Soldier adjusts to life at home after Afghanistan

AAA??Dec. 31, 2012?3:27 AM ET
Soldier adjusts to life at home after Afghanistan
By BRENNAN LINSLEYBy BRENNAN LINSLEY, Associated Press??

In this Nov. 30, 2012. photo, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Aaron Dunn kisses his wife Leanne, holding their baby Emma, age 14 months, as they reunite during an arrival ceremony for soldiers returning from a deployment in Afghanistan, at Ft. Carson, in Colorado Springs, Colo. 1st Lt. Dunn, with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, had not seen his wife and baby since he deployed in March. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

In this Nov. 30, 2012. photo, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Aaron Dunn kisses his wife Leanne, holding their baby Emma, age 14 months, as they reunite during an arrival ceremony for soldiers returning from a deployment in Afghanistan, at Ft. Carson, in Colorado Springs, Colo. 1st Lt. Dunn, with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, had not seen his wife and baby since he deployed in March. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

In this Nov. 30, 2012 photo, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Aaron Dunn walks with his wife Leanne, holding their baby Emma, after they they reunited at an arrival ceremony for soldiers returning from a deployment in Afghanistan, at Ft. Carson, in Colorado Springs, Colo. Dunn deployed to the Hindu Kush mountains close to the border with Pakistan, where his unit was charged with engaging Taliban fighters, and with mentoring Afghan Government soldiers who will soon be left to fight alone as U.S. combat forces steadily draw down after more than ten years. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

In this Nov. 30, 2012 photo, 1st Lt. Aaron Dunn enters his home before sunrise on the morning of his return from a deployment in Afghanistan, in Fountain, Colo. Many soldiers returning home after long deployments describe the change as welcome, but also overwhelming at first. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

In this Nov. 30, 2012 photo, 1st Lt. Aaron Dunn removes his belongings from his army duffel bag, on the morning of his return from a deployment in Afghanistan, in Fountain, Colo. Asked what he'll miss about Afghanistan, Dunn says: "Probably getting to do my job. It's one thing to train, but its a whole different thing when you are actually doing what you have worked so hard at during training. The rewards are there." (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

In this Dec. 9, 2012 photo, roughly a week back from Afghanistan, 1st Lt. Aaron Dunn walks into his living room, his wife Leanne cooking in the the kitchen, and their baby Emma walks nearby, in Fountain, Colo. Asked what he'll miss about Afghanistan, Dunn says: "Probably getting to do my job. It's one thing to train, but its a whole different thing when you are actually doing what you have worked so hard at during training. The rewards are there." (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

FOUNTAIN, Colo. (AP) ? First Lt. Aaron Dunn deployed to the Afghanistan in early March 2012. His 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, was charged with engaging Taliban fighters in Kunar Province and mentoring Afghan government soldiers. Upon returning, here are some of his views.

Coming home:

"War and coming home are going to mean different things to each soldier. For me it was God and Family. I get my security in life from my hope in God, and my companionship and support from my family. I really didn't worry too much during deployment, because of that faith."

Support for those serving:

"For a lot of soldiers, it's the family back home that drives them. Support from family and friends is very important. Support is also important from the American public. Often times a simple thank you is enough."

The emotional toll:

"In my opinion, its tougher on the families, especially after the unit takes a casualty. I personally can't imagine waiting, not knowing if your loved one is alive or even alright, and having a panic each time a car drives by your drive way thinking it's the military chaplain and escort coming to see you."

Making up for the lost time with family:

"A lot of people seem to think that 'quality time' will make up for a long absence. It doesn't. Its 'quantity time' that does that. It is the time spent doing things that are fun, but also the time spent doing the daily chores, and other routines that firmly bring a family together. Emma was 5 months old when I deployed, and 14 months old when I returned. I was able to stay in touch with the family and had the luck to watch Emma begin to crawl via Skype."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-31-Afghanistan-Coming%20Home/id-3eb79acd0f19441ea47e9642cb422b6d

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Obama wants gun violence measures passed in 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Recalling the shooting rampage that killed 20 first graders as the worst day of his presidency, President Barack Obama on Sunday pledged to put his "full weight" behind legislation aimed at preventing gun violence.

Obama voiced skepticism about the National Rifle Association's proposal to put armed guards in schools following the Dec. 14 tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. The president made his comments in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press."

Instead, the president vowed to rally the American people around an agenda to limit gun violence, adding that he still supports increased background checks and bans on assault weapons and high-capacity bullet magazines. He left no doubt it will be one of his top priorities next year.

"It is not enough for us to say, 'This is too hard so we're not going to try,'" Obama said.

"I think there are a vast majority of responsible gun owners out there who recognize that we can't have a situation in which somebody with severe psychological problems is able to get the kind of high capacity weapons that this individual in Newtown obtained and gun down our kids," he added. "And, yes, it's going to be hard."

The president added that he's ready to meet with Republicans and Democrats, anyone with a stake in the issue.

The schoolhouse shootings, coming as families prepared for the holidays, have elevated the issue of gun violence to the forefront of public attention. Six adult staff members were also killed at the elementary school. Shooter Adam Lanza committed suicide, apparently as police closed in. Earlier, he had killed his mother at the home they shared.

The tragedy immediately prompted calls for greater gun controls. But the NRA is strongly resisting those efforts, arguing instead that schools should have armed guards for protection. Some gun enthusiasts have rushed to buy semiautomatic rifles of the type used by Lanza, fearing sales may soon be restricted.

Obama seemed unimpressed by the NRA proposal. "I am skeptical that the only answer is putting more guns in schools," he said. "And I think the vast majority of the American people are skeptical that that somehow is going to solve our problem."

The president said he intends to press the issue with the public.

"The question then becomes whether we are actually shook up enough by what happened here that it does not just become another one of these routine episodes where it gets a lot of attention for a couple of weeks and then it drifts away," Obama said. "It certainly won't feel like that to me. This is something that - you know, that was the worst day of my presidency. And it's not something that I want to see repeated."

Separately, a member of the president's cabinet said Sunday that rural America may be ready to join a national conversation about gun control. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the debate has to start with respect for the Second Amendment right to bear arms and recognition that hunting is a way of life for millions of Americans.

But Vilsack said Newtown has changed the way people see the issue. "I really believe that this is a different circumstance and a different situation," Vilsack said on CNN.

Vilsack said he thinks it's possible for Americans to come together. "It's potentially a unifying conversation," he said. "The problem is that these conversations are always couched in the terms of dividing us. This could be a unifying conversation, and Lord knows we need to be unified."

Besides passing gun violence legislation, Obama also listed deficit reduction and immigration as top priorities for 2013. A big deficit reduction deal with Republicans proved elusive this month, and Obama is now hoping Senate Democratic and Republican leaders salvage a scaled-back plan that avoids tax increases for virtually all Americans.

In addition, he issued a defense of former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, who has been mentioned as one of the leading candidates to replace Leon Panetta as defense secretary.

Hagel, who opposed President George W. Bush's decision to go to war with Iraq, has been criticized in conservative circles for not being a strong enough ally of Israel. Also, many liberals and gay activists have banded against him for comments he made in 1998 about an openly gay nominee for an ambassadorship

Obama, who briefly served with Hagel in the Senate, stressed that he had yet to make a decision but called Hagel a "patriot."

Hagel "served this country with valor in Vietnam," the president said. "And (he) is somebody who's currently serving on my intelligence advisory board and doing an outstanding job."

Obama noted that Hagel had apologized for his 14-year-old remark on gays.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-12-30-Obama/id-ebc7f75681e444b5a8eba40a3ec62f8c

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Social Media in 2013 |

SCORE OC counselor Jerome Chiaro graduated from Cal State University, Fullerton with a B.A. in entrepreneurship and specializes in helping small businesses across the nation on Social Media, Internet Marketing and Restaurant Marketing with his consulting firm: Restaurant Management University. He has published multiple e-books and video training series such as Restaurant Management Blueprint (a restaurant back-office management software), The Restaurant Road Map (an SEO and internet marketing guide for restaurants), and Facebook ?Like? Machine (a Facebook marketing guide).

SCORE OC: What area of social media should small businesses concentrate on for 2013?

Chiaro: The quick answer is Facebook. Facebook recently passed Google as the most visited website on the internet and they are vying back and forth for the #1 spot. As a small business owner, you can?t afford to not have a presence on Facebook.

There is so much out there now, Pinterest is getting big, Twitter is growing very fast ? Tumblr, LinkedIn, Google+, Foursquare, Yelp, Instagram and the list goes on and on. Eventually, small businesses can and should brand their business on each site, but the key is to concentrate on the one site that will reach your target market the fastest ? and 9.5 times out of 10 that is Facebook.

A deeper answer would be email marketing. Email marketing is often overlooked within the ?social media world,? but it is still the quickest, most effective form of communication for small businesses and is the core of any social media campaign. There are some rumors of email attrition, but the statistics show that email will still be the dominant marketing medium for the next few years.

SCORE OC: Do you have any tips for new Twitter users?

Chiaro: Yes, don?t treat Twitter like Facebook And don?t copy/paste your Facebook messages to Twitter. Twitter is a completely different platform, with a different language and niche. They tend to be younger, edgier, techier, hipper even.

For list-building, use the search bar to find and follow as many of your target market niche as you can. Most of the time people will reciprocate and will follow you back.

Once you?ve beefed up your following, start to build relationships with your followers. I use the 80/20 rule with my clients: 80 percent of your posts should be value-driven, no agenda attached; and 20 percent can be promotional-oriented. The most successful Twitter ?retweets? are provocative, engaging and use popular culture.

SCORE OC: What are the biggest mistakes you think small business owners make when it comes to social media?

Chiaro: I think the biggest mistake is doing it all by yourself. A common misconception with social media is that ?it?s is a free way to market your business.? Yes, it is ?free,? but it?s hard to gain any traction without help. Social media can be time consuming, daunting even. To list-build, engage and run promotions is almost a full-time job for any business.

Many of my clients hire independent contractors or even college student interns to help execute their social media marketing plan. The younger generation is so quick on social media technology and they understand the language very well because they use it constantly. They usually end up completing each project better, faster, and cheaper than any small business owner could have.

Source: http://scoreoc.org/2012/12/24/social-media-in-2013/

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Peacock love songs lure eavesdropping females from afar

Friday, December 21, 2012

Deep in the scrublands of Keoladeo National Park in northwest India, one thing was hard for biologist Jessica Yorzinski to ignore: It wasn't the heat. It wasn't the jackals. It was the squawks of peacocks in the throes of passion.

From behind the trees in the distance, she could hear a loud two-part whoop, the distinctive call that male peacocks make right before mating.

During the peacock courtship dance, a male announces that he's ready to make his move by dashing towards the object of his affection and emitting a singular squawk before mounting his mate.

"Peacocks have a number of different courtship calls, but this is the only one specifically associated with the moment before copulation, a time when the female is finally right in front of the male. It's called the hoot-dash display," said Duke University researcher Jessica Yorzinski.

The amorous peacock's signature hoot poses a puzzle for scientists.

For one, he's already got the girl.

"By that point she's already right there, checking him out. You'd think that he might not need another signal at such a late stage in the courtship process," Yorzinski said.

What's more, the calls could alert potential predators that an easy meal is near. Wild peacocks make quick snacks for jackals, tigers and hawks in their native habitat in South Asia.

"In a sense, they're advertizing that they're distracted and vulnerable. It would be wise for a predator to capitalize on that," Yorzinski said.

Intrigued, Yorzinski recorded the loud carrying-on of males in mid-conquest. Then she played the calls to free-ranging females in India and videotaped their reactions.

At each site, a loudspeaker played copulation calls on one day and silent controls on another day.

The result: the recorded love sounds made by amorous peacocks in the throes of passion drew eavesdropping females from afar. Females approached and spent more time near speakers that were playing hoots compared to silent controls.

To make sure the birds weren't simply drawn to any noise, Yorzinski repeated a similar experiment with captive birds in an outdoor enclosure at Duke University. There, a speaker played two different sounds: peacock copulation calls, or crow caws.

A male peacock demonstrates the 'hoot-dash display.' Credit: Video by Jessica Yorzinski

The results matched what she found in the wild. Captive females paid little attention to the speakers when crow caws were playing, but when the love whoops were played, the females moved toward the source of sound and spent more time near the speaker.

"Why they're attracted to these calls and what it tells them ? these are still open questions," Yorzinski said.

Announcing the fact that he's getting a girl could help a male attract additional mates, she explained.

Studies in other species have shown that females flock towards popular males. "It's like someone's already vouched for him. If he's good enough for one girl, then he might be good enough for another girl, too."

That dating boost could make up for the risks involved in disclosing his whereabouts to potential predators, especially in the birds' native habitat in South Asia where dense trees and grasses make strutting males hard for females to spot.

If distant females are drawn to the love calls made by mating males, what's less clear is what keeps males from boosting their call rate to give the impression that they're more successful than they actually are.

"One of the biggest unanswered questions is why males don't fake it," Yorzinski said. "I've heard males making false calls when there's no mate in sight, so there definitely is some level of cheating going on. Figuring out why they don't do it more often would be the key."

###

National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent): http://www.nescent.org

Thanks to National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 21 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126055/Peacock_love_songs_lure_eavesdropping_females_from_afar

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Peel-and-Stick solar panels from Stanford engineering

Friday, December 21, 2012

For all their promise, solar cells have frustrated scientists in one crucial regard ? most are rigid. They must be deployed in stiff, often heavy, fixed panels, limiting their applications. So researchers have been trying to get photovoltaics to loosen up. The ideal: flexible, decal-like solar panels that can be peeled off like band-aids and stuck to virtually any surface, from papers to window panes.

Now the ideal is real. Stanford researchers have succeeded in developing the world's first peel-and-stick thin-film solar cells. The breakthrough is described in a paper in the December 20th issue of Scientific Reports.

Unlike standard thin-film solar cells, the peel-and-stick version from Stanford does not require any direct fabrication on the final carrier substrate. This is a far more dramatic development than it may initially seem. All the challenges associated with putting solar cells on unconventional materials are avoided with the new process, vastly expanding the potential applications of solar technology.

Thin-film photovoltaic cells are traditionally fixed on rigid silicon and glass substrates, greatly limiting their uses, says Chi Hwan Lee, lead author of the paper and a PhD candidate in mechanical engineering. And while the development of thin-film solar cells promised to inject some flexibility into the technology, explains Xiaolin Zheng, a Stanford assistant professor of mechanical engineering and senior author of the paper, scientists found that use of alternative substrates was problematic in the extreme.

"Nonconventional or 'universal' substrates are difficult to use for photovoltaics because they typically have irregular surfaces and they don't do well with the thermal and chemical processing necessary to produce today's solar cells," Zheng observes. "We got around these problems by developing this peel-and-stick process, which gives thin-film solar cells flexibility and attachment potential we've never seen before, and also reduces their general cost and weight."

Utilizing the process, Zheng continues, researchers attached their solar cells to paper, plastic and window glass among other materials.

"It's significant that we didn't lose any of the original cell efficiency," Zheng said.

The new process involves a unique silicon, silicon dioxide and metal "sandwich." First, a 300-nanometer film of nickel (Ni) is deposited on a silicon/silicon dioxide (Si/SiO2) wafer. Thin-film solar cells are then deposited on the nickel layer utilizing standard fabrication techniques, and covered with a layer of protective polymer. A thermal release tape is then attached to the top of the thin-film solar cells to augment their transfer off of the production wafer and onto a new substrate.

The solar cell is now ready to peel from the wafer. To remove it, the wafer is submerged in water at room temperature and the edge of the thermal release tape is peeled back slightly, allowing water to seep into and penetrate between the nickel and silicon dioxide interface. The solar cell is thus freed from the hard substrate but still attached to the thermal release tape. Zheng and team then heat the tape and solar cell to 90?C for several seconds, then the cell can be applied to virtually any surface using double-sided tape or other adhesive. Finally, the thermal release tape is removed, leaving just the solar cell attached to the chosen substrate.

Tests have demonstrated that the peel-and-stick process reliably leaves the thin-film solar cells wholly intact and functional, Zheng said. "There's also no waste. The silicon wafer is typically undamaged and clean after removal of the solar cells, and can be reused."

While others have been successful in fabricating thin-film solar cells on flexible substrates before, those efforts have required modifications of existing processes or materials, noted Lee. "The main contribution of our work is we have done so without modifying any existing processes, facilities or materials, making them viable commercially. And we have demonstrated our process on a more diverse array of substrates than ever before," Lee said.

"Now you can put them on helmets, cell phones, convex windows, portable electronic devices, curved roofs, clothing ? virtually anything," said Zheng.

Moreover, peel-and-stick technology isn't necessarily restricted to thin-film solar cells, Zheng said. The researchers believe the process can also be applied to thin-film electronics, including printed circuits and ultra thin transistors and LCDs.

"Obviously, a lot of new products ? from 'smart' clothing to new aerospace systems ? might be possible by combining both thin-film electronics and thin-film solar cells," observed Zheng. "And for that matter, we may be just at the beginning of this technology. The peel-and-stick qualities we're researching probably aren't restricted to Ni/SiO2. It's likely many other material interfaces demonstrate similar qualities, and they may have certain advantages for specific applications. We have a lot left to investigate."

###

Stanford School of Engineering: http://soe.stanford.edu

Thanks to Stanford School of Engineering for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 17 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126039/Peel_and_Stick_solar_panels_from_Stanford_engineering

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Netflix Will Finally Publish What You Watch on Your Facebook Timeline

This week, the House of Representatives and the Senate both passed a Netflix-endorsed measure amending the 1988 Video Privacy Protection Act aka the Bork Law. Assuming President Obama rubber stamps the amendment, Netflix will offer you the option of publishing information about what you're watching on Facebook—something it already does in scores of other countries. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/O6MXongkWh4/netflix-will-finally-publish-what-you-watch-on-your-facebook-timeline

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TechWhirl: Technical Communication Recap for December 21, 2012

?This week?s update on technical communication and the TechWhirl community is supported by Platinum sponsor Adobe & their Technical Communication Suite 4 | http://adobe.ly/scpwfT

If you?re reading this, then continue your technical communication work as you have been for the last however-many years, no Mayan or Zombie Apocalypse today.? If you?re like most of us, just a little sigh of relief, but if you?re panicking about the shopping you still have to do, you might actually be disappointed that the sun came up today.

Generally speaking we?re quite happy that the prophets of doom have again spoken too soon, since it means we have plenty of time for yakking it up about technical communications, content strategy and user experience.? 2012 was an incredibly busy and productive year on all of these fronts, and we?re proud of how we?ve been able to cover the latest and greatest in this far-ranging industry.? We?re also excited about the prospects for 2013, as economies continue their slow recovery, our profession still ranks highly for growth opportunities. We see it in the increasing popularity of our jobs board, the buzz that continues on the email discussion list, and the variety of posts and commentary happening on the magazine.

As you slide into the winter holidays (we hope figuratively, not literally), take a few moments to reflect on how great it is to be a part of the technical communication field, and? resolve to become a more active member of the community in 2013.

?

Have a great weekend!

-The gang at TechWhirl

?	Sick of holiday shopping? Then read our tech comm news and commentary. Start with technical communication, gaze at what content strategy & curation offers, order up some user experience and gift wrap it all with Career and Life.
?	More than 3700 visitors converged on Wiesbaden, Germany back on October 23 ? 25, 2012 for tekom annual fair and tcworld conference 2012, the world?s largest event in the field of technical communication. The conference program, given in both German and English, featured seven tracks for the international community.
?	It?s never easy to do group projects, but this virtual conference on content strategy in the mobile device age came off quite well. Sponsored by STC and The Content Wrangler, many great speakers came together to discuss mobile content strategy, and the short answer is, it?s complex but doable.
?	Of course it?s the time of year where we?re checking off lists?gifts to buy, parties to attend, cards to send, colleagues to endorse on LinkedIn. We?re pretty sure that those of us in technical communication have more lists than most, it?s just in our nature. We take after the jolly fat man in that regard, whose lists of naughty and nice have to be well-organized, meta-tagged, and navigable in order to deliver the right stocking stuffers
?	In 2012, Techwhirl?s email discussion list was alive with opinion, facts, recommendations, suggestions, and ideas on technical writing, job hunting, planning and production of content intended to help users. As we close out the year, we thought it would be worthwhile to mine this vast expertise and provide you with some wide-ranging tips and tricks you can use in 2013 and beyond.

Technical Communication News

Tech Comm Jobs

Social Media and the Chance to Follow TechWhirl:

SPONSOR-Luv

We want to send a very special ?thank you? to our sponsors for their support.

Platinum: Adobe Systems Incorporated

Gold: ComponentOne Software, Madcap Software

Silver: Vancouver Island University

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Source: http://techwhirl.com/inside-techwhirl/technical-communication-recap-dec-21-2012/

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Dinosaur: First freshwater mosasaur discovered

Dec. 19, 2012 ? A new mosasaur species discovered in Hungary is the first known example of this group of scaled reptiles to have lived in freshwater river environments similar to modern freshwater dolphins, according to research published December 19 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Laszlo Makadi from the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Hungary and colleagues from the University of Alberta, Canada and MTA-ELTE Lend?let Dinosaur Research Group, Hungary.

The species lived about 84 million years ago, the largest specimens reached about 20 feet in length, and belongs to a family called 'mosasaurs', conventionally thought of as gigantic finned marine lizards, similar and perhaps even related to present day monitor lizards. The researchers discovered several fossils of the new species, ranging from small juveniles to large adults that suggest that this species had limbs like a terrestrial lizard, a flattened, crocodile-like skull, and a tail unlike other known members of the mosasaur family.

The fossils were recovered from an open-pit mine in the Bakony Hills of Western Hungary, which were once flood-plains. According to the study, this is the first known mosasaur that lived in freshwater, and only the second specimen of a mosasaur to have been found in rocks that were not once deposited in the ocean. Makadi says, "The evidence we provide here makes it clear that similar to some lineages of cetaceans, mosasaurs quickly adapted to a variety of aquatic environments, with some groups re- invading available niches in freshwater habitats. The size of Pannoniasaurus makes it the largest known predator in the waters of this paleo-environment."

Even in the modern world, scaly reptiles in the aquatic world are extremely rare. Only a few species live in the water, and even fewer, like marine iguanas and sea kraits, live in the oceans. The new species described here probably adapted to freshwater environments similarly to river dolphins, such as those now inhabiting the Amazon, Ganges and Yangtze rivers.

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Journal Reference:

1. L?szl? Mak?di, Michael W. Caldwell, Attila ?si. The First Freshwater Mosasauroid (Upper Cretaceous, Hungary) and a New Clade of Basal Mosasauroids. PLoS ONE, 2012; 7 (12): e51781 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051781

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/WJnnBk2jP40/121219173914.htm

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Dan Henderson?s camp not happy that his UFC 157 bout isn?t the main event

At UFC 157, Ronda Rousey's first defense of the women's bantamweight belt against Liz Carmouche is the main event. It's the only title fight on the card, and title fights getting main event status is a rule the UFC doesn't often break.

That didn't sit well with Dan Henderson's camp. He is fighting Lyoto Machida on the same card, and doesn't like being the second biggest name on the card. Gus Pugliese, Henderson's striking coach, told this to Gracie Magazine:

?Where I come from, there?s a pecking order for anything in life,? he said. ?I believe in paying dues. In this particular case, ?Hendo? and Machida paid their dues a long time ago. For someone new to come in and have a free ride just seems unfair to them and the whole sport they helped build.?

There's a legend about Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis from their time touring together during rock 'n' roll's infancy. A dispute arose over which man would close. Berry's camp won out, and he was given the last slot on the show. Lewis took his earlier spot, whipped the crowd into a frenzy with his performance and set his piano on fire during "Great Balls of Fire." He reportedly said to Berry, "Follow that!" as he left the stage.

While Henderson shouldn't literally set the octagon on fire like Lewis, the lesson from this possibly apocryphal story remains. If he wants to be the fighter everyone remembers from UFC 157, he can be. It doesn't matter if he is first, last, or somewhere in the middle of the card. Fans remember great fights. No one cares when they happened.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/dan-henderson-camp-not-happy-ufc-157-bout-203722873--mma.html

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Reports: Wisconsin to hire Utah State's Andersen as next football coach

Multiple media outlets are reporting Wisconsin will hire Utah State's Gary Andersen as head football coach to replace Bret Bielema.

The Wisconsin State Journal was first to report that Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez had offered Andersen the job Tuesday night. Andersen is in his fourth year at Utah State and is coming off his best season yet.

The 18th-ranked Aggies won the Western Athletic Conference and finished 11-2, with a school record for victories after beating Toledo 41-15 in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Saturday.

Utah State lost 16-14 at Wisconsin earlier this season.

The 48-year-old Andersen is 26-24 at Utah State. He took over in Logan, Utah, after spending five seasons as defensive coordinator at the University of Utah under Kyle Whittingham.

Bielema left Wisconsin for Arkansas.

Source: http://www.sj-r.com/breaking/x1665851401/Reports-Wisconsin-to-hire-Utah-States-Andersen-as-next-football-coach

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Shorter Hospital Stays Don't Mean Readmissions

?Hospitals are releasing patients faster and faster these days, but little is known about whether people are being sent home too soon. Now, a new study has found that earlier discharges do not necessarily result in expensive and stressful readmissions.

? Researchers reported that the length of the typical hospital stay decreased by nearly one-third (27 percent) between 1997 and 2010, from five and a half days to four days.? During that same period, the rate of readmissions within 30 days of leaving the hospital dropped by 16 percent, with hospitals eliminating nearly three out of every 100 readmissions.

The researchers analyzed more than 4 million patient records across the Veterans Affairs hospital system and examined five of the most common diagnoses for admission to the hospital, excluding patients hospitalized for psychiatric conditions or surgery.

The investigators were concerned that the decrease in readmissions was associated with discharged patients dying at home. However, the data also showed that despite shorter hospital stays, the likelihood of dying within 90 days of being admitted to the hospital also dropped by 3 percent annually.

"To see all three of these factors improve over a 14-year period is incredibly reassuring that our health care system is becoming more efficient and safer," said study author Dr. Peter Kaboli, of the Iowa City VA Health Care System.

The VA system data aren't relevant to most U.S. hospitals. That's because the VA system controls all aspects of a veteran's health care. By contrast, health care in the U.S. is primarily a hodgepodge of independently operated clinics, hospitals, pharmacies and nursing homes.

?"Medical care in this country is not a system; it's a bunch of individual forces or players each of whom takes a small part of the system," said Dr. James Goodwin, director of the Sealy Center on Aging at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, who was not involved in the current study.

"You really can increase efficiency and increase quality simultaneously when you have an integrated system. To be able to reduce hospital length of stay to that degree, those are huge changes," Goodwin said. "While there's a lot of resistance, we're moving towards integrated systems."

?? Readmissions aren't the only measure of hospital care quality. Others include hospital-associated infections, safety issues like falls in older people and medication safety, Goodwin said. About 25 percent of readmissions are linked to preventable causes, Kaboli added.

Though patients and family members can't change the health care system, researchers said the study has a takeaway message: From the minute a person enters a hospital, she should ask the doctor when she can expect to be discharged. Patients and families should discuss the proposed length of the hospital stay and make sure a patient doesn't leave if she doesn't feel ready.

"Communication is key from the beginning of a hospital stay," Kaboli said. "It's for your benefit not to stay longer than you need to."

"There is no absolute rule. There's no computer governing your movement in and out of the hospital," Goodwin added. "You can influence that process and clearly stating your desires has an impact.

The study appears online today (Dec. 17) in the journal the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Pass it on: Early hospital discharge doesn't always mean readmission.

This story was provided by MyHealthNewsDaily, a sister site to LiveScience. Follow MyHealthNewsDaily?on Twitter?@MyHealth_MHND. We're also on?Facebook?&?Google+.

Copyright 2012 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/shorter-hospital-stays-dont-mean-readmissions-165528387.html

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Iowa coach on South Carolina State: ?They?re not terrible?

IOWA CITY?? Iowa?s next opponent, South Carolina State, received a 102-51 whipping at No. 12 Missouri on Monday night.

That score alone would make anyone associated with Iowa basketball naturally relax in preparation for Wednesday?s game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. But, McCaffery said, the final score said much more about the explosive Tigers than South Carolina State.

Missouri forward Alex Oriakhi, right, dunks the ball over SouthCarolina State forward Matthew Hezekiah in second half action at Mizzou Arena on Monday, December 17, 2012, in Columbia, Missouri. The Tigers won, 102-51. (Chris Lee/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/MCT)

?They?re not terrible; Missouri made them look terrible,? McCaffery said Tuesday morning. ?If you watched this team play, they?re talented. I?ve seen a number of their games. They played substantially better against Maryland (61-46 Terrapins win). They played substantially better against Albany (which won 70-61), a team I?m familiar with, that is 9-2.

?You look at their players individually. They?ve got a 6-11 center (Matthew Hezekiah). They?ve got bullet-quick guards who can score, they?ve got athletic wings. They ran into a buzz saw last night.?

South Carolina State (4-7) has beaten four teams with which few teams are familiar. They include: Claflin, Webber International, New Jersey Institute of Technology and Jacksonville. Iowa is the second stop on a four-game swing where the Bulldogs play at several major opponents. After Iowa, South Carolina State (RPI 299) heads to Clemson and South Carolina.

Missouri (9-1) shot nearly 57 percent from the floor and buried South Carolina State in the post 60-18. Jabari Brown also gave the Tigers a lift with his first game action since November 2011.

?Missouri was absolutely relentless with their defense, their fast break,? McCaffery said. ?They are just so athletically powerful. I haven?t seen another team ? obviously I focus on the teams we?re playing and I?ll see other teams based on who they played, so I haven?t studied Duke and for matter, I watched Duke-Ohio State game so I?ve seen them a little bit?? but this team right here, Missouri, I tell you what, they?re as athletic as any team that?s out there. If there?s a team that?s more athletic or quicker or more powerful, I want to see them, with all due respect to Michigan and those folks that are ranked No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, etc.

?What we have to understand is, we have to play the same way. We have to get after it the same way.?

Hezekiah scored 14 points and added 12 rebounds for South Carolina State. The Bulldogs shot just 29 percent from the floor and were outrebounded 48-34.

?What was interesting in that game is (Missouri was) up 35, and they?re playing like they?re down five,? McCaffery said. ?That?s a mentality we have to emulate. It?s a great learning experience because what you?re going to see is you?re going to see a team come in here on Wednesday night and you?ll say, ?Wow, how did they lose?? They lost by 50 because Missouri won by 50. They?re going to play a lot differently because they have talent. They have shot makers. They have post players, and they?ve got some depth.?

Missouri gets a major test against another explosive team Saturday in the annual Braggin? Rights game against No. 10 Illinois (12-0) at St. Louis. Illinois plays at Iowa (9-2) on March 5.

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Source: http://thegazette.com/2012/12/18/iowa-coach-on-south-carolina-state-theyre-not-terrible/

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Kansas exhumes bodies of 'In Cold Blood' killers

LANSING, Kan. (AP) ? The bodies of the two men executed for the 1959 murders of a Kansas family that became infamous in Truman Capote's true-crime book "In Cold Blood" were exhumed Tuesday in an effort to solve slayings of a Florida family killed weeks later.

Kyle Smith, deputy director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, said bone fragments were collected from the skeletal remains of Richard Hickock and Perry Smith, who were hanged for the murders of Herb and Bonnie Clutter and their children in Holcomb, Kan., on Nov. 15, 1959.

The fragments were collected at the request of a Sarasota County Sheriff's detective, who has been trying to determine whether Hickock and Perry Smith were responsible for the deaths of Cliff and Christine Walker and their two young children on Dec. 19, 1959, in their home in Osprey, about four hours northwest of Miami near Sarasota. Smith and Hickock fled to Florida after the Clutter murders.

Hickock and Perry Smith have been considered suspects in the Walker slayings since 1960, and Kyle Smith said Florida officials have expressed an interest several times over the decades in renewing the investigation. DNA testing now has advanced enough that older material can be analyzed more effectively, he said.

"We can get smaller samples, more decayed samples, and still get matches," Kyle Smith said during a news conference at the city hall in Lansing. "They could have tried this 20 years ago and maybe used up what biological samples they had and gotten nothing from it."

Sarasota County detective Kimberly McGath said she requested the exhumation to obtain DNA that could be compared to that from semen found on Christine Walker's underwear. All the Walkers were shot. Christine Walker also was beaten and raped. Their 2-year-old daughter also was drowned in a bathtub.

"Our interest is providing closure to the Walker family," Kyle Smith said. "Obviously, where these perpetrators are dead, it's not going to result in any prosecution."

He added: "Obviously, there's a lot of historical interest as well."

Hickock and Perry Smith fled to Florida in a stolen car after the Clutter murders. They checked out of a Miami Beach motel on Dec. 19, the day the Walker family was killed, and at some point that day bought items at a Sarasota department store.

Witnesses have said they spoke with Smith and Hickock in Tallahassee on Dec. 21.

McGath said the Walkers were considering buying a 1956 Chevy Bel Air, the kind of car Smith and Hickock were driving through Florida. McGath thinks the Walkers met with the men because of the car.

Smith and Hickock were later arrested in Las Vegas. A polygraph test cleared them of the Walker murders, but a polygraph expert said in 1987 that such tests were worthless in the early 1960s.

"Sometimes you just have to wait for the technology to catch up to the need," Kyle Smith said.

Hickock and Perry Smith are buried on a gently sloping hill at the Mount Muncie Cemetery in Lansing, where the state of Kansas interred executed criminals when their families didn't claim the bodies. The cemetery regularly draws visitors who have read Capote's book or have seen a movie about him or the case.

The exhumation began shortly after sunrise Tuesday and ended by noon. Bone samples were collected, and the bodies reburied, Kyle Smith said. Reporters and other members of the public weren't invited to view the work because investigators were treating the graves as crime scenes.

"It went about as well as it could have," cemetery manager Gene Kirby said. "There were no surprises."

The KBI will take DNA from what was bone marrow, Kyle Smith said. He said one of its labs will do the analysis behind higher-priority tests for criminal cases about to go to trial, and he wasn't sure how long it would take.

___

Follow John Hanna on Twitter at www.twitter.com/apjdhanna

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kansas-exhumes-bodies-cold-blood-killers-184049666.html

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Need to Sell 2010 Nissan GT-R Fast! $50K? - Car Forums at ...

Item Posts ??

?

Posted: Yesterday 05:35 PM

Hi, I need funds really urgently and quickly and I'd like to sell a Premium Nissan GT-R from 2010 for $50,000. It's Black, in very good condition (Clean and no accidents) with 1 driver/owner ever. It has around 10,500 Miles. If anyone wants to buy, please contact me at czarmichal@gmail.com
I have more information, pictures, and it comes with free shipping!
BTW - On KBB.com the car is worth around 71,000 Dollars. I need to sell fast, so that's why it is such a low price!! ?

?

Posted: Today 07:48 AM

this really sounds like its a SCAM...

nothing cheep is free...

bet he wants the advance money sent by western union.. ? where it will be gone .. without any chance of recovery...

it does come with the warrantee.

Money gone if not thrilled...

there are 3 on ebay if you must have one...

Nissan : GT-R Base Trim 2010 Nissan GT-R
Time Left: 1 hour 13 minutes 18 seconds
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Nissan : GT-R Premium 2010 GTR Premium Super Silver AAM GT-650 Package 700 HP Brand New Transmission
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Nissan : GT-R Premium Coupe 2-Door Dark Gray, Premium, AWD, 485hp
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Source: http://forums.automotive.com/70/9317611/for-sale/need-to-sell-2010-nissan-gt-r-fast-50k/

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AP: Workers say charity gave little money to vets

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A veterans charity already under scrutiny for how it raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in Tennessee handed out only a fraction of the money in the form of gift cards and threatened to fire workers if they didn't meet fundraising quotas, former employees say.

The Stuart, Fla.-based Veterans Support Organization has been criticized by other groups for how it uses donations raised outside retail stores and supermarkets. It had been fined by Tennessee for making false claims about the benefits it offered, and Connecticut lawmakers called for a federal investigation before the group's Tennessee branch closed last month.

However, former employees interviewed by The Associated Press shed new details on how the charity operated. For instance, it claimed to help veterans and non-veterans by providing them jobs, but disciplined people who didn't meet fundraising quotas. It also claimed to provide housing and help for poor or homeless veterans, though the former workers say that amounted to little more than a rented home in Tennessee where the workers were charged $400 a month for bunk beds and plastic dressers.

It's not the first such charity to be scrutinized as thousands of veterans leave the military after serving in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In Ohio, for instance, a man has been charged with running a $100 million scam through a bogus charity collecting donations for Navy veterans. Other charities around the country have been scrutinized for spending large portions of the donations they receive on operating expenses.

VSO reported raising nearly $8.5 million nationwide during the last fiscal year, but leaders emptied its office in Madison and laid off about 20 workers the day before Thanksgiving. Charity officials declined to answer questions about the workers' claims, but provided a short statement.

The Tennessee chapter was raising tens of thousands of dollars a month at its peak, former chapter manager Kurt Jones told the AP, who was among those laid off. However, he said, its only donations were about $400 worth of Walmart gift cards given every other month to Veterans Affairs facilities in Tennessee and Kentucky.

Jones estimated the chapter raised almost $1.5 million in his two years as manager, but very little benefited veterans in those states.

"I can promise you that I have probably given away $25,000 out of the money that was raised in that office," he said.

Justin Wells, director of operations, said in a statement the charity decided to close both its chapters in Tennessee and New York to focus on launching new markets that would allow them to hire more veterans.

"Our national organization currently employs over 150 veterans and invests 70 percent of donations into a work and housing program that helps veterans get off the street and into the workforce, but the economic challenges of our Tennessee chapter were affecting our ability to operate elsewhere," he said in a statement. He did not describe the economic challenges.

The charity receives no government grants. Its only fundraising comes from employees who solicit donations outside of malls and retail stores, which it claims as a work program for veterans and nonveterans.

Chapters and their employees were required to meet monthly fundraising goals, and employees who didn't could lose their jobs, Jones said. If solicitors didn't start bringing in $1,000 after a month on the job, Jones said he was tasked with giving them written disciplinary warnings that could lead to dismissals.

"The only thing they cared about was their quota," said DeMarcus McKenzie, 38, one of the workers in Tennessee. "They don't care if it is cold or raining, they don't care."

According to the 2011 earnings report to the IRS, the charity took in contributions of nearly $8.5 million but distributed less than $300,000 in grants and contributions. More than $1.8 million went to salaries and compensation, including an annual salary of $286,000 for president and founder Richard Van Houten. Jones also said chapter managers could earn large bonuses if fundraising goals were met.

The charity also claims that it has housing programs in six chapters, including Tennessee, that aim to provide "sober, subsidized, transitional living for indigent veterans and to offer supportive services to help veterans recover from addiction and/or life's misfortunes quickly so they can return to a successful, independent lifestyle."

The charity's former workers said all the program amounted to in Tennessee was a rented house. They claim they were not provided with food, clothing or social services.

The charity's executives would not answer questions about the housing program.

Jones said the charity claimed the house it rented in Madison was part of the program as it charged the workers $400 a month to live there. McKenzie, who was living in the home, said all the charity provided them in the home was bunk beds ? but no sheets ? and plastic dressers for their clothes.

Some employees said the charity's work program did keep them off the street, but they were caught by surprise when it ended suddenly.

Kerry Rankins, a 52-year-old Army veteran, said he's been involved with the charity for more than two years. He lost his job at a florist in 2009 and was hired by Jones to raise money.

"I started making my finances, kinda got myself back on level with my finances," he said. "It really helped me out."

But Rankins said he was surprised when he arrived at the VSO office Nov. 21 to find a moving truck removing everything from the office.

Gary Thomas, a 57-year-old Vietnam veteran, said he was introduced to the VSO when he went to the Madison office seeking money when he was between jobs and living in a camper. He said Jones gave him $100 and a job as a solicitor.

Thomas said the amount of money they raised compared to what they were giving out didn't add up to claims the charity makes about how it uses donations.

"What they are doing is scamming a lot of people, taking money out of the state, not doing what they said they will do and faking it with phony figures," Thomas said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-workers-charity-gave-little-164021829.html

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One way to start grieving: Read names out loud

John Makely / NBC News

Erin Nemeth, 21, and Kelley Sullivan, 21, talk about some of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting and their families on Saturday in Newtown, Conn..

By Miranda Leitsinger, NBC News

NEWTOWN, Conn. -- ?A few tears dripped down Pete Kearney's face as he walked away from a vigil late Saturday near the fire station next to Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Kearney, 47 and the father of two teenagers and a 22-year-old, said he had read out loud the names of every victim of the school massacre to his 17-year-old son earlier Saturday to take in the loss to the community.

?It just felt never-ending ? overpowering, overwhelming,? said Kearney, a golf course greenskeeper whose children live with him in Newtown. ?It felt real before that, but then, you know, you see the ages and the names ? it's just incredible, so sad. I don't think I have the words.?

---

Noting that the 20 slain children were so young, Kearney asked, ?Wouldn't they still be home with their mom??

He said that it might be?a first step in the grieving process, and that with the names, perhaps "we can start reaching out to some of the victims' families, helping them heal and in that step, help ourselves heal, and move forward all of us. I guess it's all virgin territory, all of us. No answers here."

Kearney hoped to return later that evening with his daughter to the ongoing vigil, where people were placing flowers, stuffed animals and lighting candles. He broke down at times talking with a reporter about the tragedy that struck their community, noting that one of his children's friends had lost their mother.

?Nobody knows what to do, I think. You light a candle, say a prayer,? he said, his voice trembling as the words trailed off.

At makeshift memorials at the fire station and elsewhere across town, people gathered to mourn, cry, pray and sing.

Friends Kelley Sullivan and Erin Nemeth, both 21, brought 20 Beanie Babies to the fire station in Sandy Hook, where on Friday parents of victims waited to learn their children's fate. Even before the names were released, Nemeth said she knew that a boy and a girl on her block had been killed.

?To me it makes it seem even more surreal? with the release of the names, Nemeth said. ?It just doesn't seem like it's real,? she said, shuddering.

The small Connecticut town of Newtown is grieving in the aftermath of Friday's deadly school shootings. NBC's Anne Thompson reports.

? ... the pictures are going to start coming up and stories of these little kids, and they're just like innocent lives of what they enjoyed to do, and now they won't be able to do anything,? Sullivan said.

?People don't really understand how young these children actually were ? most of the born in 2006, which to us does not sound long ago, because it wasn't. And that's when they started their life and it's over already,? she added.

Nemeth said they were supporting the family of a victim ?as we can providing meals. ? We can't even begin to make these families feel better right now.?

The pair, both from Newtown and friends since the seventh grade, said they each brought 10 of their favorite Beanie Babies to leave at the memorial at the fire station.

The dolls represent ?the innocence and the youth of those people who were lost,? said a teary-eyed Sullivan.?

Countries that have experienced similar tragedies tonight stand shoulder-to-shoulder with America as it mourns the deaths of 28, most of them young children. NBC's Annabel Roberts reports.

Noel Hernandez said he and his wife Lizbeth came from Shelton, two towns away, to "absorb everything that's going on." They stood in front of a Christmas tree down the street where some had gathered to leave mementos and where small, candle-illuminated decorations?had been placed in a memorial on the ground.

As Puerto Ricans, they also were moved by the death of a Puerto Rican girl who was among those killed at the school.

"Trying to make sense of it," said the father of seven. "We always think how would we react if that would happen to ... us?"

At the fire station vigil, he said: "It was ... quiet.?You can almost feel what everybody was thinking."?

Related content from NBCNews.com:

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Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/15/15935095-one-way-to-start-the-grieving-process-read-the-newton-victims-names-out-loud?lite

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'Hobbit' sets box-office record with $84.8M debut

By Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter

New Line and MGM's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"?kicked off the holiday season in high style, opening to $84.8 million, the top three-day opening of all time for the month of December.

Will Smith's?"I Am?Legend," debuting on the same weekend in 2007, previously held the record with $77.2 million.?

The first in?Peter Jackson's?planned trilogy, "Hobbit"?received an A CinemaScore from moviegoers, portending good word of mouth. Warner Bros., which owns New Line, is distributing the 3D fantasy-adventure.

Photos from THR: 'The Hobbit': 17 New Posters Introduce Characters Going on 'An Unexpected Journey'?

"Hobbit"?-- based on?J. R. R. Tolkien's?1937 novel and set 60 years before the events chronicled in "The Lord of the Rings"?-- played older, with 58 percent of the audience over the age of 25. Males made up 57 percent of those buying tickets.

"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," opening on Dec. 17, 2003, a Wednesday, posted a five-day debut of $124.1 million, including a weekend opening of roughly $72 million.

Some 326 Imax theaters, the favorite locale of fanboys, made up the top 10 locations for "Hobbit," generating $10.1 million in ticket sales for a location average of $31,000. Imax screens playing the film in the 48 frames-per-second format also generated strong numbers, or $44,000 per location.

Starring?Martin Freeman?as Bilbo?Baggins?and returning?Ian?McKellen?in the role of the wizard Gandalf form Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" films, "Hobbit"?is the first in a planned trilogy.

Elsewhere, awards contenders "Lincoln"?and "Silver Linings Playbook"?both saw a boost from their Golden Globe nominations.

Photos from THR: Peter Jackson, Martin Freeman and Ian McKellen Premiere 'The Hobbit' in NYC ?

In its sixth weekend,?Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln"?dropped less than 19 percent to come in No. 3 with weekend earnings of $7.2 million and putting its domestic total at $107.9 million. DreamWorks produced the film, while Disney has domestic distribution duties.

From?David O. Russell, "Silver Linings"?dropped only 4 percent to come in No. 10 with $2.1 million from 371 theaters. The film, from The Weinstein Co., saw the lowest decline of any film in the top 10, and will add more theaters on Christmas Day.

Related content:

Source: http://entertainment.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/16/15947248-the-hobbit-sets-box-office-record-with-848-million-opening?lite

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Pro Gun Rights Senators Decline To Go On Meet ... - Business Insider

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From the Editor's Desk: Android Central v3.0; HTC Frequencies; Samsung's next Galaxy awaits

Welcome, ladies and germs, to Android Central v3.0.

What you see before you here is the third major iteration of the design of the best damn Android website in the world, bar none. Born of some incredible designers and coders, alongside the news people you know and trust and the forums administrators, advisers and moderators who guide you through the Android world 365 days a year, this is, I can say without hesitation, the best version of Android Central yet.

What's new? We've got the full changelog in the forums. (And, frankly, with the pace at which we're working, it's likely to be slightly out of date by the time you read this. We don't sleep much.) The short version is a cleaner design in the forums and blogs, and more options on the front page.

We've been experimenting with a couple homepage views for a while now. One is the traditional blog view. Big images and stories that might be short, or might take you a few thousand words deep. The other is a headline view that shows you the latest information at a glance. (It actually takes me back to the old days of reading the Associated Press wire for hours on end, with only timestamps, category codes and story slugs to guide me.) If you're an RSS junkie, this is the view for you. (But don't worry, our traditional RSS feeds are still there, too.)

The Headlines bar is your portal to customizing the news the way you want to receive it. Just want tablet news? Hit the button, and that's all you'll see. Only want to see the latest news and reviews on apps? There's a button for that, too. On the right-hand side is where you'll find the buttons for full blog and headline views. And the "Latest Discussions" tab brings you the latest forum threads, which is where the real action is. Members helping members. Q&A sessions. You name it, it's in the forums.

The best part, however, is that we're not done. Not by a long shot. We can still do better, and we will do better. (Be sure to leave your feedback on this post, and in the forums.)And it'll all happen with you all, the Android Central members, leading the way. So from all of us here at AC, from the writers to the designers to the coders to the mods and admins and advisers, thanks for being here. Thanks for pushing us to do better every day. This one's for you.

And with that, on to the news. ...

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Ex-Cardinals manager Tony La Russa has book deal

NEW YORK (AP) ? Retired St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is ready to look back on his amazing career.

William Morrow announced Monday that "One Last Strike: Fifty Years in Baseball, Ten and a Half Games Back, and One Final Championship Season," is tentatively scheduled to come out this fall. The book will be co-written by Rick Hummel, a longtime reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

La Russa retired last fall after managing the Cardinals to a dramatic World Series title.

The 67-year-old La Russa spent more than 30 years as a manager. His career included three World Series championships ? two with St. Louis, one with the Oakland Athletics ? and six league championships.

William Morrow is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-03-19-Books-Tony%20La%20Russa/id-813dea1bf1334d0a8a0a446bdb0d0e24

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Pentagon seeks cheap, disposable satellites to observe battlefields

The Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency lab plans to launch a fleet of disposable satellites to provide images for troops fighting?on the ground.

Ordinary U.S. troops can only dream of on-demand battlefield images from the U.S. military's limited fleet of satellites. That spurred the Pentagon to envision swarms of cheap, disposable satellites that can give small squads of soldiers or Special Forces the latest battlefield images on their mobile phones or tablet computers.

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The military's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) research lab aims to launch about two dozen satellites ? each costing about $500,000 ? for missions lasting 60 to 90 days in low-Earth orbit. Such?satellites would not only launch cheaply from aircraft?rather than ground-based rocket launch pads, but could also de-orbit at the end of their mission lifetime and burn up safely in the Earth's atmosphere.

"We envision a constellation of small satellites, at a fraction of the cost of airborne systems, that would allow deployed warfighters overseas to hit 'see me' on existing handheld devices and in less than 90 minutes receive a satellite image of their precise location to aid in mission planning," said Dave Barnhart, program manager for DARPA.

Having a satellite swarm could allow for more constant overhead surveillance compared with using U.S. military drones. But keeping the costs down may depend on whether DARPA can get its airborne satellite-launching system off the ground ? a system intended to launch satellites into any required orbit.

"SeeMe is a logical adjunct to UAV technology, which will continue to provide local or regional very high-resolution coverage, but which can't cover extended areas without frequent refueling," Barnhart said. "With a SeeMe constellation, we hope to directly support warfighters in multiple deployed overseas locations simultaneously with no logistics or maintenance costs beyond the warfighters' handhelds."

DARPA's?SeeMe program?(Space Enabled Effects for Military Engagements) is accepting industry ideas at a Proposers' Day on March 27.

Follow InnovationNewsDaily on Twitter @News_Innovation, or on?Facebook.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/yTTlJZsmN2w/Pentagon-seeks-cheap-disposable-satellites-to-observe-battlefields

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