meyers456: November 2010

Dienstag, 30. November 2010

Told You So: Microsoft Readying Blu-ray Drive for Xbox 360

The idea Microsoft could somehow stave off the shift to optical-based high-def content by restricting its own solution to video downloads always seemed a little cuckoo, so today's not-surprise is that the Xbox 360 may finally be getting the external Blu-ray option it deserves. Referencing a joint venture between Samsung Electronics and Toshiba Corp., X-bit labs writes today that Toshiba-Samsung "has been contracted to manufacture external Blu-ray disc drives" for the Xbox 360. Rumored cost range: $100-$150.

Assuming it's true, is anyone surprised?

Curiously, X-bit labs says the main reason Microsoft's been reluctant to hop on the Blu-ray bandwagon is that the standard requires supporting BD-J, aka Blu-ray Disc Java.

What's BD-J? Glad you asked. You know all that bonus content you get on DVDs? Think that plus extra-extra, so instead of just some pictures and maybe a few outlier clips and simplistic games, you get stuff like network access, picture-in-picture commentary and interactive PiP, enhanced games, video bookmarking, and a whole lot more.

Microsoft's never been keen on Java, even back when Java was the only serious "write once, run anywhere" game in town. Then again, show me a company that's ever been enthusiastic about something it's didn't think of first.

Regardless, if Microsoft wants to defang criticism from Blu-ray adopters, it has no choice but to offer a Blu-ray option. As you probably know, even the so-called "high-def" content offered for digital download is seriously down-sampled compared to the vastly superior depth and vibrance of a Blu-ray disc.

What am I talking about?

Pay attention to digital-downloading's right-hand ("low bit rates"), even though the left hand ("It's 1280x720 so it must be 720p!") is telling you what you're getting is "high-def." It's not. Not really. That's because if you offered all of Lost Season Three at Blu-ray quality levels for download, you'd stab the internet (and your entire content server farm) through the heart, then twist the knife around a little. Oh digital downloads are fine if you want a quick rental, or to watch Daily Show clips, but if you want your really-truly-1080p LCDTV's money's worth, it's Blu-ray or bust for the next five to 10 years.

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Source: http://blogs.pcworld.com/gameon/archives/007899.html

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The DB2 adapter now supports Django 1.1

I?m glad to announce that the API team has just released version 1.0.2 of the adapter for Django. And on my birthday to boot, what a nice present. This version extends its support to the recently released Django 1.1, as well as incorporating the feedback that was received earlier on. (For installation instructions, take a look at the README file.)

IBM confirms its commitment to support Python and Django, and gives Django well deserved credentials in environments where having IBM?s support counts. Django is becoming an increasingly mature web framework with the potential to do well within the Enterprise world. Having support for DB2 will surely help.

The next step will be working with the Django team to bake DB2 support directly into Django?s releases. The code for the adapter is released under a liberal OSI-compliant license that is compatible with Django?s own BSD, and the API team is more than willing to work on the development and support of the adapter should it become part of Django. We love Django and ponies. Let?s make this happen, guys.

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One Response to ?The DB2 adapter now supports Django 1.1?

Finally!
I can use db2 now.

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Source: http://programmingzen.com/2009/08/06/the-db2-adapter-now-supports-django-1-1/

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Windows Explorer Explained: Tips for Newbies

Every now and then I write a Hassle-Free PC for folks who are new to Microsoft Windows (hey, not everyone is an expert). The last time I did this was back in September, in "Windows Newbie Q&A: Sharing Links, Maximizing Apps". Recently I received an e-mail from someone who's confused about Windows Explorer. He says he searched for information on how to use it--and came up empty. You know what? So did I! For a program that's so integral to Windows, there's surprisingly little information about it. I think it's time for a beginners' overview of Windows Explorer.

For starters, let's not confuse Windows Explorer with Internet Explorer, which is Microsoft's Web browser. Windows Explorer is the operating system's file and folder manager. You've probably used Windows Explorer without even realizing it. Every time you open, say, your Documents folder or the photos folder on a memory card, that's an instance of Windows Explorer.

The tool's fundamental purpose is to let you view, open, copy, move, and otherwise manage your files and folders. So learning how to use it is key for tasks like importing photos from the aforementioned memory card, copying files to a flash drive, setting up folders to keep your data organized, and so on.

Where to Find It

So, just where is Windows Explorer? If you use Windows 7, look no further than a few icons over from the Start button: Windows Explorer finally earned a home on the taskbar after years of obscurity. Click it and, presto, you're in. (You can also right-click the icon to access pinned and frequently used folders--one of Windows 7's niftier amenities.)

Okay, but what if you use Windows XP or Vista? You might as well be playing a variation of Where's Waldo: Where's Windows Explorer?

As it happens, there are three ways to find the tool:

Press Windows-E (definitely one of my favorite shortcuts).
Right-click the Start button and click Explore. (Windows 7 renamed this option Open Windows Explorer.)
Navigate the Programs menu until you find Accessories; Explorer is within that folder.

Of course, long before Windows 7 arrived, I was a fan of putting Windows Explorer on my taskbar for quick, one-click access. XP and Vista users can learn how to do likewise in "Add Windows Explorer to the Quick Launch Toolbar."

Changing the Layout in Windows 7

Windows Explorer may be useful, but it's also confusing in places and not very intuitive for novice users. (Heck, even finding it isn't always obvious.) For example, if you use Windows 7, you may be wondering why Explorer lacks the pull-down menus (File, Edit, View, etc.) found in previous versions--and, indeed, in most other programs.

The answer is that sometimes Microsoft makes changes merely for the sake of making changes. Fortunately, not all of those changes are irreversible. Let's take a look at some ways to change the layout of Windows Explorer--including restoring those pull-down menus.

First, run Windows Explorer (my preferred method is to press Windows-E). Next, click the Organize button near the top-left corner of the window. Mouse over Layout, then check out the four options that appear. The first of these is Menu Bar, which is disabled by default. Click it and those familiar pull-down menus magically reappear.

As for the other three options, here's what they do:

The Details pane appears at the bottom of the Explorer window. True to its name, it provides details on whatever item(s) you've selected. However, you get very little info on drives and folders, and a bunch of mostly unnecessary info on files, so consider unchecking Details pane to free up some extra viewing area.
The Preview pane (which appears to the right) shows a preview of whatever file you click. That's a great way to make sure you've found the file you want before you open it. Even better, you can click a music file or video and you can play it right in the Preview pane (as long as it's compatible with Windows Media Player). I consider this an essential part of Windows Explorer, so by all means enable it.
The Navigation pane is the one on the left side of Explorer. Without it, you wouldn't be able to access Favorites, Libraries, Homegroup, and everything else. Unless you have some specific reason for disabling it, I'd leave it

Make Explorer Smarter in Windows 7

One of my little gripes with the Windows 7 version of Explorer is that it constantly forces me to manually expand folders and subfolders, instead of just showing me everything up front. I'm sure Microsoft did that to make everything seem less cluttered, but for me it just means extra work. Fortunately, there's a quick and easy way to improve the way Explorer (again, the Windows 7 version) handles folders.

First, run Windows Explorer. Cick the Organize button near the top-left corner of the Window, then click Folder and Search Options. Select Show all folders and Automatically expand to current folder boxes, then click OK.

Now, Explorer will display all your folders at once, not just the one you've manually expanded. Likewise, if you open a folder directly (from, say, your Desktop), the Explorer folder tree will expand accordingly.

If you've got a hassle that needs solving, send it my way. I can't promise a response, but I'll definitely read every e-mail I get--and do my best to address at least some of them in the PCWorld Hassle-Free PC blog . My 411: hasslefree@pcworld.com . You can also sign up to have the Hassle-Free PC newsletter e-mailed to you each week .

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Source: http://feeds.pcworld.com/click.phdo?i=f5bc0943d0405a6779a314d5480a2ef8

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REPORTER: On Tracking the Newsman

?In Africa, there are no human rights,
there is only the strongest?s right.?
-Laurent N?Kunda, (Congolese schoolteacher turned Warlord)

In America, if you believe a study by Dr. Paul Slovic quoted in Eric Metzgar?s documentary film, compassion cannot be extended to more than one individual, else it almost entirely dissipates. The results are worse, even, when we try to rationalize humanitarian crises with numbers and statistics; then, it seems, people simply tune-out?So how do we, as agents of social change, get the leisurely readers of today to pay attention?

While there are no easy answers, one journalist has made a point tackling issues of poverty and human rights infringements one sob story at a time.

REPORTER follows Nick Kristof, an Op-Ed columnist from The New York Times, as he roams the eastern Congo in search of stories that will make the rest of us care. To do so, Kristof, who has traveled the world over, feels that it is necessary to record ONLY the MOST heart-wrenching tales for posterity. In this way, he hopes to move his savvy readership into feeling empathy for strangers slowly wasting away of neglect and malnutrition on a distant continent.

Kristof has been criticized for being more of an advocate than a journalist, and for dabbling in sensationalism and victimization as a means to push his ?do-godder? agenda. But regardless of the ethics in questions, it is impossible to think that Kristof is not dedicated to bringing about radical social change, even as we cringe at hearing him admit he has reached a point where he can listen quite dispassionately to the worst stories. There are so many, after all.

The winner of two Pulitzers, Kristof is best known for his reporting on human rights abuses, and most notably perhaps, for putting the crisis in Darfur on the map of American consciousness.

The film also features the two 2007 finalists of the ?Win-a-Trip With Nick Kristof? contest, initiated by the journalist so American citizens could witness firsthand the harsh global realities he encounters when reporting from the field. Their reflections were included alongside Kristof?s bi-weekly columns throughout the trip, and can be read on their blog: Two For The Road.

Missing, however, is the insightful commentary into the ?why?s? and ?how?s? that surround the conflict zones Kristof covers - he is so busy telling the one story to convince the many. Nevertheless, like any self-respecting reporter, Kristof won?t shy away from getting both sides of the story, and has made a point of interviewing both victims and perpetrators of human rights abuses. In REPORTER, Kristof?s team travels deep into the eastern Congo to visit Laurent N?Kunda, a rebel Congolese leader rumored to have been jailed, early last year, by the Rwandan authorities for his participation in war crimes.

And if truly compassion is an unstable emotion, we should always let films like REPORTER push us over the edge.

Available on DVD March 21, 2010.

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Source: http://citizenshift.org/blogs/blog/2010/03/16/24/

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Missing Mich. Boys' Father Charged With Kidnapping

Enlarge Associated Press

Volunteer Brett Casey searches a roadside in Holiday City, Ohio Monday, Nov. 29, 2010. Neighbors of three Michigan boys who were last seen the day before their father tried to commit suicide are holding onto hope that the children will be found safe, even though investigators believe the boys are in "extreme danger." Police in Morenci, Mich., about 75 miles southwest of Detroit, plan to resume their search Monday for 5-year-old Tanner, 7-year-old Alexander and 9-year-old Andrew Skelton.

Associated Press

Enlarge Associated Press

Volunteers and rescuers search for 9-year-old Andrew, 7-year-old Alexander and 5-year-old Tanner Skelton in Morenci, Mich. on Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2010. Authorities "do not anticipate a positive outcome" in the search for three Michigan brothers who have been missing since their father's attempted suicide, a police chief said Tuesday.

Associated Press

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Associated Press

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Authorities search by trees where a hole in the ground was located in Williams County near Montpelier, Ohio Monday, Nov. 29, 2010. Neighbors of three Michigan boys who were last seen the day before their father tried to commit suicide are holding onto hope that the children will be found safe, even though investigators believe the boys are in "extreme danger." Police in Morenci, about 75 miles southwest of Detroit, plan to resume their search Monday for 5-year-old Tanner, 7-year-old Alexander and 9-year-old Andrew Skelton. A prayer vigil was held for the boys Sunday night after the FBI, police and numerous volunteers scoured fields, farmland and wooded areas near the Ohio-Michigan border.

Associated Press

Enlarge Associated Press

Volunteer Megan West searches a roadside in Holiday City, Ohio Monday, Nov. 29, 2010. Neighbors of three Michigan boys who were last seen the day before their father tried to commit suicide are holding onto hope that the children will be found safe, even though investigators believe the boys are in "extreme danger." Police in Morenci, Mich., about 75 miles southwest of Detroit, plan to resume their search Monday for 5-year-old Tanner, 7-year-old Alexander and 9-year-old Andrew Skelton.

Associated Press

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Associated Press

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Associated Press

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Volunteer Scott Aughney searches a roadside in Holiday City, Ohio Monday, Nov. 29, 2010. Neighbors of three Michigan boys who were last seen the day before their father tried to commit suicide are holding onto hope that the children will be found safe, even though investigators believe the boys are in "extreme danger." Police in Morenci, Mich., about 75 miles southwest of Detroit, plan to resume their search Monday for 5-year-old Tanner, 7-year-old Alexander and 9-year-old Andrew Skelton.

Associated Press

Enlarge Associated Press

This combo made with undated photos provided by The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children shows, from left, Alexander Skelton, 7 Andrew Skelton, 9, and Tanner Skelton. 5. An Amber Alert has been issued for three boys, who haven't been seen since Thursday when they were in their father's yard. John Skelton told police that he gave the boys to a female friend before attempting suicide, but authorities say they don't believe him.

Associated Press

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This Nov. 30, 2010 photo provided by Lucas County Sheriff's Dept. shows John Skelton, who was under psychiatric care at a hospital, and has been speaking with investigators after his three sons went missing on Thanksgiving Day. Searchers have been scouring the countryside for four days.

Associated Press

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Joel Hess, left, and Brandon Stewart, both from an ice rescue team for Cambridge Township Fire Dept. search for 9-year-old Andrew, 7-year-old Alexander and 5-year-old Tanner Skelton in a small pond in Morenci, Mich. on Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2010. Authorities "do not anticipate a positive outcome" in the search for three Michigan brothers who have been missing since their father's attempted suicide, a police chief said Tuesday.

Associated Press

The search for three young Michigan brothers darkened Tuesday as authorities warned the public to expect the worst and charged the children's father with their kidnapping.

Despite the somber news, a small army of volunteers spent a fourth day scouring corn fields, campgrounds and wooded areas near Morenci, a small community 75 miles southwest of Detroit along the border with Ohio, looking for the smallest scrap of evidence.

Searcher Bill Foster said everyone in the town of 2,000 was hoping for a "Christmas miracle" and the safe return of 9-year-old Andrew, 7-year-old Alexander and 5-year-old Tanner Skelton, who were last seen at their father's home on Thanksgiving.

Morenci Police Chief Larry Weeks' admission Tuesday that police don't expect a "positive outcome" to the case after talking to the boys' father, 39-year-old John Skelton, is not what you want to hear, Foster said.

"We're very saddened by the news, but the search has to continue. We won't quit the search until we bring the boys home."

Locals began combing through fields and woods on Saturday, the day after the boys' mother reported them missing and the day after John Skelton tried to hang himself.

Skelton, who was released from a medical facility in Lucas County, Ohio, on Tuesday, initially told investigators that he gave his sons to a female acquaintance to hand over to his estranged wife. Police say he was lying.

The FBI arrested Skelton after his release Tuesday, and he was charged in Lenawee County, across the state line in Michigan, with three counts of parental kidnapping, Weeks said. Weeks said Skelton has requested an attorney, and his officers had not spoken to Skelton on Tuesday.

Tanya Skelton, 45, filed for divorce in September. A judge gave her custody of the boys, but she and John Skelton reached an agreement on visitation.

Police on Tuesday had the grim job of telling Tanya Skelton's family ? her mother, specifically ? that it was growing unlikely the children would be found alive.

Her reaction: "Imagine your worst nightmare come true," Weeks said. "How would you respond?"

The search is expected to continue for at least several more days, and then whenever a tip comes in, authorities said.

Lee Ann Underhill, a Morenci resident who went to school with Tanya Skelton, searched for the boys between her long overnight shift at a plastics factory and a few hours' sleep. She said she "knew" the boys, and like others here, she said finding them is personal.

"I've been through fields, creek beds and woods," Underhill said after returning from a search Tuesday afternoon. "We're looking for anything out of the ordinary."

Lenawee Sheriff's Department Corporal Jeff Paterson said he was part of a large group that scoured an 83-acre campsite in Ohio on Monday that's a few miles south of Morenci.

"There were three ponds, sewage lagoons, then a wooded area with a creek," he said. Several barns in the area also were searched.

Paterson said when the terrain allows, grid searches are done, with searchers spreading out 10 feet apart and walking in the same direction. Eyes are focused on the ground at their feet.

"Do it nice and slow so you don't miss anything," he said.

It was only a few weeks ago about 130 miles to the southeast that a huge search effort was undertaken after mother from Howard, Ohio, her friend, 13-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son disappeared. In that case, police say the girl was found bound and gagged in a 30-year-old unemployed tree-cutter's basement, and that he led them to the dismembered bodies of the other three stuffed in a hollow tree trunk.

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Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=131687167&ft=1&f=

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Expatriate health insurance Japan

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Source: http://health-insurance-japan.blogspot.com/2009/09/expatriate-health-insurance-japan.html

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Anne Butterfield: Hope for the Midwest: A National Renewable Energy Standard

I went back to Ohio
But my city was gone
There was no train station
There was no downtown
South Howard had disappeared
All my favorite places
My city hand been pulled down
Reduced to parking spaces
A, O, way to go Ohio...

Mourning her home state, Chrissy Hynde of the Pretenders could have been singing for today's Midwest with its idled manufacturing capacity and boarded up storefronts, with so much misery launched by the banking and big auto crises.

Chris Matthews on Hardball can't stop talking about it. "Where's the America that makes stuff? Where's the manufacturing?" he barks, linking the jobs crisis to politics, noting that the powerful Midwest just pivoted toward new Republican candidates. He's concerned with big public works - bridges, railways, highways, but he needs to look forward to renewable energy for the bonanza on the way.

The industrial belt stretching from Pennsylvania through Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin switched four senate seats in favor of Republicans (and Ohio replaced one GOP senator). Republicans also netted a score of new House seats from this region, from a swath stretching to include rural New York, Michigan and Minnesota.

Those states that have swung red are our nation's manufacturing breadbasket, and their depressed areas need what liberals and environmentalists have been pushing. Not a climate bill necessarily, but a national energy policy including a national renewable energy standard (RES), plus extension of key tax credits to give investors certainty and prompt them to put manufacturing back in the game.

One challenge is that Republican candidates have been funded more by fossil fuel interests than Democrats by a factor of three (see here and here). Also, the new Republican persona takes it as an article of faith that climate science is to be shown disrespect and denial. While many concede we cannot get a climate bill soon, getting an RES ought to be a straight shot for the sake of jobs and national competitiveness. But the Midwest and the nation will have to push Congress into action, reminding them that a National Journal poll found in August that 78 percent of Americans support a national RES, including 70 percent of Republicans.

To look at a map of the US showing all the statewide RES's is to see a vast sea of states in action for cleaner energy. Only 14 have passed nothing for an RES, but all of the Midwestern states have (except for Indiana). Ohio has a very good RES, which activists should mention frequently to future Speaker of the House, John Boehner of Ohio, if the Congress doesn't pass an RES in this lame duck session.

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm has made renewable energy and advanced car batteries her major cause in rebuilding her state's economy and job base that's been demolished by the mischief of the big three automakers.

John Grabner of Cardinal Fastener in Ohio announced, when winning the Supplier of the Year Award at the American Wind Energy Association's fall symposium, that he's seen job growth of 47 percent in recent months to keep up with global demand for his wind turbine components. His company chose to retool to capture this market as companies all over the region have; community colleges of the region also have remade their curricula to meet new labor needs.

However, a national push is needed. As Iberdrola President Don Furman has noted, "We're in a race between the policies of our country and the policies of other countries. Without that RES, we won't get the jobs; they'll go overseas for the next 20 years."

Ernst and Young has been reporting on the attractiveness of renewable energy markets since 2003, noting that this year the US relinquished its top position held since 2006 to China. "This follows the failure in the US Senate's proposed energy bill to include a Federal Renewable Energy Standard (RES) provision."

Way to go, Senate!

The Sierra Club's Michael Brune thinks a national RES is in reach, just barely, so the Club is pushing for that. "The goal, whether it's with China or other countries, is to create a clean energy arms race."

If we cannot get a climate bill right away, we at least have California, the world's eighth largest economy, sending a signal of hope for cleaner air and new technologies for the next century. We also need to get a national RES with its complement of tax credits, to show Europe and China, which do have national standards, we can meet them and beat them.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anne-butterfield/hope-for-the-midwest-a-na_b_788831.html

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DB2 support for Django 1.2 is here

The latest release of the IBM Adapter for Django now supports Django 1.2. Aside from enabling you to use the most recent version of Django, this release adds a few new goodies into the mix, that I?m sure many will appreciate.

For example, IBM?s adapter (through the underlying DBI wrapper) now uses persistent connections, which are especially helpful when dealing with Django ? as it lacks connection pooling. (Of course DB2 also has the Connection Concentrator to aid in reducing the usage of server resources and improving scalability.)

Furthermore, the adapter adds support for the DECIMAL datatype, a necessary feature when dealing with money and currencies. Various enhancements and bug fixes were included too; check them out on Google Groups.

As a reminder, DB2 Express-C is an absolutely free of charge version of DB2 and it?s production ready (not a toy version). You can download it from here. Take it for a spin, experiment ? chances are you?ll like it. If you need a guide to getting started, be sure to check out this free e-book by my colleagues Raul, Ian, and Rav.

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10 Responses to ?DB2 support for Django 1.2 is here?

What about informix support in the django adapter?
- It isn?t officially supported yet, but it should work. Please refer to this thread in the support forum.
you still need to install db2 on the machine that hosts the code to connect to the db2 server?
- You only need the CLI client and the development headers to compile the drivers. You don?t need the whole server.
wow, it?s wonderful, but it will be a better news if Django could possiblely support MongoDB
- Apples and oranges.
@Bingimar:
I don?t think you need DB2 on the Django machine.

At most, you?ll need the IBM Data Server Client for ODBC and CLI:
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=4020&uid=swg21385217
Hello,

Is it possible to use this driver to connect to a iSeries As400 db2 server ? Do we need some software installed on the server side ?

I got the Db2 express version running on my development computer but I got not look to connect to our Ibm server yet.

Any idea where I could find some help?
- Yes, Herick, you can connect to System i; you will need DB2 Connect however. Please check with your DBA to see if your company already possesses a license.
  - DB2 Connect is this the same service need for ODBC support ? Because we are already capable of connecting to our iSeries system with ODBC.
    
    Thanks a lot

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Source: http://programmingzen.com/2010/03/30/db2-support-for-django-1-2-is-here/

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BS.Player 2.57.1048: Very complete video and audio player

Screen shot BS.Player 2.57.1048

BS.Player 2.57.1048 multimedia player having 22 languages, the ability to change the appearance of skin using the generator, video playlists, picture, 16:9, using a replacement filter DivX, transparent subtitles, zooming the image, generating the playback speed, capture video frames (screen capture) , change playlists and other resolution.

Download videos and songs are an almost daily activity for millions of people. A modern media player should be able to open any format and provide the highest quality at all times.

BS.Player 2.57.1048 is a classic among the players. Not only opens up the vast majority of existing formats, but has a manager to find and install codecs for you the missing.

The lightweight, intuitive interface and its low resource consumption make the player BS.Player 2.57.1048 ideal for any computer, even the least powerful. The BS.Player 2.57.1048 default skin is not the most attractive, but there are many available online.

BS.Player is not limited to play files. With a right click to a plethora of cool features such as motion capture, generating thumbnails, an equalizer and other sophisticated controls.

BS.Player 2.57.1048 preferences are numerous, although the panel is well arranged. Among the most interesting we mention the subtitle, plugins and key definition. Configurable to your liking, BS.Player 2.57.1048 will make the most of your audio-visual library.

Size: 10.10 MB
Publisher: Visit Website
Release Date: 2010-11-30
OS: Win 9x/ME/2K/NT/XP/Vista

Download BS.Player 2.57.1048

BS.Player 2.57.1048

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Source: http://www.esoft.web.id/audio-video/bsplayer-2571048-very-complete-video-and-audio-player.html

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Tribunal will frame apropriate issues on Mhadai ; MP ,Goa

State of Goa will have to plead their case for framing of appropriate issues regarding their objection to the Karnataka Irrigation Project , before the tribunal , and that, Central Government ,has not , laid down any terms of reference in cases of tribunals constituted in the country so far , and therefore, in Mhadei case also, �the Government has not fixed any terms of reference, Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal told Mr Shantaram Naik M.P., today.T

At the request of Mr Naik Mr Bansal organized a meeting in his office at Parliament House, in which, �besides Mr Bansal and Mr Naik, Secretary for Water Resources Shri U.N.Panjiar and Commissioner of Projects who deals with Mhadei Project Shri A.B.Pandya , were present.

Mr Bansal told Mr Naik that all the pleadings of the parties will be sent to the tribunal which will then look into the various aspect of the dispute.

Normally, �tribunals deals with the distribution of �water, however, since it is the case of Goa that Karnataka is attempting to obstruct the flow of river water , Goa can �plead for the removal of obstruction, Mr Naik was told at the meeting.

Mr Panjiar told Mr Naik that it is in case of Inquiry Commissions, � terms of reference are specifically �laid down by the government but , Tribunals being a judicial bodies, framing of appropriate issues are left to them.

Mr Naik in a statement issued from New Delhi, after his meeting with Mr Bansal, said that Goa Government?s lawyers will have to effectively plead before the tribunal, �so that, �tribunal holds proper inquiry into the very legality of the construction of dam by the State of Karnataka.

It may be recalled that Mr Naik had earlier through his letter and subsequent meeting with Mr Bansal, had expressed apprehension that if proper terms of reference to meet Goa?s objection to the project are not framed, Tribunal will not serve any purpose, �as far as State of Goa is concerned.

The Chief Minister of Goa Shri Digamber Kamat was to join Mr Naik in today?s meeting but he had to cancel his visit to New Delhi at the last moment.

On the issue of Special Economic Zones, Mr Naik said that Union Commerce Minister Shri Anand Sharma is abroad and he will �be returning tonight. He will meet Sharma in a day or two, �to request him to denotify the three notified SEZs in Goa in view of the fact that the Panaji Bench of Bombay High Court has disposed of the petition pending on the subject , on account of which , Commerce Ministry had deemed it fit not to denotify the three SEZs.

Mr Naik said that since the �developers are are �now not having any land with them , the three SEZ proposals are deemed to �stand de facto �denotified, �and that, �only formal notification have to be issued by the governmet.

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Source: http://www.goablog.org/posts/tribunal-will-frame-apropriate-issues-on-mhadai-mp-goa/

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98 Acre Organic Farm For Sale

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Source: http://www.globalbx.com/listing.asp?bId=94890

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How &39;bout a government run health plan that is REQUIRED to charge the same rate as private insurance?

How'bout a government run health plan that is REQUIRED to charge the same rate as private insurance?
That would be fair competition.
That would make it so that corporations had no incentive to drop their current health plans.
That would be fair competition.
We do like fair competition, don't we? Maybe the government would have to charge 4% more than private plans.
Then corporations would have an incentive not to switch to the public plan.
Wouldn't that be a good idea?
The extra money could be used to subsidize those that cannot afford health insurance. Keep in mind, suppose you live in Canada.
And you want to purchase a Honda.
You can get one made in Japan, where there is universal health insurance.
Or you can get one made in the US, where the cost of worker insurance is tacked onto the price.
Which are you going to choose? If you want to make the US more competitive in the world market, then you should demand universal health insurance.
If you want US corporations to be more profitable, you should demand universal health insurance. If you want to live longer, then you should demand universal health insurance. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy Notice that all of the major industrialized countries have longer life expectancies than the US.
EVERY SINGLE ONE.
That's what you should have a problem with.
If the country that has the best health care in the world, also has the shortest life expectancy, you should demand a change.
And that change is to move to universal health coverage. If not for you, do it for your kids.
Take an average. That's just high school math. �"Maybe the government would have to charge 4% more than private plans. The extra money could be used to subsidize those that cannot afford health insurance." (maybe read the whole question?)It would actually serve a very good purpose. A very sad fact is that way too many Americans seem to think that "SALE" is a religious objective. If something is cheaper, that's better.
Consider, if preventive health care were required, health expenses would significantly decline. But we're not smart enough to do that. "Never pay today what you can put off until tomorrow." Even if it'll cost far more tomorrow. Other industrialized countries achieve longer life exectancies by spending wisely, not by spending more. They practice preventitive medicine. That's what the government plan would do. That's why some people would pay more -- to live longer, and more healthy. I would.
Answer :
Works for me.
Source : http://answers.yahoo.com/question/?qid=20090909181846AAxeN3W

Related to universal health insurance :

Urban Dictionary: healthcare
... private everything else) American insurance companies and pharmaceutical co... The USA is the only developed country not to implement universal health care. ...

Universal health care - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
... universal health care system by mandating that residents purchase health ... where there is private insurance and universal health care, such as Germany, ...

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Source: http://health-insurance-japan.blogspot.com/2009/09/how-government-run-health-plan-that-is.html

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Do 2.5 Million Kinect Units Sold Equal a Hit for Microsoft?

Kinect

Kinect seems to be off to a rousing start, more than doubling first month sales of Apple's iPad, though on par with Sony's initial 30 day estimates of PlayStation Move units moved.

The Xbox 360 motion-sensing camera that can recognize voice commands and lets you shuffle through virtual windows with quick snaps of a hand enjoyed a Black Friday sales boost, according to Microsoft, bringing unit sales to over 2.5 million units. The company previously claimed it sold 1 million units during Kinect's initial 10-day launch window.

Apple's iPad, by contrast, sold 2 million units worldwide during its first two months of availability. The iPad launched in the U.S. April 3.

Comparing figures with Sony's Move is trickier. It's not clear whether Microsoft's Kinect numbers represent sell-to or sell-through, a critical distinction often blurred by companies eager to spin numbers and take advantage of those unwitting in the press. Sony's 2.5 million worldwide claim was initially reported as units sold but later redacted to units shipped. Units shipped to stores don't count as legitimate sales until they've been plucked off shelves and sold-through to customers.

Whatever the case, Microsoft's certainly crowing.

"We are thrilled about the consumer response to Kinect, and are working hard with our retail and manufacturing partners to expedite production and shipments of Kinect to restock shelves as fast as possible to keep up with demand," said Microsoft's Don Mattrick, president of the company's Interactive Entertainment Business. "With sales already exceeding two and a half million units in just 25 days, we are on pace to reach our forecast of 5 million units sold to consumers this holiday."

Microsoft originally predicted sales of 3 million Kinect units by year's end, but revised that figure upward to 5 million, based, it says, on the strength of pre-orders. Of course even that might have been a stunt to drive public perception that Kinect is this season's "must-have" peripheral. Note the intimation in Mattrick's press blurb that the company's having difficulty keeping Kinect in stock.

Hold on, says Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter, who thinks "official" claims that Microsoft's Kinect or Sony's Move are constrained are the usual marketing hocus-pocus.

"Yes, I think both companies would very much like for consumers to believe that their devices are highly sought after and difficult to obtain," Pachter told IncGamers. "That usually works to spur demand."

Demand Microsoft could certainly use overseas. Kinect's not doing terribly well in Japan, selling just 26,000 units during its November 20 launch weekend. To be fair, the Xbox 360's never sold well in Japan, with a roughly 1.5 million unit install base, compared with the PlayStation 3's nearly 6 million and the Nintendo Wii's nearly 11 million.

Will Microsoft hit 5 million Kinect units sold by end of year? Perhaps. They're "on track to" only if December's as good to them as November was. Whether Kinect can outpace Sony's Move by significant margins next month is less assured. While the Xbox 360 leads the PlayStation 3 in the U.S., the reverse holds true in Europe and Japan, and Microsoft's only ahead of Sony in worldwide console sales by a few million units.

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Source: http://feeds.pcworld.com/click.phdo?i=1847b588d996ac228f08a9969d2b30eb

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Expected Sales Increase Of Christmas Flowers

Leading online flower retailer Serenata is expecting a 30% boost in sales for its Christmas Flowers this year, indicating a steady strengthening in the UK financial system.

PR9.NET November 11, 2010 - LONDON, UK - UK homes will have much more than just presents under the tree for Christmas this year. Flowers for Christmas will also be on many shopping lists for, according to one of the leading online flower shops Serenata Flowers.

With festive floral product sales continuing to boost, it's a sure indication the UK economic climate is attaining ground and the recovery is well under way.

"We anticipate orders for Christmas flower arrangements to increase an additional 30% over last year. This suggests that the lower joblessness rate we've been experiencing in the UK combined with the growth we've had in the construction, manufacturing and hospitality industries is beginning to spread. Now, people not only have extra disposable income, but they are additionally less worried about falling back into recession," explained Peter Ahl, MD of the award-winning web florist Serenata Flowers.

The online florist has additionally experienced a substantial raise in the number of first Christmas orders, which implies shoppers have learned from the recession and are planning ahead.

"The numbers advise we'll have a much better Christmas across the board than we have the last few years. More consumers are preplanning their presents and we believe this is a direct result of the recession -- consumers are budgeting, saving and organising their purchasing, rather than impulse shopping," Ahl added.

Business is flourishing for online flower shops. The industry expects to sell more than half a million xmas flowers and bouquets this season alone. And according to Serenata's statistics, over fifty percent of all Christmas flower deliveries will be purchased online.

The Christmas delivery service is popular with customers outside the UK who would like to send flowers and gifts to friends and loved ones living in the UK. Serenata believes the growing number of British expats purchasing flowers online is a good sign that, while customers are spending more than they do during the economic downturn, travel budgets may perhaps however remain tight.

"Having Christmas flowers delivered is still one of the best ways to show someone love and affection, which may be extremely hard when long distances are involved. Mix wonderful roses and flowers of all kinds with the comfort of buying flowers on the web, nevertheless, and consumers can find the perfect present for everyone, no matter where they're in the world," said Ahl.

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Source: http://www.pr9.net/home/consumerinfo/9778november.html

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Milwaukee Art Museum a Wisconsin Treasure

by
Shifra Stein

"The Milwaukee Art Museum is a marvel of architecture and engineering that owes its existence to Santiago Calatrava, whose role in its expansion project turned the Museum into a cultural cornerstone for national and international visitors."

Its a bright, clear day in Milwaukee. The downtown shoreline shimmers under the radiance of a sun that is dazzling in intensity. Its luminous glow lights up the visually stunning structure of gleaming steel and concrete that is the Milwaukee Art Museum. Gracing the citys downtown lakefront area, the Museum is a marvel of architecture and engineering that owes its existence to the imagination and ingenuity of its creator, Santiago Calatrava. His role in the Museums monumental expansion project, completed in October 2001, has turned the Museum into a cultural cornerstone for national and international visitors to the Milwaukee community and region.

Calatrava, an internationally renowned architect, artist, and engineer, conceived and built the Museums 142,050-square-foot Quadracci Pavilion as the first Calatrava-designed structure to be completed in the United States. The Calatrava-designed Reiman Bridge, a 250-foot-long suspended pedestrian bridge boasting an unusual 200-foot angled mast with cables, leads to the Museums main entrance. The Museums crowning glory is the elegant Brise Soleil, a moveable wing-like sunscreen that rests atop the parabolic-shaped, glass-enclosed Windhover Hall, with its 90-foot high ceiling. Comprised of 72 steel fins, the Brise Soleil has a wingspan of 217 feet at its widest point. The "wings" also "flap" (close and open) each day at noon creating a moving sculpture. Time Magazine called the Calatrava-designed structures the "Best Design of 2001".

The vast complex sparkles with color and texture. Inside are permanent collection galleries, a large museum store and auditorium, and constantly changing feature exhibitions such as Rembrandt and His Time: Masterworks from the Albertina Museum, Vienna, which runs through January 8, 2006. The show was organized in conjunction with the 400th anniversary of the artists birth and explores the pivotal and influential role of Rembrandts art. Included are 27 of his drawings and prints along with some of the greatest art ever produced by Netherlands artists. To complement this display is the Milwaukee Art Museums permanent collection of 17th century Dutch paintings and 18th century French paintings.

The Museum also boasts a large collection of 19th Century American paintings, furniture, ceramics, glass, silver, and other works as well as an extensive exhibit of modern American and European art, especially with regard to European modernism during the first half of the 20th Century. Important pieces such as Robert Henris "The Art Student", and George Bellows' "The Sawdust Trail" can be found here.

An unusual permanent collection of 22 paintings by celebrated artist Georgia OKeeffe can be found in the museums Bradley Galleries-making the museum a leading repository for the famed artists paintings and the only dedicated Georgia OKeeffe gallery east of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Other important acquisitions include contemporary works by Mark Rothko, Andy Warhol, Alexander Calder, Robert Motherwell and Frank Stella. The Milwaukee Art Museum also holds an excellent photography collection that is a "must" for anyone who is a fan of modern and contemporary masters such as Henri Cartier-Bresson and the controversial Robert Mapplethorpe.

Strolling through the museums many galleries, or stopping to watch the Brise Soleil open its wings to the sky at noon, you cant help but feel that you are experiencing something very different. The Milwaukee Art Museum is, itself, an extraordinary accomplishment that should be on the "dont-miss" list of every visitor to this city by the lake.

For more information see the museums website at www.mam.org or call 414-224-3220 for information and brochures on hours, exhibits, and more.

To learn about what else there is to see and do in and around Milwaukee, or to get information on accommodations, restaurants, shops and attractions, go to the Visit Milwaukee website at www.milwaukee.org or phone: 800-231-0903.

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Source: http://www.dreamsalivemagazine.com/summer2007/milwaukee-art-museum-wisconsin-treasure/index.html

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Universal Health Care and the military

What will Universal Health Coverage do to our all-volunteer military?
Has anyone done a study on how providing universal health coverage will affect the enlistment/retention rate of our military? I know that my family, and several others in our unit, stay in the military mainly because of the benefits. The pay isn't great, but when you have kids the free health care is a great benefit.
If I knew that when my husband got out we could have universal coverage for our kids then he probably wouldn't reenlist, and I would estimate that at least 3/4 of the people we know base their reenlistment decisions on things like that (Tricare coverage, bonuses, housing). So if everyone had universal coverage then Tricare wouldn't be such a great benefit so the military would have to come up with other, better, incentives to keep their military personnel with families. Have any of the candidates addressed that or is the Pentagon concerned with this yet?
I'm not sure what the 2nd poster is saying. We don't live on post right now anyways. As for taxes, we pay them now. If taxes go up to provide universal coverage for everyone then we will have to pay those taxes as well - even though we already get healthcare. So my point is that we will be paying for universal coverage anyways, what's to keep us in the military? Tricare is always touted as a great benefit, what will they offer when/if universal coverage negates that benefit?

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Source: http://tricare-health-insurance.blogspot.com/2009/10/universal-health-care-and-military.html

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Stocks Fall On Housing, Eurodebt Concerns

Enlarge Associated Press

FILE - In this Nov. 11, 2010 file photo, specialist Glenn Carell, right, works at his post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

Associated Press

FILE - In this Nov. 11, 2010 file photo, specialist Glenn Carell, right, works at his post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

Stocks are opening lower following disappointing news on housing prices and more worries about the debt crisis in Europe.

The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index showed that home prices are falling faster in the nation's largest cities. The home-price index fell 0.7 percent in September from August. Eighteen of the 20 cities recorded monthly price declines.

European markets were also lower. Asian markets fell on growing expectations that China will have to raise interest rates to keep inflation in check.

At the opening, the Dow Jones industrial average is down 92, or 0.8 percent, at 10,957. The Standard & Poor's 500 index is down 11, or 0.9 percent, at 1,1177, while the Nasdaq composite index is down 25, or 1 percent, at 2,500.26.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

NEW YORK (AP) ? Stocks are headed to a slightly lower opening following disappointing news on housing prices and more worries about the debt crisis in Europe.

Standard & Poor's S&P/Case-Shiller index showed that home prices are falling faster in the nation's largest cities. The home-price index fell 0.6 percent in September from August. Eighteen of the 20 cities recorded monthly price declines.

European markets were also lower, and the euro briefly fell below $1.30 for the first time since mid-September, as traders expressed concern that Portugal or possibly Spain will have to seek outside help to deal with their debts.

Ahead of the opening bell, Dow Jones industrial average futures are down 77, or 0.7 percent, at 10,962. Standard & Poor's 500 futures are down 10, or 0.8 percent, at 1,1176. Nasdaq 100 futures are down 21, or 1 percent, at 2,124.

Asian markets fell on growing expectations that China will have to raise interest rates to keep inflation in check. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was down 0.3 percent, while Germany's DAX fell 0.3 percent. Japan's Nikkei fell 1.9 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.7 percent.

In corporate news, shares of Baldor Electric Co. jumped after the Fort Smith, Ark.-based maker of industrial motors said it had agreed to be acquired by Zurich-based ABB Ltd. for $63.50 a share, well above Baldor's closing price of $45.11 on Monday. Baldor was changing hands at $63.25 in pre-market electronic trading.

Meanwhile, Google Inc. fell about 1.2 percent to $574.60 in pre-market trading after European regulators launched an investigation into whether the company abused its dominant position in the online search market. It was the first major probe into the online giant's business practices.

Merck & Co. was relatively unchanged after the company named Kenneth C. Frazier chief executive to succeed retiring Richard T. Clark as of Jan. 1. But Barnes & Noble Inc. fell 1 percent to $14.70 after the nation's largest traditional book seller reported earnings that missed analysts' expectations.

U.S. investors will get additional news on the economy later this morning. The Conference Board's monthly report on consumer confidence is expected to show that Americans' mood improved a bit in November amid more hopeful signs for the economy.

Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters predict that the index will rise to 52.0 in November, up from 50.2 in October. It takes a reading of 90 to indicate a healthy economy, a level not approached since the recession began in December 2007.

Consumer confidence is watched closely by economists since consumer spending accounts for a large amount of U.S. economic activity and is critical to a strong rebound.

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Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126763568&ft=1&f=

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