France Plans Military Presence in West Africa After Mali War: UN Sources

Sunday, 24 February 2013 08:41

'French diplomats have started briefing the UN, the US and other major powers on a plan for a so-called ?beyond the horizon? force which will purportedly be tasked with conducting necessary future operations against the fighters in Mali.

France has not informed its allies of the exact location of the force, but diplomats say it will probably be stationed in Senegal, Niger, or Chad, where France has military bases.

On January 11, France launched a war in Mali under the pretext of halting the advance of fighters who had taken control of the north of the West African country. The United States, Canada, Britain, Belgium, Germany, and Denmark have aided France in its war on the African country.'

Read more: France Plans Military Presence in West Africa After Mali War: UN Sources

Source: http://www.davidicke.com/headlines/80369-france-plans-military-presence-in-west-africa-after-mali-war-un-sources

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PS4 Launch Games List - Video Games Blogger

Sony will launch the PlayStation 3 in ?Holiday 2013?. Since a new console is only as good as the games that carry it, here?s the confirmed PS4 launch games list! Out of the 8 expected PS4 launch titles, so far only 3 have been confirmed for day 1 release in 2013.

I just loooooove making lists, so I?ll update as more games get confirmed closer to launch.

#1. Killzone: Shadow Fall: Thirty years after the events of Killzone 3, step into the shoes of an elite Shadow Marshal and maintain order in a new world where the Helghast and the Vektans live side by side in a futuristic city, divided by a vast wall. You?re charged with keeping tensions between the Helghast and Vektans from boiling over. ? I?m sure there will be no problems and this game will be VERY peaceful!

LAUNCH TITLE STATUS: CONFIRMED ? On the ?Late Night with Jimmy Fallon? show, Guerrilla Games managing director Hermen Hulst announced ?Killzone: Shadow Fall is coming out when the PS4 comes out Holiday this year.?

#2. DriveClub: Social connectivity, cutting-edge graphics and the world?s greatest supercars feature in the latest title from Evolution Studios. DriveClub is a next generation racer where you can start a club and challenge the world.

LAUNCH TITLE STATUS: CONFIRMED ? DriveClub senior environment artist Jeremy Miller mentions on his Linkedin profile the game is ?PlayStation 4 launch title.?

#3. Watch Dogs: Learn what it is to have complete control over a hyper-connected city. Play as Aiden Pearce, a brilliant hacker and former thug, who uses the city of Chicago as the ultimate weapon to exact revenge on those who hurt his family. ? I watch the Person of Interest TV show every week, so this is right up my alley!

LAUNCH TITLE STATUS: CONFIRMED ? Following the announcement of the PlayStation 4, Ubisoft revealed that its highly anticipated open world action-adventure game, Watch Dogs, will be available for the launch of the new system.

#4. Diablo III: Blizzard?s return to console development was announced at the PlayStation 4 announcement event with a lot of fanfare. The PS3/PS4 version of Diablo III will be based on the critically acclaimed core experience of the PC version, including all of the latest upgrades, such as the Paragon leveling system, customizable Monster Power, Brawling, and epic Legendary items. It also adds local co-op modes.

LAUNCH TITLE STATUS: UNCONFIRMED ? The action-RPG series is launching on both PS4 and PS3 at the same time. Since it?s already playable, this is looking like a late 2013 release.

#5. The Witness: The latest puzzle game from Jonathan Blow, creator of Braid. Explore an abandoned island and solve the puzzles you find there. What is this mysterious place, what happened here in the past and what is happening now?

LAUNCH TITLE STATUS: UNCONFIRMED ? This is Sony?s flagship downloadable indie title. It?s a timed PlayStation 4 exclusive. So although unconfirmed it?s very likely Sony will want to release this game at launch.

#6. Knack: Turn into a gigantic fighting machine thanks to the power of ancient relics in this new adventure platforming game. Mankind enlists the help of an unlikely hero named Knack to protect them from a dangerous new threat in this fun-filled and action-packed adventure set in a unique and vibrant world.

LAUNCH TITLE STATUS: UNCONFIRMED ? This is Sony?s flagship ?Second Screen Experience? title with the PS4 able to stream this game to your PS Vita?s screen for mobile play. So although unconfirmed it?s very likely Sony will want to release this game at launch.

#7. inFamous: Second Son: Seattle is the setting and Delsin Rowe is the new hero with the ability to manipulate smoke. Surrounded by a society that fears superhumans, Delsin Rowe is forced to run from the oppressive Department of Unified Protection. The choices he makes along the way change the future of everyone around him.

LAUNCH TITLE STATUS: UNCONFIRMED ? The inFamous spin-off is set for a ?launch period? release, indicating it may not make it to launch and possibly won?t be out until 2014.

#8. Deep Down (working title): Capcom?s brand new IP is still shrouded in mystery, is it Monster Hunter meets Dark Souls? Only time will tell. Known only under its working title of ?Deep Down?, the dragon-fighting knight in the teaser shows off a brand new game engine codenamed ?Panta Rhei.?

LAUNCH TITLE STATUS: UNCONFIRMED ? Capcom promised further details in the coming months. Expect a gameplay reveal and release date at the E3 2013 Capcom event in June.

? The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the final episode of the award-winning RPG series and triumphant finish to the legend of Geralt of Rivia. While the Witcher 3 is the pinnacle to the Witcher series, it is also a standalone story that players new and old will love as they have another chance to live the dangerous life of a witcher. With the capabilities of PlayStation 4 and the next-gen ready REDengine 3, The Witcher 3 will be a truly amazing RPG.

RELEASE NOTE: CD Projekt RED?s officially announced their ?upcoming story-driven, open world RPG will launch on Sony?s PlayStation 4 once the game is released in 2014.?

? Destiny: A brand new first person shooter from Bungie Studios. Explore the ancient ruins of our solar system, from the red dunes of Mars to the lush jungles of Venus. Defeat Earth?s enemies. Discover all that we have lost. Become legend.

RELEASE NOTE: Publisher Activion confirmed we should not expect Destiny in 2013. Whenever it arrives, it?s coming to both PS3 and PS4 at the same time.

? Final Fantasy Versus XIII or Final Fantasy XV: Square Enix showed off the same next-gen ?Agni?s Philosophy? tech demo at the PlayStation 4 presentation that was at E3 last year. They promised ?a new Final Fantasy will come to PlayStation 4.? It could be either of both listed Final Fantasy games or another new title altogether.

RELEASE NOTE: Although the 2023 release date is a half-joke, it?s not really funny how long Square Enix takes to release Final Fantasy games these days, so it is most definitely not coming for a few years. This way it might be a pleasant 2014-2015 surprise if you?re not waiting for it.

? Rocketbirds 2: Evolution: Like its PlayStation predecessors, the game will set you on the path to annihilate an evil penguin regime in a cinematic platform adventure game featuring full solo and co-op campaigns with stereoscopic 3D support.

RELEASE NOTE: Ratloop?s puzzling adventure series continues on PS4 as a downloadable game. No release date was given.

? Cyberpunk 2077: The creators promise that ?Cyberpunk 2077? will be true to the essence of the cyberpunk genre, well known from the famous pen-and-paper game, ?Cyberpunk 2020?. Players will be thrown into the dark future of the year 2077 and into a world where advanced technologies have become both the salvation and the curse of humanity. A multi-thread, nonlinear story designed for mature players.

RELEASE NOTE: CD Projekt RED?s action-RPG is ?coming when it?s ready?, so don?t expect it until at least 2015.

Which of the PS4 launch games on the list do you want to play most?

About the author

By Ferry Groenendijk: He is the founder and editor of Video Games Blogger. He loved gaming from the moment he got a Nintendo with Super Mario Bros. on his 8th birthday. Learn more about him here and connect with him on Twitter, Facebook and at Google+.

Source: http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2013/02/23/ps4-launch-games-list.htm

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Video: UK Coach Calipari Post-Missouri Press Conference

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Source: http://wildcatsthunder.blogspot.com/2013/02/video-uk-coach-calipari-post-missouri.html

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Boxer - Delaney - Medium - Young - Female - Dog | Vermillion ...

Boxer - Delaney - Medium - Young - Female - Dog

Delaney is fostered in Sioux Falls, SD.

Delaney is approximately 2 years old. She was picked up as a stray and landed in an overfull shelter. She is a great girl that is good with other dogs.

My adoption donation is $350, please see our website for the services our donation covers. Adoption donations rarely cover the expenses put out to make us kids healthy. Like all NPBR boxers under the age of 3, I will be adopted out with an obedience contract.

For even more pictures & updates, find us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/pages/Northern-Plains-Boxer-Rescue/262559717884

Please see our website, www.everyboxercounts.com <http://www.everyboxercounts.com> , for complete adoption information, application form and further information about NPBR (formerly SDBR).

CHARACTERISTICS:
Breed: Boxer
Size: Medium
Petfinder ID: 25303593

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Pet has been spayed/neutered

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Northern Plains Boxer Rescue | Vermillion, SD | 888-405-7560

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Microsoft says small number of its computers hacked

Staff , Reuters ? ? ? 1 day

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp said on Friday a small number of its computers, including some in its Mac software business unit, were infected with malware, but there was no evidence of customer data being affected and it is continuing its investigation.

The world's largest software company said the security intrusion was "similar" to recent ones reported by Apple Inc and Facebook Inc.

The incident, reported on one of the company's public blogs happened "recently", but Microsoft said it chose not to make any statement publicly while it gathered information about the attack.

"This type of cyberattack is no surprise to Microsoft and other companies that must grapple with determined and persistent adversaries," said Matt Thomlinson, general manager of Trustworthy Computing Security at Microsoft, in the company's blog post.

Over the past week or so, both Apple and Facebook said computers used by employees were attacked after visiting a software developer website infected with malicious software.

The attacks come at a time of broader concern about computer security.

Newspaper websites, including those of The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal, have been infiltrated recently. Earlier this month U.S. President Barack Obama issued an executive order seeking better protection of the country's critical infrastructure from cyber attacks.

(Reporting By Bill Rigby; Editing by Gary Hill and Andrew Hay)

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Check for restrictions at: http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/microsoft-says-small-number-its-computers-hacked-1C8513890

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Q&A: Why investors are wary of Italy's elections

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) ? Investors are keeping a wary eye on Italy as the country heads to the polls Sunday and Monday to elect a new parliament. They fear that a new government and prime minister could weaken or scrap the economic reforms and budget cuts begun by outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti during his 15 months in office and hurt Italy's chances of recovering from a decade of low growth.

While the markets are unlikely to punish Italy as they did in 2011-12, they will want to make sure a new government doesn't mean a return to Italy's bad old days.

Here are some questions and answers about this weekend's elections matter for Italy and the rest of Europe.

Q: Why all the worry?

A: Italy's economy ? the third-largest among the 17 European Union countries that use the euro ? has only grown less than a half percent a year on average for a decade. That is compared to 1.25 percent in other rich industrialized countries. Faster growth is needed to shrink Italy's mounting debt burden, which already equals 127 percent of its annual gross domestic product.

Because of its size, Italy's problems can dent market confidence in the whole eurozone. Doubts about Italy's ability to manage its debt caused markets to question whether the euro could survive in 2011-12.

Q: What's wrong with its economy?

Before it joined the euro in 1999, the country used to give its economy a boost by to devaluing its old currency, the lire ? a trick that used to make its exports cheaper.

Devaluation helped mask underlying problems such as labor rules that favor vested interests such as unions and established workers, which kill off job prospects for younger people; a high business tax burden and heavy cost to businesses from expensive public utilities and red tape.

Italy "remains in dire need of structural reforms to boost competitiveness and improve trend growth," wrote economists Norbert Aul and James Ashley at RBC Capital Markets. They noted that the only economies that have grown more slowly in the past 12 years are Zimbabwe, San Marino, and Portugal.

A growing economy would increase government revenue from business and income taxes and the country's debt.

Q: Where does Monti come into all this?

A: Italy's political parties installed Monti, a former EU commissioner and academic, as prime minister to lead a temporary crisis government of financial experts in November, 2011. His predecessor, Silvio Berlusconi, resigned after high borrowing costs, fed by fears Italy would not pay its debts, threatened the country with financial ruin and rattled confidence in the eurozone.

Monti set about easing some of Italy's anti-business practices, such as labor laws that made it extremely difficult to fire longtime workers. He reduced the budget deficit with the help of an unpopular tax on homes.

Italy's deficit is down to around 3 percent of gross domestic output for last year ? not great, but it complies with the official limit for eurozone members.

However, in January, Monti resigned as Prime Minister after Berlusconi's party withdrew its support and criticized his cutbacks - hence the new elections.

Q: So now the elections are under way, what are investors afraid of?

A: Italy's Byzantine election laws could mean many different outcomes. The worst result would be no party or coalition being able to form a government, leading to new elections.

Researcher Vincenzo Scarpetta at the Open Europe think tank says the probability of this is "very low" but that re-run elections could mean "potentially, huge market pressure, which Italy can hardly afford." This pressure would come in the form of rising interest rates on government debt.

Another possibility could be a parliament so divided that it can't govern effectively, or a shaky coalition of parties with clashing agendas ? meaning that any policies would be the result of endless compromise and back-room deals. A badly split parliament "would surely affect investors' confidence as Italy's political future would remain unclear," said Aul and Ashley.

The return of a government led by Berlusconi's center-right coalition ? regarded as unlikely ? could also dismay markets given his call to repeal Monti's home tax and the lack of confidence markets showed in him in 2011.

Q: What do markets want to see?

A: Analysts say investors seem to be anticipating that the center-left Democratic Party, led by Pier Luigi Bersani will win. Bersani opposes budget austerity but is regarded as not totally against all efforts to improve conditions for business. Markets would like it best if he wins but still needs the seats won by small parties led by Monti to govern. That would mean the government might continue with some of the reforms.

Q: So should we expect market chaos and the eurozone crisis to erupt again?

A: Not right away, no. Italian law requires extensive consultation, so it could take weeks to tell who is in charge. In 2008, it took 24 days for Berlusconi to be sworn in despite a landslide win.

However, an anti-reform result could mean Italy's borrowing costs could rise in the days and weeks following the election.

That would be a sure sign that bond investors are more skeptical of the country's long-term ability to pay.

But it's considered unlikely that the yields would immediately rise to the record levels of last year that threatened to push Italy to default. That is thanks to the European Central Bank, which has done much to calm fears that a country will be unable to pay its debts. In September, the ECB offered to buy unlimited amounts of bonds issued by indebted countries, if they agree to reforms and to cut their deficits. No one has used the program yet but its mere existence has lowered Italy's borrowing costs.

Nonetheless, a new Italian government that rejects reform "will lead to more uncertainty, higher yields and a gradual process toward the situation we had last year," says Carsten Brzeski, an analyst at ING in Brussels.

The big problem is the long-term absence of growth rather than what the markets do next week.

Economists Aul and Ashley warn: "Whichever party ends up in power... needs to focus upon Italy's economic frailties as a matter of priority."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-02-24-Italy-Election-QandA/id-d34c685fe8884996995be44eab465615

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Let's create! Pottery HD for iPhone and iPad review

With it being sleep and relaxation week here at iMore for Mobile Nations fitness month, I've been on the hunt for related apps, and the newest gem I've discovered is Let's create! Pottery HD for iPhone and iPad. This pottery-creating app is surprising relaxing and fun.

The menu screen of Pottery HD shows a piece of clay slowly spinning on table with out-of-focus greenery in the background. As you move around your iPhone or iPad, the background will slightly move around as if you are changing your orientation.

After you go through the initial tutorial your inbox will be your source of quests to create beautiful pottery pieces beginning with your Aunt Chloe. Through her, word spreads of your work and other people come to you to make pieces for them.

To create a pottery item, you simply use your finger on the piece of clay. Moving your finger up or down the clay will make is taller and shorter, moving out from the center will make it wider from that point, and moving in towards the center will make it thinner.

After you've shaped your item, you must send it to cooked. As it goes through the firing process, a progress bar displays and the background makes it appear that the clay is in a hot oven. Then it's time to decorate it.

You can decorate your pottery with paint, ornaments and fancy brushes that stamp a pattern on your artwork. You do this all while the item slowly spins on the wheel. The constant movement in Pottery HD is part of what makes it so relaxing, engaging, and beautiful.

If you have an active quest, then a little picture of what you're supposed to create will be displayed while you work towards your goal. On this polaroid snapshot, there are two different objects: the shape and design. You can earn put to 5 stars for each one. As long as you get three stars in each, your piece will be accepted.

There are two things about creating ceramics with Pottery HD that are disappointing. The first is that when adding paint, sometimes it doesn't register the correct spot and actually adds the paint higher than you would expect.

The other is that sometimes it's way too difficult to get even just three stars for your decorations. The screenshot above demonstrates this -- my vase looks almost identical to the photo, yet I only earned three stars. The one I made before this one only earned me two stars even though it was just a little shorter. Both vases earned 5 stars for the shape, so I don't think it's fair that the height alone made me earn one less star for decoration.

If the ceramic you are making is not for a quest, then you have an option to sell it. You need coins to buy new decorating tools for your quests.

The good

• Great graphics
• Quests to make pots, vases, cups, and more
• Earn coins when completing quests to buy materials to decorate your creations
• Build your own pottery to sell and raise money
• More decorations available as in-app purchases
• Relaxing
• Fosters creativity
• Universal for iPhone and iPad

The bad

• Touch isn't precise enough when adding paint
• Sometimes it's nearly impossible to get 5 stars for the look your creation
• No way to save snapshots of your pieces in the app
• Once you sell an item, you can't view even a photo of it in the app. It would nice to see a collection of everything you've made.

The bottom line

Let's Create! Pottery HD is the next best thing to actually creating real life ceramics, yet has the benefit of being able to kick back and relax while you sculpt your pottery without the mess.

• $4.99 - Download now

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/YfQZ4LHlyZY/story01.htm

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How use WPI to install IIS7/PHP/MySQL on windows 7?

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Athletics-Three Kenyans banned for doping

NAIROBI, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Three Kenyan athletes have been suspended after testing positive for banned substances, Athletics Kenya (AK) Secretary General David Okeyo told reporters on Friday.

Marathon runners Wilson Erupe Loyanae and Nixon Kiplagat Cherutich will serve two-year bans, while Moses Kiptoo Kurgat was suspended for a year.

A fourth athlete, Francis Kibiwott, who finished 45th at the 2007 world half marathon championship in Italy, was cleared after his case was reviewed by the medical commission of world athletics governing body the IAAF.

The east African nation, famed for its middle and distance running prowess, has been on the defensive following reports of widespread doping among its elite athletes.

"Loyanae is a top marathoner who is in the top 30, but we will not spare anyone," said Okeyo.

"We are taking doping seriously. But in most of the cases in this country, like Kiplagat's, they say that they are sick.

"We have been telling them (athletes) that when they are sick, they should let us know what (medication) they are being given so that we can present their cases since the rules are very clear," he added.

Earlier this month, three-times world 3,000 metres steeplechase champion, Moses Kiptanui said doping took place in Kenyan running camps ID:nL5N0BFD15] and similar allegations were made by German television broadcaster ARD before last year's Olympics.

Athletics Kenya have rejected the allegations.

"Those are the athletes we have banned in the past two months. But that still does not mean doping is widespread among our athletes," said Okeyo.

"We have nothing to hide. As soon as we establish any athlete has doped, we shall expose them."

"The procedures involved require a lot of time and the athletes must state their case before the medical commission so the issue of AK not taking any action does not arise." (Editing by George Obulutsa and Alison Wildey)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/athletics-three-kenyans-banned-doping-130748042--spt.html

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Black Pro-Lifers Get Twitter Account Back After NAACP Gets It Banned

Life News
On January 28, in my capacity as social media manager for a coalition of national black pro-life leaders, I set up accounts on?Facebook?and?Twitter?to promote our upcoming demonstration in?Los Angeles?of the?NAACP Image Awards?on February 1.

We had a number of press releases going out that morning, and I wanted to take advantage of social media platforms to raise awareness about what I call the ?Black Betrayal? ? NAACP?s gross failure to put black America?s best interest first, demonstrated by its willingness to not only ignore the black genocidal agenda of?Planned Parenthood?but to go so far as partner with this organization that racially targets black communities with abortion.

My first Tweet was at 9:17a: ?Black Leaders prepare to protest @NAACP for its #Betrayal of the black community.?

Only six tweets and less than two hours later we got our first suspension... ?READ MORE

Source: http://capitalistpreservation.blogspot.com/2013/02/black-pro-lifers-get-twitter-account.html

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Next-generation MacBook Air and iPad Mini to get Retina displays: reports

Reports have surfaced in Asia that when Apple's ultrabook and 7-inch tablets are refreshed in June they will both receive high definition displays.

The latest rumors surrounding Apple's product plans for the coming year focus on the iPad Mini and its MacBook Air ultrabook computer. According to emsodm.com, the MacBook Air will get a long overdue Retina display in June to bring it into line with the rest of Apple's notebook range -- the 15-inch MacBook Pro has featured a Retina Display option since 2011, while the 13-inch MacBook Pro received its high-definition display in October last year.

If the rumors are true, then the addition of a Retina display to such a slim and lightweight device will be a stroke of engineering genius. Retina displays are thicker and heavier than standard displays and therefore adding one to an ultrabook without compromising its form will require extreme manufacturing knowhow.

A Retina display is also expected to grace the next incarnation of the iPad Mini and while it would be welcomed by many potential customers, the issue Apple faces is cost. DigiTimes has done the calculations and claims that the display upgrade could lead to a 30 percent upgrade in its retail price. At $329, the iPad Mini is already the world's most expensive 7-inch tablet. Updating the display could push the price over the $400 mark.

However, one rumor, namely that of an upcoming Apple smartwatch is beginning to be questioned. In a piece entitled ?Apple iWatch Leaks Drip with Desperation,' Forbes contributor Nigam Arora suggests this week that the story of the iWatch was intentionally leaked to three different news outlets, by Apple, in order to create a buzz and to counteract claims being made by investors and analysts that the company had lost its innovative edge. The decision is also likely to have been prompted by similar stories that leaked at the beginning of the month claiming that Samsung was developing a smartwatch.

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NBA Trade Deadline Watch: Counting Down to 3 p.m. with the Still-Middling Sixers

Feb 21, 2013 12:00pm

By Nick Menta, (email)
The700Level.com

The NBA trade deadline is set for 3 p.m. this afternoon.

This, typically, is one of my favorite days of the year, because there's nothing I love more than professional basketball teams trading troubled baggage.

Remember 2009 ? when Raef LaFrentz's $13 million expiring contract was the most valuable asset on the market? That's the kind of world I want to live in all the time.

Dealings have been slow thus far, with only the Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns getting together to (in order) acquire the No. 5 selection in last year's draft, shed some salary and reunite the Philly-born Morris twins for the price of a second-round pick.

And so, with mere hours to go, which of your Philadelphia 76ers is on the trade block? Kind of the whole team aside from Jrue Holiday. Grantland's Chris Ryan wants to restart the Andre Iguodala era with this fictional offer for Danny Granger.

Then again, no one would be surprised if the Sixers held steady until 3 p.m. As of last night, the team's phones were "pretty quiet."? As Adrian Wojnarowski just put it:

Either way, just for fun, here are five potential candidates to get shipped:

Nick Young: Swaggy is on a one-year, $6 million deal and has seemingly matured enough under Doug Collins that a team in need of scoring depth could want him to play for his fourth team in the last two seasons.

Dorell Wright: A similar circumstance. Dorell's $4 million comes off the books this summer and he's been less and less a factor for the Sixers as the season has gone on. Wright remains highly versatile and its unclear as to why he falls in and out of favor with head coach Doug Collins, but he's certainly not the first to have that happen. Wright is a cheap enough option with upside for the next few months.

Spencer Hawes: Teams are always in need of functional bigs, and Hawes is wrapped up in a neat little two-year deal that will pay him $6.5 million this year and next. Hawes isn't anyone's savior, but he's young and he's shown enough in flashes to entice some playoff-bound teams in need of short-term, cost-effective help in their frontcourt.

Royal Ivey/Damian Wilkins: Expiring throw-ins.

Really, unless they're called with something tempting, the Sixers are probably better off holding onto their own EC's to generate their own cap space.

The elephant in the room here is obviously Andrew Bynum, but his fate will be decided this summer and not this afternoon. The most likely scenario remains the Sixers staying put, continuing to wait for Bynum, and hoping they learn something from watching him play with this roster for a even a handful of games.

If the Sixers don't do anything today, they'll have almost $29 million (including Bynum) coming off the books this summer.

That sounds like good news, but here's the real question: Do you trust the Sixers, assuming they do not reach a new agreement with Bynum, with that kind of cap space?

Tags: sixers, Trade Deadline

Source: http://www.the700level.com/basketball-philadelphia-sixers/news/NBA-Trade-Deadline-Watch-Counting-Down-t?blockID=832359&feedID=8510

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Fewer boarded-up homes: Vacancy rate for US housing falls to pre-bust levels

In the final quarter of 2012, the vacancy rate was 1.9 percent of homeowner housing, and 8.7 percent of the rental housing market, according to a new census report.

By Mark Trumbull,?Staff writer / February 20, 2013

In this Jan. photo, a construction worker works at a new home under construction in Chicago.

Nam Y. Huh/AP

Enlarge

Across America fewer homes are boarded up. And fewer people are ?doubled up,? sharing a tight apartment with friends or parents.

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According to the Census Bureau, vacancy rates for residential housing in the United States have fallen to levels last seen before the peak of the housing boom in 2006 and the subsequent recession.

In the final quarter of 2012, the vacancy rate was 1.9 percent of homeowner housing, and 8.7 percent of the rental housing market. That?s down from rates as high as 2.9 percent (2008) in the owner market and 11.1 percent (mid-2009) for rentals.

The census numbers, released in an annual vacancy report Wednesday, add to other indications of rising strength in the US housing market ? from rising home prices to home-builder enthusiasm and investor activity.

?As long as the economy is adding jobs and growing, housing is going to continue improving,? says Patrick Newport, an economist who follows real estate at the forecasting firm IHS Global Insight in Lexington, Mass.

Two main drivers of progress for the housing market over the past year have been the persistence of low interest rates and the tightening supply of homes available for purchase.

?And since we're not building at normal rates ... the supply keeps getting tighter,? he says.

Of course, rising home prices are a mixed blessing. Owners feel rising wealth, and lenders feel greater confidence about making home loans. But it means the cost of housing, for potential buyers and renters, is going up.

Over time, the market?s tightening should prompt builders to rev up construction of both rental and owner-occupied units. Already, residential construction is adding to the gross domestic product, although it hasn?t been the driving force that it usually is in an economic recovery.

For more than five years, housing was a locus of economic challenges such as foreclosure and construction layoffs. As the unemployment rate rose, the vacancy rate soared. Homes were being lost to foreclosure, and people were doubling up with others rather than buying or renting.

Those trends aren?t over, but the census numbers suggest they are receding.

The quarterly census numbers on vacancy have some flaws, compared with the more thorough survey that the census does every 10 years, Mr. Newport notes.

Also, the fact that today?s 1.9 percent homeowner vacancy rate is lower than the 2 percent posted at the end of 2005 probably needs an asterisk. Many homes count as occupied today even though the households are financially troubled. Compared with 2005, many more borrowers are delinquent, with foreclosure looming, or are ?underwater? (with a loan balance larger than the value of their homes).

Still, the progress is real, and according to the new numbers, it spans much of the nation.

States that were hard hit by housing busts have seen significant declines in vacancy rates over the past year. These include Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, and Ohio, which have all experienced declines of half a percentage point or more.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/Kl_RbJs56LM/Fewer-boarded-up-homes-Vacancy-rate-for-US-housing-falls-to-pre-bust-levels

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Commissioner Piebalgs to launch new food security and energy ...

BRUSSELS, Kingdom of Belgium, February 20, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- During a two-day visit to Burundi (21-22/02), EU Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs will announce an ?18 million new project on food security for the benefit of around 20,000 households and to treat 80,000 undernourished children in the country. He will also launch a second project, worth ?50 million, to provide access to sustainable energy for a million of Burundi's citizens, particularly for those living in rural areas.

Commissioner Piebalgs said: "We cannot forget about the biggest scourge of our times ? child hunger. In Burundi, the current level of chronic malnutrition rate of 58% of children under 5 is one of the highest in more than two decades. EU aid is an important instrument to achieve a hunger-free world and I am determined to help families and children in Burundi, so that they also can have a chance for more decent life".

The food security project, called PROPA-O, is part of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Initiative - set up to help those countries who are especially off-track with the MDGs, or reward those who are making particular progress in meeting them. The initiative will aim to improve access to quality agricultural products such as seeds and fertilisers and by helping farmers to access markets (through improved storage, transformation and collection processes).

Another focus of Commissioner's visit will be energy. In Burundi, only 3,5% of people have access to electricity. Lack of access to energy remains a major brake to further development of the country. As Commissioner Piebalgs explained: "There can be no development without energy and, unfortunately, the energy situation in Burundi remains one of the worst in the world, with daily power cuts being experienced by most people." The new initiative (?50 million) could include rural electrification, small and medium hydro projects and measures related to energy infrastructure. The project will also bring the Commission one step closer to delivering on its pledge to provide energy access for 500 million people by 2030 which was made within UN-led Sustainable Energy for All Initiative.

Tentative Programme of the Commissioner

In addition to the meeting with President Nkurunziza, Commissioner Piebalgs will also meet Vice-President Gervais Rufyikiri, Minister of Finance and Planning Tabu Abdallah Manirakiza, Minister for Health and Minister for Agriculture. He will also meet the UN Special Representative for Burundi, as well as representatives of various international organisations such as UNDP, the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the International Monetary Fund. He will also hold a meeting with civil society organisations. During all these meetings, Commissioner will insist on the need for the country to accelerate the agenda of reforms and to follow up on commitments that the Government has taken during the International Conference of Geneva in October 2012. Commissioner Piebalgs declared: "While recognising that a number of reforms are on the right path, we must encourage our Burundese friends to move forward and to accelerate the reforms that will ensure sustainable development of the country. The 2015 elections are an important rendez-vous that cannot be missed. The EU will remain an important partner for Burundi to face all those challenges". Finally, Commissioner Piebalgs will also visit a series of EU-funded development projects to evaluate their implementation, in the area of governance, health and food security.

Background

Since 2004, the EU has financed more than 45 projects all over Burundi in the field of Food Security which have been implemented by almost 25 different organizations amounting to nearly ?40 million. These projects have benefited thousands of households, mainly farmers and vulnerable people, through the rehabilitation of rural production factors (land, infrastructure, equipment); the re-launching of production (e.g. increased agricultural productivity, provision of farm inputs, animal husbandry, training capacity building towards farmers and farmers' organisations); the diversification of rural livelihoods and increase to rural incomes, and the support of the transition from a subsistence agriculture to market oriented one and, most recently, addressing chronic malnutrition. Nevertheless, because food insecurity is a structural issue, a long-term response is needed.

Source: http://www.africanews.it/english/commissioner-piebalgs-to-launch-new-food-security-and-energy-projects-during-his-visit-to-burundi/

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Sequester just over a week away, but blame game has already begun (Washington Post)

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Little audience for 'Zero Dark Thirty' in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD (AP) ? Pakistan stars in "Zero Dark Thirty," from early scenes at a detention site to the dramatic closing minutes as Navy SEALs assault the hideout of Osama bin Laden. But the Academy Award-nominated film about hunt for the al-Qaida leader has sparked a controversy here about its portrayal of the country, and it will likely not be shown on the local big screen anytime soon.

Partly, the film taps into national discomfort that bin Laden was found to be living for years near Pakistan's equivalent of West Point, and anger over the U.S. decision to enter its airspace and raid the compound without giving advance notice. Doubts about whether bin Laden was really hiding out for years in the city of Abbottabad are also common across Pakistan, a country where conspiracy theories often have more weight than fact.

But Pakistanis who have seen the film on DVD or Internet downloads are also making much of what they say are factual errors.

Nadeem F. Paracha, a columnist for the English language newspaper Dawn and a cultural critic in Pakistan, noted that in some scenes characters speak Arabic, whereas Pakistanis in fact speak Urdu or Pashto or one of the tens of other languages found here.

In other scenes protesters get right up to the U.S. Embassy gates when in reality the embassy is situated in an enclosed diplomatic enclave that demonstrators can't access. Some scenes that were supposed to show the frontier city of Peshawar looked more like 19th century Delhi in India.

"How can you make a Hollywood blockbuster, put in so much money and get simple things wrong?" Paracha asked. "Instead of the film being taken seriously, it became a joke among Pakistanis."

The movie traces the arc of the CIA's decade-long hunt for bin Laden through the eyes of a young female analyst, who spends most of her time ostensibly in Pakistan. Screenwriter Mark Boal visited Pakistan to do research, but the movie scenes were not shot here.

One scene that also raises questions shows a vaccination worker going to the compound door as part of the American plan to get DNA samples from the bin Laden family. The U.S. did in fact run a fake hepatitis campaign, but in the movie it's portrayed as an attempt to vaccinate against polio. This could add suspicion to polio workers already facing attacks by militants in the tribal agencies.

Pakistan has only a few movie theaters that show English-language films, and none so far has aired "Zero Dark Thirty." All films shown at cinemas must be approved by a board of censors, and the head of the censor board, Dr. Raja Mustafa Hyder, said no distributor has applied for permission to show the film.

Whether or not it would actually make it past the censor board is another question, considering that a representative of the powerful Pakistani military sits on the board.

After it came out that bin Laden had been living in Abbottabad and that the military failed to detect the American raiding party coming to get him, the once-revered Pakistan army found itself on the defensive. The film also highlights the cooperation between the C.I.A. and Pakistan's intelligence agency during the early years after the Sept. 11, 2001 attack on the United States, a potentially embarrassing topic in a country with such vehement anti-American sentiment.

Jamshed Zafar, one of the leading importers and distributors of foreign films in Pakistan, said he decided after discussions with friends that it wasn't worth importing "Zero Dark Thirty."

"If you get into such controversy, you not only lose money but your reputation is also at stake," he said.

Any distributor or movie house that showed the movie might also be courting trouble with the public. Last year during demonstrations against an anti-Islam film crowds of right-wing Islamic hardliners burned some movie houses.

The fact that neighboring India ? Pakistan's archenemy ? substituted for many of the Pakistani street scenes has also raised concerns, said Rashid Khawaja, a Lahore-based film producer and distributor.

Until recently it was possible to purchase a DVD of the film in Islamabad. But at least two stores in the capital said in recent days that they stopped selling it because of rumors it had been banned. Another store was still selling the movie ? albeit under the counter.

In Abbottabad, the DVD is available at local video stores but hasn't sold particularly well.

"This movie is about Osama and Abbottabad, and still I honestly say people living here are not showing much interest in it," said Akhtar Hussain.

Even in the city where people could hear the Navy SEALs as they swooped in on helicopters and flew away with bin Laden's body, there's still disbelief he was living so close.

College student Raheel Ahmed said he watched "Zero Dark Thirty" and came away thinking the movie's intent was to praise President Barack Obama.

"I don't know whether Osama was here," he said, "but Americans have defamed us by producing the movie."

___

Associated Press writers Aqeel Ahmed in Abbottabad and Zarar Khan in Islamabad contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/little-audience-zero-dark-thirty-pakistan-204225370.html

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Seagate Small Business Storage ? Business As Usual ? The Digital ...

We announced the Seagate Business Storage NAS today. If you missed the memo, here are some of the highlights:

• Ideal for Small/Home offices, Remote/Mobile offices or small-to-medium type businesses
• Small Business Storage provides centralized backup, data protection and remote access
• Capacity size ranging from 2TB to 16TB.

While these features are similar to what we offer in our Wireless Plus and Seagate Central devices, obviously the use cases and needs are going to be vastly different. ?As I sat in product development meetings prior to the launch of this system, I often thought about the type of person who?d benefit from using the Small Business Storage. (You know, aside from the obvious small business owners.)

Because my social circles are so varied, I know a lot of people in the creative professional space who I think would benefit from such a device.

Photographers or video editors would benefit from such a device primarily for the capacity offered. 16TB will hold a lot of photos and videos and anyone who?s done this type of work knows how large the raw files can become.

Then there are musicians. Imagine a world where you work in a corporate 9-5 role by day, but by night you don your hip hop crime fighter tee and produce music and videos. Having a Small Business Storage device in your studio allows you to backup all your tracks and even play them remotely when you?re having that ?I?m abut to be discovered? moment.? And if you have accompanying videos, then it?s like having your own YouTube channel in your back pocket. (Though I guess you could just access YouTube, but at least this way you?d be ad free.)

So whether you?re a consultant, a retailer, an Internet mogul, an artist, a musician, a or even a budding web celebrity, the Small Business Storage will keep things business usual.

?

February 18, 2013 - 11:10 pm | By Jonathan Long | Posted in Products, Seagate Blogs, The Digital Den | Tagged Film, Music, Photography, Seagate, Seagate Central, small business storage, Wireless Plus, youtube |

Source: http://consumer.media.seagate.com/2013/02/the-digital-den/seagate-small-business-storage-business-as-usual/

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Gaikai Cloud Gaming In PlayStation 4 Brings Easy Free Trials Of Games, Sharing, Spectating And Remote Play

Gaikai's Dave Perry took the stage at the PS4 event today to describe how Gaikai would be adding cloud gaming elements to the PS4, which will make it possible to jump in and try games in the PlayStation store, make sharing with your friends a snap, and also invite spectators and get friends to help you by remotely taking over your game.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/HJTwsrhtD5s/

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PFT: Kaepernick shuns spotlight, gets to work

AP

When it comes to minority hiring, the NFL this year came within one vacancy of mimicking the 2008 Lions, going 0-for-15 in coaching and G.M. positions.

Despite a fairly vocal contingent of fans who seem to not understand the impact of state and federal laws against race discrimination, the NFL realizes its owners can?t hire whomever they want to hire.? And so the NFL rightly is disappointed by the recent trend.

One of the few remaining minority head coaches in the NFL addressed the dynamic in comments to Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer, calling the lack of minority hires ?disheartening.?

?I?ll give you a name, Perry Fewell,? Rivera said, referring to the Giants defensive coordinator.? ?He?s a great coach and I really think he should have been in the cycle.?

Fewell, as far as we can tell, didn?t even get an interview this year.

?This guy went to the Super Bowl last year and helped design a [heck of a] defense,? Rivera said.? ?Sometimes you do sit there and go, ?Wow, some guys do get overlooked,? and it?s happened to me, too.? Hopefully Perry will have a great opportunity next year.?

Rivera may have a point.? The last time the Giants won the Super Bowl, their defensive coordinator (Steve Spagnuolo) immediately became a ?hot? head-coaching candidate.? A year later, he went to the Rams.? Three years later, he was fired.? One year later, he was fired again as defensive coordinator of the Saints.

Regardless of race, the problem becomes that owners allow themselves to get caught up in whomever the media identifies as the ?hot? candidate, locking in on a name before doing proper due diligence.? For whatever reason, the ?hot? name far more often than not belongs to a white coach.? (Maybe the media isn?t as liberal as everyone assumes.)

And while we agree with Rivera?s observations on minority coaching hires, we need to mention ? and to disagree with ? another comment he made about his quarterback, Cam Newton.

?It kind of bothers me when people say, ?Well Cam is a black quarterback,?? Rivera said.? ?Well, he?s a quarterback.? Aren?t we past that yet??

Unless I?m missing something, I think we are past that.? Though improvements clearly are needed when it comes to hiring coaches, coaches have become color blind when it comes to quarterbacks.? I?m not aware of anyone calling Cam Newton or any other current African-American signal-caller a ?black quarterback.?? (I?m wrong, please correct me with links pasted in the comments.)

They?re all quarterbacks, regardless of skin color.? Hopefully, one day, they?ll all be coaches, too.? Without regard to any superficial factor that has no bearing on ability, intelligence, or character.

While no owner or other employer will ever declare that decisions of this kind are being made at least in part based on rate, the numbers are what they are.? And the numbers are, as the NFL freely admits, disappointing.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/18/kaepernick-shuns-spotlight-to-start-offseason-work/related/

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Pistorius: Thought lover an intruder in shooting

Olympian Oscar Pistorius stands following his bail hearing in Pretoria, South Africa, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013. Pistorius fired into the door of a small bathroom where his girlfriend was cowering after a shouting match on Valentine's Day, hitting her three times, a South African prosecutor said Tuesday as he charged the sports icon with premeditated murder. The magistrate ruled that Pistorius faces the harshest bail requirements available in South African law. He did not elaborate before a break was called in the session. (AP Photo)

Olympian Oscar Pistorius stands following his bail hearing in Pretoria, South Africa, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013. Pistorius fired into the door of a small bathroom where his girlfriend was cowering after a shouting match on Valentine's Day, hitting her three times, a South African prosecutor said Tuesday as he charged the sports icon with premeditated murder. The magistrate ruled that Pistorius faces the harshest bail requirements available in South African law. He did not elaborate before a break was called in the session. (AP Photo)

A woman holds a photo of Reeva Steenkamp, as she leaves her funeral in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013. Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius is charged with the premeditated murder of Steenkamp on Valentine's Day. The defense lawyer says it was an accidental shooting. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)

Barry Steenkamp, third left, the father of Reeva Steenkamp, greets people as he and others attend her funeral, in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013.Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius is charged with the premeditated murder of Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day. The defense lawyer says it was an accidental shooting. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)

Barry Steenkamp, the father of Reeva Steenkamp, leaves his home to attend her funeral ceremony in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013. Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius is charged with the premeditated murder of Steenkamp on Valentine's Day. The defense lawyer says it was an accidental shooting. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)

South African rugby player Francois Hougaard, left, arrives for the funeral of Reeva Steenkamp in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013. Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius is charged with the premeditated murder of Steenkamp on Valentine's Day. The defense lawyer says it was an accidental shooting. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) ? Oscar Pistorius wept Tuesday as his defense lawyer read the athlete's account of how he shot his girlfriend to death on Valentine's Day, claiming he had mistaken her for an intruder.

Prosecutors, however, told a packed courtroom that the double-amputee known as the Blade Runner intentionally and mercilessly shot and killed 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp as she cowered inside a locked bathroom.

Pistorius told the Pretoria Magistrate's Court at a bail hearing he felt vulnerable in the presence of an intruder inside the bathroom because he did not have his prosthetic legs on, and fired into the bathroom door.

The Valentine's Day shooting in Pistorius' home in Pretoria shocked South Africans and many around the world who idolized him for overcoming adversity to become a sports champion, competing in the London Olympics last year in track besides being a Paralympian. Steenkamp was a model and law graduate who made her debut on a South African reality TV program that was broadcast on Saturday, two days after her death.

In a major point of contention emerged even during Tuesday bail hearing, prosecutor Gerrie Nel said Pistorius took the time to put on his prostheses, walked seven meters (yards) from the bed to the enclosed toilet inside his bathroom and only then opened fire. Three of the bullets hit Steenkamp of the four that were fired into the door, Nel said.

Pistorius said in his sworn statement that after opening fire, he realized that Steenkamp was not in his bed.

"It filled me with horror and fear," Pistorius said. The 26-year-old Olympian said he put on his prosthetic legs and tried to kick down the door before finally bashing it in with a cricket bat. Inside, he said he found Steenkamp, slumped over. He said he lifted her bloodied body into his arms and tried to carry her downstairs to seek medical help.

But by then, it was too late.

"She died in my arms," the athlete said.

Nel charged Pistorius with premeditated murder and said the athlete opened fire after the couple engaged in a shouting match and she fled to the bathroom.

"She couldn't go anywhere. You can run nowhere," Nel said. "It must have been horrific."

A conviction of premeditated murder carries a mandatory sentence of life in jail.

Chief Magistrate Desmond Nair ruled that Pistorius must face the harshest bail requirements available in South African law. That means Pistorius' lawyers must offer "exceptional" reasons for the athlete to be free before trial, besides simply giving up his two South African passports and posting a cash bond.

Pistorius sobbed softly as his lawyer, Barry Roux, insisted the shooting was an accident and that there was no evidence to substantiate a murder charge.

"We submit it is not even murder," he said. "There is no concession this is a murder."

Pistorius' emotional outbursts again played a part in how the hearing progessed, as it did during an initial hearing Friday. At one point, Nair stopped the hearing after Pistorius wept as Roux read a portion of the athlete's statement describing how Steenkamp bought him a Valentine's Day present, but wouldn't let him open it the night before.

"Maintain your composure," the magistrate said. "You need to apply your mind here."

Pistorius' voice quivered when he answered: "Yes, my lordship."

Affidavits from friends of Pistorius and Steenkamp described the two as a charming, happy couple. The night before the killing, they said, Pistorius and Steenkamp had canceled separate plans in order to spend the night before Valentine's Day together at his home, in a gated neighborhood.

Outside the court, several dozen singing women protested against domestic violence and waved placards urging that Pistorius be refused bail. "Pistorius must rot in jail," one placard said.

As details emerged at the dramatic court hearing in the capital, Steenkamp's body was being cremated Tuesday at a memorial service in the south-coast port city of Port Elizabeth. Six pallbearers carried her coffin, draped with a white cloth and covered in white flowers, into the church for the private service.

South Africa has some of the world's worst rates of violence against females and the highest rate in the world of women killed by an intimate partner, according to a study by the Medical Research Council. Professor Rachel Jewkes of the council said at least three women are killed by a partner every day in this country of 50 million.

Steenkamp campaigned actively against domestic violence and had tweeted on Twitter that she planned to join a "Black Friday" protest by wearing black in honor of a 17-year-old girl who was gang-raped and mutilated two weeks ago.

What "she stood for, and the abuse against women, unfortunately it's gone right around and I think the Lord knows that statement is more powerful now," her uncle Mike Steenkamp, the family's spokesman, said after her memorial.

He said the family had planned a big get-together at Christmas but that had not been possible. "But we are here today as a family and the only one who's missing is Reeva," he said, breaking down and weeping.

Pistorius has lost several valuable sponsorships estimated to be worth more than $1 million a year.

On Tuesday, the athlete was ousted from a pro-gay campaign being launched in Cape Town, organizers said. In a video axed from the campaign, Pistorius says: "You don't have to worry. You don't have to change. Take a deep breath and remember, 'It will get better.'"

And Clarins Group, which owns Thierry Mugler Perfumes, said in an email that "out of respect and compassion for the families involved in this tragedy, Thierry Mugler Perfumes have taken the decision to withdraw all of their advertising campaigns featuring Oscar Pistorius."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-02-19-Pistorius-Shooting/id-944598862d2d4481b8226d1e87303007

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HTC One hands-on: design and hardware

The HTC One made quite an entrance in London and New York today with a slick-looking design and re-imagined Android user experience. It's a significant departure from last year's One X -- our favorite handset of 2012 -- and represents the company's most important product to date. The HTC One is positioned to become a true global flagship, a phone that's available unmolested on all carriers worldwide, a device that really competes with the Galaxies and iPhones of the world. We spent some time with the HTC One to understand the direction the company is taking with this handset. Join us after the break for our hands-on video and detailed hardware impressions, then go read our software and camera posts as well.

Gallery: HTC One hardware hands-on

Gallery: HTC One software hands-on

There's no doubt about it -- the HTC One is a fine piece of kit. It's particularly beautiful when viewed from the back and sides, with a semi-pyramidal shape reminiscent of HTC's own J Butterfly and phones like the Xperia Ion. The front is more staid and channels the BlackBerry Z10. Look a little closer and the attention to detail is staggering -- this is a product that stands shoulder to shoulder with the iPhone 5 in terms of materials and build quality.

The unibody polycarbonate design of the One X gives way to a machined aluminum shell that seamlessly incorporates polycarbonate accents. Basically the aluminum is etched to create channels into which the polycarbonate is inset using zero-gap injection molding. It takes 200 minutes to machine one shell, and the result is absolutely stunning -- a solid block of anodized aluminum, white polycarbonate and glass with chamfered, polished edges. HTC even sourced custom-grade aluminum that's harder than what's found on the iPhone 5. The polycarbonate forms a ring around the edge of the device, covers the top and bottom ends and bisects the back with two lines, one of which flows around the camera lens below -- it reminds us of circuit-board traces. Since aluminum can be anodized in different colors and polycarbonate comes in many hues, we'll leave you to imagine the combinations possible beyond the silver and white handset we played with.

In front are two aluminum bands (top and bottom) separated by a vast sheet of Gorilla Glass 2 covering a gorgeous 4.7-inch 1080p (468 dpi) Super LCD 3 display. This layout is similar to the Z10 and the chamfered, polished edges remind us of the iPhone 5. Both of these bands feature a matching set of perforations that conceal a speaker (and likely a mic in the bottom piece) -- that's right, the HTC One boast stereo speakers, each with a dedicated proprietary amp design that minimizes distortion and maximizes volume. The top piece also incorporates the proximity / light sensors, a notification LED and a 2.1 megapixel with f/2.0 wide-angle (88-degree) front-facing camera capable of recording 1080p video. You'll find HTC's brand under the glass just below the screen, flanked by two -- yes, just two -- capacitive buttons: back on the left and home on the right. How does this work? Holding the home button brings up Google Now and double-tapping shows the recent apps. There's no menu option.

Other than the aforementioned polycarbonate accents and prominent HTC and Beats logos, the back of the device is home to the main UltraPixel camera and a single LED flash (to the left of the lens). Basically you're looking at a 1/3-inch 4 megapixel BSI sensor with large 2µm pixels capable of gathering 330% more light than the 1.1µm pixels usually found in phones. This sensor is mated with a 28mm f/2.0 autofocus lens which is slightly recessed for protection and equipped with optical image stabilization (OIS), just like Nokia's Lumia 920. HTC's ImageChip 2 handles image processing and enables a bunch of new tricks like 1080p, 60fps and HDR video capture plus an interesting new feature called Zoe Share. Our very limited time with the camera confirms that performance is top-notch -- after all, photography isn't just about megapixels, and the HTC One checks all the important boxes.

Along the edges of the HTC One you'll find a power / lock key (left) and standard headphone jack (right) at the top, a machined aluminum volume rocker on the right side, a micro-USB / MHL port on at the bottom (right) and the micro-SIM holder and matching pin hole on the left side (near the top). The power / lock key is black and doubles as a bidirectional IR blaster for the handset's TV remote software (powered by Peel). Just like with the One X, the battery (rated at 2300mAh) is sealed and there's no microSD card slot. At 137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3mm and 143g, the new phone is slightly taller, thicker and heavier than its predecessor -- it feels solid yet comfortable in hand and just exudes quality. This, combined with the premium looks, make for a very desirable product indeed.

The HTC One is powered by Qualcomm's newly minted quad-core 1.7GHz Snapdragon 600 paired with 2GB of LP-DDR2 RAM and 32 or 64GB of built-in storage (depending on the version). Wireless functionality includes WiFi a/ac/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX, GPS / aGPS, NFC and DLNA -- sadly there's no wireless charging support. Two devices will be available, a U model which includes GSM and WCDMA radios (HSDPA 42Mbps / HSUPA 5.67Mbps) and a UL model which adds LTE (100Mbps download and 50Mbps upload). It's still unclear exactly which bands are supported for which regions -- we know it's coming to most carriers in the US (and indeed, the world), except Verizon. The handset incorporates the Droid DNA's delightfully loud and clear 2.55V headphone amp (it operates with or without Beats audio enabled, but we much prefer it without). HTC's also outfitted the device with HDR microphones which can handle wide range of sound levels without clipping.

In the end, we walked away tremendously impressed with what the HTC One has to offer, especially in terms of hardware. Be sure to take a look at our software and camera posts (spoiler: Sense 5 runs on top of Android 4.1.2). With this phone, HTC's crafted something truly special -- it's now critical that the company follow through with strong marketing and prevent the carriers from fragmenting its vision. Will this be the one? We sure hope so.

Zach Honig contributed to this report.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC

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