Consumers confidence highest in India - Nielsen (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) ? Global consumer confidence remained weak in the third quarter with more than 60 percent of consumers saying it was not a good time to spend, and one-in-three North Americans saying they have no spare cash, a survey showed on Sunday.

Confidence was highest in India for a seventh straight quarter but India's reading fell 5 points from the second quarter and Saudi Arabia was catching up.

The economic outlook, followed by job security, became consumers' biggest concern in the third quarter, overtaking worries about rising inflation, according to the quarterly survey by global analytics and information company Nielsen.

The Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence Index dipped just 1 point in the third quarter from the second quarter to 88 points, but it was shored up by a surge in confidence in emerging economies Brazil and Saudi Arabia, which masked weak confidence in major developed economies.

A reading below 100 indicates consumers are pessimistic about the economic outlook for the coming months.

Consumer morale in the euro zone remained especially weak, notably in France, as the region's debt crisis deepened during the summer. Confidence in Greece, at the centre of the crisis, actually rose sharply but it was still the fourth-weakest of markets surveyed. Confidence was lowest in Hungary.

One-in-five Europeans said they have no extra cash to spend, although that was better than one-in-three North Americans. Confidence in European powerhouse Germany was better than much of Europe and the United States, but like the U.S. its reading dipped 1 point from the second quarter.

"The third quarter was volatile and challenging for global economies and financial markets amid stagnant U.S. unemployment figures and a worsening euro zone debt crisis," said Venkatesh Bala, chief economist at The Cambridge Group, a part of Nielsen.

"A recessionary mindset is growing among consumers as more than half say they are currently in a recession -- up 4 percentage points from last quarter and 7 points from the start of the year. The result is continued spending restraint for discretionary expenses, which is expected to continue into next year."

The survey, taken between Aug. 30 and Sept. 16 and covering 28,000 consumers in 56 countries, showed 64 percent of consumers globally saying it was not a good time to spend.

Financial markets picked up last week following a euro zone agreement to tackle its debt crisis and after encouraging third-quarter U.S. economic growth data, but further positive data will be required to reassure consumers.

Confidence in China dipped a point while in Europe the Baltic states of Latvia and Lithuania saw a surge in confidence, though it was still relatively low.

The survey showed that global consumers facing tighter budgets would cut back on clothing purchases, dining out and buying electronics and appliances before anything else.

"If the global economic climate worsens, these three sectors appear to be particularly vulnerable," said Bala.

The survey is based on consumers' confidence in the job market, status of their personal finances and readiness to spend.

Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence Index in the third quarter, 2011 (Change from Q2, 2011 survey in brackets):

Top 10 index readings Bottom 10 index readings

India 121 (-5) Estonia 72 (+6)

Saudi Arabia 120 (+13) Lithuania 71 (+11)

Indonesia 114 (+2) Latvia 69 (+12)

Philippines 112 (-3) Ireland 64 (0)

Brazil 112 (+16) France/Japan/Spain 56^

Thailand 109 (+4) Italy 52 (-3)

UAE 105 (-5) Greece 51 (+10)

China/Hong Kong 104 (-1,-3) Romania/S.Korea/Croatia 49*

Norway/Malaysia 101 (+3,-9) Portugal 40 (-2)

Switzerland 99 (-9) Hungary 37 (-6)

---

Global consumer confidence average 88 (-1)

United States 77 (-1)

Germany 87 (-1)

UK 73 (+1)

^ (-13,+1,-4)

* (+2,-3,+4)

Source: The Nielsen Company

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/india/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111030/india_nm/india602004

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Will Marshall: Lessons From Libya

Unlike the dictators of Tunisia and Egypt, Muammar Gaddafi refused to go peaceably when the Arab spring uprisings migrated next door to Libya. Last week he paid for that defiance with his life; an outcome that should rattle other regional tyrants, especially Syria's Bashar al-Assad.

Gaddafi's ouster was a triumph not only for Libya's rebels but also for NATO, which turned the tide of battle in their favor. It also vindicated President Obama's decision to let Europe take the lead and limit U.S. forces to a supporting role in enforcing the U.N.-sanctioned "no fly zone" over Libya.

I was skeptical that NATO airpower alone would be sufficient to de-fang Gaddafi, and wanted the allies to arm the rebels. It turns out, however, that NATO -- in a very liberal interpretation of its mandate to protect Libyan civilians -- worked closely with the opposition in a combined air and ground offensive that methodically wore down regime forces.

With a little help from their friends, Libyans liberated themselves, and some are now waving French and U.S. flags in gratitude. What we've witnessed in Libya, in fact, could be a new model for collective security in which the United States no longer bears a disproportionate share of the risks and costs of intervention. "We've demonstrated what collective action can achieve in the 21st century," Obama declared last week. "Without putting a single U.S. service member on the ground, we achieved our objectives, and our NATO mission will soon come to an end."

Unfortunately, the new model probably isn't applicable to Syria, where another ruthless dictator confronts a popular revolt.

Bashar al-Assad is busy doing in Syria what NATO prevented Qaddafi's forces from doing in Libya -- slaughtering civilians. Even though his henchmen reportedly have killed between 3,000 and 5,000 or more civilians, courageous Syrians still take to the streets daily to challenge the regime.

The regime's brutality has prompted thousands to defect from the Syrian army and join the opposition. Syria thus appears headed toward the same kind of armed insurrection that convulsed Libya. This time, however, there's little chance that NATO will play deus ex machina to Syria's rebels.

Western military intervention in Syria is unlikely for three main reasons. First, Syria is bigger and better armed than Libya, and lies in the Arab heartland rather than on its periphery. Second, while Libya's erratic "Brother Leader" had few friends in the world, Assad has an important regional patron in Iran, whose Revolutionary Guard reportedly is helping him put down the protests. Third, Russia and China vehemently object to the principle of humanitarian intervention, presumably because they fear it could be invoked someday against them. Earlier this month they vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Assad for the violent suppression of peaceful protests.

The political and humanitarian stakes in Syria are growing. Gaddafi's fall and probable execution by vengeful rebels will likely reinforce Assad's determination to bludgeon Syrian demonstrators into submission. If he succeeds in resurrecting what was among the grimmest police states in the region, Assad will have delivered the most serious check to date to the Arab spring's revolutionary momentum. It will also bind Damascus more tightly to Iran, and boost morale among the radical rejectionists in Hezbollah and Hamas. Assad's survival could also push Iraq, which is apprehensive about a Sunni takeover in Syria, closer to its Shia brethren in Tehran.

Having abetted Libya's liberation, the United States and its European partners obviously have an interest in encouraging its Transitional National Council to set up an effective and representative central government. This won't be easy in a relatively backward (despite its oil and gas riches) Arab state rent by tribal and regional divisions and, thanks to 42 years of despotic rule by Gaddafi, lacking in strong civic and national institutions.

The council's weekend announcement that it is imposing Sharia law throughout Libya has provoked "I told you so" reactions from U.S. "realists" and other critics of NATO's intervention. But as Obama said, Libya's road to self-government will be long and winding, and thanks to NATO's intervention, the West will have some influence over the course of events there.

What's crucial now is for the U.S. and Europe to turn their attention to Syria's incipient civil war. Even as Assad's jets hammer unarmed civilians, there's no chance of a U.N. sanctioned no fly, no drive zone there. But the West has other means at its disposal to buttress the rebellion, and thereby help sustain the momentum of Arab demands for freedom and justice.

?

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/will-marshall/gaddafi-al-assad_b_1063832.html

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Ex-friend: Iowa murder suspect showed no emotion (AP)

FORT DODGE, Iowa ? Prosecutors called their star witness Friday in the first-degree murder trial of a woman who claims she killed an Iowa neighbor in self-defense: a former close friend who initially believed her account but came forward a decade later to provide key evidence against her.

Farmer Mary Higgins provided critical testimony in the first-degree murder trial of Tracey Richter. Prosecutors say Richter shot 20-year-old Dustin Wehde at her home in Early, a small town in northwest Iowa, to keep him from talking about his role in a plot to frame her ex-husband. Richter says she acted in self-defense after two men broke into her home and assaulted her.

Higgins said she and Richter became close friends after Richter and her second husband moved to Early in 1998. They often spoke on the phone, had coffee together and she drove Richter's son home from school.

Richter flew to Australia for a planned family vacation days after the Dec. 13, 2001, shooting. Higgins said they got together in January or February 2002 after she returned.

"I wanted to let her know that I stand by her," Higgins recalled.

But Richter showed no emotion and acted "like she was telling me her grocery list" when she recounted her sensational version of events: that two men broke into her home and one choked her with pantyhose before she broke free, unlocked her gunsafe ? without her glasses in the dark ? grabbed two guns and shot Wehde while the other man fled.

At one point while Richter was retelling her story, her 11-year-old son walked in and banged his head in the table. "He said, `Why did you go back up there?'" Higgins recalled. "'You didn't have to shoot him. You didn't have to kill him.'" Richter screamed her son's name, and he left the room, she said.

Higgins said Richter told her police found a pink spiral notebook in Wehde's car and "it would prove that John Pitman did this."

Law enforcement officials have testified they kept the notebook a secret until this year because anyone who knew about it would have knowledge of the crime. Prosecutors say Richter, now 45, forced Wehde to write the notebook claiming Pitman, her ex-husband, hired Wehde to kill her and their son. They say she killed Wehde to keep him quiet and then planted the notebook in his car.

Pitman, a Virginia plastic surgeon, testified earlier Friday that he had nothing to do with the notebook. Richter and Pitman were fighting at the time over custody of their son, Bert Pitman.

Higgins testified she didn't tell investigators who interviewed her in April 2002 about the notebook because she assumed they knew about it and they did not ask her. She said she was contacted in March 2011 after investigators re-examined the case and her husband had become church friends with the new Sac County prosecutor, Ben Smith.

Smith met with her at their home, and she told him, "I didn't want any part of this." But when he asked if she knew about details, she responded, "Do you mean that stupid notebook?"

"The blood drained from his face," she testified. "I'd never seen anything like that before. He just went on the ground and sat on the floor and leaned against the kitchen cupboards."

Division of Criminal Investigation agents then interviewed her, and she told them about the notebook but not share the full details.

"I was afraid. I was afraid for myself. I was afraid for my family. And I was afraid for Tracey," she said. "She was my friend and I didn't know where it was going. I didn't know what the notebook meant. I knew it wasn't good."

She said she went into more detail in a second interview with investigators. Her statements were used to draft a criminal complaint charging Richter with murder and leading to her July arrest in Omaha, where she was living.

Higgins occasionally glanced across the courtroom at Richter, who looked away during her testimony.

Prosecutor Douglas Hammerand gave jurors photocopies of the journal's five pages written in Wehde's sloppy handwriting, and they followed along as he read line by line. The journal says Wehde wanted to "make record of mysterious fellow who asked me to work for him (John Pitman)."

"J.P. wants me to get/force his ex T.R. to kill her son Burt and then commit suicide, and if that plan fails Plan B is to make it appear as though T.R. had committed the murder of her son & then committed suicide," he wrote.

Pitman testified the journal described him accurately: a doctor from Virginia who wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father, also a surgeon, and take over his practice one day. The diary describes him as a white male in his 40s who was in the Army, once wanted to be a psychiatrist, and is "slightly overweight and out of shape."

It named Pitman's divorce attorney, Stephen Komie of Chicago. Only Richter and his family knew that much detail about his personal life, Pitman said, although he acknowledged on cross-examination that he had conflict with Richter's second husband, who could have gotten personal information about him from her.

The doctor said that he never met Wehde, did not hire him and did not want his son dead.

"Did your ex-wife Tracey Richter despise you?" Hammerand asked.

"I think so," Pitman responded with a laugh. The two separated in 1992 and their divorce was finalized in 1996.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111028/ap_on_re_us/us_hero_mom_or_killer

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Dinosaurs & Robots rocking Anchorage

Several weeks ago here on Symbiartic, I posted the promotional image for the Robots & Dinosaurs science-art exhibit by artists Raven Amos and Scott Elyard.

Dinosaurs & Robots show promo image. Trikeratos ? Scott Elyard.

Rockstar science-blogger Maggie Koerth-Baker of Boing Boing also featured the show.

From all accounts on Raven and Scott?s blogs, the show has gone quite well! ?So well in fact, they?ve been asked to move to a larger venue. ?Catch the show at the Downtown location of Modern Dwellers Chocolate Lounge in Anchorage, Alaska with the reception starting November 4th at 5pm. ?Science-art for the masses! (Glad Symbiartic could help in our humble way! And thanks for the postcards!)

If you can?t make the show, be sure to look through their blogs. In addition to the original art at the show, a number of prints are available from the artists for sale.

Here?s a video promotion for the show:

Links:
Coherent Light ? Scott Elyard?s art blog .

The CAW Box ? Raven Amos?s art blog

@coherent_light ? Elyard on Twitter

@alaskanime ? ?Amos on Twitter.

Scott Elyard on G+

Raven Amos on G+

Both are also contributing members of ART Evolved.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=c20e6a2af3d23c97aaf90ef758c74367

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With Viacom?s purchase of Bellator, the future looks bright

Media conglomerate Viacom, the company that owns both Spike TV and MTV, has jumped into the MMA game with the purchase of Bellator Fighting championships. USA Today reports that Viacom now has a majority stake in Bellator, and their fights will start airing on Spike in 2013, moving from MTV2.

Spike had a longtime relationship with the UFC, beginning with "The Ultimate Fighter" in 2005. That will end this December when the 14th season of "The Ultimate Fighter" comes to a close, and the UFC jumps to Fox networks. Spike will have rights to the UFC library until the end of 2012. When that agreement ends, Spike will have Bellator and its tournament-based fights in place.

Bellator began airing preliminary fights on Spike's website earlier this year, and CEO Bjorn Rebney told Cagewriter in a previous interview that he was excited to work with Spike because they already understand MMA.

"We're a great position in that our deal is with MTV networks, so it's that larger corporate umbrella. They control Spike, MTV, MTV2. You never know what the future will bring. The foreseeable future will be what it is, which is MTV2 and Spike.com for the prelims, but Spike is better than anyone in this space. They get it better than anyone."

This is nothing but good news for fans. It ensures that Bellator will be viable for years to come, giving fans more choices for MMA. With the UFC on Fox networks and Bellator with Viacom, there will be a greater volume of fights. Though the move to Spike is more than a year away, it will also give fans the option to watch in HD, a choice that doesn't exist with MTV2.

Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
? World Series ratings don't reflect quality of match
? Mike Shanahan stumbling after wrong decisions at QB for Redskins
? Video: Stanford primed for run to BCS title game

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/With-Viacom-s-purchase-of-Bellator-the-future-l?urn=mma-wp8557

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The D-Link Boxee Box Is Your Excuse-To-Stay-Indoors Deal of the Day [Dealzmodo]

The way I see it, there are three things you can do today. You could harmlessly geek out about that awesome Nokia Lumia 800 Windows Phone. I don't care what nerds say, that thing is h to the awt. Two, you can participate in Occupy Oakland, which, um, might result in getting shot in the face with rubber bullets and getting tear gassed by police who are igniting chaos as some twisted show of strength. Or you can curl up in a Snuggie with some nice hot cocoa with marshmallows and watch some Hello Kitty on your just purchased Boxee Box for $125. Oh hell, why not just do them all? Today is a day to never forget. -CC More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/qm1A6kXd8IM/the-d+link-boxee-box-is-your-excuse+to+stay+indoors-deal-of-the-day

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Surveillance video leads to 2 in school shooting (AP)

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. ? Surveillance video helped lead authorities to two suspects in the shooting and wounding of a 15-year-old student at a North Carolina high school.

The video showed the 18-year-old and 15-year-old suspects carrying the rifle inside Cape Fear High School, Cumberland County Sheriff Earl "Moose" Butler said.

The 18-year-old, a student at the school, was scheduled to appear in a courtroom Tuesday in connection with the shooting of 15-year-old fellow student Catilyn Abercrombie, who was wounded in the neck Monday. Abercrombie, who was standing in a breezeway outside the cafeteria when she was shot, underwent surgery and was listed in stable condition.

Classes were scheduled to operate as usual at the high school and at a nearby middle school. Sheriff Butler said there would be additional deputies on hand to help students and parents feel confident about their safety.

The 15-year-old suspect will go to juvenile court, although an exact date for the student's appearance wasn't known, sheriff's office spokeswoman Debbie Tanna said.

While the high school has metal detectors, Butler said he didn't know if they were used on a daily basis at the school.

Butler said investigators don't think Abercrombie was the intended target, but no motive had been established.

"Why did they shoot? I don't know," he said.

A police officer assigned to the high school was standing near Abercrombie when she was shot around 1 p.m. and immediately called 911, Tanna said.

The high school and nearby Mac Williams Middle School were locked down for hours before students were allowed to go home.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111025/ap_on_re_us/us_school_shooting_nc

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Android App Player on BlackBerry - How will it all work?

The folks over at CrackBerry have done some investigating in regards to just how Android and Android apps will work on the BlackBerry PlayBook and future BlackBerry smartphones. A few tidbits of info to come out of the Q & A are rather interesting. While most of it is developer related -- there is some info there for users as well. Some examples:

Q: Do I need the source code for an Android app to port it over to BlackBerry?
A: No, you just need the .apk file.

Q: What versions of Android will BBX Support?
A: Research In Motion plans to support any open-sourced versions of Android.  Currently version 2.3 is the newest version of Android that Google has released open source code for, so that's what the PlayBook OS / BBX currently support. When Google releases open source code for Ice Cream Sandwich, BBX will support that.

Q: So does that mean App World will run rampant with Android apps that were not intended to be in there?
A: No. The submission process is still the same here. You need to sign up as a developer with App World. If you submit apps, you need to have the rights to those apps for them to get published.

RIM looks to be making an attempt to attract developers to their platform but one has to one wonder if this will back fire? As it is right now, anyone can package up a developers .apk file and install it on their BlackBerry PlayBook -- they just cannot submit it to BlackBerry App World.

Will this sort of stuff detract Android developers or is there a slight chance RIM may actually pull in a few developers to their platform because of how easy it appears to be? Hit the source link for the full details.

Source: CrackBerry

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/1svtlHmzxX8/android-app-player-blackberry-how-will-it-all-work

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Winamp for Android Updates, Now Syncs with Macs Wirelessly [Updates]

Android: Previously mentioned Winamp for Android unveiled a number of updates this morning, including a new Winamp for Mac Sync beta app that extends wireless music and video sync to Mac users, access to Spinner's MP3 of the day from your Android phone, and a new premium version of the app with extended features. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/XbjIzuygviE/winamp-for-android-updates-now-syncs-with-macs-wirelessly

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[OOC] Love to Break All Curses

Lit - Tiger, Snake, Monkey, normal girl

Ever - Cat, Rat, Dog, Dragon, Rooster, Pig, Goat, Horse, Rabbit, Ox, God

Use this if you want to take note of your characters traits for future reference, Lit. Just submit the character if you do.

Name:
Age:
Zodiac: (can put 'none')
Appearance (human):
Appearance (animal):
Personality:
History:

For now you should make the normal girl, and stick to her. I'll let you know when the rest of the zodiac should come in.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/4-oGomosyZw/viewtopic.php

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Hang Up and Listen: The Worst Great Quarterback Edition

In this week?s episode of Slate?s sports podcast Hang Up and Listen, Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca discuss the tight World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers. They also talk about Tim Tebow?s big comeback for the Denver Broncos and his prospects as a pro quarterback. And Sally Jenkins joins the show to explain her proposal to allow college athletes to major in sports.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=9c120eb3e46b6271088251cdfe727dd0

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Oakland protesters defy city order to leave (AP)

OAKLAND, Calif. ? Hundreds of anti-Wall Street protesters defied a city order late Friday to leave their campsite at a plaza outside City Hall.

The city had given the Occupy Oakland demonstrators an ultimatum to be out by 10 p.m. PDT Friday, but there were signs of them leaving well after that hour.

Earlier in the day, city spokeswoman Karen Boyd said that the city gave official notice that the protesters do not have permission to remain overnight and that their encampment is breaking the law.

Many protesters said they have no intentions of leaving even though the city announced Thursday that after nearly two weeks it can no longer uphold public health and safety at the site.

Boyd says she expects the protesters to comply and would not comment on what steps the city would take toward enforcing of the law.

There was no sign of police presence immediately after 10 p.m. Friday.

Several cities in the United States and around the world have arrested anti-Wall Street protesters who have failed to leave public areas.

"I'm not going anywhere. They're going to have to come and take me away," said Christopher Dunlap, 23, who said he has been on the City Hall lawn since the first day of the encampment.

While the city will no longer allow protesters to stay overnight at the site, they can demonstrate there from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Boyd said.

Earlier Friday, protester Gerry Johnson, 55, who said he has been at the site for more than a week said it's unlikely his fellow demonstrators will leave.

"I'm trying to keep calm," Johnson said. "We're here for a good cause. I think we'll stand our ground."

The encampment has quickly grown from a few dozen tents to more than 150, causing overcrowding and tension. Some protesters moved to another site across town.

Oakland officials repeatedly said the city was committed to allowing free speech, with Mayor Jean Quan proclaiming Wednesday that sometimes "democracy is messy."

However, citing an increasing rat problem, the city made repeated requests for campers to remove fire hazards then cited public urination and acts of violence also as reasons for them to pack up and go.

Boyd said the group was cooperating in the beginning, but things had changed as they "exceeded their ability to address public health and safety issues."

"We have been very clear about the expectations," Boyd said. "It has gotten to a point where individuals can no longer maintain the plaza. It's deteriorated to the point where we needed to take strong action."

The notice to vacate didn't sit well with protesters. Since their arrival, they have created a 24-hour kitchen, complete with pots, pans and a stove as well as areas for health and child care.

Oakland Interim Deputy Fire Chief Lisa Baker toured the perimeter of the site Friday. She said firefighters were threatened and harassed while responding to three 911 calls Thursday.

"Can I talk to your president? Who's in charge?" Baker asked.

Robin Woods, an Oakland Occupy member, replied, "We don't have one. This is a leaderless movement."

Baker said, "Look, we're not trying to be confrontational, but if someone calls 911, they will get the care and service that we provide."

Baker urged Woods to pass along her thoughts to organizers. The two shook hands.

Anderson said that he hopes the city doesn't try to take down the community built by demonstrators.

"This has no corporate ties. This is all public, all people, that's why this is a threat," Anderson said. "This is a peaceful assembly, so therefore if you want to violently come in here, what does that say about America?"

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111022/ap_on_re_us/us_occupy_wall_street_oakland

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Verizon (finally) confirms it will have the Galaxy Nexus

After a few leaks and false starts, Verizon has finally made its plans to offer the Galaxy Nexus "later this year" official. That's really the only detail revealed, as its price, release date and availability on other carriers are still unknown. Check out the press release after the break if you need any more confirmation.

Continue reading Verizon (finally) confirms it will have the Galaxy Nexus

Verizon (finally) confirms it will have the Galaxy Nexus originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/21/verizon-finally-confirms-it-will-have-the-galaxy-nexus/

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Toshiba Satellite P755-S5390

Sometimes all you need is a computer that can get things done. That description definitely applies to the Toshiba Satellite P755-S5390 ($799.99 list at Staples), a good-size laptop with an eye-catching design and some forward-thinking hardware that propels it to success at almost any everyday task you can throw at it short of gaming. Its battery life leaves something to be desired, but aside from that it?s a surprisingly powerful and well-rounded system that just narrowly misses out on the top tier of mainstream models.

Design
Weighing 5.6 pounds and measuring 1.1 by 13.4 by 9 inches (HWD), the P755-S5390 is about average in terms of portability. Toshiba calls the color of its plastic chassis ?Platinum,? but we call that optimistic: Think of it as a shiny dark gray with a raised and textured horizontal pattern (which Toshiba also dubs its Fusion X2 Finish) gracing the lid and palm rest; the striping extends to the keyboard deck and the touch pad, too, though they look much darker and more matte in style. Also on the lid you?ll find a silvery Toshiba logo; extending around edge of the lid and the inside of the laptop is a smooth and shiny border. The bezel surrounding the 15.6-inch widescreen 1,366-by-768 display (in which there is, of course, a webcam) and the chiclet-style keys are regular black, with the latter bearing subdued light-gray printing rather than a blaring white.

You do get that color, however, when you turn on the laptop. You'll see it in the system power and activity lights, a strip on the touch pad, and the Satellite logo on the lower-left corner. It's also prominent in the row of media-control and other laptop-function keys located near the display hinge: one starts the Toshiba eco Utility, one toggles the wireless on and off, one plays or pauses your media, one mutes the sound, and a strip lets you adjust the volume).

A nice addition to the keyboard is a full-size number pad; the space bar, alas, is unusually short and squat in design, which can occasionally make it difficult to press. Located above the touch pad is a button that deactivates it, and the mouse buttons are located below; they?re soft and only moderately clicky, but as part of the design scheme they?re coated with the same material as the slick outside border of the laptop, which can make your fingers slide across them.

Features
The Intel Core i7-2670QM processor in the P755-S5390 is an especially robust chip: It has four processing cores that can divide into eight threads by way of Intel?s Hyper-Threading technology, and it has a standard clock speed of 2.2GHz that can rise to as much as 3.1GHz when Turbo Boost is activated. As a member of Intel?s second-generation Core (aka ?Sandy Bridge?) family, this CPU also gives you access to that line?s full swath of features, including Quick Sync Video (for accelerated media format conversions) and Wireless Display 2.0 (for streaming content to your HDTV if you own?a Netgear Push2TV adapter).

Rounding out the components are 6GB of DDR3 RAM that?s upgradable to 8GB; a 640GB hard drive; 802.11b/g/n wireless networking; and built-in Harman Kardon stereo speakers. On the left edge of the system you?ll find VGA and HDMI ports for outputting video to an external display, an Ethernet jack, and two USB ports: one 2.0 and one the faster 3.0. A multiformat card reader is positioned at the very center of the laptop?s front edge; on the right edge are the headphone and microphone jacks, two USB 2.0 ports, and the DVD burner.

Preinstalled on the hard drive are the Windows 7 Home Premium operating system, and some additional software items you may or may not find useful: Windows Live Essentials, a 30-day trial of Norton Internet Security 2012, Microsoft Office Starter 2010, Skype, and the expected swath of Toshiba tools and utilities.

Customers who buy this system from Staples can avail themselves of several services the retailer offers. This includes setting the new system up, data transfer from your old PC to your new one, software installation, and tech support and protection plans that range in price from $14.99 to $169.99.

Performance
The P755-S5390 is a bit difficult to categorize in terms of performance. Though the laptop?s price places it squarely in the mainstream category, its processor is a fair sight better than what we usually see in this class?but the system lacks the robust rounder edges we?d usually use to identify a desktop replacement laptop. So compared with other midrange systems, the P755-S5390 comes out on top in all cases, even against our Editors? Choice Asus U46E-BAL5 ($699.99 list, 4.5 stars)?and the more gaming-oriented, Sandy Bridge version of the HP Envy 14 ($1,079.99 direct, 4 stars). It nabbed a straight 2,400 in our PCMark 7 overall performance test, whereas the Asus U46E-BAL5 reached only 2,215; the P755-S5390?s times of 1 minute 31 seconds in Handbrake and 3:39 in Adobe Photoshop CS5, and its score of 5.35 in CineBench R11.5, were markedly better than what we saw from any other similar system we tested.

Even more disappointing were its gaming capabilities. The P755-S5390 could never get above (or even close to) our 30-frames-per-second (fps) threshold for smooth playability; it cracked into the very low 20fps on both our Crysis and Lost Planet 2 tests (at 1,024-by-768 resolution, with medium details), but no higher. In both cases, these numbers were better than those of the Asus U46E-BAL5, but the HP Envy 14 did much better in Crysis (45.5fps) and in our 3DMark 06 video benchmark test (7,751 versus 4,992 for the P755-S5390 at 1,024 by 768; and 6,509 versus 4,139 at the systems? native resolutions).

Battery life, on the other hand, was far from the P755-S5390?s strong suit. Loaded with its standard 48Wh battery, it only lasted 4 hours 11 minutes during our MobileMark 2007 battery-rundown test?more than an hour shorter than what you get with the HP Envy (5:15) and less than half what the Samsung QX411-W01 can deliver (a stunning 8:48). Even looked at against desktop replacement systems it?s a poor showing?the lowest amount of life among them comes from the most recent 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro ($2,199.99 direct, 4 stars)?and even that ekes out 4:40.

Unlike our Editors? Choice, the Asus U46E-BAL5, the Toshiba Satellite P755-S5390 isn?t intricately appointed in every area: You won?t find on it the Asus U46E-BAL5?s larger hard drive, more RAM, WiMAX, remarkable longevity when not plugged in, or lower price. So we have to let the Asus U46E-BAL5 retain its edge, despite the P755-S5390?s superior performance on all our productivity tests. Even so, the P755-S5390 stands out from the mainstream crowd and is absolutely worth considering if you have a lot of work to do?and quickly.

BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS

More laptop reviews:
??? Asus U56E-BBL6
??? Toshiba Satellite L775D-S7340
??? Dell Inspiron 15R (I15RN-5882DBK)
??? Dell Inspiron 14R (I14RN-1364PBL)
??? Acer Travelmate 8441T-6440
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/3yXig7LFejM/0,2817,2395003,00.asp

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Senate rejects GOP effort on terrorist trials (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The Senate voted early Friday to reject a Republican effort to prohibit the United States from prosecuting foreign terrorist suspects in civilian courts, handing a victory to President Barack Obama.

By 52-47, senators turned aside a proposal by Sen. Kelly Ayotte (AY-aht), R-N.H., that would have forced such trials to occur before military tribunals or commissions. The Obama administration has fought to continue bringing such cases in federal courts, with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Attorney General Eric Holder writing Senate leaders on Thursday that the measure would deprive them of a potent weapon against terrorism and increase the risk of terrorists escaping justice.

Obama has had numerous clashes with Congress over the handling of war on terror detainees. Congress has voted to prevent the transfer of detainees from the naval prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the U.S. Obama has sought to close that detention facility but has been opposed by Republicans and some Democratic lawmakers.

Ayotte said it would be dangerous to let terrorists exercise the protections against self-incrimination and other rights of civilian courts that they might use to avoid surrendering critical information to investigators. Republicans cited last November's acquittal by a federal jury in New York of all but one of hundreds of charges brought against Ahmed Ghailani for his role in destroying two U.S. embassies in Africa, in which 224 people were killed.

"Enemy combatants are not common criminals who just robbed the liquor store," she said, adding, "The priority has to be on gathering information to protect Americans."

Democrats said since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 10 years ago, 300 terrorist cases have been successfully prosecuted in federal courts, compared to just three before military commissions. They also pointed to last week's guilty plea in a federal court in Detroit by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab for trying to destroy a jetliner with a bomb in his underwear and the FBI's successful interrogation of Abdulmutallab.

"Give the president the power he needs to keep America safe," said Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill.

Ayotte fell well short of the 60 votes she needed for her amendment to prevail. The vote came as the Senate debated deep into the night over a wide-ranging spending bill that it will not complete until it returns next month after a one-week recess. .

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111021/ap_on_go_co/us_congress_terror_suspects

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Smoking, tobacco ads banned at Euro 2012

Associated Press Sports

updated 10:09 a.m. ET Oct. 20, 2011

NYON, Switzerland (AP) -UEFA has imposed a ban on smoking and tobacco advertising at next year's European Championship.

UEFA says the ban will apply in and around all eight host stadiums in Poland and Ukraine.

UEFA President Michel Platini says the ban is about "respecting the health of our spectators."

Host cities will also be urged to extend the policy to "ensure smoke-free public transport, restaurants and fan zones."

UEFA worked with the World Health Organization and European Union to introduce the policy.

The 16-nation tournament will be played from June 8-July 1.

? 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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More newsNicholas Kamm / AFP - Getty ImagesGustau Nacarino / Reuters

Easy win

Barcelona set a club record by extending its unbeaten streak to 13 games with a 2-0 victory over the Czech Republic's Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/44971103/ns/sports-soccer/

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Floodwaters begin seeping into outer Bangkok

BANGKOK?? Floodwaters have begun seeping into Bangkok's outer districts, one day after the government opened several key floodgates in a risky bid to let built-up water flow through the capital's canals toward the sea.

An Associated Press team saw water entering homes in the northern Lak Si district, which is located along the city's main Prapa canal.

Water in the area has risen to knee-level in some places, but damage has so far been minor and has not affected Bangkok's main business district.

The government had predicted canals could overflow, but it is still unknown to what degree.

Gov. Sukhumbhand Paribatra said Friday he was worried about inundation in the area and vast pools of runoff draining toward the capital are expected to intensify.

The sun was shining over the capital on Friday after some heavy rain the previous evening. The weather was expected to be generally clear over the weekend.

The government has been struggling to deal with the worst flooding in 50 years.

After trying to hold the line for a week, the government decided to open some canals on Thursday to allow water to run through the inner city.

Under fire
The government's flood crisis center said people in parts of Don Muang and Laksi districts, in northern Bangkok, should move belongings to higher floors. The crisis center is itself located in the old city airport in Don Muang.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has come under fire for her management of the crisis, which was building even before she took office in early August and looks set to cost industry more than $3 billion and will hit economic growth.

Interactive: Asia floods: Kills thousands, cost billions (on this page)

Soldiers have played an active role in shoring up dikes and helping people relocate and, with Bangkok in danger, Yingluck has put an additional 50,000 armed forces personnel and 30,000 police on standby to help in relief work.

But she is resisting calls to invoke a state of emergency, which would mean deploying the army on the streets.

"It would ruin investors' confidence, which is quite weak already," Yingluck told reporters at the crisis center.

"At this moment we can see that we (the government and the people) are cooperating very well to help us get through the problem. If I declare a state of emergency, I would be telling the world that we can't help each other," she added.

Flood barriers breached
The government's effort to guide the water around the east and west of the capital has had some success.

"This mission was intended to divert water out of Rapipat Canal and it has succeeded in pushing out water to the open sea faster," the crisis center said in a statement.

Video: Thailand faces flood disaster (on this page)

But water now covers a third of Thailand's provinces, some 4 million acres in the north, northeast and center of the country.

The flooding has killed at least 342 people since July and has devastated industrialized areas to the north of Bangkok.

A seventh big industrial estate was overwhelmed late on Thursday when flood barriers at the Bang Kadi park in Pathum Thani province about 30 miles north of the capital were breached.

The central bank put the damage to industry at more than 100 billion baht ($3.3 billion) on Thursday.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44985411/ns/weather/

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Lohan returns to court amid call for jail sentence (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? Another court date, another jail threat for Lindsay Lohan.

A city prosecutor will recommend Wednesday that the troubled starlet be sent back to jail because she had been ousted from a community service assignment at a women's shelter.

Lohan had been ordered in April to serve 360 hours at the Downtown Women's Center, an agency that helps homeless women. It is unclear how many hours she completed there, but she was terminated by the center and has been serving hours lately with the American Red Cross.

Deputy City Attorney Melanie Chavira will ask that Lohan be found in violation of her probation and be sentenced to jail, city attorney's spokesman Frank Mateljan said Tuesday.

It will ultimately be up to Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner to decide whether Lohan warrants another probation revocation hearing and a return to jail, where she has been sent four previous times only to be released early due to jail overcrowding. If the judge determines Lohan has violated her probation, she will have to schedule an evidentiary hearing for a later date, after which any punishment would be determined.

The judge has said she thought the women's shelter assignment would do Lohan some good.

Lohan's spokesman Steve Honig said the actress is now doing her service with the American Red Cross.

He declined comment on the recommendation that Lohan be sent back to jail.

He said the "Mean Girls" star has been working hard to satisfy the terms of her release, including psychological counseling and completing a Shoplifters Anonymous course.

"She's really pounding away," Honig said, adding that Lohan has been also working to complete her Shoplifter's Anonymous course.

"She's on a good track," Honig said Tuesday. "We're optimistic the judge will see that."

Lohan took to Twitter on Tuesday evening and posted, "I just want it to be known, that just because I was not followed&photographed during the times I've gone to community service, does NOT mean that I wasn't following my obligations (by going) to the court."

Lohan, who aside from a role in last year's film "Machete" has seen her acting career evaporate in recent years, has been in perpetual trouble since May 2010.

Another judge determined she violated her probation a 2007 drunken driving case and sentenced her to jail and rehab. She faltered after being released from a rehab facility early and was sent to the Betty Ford Center, where she got in an altercation with a rehab worker who later sued.

Within weeks of her release from Betty Ford, Lohan was accused of taking a $2,500 necklace without permission from an upscale jewelry store near her home in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles. Sautner determined the January incident constituted a probation violation and Lohan was ordered to undergo psychological counseling and perform 480 hours of community, with 120 hours to be spent at the county morgue.

Lohan later pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge in the necklace theft case, and served 35 days of a four-month sentenced on house arrest.

Honig said he did not know how many hours of community service Lohan had completed and that information would be given to Sautner on Wednesday.

Mateljan said he had not personally reviewed the probation report and did not know why Lohan was booted from serving at the Downtown Women's Center.

"We feel that her being terminated from it is a violation," Mateljan said.

___

Anthony McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111019/ap_en_mo/us_people_lindsay_lohan

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Police comb Kansas City home, yard of missing baby

Investigators leave the home of missing baby Lisa Irwin in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

Investigators leave the home of missing baby Lisa Irwin in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

An investigator carries shovels to the back yard of missing baby Lisa Irwin in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

Investigators carry a ladder into the home of missing baby Lisa Irwin in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

An investigator looks behind a shed in the back yard of the home of missing baby Lisa Irwin in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011. Investigators armed with shovels, rakes and bomb-detection equipment scoured the Kansas City home and yard of a family who say their baby was abducted from her crib as they slept. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

An investigator steps over police lines while searching the home of missing baby Lisa Irwin in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) ? One of the most aggressive police searches yet of the home where a Kansas City infant went missing more than two weeks ago drew officers Wednesday armed with shovels, rakes and other tools who hauled off bags that appeared to be full of potential evidence.

Police refused to say what they found inside or outside the home belonging to Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley, who say an intruder snatched their baby daughter, Lisa, from her crib in the middle of the night as the mother and two other boys slept.

From shortly after sunrise through late afternoon, FBI agents and police officers joined in the search that began after a judge issued a warrant that prevented the parents from returning to the house while it was under way.

Officers headed to the back of the home with shovels, rakes and a ladder and could be seen digging behind a shed in the yard. Out front, investigators left the house carrying brown paper bags and clear plastic bags and took them to vehicles parked outside.

Police also brought in a bomb and arson truck to assist the search, though spokesman Capt. Steve Young said there were no indications of explosives in the house. Some bomb detection devices use X-ray technology to scan solid objects to reveal items concealed within. An AP reporter saw investigators carrying at least a dozen thin, black rectangular sheets away from the home during the afternoon.

Lisa Irwin was 10 months old on Oct. 4 when her parents reported her missing. Her father, an electrician, said he returned home from a late shift to discover the lights on, a window tampered with, the front door unlocked and Lisa gone. Bradley and Lisa's two older brothers had been asleep elsewhere in the house. Bradley has admitted she drank heavily that night and may have blacked out.

Police, FBI agents, officers from area law enforcement agencies and the Missouri National Guard already have searched the family's home, neighborhood, nearby wooded areas, a landfill and abandoned homes. Police have refused to discuss any evidence gathered in the searches, saying only that they remain without a suspect.

There was no indication the family has tried to block investigators' access to their home, which already has been scoured by FBI agents with dogs.

The parents' attorney, Joe Tacopina, said Wednesday that he welcomed the search, but "we want this to be done in good faith, not to match some predetermined conclusion."

Earlier Wednesday, Tacopina questioned the need for a warrant.

"They can go in and out any time," he said of police. "They have had unfettered access because we want answers."

FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton said Wednesday's search was not based on any sort of tip. Authorities restricted media access, Patton said, because agents were using a procedure involving dogs that they didn't want to be recorded. She declined to elaborate.

Young said all previous searches of the house have been conducted with the family's consent. Wednesday's warrant prevents anyone except those involved in the investigation from entering, meaning family members ? who have returned home from time to time to collect clothes and other belongings ? may not go back inside until the search is over. It wasn't immediately clear whether the search would resume Thursday.

The Federal Aviation Administration established a no-fly zone over the search area effective until 5 p.m., agency spokesman Tony Molinaro said. He characterized the zone as a safety precaution and said it had been requested by law enforcement. Similar restrictions were introduced during a search of the area Tuesday.

Much attention has focused on a rash of recent TV interviews the parents have given in which Bradley admitted she had consumed several glasses of wine the night that Lisa disappeared. She also told NBC that she did not see the baby after putting her to bed at about 6:40 p.m. ? roughly four hours earlier than the time she originally gave police. She didn't explain the difference.

Tacopina has said Bradley's candid words indicate the parents have nothing to hide.

Bradley has said she expects to be arrested in her baby's disappearance.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-10-19-US-Baby-Missing/id-c832a605501f4a0aadea683fa148bf1a

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US crafting framework for cyber offense: general

WASHINGTON?? The United States is still crafting a legal framework to guide any offensive moves in cyberspace, months after the Pentagon unveiled a broad cyber strategy, the head of the military command responsible for such operations said on Tuesday.

Deliberations on military doctrine and legal framework are "ongoing," Air Force General Robert Kehler, commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, told a defense writers' group. "I would say it's not completed."

Kehler has overall responsibility for the U.S. Cyber Command, a sub-unit that began operating in May 2010.

Its mission is to protect Defense Department networks and, if ordered, to go on the offensive to make sure the United States retains the ability to use digitally networked systems on land, at sea and in the air.

He said the military was still looking at "what kinds of options would we want to be able to offer" policymakers for going on the offense.

One of the issues is what constitutes "active defense" in cyberspace, he said, equating it with actions that a ship's captain is authorized to take at sea to protect a ship.

"Is active defense really offense in cyberspace?" Kehler asked. "I would argue that it really is not. It does not have to be, for sure. But those are the issues that we are trying to work our way through."

The Defense Department unveiled in July the broad outlines of a strategy for protecting its more than 15,000 computer networks. The strategy defined cyberspace as an "operational domain" that U.S. forces will be trained to defend, like air, sea and land.

'Significant component'
Then-Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn said the Pentagon wanted to avoid militarizing cyberspace, but aimed to secure strategic networks with the threat of retaliation, as well as by mounting a more robust defense.

"Our strategy's overriding emphasis is on denying the benefit of an attack," Lynn said in a July 14 speech at the National Defense University. "If an attack will not have its intended effect, those who wish us harm will have less reason to target us through cyberspace in the first place."

The U.S. Defense Department has said that it expects cyberattacks to be a "significant component" of future conflicts. More than 30 countries are creating cyber units in their militaries, Lynn wrote in a September 28 piece on ForeignAffairs.com just before stepping down this month.

Cyber technologies now exist that are capable of destroying critical networks, causing physical damage by playing havoc with industrial control systems and altering key systems' performance.

Kehler in his remarks Tuesday said cyberspace is a place "through which we'll conduct military activity, similar to every other domain."

Asked how U.S. cyber capabilities measured against potential adversaries such as Russia and China, he said: "I believe the that the United States still has an edge."

"I can't describe how great the edge is," Kehler said. "I can tell you in some places I think we have quite an edge in cyberspace." He declined to elaborate.

Kehler suggested debate may be continuing on whether electronic warfare ? in which the electromagnetic spectrum is used against targets such as radio towers, radars and other services ? could be construed as a form of cyber warfare.

"I think you could say no," he said. "We've done electronic warfare for years and years and years and years."

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44949618/ns/technology_and_science-security/

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Forest loggers join world's biggest ecology experiment

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Ecologists from around the world are working with the very people who would seem their sworn enemies ? rainforest loggers. A massive deforestation programme is going ahead anyway, so the aim is to exploit it to conduct one of the biggest ecological experiments in the world.

Yayasan Sabah ? the Sabah Foundation, a Malaysian state-owned company ? is felling 75,000 hectares of primary rainforest on the island of Borneo and converting it to lucrative palm oil plantation. A team led by Rob Ewers at Imperial College London is working with the loggers to make sure that the deforestation has a silver lining for ecological research. For them, some of the tree felling will be an experiment into the ecological effect of habitat fragmentation, and they hope it will give them clues on how to design landscapes to support multiple demands ? ecological and commercial ? at a minimal cost to the ecosystem.

"We're being pragmatic. You can bang a drum about fighting these companies but I would hope that we can learn more by working with them," says Ewers, who runs the Stability of Altered Forest Ecosystems project (SAFE).

Working to Ewers's experimental design, the loggers will leave patches of rainforest of different sizes, and at different distances from other patches of rainforest, to determine the effects of different levels of deforestation. The Borneo rainforest is a particularly biodiverse region, and is most famously home to the only Asian great ape, the orang-utan. Around 8000 hectares of the plantation will be given over to the experiment, starting in December.

Plantation plans

Coordinating the ecologists' experiments with the felling work is Glen Reynolds of the South-East Asia Rainforest Research Programme at Danum Valley Field Centre in the Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo. Reynolds is also a member of the international Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. "Yayasan Sabah has had long-standing plans to convert about 20?per cent of its 1-million-hectare area to plantations," he says. "This plantation ? along with the existing Sabah Softwoods plantations ? will get it to about the 20?per cent figure."

Andy Hector of the University of Zurich, Switzerland, runs the Sabah Biodiversity Experiment on forest restoration and says that the SAFE fragmentation project is part of wider ecological projects in Borneo. "Together with a 50-hectare permanent plot in the Danum valley conservation area and the Sabah Biodiversity Experiment, the SAFE project means that we can now study the entire gamut of land use in the region, from pristine forest to fragmented forest and restored forest, to oil palm plantation. It is vital that we work to understand this unique ecosystem while we have the chance."

Journal reference: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0049

When this article was first posted, it incorrectly stated that the felling of 75,000 hectares on Borneo had not yet begun.

If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.

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Britney Spears GIF-ting Fans With 'Criminal' Teases

One of five gifs posted online includes footage of Spears with boyfriend Jason Trawick.
By Jocelyn Vena

Britney Spears' "Criminal" teaser
Photo: Jive/Sony

It's a big week for music video premieres thanks to Justin Bieber, Beyoncé and Rihanna. And Britney Spears wants in on the fun too, as her "Criminal" video is also set to drop this week. Spears gave fans a taste of what to expect with a series of GIFs at Tumblr.

The five GIFs begin to weave together the story of the Chris Marrs Piliero-directed video. In one tease, Spears is all dolled up in a lacy cocktail dress as she attends a glamorous party. In another tease, Spears is seen running out of a building with gun in hand.

Another tease represents art imitating life. In it, Spears and real-life boyfriend Jason Trawick, who also plays her love interest in the video, share a kiss. The other two teases are a bit less action-oriented as she's just spotted standing around looking sexy in a black lingerie dress and twirling her hair around.

Spears looks incredibly glam in the teases for the slow jam's video, something that Piliero teased on Twitter recently. "Not a whole lot I'm allowed to say about the @britneyspears criminal vid other than that I love this video and can't wait for it to come out," he wrote. "Oh and that she looks gorgeous in it ... pretty sure it's cool for me to say that. ..."

The video is expected to drop this week, although the exact release date hasn't been announced.

Spears shot the video last month in London, right before kicking off the European leg of her Femme Fatale Tour. Little is known about the plot of the video, but when Spears was photographed carrying a prop gun on set, politicians in the U.K. accused the star of glorifying violence after the London riots. The video was shot in Hackney, which was hit hard by the August riots, and local politicians were upset by what they saw as an insensitive gesture by Spears.

"It is only a music video, but it's images like this, with pop stars glamorizing gangs, which means that some young people ... get drawn in," Hackney's Member of Parliament Diane Abbott told the ITV news program "London Tonight." "Britney should really know better."

Spears' camp shrugged off any criticism in a statement to MTV News: "The video is a fantasy story featuring Britney's boyfriend, Jason Trawick, which literally plays out the lyrics of a song written three years before the riots ever happened."

Related Artists

• Britney Spears

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1672614/britney-spears-criminal-video-gifs.jhtml

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