Daily Kos: Teachers' Lounge: You want to go to grad school?

First off, I loved graduate school, but not everyone is like me. ?Some of my students think grad school is a way of extending undergrad experiences. ?I have sat down with students several times to tell them I don't think they are good fits for an academic grad program (sometimes these are people who are good fits for professional programs, as they are ones who are interested in the utility of their studies, and want to have a job coming out of it -- I teach art history, and these students are sometimes the ones who should go into museum education or arts administration programs -- using their knowledge and learning how to apply it in a clear way along with apprenticeships/internships built into the program). ?Sometimes I think they might be but their undergraduate grades are not high enough for easy admission. ?In this case, I advise them to get some other experience (other than school) under their belts. ?Someone who has either worked at or volunteered at (in a substantial way) a museum or an arts organization has characteristics and a track record that makes her or him stand out when applying to graduate school, and getting a letter of recommendation from someone other than a professor who can speak to responsibility, reliability, drive, and interest can help a great deal to offset academic concerns. ?

That being said, undergraduate grades can at times be a predictor for graduate performance. ?These grades (particularly in the major) indicate knowledge in the field, dedication to research and writing components required in a discipline, time management abilities, and wiilingness to push through in the hoop-jumping that is a clear part of graduate school as in any job. ?And a letter from a professor who has had you in multiple classes is a good component of your application portfolio.

I write letters for anywhere between three and ten students a year. ?And I am lucky that there aren't more. ?I can thus talk about individual characteristics of a student. ?I don't have a generic letter -- each student gets a base letter that is specific to the skills and desires and strengths and concerns I have for him or her. ?If those concerns are so great that they prevent me from writing a strong letter, I will not agree to write one. ?I have only once told a student after having written several letters that I would not write another one -- that was someone who seemed to suddenly find it difficult to complete assignments in a timely manner (as far as I could tell this was a response to stress, and that is a problem in grad school -- you have to be able to handle adversity and stress that is potentially beyond anything you experience in undergrad). ?There was nothing I was able to find out by asking what was causing it (everything was fine, I was told) -- so I had to respond to what was in front of me.

So if I say I will write one, I will write a good one. ?I will be positive but honest. ?If you have a B average in my classes, I will not say you are the top student I have ever taught. ?It is my word and my university's reputation on the line; if I misrepresent you, it is every student who applies to that university in the future that my recommendation affects. ?I will, however, talk about specific details (papers, projects, interaction with other students, internships, research experiences) that make you particularly desirable as a graduate student in that program. ?

To help me do this, I ask for at least one month's warning for any letter, and preferably a listing of all the graduate schools to which you are applying, organized by deadline, and a brief description of why you want to apply to a specific school, what program you are applying to, and information about a link or a method of submission of the letter. ?I strongly prefer an on-line submission, and if necessary I will send a hard-copy one. ?I will almost never agree to give you a copy of the letter to send yourself. ?This is because I did that for students early on in my teaching, and one decided not to apply to one of the universities but did need a letter for a different one, and she told me about that by taking the letter out of the (sealed, signed across the seal) envelope, and attaching the open letter to my bulletin board along with a note saying "in case you forgot what you wrote, this will help you write me a letter to X university". ?It was a confidential letter (positive, but confidential), and I was furious. ?I wrote the letter, but since then have been really hesitant about handing a sealed letter to a student.

If the letters are to be submitted online, you need to get your application submitted a bit before the deadline because the online submission for letters of recommendation will often not be available to me until after your application is complete. ?And there will often be technical difficulties. ?This fall I did not get a letter submitted by the deadline because of this; I hope it is not held against the student. ?She was annoyed with me (or at least that is the way I read her last email, and she never let me know that the application was complete or anything about how it had been received, and she did not ask for any other letters of recommendation). ?I am sorry for the difficulty, but I didn't see it as my fault (nor was it hers), and I hope I do hear back from her eventually.

If I ask for a copy of your personal statement it means I want to see your personal statement. ?It may be because you are applying to do something that is not a clear outgrowth of your undergraduate work, or it may be because I want to be able to write a letter that supports you in a way that builds off your stated interests. ?What it doesn't mean is that you should send me a copy of your statement a month after the first letter deadlines. ?The letters I have written by that point are of necessity going to be a bit more generic. ?

As letters are written individually, the chance is that if you blow off the semester (usually the first semester senior year) it may be reflected in letters I write for you. ?As you ignore deadlines, stop coming to class, and don't come to meetings that are scheduled, these things reflect on you and may lead me to adjust my evaluation in such categories as "maturity" or "dedication to the field" -- if you show me that you are mature and dedicated to the field, chances are those ratings will be high; if you lead me to question such things, the ratings are almost certain to go down. ?Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances (health or yourself and your family, financial issues, etc.) but I can only evaluate what is before me, and that is what I base my recommendations on. ?

Finally, I would like some acknowledgement of my writing the letters. ?Thank you notes are nice, but not necessary. ?What is really necessary, however, is an indication of where you got in (or didn't) and what, if any, financial/scholarship/assistantship offers were made. ?It helps me to know where you go and why. ?If you decide to not take any graduate school place, even though you have been admitted, I do need to know that, and why you made that decision. ?If I have written 10-15 letters for you and you don't go to any grad school, then you come back to me the next year with a request for more letters, I need to know what is going on. ?That you have decided one year not to go to grad school is fine, and it doesn't prevent me from writing letters. ?But if you can't tell me a reason, it comes across as rather mercurial. ?It may not be, but again, I can only evaluate you by the information that is in front of me. ?And that evaluation is what grad schools are asking me to do in my letters of recommendation.

Oh, and one final final thing. ?If you choose to complain in a letter to the university (such as to the dean, or in the equivalent of an exit interview) how the class you took with me was the worst experience you had as a university student, do not expect that I will not hear about it, or remember it three years later when you want a letter of recommendation to a graduate program. ?And yes, that has happened. ?I chose not to write a letter or recommendation for this student, who had only had the one class with me. ?I said I did not remember her well enough to write that letter of recommendation. ?I figured it was much better for both of us to leave it at that. ?In other words, I was lying. ?I do that, sometimes. ?But I don't do it in letters of recommendation; in those I stand behind what I write.

Source: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/01/26/1182314/-Teachers-Lounge-You-want-to-go-to-grad-school

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Still Crazy After All These Fears (preview)

See Inside

The world will end, but not for a long, long time

By Steve Mirsky

Image: Matt Collins

Congratulations, you survived the Mayan apocalypse. I knew you could do it.

I had complete confidence that I would live past the alleged planetary expiration date of December 21, 2012, provided I didn't get hit by a bus or slip in the bathtub. But those modes of demise are, of course, far less tantalizing than some end-of-the world fantasy dreamed up by amateur archaeologists and sucked down by people who perhaps never worry that they have undiagnosed hypertension or that the highway bridge they cross daily hasn't been properly maintained.

This article was originally published with the title Still Crazy After All These Fears.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)

Steve Mirsky has been writing the Anti Gravity column since a typical tectonic plate was about 33 inches from its current location. He also hosts the Scientific American podcast Science Talk.

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Tweet to Learn

@thomascmurray: I learn more on Twitter in one week than I did in ANY grad course, which by the way, I paid for. Who?s with me? #edtech #edchat #satchat

@sjunkins: Twitter is everything a teachers lounge should be? Inspiring educators with engaging ideas. #iaedchat

@21centuryteachr Jody & Shara ? At a PD conference I?m looking for one or two good ideas to bring to the classroom. You can get that on Twitter in five minutes. #edchat

Let us first say that, as of writing this article, we have 126 Twitter followers. Now, don?t get us wrong, we are really proud of this number, but by no means does this make us experts. In fact, we are still figuring out how to get the most out of Twitter as we possibly can. We consider ourselves newbies to the Tweet scene, and are only beginning to understand its implications for education. But, in this short time, one thing has been made very clear: Twitter is definitely the current ?it??place for the most cutting-edge ideas in the education field.

At the teaching fellowship program we attended, we were told to make sure to visit another classroom teacher and observe because, ?classroom teaching can be a very solitary profession.? Perhaps it was prior to now, but with the explosion of social media, web-based professional development communities, and online learning management systems there is no need for an opaque and solitary teaching existence. Teaching can now be, thanks to the Internet, a transparent and shared venture. In the past, teachers could hoard good lessons and live in the solipsistic world of the classroom all day; now, teachers can share their progress, their ideas, their lessons, their struggles, and most importantly, their successes.

One of the most significant (and rightly so) hurdles of this sharing on the Twitterverse is that it is so so very public. When teachers use online learning management systems or class websites they are usually only opening themselves up to the students, parents, teachers, and administrators at their school. But posting lessons, outlines, experiences, and opinions on Twitter is for the world to consume. This has implications for the teacher socially and professionally. Schools may prefer that their teachers not engage in social media as public as Twitter in the fear that the sharing may reflect poorly on the school, or, at the very least, wish that their teachers? opinions be accompanied by the oft seen caveat of: ?the opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the school.?

To indulge in these fears completely would be to miss a groundbreaking professional development opportunity. ?A recent blog post by educator Tony Sinanis recapping his year in Twitter waxed eloquent on the myriad of reasons why Twitter is so amazing, even asking the tongue-in-cheek question: ?Do you want to watch an episode of Modern Family and participate in some PD at the same time? Twitter lets you do that!? (PD being the Twitter slang for professional development.) However witty Sinanis is being, he is completely correct. What Twitter offers is a twenty-four-hour, any subject/specialty course in professional development that you can do while living your personal and professional life. ?Administrators afraid of the publicness of Twitter need to see the flip side: because it?s so public, it is free, and allows a world of educators to share what is good and what is coming.

Educators are educated too. The two of us have favorited so many articles and blog posts with both theoretical and abstract education concepts, as well as straight-to-classroom use-this-minute ideas, that we have trouble keeping up. And while we are just getting the hang of moving from consumer to contributor in the incredible #edchat #edtech conversations, the amount of support, information, and cutting-edge practice out there is astounding.

It?s easy for a teacher to feel like the king of the classroom when you are there with your students, to feel like the education you received was sufficient, that the professional development conferences you attend keep you cutting edge enough? but until you look at Twitter, you won?t realize the sheer volume of conversations that are happening without you. This was what the two of us experienced when we joined Twitter. It was kind of scary and awe-inspiring at the same time: the education world had been going on without us, and it was going really fast.

Just in January alone, Twitter educators have discussed textbook reform, classroom and school data analysis, and the engagement of parents in schools. Articles and blog posts were written on cutting edge education topics: flipped classrooms, iPad use, digital citizenship, project based learning, differentiation, and more. Teachers have their pick of topics that apply to their experience and their students? needs, and have access to a vast resource of educators who have tried new approaches to teaching and can tell their stories. And these educators come from every place in the education sphere; there are principals, heads of school, classroom teachers, resource teachers, etc. ?from all types of schools, public and private?all sharing their knowledge together.

Twitter and other social media can?t (and shouldn?t) replace professional development conferences, retreats, forums, etc. Twitter, or whatever is next that replaces it (that?s inevitable, right?) should be made a part of professional development in schools; it is professional development that can happen every day, even every hour. That being said, many teachers already balk at the idea of incorporating technology they are less than comfortable with, and Twitter is not necessarily the easiest to use. While its interface is fine, the etiquette, the chats, and other minutiae could take some time to figure out how to navigate, especially if the user is reticent in the first place. However, educators will need to figure out how to clear these hurdles, because the conversation is too rich and valuable for any teacher in this century to miss.

========

Previously in this series:

Teachers and Administrators, Don?t Be Scared of Technology: It Won?t Replace the Classroom
Being a Digital Native Isn?t Enough

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Shipping Science: Building a Boat That Can Carry Cargo

A Heavy Payload: How do ships hold such heavy cargo and still stay afloat? Learn about mass, volume and density in this shipping science activity. Image: George Resteck

• 

  How does a Venus flytrap know when to snap shut? Can it actually feel an insect?s tiny, spindly legs? And how do cherry blossoms know when to bloom? Can they...

  Read More??

Key concepts
Water
Density
Physics
Hydrodynamics
Fluid dynamics

Introduction
Have you ever wondered how a ship made of steel can float? If you drop a steel bolt into a bucket of water, the bolt quickly sinks to the bottom. Then how can a steel ship float? And better yet, how can a steel ship carry a heavy load without sinking? It has to do with the density of the ship (including its cargo) relative to the density of water. In this activity, you'll make little "boats" out of aluminum foil to explore how their size and shape affects the amount of weight they carry and how this relates to water density.

Background
What determines whether an object floats or sinks? It's the density (mass per unit of volume) of the object compared with the density of the liquid it is in. If the object is denser than the fluid, the object will sink. If the object is less dense, then it will float.

With a steel-hulled ship, it is the shape of the hull that determines how well it floats and how much of a load it can handle. On an empty ship with a steel hull enclosing a volume of air, the ship's density is equal to the sum of the mass of the steel hull and the mass of the enclosed air, all divided by the hull's volume: The ship floats because its density is less than the density of water. But when cargo or other weight is added to the ship, its density now becomes the sum of the mass of the steel hull, enclosed air and cargo, all divided by the hull's volume. If too much weight is added, the ship?s density becomes greater than that of the water, and it sinks. Excess cargo would need to be thrown overboard in a hurry or it's time to abandon ship!

Materials
? Aluminum foil
? Ruler
? Tape
? Calculator
? Scrap piece of paper and pen or pencil
? Bucket, tub, sink or dishpan
? Water
? Pennies. You may need as many as 200, depending on the size and shape of the boats you make.
? Rag or paper towels
? Dry rice and measuring cup (optional)

Preparation
? Cut two squares of aluminum foil, making one square with dimensions that are twice that of the other square. For example, you could make one square that is 30 by 30 centimeters (one by one foot), and make the second square 15 by 15 centimeters (six by six inches).
? Fold the two aluminum foil squares into two different boat hulls. Try to make them the same shape. For example, you could make them both have two pointed ends (like canoes) or you could make them square or rectangular with straight edges that come up on the sides (more like a barge).
? Make finishing touches to the boat hulls. Make sure they don't have any leaks. If needed, use a little tape to make them stronger. Flatten the hull bottoms. On each, try to make sure the rim is the same height going all around the hull edges. Why do you think this is important?
? Calculate the volume of each boat hull. If both hulls are square or rectangular, you can measure the length, width and height of each and multiply these dimensions together to get its total volume. If parts of the hull have an irregular shape, measure the volume piece-wise and then add these volumes together. Use triangles to approximate any areas of the hull that are curved or angled. What is the volume of each hull? Write this down.
? Alternatively, you can use dry rice to calculate the volume of each boat hull. To do this, carefully fill each hull with dry rice so that the rice is level with the top of the hull. Being careful not to damage the hull, transfer the dry rice into a measuring cup. What is the volume of each hull using the rice? Write this down.
? Fill the bucket, tub, sink, or dishpan with some water.

Procedure
? Take one of the boat hulls and carefully float it in the container of water deep enough to completely submerge the boat.
? Gently add one penny at a time. To prevent the hull from tipping, carefully balance the load as you add pennies (left to right, front to back?or port to starboard, fore to aft, if you're feeling nautical).
? Keep adding pennies until the hull finally sinks.
? Carefully take out the sunken hull and place it and the pennies on a rag or paper towels. Dump any excess water back into the container.
? Count how many pennies the hull could support before sinking (the penny that sank the hull does not count). How many pennies could it support? Write this number down.
? Repeat this process with the other hull. Be sure to only add dry pennies. Why do you think using dry pennies (instead of wet ones) is important?
? Could the larger hull support a lot more pennies than the smaller one?
? Make sure that the volume you calculated for each boat is in cubic centimeters (cm³). Convert it if necessary and write it down. (Cubic centimeters are the same as milliliters, or mL.)
? Convert the number of pennies each hull could support to grams. To do this, multiply the number of pennies by 2.5 grams (the weight of a single penny). How many grams could each hull support? Write this number down for each hull.
? For each hull, divide the number of grams it could support by its volume in cubic centimeters. This roughly gives you the hull's density. What was the density of each hull right before sinking? How do you think this relates to the density of water?
? Extra: In this activity you compared boat hulls that had two different sizes but you could repeat this activity trying a wider range of shapes and sizes of boat hulls. Do you get the same results if you use aluminum foil boat hulls that have a different shape? Do you see a pattern in your results?
? Extra: You roughly calculated the density of water in this activity, but your calculation could be made even more accurate. Thinking about what factors affected your calculation, develop a way to more accurately determine the density of water, such as by including the weight of the boat hulls, adding something smaller than pennies to measure how much weight the hulls can carry, and more accurately determining the volume of the hulls. How close can you get your calculations to the actual density of water?
? Extra: Repeat this activity but this time use liquids (or semisolids) other than water, such as cooking oil, liquid detergent or even snow. (Check with an adult to make sure it is alright if you use household liquids for your activity.) Make sure not to use any dangerous chemicals, such as household cleaning solutions. If you do not want to use much of the liquid, you can dilute it with water or use a small container (just wide enough to fit your boat hull in) and fill it so it is just a little deeper than the height of the hull?so that the hull can sink. What are the densities of other liquids and semisolids? How do their densities compare with that of water?

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McDonald's Q4 2012 Earnings - Business Insider

UPDATE:?Mickey D's?earnings are out.

Click here to refresh for LIVE updates >

The fast-food giant reported earnings of $1.38 per share and $6.95 billion in revenues, both above Wall Street estimates.

The company also reported global comp sales up 1 percent in Q4. Analysts were looking for a 0.3 percent decline.

While the main numbers look pretty good, McDonald's also noted that it sees top and bottom line growth remaining pressured going forward and that it expects January same-store sales growth to be negative.

The stock is unchanged from yesterday's close in pre-market trading.

Below is the full text from the release:

OAK BROOK, Ill.,?Jan. 23, 2013?/PRNewswire/ --?McDonald's Corporation today announced results for the fourth quarter and year ended?December 31, 2012, reflecting higher revenues, operating income and earnings per share compared with the prior year.

"Throughout 2012 we concentrated our efforts behind the global priorities that represent our greatest opportunities under the Plan to Win ? optimizing our menu, modernizing the customer experience and broadening accessibility to our Brand," said McDonald's Chief Executive Officer?Don Thompson. "McDonald's continued to grow by remaining focused on what matters most to our customers, although our results reflect the impact of the challenging global operating, economic and competitive environment. Our overall performance is a testament to the underlying strength of our business and our dedicated System of franchisees, suppliers and employees who continue to drive toward our mission to become our customers' favorite place and way to eat and drink."

Full year 2012 highlights included:

• Global comparable sales increased 3.1%, with the U.S. up 3.3%,?Europe?up 2.4% and?Asia/Pacific,?Middle East?and?Africa?(APMEA) up 1.4%
• Consolidated revenues up 2% (5% in constant currencies)
• Consolidated operating income increase of 1% (4% in constant currencies), with the U.S. up 2%,?Europe?down 1% (up 6% in constant currencies) and APMEA up 3% (3% in constant currencies)
• Diluted earnings per share of?$5.36, up 2% (5% in constant currencies)
• Returned?$5.5 billion?to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases

Fourth Quarter highlights included:

• Global comparable sales increased 0.1%
• Consolidated revenues increased 2% (2% in constant currencies)
• Consolidated operating income increase of 4% (4% in constant currencies)
• Diluted earnings per share of?$1.38, up 4% (5% in constant currencies)

McDonald's U.S. generated positive comparable sales and operating income results for the year despite ongoing economic and competitive pressures. Fourth quarter comparable sales increased 0.3% and operating income was relatively flat against strong prior year results. During the quarter, the U.S. focused on enhancing its value leadership position by balancing strong everyday value messaging with affordable and compelling premium menu options.

For the year,?Europe?delivered comparable sales and constant currency operating income growth despite ongoing economic uncertainty throughout the segment. During the fourth quarter,?Europe's operating income rose 5% (up 7% in constant currencies) while comparable sales were down 0.6% due to negative comparable guest counts and strong prior year performance. The U.K. and?Russia?were key contributors to the segment's operating income performance for both periods. Emphasis on unique promotional food events, expanded value offerings and restaurant reimaging continued to provide an appealing customer experience and supported the segment's results.

For the year, APMEA generated positive comparable sales and operating income growth. APMEA's fourth quarter comparable sales declined 1.7% and operating income was flat (down 1% in constant currencies) against strong prior year results. Positive quarterly sales and operating results in?Australia?were more than offset by ongoing weakness in?Japan?and other markets. Throughout APMEA, consumers continued to respond to the segment's compelling value platforms, great tasting premium menu selections and relevant convenience.

Don Thompson?continued, "As we begin the new year, our average annual long-term targets in constant currency remain intact: Systemwide sales growth of 3% to 5%, operating income growth of 6% to 7%, and return on incremental invested capital in the high teens. We believe these targets remain realistic and sustainable for a company of our size and maturity. In 2013, we plan to invest about?$3.2 billion?of capital to open between 1,500 - 1,600 new McDonald's restaurants and to reinvest in our existing locations, including reimaging more than 1,600 locations worldwide. We are confident that now is an opportune time to invest in our restaurant portfolio in ways that will yield value for all stakeholders in the future."

Don Thompson?concluded, "Moving forward, we remain focused on seizing the long-term opportunities in the global marketplace by leveraging our competitive advantages. We have a brand advantage in convenience, menu variety and value, a resilient business model, and the experience and alignment throughout the McDonald's System to navigate the current environment. For the near-term we expect top and bottom-line growth to remain pressured, with January's global comparable sales?expected to be?negative."

-----------------

ORIGINAL:?Minutes away from the release of the McDonald's fourth quarter earnings report, due out at 7:58 AM ET.

Analysts expect the fast-food giant to report earnings of $1.33 per share, down from $1.43 per share in the previous quarter.

Fourth-quarter sales are expected to come in at $6.898 billion, down from $7.152 billion in Q3.

In an earnings preview, Morgan Stanley analysts John Glass and? Sushama Dasari write:

We?re not wild-eyed optimists, but do think we?re edging closer to an inflection point. Much like the last two Qs, the 4Q will have its challenges, including possible neg comps and commensurate margin pressure. However, with this Q and likely Jan comp outlook, we are now closer to the last known bad data points (Feb & Mar facing ~7.5% compares globally); then comparisons progressively ease, setting the stage for potential accelerated sales momentum. MCD still faces material challenges and must prove its new value efforts here and in Europe work, but the risk reward is becoming more positive.

Glass and Dasari have an "Equal-Weight" rating on the stock.

Deutsche Bank analysts Jason West and Justin Marshall raised their price target on McDonald's shares last week ahead of earnings to $101.00 from $91.76.

The analysts, who have a "Buy" rating on the stock, wrote:

We believe MCD?s absolute and relative performance will improve in 2013. Big Mac faced a ?perfect storm? of headwinds in 2012, many of which are unlikely to repeat. These included a significant (and planned) step-up in G&A spend, an ~18c f/x headwind, limited new product intros in the US, and a broad-based retrenchment in consumer spending (globally) against difficult SSS compares. While it?s never easy sledding in fast food, we believe MCD?s EPS growth is posted to accelerate starting in 2Q as SSS, G&A, and f/x compares improve simultaneously. Buy.

Oppenheimer analysts Brian Bittner and Michael Tamas are not quite as optimistic. In an earnings preview, they write:

4Q12 results and the "tough" data points we envision through 1Q13 are unlikely to coat MCD with the secret sauce needed for material stock appreciation. The consensus "buy" argument is based on easing comparisons that begin in 2Q13. We agree with the logic, but '13 estimates still lack identifiable catalysts for upside, in our view. Even as sales laps will ease, concerning headwinds such as margin pressures, limited sales slack and lack of major share drivers remain a constraint to earnings growth. We will re-evaluate our thesis if probability and conviction for earnings upside improve in 2H13, but for now we remain confident in our "Perform" rating.

We will have the full release?at 7:58 AM ET. Click here to refresh for LIVE updates >

DON'T MISS: 18 Facts About McDonald's That Will Blow Your Mind >

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-q4-2012-earnings-2013-1

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EE adds 20GB plan for 4G power users, pricing starts at ?46 per month

Want to take advantage of blazing-fast LTE speeds in the UK? You better be prepared to drop a few dozen quid, each and every month. The nation's only LTE provider is clearly taking advantage of that exclusivity with gigantic tariffs, like £31 (about $50) per month for 3 gigs of SIM-only data (and "unlimited minutes and texts"). If you speed a lot of time pulling down content on your mobile, though, a new 20GB plan makes the carrier's pricing structure a bit easier to swallow. Customers who sign up for the new 12-month "super-user" plan between now and February 28th will pay £46 (about $73), while a smaller-cap 8GB offering will be available for £41 (about $65) each month. Keep in mind that these are SIM-only tariffs -- you'll pay much more if bundling in a smartphone subsidy. Still, if you have a need for mega bandwidth for home use or on the go, the price per gig of this new plan makes EE seem a bit more reasonable. You'll find a few more details in the PR after the break.

Show full PR text

EE ANNOUNCES NEW SUPERFAST 4GEE PRICE PLAN OFFERS

· £31 per month superfast 4GEE promotional price plan to launch on the 31st January

· New 20GB 'super-user' 4GEE plan also introduced from £46 per month on SIM only for a limited period

22 January. London. EE, the UK's most advanced digital communications company, today announced a range of new 4GEE promotional price plans. The new packages are designed to provide consumers with an even greater choice of 4G options to suit their needs.

As a special promotion from 31 January until 31 March, a range of entry-level 4GEE plans is being introduced. For only £31 per month on a 24 month plan, customers receive unlimited UK calls and texts, and 500MB of mobile data, as well as the option to choose from a range of 4G smartphones for a one off fee such as the HTC One SV LTE or Nokia Lumia 820 which are available from just £29.99 (a saving of £90 on existing EE deals). Customers on 24 month plans can also take their unlimited calls and texts abroad with them to select destinations for just £5 more per month1 while those looking for flexibility can get a 12 month plan for only £41 per month.

Additionally, after listening to customers, EE will be launching a new plan offering 20GB of mobile data. The plan addresses a small number of 'super-users' (currently fewer than 1% of 4G customers), who have shown a desire to use more than the 8G of mobile data that is currently available on EE's largest 4GEE plan. The 20GB plan, which is rolling out across retail channels from today, will be available on a 12 month SIM-only plan at a special rate of £46 per month for the full length of the plan if they sign-up between now and the 28 February2. The bundle comes with unlimited UK calls and texts and is also available with the very latest 4G handsets for £61 per month on a 24 month plan to customers who sign-up by 28 February3 . EE is also introducing a new SIM-Only 12 month 8GB plan for £41 per month.

Pippa Dunn, Chief Marketing Officer at EE, said: "It's our aim to offer consumers the most comprehensive range of 4GEE price plans. With these new options we're looking to not only make 4G smartphones even more accessible, but offer even greater value for the small number of super-users out there - ensuring EE really does offer a package that's tailored for all customers 4G needs."

EE's superfast 4G offers a revolutionary mobile internet experience, delivering speeds typically five times faster than 3G4. The power of 4G enables tablet users to push the limits of their devices even further, allowing them to download, stream and browse the content they want, even quicker than before. In addition to superfast speeds, EE customers will also benefit from:

· EE Film - the UK film service that combines 2 for 1 cinema ticketing, listings, trailers, film downloads and streaming in one place

· EE Wi-Fi - access to millions of wireless hotspots across the UK, at no extra cost

· Discounted superfast EE fibre broadband - so they can enjoy blistering speeds at home and on the move

EE's 4G service will be available in 35 towns and cities by the end of March 2013, bringing superfast speeds to even more consumers and businesses across the UK.

Full details on the new promotional plans, including terms and conditions, will be available shortly in EE shops as well as on www.ee.co.uk

Filed under: Cellphones

Comments

Source: EE

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/22/ee-adds-20gb-plan/

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PushBullet Sends Files, Lists, Addresses, and More from Your Browser to Your Android Phone

Android (4.0+)/Web: PushBullet is a webapp and companion Android app that makes it simple to get files, documents, addresses, lists, and plain text?just about anything you want?from your desktop into your Android phone's notifications pane. From there, you can open it directly in any application you choose.

There are plenty of ways to get files from your computer to your Android phone?you can email it to yourself, put the file in Dropbox and then open it on your phone, use Google Drive for documents?but none of those methods makes it as easy as PushBullet does. PushBullet's greatest strength is that anything you push goes right into your notifications pane where you can work with it instantly?you don't need to open another app, sync, or download what you sent yourself.

When you push a file, a note, an address, or a list to your phone, PushBullet drops it into the notifications pane. Just tap the item in the notifications list and you'll be prompted to open it in the right application. If you push an address, you can choose Maps. If you push a document, you can choose whatever document reader you have installed. If it's a list, you can use Android's rich notifications to browse it and leave it in the notifications (like a shopping list, for example, only in your notifications bar) or open it in another app.

The app is brand new, so expect a few quirks here and there. It's also free, and requires you download the Android app and select a Google account to pair the webapp and the Android app after installing. We tested it, and it works as advertised. It may not totally replace the old Dropbox trick, but it's a great way to get addresses and APKs right to your phone so you can use them immediately.

PushBullet | via Hacker News

PushBullet (Free) | Google Play via Pushbullet Blog

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/7o44Z43tFNY/pushbullet-sends-files-lists-addresses-and-more-from-your-browser-to-your-android-phone

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lexie logician: Diseases Multiple Sclerosis | latest news on ...

MS is a disease that affects the central nervous system, which is made up by the brain and the spinal cord. As you probably know, the brain and spinal cord have a lot to do with how the body moves. So, MS will alter the way that someone moves.

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Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic, inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS), which comprises of the brain and the spinal cord. You just walked out of your neurologist office after receiving the devastating news that you have Multiple Sclerosis. What now?

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If you?ve been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis your doctor has likely explained the science of the disease, and that you are in for a long haul of treatment plans and discomfort. I strongly believe that a fitness program that works on all aspects of your fitness (such as strength, balance, flexibility, co-ordination, breathing and cardio) can only be beneficial for you.

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Multiple Sclerosis treatments focus on battling the autoimmune response and managing symptoms of MS. Treatments include medications,It would appear that patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis will soon be offered two new oral medications.

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There was a story last night on our local news about a woman with multiple sclerosis who has regained her ability to walk because of a new oral medication.Multiple Sclerosis, or MS, is a disease that usually appears in adults between the ages of 20-40. MS occurs when the brain and spinal cord sheaths incur damage

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Multiple sclerosis affects the nervous system, and inhibits the brain from communicating with other nerve cells. When someone develops MS their immune system attacks its own body.

Multiple Sclerosis or MS is a nerve cell disorder that affects the brain and the spinal cord, which controls all the physical activities of the human body.

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Multiple sclerosis is a condition in which the capacity of the nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain communicate with each other is diminished. Neurological disorders, as the name implies, affect the entire nervous system i.e. the central nervous system, the peripheral nervous system and the autonomic nervous system.

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There are many conditions and diseases in that may qualify Americans to obtain disability payments from the Social Security Administration, or SSA.Many studies have shown that sleep disturbances, in folks with MS, are 3 times more common than in the general population.

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Tags: body, disease, fitness, Multiple Sclerosis, news, Sclerosis

Source: http://vinetsoft.com/diseases-multiple-sclerosis/

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Source: http://lexie-logician.blogspot.com/2013/01/diseases-multiple-sclerosis-latest-news.html

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Study: NJ's dropout rate stays among lowest in US

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- Federal officials say nearly nine out of 10 New Jersey students get their diplomas on time.

The study released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Education also shows the state continues to have one of the nation's lowest dropout rates.

The national dropout rate for 2009-2010 was 3.4 percent, but just 1.6 percent in New Jersey. That's same rate the state posted in the previous school year.

The study also shows 87.2 percent of New Jersey students finishing in the 2009-10 school year got their diplomas on time.

The study ranks the dropout rate for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/study-njs-dropout-rate-stays-155456854.html

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Obama speech sets stage for looming policy fights

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Jill Biden, speak to supporters and donors at an inaugural reception for the 57th Presidential Inauguration at The National Building Museum in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Jill Biden, speak to supporters and donors at an inaugural reception for the 57th Presidential Inauguration at The National Building Museum in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

President Barack Obama is officially sworn-in by Chief Justice John Roberts in the Blue Room of the White House during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013. Next to Obama are first lady Michelle Obama, holding the Robinson Family Bible, and daughters Malia and Sasha. (AP Photo/Larry Downing, Pool)

The West Front of the U.S. Capitol is dressed in red, white and blue the day before President Obama's public inauguration ceremony, in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013. President Obama took the official oath of office at the White House at noon Jan. 20, as mandated by the Constitution. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

A man rides a bicycle as others walk on the National Mall Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, with the U.S. Capitol prepared for the ceremonial swearing-in of President Barack Obama, the 57th Presidential Inaugural on Monday in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama has prepared a second inaugural address that broadly lays out his vision for the country's future, setting the stage for looming debates over taxes, guns, immigration and other issues while leaving the details for another day.

The speech, slated right after Obama takes an oath to "faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States" Monday on the Capitol's west front, includes no new policy, aides say. Rather, the president plans to use the moment as it traditionally has been in most of the 56 previous inaugurations ? to talk about founding American values and their importance to the country's success today.

But his words come on the precipice of a second term with no shortage of tough battles. Obama may in some way reference the Connecticut elementary school shooting that pushed gun control to the top of his agenda. He may also speak of a need to tackle comprehensive immigration reform, another second-term priority, and a need to bring U.S. troops home from Afghanistan.

White House advisers see the inaugural speech as the opening opportunity for the president to discuss his second-term agenda, but in broad terms. The next major opportunity will be at the State of the Union address Feb. 12, when aides say Obama will discuss specific policy proposals.

Inaugural addresses are not typically partisan, and White House aides say Obama doesn't intend to call out his political opponents. But they say he will stand up for his values and vision that were supported by the majority of voters in the November election.

Obama's prepared text notes that spirited debate is a hallmark of a vibrant democracy, aides say, but that the country's leaders can't let disagreement prevent them from finding common ground to move the country forward. The president also plans to encourage Americans to continue making their voices heard to shape the debate as policy is made, aides said.

The inauguration gives Obama the chance to command global attention at a level that's rare even for the leader of the free world.

Aides say he has been working on the speech since early December, and he clearly has an eye toward his place in history. He invited presidential historians to the White House and chose to take his oath on Bibles owned by Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr.

___

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

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-01-21-Obama-Inauguration-Speech/id-9c04287c091941e8adb768ba6ebc1425

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Permaduino makes your Arduino projects permanent (video)

Arduinos are fun to tinker with, but there's one problem. Once you've built something cool, you pretty much have to tear it down to use your board for another project. Sure, you can always buy multiple Arduino boards or proto shields, but what if you want to turn your creation into something a bit more permanent and a lot more compact? Say hello to Permaduino, a small battery-powered Arduino prototype board that just launched on Indiegogo. It features an Atmega328P (natch), two AAA battery holders with a 3 to 5V DC-DC converter (up to 180mA), a 25-column breadboard with VCC and ground, plus FTDI, AVR-ISP and USB interfaces. Best of all, Permanuino conveniently fits inside a standard 8mm videotape case (as long as you don't mount large components on that breadboard). Interested? Hit the break for the Indiegogo link and campaign video.

Filed under: Misc

Comments

Source: Permaduino (Indiegogo)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/20/permaduino-makes-your-arduino-projects-permanent-video/

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21 January, 2013 at 7:53 am in Business

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Source: http://www.spyghana.biz/Business/depending-waves-more-may-rogue-using-be-binge/

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How to Write a Resume Summary Statement - Job Searching ...

A resume summary statement is a brief list of the highlights of your qualifications. It gives the hiring manager, at a glance, a synopsis of your professional qualifications.

If you opt to use a resume summary statement what should you include and what's the best way to write it?? Here are tips on how to write a summary statement plus resume summary statement examples from Dana Leavy, founder of Aspyre Solutions career coaching in New York.

When you want to get even more specific on your resume, consider using a resume profile. It's a?section of a resume that includes a brief summary of?your skills, experiences and goals as they relate to a specific job opening.? A well-written profile can show the employer, at a glance, why you are qualified for the job for which they are hiring.

Here's more on how to write a resume profile, plus a list of examples.

Read More: Resume Objectives | Career Summaries | Resume Profiles

_{Image Copyright Alison Doyle}

Source: http://jobsearch.about.com/b/2013/01/19/resume-summary-statement.htm

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2013-01-20 After 5 Happy Hour @ Park Hyatt | HCMCLife, Nightlife ...

EVENT:
DATE:	Sunday 20 Jan,2013
LOCATION:	Park Hyatt 2 Lam Son Square St, District 1,HCMC
TIME:	7PM-10PM
	Reward yourself after a hard day of work with 51% off your food and drink bill at 2 Lam Son. Select a drink from the spectrum of signature martinis, local and imported beers, premium wines and spirits and complement it with Mini Cheese Burgers, Home-made pizza or other savoury snack from the food menu. This special offer is available everyday from 5 pm to 8pm, so share this reward with friends and schedule your next happy hour rendezvous. Discount does not apply to bottle purchases of wine or spirits.

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Source: http://hcmclife.com/2013-01-20-after-5-happy-hour-park-hyatt/

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Eva Longoria's Next Role: Hispanic Activist (WSJ)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/278068107?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Greening Up The Film Industry: Dutch Filmmakers Clean Up On Set

by Rachel Nuwer.

Environmentally, the Netherlands has a lot going for it. The country excels at climate change mitigation and an extensive recycling system keeps all but 10 percent of Holland?s waste out of landfills. Yet until recently, the Dutch movie industry seemed oblivious to the green movement. Now, a group of innovative Dutch filmmakers have set out to shift their country?s productions to a deeper shade of green.

?There?s been a whole wave of environmental entrepreneurs in Holland over the last four or five years who really developed their business model by thinking in sustainable, green terms,? said Chai Locher, founder of the Amsterdam-based production company Vision Media. ?But the film industry didn?t connect to that world,? he said.

Like other sectors in the green movement, green filmmaking focuses on slashing waste, electricity use and greenhouse gas emissions. Locher knew that green filmmaking had already taken off in places like the U.S., New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Major Hollywood studios, for example?including Disney, Warner Bros., NBC Universal, Fox and Sony Pictures Entertainment?helped to kickstart the trend by backing a Green Production Guide and carbon footprint calculator for productions, while actors like Rachel McAdams and Leonardo DiCaprio promote environmental stewardship on their film sets and to the public.

Read the rest of this article from The Credits.

Sign up now for your own FREE monthly subscription to ?The Director?s Chair? filmmaking ezine and get the first 30 pages of my 238 page Film Directing Multi-Media Online course, ?The Art and Craft of the Director Audio Seminar.?

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Source: http://filmdirectingtips.com/archives/7739

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Newspaper reports slam China pollution

Beijing, Jan. 14 (Reuters): Chinese media said today that the government had to take urgent action to tackle air pollution, which has blanketed parts of the country at dangerous levels in recent days, and one newspaper called for a re-think of a ?fixation? on economic growth.

China?s media is under tight Communist Party control and usually steer clear of controversy, but news organisations are more free to report on pollution, partly because it can?t be hidden from the public.

Air quality in Beijing was far above hazardous levels over the weekend, reaching 755 on an index that measures particulate matter in the air with a diametre of 2.5 micrometers. A level of 300 is considered dangerous while the World Health Organisation recommends a daily level of no more than 20.

?How can we get out of this suffocating siege of pollution?? the People?s Daily, the official newspaper of the Communist Party, said in a front-page editorial.

?Let us clearly view managing environmental pollution with a sense of urgency.?

A thick smog shrouded the capital on the weekend, cutting visibility and sending many people out to buy face masks in a bid to protect themselves.

Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130115/jsp/foreign/story_16442607.jsp

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India's army chief turns up heat on Pakistan, says can retaliate

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's army chief accused Pakistan on Monday of detailed planning of an attack along Kashmir's de factor border last week in which two soldiers were killed and said India reserved the right to retaliate.

The comments, which came as public anger mounts over the decapitation of one of the slain soldiers, appear certain to further inflame tensions between the nuclear-armed enemies.

Last week's fighting was the worst outbreak of violence in Kashmir, the Himalayan region both nations claim, since the two sides agreed a ceasefire nine years ago. Indian and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence in 1947, two of them over Kashmir.

Army chief General Bikram Singh was speaking just hours before local commanders were to meet at the border to identify ways of reducing tensions and avoiding further clashes.

"The attack on January 8 was premeditated, a pre-planned activity. Such an operation requires planning, detailed reconnaissance," Singh told a news conference in New Delhi.

He said India reserved the right to retaliate against provocative acts on the border at a time and place of its choosing.

"I expect all my commanders at the Line of Control to be both aggressive and offensive in the face of provocation and fire," he said.

Both armies have lost two soldiers each in fighting along parts of the 740-km (460-mile) ceasefire line this month. One of the Indians was decapitated, New Delhi said, inflaming tempers in the country and prompting his family to start a hunger strike demanding that the severed head be brought back.

Pakistan has termed the Indian allegations as propaganda and blamed it for violations on the ceasefire line.

Islamabad accused Indian soldiers of entering its territory and killing a soldier on Jan 6. India said Pakistani soldiers intruded about 600 meters (yards) into its territory two days later and killed two Indian soldiers on patrol, the attack Singh was referring to.

Pakistan said one of its soldiers was killed in further fighting on Thursday.

Singh said the beheading was a "gruesome act" and against the ethics of soldiering. He said a strong protest had been lodged with Pakistani authorities through diplomatic channels.

The family members of the slain soldier, Hemraj Singh, have launched a hunger strike demanding retribution and that his severed head be back brought back.

"Our demand is not something big. My brother's head should be brought back and the Pakistanis should be taught a lesson," said Jai Singh in their village in northern India.

(Additional reporting by Satarupa Bhattacharjya; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/india-accuses-pakistan-planning-deadly-kashmir-incident-065036340.html

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Most time still spent on a computer: report | tonight Newspaper

LuAnn LaSalle, The Canadian Press | Last Updated:Tue, 15 Jan 2013 18:47:26 GMT

Alysha Griffin works on a laptop computer at ElancOnline inside Garden Spot High School in New Holland, Pa., Nov. 7, 2012. People will still spend more time on personal computers in 2013 than they will on tablets and smartphones, despite the popularity of these smaller devices, says a new tech trends report. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP Photo/Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era, Blaine Shahan

MONTREAL - People will still spend more time on personal computers in 2013 than they will on tablets and smartphones, despite the popularity of these smaller devices, says a new tech trends report.

More than 80 per cent of the data going across the Internet this year will continue to come from laptop and desktop personal computers, the Deloitte Canada 2013 trends report said.

Why?

"People like big screens," said Duncan Stewart, director of research for technology, media and telecom at Deloitte in Toronto.

"They watch a two-hour movie, they play a half-hour game. They check Facebook for a while. The session length tends to be much longer."

The PC's accompanying keyboard and mouse, or trackpad, are also needed for people to perform most of their computing, Stewart said.

More than 70 per cent of the hours people spend on computing devices ? PCs, smartphones and tablets ? will be on a personal computer in 2013 and work will account for much of that, Stewart's report, released Tuesday, said.

In people's non-work lives, they're likely to use personal computers more than 50 per cent of the time, the report found.

Smartphones can have screens that are only about three inches, or about 76 millimetres, and tablets can have screens that are seven to 10 inches (178 mm to 254 mm).

Stewart said there's no shortage of online articles heralding the replacement of personal computers with touch screen tablets. Not so fast, he said.

"The PC is not dead: it's about usage, not units," said Stewart's report.

While not matching the growth of tablets and smartphones in the last few years, PC sales have remained strong, the report said.

There's expected to be almost 1.6 billion personal computers in use globally in 2013, up from 1.4 billion in 2010. By contrast, there will be about a quarter of a billion tablets in use globally and the smartphone base will be more than 1.5 billion worldwide in 2013, the report said.

Stewart said companies with more than 100 employees worldwide are not replacing computers with tablets.

Tablets are being used in addition to PCs to replace paper, such as agendas and lists. Doctors are using tablets to replace clipboards and restaurants can use them to replace such things as wine lists, he added.

Also in 2013, Deloitte Canada notes that ultra-high resolution televisions, also known as ultra high definition TVs, have made their debut and cost $25,000 to $35,000.

Few are expected to be sold in Canada this year, Stewart said.

Called 4K TVs, the next general of high-definition television, they were rolled out by manufacturers such as Sony and Samsung at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

"Virtually nobody in Canada will buy a 4K set in 2013 and those who won't be able to watch very much on it," Stewart said.

"These things take years to roll out."

Stewart said the ultra-high resolution is ideal for Hollywood movies and live sports.

"It could lead to less blurring on stuff like a baseball being struck or a hockey shot," he said, and "seeing every blade of grass at the Masters (golf tournament)."

Also on the TV front, televisions worldwide are starting to come out with gesture and voice control. But Stewart said this doesn't mean the remote control device will become obsolete.

"What if I forget and wave my arm and 'Oh my god the Habs are about to score' and I've just changed the channel," he said.

As a result, TV viewers could get frustrated and go back to the "trusty old remote control."

Stewart noted that gesture and voice control have an 80 per cent to 90 per cent accuracy level, but he said they are "not yet ready for prime time."

Other predictions for 2013:

Live TV ? sports, news and reality shows ? will keep the vast majority of Canadian viewers from "cutting the cord'' on traditional TV services in 2013. Deloitte Canada is predicting that less than one per cent of Canadians will abandon TV services they're paying for from cable, satellite or telecom providers, despite hype around it.

Deloitte is also predicting that crowd funding websites will raise $3.3 billion in 2013, a 100 per cent increase on the $1.5 billion raised in 2011. These websites allow large numbers of individuals to give money to a project, company, an artist or a cause. Consumer lending is also available online through crowd funding.

Source: http://www.tonightnewspaper.com/2013/01/15/most-time-still-spent-on-a-computer-report/

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Anonymous hacks MIT in honor of Aaron Swartz

4 hrs.

Helen A.S. Popkin

Update: Since?this?story?first?posted,?the?U.S. Department of Justice has?dropped?its?case?against?Aaron?Swartz???a?common?practice?when?a?defendant?dies?before a?court?verdict???and?declined?to?comment.?

"We want to respect?the family's privacy at this time,"?DOJ spokesperson Christina DiIorio-Sterling?told?NBC?News.?"His?death was a tragedy and we don't think it's appropriate to?comment?on?this case at this time."

Meanwhile,?a?petition?has been filed with the?White House seeking to remove?U.S.?Attorney Carmen Ortiz?from office "for overreach" in the Swartz?case.

***

On Sunday,?Anonymous added its tribute to the many online memorials honoring Aaron Swartz, hacking into and temporarily taking over?the?Massachusetts?Institute of Technology website to eulogize the programmer and Internet activist?who reportedly?took his life on Friday. The hacktivist collective called?for computer crime law reform. ?

Swartz, who had written about his battle with depression,?helped to create RSS at age 14?and?co-founded Demand Progress, a group that?helped?quash?proposed?Internet?piracy?bills,?the?Stop?Online?Piracy?Act?and?the?Protect?IP?Act.?He?was?also?a?proponent for open access to information,?and?in?2011?was indicted on charges that?he accessed MIT's computer networks to?improperly downloaded 4.8 million documents from JSTOR, an online subscription?service?which?archives?academic journals. Though JSTOR balked at?charging?Swartz, the U.S.?Attorney's Office pursued the case. If convicted, Swartz?faced?up?to?$4 million in fines and more than 50 years in prison.

Anonymous?addressed the prosecution?in?its?post?on?the?hacked?MIT?website,?stating:

Whether or not the government contributed to his suicide, the government?s prosecution of Swartz was a grotesque miscarriage of justice, a distorted and perverse shadow of the justice that Aaron died fighting for ? freeing the publicly-funded scientific literature from a publishing system that makes it inaccessible to most of those who paid for it ? enabling the collective betterment of the world through the facilitation of sharing ? an ideal that we should all support.

Swartz's family was more direct in its statement, released on Saturday:

Decisions made by officials in the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney's office and at MIT contributed to his death. The U.S. Attorney's office pursued an exceptionally harsh array of charges, carrying potentially over 30 years in prison, to punish an alleged crime that had no victims. Meanwhile, unlike JSTOR, MIT refused to stand up for Aaron and its own community's most cherished principles.

Hours before Anonymous hacked the MIT website, university president L. Rafael Reif?announced?an?investigation?into the school's actions in?connection?with?Swartz.?"I?will not attempt to summarize here the complex events of the past two years,"?Reif?wrote, addressing the MIT community.?"Now is a time for everyone involved to reflect on their actions, and that includes all of us at MIT."?

NBC News has reached out to both MIT and the U.S.?Justice Department, and will update this report if we hear back.

It its own homepage tribute to Swartz, JSTOR?said it?regretted being drawn into the case because the organization's "mission is to foster widespread access to the world?s body of scholarly knowledge."

"At the same time, as one of the largest archives of scholarly literature in the world, we must be careful stewards of the information entrusted to us by the owners and creators of that content," the statement said. "To that end, Aaron returned the data he had in his possession?and JSTOR settled any civil claims we might have had against him in June 2011."

As part of it's memorial posted on the hacked MIT website, Anonymous said it wants "this tragedy to be a basis for?reform of computer crime laws, and the overzealous prosecutors who use them."

Copyright?and?intellectual?property?law?should?be?returned?"to the proper principles of common good to the many, rather than private gain to the few,"?Anonymous?said,?and?there?needs?to?be?a?"renewed and unwavering commitment to a free and unfettered Internet, spared from censorship with equality of access and franchise for all."

Following news of Swartz's death, some?researchers?honored?his?quest?for?open?access?via?a?PDF?tribute.?

"A fitting tribute to Aaron might be a mass protest uploading of copyright-protected research articles," read?a?Reddit?post?from?Micah Allen,?a researcher in the fields of brain plasticity, cognitive neuroscience?and cognitive science.?"Dump them on Gdocs, tweet the link. Think of the great blu-ray encoding protest but on a bigger scale for research articles." Starting?Friday,?links?to?hundreds?of?PDF?documents,?with?the?hashtag?#PDFtribute,?appeared?on?Twitter.?

Of the many online tributes to Swartz however, perhaps the most moving is that of his friend and fellow activist, science fiction author?Cory Doctorow, posted on BoingBoing.net:

Because whatever problems Aaron was facing, killing himself didn't solve them. Whatever problems Aaron was facing, they will go unsolved forever. If he was lonely, he will never again be embraced by his friends. If he was despairing of the fight, he will never again rally his comrades with brilliant strategies and leadership. If he was sorrowing, he will never again be lifted from it.

The MIT website has since returned to business as usual, but you can read the entire text that appeared on the hacked website here:?In Memoriam, Aaron Swartz, November 8, 1986 ? January 11, 2013, Requiescat in pace.

Helen A.S. Popkin?writes about the Internet. See her on?Twitter?and/or?Facebook. Also,?Google+.?

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/anonymous-hacks-mit-honor-aaron-swartz-1B7957732

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