text:
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House Panel Wants to Ban Chinese OEMs from U.S. Smartphone and Router Markets
Jason Mick
October 8, 2012 11:31 AM
Recipient E-mail
Sender E-mail
Panel suggests Chinese OEMs like ZTE and Huawei could face pressure to steal U.S. financial secrets
Could your router or smartphone be used to spy on you and betray your nation? That's the allegation the U.S. House of Representatives'
Intelligence Committee
made in a
draft report
[PDF] released Monday.
I. Chinese Phonemakers Could be Spying on You For the PLA
In the wake of
an attack on the White House
by Chinese hackers, potentially working for the Chinese government, cybersecurity tensions are high between the U.S. and China. Unsurprisingly, the new report focuses on
the Chinese cybersecurity threat
to American customers and businesses.
The report singles out
two top Chinese equipment manufacturers
-- ZTE Corp. (
) and Huawei Technologies Comp. (
) -- suggesting that U.S. lawmakers take the unusual step of banning the Chinese companies' products from the market.
Congress accuses Chinese phonemakers of blocking its probe into their potential cyberespionage ties, and suggest a ban. [Image Source: U.S. Congress]
Globally, ZTE is the fourth largest maker of mobile phones, while Huawei is sixth. In the routers, switches, and telecommunications market, Huawei is the world's second largest company in revenue, while ZTE ranks fifth. Both companies are looking to expand their sales base in the U.S.
But according to Congress, the companies could face pressure from the Chinese government to include subtle hardware or software constructs to spy on U.S. communications. That could allow the theft of valuable information that could hurt U.S. companies financially or leak sensitive defense secrets.
II. ZTE, Huawei Blast "Baseless" "Political Distractions"
Both companies firmly denied the cyber-spying allegations.
William Plummer, a Washington- based spokesman for the Huawei,
, "Baseless suggestions otherwise or purporting that Huawei is somehow uniquely vulnerable to cyber mischief ignore technical and commercial realities, recklessly threaten American jobs and innovation, do nothing to protect national security, and should be exposed as dangerous political distractions from legitimate public-private initiatives to address what are global and industry-wide cyber challenge."
Chinese cell phone makers promise they're not spying on U.S. citizens.
[Image Source: Chinadangvu]
ZTE released a statement highlighting that it was not owned by China's ruling Communist Party. It writes, "ZTE is committed to provide maximum cybersecurity through transparent, comprehensive, and continuous standards-based assessments of ZTE software, firmware, and hardware."
Chinese government officials were also quick to deny they were applying pressure on their domestic electronics firms to spy on the U.S. Commented Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei, "Chinese telecommunications companies have conducted their international operations based on market-economy principles. Their investments in the U.S. reflect the mutual benefits brought about by U.S.-China trade relations."
III. Huawei, Founded by ex-PLA Officer, is Client of PLA's Cyberwar Unit
But there is some compelling evidence that Huawei may have a close relationship with cyberwar units inside China's "Peoples Liberation Army" (PLA). A source gave a document tying Huawei to an "elite cyber-warfare unit" in the PLA, which the company was contracted to provide "special network services" to. Huawei's founder and chief executive Ren Zhengfei is a former PLA officer.
Ren Zhengfei, founder and CEO of Huawei, is a former PLA officer. [Image Source: CFP]
Previously, U.S. regulators had blocked Huawei/ZTE acquisitions of domestic communications equipment manufacturers on similar grounds. Huawei attempted to acquire 3Com Corp. in 2008 for $2.2B USD, but the deal was blocked on security concerns. Instead, Hewlett-Packard Comp. (HPQ) ended up scooping up the company for $2.7B USD. Likewise the 2011 sale of sale of patents from 3Leaf Systems Inc. was unwound on similar security concerns.
But until now there had been no suggestion to directly ban ZTE or Huawei from the commercial communications market or the consumer electronics market. But that is precisely the unprecedented recommendation the panel -- led by
Rep. Mike Rogers
(R-MI) -- is making.
While the companies strongly deny its claims, the panel complains that both companies failed to cooperate fully with the investigation and tried to dishonestly disguise their relationships with the Chinese government.
U.S. House Intelligence Committee
Reuters [Yahoo! News]
"We're Apple. We don't wear suits. We don't even own suits." -- Apple CEO Steve Jobs
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Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP)
Ask TheHorse
Understanding Equine Genetic Diseases
Research is offering more insight into inherited diseases and conditions in our horses.
Photo by iStock
Life-Threatening Hyperkalemia in Horses
High blood potassium levels cause hyperkalemia. Here's what to watch for and how to treat this dangerous condition.
Photo by iStock
The Equine DNA Roadmap
Find out what the equine genome can tell us about our horses and preventing genetic disease.
Photo by Stephanie L. Church, Editor-in-Chief
How to Feed HYPP Horses
March 06, 2017
What kind of diet should a horse with HYPP consume to help keep clinical signs at bay?... Read More
Life-Threatening Hyperkalemia in Horses
February 18, 2017
High blood potassium levels cause hyperkalemia. Here's what to watch for and how to treat this dangerous condition.... Read More
The Equine DNA Roadmap
May 05, 2015
Find out what the equine genome can tell us about our horses and preventing genetic disease.... Read More
Genetic Disorders: Breed by Breed
February 11, 2015
By knowing what conditions certain horses are predisposed to, owners and breeders can take preventive steps.... Read More
Managing Equine Genetic Disorders with Nutrition
June 06, 2012
Managing diet can help alleviate signs of some equine genetic disorders, such as PSSM and HYPP.... Read More
Exertional Muscle Disorders Topic of 2012 Milne Lecture
June 05, 2012
Stephanie Valberg, DVM, PhD, is the first female to deliver the Milne State-of-the-Art Lecture.... Read More
AQHA Offers Genetic Disease Panel Test
February 06, 2012
The test will screen for five potentially fatal genetic diseases often found in Quarter Horses.... Read More
Genetic Testing Options Expanded for APHA Horses in 2012
January 01, 2012
Testing options include a comprehensive coat color package and a comprehensive disease diagnostic package.... Read More
UC Davis to Partner with APHA for Genetic Testing
July 25, 2011
The APHA has introduced the University of California, Davis, as its official genetic testing provider. ... Read More
What's In Your Horse's DNA?
December 01, 2010
Geneticists have created tools and tests that enhance horse breeders' ability to select for healthy foals.... Read More
High-Protein Diet Okay for HYPP Horse?
November 01, 2010
I've heard high levels of protein would make a horse "hot." Is this true?... Read More
Emerging Neurologic Syndromes Discussed at World Equine Vet Meeting
November 27, 2009
"The more we look for neurologic signs, the more we discover new syndromes," said I.G. Joe Mayhew, BVSc, FRCVS, PhD, Dipl ACVIM, ECVN, head of Equine Massey and professor of Equine Studies at Massey University in New Zealand, at the... Read More
Genetic Diseases in Horses Reviewed for World Equine Vets
October 31, 2009
While genetic diseases exist in a number of horse breeds, many researchers have focused expressly on issues occurring in the Quarter Horse breed. Thanks to their efforts, genetic tests for several disorders specific to this breed are now... Read More
Equine Veterinary Group Releases Statement on Genetic Defects in Horses
August 04, 2009
This is the 2009 Statement on Genetic Defects released by the American Association of Equine Practitioners. It was approved in July 2009.
Congenital Defects
Congenital defects include all... Read More
A Better Way?
July 01, 2008
We've had bad news following bad news lately with the loss of some of the top horses in equestrian... Read More
Managing Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis
August 08, 2007
At the 2006 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, Dr. Sharon Spier spoke about HYPP.... Read More
Diagnostic Approach To Equine Muscle Disorders
July 07, 2007
Stephanie Valberg, DVM, PhD, professor of large animal medicine and director of the University of Minnesota's Equine Center, began the in-depth seminar on muscle disorders by discussing diagnosis of muscle disorders, beginning with a careful... Read More
Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis: 14 Years Later
July 04, 2007
Sharon Spier, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, PhD, associate professor at the University of California, Davis, has pioneered much of the research on HYPP. She presented updated information gleaned over the past 14 years on this disease at the 2006 AAEP... Read More
Muscle Disorders (AAEP 2006)
March 01, 2007
Careful inspection of a horse's muscle mass and symmetry and hands-on palpation educates the examiner about the horse's muscle tone and comfort level. The examiner also evaluates the horse in motion and conducts a full lameness exam.... Read More
Feeding to Prevent and Control Disease
August 01, 2006
Dietary management can work like magic for specific equine diseases.... Read More
Equine Genetic Disease: Who's At Risk?
October 01, 2005
Many DNA sequence variations are fine; they just give rise to the broad spectrum of colors, sizes, and other characteristics we see in the horse population. Some variations, however, cause problems. These might range from a genetic predisposition... Read More
Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis and Colic
September 01, 2004
I have a 4-year-old Quarter Horse gelding who is HYPP N/H positive. This horse is very gassy and tends to colic... Read More
Feeding HYPP Horses
May 01, 2004
Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HYPP) horses need careful dietary management to reduce attacks.... Read More
AQHA Board of Directors Votes on Key Rule Changes at Convention
March 11, 2004
The American Quarter Horse Association Board of Directors voted Tuesday on the recommendations of the AQHA standing committees as approved in the general membership meeting. The following is the final results of the vote regarding hyperkalemic... Read More
The Future of Horses with HYPP
December 30, 2003
Letter to the Editor:
This letter must begin by saying how proud I am of a man whom I have never met. His name is Steve Stevens of Houston, TX, the current president of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA). Mr.... Read More
Related Multimedia & Downloads
Podcasts Audio
What Genetic Disorders are Breed Specific?
Ask TheHorse Audio
Understanding Equine Genetic Diseases
Special Report Download
Genetic Conditions by Body System
Seminars Video
Feeding the Sick Horse
Special Report Download
Body Builders: Muscles
Convention Report Download
Muscle Disorders
Special Report Download
Feeding to Prevent and Control Disease
Find more related content in:
Farm Call: Your Questions Answered
High-Protein Diet Okay for HYPP Horse?
Q. My 13-year-old Quarter Horse is HYPP +/-. He's worked moderately twice a week and is on turnout with access to grass and hay. I've switched his feed, but it contains 14% protein. I've heard high levels of protein make sa horse "hot." Is this true?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
What is 'intelligence'?
Discussion in 'The Science Forum' started by Excognito, Feb 5, 2011.
Welcome to the Army Rumour Service, ARRSE
The UK's largest and busiest UNofficial military website.
The heart of the site is the forum area, including:
- Current Affairs, News and Analysis
- The Int Cell (Gossip)
- The NAAFI Bar (not for the faint hearted)
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- » we have our own encyclopaedia; the ARRSEPedia
- » our reviews section - book and other reviews
- » register a user (and see less advertising)


text:
Winning solves everything.
Gay is a vastly superior all-around player to Bargnani. It's not even close in any realm.
I'm not a believer in "clutch", but I am a believer in the fact that some guys don't want to take that shot and some guys do. Gay does. That matters.


text:
Facebook researchers may be sorry for conducting research on the social media site's user base without author consent, but according to some European agencies, being sorry may not be enough.
A recent Facebook experiment — in which researchers manipulated the content found on user's news feeds — is now under investigation from several European data agencies. The agencies wish to find whether Facebook broke data privacy laws with its January 2012 investigation.
One of those agencies, reports the New York Times, is Ireland's Office of the Data Protection Commissioner. Facebook holds global offices in Dublin, and the company's operations outside of North America mostly fall under the Office's jurisdiction. A regulator within the Office has asked Facebook to turn over details about the study, including whether Facebook attempted to gain consent from its user base.
The Information Commissioner's Office of Britain is also investigating the incident, telling the NYT, "We're aware of this issue, and will be speaking to Facebook, as well as liaising with the Irish data protection authority, to learn more about the circumstances."
Lawyers given OK to review jurors' social media sites: ABA
Dealing with reputational harm: Anonymous postings by employees
Holding company Rembrandt Social Media sues Facebook as Virginia trial begins
These investigations are largely a result of the public outcry against Facebook once the experiment's data collection records came to light. According to statistic provided to InsideCounsel from Kanjoya, an emotional intelligence analytics firm, the predominant emotion of all Tweets discussing Facebook was anger, at 27.7 percent. Among teenagers, meanwhile, the most common emotional expression was "worried," particularly concerning how Facebook is using its information among third parties.
For its part, the company seems prepared for regulator questions. Facebook's director of policy in Europe, Richard Allan, echoed the sentiments of Facebook's researchers, saying in a statement, "We want to do better in the future and are improving our process based on this feedback. The study was done with appropriate protections for people's information, and we are happy to answer any questions regulators may have."
However, based on Google's experience navigating Europe's privacy laws, Facebook may be in for a bumpy ride. Following a European court ruling supporting the "right to be forgotten," Google became flooded with takedown requests from upset European citizens.


text:
In the nation of Bolivia, the locals are sitting on a stockpile of white gold. No, they haven't found a hidden gold deposit, but they have claim over something far more valuable -- lithium.
As battery efforts explode worldwide and the industry braces for electric vehicles, the demand for lithium, the current material primarily used in batteries, is at an all time high. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that lithium is a scarce resource, with deposits only in a few locations worldwide.
Oji Baba, an executive in Mitsubishi's Base Metals Unit, describes, "There are salt lakes in Chile and Argentina, and a promising lithium deposit in Tibet, but the prize is clearly in Bolivia."
Bolivia is becoming a hotbed for a brewing economic resource war. While some expect the Arctic oil resources to become the most hotly contested resource, the race for lithium could get just as nasty or worse. On one side is the increasingly nationalistic government; on another side is a plethora of industrialized nations, and on a third front is Bolivia's indigenous people, who expect to receive a cut of the profits.
With over half the world's known lithium sitting beneath the deserts of Bolivia, many nations are desperately trying to make a deal with the government. The Bolivian government is headed by President Evo Morales, who has criticized the U.S. heavily and promoted nationalization of industries. He has already nationalized the oil and natural gas industries, and as he and other Bolivians realize the true value of their deposits. Many fear he will nationalize the lithium supply as well.
Some of the indigenous people are also demanding a cut. States Francisco Quisbert, the leader of Frutcas, a group of salt gatherers and quinoa farmers on the edge of Salar de Uyuni, "We know that Bolivia can become the Saudi Arabia of lithium."
Japan and France, undeterred by Bolivia's increasing hostility towards the U.S. and other nations, have sent business representatives to the nation to try to negotiate resource deals. Their representatives have traveled to La Paz, the capital of the nation, in hopes of brokering such an arrangement.
Mitsubishi is among the ones strongly pushing for exclusive deals. However, many other companies in France, Japan, and even the U.S. also have shown interest -- among them are GM, Nissan, Ford and BMW, all of whom have electric vehicle projects.
For decades, lithium saw small demand for use in mood-stabilizing drugs and thermonuclear weapons. That demand began to creep up as cell phone makers adopt it as their battery material of choice, thanks to its high energy density per volume and weight, compared to other technologies like nickel metal hydride. And now those same lures -- the low weight per energy density -- have lured in its biggest customer yet, the auto industry.
The amount of lithium needed to make the massive battery packs in millions of planned electric vehicles will be unprecedented. And the resource's scarcity is not only increased by its limited geographic distribution, but its difficulty to be harvested. To extract lithium, miners must pump brine -- water saturated with salt -- deep into the desert's ground. The water then is evaporated, leaving behind salt deposits, which contain lithium.
The U.S. Geological Survey pegs Bolivia's deposits at 5.4 million extractable tons. The U.S. has 410,000 tons, while China has 1.1 million and Chile has 3 million.
Juan Carlos Zuleta, an economist in La Paz urges his government to cut a profitable deal with the foreigners. He states, "We have the most magnificent lithium reserves on the planet, but if we don't step into the race now, we will lose this chance. The market will find other solutions."


text:
Apple iPad Archive
Choosing the Right Mobile Device!
October 12, 2011
With so much choice on offer when it comes to buying a new gadget it can be tricky deciding on the right one to meet your requirements. The laptop has long been the ideal computing choice if you have a wide variety of chores in mind, thanks to the recent spate of laptop deals, the


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Despite offseason losses, Cardinals remain resilient
By Mike Bauman / MLB.com
JUPITER, Fla. -- The St. Louis Cardinals came within one victory of reaching the 2012 World Series. If they need to improve, they don't require great leaps and bounds of improvement.
They could do with upward movement from their 88-victory regular season, which left them nine games behind the Cincinnati Reds in the National League Central. But that St. Louis team went through a debilitating series of injuries. Given the circumstances, just qualifying for the postseason, not to mention advancing, was a substantial achievement.
Can the Cardinals be better in 2013? They can obviously be healthier, but that's easily said. Mike Matheny, who quieted many doubters with an exceptional job in his rookie managerial season, has no doubts on this score. He starts with improvement by the bullpen.
"The obvious area would be our bullpen in general," Matheny said Thursday. "[Last year] there were a lot more questions going in. We had a guy in [Jason] Motte who'd never even really been labeled as the closer. We didn't have a setup guy and we didn't know how to get to the last two innings.
"Now, I think those guys have really shown themselves what they can do in those situations. Bringing in [Edward] Mujica was something that really helped us take off, as far as our pitching goes."
St. Louis eventually found strength in what had been an uncertainty, with Mujica and Mitchell Boggs setting up for Motte. The bullpen could be further fortified this season if it is joined by one of the hard-throwing young pitchers who is left out in the selection of the Cards' fifth starter.
This is another obvious strongpoint. The Cardinals have turned out a steady supply of Major League-ready talent. In this case, there are three hard-throwing pitchers making major impressions; Shelby Miller, at the top of the pitching prospect list, Trevor Rosenthal, whose velocity hits triple digits, and who already was a major contributor in 2012, and Michael Wacha, a first-round pick in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft, who has quickly made his presence felt.
But much broader improvement is on Matheny's mind.
"I think we can be better all the way across," the manager said. "That's kind of been our motto. Are we complacent with some of the things that we've done? Or do we think there's more in here?
"And these guys are very quick to believe that we've got a very strong group and it just depends on how well we come together. There's opportunities for people to take advantage of, obviously in the rotation and second base, and depending what happens at shortstop. We've got opportunities and some question marks, but those are just opportunities for guys to come in and compete and show what they can do."
One of the traits that has characterized the successful Cards teams is their resilience, which is a function of character.
The Cardinals don't have any problems coming back from the doorstep of defeat. This showed last season in their ability to withstand injuries, and it also played a role in classic victories. Game 6 of the 2011 World Series, when they were twice down to their last strike, was a brilliant example that made a championship possible. Game 5 of the 2012 NL Division Series against Washington, St. Louis not only rallied from a 6-0 deficit, but staged a four-run ninth-inning rally to come from behind at the last instant again.
So there's been no shortage of intangible strength on this club. But some of the players who could have fairly been termed as leaders on this team have departed. Chris Carpenter, perhaps the most vocal leader on this club, was supposed to return, but his right shoulder wouldn't cooperate. Carpenter has refused to consider himself retired, but the Cards obviously can't count on his return.
Other players with recognized leadership qualities who have left are Lance Berkman, Kyle Lohse and Skip Schumaker. When Matheny is asked how his club will compensate for this loss of leadership, he doesn't duck the issue.
"That's been our focus," he said. "A lot of concentration, a lot of talk around here has been about that, about being intentional about trying to do that. Without that, we're setting ourselves up for failure.
"It will be the guys who were leading before who will continue to do what they did. Skip Schumaker, tremendous leader in the clubhouse; Lance Berkman, tremendous leader in the clubhouse; the guy who pitched the first game of the season for us last year, and the first game of the postseason, Kyle Lohse, isn't here.
"So there's a lot of slack. We've been very conscious about that, and we've all been in conversation about it. And I've been very impressed to see some of these guys step up already and have taken more of that role.
"We keep using that term 'leadership' a lot, because it just has to happen. It has to happen out on the field and it has to happen in the clubhouse."
The Cardinals are rarely caught short in any area. They won't be a rudderless ship this summer, either. Their issues are solvable. Their talent is imposing. This is a good situation with a very real possibility of even better days ahead.
Mike Bauman is a national columnist for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Kid-Friendly Science Museums We Love
52 comments
On summer holidays, parents often find themselves groping for the perfect spot to take the kids -- some venue where kids can not only have fun but might learn something. Ideally, the slightly selfish chaperon wants a museum where kids can entertain themselves with as little adult supervision as possible.
This was the original premise for the following slideshow, highlighting the best kid-friendly science museums we've been to.
But our coverage isn't limited to so-called children's museums. As we explored the topic (we asked our editors to recommend favorites in their neighborhoods), we've concluded that kid-friendly museums are often equally engaging to us adults. So, the list has gone more eclectic.
We've included various museums, ranging from such huge institutions as the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, to the MIT Museum (which our editor-in-chief calls "Art-for-Geeks") and small gems like one of the EE Times editors' hometown Madison Children's Museum.
While often the same exhibit can be enjoyed on multiple levels by audiences of different ages, we should note there are museums more appropriate for kids under 10, while others are geared more toward teenagers.
The following pages, never meant to be a comprehensive museum guide, consist of photo essays from each of us -- illustrating what we liked about the places and why we recommend them.
Because we look forward to building a longer and better list, we'd love to see you chime in at the comment section below to share your own personal favorites for kid-friendly science/tech museums.


text:
At this
year's E3 Expo in June, Sony announced the PlayStation
3D Display, which is a new LED HDTV with 3D capabilities designed for PS3
gamers. Now, Sony has released the details of a new bundle available to those
who preorder the 3D Display.
Those who pre-order will receive a 24-inch PlayStation 3D Display, one pair of Universal PlayStation 3D glasses, an HDMI
cable, "MotorStorm Apocalypse" on Blu-ray and a copy of
"Resistance 3" on Blu-ray as well.
The price tag for this bundle is $499.99, and customers must place their
order by September 30, 2011.
"With the 3D Display pre-order offer and so many amazing titles
coming to PS3 in 3D this holiday, like "Uncharted 3: Drake's
Deception," "Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One," "The ICO
& Shadow of the Colossus Collection," and more, now is the time to
jump into 3D gaming," said Kim Nguyen, marketing manager for PlayStation
The PlayStation 3D Display features a 24-inch LED 3D display with full HD 1080p resolution
and 240hz refresh rate. It is specialized for gaming with SimulView technology,
which allows for a stereoscopic multiplayer display. There are 3 HD inputs (2
HDMI and 1 component) for your PS3, cable TV box and PC, and it offers built-in
speakers as well as a subwoofer.
The PlayStation 3D Display is due for release in November.


text:
Wow, can't believe Michael Clarke-Duncan died.
Loved him in the Green Mile and Talladega Nights.
I saw him on Craig Ferguson during his "Scotland" trip and a few times in studio. He seemed as nice as the character he is best known for.
Such a shame, he had a heart attack two months ago and just never recovered fully until it was his ultimate demise.


text:
CMC FLEX Claims Hawaii Conversion
The $33 million West Oahu Community Federal Credit Union in Waianae, Hawaii, has converted to the FLEX core processing system, according to its owner, Computer Marketing Corp. in Sandy, Utah.
The 5,400-member Hawaiian credit union cited the system's virtual server technology and integration with Check 21 and mobile banking solutions in its decision.
"Converting to new technology is not something a credit union does often. When it was apparent that we were in need of a core conversion for the future we found FLEX to offer the most innovative and simplified solution for our staff and members," said John Furtado, West Oahu Community's president/CEO of West Oahu Community.
"Our core system is built around offering a one-stop solution for credit unions of all sizes. Because of this, each credit union on FLEX is offered personalized service to meet their unique system needs," said Sean Holcomb, senior vice president of FLEX.
CMC said FLEX now has systems in place at nearly 300 credit unions across the United States and in the Eastern Caribbean.
West Oahu Community FCU had been operating on a Fiserv XP2 platform, according to the Technology Survey from Callahan & Associates.


text:
At least three Cortez youth were in for a runny surprise Saturday at City Park where the Cortez Rotary Club, as it does every year, organized a mass Easter egg hunt for children of all ages.
Kathy Ronquillo brought her three grandchildren to the event. They made a bounteous haul, gathering 57 pastel-colored eggs between them, in addition to six of the plastic variety.
But after returning home, things soon got messy. Sixteen of the 57 eggs were completely uncooked.
"Totally raw," Ronquillo said. "We tried to peel (one of the eggs), and it busted open like we'd just taken any old egg from the fridge to fry it in a pan!"
She saw it as no laughing matter, but instead a safety hazard.
"I was concerned because you can get salmonella. The kids don't know any better. They might eat it, or get the yolk all over them," she said. "This is nothing to mess around with."
Ronquillo estimated there were about 200 children present and wondered if others had experienced the same shock.
Jennifer Gleason was also at the hunt on Saturday. Her son didn't discover any uncooked eggs, although he had only taken three.
"He went for more of the plastic kind," she said.
Bob Bragg, a Rotary Club member, said that 3,000 real eggs and 1,000 plastic were placed around the park. They were all colored by residents and staff of local nursing homes but were cooked by the food service at Southwest Memorial Hospital. Bragg said the hospital had taken responsibility for the cooking part in previous years because it has the facilities to boil large batches at once.
"With something as big as this, you can hardly do a dozen at a time," he said.
Apparently a few dozen got lost in the shuffle, or snuck in some other way.


text:
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text:
This study is provided by Resource Center for Minority Data (RCMD).
National Asian American Survey, 2008 (ICPSR 31481)
Principal Investigator(s): Ramakrishnan, Karthick, University of California-Riverside; Junn, Jane, University of Southern California; Lee, Taeku, University of California-Berkeley; Wong, Janelle, University of Southern California
The 2008 National Asian American Survey (NAAS) contains 5,159 completed telephone interviews of self-identified Asian/Asian American residents of the United States. Interviewing began on August 12, 2008, and ended on October 29, 2008. The survey instrument included questions about political behavior and attitudes as well as personal experiences in immigration to the United States. Topics include attitudes toward government, politics and political issues, extent of political involvement, party affiliation, sources of political information, voting behavior, health and financial status, racial and ethnic identification, linked fate and discrimination, and religious and ethnic social networks. The overall length of the interview was approximately 29 minutes. The NAAS includes adults in the United States who identify any family background from countries in Asia, exclusive of countries classified as the Middle East. Survey interviews were conducted in eight languages (English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Japanese, and Hindi) -- chosen according to the interviewee's preference -- and yielded sample sizes of at least 500 adult Asian American residents in the six largest national-origin groups. The final breakdown was 1,350 Chinese, 1,150 Asian Indian, 719 Vietnamese, 614 Korean, 603 Filipino, and 541 Japanese origin respondents, with 182 additional respondents who are either from other countries in Asia, or who identify as multi-racial or multi-ethnic. Overall, 40 percent of the sample chose English as their preferred language for the interview. The sample is weighted, using a raking procedure, to reflect the balance of gender, nativity, citizenship status, and educational attainment of the six largest national-origin groups in the United States, as well as the proportion of these national-origin groups within each state. Demographic information includes age, race, language, gender, country of birth, religion, marital status, educational level, employment status, citizenship status, household income, and size of household.
Access Notes
Data in this collection are available only to users at ICPSR member institutions. Please log in so we can determine if you are with a member institution and have access to these data files.
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Study Description
Ramakrishnan, Karthick, Jane Junn, Taeku Lee, and Janelle Wong. National Asian American Survey, 2008. ICPSR31481-v2. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2012-07-19. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR31481.v2
Persistent URL: https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR31481.v2
Export Citation:
- RIS (generic format for RefWorks, EndNote, etc.)
- EndNote XML (EndNote X4.0.1 or higher)
This study was funded by:
- James Irvine Foundation
- Rutgers University. Eagleton Institute of Politics
- Carnegie Corporation
- Russell Sage Foundation
Scope of Study
Subject Terms: Asian Americans, citizenship, electoral issues, ethnic identity, immigrants, immigration, language, political attitudes, political behavior, political ideologies, political parties, presidential elections, race, racial discrimination, voter expectations, voting behavior
Smallest Geographic Unit: county
Geographic Coverage: United States
- 2008-08--2008-10
- 2008-08-12--2008-10-29
Unit of Observation: individual
Universe: The universe of analysis contains 5,159 completed telephone interviews of self-identified Asian/Asian American residents of the United States. This is approximately 88 percent of the United States Asian/Asian American adult population. The final breakdown was 1,350 Chinese, 1,150 Asian Indian, 719 Vietnamese, 614 Korean, 603 Filipino, and 541 Japanese origin respondents, with 182 additional respondents who are either from other countries in Asia, or who identify as multi-racial or multi-ethnic.
To help protect confidentiality of subjects, any county or state where the relevant national origin group has fewer than 5,000 residents is labeled as "PROTECTED". In addition, any county or state is labeled as "PROTECTED" where the respondent's ethnicity is NOT Asian Indian, Bangladeshi, Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Pakistani, Taiwanese, Vietnamese.
Additional information can be found on the NAAS Web site.
Study Purpose: The 2008 National Asian American Survey was conducted in order to study and predict the role Asian Americans play in political elections, particularly the 2008 presidential election.
Sample: Several strategies of sampling were used to collect the data. The largest number of cases were completed interviews drawn from a random selection of respondents in a listed sample of high-probability Asian Americans. This listed sample was drawn from a commercial database of voter registration and marketing, with ethnic propensity classifications based on ethnic names, surnames, and geographic density. Two additional strategies of RDD were used to select respondents, the first from a set of telephone numbers generated to maximize the probability of Filipino Americans, and a second set of telephone numbers generated for the population in general. The general population RDD yielded a very small number of completed interviews relative to contacts made by interviewers (8 out of 1,028 attempts) primarily as a result of the low incidence of the Asian American population in the United States. The sampling design was stratified to collect a disproportionately high number of respondents from "new immigrant destinations" as defined by Audrey Singer of the Brookings Institution. In their raw format, 22 percent of the cases were selected from counties in new destinations while the remaining 78 percent were representative of the United States population. Cases were weighted to account for this stratified sampling design. Additional details about sampling and weighting can be found in the book "Asian American Political Participation: Emerging Constituents and their Political Identities" (Wong, Ramakrishnan, Lee, and Junn. 2011, Publisher: Russell Sage Foundation).
Weight: Post-stratification weights (NWEIGHTNATYRS) were created using a raking procedure to reflect the balance of gender, nativity, citizenship status, and educational attainment of the six largest national-origin groups in the United States, as well as the proportion of these national-origin groups within each state. More details about the weighting procedure can be found in the book "Asian American Political Participation: Emerging Constituents and their Political Identities" (Wong, Ramakrishnan, Lee, and Junn. 2011, Publisher: Russell Sage Foundation).
Mode of Data Collection: computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI)
Response Rates: Forty-seven percent of respondents agreed to take the survey, resulting in a 12 percent rate of all valid numbers dialed.
Extent of Processing: ICPSR data undergo a confidentiality review and are altered when necessary to limit the risk of disclosure. ICPSR also routinely creates ready-to-go data files along with setups in the major statistical software formats as well as standard codebooks to accompany the data. In addition to these procedures, ICPSR performed the following processing steps for this data collection:
- Created variable labels and/or value labels.
- Created online analysis version with question text.
- Checked for undocumented or out-of-range codes.
Original ICPSR Release: 2011-08-12
- 2012-07-19 (1) The SAMPLE field has been updated to show a more complete description of the sampling frame used in the study. (2) Updated data and ICPSR generated codebook reflects corrections to some of the geographic coding errors in five variables of the previous dataset. In addition the data now contains a more appropriate re-estimation of weights. Changes in the relevant variables are noted below: countyname: 13 changes out of 5159 cases state: 72 changes out of 5159 cases newasiandest: 23 out of 5159 cases newdest6: 334 out of 5159 cases newdest2: 156 out of 5159 cases nweightnatyrs: 4556 changes out of 5159 cases
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text:
So, here we go again: The Champions League are back after the stunning, heroic; and somewhat miraculous win of Chelsea last season. The Blues are going to try defend their trophy with other top European sides vying for it.
Meanwhile, you can leave out your thoughts on the draw and the Champions League in general. Fantasy predictions are allowed. And like always, I'm gonna leave my thoughts on the teams and the groups stage.
The teams are divided into 4 pots that's been determined by the coefficient points of UEFA. Chelsea; being the holder is automatically into Pot No.1. Here are the 32 clubs that are going to be in this year's CL.
Pot 1
Pot 2
Pot 3
Pot 4
Escorp's personal thoughts:
- Pot 1: No big surprises there. Though I wonder how will the prestigious Milan will perform after being weakened this season. EPL Clubs will be back with a vengeance while Madrid and Barca will remain top-favorites to dethrone Chelsea. I don't know how Bayern will fare after last year's disappointment though.
- Pot 2: Manchester City will remain one of the top dangers that biggies will want to evade. Otherwise, most of the remaining teams are accustomed to CL and are potential dangers.
- Pot 3: Is it me or it is weird to see only two Italian teams in a Champions League edition? Anyways, Juventus is biled as the top Italian club and are reigning Serie A champions. So, rightfully, they are a team that no top guns will want to crossroads with at an early stage. To be noted are the Frenchies - ParisSG with its glitz of stars that they recruited and Lille who barely passed through play-offs after losing their star, Hazard. Ajax, with its history, is always a menace.
- Pot 4: I find it saddening that Dortmund is still in last pot and somewhat, it feels insulting especially when you noticed how Dortmund completely dominated Bayern in Bundesliga in last two years. Anyhow, I personally wouldn't be happy for the teams who'll face-off the Yellow Wagon. Montpellier, Nordsjælland & Málaga are debuting in the CL, so I'll wish them good luck.
The biggest group of death possible will be a Madrid/Barca - Man.City - Juventus - Dortmund. Somewhat, it's so tempting Many new transfer signings like Hazard, Kagawa, Ibra, T.Silva ect... could also face with their old clubs.
And yeah, there's also the 2011/12 UEFA Best Player in Europe prize to be awarded. The Top 3 Nominees are Iniesta, Messi and Ronaldo. You can check stats and achievements of these 3 in the link. To be noted is that this award has been tilted upside-down since it's a combination of both Best Player during the last CL and this year's Euro 2012 (both UEFA competitions). In that sense, Euro's Best Player - Iniesta - is nominated among the last 3. And somehow, the Chelsea heroes - Drogba and Cech - didn't make it to the Top 3 due to Euro's influence. On the hand, Messi's sensational stats in the CL also kept Euro 2012's other heroes out - notably Pirlo and Casillas. Oh well, that's life. Personally, I'd hand the award to Iniesta, with CR7 as first runner-up.
Winner of the 2011/12 UEFA Best Player in Europe: Andres Iniesta (Barcelona | Spain)
EDIT: It has started. It's revealed that the voting of the Best Player will be done live by a panel that's present there in Monaco. Somewhat I don't like this decision. Side note: This dress on Irina Shayk is f*cking hot. Oh just noticed, Iniesta's newly-wedded wife. She looks good too. Lol, Ronaldo is reminding us of his penalties jinxes in last CL and Euro
Group A
1. FC Porto
2. FC Dynamo Kyiv
3. Paris Saint-Germain FC
4. GNK Dinamo Zagreb
Group B
1. Arsenal FC
2. FC Shalke 04
3. Olympiacos FC
4. Montpellier HSC
Group C
1. AC Milan
2. FC Zenit St. Petersburg
3. RSC Anderlecht
4. Málaga FC
Group D - Group of Death
1. Real Madrid FC
2. Manchester City FC
3. AFC Ajax
4. Borussia Dortmund
Group E
1. Chelsea FC
2. Shakhtar Donetsk
3. Juventus FC
4. Nordsjælland FC
Group F
1. Bayern Munich
2. Valencia CF
3. LOSC Lille
4. FC Bate Borisov
Group G
1. FC Barcelona
2. SL Benfica
3. FC Spartak Moskva
4. Celtic FC
Group H
1. Manchester United FC
2. Braga SC
3. Galatasaray A.S.
4. CFR Cluj
For Europa League draws, click here!


text: Simple Pastimes will be closed Mar. 23 - Mar. 31 Give us a week and we'll give you more puzzles! Simple Pastimes is moving to a larger warehouse! Our new warehouse will allow us to carry an even wider selection of great puzzles than we do now. Unfortunately, we need a little downtime to make sure everything is perfect for our grand re-opening on April 1st. If you have an inquiry about an existing order please contact us at email@example.com


text:
Restless leg syndrome is a neurological disorder that causes uncomfortable sensations in the legs. The problem is more likely to occur during sleep which is troubling for many restless leg sufferers. Mild cases are treated with self-care and lifestyle changes. Severe cases are often treated with medication.
Researchers from the School of Pharmacy at the University of Connecticut set out to find answers about the benefits and risks of a type of medication called non-ergot dopamine agents (NEDAs). Through a review of several past studies the team determined that NEDAs appeared successful in treating restless leg symptoms, but the side effects led many to discontinue their treatment.
About the Study
A review was done examining 14 previous randomized, controlled trials on the use of NEDAs for restless leg syndrome. All the studied trials involved the comparison of the drug to a placebo. The study collected information on four different medications in the NEDAs group: ropinirole , pramipexole , rotigotine , and sumanirole.
When results from all the studies were combined, NEDAs were associated with higher benefits in relief of restless leg symptoms compared to placebo. More patients in the drug group compared to the placebo group stopped taking the drug because of side effect such as nausea, dizziness, somnolence, and fatigue.
How Does This Affect You?
This study did confirm the benefits of NEDAs but highlighted some of the side effects. If you have or suspect you have restless leg syndrome talk to your doctor about treatment options including non-pharmaceutical options.
- Reviewer: Larissa J. Lucas, MD
- Review Date: 09/2008 -
- Update Date: 08/28/2008 -


text:
Bedroom Window Treatments & Bedroom Blinds
- Privacy and light control are key
- Blackout shades offer complete darkness
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- Quality and style for the room you inhabit often
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- Sheer Shades
- Remote Control / Motorized
- Horizontal
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- White / Off-White
- Yellow / Cream
- Dining Room
- Living Room
- Fabric
- Hard-to-Reach
- Child Safe
customer reviews for bedroom
"Replacement Blind"
By PJ from Asheville, NC
Replacement for blind installed originally by interior decorator. Easy to order/fit correctly. The folks at Blindsgalore made it a snap and very affordable.View this product


text:
Coast Plaza Hotel & Conference Centre
- 360° Views
- Call
- Directions
The Coast Plaza Hotel and Conference Centre a full service hotel located in North east Calgary perfectly situated just 15 minutes from both the Calgary International Airport and the city centre. Complimentary airport shuttle and ample free parking is available to our guests during their stay. This 248 room hotel features a heated indoor swimming pool and hot tub, sauna, fitness room, gift shop, Horizons Bistro featuring contemporary casual cuisine, Barrington's Lounge and Jimmy's NightClub. All guest rooms and suites feature opening windows and individual climate controls, in-room movie service, and complimentary amenities include: high speed internet access, local and 1-800 access telephone calls, morning newspaper, coffee maker supplied with coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. The Coast Plaza Hotel offers easy access to multiple major arteries, including Trans Canada Hwy, QE2, and is within walking distance of major shopping centres, Light Rail Transit station, Theatres and Restaurants. The Hotel also is within quick and easy access to The Calgary Zoo, Stampede Park, Multiple Golf Courses, and Casinos.
The Coast Plaza Hotel and Conference Centre is an ideal location to see all that Calgary has to offer. A warm hearted city located in southern Alberta with a picturesque city skyline that is complimented by the Rocky Mountains.The Coast Plaza Hotel and Conference Centre is an upscale, full service hotel ideally located only minutes from downtown Calgary and conveniently close to the Calgary International Airport.
Two Queens Comfort RoomView Image
All guest rooms and suites have been recently renovated to reflect warm, rich colors and fabrics and are a minimum of 350 square feet.
- 2 Queen Bed
- Air Conditioning
- Alarm clock
- Bed Lamp
- Cable TV
- Coffee Maker
- Daily Housekeeping
- Desk
- Free Local Calls
- Full Private Bath
- Hairdryer
- Internet Access
- Iron/Ironing Board
- Multi-Storey Property with Elevator
- Non-Smoking
- Refrigerator
- Room Service
- Voicemail
- Wake-up calls
- 100% Non-smoking
- 3 1/2 Canadian Star Quality Rating
- 3 Green Key Eco-Rating
- Air conditioning
- Airport transportation
- Cable TV
- Coach parking
- CTrain accessible
- Debit Card/Interac
- Disability accessible rooms
- Eco-friendly
- Elevators
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- Extended stay parking
- Family friendly
- Fitness area
- Free parking
- Group tour policy
- Indoor pool
- In-room movies
- Internet - High Speed - Meeting Facilities
- Internet - High Speed - Rooms
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- Internet - Wireless - Rooms
- Laundry
- Licensed dining
- Licensed dining - Corkage Fee
- Lounge
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- Net rates/commissionable
- Pet friendly
- Recycle
- Restaurant
- Roll-in shower access
- Room service
- Sauna
- Spa - partial services
- Visa
- Wake-up service
- Water conservation
- Wheelchair access
- Whirlpool
Horizons Bistro Enjoy continental cuisine and experience premium dining in Horizons Bistro, conveniently close to the Calgary airport. Horizons features an inventive menu, daily breakfast and lunch buffets and warm and friendly staff.Open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; and Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.. Enjoy our famous Sunday Brunch at Horizons Bistro every Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Brunch features favourites such as eggs benedict, fresh fruit flamb


text: So let's say this year goes as expected. Some development...many lost games. Fast forward one year with some assumptions. Big V is our centre with a veteran back up. AB or Ed is our PF (call those the 4 bigs). JJ can be a backup 3. Demar establishes himself as a legitimate 2. Bayless is more of a backup PG. Calderon is amnestied so we have 15-20 million to spend. We have a top five pick. We aren't getting the chris pauls or dwight howards of the world and it sounds like plenty of "desirable destinations" are gearing to have plenty of cap space as well. So.....in your crystal ball, who do we draft and who do we sign?


text:
Gas prices in the United States have been taking a decidedly
downward turn in the past month (down 20 cents in three weeks from a
national average of $3.97 per gallon to the current $3.78 per gallon). However,
gas prices are still much higher than a year ago when the national average was
$2.74 per gallon according to GasBuddy.
There are some that are calling for lower oil prices to help
ease prices for consumers, and those calls are coming from an unlikely source.
Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, whose country is one of the founding members
of OPEC, wants to see oil
prices drop dramatically. In fact, Talal wants to see prices fall down to
roughly $70 to $80 per barrel (current prices are hovering around $100 per barrel).
Talal's reasoning for wanting lower prices comes from an
increasing interest from countries like the United States and global auto
manufacturers to develop vehicles that don't require gasoline or diesel fuel to
"We don't want the West to go and find
alternatives," said Talal in an interview
with CNN's Fareed Zakaria.
"Because, clearly, the higher the price of oil goes, the more they have
incentives to go and find alternatives."
President Obama is pushing for federal agencies to ditch
large, fuel hungry vehicles like Suburbans and Tahoes for more
fuel-efficient compact and subcompact cars wherever possible. The U.S.
government fleet is also taking baby steps with purchases of the all-electric Nissan
Leaf and the partial electric vehicles like the Chevrolet
And for the full-size SUVs that are still needed in the
government fleet, the Obama Administration wants increased use of E85
fuel that would further lessen our dependence on foreign oil sources to
sustain our transportation needs.
The overarching goal, however, is for automakers to develop
vehicles that can travel much further on a gallon of gasoline, boosting
CAFE averages to 35.5 mpg by 2016. This move will come by manufacturers
producing more vehicles that achieve
40 mpg or higher, and by stepping up the efforts with electric vehicles
like the Ford
Focus Electric and the Tesla
Model S.
So it should come as no surprise that Talal doesn't want to
see the U.S. gravy train come to an end. If everyone is driving around in 50-mpg
vehicles, there will be less of a need for foreign oil. If everyone is driving
around in electric vehicles, well OPEC is in serious trouble.


text:
While discipleship has magazines and entire book lines devoted to it the actual process of discipling someone can be quite basic. If your church has new members who have little or no church background a basic program of Discipleship 101 might be just what you need.
Of course many resources on discipleship are wonderful and you'll certainly want to incorporate them into your discipling programs. But you might start by encouraging all discipling ministries, one-on-one mentoring small groups or Sunday school classes to consider these basics for new Christians.
- Assure new believers of their salvation. When people become Christians Satan inevitably wants to place doubts about their newfound faith. The first step in discipling is assurance. Jesus said, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand" (John 10:27-28).
- Remind them that they're new creations. While a new Christian may continue to struggle with old ways 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation." "God continually works in the lives of his children to make them more like his son" (Romans. 8:29).
- Instill in them the importance of Bible study. God's Word is one of his main methods of communicating with us so study of Scripture is important to having an intimate relationship with him (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
- Encourage them to pray and fellowship with God. Praying is simply talking to God and listening for his answers. God loves us and wants the best for our lives so we can freely and confidently talk to him about anything (Ephesians 3:12). Praying is how we build our relationship with God.
- Promote the importance of fellowship with other Christians. Scripture is full of "one anothers," those things that define our relationships with others. God calls us to rejoice and weep with one another (Romans 12:15) and to carry one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2).
- Embolden them to share their faith. They can simply tell the story of how they came to know Jesus as Savior. God empowers us to tell others about him (Acts 1:8) and will bring us people who want to hear about him.
- Urge them to live out their faith through service. As Jesus served others during his earthly ministry he calls us to serve too. He also equips us with specific spiritual gifts to use for his service (1 Peter 4:10-11).
RESOURCE: Following Jesus. If you're looking for a discipleship study for the people who sit in your services each week but who don't really know the basics of their beliefs this guide by Douglas Shaw could be it (And it's priced reasonably enough that you might be able to buy each person a copy). The six sessions cover the attributes of God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, faith, hope and love. Available from Gospel Light 800-235-3415 or (805) 644-9721.


text:
Microsoft shipped its one
millionth Zune MP3 player after nine months on the market according to
Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division. The
company had originally expected to top the one million
mark in June, but the company achieved the feat a month early.
"We're very pleased with the progress. We've sold a
little over a million Zunes. In the category we're in, the hard-disk-based
category, we've got about 10 percent market share," said Bach. "It's
a good start. It's not an overwhelming start. I'm not going to pretend it's
some gigantic move."
Even though Microsoft shipped over a million Zunes, it's
still well behind segment leader Apple which recently celebrated its 100
millionth iPod sold after nearly six years on the market. As of February
2007, the iPod commanded 73.7 percent of the MP3 player market. Microsoft's 2.4
percent share was good enough for fourth place behind SanDisk and Creative
Microsoft is expecting a rather large uptick in sales
leading up to the 2007 holiday season. The company is building a new
manufacturing plant in China which will produce a second-generation
HDD-based Zune along with a flash-based Zune.
In the mean time, Microsoft is likely to add firmware
updates to existing Zunes to further enhance their capabilities. New MP3 player
entries on the market such as SanDisk's Sansa Connect
offer wireless downloading functionality that many assumed the Zune would
feature from the start.
"As to the Wi-Fi, we think the idea of these devices
being connected where you want them connected is very important. That's why we
shipped the original Zune with Wi-Fi built in, remarked Bach. "The cool
thing about that is, the innovation can all be in software. Wi-Fi is an
important area. We'll see how that SanDisk project does."


text:
Was $69.95 NOW $49.95
This is the handheld talking video game that hones a child's spelling skills and builds their vocabulary with an interactive spelling bee. Similar to the National Spelling Bee, the 2 1/2" color touchscreen displays a contestant and judges and the device speaks a word and players spell their response using the touchscreen keyboard. Players can request to have a word used in a sentence, defined, repeated, or its origin explained and a judge responds in a clear, human voice. Over 12,000 words, definitions, and sentences are drawn from the Merriam-Webster and New Oxford dictionaries and users can choose three levels of difficulty from the rudimentary (stipulation and donation) to the abstruse (amalgamate and miasma). The cell phone sized device stores easily in a pocket and supports up to six players. Other game modes include a game show, hangman, and word jumble. Requires three AAA batteries. Ages 8 and up. 4" L x 2 1/4" W x 1" D. (3 1/2 oz.)
Lifetime Guarantee
The Handheld Talking Spelling Bee comes with The Hammacher Schlemmer Lifetime Guarantee. If this product ever disappoints you, for any reason, you may return your Hammacher Schlemmer purchase for exchange, credit, or refund.
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text:
Orioles vs. Red Sox 4/26/11 (On the field madness)
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So this Tuesday game was the first of a 3 game series vs.
the Red Sox. I was getting out of class
right at 2 when I got some interesting texts on my phone. Without sharing all of the direct details on
it, here's a tweet from Adam Jones that explains how the day began:
Then by a half hour later, here was his next tweet:
So yes. Adam Jones
was leaving me BP passes for the game. I
didn't share this info on Saturday's entry, but during BP at the game that day,
Adam had called me over to talk by the outfield wall (after yelling at me for
dropping a Mark Reynolds home run) to inform me that something along these
lines was going to happen soon. There's
more background to all of this, but I won't bother you with it (plus it's half
private stuff anyways).
So I called up Zevi immediately (who was biking like an hour
outside of the city) and told him to get downtown.
By 4 o clock or so, I had met him down at Camden Yards. We went to home plate plaza where the media
enters pre game and picked up our special passes:
If you notice on the pass, it is attached to a very thin
string. That damns string got tangled up
all day. Quite annoying. But really, no complaints from me.
Otherwise, you can see on the pass that we were guests
("affiliation") of Jones. So an escort
was coming to get us to take us down to the tunnel and onto the field, and we
were getting excited:
That's Zevi, by the way.
Not me. I'm not a munchkin.
This is me, doing my best to smile creepily it seems:
Once we got down onto the field, the first thing we saw was the
Orioles pitchers stretching in a circle down the 1B line, some position guys
throwing and stretching, and a bunch of media members scattered all
around. At this point, it was 4:30, and
we were stoked.
Soon after, Adam came out of the dugout, and made his way
over to where we were standing. He shook
our hands, said hey, and told us "this is the major league experience" then ran
off. Truly awesome.
We were told not to bother players and such unless
approached throughout the day, so we stuck to that. It was cool enough just to be there. Honestly.
Even though Big Papi was standing 10 feet from us for like 10 minutes.
This was the view when BP started at around 4:35:
Ronnie Deck eventually came out:
And came over to talk to us.
He asked us how we got field access, so I explained, and he laughed and
ran off to help with drills and such.
More of Orioles BP before the gates had even opened:
The bottom right picture there is Nick Markakis standing up
on a step behind the cage. He's a boss.
When the gates opened at 5:00, we watched Tim and Matt (and
eventually Ben, who was nice enough to stop and say hello) sprinting around the
seats [as we usually do] to get out to left field.
If you click on that and look at the top left area, you can
see the time on the top edge of the photo showing 5:00 exactly.
The Red Sox came out and stretched:
Amber Theoharis and Buck Showalter talked for a few minutes
within a few feet of where we were:
Jake Fox gave me an air fist bump as he came out to
hit. I had just talked to him during
Saturday's game about some random stuff, so he was surprised to see me there I
guess. He has to be one of the most
friendly MLBers around. Really. Yell to him or say his name, and he responds.
Then the O's left the field and the Red Sox started hitting:
Right before this, J.D. Drew and Jacoby Ellsbury were
playing catch by the Red Sox dugout.
Ellsbury overthrew a ball to Drew, and it ended up bouncing into the warning
track and off of Zevi's leg. As Drew
turned around to see and eventually say sorry, Ellsbury had gotten another ball
and chucked it towards Drew. Drew turned
back, and it hit him in the shoulder.
Youkilis and a few others saw this, and we could see them laughing about
it and joking around and retelling the story to other teammates for the next 10
minutes or so. Was funny stuff right
Brittany, Amanda, and Donna found us soon after. I took this picture above and behind me,
without turning around. Good work, Avi.
I mean, we were legit on the field for BP.
The grounds crew soon came out to pack things up:
And we had to leave:
We had seen Matt and the rest of the guys get some baseballs
during BP, but we ended with none.
Probably could have asked or even taken one or two lying around, but we
were enjoying just being there that nothing else was that important.
Adam actually messaged me during Sox BP saying he hoped we
enjoyed ourselves, and I responded with "we haven't been kicked out yet!". Really cool.
But we didn't see him again until of course he took the field for the
Spent the game out in LF with the guys. Our friend Beverly joined us for this one as
well. It was the end of Passover, so we
all had Subway (Zevi hadn't used his ticket to get in, so he left around the 4th
inning and ran to Pratt St. to pick up the food for all of us) sponsored by
Donna. Thanks again, stretch lady/lot
lady/lady who smokes!
I spent the 3rd or 4th or some inning
down a few rows with new friend and MASN employee Joe Pappasomething. Cool dude.
And his bff is Jim Hunter; all the better.
So yeah. No home runs
that we got, but all is well. Still an
incredible day. My first game since
mid-2009 without a baseball. While that
is a cool streak to have, and one that is now sadly broken, it was TOTALLY
worth it. And I made up for it big time
yesterday (Wednesday) during BP, but I'll write about that later.
Again, thank you to Adam Jones for everything. It was an incredible experience. It showed me where I want to be in 4 years
(one of the scattered media members) and brought me closer to the Orioles team
which I have devoted so much of my time and money to. Head up and fight on. Special mention to Adam's mother, who has become
a mentor-type figure to me, and who had a big part (I'm sure) in getting us on
the field. I am excited to see her soon
as well in town!
Oh, and the Orioles won the game, 4-1. Britton pitched 6 dominant, one run innings,
and the bullpen shut it down. Jonesy had
two sacrifice flies on the day, as shown here by MLB.com:
And it was fun in the 7th inning (I think, or 6th)
watching Okajima and Albers warm up together.
The best of both world…for opposing teams.
And a shout out to Matt
Gardner, who I forgot to mention earlier in the entry. We sat with him, too. And his friend (a Red Sox fan). It was Matt's birthday. Though I kept forgetting it. Happy birthday again, dude.
Awesome day. And for the
bazillionth time, thank you to AJ.
Season stats:
Baseballs: 27 (16 hit, 7 on fly, 8
toss up, 3 found)
Autographs: 4 (Scherzer, Guerrero,
Oliver, Pavano)
Orioles home games attended: 11
Orioles total games attended: 11
Total MLB games attended: 11
Total baseball games attended
(MLB+MiLB): 11
Rainouts: 2
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Sony today
announced its new S-series notebook that is a 13.3" (1366 x 768) thin and light
machine with a "sheet battery" option.
The notebook can be pre-ordered right now on the Sony Style store starting at $969.99. The
notebook can be customized with CPUs up to the second-generation Core i7 and it
can be fitted with hybrid graphics with 1GB of dedicated memory (AMD Radeon HD
6630M). The new S-series notebook is just under an inch thick and weighs 3.8
The trackpad on the S notebook is larger than on other Vaio offerings and the
machine can be optioned with Blu-ray. It has a USB 3.0 port for fast
connectivity with external storage and other gear. The case of the notebook is
made from magnesium for strength and lightness, and the machine is compatible
with Intel Wireless Display.
One of the more interesting features of the notebook is that the machine is
launching with an extended "sheet battery" accessory that will sell for about
$150. The sheet battery connects to the bottom of the notebook and can provide
more power to the user without them having to power down to switch batteries.
Sony claims that the sheet battery doubles the runtime of the computer (up to
15 hours). When attached the external sheet battery will be used before the
computer starts to use its internal battery. The internal has a claimed battery
life of 7.5 hours per charge.
notebook can be purchased in black or white colors and has up to 750GB of
"We continue to raise the bar when it comes to the mobile computing experience,"
said Mike Lucas, senior vice president of Networked and Technologies and
Services Division at Sony Electronics. "The VAIO S Series laptop makes no
compromises by offering the ultimate, full-featured ultra-mobile PC."


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Journal Staff Report
Christmas is fast approaching. The sky is expectantly waiting for the red, green and yellow lights to dance along Main Street in this years Parade of Lights on Saturday, Dec. 1.
Downtown will be afloat with Christmas-mobiles decorated in the holiday spirit. Schools, non-profit organizations, commercial businesses and more will show off their creative flair with pure Christmas spirit.
The 23rd annual parade is expecting 50 to 75 floats this year and the theme is the Sights and Sounds of Christmas. Each year participants are asked to create a float worthy of awe. Floats are judged on theme development, creativity and workmanship and lights in three different categories; commercial, non-profit and others. The winners are awarded cash prizes that are donated by the Four Corners Board of Realtors.
The parade begins at 6 p.m. and will continue until each float has passed. Participants will gather on Maple and Main Streets and proceed through downtown. Those who wish to stop will do so at Harrison Street while others may continue on to Park Street.
The community is invited to attend this annual holiday tradition. Candy will be given out to those lining the street so dont forget to bring a bag.
There is no entry fee for floats and there is still time to get involved. Go to fourcornersboardofrealtors.com to print out an entry form. Sign and return it to Terry McCabe at Century 21 West Slope Realty, 2218 E. Main Street.


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HARP Refis Hit 2 Million Mark
The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported Tuesday that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have reached a new milestone, refinancing more than 2 million mortgages through the Home Affordable Refinance Program.
In November alone, nearly 130,000 homeowners refinanced their mortgage through HARP, the FHFA said in a release, making it the second biggest month in 2012. Between January and November of 2012, nearly 1 million loans were refinanced through HARP, more than in any single year since the program began.
The housing agency also reported in its monthly Refinance Report that HARP refis represented 23% of total refinance volume in November. That month, 46% of HARP refinances were underwater with loan-to-value ratios greater than 105%, and 24% had LTVs greater than 125%. Also in November, 17% of HARP refinances for underwater borrowers were for shorter-term 15- and 20-year mortgages, which build equity faster than traditional 30-year mortgages.
The agency also reported that HARP refinances represented 68% of total refinances in Nevada and 56% of total refinances in Florida.
A data reporting change added approximately 160,000 loans to the total HARP volume, the FHFA said.


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Gene Shalit faces charge after Wednesday's crash into pole, house
LENOX -- Television personality Gene Shalit faces a criminal charge of driving negligently to endanger after he drove his Honda Element into a utility pole and then up against a house at 120 Housatonic St.
Shalit has received a summons to appear before a clerk-magistrate at a hearing to be scheduled at Southern Berkshire District Court in Great Barrington, according to Lenox Police Chief Stephen O'Brien. The police chief was first on the scene of the 12:30 p.m. accident on Wednesday.
O'Brien said on Thursday that Shalit had told him immediately after the incident that he had fallen asleep at the wheel.
If he's found guilty or pleads to facts sufficient to warrant a guilty finding on the misdemeanor charge, Shalit's license to drive could be suspended or revoked. According to Massachusetts General Law, other penalties could include a fine of $20 to $200 or a jail sentence of two weeks to two years, which could be suspended with probation.
Homeowners Donald and Gracie Rawson were not home at the time of the accident. After hitting the utility pole, Shalit's vehicle swerved onto the front lawn and came to rest against the house, leaving some scuff marks and minor damage on the siding.
"The pole slowed him down, otherwise he may have ended up in my living room," Gracie Rawson told The Eagle on Wednesday. "This doesn't happen every day."
Shalit, 86, of Stockbridge, retired in 2010 from NBC's "Today" as film critic and celebrity interviewer after 37 years with the show. He is well known for his bushy hair and curvaceous mustache.
Shalit was uninjured. His vehicle, which sustained front-end damage, was towed from the scene.
To reach Clarence Fanto:
or (413) 496-6247.
On Twitter: @BE_cfanto.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


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d90 nikon Archive
In Depth Shootouts
Industry Insights
Imaging Edge Magazine: Can it Survive On Paper?
Is the future of the print magazine in the hands of Branded Content?
Printing Tips
Color Management: Don't live at home without it.
High-end color calibration and print-profiling tools used to cost a pretty penny and required a learning curve that few photographers had time to deal with. Not...
© Copyright 2015 McNamaraReport.


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Introduce Yourself
Well... I tought it would be nice if we barbz would get to know a lil more about each other so the best way to do that is to introduce yourself. I'll go first...
Hello, Barbz & Kenz
My name is Daria van Vlaenderen, i'm 23 years old and a girl from the Netherlands. I'm half dutch and half polish, and I also speak both languages, I don't go to collage no more, I work for 32 hours a week, My hobby's are Rapping (dutch, english is difficould to rap, but I can whrite english raps). I also Dance, 2 hours a week in a local dancing school in my neighbourhood, where I dance Street Dance and Jazz Ballet. I also like to go to dance contests and once a while and I go to support my fellow dancers from the dancing school to watch them dance and I cheer for them.
I've learn my english and german form wachting television programs when I was little, so thats how I am able to spreak 4 languages. I've learn to whrite english thought the i-ternet.. so (sorry if my whritting contains spelling faults, but I also use google to finde how to whrite some words when I don't know how to whrite them). I loved Nicki Minaj after hearing her Roman's Revenge with Eminem, shortly after that I became a barb, and I have both album Pink Friday, and Pink Friday Roman Reloaded. 18-06-2012 Is the day I finally will meet queen barb and I really look forward to that day!! For any questions about me just ask don't be to shy!!
Greetings, Daria


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Most email users suffer from a similar issue - wading through hoards of junk email to find the few important messages that you really need to respond to. If you use Google's Gmail email service, a new feature has been announced that promises to make sorting through email much easier.The new addition is called Priority Inbox and is currently a beta feature that looks to tackle email overload for users of all types. Google reckons that it is pretty good at filtering spam into the spam folder but a lot of mail that isn't that important gets through to the inbox, yet that mail isn't spam. Google lovingly calls this type of mail "bacn".The new Priority Inbox feature scans email as it comes into the users Gmail account and flags some of it as important using a variety of flagging methods. Those flagging methods include looking for email from the people you message with the most and which messages you open and respond too. The more you use Gmail the better the filtering of important messages will be according to Google.The user can also help Gmail learn what messages are important by clicking on a "+" or "-" button that is at the top of the inbox to show if a message is important or not. Priority Inbox will be rolled out to all Gmail users over the next week. Users can tell when the update has reached their account by looking for the flagged "New! Priority Inbox" link in the top right corner of the Gmail account or the Priority Inbox tab in Gmail Settings.
Google also recently merged Google Voice and Gmail to allow calls right from the Gmail interface.


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SSDs are continuing the march to ever higher storage capacities and part of the march to higher capacities is ever increasing prices. Perhaps one day flash prices will come down to the point where SSDs are more in line with the price of traditional HDD storage today.
Intel has announced that it is upping the capacity of its line of SSDs to 160GB. Intel is lagging behind its competition in the capacity wars for SSDs. Intel's 160GB capacity is measly in comparison to the massive 512GB SSD that Toshiba announced recently.
At the time Toshiba made the 512GB SSD announcement, pricing for the drives was unknown. CNET News reports that Toshiba is now saying the 512GB SSD will go for $1,652. A similar capacity 2.5-inch laptop HDD sells for under $200. Toshiba's 64GB SSD, announced alongside its 512GB SSD, will sell for $220.
Intel reports that the pricing for its new 160GB 2.5-inch SSD will be $945 in lots of under 1,000. The 2.5-inch SSDs are sized for laptops and 1.8-inch versions of the drive will ship next month for ultraportable laptops according to CNET News. The new 160GB SSDs will be versions of Intel's X25-M and X18-M units.
Considering that the 80GB Intel SSD adds a whopping $659 over the cost of a 120GB HDD in the HP EliteBook 2530, the cost of admission for the new SSD with twice the capacity likely won't be appealing to most consumers.


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2. General Outlook -- Vice Chairman
A fun tidbit on slide 3 -- Samsung wants to make $400B USD by 2020. That's more than double Samsung's 2012 haul of 201T Won ($189.6B USD). Slide 5 shows Samsung expects OLED and SSD to be the fastest high-tech growth places from 2012-2017. Samsung also expects modest growth in smartphones and "smart TVs", slowing by 2017.
Slide 12 suggests that Samsung views 4K and foldable displays as "the next big thing" in smartphones. In semiconductor fabrication, it believes that new structures -- i.e. whatever comes after the FinFET -- could help solve the riddle of poor performance and high leakage at 7-14 nm nodes. Maybe we'll see that "Christmas tree" transistor after all?
A particularly interesting side note is found on Samsung's IP slide, which hints at an upcoming holographic display.
Samsung thinks there'll be ~25 billion connected devices by 2020. Back to patents, Samsung now holds 30,641 patents in the U.S. and over 100k worldwide -- granted, a lot of those are encumbered by obligatory licensing.
Samsung's CEO JK Shin emphasized a key landmark -- 100M units of Galaxy S and Note smartphones sold worldwide (this number was hit in January 2013). Apple hit the 100M unit mark in early 2011, after roughly four and a half years on the smartphone market. The original Galaxy S was made available in mid 2010, so Samsung has achieved Apple's magic number in three years. Hitting 100M units in only two-thirds of the time it took Apple to reach that mark is a big win, but reminds us that iOS still leads Samsung's Galaxy line in lifetime unit sales.
Samsung moved 17.6 million tablets in H1 2013 (more than Samsung's entire 2012 sales), and expects 40 million tablets to be sold in 2013. As of Oct. 2012, Apple had sold 100 million iPads. In other words, Samsung's catching up with rapid tablet sales growth, but it still has a long way to go in terms of installed devices base.
Market research firm TNA says Samsung is now the top smartphone branded, Interbrand calls it the 9th most valuable brand, up from 19th in 2010. Samsung is pushing for strong tablet and smartphone growth in developing nations. It's focused on advanced LTE and flexible displays (the latter of which some debate the merits of).
Samsung is standing behind its premise that wearables will become a major future business segment. It points out an interesting fact -- it actually had a watch phone back in 1999. So while Seiko (Holdings Corp. (TYO:8050) introduced smartwatches in the 1980s, Samsung should be recognized as a legitimate pioneer in this field as well, even if that device didn't make much of a splash in the Americas.
The company is borrowing a page from Apple's playbook expanding its branded "Samsung Experience" stores this year globally. The stores first opened in 2011.
Above Samsung breaks down what it views as key differentiators in its mobile devices.
This presentation had a lot of predictable stuff, but a bit of meat as well.
A neat fact from IMS Research on slide 6:
It's no wonder why Samsung's appliances aren't a major driver of growth. We truly live in an age of disposable mobile electronics that was once the stuff of science fiction.
On page 12 Samsung predictions an explosion in the UHD (ultra high definition) display segment, e.g. 4K displays.
Samsung expects 1.2 million UHD unit sales in 2013, rising to 5.6 million units in 2014 and 17.1 million units by 2016. Interestingly Samsung calls > 60-inch flat panel displays as its fastest growing segment, and it emphasizes pickup in "emerging" market regions. The company predicts 1.9 million units in this segment sold in developing nations in 2013 and 3.6 million in 2016.
Samsung says it will sell 73 million Smart TVs this year and 107 million by 2016. By 2016 Samsung says "emerging" markets will account for 70 percent of Smart TV sales. At CES last year, Samsung emphasized trying to push Smart TV product with swappable processor modules, a move that will extend panel life for consumers, while giving Samsung viable ongoing business. This emphasis was absent from the display talk, though.
5. Memory Business
Dong-soo Jun, Samsung's memory business President, gave us a wide view of Samsung's current storage (nonvolatile memory) and DRAM (volatile memory) current business and plans.
The early slides emphasize what we already know -- computing is going mobile, OS releases are going to shorter cycles, and computer components are moving from interchangeable to tightly integrated.
Samsung says going to 20 nm took twice the capital (R&D, fab construction) investment as going to 100 nm a decade ago. It also took 80% longer to develop. Samsung points out that with tight integration DRAM/NAND failures become much more costly as you have to RMA (return to manufacturer) the entire device -- a dangerous trend.
Samsung is switching to a "tapered pricing" and "winner takes all" model for mobile memory sales. Tapering essentially is a way of flattening out volatile spot pricing, but it may require the entire industry to switch to this approach. Winner takes all means that Samsung won't reserve memory for multiple OEMs, but will allow the first (or best) bidder to buy as much of its total stock as it wants.
Samsung is prepping 6 Gigabit modules for the mobile DRAM market, an industry first. This will allow smaller 3 GB phone packages (4 chips, instead of 6), or even a 4.5 GB or 6 GB tablet/smartphone packages.
Samsung brags of "Green Fifth Generation Memory" -- 20 nm class (e.g. possibly 22, 28 nm) DDR4 for data centers and 10 nm class (e.g. possibly 14, 19 nm) SSDs. Samsung predicts that in 1.8 years these technologies will migrate from the data center to mobile space. It says this will save 45 TWh and $3.1B USD in power consumption annually.
Expect LPDDR3 4 Gigabit chips at the 20 nm node to start popping up shortly in Samsung products, according to its slide. It says this is a non-standardized development, which advances the slower move standard nodes, during interim releases. From a patent wars perspective, this could mean that if other OEMs adopt the tech, Samsung may be able to sue them without obligatory licensing (as it's not exactly part of a standards spec.). Samsung also cites AnandTech praise for its 840 Series SSDs, which were the first models to introduce 3-bit NAND flash cells (see slide 24).
Relying on vertical NAND (vNAND, also known as "3D memory") has reduced Samsung's reliance on process development by a factor of 3. Thus even as Samsung works on its next generation UV process to replace immersion lithography, it is eyeing vNAND to hold down the release cycles in the interim.
The deck also makes it clear that Samsung is exploring multiple next generation storage technologies, including resistive RAM (ReRAM), phase change memory (PRAM), and magnetic RAM (MRAM) and has not decided on one yet, given to all of these technologies being in their nascent stages and having serious tradeoffs.
Slide 39 gives a view of where Samsung's NAND and memory research and engineering centers are. Samsung is expanding its research in this vital area. It's based in South Korea, Israel, and America -- developed high-tech hubs -- and also has key facilities in India and China, the world's top two emerging markets.
6. Semiconductor outlook
Samsung's Dr. Namsung (Stephen) Woo presented a view of Samsung's semiconductor business. Samsung predicts that premium smartphone unit sales will only grow 9 percent next year, while mid-range and budget units will grow by 22 percent. This perhaps validates HTC Corp. (TPE:2498) apparent decision to step back from the high end market. On the tablet front you see a similar story with premium sales growing 25 percent and mid-to-low end models growing 58 percent (slide 4).
Samsung tells us to expect WQHD (2,560x1,440 pixel) smartphone displays to replace FHD (1920x1080) next year as the high end standard. And Samsung predicts UHD (aka 4K) (3,840x2,160) display availability in the mobile market in 2015. The question we must ask ourselves is "why"? Oh well, 4K displays in 4-to-5 inch phones may benefit those few genetic freaks with better than 20/20 vision.
After image stabilization (2009), face detection (2010), and wide dynamic range (e.g. the HDR+ features in Android 4.4 Kit Kat) firmware has played a key role in Samsung's camera efforts. Samsung is planning to increase sensor resolution from 13 MP in 2013 to 20 MP in 2015. Of course, Sony Corp. (TYO:6758) and Nokia Oyj. (HEX:NOK1V) already are using 20 MP+ sensors in many phones.
A key piece of data is found on slide 15 which clarifies Samsung's die shrink schedule on the system-on-a-chip side somewhat. Samsung next year will move from a high-K dielectric, metal gate (HK/MG) 2nd generation 28 nm process to a 20 nm first last-gate HK/MG process next year, with a 0.9 V threshold voltage (down from 1.0 V at 28 nm). Expect 14 nm to arrive possibly sometime in 2015 or 2016, which will be a major update, introducing Samsung's first FinFET based design (e.g. "3D transistors"). Samsung is also working on a second generation, 10 nm FinFET, according to its roadmap. That tiny 3D transistor will have a threshold voltage of 0.7 V.
Samsung is using back-side illumination (moving to a transparent metal layer over the photodiode to reduce reflection), gapless pixels, light guides, and deeper deposition to increase the sensitive and reduce noise in its photosensors for digital camera units.
Samsung is currently using 1.12 µm (micron) or 1.34 µm pixels [source, not in the slide], in 16 MP sensors for its smartphones. These small pixels absorb less light but there're more of them. Apple currently uses a sensor 1.5 µm pixel, 8 MP sensor in the iPhone [source], while Nokia uses a 41 MP, 1.12 µm pixel. HTC uses a 4 MP, 2.0 µm sensor. Generally the Lumia 1020 is cited as producing the "best" pictures, followed by the HTC One and iPhone 5S, followed by the Galaxy S4. Samsung's efforts seem to be falling a bit behind here; it's unclear how 20 MP sensors in 2014 will allow it to catch up camera-wise with its competitors.
Samsung, like Intel Corp. (INTC), is moving aggressively to embed DRAM in its Exynos systems-on-a-chip, connecting the processor and DRAM module via through-silicon-vias (TSVs).
Another very important note is Samsung's plan for 64-bit ARM CPUs. It reveals it plans to first release a 64-bit chip using optimized IP cores from ARM Holdings plc (LON:ARM) (i.e. the Cortex-A53/A57 cores), but is also working on a longer term plan to make its own 64-bit ARM cores based on the A64/ARMv8 instruction sets (also licensed from ARM).
Also interesting is Samsung's "Foundry 2.0" slides:
Samsung seems to be suggesting it will license its first-party ARM cores as possibly second-hand IP cores, which would be pretty interesting. Its "10 nm leadership" also appears to suggest it plans to at least beat GlobalFoundries and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp., Ltd. (TPE:2330) (TSMC) to this node -- and possibly Intel as well.
Intel will reach 10 nm (ostensibly) in 2016. Samsung deployed 45 nm in 2010, 32 nm in 2012 (with a new process), and 28 nm this year. Extrapolating, Samsung will likely release 14 nm in 2015 (as it is a new process) and 10 nm in 2016 (as it's just a die shrink). It appears Samsung may catch up with Intel by 2016 in process side, according to this more detailed account.
Of course that involves a lot of "IFs" as it assumes no delays -- and recall even the mighty Intel suffered delays moving to 14 nm -- and it already had production FinFETs. Samsung adding FinFETs and jumping to 14 nm may be targeting 2015, but it could easily slide to 2016, leaving Intel a little ahead once more.
7. The Future of Displays
Kinam Kim, Ph.D, Samsung Display CEO, gave a preview of what's going on in Samsung's display manufacturing unit.
Currently at $128B USD, Samsung Display earned 38 percent of that from mobile applications, up substantially from 2010 (17 percent). That smartphone leadership has helped Samsung score a 10 percent gain in profit in 2012 (YoY) versus a 5 percent decline in profit that the industry on average experienced. AMOLED is also displacing LCD, slowly, in Samsung's portfolio; this year it is expected to account for nearly half of displays sold.
Samsung says that in every major market segment its displays have at least a 30 percent stake in global devices sold to consumers. Notably, nearly half of all smartphones made have a Samsung-produced screen.
The key to Samsung's plans for flexible and foldable displays lies in thin film encapsulation (TFE) that builds on Samsung's AMOLED evaporation-based production method that debuted in 2007. Much like Apple, Samsung essentially bought this (TFE) technology, via the acquisition of Vitex Systems in Sept. 2010. For a flexible substrate compatible with evaporation processes, Samsung turned to Japanese chemical company Ube Industries, Ltd. (TYO:4208), whom it launched a joint venture (Samsung Ube Materials (SUM)) in Aug. 2011.
The first results only support modest static bends, but Samsung has working prototypes that are fully flexible and foldable, which it will look to bring to market within a few years. Samsung predicts that by 2015 12 percent of smartphones will be flexible and that by 2018 40 percent will be.
Samsung will be introducing a new oxide LCD manufacturing process, which it says will bump traditional TFT LCDs up to 250 ppi (pixels per inch) -- good enough for the mid-range.
Meanwhile it's planning to expand its flexible and rigid AMOLED production, which uses a low temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) production process.
Source: Samsung