS: LA"

<strong>"NCIS: LA," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: Viewers love their "NCIS," in any form. The ratings have been strong and the network is producing a backdoor spinoff pilot for this spinoff show. A full night of "NCIS" could be in CBS's future.

"Partners"

<strong>"Partners," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Canceled <strong>Why</strong>: Low ratings and unfavorable reviews led to the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/16/partners-canceled-cbs_n_2145832.html">early demise</a> of this CBS comedy.

"Person of Interest"

<strong>"Person of Interest," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The series has developed a nice-sized audience, bigger than its first season.

"Rules of Engagement"

<strong>"Rules of Engagement," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Honestly, who knows <strong>Why</strong>: This comedy has been on the bubble since it premiered ... yet is now in its seventh season. It's too soon to look at the numbers for this season, but the show has been a midseason success for CBS in the past. However, series co-star <a href="http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/02/07/cbs-orders-comedy-pilot-starring-patrick-warburton/">Patrick Warburton is attached to star in a new pilot</a> ... for CBS.

"Survivor"

<strong>"Survivor," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: A strong player for the last 13 years, "Survivor" will likely be back. But due to its <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/survivor-ratings-lowest-premiere-ever_n_2687591.html">most recent premiere ratings</a>, we might not see it during the fall season, though a midseason or summer return -- with some new gimmick -- is definitely in the cards for the reality series.

"Two and a Half Men"

<strong>"Two and a Half Men," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: CBS wants another season of this bawdy hit, it's just a matter of getting its stars to sign back on.

"Undercover Boss"

<strong>"Undercover Boss," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Likely to be renewed <strong>Why</strong>: The show is enjoying life in syndication and its Season 4 numbers are better than most of its third season.

"Unforgettable"

<strong>"Unforgettable," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: Uncanceled <strong>Why</strong>: CBS canceled the Poppy Montgomery drama last season ... and then revived it! Season 2 premieres Sunday, July 28.

"Vegas"

<strong>"Vegas," CBS</strong> <strong>Status</strong>: On the bubble <strong>Why</strong>: Despite star power, the series hasn't been a breakout hit in the ratings. CBS previously canceled "Unforgettable" (then uncanceled it) last season when it was doing about the same as "Vegas."

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/27/white-collar-emily-procter-boss-video_n_2771676.html

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Domestic Short Hair - Paco - Medium - Adult - Male - Cat ...

Domestic Short Hair - Paco - Medium - Adult - Male - Cat

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Source: http://bellingham.ebayclassifieds.com/cats-kittens/bellingham/domestic-short-hair-paco-medium-adult-male-cat/?ad=26499949

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AOL Confirms Susan Lyne As CEO Of Brand Group, Artie Minson Out As COO Role Goes (Memo)

AOL today confirmed a couple of big changes at the top of the company, as first reported yesterday by Bloomberg and AllThingsD. Susan Lyne, the exec who had previously been at Gilt Groupe, is the new CEO of AOL's Brand Group (including TechCrunch). Meanwhile, Artie Minson is stepping down as COO as the role gets restructured.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/su0X8C9I3ME/

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The Weirdest Thing on the Internet Tonight: Comeback

Why the chicken crossed the road is of no importance. The real question is how did it find the money for a suit and train ticket? Find out in this intriguing animated short from Jelena Oroz. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/bb7cXmqGH3I/the-weirdest-thing-on-the-internet-tonight-comeback

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What Is the Difference between Investing and Speculation? | Inside ...

Editor?s note: Today, we are doing something different. Robert approached us with a question that we found interesting, so we decided to pose it to some professional investors. In addition to our regular coverage, we are pleased to feature his framing of an interesting debate. We will be publishing select responses to the question over the next few days. If you are compelled, we invite you to comment below, tweet us @cfainvestored, or reach out to us via email.

What is the difference between investing and speculation? At first, you think the answer is simple because the distinction is obvious ? that is, until you actually put pen to paper and try to answer the question.

Go ahead; take a few seconds and think about it. Write down ?investing.? Now write the definition. Do the same for ?speculation.? If you are like me, frustration quickly builds because the answers do not come quickly or easily, and they should. After all, these terms have been a part of the financial lexicon since Joseph de la Vega wrote Confusion of Confusions in 1688, the oldest book ever written on the stock exchange business. In his famous dialogues, de la Vega observed three classes of men. The princes of business, called ?financial lords,? were the wealthy investors. The merchants, the occasional speculators, were the second class. The last class was called the ?persistent speculators? or the ?gamblers.?

Since the Dutch shipping firm Vereenigde Oost-Indische became the first company to trade its shares on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange, investors and speculators have coexisted in the marketplace. Over that 400-year time period, the noteworthy have offered their own definitions of investing and speculation. But none have stuck.

Philip Carret, who wrote The Art of Speculation (1930), believed ?motive? was the test for determining the difference between investment and speculation. ?The man who bought United States Steel at 60 in 1915 in anticipation of selling at a profit is a speculator. . . . On the other hand, the gentleman who bought American Telephone at 95 in 1921 to enjoy the dividend return of better than 8% is an investor.? Carret connected the investor to the economics of the business and the speculator to price. ?Speculation,? wrote Carret, ?may be defined as the purchase or sale of securities or commodities in expectation of profiting by fluctuations in their prices.?

Benjamin Graham, along with David Dodd, attempted a precise definition of investing and speculation in their seminal work Security Analysis (1934). ?An investment operation is one which, upon thorough analysis, promises safety of principal and a satisfactory return. Operations not meeting these requirements are speculative.? Despite being the ?dean of security analysis,? Graham?s definition left readers wanting more ? a fact he confessed years later when he wrote The Intelligent Investor (1949). ?While we have clung tenaciously to this definition,? said Graham, ?it is worthwhile noting the radical changes that have occurred in the use of the term ?investor? during this period.?

Graham was concerned that the term ?investor? was now being applied ubiquitously to anyone and everyone who participated in the stock market. He explained: ?The newspaper employed the word ?investor? in these instances because, in the easy language of Wall Street, everyone who buys or sells a security has become an investor, regardless of what he buys, or for what purpose, or at what price, or whether for cash or on margin.? Graham went on to say: ?Since there is no single definition of investment in general acceptance, authorities have the right to define it pretty much as they please. Many of them deny that there is any useful or dependable difference between the concepts of investment and of speculation. We think this skepticism is unnecessary and harmful. It is injurious because it lends encouragement to the innate leaning of many people toward the excitement and hazards of stock-market speculation.?

John Maynard Keynes, best known as one of the founders of modern macroeconomics and thought to be the most influential economist of the 20th century, was also a skilled buyer and seller of stocks, bonds, commodities, and currencies. In addition to thinking about economics, he was intrigued with the stock market. Tucked inside his magnum opus, The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money (1936), is a chapter titled ?The State of Long Term Expectation.? Here, Keynes got right to the point, deciding to ?appropriate the term speculation for the activity of forecasting the psychology of the market, and the term enterprise [a word he used for investment] for the activity of forecasting the prospective yield of assets over their whole life.? But the breadth of the chapter has less to do with the difficulty of defining investment and speculation and more to do with the observation that the lines between the two approaches had blurred. It is the same point that is driven home 75 years later in The Clash of the Cultures: Investment vs. Speculation (2012). In his book, John Bogle argued that in the minds of most individuals, investment and speculation are now indistinguishable.

All market activity lies on a time continuum. Moving from left to right, we observe buy?sell decisions in the stock market that occur in microseconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, and decades. Although it is unclear exactly where the demarcation line is located, it is generally agreed that activity occurring on the left side of the time continuum is more likely to be speculation, whereas activity residing on the right side is thought to be investing. In Bogle?s opinion, investment means long-term ownership whereas speculation is more short-term trading. Carret concurred, writing: ?The time requisite for the accomplishment of the adjustment of prices to values is a factor of great weight to the speculator. Here he parts company with the investor, to whom it is of little concern.?

Thinking long term or short term might be a sensible starting point that helps us distinguish between investing and speculation. But a ?stopwatch? definition leaves us woefully short of what is ultimately needed to better understand the differences between these two approaches. A time element is simply not sufficient. The distinction between investment and speculation is more complex than this.

Let me be clear: This not a sneaky attempt to demonize speculation and declare that only investing is sacrosanct. Academic research clearly demonstrates that the market benefits from, and is optimized by, the participation of both investors and speculators. Although some investment purists might vote for opening the stock market just one day each year and on that day all buyers and sellers would transact business, the lack of daily liquidity would likely do more harm than good for the capital markets. Furthermore, despite its negative connotation, it can be argued that some types of speculation are, in fact, socially redeeming. Lynn Stout, Distinguished Professor of Corporate and Business Law at Cornell Law School, in ?Uncertainty, Dangerous Optimism, and Speculation: An Inquiry into Some Limits of Democratic Governance? argued that a speculator that provides insurance and liquidity for the risk-averse farmer who wishes to enter into a forward contract to sell his wheat at today?s price deliverable next month ?fits the standard economic model of mutually beneficial exchange that improves the welfare of both trading parties.?

In addition to risk hedging and liquidity dealing, Milton Friedman told us that speculators who practice what is today called ?information theory arbitrage? should be thought of as talented researchers who work aggressively to close the price?value gap. Carret shared the same opinion. He wrote: ?The speculator is looking for hidden weak spots in the market,? and as such, acts as ?the advance agent of the investor, seeking always to bring market prices into line with investment values.?

Even Graham in The Intelligent Investor came to accept the necessity of speculation. ?Outright speculation is neither immoral, nor (for most people) fattening to the pocketbook. More than that, some speculation is necessary and unavoidable.? But Graham was quick to distinguish between ?good? and ?bad? speculation. ?There is intelligent speculation as there is intelligent investing. But there are many ways in which speculation may be unintelligent,? wrote Graham.

But how can we distinguish between what is ?good speculation? and ?bad speculation,? or ?good investment? and ?bad investment? for that matter, when we don?t even have a firm grasp of the basic definitions? Lacking clearly understood boundaries, individuals are wandering aimlessly back and forth between the worlds of investing and speculation. And herein lies the danger. The stock market is now dominated by a newly evolved species, the investulator ? defined as an investor who unwittingly acquires speculative habits without realizing it. Although more study is needed, it is highly possible being an investulator is the reason why so many individuals perform badly in the stock market.

There is a very important passage in Graham?s The Intelligent Investor. Graham wrote: ?The distinction between investment and speculation in common stocks has always been a useful one and its disappearance is a cause for concern. We have often said that Wall Street as an institution would be well advised to reinstate this distinction and to emphasize it in all its dealings with the public. Otherwise the stock exchanges may some day be blamed for heavy speculative losses, which those who suffered them had not been properly warned against.? True today as it was 60 years ago.

So, let?s begin. What is the definition of investing? What is the definition of speculation?

Source: http://blogs.cfainstitute.org/insideinvesting/2013/02/27/what-is-the-difference-between-investing-and-speculation-2/

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Prevention of fire and carbon monoxide Home - Home Improvement ...

As the winter weather continues to blanket the country, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) urges consumers to play it safe in order to prevent fires in the home.

According to the USFA, home fires spike in winter. Cooking and home heating are the leading cause of residential building fires during the winter. Fire risk also increased with the use of supplemental heating, such as space heaters.

CPSC estimates that home heating was associated with an average of 33,300 fires and 180 fire deaths per year from 2005 to 2007.

Another serious threat in the winter months carbon monoxide (CO), known as the ?invisible killer? because it is a gas, colorless and odorless toxic. Any fuel burning appliances, including furnaces and fireplaces, a potential source of CO

Since 1999, there has been an increasing trend in unintentional, non-fire CO deaths associated with consumer products ? most of which related to heating systems and portable generators. CPSC staff estimated 184 CO poisoning deaths on average per year from 2005-2007 compared to 122 deaths per year from 1999-2001.

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are an important line of defense in the home, and they give consumers valuable time to escape. About two-thirds of fire deaths occur in homes without smoke alarms, or in homes where consumers have removed the battery alarm or where the battery dies. More recently, a tragic death in a house where the alarm can be produced differences:

In Citra, Florida, fire killed five children on November 8. Their house did not have smoke alarms.

In Penfield, NY, a man killed 54-year CO poisoning in November. Before his death, reportedly CO alarm goes off and taken home from home.

CPSC and USFA recommends that in addition to having working smoke and CO alarms, consumers should follow the following safety tips to prevent fires and CO poisoning:

Place space heaters on a flat and level floor.

Do not put a space heater carpet or carpet.

Keep space heaters at least three feet from bedding, silk, furniture, and other flammable materials.

Keep space heaters foot traffic.

Keep children and pets away from space heaters.

To avoid risk of fire, never leave a space heater on when you go to sleep or place a space heater close to any sleeping person.

Turn on your heater when you leave the area.

Never use gasoline in a kerosene space heater. Even small amounts of gasoline mixed with kerosene can increase the risk of fire.

There are people in the fireplace flues and chimneys inspected for leakage and blockage from creosote or debris every year.

Open the fireplace damper before lighting the fire and keep it open until the ashes are cool. An open damper may help prevent build up of toxic gases in the house.

Store fireplace ashes a fire-resistant container, and cover the container with a lid. Keep the container outdoors and away from flammable.

Dispose of fireplace ashes carefully, keeping them away from dry leaves, trash or other combustible materials.

Preventing CO Poisoning

Schedule an annual professional inspection of all fuel-burning home heating systems, including furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, wood stoves, water heaters, Chimneys, flues and vents.

NEVER operate a portable gasoline-powered generator in an enclosed space such as a garage, shed, or crawlspace, or in the home.

Keep portable generators as far away from your home and ?your neighbor?s home as possible ? away from open doors, windows or vents that could allow deadly carbon monoxide into the house.

When buying a space heater, ask the salesperson whether the heater is safety-certified. A certified heater has a safety certification mark. These heaters are the most up-to-date safety features. Unvented gas space heater that meets current safety standards will shut off if oxygen levels fall too low.

Do not use portable propane space heaters indoors or in any confined space, unless specifically designed for indoor use. Always follow the manufacturer?s directions for proper use.

Never use a gas or electric stoves heat homes. They are not intended for that purpose and can cause CO or fire hazard.

More information can be found on the Safety Alert CPSC, fire risk reduction for portable electric heaters.

Source: http://redevelopks.org/2013/02/prevention-of-fire-and-carbon-monoxide-home-winter-warnings-from-cpsc.html

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Arkansas governor vetoes 20-week abortion bill

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) ? Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe on Tuesday vetoed a ban on most abortions in Arkansas at 20 weeks into a pregnancy, setting up an override fight with a Republican-controlled Legislature that has been pushing for more restrictions on the procedure.

Beebe said he vetoed the ban, which is based on the disputed belief that a fetus can feel pain at 20 weeks, because it runs afoul of the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion until the point where fetuses can survive outside the womb, usually at 22 to 24 weeks. The Republican sponsor of the measure said he'll seek to override Beebe's veto.

"Because it would impose a ban on a woman's right to choose an elective, nontherapeutic abortion before viability, House Bill 1037, if it became law, would squarely contradict Supreme Court precedent," Beebe said in his veto letter. "When I was sworn in as governor I took an oath to preserve, protect and defend both the Arkansas Constitution and the Constitution of the United States. I take that oath seriously."

Beebe also cited the cost of a potential lawsuit if the state enacted the ban. The American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas has said it would likely sue if it went into effect.

Beebe's veto comes as Arkansas lawmakers are weighing stricter legislation that would prohibit abortions at 12 weeks into a pregnancy. Beebe has said he has concerns about that legislation's constitutionality as well. That measure is expected to go before a Senate panel Wednesday.

Rep. Andy Mayberry, who sponsored the 20-week ban, said he was disappointed with Beebe's decision and would ask the House and Senate to override the governor's veto. It takes a simple majority in both chambers to override a governor's veto. Republicans hold 51 of the 100 House seats and 21 of the 35 Senate seats.

Beebe announced the decision shortly after Mayberry, R-Hensley, met with the governor and tried to alleviate his concerns about the bill.

"Apparently he and I have differing opinions on that bill," Mayberry said. "We'll enter into the next phase of the legislative process."

Seven states have enacted similar 20-week restrictions, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which tracks laws affecting women's health. A similar law in Arizona has been blocked while a federal appeals court reviews a lawsuit challenging it.

In his letter, Beebe cited concerns about the cost of a similar challenge. He wrote that Arkansas had to pay nearly $148,000 in attorneys' fees to the plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging a 1997 late-term abortion ban that a federal appeals court overturned.

"Litigation fees and costs have increased extensively since then," Beebe wrote. "The taxpayers' exposure, should HB1037 become law, will be significantly greater."

Mayberry's bill included exemptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. Opponents have criticized it for not including exemptions for fatal fetal conditions.

Mayberry said he was confident he would have the votes to override Beebe's veto. House Speaker Davy Carter and Senate President Michael Lamoureux, both Republicans, said they hadn't polled members but also believed there would likely be enough support for an override.

The House approved Mayberry's bill on an 80-10 vote last week. It had been previously approved by the Senate on a 25-7 vote.

Abortion rights advocates who had gathered at the Capitol cheered when Beebe's decision was announced.

"I am very grateful that the governor understood that it's not reasonable for the government to interfere with these very private and complex medical decisions that a woman needs to make with her doctor and with her faith and with her family," said Jill June, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland. "The decision to end a pregnancy is one of the most complicated decisions a woman will make in her life."

The bill marks the 11th time Beebe has vetoed legislation since taking office in 2007.

Beebe, who is serving his second term, has backed some abortion restrictions, including a bill signed earlier this month that bans insurers participating in the exchange created under the federal health care law from covering most abortions. Two years ago, he signed into law a proposal placing new regulations on the clinics that offer the abortion pill and in 2009 he signed legislation that mirrors a federal law banning late-term abortions.

Beebe wouldn't say whether the decision means he'd veto the 12-week ban pending before lawmakers.

"I'm pretty sure I know what I'm going to do on a bill that's even more problematic than the one I already vetoed, but I won't tell you officially until that time," Beebe said.

___

Associated Press Writer Michael Stratford contributed to this report.

___

Andrew DeMillo can be reached at www.twitter.com/ademillo

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/arkansas-governor-vetoes-20-week-abortion-bill-203729791--politics.html

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Barnes &amp; Noble dispatches Nook Bluetooth speaker through FCC

Barnes & Noble and its Nook may be the subject of many a rumor of late, but that's not stopping the tablet-maker from its business -- which now includes Bluetooth speakers, apparently. We just spotted this previously unseen bad boy lurking in the FCC's antechambers packing the 2.4GHz Bluetooth bands and a rechargeable battery. That'd give some portable audio accompaniment to your Nook HD or other Bluetooth device (like the iPhone and iPod it was also tested with), though we're not sure how B&N's planning to market it. There's now a listing sans photos or other info parked on its site (see MC link), so you might soon be able to read yourself to sleep with that free book.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Wireless

Comments

Source: FCC

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Lbn03XtZOaQ/

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Cut the pork but hold the sequestration, protesters say (Washington Post)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

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Death Cafe: Today&#39;s interesting death event part 1

Today's interesting death event part 1

Transitus Open Day

Transitus is a growing national network of people with deep concern for the care and well-being of those approaching the End of Life

Registration 9.30 for 10.00 am ? 7.30pmThe day will include talks, discussions,and rehearsed reading of the play?Home Death? by Nell Dunn Presented byThe Martinsey Isle Trust and Taboo Amateur TheatreLimited space ? booking advisedCost: ?15.00 ? the dayBookings, food orders & travel instructions contact:Jean Francis, 28 Depot Road, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 5HARegistered charity no. 1135600Transitus is a group of people with a deep concern for the care and well-being of those approaching the End of LifeSaturday 23rd March 2013 ? 10.00 am ? 8.00 pm. You are invited to the first Transitus meeting in Sussex: an opportunity for networking and to see what is available to help the dying and bereaved. Transitus is a network comprised of a growing group of people working in a way that honours all aspects of life - mind, body, spirit and emotions - who are involved with the sacred process of dying. The aim of Transitus being; to release the fear and taboo surrounding death; support those dying and help the bereaved; raise awareness of ?green? and family based approaches to death encouraging the acceptance of the concept of the continuity of consciousness. This it achieves through local gatherings for members only and events or ?festivals? for members and the public alike. The Network also supports its members so that none of us feels alone in this sometimes isolating work. The meeting will include a rehearsed reading of the play ?Home Death? by Nell Dunn, presented by The Martinsey Isle Trust and Taboo Amateur Theatre Company. Tickets for the day cost ?15.00 and include the play, tea & coffee. On booking, food orders can be placed or you may prefer to bring your own refreshment. For more information and to book - Tel: Jean on 01403 273754. Also see: www.martinsey.org.uk and to Transitus as details become available. Venue: Sedgwick Park House, Nuthurst, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 6QQ

Source: http://www.deathcafe.com/2013/02/todays-interesting-death-event-part-1.html

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'Mortal Instruments' Behind The Scenes: Magnus Bane In His Boxers

Actor Godfrey Gao saunters around set in his skivvies during MTV News' visit.
By Amy Wilkinson, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Cast of "The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones"
Photo: MTV News

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1702620/mortal-instruments-magnus-bane-set-visit.jhtml

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Polk Audio UltraFocus 6000

Despite the popularity of noise canceling headphones like the Bose QuietComfort 15, in-canal noise canceling earphones remain a rare alternative. The reason seems simple: The circuitry and battery compartment for noise cancellation has to go somewhere, and unfortunately, as with the $149.95 (list) Polk Audio UltraFocus 6000, it's awkwardly placed along the cable, requiring a shirt clip for mobile use. Thus far, the only earphones to actually fit the circuitry inside the earpieces themselves are the Sony XBA-NC85D, an overpriced underperformer. The UltraFocus 6000 provides deep bass response and powerful, distortion-free audio performance, as well as top-notch noise cancellation, but if the shirt clip compartment is a dealbreaker, check out some on-ear headphone alternatives.

Design
The circuitry may exist outside the earpieces, but even so, the UltraFocus 6000 still has bulky earpieces compared with many of today's streamlined earphone options. Regardless, the black, rubberized plastic design is lightweight and quite secure.?The aforementioned battery/circuitry compartment is located along the thick, linguini-esque cable, more or less midway down, so that it can be clipped either to a shirt, a belt, or a pants pocket.

In addition to the Power switch, the Ultrafocus 6000 features a sound attenuator switch, which lowers sound sources by 10 decibels?useful for airplanes, which often have louder outputs. There's also a push-to-hear ambient control, so you can hear your surroundings clearly without removing the earphones. Unfortunately, the UltraFocus 6000 does not output audio in passive mode. You must use the battery, and the noise cancellation, to listen to music.

The Polk Audio UltraFocus 6000 is also offered, perplexingly for the same price, as the Polk Audio UltraFocus 6000i, which features inline mobile phone controls and a microphone. If you're looking to use it with your iOS device, make sure you buy the version with "i" appended to its name. We tested the version without controls, but this review should serve as an evaluation of both.

With seven included ear tip pairs?some are the typical silicon shape, some are flange-shaped, some are foam?there is quite a variety to choose from, which bolsters the already secure-fitting design of the 6000 even more.

One AAA battery is included with the UltraFocus 6000; Polk Audio estimates the battery life for the earphones at roughly 30 hours. It would have been nice to see a rechargeable option here, but we've thus far seen only one rechargeable in-ear pair, the Sony XBA-NC85D. Also included: a Nokia device adapter, an airline jack adapter, and a rigid zip-up protective case.

Performance
The UltraFocus 6000 has no issues with deep bass frequencies. At high volumes, it churns out sub-bass content with some serious power. Even songs with particularly challenging sub-bass frequencies, like the Knife's "Silent Shout," are delivered distortion-free, all the way up to maximum (and unsafe, by the way) listening levels.

There's a significant boost to both low and high frequencies. On Bill Callahan's "Drover," his vocals sound a bit overshadowed by the intense lower frequencies, however?the treble boost doesn't quite bring out enough of the edge in his baritone vocal delivery, and the mix ends up sounding a bit muffled.

The higher frequencies also feel a bit dialed back on Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild." Vocals are delivered with enough clarity, but the intense kick drum loop is missing the hi-mid grit that it usually packs, detracting from the power of the mix a bit.

The UltraFocus 6000's sound signature fares better on classical tracks, like John Adams' "The Chairman Dances," lending enough edge to the higher register strings to balance out the enhanced resonance of the lower register strings. Things are not muddy here, and never approach overly bright or harsh. It's a boosted, but balanced, sound.

There's a dirty little secret about active noise cancellation and in-ear earphones that's rarely acknowledged: Passive noise cancellation?using ear plugs, for instance?works just as well, if not better, and it's far less expensive. This is particularly relevant here because I'd venture that roughly 80 percent (conservative guess) of in-canal earphones achieve a significant level of ambient noise reduction just by sealing off your ear canal. Are they as effective as earplugs? No, but they come pretty close.

In other words, in-ear noise canceling pairs have less work to do than headphones, because they already block out so much of the sound. The UltraFocus 6000 is nonetheless armed with some solid noise cancellation technology. Turn the system on, and wide swaths of ambient sound are drastically dampened. Unlike many on-ear pairs that use less-than-top-of-the-line circuitry, the UltraFocus 6000 seems to avoid producing much high frequency hiss. But these earphones already reduce much of a room's noise just by sitting in your ears.

Thus, the obvious question: If in-ear noise cancellation is so much easier to pull off, and as the UltraFocus 6000 demonstrates, also less expensive (compared to, say, the Bose QuietComfort 15), why are there so few in-ear options compared to on-ear options? And the answer, I believe, is the dreaded battery compartment/circuitry box. The bulk of the inline compartment, and its weight, makes the shirt clip a necessity. There's no way around it: It's annoying.

Other in-ear options, like the Phiaton PS 20 NC, exist, and yes, it features the cumbersome shirt-clip compartment as well. But unlike the UltraFocus 6000, the PS 20 NC can output audio in passive mode, which is a huge advantage. If you dread the clip as I do, you'll need to go the on-ear headphone route, as we don't highly recommend Sony's ground-breaking?but very overpriced?in-ear, external compartment-free option, the aforementioned XBA-NC85D. If excellent noise cancellation is your main priority, the Bose QuietComfort 15 is a tried and true winner. If better music performance is your priority, consider the AKG K 490 NC, which also features solid noise cancellation, as well as Polk Audio's own Ultrafocus 8000.

But, in the in-canal noise canceling realm, the UltraFocus 6000 is a solid contender, armed with quality noise cancellation circuitry and distortion-free audio performance. If solid, in-ear noise cancellation is what you're looking for, the UltraFocus 6000, though far from flawless, is worth your consideration.

More Headphone Reviews:
??? Polk Audio UltraFocus 6000
??? Skullcandy Hesh 2
??? RHA MA150
??? Audio Technica ATH-ANC9 QuietPoint
??? Sennheiser HD 280 Pro
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/JXhatHCOdO8/0,2817,2415607,00.asp

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Armenian opposition leader may challenge president's reelection

YEREVAN (Reuters) - The runner-up in Armenia's presidential election said on Monday he might challenge the official result that gave Serzh Sarksyan a new five-year term and triggered street protests.

Opposition leader Raffi Hovannisian got 37 percent of votes cast in the February 18 election in the nation of 3.2 million, Moscow's closest ally in the south Caucasus, nestled between Russia, Turkey, Iran and energy-rich Central Asia.

Hovannisian and his Heritage Party say the vote was rigged in favor of Sarksyan, who won 58.6 percent. The opposition have twice held protests drawing several thousand people in the capital Yerevan since the election.

"As of today we have five days to challenge the clearly illegal and anti-Armenian result of this election," Hovannisian, a U.S.-born former foreign minister of the landlocked ex-Soviet republic, told a news conference.

"Many say it's not worth it. We will discuss it. I do not rule out that by March 2 we will turn to the Constitutional Court," Hovannisian said, referring to an official challenge. He repeated that he considers himself the real winner of the race.

Armenia's election commission also said on Monday there were no legal violations during the vote that could impact results.

The protests on Wednesday and Friday were peaceful. Foreign governments and investors worry about signs of instability in Armenia, where 10 people were killed in violence that followed Sarksyan's first election victory in 2008.

International election monitors said last week's poll was an improvement from previous ones but it still lacked real competition after some of Sarksyan's adversaries decided not to run, fearing the results would be skewed.

Armenia, which hosts one of Russia's few foreign military bases and is part of a post-Soviet security alliance dominated by Moscow, is locked in a deadly dispute with neighboring Azerbaijan over the mountainous Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Nagorno-Karabakh is an ethnic Armenian-majority enclave inside Azerbaijan, which Armenia-backed rebels wrested from Azeri troops in a war that killed some 30,000 people before a 1994 ceasefire. Skirmishes still kill troops on both sides.

(Reporting by Hasmik Mkrtychan, Writing by Gabriela Baczynska, Editing by Steve Gutterman and Michael Roddy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/armenian-opposition-leader-may-challenge-presidents-reelection-170537893.html

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