You're Fired Because ... Well ... Hmmm

Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith watches the action during the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on December 30, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan.

Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images

For the second year in a row,?Slate?and?Deadspin?are?teaming up for a season-long NFL roundtable. Check back here each week as a rotating cast of football watchers discusses the weekend's key plays, coaching decisions, and traumatic brain injuries. And?click here to play the latest episode of?Slate?s sports podcast Hang Up and Listen.

Romeo Crennel, Chan Gailey, Andy Reid, Pat Shurmur, and Norv Turner were fired on Monday for the usual reasons that coaches get fired. All of these guys either led franchises to horrible records (Crennel), disappointed their pitchfork-waving fan bases one too many times (Turner), led their franchises to horrible records and disappointed their pitchfork-waving fan bases one too many times (Reid), or coached in Buffalo/Cleveland (Gailey/Shurmur). Really, this could?ve been Black Monday 2011 or Black Monday 2010 or Black Monday 1812.

Then came word that Bears coach Lovie Smith got pink-axed as well. (This hot new term is catching on, I can feel it!) Since making the Super Bowl after the 2006 season, Smith?s Chicago teams have missed the playoffs in five of the last six years. Fair enough, that?s how NFL coaches are evaluated. Or, it would?ve been fair enough if Smith and the Bears had missed the playoffs in the typical way?say, by going 8-8, as they did last year. But this season, Chicago went 10-6. In two of those losses, quarterback Jay Cutler didn?t finish the game (against Houston) or didn?t play (against San Francisco) due to a brain injury. Frontline players like Brian Urlacher, Tim Jennings, and Lance Louis also missed games down the stretch as the Bears tailed off after a 7-1 start. Even so, Chicago would?ve made the postseason if the Packers had beaten the Vikings on Sunday. But Green Bay lost, making the Bears the sixth team with 10 wins or more to miss out on the playoffs since they expanded to 12 teams in 1992.

Lovie Smith, then, was fired after leading a team to a record better than that of last year?s Super Bowl winner because a bunch of teams he didn?t coach happened to have good seasons. Also, he failed to prevent Jay Cutler from getting a concussion.

When a coach gets fired because of things he can?t control, bloodthirsty fans will almost certainly explain it away by saying he?s bad at the things he can control. At least by the accounts of Bears facepainters, Smith was bad at all the little things that get on fans? nerves, like timeout and challenge-flag deployment?the exact same stuff that supposedly makes Andy Reid unworthy of his Hall of Fame mustache. It?s not quite as dumb to blame a coach for misusing his timeouts as it is to run him out of town because the Packers couldn?t stop Adrian Peterson. Still, fans only talk about niggling things like clock management when their teams are losing. I?m guessing that Smith?s ability to tell time didn?t get worse as the season dragged on, nor did it cause Brian Urlacher to get hurt. It?s an excuse, not a cause, a transparently drummed-up charge on the order of canning a guy you don?t like because he took three pens from the supply closet.

This is what we know about Love Smith. His defenses are always great. His special teams units have had an amazing run of success?according to Football Outsiders? metrics, they?ve been in the top four of the NFL for the last seven seasons. His offenses have been mediocre. Add that all together, and you?ve got a coach who?s well above-average, one who could perhaps benefit from some better personnel on the offensive line and a run of good health for his star players.

There are 16 games in an NFL season. 10-6 is a very strong record, and teams with that mark or worse have made the Super Bowl in four of the last five years. Four of Chicago?s six losses came by one score or less. You can blame Lovie Smith for that, or the fact that some dude in Moline washed his lucky shirt at the halfway point of the season. Each of those excuses would make just as much sense.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=afca82293f7da73916ebd52c445170e0

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9 die as tour bus crashes on icy Oregon highway

Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a multiple-fatality accident where a tour bus careened through a guardrail along an icy highway and several hundred feet down a steep embankment, authorities said, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012 about 15 miles east of Pendleton, Ore. The charter bus carrying about 40 people lost control around 10:30 a.m. on the snow- and ice-covered lanes of Interstate 84, according to the Oregon State Police. (AP Photo/East Oregonian, Tim Trainor)

Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a multiple-fatality accident where a tour bus careened through a guardrail along an icy highway and several hundred feet down a steep embankment, authorities said, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012 about 15 miles east of Pendleton, Ore. The charter bus carrying about 40 people lost control around 10:30 a.m. on the snow- and ice-covered lanes of Interstate 84, according to the Oregon State Police. (AP Photo/East Oregonian, Tim Trainor)

Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a multiple fatality accident where a tour bus careened through a guardrail along an icy Oregon highway and several hundred feet down a steep embankment, authorities said, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012 about 15 miles east of Pendleton, Ore. The charter bus carrying about 40 people lost control around 10:30 a.m. on the snow- and ice-covered lanes of Interstate 84, according to the Oregon State Police. (AP Photo/East Oregonian, Tim Trainor)

Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a multiple fatality accident where a tour bus careened through a guardrail along an icy Oregon highway and several hundred feet down a steep embankment, authorities said, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012 about 15 miles east of Pendleton, Ore. The charter bus carrying about 40 people lost control around 10:30 a.m. on the snow- and ice-covered lanes of Interstate 84, according to the Oregon State Police. (AP Photo/East Oregonian, Tim Trainor)

PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) ? The stretch of rural Oregon interstate where a tour bus crashed through a guardrail and plummeted 100 feet down a steep embankment is so notorious that state transportation officials have published a specific advisory warning of its dangers.

Nine people were killed and more than two dozen injured when the charter bus veered out of control around 10:30 a.m. Sunday on snow- and ice-covered lanes of Interstate 84 in eastern Oregon, according to the Oregon State Police.

The bus crashed near the start of a 7-mile section of road that winds down a hill. It came to rest at the bottom of a snowy slope, landing beaten and battered but upright with little or no debris visible around the crash site.

The East Oregonian said it spoke with two South Korean passengers, ages 16 and 17. Both said through a translator that they were seated near the rear of the bus when it swerved a few times, hit the guardrail and flipped. They described breaking glass and seeing passengers pinned by their seats as the bus slid down the hill. Both said that they feared for their lives.

The paper said that the teens, one of whom injured a knee and the other suffered a broken collarbone, were staying at a hotel arranged by the Red Cross.

More than a dozen rescue workers descended the hill and used ropes to help retrieve people from the wreckage in freezing weather. The bus driver was among the survivors, but had not yet spoken to police because of the severity of the injuries the driver had suffered.

Lt. Gregg Hastings said the bus crashed along the west end of the Blue Mountains, and west of an area called Deadman Pass. The area is well known locally for its hazards, and the state transportation department advises truck drivers that "some of the most changeable and severe weather conditions in the Northwest" can lead to slick conditions and poor visibility. Drivers are urged to use "extreme caution and defensive driving techniques," and warned that snow and black ice are common in the fall through the spring.

The bus had been carrying about 40 people. St. Anthony Hospital in Pendleton treated 26 of them, said hospital spokesman Larry Blanc. Five of those treated at St. Anthony were transported to other facilities.

Blanc did not elaborate on the nature of the injuries but told the Oregonian that the hospital brought in additional staff to handle the rush of patients and did a lot of X-ray imaging.

I-84 is a major east-west highway through Oregon that follows the Columbia River Gorge.

Umatilla County Emergency Manager Jack Remillard said the bus was owned by Mi Joo travel in Vancouver, B.C., and state police said the bus was en route from Las Vegas to Vancouver.

A woman who answered the phone at a listing for the company confirmed with The Associated Press that it owned the bus and said it was on a tour of the Western U.S. She declined to give her name.

A bus safety website run by the U.S. Department of Transportation said Mi Joo Tour & Travel has six buses, none of which have been involved in any accidents in at least the past two years.

The bus crash was the second fatal accident in Oregon on Sunday morning. A 69-year-old man died in a rollover accident on I-84, about 30 miles west of where the bus accident took place.

A spokesman for the American Bus Association said buses carry more than 700 million passengers a year in the United States.

"The industry as a whole is a very safe industry," said Dan Ronan of the Washington, D.C.,-based group. "There are only a handful of accidents every year. Comparatively speaking, we're the safest form of surface transportation."

Sunday's Oregon bus crash comes more than two months after another chartered tour bus veered off a highway in October in northern Arizona, killing the driver and injuring dozens of passengers who were mostly tourists from Asia and Europe. Authorities say the driver likely had a medical episode.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-12-31-Tour%20Bus%20Crash/id-0c0aaa955af24ed4a9a48d855dc31cb9

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Examining the Link Between Asbestos Exposure and Cancer ...

Last updated 3 hours 54 minutes ago

Almost everyone has been exposed to asbestos at one time or another, but repeated contact over a long period of time can heighten the risk of serious illnesses like lung cancer and mesothelioma. A certified asbestos removal contractor can help you determine if you and your family are at risk. In the meantime, keep reading for an overview of the link between asbestos exposure and cancer.

What Is Asbestos?

For a very long, asbestos had been firmly ingrained in Canadian industry and infrastructure. The very first asbestos mine was founded in Asbestos, Quebec in 1879. Throughout the next century, asbestos use in Canada thrived due to the mineral?s resistance to fire, heat, and chemicals. Today, older homes with asbestos-laden insulation can be found throughout the country. ?

What Are the Health Risks?

In the 1920?s, Canadian asbestos miners were known to suffer higher rates of lung ailments and mortality than the general population. It wasn?t until the 1970?s, however, when the true health impacts of asbestos exposure were made known. Studies have shown repeated asbestos exposure to increase the risk of serious lung diseases like lung cancer and mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the membranes in the chest and abdomen. Exposure to asbestos can also cause permanent lung damage, leading to breathing difficulties and other health problems.?

How Can You Limit Your Exposure?

When contained behind walls, asbestos presents very little risk to your health. The dangers arise when the fibers are disturbed and become airborne. If your home has insulation containing asbestos, do not disturb the materials. Call a certified asbestos removal professional before embarking on any interior demolition project that could result in exposed are disturbed insulation.

If your home has insulation or other materials containing asbestos, a certified professional can help you to better understand the risks to your health. At Belanger Environmental, we provide a range of environmental services for homeowners throughout the Toronto area, including asbestos testing, asbestos removal, and vermiculite removal. Call us today at (519) 949-3322 to schedule a free at-home estimate.

Source: http://www.asbestosmouldremoval.com/618735/2012/12/30/examining-the-link-between-asbestos-exposure-and-cancer.html

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Obama, Congress set for one last effort on "fiscal cliff"

WASHINGTON/HONOLULU (Reuters) - President Barack Obama is due back in Washington early Thursday for a final effort to negotiate a deal with Congress to avert or at least postpone the "fiscal cliff" of tax increases and government spending cuts set to begin next week.

No specific bill dealing with the cliff was on the schedule of either the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives, which are expected to return on Thursday after the holiday break. Investors are closely watching the talks, concerned that going over the cliff could throw the economy into recession.

Aides and members of Congress have said that a modest, last-minute measure to avoid the spending cuts and most of the tax hikes could pass the Democratic-controlled Senate if Republicans agree not use a procedural roadblock known as a filibuster, a commitment that Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has so far not made.

But to win approval in the Republican-controlled House of any bill that raises taxes on anyone, a rare bipartisan vote would be required. All 191 Democrats would have to team with up with at least 26 Republicans to get a majority if the bill included tax hikes on the wealthiest Americans, as Obama is demanding.

Some of those votes could conceivably come from among the 34 Republican members who are either retiring or were defeated in the November elections and no longer have to worry about the political fallout.

In the alternative, Congress could let income taxes go up on everyone as now scheduled and then during the first week of January, scramble and get a quick deal to cut them back except for the highest brackets, along with a measure putting off the $109 billion in automatic spending cuts that most lawmakers want to avoid.

Once the clock ticks past midnight on December 31, no member of Congress would have to vote for a tax increase on anyone - taxes would have risen automatically - and the only votes would be to decrease tax rates for most Americans back to their 2012 levels.

Obama and congressional lawmakers left Washington on Friday for the Christmas holiday with talks to avert the fiscal cliff in limbo.

The president will cut short his vacation in Hawaii and leave for Washington later on Wednesday, arriving in the capital on early Thursday.

Obama is expected to turn to a trusted Democratic ally, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, to help craft a quick deal.

White House aides began discussing details of the year-end budget measure with Senate Democratic counterparts early this week, a senior administration official said on Monday

(Reporting by Mark Felsenthal in Honolulu and Fred Barbash in Washington; Writing by Fred Barbash; Editing by Eric Beech)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-congress-set-one-last-effort-fiscal-cliff-124656798--business.html

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Russian parliament endorses anti-US adoption bill

MOSCOW (AP) ? The upper chamber of Russia's parliament on Wednesday unanimously voted in favor of a measure banning Americans from adopting Russian children. It now goes to President Vladimir Putin to sign or turn down.

All 143 members of the Federation Council present voted to support the bill, which has sparked criticism from both the United States and from Russian activists who say it victimizes children by depriving them of the chance to escape often-dismal orphanages.

The bill is one part of a larger measure by angry lawmakers retaliating against a recently signed U.S. law that calls for sanctions against Russians deemed to be human rights violators. Putin hasn't committed to signing the bill, but has referred to it as a legitimate response to the new U.S. law.

Some top government officials, including the foreign minister, have spoken flatly against it, arguing the measure would be in violation of Russia's constitution and international obligations.

But Senator Mikhail Margelov, chairman of the Council's foreign affairs committee, referred to the bill as "a natural and a long overdue response" to the U.S. legislation.

"Children must be placed in Russian families, and this is a cornerstone issue for us," he said.

Several people with posters protesting the bill were detained outside the Council before the vote. "Children get frozen in the Cold War," one poster read.

There are about 740,000 children without parental custody in Russia, according to UNICEF. More than 60,000 Russian children have been adopted in the United States in the past 20 years.

The bill is named in honor of Dima Yakovlev, a Russian toddler who was adopted by Americans and then died in 2008 after his father left him in a car in broiling heat for hours. The father was found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Russian lawmakers argue that by banning adoptions to the U.S. they would be protecting children and encouraging adoptions inside Russia.

Russian children rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov told the Interfax news agency that 46 children who were about to be adopted by U.S. citizens would stay in Russia if the bill is adopted ? despite court rulings in some of these cases authorizing the adoptions.

The ombudsman supported the bill, saying that foreign adoptions discourage Russians from adopting children.

"A foreigner who has paid for an adoption always gets a priority compared to potential Russian adoptive parents," Astakhov said. "A great country like Russia cannot sell its children."

The Russian law allows foreign adoptions only if a Russian family has not expressed interest a child in question.

Margelov said that a bilateral Russian-U.S. agreement binds Russia to notify of a halt in adoptions 12 months in advance.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies that the president would consider the bill within the next two weeks.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/russian-parliament-endorses-anti-us-adoption-bill-110523337.html

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Video: Time to clean out the desks

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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/21134540/vp/50298289#50298289

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98% Brooklyn Castle

All Critics (45) | Top Critics (20) | Fresh (44) | Rotten (1)

"Brooklyn Castle" easily checkmates your inner cynic.

Katie Dellamaggiore's lively and affecting documentary introduces us to a cast of characters that's very winning (in both senses of the word).

It's not To Sir, With Love: It's fierce ambition, the channeling of emotion, and hours of drilling.

Enlightening, inspiring and expertly crafted.

An irresistibly uplifting doc.

Castle is suspenseful, funny and, particularly in its depiction of the challenging home lives of some of the kids, moving.

... a powerful and positive story about dedicated teachers helping kids succeed no matter what their circumstances

Like chess, not exactly a high-energy experience but seeing what these kids accomplish, seemingly against all odds is breathtaking all the same.

...provides a corrective to the popular image of American schools as obsessed with sports and popularity, and it makes the strongest possible case for funding after-school activities.

Chess, brilliant young students and great teachers potent mix.

The I.S. 318 team? A delightfully motley, vulnerable, multicultural bunch, whose addiction to chess has allowed them higher aspirations for top high schools and, eventually, college and careers. You will root for them like crazy.

We meet five of the team's members and several of their teachers; by its end, you'll be rooting for them all.

"BROOKLYN CASTLE is a compelling, engaging and inspiring Documentary, featuring Junior High kids that you can relate to. Even if you don't know the game of Chess all too well, it won't stop you from enjoying this pleasant film."

Brooklyn Castle provides a snapshot of indomitable American can-do attitude, and gives one hope.

The admirable Brooklyn Castle transcends its formula to become an optimistic look at extracurricular education and young people.

Great story, well-made, what's not to like?

It's clear that chess isn't just a game; for these students, it can also open doors.

No quotes approved yet for Brooklyn Castle. Logged in users can submit quotes.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/brooklyn_castle_2012/

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Winter storms, tornado threats for Christmas in US

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ? Forecasts of snow, sleet and freezing rain threatened to complicate Christmas Day travel around the nation's midsection Tuesday as several Gulf Coast states braced for a chance of twisters and potent thunderstorms.

A blizzard watch was posted for parts of Indiana and western Kentucky for storms expected later Tuesday amid predictions 4 to 7 inches of snow could fall in coming hours. Much of Oklahoma and Arkansas braced under a winter storm warning of nasty travel conditions forecasting a mix of rain and sleet early on.

Some mountainous areas of Arkansas' Ozark Mountains could see up to 10 inches of snow amid warnings that travel could become "very hazardous or impossible" in the northern part of the state, the National Weather Service said.

Elsewhere, areas of east Texas and Louisiana braced for possible thunderstorms as forecasters eyed a swath of the Gulf Coast from east Texas to the Florida Panhandle for the threat of any tornadoes.

Storms that were to begin erupting during the day Tuesday along the Gulf Coast could bring strong tornadoes or winds of more than 75 mph, heavy rain, quarter-sized hail and dangerous lightning in Louisiana and Mississippi, the National Weather Service said.

"Please plan now for how you will receive a severe weather warning, and know where you will go when it is issued. It only takes a few minutes, and it will help everyone have a safe Christmas," Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant said.

Ten storm systems in the last 50 years have spawned at least one Christmastime tornado with winds of 113 mph or more in the South, said Chris Vaccaro, a National Weather Service spokesman in Washington, via email.

The most lethal were the storms of Dec. 24-26, 1982, when 29 tornadoes in Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi killed three people and injured 32; and those of Dec. 24-25, 1964, when two people were killed and about 30 people injured by 14 tornadoes in seven states.

In Alabama, the director of the Emergency Management Agency, Art Faulkner, said he has briefed both local officials and Gov. Robert Bentley on plans for dealing with a possible outbreak of storms.

No day is good for severe weather, but Faulkner said Christmas adds extra challenges because people are visiting unfamiliar areas and often thinking more of snow than possible twisters.

"We are trying to get the word out through our media partners and through social media that people need to be prepared," Faulkner said

No matter what form the bad weather takes, Christmas day dawned with fog blanketing highways at times in the South, including arteries in Atlanta where motorists slowed as a precaution. Fog advisories were posted for many areas of the Southeast from Alabama and Georgia up the Appalachias into southwestern Virginia.

Several communities in Louisiana went ahead with the annual Christmas Eve lighting more than 100 towering log teepees for annual bonfires to welcome Pere Noel along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. That decision came after fire chiefs and local officials decided to go ahead with the tradition after an afternoon conference call with the National Weather Service.

In California, after a brief reprieve across the northern half of the state on Monday, wet weather was expected to make another appearance on Christmas Day. Flooding and snarled holiday traffic were expected in Southern California.

___

Associated Press writer Bob Johnson in Montgomery, Ala., and Ken Miller in Oklahoma City, Okla., contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/winter-storms-tornado-threats-christmas-us-093157279.html

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Apple iPad vs. Microsoft Surface: Which is Better for Business?

The battle between Apple?s venerable iPad and Microsoft?s upstart Surface has been well documented in the consumer market. The office space, however, is a whole other animal. Sure, everyone wants a high-quality display for watching movies and a good selection of games, but business users need a solid productivity platform for getting real work done anywhere. So which tablet is the best for road warriors? Follow our round-by-round face-off to find out.

Design

Microsoft has created a tablet that not only looks good, but should be able to stand up to the rigors of business travel. The 10.6-inch Surface?s vapor-deposited magnesium frame is covered in a matte dark titanium-colored finish, which should shrug off nicks and scratches. The Surface?s unique flip-out kickstand is sturdy and functional, allowing the tablet to stand up on its own. The feature is perfect for watching movies while on the road or banging out a TPS report with one of the Surface?s optional keyboards attached.?

Unlike the iPad, Microsoft?s tablet offers users a full-size USB port, a microSD card slot and an HD video port that can connect to either HDMI or VGA. These each add various layers of functionality to the Surface, including the ability to connect the tablet to a Windows RT-certified mouse or printer, import files from a USB storage device or microSD card, or display video on a high-quality screen.

Measuring 10.81 x 6.77 x 0.37 inches, the Surface is just as thick as the iPad. And with a weight of just 1.5 pounds, the Surface is only 0.1 pounds heavier than Apple?s tablet. Despite the Surface?s handsome design, the iPad is still the best looking tablet around. Its simple layout and aluminum-and-glass chassis are gorgeous. Compared to the boxy Surface, the iPad?s tapered edges feel like they were made to fit perfectly in your hand.

While it might not sport a USB port or microSD card slot, the iPad isn?t exactly short on functionality. With its Bluetooth radio, Apple?s tablet can connect to myriad compatible keyboards, mice and printers. And despite not having a microSD card slot, users can still access files via Apple?s iCloud or any other compatible Web-based service, although those options aren?t nearly as convenient as simply popping in a USB thumb drive and quickly grabbing files.

For its fourth-generation, the iPad trades in its 30-pin connector for Apple?s new Lightning connector. Beyond that, the slate is relatively unchanged. At 9.5 x 7.31 x 0.37 inches the fourth-generation iPad is the same size as the previous generation, which is smaller than the Surface, though not by much.

Winner: Surface

The iPad may be more aesthetically pleasing than the Surface, but its durability, USB drive and microSD card slot has business users covered. The tablet?s built-in kickstand is icing on the cake.

Display

The Surface?s 10.6-inch display may be larger than the Apple?s 9.7 incher, but the Surface?s 1366 x 768 pixel resolution is no match for the iPad?s 2048 x 1536 Retina display. A trailer for ?Iron Man 3? was far sharper and colors appeared warmer when viewed on the iPad than on the Surface. Websites also displayed more information above the fold on Apple?s tablet than on Microsoft?s.

From the start, the folks at Redmond have claimed that the Surface?s ClearType display technology, which combines high contrast with sub-pixel rendering, is capable of creating sharper text than the iPad can produce. In our testing, however, Microsoft?s claims didn?t hold true. When we zoomed in on the same NYTimes.com article on the Surface and iPad, text on Apple?s device was razor sharp, while text on the Surface was slightly blurred.

?Surprisingly, the Surface?s 373 lux brightness rating was higher than the fourth-generation iPad?s 346 lux rating, which means using the Surface outdoors in direct sunlight is easier than the iPad.

Winner: iPad

With its class-leading Retina display, it should come as no surprise that Apple?s iPad ran away with this round.

Audio

As we pointed out in our initial review of the Surface, the speakers located on either side of Microsoft?s tablet could use a power boost. During our testing, punchy hip-hop song ?Pop That,? by French Montana, came through clearly, but was far too low for our liking.?Even with the volume turned all the way up the slate barely filled a small conference room. Skype calls made using the Surface offered equally low volume, so prepare to use a headset whenever the ambient volume rises above a low din.

The iPad?s single speaker, located on the lower portion of its back panel, provided sufficient audio. French Montana?s vocals were easy to hear with the volume turned up and the iPad even produced a modicum of bass. When placed flat on a table, the iPad?s curved edge helped project audio toward us, rather than muffling it. Skype calls were excellent, as well.

Winner: iPad

The Surface?s dual speakers are weaker than the iPad?s single speaker.

Interface

Microsoft?s Surface comes loaded with Redmond?s tablet-specific Windows RT operating system. An offshoot of Windows 8, Windows RT offers the same Live Tile Modern UI Start screen and Desktop app as its laptop and desktop-based brethren, but includes one caveat: you can?t install any desktop programs on the tablet. Instead, you?ll have to make do with apps downloaded through the Windows Store. As of mid-December, the Windows Store had roughly 14,280 available apps, far lower than the more than 275,000 apps available for the iPad.

When the Surface boots, users are taken to the Start screen, which users can navigate by swiping from left to right and vice versa.Swiping in from the right launches the Charms menu, from which users can search for apps and documents, Share information via social networks, access attached devices and change the Surface?s system settings. Swiping up from the bottom of the screen displays the All Apps bar, giving you quick access to apps that aren?t saved as Live Tiles.

Swiping down from the top of the screen opens a contextual options menu depending on the app you have open. If you?re using SkyDrive, for example, swiping down brings up a menu where you can upload items, check file details and create new folders. Perform the same action with Internet Explorer open, and you?ll see all of your open tabs, as well as the address bar.

The Surface?s Switcher feature lets you view all of your open apps via a thumbnail-style list by quickly swiping in from the left and back to the right. Tapping a thumbnail opens up the app in full-screen mode. If you want to quickly cycle through your open apps, you can simply swipe in from the left. But the real winning feature of Windows RT is the ability to control two apps at once in the Modern UI.

The Snap feature of Windows 8 lets you view two-thirds of one app on the display while the other app is relegated to the remaining one-third, although you can still interact with either as you normally would. For instance, you could see your inbox on one side of the screen and the browser on the other side. This feature alone could make Windows RT an important tool for business users.

If you need a true multitasking experience, you can open the Desktop app and open as many windows as you?d like. The limiting factor is that there are only a few Desktop apps available for Windows RT including Office, Paint and Internet Explorer, all of which come preloaded on the Surface.

The iPad isn?t really optimized for multitasking. Users double tap the Home button to view icons of each running app. However, the iPad has a more straightforward interface than the Surface. Where Microsoft gives users what amounts to two different interfaces?the tablet-style Modern UI and the traditional Desktop UI?the iPad has a single interface from which users can access all of their apps.

Winner: Surface

While the Surface requires more of a learning curve because of its dual interfaces, it offers better multitasking capabilities, which means business users will be able to get more work done.

Typing Experience

If you expect to spend a lot of time typing on your tablet, you?ll probably want to make sure its onscreen keyboard is easy and comfortable to use and, above all, accurate. The Surface?s onscreen board offers users a total of 41 keys, including a spacebar and minimize button. The iPad, on the other hand, has 37 buttons including a spacebar and minimize button.

During our time with both tablets, we felt more comfortable using the iPad?s onscreen keyboard, because of its larger buttons and predictive text feature. The Surface?s higher number of onscreen keys means that each key is slightly smaller than the iPad?s, which can lead to more typos. And unlike the iPad, the Surface doesn?t include predictive text or auto-correct features.

Chances are, however, if you?re going to be doing a good amount of typing on your tablet, you?ll want to use a physical keyboard. That?s where the Surface has a leg up on the iPad. When Microsoft released the Surface, it made sure to include a combination screen cover and keyboard as one of its standout features. Microsoft offers two keyboard covers for the Surface, including the touch-sensitive, flat Touch Cover ($119) and the traditional-style Type Cover ($129).

Overall, we found the Touch Cover to be sufficiently sensitive, but its lack of tactile feedback resulted in us losing our place on the keyboard several times. The traditional-style Type Cover, which functions like a standard keyboard, was slightly better thanks to its tactile feedback, but not by much. Both keyboard covers include small touchpads. However, at 2.5 x 1.25 inches, these pads are too small to be used very effectively and don?t support Windows 8 gestures.?

While Apple doesn?t offer an official keyboard cover for the iPad, users aren?t exactly hurting for options. Accessory makers ranging from Logitech to Zegg offer their own Bluetooth-enabled keyboard covers for Apple?s device. And while these keyboards are bulkier than Microsoft?s offerings, they generally offer a better typing experience.

Winner: iPad

A lack of auto-correct and predictive text features quickly put the Surface behind the iPad in terms of functionality, which is only worsened by the Surface?s Touch Cover?s middling performance.

Cameras

If you?re going to be shooting a lot of pictures with the Surface, prepare to be disappointed. Microsoft?s tablet comes strapped with a pair of paltry 1-megapixel front- and rear-facing cameras that are incapable of capturing high-quality photos. The iPad, on the other hand, packs a stellar 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.2-megapixel front-facing shooter.

In a comparison shot using a color chart and several office toys, the difference in image quality between the devices was stunning. Colors in the Surface?s shots were severely muted and fine details were distorted due to noise. The iPad created clear images with richer colors. The difference was easily noticeable when we viewed an image of a large Super Grover doll. In the iPad?s image, we were able to discern individual strands of the blue muppet?s fur. When we turned to the Surface?s image, however, Grover?s fur looked like a single blue mass.

Images shot using the Surface?s front-facing camera were comparable to the iPad?s photos under florescent lights. When we used the cameras with a bright light source behind us, however, the Surface was unable to compensate, causing a heavy shadow to cover our faces, while the iPad was able to adjust accordingly.

Winner: iPad

With its superior front- and rear-facing cameras, the iPad wins this category with ease.

Apps

What good is using a tablet on the job without apps? Apple?s iPad easily outpaces the Surface in this regard with its more than 275,000 available apps to Microsoft?s 14,280 Windows RT apps. Naturally, that means Apple has a leg up on Microsoft when it comes to available business apps. In fact, many of the top business apps for the iPad, such as Go To Meeting and Salesforce Chatter are nowhere to be found in Microsoft?s Windows Store. Businesses can develop in-house apps for the Surface, but the number of businesses actively doing so is sure to be lower than those working with iPad-specific apps based on demand alone.

But Microsoft?s Surface easily tops the iPad in the productivity space thanks to its included Office Home and Student RT 2013 suite. The app package includes nearly everything business users come to expect from Office, including Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Notes. Since the majority of businesses still use Office as their primary productivity tool, Microsoft?s decision to include the suite with the Surface should make many business users happy. What?s missing is Outlook. Instead, you?ll need to rely on the pre-loaded Mail app.

If iPad users want access to Office files, they?ll have to download a compatible app, of which there are many. Choices range from QuickOffice Pro HD to Documents to Go. Beyond that, many business have also developed their own iPad or iOS-specific apps, which makes the iPad an even more attractive choice for business users.

Winner: iPad

Microsoft?s decision to include its full 2013 Office suite with the Surface was a wise move, but the Windows Store?s lack of business apps at this stage will be problematic for the average business user.

Email and Messaging

Email is the lifeblood of the business traveler. If you?re working from the road, your email may be the only connection you have to the office. Which is why Microsoft, the creator of Outlook and Exchange, should have this category in the bag. But that?s not necessarily the case.

The Surface, like the iPad, features its own dedicated Mail app from which users can sync any of a number of web-based mail services including Outlook/ Exchange, Hotmail, Gmail, AOL and Yahoo. Syncing your mail account is straightforward on both devices. Enter your email address and associated password and you?re finished. If you?re syncing your Outlook/ Exchange account with the Surface, however, you?ll also be required to enter the server?s server address, something we didn?t have to do on the iPad.

?Changing our mail settings, though, was far easier with the Surface thanks to the Charms menu?s Settings option. When we wanted to make changes to our account using the iPad, we had to exit the Mail app, open the Settings app and go to the Mail option. Where the Surface falls behind the iPad is in overall usability. With the Mail app on the Surface, users can only perform a single overarching search for individual messages. On the iPad, however, users can search by sender, receiver, subject or perform a full-scale search. This can be especially helpful when looking for email threads.

In terms of the interface, we found the Surface?s mail app to be superior to the iPad?s thanks to its three-pane layout, which shows your various mailboxes, messages list and opened message all at once. With the iPad?s two-pane interface, you can only view a list of your mailboxes and a single message or your messages list and an open message.

?Messaging on both the Surface and iPad is handled by each device?s own proprietary messaging app. Surface users can connect with others using Microsoft?s Messenger service or Facebook, while Apple users can chat via the iPad?s Messages app. Neither the Surface nor the iPad offer official Google Talk apps, so if your business is invested in Google?s Web products, you?re out of luck.

Sending attachments via the Surface?s Mail app is very similar to sending an email from your desktop. Users can upload attachments ranging from documents and music files to photos and videos. You can also upload files stored on your SkyDrive account. Alternatively, the iPad?s Mail app limits users to attaching just photos and videos, documents have to be emailed from within their respective apps. And while you can upload photos and videos saved in your Photo Stream, you can?t directly access your iCloud account to attach saved documents.

Winner: Surface

The Surface?s Mail app offers a more intuitive user interface and robust attachment options, although its lack of advanced search options means users are limited when it comes to overall functionality.

Cloud?

Nothing is more popular in business right now than the all-mighty cloud. Cloud storage and cloud-enabled apps allow users to store their files in a safe location or work on documents from any web-connected device. Apple offers iPad users cloud connectivity via iCloud, while Surface users get access to Microsoft?s SkyDrive. Both services allow users to upload and share documents, photos and other files, but they do so in fundamentally different ways.

On the Surface, SkyDrive operates as an app, which is similar to how Dropbox works on your PC. Users can open the SkyDrive app from the Start menu and view and open all of their saved files. You can also save documents and presentations created using Office the same way you would on your PC.?If you have a Windows 8 notebook, and are signed into SkyDrive on that device and your Surface, your files will automatically sync between the devices. Files saved to Skydrive can also be accessed via any Web-connected device on Microsoft?s SkyDrive portal. The service includes 7GB of free storage, as well as access to SkyDrive Camera Roll, which allows you to automatically upload photos taken using your SkyDrive-enabled device to your SkyDrive account.

Where SkyDrive really shines is in its ability to let users upload their own videos and music files taken from third-party sources to the Microsoft app, something you can?t do with iCloud. You can, for example, upload a video clip shot using your friend?s camera or save a song downloaded from a third-party music service straight to SkyDrive and download them to any SkyDrive-enabled device.?

Unlike SkyDrive, Apple?s iCloud has less of a visible presence on the iPad. There is no iCloud app that you can open, but Apple does offer users a Web portal from which they can access all of their information. To use iCloud, you must first activate live sharing via the iPad?s Settings menu. Once turned on, documents and files created using Apple?s iWork suite on the iPad, your mail, Photo Stream, Reminders and more will instantly sync with all of your other iCloud-enabled devices. The benefit to this method is that you?ll never have to remember to save your files to iCloud, since everything is done automatically. Additionally, iCloud includes 5GB of free storage.

Winner: Surface

Both cloud services will prove helpful for ?business users, but the Surface?s SkyDrive app allows users to upload and download videos and music from third-party apps, while the iPad?s iCloud doesn?t. The iCloud may be more user-friendly, but SkyDrive one-ups it with better overall functionality.

Performance

An exact head-to-head performance comparison between the quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3-powered Surface and the dual-core Apple A6X-powered iPad is somewhat difficult, since there aren?t many universal benchmarking apps available across the two platforms. As a result, we chose to run the SunSpider JavaScript benchmark, which tests how fast the tablets? respective browsers can run JavaScript, as well as the Peacekeeper benchmark, which tests a browser?s rendering ability.

We ran the tests on both tablets? default browsers, Safari for the iPad and Internet Explorer for the Surface. The iPad completed running the SunSpider test in 0.97 seconds, faster than the Surface?s 1.21-second time. On the Peacekeeper test, meanwhile, the iPad rang up a score of 907, which was worlds better than the Surface?s score of 326.

When we tested app load times using ?Angry Birds Star Wars,? it took the Surface 12 seconds to fully load the game, while the iPad took 6 seconds. Skype, meanwhile, opened in just 5 seconds on the iPad and 15 seconds on the Surface. The camera app also opened quicker on the iPad than on the Surface, 1.5 seconds versus 2.9 seconds.

Winner: iPad

Throughout our testing the iPad bested the Surface. The Surface isn?t exactly slow, the iPad is just faster.

Battery Life

With a 42.5-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery, the 4th-generation iPad is the endurance champ. On our LAPTOP Battery Test, which involves continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi with the display brightness set to 40 percent, the iPad lasted a superb 12 hours and 22 minutes. That?s more than enough juice to get you through a day full of meetings.

Microsoft?s Surface performed admirably on our LAPTOP Battery Test, running for 7 hours and 43 minutes before calling it quits. That?s longer than the tablet category average of 6:52, but still far shorter than the iPad?s marathon battery life.

Winner: iPad

The iPad lasts more than 4 hours longer on a charge. That?s a lot of extra?run-time.

Security

As of press time, the Surface offers Exchange ActiveSync, System Center Configuration 2012, Remote Desktop Connection and Windows InTune. IT managers can also block Surface users from installing apps on their devices via features like group policy and AppLocker.?Device security includes Windows Defender and Device Encryption. A quick search of the Windows Store didn?t turn up much in the way of major security suite offerings for the Surface.

On the iPad side of things, Apple has built out its IT interface with services including Exchange ActiveSync, Mobile Device Management options, VPN access and the ability to disable device features such as the camera. Furthermore, the iPad includes Apple?s Find My iPad feature, which provides users with a means to locate their device if it is lost or stolen.

Winner: Tie

The iPad single-handedly helped launch the bring your own device movement in the workplace and, as a result, now offers compatibility with a litany of IT management features. The Surface offers many of the same features, making this category a tie.?

Connectivity

Microsoft?s Surface sports an 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi radio, as well as Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, meaning if you want to connect to the web, you?ll have to be within range of a Wi-Fi hotspot. Unfortunately, there is no option for a cellular data connection. The iPad comes in two flavors, a Wi-Fi-only version with Bluetooth 4.0 and a 4G LTE and Wi-Fi model that lets you bring the Web with you.

To test the Surface and iPad?s Web speeds over Wi-Fi, we connected to an AT&T 4G LTE hotspot and timed how long it took to the tablets? to load CNN.com, NBCNews.com and Laptopmag.com. On the Surface, the CNN.com loaded in an average of 15.4 seconds, while NBCNews.com loaded in 28.5 seconds. Laptopmag.com, meanwhile, loaded in 7.2 seconds. The iPad loaded CNN.com in 5.1 seconds, NBCNews.com in 12.2 seconds and Laptopmag.com in 12.2 seconds.

Winner: iPad

Not only does the iPad offer more connectivity options thanks to its Wi-Fi and 4G LTE versions, but it can also surf the Web faster than the Surface.

Value

For $499, users can purchase a standard Surface with 32GB of on-board storage. Add another $100 and you can pick up a Surface with a black Touch Cover. For $699, you can get a 64GB Surface with the black Touch Cover. For $129, you can buy the Type Cover, or a different colored Touch Cover for $119. It?s worth noting that a good chunk of the Surface?s storage space is taken up by the tablet?s operating system. The 32GB version, for example, loses half of its storage to Windows RT and any pre-installed apps.?

The 4th-generation iPad is available with 16GB of on-board storage for $499. You can double the storage for an additional $100 or move right up to 64GB for $699. If you?re looking for an iPad with a 4G LTE connection you can buy a 16GB version for $629 or a 32GB version for $729. An iPad with 64GB of storage and an LTE connection costs $829.

Like the Surface, the iPad?s operating system and bundled apps eat into the amount of included storage. However, the iPad only loses about 4GB of storage compared to Microsoft?s 16GB.

Winner: Tie

For $499, you?ll get roughly the same amount of storage space on both the Surface and iPad. And while the $699 Surface may have only 32GB of storage compared to the $699 iPad?s roughly 57GB, the Surface also includes as a Touch Cover keyboard.

Verdict

After 14 rounds, Apple?s iPad came out on top as the winner of our face-off, taking a total of eight rounds. The iPad?s superior display and audio quality, coupled with its stronger performance numbers and longer lasting battery means you?ll enjoy using the iPad for a longer period of time. The Surface does, however, have some advantages over Apple?s device.

It?s cloud and email apps are more robust than Apple?s offerings, while the included Microsoft Office 2013 is a boon for many business users.?It?s also important to note that the Surface and Windows RT are still brand new products, while the iPad has been around for some time, so Apple?s device has a natural advantage. However, as it stands right now, the iPad is the best option for business users in need of a tablet.

Overall Winner: iPad

Source: http://blog.laptopmag.com/apple-ipad-vs-microsoft-surface-which-is-better-for-business

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More Guns Have Not Produced More Killings, But We Still Need Gun Control

I?ve beaten up on opponents of gun control in posts published on the day of the Newtown massacre and again on Sunday. In both posts, I strongly implied that more guns mean more shootings. Now I?d like to present statistics that contradict that hypothesis, or at least show it to be grossly simplistic. I found these stats in ?Gun Control Legislation, ?a report of the Congressional Research Service published on November 14, just a month before the Newtown massacre.

The number of guns in the U.S. surged from 192 million in 1994 to 310 million in 2009. That includes 114 million handguns, 110 million rifles and 86 million shotguns. There are now about as many firearms in the U.S. as people. These stats have been widely reported. What has not been so widely reported is that the number of firearm-related homicides fell from 17,073 in 1993 to 9,903 in 2011 (up slightly from 9,812 in 2010). Per capita, the gun-related murder rate has dropped by more than 50 percent over the past two decades.

This is a remarkable and somewhat mysterious trend. Some scholars have attributed the decline in gun-related homicides and other violent crimes to rising rates of incarceration; the U.S. has by far the highest rates in the world. But the decline has continued since 2007 as incarceration rates have fallen slightly and as the U.S. economy has tanked. ?This would also be the last time to expect a crime decline,? legal scholar Frank Zimring told The New York Times last year.

So am I taking back my call for gun control? No. Rates of gun-related homicide in the U.S., in spite of the recent decline, are still unacceptably high, much higher than in any other developed nation. Moreover, according to an analysis by Mother Jones, there has recently been a rise, albeit erratic, in casualties from ?mass shootings,? defined as incidents in which one or, more rarely, as in the case of Columbine, two shooters kill at least four people. Mass shootings exclude armed robberies and gang violence.

There have been 62 such shootings over the last 30 years, according to Mother Jones. Within this period, 2012 already has by far the highest casualty count from mass shootings, with over 140 people killed or wounded. Before the Newtown massacre, there were mass shootings at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, and at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin. The third and fourth worst years?behind only 1999, the year of Columbine?were 2007 and 2009.

Mother Jones found that the vast majority of mass shooters used either semi-automatic handguns or assault weapons, most of which were purchased legally. So the logical step would be to ban possession?not just sale?of semi-automatic handguns and assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, all of which are, in effect, designed for mass shootings. The government could buy back banned guns, a program that has apparently worked well in Australia. Also, we obviously need much stricter background checks on would-be buyers. I like Canada?s requirement?which I read about in a column by Nicholas Kristof of The New York Times?that would-be buyers have two people vouch for them.

The gun lobby is going to fight such restrictions. This afternoon, Wayne LaPierre, head of the National Rifle Association, which reportedly receives much of its funding from firearm manufacturers, predictably called for more guns. not fewer. ?The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,? he declared. ?Would you rather have your 911 call bring a good guy with a gun from a mile away ? or a minute away?? This proposition, like much of the NRA?s propaganda, flies in the face of the facts.

While LaPierre was speaking, media in Pennsylvania were reporting that a gunman had killed three people before being shot to death by police.

Postscript: A few responses to comments. Danarel asks?about studies that correlate more guns with more homicide, which can be found at?http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/research/hicrc/firearms-research/guns-and-death/index.html. If you compare countries and communities, you can indeed find a correlation between firearm availability and gun-related crimes. But as the historical U.S. data I cite indicates, the correlation is far from straight-forward. I?d like to see more research on why gun-related deaths in the U.S. have declined so dramatically over the past two decades, because maybe we can isolate factors that inhibit shootings.?Randiana opposes banning high-capacity magazines, semi-automatic handguns and assault rifles, because shooters could do almost as much damage with many small magazines, revolvers, conventional hunting rifles, etc. I?d like to ban all guns, but since that doesn?t appear to be feasible, I?m focusing, like most gun-control advocates, on weapons most suited to mass shootings. ljdgielmcoe notes that the Newtown shooter used a legally purchased assault rifle, in spite of a ban on assault rifles in Connecticut. To me, that shows that loopholes in the bans must be closed.?alan.coffel notes that I wrote ?cartridge? when I meant ?magazine.? Sorry for the error.

Image: http://www.thepetroc.com.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=10ff2433add7ee7a02ab3a5186ae899a

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New Mexico meat company sues feds claiming ... - Tuesday's Horse

Associated Press Report

WRITTEN BY JERI CLAUSING

Slaughter tools. Google image.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. ? A New Mexico meat company that wants to resume domestic horse slaughter for food is suing the federal government, alleging inaction on its application was driven by emotional political debates and has cost it hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Valley Meat Co. is seeking to force the U.S. Department of Agriculture to resume inspections necessary to open what would be the nation?s first new horse slaughterhouse in more than five years.

The company and its owner, Rick de los Santos, have also sued the Humane Society of the United States, Front Range Equine Rescue, and Animal Protection of New Mexico, accusing the organizations of defamation during a yearlong dispute that has reignited debate over the humane treatment of horses and how best to control the nation?s exploding equine population.

Perhaps the most divisive question is whether the noble, iconic animals that played a key role in the settling of much of America are livestock or pets.

The USDA declined comment this week on the pending litigation. The agency has until January to respond to the suit filed in federal court in late October.

? Read full report at StarTribune.com >>

Although horses are mostly companion, service and sporting animals, they are commonly categorized as livestock to give owners tax breaks and the reason any movement to establish them as ?pets? is met with resistance. ? Ed.

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Source: http://tuesdayshorse.wordpress.com/2012/12/21/new-mexico-meat-company-sues-feds-claiming-inaction-and-delays-in-horse-slaughter-plant-opening/

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Trae Tha Truth 'Left Bleeding' In Hospital After June 20 Shooting

'It was blood all over the bed, they had to change the sheets, the mattress,' Trae recounts to 'RapFix Live.'
By Rob Markman

Trae The Truth on "RapFix Live"
Photo: MTV News

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1699350/trae-the-truth-shooting-left-bleeding-june.jhtml

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FBI: 1 of 2 escaped Chicago inmates arrested

CHICAGO (AP) ? One of two bank robbers was arrested late Thursday after a manhunt following the pair's daring escape from a high-rise federal jail in Chicago, the FBI said.

FBI spokeswoman Joan Hyde said Joseph "Jose" Banks was captured without incident in Chicago. Agents and officers from the Chicago FBI's Violent Crimes Task Force, along with officers from the Chicago Police Department, arrested Banks about 11:30 p.m. Thursday, Hyde said in a news release.

The search continued early Friday for Kenneth Conley, who fled the jail with Banks early Tuesday.

Banks, 37, and Conley, 38, somehow broke a large hole into the bottom of a 6-inch wide window of the Metropolitan Correctional Center, dropped a makeshift rope made of bed sheets out and climbed down about 20 stories to the ground.

The escape went unnoticed for hours, with surveillance video from a nearby street showing the two hop into a cab shortly before 3 a.m. Tuesday. They were no longer wearing their orange jail-issued jumpsuits.

When the facility did discover the two men were gone around 7 a.m., what was found revealed a meticulously planned escape, including clothing and sheets shaped to resemble a body under blankets on beds, bars inside a mattress and even fake bars in the cells.

A massive manhunt involving state, federal and local law enforcement agencies was launched, as SWAT teams stormed into the home of a relative of Conley, only to learn the two had been there but had left, and searched other area homes and businesses ? including a strip club where Conley once worked.

Law enforcement officials did not answer a host of questions, including how the men could collect about 200 feet of bed sheets, and what they might have used to break through the wall of the federal facility.

Banks, known as the Second-Hand Bandit because he wore used clothes during his heists, was convicted last week of robbing two banks and attempting to rob two others. Authorities say he stole almost $600,000, and most of that still is missing.

During trial, he had to be restrained because he threatened to walk out of the courtroom. He acted as his own attorney and verbally sparred with the prosecutor, at times arguing that U.S. law didn't apply to him because he was a sovereign citizen of a group that was above state and federal law.

Conley pleaded guilty last October to robbing a Homewood Bank last year of nearly $4,000. Conley, who worked at the time at a suburban strip club, wore a coat and tie when he robbed the bank and had a gun stuffed in his waistband.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fbi-1-2-escaped-chicago-inmates-arrested-074713786.html

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ShopAndroid.com Holiday Sale Countdown - Final Day!

To receive your order in time for Christmas, be sure to order by 4 p.m. (Eastern time) today and use our UPS next-day shipping option!

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

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The Next Big Thing online interview | life with more cowbell

I was invited by my friend writer/blogger/poet/editor Lizzie Violet to participate in an online interview called Next Big Thing as a way for writers to do a little self-promotion and/or think about what they?re working on or will have out soon. Writers tag other writers, who all answer the same 10 questions and post them on their blog. Lizzie added a twist and decided to include playwrights, songwriters and bloggers as well, so my responses will be about my blog.

What is your working title of your blog? life with more cowbell

Where did the idea come from for the blog? I was the company blogger at Alumnae Theatre, posting about the shows it was producing, and generally shouting out and supporting the theatre. When I made the decision to ?retire? from there, I decided to start my own blog. I wanted to get out to see more live theatre and music, and support local artists. On a broader level, I felt the desire to inject more excitement into my life and generate some positive impact in the process. If that makes any sense. Shout out the work and spread the good word.

What genre does your blog fall under? Arts/culture and entertainment mostly, from an experiential point of view, as opposed to being a review or critique.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? If this blog ever became a movie, it would be a huge honour if Jodi Foster played me.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your blog? Toronto-based culture vulture/social bloggerfly shares her arts/culture and entertainment adventures, with a bit of travel and philosophy thrown in.

Will your blog be self-published or represented by an agency??At this point, I have no representation or plans to turn this blog into a book ? but that is an interesting notion. The blog is a serious hobby that I pursue in addition to my ?day job? as a copy editor/proofreader for a national public opinion polling company. I?m not really thinking in terms of going ?professional? with the blog ? to get paid for writing it. Right now, I?m just happy to experience and shout out the art/artists. Though, if someone wanted to pay me to do this ? I probably wouldn?t say no.

How long does it take you to write the blog/how much time do you put into it??The blog is ongoing ? I post several times a week and a single post can take up to about two hours just to write. Added to that is the time it takes to go out to see the event/performance, maybe take some photos. I usually tweet about it right after, make a few notes, then let it perk in my head over night and write the next day. I also reblog posts of bloggers I follow.

What other blogs would you compare this story to within your genre? Alumnae Theatre Company?s blog, The Magnificent Something. I also contribute to Lipstik Indie Review, so there?s a very similar tone and vibe there too.

Who or what inspired you to write this blog? I come from a visual arts and performing arts (acting and singing) background, then got into writing, short stories and personal essays at first. Then I had the job of bloggergal at Alumnae Theatre ? first time blogging for me ? and I was hooked. Being this all-around artsy fartsy kinda gal, I wanted to see other art forms and blog about them too.??

What else about your blog might pique the reader?s interest? I?m starting to do interviews and photo essay posts, to mix it up a bit and make for a more interesting visit to the site.

Here are five writers/bloggers/playwrights ? and I?m also adding an animator/filmmaker ? I?d like to shout out:

Chlo? Whitehorn

G. (The Magnificent Something blog)

Lesley Wallace (Coaching with Les blog)

Patrick Jenkins

Transman (The Adventures of Transman blog)

And while you?re cruising through the webiverse, check out these folks as well: Alumnae Theatre Company, Dawna J. Wightman?and DJ Paul V. (Born This Way blog & book)

With thanks to Lizzie for inviting me ? and Chlo?, G., Lesley, Patrick and Transman for coming onboard.

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Source: http://lifewithmorecowbell.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/the-next-big-thing-online-interview/

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How Small Businesses Use Fiverr, TaskRabbit and Other Services ...

Start

The adventure of new ventures.

In an article The Times has just published, I profile four young ventures vying to help shorten to-do lists for small-business owners this holiday season. Please chime in at the bottom of this post with your own experiences offloading tasks to services that promise to lighten your load. To get things rolling, I?ve reached out to a few small businesses that use the companies featured in the article. Here are their tales:

The Gold-Plated Vacuum Cleaner

If your business wanted to sell a $1 million gold-plated vacuum cleaner ? or at least get people talking about it ? what would you do? Commission a two-minute rap, of course.

That, in any case, is what GoVacuum did. In June, the company began a golden-vacuum campaign devised by Justin Haver, its vice president of sales and marketing. Mr. Haver?s boss agreed to let him try the weird stunt if he could keep it cheap.

So Mr. Haver turned to Fiverr, an online market for small services. There he found a rapper-for-hire to praise his deluxe dust-buster. For $5, Haver ended up with beats and rhyming lyrics that included, ?It?s 24-karat. Man, I wanna marry it! Lifetime warranty: you?ll never have to bury it.?

For the same $5 rate, other individual Fiverr members created a bouncy pop song, a press release, a blurb for the GoVacuum Web site and a computer-adjusted image of a golden vacuum. (Haver used all these elements but the last, preferring a picture created by an in-house designer.)

The fabled vacuum earned international headlines and televised coverage on the Fox Business Network?s ?Money with Melissa Francis? and ?Live From the Couch? on WLNY, a CBS New York affiliate. Before he could meet the cameras, however, Mr. Haver had to bring his fictitious vacuum to life. That meant paying a visit to the gold-plater.

?At that point the story became so good, we had to do it,? Mr. Haver said. ?It took several thousand dollars.?

But he hasn?t forgotten that the campaign started much cheaper, with a flurry of $5 tasks that added up to less than $100. ?I wouldn?t have been able to do it without the Fiverrs,? he said.

Updating Online Listings From a Single Dashboard

Four years ago, Ivan Mladenovic didn?t want customers randomly dropping in to visit his computer repair and consulting shop. Who can blame him? He was running it from his kitchen.

When the company, Preemo, began to grow, Mr. Mladenovic moved it to a corporate office space. This summer, he expanded into a retail storefront in South Miami, Fla., and having customers stop by became a priority. Suddenly, he needed to change his business?s address everywhere it appeared online.

?We?re listed in every directory we can be in because of the nature of our business,? Mr. Mladenovic said. ?There are least 80 or 90 directory listings for our business. And it?s a huge science project to change them.?

So he turned to Yext, a company based in New York that gives users a single dashboard to update company listings across more than 50 directory sites including Yelp, CitySearch, MapQuest and Foursquare. (That list does not include Google+ Local; Yext has been a vocal critic of Google?s business listings service.)

Yext also lets business owners add promotional content, like special offers and photographs, to their listings, and it alerts owners when customers post new reviews. The full service costs $499, billed annually.

?I justify the cost because it takes me about 20 to 30 minutes to update one listing, so if I?m updating more than 40 at once it?s a significant time savings on my part,? Mr. Mladenovic said. He also uses Yext to post deals on iPhone repair and other services. He typically runs a new special every two months, hoping that fresh offers will maintain customer interest.

?Our business is obviously an as-needed service. Nobody wakes up and says, ?I want to fix my computer today,?? he said, laughing. ?I want us to be top-of-mind.?

An Intensely Manual Process

When tasks multiply, Matt Brezina calls in the rabbits.

Mr. Brezina is the co-founder of Sincerely, a start-up whose mobile apps let users create and mail photo postcards and other printed greetings. The company?s newest service, Sesame, dispatches themed gift boxes that consumers select and order through their smartphones. Sesame went live at the end of last month, just in time for prime gift-giving season.

?This is a new business for us,? Mr. Brezina said. ?We had no idea how huge it would be.?

That?s where the rabbits came in. When the work became too much for the 16 full-time employees at his San Francisco office, Mr. Brezina reached out to TaskRabbit, an on-demand service for farming out quick jobs to individual freelancers, which the company calls rabbits. On some days, as many as three rabbits were dispatched to Sincerely, where they packed elaborately designed gifts sets whose contents ranged from puppy-training accessories to cocktail supplies and baby gear.

?Putting these gifts together is an intensely manual process,? Mr. Brezina said, requiring workers who bring attention and care. ?We have some people we really like, and we hire them over and over.?

Have you tried any services like these? If so, what worked for you? What didn?t? Which tasks are easily delegated to others? Which ones lend credence to the old adage, ?The only way to get a job done right is to do it yourself??

You can follow Jessica Bruder on Twitter.

Source: http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/19/how-small-businesses-use-fiverr-taskrabbit-and-other-services/

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