First glimpse of a black hole's spin

27 February 2013 Last updated at 13:38 ET

Astronomers have measured the rate of spin of a supermassive black hole for the first time - and it is big.

Measurements undertaken with two space-based X-ray telescopes imaged the black hole at the centre of galaxy NGC 1365.

The spin measurement, published in Nature, gives precious clues as to how the black hole grew and achieved supermassive status.

That growth influences the evolution of galaxies, so this simple number stands to teach scientists a great deal.

Black holes are notoriously difficult to study, since so much in astronomy depends on the detection of light - and within a certain distance from a black hole, even that cannot escape.

Black holes are known to draw in material - gas and even stars - and to stretch the very fabric of space-time at their edges. As matter goes in and gathers into what is called an accretion disk, it heats up and emits X-rays.

Previous attempts to quantify black holes' spins have attempted to analyse these X-rays - accounting for the violent processes within that can stretch and distort the X-rays' energies.

Those studies have until now focused on a fairly low-energy X-ray range. But those lower-energy X-rays can be further distorted by layers of gas between the black hole and the Earth, and previous spin observations have been contentious.

In a spin

Now Guido Risaliti of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and colleagues have looked at markedly higher energies - less subject to absorption in those gas layers - using Europe's XMM-Newton telescope and the recently launched Nustar telescope.

Nustar is unprecedented in its ability to focus in on distant parts of the cosmos in these high-energy X-rays.

The results suggest a black hole more than 3 million km across, whose outermost edge is moving at a speed near that of light.

But as Dr Risaliti explained, "the black hole's spin is a memory, a record, of the past history of the galaxy as a whole".

Had the black hole grown in a series of small "feeds" of gas or stars from random directions, its spin would be low. The results instead suggest that the black hole grew in one or a series of large absorptions of matter, taking on the momentum in one or a few events.

And as Christopher Reynolds of the University of Maryland explains in an accompanying article in Nature, understanding the evolution of such supermassive black holes at galaxies' centres is crucial to our understanding of how galaxies themselves grow.

"The energy released by a growing supermassive black hole can be so powerful that it disrupts the normal growth of the host galaxy," Prof Reynolds wrote.

"In extreme cases, (it) can terminate all subsequent growth of the galaxy."

However, the measurement is that of just one galaxy, and Prof Reynolds notes that even more advanced X-ray observatories will be needed to unravel the riddle with so few clues.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21607945#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

jerry lee lewis cesar chavez winning lotto numbers lottery tickets mega lottery sag aftra mega mill

Video: Blood vessels 'sniff' gut microbes to regulate blood pressure

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Researchers at The Johns Hopkins University and Yale University have discovered that a specialized receptor, normally found in the nose, is also in blood vessels throughout the body, sensing small molecules created by microbes that line mammalian intestines, and responding to these molecules by increasing blood pressure. The finding suggests that gut bacteria are an integral part of the body's complex system for maintaining a stable blood pressure.

A description of the research, conducted in mice and test tubes, appeared online Feb. 11 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"The contribution that gut microbes apparently make to blood pressure regulation and human health is a surprise," says Jennifer Pluznick, Ph.D., assistant professor of physiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "There is still much to learn about this mechanism, but we now know some of the players and how they interact," she adds.

Pluznick says that several years ago, thanks to a "happy coincidence," she found ? in the kidney ? some of the same odor-sensing proteins that give the nose its powers. Focusing on one of those proteins, olfactory receptor 78 (Olfr78), her team specifically located it in the major branches of the kidney's artery and in the smaller arterioles that lead into the kidney's filtering structures. Olfr78 also turned up in the walls of small blood vessels throughout the body, she says, particularly in the heart, diaphragm, skeletal muscle and skin.

To figure out which molecules bind and activate Olfr78, the scientists programmed cells to have Olfr78 protein receptors on their surface. They also gave these same cells the ability to start a light-producing chemical reaction whenever Olfr78 is activated. By adding different cocktails of molecules to the cells and measuring the light the cells produced, they homed in on a single mixture that activated Olfr78. They then tested each component in that mix and found that only acetic acid (a.k.a. vinegar) bound Olfr78 and caused the reaction.

Acetic acid and its alter ego, acetate, are part of a group of molecules known as short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). When the team tested other molecules in this group, they found that propionate, which is similar to acetate, also binds Olfr78. In the body of mammals, including humans, SCFAs are made when zillions of bacteria lining the gut digest starch and cellulose from plant-based foods. The SCFAs are absorbed by the intestines into the blood stream, where they can interact with Olfr78.

To pinpoint the effect of Olfr78, the scientists gave SCFAs to mice missing the Olfr78 gene and found that the rodents' blood pressure decreased, suggesting that SCFAs normally induce Olfr78 to elevate blood pressure. However, when they gave SCFAs to normal mice with intact Olfr78, they did not see the expected increase in blood pressure, but rather a decrease, though it was less pronounced than before.

To test the effect of reducing the SCFAs available to Olfr78, the team gave mice a three-week course of antibiotics to wipe out the gut microbes responsible for SCFA production. In this case, normal mice showed very little change in blood pressure, but mice without Olfr78 experienced an increase in blood pressure, suggesting that there were other factors involved in the Olfr78/SCFA/blood pressure relationship.

The mystery was solved, Pluznick says, when the team examined mice lacking Gpr41, a non-smell-related protein receptor located in blood vessel walls that also binds SCFAs. When SCFAs bind to Gpr41, blood pressure is decreased. The researchers eventually discovered that Olfr78 and Gpr41 both are activated by SCFAs, but with contradictory effects. The negative effect of Gpr41 is counterbalanced by the positive effect of Olfr78, but Gpr41's effect is stronger, so an increase in SCFAs produces an overall decrease in blood pressure.

"We don't have the full story yet," says Pluznick. "There are many players involved in the maintenance of stable levels of blood pressure, and these are just a few of them. We don't know why it would be beneficial for blood pressure to decrease after eating or why gut microbes would play a part in signaling that change. But our work opens the door for exploring the effects of antibiotic treatments, probiotics and other dietary changes on blood pressure levels in mice, and perhaps eventually people."

###

Link to article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1215927110

Johns Hopkins Medicine: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

Thanks to Johns Hopkins Medicine 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 40 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127032/Video__Blood_vessels__sniff__gut_microbes_to_regulate_blood_pressure

nick santino bruce arians the misfits hook troy miracle andy whitfield

Dow closes within 100 points of all-time high

JeeYeon Park , CNBC ? ? ? 2 hrs.

Stocks soared for a second day to finish near session highs Wednesday, with the Dow within less than 100 points of an all-time closing high, boosted by upbeat earnings and economic reports and as Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke reaffirmed his support of the central bank's stimulus policy.

"It would not be shocking to see a final push through, but I want to point out that seasonality is not necessarily on our side, which keeps us from going pedal to the medal," said Josh Brown, financial advisor at Fusion Analytics. "We had a very similar market environment in early 2011 and last year. So it would not shock me to see a sprint close to the highs of the year, have our typical pullback, and when people realize that sequestration is not the end of the world, we could resume. That would be a better moment to load on new longs."

The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared 175.24 points, or 1.26 percent, to close at 14,075.37, propelled by JPMorgan and Caterpillar. The Dow is now less than 100 points from hitting its all-time closing high of 14,164.53.

The S&P 500 jumped 19.05 points, or 1.27 percent, to finish at 1,515.99. And the Nasdaq advanced 32.61 points, or 1.04 percent, to end at 3,162.26.

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), widely considered the best gauge of fear in the market, tumbled below 15.

All 10 key S&P sectors finished firmly in positive territory, led by materials and industrials.

Read More: Cramer: These Stocks Are 'Rising From the Ashes'

"So much for last week's Fed Minutes; did the market forget who the chief cook and bottle washer is?" wrote Elliot Spar, market strategist at Stifel Nicolaus. "If they did, Ben has set them straight and the market loves it. Those that bailed last week and again on the worry over the elections in Italy now find themselves underperforming."

In his second day of testimony before Congress, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said that the nation's unemployment rate probably won't reach the 6 percent level until 2016, giving further support for the central bank's easy monetary policy and warned Congress against letting looming spending cuts take place.

Stocks recovered their losses from earlier this week after being rocked by Italy's election results. All three major averages are now in positive territory for the week.

"We're in a sideways process with the Dow around 14,000 and we'll probably be around here for a while," said Jeff Kleintop, chief market strategist at LPL Financial. "Profit and economic growth may be softer in Europe and we're probably due for a pullback, but I don't think it's going to be a big one. You want to buy into the dips and put capital to work."

Read More: Why You May Suffer From the 'Sequester Blahs'

Apple remained in the red as tech giant's CEO Tim Cook dismissed hedge fund manager David Einhorn's lawsuit against the company as being a "silly sideshow," but said the iPhone maker is "seriously considering" ways to return cash to shareholders. Apple is currently sitting on more than $137 billion in excess cash.

Read More: Apple $800? What Was I Thinking?!

"I don't like it either," Cook said of Apple stock's 35-percent plunge since hitting an all-time high last September, but urged shareholders to focus on the longer term, adding that 2012 had been "an incredible year of innovation" at the company.

Flower Foods climbed after the packaged bakery goods company won the bid for Hostess Wonder bread in a deal worth $360 million, CNBC learned.

Among retail earnings, Target posted quarterly results that topped expectations for the holiday quarter. But shares gave up their initial gains amid investor concern over the company's ability to reach its forecast, given its large-scale expansion plans in Canada.

Dollar Tree soared to lead the S&P 500 gainers after the discount retailer posted earnings and revenue that edged past expectations. And TJX rose after the parent company of TJMaxx reported quarterly results that beat Wall Street expectations. In addition, the company announced a dividend hike and a new share repurchase program.

Coach jumped amid unconfirmed reports that the upscale retailer is exploring a sale of itself. Separately, the retailer said it has hired a former Nike executive to oversee the transformation of its stores.

First Solar plunged nearly 15 percent after the solar panel maker posted revenue and outlook that fell short of Wall Street expectations. In addition, Baird cut its rating on the company to "neutral" from "outperform" and lowered its price target to $25 from $30.

Groupon, Limited Brands and JCPenney are among notable companies slated to post earnings after the closing bell.

European shares closed higher, thanks to a successful bond auction in Italy.

On the economic front, pending home sales jumped in January, hitting its highest since April 2010, according to the National Association of Realtors. Meanwhile, weekly mortgage applications declined for a third-consecutive weekeven as rates eased, according to the the Mortgage Bankers Association.

(Read More: Housing May Not Be as Healthy as It Looks: NAHB Pro)

Durable goods orders declined in January, according to the Commerce Department. But excluding transportation, durable goods orders posted its biggest gain since December 2011.

Treasurys remained flat after the government auctioned $29 billion in 7-year notes a a high yield of 1.26 percent. The bid-to-cover ratio, an indicator of demand, was 2.65.

? 2013 CNBC LLC. All Rights Reserved

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/dow-closes-within-100-points-all-time-high-1C8585251

philadelphia eagles obamacare Todd Akin Register To Vote Fox News Live Obama 2016 Who Is Winning The Election 2012

Hagel takes helm at Pentagon after bitter fight

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Chuck Hagel has been sworn in as Secretary of Defense following a bitter nomination fight on Capitol Hill.

He took the oath of office at the Defense Department, which is facing deep budget cuts.

Hagel was expected to address civilian and uniformed employees at the department later in the day Wednesday.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hagel-takes-helm-pentagon-bitter-fight-081453495--politics.html

Kate Middleton Nude Photos glee glee boxing news Coptic Christian saturday night live julio cesar chavez jr

Video: Mother of murder victim: ?We needed justice'

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/50964213/

tony stewart kurt busch kurt busch nba dunk contest 2012 act of valor woody guthrie benson henderson

C. Everett Koop, Reagan's revolutionary surgeon general, dies

When C. Everett Koop finished his 8-year term as surgeon general in 1989, he left behind a landscape where AIDS was a top research and educational priority, smoking was considered a public health hazard, and access to abortion remained largely intact.

By Connie Cass and Wilson Ring,?Associated Press / February 25, 2013

Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop, seen here in 2002, raised the profile of the surgeon general by riveting America's attention on the then-emerging disease known as AIDS and by railing against smoking. He has died in New Hampshire at age 96. (AP Photo/Jim Cole, File)

Jim Cole / AP / File

Enlarge

With his striking beard and starched uniform, former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop became one of the most recognizable figures of the Reagan era ? and one of the most unexpectedly enduring.

Skip to next paragraph

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_adtest = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

Subscribe Today to the Monitor

Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of
The Christian Science Monitor
Weekly Digital Edition

His nomination in 1981 met a wall of opposition from women's groups and liberal politicians, who complained President Ronald Reagan selected Koop, a pediatric surgeon and evangelical Christian from Philadelphia, only because of his conservative views, especially his staunch opposition to abortion.

Soon, though, he was a hero to AIDS activists, who chanted "Koop, Koop" at his appearances but booed other officials. And when he left his post in 1989, he left behind a landscape where AIDS was a top research and educational priority, smoking was considered a public health hazard, and access to abortion remained largely intact.

Koop, who turned his once-obscure post into a bully pulpit for seven years during the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations and who surprised both ends of the political spectrum by setting aside his conservative personal views on issues such as homosexuality and abortion to keep his focus sharply medical, died Monday at his home in Hanover, N.H. He was 96.

An assistant at Koop's Dartmouth College institute, Susan Wills, confirmed his death but didn't disclose its cause.

Dr. Richard Carmona, who served as surgeon general a decade ago under President George W. Bush, said Koop was a mentor to him and preached the importance of staying true to the science even if it made politicians uncomfortable.

"He set the bar high for all who followed in his footsteps," Carmona said.

Although the surgeon general has no real authority to set government policy, Koop described himself as "the health conscience of the country" and said modestly just before leaving his post that "my only influence was through moral suasion."

A former pipe smoker, Koop carried out a crusade to end smoking in the United States; his goal had been to do so by 2000. He said cigarettes were as addictive as heroin and cocaine. And he shocked his conservative supporters when he endorsed condoms and sex education to stop the spread of AIDS.

Chris Collins, a vice president of amFAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, said many people don't realize what an important role Koop played in the beginning of the AIDS epidemic.

"At the time, he really changed the national conversation, and he showed real courage in pursuing the duties of his job," Collins said.

Even after leaving office, Koop continued to promote public health causes, from preventing childhood accidents to better training for doctors.

"I will use the written word, the spoken word and whatever I can in the electronic media to deliver health messages to this country as long as people will listen," he promised.

In 1996, he rapped Republican presidential hopeful Bob Dole for suggesting that tobacco was not invariably addictive, saying Dole's comments "either exposed his abysmal lack of knowledge of nicotine addiction or his blind support of the tobacco industry."

Although Koop eventually won wide respect with his blend of old-fashioned values, pragmatism and empathy, his nomination met staunch opposition.

Foes noted that Koop traveled the country in 1979 and 1980 giving speeches that predicted a progression "from liberalized abortion to infanticide to passive euthanasia to active euthanasia, indeed to the very beginnings of the political climate that led to Auschwitz, Dachau and Belsen."

But Koop, a devout Presbyterian, was confirmed after he told a Senate panel he would not use the surgeon general's post to promote his religious ideology. He kept his word.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/MBIQcekR0-8/C.-Everett-Koop-Reagan-s-revolutionary-surgeon-general-dies

Side Effects bob marley weather lindsey vonn lindsey vonn weather nyc the walking dead

Editorial: Google Glass contest elicits mild uses for wild tech

Google's #ifihadglass contest advertises for "bold, creative individuals" to start carrying pre-production builds of Glass later this year. Since most people flatter themselves as dauntless and inspired, Google's challenge casts a wide net and applications are piling into Twitter. The contest apparently also seeks prosperous individuals willing to pay $1,500 for the prize, plus travel expense to pick it up. There might be good fiscal reasons for Google's parsimony, but I can't help noting that the $12 million of revenue generated by eager beta testers represents five-thousandths of 1 percent of the company's market cap, or one-tenth of a percent of its liquid cash.

Putting aside whatever demographic-shaping is in play, the more interesting question is whether Google will find its desired 8,000 bold creative types. The applications do not foretell blazing originality among foaming early adopters. If there is a depressing strain of mediocrity in the #ifihadglass Twitter stream, perhaps it speaks less to human limitation and more to intrinsic constraints of the device as it is currently understood.

Filed under: Peripherals, Wearables, Google

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/27/Google-Glass-contest-elicits-mild-uses-for-wild-tech/

zynga Tropical Storm Sandy W S B H c

Reversing trend, world music revenue inches upward

Adele and Paul Epworth pose with their award for best original song for "Skyfall" with presenter Richard Gere during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday Feb. 24, 2013, in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)

Adele and Paul Epworth pose with their award for best original song for "Skyfall" with presenter Richard Gere during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday Feb. 24, 2013, in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)

Adele poses with her award for best original song for "Skyfall" during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday Feb. 24, 2013, in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)

LONDON (AP) ? More than a decade after online file swapping tipped the music industry into turmoil, record executives may finally be getting a sliver of good news.

Industry revenue is up. A measly 0.3 percent, but it's still up.

"For the global music business, it is hard to remember a year that has begun with such a palpable buzz in the air," said Frances Moore, whose International Federation of the Phonographic Industry put together the figures released Tuesday.

"These are hard-won successes for an industry that has innovated, battled and transformed itself over a decade," she said in a statement. "They show the music industry has adapted to the Internet world."

That adaptation has been a long time coming. Online song sharing popularized by services such as Napster at the turn of the millennium seriously destabilized the industry, which reacted with a barrage of lawsuits and lobbying. But the war on piracy failed to stem the tide of free music, and by the time executives finally began making legal music available through download services such as Apple Inc.'s iTunes, the industry was in a free fall.

Since its 1999 peak, the global music industry's revenues have crashed more than 40 percent. Tuesday's figures, which show a rise in global revenue from $16.4 billion in 2011 to $16.5 billion in 2012, are the first hint of growth in more than a decade.

Mark Mulligan, of U.K.-based MIDiA consulting, warned that Tuesday's figures did not mean the industry had put its misery years behind it.

"We're probably near the bottom," he said, "but it's so marginal we could easily have another year or two where it could get worse."

The physical music market continues to contract, losing another $500 million in revenue between 2011 and 2012, according to Tuesday's IFPI figures. The industry group has placed its bets on downloads, streaming, and subscription services to make up for lost ground, but there's still a long way to go.

Downloads and streaming audio now account for most of the music sold in the United States and Scandinavia, but physical music ? everything from vinyl records to DVDs ? still accounts for the majority of industry revenue worldwide.

Mulligan said he believed some of the lost revenue may never be recovered, with many casual users who used to buy the odd CD turning to free services such as YouTube, television music channels, or Internet radio instead.

"This is a case of managed decline," he said, predicting "a sustainable but smaller market built around more engaged music fans."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-02-26-Digital%20Music/id-1869af3cdcf349cab1947ef26a84b25a

bishop eddie long madonna give me all your luvin video roseanne barr president green party day 26 new hunger games trailer sasquatch

Gas price spikes don't leave lasting damage

John W. Schoen , NBC News ? ? ? 2 hrs.

The recent run-up in gasoline prices has some economists ? including Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke ? worried about the impact on consumer spending and the economy.

It?s a perennial concern. When gas prices spike, as they have done in the past few weeks, the extra money you pay at the pump forces you to cut spending on other things. That takes a bite out of overall consumer spending, which fuels roughly 70 percent of the U.S. economy. Slower spending means slower growth.

But the longer-term impact is not as great as some forecasters would have you believe. Here?s why:

Why is Chairman Bernanke soworried?

He?s concerned mostly because the economy isn?t growing as fast as it should be this far into an economic recovery. For reasons that most economists believe are temporary, the U.S. gross domestic product ground to a screeching halt in the last three months of last year. Bernanke and his Fed policy colleagues have been doing everything they can to get the economy moving ahead. But unemployment remains stubbornly high and near-zero interest rates don?t seem to be working.

In his Congressional testimony Tuesday on the state of the economy, Bernanke worried out loud that one reason for the slow growth is that higher gasoline prices ?are hitting family budgets.?

So how hard do budgets get hit by higher gas prices?

In the short term, gas price spikes can have an bigger impact than they should, largely because gasoline is one of the few commodity prices consumers track so closely. (Quick: how much does a loaf of bread cost at your local grocery store?)

An opinion poll conducted last week by the National Association of Convenience Stores found that 44 percent of consumers said that gas prices have a "great impact" in how they feel about the economy, up from the 38 percent who felt that way in January.

See? Bernanke?s right.

In the short-run, yes, a gas price spike can slow the economy ? a little. But over the long run, the impact is not all that great. To see why, we?re going to have to do a little math.

American drivers burn through about 350 million gallons of gasoline a day this time of year, at a cost of a little over $400 billion a year. Pump prices bottomed in December (as they usually do every year) at $3.32 a gallon and then shot up by 53 cents to an average of $3.85 a gallon nationwide, according to the latest Department of Energy figures. (We're using the data for all formulas, all grades.) This year, that seasonal rise has come earlier, and quicker, than usual.

If that increase held through the rest of the year, the hit to spending would be about a half percent of GDP. With an economy that?s only growing about 2 percent a year, that?s a fairly big number.

But that math doesn?t account of the savings consumers enjoy when gas prices fall. For the past three years, prices have bounced in a range between about $2.75 and $4.00 a gallon. The three-year average has been $3.43 a gallon. If you use that price as a starting point, the recent increase ? even if sustained for a full year ? would only knock about two-tenths of a percent from GDP.

Those numbers don?t look right. I?m paying a lot more than that at the pump, and it?s taking a big bite out of my paycheck.

Again, these are averages. For some people, the impact is much more severe. California drivers are paying $4.20 a gallon on average. If you live 30 miles from the nearest grocery store, you?re going to feel the impact of every extra penny a lot more than someone who commutes to work by subway.

Lower-income households feel the impact much more than those further up the income ladder. On average, roughly 5.5 percent of American household budgets go to pay for gasoline. But gasoline bills eat up a bigger portion of the weekly budget for those in the bottom quintile that for those at the top.

But gas prices hurt more than other price increases because I can?t cut back on driving.I have to get to work. What am I supposed to do?

You?re right. For most Americans, especially outside of major cities, gas price spikes are extremely painful because it?s very difficult to cut back in the short run. But over time, drivers can ? and do ? respond.

The long-term rise in gasoline prices over the past decade ? and the pain of sudden spikes ? is one of the biggest reasons that the consumption of gasoline has been falling since August 2007. Americans have been burning through about four percent less gasoline every year since then - even as the number of cars and trucks on the road continues to increase. Thanks to improvements in engine technology, higher-mileage government mandates and strong consumer demand for fuel-efficient cars and trucks, that trend is expected to continue.

Demand for those higher-mileage vehicles has, in turn, spurred a surge in consumer spending on new cars, a category has been an important source of strength for the U.S. recovery. That improvement in the overall mileage of the U.S. fleet has, in turn, helped offset the impact of gas price spikes.

Since bottoming in the first quarter of 2010, new car sales have zoomed ahead ? up nearly 60 percent to $103 billion in the final three months of 2012. About two-thirds of that money went to domestic car makers. Light truck sales have jumped 40 percent, to more than $140 billion for the latest quarter.

The boom in sales is coming partly because drivers deferred buying during the recession. But they?re also snapping up new models with better gas mileage that will continue to reduce consumption ? and blunt the economic impact of future gas price spikes.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/economywatch/gas-price-spikes-dont-leave-lasting-economic-damage-1C8564099

lobster recipes hearts roses flower delivery e cards kate upton sports illustrated outback

Argo Meets Home Alone in Hilarious Movie Mash-Up

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/02/argo-meets-home-alone-in-hilarious-movie-mash-up/

holes ncaa brackets 2012 odd lamar d antoni fashion star andrew bird

ASUS PadFone Infinity announced: 5-inch, 1080p screen, Snapdragon 600 CPU and full HD tablet display (hands-on)

You may have heard a new PadFone was on the way -- it's not like ASUS has been dropping obvious hints or anything. In any case, surprise! ASUS just unveiled a new model, the PadFone Infinity. Like other PadFones, this is a handset that slips into a tablet-like dock, allowing you to make use of a bigger screen. This time, though, it ships with Android 4.2, and the display has grown from 4.7 inches to 5. The resolution is now 1080p (up from 720p), which comes out to 441 pixels per inch. Additionally, the tablet's 10.1-inch screen has a resolution of 1,920 x 1,200, up from 1,280 x 800 in the last-gen model. It's plenty bright, too, at 400 nits, but that's a slight step down from the last-gen model, which lit up to 500 nits.

What's more, the phone's gotten an upgrade on the inside: it now packs a quad-core, 1.7GHz Snapdragon 600 chip with an Adreno 320 GPU, some of the freshest components Qualcomm has to offer at the moment. Also on-board, you get 2GB of RAM to help boost performance, with your choice of either 32GB or 64GB of built-in storage. As far as connectivity, you're looking at EDGE, GPRS, GSM, WCDMA, LTE and DC-HSPA+, along with all the usual radios: WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, A-GPS and even GLONASS. According to an ASUS rep, the device uses a nano-SIM rather than micro-SIM. Around back, ASUS has added a 13-megapixel autofocusing camera with an LED flash, five-element, f/2.0 lens and burst shooting at eight fps. There's a front camera too, capped at 2MP, in case you want to do the occasional video chat. Meanwhile, the 2,400mAh battery promises up to 19 hours of 3G talk time, and up to 40 with the dock attached.

Like every other PadFone that's been released, this won't be available in the US, but the phone-and-dock combo will cost £799 / €999 when it goes on sale in Europe this April. The phone is also headed to Asia, though we don't have any more details. You'll also have your choice of colors, we hear: gray, gold and hot pink, if that's what you're into. Check out our hands-on gallery for a closer look.

Update: Hands-on photos and video now added. You're welcome.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, ASUS

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/25/asus-padfone-infinity-announced/

scalloped potatoes the ten commandments charlton heston moses tulsa shooting doug fister rick warren

Lenovo outs new Android tablet lineup, new 7 and 10-inch offerings

Lenovo has outed their latest lineup of Android tablets over in Barcelona at Mobile World Congress. None have particularly inspiring names, but launched today are the 7-inch A1000 and A3000, and the 10-inch S6000.  

The A1000 is the entry level offering of the bunch. Packing a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 16GB of on-board storage which is expandable to 32GB by way of microSD card, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. It's 7-inch sibling, the A3000 is carrying a little more in the spec department by way of a 1.2GHz quad-core MTK processor and upto 64GB total storage including microSD cards. The A3000 too runs Jelly Bean, although the display is a slightly disappointing 1024x600 resolution IPS panel, but there will be a HSPA+ version of the A3000. 

The 10-inch S6000 completes the Jelly Bean toting lineup, and is also powered by a quad-core 1.2GHz MTK processor. Like the A3000 there will be a cellular, HSPA+ variant, and carries a 1280x800 resolution IPS display which promises a 178 degree viewing angle. 

One interesting addition though is the included Lenovo Mobile Access. On the cellular enabled tablets, Lenovo will be indicated as the service provider upon first powering up the tablet allowing new users to start browsing the web immediately. Once this runs out, you then have to go back to a regular data plan. No word on how much is included, but it's a nice touch nevertheless

No word at this stage on price or availability of any of these three new tablets beyond worldwide release in Q2 of this year. You can find the full press release after the break. 

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/auBrM17zx1k/story01.htm

awake mario batali lone ranger aaron brooks dave matthews band solar flares 2012 whitney houston will

HP announces $169 Slate 7

 

 

HP has announced a super-affordable tablet called the Slate 7 at Mobile World Congress today. It's 7 inches, runs Android 4.1, and will cost a scant $169 when it hits shelves in the U.S. in April. Here's a link to their landing page, where you can sign up for availability notifications. 

The display clocks in at 1024 x 600, a 1.6 GHz dual-core Cortex-A9 processor 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of storage plus a microSD slot. There's a 3 megapixel camera on the back, VGA camera on the front, Beats Audio, and weighs a scant 13 oz. Hit the jump for the full press release!

What do you guys think? Anyone remotely surprised to see HP getting out of the webOS game? Does this baby stand a chance of swinging with the Nexus 7 in the world of affordable Android tablets? Leave a comment to pay your consolations to our beloved Derek Kessler. 

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/xfLAW1Qw3OI/story01.htm

tim tebow jets katy perry part of me video photoshop cs6 beta cate blanchett nfl news tebow tebow jets

PFT: Jones says Austin still in Cowboys' plans

AP

It?s late February.? The Combine is unfolding.? And that means it?s time for scouts to rip or praise players under the cloak of anonymity.

Plenty of writers who publish assessments made by unnamed scouts are now ridiculed when doing so.? The pedigree and accomplishments of Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel tend to insulate him from scrutiny, even when his unnamed scouts swing and miss on players like Robert Griffin III.? (Heck, McGinn can even publish Wonderlic numbers without being vilified.)

McGinn assesses the players who could be available when the Packers use their first-round pick, and he shares the insights of a pair of unnamed scouts regarding Florida State defensive end Bjoern Werner, a German-born-and-bred prospect who is now poised to fulfill the very unlikely dream of being a first-round draft pick in the NFL.

?He?s good, but I don?t see the special in him,? one unnamed scout said. ?Kind of a try-hard, good football player but nothing special.?

Said another:? ?He?s not a dynamic pass rusher but he seems to get sacks.? He comes off the ball hard but he?s not special.?

Without knowing anything about the team(s) for which these scouts work, there?s no way of knowing whether they?re badmouthing Werner in the hopes that he?ll be available when their team(s) pick.? That?s how it works.? Teams that love a player say bad things about him, wishing for a free fall.? Teams that hate a guy say great things about him, hopeful he?ll be taken early ? pushing down the board players in which the team is actually interested.

With more and more media swarming around the pre-draft process, there?s always someone ready to publish these anonymous assessments.

But citing an ?unnamed scout? tells the audience nothing about the skills or credentials of the scout.? As the late George Carlin used to say (as Carlin himself would say, he?s saying nothing now), there?s a worst doctor in the world ? and someone has an appointment with him tomorrow.? Similarly, there are plenty of scouts who aren?t as skilled as others.? Any time an unnamed scout is being quoted, there?s a chance that he?s the worst of them all.

You know, like the ones who told McGinn last year that, as to RG3, ?[e]verybody is just assuming because of the Heisman and the socks and all that bs. . . . they are ignoring a lot of bad tape that he?s had,? that ?I don?t think he has vision or pocket feel, which to me are the two most important components of quarterbacking,? that ?[h]e?s just running around winging it,? that ?[h]e?s [Michael] Vick, but not as good a thrower,? that ?he?s not as good as Cam Newton,? that ?[a]s much as is written about his athleticism, his athleticism under duress in the pocket isn?t even close to Cam Newton?s,? that ?the only way he gets big plays with his feet is if he?s got a wide-open field and the sea opens for him,? that ?[h]e?s got a little bit of a selfish streak, too,? and that ?[h]e doesn?t treat anybody good.?

Or maybe these unnamed scouts are just good enough to know how to push lies in the hopes of advancing agendas.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/24/miles-austin-is-still-in-the-cowboys-plans-jerry-jones-says/related/

Stacy Dash Amber Tamblyn Lilit Avagyan Nashville TV Show VP debate drew brees drew brees

Lawmakers dispute records for private gun sales

WASHINGTON (AP) ? A dispute over whether to require record keeping for private gun sales is holding up a compromise between Republican and Democratic senators over expanding background checks for firearms transactions, one of President Barack Obama's top gun control priorities, people familiar with the private talks said Sunday.

Two GOP and two Democratic senators have been looking for a compromise on requiring more of the checks, currently required only for transactions by federally licensed dealers. Private transactions at gun shows, online and elsewhere are not covered by the system, which is designed to keep firearms from criminals, people with serious mental problems and others.

The senators have been bargaining quietly over ways to expand the checks to private sales. But Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., a conservative who has taken a leading role in the talks, has opposed requiring record keeping for private transactions because of a concern it could lead to a national registry of gun owners, which is vehemently opposed by the National Rifle Association and other gun rights groups.

Democrats say keeping records of private sales is the only way to ensure the checks are performed, and say fears of the creation of a federal gun registry are unfounded. They have offered to have gun manufacturers or other private entities, not the government, keep those records.

The talks were described by a Senate aide and a lobbyist who spoke on condition of anonymity because the senators' talks are private and considered extremely politically sensitive.

The other senators participating in the bargaining are liberal Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., moderate Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and moderate Mark Kirk, R-Ill.

An agreement involving the influential Coburn could be pivotal because it could pave the way for other Republicans to support a background check bill.

Coburn said Sunday that he opposed keeping records on "legitimate, law-abiding gun owners."

"All they have to do is create a record keeping and that will kill this bill," he said on "Fox News Sunday."

The bargainers are close to agreement on other parts of the background check compromise, including carving out exemptions for sales between close relatives and for people who have already been cleared to receive concealed carry permits. They are also working toward creating an appeals process for veterans initially denied guns because they have been treated for traumatic stress disorder.

Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., of the Senate Judiciary Committee is hoping his panel can begin writing gun control legislation this week, but that is considered likely to slip until the following week. His panel is expected to approve legislation on background checks and stiffer federal penalties against illegal gun trafficking.

It is unclear whether there will be enough votes to approve two other Obama priorities: bans on assault weapons and magazines carrying more than 10 rounds of ammunition.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/lawmakers-dispute-records-private-gun-sales-004021428--politics.html

boxing news Coptic Christian saturday night live julio cesar chavez jr Topless Kate university of texas UT Austin

Metals - Regional - Copper closes down at US$3.549/lb on China property market, FOMC minutes

By Greta Bourke - Friday, February 22, 2013

Copper closed Friday at US$3.549/lb cash on the London Metal Exchange, down over the previous day's US$3.559/oz as sentiment faltered following the release of FOMC...

Know more. Sell more. BNamericas.

Access subscriber-only insight and information now.

Start a two-week free trial of BNamericas, and identify business opportunities in Latin America today.

Start a free trial

If you are already a subscriber

Sign in

Want to know more about BNamericas? About Us

Questions? Please connect with us today. Contact Us

This news article is one of hundreds published daily by Business News Americas about the commodities, markets, movements, companies, projects, economics and politics integral to the development of Latin America. Including news and insight from South America, Central America and the Caribbean, BNamericas includes Metals insight and forecasts for business opportunities in Regional. The business development service focuses on major projects, active companies, such as Barclays, Cochilco; and business and sales contacts, providing networking opportunities with leading executives throughout Latin America.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BusinessNewsAmericas-Metals/~3/ug1elr5BGfg/copper-closes-down-at-us3549-lb-on-china-property-market-fomc-minutes

alec baldwin college basketball oakland pinnacle airlines kansas vs kentucky joe posnanski michael kidd gilchrist

U.S. troops to set up drone base in Niger

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama said Friday that about 100 American troops have been deployed to the African nation of Niger. Two U.S. defense officials the troops would be setting up a base for unarmed drones to conduct surveillance.

Obama announced the deployment in a letter to Congress, saying that the forces "will provide support for intelligence collection and will also facilitate intelligence sharing with French forces conducting operations in Mali, and with other partners in the region."

The move marks a deepening of U.S. efforts to stem the spread of al-Qaida and its affiliates in the volatile region. It also underscores Obama's desire to fight extremism without involving large numbers of U.S. ground forces.

The drone base will allow the U.S. to give France more intelligence on the militants its forces have been fighting in Mali, which neighbors Niger. Over time, it could extend the reach not only of American intelligence-gathering but also U.S. special operations missions to strengthen Niger's own security forces.

One of the two U.S. defense officials who discussed the development confirmed the American troops would fly drones and other surveillance platforms from Niger military airstrips, tracking militant and refugee movement inside Mali and around the border. The U.S. will share that intelligence with Niger's military, the official said.

Both officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the project.

The drones at the Niger base will be unarmed and used for surveillance, not airstrikes. Still, the development of a base in Niger raises the possibility that it could eventually be used for launching strikes.

Obama said in his letter to Congress that the U.S. forces have been deployed with the consent of Niger's government. The forces were also deployed with weapons "for their own force protection and security," the president said.

Last month, the U.S. and Niger signed a status-of-forces-agreement spelling out legal protections and obligations of American forces that might operate in Niger in the future.

Africa is increasingly a focus of U.S. counterterrorism efforts, even as al-Qaida remains a threat in Pakistan, Yemen and elsewhere. Last month's terrorist attack on a natural gas complex in Algeria, in which at least 37 hostages and 29 militants were killed, illustrated the threat posed by extremists who have asserted power propelled by long-simmering ethnic tensions in Mali and the revolution in Libya.

A number of al-Qaida-linked Islamic extremist groups operate in Mali and elsewhere in the Sahara, including a group known as al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, which originated in Algeria and is active in northern Mali. Earlier this month, French forces intervened to stop the extremists' move toward Mali's capital, and Washington has grown more involved by providing a variety of military support to French troops.

France has said it will eventually pull out of its Mali operation so that African forces can help stabilize the West African country.

___

AP Intelligence Writer Kimberly Dozier contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-troops-niger-set-drone-011915164--politics.html

beverly hilton hotel whitney houston found dead i will always love you whitney houston 2012 grammy awards powerball results pebble beach golf beverly hilton

McCain: Obama should have Camp David budget summit

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Sen. John McCain says President Barack Obama should invite lawmakers to Camp David or the White House to hammer out a last-minute deal to avert deep budget cuts set to start taking effect at week's end.

The Arizona Republican says Obama should be talking with lawmakers instead of demonizing them over the looming across-the-board cuts in domestic and defense spending.

McCain calls the Pentagon cuts "unconscionable" and says military leaders are already warning they would be devastating.

McCain, the 2008 GOP president nominee, says it's time for Obama to show leadership and call lawmakers either to Camp David or to the White House for a budget summit.

McCain appeared on CNN's "State of the Union."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-02-24-US-Budget-Battle-McCain/id-6fefe922ab8f4d4da2b2c87a0896e01a

mega upload santorum wins iowa archer ibooks 2 ifl indoor football league newt gingrich wife

US to leave troops in Afghanistan after 2014, says German official

February 23, 2013 by legitgov

ShareThis

US to leave troops in Afghanistan after 2014, says German official 22 Feb 2013 The US defence secretary, Leon Panetta, and his Nato counterparts are considering leaving 8,000 to 12,000 troops in Afghanistan after 2014, but a dispute arose on Friday between the US and Germany over whether the force would be international or purely American. The conflicting accounts came as Nato defence ministers gathered in Brussels to discuss the endgame of the 11-year-old war. The German defence minister, Thomas de Maizi?re, told reporters Panetta had told him at the meeting that the US would leave 8,000-10,000 troops in the country at the end of 2014. But Panetta, speaking to reporters later, called De Maizi?re's comments inaccurate.

Source: http://www.legitgov.org/US-leave-troops-Afghanistan-after-2014-says-German-official

occupy oakland morgellons disease arik armstead sag awards red carpet torrey pines nhl all star game 2012 pollyanna

Slain model's father: Pistorius to suffer if he's lying

Accused Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius will "suffer" alone if he is lying, the father of his slain girlfriend said in an interview with a South African newspaper. NBC's Michelle Kosinski reports.

By Berenice Garcia, Writer, NBC News

Accused Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius will ?suffer? alone if he is lying, the father of his slain girlfriend said in an interview with a South African newspaper.

Barry and June Steenkamp, mother and father of deceased 29-year-old model and law school graduate Reeva Steenkamp, told the Afrikaans-language paper Beeld that they were grief-stricken by the loss of their daughter.

?It doesn?t matter how much money he has and how good his legal team is, he will have to live with his conscience if he allows his legal team to lie for him,? Barry Steenkamp told Beeld.

?But if he is telling the truth, then perhaps I can forgive him one day,? he told the paper. ?If it didn?t happen the way he said it did, he must suffer, and he will suffer ? only he knows.?

June Steenkamp said she was sent a flower bouquet and card by Pistorius? relatives.

?Yes, but what does it mean? Nothing,? she told Beeld. She said the Pistorius family was ?not to blame? for her daughter?s death.

Pistorius? family said that they felt ?relief? to have the accused athlete home in a statement on Saturday.

?This constitutes a moment of relief under these otherwise very grave circumstances,? Arnold Pistorius, Oscar?s uncle, said in a statement. ?We are extremely thankful that Oscar is now home.?

?We are acutely aware of the fact that this is only the beginning of a long road to prove that, as we know, Oscar never intended to harm Reeva, let alone cause her death,? the uncle said. ?We realize that the law must run its course, and would not have it any other way.?

The family announced on Saturday that it was canceling all social media sites for Carl and Aimee Pistorius, Oscar?s brother and sister. Janine Hills, a spokesperson for the family, said that Carl Pistorius? Twitter account had been hacked.

?It is most unfortunate that during this sensitive time, someone would choose to hack into Oscar Pistorius older brother, Carl Pistorius? Twitter handle,? Hill said in a statement. ?Carl did not tweet this afternoon, out of respect to Oscar and Reeva.?

There was no hint that the romance between Steenkamp and Pistorius would come to such a tragic end, the model?s uncle told Rock Center with Brian Williams.

?Nobody ever saw it coming,? Mike Steenkamp said. ?Never forewarned.?

Pistorius, 26, is charged with premeditated murder in the Valentine?s Day shooting death of Steenkamp. Pistorius has said that the shooting was an accident, and that he thought he was shooting at an intruder in his Pretoria home. He was freed on bail Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Related:

'Nobody saw it coming,' Reeva Steenkamp's uncle says

Oscar Pistorius granted bail ahead of murder trial

Pistorius' uncle: Olympian in shock, 'will bounce back'

This story was originally published on Sat Feb 23, 2013 8:35 AM EST

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/23/17067426-slain-models-father-pistorius-will-suffer-if-hes-lying-about-her-death?lite

Nate Silver stock market stock market Obama Acceptance Speech 2012 dow jones Selena Gomez ariel winter

?The president strolled out into the Rose Garden one afternoon and made some rem...

Limbaugh: If you criticized The Daily Caller for interrupting Obama, don?t whine about his inaccessi

dailycaller.com

On his Tuesday radio show, conservative talker Rush Limbaugh excoriated Politico for publishing a piece by Mike Allen and Jim VandeHei that lamented the Obama administration's careful curtailment

Source: http://www.facebook.com/DailyCaller/posts/555884771102171

breaking dawn part 2 trailer mississippi state chris carpenter chris carpenter dick cheney hcg drops reason rally

Talk:Speech Enabled Calculator For Windows Phone 8

		?
Line 140:		Line 140:
?	Regards,	?	Regards,
?	Vinay<p style="text-align:right">[[User:Vinayppatil|Vinayppatil]] 10:56, 21 December 2012 (EET)</p>	?	Vinay<p style="text-align:right">[[User:Vinayppatil|Vinayppatil]] 10:56, 21 December 2012 (EET)</p>
?		+
?		+	== Aakash95 - what a great wiki ==
?		+
?		+	excellent stuff here once again.<p style="text-align:right">[[User:Aakash95|Aakash95]] 04:49, 20 February 2013 (EET)</p>

---

Latest revision as of 04:49, 20 February 2013

Hamishwillee - Still supposed to be in draft?

Let me know when this is ready to be reviewed by removing the "Draft" category

hamishwillee 02:39, 7 December 2012 (EET)

Vinayppatil -

Yeah. Will be done today. Will let you know.

Regards,

Vinay

vinayppatil 05:48, 7 December 2012 (EET)

Vinayppatil - Done with wiki

Hi Hamish,

I am done with creating this wiki page. Removed draft category as well. It is open for review now.

Regards,

Vinay

vinayppatil 06:25, 7 December 2012 (EET)

Hamishwillee - Thanks, hope to review tomorrow

Thanks, I hope to review tomorrow

Note, matchedOpernad is probably typo - matchedOperand

I've been thinking about this and I think the single digit calculator is pretty straightforward. The hard bit will be handling larger numbers like 134545 - since presumably you need to define all the possible <ListenFor> {number1} {operator} {number2} </ListenFor>

{number1}{number2}{number3}{number4} {operator} {number5}{number6} etc and all possible variants for the different number of numbers that might be specified.

You might be better off for this case using voice commands only to trigger off a speach to text session, then manually parse the output. A bit annoying you can't get the contents of a wildcard, as that would make this simpler.

Cheerio

H

hamishwillee 08:32, 12 December 2012 (EET)

Hamishwillee - Subedit/Review

HI Vinay

OK, I have given this a basic subedit for Wiki style and English. The main change is to the structure - I've more clearly separated the "basic calculator" and voice control stuff. I know it is tempting to have the "main selling point first" but it doesn't work too well, if you then go on talking about the other bits. I've also fixed typographic errors. Please check you're still happy

I don't really like the "Voice Commands Overview" because it isn't very clear. Not sure best way to improve it (I tidied a little bit).

I propose renaming, because its useful to include the platform (WP) in the name. Something like "Talking Calculator for Windows Phone" or "Speech enabled Calculator for Windows Phone"

In terms of implemenation, do you need to define both number1 and number2 in the phrase list - can't you just do:

<ListenFor> {number} {operator} {number} </ListenFor>  

If so this is good.

In terms of suggestions, I think that the best thing you could do is not leave "support for bigger numbers" to the user to implement, since this is the "hard" technical problem. I have no idea of the best way to do this - even just adding support for two numbers is hard, and the below assumes that people have to enter eleven as one one.

{number} {operator} {number} {number}  {number} {operator} {number} {number} {operator} {number} {number} {number} {number} {operator} {number} {number} 

Otherwise thanks, well written. Regards

H

hamishwillee 06:20, 13 December 2012 (EET)

Vinayppatil - Thanks

Hi Hamish,

Thanks for reviewing the code. I am very happy with the changes you made. And thanks for suggesting names for this wiki page. Even i was not too happy with the name. I will change it soon.

<ListenFor> {number} {operator} {number} </ListenFor>

If we do this it will be difficult to fetch parameters from the query string.

Also regarding "support for bigger numbers", yes it is complex in terms of implementation that's why i had included it in "TODO" section. But i will see if i can include it here. I am also adding speech recognition support in this wiki.

Regards,

Vinay

vinayppatil 08:34, 13 December 2012 (EET)

Hamishwillee - Thanks!

>If we do this it will be difficult to fetch parameters from the query string. 

Of course, makes perfect sense. It might be worth adding a Note explaining this (completely up to you)

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with! A solution to the support for bigger numbers problem would certainly set this article apart.

Regards

Hamish

hamishwillee 01:41, 14 December 2012 (EET)

Vinayppatil - Wiki modified

Hi Hamish,

I modified the whole logic. As per your suggestions now voice commands can only invoke the app and speech input is taken using Speech Recognition instead of Voice Commands.

And RegExp helped me solve problem with bigger numbers. Have a look at Parsing_Matched_Commands

It will be of great help if you can review the added content as i did it in very short time.

Regards,

Vinay

vinayppatil 10:43, 14 December 2012 (EET)

Vinayppatil - Changed title

Hi Hamish,

Also i moved "Taking Calculator" to "Speech Enabled Calculator For Windows Phone 8". Kindly change it in competition entries section.

Regards,

Vinay

vinayppatil 12:12, 14 December 2012 (EET)

Hamishwillee - I don't have time to subedit sorry

However I have reviewed, and I like your improvements.

If I had to make one suggestion, it would be describing how your article works - ie uses both recognition and voice commands (and why) as part of the introduction or of the introduction to section - because the reasons you did this are interesting and important. Something for you to think about - not part of the competition.

Regards

Hamish

hamishwillee 06:12, 19 December 2012 (EET)

Hamishwillee - or to clarify ...

We know that the voice commands only allow you to create a very inflexible calculator. This is worth stating, so that people understand why you've just used them to start the app. You don't say this anywhere.

hamishwillee 06:16, 19 December 2012 (EET)

Hi,

I have no idea how but i missed your comments made on 19 dec and reading them now. Will make the changes ASAP.

Regards,

Vinay

vinayppatil 08:15, 21 December 2012 (EET)

Vinayppatil - Included changes

Hi Hamish, Included the changes in [Introduction] and [Why Use Speech Recognition] sections.

Regards,

Vinay

vinayppatil 10:56, 21 December 2012 (EET)

Aakash95 - what a great wiki

excellent stuff here once again.

Aakash95 04:49, 20 February 2013 (EET)

Source: http://www.developer.nokia.com/Community/Wiki/index.php?title=Talk:Speech_Enabled_Calculator_For_Windows_Phone_8&diff=184015&oldid=181672

jon jones chuck colson death meteor showers 2012 ufc 145 jones vs evans marian hossa philip humber

The Obama Administration Distances Itself from 'Half-Baked' Immigration Plan

With 48-hours of spin and Republican criticism on its side, the Obama administration continued to back away from an immigration plan that leaked over the weekend. After USA Today reported on a leaked immigration bill that Obama's team was assembling as various factions on Capitol Hill worked on their own legislation, an unnamed administration official told NBC News that the White House was not "floating anything" and framed the leaked legislation as a backup plan. "The administration will be ready to move forward in the event the bipartisan process gets bogged down and is not able to produce a bill," the administration official said. "But our focus remains on supporting the congressional process."

RELATED: What the President's Path to Citizenship Looks Like

That's the right thing to say, since the leaders of said "congressional process" ? or at least the Republicans among them ? absolutely planned the Obama plan over the weekend. Rep. Paul Ryan accused the Obama administration of pursuing a "partisan advantage and not a bipartisan solution," while Sen. John McCain insisted that lawmakers were "making progress on a bipartisan basis." Sen. Marco Rubio went a stage further and said the plan was "half baked and seriously flawed," even "dead on arrival."

RELATED: Obama to Pitch Immigration Reform as a Money Saver

Before the White House had the chance to explain itself, The New York Times described the leaked information as "early drafts" of an immigration bill. Obama's chief-of-staff Denis McDonough explained on Meet the Press, "We are doing exactly what we said we would do, which is we'll be prepared in the event that the bipartisan talks going on the Hill ? which by the way we're very aggressively supporting ? if those do not work out, then we'll have an option that we'll be ready to put out there." That option?describes a new visa establishing "Lawful Prospective Immigrant" status that would let immigrants live and work in the United States and apply for legal permanent residency eight years later.?

RELATED: Rubio Fights the President's 'Half-Baked' Immigration Plan

How the draft of the bill got out remains a mystery. Former Obama chief-of-staff David Axelrod did say that it was a "mistake ??to disseminate [the draft] so widely in the administration that it got leaked." So maybe the Obama administration wanted it to be leaked? There's no way to know. And let us remind you that this is not an episode of House of Cards.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-administration-distances-itself-half-baked-immigration-plan-025649949.html

chicago blackhawks giuliana rancic giuliana rancic elie wiesel temptations work hard play hard tim ferriss