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Wednesday, November 30, 2011
AlexandAlexa: A Chic, One-Stop Kids Boutique
AlexandAlexa's one stop children's shop has everything from designer clothing to cool toys.
Cain likely to hear from backers and doubters as bus tour begins today (Star Tribune)
PFT: 'Garbage' questions about Colts irk Belichick
APPatriots coach Bill Belichick was not happy when reporters suggested that his team has an easy game on Sunday against the Colts.
?There?s 16 games on the schedule and they?re all the same,? Belichick said, via the Boston Herald. ?It?s our team versus that team that week. And we look at tape and learn about our opponent, scout them, and pick up tendencies. But how we match up against that team that day is all that matters. The rest of it, it?s a bunch of garbage. You guys can write about it all you want, it doesn?t matter. But, the winner of this game will be determined by which team plays better on Sunday, not what happened four weeks ago. And I know this is a news story, it?s like this every week. Every week.?
Reporters who pointed out that the Colts are 0-11 heard Belichick say what he?s probably saying to his players: They need to be focused on doing their jobs, not looking at how the Colts have played so far this year.
?What difference does it make? How somebody played two weeks go against somebody else,? Belichick said. ?I mean, who cares? Us or anybody else. It doesn?t matter. The only thing that matters is how we and the Colts perform against each on Sunday. That?s all that matters. Who cares who won three weeks ago in some game with some other players? It doesn?t matter.?
For the record, three weeks ago the Patriots went to New York and pounded the Jets, while the Colts got whipped at home by the Jaguars. Surely, that tells us a little bit about the Patriots and the Colts, doesn?t it?
Not according to Belichick, who said he?s focused only on the game ahead. When one reporter started telling him that he wouldn?t be able to judge his team based on how they play against a bad opponent like the Colts, Belichick got upset.
?I don?t agree with that,? Belichick said. ?So, you can go ahead on your soliloquy about that, but I just don?t agree with that. You don?t think you can gauge a team based on how a player blocks Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis? I mean, who else would you gauge it against? What? Are you kidding me? Covering Reggie Wayne, [Austin] Collie, and [Pierre] Garcon ? you don?t think you can gauge your coverage based on those players? I don?t care what their record is. You don?t think there?s better receivers around than them? Better pass rushers than Freeney and Mathis? I mean, I?m not sure what games you?re watching here.?
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NBA Amnesty Clause Could Lead To Wild Shake-Ups With Bid System
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Withdrawal From Afghanistan: 40,000 Troops To Leave War Zone By End Of 2012
KABUL, Afghanistan ? Drawdown plans announced by the U.S. and more than a dozen other nations will shrink the foreign military footprint in Afghanistan by 40,000 troops at the close of next year, leaving Afghan forces increasingly on the frontlines of the decade-long war.
The United States is pulling out the most ? 33,000 by the end of 2012. That's one-third of 101,000 American troops who were in Afghanistan in June ? the peak of U.S. military presence in the war, according to figures provided by the Pentagon.
Others in the 49-nation coalition have announced withdrawal plans too, even as they insist they are not rushing to leave. Many nations have vowed to keep troops in Afghanistan to continue training the Afghan police and army in the years to come. And many have pledged to keep sending aid to the impoverished country after the international combat mission ends in 2014.
Still, the exit is making Afghans nervous.
They fear their nation could plunge into civil war once the foreign forces go home. Their confidence in the Afghan security forces has risen, but they don't share the U.S.-led coalition's stated belief that the Afghan soldiers and policemen will be ready to secure the entire nation in three years. Others worry the Afghan economy will collapse if foreigners leave and donors get stingy with aid.
Foreign forces began leaving Afghanistan this year.
About 14,000 foreign troops will withdraw by the end of December, according to an Associated Press review of more than a dozen nations' drawdown plans. The United States is pulling out 10,000 service members this year; Canada withdrew 2,850 combat forces this summer; France and Britain will each send about 400 home; Poland is recalling 200; and Denmark and Slovenia are pulling out about 120 combined.
Troop cutbacks will be deeper next year when an estimated 26,000 more will leave. That figure includes 23,000 Americans; 950 Germans; 600 more French; 500 additional Britons; 400 Poles; 290 Belgians; 156 Spaniards; and 100 Swedes.
Gen. James F. Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps, told the AP that the number of Marines in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan will drop "markedly" in 2012, and the role of those who stay will shift from countering the insurgency to training and advising Afghan security forces.
Amos declined to discuss the number of Marines expected to leave in 2012.
There are now about 19,400 Marines in Helmand, and that is scheduled to fall to about 18,500 by the end of this year.
"Am I OK with that? The answer is `yes,'" Amos said. "We can't stay in Afghanistan forever."
"Will it work? I don't know. But I know we'll do our part."
Additional troop cuts or accelerated withdrawals are possible.
Many other countries, including Hungary, Finland and Italy, are finalizing their withdrawal schedules. Presidential elections in Europe and the European debt crisis also could speed up pullout plans. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said this week that Australia's training mission could be completed before the 2014 target date.
Back in June, then-U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that when the Obama administration begins pulling troops from Afghanistan, the U.S. will resist a rush to the exists, "and we expect the same from our allies." Gates said it was critically important that a plan for winding down NATO's combat role by the end of 2014 did not squander gains made against the Taliban that were won at great cost in lives and money.
"The more U.S. forces draw down, the more it gives the green light for our international partners to also head for the exits," said Jeffrey Dressler, a senior research analyst at the Institute for the Study of War in Washington. "There is a cyclical effect here that is hard to temper once it gets going."
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jimmie Cummings Jr. said the cutbacks that have been announced will not affect the coalition's ability to fight the insurgency.
"We are getting more Afghans into the field and we are transferring more responsibility to them in many areas," Cummings said, adding that many leaders of the Taliban, al-Qaida and the Haqqani militant networks have been captured or killed.
Afghan security forces started taking the lead in seven areas in July. They soon will assume responsibility for many more regions as part of a gradual process that will put Afghans in charge of security across the nation by the end of 2014.
Some countries are lobbying to start transition as soon as possible in areas where they have their troops deployed ? so they can go home, said a senior NATO official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss transition. The official insisted that those desires were not driving decisions on where Afghan troops are taking the lead. But the official said that because they want to leave, a number of troop-contributing nations faced with declining public support at home have started working harder to get their areas ready to hand off to Afghan forces.
"The big question (after 2014) is if the Afghan security forces can take on an externally based insurgency with support from the Pakistani security establishment and all that entails," Dressler said. "I think they will have a real challenge on their hands if the U.S. and NATO countries do not address Pakistani sponsorship of these groups."
___
Lekic reported from Brussels. AP National Security Writer Robert Burns in Helmand contributed to this report.
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Adwatch: DNC ad targets Romney over flip-flops (AP)
WASHINGTON ? TITLE: "Trapped."
LENGTH: 30 seconds
AIRING: In Albuquerque, N.M., Raleigh, N.C., Columbus, Ohio, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and Washington through Wednesday.
KEY IMAGES: The Democratic National Committee ad targeting Republican Mitt Romney opens like the trailer to a movie, flashing the words, "From the creator of `I'm running for office for Pete's sake,' comes the story of two men trapped in one body."
Romney used the "Pete's sake" phrase during an October debate to respond to Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who asked why the former Massachusetts governor had used a lawn care service that employed illegal immigrants. Romney said he had urged the gardening service to stop employing illegal immigrants.
"Look,'" Romney said he told the service, "you can't have any illegals working on our property. I'm running for office, for Pete's sake! I can't have illegals!"
The ad shows mirror images of Romney and then cuts to a fireball explosion between profile images of Romney with the words, "Mitt vs. Mitt."
It then highlights the issues of abortion rights and health care, with clips of Romney apparently taking opposite positions on both.
ANALYSIS: Six weeks before Republican primary voters begin choosing a nominee, the DNC is trying to use the ad to paint Romney as someone who will change his positions and say anything to get elected.
Republican officials said the ad buy was minor ? about $14,000 on cable and broadcast outlets in the six television markets ? but the spot reflects the states where Democrats are trying to undermine Romney and reinforce President Barack Obama's message to voters. In 2008, Obama carried all five states ? New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin ? and the states are important to his re-election campaign.
Democrats argue that Romney's record has received little scrutiny during the primary contests with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, businessman Herman Cain and Texas Gov. Rick Perry, and they want voters to know about Romney's inconsistencies. Party leaders argue that Romney has a lack of core convictions while Obama is trying to help middle class voters rebound during tough economic times.
The attack focuses on what has proven to be a key Romney weakness, his shifting of positions he once held as a Senate candidate in Massachusetts, and later as governor.
On health care, Romney has said he will try to repeal the federal health care law that was based in part on his health care plan in Massachusetts. He says that states, not Washington, should push health care policies to help the uninsured.
Romney previously supported abortion rights but as a presidential candidate has said state law should guide abortion rights and Roe v. Wade should be reversed by a future Supreme Court.
In response to the ad, Romney's campaign blasted Obama's handling of the economy, saying the White House didn't want to have to run against Romney and "be held accountable for the many failures of this administration." It reflected a growing mantra from Republicans that the nation's longstanding economic problems ? 9 percent unemployment, a fragile housing market and poor consumer confidence ? will lead to a referendum on Obama's presidency next year and few other issues will matter.
"Instead of focusing on the economy and creating jobs, President Obama and Democrats are focused on tearing down Mitt Romney," said Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul. Foreshadowing a potential general election matchup, the Romney campaign orchestrated conference calls in which several Romney supporters ? including Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., former Iowa GOP Chairman Brian Kennedy and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty ? criticized Obama's stewardship of the economy.
The 2012 election is nearly a year away but the DNC ad and the response from Romney's team shows that intensity level is not likely to slow down anytime soon.
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Siri hack lets you start your car with voice commands (Yahoo! News)
When the?iPhone 4S launched with the powerful built-in voice assistant,?Siri, we knew hackers would be eager to get their hands on it. It didn't take long, and we've already seen Siri used to allow?voice control of a household thermostat, but developer?Brandon Fiquett took the idea on the road. The intrepid hacker has created a mod that allows the iPhone 4S to remotely start a vehicle simply by asking.
In order to pull off the impressive modification, Fiquett uses a proxy server to allow Siri to communicate with the remote start system installed on his Acura TL. He then modified a bit of Siri's code ? this is the part the would void your warranty ? to respond to requests like "Start my car" and "Stop my car."
You can see Fiquett's handiwork in the video above, and marvel at the simplicity. Of course, if you already have a remote start system installed on your vehicle, you could do the same with a single button press, but asking a robotic assistant to take care of it for you is much more?futuristic... and awesome.
[via?The Verge]
This article originally appeared on Tecca
More from Tecca:
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Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Asian shares gain amid rally on euro zone hopes (Reuters)
TOKYO (Reuters) ? Asian shares and the euro extended a rally into a second day on Tuesday, as investors were buoyed by expectations that European policy makers will outline details of how they will leverage a bailout fund so as to avert contagion in sovereign debt markets.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) rose 1.6 percent, adding to Monday's jump of more than 2 percent. The index hit a seven-week low last Friday. Japan's Nikkei (.N225) closed up 2.3 percent, moving further away from two-and-a-half year lows also hit last week. (.T)
U.S. stocks snapped a seven-session losing streak on Monday, partly supported by robust holiday sales, helping to buoy some Asian markets with export exposures to the United States, such as Korea and Taiwan, while defensives and beaten-down energy and materials sectors pulled Hong Kong and Shanghai shares higher.
"Some positive sentiment hit the markets which, after a recent steep decline, were offering good valuations and encouraging temporary buy back," said Hirokazu Yuihama, senior strategist at Daiwa Capital Markets.
Asian markets largely shrugged off a French media report citing several sources as saying Standard & Poor's could change the outlook of France's top-notch rating to "negative" within the next 10 days, but European share markets were set to dip.
Financial spreadbetters expected Britain's FTSE 100 (.FTSE) and Germany's DAX (.GDAXI) to open down 0.1 percent, and France's CAC-40 (.FCHI) to open down 0.4 percent. (.EU)
Euro zone finance ministers will meet later on Tuesday to approve detailed operational rules for the region's bailout fund, the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), paving the way for the 440 billion euro facility to draw cash from investors.
But with a history of initiatives that fall short of market expectations, analysts at Barclays Capital warned it would be premature to be confident that Europe's leaders are close to a solution to the 2-year-old debt crisis.
"So far, European summits have delivered compromise solutions that have been deemed either less than credible or too complex by markets," they said in a note.
"The recent round of proposals does not seem any different and suggests that investors should exercise caution buying risky assets, especially after a rally that has been aided by light market positioning."
ITALY AUCTION IN FOCUS
The euro inched up 0.3 percent to $1.3364 on Tuesday, after rising more than 1 percent on Monday to a high of $1.3398. The dollar index (.DXY) measured against six key currencies slipped 0.3 percent.
Commodities, a gauge for investor risk appetite, were steady after Monday's rally, with gold inching up 0.1 percent above $1,700 an ounce and oil steadying after a rise of more than $1 on Monday.
"We are fairly cautious, given very few reasons to be optimistic, and I doubt if optimism can be sustained throughout the week, especially with many meetings and bond supplies," said Frances Cheung, senior strategist for Asia ex-Japan at Credit Agricole CIB in Hong Kong.
Germany and France are reportedly working on proposals for a more rapid fiscal integration in Europe ahead of a European Union summit on December 9, but the European Central Bank has defied calls for a stepped-up role in helping resolve fiscal problems within the 17-member euro zone.
Concerns about the ability of the highly-indebted euro zone countries to pay off their ballooning public debt have made their sovereign bonds a prime target for market attacks, pushing yields to levels widely seen as unsustainable.
Market players were closely watching the outcome of this week's auctions, with up to nearly 19 billion euros in new bonds
expected to be issued by Belgium, Italy, Spain and France.
Italy plans a 8 billion euros bond sale later on Tuesday. Ten-year bond yields were stuck above 7 percent, a level that forced Greece, Ireland and Portugal to seek international aid.
Tension in euro zone money market and banks' reluctance to lend to each other further intensified on Monday, with three-month Euribor rates, traditionally the main gauge of unsecured interbank euro lending and a mix of interest rate expectations and banks' appetite for lending, rising to 1.477 percent from 1.475 percent.
Reflecting global market strains, the Bank of Japan supplied dollars in market operations for the fourth time this month on Tuesday, providing $100 million in an operation maturing in three months and $1 million maturing in a week.
(Editing by Alex Richardson)
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Climate negotiations open, focus on emissions cuts
South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu speaks during a climate justice rally held in Durban, South Africa, Sunday, Nov 27, 2011, ahead of the official start or a two-week international climate conference with about 190 countries beginning upcoming Monday. The U.N.'s top climate official, Christiana Figueres said Sunday she expects governments to make a long-delayed decision on commitments to reduce emissions of climate-changing greenhouse gases, amid fresh warnings of possible climate-related disasters in the future.(AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)
South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu speaks during a climate justice rally held in Durban, South Africa, Sunday, Nov 27, 2011, ahead of the official start or a two-week international climate conference with about 190 countries beginning upcoming Monday. The U.N.'s top climate official, Christiana Figueres said Sunday she expects governments to make a long-delayed decision on commitments to reduce emissions of climate-changing greenhouse gases, amid fresh warnings of possible climate-related disasters in the future.(AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)
South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, center, listens as former Irish President Mary Robinson speaks during a climate justice rally in Durban, South Africa, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011. Amid fresh warnings of climate-related disasters in the future, delegates from about 190 countries were gathering in Durban for a two-week conference beginning Monday.(AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)
DURBAN, South Africa (AP) ? Global warming already is causing suffering and conflict in Africa, from drought in Sudan and Somalia to flooding in South Africa, President Jacob Zuma said Monday, urging delegates at an international climate conference to look beyond national interests for solutions.
"For most people in the developing countries and Africa, climate change is a matter of life and death," said the South African leader as he formally opened a two-week conference with participants from 191 countries and the European Union.
The conference is seeking ways to curb ever-rising emissions of climate-changing pollution, which scientists said last week have reached record levels of concentration in the atmosphere.
Seasoned nongovernment observers said the outcome of the conference, which ends Dec. 9, is among the most unpredictable since the annual all-nation meetings began following the conclusion in 1992 of the basic treaty on climate change.
"Everything seems to be fluid. Everything is in play," said Tasneem Essop, of WWF International.
The main point of contention is whether industrial countries will extend their commitments to further reduce carbon emissions after their current commitments expire next year. Most wealthy countries have said their agreement is conditional on developing countries like China, India and Brazil accepting that they, too, must accept legally binding restrictions on their own emissions.
Zuma said Sudan's drought is partly responsible for tribal wars there, and that drought and famine have driven people from their homes in Somalia. Floods along the South African coast have cost people their homes and jobs, he said.
"Change and solutions are always possible. In these talks, states, parties, will need to look beyond their national interests to find a solution for the common good and human benefit," he said.
The U.N.'s top climate official, Christiana Figueres, said future commitments by industrial countries to slash greenhouse gas emissions is "the defining issue of this conference." But she said that is linked to pledges that developing countries must make to join the fight against climate change.
She quoted anti-apartheid legend and former President Nelson Mandela: "It always seems impossible until it is done."
One of the greatest threats of global warming is to food supplies, which new studies by the United Nations and independent agencies show already are under stress.
In its first global assessment of the planet's resources, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization estimated that farmers will have to produce 70 percent more food by 2050 to meet the needs of the world's expected 9 billion-strong population.
But most available farmland is already being farmed, and in ways that decrease productivity through practices that lead to soil erosion and wasting of water, the FAO said in a report released Monday in Rome.
Climate change compounded problems caused by poor farming practices, it found. Adjusting to a changing world will require $1 trillion in irrigation water management alone for developing countries by 2015, the FAO said.
The authoritative Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has said changing weather patterns will make farming more unpredictable and make water supplies more unreliable. Global warming is increasing the frequency of droughts and floods, and could create a catastrophic rise of sea levels if mountain and Arctic glaciers continue to rapidly melt.
The international aid agency Oxfam also released a report Monday showing that extreme weather events are driving up food prices, and the world's poorest peoples already spend 75 percent of their income on food.
In the last 18 months, Russia lost 13.3 million acres of crops, or about 17 percent of its production, due to a months-long heat wave. Drought in the Horn of Africa has killed 60 percent of Ethiopia's cattle and 40 percent of its sheep. Floods in September have raised the price of rice by 25 percent in Thailand and 30 percent in Vietnam, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.
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11-11-11 (2011) DVD DVDRip 1 Link NO RAR
11-11-11 (2011) DVD DVDRip 1 Link NO RAR
IMDB Rating: IMDb - 11-11-11 (2011)
Genre: Horror | Thriller
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Writer: Darren Lynn Bousman
Stars: Timothy Gibbs, Michael Landes and Brendan Price
Trailer: 11-11-11 Official Full Movie Trailer (2011) HD - YouTube
Spoken language: English
Texted language (subtitles): English/Spanish
Plot:
After his death of his wife and child, an author travels to Barcelona to see his estranged brother and dying father, where he learns that his life is plagued by events that occur on 11/11/11.
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When errors improve performance: Model describes how experiences influence our perception
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 28-Nov-2011[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Luise Dirscherl
dirscherl@lmu.de
49-892-180-2706
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitt Mnchen
During estimation processes we unconsciously make use of recent experiences. Scientists from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitt (LMU) in Munich and the Bernstein Center Munich asked test subjects to estimate distances in a virtual reality environment. The results revealed that estimates tended to approach the mean of all previously experienced distances. For the first time, scientists were able to accurately predict the experimental findings using a mathematical model. The model combines two well-known laws of psychophysics with a theorem from probability theory. The study could be of fundamental relevance to research on perception.
Why do we perceive identical distances as long in one situation and short in another? It all depends on the distances that we have covered in the immediate past. This might seem a trivial conclusion, but it gives an important insight into how the brain processes signals of different intensities or even abstract elements such as numbers. Dr. Stefan Glasauer (LMU Munich), project leader at the Bernstein Center Munich, and PhD student Frederike Petzschner have investigated this effect both experimentally and theoretically. Test subjects were first asked to perform certain displacements in virtual reality and then to reproduce these displacements as accurately as possible. As in previous studies, the results showed a bias towards the mean of all previously experienced displacements.
The scientists can now provide a general explanation for this phenomenon. With the help of a mathematical model, they can calculate how previous stimuli affect the current estimate. "The influence of prior experience most probably follows a general principle, and is likely to hold true for the estimation of quantities or sound levels also," says Glasauer. Test subjects whose distance estimates were strongly influenced by prior experience also placed greater weight on prior experience when asked to assess angular displacements. In both cases, they were learning without having received any information about the success or failure of their previous performance. Conventional learning methods, however, presuppose such feedback mechanisms.
Whether or not a fundamental principle determines the perception of stimulus strengths, such as sound levels, brightness, or even distances, has been a controversial issue. Two important laws of psychophysics, the so-called Weber-Fechner law, published 150 years ago, and the 50-year-old Stevens' power law, seemed to contradict each other. The Munich scientists have now shown that the two laws are in fact compatible, at least for certain cases. By combining the Weber-Fechner law with Bayes' Theorem (1763), a procedure from probability theory that allows evidence to be weighted, they were able to transform it into Stevens' power law. Glasauer is therefore confident that "we have contributed to solving a problem that perception researchers have been studying for more than 50 years now." Next, the researchers want to analyze historical data and determine whether the model also applies to different stimulus modalities, such as sound levels and brightness.
###
The Bernstein Center Munich is part of the National Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience (NNCN) in Germany. The NNCN was established by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research with the aim of structurally interconnecting and developing German capacities in the new scientific discipline of computational neuroscience. The network is named after the German physiologist Julius Bernstein (1835-1917).
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Public release date: 28-Nov-2011[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Luise Dirscherl
dirscherl@lmu.de
49-892-180-2706
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitt Mnchen
During estimation processes we unconsciously make use of recent experiences. Scientists from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitt (LMU) in Munich and the Bernstein Center Munich asked test subjects to estimate distances in a virtual reality environment. The results revealed that estimates tended to approach the mean of all previously experienced distances. For the first time, scientists were able to accurately predict the experimental findings using a mathematical model. The model combines two well-known laws of psychophysics with a theorem from probability theory. The study could be of fundamental relevance to research on perception.
Why do we perceive identical distances as long in one situation and short in another? It all depends on the distances that we have covered in the immediate past. This might seem a trivial conclusion, but it gives an important insight into how the brain processes signals of different intensities or even abstract elements such as numbers. Dr. Stefan Glasauer (LMU Munich), project leader at the Bernstein Center Munich, and PhD student Frederike Petzschner have investigated this effect both experimentally and theoretically. Test subjects were first asked to perform certain displacements in virtual reality and then to reproduce these displacements as accurately as possible. As in previous studies, the results showed a bias towards the mean of all previously experienced displacements.
The scientists can now provide a general explanation for this phenomenon. With the help of a mathematical model, they can calculate how previous stimuli affect the current estimate. "The influence of prior experience most probably follows a general principle, and is likely to hold true for the estimation of quantities or sound levels also," says Glasauer. Test subjects whose distance estimates were strongly influenced by prior experience also placed greater weight on prior experience when asked to assess angular displacements. In both cases, they were learning without having received any information about the success or failure of their previous performance. Conventional learning methods, however, presuppose such feedback mechanisms.
Whether or not a fundamental principle determines the perception of stimulus strengths, such as sound levels, brightness, or even distances, has been a controversial issue. Two important laws of psychophysics, the so-called Weber-Fechner law, published 150 years ago, and the 50-year-old Stevens' power law, seemed to contradict each other. The Munich scientists have now shown that the two laws are in fact compatible, at least for certain cases. By combining the Weber-Fechner law with Bayes' Theorem (1763), a procedure from probability theory that allows evidence to be weighted, they were able to transform it into Stevens' power law. Glasauer is therefore confident that "we have contributed to solving a problem that perception researchers have been studying for more than 50 years now." Next, the researchers want to analyze historical data and determine whether the model also applies to different stimulus modalities, such as sound levels and brightness.
###
The Bernstein Center Munich is part of the National Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience (NNCN) in Germany. The NNCN was established by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research with the aim of structurally interconnecting and developing German capacities in the new scientific discipline of computational neuroscience. The network is named after the German physiologist Julius Bernstein (1835-1917).
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-11/lm-wei112811.php
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Monday, November 28, 2011
DIY Candied Ginger Is Easy to Make and Relieves Stomach Discomfort and Nausea [Food]
Candied ginger is one of those things that I keep around the house at all times. Not only is it a tasty treat and great to sweeten a cup of hot tea, but it's also great for upset stomachs and light nausea. Unfortunately, it's frequently only available in health food stores, and even then it can be pricey. Here's how to make it at home.
America's Test Kitchen shows us how to make this stomach-calming treat home with minimal effort. You'll need some fresh ginger, of course, but aside from that the only thing you'll need is sugar and water. You'll use some of the sugar to make a simple syrup to soak the ginger in (the simple syrup will be the binder that keeps the rest of the sugar sticking to the ginger) and the rest to toss the ginger in when it's finished its soak. All in all, you can buy the sugar and the ginger for half the price required to buy a package of the stuff already candied.
Have you tried candied ginger, or do you make your own? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
How to Make Candied Ginger | America's Test Kitchen
You can reach Alan Henry, the author of this post, at alan@lifehacker.com, or better yet, follow him on Twitter or Google+.
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These reptiles are ready for their (extreme) close-up
?
Mark Bridger/Solent News
A gecko licks its own eyes. These lizards have no eyelids; instead, they have a transparent membrane that they lick to keep clean.
Mark Bridger/Solent News
A chameleon's coiled-up tail.
Mark Bridger/Solent
A chameleon shows its true colors (well, some of them, anyway) in this close-up.
Mark Bridger/Solent News
This South American horned frog looks a little bit like Christmas with its bright red and green colors.
U.K. photographer Mark Bridger took these remarkable?images of chameleons, geckos, and frogs. Bridger employed a technique known as macro photography, which uses a powerful lens to get extremely close shots, according to Solent News.
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Maggie Daley inspired countless breast cancer patients ? Arlington ...
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Yesterday at 11:51 a.m.
Linda Borton, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002, is pictured in Arlington Heights on Friday, Nov. 25, 2011. Borton learned Maggie Daley was also diagnosed with cancer on the day Borton started her chemotherapy. Daley died on Thursday after a long fight with cancer. ( Keri Wiginton/ Chicago Tribune)
On the day Chicago?s first lady announced that she had breast cancer in 2002, Linda Borton of Arlington Heights started her chemotherapy treatments for the same affliction.
Though Borton, a health executive, didn?t know Maggie Daley, she knew they were going through a shared traumatic experience, and immediately felt a kinship with this strong, positive woman.
?I knew I certainly was not alone,? Borton said, as she reflected on Daley?s death Thursday evening from complications of that cancer. ?I wanted to write her a note, just to say I?d been diagnosed myself and to try to send her some words of encouragement.?
Read more at Chicago Tribune.
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Sunday, November 27, 2011
Seaweed gel transforms drops into edible beads
Caitlin Stier, video intern
It could be the next trend in molecular gastronomy: quickly encapsulating a drop of liquid to create an edible bead. The technique, developed by Nicholas Bremond and colleagues at the School of Industrial Physics and Chemistry in Paris (ESPCI ParisTech), can package any liquid using a seaweed extract.
Bremond came up with the technique while collaborating with a master chef who wanted to put flavours in small compartments. To create liquid-filled beads, drops are coated with a seaweed solution. Then they're dropped into a calcium bath containing detergent, which causes the algae to harden and form a shell. Without detergent, the watery coating would still gel, but it would quickly mix with its liquid contents.
Beyond culinary creations, Bremond is using the method to package cancer cells and study them in a 3D environment. The permeable beads prevent cell contamination, while allowing drugs to flow in.
If you enjoyed this video, see how a laser technique can control the flow of liquids or watch the weird antics of charged drops of water.
Journal reference: Soft Matter, DOI: 10.1039/B923783F
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Brother ordered held for 2 weeks in Halman slaying (AP)
THE HAGUE, Netherlands ? Prosecutors say an investigating judge has ordered the brother of slain Seattle Mariners outfielder Greg Halman to be detained for a further two weeks on suspicion of murder or manslaughter.
Halman was stabbed to death early Monday morning at an apartment in the port city of Rotterdam. Police said his stabbing may have followed an argument about loud music.
Prosecution spokeswoman Jeichien de Graaff declined Friday to give further details of the investigation. She said an investigating judge ordered the extension of detention for Halman's 22-year-old brother on Thursday.
Halman hit .230 in 35 games and made starts at all three outfield positions for the Mariners in 2011 before being optioned to Triple-A Tacoma.
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Saturday, November 26, 2011
Biden to target traditional battleground states in 2012 election: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida (Star Tribune)
Lern2Play
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Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/lern2play
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Egypt army picks new PM, protesters plan mass rally (Reuters)
CAIRO (Reuters) ? Egyptian former prime minister Kamal Ganzouri accepted a request from the ruling generals to form a new government, state media reported, but protesters brushed away their choice and vowed to hold another mass rally on Friday to demand the army quit power.
Ganzouri confirmed he had agreed in principle to lead a national salvation government after meeting with the head of the ruling military council, Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, the website of state newspaper Al Ahram reported, citing sources close to Ganzouri.
In an attempt to defuse protests by thousands of Egyptians frustrated by nine months of military rule, the army council promised parliamentary elections would start on time next week. It earlier said it would speed up the timetable for a handover from military to civilian presidential rule.
Violent clashes with police in and around Cairo's Tahrir Square since Saturday have killed dozens, in scenes reminiscent of the popular uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak in February.
"The people demand the execution of the marshal," crowds chanted, referring to army chief Tantawi who was Mubarak's defense minister for 20 years.
Ganzouri headed a cabinet from 1996 to 1999 that introduced some economic liberalization measures. Many Egyptians viewed him as an official who was not tainted by corruption, but his record serving under Mubarak could stir opposition from those demanding a clean break with the past.
As talk of a Ganzouri appointment filtered through the crowds packed into Tahrir Square, reactions were mixed. Some said his age made him a bad choice. Ganzouri is in his late 70s.
"Ganzouri is no good for this transitional period, which needs youth leaders, not grandparents," said student Maha Abdullah.
Metwali Atta, a 55-year-old taxi driver who was camped out in Tahrir, disagreed: "I would like to see Ganzouri as prime minister. The man has a strong character, unlike (outgoing prime minister) Essam Sharaf who was easily bossed around by the military council."
In a communique, protesters called a million-man march on "the Friday of the last chance" to back demands for an immediate transfer to civilian rule via a national salvation government.
The Egyptian Independent Trade Union Federation called for a workers' march to Tahrir. Another labor rights group called for a general strike to back the protests. Labour unions played an important role in the movement that toppled Mubarak.
The heads of two political parties who took part in a meeting with the military council on Tuesday said they now regretted attending and apologized to the protesters in Tahrir.
The demonstrations appear to have polarized Egyptians, many of whom worry unrest will prolong economic stagnation.
Supporters of the army council had said they would hold a rally to back the military. In a statement on its Facebook page, the army council said it was "appealing to them to cancel the demonstration," saying it wanted to avoid divisions.
ECONOMY REELS
In fresh blows to confidence, the Egyptian pound weakened to more than six to the dollar for the first time since January 2005, and Standard & Poor's cut Egypt's credit rating.
The agency cut Egypt's long-term, foreign and local-currency sovereign credit ratings to B+ from BB-, saying a "weak political and economic profile" had worsened further.
The Central Bank raised interest rates unexpectedly in what bankers was an attempt to shore up the pound.
Egypt's ruling army council said it was doing all it could to prevent more violence. In a statement, it apologized, offered condolences and compensation to families of the dead, and promised a swift investigation into who was behind the unrest.
A ruling council member, General Mamdouh Shaheen, told a news conference the parliamentary vote, whose first stage is due to begin on Monday, would go ahead on time. "We will not delay elections. This is the final word," he said.
Another council member, Major-General Mokhtar al-Mullah, took a swipe at the demonstrators. "If we look at those in Tahrir, regardless of their number, they do not represent the Egyptian people, but we must respect their opinion," he said.
Mullah said the army hoped to form a new government before Monday to replace Prime Minister Essam Sharaf's cabinet, which resigned during this week's violence without giving a reason.
Demonstrators in Tahrir said the truce had taken hold from midnight. Cranes hauled concrete barriers, later reinforced with barbed wire, across streets leading to the nearby Interior Ministry, flashpoint for much of the recent violence.
HUMAN CHAINS
Protesters linked arms in human chains to prevent further clashes with security forces guarding the Interior Ministry.
"We have created a space separating us from the police. We are standing here to make sure no one violates it," said Mahmoud Adly, 42, part of a human cordon four people deep.
The protests in Cairo and elsewhere pose the gravest challenge to Egypt's army rulers since they took over from Mubarak, overthrown on February 11 after an 18-day uprising.
The United States and European nations, alarmed at the violence of the past few days, have urged Egypt to proceed with what has been billed as its first free vote in decades.
The army and the Muslim Brotherhood, which expects to do well in the election, say it must go ahead, but many protesters do not trust the military to oversee a clean vote. Some scorn the Brotherhood for its focus on gaining seats in parliament.
In Tahrir, two groups were chanting against other, one saying, "Muslim Brotherhood, we don't want you in the square," and another responding in a unity call, "One hand, one hand."
The military council originally promised to return to barracks within six months of the fall of Mubarak, but then set a timetable for elections and drawing up a new constitution that would have left it in power until late next year or early 2013.
Tantawi pledged this week to hold a presidential vote in June that could pave the way for a transfer to civilian rule, but the demonstrators, angered by army attempts to shield itself legally from future civilian control, are unconvinced.
"The protesters of Tahrir Square announce their absolute rejection of ... Tantawi's speech, and stress they have been humiliated that the regime moved to offer solution only after martyrs fell," the protesters' communique said.
Before the truce, protesters had fought running battles with security forces around the Interior Ministry. The bloody chaos there contrasted with normal life in streets nearby.
(Additional reporting by Edmund Blair, Tom Perry and Patrick Werr; Writing by Alistair Lyon; Editing by Sophie Hares)
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Friday, November 25, 2011
Chris Rene Breaks Down The Beatles on The X Factor
Chris Rene is nothing if not original.
This X Factor finalist took to the stage last night and turned one of The Beatles' better known singles into an R&B track, breaking down "Let It Be" in a way most viewers had likely not heard before. He then transitioned into "Young Homie."
How did this unusual mash-up turn out? See for yourself:
Among other performances on The X Factor last night:
- Astro showed fans what he's got.
- Josh Krajcik proved his versatility via a take on Wild Horses.
- Drew explained to us all what made her like a Skyscraper.
Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/11/chris-rene-breaks-down-the-beatles-on-the-x-factor/
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Obama pardons pair of gobblers for Thanksgiving
President Barack Obama, with daughters Sasha and Malia, pardons Liberty, a 19-week old, 45-pound turkey, on the occasion of Thanksgiving, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011, on the North Portico of the White House in Washington. At left is National Turkey Federation Chairman Richard Huisinga. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
President Barack Obama, with daughters Sasha and Malia, pardons Liberty, a 19-week old, 45-pound turkey, on the occasion of Thanksgiving, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011, on the North Portico of the White House in Washington. At left is National Turkey Federation Chairman Richard Huisinga. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
President Barack Obama, with daughters Sasha and Malia, pardons Liberty, a 19-week old, 45-pound turkey, on the occasion of Thanksgiving, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011, on the North Portico of the White House in Washington. At left is National Turkey Federation Chairman Richard Huisinga. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Liberty, a 19-week old, 45-pound turkey, stands on the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011, after being pardoned by President Barack Obama. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? With a wave of his hand, President Barack Obama on Wednesday gave two plump turkeys a Thanksgiving reprieve, noting that without his intervention, "they'd end up next to the mashed potatoes and stuffing."
The official national Thanksgiving turkey is a 19-week-old, 45-pound bird named Liberty. Its alternate, also spared, is a turkey of the same age and size named Peace.
Liberty sat calmly as Obama, accompanied by daughters Sasha and Malia, offered a blessing, his hand over the turkey's head. Obama said Liberty had the distinction of being "the luckiest bird on the face of the earth."
"Right now, he's also probably one of the most confused," Obama said.
Obama jokingly cast his pardon as yet another of his "We Can't Wait" initiatives. "Recently, I've been taking a series of executive actions that don't require congressional approval," the president said. "Well, here's another one. We can't wait to pardon these turkeys."
In a more sober tone, Obama called on Americans to remember the meaning of Thanksgiving and to be mindful of those who have less.
"Let's think about those who can't spend the holiday with their loved ones, especially the members of our military serving overseas," he said. "I'd like to thank all our men and women in uniform, and their families, for their incredible service and devotion."
Later Wednesday, the president, his daughters, first lady Michelle Obama, her mother, Marian Robinson, and her nephew Avery Robinson delivered two not-so-lucky birds to the Capital Area Food Bank, a local food pantry where the first family was packing and distributing food bags for people in need.
The president doled out packets of baby carrots as he exchanged "Happy Thanksgiving" greetings and small talk with patrons. Sasha, at Obama's side, handed out small boxes of White House M&Ms.
The family was accompanied by players from the Oregon State basketball team, which is coached by the first lady's brother, Craig Robinson. The team is in the Washington area to play Towson University, near Baltimore, on Saturday.
Liberty and Peace were selected from among 30 turkeys raised and groomed by student members of the Future Farmers of America in Willmar, Minn., for a potential presidential amnesty.
The birds' home state of Minnesota will surely spur analysis about the value of sparing turkeys from a political battleground state ahead of an election year. But the motives might be simpler ? Minnesota produces more turkeys than any other U.S. state.
Obama said the students trained the turkeys to face the White House press corps by exposing them to loud noises and flash bulbs.
"They also received the most important part of their media training, which involved learning how to gobble without really saying anything," he said.
Liberty and Peace will retire to the historic home of George Washington in nearby Mount Vernon, Va. Obama said Liberty first will have to finish "a round of cable hits and Sunday shows."
The turkeys will endure further celebrity during "Christmas at Mount Vernon," a special program that runs through Jan. 6. Following the holidays, the two birds will live in a custom-made enclosure at Mount Vernon's livestock facility.
The birds are larger than the average U.S.-bred turkey. According to the Agriculture Department, the U.S. turkey industry produces more than 250 million birds a year, with each live bird averaging about 25 pounds.
____
Associated Press writer Erica Werner contributed to this report.
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