Advancing secure communications: A better single-photon emitter for quantum cryptography

Advancing secure communications: A better single-photon emitter for quantum cryptography

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

In a development that could make the advanced form of secure communications known as quantum cryptography more practical, University of Michigan researchers have demonstrated a simpler, more efficient single-photon emitter that can be made using traditional semiconductor processing techniques.

Single-photon emitters release one particle of light, or photon, at a time, as opposed to devices like lasers that release a stream of them. Single-photon emitters are essential for quantum cryptography, which keeps secrets safe by taking advantage of the so-called observer effect: The very act of an eavesdropper listening in jumbles the message. This is because in the quantum realm, observing a system always changes it.

For quantum cryptography to work, it's necessary to encode the message?which could be a bank password or a piece of military intelligence, for example?just one photon at a time. That way, the sender and the recipient will know whether anyone has tampered with the message.

While the U-M researchers didn't make the first single-photon emitter, they say their new device improves upon the current technology and is much easier to make.

"This thing is very, very simple. It is all based on silicon," said Pallab Bhattacharya, the Charles M. Vest Distinguished University Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and the James R. Mellor Professor of Engineering.

Bhattacharya, who leads this project, is a co-author of a paper on the work published in Nature Communications on April 9.

Bhattacharya's emitter is a single nanowire made of gallium nitride with a very small region of indium gallium nitride that behaves as a quantum dot. A quantum dot is a nanostructure that can generate a bit of information. In the binary code of conventional computers, a bit is a 0 or a 1. A quantum bit can be either or both at the same time.

The semiconducting materials the new emitter is made of are commonly used in LEDs and solar cells. The researchers grew the nanowires on a wafer of silicon. Because their technique is silicon-based, the infrastructure to manufacture the emitters on a larger scale already exists. Silicon is the basis of modern electronics.

"This is a big step in that it produces the pathway to realizing a practical electrically injected single-photon emitter," Bhattacharya said.

Key enablers of the new technology are size and compactness.

"By making the diameter of the nanowire very small and by altering the composition over a very small section of it, a quantum dot is realized," Bhattacharya said. "The quantum dot emits single-photons upon electrical excitation."

The U-M emitter is fueled by electricity, rather than light?another aspect that makes it more practical. And each photon it emits possesses the same degree of linear polarization. Polarization refers to the orientation of the electric field of a beam of light. Most other single-photon emitters release light particles with a random polarization.

"So half might have one polarization and the other half might have the other," Bhattacharya said. "So in cryptic message, if you want to code them, you would only be able to use 50 percent of the photons. With our device, you could use almost all of them."

This device operates at cold temperatures, but the researchers are working on one that operates closer to room temperature.

The paper is titled "Electrically-driven polarized single-photon emission from an InGaN quantum dot in a GaN nanowire." The first author is Saniya Deshpande, a graduate student in electrical engineering and computer science. The work is supported by the National Science Foundation. The device was fabricated at the U-M Lurie Nanofabrication Facility.

###

University of Michigan: http://www.umich.edu/

Thanks to University of Michigan for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127675/Advancing_secure_communications__A_better_single_photon_emitter_for_quantum_cryptography

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Key senators reach deal on background checks for gun buyers

By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Prospects for a gun control bill's passage in the Senate in coming weeks got a boost on Wednesday with a bipartisan agreement on background checks for gun buyers.

Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Republican Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania brokered the deal and were scheduled to announce it during a news conference at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT) Wednesday.

According to a Senate Democratic aide, the measure would expand criminal background checks for prospective gun buyers to include sales made at gun shows and online.

Sales among friends or family members would be exempt from the requirement, which is designed to close many loopholes. Analysts have said as many as 40 percent of gun buyers have been able to avoid background checks under the current system.

The proposal for expanded background checks - which includes a requirement for sellers to keep records of sales - appears to be Obama's best hope for meaningful gun control legislation in the wake of the December massacre of 20 children and six adults at a school in Newtown, Connecticut.

Several family members of victims from the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown are in Washington this week to help Obama's team pressure lawmakers for action.

More controversial parts of the president's plan - such as a ban on rapid-firing "assault" weapons like the one used in Connecticut and limits on the capacity of ammunition magazines - appear to have a slim chance of clearing the U.S. Senate, which is led by Obama's Democrats. Such measures face an even tougher road in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

Manchin's participation in the deal on background checks is widely seen as boosting the prospects for the legislation's passage. The freshman senator represents a state where gun ownership has long been passionately protected and where attempts to regulate guns have been strongly opposed.

On Thursday, the Senate is scheduled to hold its first test vote on a gun control bill.

More than a dozen conservative Republican senators have threatened a filibuster aimed at delaying consideration of any gun restrictions. But other Republicans - many acknowledging public opinion polls that have shown that more than 80 percent of Americans favor expanded background checks - have said Obama's proposals should get a floor vote in the Senate. Senate Leader Harry Reid, the Nevada Democrat who schedules votes in the chamber, has echoed that position.

The measure likely to pass the Senate, expected to include expanded background checks, more funding for school security and tighter restrictions on gun trafficking, falls far short of what Obama had pressed for. But it is more extensive than what the influential National Rifle Association, the nation's largest gun rights group, has warned that it would accept.

Whatever gun control measures clear the Senate, they are likely to face a more challenging path in the House, where many Republicans have vowed to oppose any gun restrictions.

(Editing by David Lindsey and Lisa Von Ahn)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/senate-cast-first-gun-control-votes-thursday-025348479.html

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Dutch uncover large-scale meat fraud

10 April 2013 Last updated at 15:42 ET

Some 50,000 tonnes of meat supplied by two Dutch trading companies and sold as beef across Europe since January 2011 may have contained horsemeat.

The meat is being recalled where possible, the Dutch authorities say.

There was no evidence that the meat was a threat to human health, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority said.

In total, 132 companies in the Netherlands and some 370 more around Europe are affected by the discovery.

The suspect meat was supplied by Wiljo Import en Export BV and Vleesgroothandel Willy Selten.

The two companies are owned by one man who has already previously been investigated by food safety officials, the BBC's Matthew Price reports.

The latest find was made as part of EU-wide tests to trace horse DNA in processed beef foods and to detect a veterinary drug used on horses.

The results of the rest of the tests conducted across the EU will be made public next week - giving consumers a better idea of how widespread the scandal has been.

The Dutch decided to release their results early because of the magnitude of what they had discovered, our correspondent says.

'Already consumed'

The recall covers meat dating back to 1 January 2011 up until 15 February this year, the Dutch food authority said on Wednesday.

Continue reading the main story

Analysis

With its imposing grey gates, the Willy Selten factory in Oss does not receive many visitors outside the meat trade. That was according to the owner, whom we met on a chilly Saturday afternoon in February. Investigations into the Netherlands' role in the Europe-wide horsemeat scandal had brought us here.

The suspicion is now that it was here, behind the corrugated shutters, that horsemeat was relabelled and sold on as beef. The Dutch Food Safety Authority offered Willy Selten an ultimatum: "Trace the origins of your meat or we will take over."

On Wednesday morning an urgent recall message was sent out to 502 companies across Europe - a "rapid alert" to locate all of the products that may have been contaminated. Willy Selten has been under strict supervision ever since the initial suspicions emerged in February.

It may be a surprise to many to learn that the factory is still operating, though reports in the Dutch media claim it is facing bankruptcy. A Food Safety Authority spokeswoman explained: "Our policy in the Netherlands is that everybody should be given a second chance."

Due to the lapse of time, a lot of the meat "may already have been consumed", it added.

Inspectors examining the records of the Dutch trading companies found that the origin of the supplied meat was unclear. As a result it was not possible to confirm whether slaughterhouses had respected procedures.

Some of the suspect meat was also exported to Germany, France and Spain, where authorities have been alerted. The British Food Standards Agency has confirmed that a small number of UK companies may have received products from the Dutch wholesalers.

"It might contain traces of horsemeat, but we don't know for certain at the moment if this is the case," said Esther Filon, a spokeswoman for the Dutch food authority.

"The buyers have probably already processed the meat and sold it on. They, in turn, are obliged to inform their own customers."

New EU law

All EU member states have been informed of the Dutch discovery, EU spokesman Frederic Vincent told the BBC.

They have been urged to check whether or not processed meat products coming from the plants in question were still on the market, he added.

"The Dutch announcement is a consequence of the investigations which were launched by EU member states a few weeks ago," the EU spokesman said.

"Given the size of the fraud, the Dutch decided to go public with their discovery."

Traces of horsemeat have been found in numerous processed beef frozen meals across Europe.

In February, Dutch officials raided a meat processing plant suspected of mislabelling beef and ordered the withdrawal of suspicious products from supermarket shelves.

Other countries affected included the UK, the Republic of Ireland, France, Switzerland, Sweden and Germany.

The EU is set to adopt an Animal and Plant Health legislative proposal in the coming weeks, which includes clauses designed to tackle food fraud.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22098763#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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Arkansas Senate passes unemployment drug testing bill

By Suzi Parker

LITTLE ROCK, Ark (Reuters) - The Republican-led Arkansas state Senate approved a measure on Monday that would require random drug testing of Arkansas residents who receive state unemployment benefits - a plan that the state's Democratic governor said could violate federal law.

The bill, which passed on a 25-5 vote and now goes to a House committee, could affect about 85,000 Arkansas residents currently receiving unemployment benefits.

If the measure becomes law, those seeking unemployment benefits would have to sign a waiver and allow for random drug testing. Those who refuse to sign or who test positive for drugs would not be entitled to benefits.

Some other states have adopted measures making a person discharged from work for failing an employer's drug test on the job ineligible to collect employment benefits, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

In Texas, Governor Rick Perry has a proposal in that state's legislature that would require drug tests for both unemployment and welfare recipients. But it has not yet passed a chamber.

The Arkansas bill's sponsor, Republican state Senator Jeremy Hutchinson, said that his measure was "more of an enforcement mechanism than anything else."

"Arkansas law states that you have to be adequately seeking employment, and by that you have to pass a drug test since so many employers require drug tests," Hutchinson said.

He said that 80 percent of the state's employers require a drug test. The unemployment testing, Hutchinson said, would cost the state less than $30,000 a year to administer.

Rita Sklar, director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, said the group plans to fight the measure if it becomes law. Governor Mike Beebe, a Democrat, also has issues with the bill.

"We have concerns about whether the bill will put us in violation of the federal unemployment laws administered by the U.S. Department of Labor," said Matt DeCample, Beebe's spokesman. "There are also continued concerns as to whether the cost of implementing such a program would produce any real savings in offset."

(Reporting by Suzi Parker; Editing by Mary Wisniewski, Cynthia Johnston and Vicki Allen)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/arkansas-senate-passes-unemployment-drug-testing-bill-011921110.html

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UK-Odd Summary

Teenager in waste bin crushed by Luxembourg rubbish truck

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A French teenager who had hidden inside a waste bin was crushed to death inside a rubbish collection truck in Luxembourg on Saturday, police said. Refuse men only discovered the 17-year-old when he shouted out as they emptied the bin into the back of the lorry early on Saturday morning, but by then he was already in the grasp of the crushing mechanism.

Rooftop beehives create buzz above French parliament

PARIS (Reuters) - The roof of France's National Assembly is ready to buzz with activity after the arrival of three large bee hives this week as part of a project to promote pesticide-free honey. The bees are expected to be moved in once the weather warms up, should produce up to 150 kg of honey a year and help pollinate flowering plants around the capital at a time of worldwide decline in bee numbers.

Spain raises minimum age for marriage and sex

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain has raised the minimum age for marriage to 16 from what had been one of the lowest in the world at 14 as part of a wider reform to improve health and safety for children and adolescents. The reform, announced by Spanish Health Minister Ana Mato on Friday, also raises the age for consensual sex from what was the lowest in Europe at 13. The new age will be decided by Parliament.

Popstar Justin Bieber given month to collect pet monkey

BERLIN (Reuters) - Teenage pop sensation Justin Bieber has been given a month to provide German authorities with the papers they need to release his pet monkey "Mally". Customs officials seized Bieber's capuchin monkey at Munich Airport last week when the 19-year-old failed to present the health and species protection certificates required to bring the pet into the country.

Arizona "pregnant man" to appeal ruling rejecting divorce

PHOENIX (Reuters) - A transgender man who made worldwide headlines after he married and gave birth to three children will appeal an Arizona judge's ruling denying him a divorce from his wife of 10 years, his attorneys said on Tuesday. Thomas Beatie, 39, was born a woman but began living as a man in his 20s, initiating hormone treatments, undergoing breast-removal surgery and legally changing his name, though he kept his female reproductive organs.

Samoan airline says pay by weight plan "fairest" way to fly

SYDNEY (Reuters) - A Samoan airline that says it is the world's first carrier to charge passengers by their weight rather than per seat defends the plan as the fairest way to fly, in some cases actually ending up cheaper than conventional tickets. Samoa Air, which opened in 2012, asks passengers to declare their personal weight during booking, which is then charged per kilogram (2.2 lb) at a rate dependent on flight length. The customers will also be weighed at the check-in counter.

Trump withdraws "orangutan" lawsuit against comic Bill Maher

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Donald Trump is withdrawing his lawsuit against television host and comedian Bill Maher seeking $5 million (3.3 million pounds) that Maher said he would give to charity, in a seemingly facetious offer, if Trump could prove he was not the son of an orangutan. The lawsuit stems from comments Maher made during an appearance on NBC's "The Tonight Show" in January in which he said an orangutan's fur was the only thing in nature that matches the shade of Trump's trademark hair.

Waist-deep in mud, Cameron rescues distressed sheep

LONDON (Reuters) - Bogged down by a stagnating economy and sinking poll ratings, British Prime Minister David Cameron ventured into a new swamp when he waded waist-deep into mud to rescue a drowning sheep. Cameron was on his way back from visiting a farmer near his weekend home in the Oxfordshire countryside last month when he heard bleating and spotted a ewe that had got stuck in the mud after following her two lambs.

Two inmates flee Texas jail, possibly only in underwear

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Reuters) - An inmate suspected of strangling a man with shoelaces escaped with a fellow prisoner from a Texas jail on Tuesday, triggering a manhunt for what authorities described as two dangerous fugitives, possibly clad in nothing but their underwear. "They squeezed their way through the fence somehow," said Sergeant Brad Cummings, a spokesman for the Hopkins County Sheriff's office in Sulphur Springs, Texas, about 80 miles (130 km) northeast of Dallas.

Error led to early release for suspected killer of Colorado prison chief

DENVER (Reuters) - A white supremacist parolee suspected of killing Colorado's prisons chief and a pizza delivery man last month had been mistakenly released from prison in January - four years early - due to a clerical error, court officials said on Monday. Evan Spencer Ebel, 28, was killed in a roadside gun battle with police following a high-speed chase in Texas, two days after the March 19 killing of Tom Clements, executive director of the Colorado Department of Corrections.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uk-odd-summary-111345568.html

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Microsoft agrees to sell Mediaroom to Ericsson, goes all-in on Xbox

A fortnight after rumors surfaced hinting that Ericsson was lobbying to buy Microsoft's Mediaroom IPTV unit, both companies have announced that a deal has been signed. Microsoft VP Yusuf Medhi blogged that as the Xbox has become the heart of Redmond's home entertainment strategy, Mediaroom has become a resource-hogging distraction. The Mountain View-based IPTV outfit powers AT&T's U-Verse as well as similar VOD services from companies like Deutsche Telekom and Telefonica, and will be folded into Ericsson's Business Support Solutions outfit. The deal's expected to close in the second half of the year, with neither company talking about how much the sale cost.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD, Microsoft

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Iowa Republicans Struggle Against Disarray In Battle For Open Senate Seat

DES MOINES, Iowa ? It was a day Iowa Republicans had long dreamed of when their Democratic nemesis, Tom Harkin, announced he was retiring from the Senate. But that day was in January, and as the Midwest winter now gives way to spring, Republicans here find themselves in a surprising predicament - still trying to come up with someone to run for the job, and struggling to avoid becoming another example of the party's disarray after its presidential defeat.

Ever since Harkin, who had held the office since Ronald Reagan was president, provided an opening for the GOP, the party has bounced between two options for the Senate seat:candidates who could win but won't run, and candidates who could run but, party officials fear, couldn't win.

Meanwhile, the state party apparatus has become a reflection of the GOP's bitterly divided factions. Now led by followers of libertarian Ron Paul, the organization has quarreled with Iowa's senior Republican eminence, Gov. Terry Branstad, and disputed his strategy for state government and party affairs.

"The Republican Party in Iowa is in turmoil, with no clear leader for the future and no consistent governing philosophy," said Doug Gross, a Republican fundraiser and Branstad confidant.

As Democrats line up behind their already-declared candidate for the Senate, Bruce Braley, Republican leaders are hoping they can sort things out before the 2014 campaign heats up and before the 2016 presidential race puts Iowa and its first-in-the-nation caucuses back in the political spotlight. The state party is still trying to get over its experience last year, in which balloting problems at the presidential caucuses left GOP officials unable to declare a winner. National GOP officials plan to discuss the 2016 nominating process, and Iowa's place in it, at a meeting in California this week.

Overall, the Republican Party needs to pick up six seats to win control of the Senate in 2014, and Harkin's would seem to be one of its better chances. A Republican, Charles Grassley, holds the other Senate seat and the party controls the governorship and one house of the Legislature.

But any campaign plan quickly went awry when Branstad's first choice for the race, Rep. Tom Latham, a respected 10-term House member, declined to run.

Meanwhile, Branstad was trying to hold off another Iowa congressman, Steve King, a conservative firebrand who had long eyed the Senate but whom some considered too divisive for a party trying to broaden its appeal. Branstad's delicate diplomacy was upended when a national conservative group publicly called out King as just the kind of lightning rod the GOP should avoid.

But while the barb put King on the defensive, he does not give the impression of a candidate hot to run.

"There can be no scores to settle," King told The Associated Press, saying he was studying poll research. "Of all the opinions out there, I want to make sure there's empirical data."

The search may now turn to Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, a working mother and energetic former county officeholder who is popular with social and pro-business conservatives. She has the public blessing of Branstad, but remains untested outside his shadow. Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey, a well-liked but lower-profile potential fourth option, is waiting to see what Reynolds decides.

"I am surprised we don't have a stronger candidate that's stepped out yet," said Gwen Ecklund, a GOP county chairwoman from western Iowa.

By contrast, the declared Democrat in the race, Braley, a congressman from Waterloo, has been able head off potential Democratic primary challengers and raised $1 million in less than two months.

Adding to the GOP tumult has been the growing power of Ron Paul supporters, who were a nonfactor in the state before Paul placed third in the 2012 Iowa caucuses, higher than many thought possible. Paul's 2012 Iowa caucus campaign chairman A.J. Spiker won election as party chairman last year, and Paul supporters now occupy senior offices on the state GOP committee.

Spiker has attacked a gasoline tax proposal that Branstad was considering supporting and has been crosswise with Branstad's efforts to put the volatile gay marriage issue on the backburner.

Some Republican officials are concerned about attracting any more negative attention to Iowa or prompting any more suggestions that another state should start the presidential nominating calendar ? after the Republican National Committee made an issue of Iowa's botched caucus balloting last year. State GOP officials first declared Mitt Romney had narrowly won, then announced 16 days later that former Sen. Rick Santorum had received more votes ? long after the news could have helped boost his campaign for subsequent early primaries.

An RNC report expressed a strong preference for states using regular elections, rather than caucuses or conventions, for picking nominees.

"I'm concerned because the report calls for doing away with caucuses," said Steve Scheffler, a Republican National Committee member from Iowa.

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/08/iowa-republicans-senate_n_3039221.html

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PFT: Tebow training with ex-NFL QB Testaverde

AP

Veteran quarterback Matthew Hasselbeck had an eventful couple of days last month.? Cut by the Titans, he quickly landed in the same division, with the Colts.

Now the clear-cut backup to Andrew Luck after being in 2012 the clear-cut backup to Jake Locker, Hasselbeck?s work will be deemed a success if he can constantly nudge Luck to be the best quarterback he can be.

?I feel like I learned a lot in my role with Jake Locker this past year and it really was fulfilling to work with a young guy that?s talented and eager to work and eager to learn,? Hasselbeck told Monday?s edition of Pro Football Talk.? ?I think the thing that I could probably do a better job is just really bringing a competitive spirit to the room.? Obviously, Andrew Luck?s gonna be the starting quarterback there but I can still come in and bring an element of like just being the best that I can be, each and every day.

?I do remember as a young quarterback with the Green Bay Packers, the atmosphere was just very, very competitive.? I mean and everyone knew if Brett Favre had two broken legs, he was still going to be the starting quarterback but the atmosphere was that, ?Hey we?re going to come in and we?re going to compete with each other, each and every day and really just try to push each other in any way that we can sort of like one-up a guy.?? We are just gonna go for it and I think it just, I don?t know if it made Brett any better but I know it made me better and so I think that?s probably the lesson that I learned or one of the lessons that I learned and so I?m looking forward to being around a great talent like Andrew Luck.? I think it?ll probably improve my game just having that mentality and in the end ironically it?ll help the Indianapolis Colts be a better team because of it.?

But it likely won?t result in Hasselbeck ending up as a starter elsewhere.

?I would be shocked if this is not the last stop,? Hasselbeck said.? ?I signed a two-year deal.? My goal right now is just to play those two years and make them two great years but this whole ride has been a dream come true for me.? I was a sixth-round draft pick, wasn?t invited to the Combine, really when I got uh drafted by the Green Bay Packers if I had left training camp with a free pair of Green Bay Packer shorts I would have chalked it up as a victory so this really is a dream come true for me to get to do this for a living.? And it?s not easy.? It takes everything you?ve got each and every year.? You?ve got to bring it 100 percent to have a successful season but I?m committed to two years right now and I?d be shocked if there?s anything beyond that.?

Despite the commitment level required to thrive in the NFL, Hasselbeck has other interests.? His appearance on Monday?s show came in connection with his work with the End It Movement, which has made April 9 an international effort to bring awareness to and ultimately to abolish the ongoing global slavery problem.

There are now more slaves in the world that at any point in history.? You?ll learn that troubling fact and others if you visit the End It Movment?s website.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/08/tebow-testaverde-work-out-together-in-tampa/related/

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Schumer sees deal this week on immigration

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Sen. Chuck Schumer said Sunday he's hoping for a bipartisan deal by the end of this week on a sweeping immigration bill to secure the border and allow eventual citizenship to the estimated 11 million people living here illegally.

"All of us have said that there will be no agreement until the eight of us agree to a big, specific bill, but hopefully we can get that done by the end of the week," said Schumer, D-N.Y., who's leading efforts by eight senators to craft the legislation. "That's what we're on track to do."

Schumer spoke on CBS' "Face the Nation" alongside Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., another leader of the immigration talks, who suggested there could be a tough road ahead for the contentious legislation.

"There will be a great deal of unhappiness about this proposal because everybody didn't get what they wanted," McCain said. "There are entrenched positions on both sides of this issue as far as business and labor."

A deal on immigration is a top second-term priority for President Barack Obama, and his senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer said Sunday that the bill being developed in the Senate is completely consistent Obama's approach ? even though the Senate plan would tie border security to a path to citizenship in a manner Obama administration officials have criticized.

Pfeiffer didn't answer directly when asked on "Fox News Sunday" whether Obama would sign legislation making a path to citizenship contingent on first securing the border, as negotiators in the Senate are doing. But he suggested Obama was supportive of the Senate plan.

"What they are looking at and what has been talked about in the Gang of Eight proposal is 100 percent consistent with what the president is doing so we feel very good about it," Pfeiffer said. "And they are looking at it in the right way."

Obama has stressed that a path to citizenship should not have major hurdles in front of it, and some immigration advocates believe that's what a requirement for a secure border would amount to. Obama's Homeland Security secretary, Janet Napolitano, has rejected the argument that border security must be achieved before a comprehensive immigration package or any pathway to legalized status can be done.

But Republicans involved in the Senate negotiations have made clear that border security is a must for them before those living here illegally can be allowed to move toward citizenship.

"We are going to secure that border and it will be tied to a pathway to citizenship or there will be no deal," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., another negotiator on the bill, said Sunday.

Graham also suggested that disagreement over a new low-skilled worker program could still be hanging up an overall immigration deal ? even after an agreement a week ago between the AFL-CIO and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The hard-won deal between labor and business would ultimately allow up to 200,000 workers a year into the U.S. to fill jobs in construction, hospitality, nursing homes and other areas where employers now say they have a difficult time hiring Americans or legally bringing in foreign workers. Even after the deal was struck, some industries, such as construction, continued to voice complaints about the terms.

Without offering details, Graham said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that negotiators were revisiting the low-skilled worker deal. But he issued a statement a short time later saying he was confident the agreement would hold.

Graham sounded optimistic overall, predicting the bill would pass the 100-member Senate with 70 votes in favor. Senators believe an overwhelming bipartisan vote is needed in the Democratic-led Senate to ensure a chance of success in the Republican-controlled House. Floor action could start in the Senate in May, Schumer said.

Meanwhile two lawmakers involved in writing a bipartisan immigration bill in the House, Reps. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., and Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., sounded optimistic that they, too, would have a deal soon that could be reconciled with the Senate agreement.

"I am very, very optimistic that the House of Representatives is going to have a plan that is going to be able to go to a conference with the Senate in which we're going to be able to resolve this," Gutierrez said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union".

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/schumer-sees-deal-week-immigration-152142201--finance.html

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Crews find bodies of 2 buried children

STANLEY, N.C. (AP) ? Authorities on Monday recovered the bodies of two children who were trapped when a wall of dirt fell on them while playing in a hole at a home construction site in North Carolina.

The bodies of a 6-year-old girl and 7-year-old boy were pulled from a 24-foot-deep pit in the town of Stanley, outside of Charlotte, said Lincoln County Emergency Services spokesman Dion Burleson.

"We've been working a horrific scene here," Burleson told reporters gathered near the rural site on a two-lane road.

Crews had been searching for the children since Sunday afternoon, when one of their fathers called 911 to report the collapse. Officials were on the scene within minutes but couldn't get to the children.

Neighbors have said a man building the home had been digging with a backhoe earlier in the day. Lincoln County Sheriff David Carpenter would not say what was being built at the site or if the man was doing it alone or had professional help.

Burleson described the pit as 20 feet by 20 feet with a sloped entrance leading down to the 24-foot bottom. Carpenter said the children were at the bottom of the pit retrieving a child-sized pickaxe when the walls fell in on them.

Carpenter said his deputies would continue to investigate what happened. The children's names have not been released, but Carpenter said it was the boy's father who called 911.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/crews-bodies-2-nc-children-trapped-dirt-124557541.html

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What Games Are: The Reviewers Are Wrong About OUYA

Reviews of Ouya have thus far perhaps been unfair because they tend to either rate the machine against Android devices or existing consoles, when it is neither of those. The new microconsole-style of game machine is more like the netbook of gaming, and they should be seen in that light. However the fact that they aren't seen in that light is itself a problem, one that needs fixing.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/E8dlJ8fzqjk/

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Beyonce, Jay-Z Mark Fifth Anniversary in Cuba

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/04/beyonce-jay-z-mark-fifth-anniversary-in-cuba/

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Mormons church to 2 new temples in Utah, Brazil

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) ? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is planning to build two new temples in Rio de Janeiro and Cedar City, Utah, the president of the Mormon church announced Saturday.

Thomas S. Monson made the announcement in his opening address to more than 100,000 members of the church who've gathered in Salt Lake City for the church's 183rd semi-annual general conference.

Temples are considered sacred to Latter-day Saints and are used for religious rituals including proxy baptisms, marriage ceremonies and other rites designed to strengthen church teachings.

The exact locations of the new buildings will be announced at a later date, the church said. Worldwide, there are 141 temples in operation and 29 under construction.

The newly announced temple in Rio de Janerio will be the eighth planned or operating temple in Brazil, where there are more than 1.1 million Mormons. Six temples are up and running in the country and a seventh planned in Fortaleza previously had been announced.

The planned temple in Cedar City, which is located in southwest Utah, will be the 17th temple operating or planned in the state. The church had previously announced construction of temples in Payson and Provo. There are almost 2 million members of the faith living in Utah, where the church headquarters is located.

Monson also announced during his opening address Saturday that the church has created 58 new missions to accommodate swelling numbers of missionaries.

At the last general conference in October, church officials announced a lowering of the minimum age for missionaries: from 21 to 19 for women; and from 19 to 18 for men.

Leaders of the church and outside scholars believe that decision could be a landmark leading to many more women serving missions.

The church says applications for new missions are up two-fold since the announcement. About half of all new applications have come from women. Previously, only 15 percent of missionaries were women.

"The response of our young people has been remarkable and inspiring," Monson said.

As of April 4, more than 65,000 missionaries were serving around the world, Monson said, and more than 20,000 additional missionaries have been called to serve while another six thousand are in the interview process.

The semi-annual conference, which is taking place Saturday and Sunday, offers Mormons words of inspiration and guidance for daily living from the faith's senior leaders.

Millions more participate in the meeting through satellite, radio or Internet broadcast translated into more than 90 languages.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mormons-church-2-temples-utah-brazil-163256588.html

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Rumor: Microsoft to introduce Google Glass competitor in 2014

Wearable electronics are apparently the next big trend in tech, as a new rumor claims Microsoft plans to join the fray with its own set of high-tech glasses in the first half of 2014.

Analyst Brian White said in a note to investors on Thursday that he believes Microsoft is planning to bring to market a set of Internet-connected glasses next year. If true, that would put Microsoft in a position to compete with Google Glass, a project with a very public presence despite the fact that it is still in development.

White believes that Google Glass will kick off what he sees as a "major push" in wearable electronics by the biggest tech companies. Among those expected to play a part is Apple, which is rumored to be working on a so-called "iWatch" accessory.

The same analyst made waves on Wednesday when he claimed that Apple plans to launch a full-fledged television set later this year with a new hand-worn accessory White dubbed the "iRing." With this device, he said, users will be able to use their hands to easily control the television set.

White's details were purportedly taken from discussions with members of Apple's supply chain while on a tour of Asia. While Wednesday was the first such indication of an "iRing," rumors of an "iWatch" appeared earlier this year and have remained ever since.

AppleInsider even unearthed a smart watch concept from an Apple patent application in February that showed a wrist-worn device with a curved, flexible display.

While rumors have suggested Apple's interest in wearable technology lies in the hands, Google ??and now, allegedly, Microsoft as well ? has shown more interest in the eyes. It was even confirmed earlier this year that Google Glass will offer compatibility with Apple's iPhone over Bluetooth, as well as devices running Google's Android mobile operating system.

In addition to Bluetooth, Google Glass prototypes also include Wi-Fi and GPS, as well as an integrated camera for snapping pictures. By wearing Google Glass, users will be able to accomplish voice-driven activities such as sending a text message or answering a call. The integrated display, located to to the upper right of a user's right eye, displays necessary information to operate the headset.

While much is known about Google Glass, White's note to investors on Thursday offered no specific indication as to what direction Microsoft's rumored glasses might take. He expects Google's product to ship first, in late 2013, before Microsoft's arrives in the first half of next year.

"It appears to us that Google has made significant breakthroughs around software applications as it relates to this new product," he said. "As such, we believe this initiative will kick off a major push into the field of wearable electronics and therefore will be closely scrutinized."

Source: http://forums.appleinsider.com/t/156817/rumor-microsoft-to-introduce-google-glass-competitor-in-2014

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As China tries to fight bird flu, Japan takes precautions

By Ben Blanchard

BEIJING (Reuters) - China said it was mobilizing resources nationwide to combat a new strain of deadly bird flu that has killed four people, as Japan and Hong Kong stepped up vigilance against the virus and Vietnam banned imports of Chinese poultry.

The H7N9 bird flu strain does not appear to be transmitted from human to human but authorities in Hong Kong raised a preliminary alert and said they were taking precautions at the airport.

In Japan, airports have put up posters at entry points warning all passengers from China to seek medical attention if they suspect they have bird flu.

A total of 11 people in China have been confirmed to have contracted H7N9, all in the east of the country.

Another person died on Thursday, in Shanghai, bringing the number of deaths to four, state media said. Xinhua news agency said the victim was a 48-year-old man who worked delivering poultry.

"(China) will strengthen its leadership in combating the virus ... and coordinate and deploy the entire nation's health system to combat the virus," the Health Ministry said in a statement late on Wednesday on its website (www.moh.gov.cn).

In Hong Kong, authorities activated the preliminary "Alert Response Level" under a preparedness plan for an influenza pandemic, which calls for close monitoring of chicken farms, vaccination, culling drills, and a suspension of imports of live birds from the mainland.

All passengers on flights in and out of Hong Kong were being asked to notify flight attendants or airport staff if they were feeling unwell.

Vietnam said it had banned poultry imports from China, citing the risk from H7N9.

In Beijing, the Health Ministry said the government would swiftly communicate details of the new strain to the outside world and its own people, following complaints it had been too slow to report on the outbreak and suspicion of a cover-up.

Chinese internet users and some newspapers have questioned why it took so long for the government to announce the new cases, especially as two of the victims fell ill in February. The government has said it needed time to correctly identify the virus.

In 2003, authorities initially tried to cover up an epidemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which emerged in China and killed about 10 percent of the 8,000 people it infected worldwide.

TRANSPARENT COMMUNICATION

China "will continue to openly and transparently maintain communication and information channels with the World Health Organisation and relevant countries and regions, strengthen monitoring and preventative measures", the ministry said in a statement.

Flu experts across the world are studying samples isolated from the patients to assess the human pandemic potential of the strain.

Other strains of bird flu, such as H5N1, have been circulating for many years and can be transmitted from bird to bird, and bird to human, but not generally from human to human.

So far, this lack of human-to-human transmission also appears to be a feature of the H7N9 strain.

However, China has yet to find any animals infected with H7N9, meaning how humans got it remains a mystery.

"The gene sequences confirm that this is an avian virus, and that it is a low pathogenic form (meaning it is likely to cause mild disease in birds)," said Wendy Barclay, a flu virologist at Britain's Imperial College London.

"But what the sequences also reveal is that there are some mammalian adapting mutations in some of the genes."

This, she said, meant the H7N9 virus has already acquired some of the genetic changes it would need to mutate into a form that could be transmitted from person to person.

While the official Xinhua news agency said it was unfair to compare SARS with H7N9, as the new bird flu virus had yet to show signs of human-to-human transmission, it did warn that the government's credibility was on the line.

"If there is anything that SARS has taught China and its government, it's that one cannot be too careful or too honest when it comes to deadly pandemics. The last 10 years have taught the government a lot, but it is far from enough," it said in a commentary.

(Additional reporting by Clare Baldwin in HONG KONG, Olivier Fabre in TOKYO, Hanoi newsroom and Kate Kelland in LONDON; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Robert Birsel)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/china-promises-swift-reporting-bird-flu-outbreak-031611766.html

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Street artist dubbed "Russian Banksy" dies

MOSCOW (AP) ? Pasha P183, a prominent Russian graffiti artist who hid his identity and has been compared to Britain's Banksy, has died. He was 29.

The Teatralnoye Delo theatrical production company, which recently commissioned Pasha P183 to create scenery for the musical "Todd," said the artist died Monday in Moscow. It wouldn't elaborate.

Teatralnoye Delo's spokeswoman Regina Vartsan, who knew the artist personally, described him Wednesday as a "sincere and open person of remarkable talent and unique vision."

Like Banksy, and late U.S. artist Keith Haring, Pasha P183 started out painting graffiti in the dead of night, and recalled being detained numerous times by Moscow police.

One of his most famous works was painted on the ground in a snow-covered yard and features a huge pair of glasses, with a lamppost serving as one arm. Another piece showed chocolate bars painted on a panel of concrete, an image he said reflected his abhorrence of the commercialization of art and life.

"I wanted that work to carry the most important message ... that a person mustn't sell himself," he said in a rare interview posted on adme.ru last year. "I made a chocolate bar that can't be bought, using a giant panel of concrete."

He said the work provided a more optimistic ending for a film he made ? the original one had the hero jumping out of the window to his death, while the alternative had him landing safely in front of the chocolate bar.

Little was known about the artist, who carefully protected his identity. In the same interview, he described himself as an "anarchist" and spoke with contempt about the "constant run for money" in Moscow.

Many of his street works had political undertones and carried an apparent reference to a recent wave of massive street protests in Moscow against President Vladimir Putin's rule. One showed a protester lighting a flare and another work had shield-carrying riot police on a subway station's glass doors.

"Put simply, I want to teach people in this country to tell lies from the truth and to tell bad from good," he said in an interview with Russia Today television, wearing a black ski mask that covered most of his face. "This is what our people still cannot do."

Despite all that, he said he didn't consider himself a political artist and hated politics just as much as he hated advertising.

The artist has claimed to have had many professions since graduating from a university, working as a computer expert, photographer, cameraman, film director and even child psychiatrist. He scoffed at comparisons to Banksy, saying they belittled his own style.

The rock musical "Todd" is currently showing in Moscow.

"It was a colossal work," Pasha P183 wrote on his Facebook page of the production of the scenery. "If I die tomorrow, I can at least feel that I have left something real behind."

___

Pasha P183's personal web site: http://www.183art.ru

His blog: http://183.livejournal.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/street-artist-dubbed-russian-banksy-dies-141056718.html

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Circuit Playground Is Adafruit's Educational Series For Helping Kids Learn About Electronics

Adafruit, the DIY electronics website and marketplace, is espousing the popular strategy of "get em' young" with a new live action short video series broadcast on YouTube. The series, called Circuit Playground, takes an alphabetical approach to teaching kids about the basics of circuits, components and concepts that will come in handy if the tots watching have aspirations of becoming electrical engineers, or just of building their own hobby projects at home.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/khEcnSKX694/

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Fans mark 10th anniversary of Leslie Cheung death

A tearful fan, center, along with others sings a song of the late Hong Kong actor-singer Leslie Cheung outside a hotel where Cheung jumped to his death, in Hong Kong Monday, April 1, 2013. Cheung's fans placed flowers to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Hong Kong screen and singing legend Cheung. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

A tearful fan, center, along with others sings a song of the late Hong Kong actor-singer Leslie Cheung outside a hotel where Cheung jumped to his death, in Hong Kong Monday, April 1, 2013. Cheung's fans placed flowers to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Hong Kong screen and singing legend Cheung. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

A fan takes picture of herself with a poster of the late Hong Kong actor-singer Leslie Cheung on an altar set up outside a hotel where Cheung jumped to his death, in Hong Kong Monday, April 1, 2013. Cheung's fans placed flowers to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Hong Kong screen and singing legend Cheung. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

A tearful fan along with others sings a song of the late Hong Kong actor-singer Leslie Cheung outside a hotel where Cheung jumped to his death, in Hong Kong Monday, April 1, 2013. Cheung's fans placed flowers to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Hong Kong screen and singing legend Cheung. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

A fan poses besides a wax figure of the late actor-singer Leslie Cheung at Hong Kong's Madame Tussauds Monday, April 1, 2013. Cheung's fans placed flowers to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Hong Kong screen and singing legend Cheung. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

A fan touches a picture of the late Hong Kong actor-singer Leslie Cheung on an altar set up outside a hotel where Cheung jumped to his death in Hong Kong Monday, April 1, 2013. Cheung's fans placed flowers to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Hong Kong screen and singing legend Cheung. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

HONG KONG (AP) ? Almost 2 million origami made by fans in memory of singer-actor Leslie Cheung are being displayed in Hong Kong at an exhibition marking the 10th anniversary of his death.

The "Miss You Much Leslie Exhibition" at the Times Square shopping mall is one of many memorial events in his hometown.

Many fans discovered Cheung after his passing. "I really miss him, and I regret that I did not get to know him until 2009," said Kang Lizhen, a mainland Chinese who was born in 1990.

Those who discovered him after his death feel like they lost a friend, said one such fan, Marie A. Jost. "There will be no new works, no new events, no news of Leslie ... It really does feel that we've lost a dear, dear friend," said Jost.

Cheung killed himself by jumping off the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in central Hong Kong on April 1, 2003. His death came at a dark time for his hometown as Hong Kong was hit with the SARS epidemic (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). Hundreds died in the illness outbreak that also crippled the Hong Kong economy and cast a gloomy pall on the normally vibrant and energetic city.

Cheung, who was 46 when he died, made several hit albums and starred in classic films including 1987's "A Chinese Ghost Story," director John Woo's "A Better Tomorrow" and Chinese director Chen Kaige's "Farewell My Concubine."

A memorial concert was held Sunday, and Cheung's fans mark his death anniversary each year by visiting the hotel where he committed suicide. One wall of the hotel is covered in flowers, candles and posters of the singer and actor.

Fans sent in volumes of crafted paper this year to try to set a Guinness record for most origami made for a cause. Organizers said 1,900,119 were collected.

The memorial origami are displayed in a transparent archway above a large statue of Cheung at the "Miss You Much Leslie Exhibition" entrance, and one large, red origami sits in the statue's open palm. The exhibition showcases costumes from his concerts, and a mini-theater plays films and interview clips.

The fans' effort and the origami display were encouraged by Florence Chan Suk-Fun, the former agent for the performer, said Vernon Ma, promotions manager for Times Square.

"Ms. Chan thought it might be good to gather all the origami together and put them in a nice display, and to showcase to the public that Leslie fans' love is so powerful. After 10 years' time, they still remember Leslie, and they still want to do something for Leslie," Ma said.

Hundreds of fans held a candlelight vigil at a nearby park at 18:41 p.m. marking the time of his death.

The concert in his memory included performances by Cheung's friends like canto pop singer Jacky Cheung, Karen Mok and Leo Ku.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-04-02-Hong%20Kong-Leslie%20Cheung/id-ab072245bdeb48b0acc03234bf8ceb6d

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U.S. signals strength on North Korea, but speaks softly

As North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has issued increasingly belligerent statements toward South Korea and the United States in recent weeks, many North Asia analysts have concluded that the young Mr. Kim is acting to establish his tough-guy credentials with key audiences: the North Korean public, but also the military and other North Korean elites.

But in response, the Obama administration ? while actually saying little ? has also been acting to reassure the American public and key allies like South Korea and Japan, even as it tries to figure out what Kim Jong-un is really up to and the best way to deal with him, some regional experts say.

?The early superficial take-away on [Kim] is that he?s not afraid to be out front, not afraid to take risks.... He speaks more directly to the public than his father did, and after he?s established his military credentials he can then turn his focus to the economy,? says Jim Walsh, an expert in international security at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology?s Security Studies Program.

RECOMMENDED: North Korea abandons armistice: 4 key questions answered

?But the US is also sending its own messages? by responding to Kim?s rhetoric ? which has included a vow to attack the US ? with the inclusion of nuclear-capable B-52s in US-South Korea military exercises and a reinforcing of missile defense batteries in Alaska, he says.

The Obama administration ?is sending a message of reassurance to South Korea and the American public in particular,? Dr. Walsh says, ?but [it is] also telling a leader who is really breaking new ground with direct and specific threats, ?If you keep talking like that, this is what you have to look forward to.? ?

But besides such messaging, the US has had very little to say in response to Kim?s actions ? which have included tearing up the Korean War armistice, severing a security communications line with Seoul, and publicly reviewing military planning for attacks on a number of US sites including Hawaii and Austin, Texas.

Want your top political issues explained? Get customized DC Decoder updates.

Secretary of State John Kerry will certainly have more to say when he visits Japan, South Korea, and China in mid-April, but in the meantime the administration is speaking softly as it brandishes its big sticks. A White House spokesman said that the North is further isolating itself with its ?bellicose rhetoric? (last Friday) and Secretary Kerry has called on North Korea to ?engage in legitimate dialogue? instead of issuing threats (early last month).

The US has also been working to impose new sanctions and to reinforce international implementation of existing measures against North Korea since the United Nations Security Council approved a new round of sanctions last month in response to the North?s February nuclear test.

Some security analysts accuse the US of needlessly provoking Kim with a string of military measures at a delicate moment in the new leader?s consolidation of power. (At 29 or 30 years of age, Kim is the world?s youngest head of state, having assumed power at the death of his father in December 2011.)

But many other experts say the US has acted prudently as the unknown quantity in charge in Pyongyang ? who has already overseen a worrisome nuclear test and long-range missile launch ? has recently issued increasingly incendiary threats.

The US is simply covering its security bases, the latter reasoning goes, while it tries to figure out who Kim is and how best to approach him.

No one can even be certain that Kim is the guy in charge in North Korea, some analysts say. ?You can conclude that as a leader he seems to be quite risk-acceptant, but there?s also reason to be cautious and ask questions like, ?Is he really in charge, or is it a family clique or council?? ? says Walsh. ?Certainly the US government is still asking, ?What are his relations with the military?? ?

Given the deep uncertainties about North Korea, the US public seems to be broadly supportive of the Obama administration?s approach ? taking precautions militarily even as it imposes new sanctions to try to influence the North?s behavior ? according to a new Monitor/TIPP poll.

But the poll also suggests that the public may be out in front of the administration by strongly favoring the kind of ?dialogue? the White House is pursuing with Iran over its nuclear program but has not yet proposed with North Korea.

More than two-thirds of Americans ? 68 percent ? say they favor opening direct talks with the North Korean regime, according to the poll conducted March 25-30. Only 24 percent disagree with the idea of dialogue.

Even more popular is the imposition of economic sanctions. Nearly three-quarters of Americans ? 74 percent ? support exerting economic pressure and even increasing it with additional measures.

Much less popular among a war-weary populace is the idea of military intervention to ?remove? North Korea?s nuclear installations. Still, a sizable minority of 40 percent would support such action, while 53 percent oppose.

And among self-identified Republicans, military action against the North has the support of a small majority ? 51 percent.

MIT?s Walsh says he sees very little chance of US military action against the North, because he says no one involved in the current ratcheting-up of tensions wants a military confrontation ? neither the US nor the North, nor South Korea.

The danger, he says, is that someone makes a mistake that gets the military ball rolling.

And more long term, Walsh worries there will be repercussions from the precautionary actions the US has taken that the Obama administration may not wish to see. President Obama could see his nonproliferation and disarmament goals set back by the US ?brandishing? of its nuclear-ready aircraft, and not all of North Korea?s neighbors will interpret the US measures as a reassuring display of the US nuclear umbrella.

?Clearly one of [the US] goals is to reassure states like South Korea and Japan, ?You don?t have to go nuclear because we can protect you,? ? he says. ?But on the other hand, my guess is that the Russians and the Chinese aren?t too happy about the US flying nuclear-capable [aircraft] near their borders.?

RECOMMENDED: North Korea abandons armistice: 4 key questions answered

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/north-korea-us-signals-strength-speaks-softly-222218651.html

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Careers: What Does It Take to Become a Real Estate Agent? Part 6 ...

What is it really like to be a real estate agent, and what does it take to become one? We interviewed six Redfin Agents to find out why they chose real estate as a career and how they came to work at Redfin. Yesterday we profiled Chad Pluid, who managed a restaurant and worked in banking before joining Redfin. Today you?ll hear from?Bree Al-Rashid, a Redfin listing agent who worked as horse trainer, financial planner, and a real estate agent at another brokerage before joining the company.

If you?re looking for more agent info, be sure to check our entire series of real estate agent profiles and don?t hesitate to investigate open real estate jobs at Redfin.

Bree Al-Rashid ? Listing Agent

Before joining Redfin, Bree worked as horse trainer, financial planner, and a real estate agent at another brokerage.

What did you do before you joined Redfin?

In college I ran a riding school and summer camp for kids to help pay for my tuition. One of my riding students ended up being a high level VP of a financial planning firm. She tried to hook me up with her son, but when that didn?t work out she said I should work for her firm. I did that for about two years, and stayed in the financial planning industry for six years.

What made you want to pursue your real estate license, and what was the process like?

I was tired of being stuck inside an office. My husband worked in real estate and was looking for help, so I decided to become licensed. We built a business together at Keller Williams, and then worked at RE/MAX for awhile.

Coming from an industry where there was a lot of licensing that you had to obtain, getting my license was pretty easy. You have to plan it out and do the classes, but if you?re a good test taker it?s fine. For most people who are interested in the industry, it?s totally feasible. You don?t have to have achieved high levels of math or analysis to be a licensed real estate professional.

How did you hear about Redfin, and why did you decide to apply?

A colleague at RE/MAX became a Redfin partner agent, and he introduced me to it. I was a partner agent for awhile, but when I decided I needed more balance in my life, I applied to Redfin. I started as a listing specialist, which provides the opportunity to keep regular hours. It has afforded a much more balanced life, especially with vacation time.

Do you worry about the market going up and down?

It hasn?t been a problem. I was always very lucky; I had as much or more business than I wanted.

What?s the best part of your job?

Redfin has a team of people that you can count on for support, so you can create balance in your life. Working on your own as an agent is a challenge; it?s hard to be a graphic designer, HR manager and bookkeeper all in one day and be successful. Now my day is spent marketing houses, negotiating contracts, and solving real estate-related problems. Redfin offers a chance to get your life back.

I love Redfin?s feel, the corporate culture. I love its weirdness ? how we?re thinking out of the box ? it?s super progressive, not stale and stodgy. I?m sick of it sounding like real estate is only for people who are over sixty. Redfin is really fresh. There?s also a lot of room for growth. If you want to work in other parts of the company, there are options. You?re not stuck being an agent for the rest of your life.

What skills do you think are important to be successful as a real estate agent?

People who come from a liberal arts background are often successful in real estate. 90% of what we do is good communications, reading into subtext, connecting the dots for human beings. People who are overly analytical struggle in this industry because they lose sight of the human component. There?s so much that can?t be measured in real estate; you can?t measure human emotions or the layout of a house.? It takes people skills and good communicators to be successful. Organization, problem solving, and the ability to be calm during stressful situations are also important.

What would you tell people who are thinking about becoming an agent?

If you?re getting into real estate as an independent broker and you have no background in the industry or a natural market to find business, it?s a tough business to get into. I came from financial planning, which has a similar struggle. It?s very difficult to find clients right off the bat. That?s what is unique about Redfin; if you have interest in the agency and you?re 22 years old, you can get into it right away. Or if you?re 50 and coming back for a second or third career, you can do the same thing. There are so many great built-in systems, and there?s an opportunity for mentorships. We don?t let people fail at Redfin.

At Redfin our motto is ?keep it weird.? What?s something ?weird? about you?

My pig won ?Grand Champion Market Hog? at the 1994 Oakhurst Fair. I didn?t get chicken pox until I was 14.? Then I gave them to my mom who was 41.?I can throw a Frisbee with my feet.

To get in touch with Bree or read her reviews from Redfin clients, check out her profile page on Redfin.com.

Source: http://blog.redfin.com/blog/2013/03/careers-what-does-it-take-to-become-a-real-estate-agent-part-6.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=careers-what-does-it-take-to-become-a-real-estate-agent-part-6

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Christians in the Holy Land celebrate Easter

JERUSALEM (AP) ? Catholics and Protestants in the Holy Land are celebrating Easter with prayers and services.

Worshippers prayed Sunday in the ancient church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, built on the site where tradition holds Jesus was crucified, briefly entombed and then resurrected.

Christians believe Jesus was resurrected on Easter. Roman Catholics and Protestants, who follow the new, Gregorian calendar, celebrate Easter on Sunday. Orthodox Christians, who follow the old, Julian calendar, will mark it in May.

Protestants held Easter ceremonies outside Jerusalem's walled Old City at the Garden Tomb, which some identify as the site of Jesus' burial. Another service was held at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Jesus' traditional birthplace.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/christians-holy-land-celebrate-easter-093736545.html

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Tunable app shows musicians what pitch-perfect means as they play (video)

Musicians who've had some degree of practice will know the lack of sophistication involved in getting an instrument in tune and on time: a light-up tuning box and a swinging metronome may be their only real resources. Affinity Blue knows that mobile apps allow better, and recently unveiled Tunable as a one-stop shop for more exacting performers. The Android and iOS release provides a live graph that shows where the sweet spot is for pitch, and how closely the music has followed along for the past few seconds -- a boon for brass players, vocalists and others who need to sustain a note for more than a moment. There's also a simple tone generator and a customizable metronome that's easily seen from a distance. While it's $1 to try Tunable, that might be a pittance for anyone who'd rather spend time mastering a riff than rehashing the basics.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets

Comments

Via: Fast Company

Source: Affinity Blue

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/31/tunable-app-shows-musicians-what-pitch-perfect-means/

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