That incredible potential was apparent during his freshman season. So was his significant inexperience when it came to the details of the game. Running, shooting, dunking and blocking shots are stock standards at the college level. Nuances such as proper defensive angles and absorbing contact take far longer to master.
“You’re always harder on yourself,” James told reporters earlier this week. “I feel like I was frustrated. Just a lot of anger, a lot of frustration upon myself knowing I could do a lot more.”For James, the primary obstacle in moving from high school to the college ranks was adjusting to the speed of the game, and not necessarily just the pace on the hardwood.
“In high school, there’s someone there holding your hand,” James said. “In college, you’re on a team full of grown men and you’ve got to figure it out. Yeah, your teammates are there to help you along, but they can’t help you that long because they’ve got to go. It’s a game; you’ve got to play.”
Roy Williams provided James with plenty of opportunities early in the season to make the transition. In his first 23 games (including three starts), James averaged 2.7 points and 2.9 rebounds in 11.3 minutes per contest. Once UNC went small, however, his minutes plummeted. James played just 22 minutes over the final 13 games of the season, including one minute in UNC”s two NCAA Tournament games.
The toughest part of his short tenure at UNC thus far has come in elevating his mental game to match his physique.“I have the physical tools to be a NBA superstar one day,” James said. “Big person, can run the floor, physical. I like contact. But along with those physical skills, you need to have a mental part of the game as well.”
Williams instructed James during their postseason evaluation to calm down, take his time and be the player the 11th-year UNC head coach recruited. A significant part of that process involves carrying a necessary amount of confidence to move past the nervousness that was gripping at times last season.
“Have you ever heard the saying. ‘Confidence is like deodorant; if you don’t have it on, you stink?’” James said. “That’s what it is. The only thing you can do is build confidence… Confidence comes with the amount of work you put in.”
The West Palm Beach, Fla. product’s ability to work in the gym has been limited, however, due to offseason medical procedures to clean out calcification in both knees. The nagging injuries had plagued him even before arriving in Chapel Hill and were present daily as James felt pain whenever running and jumping.While he’s working his way back into playing shape – he said he had no pain after last Monday’s pickup game – his absence proved to be beneficial for his understanding of the game.
“You get to stop and take a step back and analyze the game from a whole different perspective,” James said, adding that Marvin Williams and Rasheed Wallace have offered insight this summer. “You just see so much you wouldn’t normally see while playing.”
Most freshmen post players encounter an offseason workout regiment intent on increasing strength and hands free access, but that hasn’t been the case for James, who has maintained or possibly even dropped his body fat percentage since enrolling at 260 pounds last summer. Gaining or losing weight hasn’t been a topic of conversations during workouts with strength and conditioning coach Jonas Sahratian.
A week after Deen's admission of using racial slurs in the past surfaced in a discrimination lawsuit, pop culture watchers, experts in managing public relations nightmares and civil rights stalwarts who have tried to help other celebrities in her position see a long, bumpy road ahead.
They also see a week full of missteps and believe the queen of comfort food reacted too slowly to her latest controversy at a time when hours count. They say it could take years, if she can make it back at all to the earning power she has enjoyed.
"Paula Deen has, I would say, taken an irreparable hit because she had this appearance of being more or less a nice older woman who cooks food that's bad for you. That in her own way sort of made her lovable," said Janice Min, editorial director of The Hollywood Reporter in Los Angeles.
"But this presents a whole other picture of, 'Wow, maybe she's just an old racist white southern woman.' That image is hard to shake off for a large chunk of people," Min added.
So far, what could go wrong pretty much has, said Larry Kopp, president of The TASC Group, a communications firm for sports figures and celebrities with experience in high-profile, racially charged cases. His current clients include the family of black teen Trayvon Martin, whose shooter, George Zimmerman, is on trial for second-degree murder.
Deen, 66, and her brother, Bubba Hiers, are being sued by Lisa Jackson, a former manager of the restaurant they own in Savannah, Ga. Jackson accused them last year of sexual harassment and a hostile environment of innuendo and racial slurs.According to a transcript of Deen's deposition, an attorney for Jackson asked Deen if she has ever used the N-word."Yes, of course," Deen replied, though she added: "It's been a very long time." And she said she doesn't use the word anymore.
She bailed on the "Today" show on Friday, instead posting a series of criticized YouTube apologies. She was dropped by the Food Network the same day.An apology, at this point, isn't enough, said Dara Busch, executive vice president and managing director of Rubenstein Associates in New York, a top PR company.
"It will take years for her to fix how she will be viewed by the African American community. She has to find ways to prove that she's not that way any longer," said Busch.Howard Rubenstein, who founded Busch's firm and is known as a damage control guru, helped facilitate Richards' apologies to the Revs. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson after the comedian was caught on video using the N-word and making a lynching reference onstage against a black heckler. Rubenstein declined an interview.
Deen has already surpassed the actor in the apology department, said Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League who has met regularly with John Galliano after the fashion designer's inebriated rants about Hitler were caught on video.
"Mel Gibson really never apologized. There's this apology, 'If I offended anybody, I didn't mean it.' That doesn't go anywhere. You have to be specific. What, where, who. Mel Gibson never really stepped up to the plate," Foxman said by telephone Monday while on a trip to Jerusalem.
Galliano, who recently sat down with Charlie Rose for a rare interview, has studied Jewish history with rabbis, owned up to addiction and tried to atone, Foxman said, yet he's struggling as Richards is to make it back professionally.Will Deen follow up with action to back up her apologetic words?
"I want to believe her, that she's not that way anymore," Foxman said. "It used to be very simple rules: You say something that's offensive, that's hurtful and there's a formal apology, an explanation, and depending how severe it is, you do a good deed, you volunteer, whatever. There used to be a clear path. It used to be over. That was before the Internet."
While Galliano was always considered a bad boy on the job, Deen's ability to earn a living depends on a squeaky clean, though cheeky, reputation despite her hiding her diabetes for years, then signing on as a paid endorser of a drug for the condition while continuing to cook up deep-fried everything on TV.
Click on their website www.ecived.com/en/ for more information.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Challenges as Union ready for Dallas
Keon Daniel, who has already been called-up by Trinidad & Tobago, will not be available for Saturday’s game. Daniel said, “I’m always happy to play for my country. I think it’s an honor for every player. We haven’t been in a tournament for a while and I think the whole team is eager to play in a tournament like this—a major tournament…It will be sad for me to miss [MLS] games because I love being here to help my teammates. But life goes on and that’s why we are a team and not one player.”
John Hackworth described Daniel as having “his most consistent year as a professional at the highest level,” and said of the effect his call-up will have on the Union, “We’re going to miss (Daniel), but I think the most logical player (to replace him) would be Michael Farfan,. I think it’s an opportunity for Farfan to come back to a more natural position for him.”
Turning to Saturday’s game against Dallas —the start of a four game stretch that Hackworth said the team has talked about as “being pivotal to our success all year long”— there are a number of concerns.
Speaking at Wednesday’s weekly press conference (click here to watch video of the press conference), Hackworth noted that it important that the team put the euphoria over beating New York for the first time in two years behind them. “It is a challenge, there’s no question. We need to try to do a really good job of staying focused and not still thinking about New York. So far this week, I think the team has responded very positively. From what our staff can tell and in the conversations we’re having in our training, we’re fully focused on Dallas.”
Saturday’s game is the beginning of a three games in a week that includes road games against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday and Houston the following Saturday. Hackworth said, “I think we’ll be smart because we have to be. Anytime you’re faced with the selection challenges that we are going into Dallas and then knowing on the back side that we’re going to have to really tough road games, I think we have to play really smart. We have to know that this stretch of three games is going to be very difficult to get through and how we manage our roster at the time being and down a few members is going to be important.”
Hoppenot said, “We look at these next three games as being the most important of the season. Even at the beginning of the season, we knew this was going to be the deciding point of our season.”
Myanmar has announced the results of a landmark telecommunications auction, permitting investment into the country’s communication infrastructure and lifting traditional restrictions on cellphone ownership.
Telenor Mobile Communications of Norway and Ooredoo of Qatar have won 15-year concessions for the creation of mobile phone networks. Under military rule, mobile phones were kept in short supply — with only three percent of the population owning such a gadget in 2011. Laos, despite similar poverty levels, has a mobile penetration rate of 87 percent.
The landmark auction paves the way for additional freedom and access to information for the country’s 55 million people.
Three years ago, a mobile SIM card cost upwards of $2,500 which meant mobile devices were luxuries owned by the rich. Now recovering from military rule, mobile contracts will allow for innovation in the banking and payment industry, which is currently reliant on cash transactions. This will be key for Myanmar’s economic prospects in addition to the added bonus of improved communications infrastructure.
One crucial element remains: only 13 percent of Myanmar’s population has consistent access to electricity. This in itself will make cellular transmission towers difficult to place. However, because Myanmar is one of the world’s last remaining undeveloped mobile markets, the business prospects remain promising.
Recently, Myanmar’s Ministry for Hotels and Tourism unveiled a “master plan” to entice more tourists across the border. The plan includes strengthening tourism-related training and education, expanding international air arrivals rates, building better transport links and streamlining tourist-based business licensing.
Despite the long lines and Tarek el-Barkatawy, head of the Egyptian Gas and Petroleum Company, acknowledging a gas shortage at a press conference earlier in the week, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Sherif Hadarra denied any shortage on June 26. While Hadarra blamed the long lines at gas stations on false rumors that the government intends to halt the supply of gas products, el-Barkatawy reported that the current rate of gas consumption is exceeding normal levels by 20 to 30%.
Saad Abdel Magid, a Cairo taxi driver, also pointed to Egypt’s diminishing foreign reserves, which are a major factor underlying many of the nation's problems. “The country doesn’t have money, so the country doesn’t have gas,” he said while staring in frustration at a downtown traffic jam of cars haphazardly lined up near a gas station.
In a report issued June 25, the office of the president blamed the lack of fuel on the lack of foreign currency, but also cited smuggling and the black market for the shortage.
Oil-rich Iraq and Libya agreed to deals in March 2013 to supply oil to help ease Egypt's fuel shortages, but they both fell through in June. Indicative of a lack of confidence in Egypt’s economy, the talks ended when Iraq rejected a guarantee by the Egyptian Central Bank for the $1.2 billion value of the oil.
For Manar el-Barrawy, a private language instructor who depends on her car to reach her students, the lack of financial reserves, smuggling, hoarding all seem like plausible reasons for the gas shortage. She also thinks that the government’s ineptitude in monitoring fuel supplies and acting accordingly has a lot to do with the current problem. She told Al-Monitor, “Nothing is really clear.”
Click on their website www.ecived.com/en/ for more information.
John Hackworth described Daniel as having “his most consistent year as a professional at the highest level,” and said of the effect his call-up will have on the Union, “We’re going to miss (Daniel), but I think the most logical player (to replace him) would be Michael Farfan,. I think it’s an opportunity for Farfan to come back to a more natural position for him.”
Turning to Saturday’s game against Dallas —the start of a four game stretch that Hackworth said the team has talked about as “being pivotal to our success all year long”— there are a number of concerns.
Speaking at Wednesday’s weekly press conference (click here to watch video of the press conference), Hackworth noted that it important that the team put the euphoria over beating New York for the first time in two years behind them. “It is a challenge, there’s no question. We need to try to do a really good job of staying focused and not still thinking about New York. So far this week, I think the team has responded very positively. From what our staff can tell and in the conversations we’re having in our training, we’re fully focused on Dallas.”
Saturday’s game is the beginning of a three games in a week that includes road games against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday and Houston the following Saturday. Hackworth said, “I think we’ll be smart because we have to be. Anytime you’re faced with the selection challenges that we are going into Dallas and then knowing on the back side that we’re going to have to really tough road games, I think we have to play really smart. We have to know that this stretch of three games is going to be very difficult to get through and how we manage our roster at the time being and down a few members is going to be important.”
Hoppenot said, “We look at these next three games as being the most important of the season. Even at the beginning of the season, we knew this was going to be the deciding point of our season.”
Myanmar has announced the results of a landmark telecommunications auction, permitting investment into the country’s communication infrastructure and lifting traditional restrictions on cellphone ownership.
Telenor Mobile Communications of Norway and Ooredoo of Qatar have won 15-year concessions for the creation of mobile phone networks. Under military rule, mobile phones were kept in short supply — with only three percent of the population owning such a gadget in 2011. Laos, despite similar poverty levels, has a mobile penetration rate of 87 percent.
The landmark auction paves the way for additional freedom and access to information for the country’s 55 million people.
Three years ago, a mobile SIM card cost upwards of $2,500 which meant mobile devices were luxuries owned by the rich. Now recovering from military rule, mobile contracts will allow for innovation in the banking and payment industry, which is currently reliant on cash transactions. This will be key for Myanmar’s economic prospects in addition to the added bonus of improved communications infrastructure.
One crucial element remains: only 13 percent of Myanmar’s population has consistent access to electricity. This in itself will make cellular transmission towers difficult to place. However, because Myanmar is one of the world’s last remaining undeveloped mobile markets, the business prospects remain promising.
Recently, Myanmar’s Ministry for Hotels and Tourism unveiled a “master plan” to entice more tourists across the border. The plan includes strengthening tourism-related training and education, expanding international air arrivals rates, building better transport links and streamlining tourist-based business licensing.
Despite the long lines and Tarek el-Barkatawy, head of the Egyptian Gas and Petroleum Company, acknowledging a gas shortage at a press conference earlier in the week, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Sherif Hadarra denied any shortage on June 26. While Hadarra blamed the long lines at gas stations on false rumors that the government intends to halt the supply of gas products, el-Barkatawy reported that the current rate of gas consumption is exceeding normal levels by 20 to 30%.
Saad Abdel Magid, a Cairo taxi driver, also pointed to Egypt’s diminishing foreign reserves, which are a major factor underlying many of the nation's problems. “The country doesn’t have money, so the country doesn’t have gas,” he said while staring in frustration at a downtown traffic jam of cars haphazardly lined up near a gas station.
In a report issued June 25, the office of the president blamed the lack of fuel on the lack of foreign currency, but also cited smuggling and the black market for the shortage.
Oil-rich Iraq and Libya agreed to deals in March 2013 to supply oil to help ease Egypt's fuel shortages, but they both fell through in June. Indicative of a lack of confidence in Egypt’s economy, the talks ended when Iraq rejected a guarantee by the Egyptian Central Bank for the $1.2 billion value of the oil.
For Manar el-Barrawy, a private language instructor who depends on her car to reach her students, the lack of financial reserves, smuggling, hoarding all seem like plausible reasons for the gas shortage. She also thinks that the government’s ineptitude in monitoring fuel supplies and acting accordingly has a lot to do with the current problem. She told Al-Monitor, “Nothing is really clear.”
Click on their website www.ecived.com/en/ for more information.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Beautiful handset, but performance is lacking
Well, what do we have here? Okay, let's scrap the faux surprise. The recently confirmed Ascend P6 has landed, and Huawei hopes it will stir interest in the hearts of mobile users. Debuting across Europe, China and Australia in late June / early August with a €449 ($600) price tag, it's asking you to take it seriously, and that's what we'll do.
The mobile market is a fickle place, so it doesn't matter where you are right now; it's all about where you're going. Huawei? Well, it's definitely got its sights set on an upward trajectory. The Ascend P6 is the latest rung on the ladder, intended to elevate the company to mobile greatness. But, with competition stiffer than ever, can it really call a device with a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 720p display and 8-megapixel camera a flagship? (For its P-series at least?) Huawei's certainly giving it a try, and it's hoping that beauty, not brawn, will win the day.
That size difference is important; crammed into that more diminutive form, it not only offers a greater ppi (312), but also turns an otherwise middle-spec phablet into a much more mass-market device. The specifications are still fairly modest, but the hardware they come in -- plus a few other notable inclusions -- means that this is a completely different proposition than the Mate altogether.
There's a black brushed-metal finish on the rear (there are white and pink versions also) with drilled speaker holes at the bottom, and a brushed-metal band around the edges of the device. The Ascend P6 instantly feels good, solid and, dare we say it, delightful. The chamfered edges that lead into the Gorilla Glass display prove that not only can Huawei do detail, it can also do it very well. Next to Samsung's Galaxy S 4, for example, it makes the Korean flagship look and feel shamefully thrown together. Even the dapper HTC One gets a good run for its money in terms of hands free access, fit and finish. Yes, it's fair to say that Huawei has proven that a well-built phone isn't as much a matter of means as it is intention.
It's not all solid, smooth lines. That metal band is broken up by the occasional port. The micro-USB connection sits at the top, just off-center. The right-hand side houses the power / standby button and volume rocker, plus microSD and micro-SIM card trays. If there was a small negative, it's that these buttons do jiggle slightly in place. Not terribly so, but enough to indicate there's room for a tighter fit. The back cover isn't removable -- hence the trays -- but Huawei has done a good job at keeping them flush with the edges. One related design note -- of mixed success -- is the 3.5mm headphone jack located at the bottom of the left-hand side. You'd be forgiven for missing it, first of all, as it's tightly plugged up. In fact, at first glance, the small circular protrusion looks like an unusual design feature, like a rivet added on at the end to conceal a functional cavity. It's only when you inspect it a little further that you sense something else is going on.
We tinkered around with this curiosity for a few moments, before wondering if the Ascend P6 perhaps came with a stylus, as this small silver disc could have easily been the top end of one. But a little fingernail pulling and gentle wriggling actually revealed the truth: it's a small, concealed pin to help eject the SIM and memory card trays. Genius. Weird genius. The positive being that you never need to worry about whether you have a paperclip or similar nearby, should you wish to remove your SIM (not that paperclips usually work that well). The negative, however, is that every time you want to use your headphones, you have to remove -- and potentially lose -- the pin. In our experience, getting the thing out wasn't exactly a smooth process either. Still, it's a nice idea, and the sort of ingenuity we're loathe to discourage.
One thing we would encourage? More internal storage. We're sorry guys, but 8GB really isn't enough these days, especially when barely any of that (less than 4GB) is accessible. Yes, there is the option to expand (by a further 32GB), but that's more a common courtesy rather than a reasonable solution. So, if you've liked what you've heard so far, then be sure to add a memory card to your shopping list, like, now. The memory issue is compounded by the -- albeit pleasantly surprising -- inclusion of a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. Those self-portraits are about to get a serious upgrade, which is all the more reason to get your storage set from the get-go. We'll cover the cameras (including the 8-megapixel main shooter) in more detail later.
Rounding out the hardware side of things are a few significant omissions. First, there's no LTE. It's simply not happening. So if that's a dealbreaker, stop reading now. If it's not -- and there's category 14 HSPA+ (up to 21 Mbps) to keep things moving -- then you'll likely be expecting some returns elsewhere -- such as in the longevity of the non-removable 2,000mAh battery. Again, more on that later. If you got this far and were wondering about NFC, then suffice to say, it's not here either, but you're okay with DLNA sharing and Dolby Digital audio instead, right?
At 4.7 inches across, with a resolution of 1,280 x 720, the Ascend P6 might not be in the (increasingly less) exclusive 1080p club, but the 720p "in-cell" LCD does a good enough job that you likely won't mind. Compared to some of the larger flagships (heck, for some, 4.7 inches is almost "mini"), the P6's display might seem average -- but it really does feel perfectly sized. You can reach your way across it comfortably, and thanks to a minimal bezel, the phone should sit snugly in most hands. We did find that the touchscreen was occasionally less responsive to our pokes and gestures from time to time. Pinching out from the home screen to bring up the zoomed-out view sometimes took two or three attempts to register. Likewise we sometimes found ourselves prodding more than once to get it to realize that we were trying to open an app. There is a "gloves" mode, which increases sensitivity, and we noticed the problem occurred less frequently when this was activated, so you may prefer to keep this switched on.
When you're not thumbing at it, the Ascend's LCD looks bright and crisp, with excellent viewing angles. The screen is dimmer when gazed at from anything other than straight on, and you'll definitely want to keep the brightness set to no less than 50 percent for outdoor viewing. Do that and colors will remain solid and blacks dark, making photo and video viewing on the device a pleasant experience. Also, we noticed that the screen displayed a pleasing resilience to fingerprints -- definitely a plus point.
The mobile market is a fickle place, so it doesn't matter where you are right now; it's all about where you're going. Huawei? Well, it's definitely got its sights set on an upward trajectory. The Ascend P6 is the latest rung on the ladder, intended to elevate the company to mobile greatness. But, with competition stiffer than ever, can it really call a device with a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 720p display and 8-megapixel camera a flagship? (For its P-series at least?) Huawei's certainly giving it a try, and it's hoping that beauty, not brawn, will win the day.
That size difference is important; crammed into that more diminutive form, it not only offers a greater ppi (312), but also turns an otherwise middle-spec phablet into a much more mass-market device. The specifications are still fairly modest, but the hardware they come in -- plus a few other notable inclusions -- means that this is a completely different proposition than the Mate altogether.
There's a black brushed-metal finish on the rear (there are white and pink versions also) with drilled speaker holes at the bottom, and a brushed-metal band around the edges of the device. The Ascend P6 instantly feels good, solid and, dare we say it, delightful. The chamfered edges that lead into the Gorilla Glass display prove that not only can Huawei do detail, it can also do it very well. Next to Samsung's Galaxy S 4, for example, it makes the Korean flagship look and feel shamefully thrown together. Even the dapper HTC One gets a good run for its money in terms of hands free access, fit and finish. Yes, it's fair to say that Huawei has proven that a well-built phone isn't as much a matter of means as it is intention.
It's not all solid, smooth lines. That metal band is broken up by the occasional port. The micro-USB connection sits at the top, just off-center. The right-hand side houses the power / standby button and volume rocker, plus microSD and micro-SIM card trays. If there was a small negative, it's that these buttons do jiggle slightly in place. Not terribly so, but enough to indicate there's room for a tighter fit. The back cover isn't removable -- hence the trays -- but Huawei has done a good job at keeping them flush with the edges. One related design note -- of mixed success -- is the 3.5mm headphone jack located at the bottom of the left-hand side. You'd be forgiven for missing it, first of all, as it's tightly plugged up. In fact, at first glance, the small circular protrusion looks like an unusual design feature, like a rivet added on at the end to conceal a functional cavity. It's only when you inspect it a little further that you sense something else is going on.
We tinkered around with this curiosity for a few moments, before wondering if the Ascend P6 perhaps came with a stylus, as this small silver disc could have easily been the top end of one. But a little fingernail pulling and gentle wriggling actually revealed the truth: it's a small, concealed pin to help eject the SIM and memory card trays. Genius. Weird genius. The positive being that you never need to worry about whether you have a paperclip or similar nearby, should you wish to remove your SIM (not that paperclips usually work that well). The negative, however, is that every time you want to use your headphones, you have to remove -- and potentially lose -- the pin. In our experience, getting the thing out wasn't exactly a smooth process either. Still, it's a nice idea, and the sort of ingenuity we're loathe to discourage.
One thing we would encourage? More internal storage. We're sorry guys, but 8GB really isn't enough these days, especially when barely any of that (less than 4GB) is accessible. Yes, there is the option to expand (by a further 32GB), but that's more a common courtesy rather than a reasonable solution. So, if you've liked what you've heard so far, then be sure to add a memory card to your shopping list, like, now. The memory issue is compounded by the -- albeit pleasantly surprising -- inclusion of a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. Those self-portraits are about to get a serious upgrade, which is all the more reason to get your storage set from the get-go. We'll cover the cameras (including the 8-megapixel main shooter) in more detail later.
Rounding out the hardware side of things are a few significant omissions. First, there's no LTE. It's simply not happening. So if that's a dealbreaker, stop reading now. If it's not -- and there's category 14 HSPA+ (up to 21 Mbps) to keep things moving -- then you'll likely be expecting some returns elsewhere -- such as in the longevity of the non-removable 2,000mAh battery. Again, more on that later. If you got this far and were wondering about NFC, then suffice to say, it's not here either, but you're okay with DLNA sharing and Dolby Digital audio instead, right?
At 4.7 inches across, with a resolution of 1,280 x 720, the Ascend P6 might not be in the (increasingly less) exclusive 1080p club, but the 720p "in-cell" LCD does a good enough job that you likely won't mind. Compared to some of the larger flagships (heck, for some, 4.7 inches is almost "mini"), the P6's display might seem average -- but it really does feel perfectly sized. You can reach your way across it comfortably, and thanks to a minimal bezel, the phone should sit snugly in most hands. We did find that the touchscreen was occasionally less responsive to our pokes and gestures from time to time. Pinching out from the home screen to bring up the zoomed-out view sometimes took two or three attempts to register. Likewise we sometimes found ourselves prodding more than once to get it to realize that we were trying to open an app. There is a "gloves" mode, which increases sensitivity, and we noticed the problem occurred less frequently when this was activated, so you may prefer to keep this switched on.
When you're not thumbing at it, the Ascend's LCD looks bright and crisp, with excellent viewing angles. The screen is dimmer when gazed at from anything other than straight on, and you'll definitely want to keep the brightness set to no less than 50 percent for outdoor viewing. Do that and colors will remain solid and blacks dark, making photo and video viewing on the device a pleasant experience. Also, we noticed that the screen displayed a pleasing resilience to fingerprints -- definitely a plus point.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Are the Armed Forces a Rape Culture?
US invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan have produced quagmires of crime, corruption and abuse, beginning with the torture of prisoners, the creation of offshore penal colonies, and repeated airborne attacks on shepherd boys, wedding parties, TV crews and allied troops — and ending with atrocity-producing chauvinism, bigotry, night-time home invasions and indefinite detention without charges. We don’t so much spread democracy as shred a mockery.
This war system has produced epidemic suicide rates, boot camp fatalities, plane and copter crash losses, friendly fire deaths, “green-on-blue insider” attacks by Afghan trainees, combat wounds and amputations, PTSD and several unknown or undiagnosed syndromes many of which are permanently debilitating. The abuse and even murder of spouses are on the rise among returning vets while sexual battery, assault and rape have reached staggering rates.
The Department of Defense’s 2012 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military estimates there were 26,000 sexual assaults in the military last year, up 35 percent from 19,000 in 2011. You know that sexual predators are rampaging through the services when the president calls the rape statistics “shameful” and “disgraceful,” when Pentagon Chief Chuck Hagel calls the chronic outrages a “betrayal” and a “scourge that must be stamped out,” and when the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey says, “We’re losing the confidence of the women who serve.”
Why would Dempsey admit such a thing? Because, according to Kirby Dick, director of the film “The Invisible War,” less than one percent of the 26,000 cases resulted in a court-martial conviction. Kirby’s documentary reviews the scandal of military commanders — not prosecutors and judges — deciding whether to prosecute “embedded serial sexual predators.” In a recent editorial, Dick writes, “500,000 uniformed men and women have been assaulted since 1991” (the year of the Navy’s Tailhook sexual assaults in Las Vegas), and fewer than 15 percent were ever reported. In 1996, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland was the site of infamous sexual assaults on female recruits. In 2003, it was the Air Force Academy in Colorado that represented the military’s rape scene.
The problem of unreported and unprosecuted sexual assaults in the military is notorious. Of the estimated 26,000 cases last year, the Department of Defense claims only 3,374 were reported. Tens of thousands of victims keep quiet out of fear of retribution by superior officers and a distrust of the military court system.
One such case came to light June 1, 2013 as the Naval Academy announced that three of its football players were under investigation for the serial rape of a female midshipman in 2012. The victim’s lawyer, Susan Burke, has said that after reporting her attack the sophomore was harassed and taunted by other midshipmen and ostracized and retaliated against by the Naval Academy community. While still under investigation, the three perpetrators were allowed to play football while the victim was disciplined for underage drinking. They were formally charged June 19, 2013. In a second case, on May 1, 2013, the Air Force said it disciplined five former commanders for not reporting sexual assault allegations at Joint Base San Antonio – Lackland in Texas — where 18 sexual assault trials have taken place and 32 basic training instructors are under investigation for assaulting recruits. In addition, on May 14, 2013 Sgt. Michael McClendon at West Point was charged with secretly videotaping a dozen women, sometimes in the shower. In December 2012, a Pentagon report warned that sexual assaults reported by students at its three prestigious military academies jumped 23 percent in one year.
Three more current cases — beyond being too ironic for words — telegraph just how pervasive the culture of male sexual violence is in the military and how unlikely it is to be abolished by committee. First, Army Lt. Col. Darin Haas, sexual assault prevention officer at Fort Campbell in Ky., was removed from his position after being charged with and arrested for stalking and violating a restraining order procured by his ex-wife. Second, an Army sergeant first class that served as a sexual assault prevention and response coordinator at Fort Hood, Texas, is now accused of abusive sexual contact, assault, pandering and maltreatment of subordinates. Third, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski — who until May 7, 2013 was in charge of the Air Force’s sexual assault prevention and response branch — was arrested on a charge of sexual battery for allegedly groping a women after midnight in a parking lot.
The case of Virginia Messick, who was raped at basic training in Texas, is grimly representative, although her assailant, Staff Sgt. Luis Walker, went to prison last July for raping 10 trainees. Messick didn’t initially report being raped. She was staggered by the dilemma that the rapist was the same officer she was supposed to inform.
Under pressure from Pentagon brass, Congress rejected a bill by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of N.Y. that would have given military prosecutors, not commanding officers, the power to decide which sexual assault cases to try. Without fear of retaliation, the law would have increased the number of reported crimes, but the generals objected, saying it would negatively affect “good order and discipline.” Gillibrand didn’t buy the cliché. She told the generals at a senate hearing in March 2012, “I don’t know how you can say having 19,000 sexual assaults and rapes a year is discipline and order.”
Click on their website www.ecived.com/en/ for more information.
This war system has produced epidemic suicide rates, boot camp fatalities, plane and copter crash losses, friendly fire deaths, “green-on-blue insider” attacks by Afghan trainees, combat wounds and amputations, PTSD and several unknown or undiagnosed syndromes many of which are permanently debilitating. The abuse and even murder of spouses are on the rise among returning vets while sexual battery, assault and rape have reached staggering rates.
The Department of Defense’s 2012 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military estimates there were 26,000 sexual assaults in the military last year, up 35 percent from 19,000 in 2011. You know that sexual predators are rampaging through the services when the president calls the rape statistics “shameful” and “disgraceful,” when Pentagon Chief Chuck Hagel calls the chronic outrages a “betrayal” and a “scourge that must be stamped out,” and when the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey says, “We’re losing the confidence of the women who serve.”
Why would Dempsey admit such a thing? Because, according to Kirby Dick, director of the film “The Invisible War,” less than one percent of the 26,000 cases resulted in a court-martial conviction. Kirby’s documentary reviews the scandal of military commanders — not prosecutors and judges — deciding whether to prosecute “embedded serial sexual predators.” In a recent editorial, Dick writes, “500,000 uniformed men and women have been assaulted since 1991” (the year of the Navy’s Tailhook sexual assaults in Las Vegas), and fewer than 15 percent were ever reported. In 1996, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland was the site of infamous sexual assaults on female recruits. In 2003, it was the Air Force Academy in Colorado that represented the military’s rape scene.
The problem of unreported and unprosecuted sexual assaults in the military is notorious. Of the estimated 26,000 cases last year, the Department of Defense claims only 3,374 were reported. Tens of thousands of victims keep quiet out of fear of retribution by superior officers and a distrust of the military court system.
One such case came to light June 1, 2013 as the Naval Academy announced that three of its football players were under investigation for the serial rape of a female midshipman in 2012. The victim’s lawyer, Susan Burke, has said that after reporting her attack the sophomore was harassed and taunted by other midshipmen and ostracized and retaliated against by the Naval Academy community. While still under investigation, the three perpetrators were allowed to play football while the victim was disciplined for underage drinking. They were formally charged June 19, 2013. In a second case, on May 1, 2013, the Air Force said it disciplined five former commanders for not reporting sexual assault allegations at Joint Base San Antonio – Lackland in Texas — where 18 sexual assault trials have taken place and 32 basic training instructors are under investigation for assaulting recruits. In addition, on May 14, 2013 Sgt. Michael McClendon at West Point was charged with secretly videotaping a dozen women, sometimes in the shower. In December 2012, a Pentagon report warned that sexual assaults reported by students at its three prestigious military academies jumped 23 percent in one year.
Three more current cases — beyond being too ironic for words — telegraph just how pervasive the culture of male sexual violence is in the military and how unlikely it is to be abolished by committee. First, Army Lt. Col. Darin Haas, sexual assault prevention officer at Fort Campbell in Ky., was removed from his position after being charged with and arrested for stalking and violating a restraining order procured by his ex-wife. Second, an Army sergeant first class that served as a sexual assault prevention and response coordinator at Fort Hood, Texas, is now accused of abusive sexual contact, assault, pandering and maltreatment of subordinates. Third, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski — who until May 7, 2013 was in charge of the Air Force’s sexual assault prevention and response branch — was arrested on a charge of sexual battery for allegedly groping a women after midnight in a parking lot.
The case of Virginia Messick, who was raped at basic training in Texas, is grimly representative, although her assailant, Staff Sgt. Luis Walker, went to prison last July for raping 10 trainees. Messick didn’t initially report being raped. She was staggered by the dilemma that the rapist was the same officer she was supposed to inform.
Under pressure from Pentagon brass, Congress rejected a bill by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of N.Y. that would have given military prosecutors, not commanding officers, the power to decide which sexual assault cases to try. Without fear of retaliation, the law would have increased the number of reported crimes, but the generals objected, saying it would negatively affect “good order and discipline.” Gillibrand didn’t buy the cliché. She told the generals at a senate hearing in March 2012, “I don’t know how you can say having 19,000 sexual assaults and rapes a year is discipline and order.”
Click on their website www.ecived.com/en/ for more information.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Agents wait to scrutinize Justin Smith extension
He who represents himself has a fool for a client. That adage usually arises in connection with courtroom proceedings, where the litigant’s emotional attachment to the outcome will skew his efforts — even if he otherwise has the skill.
It also has some application in the NFL, where nearly every player has someone representing him when it comes to negotiating with teams.
For rookie contracts in the age of a true wage scale, it’s not nearly as critical. That’s why it won’t hurt players like Ravens first-rounder Matt Elam, who’ll get the slotted deal available to the 32nd pick in the draft.
For veterans, however, it’s more complicated. A skilled and honest agent (and, obviously, plenty are neither) can help compile evidence and fashion arguments to push back against the team’s legitimate belief that the player is worth less than what the circumstances otherwise suggest. It’s not because teams are dishonest (and, obviously, some team employees are), but because teams necessarily will pooh-pooh the prospect of paying more because they’re the ones routinely doing the paying.
As a result, it’s awkward for the player to argue on his behalf why he’s a great player who deserves more than the team is offering. Some guys (even football players) are too humble to do it, and some simply are so conditioned to defer to the notion of “team” that they can’t and won’t disagree with the coach or the G.M.
That’s why all agents are very interested to see what 49ers defensive end Justin Smith got from the team via his recent two-year extension. Smith confirmed on Wednesday that he negotiated the deal on his own, choosing not to hire a new firm after recently parting ways with CAA.
“At this point in my career – my agent and stuff – it wasn’t about that,” Smith said, via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. “It was about wanting to be here, wanting to play, having an opportunity to be on a great team. And go for the championship. That’s what it’s all about. Having that opportunity, I feel real lucky. Real fortunate.”
On one hand, the value of playing for a title means much more to the player than his agent. (After all, the agent doesn’t get three percent of the ring.) On the other hand, Smith’s desire to pursue a championship easily can result in Smith taking less than he objectively deserved.
Smith added that, if/when he gets to the point where he’s not a full-time player, he’ll walk away. In our view, there’s also a chance he’ll call if quits if the Niners get back to the Super Bowl and win it.
The real question is whether buyer’s remorse will creep into his brain, and whether he’ll act on it. Much of it will depend on the reaction to the deal he did. While Smith won’t be getting that kind of feedback from his agent, he may end up hearing it from other players who get it from theirs.
Some of the best work of the Festival was on show in the mobile category last night. Ogilvy Paris had a corker where they gave away free WiFi in exchange for online Scrabble points. The Score Cleaner Notes app will write sheet music for you when you hum into your phone. And please, please have a look at the Reborn App piece by Antwerp based Duval Guillaume Modem for Organ Donation. Pure genius. The clear and growing intersection of dev, creativity and tech innovation in mobile work is becoming more and more pronounced. I am sad to say we are way, way behind in SA.
The best idea of the Festival so far was from DDB Dm9 for Smart Textbooks. They recycled old sim cards and downloaded school textbooks onto them (the textbooks were proving too expensive to print). The sim cards were then handed out at schools and kids popped them into their phones. Voila. That’s what I love so much about Cannes, the ideas that prove that our industry truly can make a huge difference if we do what we do well. Technology is magnifying the power of creative thinking more than ever before Viva la revolución.
The innovation Lions were interesting, lot’s of software and apps and deep tech ideas. There was talk that it felt like the industry was stepping outside of its territory, which I think is the point really isn’t it? The Grand Prix went to Cinder from The Barbarian Group, who created a software development platform for creative coding. Another winner was the GetIn bank credit card from MasterCard, which reveals the balance of your card as a digital readout on the card itself. Not sure if that would be good idea in South Africa.
My absolute favourite talk so far has been “How not to be a douchebag in advertising” by the perfectly wonderful people from Mother New York. I can think of a few people back home who could have done with this information. The talk was really all about finding your happy place in advertising. They proceeded to skewer the big network structures and condemn us all to advertising purgatory. They don’t have account management at Mother. Now, while it has been tempting to occasionally exterminate errant account management people, I have never thought of leaving them out of the structure altogether. What would we charge our clients for if we didn’t have a brigade of client service people on their fee ? How would we make money? We would be forced to rely solely on our creative product for our income. Gasp, horror.
Click on their website www.ecived.com/en/ for more information.
It also has some application in the NFL, where nearly every player has someone representing him when it comes to negotiating with teams.
For rookie contracts in the age of a true wage scale, it’s not nearly as critical. That’s why it won’t hurt players like Ravens first-rounder Matt Elam, who’ll get the slotted deal available to the 32nd pick in the draft.
For veterans, however, it’s more complicated. A skilled and honest agent (and, obviously, plenty are neither) can help compile evidence and fashion arguments to push back against the team’s legitimate belief that the player is worth less than what the circumstances otherwise suggest. It’s not because teams are dishonest (and, obviously, some team employees are), but because teams necessarily will pooh-pooh the prospect of paying more because they’re the ones routinely doing the paying.
As a result, it’s awkward for the player to argue on his behalf why he’s a great player who deserves more than the team is offering. Some guys (even football players) are too humble to do it, and some simply are so conditioned to defer to the notion of “team” that they can’t and won’t disagree with the coach or the G.M.
That’s why all agents are very interested to see what 49ers defensive end Justin Smith got from the team via his recent two-year extension. Smith confirmed on Wednesday that he negotiated the deal on his own, choosing not to hire a new firm after recently parting ways with CAA.
“At this point in my career – my agent and stuff – it wasn’t about that,” Smith said, via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. “It was about wanting to be here, wanting to play, having an opportunity to be on a great team. And go for the championship. That’s what it’s all about. Having that opportunity, I feel real lucky. Real fortunate.”
On one hand, the value of playing for a title means much more to the player than his agent. (After all, the agent doesn’t get three percent of the ring.) On the other hand, Smith’s desire to pursue a championship easily can result in Smith taking less than he objectively deserved.
Smith added that, if/when he gets to the point where he’s not a full-time player, he’ll walk away. In our view, there’s also a chance he’ll call if quits if the Niners get back to the Super Bowl and win it.
The real question is whether buyer’s remorse will creep into his brain, and whether he’ll act on it. Much of it will depend on the reaction to the deal he did. While Smith won’t be getting that kind of feedback from his agent, he may end up hearing it from other players who get it from theirs.
Some of the best work of the Festival was on show in the mobile category last night. Ogilvy Paris had a corker where they gave away free WiFi in exchange for online Scrabble points. The Score Cleaner Notes app will write sheet music for you when you hum into your phone. And please, please have a look at the Reborn App piece by Antwerp based Duval Guillaume Modem for Organ Donation. Pure genius. The clear and growing intersection of dev, creativity and tech innovation in mobile work is becoming more and more pronounced. I am sad to say we are way, way behind in SA.
The best idea of the Festival so far was from DDB Dm9 for Smart Textbooks. They recycled old sim cards and downloaded school textbooks onto them (the textbooks were proving too expensive to print). The sim cards were then handed out at schools and kids popped them into their phones. Voila. That’s what I love so much about Cannes, the ideas that prove that our industry truly can make a huge difference if we do what we do well. Technology is magnifying the power of creative thinking more than ever before Viva la revolución.
The innovation Lions were interesting, lot’s of software and apps and deep tech ideas. There was talk that it felt like the industry was stepping outside of its territory, which I think is the point really isn’t it? The Grand Prix went to Cinder from The Barbarian Group, who created a software development platform for creative coding. Another winner was the GetIn bank credit card from MasterCard, which reveals the balance of your card as a digital readout on the card itself. Not sure if that would be good idea in South Africa.
My absolute favourite talk so far has been “How not to be a douchebag in advertising” by the perfectly wonderful people from Mother New York. I can think of a few people back home who could have done with this information. The talk was really all about finding your happy place in advertising. They proceeded to skewer the big network structures and condemn us all to advertising purgatory. They don’t have account management at Mother. Now, while it has been tempting to occasionally exterminate errant account management people, I have never thought of leaving them out of the structure altogether. What would we charge our clients for if we didn’t have a brigade of client service people on their fee ? How would we make money? We would be forced to rely solely on our creative product for our income. Gasp, horror.
Click on their website www.ecived.com/en/ for more information.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Emirates ID locks in DFM users
The Emirates Identity Authority and Dubai Financial Market (DFM) have signed a strategic partnership agreement that recognises the ‘Smart’ ID card as a main and permanent source of data relating to the beneficiaries of the electronic services provided by DFM.
This agreement stems from both parties’ keenness to develop customer services and provide innovative services with a positive economic and social impact.
The agreement was signed according to the requirements of both the authority and DFM to develop the necessary technical applications to integrate with the infrastructure of both the ‘Digital Identity’ and the ‘Electronic Authentication’ projects, giving DFM the ability to verify the identities of the beneficiaries of the electronic services that it provides online, or via reading the data stored in each smart chip on the Hands free access.
The agreement was signed at the Emirates Identity Authority headquarters in the presence of Dr Ali Mohamed Al Khouri, Director-General of Emirates Identity Authority and Essa Kazim, Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Financial Market (DFM).
Dr Al Khouri said that signing the strategic partnership agreement with DFM stems from the Emirates Identity Authority’s keenness to develop government services provided by the various authorities and institutions in the country through an integrated electronic system to manage personal identity.
This will enable it to contribute to supporting the country’s orientation to build a competitive economy and a society enjoying the best living standards in a giving and sustainable environment, according to the UAE Vision 2021 aiming for the country to be among the best in the world within the next eight years.
Dr Al Khouri emphasised the UAE’s keenness to harness advanced technology to service both citizens and expats living in the country and upgrade the quality of their lives, noting that Emirates Identity Authority is working under this system and vision to develop a number of strategic projects, headed by the ‘Electronic Link with government bodies’ and the ‘Digital Identity’ projects, in order to support the Federal electronic government plan 2012 - 2014, in contributing to achieving a quantum leap in the government work performance through harnessing advanced technological systems to customer service.
Essa Kazim, Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Financial Market, said, "We are pleased to sign this agreement with Emirates Identity Authority, which adds to servicing the country’s strategic goals through the integration of roles between various authorities and institutions, providing all the requirements necessary to expand electronic services in a way that contributes to upgrading the service levels and achieving highest levels of customer satisfaction."
Both sides agreed to reinforce the relations between them to serve the best interests of the country, contribute to achieving mutual strategic goals, improve operations performance, simplify procedures and develop customer service, as well as the exchange of institutional knowledge, expertise, and experiences on all levels.
According to this agreement, Emirates Identity Authority is committed to providing the necessary technical support related to integration with the DFM’s infrastructure, and spreading awareness in society about the importance of the secret number of the ID card, to achieve the fullest possible use of electronic services.
DFM, according to the agreement, is committed to developing necessary applications for integration with the infrastructure of the electronic identity project and activating the use of ID cards in many of the services provided by the market to its customers.
Under the agreement, both sides are keen to exchange opinions and consultation in the area of institutional upgrade and development, and support creative and innovative skills through the institutional partnership between them, as well as the mutual coordination in executing joint ventures to ensure good execution and rapid achievement.
Signing the agreement is in accordance with the Strategic Plan of the United Arab Emirates, strengthening joint efforts between all ministries and institutions to expand areas of mutual cooperation to serve the national interests.
The report stated that as the effects of peak season in the high-tech sector were expected to continue into the second half of this year and further boost demand for smartphones and tablet computers, original equipment manufacturing (OEM) service providers have started to build up their NAND flash inventories.
In the report, DRAMeXchange, a memory chip research division of Taipei-based TrendForce Corp., pointed out that NAND flash prices showed signs of rising in the first half of June due to limited supply during the inventory restocking period.
According to DRAMeXchange, NAND flash contract prices in the first half of June rose 2-4 percent, compared with the second half of May.
DRAMeXchange said OEM service suppliers rushed to increase their inventories amid fears that rising demand will further push up NAND flash prices in the near future, a development which has defied conventional wisdom that it was still low season for the memory card and USB business.
DRAMeXchange stated that except for Japan's Toshiba, no other major supplier had any immediate plans to boost production capacity in the third quarter. Therefore, it added, NAND flash production during the July-September period is likely to rise less than 10 percent from the previous quarter.
Other major NAND flash suppliers include Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix of South Korea and U.S.-based chipmakers Intel and Micron Technology.
This agreement stems from both parties’ keenness to develop customer services and provide innovative services with a positive economic and social impact.
The agreement was signed according to the requirements of both the authority and DFM to develop the necessary technical applications to integrate with the infrastructure of both the ‘Digital Identity’ and the ‘Electronic Authentication’ projects, giving DFM the ability to verify the identities of the beneficiaries of the electronic services that it provides online, or via reading the data stored in each smart chip on the Hands free access.
The agreement was signed at the Emirates Identity Authority headquarters in the presence of Dr Ali Mohamed Al Khouri, Director-General of Emirates Identity Authority and Essa Kazim, Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Financial Market (DFM).
Dr Al Khouri said that signing the strategic partnership agreement with DFM stems from the Emirates Identity Authority’s keenness to develop government services provided by the various authorities and institutions in the country through an integrated electronic system to manage personal identity.
This will enable it to contribute to supporting the country’s orientation to build a competitive economy and a society enjoying the best living standards in a giving and sustainable environment, according to the UAE Vision 2021 aiming for the country to be among the best in the world within the next eight years.
Dr Al Khouri emphasised the UAE’s keenness to harness advanced technology to service both citizens and expats living in the country and upgrade the quality of their lives, noting that Emirates Identity Authority is working under this system and vision to develop a number of strategic projects, headed by the ‘Electronic Link with government bodies’ and the ‘Digital Identity’ projects, in order to support the Federal electronic government plan 2012 - 2014, in contributing to achieving a quantum leap in the government work performance through harnessing advanced technological systems to customer service.
Essa Kazim, Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Financial Market, said, "We are pleased to sign this agreement with Emirates Identity Authority, which adds to servicing the country’s strategic goals through the integration of roles between various authorities and institutions, providing all the requirements necessary to expand electronic services in a way that contributes to upgrading the service levels and achieving highest levels of customer satisfaction."
Both sides agreed to reinforce the relations between them to serve the best interests of the country, contribute to achieving mutual strategic goals, improve operations performance, simplify procedures and develop customer service, as well as the exchange of institutional knowledge, expertise, and experiences on all levels.
According to this agreement, Emirates Identity Authority is committed to providing the necessary technical support related to integration with the DFM’s infrastructure, and spreading awareness in society about the importance of the secret number of the ID card, to achieve the fullest possible use of electronic services.
DFM, according to the agreement, is committed to developing necessary applications for integration with the infrastructure of the electronic identity project and activating the use of ID cards in many of the services provided by the market to its customers.
Under the agreement, both sides are keen to exchange opinions and consultation in the area of institutional upgrade and development, and support creative and innovative skills through the institutional partnership between them, as well as the mutual coordination in executing joint ventures to ensure good execution and rapid achievement.
Signing the agreement is in accordance with the Strategic Plan of the United Arab Emirates, strengthening joint efforts between all ministries and institutions to expand areas of mutual cooperation to serve the national interests.
The report stated that as the effects of peak season in the high-tech sector were expected to continue into the second half of this year and further boost demand for smartphones and tablet computers, original equipment manufacturing (OEM) service providers have started to build up their NAND flash inventories.
In the report, DRAMeXchange, a memory chip research division of Taipei-based TrendForce Corp., pointed out that NAND flash prices showed signs of rising in the first half of June due to limited supply during the inventory restocking period.
According to DRAMeXchange, NAND flash contract prices in the first half of June rose 2-4 percent, compared with the second half of May.
DRAMeXchange said OEM service suppliers rushed to increase their inventories amid fears that rising demand will further push up NAND flash prices in the near future, a development which has defied conventional wisdom that it was still low season for the memory card and USB business.
DRAMeXchange stated that except for Japan's Toshiba, no other major supplier had any immediate plans to boost production capacity in the third quarter. Therefore, it added, NAND flash production during the July-September period is likely to rise less than 10 percent from the previous quarter.
Other major NAND flash suppliers include Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix of South Korea and U.S.-based chipmakers Intel and Micron Technology.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Marion leader hits the Happy Valley
Little has changed in the race for line honors on the 2nd full day of racing in the 2013 Marion Bermuda Race. It is just wait and see… and enjoy the pink beaches and the bright Bermuda sunshine or a round of golf while you’re at it. Today, the Bermuda fitted dinghies are match racing in Mangrove Bay. Monday is a Bermuda holiday— Hero’s Day— and they have fleet races there, too. Many of the Race officials from the US are traveling to Bermuda today. At 1600hrs Sunday in Bermuda, the Yellowbrick tracking site reported that the closest boat to Bermuda was Shindig, Mass Maritime’s Andrews 68 that has led from the start. She was 161 nm out and doing 6.9 knots for the previous hour, well below the record pace she had carried for the first 48 hours. Shindig may finish Monday afternoon while the volunteers and guests are having cocktails at St David’s Lighthouse overlooking the finish line.
Early wind in the Bermuda ocean races often dangles race records like a time carrot in front of the bows of the big boats. But the record is very elusive. When the top of the course has pressure and speed, the system that is producing the wind is already moving out into the North Atlantic.
A high pressure expands from the West and the South of the original windy area. A ‘parking lot’ grows right in the middle of the last 100 miles of the course. Racers call it the “happy Valley. A boat would have to average over 9 knots to break the current record from Marion.
Boats behind Shindig are moving faster now compared to the leader, still carrying the pressure. On corrected time at this stage, two boats have moved ahead of Shindig in Class A. Alibi stands first and Lady B has moved up to 2rd. This trend should continue through Sunday evening until they, too, find their parking place.
Integrity, a Navy 44 skippered by Mario Avila of the USNA, leads Class B. Roust, a Sea Sprite 34 (the smallest boat in the fleet) leads Class C on corrected time. Roust’s Skipper is Ian Gumprecht from Oyster Bay NY. George Cubbon’s Alice Kay from Bermuda has moved up to 2nd in that class.
The second nearest boat to Bermuda was the Class A Lady B, John Madden’s Swan 62 from Newport RI. She was 214 nm out. Kismet was 3rd 253 miles out while the local Bermuda favorite, Spirit of Bermuda, had fallen back to 9th. On YellowBrick boats look like they are piled on top of each other. It is a close race with many more miles to go.
Officials are acting to limit the cost of removing and disposing of contaminated sediment in waterways.They've passed bans in recent years in dozens of cities and counties in Minnesota, Washington, D.C., Illinois, Texas, New York, Maryland and Washington state. Others, in six additional states, have restricted use.
"We're at a tipping point" in the movement against coal tar sealants, says Nick Kelso, owner of Minnesota-based Jet-Black International. His seal-coating company, which has franchises in 13 states, is phasing out its use of them. He's turning to the alternative: asphalt-based products that he says are improving, cost about the same and contain much lower levels of worrisome chemicals.
Major retailers such as Home Depot, Lowe's, Ace and United Hardware have stopped selling coal tar sealants. The product gradually wears off and breaks down into particles that are washed off by rain into streams, blown elsewhere by wind or tracked into homes on the soles of shoes. Some of its toxic compounds evaporate into the air, which is why sealed parking lots give off a strong odor.
In 40 urban lakes nationwide, scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) found these sealants account for about half of hazardous chemicals known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, while vehicle-related sources such as motor oil account for one-fourth. They say the sealants elevate lifetime cancer risks.
"This is controversial science," says Anne LeHuray, executive director of the Pavement Coatings Technology Council, which has lobbied successfully against proposed bans. She says the product has been safely used for decades by applicators who follow industry guidelines. She says her group's repeated requests for detailed data from USGS research have been denied, so it has funded its own studies that raise questions about the federal government's findings.
"We have done rigorous, scientific surveys and analyses showing coal tar sealants are a major sources of PAHs in the environment," says Judy Crane, a water quality scientist at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency who has co-authored USGS research.
Academic studies, including separate ones by the University of New Hampshire and Missouri State University, have also found elevated PAHs in areas adjacent to parking lots covered in coal tar.
"It's been a detective story," says Barbara Mahler, a USGS hydrologist who has co-led the government research. She says many Americans may be surprised to find their blacktops could be a danger: " It's been under our noses, but we've never really thought about it."
Not until a decade ago when officials in Austin suspected something was wrong. They found high PAHs in area waterways and, noting that nearby parking lots were newly coated with coal tar products, they surmised the sealants were the culprit.
Subsequent research by the USGS and other scientists backed that up. It found the PAH concentration in settled house dust in 23 ground-level Austin apartments adjacent to coal-tar-sealed parking lots was 25 times higher than the dust in apartments next to lots without such sealant.Click on their website www.ecived.com/en for more information.
Early wind in the Bermuda ocean races often dangles race records like a time carrot in front of the bows of the big boats. But the record is very elusive. When the top of the course has pressure and speed, the system that is producing the wind is already moving out into the North Atlantic.
A high pressure expands from the West and the South of the original windy area. A ‘parking lot’ grows right in the middle of the last 100 miles of the course. Racers call it the “happy Valley. A boat would have to average over 9 knots to break the current record from Marion.
Boats behind Shindig are moving faster now compared to the leader, still carrying the pressure. On corrected time at this stage, two boats have moved ahead of Shindig in Class A. Alibi stands first and Lady B has moved up to 2rd. This trend should continue through Sunday evening until they, too, find their parking place.
Integrity, a Navy 44 skippered by Mario Avila of the USNA, leads Class B. Roust, a Sea Sprite 34 (the smallest boat in the fleet) leads Class C on corrected time. Roust’s Skipper is Ian Gumprecht from Oyster Bay NY. George Cubbon’s Alice Kay from Bermuda has moved up to 2nd in that class.
The second nearest boat to Bermuda was the Class A Lady B, John Madden’s Swan 62 from Newport RI. She was 214 nm out. Kismet was 3rd 253 miles out while the local Bermuda favorite, Spirit of Bermuda, had fallen back to 9th. On YellowBrick boats look like they are piled on top of each other. It is a close race with many more miles to go.
Officials are acting to limit the cost of removing and disposing of contaminated sediment in waterways.They've passed bans in recent years in dozens of cities and counties in Minnesota, Washington, D.C., Illinois, Texas, New York, Maryland and Washington state. Others, in six additional states, have restricted use.
"We're at a tipping point" in the movement against coal tar sealants, says Nick Kelso, owner of Minnesota-based Jet-Black International. His seal-coating company, which has franchises in 13 states, is phasing out its use of them. He's turning to the alternative: asphalt-based products that he says are improving, cost about the same and contain much lower levels of worrisome chemicals.
Major retailers such as Home Depot, Lowe's, Ace and United Hardware have stopped selling coal tar sealants. The product gradually wears off and breaks down into particles that are washed off by rain into streams, blown elsewhere by wind or tracked into homes on the soles of shoes. Some of its toxic compounds evaporate into the air, which is why sealed parking lots give off a strong odor.
In 40 urban lakes nationwide, scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) found these sealants account for about half of hazardous chemicals known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, while vehicle-related sources such as motor oil account for one-fourth. They say the sealants elevate lifetime cancer risks.
"This is controversial science," says Anne LeHuray, executive director of the Pavement Coatings Technology Council, which has lobbied successfully against proposed bans. She says the product has been safely used for decades by applicators who follow industry guidelines. She says her group's repeated requests for detailed data from USGS research have been denied, so it has funded its own studies that raise questions about the federal government's findings.
"We have done rigorous, scientific surveys and analyses showing coal tar sealants are a major sources of PAHs in the environment," says Judy Crane, a water quality scientist at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency who has co-authored USGS research.
Academic studies, including separate ones by the University of New Hampshire and Missouri State University, have also found elevated PAHs in areas adjacent to parking lots covered in coal tar.
"It's been a detective story," says Barbara Mahler, a USGS hydrologist who has co-led the government research. She says many Americans may be surprised to find their blacktops could be a danger: " It's been under our noses, but we've never really thought about it."
Not until a decade ago when officials in Austin suspected something was wrong. They found high PAHs in area waterways and, noting that nearby parking lots were newly coated with coal tar products, they surmised the sealants were the culprit.
Subsequent research by the USGS and other scientists backed that up. It found the PAH concentration in settled house dust in 23 ground-level Austin apartments adjacent to coal-tar-sealed parking lots was 25 times higher than the dust in apartments next to lots without such sealant.Click on their website www.ecived.com/en for more information.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Civics website teaches students lessons on history
That’s one of the reasons behind a free website organized and championed by retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor labeled iCivics.
It’s a resource for students and teachers alike, and one where the need is prevalent, O’Connor said during a visit to central Illinois in April.
“The statistics are pretty scary. Only about one-third of Americans can name the three branches of government, let alone what they do,” she said. “... More Americans can name a judge on ‘American Idol’ than a judge on the Supreme Court.”
Hence the effort, which started off as a program to help teachers explain how the American court system operated, but then evolved into civics lessons from basic American government to complex historical issues such as the segregationist Jim Crow laws of the South after the Civil War. It now also includes lessons — and games — about learning to write persuasive essays, because O’Connor noticed that students were falling short there.
The games are absorbing — to say the least — for people of all ages, but are particularly geared toward middle schoolers and Hands free access.
“That’s the perfect age to teach kids,” O’Connor said. “The brain is fully formed. ... (and) young people like to play games.”
More to the point, for teachers each module comes with lessons, ideas, options they can bring into the classroom to keep kids engaged and remind them of the fun of the games.
“I taught the concept first, but then (the game) reviews the concept again,” Quest Charter Academy social studies teacher Deb Breyman said. “They don’t realize they’re learning and having fun at the same time.”
But the proof is in the students themselves. Students in Breyman’s seventh-grade class adored the program, and some still use it for fun even though their class is over and their state-mandated test on the U.S. Constitution was passed.
“I learn easier when I have hands-on (opportunities),” Lindsay Steff said. “I got to take what I learned and put it into the game and learn more.”
Syrian government troops backed by Hezbollah guerrillas seized the western village of Buwayda on Saturday, ending rebel resistance around the town of Qusair in a fresh success for President Bashar al-Assad.
The swift fall of Buwayda came just three days after rebels were swept out of Qusair, denying them an important supply route into neighbouring Lebanon and giving renewed momentum to Assad's forces battling a two-year civil war.
Several opposition activists confirmed Buwayda was in government hands and said dozens of rebels, including a number of foreign fighters, had been captured alive. There was no immediate word of their fate.
"We can now declare Qusair and the surrounding area to be a fully liberated area. We will go after the terrorists wherever they are," an unnamed, senior Syrian army officer told state television from the rubble-filled streets of Buwayda.
Fighting flared elsewhere in Syria, including close to the capital Damascus and in the northern Aleppo province, which is expected to be the focus of renewed attack by Assad's forces following the collapse of the Qusair rebel front.
In Syria's third city Homs, an epicentre of the anti-government revolt, a suicide bomber detonated a car full of explosives in a pro-Assad neighbourhood, killing seven people, Syrian television reported.
Syrian state television broadcast live from the deserted streets of Buwayda, 13-km (eight miles) northeast of Qusair, showing destroyed buildings, debris-strewn roads and large numbers of boxes full of unused ammunition.
"We sacrifice our blood and souls for you, Syria," a group of soldiers chanted in the background.
Rebel groups from across Syria had sent hundreds of men into the Qusair area to try to stave off the assault by the Syrian army and well-trained Hezbollah fighters from Lebanon, but they were rapidly overwhelmed, with opposition activists complaining of a lack of arms and poor coordination.
It’s a resource for students and teachers alike, and one where the need is prevalent, O’Connor said during a visit to central Illinois in April.
“The statistics are pretty scary. Only about one-third of Americans can name the three branches of government, let alone what they do,” she said. “... More Americans can name a judge on ‘American Idol’ than a judge on the Supreme Court.”
Hence the effort, which started off as a program to help teachers explain how the American court system operated, but then evolved into civics lessons from basic American government to complex historical issues such as the segregationist Jim Crow laws of the South after the Civil War. It now also includes lessons — and games — about learning to write persuasive essays, because O’Connor noticed that students were falling short there.
The games are absorbing — to say the least — for people of all ages, but are particularly geared toward middle schoolers and Hands free access.
“That’s the perfect age to teach kids,” O’Connor said. “The brain is fully formed. ... (and) young people like to play games.”
More to the point, for teachers each module comes with lessons, ideas, options they can bring into the classroom to keep kids engaged and remind them of the fun of the games.
“I taught the concept first, but then (the game) reviews the concept again,” Quest Charter Academy social studies teacher Deb Breyman said. “They don’t realize they’re learning and having fun at the same time.”
But the proof is in the students themselves. Students in Breyman’s seventh-grade class adored the program, and some still use it for fun even though their class is over and their state-mandated test on the U.S. Constitution was passed.
“I learn easier when I have hands-on (opportunities),” Lindsay Steff said. “I got to take what I learned and put it into the game and learn more.”
Syrian government troops backed by Hezbollah guerrillas seized the western village of Buwayda on Saturday, ending rebel resistance around the town of Qusair in a fresh success for President Bashar al-Assad.
The swift fall of Buwayda came just three days after rebels were swept out of Qusair, denying them an important supply route into neighbouring Lebanon and giving renewed momentum to Assad's forces battling a two-year civil war.
Several opposition activists confirmed Buwayda was in government hands and said dozens of rebels, including a number of foreign fighters, had been captured alive. There was no immediate word of their fate.
"We can now declare Qusair and the surrounding area to be a fully liberated area. We will go after the terrorists wherever they are," an unnamed, senior Syrian army officer told state television from the rubble-filled streets of Buwayda.
Fighting flared elsewhere in Syria, including close to the capital Damascus and in the northern Aleppo province, which is expected to be the focus of renewed attack by Assad's forces following the collapse of the Qusair rebel front.
In Syria's third city Homs, an epicentre of the anti-government revolt, a suicide bomber detonated a car full of explosives in a pro-Assad neighbourhood, killing seven people, Syrian television reported.
Syrian state television broadcast live from the deserted streets of Buwayda, 13-km (eight miles) northeast of Qusair, showing destroyed buildings, debris-strewn roads and large numbers of boxes full of unused ammunition.
"We sacrifice our blood and souls for you, Syria," a group of soldiers chanted in the background.
Rebel groups from across Syria had sent hundreds of men into the Qusair area to try to stave off the assault by the Syrian army and well-trained Hezbollah fighters from Lebanon, but they were rapidly overwhelmed, with opposition activists complaining of a lack of arms and poor coordination.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Releases Social Group Gifting Platform for Retail Websites
The social gifting company, has expanded its social group gifting platform to support social group gifts for any product on an eCommerce web site. The new offering enables retailers to add social and group gifting to the product catalog on their web sites with a simple integration effort.
The unique capabilities of the eGifter system allow visitors to create a group gift around any product on the retailer’s site. The recipient receives an email or social notification presenting the product their friends have chosen for them. When they redeem they are presented with an eGift card in the amount they need to buy that gift, but can optionally choose any other item available on the retailer’s site.
The solution addresses key issues with group gifting a specific product such as under- or over-funding. “It is often difficult to get just the right amount collected from a group of participants,” said Tyler Roye, CEO of eGifter. “Our platform addresses this issue by using a variable denomination eGift card program in a very unique way to help make group gifting for products as easy as it is for an eGift card.”
The retailer may optionally choose to make the feature available only on select products, such as higher ticket items more suitable for a group gift. The system is also designed to work in conjunction with existing wish list and gift registry systems. “Our innovative hosted solution is truly turn-key. Retailers will be amazed at just how little integration work is required,” said David Levinsky, CTO of eGifter.
The new offering includes all of eGifter’s latest features, including a personalization feature which lets all contributors to a group gift add personal videos or pictures to the gift. The messages can be recorded or viewed with their computer or smart phone.
The entire experience, including video creation and delivery, can also take place on a mobile device where any or all of the participants in a given group gift can do their part on iOS or Android device. “Making this an intuitive mobile solution further separates our solution from anything else available on the market today,” concluded Roye.
In news that surprised exactly nobody at the Santa Fe Reporter—delivered around 5:00 PM Friday, when exactly nobody wants to care about news—the state of New Mexico has denied SFR's records request asking how two security officers spent taxpayer money during a hunting trip with First Gentleman Chuck Franco.
The backstory: In September, 2011, Gov. Susana Martinez' husband went on a hunting trip to Louisiana. Cool, right? Well it turns out that Mr. Franco, because he is the first gentleman, had a security detail accompany him during this particular trip.
This is the same Mr. Franco whose law-enforcement career "spanned over thirty years" as a police officer, magistrate judge and undersheriff. The same Mr. Franco who was working undercover during his courtship of Gov. Martinez. The same Mr. Franco who served in the Las Cruces Police Department where he "worked to protect his community."
SFR obtained those same records, which showed the names of the two state police officers, Frank Chavez and Ruben Maynes, their shifts, which gas stations they visited during the road-trip, along with the transaction dates and transaction times for the gas-station purchases.
SFR wanted to learn more. So we requested the expenditures made on the security detail's "procurement card." We requested the records on April 15. It took the Department of Finance and Administration nearly two months to submit a final response denying our request. Nearly two months to say "no." Odd.
"Disclosure of procurement card statements create security risks to the Governor and the Governor’s family," states the response. "Procurement card statements for the Governor’s security detail identify the officer assigned to protect the Governor and/or her family on specific dates and include transaction-level detail, including the transaction date, vendor name (e.g., hotel or restaurant), and city and state of the transaction."
We already know the names of the officers. We already know "transaction-level detail" for gas-station purchases made during the trip, along with "the transaction date, vender name...and city and state of the transaction" for all the gas station purchases.
But we can't know the same for the "hotel or restaurant" the jolly gang patronized during the trip? Maybe it was multiple restaurants. Maybe they spent taxpayer money judiciously. We just don't know, based on this response.
“Where it get really interesting, on your second screen, whatever app you’re using, it could be ‘Angry Birds,’ it could be checking Yahoo Mail, the ads you see on the second screen are synchronized with the ads you see on the first screen and that’s where we basically transformed the second screen into the most viable direct response ad form there is,” Navin says. “Because any piece of inventory is up for grabs. Ads on Facebook will relate to the ads you see on TV and that kind of magical jump never existed before.”
Flingo named Jackson Huynh its chief operating officer, making him responsible for further development of Samba. It’s for him to get the networks and producers to make the deals with the advertisers and traverse the complicated structure that, in just a part of a second, takes Advertiser A over to Device B and C and so on. Hyunh most recently served as Global Head of Google’s AdMob Operations.
Navin says the data given viewers—the bios, the plot lines, etc—can be “very hit and miss” in other interactive applications, and that can be a killer “when you are trying to build a habit. When it doesn’t work most of the time it just defeats the education.”
Weirdly, Flingo found that there are tons of metadata about virtually every TV show on the air now or the past. All Flingo had to do was find it so it can be displayed to users. Even if a program or network doesn’t align itself with the Samba service, data about those shows will be provided data to users. “You are never left with nothing,” he says. Read the full story at www.ecived.com/en!
The unique capabilities of the eGifter system allow visitors to create a group gift around any product on the retailer’s site. The recipient receives an email or social notification presenting the product their friends have chosen for them. When they redeem they are presented with an eGift card in the amount they need to buy that gift, but can optionally choose any other item available on the retailer’s site.
The solution addresses key issues with group gifting a specific product such as under- or over-funding. “It is often difficult to get just the right amount collected from a group of participants,” said Tyler Roye, CEO of eGifter. “Our platform addresses this issue by using a variable denomination eGift card program in a very unique way to help make group gifting for products as easy as it is for an eGift card.”
The retailer may optionally choose to make the feature available only on select products, such as higher ticket items more suitable for a group gift. The system is also designed to work in conjunction with existing wish list and gift registry systems. “Our innovative hosted solution is truly turn-key. Retailers will be amazed at just how little integration work is required,” said David Levinsky, CTO of eGifter.
The new offering includes all of eGifter’s latest features, including a personalization feature which lets all contributors to a group gift add personal videos or pictures to the gift. The messages can be recorded or viewed with their computer or smart phone.
The entire experience, including video creation and delivery, can also take place on a mobile device where any or all of the participants in a given group gift can do their part on iOS or Android device. “Making this an intuitive mobile solution further separates our solution from anything else available on the market today,” concluded Roye.
In news that surprised exactly nobody at the Santa Fe Reporter—delivered around 5:00 PM Friday, when exactly nobody wants to care about news—the state of New Mexico has denied SFR's records request asking how two security officers spent taxpayer money during a hunting trip with First Gentleman Chuck Franco.
The backstory: In September, 2011, Gov. Susana Martinez' husband went on a hunting trip to Louisiana. Cool, right? Well it turns out that Mr. Franco, because he is the first gentleman, had a security detail accompany him during this particular trip.
This is the same Mr. Franco whose law-enforcement career "spanned over thirty years" as a police officer, magistrate judge and undersheriff. The same Mr. Franco who was working undercover during his courtship of Gov. Martinez. The same Mr. Franco who served in the Las Cruces Police Department where he "worked to protect his community."
SFR obtained those same records, which showed the names of the two state police officers, Frank Chavez and Ruben Maynes, their shifts, which gas stations they visited during the road-trip, along with the transaction dates and transaction times for the gas-station purchases.
SFR wanted to learn more. So we requested the expenditures made on the security detail's "procurement card." We requested the records on April 15. It took the Department of Finance and Administration nearly two months to submit a final response denying our request. Nearly two months to say "no." Odd.
"Disclosure of procurement card statements create security risks to the Governor and the Governor’s family," states the response. "Procurement card statements for the Governor’s security detail identify the officer assigned to protect the Governor and/or her family on specific dates and include transaction-level detail, including the transaction date, vendor name (e.g., hotel or restaurant), and city and state of the transaction."
We already know the names of the officers. We already know "transaction-level detail" for gas-station purchases made during the trip, along with "the transaction date, vender name...and city and state of the transaction" for all the gas station purchases.
But we can't know the same for the "hotel or restaurant" the jolly gang patronized during the trip? Maybe it was multiple restaurants. Maybe they spent taxpayer money judiciously. We just don't know, based on this response.
“Where it get really interesting, on your second screen, whatever app you’re using, it could be ‘Angry Birds,’ it could be checking Yahoo Mail, the ads you see on the second screen are synchronized with the ads you see on the first screen and that’s where we basically transformed the second screen into the most viable direct response ad form there is,” Navin says. “Because any piece of inventory is up for grabs. Ads on Facebook will relate to the ads you see on TV and that kind of magical jump never existed before.”
Flingo named Jackson Huynh its chief operating officer, making him responsible for further development of Samba. It’s for him to get the networks and producers to make the deals with the advertisers and traverse the complicated structure that, in just a part of a second, takes Advertiser A over to Device B and C and so on. Hyunh most recently served as Global Head of Google’s AdMob Operations.
Navin says the data given viewers—the bios, the plot lines, etc—can be “very hit and miss” in other interactive applications, and that can be a killer “when you are trying to build a habit. When it doesn’t work most of the time it just defeats the education.”
Weirdly, Flingo found that there are tons of metadata about virtually every TV show on the air now or the past. All Flingo had to do was find it so it can be displayed to users. Even if a program or network doesn’t align itself with the Samba service, data about those shows will be provided data to users. “You are never left with nothing,” he says. Read the full story at www.ecived.com/en!
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Obtain a Green Card Now or Wait for Possible Immigration Reform?
There are numerous ways to obtain a green card right now without further delay. Individuals with a pathway to legal status should investigate all of their options. Under the proposed comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) undocumented immigrants will have to wait 10 to 13years just to apply for their green cards and then wait 5 more years to be able to apply for citizenship. The proposed bill currently being debated in the House of Representatives provides for an 18-year path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, three years longer than the 15-year proposal in the Senate path to citizenship. It is important to remember that changes in law take time to pass through Congress and CIR is not even certain to pass. The smart move is to seek other options to legalize status in the U.S. The following examples are just a few options to obtain a green card right now.
One option is cancellation of removal. Cancellation of removal procedure allows qualified individuals to obtain a green card if they have lived in the U.S. for ten years or more, have good moral character and can show that their U.S. citizen, or Legal Permanent Resident parent, spouse or child would suffer a severe hardship, particularly if the qualifying relative is at least 15 years old or has a disability or health problems. Cancellation may only be granted by an immigration judge. Applicants are eligible to obtain employment authorization as soon as their application is filed with the court. With work authorization one may apply for a social security number, work legally and obtain a state issued drivers license.
Applying for a family based immigrant petition is another option for those who have been patiently waiting for Hands free access to pass. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens (spouse, unmarried child under the age of 21or parent if the U.S. citizen is over the age of 21) have special immigration priority and do not have to wait in line for a visa number to become available for them to immigrate.
Within the past year, two immigration policies have been instituted by the Obama Administration to allow more undocumented immigrants to apply for immigration benefits. On June 15, 2012 the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals “DACA” became a reality for individuals brought into the U.S. as children. Under this directive, immigrant youth are authorized to obtain a temporary two-year work permit. While immigration reform is debated in Congress, as of March 2013 U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services estimate that 268,361 DACA applications have been granted. The immigration service continues to accept and adjudicate DACA applications.
A new waiver called the provisional waiver is another way for individuals to obtain a green card. Applicants who need a waiver of inadmissibility for unlawful presence may apply and obtain a waiver in the United States before they depart for their immigrant visa interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. This pre-approved waiver avoids getting stuck outside the U.S. This provisional waiver applies to the following categories of undocumented immigrants who: (1) entered the United States without inspection by an immigration officer, (2) came in as crewmen, or (3) entered the United States on a fiancé visa but did not marry their petitioner may currently apply for the provisional waiver.
Waiting for potential reform might not be the best plan for those who already have a viable path to legal status in the U.S. As the CIR debate continues and politics unfold, more than one million individuals obtain legal permanent resident status each year. There are many other option available. We recommend having a consultation with a good immigration lawyer to explore what options may be available for you.
The goal was Carroll’s first in league play this season but the defensive midfielder, who scored the game-winner a week ago in Philly’s US Open Cup win over the Ocean City Nor’easters.
Four minutes later, Carroll got in on the attack again when he flicked a Sebastien Le Toux corner to the back post, where right back Williams was waiting unmarked to volley a shot past goalie Andy Gruenebaum.
Le Toux, who was credited with a secondary assist on Williams’ goal, then added another assist when he forced a turnover, raced untouched down the sideline and played a low cross to Casey, whose diving header made it 3-0 just 31 minutes into the game.
The goal was Casey’s third of the season and the assist was Le Toux’s sixth, which put the Frenchman into the MLS lead.
The Union very nearly made it 4-0 at halftime but Golden Boot leader Jack McInerney’s header destined for goal was blocked by Crew defender Chad Barson.
The Crew, who were playing without key players Jairo Arrieta (international duty), Eddie Gaven (ACL) and Chad Marshall (hamstring), didn’t have many scoring chances of their own in the first half, save for a couple of Dominic Oduro shots.
And despite making a couple of halftime substitutions – replacing Tyson Wahl and Ben Speas with Kevan George and Aaron Schoenfeld – things didn’t get much better after the break for the Crew, who hardly threatened to dent Philly’s lead.
One option is cancellation of removal. Cancellation of removal procedure allows qualified individuals to obtain a green card if they have lived in the U.S. for ten years or more, have good moral character and can show that their U.S. citizen, or Legal Permanent Resident parent, spouse or child would suffer a severe hardship, particularly if the qualifying relative is at least 15 years old or has a disability or health problems. Cancellation may only be granted by an immigration judge. Applicants are eligible to obtain employment authorization as soon as their application is filed with the court. With work authorization one may apply for a social security number, work legally and obtain a state issued drivers license.
Applying for a family based immigrant petition is another option for those who have been patiently waiting for Hands free access to pass. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens (spouse, unmarried child under the age of 21or parent if the U.S. citizen is over the age of 21) have special immigration priority and do not have to wait in line for a visa number to become available for them to immigrate.
Within the past year, two immigration policies have been instituted by the Obama Administration to allow more undocumented immigrants to apply for immigration benefits. On June 15, 2012 the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals “DACA” became a reality for individuals brought into the U.S. as children. Under this directive, immigrant youth are authorized to obtain a temporary two-year work permit. While immigration reform is debated in Congress, as of March 2013 U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services estimate that 268,361 DACA applications have been granted. The immigration service continues to accept and adjudicate DACA applications.
A new waiver called the provisional waiver is another way for individuals to obtain a green card. Applicants who need a waiver of inadmissibility for unlawful presence may apply and obtain a waiver in the United States before they depart for their immigrant visa interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. This pre-approved waiver avoids getting stuck outside the U.S. This provisional waiver applies to the following categories of undocumented immigrants who: (1) entered the United States without inspection by an immigration officer, (2) came in as crewmen, or (3) entered the United States on a fiancé visa but did not marry their petitioner may currently apply for the provisional waiver.
Waiting for potential reform might not be the best plan for those who already have a viable path to legal status in the U.S. As the CIR debate continues and politics unfold, more than one million individuals obtain legal permanent resident status each year. There are many other option available. We recommend having a consultation with a good immigration lawyer to explore what options may be available for you.
The goal was Carroll’s first in league play this season but the defensive midfielder, who scored the game-winner a week ago in Philly’s US Open Cup win over the Ocean City Nor’easters.
Four minutes later, Carroll got in on the attack again when he flicked a Sebastien Le Toux corner to the back post, where right back Williams was waiting unmarked to volley a shot past goalie Andy Gruenebaum.
Le Toux, who was credited with a secondary assist on Williams’ goal, then added another assist when he forced a turnover, raced untouched down the sideline and played a low cross to Casey, whose diving header made it 3-0 just 31 minutes into the game.
The goal was Casey’s third of the season and the assist was Le Toux’s sixth, which put the Frenchman into the MLS lead.
The Union very nearly made it 4-0 at halftime but Golden Boot leader Jack McInerney’s header destined for goal was blocked by Crew defender Chad Barson.
The Crew, who were playing without key players Jairo Arrieta (international duty), Eddie Gaven (ACL) and Chad Marshall (hamstring), didn’t have many scoring chances of their own in the first half, save for a couple of Dominic Oduro shots.
And despite making a couple of halftime substitutions – replacing Tyson Wahl and Ben Speas with Kevan George and Aaron Schoenfeld – things didn’t get much better after the break for the Crew, who hardly threatened to dent Philly’s lead.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Marco Rubio 'Committed To Immigration Reform'
Asked whether Rubio is "100 percent" behind the bill, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said he thinks his Florida colleague is simply making an effort to garner more support from Republicans.
"I think he's committed to immigration reform, he's looking for ways to make it better and grow the vote, absolutely," Graham told reporters. "And enhancing border security is the way to do that on the Republican side."
Rubio has been one of the top conservative spokesmen for the bill, which was authored by four Republicans and four Democrats and will likely be taken up by the full Senate next week. While Graham and Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) have been vocal in support of their legislation, Rubio has been the one really touting the need for reform on television and radio, which in turn has attracted ire from those who consider the bill "amnesty."
He has argued that the bill could be strengthened by adding more border security measures. "There will have to be improvements," Rubio said Monday in a video message to constituents, pointing specifically to enforcement mechanisms and the guest worker program.
"I think even the Democrats would concede that," he said. "One of the things we've learned over the last few weeks -- through the open process that happened through the committee process and all the public input that we've gotten -- is how little confidence people have that the federal government will enforce the law."
Last week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who supports the bill, said he doesn't expect it to be difficult to get to 60 votes. Graham seemed more in agreement with him than with Rubio.
"Yeah, we've got 60, I'm sure," Graham told reporters Tuesday. "My goal is to get half the [Senate Republican] conference. From our party's point of view, if this thing falls apart and we get blamed because we're not practical, we created border security mechanisms that were unachievable, we tried to change the structure in a dramatic way and we get the blame, we're toast in 2016."
The South Carolina senator made a similar warning about the structure of the bill when discussing potential changes to the border security triggers, which Rubio has discussed making. Currently, the bill would allow some undocumented immigrants to move toward citizenship once certain advancements have been made in border enforcement plans and implementation, but Rubio and other senators have floated the idea of altering exactly how that process would work. Graham said there could be changes, but the triggers need to stay consistent.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), another member of the gang of eight, said the Democrats are willing to be flexible, but they have "some bottom lines on the triggers," which were already negotiated by the gang of eight and within the Judiciary Committee (Rubio is not a member of that panel). The Democrats insist that the border triggers be achievable and mandated to go into effect even under a new president who opposes a path to citizenship.
Apparently unaware they were being filmed on live TV, Egyptian politicians meeting with Egypt’s president on Monday proposed to sabotage Ethiopia’s plans to build a massive dam on the Nile River upstream.
Some politicians suggested backing rebels to carry out sabotage. But Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi did not directly react to the suggestions, but said in concluding remarks that Egypt respects Ethiopia and its people and will not engage in any aggressive acts against the East African nation.
Mursi called the meeting to review the impact of Ethiopia’s $4.2 billion hydroelectric dam, which would be Africa’s largest. Egypt in the past has threatened to go to war over its “historic rights” to Nile River water.
Meanwhile, an aide to Mursi has apologized after she failed to inform politicians holding talks with the president that they were live on air.
“Due to the importance of the topic it was decided at the last minute to air the meeting live. I forgot to inform the participants about the changes,” presidential aide for political affairs Pakinam el-Sharkawi said.
Mursi’s office later said he had directed his foreign and irrigation ministers to maintain contact with the Ethiopian government to obtain more information on the dam and its likely impact on Egypt’s share of the Nile water.
His office’s statement included a note, saying: “Egypt will never surrender its right to Nile water and all options (to safeguard it) are being considered.”
According to The Associated Press, in the meeting, Younis Makhyoun, leader of an ultraconservative Islamist party, said Egypt should back rebels in Ethiopia or, as a last resort, destroy the dam. He said Egypt made a “strategic error” when it did not object to the dam’s construction.
Makhyoun said Ethiopia is “fragile” because of rebel movements inside the country. “We can communicate with them and use them as a bargaining chip against the Ethiopian government,” he said.
“If all this fails, then there is no choice left for Egypt but to play the final card, which is using the intelligence service to destroy the dam,” said Makhyoun, whose Nour party won about 25 percent of parliament’s seats in elections in late 2011 and early 2012.
Another politician, liberal Ayman Nour, proposed spreading rumors about Egypt obtaining refueling aircraft to create the impression that it plans an airstrike to destroy the dam.Read the full story at www.ecived.com/en!
"I think he's committed to immigration reform, he's looking for ways to make it better and grow the vote, absolutely," Graham told reporters. "And enhancing border security is the way to do that on the Republican side."
Rubio has been one of the top conservative spokesmen for the bill, which was authored by four Republicans and four Democrats and will likely be taken up by the full Senate next week. While Graham and Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) have been vocal in support of their legislation, Rubio has been the one really touting the need for reform on television and radio, which in turn has attracted ire from those who consider the bill "amnesty."
He has argued that the bill could be strengthened by adding more border security measures. "There will have to be improvements," Rubio said Monday in a video message to constituents, pointing specifically to enforcement mechanisms and the guest worker program.
"I think even the Democrats would concede that," he said. "One of the things we've learned over the last few weeks -- through the open process that happened through the committee process and all the public input that we've gotten -- is how little confidence people have that the federal government will enforce the law."
Last week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who supports the bill, said he doesn't expect it to be difficult to get to 60 votes. Graham seemed more in agreement with him than with Rubio.
"Yeah, we've got 60, I'm sure," Graham told reporters Tuesday. "My goal is to get half the [Senate Republican] conference. From our party's point of view, if this thing falls apart and we get blamed because we're not practical, we created border security mechanisms that were unachievable, we tried to change the structure in a dramatic way and we get the blame, we're toast in 2016."
The South Carolina senator made a similar warning about the structure of the bill when discussing potential changes to the border security triggers, which Rubio has discussed making. Currently, the bill would allow some undocumented immigrants to move toward citizenship once certain advancements have been made in border enforcement plans and implementation, but Rubio and other senators have floated the idea of altering exactly how that process would work. Graham said there could be changes, but the triggers need to stay consistent.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), another member of the gang of eight, said the Democrats are willing to be flexible, but they have "some bottom lines on the triggers," which were already negotiated by the gang of eight and within the Judiciary Committee (Rubio is not a member of that panel). The Democrats insist that the border triggers be achievable and mandated to go into effect even under a new president who opposes a path to citizenship.
Apparently unaware they were being filmed on live TV, Egyptian politicians meeting with Egypt’s president on Monday proposed to sabotage Ethiopia’s plans to build a massive dam on the Nile River upstream.
Some politicians suggested backing rebels to carry out sabotage. But Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi did not directly react to the suggestions, but said in concluding remarks that Egypt respects Ethiopia and its people and will not engage in any aggressive acts against the East African nation.
Mursi called the meeting to review the impact of Ethiopia’s $4.2 billion hydroelectric dam, which would be Africa’s largest. Egypt in the past has threatened to go to war over its “historic rights” to Nile River water.
Meanwhile, an aide to Mursi has apologized after she failed to inform politicians holding talks with the president that they were live on air.
“Due to the importance of the topic it was decided at the last minute to air the meeting live. I forgot to inform the participants about the changes,” presidential aide for political affairs Pakinam el-Sharkawi said.
Mursi’s office later said he had directed his foreign and irrigation ministers to maintain contact with the Ethiopian government to obtain more information on the dam and its likely impact on Egypt’s share of the Nile water.
His office’s statement included a note, saying: “Egypt will never surrender its right to Nile water and all options (to safeguard it) are being considered.”
According to The Associated Press, in the meeting, Younis Makhyoun, leader of an ultraconservative Islamist party, said Egypt should back rebels in Ethiopia or, as a last resort, destroy the dam. He said Egypt made a “strategic error” when it did not object to the dam’s construction.
Makhyoun said Ethiopia is “fragile” because of rebel movements inside the country. “We can communicate with them and use them as a bargaining chip against the Ethiopian government,” he said.
“If all this fails, then there is no choice left for Egypt but to play the final card, which is using the intelligence service to destroy the dam,” said Makhyoun, whose Nour party won about 25 percent of parliament’s seats in elections in late 2011 and early 2012.
Another politician, liberal Ayman Nour, proposed spreading rumors about Egypt obtaining refueling aircraft to create the impression that it plans an airstrike to destroy the dam.Read the full story at www.ecived.com/en!
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Budget adds up to status quo for next two years
An anticipated increase of $6.7 million into the city of Lompoc’s General Fund for the next two-year budget cycle won’t result in much change to business as usual, according to a draft budget to be presented to City Council members Tuesday evening.
The $57.5 million budget prepared by city staff for fiscal years 2013-15 assumes a 13-percent increase in General Fund revenues from the prior budget, including more than $2 million in grants to fund nine public safety positions, a $2.4 million increase in funds for streets and roads, and a $1 million increase in sales tax receipts.
The draft budget, prepared by City Administrator Laurel Barcelona and Management Services Director Brad Wilkie, includes a total of $6.6 million in reserve funds — about 24 percent of the city’s budget for one year.
“This budget reflects the council’s goal to deliver a balanced General Fund budget without use of reserves,” Barcelona said Friday. “We have achieved that.”
Increased expenses from unfunded, new federal and state mandates, the loss of redevelopment funds and increased employee salary and benefit expenses will deplete the projected new revenue, leaving essential city services and workforce — including employee furlough days — largely status quo.
“CalPERS retirement and healthcare cost increases place the highest level of challenge and pressure on the budget in this fiscal year and increasingly in the years ahead,” Barcelona wrote in her budget message to council members.
The draft budget assumes that previously negotiated employee concessions — including eight unpaid furlough days per year and no cost-of-living increases — will continue, though employee salary step increases are budgeted.
Negotiations with bargaining units representing city employees are still continuing, thus the potential impact of the outcome of the negotiations on the budget remains unknown. Employee salaries and benefits, including pension contributions to PERS, account for 73 percent of the General Fund budget.
Five employee positions were eliminated after the adoption of the 2011-13 budget — resulting in a reduction of total employees from 371 in the prior budget to a proposed 367. Positions previously eliminated include two department managers, a library assistant and a position at both the city’s waste water and water treatment plants.
An additional two positions are proposed to be eliminated in the draft budget. A victim’s advocate position, working out of the Police Department as an employee of the North County Rape Crisis and Child Protection Center, and a part-time literacy program coordinator at the Lompoc Library were both paid for from General Fund reserves after grants expired in 2011. Council members are expected to be asked to fund one or both positions from reserves during the budget discussion.
A previously approved — but never funded in the last budget cycle — position for a second assistant city planner is included in the draft budget. Barcelona said funding the additional position was essential to process an increasing number of development requests in the city.
The 226-page detailed budget document assumes modest increases in sales and property taxes, and a 5-percent increase in tourism-related revenue from the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT). TOT tax receipts fell far short of projections built into the current budget cycle, but are expected to rise with the opening of Hancock College’s Public Safety Training Complex this December.
Six new firefighter positions and three new police officer positions, funded by federal and state grants announced earlier this year. Most of those slots have already been filled.
$210,000 of a total of $870,000 in one-time funds from the dissolution of the redevelopment agency and a property tax settlement with the county will be used for security updates and a new heating/air conditioning system in council chambers. The $660,000 remaining is proposed to be added to general fund reserves.
The General Fund subsidy of the city’s Aquatic Center operations is proposed for the same amount as the prior budget — $420,000 — despite an increase in revenue from user fees. Increased operating expenses from the recent addition of a dehumidifier to prevent corrosion of metal structures offset the revenue increases achieved.
Approval of property tax assessments for the Park Maintenance and City Pool Assessment District is also on the agenda, along with final approval of the city’s revised parking ordinance, now written to cite pavers as an approved paved surface if installed per manufacturer’s specifications.Click on their website www.ecived.com/en for more information.
The $57.5 million budget prepared by city staff for fiscal years 2013-15 assumes a 13-percent increase in General Fund revenues from the prior budget, including more than $2 million in grants to fund nine public safety positions, a $2.4 million increase in funds for streets and roads, and a $1 million increase in sales tax receipts.
The draft budget, prepared by City Administrator Laurel Barcelona and Management Services Director Brad Wilkie, includes a total of $6.6 million in reserve funds — about 24 percent of the city’s budget for one year.
“This budget reflects the council’s goal to deliver a balanced General Fund budget without use of reserves,” Barcelona said Friday. “We have achieved that.”
Increased expenses from unfunded, new federal and state mandates, the loss of redevelopment funds and increased employee salary and benefit expenses will deplete the projected new revenue, leaving essential city services and workforce — including employee furlough days — largely status quo.
“CalPERS retirement and healthcare cost increases place the highest level of challenge and pressure on the budget in this fiscal year and increasingly in the years ahead,” Barcelona wrote in her budget message to council members.
The draft budget assumes that previously negotiated employee concessions — including eight unpaid furlough days per year and no cost-of-living increases — will continue, though employee salary step increases are budgeted.
Negotiations with bargaining units representing city employees are still continuing, thus the potential impact of the outcome of the negotiations on the budget remains unknown. Employee salaries and benefits, including pension contributions to PERS, account for 73 percent of the General Fund budget.
Five employee positions were eliminated after the adoption of the 2011-13 budget — resulting in a reduction of total employees from 371 in the prior budget to a proposed 367. Positions previously eliminated include two department managers, a library assistant and a position at both the city’s waste water and water treatment plants.
An additional two positions are proposed to be eliminated in the draft budget. A victim’s advocate position, working out of the Police Department as an employee of the North County Rape Crisis and Child Protection Center, and a part-time literacy program coordinator at the Lompoc Library were both paid for from General Fund reserves after grants expired in 2011. Council members are expected to be asked to fund one or both positions from reserves during the budget discussion.
A previously approved — but never funded in the last budget cycle — position for a second assistant city planner is included in the draft budget. Barcelona said funding the additional position was essential to process an increasing number of development requests in the city.
The 226-page detailed budget document assumes modest increases in sales and property taxes, and a 5-percent increase in tourism-related revenue from the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT). TOT tax receipts fell far short of projections built into the current budget cycle, but are expected to rise with the opening of Hancock College’s Public Safety Training Complex this December.
Six new firefighter positions and three new police officer positions, funded by federal and state grants announced earlier this year. Most of those slots have already been filled.
$210,000 of a total of $870,000 in one-time funds from the dissolution of the redevelopment agency and a property tax settlement with the county will be used for security updates and a new heating/air conditioning system in council chambers. The $660,000 remaining is proposed to be added to general fund reserves.
The General Fund subsidy of the city’s Aquatic Center operations is proposed for the same amount as the prior budget — $420,000 — despite an increase in revenue from user fees. Increased operating expenses from the recent addition of a dehumidifier to prevent corrosion of metal structures offset the revenue increases achieved.
Approval of property tax assessments for the Park Maintenance and City Pool Assessment District is also on the agenda, along with final approval of the city’s revised parking ordinance, now written to cite pavers as an approved paved surface if installed per manufacturer’s specifications.Click on their website www.ecived.com/en for more information.
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