India wheels out new long-range missile in annual parade

India wheeled out a new long-range nuclear missile that can hit anywhere in China and warned rival Pakistan not to take its friendship "for granted" as it celebrated its Republic Day with a big parade Saturday.

India successfully tested last April the Agni V missile, which has a range of 5,000 kilometres (3,100 miles) and can strike across the Chinese mainland and even hit targets as far away as Europe.

The first appearance in the annual parade of the Agni V -- seen as marking a significant upgrade of India's nuclear deterrent -- came along with the display of other military hardware acquired as part of a massive modernisation drive costing tens of billions of dollars.

The parade along New Delhi's ceremonial Rajpath, or King's Avenue, also included floats marking India's rich diversity and a tableau marking 100 years of Indian cinema wrapped in reels of film and embossed with movie names.

Large areas of the capital were sealed off for the celebrations -- a traditional show of patriotic fervour -- where Bhutan's king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck was the chief guest.

India's shorter-range Agni I and II were developed with rival Pakistan in mind, while later versions reflect India's focus on China as well. India and China have prickly ties and a legacy of mistrust stemming from a brief border war in 1962.

On the eve of Republic Day, marking proclamation of India's constitution, President Pranab Mukherjee told Pakistan in his annual nationwide televised address that New Delhi's hand of friendship should "not be taken for granted".

His speech, aired again on Saturday, came amid a ceasefire which took hold last week in disputed Kashmir after the nations agreed to halt cross-border firing that has threatened to unravel a fragile peace process.

"We believe in peace on the border and are always ready to offer a hand in the hope of friendship... but this hand should not be taken for granted," he said.

Before the ceasefire, Pakistan said three of its soldiers died in firing by Indian troops along a de facto border dividing Kashmir between the two nations.

India, in turn, accused Pakistani troops of killing two of its soldiers, one of whom was beheaded, and the Himalayan region remains on edge.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars since partition in 1947, two of them over Kashmir, a territory which both claim.

Snipers manned rooftops along the route of the parade in New Delhi while helicopters monitored the area from above. Tens of thousands of security forces were deployed in the capital and country for the holiday celebrated across India to mark when the nation's constitution took effect.

In his speech, president Mukherjee also said it was time for India to "reset its moral compass" following the gang-rape and murder of a student last month that ignited nationwide demonstrations to press for better safety for women.

The death of the 23-year-old woman, "who was a symbol of all that new India strives to be", had shattered the nation's complacency, he said.

"We lost more than a valuable life -- we lost a dream" and "we must look deep into our conscience and find out where we have faltered", he said.

Source: http://www.spacewar.com/reports/India_wheels_out_new_long-range_missile_in_annual_parade_999.html

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Obama says immigration overhaul possible by first half of 2013

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama rejected Republican complaints about his proposals for overhauling the U.S. immigration system on Wednesday and said he believed it was possible to get a deal done by the end of the year if not in the first half.

Obama gave an interview to a pair of Spanish-language U.S. television networks to promote his proposals for giving 11 million illegal immigrants a pathway to U.S. citizenship after a bipartisan Gang of Eight senators offered its own plan.

"I?m hopeful that this can get done, and I don?t think that it should take many, many months. I think this is something we should be able to get done certainly this year and I?d like to see if we could get it done sooner, in the first half of the year if possible," Obama told Telemundo.

If Congress delays, he said, "I've got a bill drafted, we've got language" ready to offer Capitol Hill.

Obama offered his own principles on immigration at an appearance in Las Vegas on Tuesday. He pushed for a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants that is faster than the one the Senate group proposed.

Rather than emphasize border security first as the senators want, he would let undocumented immigrants get on a path to citizenship if they undergo national security and criminal background checks, pay penalties, learn English and get behind those foreigners seeking to immigrate legally.

Asked by the Univision network about Republican criticism of his proposals, particularly from a Hispanic senator, Marco Rubio, Obama argued his administration had already done much work on securing the U.S. border with Mexico.

"Look, we put border security ahead of a pathway to citizenship. We have done more on border security in the last four years than we have done in the previous 20," Obama said. "We've actually done almost everything that Republicans asked to be done several years ago as a precondition to move forward on comprehensive immigration reform."

Obama offered to meet publicly or privately with Rubio and other senators to try to move the process forward.

The border security issue may be the toughest the two sides will have to overcome to reach the type of comprehensive overhaul that Washington has talked for years but been unable to execute.

After years on the back burner, immigration reform has suddenly looked possible as Republicans, chastened by Latino voters who rejected them in the November election, appear more willing to accept an overhaul.

Congress is now grappling with two major issues - immigration and Obama's efforts to tighten gun regulations. The president told Univision he believed Congress could handle both at the same time.

Obama said he wanted Congress to get legislation on immigration reform to the floor of the Senate by the beginning of March.

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Eric Walsh and Peter Cooney)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/immigration-overhaul-possible-first-half-2013-obama-001248327.html

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Why Did $AAPL Stock Go Down After Beating Earnings Estimates And $AMZN Stock Go Up After Missing?

The moves in different directions for Amazon and Apple have been about expectations and guidance. Wall Street has higher expectations for Apple and ?different? expectations for Amazon. Wall Street wants Apple?s ?gross margins? to grow. They don?t expect Amazon?s ?profits? to grow. It sounds silly, but if Apple has reported lower profits and a huge gross margin increase the stock might have shot up. If Amazon had reported record profits today on decreasing margins, Wall Street might have panicked.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/6BLdkM55pK8/

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Some families to be priced out of health overhaul

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Some families could get priced out of health insurance due to what's being called a glitch in President Barack Obama's overhaul law. IRS regulations issued Wednesday failed to fix the problem as liberal backers of the president's plan had hoped.

As a result, some families that can't afford the employer coverage that they are offered on the job will not be able to get financial assistance from the government to buy private health insurance on their own. How many people will be affected is unclear.

The Obama administration says its hands were tied by the way Congress wrote the law. Officials said the administration tried to mitigate the impact. Families that can't get coverage because of the glitch will not face a tax penalty for remaining uninsured, the IRS rules said.

"This is a very significant problem, and we have urged that it be fixed," said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, an advocacy group that supported the overhaul from its early days. "It is clear that the only way this can be fixed is through legislation and not the regulatory process."

But there's not much hope for an immediate fix from Congress, since the House is controlled by Republicans who would still like to see the whole law repealed.

The affordability glitch is one of a series of problems coming into sharper focus as the law moves to full implementation.

Starting Oct. 1, many middle-class uninsured will be able to sign up for government-subsidized private coverage through new health care marketplaces known as exchanges. Coverage will be effective Jan. 1. Low-income people will be steered to expanded safety-net programs. At the same time, virtually all Americans will be required to carry health insurance, either through an employer, a government program, or by buying their own plan.

Bruce Lesley, president of First Focus, an advocacy group for children, cited estimates that close to 500,000 children could remain uninsured because of the glitch. "The children's community is disappointed by the administration's decision to deny access to coverage for children based on a bogus definition of affordability," Lesley said in a statement.

The problem seems to be the way the law defined affordable.

Congress said affordable coverage can't cost more than 9.5 percent of family income. People with coverage the law considers affordable cannot get subsidies to go into the new insurance markets. The purpose of that restriction was to prevent a stampede away from employer coverage.

Congress went on to say that what counts as affordable is keyed to the cost of self-only coverage offered to an individual worker, not his or her family. A typical workplace plan costs about $5,600 for an individual worker. But the cost of family coverage is nearly three times higher, about $15,700, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

So if the employer isn't willing to chip in for family premiums ? as most big companies already do ? some families will be out of luck. They may not be able to afford the full premium on their own, and they'd be locked out of the subsidies in the health care overhaul law.

Employers are relieved that the Obama administration didn't try to put the cost of providing family coverage on them.

"They are bound by the law and cannot extend further than what the law provides," said Neil Trautwein, a vice president of the National Retail Federation.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/families-priced-health-overhaul-231958188.html

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Apple?s Next iPad Could Sport A Slimmer Shell, Take A Page From The iPad Mini Playbook

Apple's next iPad might look like an enlarged iPad mini, according to new pictures received by 9to5Mac that claim to represent the device's new back casing. The pics aren't "verified," the blog says, but 9to5Mac's track record is solid, with another example that it generally posts good info coming earlier this week. And let's face it, Apple has nowhere to go with the big boy iPad except for slimmer and lighter, if it wants to keep the thing appealing.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/QalPs20SkXw/

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Flames reach out to community - The Good In Sports

The Calgary Flames are committed to making a difference on and off the ice in 2013. ?On Tuesday, they announced many programs and events. ?Details are below.

(Via the Calgary Flames) ? Calgary, AB (January 29, 2013)???The Calgary Flames are committed both on and off the ice. Through the following programs and events, Flames players give back in support of the community this season.?

• Jay Bouwmeester?has aligned with the H.E.R.O.S. (Hockey Education Reaching Out Society) program for the third season. Bouwmeester donates tickets to program participants and visits events with program youth.?

• Mark Giordano?is a spokesman for Habitat for Humanity and appears in many of the organizations communication materials. He and his wife Lauren are chairs of the Habitat for Humanity ?5 for 5? initiative which raises funds for the construction of five homes in five different countries. Giordano donated $25,000 to this initiative for the past three seasons.?

• Cory Sarich?is the Honourary Chair of the Country Hills Classic Presented by the Mavericks Chuckwagon Society which raises funds for the Flames Foundation for Life and Children?s Link Society. This year?s event in June raised over $200,000 for Children?s Charities.?

• Mikael Backlund?has partnered with both the Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta.??As part of this partnership?Backlund will donate $150.00 per point during the regular season to the Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta. Backlund has also donated tickets t for program youth to attend a Flames game and meet him after.?

• Jarome Iginla?continues to support KidSport Calgary and Canada, donating $2,000 for every goal he scores during the regular season. The Flames captain has raised over $550,000 for the organization.?

• Matt Stajan?is a spokesperson for the Alberta Children?s Hospital. The Flames forward donated a set of season tickets to youth receiving care at the hospital and will be participating in the Hospital?s fundraising activities and events.?

• Curtis Glencross?will host his second?annual Glencross Invitational Charity Roughstock Event on August 22^nd?and 23^rd?in the Red Deer area. Last year?s event which Glencross spearheaded raised $200,000 in benefit of the Ronald McDonald House in Red Deer and the Hockey Alberta Foundation?s Every Kid Every Community.?

• Derek Smith?has made a commitment to the Boys and Girls Club of Calgary this season. He will donate a group of tickets to a Flames game with a meet and greet and will visit clubs in the city where he will play floor hockey with the kids.?

• Miikka Kiprusoff?will donate $10.00 to the Children?s Cottage Society for every save he makes during the 2012-2013 regular season. He has donated over $40,000 to the organization. The Flames goaltender has also donated over $55,000 to the Rainbow Society of Alberta.

• Alex Tanguay?has partnered for the third season with the Canadian Cancer Society directed to stomach cancer research. Tanguay donates $200.00 per assist during the regular season, or a minimum donation of $10,000, to the national cancer organization?s Alberta/NWT division. KPMG will match the donation once again this year as the official sponsor of the program.?

• Chris Butler?has aligned himself with Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) for the Butler?s Big Deals program. Butler will donate two tickets every two weeks as well as make regular appearances at BBBS events. He will also act as a spokesperson for the organization.?

The Flames Foundation for Life matches each player?s donations up to $25,000.?Through various initiatives, the Calgary Flames Hockey Club and their charitable arm; the Flames Foundation for Life, continue to touch the lives of thousands of people through its commitment to education, medical research, health, amateur sports and recreation.

Further the above personal commitments all Flames players continue to be actively involved in team fundraisers and community programs such as Pond Hockey by Enmax Energy, Flames Ambassador Celebrity Charity Poker Tournament, Reading?Give it a Shot literacy program, and community appearances through the Flames Foundation for Life and Community Relations programming.

?

Source: http://thegoodinsports.com/2013/01/29/flames-reach-out-to-community/

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British man gets 6 years in Bali drug trial

BALI, Indonesia (AP) ? An Indonesian court sentenced a Briton to six years in prison Tuesday for his role in a cocaine-smuggling case that led to a death sentence last week against a British grandmother.

Julian Anthony Ponder, 43, was convicted of receiving cocaine from 56-year-old Lindsay June Sandiford, who was found guilty of smuggling $2.5 million worth of the drug in her suitcase onto the resort island of Bali. Sandiford was sentenced Jan. 22 to death by firing squad.

Ponder seemed relieved after hearing the verdict, but declined to talk to the press.

"I think it's light enough," said his lawyer, Ary Sunardi. "We will suggest that he accept the sentence."

Presiding Judge Gunawan Tri Budiono said Ponder was found guilty of possessing narcotics and also fined 1 billion rupiah (US$102,500). Twenty-three grams of cocaine were found in his villa when he was arrested.

Prosecutors had sought seven years for Ponder, who could have received a life term. They had sought 15 years for Sandiford, but the court stunned the defendant and many people in her home country by sentencing her to death.

Sandiford filed an appeal request Monday. London-based human rights group Reprieve says it's suing the British government to attempt to force it to pay for Sandiford's legal representation, arguing that officials have fallen down on their duty to keep her safe from inhuman conditions and ensure she has a fair trial. It says Sandiford spent all of her money on the trial lawyer and cannot afford to pay for the appeal, which involves filing legal documents in Bahasa, the Indonesian language, by Feb. 12.

In a statement, Reprieve's Harriet McCulloch said the costs of providing support for Sandiford would be negligible. She said the Foreign Office "must take immediate action and ensure that she does not lose the chance to appeal her death sentence."

During the trial, Sandiford claimed she was forced to transport the drugs into the country by a gang that was threatening to hurt her children. She was arrested in May when 3.8 kilograms (8.4 pounds) of cocaine were discovered in the lining of her luggage at Bali's airport.

In London, British Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire told lawmakers last week that the government strongly opposes Sandiford's sentence.

Indonesia, like many Asian countries, is very strict on drug crimes. Most of the more than 40 foreigners on its death row were convicted of drug charges. The country has not executed anyone since 2008, when 10 people were put to death.

Ponder's wife, Rachel Lisa Dougall, was earlier sentenced to one year in the case, while Indian national Nandagopal Akkineni received five years. Another Briton, Paul Beales, was previously jailed for four years.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/british-man-gets-6-years-bali-drug-trial-093323763.html

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CE-Oh no he didn't!: Steve Ballmer calls Dropbox 'a fine little startup'

Microsoft is no stranger to industry flak, but it's always better to give than to receive, right? Steve Ballmer thinks so, and in a recent Bloomberg interview, he took a second away from talking up the new Office 2013 to smite Dropbox, saying that the 100 million users it boasts "sounds like a pretty small number to me." He recovered slightly by adding "I'm not beating on Dropbox," only to follow it with the finishing blow: "They're a fine little startup and that's great." We doubt anyone else would call Dropbox a startup at this point, but Microsoft's chief can't be seen complimenting a SkyDrive rival now, can he? After having to defend the user stats for Redmond's Yammer, he was also quizzed on the undying native Office for iPad rumor, to which he had "nothing to say," apart from "we'll see what we see in the future." If these snippets aren't quite enough, then head to the source link for the full interview. Ballmer may be a little less shouty these days, but it's good to know he's still capable of delivering the odd high-caliber burn.

Filed under: Internet, Microsoft

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Via: The Verge

Source: Bloomberg

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/30/steve-ballmer-calls-dropbox-little-startup/

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RIM faces its day of reckoning with BlackBerry 10 launch

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The innovative line of BlackBerry smartphones that Research In Motion Ltd will formally unveil on Wednesday has already succeeded on one crucial count - getting RIM back in the conversation.

The new BlackBerry 10 has created a buzz among technology watchers and financial analysts, thanks to nifty features that may set it apart in an overcrowded smartphone market. RIM stock has almost tripled over the past four months on hopes the devices can restore RIM to sustained prosperity.

Reviewers like the browser speed and the intuitive keyboard on RIM's new touchscreen. A feature called BlackBerry Balance, which keeps corporate and personal data separate, could help RIM rebuild its traditional base of big business customers.

It's a welcome start for RIM, the smartphone pioneer that has teetered on the brink of irrelevance. But success will come only if consumer and business customers embrace the new technology in the weeks and months after CEO Thorsten Heins takes the wraps off the phone at a glitzy New York launch.

RIM is gambling its survival on the much-delayed BlackBerry 10, hoping to claw its way back into an industry now dominated by Apple Inc's iPhone and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's Galaxy.

The timing may be just right. The new phone hits the market just as the iPhone's remarkable run is showing some signs of slowing.

"I really do believe that the consumer market as a whole is ready for something new," said Kevin Burden, head of mobility at Strategy Analytics, an industry consulting firm.

"I have to believe that there is some level of user fatigue that plays into the longevity of some of these platforms," he added, referring to Google Inc's Android and Apple's iOS, which are both more than five years old. "RIM is probably timing it right."

U.S. BATTLEGROUND

To be sure, RIM shares are about 90 percent below a 2008 peak near $150 a share and the company still has a tough fight ahead. It may take investors some time to determine whether RIM's big gamble on an untested technology has paid off.

RIM's market share collapsed in the three years ahead of the launch. Strategy Analytics data shows RIM's global share of the smartphone market was about 3.4 percent in the fourth quarter, down from around 20 percent just three years ago.

While RIM has done well in developing markets, it has hemorrhaged customers in the United States, a market that sets technology trends. RIM's fourth-quarter North American market share fell to 2 percent from more than 40 percent three years ago.

Acknowledging that it is crucial to win back U.S. customers, RIM will hold its main BlackBerry 10 launch in New York, although there are simultaneous events in six cities across the globe.

Underscoring the point, RIM is splurging on a costly Super Bowl ad to tout its new devices and attempt to brighten its faded image in the U.S. market.

BIG QUESTIONS

Over 150 carriers already have tested the new devices and RIM has said the launch will be the largest ever global rollout of a new platform.

The two big questions the market expects RIM to answer on Wednesday are when the phones - a full touch-screen device and one with a traditional physical keyboard - will hit store shelves, and how much they will cost.

The company is expected to unveil specifics on pricing and availability in different regions at the launch.

"The Street is expecting mid-February for a launch. Anything earlier than that is a positive, anything later will be viewed as negative," said RBC Dominion Securities analyst Paul Treiber.

That said, there are few mysteries to be cleared up on Wednesday. Leaked photos and specifications of the devices have been splashed across the tech world.

"We've had the beta devices for a few weeks and in terms of the devices, they are right up there with the competition," said Andy Ambrozic, head of IT Infrastructure at Ricoh Canada. "The Balance feature is crucial for corporations that are becoming increasingly concerned about data security."

Scotiabank analyst Gus Papageorgiou feels RIM has a good chance of a comeback. He says the new BB10 operating system outpaces Apple's iOS platform and Google's market-leading Android system in every category except app selection and content.

"There is, we believe, huge potential for the platform and devices to bring people back to BlackBerry or draw entirely new users into the platform," said Papageorgiou, who has a "sector outperform" rating on the stock.

BlackBerry 10 will not be able to compete on the number of apps, but RIM says its operating system will have the largest application library for any new platform at launch, with more than 70,000 apps available.

It has already gathered big-name music and video partners for its BlackBerry 10 storefront, including Walt Disney Studios and Sony Pictures, Universal Music and Warner Music Group.

Wireless carriers already report strong demand for the new devices. Rogers Communications Inc, Canada's top wireless carrier and the first globally to take pre-orders for the new devices, said orders are already in the thousands.

"Our customers are excited," said John Boynton, Rogers' head of marketing, adding that some users are holding off on upgrades in anticipation of the BB10 launch.

(Additional reporting by Alastair Sharp and Allison Martell in Toronto; Editing by Frank McGurty, Janet Guttsman and Andre Grenon)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rim-faces-day-reckoning-blackberry-10-launch-192309624.html

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Surface Pro comes out of the box two-thirds full

38 min.

Devin Coldewey , NBC News

Microsoft's highly?anticipated Surface Pro tablet, which runs the full version of Windows 8 rather than the poorly?received Windows RT, will come out of the box with nearly two-thirds of its 64 GB of storage filled up. The 128 GB version will likewise boot up with far less room?than many users expect to see.

Microsoft, which confirmed the information to NBC News,?was quick to add that much of this space can be reclaimed, although the method is not one?that tech novices will likely?understand or undertake. Nor are the reasons for the reduced space particularly easy to grasp without some explanation:

First, the gigabytes listed on any gadget's box don't actually correspond to the way computers think about data. The result is that 64 GB shown?on the box (whether the device?runs Windows, Android, or iOS) really translates to 59?of what the computer actually uses ("gibibytes," if you must know).

Second, Windows is a much larger and more complex piece of software than what you find on an Android tablet or iPad. It is, after all, a full-on desktop operating system ? it can do more, run programs from years back, and so on. So naturally, it takes up more space.

Third, because it's a "real" OS, it takes backup very seriously, keeping a "recovery partition," or backup of itself right there on the device ? which takes up even more space. And then you have the built-in apps and the trial version of Office 2013. The end result is that the 64 GB Surface comes out of the box with just 23 GB of usable space, and the 128 GB version is reduced to 83 GB.

The new Apple iPad with 128 GB of space, on the other hand, will likely have about 115 GB out of the box.

The Windows RT tablet had a similar problem, shipping with about half its?space full, resulting in a consumer?backlash, despite Microsoft's insistence that the space crunch was unavoidable.

Users can delete installed apps and move the recovery partition to external storage or delete it entirely, but these tasks aren't exactly simple, especially for less-experienced users.

The capabilities of the Surface Pro tablets are in many ways far beyond those of competing tablets and even many laptops. Microsoft made sure to mention the fact that the device's USB 3.0 interface,?SDXC card slot?and free SkyDrive storage allow for lots of extra storage. But users simply may not be able to get over the fact that their premium device came out of the box with nowhere near the amount of free space they expected.

The Surface Pro will be out in the U.S. on February 9th. The 64 GB version will retail for $899; the 128 GB model, $999.

Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBC News Digital. His personal website is coldewey.cc.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/gadgetbox/surface-pro-comes-out-box-two-thirds-full-1B8169731

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Iguodala's last-second FT lifts Nuggets

DENVER (AP) ? Andre Iguodala's defensive stop in the final moments helped the Nuggets survive a nerve-racking finish against the Pacers.

Iguodala made a free throw with 0.4 seconds remaining after forcing a turnover to deny a last-second shot by Indiana, and Denver won 102-101 Monday night.

"I'll admit I was a little nervous (about) missing those other free throws," said Iguodala, who had misfired on four consecutive free throws earlier in the fourth quarter. "But we put ourselves in a bad position by giving up some buckets.

"Up 12 and put yourself in a position to give it away. But take a positive out of it, that you were able to gut it out. Got a big defensive stop and then got lucky and hit a free throw."

Iguodala finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, making up for his 5-of-10 shooting from the free throw line with the one at the end along with the defensive play of the game when he stole the ball from Paul George as the Pacers' guard maneuvered for a potential game-winning shot.

"It's happened a couple of times, last-second shots and guys have come at me," said Iguodala. "It's so surprising. I'm like, 'Really?' I take pride in being a defender and getting stops.'"

Iguodala signaled for time out with 0.5 seconds remaining. On the inbounds, Andre Miller lobbed a pass toward the basket that Iguodala and George both went after with George making contact and getting called for the foul.

"I knew he was going to throw it up," Iguodala said of the lob that both he and George jumped for. "I was just trying to get my feet set to go get it. George was off balance. It was kind of a pass interference play, and it just happened to work for us."

Iguodala coolly sank the tiebreaker and missed the second on purpose and the buzzer sounded as the ball rattled off the backboard.

George, who led the Pacers with 23 points, declined to comment after the game.

His teammate, David West, said the Pacers had their chances after coming back from a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit.

"We did a good job of fighting back under the circumstances," West said. "We were right there. We had opportunities. We just didn't get a chance to decide it. You just don't expect a whistle to be blown in that situation. They basically had one option and that was the option. You don't expect it, but stranger things have happened."

Danilo Gallinari had 27 points to lead the Nuggets, who won their fourth straight. Ty Lawson added 18 points and Corey Brewer had 16.

Lance Stephenson scored 20 points and West finished with 17 for the Pacers, who lost their third in a row, matching a season high.

The Nuggets got 10 points from Timofey Mozgov, who moved up in the rotation to play significant minutes in place of injured JaVale McGee. The 7-foot McGee was sidelined by soreness in his left shin. He was scheduled to undergo an MRI on Tuesday to try to determine the severity of the injury.

Denver also was without another top reserve, Wilson Chandler, a late scratch because of a left groin strain.

After Stephenson made a layup to pull the Pacers within a point with 5:47 remaining in the third, the Nuggets scored 10 of the next 13 points en route to taking an 82-74 lead into the fourth quarter. Gallinari got the run going by converting a three-point play and sinking a 3-pointer the next time down the floor.

Lawson's layup capped a 6-0 run and put the Nuggets up 96-82 with 6:44 remaining.

Roy Hibbert started a tying 13-0 run for the Pacers as he broke free underneath for a dunk and George had a four-point play to pull the Pacers to 99-97 with 3:08 remaining.

Iguodala went to the line twice in the next minute but missed four throws and Hill put in a floater from 10-feet away to even the score with 1:58 left.

Gallinari made two free throws with 59.7 seconds left before West answered with a putback to re-tie the score at 101 with 38.6 seconds remaining.

NOTES: The Nuggets did not make a field goal in the final 5:45. ... The Pacers re-signed F Sam Young, bringing him back to the team three weeks after releasing him. ... The Pacers have lost seven of their last eight games in Denver. ... Gallinari has led the Nuggets in scoring 14 times this season with the Nuggets going 11-3 in those games. ... Mozgov's 10 points represented a season-high. ... The Pacers have allowed at least 100 points in three consecutive games, a season high.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iguodalas-last-second-ft-lifts-nuggets-050001763--spt.html

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Funeral procession swings by Burger King to honor deceased

David S. Kime Jr. was many things. World War II veteran. Purple Heart recipient. Father. Grandfather. Husband. And, it should be noted, Burger King enthusiast.

The 88-year-old Kime died Jan. 20, and during his funeral procession a few days later, members of Kime's family took a detour to the Burger King drive-through.

Linda Phiel, one of Kime's three daughters, said her dad loved fast food and ate it daily. "He always lived by his own rules," she said. "His version of eating healthy was the lettuce on the Whopper Jr."

The York (Pa.) Daily Record spoke with Phiel, who explained that when her mother was alive, she tried to his eating habits in check. "When she died, for a while, he would eat with us," she said. "But he considered us health freaks because we ate things that were green, like broccoli."

After a while, Phiel stopped trying to talk her dad into eating more veggies. "When you're 88 years old, I guess you've earned the right to do what you want to do," she said.

The funeral procession ordered a whopping 40 of the Whopper Jr. burgers, including one for the dearly departed. Kime's Whopper was placed on top of his casket before burial.

The Burger King's manager, Margaret Hess, said, "It's nice to know he was a loyal customer up until the end?the very end."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/funeral-procession-swings-burger-king-honor-deceased-223116411.html

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Human brain model and graphene win science's X Factor

What to do with a cool ?1 billion? How about "build a CERN for the brain"?

That's what Henry Markram, director of the Human Brain Project (HBP), intends to do now that the project has won one of two ?1 billion European research prizes, to be paid out over the next 10 years. The other winner is a project that aims to unlock the potential of supermaterial graphene.

The HBP is a quest to simulate a brain in a supercomputer. It is the successor to the Blue Brain Project, which kicked off in 2005 and succeeded in modelling the cortical column of a rat brain on a cellular level. According to a project spokesperson from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, the next stage is to move on to the human brain. This will involving "expanding in all directions" and making the models bigger and more detailed.

The hope is that the model, once built, will be used to identify biomarkers that could be used to diagnose neurodegenerative diseases, to test combinations of different drugs and to help build neuromorphic computers based on components found in the brain. Researchers from around the world will be able to use the simulation in a similar way to how astronomers would reserve observation time on a telescope.

Flexible conductor

The goal of the graphene project is to take advantage of the exotic properties of the one-atom-thick wonder material that won its creators the 2010 physics Nobel prize. Jari Kinaret of Chalmers University in Gothenburg, Sweden, says that the flexible conductor will be used to make electronic paper, printed electronics and new kinds of personal communications devices such as those integrated into clothing.

Also on the to-do list are batteries for electric vehicles, lightweight medical implants made out of graphene nanocomposites and solar cells that take advantage of the material's ability to conduct light as well as electricity.

"The first products seen on market will be a golf club or tennis racket. This won't take 10 years," says Kinaret. "This was one of the strengths of our proposal ? there is low-hanging fruit as well as long-term goals."

Today's announcement of the winners is the culmination of a European Commission competition, dubbed science's X Factor, that started in 2010, when the EC put out a call for computing projects of a visionary scale. Each winner is supposed to receive ?1 billion over 10 years, half from the EC and half from European countries and private companies.

Four other projects made it through to the final round and most plan to continue with their proposals in some form. "We are exploring options," says Dirk Helbing, one of the directors of FuturICT, a project to build a real-time, global civilisation simulation. "The FuturICT idea will live on. It's more a question how big will Europe's piece of the cake be, that European scientists have baked."

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The Decayed & Blooming Blossoms

Kyo's alarm went off and he woke up growling. He stared at the white wall and got up. Getting dressed he slowly walked to the bathroom. Washing his face and then looking the mirror and sighing. He felt sore today and just wanted to sleep more. But he had to get up this was important and work related. He finished in the bathroom and got his keys. Walking to the door he slipped his boots on and sighed again.The opening the door and heading down the stairs. He then felt his mouth was dry and unpleasent.Kyo stood there at the vending machine waiting for his drink. He pulled it out when it was dropped in the slot. He grabbed it and then walked off.

The sun was still rising and the tips of the skyscrapers where glowing orange. Kyo looked at his watch and then stopped at the corner of the sidewalk. He then looked up and then crossed the street. It was a bit of a headache to those knew to Tokyo. The busy streets and loud sounds coming from just about everywhere.Kids yelling crying music playing and people yelling and laughing. He made his way around people and past shops heading to Die's place. Today was the day they would be coming up with new songs. It been a while and the band has been on a long break. But fans where getting worried about there absent. So the staff and the members have been starting to get back to work. Kyo got to a back ally and walked down it heading to a gate. He rang the door bell and the gate unlocked. He then headed down the path and then up metal stairs leading to Die's apartment.

Die opened his door and smiled and let Kyo in." want anything ?" He asked and smiled heading to the Kitchen. Kyo shook his head and then sat on the couch. The others would be here soon so Die left the door open a bit. Getting himself a red bull and joining Kyo. It was quiet as they sat there not saying a word. It was early and they both seemed sleepy still. Die then spoke" so how you been? its been a while you haven't been answering my texts or calls". Kyo looked at him" yah sorry...been busy and not feeling like talking much those messages keep coming...its pissing me off". Kyo said almost loosing his temper but calmed down. " ya just ignore them....little punks are just writing them to get us upset...there nothing Kyo...let them go". He smiled and looked at his phone and then to the door

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/YZyN-iAkraY/viewtopic.php

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FCC filing reveals Apple TV model A1469 with slightly smaller dimensions

We don't generally find surprises from Apple in the daily stream of FCC documents and test reports, but a new filing published today seems to suggest that a new Apple TV model of some sort could be on the way. While the diagram pictured above doesn't suggest any major changes to the device's appearance, it does list some slightly smaller measurements: 93.78mm square compared to the 98mm of the current model. That's certainly not the biggest of differences, but the measurements in previous Apple FCC filings have been spot on. The model number, A1469, is also one that we haven't seen before, but the documents unfortunately don't offer much else in the way of details (only confirmation of the same WiFi capabilities as the current-gen Apple TV).

As MacRumors noted yesterday, a look at the download options for the latest Apple TV software update also revealed a new "AppleTV3,2" model, which it speculated could be an international version of the device -- although it of course remains to be seen if it and this model are one and the same. For now, you can get a closer look at the filing yourself at the source link.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Apple

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Source: FCC

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/29/apple-tv-fcc-model-a1469/

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Creatures of the air caught in the mist

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The Big Sandy Relief Bill is Almost Here ? Finally

Finally.?Today the Senate will vote on ? and likely pass ? the Hurricane Sandy relief bill that allocates over $50 billion toward victims of, and infrastructure damaged by, the superstorm three months ago. The bill's passage would end the months-long drama that began with President Obama's request for $60 billion in federal aid and later intensified when House Republicans repeatedly delayed the bill in hopes of trimming its expenditures, an unpopular strategy that drew?the very public rebuke of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, parts of whose state were ravaged by Sandy.

RELATED: The Most Unbelievable but Real Pictures of Sandy's Destruction

Given the Democratic-controlled Senate's support for past iterations of a similar bill, we're probably not going to see much of a fight in today's vote. But that doesn't mean the Senate itself is immune to delay tactics. Indeed, the body is voting only now ? two weeks after the House passed the same bill?? due to the drawn-out fight?over filibuster reform that forced Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to debate Senate procedure instead of actual legislation. Once it passes, however, the bill should shuttle quickly to the White House, where President Obama is certain to sign.

RELATED: Another Bookstore Falls Victim to Sandy; New York Library Waives Overdue Fines

The real fight will continue on the sidelines, where think tanks like the Heritage Foundation will continue to criticize what they perceive to be unnecessary funds (even when they're totally appropriate), and produce apocalyptic videos such as the one below:

RELATED: Man vs. South African Penguins; Scientists Don't Like Jersey Shore's Fake Beaches

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/big-sandy-relief-bill-almost-finally-143941479.html

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David Cunningham (update) - Lines and Colors

Since I first wrote about painter David H. Cunningham back in 2007, his web presence has been expanded and improved, and his work has continued to evolve, particularly into a new series involving arrangements of stones.

My initial impression of his work, however, remains unchanged. Though you may look at reproductions of his paintings and think of them as illusionary realism to the point of being trompe l?oeil, I?ve never gotten the impression that he deliberately set out to paint with that intention.

Rather, the sharp realism feels like a natural outgrowth of intense faithful observation, an incisive investigation of the visual world.

Cunningham?s paintings of stones, in both complex and simple arrangements, become both intimate landscapes and marvels of irregular geometry.

In addition to presenting his work more effectively, Cunningham?s new website allows for a blog-like series of short articles, in which he offers interviews with other artists as well as his thoughts on various aspects of art and painting, including ?Why paint stones??.

You can also find blog-like entries, including sketches and works in progress, on Cunningham?s presence on Tumblr and backspaces.

Source: http://www.linesandcolors.com/2013/01/28/david-cunningham-update/

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Kurtz: Sarah Palin's fall from stardom (CNN)

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Video: The Bull Run to Dow 14K

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/50613497/

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Afghan orphans hope music to win 'American hearts'

In a country where the arts and music suffered heavily under the Taliban, young musicians ? including dozens of girls ? are representing the potential in Afghanistan's future.

By Thanh Truong, Correspondent, NBC News

KABUL, Afghanistan - From the cold basement of an orphanage in Kabul, the beat of a bass drum bounces through the halls.

Hitting the high hat and cymbals was Laila, a 13-year old orphan and the only known female drummer in Afghanistan.?

"I like playing the drums and there are no other girls in Afghanistan playing the drums,? Laila said with a big smile. ?I'm the only girl and I want to become well known as an Afghan girl playing drums.?

For now, she plays in a basement, but soon it'll be D.C.'s Kennedy Center and New York's Carnegie Hall.?

Laila and 10 other girls from her orphanage will be joining ensembles from the Afghan National Institute of Music as they make their U.S. debut.?

For many of the performers, it will be their first time out of the country and their first time in America.?

"I hear it is very clean and has big buildings and you have such freedom there,? 10-year old Sapna said. "I forget the name of the president of America, but I have heard of him."

Sapna plays the piano and likes the "fast songs" that allow her to move her little fingers quickly over the keys.?

As the security in Afghanistan crumbles, 'Nightly' returns to an orphanage that Brian Williams first visited in 2009 to find girls with big dreams who are focused on getting into college.

Music is part of the curriculum at this orphanage run by Andeisha Farid, the executive director of the Afghan Child Education and Caring Organization.?

'Hope for a better future'
In a country where female freedoms are few, Farid said these young girls represent the potential in Afghanistan's future.

"Afghan women, they suffer so badly. They even struggle for their very basic human rights,? Farid said. ?We hope for a better future for Afghanistan. If we can properly invest in these children, a long-term investment, they realize that there is hope in Afghanistan.?

The sheer fact that dozens of girls are practicing and learning music is a sign of progress in a country where only an estimated 15 percent of women can even read and write, never mind read music or play an instrument.

The arts and music suffered heavily under the Taliban, and not just for women.?

Oct. 30: Brian swaps eyewear with one of the girls at the Kabul orphanage.

Since 2001 a small group of Afghans have worked to bring music back to the country. Ahmad Sarmast, who holds a doctorate in music, spearheaded the movement and the effort culminated in the 2010 establishment of the Afghan National Institute of Music.?

Musicians and their mentors from the ANIM will embark on a two-week tour of the U.S. starting February 2. They'll be playing a combination of classical and Afghan pieces.

Music has given these children an opportunity that so few have in Afghanistan and they are eager to share what they've learned.

"People can understand each other's hearts through music. American people can understand Afghan hearts and Afghans can understand American hearts. It's universal," said Sapna.

Yet, hurdles remain.?

Oct. 30 2009: Andeisha Farid is making a difference in a dangerous place, providing a safe haven in Afghanistan. NBC's Brian Williams reports.

Twelve-year-old Fareshta said pressure from her home village prevented her from playing the trumpet.

NBC first met Fareshta when Brian Williams visited her orphanage.

Fareshta said people in her village threatened to make her family outcasts if she kept on attending music school.?

She now only plays when she is in the orphanage. And, while the other girls prepare for their performances in the U.S., she won't be going.?

"I want to go music school and play more music," Fareshta said.

She shrugged when asked if it all seemed unfair. After all, so much that has and is happening in Afghanistan seems unfair.

But after listening to a girl like Laila practicing on the drums, it is easy to understand that the music these young people create is a message of hope in a country awash with disappointments.?

Related:?

Tears of joy: The moment an Afghan teen learned of Oscar nomination

Steeple, cross at U.S. Army base on Afghan frontier raise hackles

Afghanistan: Where actresses risk their lives for their art

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/27/16662922-afghan-orphans-hope-their-music-will-win-over-american-hearts-at-carnegie-hall?lite

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ReadWrite ? Hey Security Companies: Stop Your Scare-Tactic ...

What do you call an organism that thrives off the misfortune or mistakes of another??

A lawyer.?

Here's another term that works: parasite. And when it comes to the marketing and communication of Internet and Web-based security products, that is an apt metaphor.?

Think about it. If you are a security company, what is the best way to show that your product is not only needed, but absolutely necessary? The answer of course is to help create a world where bugs and cyber-vulnerabilities make headlines on a daily basis. To highlight those bugs and vulnerabilties and position your product as the best way to keep your information and your company and your equipment safe.?

Since before the advent of the Internet, security companies have used these scare tactics to drum up business for their products. It is a familiar cycle: Issue a press release highlighting research about security flaws in applications and websites and then say, ?Keep yourself protected with our top-of-the-line product.? It must be a highly effective form of marketing because security companies continually rely on it.?

Zscaler Drums Up Fear About ESPN App

The latest perpetrator is San Jose-based Zscaler. Last week, two different public relations professionals bombarded my inbox with the exact same story: ESPN?s ScoreCenter app has XSS vulnerabilities and sends users? passwords over plain text, making it simple for any malicious hacker sniffing for attainable user information easy to intercept.

Great, I thought. ScoreCenter is one of my favorite apps and one of the most popular sports apps in Google Play and Apple App Store. I should consider passing this on to our readers, many of whom no doubt use the app. But I had a few questions first.

Foremost, did Zscaler reach out to ESPN before pushing its press release? Because, you know, this is probably something that the app developers at the world?s largest sports network would probably want to know about as soon as possible. Or did Zscaler go with the ?publish first, deal with the consequences later? approach?

After two attempts to reach Zscaler?s PR representatives on the question, my emails remain unanswered.

But here's the rub. It does not benefit a company like Zscaler to tell app publishers of vulnerabilities much ahead of time. If the affected company moves to fix the bug, there is essentially no bad news to drum up fear and push users to the security product that will ?fix? the issue.?

Zscaler began pushing its PR campaign on January 16. It published its report on January 17 and by January 18, ESPN had fixed the app. Whether or not Zscaler told ESPN about the vulnerability before publishing the news remains unanswered. An XSS vulnerability is not a difficult fix for most developers and is usually the result of an oversight by the programmers.?

Somebody Smell A RAT?

But Zscaler is far from the worst culprit in this area. One of the most prominent scare mongering campaigns in recent memory played out in August 2011. Security firm?McAfee used style magazine Vanity Fair to announce one of the largest and most persistent viruses in history, dubbed Shady RAT (Remote Access Tool). Why Vanity Fair? Because it is a trusted publication read by many people and one that many people that are not extraordinarily tech savvy read. The target is the consumer that McAfee can scare into buying its product because they do not know any better.?

This was well before McAfee's founder?s well-chronicled flight from authorities in Central America, but involved a similar level of head-scratching.

And that was not the first time that MacAfee had run a scare-tactic PR campaign. In 2011 it had Operation Night Dragon and Aurora. These were tied to varying bugs in Internet Explorer as well as spear-phishing social hacks. If anything, McAfee as a company loves to make a big splash.?

Zscaler is not quite as aggressive as McAfee, but its PR team is very active in making sure that people know of vulnerabilities that its ZAP product can fix. In the past seven months or so, it has warned that, ?10% of mobile apps leak passwords and user data;? ?80% of Olympic domains are scams and spam;? and ?apps downloaded by 185 million are vulnerable to attackers to obtain bank info.? Each time, Zscaler conveniently had a product to combat the problem.

A Responsibility To Be Responsible

Unlike some conspiracy theorists, I am not accusing security companies of actually creating the bugs and viruses that they then sell their product to consumers to protect against. Malware happens and there are bad actors in the world who want to steal your data - and your money. Security products can help protect you from them, if you can figure out exactly which product fits your needs.

The problem is that many security companies seem more interested in frightening headlines, scaring the crap out of consumers for customer acquisition and being known as the company that found notable viruses, bugs and vulnerabilities than in actually protecting consumers from the most dangerous and widespread threats.?

For an industry that is supposedly all about Internet responsibility, too often, the marketing and communications departments of security companies are anything but.?

Top image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Source: http://readwrite.com/2013/01/28/hey-security-companies-stop-your-scare-tactic-marketing

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Laura Prudom: 'Nikita' Recap: New Challenges For Michael In 'Intersection' And 'Aftermath'

Note: Do not read on if you have not seen Season 3, Episodes 7 and 8 of The CW's "Nikita," titled "Intersection" and "Aftermath."

Just when you thought "Nikita" couldn't raise the stakes any higher, the show went and pulled a Luke Skywalker on poor Michael.

Admittedly, I was spoiled for that shocking ending (a hazard of the job), but even knowing that it was coming, a large part of me truly couldn't believe that the show would go so far with such a painfully permanent disfigurement -- proof that the series is as bold and unpredictable as ever.

Since life got in the way of last week's recap, I'll cover both "Intersection" and "Aftermath" here, which seems fitting, as the two episodes seem very much like two halves of a whole.

Last week, the looming threat of Amanda not only drove Birkhoff and Sonya to the edge -- risking Sonya's life in an attempt to deactivate her kill chip -- it also saw Alex admitting her relapse to Nikita and the rest of the team, revealed the identity of the second mole, and, oh yeah, pulled off the aforementioned hand amputation. I don't think I caught my breath the entire hour.

Although Michael's impending loss was foreshadowed nicely throughout the episode (Nikita didn't quite say "I have a bad feeling about this," but I'll take any excuse for another "Star Wars" parallel), "Intersection" featured plenty of humor early on to counterbalance the dark turn the story would take. Michael and Alex's supremely awkward fake date was a particular highlight, while Birkhoff once again scored many of the hour's best lines. ("I'm on the leader" -- another "SW" shout-out!)

It seemed as though we were being set up to lose Sonya in "Intersection" (and Birkhoff's cold-open dream sequence almost had me fooled for a hot second), but I was glad we got rid of Amanda's henchwoman Anne instead. While "Nikita" often manages to create three-dimensional and compelling guest roles, Anne has always felt one-note to me, and after she attempted to kill Nikita despite Amanda's orders -- not to mention trapping Michael's hand -- she had to go. (The car flipping stunt was truly incredible, too -- yet another impressively cinematic moment for the show from the incredible stunt team and director Dwight Little.)

In stark contrast to Anne, the Watchman was another fascinating rogue agent; the idea of a spy who can literally disappear, changing his appearance in an eyeblink, was a genius and perfectly executed concept. You'd have thought Division would've invested more time into training others like him, though.

But of course, the main event of the episode -- perhaps even of the series so far -- was the loss of Michael's hand, especially since Nikita was forced to cut it off herself or risk losing her fiance altogether. As Owen pointed out in "Aftermath," it's hard to imagine that anyone else would have the strength to do such a thing to their partner, especially with only seconds to act before the car's gas tank blew.

I think it's fair to say that the show hasn't always known what to do with Michael from a plot standpoint; aside from the gripping Kasim storyline in Season 1 which truly defined the character, and the controversial Cassandra arc in Season 2, he's often existed as Nikita's strong and supportive right hand man (oh, cruel irony), giving the less temperate Nikita and Alex opportunities to go off the rails on various occasions and leaving him to pick up the pieces. While I was surprised (and impressed) that the show took Michael's story to such an extreme, it felt like the right choice, giving Shane West some incredible material to sink his teeth into, and creating another organic conflict with Nikita so that their relationship didn't become stale.

As much as we, as viewers, might be rooting for Michael and Nikita to live happily ever after with no hardship or pain, such bliss doesn't exactly make for interesting TV. A show that is unable to evolve and keeps its characters static is one that is creatively stale, and that's not an issue that the "Nikita" writers have. We all know that Maggie Q and Shane West can excel with such dramatic, gut-wrenching material, and it's good to see Michael being allowed to let loose and fall apart for a change, enabling Nikita to (hopefully) keep him steady by being the anchor for once.

Matters may be complicated by Owen, as we started to see in "Aftermath." I think that all of these characters are -- despite their histories -- honorable, decent people, and that no matter how far Michael pushes Nikita away in his grief, she won't turn to Owen for physical comfort, and Owen won't take advantage of her vulnerability. As Shane West pointed out in our recent interview, it makes sense why Owen would be attracted to Nikita (who wouldn't be?), and even why Nikita would have a bond with Owen, given what Division made them both do, but with Michael reeling from such a profound loss, I'd have a hard time forgiving Nikita for cheating on him (no matter how much of a douchebag he was this week -- albeit for justifiable reasons).

The hardest and most fascinating part of the whole incident is that both Michael and Nikita are right; Nikita can't tell Michael how to deal with the loss, and Michael can't blame her for saving his life. It's an obstacle that they truly do need to face together, but with the wound so fresh (literally), it's understandable that both are failing to do so.

Clearly, Nikita is also struggling with her own feelings of guilt: Michael can no longer operate in the field or shoot a weapon accurately, intrinsic parts of his identity that have obviously made him feel secure and self-reliant for years in terms of the job, let alone in protecting the woman he loves. Hell, the guy couldn't even make a fist to punch Owen when he was being provoked. There are no right answers for the situation that Michael and Nikita now find themselves in, but somehow, their love has to be strong enough to overcome this obstacle like so many others.

Thankfully, even though Michael spent much of the episode brooding attractively and feeling sorry for himself, he also proved himself useful back at Ops, saving the day by directing Nikita and Owen in their mission against Liam in a way that Ryan (with zero super-spy experience) never could. Though Michael would clearly rather be in the field to watch Nikita's back himself, he demonstrated his enviable strategic mind and reminded the rest of Division that having perfect aim isn't everything. (Pretty insensitive of the rest of the team to applaud him, though, given the circumstances.)

Nikita and Michael's final fight was heartbreaking in all the ways the show does best -- with Nikita begging Michael to let her in and Michael's pride still too wounded to allow it. Watching him succeed in making a fist only after his confrontation with her was agonizing, as was Nikita's face as she listened to him punching out his anger and grief. Another stunning, sure-to-be-underrated performance from both West and Q.

It's also great to see Owen being brought slowly into the team, even if right now he's there to provide friction in Nikita and Michael's relationship. His methods are the polar opposite of Michael's, but his expertise as a cleaner and Guardian is undoubtedly invaluable, and Devon Sawa always provides a compelling performance, even when Owen's busting Michael's balls. I like seeing the two on the same page more than seeing them at odds, but hopefully as Michael begins walking the road to recovery, they'll both be able to stow the alpha dog routine.

I'm also intrigued to see whether Michael's painful situation will mirror Alex's attempts to get clean; Michael seemed adamant that he didn't want to take painkillers to deal with his phantom limb syndrome, while Alex spent most of the episode trying various methods to heal from the effects of her relapse, so the two should have plenty in common over the coming weeks. Hopefully they'll see each other's struggles and be able to relate, instead of withdrawing from the opportunity and burying their pain, as is Michael's MO.

It was a pleasure to see two such well-crafted episodes in a row -- and even more so to see those creative efforts reflected in a ratings boost for "Aftermath". Kudos to Michael Brandon Guercio and Carlos Coto for writing such engaging scripts. It seems as though Michael's situation will create plenty of compelling conflict and character growth for a number of our characters over the next few episodes; I can't wait to see where the season takes us next.

"Nikita" airs Fridays at 8 p.m. EST on The CW.

What did you think of "Aftermath"? Do you forgive the writers for the loss of Michael's hand, or are you still reeling? Weigh in below!

?

Follow Laura Prudom on Twitter: www.twitter.com/LauinLA

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laura-prudom/nikita-recap-intersection-aftermath_b_2560563.html

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Avoiding Accidents On Family Holidays ? Larger Family Life

?

Although nobody wants to consider the possibility of suffering an accident or injury while abroad on a family holiday, in fact these are relatively common ? making it essential that anyone planning a trip abroad gets the necessary holiday insurance from a reputable provider like Express Solicitors. This will at least ensure that you are not liable for any medical expenses, on top of the emotional trauma of suffering injury abroad. Of course a great many of the injuries suffered abroad are avoidable, should families exercise proper precautions, just as they are in this country.

One of the most common types of accident that people experience while they are abroad is a vehicle accident, and there can be any number of reasons for this, from choosing to rent an unreliable vehicle to not properly understanding the driving regulations in other countries. Taking the time to familiarise yourself with these, while also ensuring that you exercise the same care and attention while driving on holiday as you would at home will help you to avoid car accidents.

Going to hospital in foreign countries can be distressing for anybody, should you need to, a medical negligence claim for any family member can be made if you feel the appropriate care hasn?t been given. More often than not this isn?t the case but language barriers and medical systems in other countries can sometimes be problematic. It?s always worth doing your research.

Amongst the other common types of injuries people suffer while they are abroad on holiday are those which occur at their actual place of accommodation. Again there are steps that you can take to minimise the risk of these, such as ensuring that any swimming pool at the hotel you are staying at has lifeguards, by making sure that you supervise your children while they are swimming and by ensuring that you know what the fire safety procedures at the hotel are ? and where the closest fire exit to your own room is. Of course, some more specialist types of holiday ? for example a skiing trip ? will present more risk than others, but these basic steps, together with securing holiday insurance, should help to give you peace of mind.

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Source: http://www.largerfamilylife.com/2013/01/26/avoiding-accidents-on-family-holidays/

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