Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/323708567?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Interpol said it believed al-Qaida was involved in several of the prison breakouts. Photograph: Patrick Gardin/AP
Interpol has issued a global security alert following a series of al-Qaida-linked prison breakouts in which hundreds of terrorists escaped.
The warning came a day after the US state department issued a worldwide travel warning to American citizens and closed 21 of its embassies over intelligence suggesting that the terrorist network was planning attacks during August. Britain is closing its embassy in Yemen for two days due to increased security concerns.
In a statement issued from its headquarters in Lyon, France, Interpol urged countries around the world to show "increased vigilance", following prison breakouts over the past month in nine countries, including Iraq, Libya and Pakistan.
"With suspected al-Qaida involvement in several of the breakouts which led to the escape of hundreds of terrorists and other criminals, the Interpol alert requests the organisation's 190 member countries' assistance in order to determine whether any of these recent events are co-ordinated or linked," the international police agency said.
"Interpol is asking its member countries to closely follow and swiftly process any information linked to these events and the escaped prisoners. They are also requested to alert the relevant member country and Interpol general secretariat headquarters if any escaped terrorist is located or intelligence developed which could help prevent another terrorist attack."
Prison breakouts took place in Pakistan on 31 July in a Taliban-led operation, and in Iraq at the Abu Ghraib prison overnight on 22 July. Some 500 convicts, among them senior al-Qaida operatives, escaped from Abu Ghraib. More than 1,100 inmates broke out of a prison on the outskirts of Benghazi on 27 July.
British authorities have not yet specified the nature of the threat which led to the decision to close the embassy in the Yemeni capital of Sana'a on Sunday and Monday in what was described as "a precautionary measure". A Foreign Office spokesman would not say if the closure was due to a specific threat.
British nationals have been warned against all travel to Yemen, and those in the country have been advised to leave immediately, as it was "extremely unlikely" that their evacuation could be arranged if the security situation deteriorated.
The Foreign Office recommended particular vigilance during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which ends on 8 August, when "tensions could be heightened".
Yemen has become a stronghold of al-Qaida over recent years ? with the local offshoot, al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, believed to have several hundred members ? despite efforts by the country's authorities to suppress the group and US drones killing leaders, including Anwar al-Awlaki. Yemen was the source of an attempt to bomb a US-bound airliner in 2009.
There has been unrest recently after the mutiny of troops in the Republican Guard and fighting around the presidential palace on Friday.
The US embassy in Yemen is one of 21 which will be closed on Sunday following the state department's warning of the "continued potential for terrorist attacks, particularly in the Middle East and north Africa, and possibly occurring in or emanating from the Arabian peninsula".
The global travel warning to US citizens said: "Current information suggests that al-Qaida and affiliated organisations continue to plan terrorist attacks both in the region and beyond, and that they may focus efforts to conduct attacks in the period between now and the end of August."
The alert warned of "the potential for terrorists to attack public transportation systems and other tourist infrastructure".
Explaining the embassy closures, a state department spokeswoman said: "The department has been apprised of information that ? out of an abundance of caution and care for our employees and others who may be visiting our installations ? indicates we should institute these precautionary steps. The department, when conditions warrant, takes steps like this to balance our continued operations with security and safety."
On 7 August it is the 15th anniversary of the bombing of US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, which killed hundreds of people and brought the late al-Qaida mastermind, Osama bin Laden, to public attention for the first time.
Source: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/03/interpol-alert-al-qaida-prison-breakouts
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As more families discover the convenience of reading children's books on smart devices, apps are springing up to meet this need. Last summer, "Reading Rainbow" arrived in iTunes as one of the first apps to provide a library inside of an app. This summer, there are several newcomers to the pocket library space.
All of the book collection apps discussed in this column offer a little of their content for free; but they unlock their riches when you purchase a monthly subscription. They vary in the size of the library, cost and how they deliver their content. They all focus on presenting a large collection of kids' books that can be accessed on the go, but differ greatly on the use of technology in that delivery. Some use animation and interactivity to enhance the storytelling experience; others simply present a static book. These library apps also vary on whether words are highlighted when read, a process that can help kids learn to read.
Here's a look at some of the better book collection apps. Unfortunately, none is yet on iPhone or Android, but many are considering those platforms in the future.
Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow, best for ages 3-9, first five books are free, then $9.99/mo. or $29.99/6 mos., iPad
Rating 3.5 stars (out of 4)
The first great innovator of library apps, "Reading Rainbow" has more than 300 books read by top-notch narrators. It also has more than 50 field-trip videos ? many featuring the beloved LeVar Burton, the host of the TV show upon which the app is based. Its floating islands, with themes that kids like, draw readers into exploring new books.
The app allows a family to set up five accounts, where each child's virtual backpack can hold five downloaded books. You need to be connected to the Internet for downloading; but once the books are in your backpack, you can read them anytime. The stories are of high quality, including some Caldecott winners; and most feature a little animation and interactivity. The app keeps track of the minutes of reading and shares that information with parents.
Why choose this book service? "Reading Rainbow" has consummate storyteller LeVar Burton at its helm, and he is dedicated to presenting exciting stories with professional narration. The service has a large number of high-quality books and does a good job of suggesting books by interest and age. Its negatives are that it is more expensive than others; the words don't highlight as they're read aloud; and it is limited to only five books at a time to read offline.
With a library of more than 150 books, "Speakaboos" offers some books with multiple modes for reading, including the Read and Play mode in "The Tortoise and the Hare" book where when you touch the characters, they speak.(Photo: Speakaboos)
Speakaboos ? Read Along, Sing Along Stories for Kids
Speakaboos, best for ages 2-6, first three books are free, then $4.99/mo., $24.99/6 mos., or $39.99/year, iPad
Rating: 3.5 stars
New to iTunes in July, "Speakaboos" launched with a library of 150 books. Featuring a main menu that looks like a pop-up book, the app lets kids find books by exploring 10 categories, including princesses, vehicles, music, monsters, sports, bugs and more.
This service varies its delivery of the books. Some read without highlighted words but with full animation; others read with highlighting and animation; and a few offer the full interactive experience with animation, word highlighting plus repeats and hotspots where touching makes things happen or causes characters to talk.
Just as "Reading Rainbow" has LeVar Burton to help curate its books, "Speakaboos" has Alice Wilder, the producer of Blues Clues and the co-creator of Super WHY! The quality of these books fluctuates, but the fairy tales are carefully sanitized and there are even some cute songs, including a hilarious one with live actors singing about the differences between a pirate and a parrot.
Why choose this book service? There is no limit to the number of books that you can download for reading offline. This service costs $4.99 for a month; so it is about half of the cost of "Reading Rainbow." The overall book quality isn't as consistent as that on "Reading Rainbow," but most have highlighted words, and the ones with interactivity are very well done. There is no parental report yet, but one is in the works.
"My Story World" rises above other library collection apps because it presents familiar books that kids love, along with opportunities to interact and learn with the characters they love, including Sid the Science Kid.(Photo: Mindshapes)
My Story World ? Top Kids Stories
Mindshapes, best for ages 3-8, free for six books and then $5.99 for a 6-month All-Access Pass, iPad
Rating: 4 stars
"My Story World" stands out in this roundup because its books offer a rich experience of animation and interactivity that is carefully tied into the storytelling. Each book offers a combination of reading aloud and questions geared toward involving the child in the storytelling. Every few pages, kids will be asked to select an answer to a reading comprehension question from choices displayed at the bottom of the page. At the end of each story, kids can create a drawing, using a scene from the book as a backdrop.
The library in "My Story World" is currently 51 books, with more books being added every week. While smaller than the other collections reviewed in this column, these books are better known to kids and include popular brands, such as Winnie the Witch, Elmer the Patchwork Elephant and Sid the Science Kid.
Why choose this book service? It is the least-expensive app in this roundup and yet offers the richest reading experience. The story presentations contain animation, videos and interactivity. They incorporate questions and activities. Before downloading a book, parents can read a summary, see the suggested age and discover its educational category. This service creates a deep learning experience built around children's classic literature. It's one kids will want to return to time and again.
Kids find a world of stories to explore in the "Children's Books -- FarFaria Stories" app that presents its 450 books in terms of regions -- including this FairyTale Forest.(Photo: Intuary)
Children's Books ? FarFaria Stories
Intuary, best for ages 2-9, One free story every day, with unlimited reading costing $3.99/mo., $39.99/year, iPad
Rating: 3 stars
This once-upon-a-time library houses a whopping 450 books, with more being added every week. "FarFaria" encourages kids to read by presenting faraway places such as FairyTale Forest and Fable Hills. In addition to themes, the books are also categorized by five levels of reading ability from pre-readers up to fluent readers. After finishing a book, the service recommends others.
The books in this collection are all read aloud, but they have no other tech flourishes. However, the service is adding word highlighting, starting in September.
Why choose this book service? "FarFaria" has the most books at a low cost. You can carry 40 downloaded books at a time. The books are sorted by reading level and interest, which is helpful in finding the right book for your child. Many of the books feature diverse characters. However, these books don't come with any bells and whistles ? this is a collection of static books that read to your child. It most closely mirrors checking books out of a library, and even identifies the ones that are most popular and newest.
Jinny Gudmundsen is the author of the new book: iPad Apps for Kids, part of the For Dummies series. Contact her at techcomments@usatoday.com. Follow her @JinnyGudmundsen.
Source: http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/usatoday-TechTopStories/~3/SPMXoqgilf8/
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Source: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/students-519427-rome-opera.html
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Bad news for people who don't have the option of making jokes about never going to New Jersey: The Port Authority has announced that workers will begin replacing sections of the old steel beams that support the George Washington Bridge's upper deck starting Monday. In order to complete the $82 million project, three of the deck's four lanes in one direction will be closed from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. And once people are kind of used to that, the Port Authority will "extend the hours gradually until the closures last from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weeknights and 11 p.m. to 9 a.m. on weekends," according to NBC New York.
"The goal is to keep the delays to no more than 60 minutes," brave Port Authority spokesman Steve Coleman told the New York Daily News. However, another Port Authority official, Cedrick Fulton, told NBC that a test run two weeks ago resulted in 90-minute delays (though, to be fair, it was done without any warning to the drivers of the 20,000 vehicles use the crossing on weeknights, not to mention the 50,000 that use it on weekend nights.) This major hassle is going to go on until the end of the year, with work crews alternating between the eastbound and westbound sides of the bridge.
"We are strongly advising drivers to use the [George Washington's] lower level or use other crossings," said Coleman for the benefit of the twelve drivers who wouldn't think to do that on their own. Meanwhile, Fulton pointed out that the construction "will always be respectful of Yankees games," which means work will happen on the eastbound (or city-bound) side on game nights. Those interested in entering New York for something that takes place after baseball hours will be on their own ? or, more accurately, surrounded by tons of people in slow-moving traffic.
Source: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/08/gw-bridge-will-become-traffic-monster-at-night.html
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It is easy to get carried away with enthusiasm and high hopes when planning a project. But don?t let your enthusiasm overwhelm your skill level or your realistic expectations. Practicing what you?ve learned here will result in your projects being a success.
Look out for carpet sales at big carpet outlets. It can save you quite a bit of money if you can find a good deal on the cost of installation. These offers are well worth taking advantage of; depending on the details of your home, you may find that the labor that goes into installing new carpet is more expensive than the carpet itself.
Most rooms can be given new energy by updating the flooring. You can check out the do-it-yourself options at a hardware store, or you can contract with professionals to get new laminate, carpet, tile, or wood flooring put down quickly and reliably.
Are you wanting to make a simple renovation to your home? If so, then simply go to the department store and purchase paint. New paint could make your home look new and it doesn?t require a whole lot of time or money. A fresh coat of paint will also make your home more appealing to buyers if you have any interest in selling your home.
Do not feel you need to replace a door when it gets a little dirt on it. Remove them, and sand them down to the bare wood. Next, purchase whichever oil-based paint you like and use a paint roller to paint the door. Change to more modern doorknobs, too.
Accomplishing a job well done will pay off in satisfaction and in the increased value of your home. If you don?t have much home maintenance experience, make sure you are utilizing the tips provided in the above article so that you can properly finish your project.
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Source: http://www.poolbuildersinorlando.com/make-your-home-improvement-successful-with-these-ideas/
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We hope you weren't planning to tinker with your Chromecast this weekend. GTVHacker has confirmed that a recent firmware update to Google's streaming media stick plugs the bootloader exploit that many are using to get root access. Some XDA-Developers members have tried maintaining root by flashing recovery images and disabling signing keys, but those aren't reliable solutions -- we've seen a few reports of bricked Chromecasts. If you're cautious, it may be best to wait until more adventurous owners find a vulnerability in Google's newer code.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Google
Via: Android Police
Source: XDA-Developers, GTVHacker (Twitter)
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/1Rcf7408RAg/
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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/wPpqRN04CXY/130802132328.htm
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Associated Press
Posted on August 3, 2013 at 11:05 PM
Updated today at 11:06 PM
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) ? The lone Democrat in the Texas Senate who backed tougher abortion restrictions isn't giving up on a proposal that would require women to complete an adoption course before terminating a pregnancy.
Sen. Eddie Lucio is vowing to refile a bill in 2015 that critics call simplistic. The Brownsville lawmaker says the mandate would help save the unborn.
Lucio was the only Senate Democrat to join Republicans in approving a ban last month on abortions in Texas after 20 weeks. It came after hundreds of abortion-rights advocates swarmed the Capitol and succeeded in temporarily stalling passage.
Rory Hall runs the Austin-based nonprofit Adoption Advocates Inc. He told the Austin American-Statesman (http://bit.ly/15BIhRV) that it was punitive to make pregnant women obtain a state certificate showing they completed a short course on adoption.
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Information from: Austin American-Statesman, http://www.statesman.com
Source: http://www.wfaa.com/news/politics/218220551.html
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Dance, music, visual art and film will be featured by Tri-City teens this week at the second annual Port Moody Youth Arts Festival.
The two-day event ? held as part of the city?s centennial celebrations ? is being organized by the Port Moody Arts Centre society board members Hilary Letwin and Fitnat Fahrner, with the help of Susan Ius who was involved in the inaugural gala last year. Letwin said they tried to offer a varied program to attract a larger audience and ?I think it?s going to be a really good showcase in terms of the different groups out there in our community,? she said.
For the two dozen or so participants, aged 13 to 18, the festival will be a good platform to promote their talent, to make connections with their peers and to build their resumes. ?It?s really empowering for them,? Letwin said.
And for kids in the crowd, ?This is a good opportunity for them to see what teenagers are doing in the arts and in a professional setting. They can really learn from them.?
Working on a shoestring budget, the organizers have had help from the city, corporate sponsors ? including The Tri-City News ? and volunteers to get the event off the ground. There will be plenty of goodies handed out such as door prizes and iPads. As well, on Friday when Mayor Mike Clay opens the festivities, Rocky Point Ice Cream is donating $1 from the sale of each cone to the festival for its operations.
? The Port Moody Youth Arts Festival runs Friday and Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m. at Port Moody city hall. Admission is by donation.
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Shen shares her passion for the arts
While Port Moody secondary student Lucy Shen will be on stage on Friday, she won?t have any song or dance routine to entertain the audience.
Instead, Shen will use her background as a public speaker to introduce the performers.
Being picked to emcee ?is really cool,? she said, ?because I really love the arts and I think that it?s important for young people to have an opportunity to display their talent in a public forum,? she said.
Besides the arts, the Grade 12 student is also passionate about social justice causes. In March, with her PMSS friends, she founded Dare to Dream, a club that promotes gender equality around the world.
In three months, it raised $400 for the Vancouver Women?s Shelter at a film festival.
And next year, she hopes to collect money for a local cause: the Tri-Cities? Transition Centre that helps women and children flee abuse.
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Ska-funk is in their blood
Three years ago, while playing in their middle school concert band, drummer Eric Bates and bassist Mac Halvorsen founded ADOB.
They soon recruited Theoren Nesbitt for guitar and, a little while later, Francis Henson was brought in for vocals and guitar.
The band was just for fun until they clinched the top prize in a provincial-wide contest for youth bands last year.
?After that we thought, ?We should keep doing this,?? Henson said.
Since then, the Grade 11 students have been staple performers at their school ? Port Moody secondary ? and jamming every chance they can get.
?We like to perform. It?s one of our strengths as a band. We?re just four friends who like to play together,? Henson said.
The foursome write original ska-funk songs but also like to keep their sets current with covers.
They will open Saturday?s line-up with a 30-minute program, ?keeping it as lively and fun and entertaining as possible,? Henson said.
And he hopes the festival audience ?will find us on the internet and join our fan base. We also hope to talk to them afterwards and get to know us better.?
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Four pieces on show
Shawna Lee was in Grade 4 when she first saw a gallery of children?s art by Tri-City art teacher Evelia Espinosa.
?I thought, ?Wow, if they can do it then so can I,?? said the 15-year-old Coquitlam resident.
Over the years, she plied her craft and is now being taught privately by painter Melanie Cossey as well as at her school, Archbishop Carney regional secondary in Port Coquitlam, under the direction of Linda Reis.
Lee primarily works with acrylics and oils and, for the Port Moody Youth Arts Festival, she will have four pieces on display in the city hall Galleria: an 18-by-24-inch oil reproduction of Hunter Bonyun?s Matter of Time; two acrylic works; and eight slides done pencil crayon, depicting the stages of strawberries being eaten.
Lee said she decided to apply to the festival after one of her friends played music at the event last year.
?I thought, ?Why not? I can do it, too. It?s a great way to get young artists known in the community and to showcase what I?ve been working on for the past couple of years,?? she said.
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Student songbird
?Music has always been really important for me,? Julia Montgomery starts.
?It?s one of the biggest driving forces behind everything I do so whenever I get an opportunity to share it with the world, I want to jump on that because I think it?s really important.?
Now 15, Montgomery said she started vocal lessons when she was in Grade 6 ?after my parents finally wore down and let me take them,? she said with a laugh.
But while she has been studying musical theatre privately at the Lindbjerg Academy of Performing Arts in Coquitlam, under Elaine Lindbjerg, Montgomery has also been penning alternative tunes of her own.
Her 15-minute set on the Inlet Theatre stage on Friday night will be a combination of pop, musical theatre and her original songs.
Montgomery said she?s grateful for the festival committee for providing ?a deeper appreciation for the arts and all the talent that?s in Port Moody ? especially from the younger people.?
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Cultural shakers
This will be Lia Fallah?s second time performing at the Port Moody Youth Arts Festival but the first time with a group.
Last year, the Gleneagle secondary student did a solo number that wowed the crowds. ?I enjoyed it so much,? the Grade 12 student said. ?Of course, I wanted to come back!?
For this year?s set, Fallah will be joined by her friends Gabrielle Stocker and Courtney Baines who will dance a wedding celebration to an Iranian groove.
Fallah, who portrays the bride, choreographed the number with her mother and stitched the costumes.
She is a little nervous that Anahita will close the festival on Saturday but is also excited at the opportunity.
As for their next steps, Anahita will learn Irish and Scottish jigs. ?We want to know the techniques and styles of all the cultural dances, all over the world,? Fallah said.
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FESTIVAL LINE-UP
Friday: Deanna?s Lovers (rock band); Prevailing Westerlies (acoustic band); Julia Montgomery (singer); Bad Seed Productions (film); A Rainy Day Play (actors); Forfeit the Anchor (rock band)
Saturday: ADOB (ska-funk band); Alluvium (indie-rock band); Bluesmoke (blues/jazz/folk/rock band); Mikhalva (acoustic duo); Vanessa Mansfield (creative writer); Sean Tan?s Timeless (film), Anahita Dance (dance)
Visual art (until July 29 in the Galleria): Gloria Han, Janet Li, Jiaming Li and Shawna Lee
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Source: http://www.tricitynews.com/entertainment/216494501.html
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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/wPpqRN04CXY/130802132328.htm
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Source: http://fox59.com/2013/08/01/arts-and-entertainment-preview-august-1/
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When you are combating some emergency situation like paying off an unexpected medical bill, then finding a timely help from your friends or relatives may not be easy. Instead, you can pick up quick payday cash loans, as these are especially carved out for providing the money instantly. These are, however, costly loans and should be availed in careful manner.
Since these loans are based on your monthly pay, the approval of the loan is usually quick. The borrower can get the amount in their checking or savings bank account within 24 hours.
These are unsecured loans. Some of the lenders will deposit the loaned amount in the borrower's bank against a post-dated cheque. Others will simply ask for the borrower's permission to withdraw the loan amount from his or her account on the due date.
Usually, quick payday cash loans are provided in the range of $100 to $1500, as is your monthly salary. You can repay it from next paycheque, as the approval comes for two weeks. However, these loans carry very expensive financial charges, which may be up to $30 on each $100 that you borrow. Hence, the salaried people may find the repayment highly burdensome through next salary cheque. But the financial charges go higher on each time you extend the repayment.
For people with a bad credit history, these are easy loans to avail. This is because the approval is without any credit checks.
Never rush to the first offer of quick payday cash loans you come across. Make a good comparison of as many such offers as you possibly can on internet. Probably, you can find a lender who charges lower fee. Do not extend the repayment, as it will make the loan highly burdensome.
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Source: http://simplylivingsarah.blogspot.com/2013/08/quick-payday-cash-loans-for-paying-off.html
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Robert Frank CNBC
7 hours ago
Somewhere along Route 9W in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., on Thursday morning, I achieved auto nirvana.
I was driving the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse, which happens to be the fastest production roadster on the planet. But with the top down and the sun shining down, it felt like a gentle morning drive?until the traffic cleared and I pressed down on the accelerator.
The 1,200 horsepower W-16 engine roared to life with a sound that I can only describe as somewhere between thunder, a lion's roar and the ghost of jazz drummer Gene Krupa. My head shot back against the seat, the wheels gripped the road and suddenly the world was passing by with a beautiful blur.
No, I didn't check the speedometer. But at that moment, the comfort, ease, and artistry of the Bugatti Vitesse suddenly became clear. I still can't fathom the $2.3 million price. But I now understand where cars end and experiences begin.
"It's beauty and the beast," said John Hill, head of sales and marketing for Bugatti North America.
(Read more: Amazing supercar experiences)
Adam Jeffery / CNBC
CNBC's Robert Frank test drives the $2.3 million Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse, the fastest production roadster on the planet.
Bugatti is making only 150 Grand Sports. Most have already been sold, and about half of the approximately 60 left will likely be Vitesses, Hill said.
But despite its price, the Vitesse is already selling quickly to super-rich collectors around the world. Hill said that most of his clients are self-made entrepreneurs, and they range in age from 23 to over 70.
More than half of them own more than one Bugatti, he said, and one customer owns at least 10.
"People get addicted," he said.
Bugatti's mission, under the ownership of the Volkswagen Group, has always been to build the best of the best. And with the Vitesse, they've certainly packed it with superlatives?fastest, most expensive, among the most exclusive. It can hit 258 mph with the top on and 254 mph with the top off.
But don't let the speed fool you. Unlike many supercars, the Vitesse is easy to drive around town at everyday speeds.
The interior is simple, clean and intuitive. The air conditioning, stereo system and on-board cameras are top notch. The ride is smooth, due to a softening of the suspension system. And the accelerator has a gradual feel, as opposed to the lightening touch, rocket-pedal feel of some cars. It gives even an average driver like myself the confidence to take it higher.
It's a weapons-grade missile and an around-town show-model all in one.
When the Volkswagen chairman set the mission for the Veyron, he asked for a car that could set speed records, do zero to 60 in under three seconds and still "drive it to the opera," Hill said.
I didn't go to the opera Thursday morning, but hearing that massive engine fire up as I rocketed down Route 9W was the auto version of an orchestra.
?By CNBC's Robert Frank. Follow him on Twitter @robtfrank.
? 2013 CNBC LLC. All Rights Reserved
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Thu, Aug 01, 2013 | 17:01 BST
Sony has posted its first-quarter financial report for the year, revealing the company?s numbers were relatively flat, despite a 322% increase in operating costs thanks to the impending launch of PS4.
Sony?s game division earned ?117.9 ($1.2 billion) in sales for Q1 2013, down slightly from last year?s ?118 ($1.2 billion)
Operating loss saw a 322% drop year-on-year due to the production of PS4 at ?14.8 billion ($149 million).
PS3 sales hit 1.1 million units, while combined PS Vita and PSP sales hit 0.6 million.
Sony wasn?t specific, but expects its full-year figures for the year ended March 31, 2014 to rise sharply, but added that operating loss will also rise due to PS4 production and marketing.
For the three-month period ended June 30, 2013, Sony?s game business raked in ?117.9 ($1.2 billion) in sales, which is a slight dip on last year?s Q1 revenue of ?118 ($1.2 billion).
Due to the increased cost being ploughed into PS4 R&D, production and marketing, Sony?s operating income dropped 322%, resulting in a loss of ?14.8 billion ($149 million). By contrast, Q1 2012 yielded only a ?3.5 billion loss.
The site adds however, that the Q1 2012 loss wasn?t as bad due to Sony winning a Blu-Ray patent case during the period and receiving compensation.
Sony?s PS Vita handheld was notably absent from the document, while the company confirmed that sales of PS3, PS2 and PSP were down. PS3 sales hit 1.1 million for the quarter globally, while combined sales of PS Vita and PSP hit 0.6 million. However, raw PS Vita figures were nowhere to be seen on the document.
Predicitions for the financial year ending March 31, 2014, Sony expects sales to rise thanks to PS4 and operating income to drop thanks to marketing the console.
Sony shifted 64 million game units in Q1 2013 alone across physical and digital formats.
Source: http://www.vg247.com/2013/08/01/sony-q1-financials-1-2bn-in-game-sales-vita-ignored-in-report/
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/eSJ1nDTCJ1k/
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By Ron Harris/Associated Press
Atlanta: A new device from Google makes it easy to stream video from several popular services to a high-definition TV. Chromecast is tiny enough to dangle from a keychain when not in use, but it packs a big punch for a low price.
At merely $35, Chromecast is irresistible. Using your home Wi-Fi network, it streams some of your favourite shows from some of your favourite services, including Netflix and Google?s YouTube. It takes only a few minutes to set up, and the device worked flawlessly.
Chromecast joins Roku, Apple TV and several other devices meant to project Internet content onto TVs. In the early days of online video, people were content watching movies and shows on their desktop or laptop computers. But as these services become more popular and even replace cable TV in some households, there?s a greater desire to get them playing on television sets, which tend to be the largest screens in living rooms.
That?s especially true when your computer is a phone or tablet and has a smaller screen.
Google?s Chromecast is totally worth the price. AP
Chromecast, which is about the size of a thumb drive, plugs directly into the HDMI port of an HDTV. A USB cable must be inserted at the other end of the Chromecast and connected to a power source, either a wall outlet or a USB port on the TV.
It was easy to sync Chromecast with my Android phone, and it was an even nicer experience with Google?s new Nexus 7 tablet. There?s something to be said for turning my touch-screen device into a remote control for Netflix.
I watched an episode of Netflix?s original series House of Cards?in high definition without a glitch. Same goes for watching the BBC?s Empire of the Sun, a free offering from Google?s online Play store. But other titles there cost money, as does a Netflix subscription. Chromecast is merely a physical conduit to the services I?d already signed up and paid for.
Even though I already have a Netflix app on my smartphone, I had to download a Chromecast version of it, as well as the main Chromecast app from Google. That?s a one-time affair, and it?s a snap to get them up and running after the initial installation.
To watch a movie, I simply choose it from the Chromecast Netflix app. Once it?s playing on the big screen, I was able to easily pause, play and forward through my content with a swipe of the finger. ?House of Cards? continues to play even after I power off my phone completely, as the video passes through my Wi-Fi network, which remains on. I do have to turn my phone back on to regain remote control over the viewing experience.
It works similarly with Chromecast app for Google Play and YouTube.
More apps are coming. For Hulu Plus, HBO Go and other services without apps yet, it?s possible to simply stream that content on Google?s Chrome Web browser, assuming you have accounts with them. You can then have whatever is showing on the browser project onto the TV.
In practice, though, I was never able to successfully connect a desktop or a laptop computer, each running the latest version of the Chrome browser, to the Chromecast device. There are apps and browser extensions and not-fully supported operating systems that all need to be in sync to pull it off. In my tests, using two different Macs and a Windows computer, they never were.
Also, Chromecast doesn?t allow so-called ?sideloaded? content to be streamed on it. ?Sideloaded? is essentially shorthand for content that Google can?t be certain you have legally purchased and have the rights to consume. If I had gotten the Chrome browser method to work, I could have used that to view them on the big screen. But it?s easier said than done.
Plenty of devices allow much easier local content streaming. Chromecast isn?t one of them. It?s not a deal-breaker for me, though.
I suspect many people already have devices that can stream these popular services to an HD display. If you have an Xbox 360 or a PlayStation 3, you?re already good to go. The same goes for the Roku streaming box that handles some of the same streaming apps as Chromecast, and many more. Heck, even a laptop with an HDMI output can deliver the content to an HDTV.
Unlike many of the other streaming devices, you still need a phone, tablet or regular computer to control your viewing with Chromecast. Roku?s streaming box, for instance, lets you sign into accounts, choose content and rewind video with an included remote. Roku does make a separate streaming stick, similar to Chromecast, but that works only with TVs that have a technology known as mobile high-definition links, or MHL.
For now, there are only a handful of apps currently available to use with Chromecast. But they are among the most popular Internet video services. Video from Apple?s iTunes isn?t likely to come to Chromecast any time soon, but you can expect many more to be added if the device takes off. (If you really need iTunes, you?ll need an Apple TV. Roku doesn?t have it, either.)
At $35, Chromecast is cheaper than other streaming devices, which run about $100 each. I can think of a lot of worse ways to fork over $35.
If you don?t already have a device that can stream Netflix to your HDTV, Chromecast hits the sweet spot.
Associated Press
Source: http://www.firstpost.com/tech/review-chromecast-packs-a-big-punch-for-a-low-price-of-35-1003779.html
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While protestors and supporters hoped President Barack Obama would notice them along the Tuesday's motorcade route, it was Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke who had the President's ear on the ride from the airport to Amazon.
Berke was the first to welcome President Obama to the Scenic City.
"I simply welcomed him to Chattanooga," Berke told Channel 3.
"I also let him know that I had met him years before when I was in law school and he was a professor there, but I hadn't taken his class," Berke laughed. "So we talked through that a little bit."
That talk happened on the short ride to the Amazon Fulfillment Center in the presidential state car, known as "The Beast".
Two American flags marked the armor-plated limo that has bulletproof windows, kevlar-reinforced run flats, and other James Bond- style options.
But it wasn't the fancy ride keeping Berke's attention.
"You could see him looking out and seeing the people," Berke explained.
"I think it was even more surreal when we got to Amazon," said Berke.
"I was standing there looking at the crowd and I was thinking the President is here," he continued, "the feelings of patriotism are hard to beat."
Channel 3 asked Berke if he sent the President back to the White House with any gifts. Maybe a Moon Pie or other Chattanooga-made favor?
"One of the things that you're told is that you don't hand the President anything for obvious security reasons," he chuckled.
"So I had wondered about if I should take something to him and I think in the long run the best decision was don't do that," he smiled.
Parting gifts aside, Berke says President Obama did leave with a better understanding of what Chattanooga is all about.
"It's fine that people disagree with him, I know that he understands that," said Berke,? "but ultimately he's the President of the United States."
"This is a fantastic opportunity to show what Chattanooga is all about."
Source: http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/22973161/chattanooga-mayor-reflects-on-second-meeting-with-potus
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Florida insurance regulators unveiled for the first time Wednesday the prices proposed by private insurers for individual health plans to be sold on the state?s federally-run exchange, which is scheduled to launch Oct. 1.
But the proposed health plans and prices ? and the state?s analysis that federal healthcare reform would cause premiums to rise ? were hardly definitive of the actual costs that Floridians are likely to pay for health insurance next year.
That?s because the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has yet to approve the proposed health plans for Florida?s exchange, and those plans, including the prices, may change as they have in other states.
And while Florida insurance regulators said this week that the Affordable Care Act will cause the price of individual health plans sold in 2014 to rise 30 to 40 percent higher than similar plans sold today, and small group plan premiums could rise by 15 to 20 percent, they also conceded that those projections were based on a ?hypothetical? health plan that does not exist anywhere in the state.
What?s more, the price projections released by the state do not factor in substantial government subsidies that will be available to many consumers based on household income, which will offset their actual out-of-pocket expenses.
Speaking to the Florida Health Insurance Advisory Board on Tuesday, Florida?s insurance commissioner Kevin McCarty said that the federal mandate for insurers to provide coverage to everyone regardless of pre-existing conditions was ?the most profound reason? for the projected dramatic increase.
Echoing his remarks, Wences Troncoso, the state?s deputy commissioner for health and life insurance, said the fact that insurers must cover everyone regardless of pre-existing health conditions ? a provision called ?guarantee issue?? ? ?will by far have the most effect on rates.?
Troncoso also attributed rate hikes to the federal requirement that insurers no longer charge women of child-bearing age higher premiums than men. Nor will they be able to charge older policy holders more than three times the price of their least expensive plan.
But federal officials balked at Florida?s projections late Wednesday, and said that the state?s experience should reflect what has occurred in other states.
Citing an HHS study of 11 states where insurance plans have won federal approval for sale on the government exchanges, an Obama administration official said premiums were on average almost 20 percent lower in those states than what the Congressional Budget Office had projected.
?We are confident that Florida?s premiums will be affordable, and that consumers will have multiple options in a competitive and transparent marketplace,?? a senior administration official said. ?When the marketplaces open Oct. 1, consumers will be able to shop for the plan that best fits their budget and needs. Without releasing the premiums, the statistics released Tuesday don?t provide consumers with any information on what they will actually pay in the marketplace.?
Yet there?s also a limit to the federal government?s power to affect health insurance pricing.
Federal officials do not have authority to approve a plan based on rates. They can only evaluate plans to determine whether they meet the standards of the Affordable Care Act, not whether the premiums are reasonable.
Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/07/31/3534931/florida-says-health-insurance.html
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