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Interpretive Handbook
89317 :
CD8 T-Cell Immune Competence, Global, Blood
Clinical Information Discusses physiology, pathophysiology, and general clinical aspects, as they relate to a laboratory test
CD8 T cells play an important role in the immune response to viral or intracellular infectious agents, as well as antitumor immunity and immune surveillance.
Upon activation, CD8 T cells mediate a variety of effector functions, including cytokine secretion and cytotoxicity. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) is 1 of the early cytokines produced by CD8 T cells; it is released within a few hours of activation.(1) The cytotoxic function is mediated by the contents of the cytolytic granules.(1) Cell-surface mobilization of the cytolytic granule components, CD107a and CD107b, also known as lysosome-associated membrane proteins LAMP-1 and LAMP-2, occurs when CD8 T cells mediate their cytolytic function and degranulate.(2)
CD8 T-cell activation occurs either through the T-cell receptor (TCR)-peptide-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) or by use of a mitogen (eg, phorbol myristate acetate and the calcium ionophore ionomycin). Mitogen-mediated activation is antigen nonspecific.
Impairment of global CD8 T-cell activation (due to inherent cellular immunodeficiency or as a consequence of over-immunosuppression by therapeutic agents) results in reduced production of IFN-gamma and other cytokines, reduced cytotoxic function, and increased risk for developing infectious complications. Agents associated with over-immunosuppression include the calcineurin inhibitors (eg, cyclosporine A, FK506 [Prograf/tacrolimus], and rapamycin [sirolimus]), antimetabolites (eg, mycophenolate mofetil), and Thymoglobulin.
Immunosuppression is most commonly used for allograft maintenance in solid organ transplant recipients, to prevent graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients and to treat patients with autoimmune diseases. In these settings, reducing the risk for developing infectious complications as a result of over-immunosuppression is a clinical challenge.
Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is routinely used in the transplant practice to avoid overtreatment and to determine patient compliance. But, the levels of drugs measured in blood do not directly correlate with the administered dose due to individual pharmacokinetic differences.(3) Furthermore, drug levels may not necessarily correlate with biological activity of the drug. Consequently, it may be beneficial to consider modification of the immunosuppression regimen based on the patient's level of functional immune competence.
This assay provides a means to evaluate over-immunosuppression within the CD8 T-cell compartment (global CD8 T-cell function). Intracellular IFN-gamma expression is a marker for CD8 T-cell activation. Surface CD107a and CD107b are markers for cytotoxic function. This test may be most useful when ordered at the end of induction immunosuppression and 2 to 3 months after maintenance immunosuppression to ensure that global CD8 T-cell function is not compromised. The test may also provide value when immunosuppression is increased to halt or prevent graft rejection, to provide information on a balance between over-immunosuppression with subsequent infectious comorbidities and under-immunosuppression with resultant graft rejection.
The absolute counts of lymphocyte subsets are known to be influenced by a variety of biological factors, including hormones, the environment, and temperature. The studies on diurnal (circadian) variation in lymphocyte counts have demonstrated progressive increase in CD4 T cell count throughout the day, while CD8 T cells and CD19+ B cells increase between 8:30 a.m. and noon with no change between noon and afternoon. Natural Killer (NK) cell counts, on the other hand, are constant throughout the day.(4) Circadian variations in circulating T-cell counts have been shown to be negatively correlated with plasma cortisol concentration.(5,6,7) In fact, cortisol and catecholamine concentrations control distribution and therefore, numbers of naive versus effector CD4 and CD8 T cells.(5) It is generally accepted that lower CD4 T cell counts are seen in the morning compared to the evening(8) and during summer compared to winter.(9) These data therefore indicate that timing and consistency in timing of blood collection is critical when serially monitoring patients for lymphocyte subsets.
Useful For Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful
Determining over immunosuppression within the CD8 T-cell compartment, when used on transplant recipients and patients with autoimmune disorders receiving therapy with immunosuppressant agents
Interpretation Provides information to assist in interpretation of the test results
Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and CD107a and CD107b expression below the defined reference range are consistent with a global impairment in CD8 T-cell function, most likely due to overimmunosuppression.
IFN-gamma and CD107a and CD107b levels greater than the defined reference range are unlikely to have any clinical significance.
Cautions Discusses conditions that may cause diagnostic confusion, including improper specimen collection and handling, inappropriate test selection, and interfering substances
This assay is specific only for CD8 T cells; it does not provide information for overall T-cell competence.
Further studies are needed to determine if, within the reference range, certain levels of Interferon-gamma and CD107a and b expression confer greater or lesser degrees of risk for infectious disease.
Timing and consistency in timing of blood collection is critical when serially monitoring patients for lymphocyte subsets. See data under Clinical Information.
Reference Values Describes reference intervals and additional information for interpretation of test results. May include intervals based on age and sex when appropriate. Intervals are Mayo-derived, unless otherwise designated. If an interpretive report is provided, the reference value field will state this.
Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) expression (as % CD8 T cells): 10.3-56.0%
CD107a/b expression (as % CD8 T cells): 8.5-49.1%
Reference values have not been established for patients who are <18 years of age.
Clinical References Provides recommendations for further in-depth reading of a clinical nature
1. Betts MR, Casaza JP, Patterson BA, et al: Putative immunodominant human immunodeficiency virus-specific CD8 T-cell responses cannot be predicted by MHC class I haplotype. J Virol. 2000 Oct;74(19):9144-9151
2. Peters PJ, Borst J, Oorschot V, et al: Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte granules are secretory lysosomes, containing both perforin and granzymes. J Exp Med. 1991 May 1;173(5):1099-1109
3. Venkataramanan R, Shaw LM, Sarkozi L, et al: Clinical utility of monitoring tacrolimus blood concentrations in liver transplant patients. J Clin Pharmacol 2001 May;41(5):542-551
4. Carmichael KF, Abayomi A: Analysis of diurnal variation of lymphocyte subsets in healthy subjects and its implication in HIV monitoring and treatment. 15th Intl Conference on AIDS, Bangkok, Thailand, 2004, Abstract # B11052
5. Dimitrov S, Benedict C, Heutling D, et al: Cortisol and epinephrine control opposing circadian rhythms in T-cell subsets. Blood 2009;113:5134-5143
6. Dimitrov S, Lange T, Nohroudi K, Born J: Number and function of circulating antigen presenting cells regulated by sleep. Sleep 2007;30:401-411
7. Kronfol Z, Nair M, Zhang Q, et al: Circadian immune measures in healthy volunteers: relationship to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hormones and sympathetic neurotransmitters. Pyschosom Med 1997;59:42-50
8. Malone JL, Simms TE, Gray GC, et al: Sources of variability in repeated T-helper lymphocyte counts from HIV 1-infected patients: total lymphocyte count fluctuations and diurnal cycle are important. J AIDS 1990;3:144-151
9. Paglieroni TG, Holland PV: Circannual variation in lymphocyte subsets, revisited. Transfusion 1994;34:512-516


text: Scholarships AWARDS CRITERIA AMOUNT APPLICATION DETAILS Freshmen Academic Scholarships (Merit Based) (The information that follows represents minimum levels needed to be considered for these awards; while all applicants that meet the minimum criteria will receive an award, not all applicants meeting minimum requirements will be offered maximum award amounts. The annual strength of the applicant pool will dictate how many awards will be offered at each level.) Presidential Scholarships GPA Minimum 95% SAT Score 1300 - 1600 or ACT Score 29 - 36 $95,000 Scholarship -- $23,750 a year, renewable for four years. Students must maintain a 3.25 GPA and full-time status. Academic scholarships are based on the review of your admission applications. To be considered, you must file an admission application by February 1, 2015. Dean Scholarships GPA Minimum 92% SAT Score 1200 - 1600 or ACT Score 27 - 36 $70,000 Scholarship -- $17,500 a year, renewable for four years. Students must maintain a 3.00 GPA and full-time status. Leader Scholarships GPA Minimum 85% SAT Score 1050 - 1600 or ACT Score 22 - 36 $50,000 Scholarship -- $12,500 a year, renewable for four years. Students must remain in good academic standing and full-time status. Ignatian Scholarships Awarded to freshman students from Jesuit high schools with superior academic records. Please see your high school counselor for more details. $70,000 Scholarship -- $17,500 a year, renewable for four years. Students must maintain a 3.00 GPA and full-time status. Loyola Scholarships Awarded to multicultural students with demonstrated academic excellence. $70,000 Scholarship -- $17,500 a year renewable for four years. Students must maintain a 3.00 GPA and full-time status Athletic Scholarships Awarded by individual coaches. Offered to men in baseball, basketball, cross-country, golf, lacrosse, soccer , swimming & diving and tennis. Offered to women in basketball, cross-country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis and volleyball. Partial and full tuition offered. Contact Department of Athletics at (315) 445-4450. Transfer Merit Scholarships Beginning Fall 2013, the following merit scholarships are available for entering transfer students: $12,000 for 3.75-4.00 GPA* $10,000 for 3.50-3.74 GPA* $8,000 for 3.25-3.49 GPA* $6,000 for 3.00-3.24 GPA* $4,000 for 2.75-2.99 GPA* *cumulative grade point average To be eligible, prospective recipients, at the time of application, must have completed a minimum of 24 credit hours at a regionally accredited college and plan to attend Le Moyne College as a full-time student. Scholarships are renewable based upon the recipient maintaining good academic and social standing at Le Moyne. Members of Phi Theta Kappa may also be eligible for our $3,000 PTK Scholarship. Program or Major-based Endowed Scholarships

subset: commoncrawl


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Jesus the Artist
Speaking in parables is indeed similar to an artist's craft. They create impressions, whole new worlds of meaning intended to turn old worlds on their heads.
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Speaking in parables is indeed similar to an artist's craft. They create impressions, whole new worlds of meaning intended to turn old worlds on their heads.
Classical Christian orthodoxy as expressed in the Creeds begins at the beginning: nature owes its existence to and is sustained by Jesus Christ. One implication is that the best way of finding out about nature is to look at nature.
Gregg Davidson and Ken Wolgemuth seek to remove the stumbling block of the Genesis flood in this four part series. Though many believe in an ancient world-wide flood, the evidence given does not hold up to geological scrutiny, but points rather to something regional instead. It is their hope that Christians will not walk away from faith in Christ simply because a global flood is not supported by science. Looking at natural phenomena like the Grand Canyon, salt beds, and fossil deposits, they reveal reasons for these deposits and structures while showing that their origin did not stem from a violent flood that covered the planet.
In this five part series, two young men, Josh and Aron, engage each other through e-mail letters. Their conversation oscillates between the seemingly suspicious elements of God and the gospel (raised by Josh) as well as responses that offer meaningful insight into these questions (answered by Aron). Ideas such as prayer, judgment, and the concealed nature of God are among the many points in this truth-seeking exchange.
This series written by Brian Godawa delves into eschatological passages with "de-creation language." He argues that these passages do not foretell literal geophysical events to come, but, put into the context of the Old Testament thinking, actually describe the dethroning of worldly powers and the establishing of God's kingdom on Earth. This, according to Godawa, happened when Jesus Christ came in the flesh.
Our estrangement from God began when early humans disobeyed God's will and took a path leading away from God. Genes and culture contribute to a sinful world in which all people are born and nurtured, and our impact on our environment distorts the terrestrial creation.
Central to all of this is the resurrection of Jesus. Rising from the dead is the true beginning of this new mode of existence in which believers—right here and now—take part. Believing in Jesus means you are benefiting from Jesus' resurrection already now in the new life you experience by the power of the Spirit.
The three part series, written by Paul Seely, explores the scientific validity of the Flood in Genesis. He offers the approximate date of the flood according to Scripture, and then looks at various lines of evidence that contradict the idea of a global flood at that time. In light of other Mesopotamian flood stories, scholars conclude that the flood was local at best. In the end, he suggests that this story primarily reveals theological truths from a limited scientific understanding of natural events.
Many evangelicals believe that Young Earth Creationism is the only authentic, biblical way for Christians to understand origins, and that until the advent of Darwin's theory of evolution, it was the only view held by Christians. However, in this excerpt from Saving Darwin, Karl Giberson explains that Young Earth Creationism's origins are surprisingly recent.
So what then does Resurrection mean? For Benedict it represents a new dimension of reality breaking through into human experience. It is not a violation of the old; it is the manifestation of something new.
In this essay, Godawa argues that the decreation language of a collapsing universe with falling stars and signs in the heavens was actually symbolic discourse about world-changing events and powers related to the end of the old covenant and the coming of the new covenant as God's "new world order." In this interpretation, predictions of the collapsing universe were figuratively fulfilled in the historic past of the first century.
Geologists Davidson and Wolgemuth address the widely promulgated notion that the Flood can account for the earth's complex geology, and that all genuine Christians should accept this viewpoint.
As a scientist, I find this song particularly compelling because not only is the science on which the song draws completely accurate, but the scientific understanding of the nature of the physical sun and moon is critical to how Groves plays out the metaphor.
When we read Genesis 1.1: "in the beginning God created the heavens and earth" we picture the origin of the atmosphere, space, solar systems, and galaxies. But in Genesis 1 "earth" does not mean the planet Earth.
Genesis 6-9 tells the fascinating story of Noah, the Ark, and the Flood. Some Christians interpret the text to mean that the biblical flood must have covered the entire globe. They also work to explain the evidence in rocks and fossils in terms of this world-wide flood. Other Christians do not feel the text requires that the flood be global, but could have covered the small region of earth known to Noah. The scientific and historical evidence does not support a global flood, but is consistent with a catastrophic regional flood. Beyond its place in history, the Genesis flood teaches us about human depravity, faith, obedience, divine judgment, grace and mercy.
We now take for granted an understanding of the Christian story that was largely worked out by Paul and later theologians. Even though the Gospels were composed after Paul's letters, they were concerned to tell the story itself in all its strangeness as it had been preserved by the first generation of Christians. And what we find in the stories themselves is the shock and wonder and surprise that the resurrection caused.
Four Views on the Historical Adam shows that evangelical Christians are far from agreeing on the particulars of Adam and Eve. But this book also makes clear that there is strong agreement among evangelical Christians on the fundamentals of the Christian faith. We agree that all Scripture is inspired by God and authoritative, even while disagreeing on the interpretation of some passages.
The key point of continuity between redemption and creation is the idea that the future can be different from the past, i.e., the key is eschatology. More abstractly put, God does new things.
The idea that the story we know is only the very beginning raises a new question in place of Feynman's objection that Christianity is provincial. Is it presumptuous to claim that in such a grand universe, possibly with intelligent life arising in many places, the redemption and transformation of the entire cosmos starts here, on our pale blue dot?
Over the next few months, with permission from Yale University Press, BioLogos will offer edited versions of chapters from John Polkinghorne's best books, Belief in God in an Age of Science and Theology in the Context of Science, in order to help readers delve more deeply into some of his most important ideas.


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Every month at the Hotline, we publish our veepstakes rankings, the list of the most likely running mates to serve on Republican Mitt Romney's presidential ticket. It's preceded by a vigorous staff-wide debate on the merits of the numerous contenders. The process is hardly an exact science, but we use our best judgment, reporting, and intuition to make the final calls.
But I'm having an increasingly difficult time reconciling the buzz that Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty are the clear favorites, even as I'm finding it harder to see what they add to the ticket. Given Romney's tendency to play it safe, GOP operatives insist they're the front-runners, but my gut instinct and contrarian nature make me think we could be in for a preconvention surprise.
(RELATED: The Riskiest Running Mate for Romney)
Portman, for all his strengths, is a consummate Beltway insider — one of the worst political sins in this antiestablishment political environment. Even more damaging, he worked for President George W. Bush as the director of the Office of Management and Budget at a time when spending was on the rise. That's a double whammy, alienating independents who fear Romney's economic policies will be a return to the Bush years and disappointing conservatives who could view Portman as complicit in the excess spending.
No doubt, Portman brings gravitas to the ticket. There's a small chance he could tip Ohio to Romney, if home-state pride matters. He gets along with Romney, he's vetted, and he would be a well-qualified vice president if Romney is elected. But the GOP field is deep with candidates who have similar strengths.
Pawlenty, meanwhile, has been an unfailingly loyal surrogate for Romney, could appeal to working-class voters, and hails from the upper Midwest, an important swing region. But his own political track record isn't impressive: Pawlenty failed to win 50 percent of the vote in his two gubernatorial races and didn't come close to meeting expectations in his own short-lived presidential campaign. He may well be the safest pick, but that's not saying much.
(RELATED: Who Would Add Internationalist Cred to Romney's Ticket?)
Given that Romney is a largely undefined figure, his selection of a running mate matters a lot more to him than it did for past presidential nominees. Voters know he was a successful businessman, but don't have a sense of how he would govern. Romney has been unusually hesitant to tout his own story so far. Polls and focus groups show that the wave of attack ads blasting him as out-of-touch with the middle class is beginning to take a toll on his image.
Romney needs to fill in those blanks, and there's no better way to do so than by picking a like-minded running mate to articulate what his campaign stands for.
If he picked Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, he could inaugurate the "fix-it" ticket, featuring two turnaround executives with a record of results. Jindal's record of rebuilding his state post-Katrina, reforming its long-suffering education system, and taking on entrenched corruption would send a powerful message that change can be achieved, with persistence and good governance.
Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida is one of the few Republicans who is a star with conservatives but also has widespread appeal among independent voters, Hispanics, and suburbanites because of his compelling biography. Romney not only could make some inroads with the solidly Democratic Hispanic electorate; he also could build an inspirational narrative around the creation of an "opportunity society" and contrast it with Obama's more populist appeals.
By picking Wisconsin's Rep. Paul Ryan, he could send a message that he's willing to undertake the tough but necessary entitlement reforms to get the economy back on track. Romney always finds himself in his element when he preaches the merits of the free market. Why not embrace the wonkery and go with a fresh-faced pol who has maintained widespread appeal in a competitive district despite the many attacks on him from the left?
Rick, Executive Director for Policy
Concise coverage of everything I wish I had hours to read about."
Chuck, Graduate Student
The day's action in one quick read."
Stacy, Director of Communications
I find them informative and appreciate the daily news updates and enjoy the humor as well."
Richard, VP of Government Affairs
Chock full of usable information on today's issues. "
Michael, Executive Director
That said, picking Ryan also carries the most risk of any of the prospective candidates. Romney badly needs to win over the remaining undecided working-class voters, who don't naturally connect with his privileged background. By picking a running mate whose driving theme is reforming (read: trimming) entitlement programs that many depend on, Romney could push some of them into Obama's camp.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is a hero to conservatives for successfully taking on big labor and overhauling teacher tenure, while still holding enviable job-approval ratings in a solidly Democratic state. Surrogates tend to be the designated attack dogs, and few Republicans are able to articulate criticism of his opponents more effectively and directly than Christie.
Or why not New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, whose down-to-earth sensibility would offer a useful complement to Romney's patrician persona? She would appeal to working-class women, a group both parties believe will play a decisive role in the election. As the first female attorney general in New Hampshire history, she prosecuted several high-profile murder cases and won plaudits from Democratic Gov. John Lynch for her performance in office. Moderates like her, but she has sterling social-conservative credentials too, having defended her state's parental-notification law all the way to the Supreme Court.
Of course, each of these choices carries varying degrees of risk. Jindal's unstinting social conservatism could turn off women, Rubio faces murmurs about ties to ethically-tainted Florida politicians, Christie's Jersey bluntness may not play well in other parts of the country, and Ayotte is untested on the national stage. But the reality is that the so-called safe picks – Pawlenty and Portman – offer just as much risk, if not more. Their biggest risk is that they don't offer Romney much other than the "Good Housekeeping Seal of Establishment Approval.
Romney holds a fundamental advantage over President Obama in the November election: He controls his own destiny. Obama already has used up most of his best attack ads against Romney and is merely hoping that the economy doesn't get any worse. He's largely at the mercy of forces beyond his control now. Most voters have already made up their minds about him. But by picking a talented running mate and delivering a winning convention acceptance speech, Romney has the opportunity to convince the skeptics and redefine the election.
Don't Miss Today's Top Stories
Rick, Executive Director for Policy
Concise coverage of everything I wish I had hours to read about."
Chuck, Graduate Student
The day's action in one quick read."
Stacy, Director of Communications
I find them informative and appreciate the daily news updates and enjoy the humor as well."
Richard, VP of Government Affairs
Chock full of usable information on today's issues. "
Michael, Executive Director


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Ian Anderson Tickets
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- Andrew Witte
- Moline, IL
- United States
This conversation is closed.
Direct democracy Vs Representative democracy. A network to connect and empower America with our US politicians and our elected leadership.
I am developing a social network that could change the way America's political agenda is set. I would like to reset the tone of America by giving all Americans a choice in our futures again. One American network for all Americans. I believe America does not get involved with US politics merely because it's complicated and we have all lost trust in our representative democracy. America wants a choice in what's happening to us all, so let's give it to them by creating a Direct Democracy network where the citizen has the power to make change on all levels. In the network the user will be able to view current bills on the floor at the congressional, senate, and presidential level. The user will have the ability to vote on these bills and view the voting results of all Ameritics users as they move to the respective floors of the house or reps and on the president's desk. Ameritics users will be able to connect with other users and with their elected leaders; via the congressional district tab (connecting with citizens in your district), Senate state tab (connecting with citizens in your state), and Presidential tab (connecting with citizens in the United States). I believe more brains are better than one which is why I'm introducing a think tank; an area within the site where users join forces to create and share ideas on how to fix problems in their district, state, and country levels. The user will also have access to daily Q&A's as well as current and trending news, a history of their district and state representatives, and approval ratings based on Ameritics activity. A real-time debt clock can also be found on the network. Ameritics users will be able to integrate their Ameritics activity with their personal social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin. Together we can empower our citizens. Our futures and our children's futures depend on it.
Jul 3 2012: cool.
here is my suggestion: include a budget browser. the user first establishes the amount of total tax he pays in a year. there should be calculators, or simply let him enter as he wants. then show the central budget projected onto his contribution, that is, how much money he personally spent on government programs. the browser should be easy to search and summarize by various aspects. it also should include not yet realized, but proposed optional spendings.
rationale: it is easy to juggle numbers like billion or trillion dollars, nobody has a clue how much is that. but if you explicitly see that you yourself spent USD10,000 on military, or 1000 on war on drugs, you might get upset a bit, and re-evaluate the necessity of such programs.
Jul 9 2012: Krisztián Pintér
That is a great idea to have a budget browser. I do know that the house passed a bill that all tax dollars spent by US government will have to be loaded in to one central location on the internet for all users to see. This will be a great asset to show Americans how their hard earned tax dollars are spent. I very much will incorporate this Idea into Ameritcs. Thanks for your idea and input.
Andrew Witte
Dale Retter
Jul 17 2012: To move past wishful thinking, basic human nature has never changed. The good must continually fight against the bad. The only long lasting systemic changes have been achieved by technology (for example agriculture and medicine) or better social / political / economic systems (such as the rule of law or democracy). Technology is rapidly improving, but with better social practices it is already adequate to make the world a much better place. What the world need now is better social systems that provide a better method of democratic self government. Our present democratic process is inadequate to deal with our present problems. It is overly influenced by money, power and very shallow analysis by uninformed masses of people. It is more like a trial by mob than a public jury trial. Tribunocray is to present democracy what a jury trial is to trial by mob. Tribunocracy is what the world most needs now, see: www.tribunocracy.orgJul 4 2012: Andrew, I like it. Sort of a political arm of TED with a yea or nay counter. How will you ensure one vote per person. I lived in Illinois and remember the old Cook County and Daily machine. LOL
- +1
The people who are involved will remain involved and use this site. My question # 1 is: How will you lite the fires of those who apathy has already claimed. Question #2: Have you talked to any politicians or their chief of staff to find what would make this site a valid sampling instrument that they would use.
I think this would do good on the national scene (Administration, Senator, and Reps) but find it a bit ambitious to do state and county. Also I review the Congressional Record for fact finding and my state politicians have a web site and I review their records often. Will you be linking any of those sites.
My number one concern is how to re-engage those who have lost faith in the system.
All the best. Bob.
Jul 9 2012: Robert,
Thanks for your response; I'm always looking for constructive criticism, question, and concerns to better my Ideas. To answer your first question I believe by giving the average American the choice to vote on the same votes as there Congressman, Senators and then projecting Yea vs. Nays results in an aesthetically pleasing simple graph form in respective Congressional districts and States for the Senate, people will then see that they have a choice instead of giving full rein to those we elect. I believe we need to do more citizens and stop giving so much power to one man or woman. On the other hand the Congressman or Senator should want to see what it is there a district or states are feeling on any given issue that cross their desk. Not everyone can go to town halls but most everyone can log in. You can ask anyone of your officials if they are willing to talk to you what it is they want the most and 99% of the time is your opinion and your vote. If anything I hope for my network to one day put out said "fires" instead of creating more for our elected leaders.
Question 2: I have not been in contact with any of my representatives only because it's nearly impossible for me to get a face to face with any of them due to their time restraints and being too busy. I have been flat out told no from my Senator. Now I am a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and have never bashed nor have I done anything to shame my name but that might also be why they won't see me. I think it lays more along the lines of I didn't donate or give support to their campaigns.... Honestly If my theory of how this is going to play out they will not have a choice but to use Ameritics as a tool, If not then they will only be hurting themselves and will not be taking their constituents seriously. Our individual opinions, concerns, and one man or woman's vote has be pushed by the way side for far too long and should be considered on all votes. One thing that has really pushed me to make thisJul 9 2012: dream a reality is in my studies of our history I found that in the very beginning of our countries history we all had a vote on issues and laws that would shape and mold our lives. Somewhere in lost time all of that went away and now we have this system that only functions purely on election cycles. I believe that America wants a change and wants to be heard on an individual bases but we have no outlets to do this. I know you possibly thinking well that's why we have town halls. Even If one does make it within the time limits and have been given the opportunity to be heard at the town hall the elected official has individual agenda and party agenda to think about when making votes on both Congressional and Senate floors and not majority constituent vote which should be the case seems how that's what they always say the base every decision after. How can they make said decisions if something like Ameritcs doesn't exist? We all have gone way to long without having a say into our futures.
I agree with you that Ameritics would do well on a national base which is my near goal. On the other hand I think in the long scope of things Ameritics would be a great asset to city, and county government. I am a fan of all information that can and will be linked to Ameritcs such as:
Again Robert Thank you for taking time to comment and know that I am taking you questions away to apply them in my plan to help empower our fellow America citizens once again.
Andrew Witte
edward long
Jul 3 2012: Uh oh! Please tell me you have already bought the url "Ameritics".
- +1
You go, Mr. Witte! You have found a need and are making all the sounds of someone who intends to fill that need.
As you solicit public response to your plan NEVER forget that every remark about why it won't work is valuable information which contributes directly to making it work!
Your most formidable challenge is to avoid being labeled (Conservative; Liberal; Religious; etc.).
Do not be afraid to swiftly censor contributors who engage in rude, profane, and/or disrespectful conduct. Failure to do this is the surest way to send critical-thinking, decent, respectful contributors running. All the best!
Jul 9 2012: Edward,
In fact I created Ameritics Inc. bought the Ameritics Urls and Trademarked the name Ameritics. I also hold all the right to the intellectual property. I do believe in where I'm going with this and hopefully I can make a difference within America and give change to our historical data. I hope America sees that their opinions do mean something and change starts with us not Government. I am a fan of contributors that are rude, or disrespectful they give me a good laugh. I am a veteran having served as an Infantryman in Iraq in 05-06 and a combat advisor in Afghanistan in 08-09 I have rather thick skin. If anything it helps me focus on why I am doing what I'm doing. Thank you again for you enthusiasm and words of encouragement.
Andrew Witte
Jul 9 2012: Thank you for risking your life for the people of the free world.
Lejan .
Jul 3 2012: Is this a forerunner towards direct-democracy in the US? Or is this voting feature to be seen more like a trend-o-meter of public approval?
- +1
Jul 9 2012: Jan-Bernd Pauli,
Categorically speaking this would be a notional version of direct-democracy, but the notional could absolutely drop off If America rallies and uses Ameritcs as the point of excess to be involved in government. If my theory on how Ameritcs will work we will see Congress and the Senate, change their tone and use Ameritics as a tool and be that true representative that represents on behalf of their constituents. I believe this is the change that most of America is looking for. America cannot afford to stand by and watch our leaders steal from peter to pay Paul and throw money at issues. We as citizens must be more proactive and less reactive with government. My biggest goal is to walk up to any American and ask what they think of the elected leader. And no longer hear well I think there all crooks or I don't like them... I to be able to trust my leader and know that he or she is taking my individual votes, collective district vote, State collective vote, and vote on thier respective floors purely on a common core of ideals and statistics given by the citizens they lead.
Thank you for your question.
Andrew Witte
Lejan .
Jul 9 2012: Hello Andrew,
- +1
your idea then sounds very promising and I wish you all the best to get your fellow citizens inspired!
Switzerland, which is governed by direct democracy already, has implemented an e-voting systems in some regions of the country, which may be helpful to you to know how that was done and whar the results were.
In case you are interested, you can follow the direct link to a pdf file in which you can find case studies on this Swiss e-voting version:
Three Case Studies from Switzerland: E-Voting
By Jan Gerlach and Urs Gasser
Additional article on CBS on the Swiss e-voting system:
Switzerland Tries Internet Voting
Good Luck!
Brent Wittke
Jul 3 2012: Andrew,
- +1
Do not be discouraged. Posting an idea on a site frequented by critical thinkers will inevitably lead to the total deconstruction of your idea, down to the run on sentence. The fact of the matter is that people don't know what they don't know. You as well: you do not know what it would look like if this site existed, because there is no current frame of reference. If Orville & Wilber would have listened to every one that spoke like Philip here, they most likely would not have taken the risk, and our emergence to the sky would have been delayed.
The future of our democracy is through transparency. A site where elected officials can log-in (if your will) to their constituency, review public opinion on current legislation and act accordingly. Where citizens can have access to reviewing bills, laws, measures, & amendments, that effect them and the world in which they live.
I encourage you to start your ideas with "Why" why it is that you are doing what you do. Then the what and the how come later. Inspiration comes when you move or touch someone, after that the how disappears as it becomes far less important then the why. Look up this TED talk. "Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action", then reframe your idea and see if you achieve a different result.
As far as online security goes, if we as a nation deem that it is important, then by all means it is secure. we trade $40B a day on the NYSE through an online database, 70% of the US population banks online, more shop online, we file taxes online, and if iVote-usa.org is successful, we will vote online during our national elections (You two should get together). Public Key Cryptography, Digital Signatures, and PIN's reduce online database vulnerability to almost NIL. Better then any other systems in existence.
I look forward to your progress. I say "Why not!" - pay no heed to those that say "Why it won't", they are known formally as "Late adopters" and only jump on when the band wagon is nearly full.
Jul 3 2012: Orrville & Wilbur only succeeded because they were better critical thinkers than their starry eyed contemporaries. I empathize with the dream of a more responsive and transparent government but like gravity, there's a hard reality that must be considered. The Internet is global. Not everyone is friendly.
- +2
We need a way of connecting with government that stabilizes the system, that promotes compromise among competing factions, and that places truth above partisan myths.Jul 9 2012: Brent,
Thank you for your guidance and words of encouragement. Simon Sinek TED talk was amazing, that talk and you have really opened my mind to other paths and ways of thinking for my project. It is forward thinkers such as you that give me motivation to continue on development for my project. Thanks again!
Andrew Witte
Jul 3 2012: This concept has a few serious problems with it. First, how are you going to provide assurance to politicians that they're only seeing what their constituents are saying? Closely related to this, how are you going to verify the identity and location of these individuals? Will your system recognize computers that have been co-opted by botnets? How often will you scan for botnets? How will you prevent hostile states and nonstate actors from interfering with this system?
- +1
How will you distinguish factual and false information? Will you determine source reliability? How will you prevent or stop erroneous memes that can or that have gone viral? Will you attempt to make a distinction of different political factions and special interest groups? How will you manage a balance in public discourse between different special interests? What if a small minority trolls or shouts down a larger group? What about a hostile faction among the politician's constituents that troll his/her supporters?
Jul 4 2012: Phillip thank you for your feed back as this project is a challenge due to the ever changing technical advances and the cost for development. I remain very fluid and continue to asses, manipulate such issues and conflicts you mention. I cannot answer all of your questions but the one that sticks out the most for me is, "how are you going to provide assurance to politicians that they're only seeing what their constituents are saying?"
I am in the works of completing a United States citizen smart card that will take your identity and place it on one smart card. Ones licenses number, SSN, passport number, health care benefits and records due to the passing of Obama care, voter registration number, Concealed carry permits, ext. Your life's choices on health care coverage, qualifying tax breaks, Identifying your Spouses and dependents and family lineage, all state and federal government everything will live upon one smart card and can only be accessed by you with a pin number given by yourself. This smart card will be the catalyst between you and a fraud. I believe this to be a very secure way of doing things and cut out all of the other ID cards and permits we all carry. I believe we must consolidate all of our American Licenses, registry numbers, and policies into one carry able smart card. On Ameritics if you are voting on a bill that is about to hit the floor for his or hers congressman you will have to digitally sign your yea or nay thus marking your vote on your smart card verifying that it is in fact you that is voting and this is the way you voted. There is more to come as I don't want to give away all of my secrets and ideas to the future America. Have a great 4th of July, enjoy the Independences day and remember Americas fallen that have sacrificed their lives.
Andrew WitteAug 2 2012: Andrew, you have clearly given this idea a lot of serious thought. Good for you! One question I have when thinking about a more direct representation by the citizenry in the development and passage of laws is in the area of the expertise of the citizens. By this I mean that the creation of good, useful laws requires a good understanding of the issues those laws are intended to apply to. In many cases, the underlying issues and factors that should be taken into consideration in the framing of a law are complicated and not necessarily known to the average citizen.
It is very important to NOT mistake having MORE people weigh in on a particular law as being better than having MORE people make their feelings known who have a FIRM GRASP on the important details and critical factors involved in the law in question.
While we often complain about having lobbyist have undue influence in the crafting our our laws, the fact of the matter is that those are often the very people who have a much better, in depth understanding of the situation the law is intended to apply to. Sure, the lobbyist tend to have a bias but they also serve a very useful purpose of providing information about the situation certain legislation is created for. Maybe you could use this fact and make provisions in your project for lobbyist and other "experts" to provide helpful and educational information to the average citizen who is interested in voicing their opinions on the particular subject.
An informed citizenry will provide a much more effective legal structure than one which has large numbers of poorly educated, albeit concerned members.
Another problem with educating citizens is what we see in electoral campaigns. There is so much fluff and irrelevant information put out and so many people don't know how to filter the garbage from the useful, valid information that poor decisions are invariably made. We need to do something to make sure people who vote are able to make good decisions.Jul 18 2012: Your ideas for social networking related to government management would fit well with and benefit Tribunocarcy (please see: www.tribunocracy.org). Specifically, in addition to helping inform the population, social networks could propose referendum and candidates who might become eligible for consideration by Tribunes. Once a Tribunal Convention was convened participation in social networks might help provide questions and comments that received enough public support to be read before the full tribunal convention.


text:
You should be picky when it comes to buying a smartphone. After all, you two are going to be doing everything together, from capturing hundreds of photos and playing games to social networking, texting and email. Oh yeah, you'll be making phone calls, too. But with multiple operating systems, screen sizes and carriers all screaming for your attention, picking the right device can feel like an endless maze. But it doesn't have to. Use these seven tips to make the right call on your next smartphone.
And then there were three. With BlackBerry struggling, most consumers are now deciding among Android, iOS (iPhone) and Windows Phone. Here's a quick breakdown of the platforms' strengths and weaknesses.
MORE: Best Smartphones
Google's OS isn't the most popular smartphone platform for no reason. Compared to iOS and Windows Phone, there's a much wider array of hardware options from several manufacturers (Samsung, HTC, LG, Motorola, ZTE, etc.) in multiple sizes. Android is also much more open than iOS, which means smartphone makers can more easily innovate on top of Google's software. That's why a Samsung Galaxy S4 or Note 3, for example, can run two apps on the screen at once, and a Moto X can respond to your voice without you having to touch the phone.
With more than 1 million apps, the Google Play store has pretty much everything you need, but Apple's App Store tends to get some hot apps and games first. And while we like that Android is so flexible and customizable, some interfaces can be cluttered and/or difficult to navigate.
MORE: Top 10 Android Phones
iOS 7 represents a fairly major overhaul for Apple, with a cleaner look, improved multitasking and a new Control Center for quickly changing settings. Some aspects of the update are confusing, such as the Notification Center with three separate tabs, but overall, iOS remains the most intuitive smartphone platform. Apple also benefits from having the best selection of high-quality apps and games (though Android is narrowing the gap). Siri has improved, and the new iTunes Radio is definitely a plus.
More: 10 Best iPhone Apps You're Not Using
Windows Phone
Thanks, in large part, to Nokia's well-received Lumia phones, more people are paying attention to Microsoft's OS. The platform boasts a dynamic interface with Live Tiles that display updates, and it's easy to resize and rearrange these tiles to customize the experience. Other benefits include Xbox games, video and music, as well as Office and Outlook integration. The Windows Phone Store recently surpassed 200,000 apps, and the collection now includes Instagram, but Microsoft's platform still has about one-fifth of the apps available for Android and iOS.
MORE: Top 25 Windows Phone Apps
Big-screen phones are growing on shoppers. In fact, phablets (phones with displays 5 inches or larger) now account for about a quarter of all smartphones sold. Nevertheless, the iPhone 5s, which sports a 4-inch screen, is the best-selling smartphone in the U.S. A smaller display allows for a more compact design. But if you want something bigger, you'll want to opt for an Android or Windows Phone handset.
The 5.7-inch Samsung Galaxy Note 3 gives you a lot more real estate for watching movies, playing games and enjoying photos. The trade-off is that the phone isn't easy to operate with one hand. Phones with displays even larger than this, such as the HTC One Max (5.9 inches) and Nokia Lumia 1520 (6 inches) tend to be heavier and can be a tight fit for front pockets. But some are willing to live with the larger size, especially those who don't want to carry a separate tablet.
MORE: The Biggest Smartphones in the World
A phone's processor is the brain of the device, and a fast one will enable you to open apps quickly, play games smoothly and even edit video. Today's state-of-the-art chip for Android and Windows Phones is Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800. (The 805 is coming soon.) This CPU offers swift multitasking and high-powered graphics in devices such as the Galaxy Note 3 and Lumia 1520.
The Snapdragon 600 (inside the HTC One) and S4 Pro (in the Moto X) are also very capable. On cheaper phones, you'll find the Snapdragon 400 CPU, which offers fair performance for everyday tasks but isn't designed for more intensive activities. For example, the Galaxy S4 Mini with this CPU took 7 minutes and 19 seconds to transcode a 1080p video clip, compared to just 5:15 for the Snapdragon 800-powered Galaxy Note 3.
For iOS, Apple's A7 chip inside the iPhone 5s offers 64-bit power and about double the performance and graphics of its A6 CPU (in the iPhone 5c). That's just one reason why you should invest in Apple's higher-end device.
The amount of system memory plays a significant role in how well a smartphone performs. Today's flagship devices offer 2GB to 3GB of RAM, while lower-end to midrange phones get away with 1 GB to 1.5 GB. If you want to load applications from memory faster and switch between them faster, more RAM is better.
The size of the screen definitely matters, but so do the brightness, sharpness, color and viewing angles. Right now, 1080p screens (1920 x 1080 pixels) are the sharpest you'll find on smartphones. However, we've seen some 720p displays (1280 x 720 pixels), such as the one on the Moto X, deliver fantastic image quality. We highly recommend putting the smartphone in your hand to evaluate the viewing angles; if the screen washes out when you tilt the device, think twice about that purchase.
When testing smartphones, we hit every one with a light meter to get a lux rating, so be sure to read our reviews to find out how each handset stacks up. As far as screen technology, AMOLED panels (found on many Samsung phones) tend to produce very rich and saturated colors, while LCDs tend to offer more realistic hues. It really comes down to personal preference.
Storage and Expansion
Given that you'll store everything from photos and music to videos and apps on your smartphone, opt for as much internal memory up front as you can. Although 16GB is fairly standard, we suggest 32GB of storage so you don't run out of room. The 32GB iPhone 5s, for example, costs $299. But you'll also find some cheaper options with that much space, such as the HTC One; it starts at $199 for 32GB.
It's becoming a lot harder to find, but if you like the idea of expandable storage, choose a device that has a microSD card slot, such as the Samsung Galaxy S4, Note 3 and Mega.
Just when you thought the megapixel war was over, there's now a handful of smartphones with 20-MP cameras or higher — and more are certainly on the way. However, the quality of both the sensor and the images is more important. For instance, the iPhone 5s has an 8-MP camera, but its new sensor allows for bigger pixels and, therefore, sharper-looking photos.
Also look for camera features that you'll actually use. The Galaxy S4 and Note 3 both sport a nifty Eraser mode feature that filters out photobombers from your images. The Nokia Lumia 1020 has prosumer-grade manual controls to help you get the best shot in all sorts of conditions. Optical image stabilization, which steadies your shots to reduce blur, is found in the LG G2 and Lumia 1020.
MORE: iPhone 5s vs. Lumia 1020 Camera Shootout
One way to tell how much juice your smartphone will provide on a charge is to take a look at the battery capacity. If you care about endurance, the closer you get to 3,000 mAh (milliamp hours) — or above the better. For example, the LG G2's 3,000-mAh battery lasted a whopping 13 hours and 44 minutes over T-Mobile's network on the LAPTOP Battery Test, which involves continuous Web surfing over 4G LTE on 40 percent brightness. In contrast, the Galaxy S4's 2,600-mAh battery for the same carrier lasted 6:41. The average phone lasts 6:46.
MORE: 10 Smartphones with the Longest Battery Life
Choosing a carrier comes down to a few factors, including coverage, plan pricing and data speeds. Most shoppers opt for one of the Big Four (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile), but there are other perfectly viable options, especially for those on a tighter budget.
Carrier Pricing Compared (with Unlimited Voice and Text)
Verizon Wireless
Among the four major carriers, Verizon offers the broadest 4G LTE coverage, spanning more than 500 markets and 303 million people. That's part of the reason Verizon's service costs more than Sprint's and T-Mobile's; you'll often see an LTE signal in the suburbs. However, we've noticed serious data congestion in major cities, including New York. Verizon will be rolling out an AWS upgrade to increase capacity, but only newer handsets compatible with the technology will be supported. A 2GB Share Everything Plan with unlimited voice and text costs $100 per month, and the 4GB plan costs $110.
MORE: Best Verizon Wireless Phones
AT&T is closing in on Verizon, with more than 270 million people covered and more than 500 markets. Plus, AT&T has offered stronger data performance, both in our testing and according to independent third parties like RootMetrics. The carrier's phone selection tends to be better than Verizon's, offering exclusives such as the Nokia Lumia 1020 and 1520, and the Samsung Galaxy Active. AT&T's data plans tend to be pricier than Sprint's and T-Mobile's. You'll pay $95 per month for 2GB of data and $110 for 4GB.
MORE: Best AT&T Phones
Offering 4G LTE in more than 300 markets, Sprint's claim to fame is the guarantee of unlimited data for life, but that hasn't stopped the carrier from losing customers. However, a new high-speed Spark LTE service, offering speeds of up to 60 Mbps, could provide a boost. Sprint's pricing is lower than AT&T's and Verizon's but higher than T-Mobile's, costing $80 monthly for unlimited voice, text and data.
However, Sprint has also launched a new "Framily" plan that enables subscribers to lower their bill as they add friends and family to their group. A group of seven, for example, would pay $45 per month for unlimited voice, text and data (which includes an annual phone upgrade).
MORE: Best Sprint Phones
T-Mobile is making the biggest waves in wireless, banishing contracts, eliminating overseas data charges and now offering would-be switchers to pay their early-termination fee when they trade in their old phone from another carrier. In our testing, T-Mobile's LTE performance has been stellar, but coverage is still improving. The carrier covers more than 200 million people across 273 markets. Unlimited data and voice costs a very reasonable $70 per month.
MORE: Best T-Mobile Phones
Other Carriers and Unlocked Options
Those looking to save money over the long haul can opt for a smaller carrier, such as MetroPCS, which provides unlimited data for $60 per month. Virgin Mobile costs an even cheaper $55 per month and piggybacks on Sprint's network. Just keep in mind that the up-front costs for smartphones is higher on these smaller carriers because the phones are not subsidized. The iPhone 5s, for instance, costs $494 on Virgin Mobile.
Last but not least, if you want more freedom in selecting your carrier and don't want to deal with a contract, opt for an unlocked phone. A good example is the Google Nexus 5, which Google sells directly for $399. The device supports AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile service.
MORE: Best No-Contract Phones
Take our advice. If you can afford to pay more up front for your smartphone to get the best possible hardware, do it. Over the course of two years, you'll wind up paying much more for the service than the handset anyway. Take Verizon. A $99 iPhone 5c with a slower processor and less advanced camera than the $199 iPhone 5s will wind up costing you $2,499 over 24 months with a 2GB shared data plan, versus $2,599 for the more advanced device.
Carriers are making it easier to upgrade phones every year (or sooner) through such special programs as T-Mobile Jump, AT&T Next, Verizon Edge and Sprint Easy Pay, but they're not necessarily good deals. With AT&T, Sprint and Verizon, you're essentially breaking up the full cost of the handset (including subsidies) into monthly payments. T-Mobile at least saves you $10 per month on unlimited data, but you'll pay $10 per month to be in the Jump program. The good news is that this plan includes handset insurance.
Unsurpassed hardware design for the iPhone? Are you kidding?
Whenever a new iPhone comes out, it is always behind the curve in terms of hardware.
And for iOS, forgot to mention "terrible, productivity-impeding notification system", something that is widely criticized by experts and gadget geeks.
And one of the cons for WP7 was "No multitasking for third-party apps", yet that fact escaped mention in the iOS cons list…
Also, "Lackluster game selection" for Android? What about Tegra Zone and Playstation Suite?!
And this page was last updated February 2, 2011, and the Verizon iPhone is on there, so why are the best devices for Android so old? Why not the Atrix 4G? Or the Nexus S, widely seen by the afore mentioned gadget geeks as one of the best Android phones out there. What about the Incredible S, the Desire HD???
And all of the pros and cons lists include things like "UI not as elegant", "Gorgeous interface", "Easy-to-use interface", says who??!! You can't just throw your own biases into the mix if this is supposed to be a guide to which OS is best for each person individually.
If this needs to be approved by moderators like the last comment I made on this site, I doubt it will go up, but as long as someone reads this, then let me say, please polish up this post, remove your biases and get your facts straight. I know you may not be a smartphone-centric website, but if you're going to post buying guides for the average consumer, make sure you know what you're doing!
While it's true that notifications seem much slower on my iPhone4 than on my old BlackBerry, and the call quality isn't as good either. I must, however, defend the iPhone because it's display is much sharper and more colorful than any other phone available at the time I bought it.
2 rue said gandouz alger algerie
antariya 1 reu 2 hay mohamadi casa blanca maroc
from where can I get it
Thank you
Okay, I'm an old fogie but, when I want to read about the best Smartphone, the very first thing I want to know is, how well does it function as a phone? Good reception? Good audio quality? The next thing would be, how well does it work with WiFi? Can I use Skype for free VoIP calling or something else? How is it with Internet use and display? Bottom line, how well does the phone communicate?
if i need to buy a blackberry curve 9300 without the plan,how much will it cost and how do i make my payment?
Time for an update?
I rather think this page is too far out of date, at 13 months, to be so prominently featured
All of this is spot on and great advice! Ideal screen and body size for me is somewhere around the Samsung Focus S with a 4.3 screen. Good camera and video quality is always a plus. I have the Lumia 900 and a big setback is the lack of apps and customization. If I had another chance I would go with Android, Google is doing some great improvements to its ecosystem. Watch out for GS III from Samsung.
I personally feel that it is the OS and thereby UI which is most important in a smartphone. Personally, my recommendation has always been Android in case of smartphones till now. But I doubt Windows 8 might change the whole smartphone game. Most people like Windows on their PCs and if they are habituated to the Windows 8 OS soon whose metro style is similar to Windows Phone tiles, I won't be surprised if Windows Phone also becomes popular very soon. Android is genuine good and is adopted by every smartphone manufacture be it small or big as it is an open source free OS. Apple is highly restricted with limited choices as they release only one flagship phone in every major release. On the other hand, Windows Phone is more of an underdog as people have associated Windows with desktop OS rather than mobile ones. Windows 8 might change this though as Windows 8 version are quite similar be it on desktops, tablets or smartphones.
Late to the smartphone party, but dumbphone contract is finally up.
Very common possibility: Wife calls and asks me to look something up on the internet or check email while we are talking.
Which smartphones can do this? I heard some can't.
@ H Fied
Any smartphone with WP8 can do that easily. Switch to loudpeaker, tap windows button, open IE / mailbox and there you go. 3 "clicks" only.
And for the article… 4. Know what specs you need.
Go for high specs for Android OS, as it's very resource hungry.
Go for ANY specs (1GB RAM preferably) for WP 8 and the experience will be buttery smooth.
WP8 phones don't need 8 core processors to work well, Android needs them Now think if you need them to eat your battery
I`m due an upgrade in June, but I need a phone that will fit into my jeans front pocket and also allow me to sit down comfortably. Problem is that most of the phones with the features I want are way too big.
This is suppose to be a smartphone guide ? Pleazeee
this is a bad article. no updates whatsoever. And now blackberry is back in league with the q10 and z10. you should add a section, probably, which brand would suit you. And they should not only focus on apple or samsung or other big brands. the other brands come a lot cheaper with better or equal specification.
and moreover, anyone looking to buy smartphone, PLEASE DO NOT BUY A SCREEN SIZE OF MORE THAN 5″. it isn't easy to use. i bought a galaxy note two. frustrated, i was. it wont fit in jeans pocket and let me sit comfortably.
4. Know your specs.
I have several complaints for this section.
Only android phones require users to check for the specs to make sure they have the best experience for the price!
I use WP8 and it's about 99% lagless compared to Android phone with quad core cpu. Octa core cpu for Samsung Galaxy S4 is simply dual quad core processor that switching depending on the load. They don't utilize all 8 cores together to run the apps. The thing that matters is how the user experience on each platform, not about which platform have the most cutting edge cpu since each OS have different level of optimization. Saying the BB10 and WP8 have specs of a generation behind of without justify the user experience is unacceptable.
Hallo,can you help me and guide me I have got smart phone Android 4.0 HD telefoon ThL W7- 5.7 inch IPS HD screen, total width of telefoon is 3 1/2 inch total length is 6 1/2 inch,do you have any flip case/cover for this big size telefoon,I will be highly obeligd,Ajit.
Personally, I haven't owned a smart phone just yet. I think I will head to the mall this coming week to maybe get my toes wet. I've always used a traditional phone but this article, has rather intrigued me to try one out.
What is the initial cost of buying a smartphone for the first time. If you don't get a contract do you still need a plan? How does that work?
I agree that iPhone is the best for an average Joe. However people with specific needs have certain difficulties, for example I listen to vinyl images mostly and they are quite big since recorded using higher sample rates. So far I found only one app Kamerton which can play the images and it is for Android only, bye-bye Windows and IOS. But since images are big I can't use them with phones without memory extensions, so bye-bye all phones coming directly from Google since they all consider you can store everything on Cloud but Cloud is too small and good for MP3 only. So I am limited mostly to some Asian Android phones makers as Samsung or LG. So go figure which is the best for non average Joe.
Time to classify this article under "obsolete".
Windows Phone has now surpassed BlackBerry and is the largest growing OS in Europe. iOS7 is a major failure and Android is becoming the Windows 95.
I'm on my 3rd HTC one x. I'd like a review of the reliability of some of these phones. Asking around everyone seens to have problems
Thank you so much for the info that you put up on this site
it has been so helpful to help me find a phone and a plan.
I'm not a phone person to begin with and my friend said I had a phone from the "ice age" with my flip phone! I said yes I like the ice age price too. But I know I need to update myself and you have helped ! Thanks
I need a phone that works well.I only use my cell no home phone, but do not play games on it my use it for e-mail and Facebook .Would like it to take fairly good pictures.My use it to help me fine a address Please help me choose
Which smartphone should i buy keeping in mind the next 3 years. Iphone 5s or HTC one m8 ?
Amazing! Its truly remarkable piece of writing, I have got much clear idea regarding from this piece of writing.
hi im going to buy a smartphone but im limited to money so im not going to spend so much money the choices im looking at are sony xperia z, google nexus 4, lg optimus g pro, samsung galaxy s4 active or maybe the htc one m7. so please help which one of these is the best choice?
apple fanboy -___- Came here to find a great article, read a decent one. I have nothing against Apple because I admire Steve Jobs a lot, but seriously, this would have been more informative if the author stopped making those small remarks that pushes people towards Apple. You are supposed to help people decide, not push them towards a biased decision. Could have been a great and detailed article, what a waste.
Well this stuffs are really great in considering what smartphones you'd buy, just check the all the specs specially the OS of the smartphone that you want to buy. You can check many kinds of brands in the market now!


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According to the official character profile, she was born in the suburbs of London, England on November 1. Her height is described as five apples and her weight as three apples. She is portrayed as a bright and kind-hearted girl, very close to her twin sister Mimmy. She is good at baking cookies and loves Mama's homemade apple pie. She likes to collect cute things and her favorite subjects in school are English, music and art.
Source: Wikipedia
The Moomins (Swedish: Mumintroll, Finnish: Muumi) are the central characters in a series of books and a comic strips by Swedish-Finn illustrator and writer Tove Jansson, originally published in Swedish. They are a family of white, roundish fairy tale characters with large snouts that make them resemble hippopotamuses. The carefree and adventurous family live in their house in Moominvalley, though in the past their temporary residences have included a lighthouse and a theatre. They have had many adventures along with their various friends.
The Moomin stories concern several eccentric and oddly-shaped characters, some of whom are related to each other. The central family consists of Moominpappa, Moominmamma and Moomintroll.
Other characters, such as Hemulen, Sniff, The Snork maiden, Snufkin and Little My are accepted into or attach themselves to the family group from time to time, generally living separate lives in the surrounding Moominvalley, where the series is set. It is in this fictional valley, that the Moomin family decides to live at the end of The Moomins and the Great Flood.
The Characters are:
Moominpappa: Father of the family, but boyish and adventurous. He likes to be present when something unusual happens. He is philosophical at times and likes writing his memoirs.
Moominmamma: The calm mother, who takes care that Moominhouse is a safe place to be. She wants everyone to be happy, appreciates individuality, but settles things when someone is wronged. She always brings good food as well as whatever else may be necessary on a journey in her handbag.
Moomintroll also referred to as "Moomin" in some of the English translations: The little boy of the family, interested in and excited about everything he sees and finds, always trying to be good, but sometimes getting into trouble while doing so, he is very brave and always finds a way to make his friends happy.
The Hemulens: Creatures that believe in order and like to boss other people around, but find it difficult to listen to anyone and lack a sense of humor. Many hemulens like collecting stuff, and have little time to think about much else.
Sniff: A small creature, who lives in the Moomin house. He likes to take part in everything, but is afraid to do anything dangerous. Sniff appreciates all valuables and makes many plans to get rich, but does not succeed.
Snork Maiden: Moomin's girlfriend. She is happy and energetic, but often suddenly changes her mind on things. She loves nice clothes and jewelry and is a little flirtatious.
The Snork: Snorkmaiden's brother. He is an introvert by nature and is always inventing things. The residents of Moominvalley often ask Snork for help solving tricky problems and building machines. Snorks are like moomintrolls, but change colour according to their mood.
Snufkin: Moomin's best friend. The lonesome philosophical traveller, who likes to play the harmonica and wanders around the world with only a few things, so as not to make his life complicated. He always comes and goes as he pleases, is carefree and has lots of admirers in Moominvalley. He is also shown to be quite fearless and calm in even the most dire situations, which has proven to be a great help to Moomintroll and the others when in danger.
Little My: A mischievous tomboyish little girl, who lives in the Moomin house and has a brave, spunky personality. She likes adventure, but loves catastrophes, and often does mean things on purpose. She finds messiness and untidiness exciting and is very down to earth, when others aren't.
The younger Mymble, also referred to as "the Mymble's daughter": Little My's amiable and helpful big sister, and half-sister of Snufkin. She often has romantic daydreams about the love of her life, particularly policemen.
Too-Ticky: A wise woman, and good friend of the family. She has a boyish look, with a blue hat and a red-striped shirt. She dives straight into action to solve dilemmas in a practical way. Too Ticky is the one of the people in Moominvalley, who does not hibernate, instead spending the winter in the cozy sauna building of the Moominhouse.
Mrs Fillyjonk: A female rodent-like being who believes order and principle are vital to life, and she does not want her three children to learn bad habits. She easily loses her temper and even the slightest misfortune depresses her. She is often seen cleaning the house.
The Hattifatteners Mushroom-like silent creatures, that wander around the world eternally, often in large groups, wanting to reach the horizon. They travel by boat and get attracted by lightning, when they become electric and quite dangerous.
Thingumy and Bob: Inseparable twins, with their own funny language, which a Hemulen deciphers, consisting largely of spoonerisms and similar inversions of words and syllables. Moomin eventually gets the hang of it, while Sniff thinks they are speaking a foreign language. They like to hide in small places, but to others it is not always clear what they are up to. They do not know what is theirs and steal Moominmama's handbag to live in, which they soon return when they realise how much she needs it. The ruby they stole is, however not returned to the groke at all. They swap the ruby for another ruby with the Hobgoblin (Finn Family Moomintroll).
The Groke: A ghost-shaped creature that scares everyone, she says nothing (she growls) and the ground freezes below her. The other characters are afraid of her, but she is just simply very lonely. The Groke is also attracted to fire, but when she sees it and sits on it, the fire will extinguish.
Stinky: A small furry creature that always plays jokes on the family in the house, where he sometimes lives. He likes pinching things, is proud of his reputation as a crook, but always gets found out. He is simple and only thinks of himself.
The Muddler (Moomins): Living in a coffee tin, this anxious collector stores away all the buttons he finds, but his carelessness with the collection makes him lose and forget things. The Fuzzy is the Muddler's wife, whom he met on an adventure with Moominpappa. Sniff is their child, but he lives with the Moomins.
Source: Wikipedia


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Paul Ryan says he'll help Gov. Walker in recall
MILWAUKEE- U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan says Wisconsin's recall election against Republican Gov. Scott Walker is the second most important election in the nation this year.
The rising GOP star from Wisconsin said Monday the June election is a national trendsetting election that's only second behind the presidential election in November.
Democrats and their allies are trying to recall Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, and four GOP state senators, as payback for a Walker-proposed law that stripped most public workers of collective bargaining rights.
Ryan says if Walker loses, it will discourage other governors and state legislatures from having the courage to take on structural budget challenges. He says he will actively campaign for Walker.
Ryan spoke to a friendly crowd of members of the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce.
- Latest


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Ask Chris #147: The Best Robin Ever
Over a lifetime of reading comics, Senior Writer Chris Sims has developed an inexhaustible arsenal of facts and opinions. That's why, each and every week, we turn to you to put his comics culture knowledge to the test as he responds to your reader questions!
Q: Who is or was the best Robin? What is the Best Robin moment in Comic Book History? -- @danceformyhorse
A: Here's a little tidbit that probably won't


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October 9, 1983
Quarterback Dan Marino and wide receiver Mark Duper make their first-ever starts for the Miami Dolphins, with Marino passing for 322 yards and Duper netting seven catches for 202 yards. The offensive explosion produces 971 total yards between the Dolphins and , with winning the Orange Bowl en- counter, 38-35 in overtime.
Who did we lose this shootout to ?


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- Phillip Beaver
- Baton Rouge, LA
- United States
Citizen, Humankind
This conversation is closed.
What are your essential requirements of humankind—what do you need to live in peace with your fellow humans?
Anticipating my eighth decade, I am one in 7 billion; a minnow in an ocean. Yet, I feel humankind includes me and needs me, much like a hand needs its fingers (borrowing from Ralph Waldo Emerson). Neighbors and people in other countries make me feel important; but members of political regimes seem a threat.
Humankind seems preoccupied by diverse nations. Yet, when I meet people in other nations, they seem like me--simply wanting to live in peace as "I" see it. Each "as I see it" does not seem as far apart as our nations influence us to feel.
I wonder if it is because we have no forum to share what we, individual humans, would like to receive from the rest of ourselves: humankind.
Often, when people propose peace or unity, they invite "the truth," faiths, reason, prosperity, conformity, an ideology, and other objects that 7 billion people just cannot address. I invite thoughts about what it takes to live in confidence, despite the un-knowns humankind faces.
I think I need:
Enough rest and sensible food supply
Exercise, talk, reading, and writing
Use of most of my earnings and confidence any taxes are used for humankind, not an elite few
Security to care for myself and loved ones
Opportunities to meet with other humans who want to visit with me.
Perhaps "security" is the broadest of my five concerns. It involves many issues, such as, the rule of written law, lawfulness as common as obeying traffic signals, freedom of thought, ordinary protection of my home and property, medical care according to the risks I choose or take, environmental protection, and work opportunity commensurate with my contributions.
Without attention to your nation's governance, what would you require of humankind? How could you feel confident that you are as independent and significant as a finger on a hand--so essential to humankind?
Revision 1. July 2, 2012, Rev 2 in last paragraph July 8.
Jul 3 2012: It seems to help if you have a formidable defensive capability and not too asymmetric in terms of power
Jul 3 2012: Sounds playful enough; on par with live and let live.Jul 3 2012: Original Question:
What are your essential requirements of humankind--with what provisions would you agree to be civically governed?
Anticipating my eighth decade, I am one in 7 billion; a minnow in an ocean. Yet, I feel humankind includes me and needs me much like a hand needs its fingers (borrowing from Ralph Waldo Emerson). Neighbors and people in other countries make me feel important, but politicians do not.
I see a diverse world. Humankind seems preoccupied by diverse nations. Yet, when I meet people in other nations, they seem like me. It seems to me we all want to live in peace as we see it, and each "as we see it," does not seem as far apart as our nations seem to make us feel.
I wonder if it is because we have no forum to share what we, individual humans, would like to receive from the rest of ourselves: humankind. Humankind's wishes seem censored and warped by our political leaders.
Also, often when people propose peace or unity, they invite the truth, faiths, reason, prosperity, conformity, and other objects that 7 billion people just cannot address. I invite thought about what it takes to live in confidence.
I pared my most heartfelt needs and wants to share, and then to request Tedsters to do the same. My proposals are:
Needed rest and sensible eating
Exercise, talk, reading, and writing
Use of most of my earnings and confidence my taxes are used for humankind, not an elite few
Security to care for myself and loved ones
Opportunities to meet with other humans who want to visit with me.
Perhaps "security" is the broadest of my five concerns. It involves many issues, such as, the rule of written law, lawfulness as common as obeying traffic signals, freedom to contend with the unknowns of existence according to my preferences—no religious involvement in civic governance, ordinary protection of my home and property, medical care according to the risks I choose or take, environmental protection, and work opportunity according to my contributions.Jun 28 2012: Pat and I definitely disagree on the government issue.
I can't imagine any way it could actually be done, but I would like to see some way to assure that each generation leaves the world a bit better off rather than just a bit more stripped of its resources. Just coming up with a measure for this might be interesting. If we make the world better by eradicating smallpox, does that make up for X amount of resources?
Jun 28 2012: I would say that that is exactly what the U.S. and other countries have been trying to do for the last 100yr always looking for that elusive magic top down policy.
But as per my previous post have left the human capital that much poorer.
Jun 29 2012: Pat,
First, I did not intend to start an argument with your philosophy of government. Please separate my two paragraphs as two completely independent ideas.
Then you might understand that when I wrote "some way" I did not mean that it was necessarily a top down approach. The argument I was expecting was that capitalism has already achieved this goal, and indeed capitalism is a very impressive generator of wealth. However, capitalism does not necessarily produce a sustainable economy.
Now that I have given more thought to my original idea, I think the key is to develop a measure. Perhaps the sum of global wealth, plus some number representing the health of the world population, plus the total resources still available. Unlike strictly economic measures, it must reflect the sustainability of progress. If everyone could see a number that reflects our sustainable progress, voluntary actions might be influenced toward increasing sustainability. I am not near smart enough to figure this out by myself.
Jun 29 2012: Barry
I'm not talking about a philosophy, I'm talking about what works. The daily economy consists of 100's of billions of transactions that connects every individual in the world and holds each one accountable to whoever they are trading with. This is irreducibly simple and infinitely complex at the same time. No one individual can even remotely control this at the very best they will introduce unintended consequences.
From an empirical point of view please read Zdenek Smith's comments here:
http://www.ted.com/conversations/12317/what_other_systems_could_socie.htmlJun 28 2012: By "disagree" do you assert that the stronger the government the stronger the individual?
It seems the stronger the government the wealthier the elite and the weaker the individual.
Isn't economic viability a measure of geopolitical success? If so, it seems the world is in economic crisis.
More importantly, what pared-down requirements would you propose in order to agree to be governed by the state?
Jun 29 2012: Phillip,
By "disagree" I meant that in my opinion statements like "the stronger the government the weaker the individual" are unrealistically simplistic; they have little application to a representative form of government where every result is the product of compromise, especially in a country as big as the USA. My ideas about government are not based on any philosophy; I don't claim to know the optimum size of government. My opinions about government issues are based on the actual situation and the realistic options available.Jun 28 2012: I think that the constitution had it right.
I like the concept of thinking of it as a corollary the stronger the government the weaker the individual the stronger the individual the weaker the government.
The irreducible minimum would be a rule of law and a national defense, which would be infinitely smaller than what we have now.
Jun 28 2012: If there are no objections, it seems to me your items include rule of law, national defense, economic viability (comment on another question), and otherwise weak governance. I could agree with your items. Let's see what other humans say.Jun 29 2012: just for the record, i'm positive that this is not irreducible. the irreducible is zero state. and it is quite achievable.
Jun 29 2012: Can you explain further?
Jun 29 2012: basically you ask me to describe rothbard's entire legacy in a comment. he elaborated in many books that the state is not necessary for anything. the free market solves everything better, including law enforcement, security, defense, and so on. of course, free market can not provide "national" defense, since it does not operate on national level. but in fact we don't need national defense, we need any kind of defense that works. whether it is country, city or continent level, we don't care. rothbard claims that the state solution is worse than the free market solution in all cases.Jun 29 2012: Interesting, I read a little about Anarcho-capitalism.
After yesterday and SPOTUS putting one of the final bricks over the doorway of liberty for the individual, could Rothbard's ideas on the rule of law possibly be any worse? Me thinks not.
I like his ideas on banking and that the more the government meddles with the economy the more it has to meddle with the economy.
Jun 29 2012: rothbard has fantastic books on banking and money. alas, i'm not aware of book of him about defense or security, nor private courts or such. pity, the guy should have lived 20 years more.
however, he has some followers, and they explored into the idea. some of them: hans hermann hoppe, walter block, robert murphy.Jun 29 2012: In a nut shell are they saying that in order for an exchange to take place both parties must be in agreement otherwise there would have to be an element (to greater or lesser degree) of force as with government?
Jun 29 2012: exactly. only when mutual consent is present, can we be sure that both parties are benefited. if the government believes that i'm benefited by its actions, offer me the choice, and i will certainly choose it if it is beneficial, won't i? and if offering is not enough, but force is needed, we immediately know that not everyone is benefited.
the simple logic applies not only to economic affairs, but everything, including legal systems.Jun 29 2012: It seems to me that with the legal system is generally after the exchange which is different from economics as that is generally previous to the exchange. Can you explain further?
Jun 29 2012: might be after one exchange, but before another. suppose you agree before the exchange how will you reconcile any difference. but then the other party refuses to follow that protocol. how far this behavior gets him? after a while, nobody will make any business with him.
basically what will happen is private courts and private judges take the place of a state appointed system. and as we know, competition is good, monopoly is not good.Jun 29 2012: That is the way it has gone anyway (indicating choice) as many contracts anymore have a binding arbitration clause because of the inefficiency in the court system.Jul 1 2012: Kristian,
As you may know, I propose TED dialogues to learn, and I am always grateful when you contribute.
I had never heard of Murray Rothbard, but want to read everything he wrote plus opponents' positions, with the goal of becoming an activist for Libertarianism.
I started with EGALITARIANISM AS A REVOLT AGAINST NATURE AND OTHER ESSAYS,
second edition. After three essays. I am moved by this quote of the author:
The basic reason for one's libertarianism should be a passion for justice, for sweeping away as quickly as possible the tyranny, the thievery, the mass murder, and enslavement, which Statism has, for too long, imposed upon mankind. It is only such a concern for justice that can inspire the Libertarian to try to abolish, as quickly as he can (and far from the Marxian sense), the exploitation of man by man.
Murray N. Rothbard, 1974
It seems to me, he advocates both the rule of law and war only in self defense. More than anything else, he asserts that national regimes convince the people that other nations and therefore people in other nations are enemies. Thus, the State convinces the people to go to war for their personal interest, when really it is for the interest of the elite in the regime.
I think Rothbard would encourage us humans to by-pass our national regimes to talk about what we want from each other.
Jul 2 2012: i'm very grateful for your kind words.
exactly, man-to-man relationships are not the most important kind of relationship, but the only one. and it is not even a goal, it is reality. "state" is just a term that describes how people act, and what they do to each other. when we plan to change things, we never want to change the "state". we want to stop people doing evil things and accepting/encouraging other people to do evil things for benefits. very precisely speaking, we don't want to abolish the state. we want to abolish aggression and coercion.


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Bizarro Back Issues: Batman Gives Lonely Men a Good Christmas (1943)
Over the past 70 years, Batman has been involved in a lot of Christmas stories, and with good reason. More than any other character, Batman fits right into the role of Santa Claus: He travels by night, he's dedicated to giving people nicer childhoods than he had, and he has the resources to offer people pretty much whatever they want for Christmas. Admitte


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Your little one is a huge Yanks fan and doesn't even know it yet. Make sure you solidify a lifetime of fanaticism when you put your future All Star in Yankees gear. You'll have the cutest fan at the game with this Team Logo creeper from Majestic! It features a printed team logo on the left chest and contrast color ribbing for an adorable team-spirited look.
- 100% Cotton fabric
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