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'Despite repeated assurances of government, 18 proposed hydel projects on the Ganga and its tributaries have not been scrapped'
G D Agarwal has been on fast thrice earlierEnvironment engineer G D Agarwal has resumed his indefinite hunger strike in Matri Sadan Ashram in Haridwar to press his demand of scrapping all hydro projects on the Bhagirathi, Alaknanda and Mandakini river basins. He has gone on hunger strike thrice earlier to protest against the Loharinag Pala hydroelectric project in Uttatrakhand which was eventually scrapped by the government under public pressure.
The 80-year-old former IIT professor, who is now known as Swami Gyan Swarup Sanand, started his fast on Thursday to commemorate the death anniversary of Swami Nigamanand on 13 June, 2011. The 32-year-old ascetic had fasted for four months to protest illegal sand mining and stone crushing along the Ganga near Haridwar; his associates alleged he was poisoned at the behest of powerful stone crusher lobby.
Swami Dayanand of Matri Sadan ashram said Agarwal resumed his fast because despite repeated assurances of the government, 18 proposed mini and major hydropower projects on the Ganga and its tributaries have not been scrapped.
"It is imperative to maintain the ecological flow of Ganga and its tributaries. Construction of so many hydropower projects is threatening the existence of Ganga that is a symbol of India's faith and culture. At several places, debris from construction site of projects is dumped into the river," he said.
Earlier in 2010, Agarwal had fasted for over a month protesting the construction of the 600 MW Loharinag Pala hydroelectric project in Uttarkashi. The project would have left a stretch of 125 km of Ganga between Gangotri and Uttarkashi dry. The project work was stalled in 2010. However, Uttarakhand chief minister, Vijay Bahuguna, have been supporting two major projects—Loharinag Pala and the 480 MW Pala Maneri on the stretch of Bhagirathi between Uttarkashi and Gangotri.
Related articles
- #India – Politics of ecology , Bhagirathi river in Uttarakhand (kractivist.wordpress.com)


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The Evolution of German Media Coverage of Migration
The German media has helped reinforce the image of immigrants as "foreigners" and "aliens" — sometimes even in exaggerated terms — since the first guest workers came to Germany in the 1950s and 1960s. By focusing primarily on the problems associated with migration and leaving out the positive or even mundane aspects of immigrants' lives in Germany, the media have helped contribute to an atmosphere of polarization among the German public. These images conditioned the public to think of immigration policy solely in light of the problems caused by new arrivals (which conjured up the image of the country being stretched beyond capacity: "the boat is full"), and not in terms of the need to enact sensible integration policies to help immigrants already residing in Germany.
In 2000, Germany's migration strategy shifted to reflect the long-overlooked need for integration policies, and with this change, media coverage also transitioned away from regarding immigrants as "foreigners." Public debates on migration and integration — as well the media's awareness of, and coverage of, this issue — are likely to evolve further due to three main changes in Germany: First, there is broad political consensus that Germany needs a modern integration policy; second, politicians at the highest level are promoting a dialogue with immigrant communities; and third, the media have begun to cater to immigrant audiences.
- Executive Summary
- Introduction
- Media Coverage as a Reflection of the Sociopolitical Debate on Migration
- The Evolving Image of Immigrants in the Media

subset: commoncrawl


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Find a Doctor
We recognize that your choices mark the beginning of a successful health-care relationship. We value health care as a collaborative process between the doctor, patient and entire health-care team.
Find a primary care location near you
To find a primary care location near you, visit our location page.
We offer 17 convenient UC Davis Medical Group locations in 10 communities, with same-day appointments for urgent acute care and online messaging.
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Our "find a doctor" search tool allows patients to identify a doctor either by the physician's last name, location or specialty.
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To select a doctor close to your home or office or to learn more, call UC Davis Health's Consumer Resource Center at 800-2-UC-DAVIS (1-800-282-3284). Staff members are available to assist you Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Or click here to see a list of commonly asked questions.
Note: Due to overwhelming demand, we currently are not accepting new adult patients for primary care. At this time, we are accepting new pediatric patients for primary care. For information, please call 800-2-UCDAVIS (1-800-282-3284).


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LOUISVILLE, KY—Aiming to fine-tune his mechanics after returning from a recent back surgery, golf star Tiger Woods told reporters at the PGA Championship Wednesday that he is currently working on building a new swing that doesn't send waves of intense pain through every single inch of his body. "I've been making some adjustments in my posture and rhythm—a lot of minor things, really—so I can have a consistent drive without feeling excruciating, white-hot pain in my back, arms, legs, and neck," said Woods, adding that he has been working with coach Sean Foley to develop a follow-through that doesn't cause his eyes to water from an agonizing throbbing sensation that radiates across his entire body. "Right now, I'm just experimenting with a slightly tweaked motion to see where I can strike a good balance between a powerful stroke and a level of pain I can actually tolerate without blacking out. But it's a process, so I'll have to be patient while working out all the kinks." Woods later confirmed that he is also looking to make a slight adjustment to his grip that will allow him to hold his driver without immediately doubling over and vomiting.
We may earn a commission from links on this page.
This Week's Most Viral News: September 22, 2023


text:
Your Account Details
Wagner Account Number:
Since our origin in 1850 the Wagner Companies has been dedicated and committed to creating and manufacturing innovative metal products for the fabricating industry in an atmosphere that is prosperous for our customers and employees. Our mission is to maintain the highest standard of quality and service, and continuously improve our manufacturing methods. We are proud of our progress and growth and are aware of the responsibility of maintaining our leadership and our reputation.
Read More >


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Olivia Burton Sports Luxe Hexa Watch. Featuring a 33mm Stainless Steel and Rose Gold Shaped Case Bezel, White Ceramic Sunray Dial and Stainless Steel Bracelet.
|Olivia Burton
|Case depth approx.
|Primary Material
|Stainless Steel
|Case Shape
|Case width approx.
|Clasp type
|Dial Colour
|Multiple Time Zones Display
|Model Collection
|Model Name
|Sports Luxe
|Movement Source
|Strap colour
|Two-Tone Rose
|Strap Type
|Metal bracelet
|Water Resistance
|30 metres
|Weight (g)
|2 Years
The Olivia Burton watch collection has gained a cult following thanks to its vintage-inspired designs. Olivia Burton watches are available with a small 'midi dial' or large 'big dial'. This variety in size means watch-lovers can choose between a statement piece that makes an impact, and a small watch that adds subtle detailing to an outfit. At first glance, the range of watches may appear simplistic, but thanks to Olivia Burton's obsessive attention to detail, they're anything but. The simpler watches feature soft metallic hues coupled with pearlescent faces for a glossy finish. Statement designs showcase a pure love with all things traditionally British. The countryside is beautifully represented with bold images of fauna, while British classic Alice in Wonderland is used to inspire a fantastically stunning range. Lovers of vintage and British style should look no further than the Olivia Burton collection.
Sign up to receive email updates when new styles of Olivia Burton are added to Watch Shop!
£9.99 on all orders
Place your order before 4pm Monday - Friday for delivery on the next working day. Orders over £500 will require a signature. Delivery to remote locations may take 2 working days.
£4.99 on all orders
Place your order before 4pm Monday - Friday for delivery within the next two working days
Order within 4 hours and 10 minutes to get it Saturday 30th September
To return your item(s) as unwanted, you have 14 days to inform us. From this date, you will have 14 days to return your item(s) to be eligible for a refund. Once your return has been processed, you will be refunded with the original payment method you used to place your order.
In order to return any item(s) as unwanted and receive a full refund, the following conditions apply:
Pay in 3 interest-free instalments so you can spread the cost.
See complete terms.
Klarna's Pay in 3 installments and Pay in 30 days credit agreements are not regulated by the FCA. Use of these and any missed payments may affect your ability to obtain credit from Klarna and other lenders. 18+, UK residents only. Subject to status. T&Cs apply.*


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Molecular-based screening assays using new technologies such as High-Throughput Screening (HTS) and High-Content Screening (HCS), developed initially for use in the pharmaceutical industry, enable a cost-effective approach for prioritisation and hazard identification of large numbers of chemicals in a short period of time.
Toxicogenomics is defined as a study of the response of a genome to hazardous substances, using "omics" technologies such as genomic-scale mRNA expression (transcriptomics), cell and tissue-wide protein expression (proteomics), and metabolite profiling (metabolomics), in combination with bioinformatic methods and conventional toxicology.
In relation to chemical hazard/risk assessment, these newly emerging science and technologies provide tools for improving the understanding of mechanisms of toxicity, reducing uncertainty in grouping of chemicals, and providing alternative methods for screening chemicals. In the future they could be used for hazard identification and characterisation.
OECD assists internation collaborative efforts on Molecular Screening and Toxicogenomics, with the aim of defining needs and possibilities for their application in a regulatory context.
(1) Molecular Screening Project
The current OECD work in this field focuses on the Molecular Screening Project started in 2007 and led by the US. For the details of this project, see here.
(2) Survey on the Available Omics Tools
In the preparation for the OECD/IPCS Workshop on Toxicogenomics in Kyoto in November 2004 (see below), the OECD Secretariat conducted a survey on existing toxicogenomic tools in OECD member countries.
Since the survey, there has been accelerating development in the toxicogenomic field. In view of this situation, the OECD/IPCS Advisory Group on Toxicogenomics agreed to follow-up current approaches in toxicogenomics in member countries. The result of the follow-up survey led by Japan was published in January 2009.
The work initially started in close cooperation with the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) on Toxicogenomics. In order to develop a strategy concerning the future application of toxicogenomics in regulatory assessment of chemical safety, the OECD, along with the IPCS, organized twin workshops.
The first workshop on human health aspects was held in November 2003 in Berlin, with the IPCS in the lead. The OECD took a lead of the second workshop held in October 2004 in Kyoto, Japan which focuses on eco-toxicological aspects.
For the future application of toxicogenomics and Molecular Screening Technologies in regulatory assessment of chemical safety, various novel efforts are implemented or planned among member countries.
For instance, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the white paper titled "Potential Implications of Genomics for Regulatory and Risk Assessment Applications at EPA" in December 2004. This paper was issued to present exemplary applications and resultant implications of the use of genomics technologies in EPA practice.
In 2007, OECD started the "Molecular Screening for Characterizing Individual Chemicals and Chemical Categories Project" (Molecular Screening Project). This project evaluates a number of selected chemicals in a series of molecular screening in vitro assays (High Throughput Screening (HTS)) with the aim of establishing a strategy for rationally and economically prioritizing chemicals for further evaluation.
The project is led by the United States and supervised by extended Advisory Group on Molecular Screening and Toxicogenomics. In late 2008 several subgroups related to specific pathways, mechanisms and effects as well as nomination of target chemicals and database development were set up under a cooperation between the US and other member countries and research institutions.
Chemical Nomination
To identify national priorities and chemicals for HTS evaluation in phase 2 of the US ToxCast and other similar research programmes.
To characterize and categorise chemicals for further investigation of screening by in vitro assays.
To coordinate collation and integration of various national databases on in vivo animal toxicity test results that can be used in the development and validation of HTS approaches.
Specific Passways, mechanisms, effects
Thyroid Signalling
To identify current HTS approaches for elucidation of each pathway/mechanism/effect.
To compare results with existing in vivo findings.
To establish research needs for such assessments.
PPAR-Alpha Associated Pathways
Cancer Epigenetics
Developental and Reproductive Effects
Developmental Neurotoxicity
Comparative Toxicology
To accommodate molecular screening and toxicogenomics across various animal models.
The US EPA started the ToxCast™ Program in 2007, which forms the core activity of the OECD Molecular Screening Project above. Using data from high throughput screening (HTS) bioassays, the program is building computational models to forecast the potential human toxicity of chemicals.
Related Documents


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Dementia diagnosis twice as likely if older adult has schizophrenia; Cancer less likely
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Researchers from Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University who followed over 30,000 older adults for a decade have found the rate of dementia diagnosis for patients with schizophrenia to be twice as high as for patients without this chronic, severe and disabling brain disorder.
"Individuals with serious mental illnesses including schizophrenia appear to be living longer than earlier estimates suggested," said Hugh Hendrie, M.B., Ch.B., D.Sc., the geriatric psychiatrist who led the study. Dr. Hendrie is a Regenstrief Institute investigator, IU Center for Aging Research scientist and professor of psychiatry at the IU School of Medicine. "This good news is tempered by the fact that they now have to confront the major disorders of the elderly, including dementia.
"Our finding that there was a significant difference in rates of dementia for those with schizophrenia and those without the disorder was quite unexpected. The reason for this difference is unclear and merits more intensive investigation. Is this related to an increase in dementia-related brain pathology or could it simply represent a misinterpretation of their symptoms by clinicians inexperienced in dealing with individuals who have difficulties communicating and are less likely to have reliable significant others to interpret for them?"
Individuals with schizophrenia also had generally higher rates of other serious illnesses such as heart disease and pulmonary disease, as well as higher mortality rates than those without schizophrenia. A major exception was cancer, for which the rates for individuals with schizophrenia were significantly lower.
According to Dr. Hendrie, previous reports on cancer risk associated with schizophrenia have been inconsistent. While it has been suggested in previous studies that the lower cancer rates for those with schizophrenia were the results of low case identification by physicians, the new study found cancer to be reported as a cause of death in death certificates of those who were diagnosed with schizophrenia.
"Health Outcomes and Cost of Care Among Older Adults with Schizophrenia: A 10-Year Study Using Medical Records Across the Continuum of Care" is published in the May print issue of The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, which is focused on schizophrenia in later life.
This study also found that hospital admissions, hospital lengths of stay, nursing home facility use and nursing home length of stay for patients with schizophrenia were significantly greater than for patients without schizophrenia.
The authors conclude that the "increasing numbers of older seriously mentally ill, particularly older patients with schizophrenia, will create a serious burden for our health system that will require the development of new integrated models of health care involving links between the health and mental health systems."
"As the population of older adults grows, the number of older patients with schizophrenia is also getting larger. We need to link their mental and physical health care in clinics where they feel comfortable and where they can be treated by clinicians who understand both their serious mental condition and their physical illnesses," Dr. Hendrie said.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, schizophrenia affects men and women equally, occurring at similar rates in all ethnic groups. Symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions typically commence between ages 16 and 30.
The 31,588 individuals in the study had an average age of 70. All were 65 or older by the end of the study and received care at Eskenazi Health, then known as Wishard Health Services. Clinical data for these patients were obtained from the Regenstrief Medical Record System, the oldest operational electronic medical record system in the United States.
"People with serious lifelong mental illness have a life expectancy that is 20 to 25 years less than people without mental illness," said study senior author Christopher M. Callahan, M.D. He is a Regenstrief Institute investigator, the founding director of the IU Center for Aging Research and the Cornelius and Yvonne Pettinga Professor of Medicine at the IU School of Medicine. "However, many persons with these illnesses are now living into their 70s and 80s, and our health care system has very little experience in organizing their care in an effective manner. This study shows the major challenges we face in providing excellent care to these older adults."
Note: Material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.
Indiana University press release
Hugh C. Hendrie, Wanzhu Tu, Rebeka Tabbey, Christianna E. Purnell, Roberta J. Ambuehl, Christopher M. Callahan. Health Outcomes and Cost of Care Among Older Adults with Schizophrenia: A 10-Year Study Using Medical Records Across the Continuum of Care. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, Published May 2014. doi: 10.1016/j.jagp.2012.10.025


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A free downloadable lesson, particularly suitable for Valentine's Day, but usable at any time of the year, about 36 questions which might make you fall in love.
The lesson starts by discussing different views of love, before the students read a short text, giving the background to an experiment where strangers asked these questions to see if they would fall in love.
The students then watch a video of two strangers getting to know each other by asking these questions, and see how they become closer as the interview progresses.
There is then a focus on question forms, looking at some slightly more complex questions. This would be suitable from B1 upwards.
Finally the students choose some of the questions that they are happy to answer, and discuss them in pairs (falling in love definitely not obligatory!)
[NB. Be aware that at around 4.19, Cam gives a couple of examples of swear words.]
Download lesson plan PDF here: elt-resourceful-36-questions-to-fall-in-love
Look here for more lessons suitable for Valentine's Day:


text:
Diagnostic Test Info
- Fully assess your starting knowledge
- Pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses, so you can focus your study effectively.
Pass the OAE Integrated Science Exam. Guaranteed!
Get full access to our test-aligned study guides and thousands of authentic practice questions!
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We're here to help you get in the classroom! Start your journey by taking our free OAE Integrated Science (024) practice test here.
Our curriculum team studies all of the standards and competencies for the OAE Integrated Science (024) exam and cross-references them with the current and previous questions released by the official testing company. We then work with content and teaching experts to distill down what test-takers need to know. No matter where you are in the study guide, you can always see how the concept you are learning is aligned to the test standards.
We've taken the guesswork out of what to study. Our guides are aligned to the exact standards of the official OAE exam and structured so you build on the concepts you need to know. Use the "search" feature to see where any particular standard appears within the guide.
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To take the OAE Integrated Science (024) exam, you must present an original, government-issued, valid (non-expired) identification that has your photograph, full name, and signature. Make sure to bring the ID with you on the day of the test to the testing center. For most test-takers, a valid driver's license or United States Passport is a valid ID.
By appointment, year-round, Monday through Saturday (excluding some holidays). Test appointments are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, and seating is limited. You can check for availability appointments here.
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You may take restroom breaks during testing. Time taken for breaks is considered part of the available testing time.
To pass the OAE Integrated Science (024) exam, you must first understand what is on the exam and what you will be expected to know. Once you identify areas of weakness, you can begin targeting those areas with instructional content and practice questions.
The full test takes 3 hours and 15 minutes, but expect to be at the testing site longer. Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before your appointment time to get checked in.


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# 8DX. Dodge / Cummins Diesel Single Clutch Billet Torque Converter.
|Cummins Diesel single clutch billet converter. Can be ordered with a billet clutch piston with a large oversize clutch. The billet CNC piston will not flex. This converter has a red lining that is 38% larger than a stock clutch. Can be ordered in a lower stall speed with the aluminum billet stator option. The increased power of a modified diesel engine raises the stall speed of stock converters, which is detrimental to vehicle towing performance and drivability. We now offer a low stall stator for Dodge diesel pickup truck owners who have increased the power output of their engines for added towing and general performance.


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Go on and have the perfect vacation in Thailand. Don't just go to Thailand following the trail of one of your friends who has already been there. Don't also go to Thailand on the advice of your favorite Tour Operator or as per what you have just read in one of the Tour Guides or brochures. Be different. Go and do some volunteer work in Thailand instead. Mind you when you go as a volunteer in Thailand, you get more bangs for your bucks! You get to see the true Thailand, not the sanitized version that's presented to millions of tourists who have visited Thailand before you. When you wish to go as a volunteer in Thailand the true Thailand will open up in front of you, the rural Thailand that's unseen by the outside world unless some like you who go over to do volunteer work in Thailand.
So, what kind of volunteer work can you do in Thailand? Do you have to be a professional? Could just anyone go? Will you get adequate time off from your volunteer work in Thailand to be able to see the country and its villages? When you wish to sign up as a volunteer in Thailand you could take any of the several options that are open to you. You could take up teaching and be engaged with little children who could be taught English by you. You could participate in Thailand's medical program or one in childcare. If you are interested in animals you would surely enjoy working for the welfare of gibbons or elephants besides sea turtles and rescued dogs. You need not be an architect or an engineer but you could participate in Thailand's building activities and help in building a school, a home or a place for putting up destitute kids. You could also help in community activities such as in vegetable gardens or mini fish farms. Generally, you will need to work for only four days a week, leaving you with a long weeked to explore the countryside or the surrounding mountains. The perfect vacation in Thailand beckons.
Myself webmaster of Starfish Volunteers ( ) – a growing 'not for profit' volunteer and gap year organisation providing volunteer opportunities, volunteer Thailand, volunteer travel, community volunteering and volunteer work in Thailand.


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This is a guide to how I hacked Alex Kidd in Shinobi World to find its hidden music. I've got quite a lot of experience in hacking games, and I've been able to streamline the process, based on my experience and also because there are now tools available which make it much easier than it used to be.
The game
Here is the target. While the VGM pack was made a long time ago, a forum thread revealed that there are some unused tracks in the game, so I decided to hack it and make a guide at the same time.
The method
My experience has shown me a few things:
- Music engines are usually fairly independent from the rest of the game
- The game code thus usually controls the music engine using a single-byte variable in RAM
- This control variable is usually close to the other RAM used by the music engine
- This RAM variable's value is very often (but not always) something like $81 - ie. a small number with the high bit set.
Modern advanced emulators include one very useful feature: memory viewers/editors. These allow me to see what's in memory and to change it while the game is running. I'm going to use this to make a music hack.
The guide
1. Open the game in the emulator.
2. Open the RAM viewer.
I'm using Meka, but Emukon is just as good. To open it in Meka, click on TOOLS - Memory Editor:
Then click on the RAM button to jump to the start of RAM.
As the game plays, you should see the values changing.
3. Find the music RAM
Scroll through the RAM while the demo runs, and music is playing. You are looking for the music engine's RAM. The way to recognise this is to notice that music RAM changes very quickly and tends to all be in a relatively small block (less than 512 bytes). This is because music is complicated - the engine has to handle effects like vibrato, volume envelopes and fading on three channels at once, and music changes notes many times each second - and, as noted above, generally independently developed so it has to keep to a small area of RAM to avoid clashing with the rest of the game.
It is also easy to recognise because it should be changing exactly in time with every change in the music.
Scroll a page at a time through the RAM, either using the mouse wheel or the Page Up/Page Down keys. If the game demo starts, a lot more RAM will be actively used by the game engine. Just reset the game when this happens (the Backspace key) and wait for the music to start before resuming the search.
You should eventually find it at about offset $de00. (See hexadecimal explained if this doesn't look like a number to you.)
4. Find the track control byte
Now comes the detailed searching. Make the game run until just before a point where it changes the music. Save the game state (the F5 key) about a second before it changes. Then look closely at the music RAM.
Load the game state (the F7 key) and look closely; you're looking for one of the following:
- A value that is constant before the music changes, then changes at the same time as the music, and is then constant, or
- A value that is constant (often $00 or $80) before the music changes, then has a value for one frame only, at the moment the music changes; it then goes back to "nothing"
You should definitely set the frameskip to 1/1 to be sure of being able to see the second one; alternatively, a slow emulated speed such as 20Hz makes it easier to spot. In our case, it's not too hard; I can see that offset $DE04, just 4 bytes in, seems to be acting as described in the second case above. This isn't surprising - it makes sense for the control variable to be near the start, since it would be one of the first things written in the music engine.
Click on it so that it is highlighted and the address of that byte will be displayed in the lower-left corner. Make a note of it, so you can tell us about it once you've finished.
5. Write to it
Next, we are going to write a new value to this address. The value I will write is $81. This is often a good value to try. While the correct address is selected, enter a new value for the byte by typing in the two hexadecimal digits (8 and 1). (Again, you may need to set Meka to 1/1 frameskip to be able to type.) After you type the second digit, the value is written and the highlight moves to the next byte. You will also notice that
- The value we just wrote is changed to zero by the game
- The music changes to the Level 1 tune.
This shows that we have found our variable :) This address is a write trigger - writing a new value there causes the music to change. This is the easiest kind of music hack because it doesn't require us to even look at the code!
6. Isolating the music
When ripping VGMs, it's better to log the music with silence at the start (it makes trimming easier) and with no sound effects playing over it (since they ruin the music).
To make silence at the start, try writing different values to the music control variable. Ones to try include:
- $80 - some games use index 0 for silence
- $00 - it is easy to test for in Z80 code
- $ff - another "nothing" value
- Finally, see if there is a short piece of music that does not loop - perhaps a "level start" or "death" sound. You can play it to stop the current track, and when it finishes you have silence.
For Alex Kidd in Shinobi World, writing $ff works well.
To avoid sound effects we have several options. First, we can use the
Pause Hack for SMS games. Meka includes a version of
it in the meka.pat file, using the
[*] selector to make it apply to all
games. Open that file in a text editor and find it; remove the semicolons ";" at
the start of the lines to make it active, and save the file.
Next time you run Meka, any game you run will have this patch applied; when you press Pause, it will make most (but not all) SMS games hang, but not stop the music. This is also useful to stop any slowdown of music due to the game engine using up all of the CPU time. Don't forget to re-add the semicolons when you finish to avoid it making all games hang when you pause.
A second choice is to play the game a bit and find somewhere where sound effects do not happen, and the music does not change. Try when the game is paused, or an options screen. Even if they don't have music, the music engine may still be active - try writing a value as described above in these situations and see what happens.
For Alex Kidd in Shinobi World, the Pause hack works well. With both, you are able to change the music while it is playing, so there is no need to exit the emulator, edit files, load and save states or reset the game each time you want to rip a different track.
7. Rip the VGMs
And there we go. We can go through all of the possible values for the music engine, write them at $DE04, and they will play. By pressing the left arrow key, the highlight can be moved back to $DE04 after writing each value, before writing the next. We can then list what each value does and rip the music. In most music engines, the lower numbers are music; the higher ones are sound effects, and too-high values will either produce silence, random sounds or crash the game. It's always worth checking all the possible values, though: there may be some music tracks mixed in with the sound effects, and there may be some invalid values mixed in with the valid ones.
Write down the results because they might be useful in case you need to re-rip the music. Here are the Alex Kidd in Shinobi World sound engine values:
|No effect
|Level 1
|Level 2
|Level 3
|Level 4
|Level Start
|Boss Music
|Level Complete
|Unused music
|Continue Screen
|Unused music (short)
|Unused music (short)
|Congratulations To You, Alex
|Unused music
|Sound effects
Hexadecimal explained
Normal (decimal) numbers count from 0 to 9, before increasing the second ("tens") digit. We use this "base 10" system because we have 10 fingers. Hexadecimal (often abbreviated to "hex") numbers count from 0 to 9, then A to F, before increasing the second ("sixteens") digit. This "base 16" system is used when dealing with computers because it is compatible with binary numbers (base 2) which computers use. It's compatible because one hex digit corresponds to 4 binary digits, so one byte can be represented by 2 digits.
You can convert between hex and decimal (and other number bases) using a scientific calculator. Windows' calculator will do this quite easily.
If a hex number happens not to contain any letters, you wouldn't be able to tell if it was decimal or hexadecimal. So various notations are used to signify a hex number:
|Put 0x before
|Put $ before
|Put & before
|Put h after
I tend to use the second (used in most Z80 assembler code).
Also, the case of the letters doesn't matter. It's just easier to type $c621 than $C621.
Finally, it is common practice to write out any leading zeroes according to the possible values of the number in question. For the Master System, an address is in the range $0000-$ffff, so you could write address $66 as $0066. A byte is in the range $00-$ff, so you will often see zero written as $00, for example.
Binary explained
Binary is just another number system, but one that's simple enough for a computer to understand. It only has two numbers - 1 and 0 - so you have to increase the next digit to the left instead of getting a value of 2. In binary, 1 + 1 = 10; 10 + 1 = 11; 11 + 1 = 100, and so on.
So you know that a binary number is binary and not any other number system, the convention is to write it with a % sign in front of it, so:
%10101010 = 170 (decimal)
Obviously this lack of confusion over notation compared to hexadecimal was a mistake, which is made up for by the confusing way you refer to parts of binary numbers.
- Each digit (1 or 0) in a binary number is called a bit, which is short for binary digit.
- When you want to refer to a bit, you count from the right and start with 0. So, in %01110110, bit 7, bit 3 and bit 0 are zero, and there is no bit 8.
- In a (decimal) number like 8463, the 8 means thousands, the 4 means hundreds, the 6 is tens and the 3 is "ones". You knew that. Well, obviously changing the 8 is going to mean more difference than changing any of the others, and the 3 is least important in that respect. Similarly, the leftmost digit in a binary number is the most significant bit (MSB) and the rightmost (bit 0) is the least significant bit (LSB).
- The MSB is also called the high bit, and the LSB is called the low bit.
- When a particular bit has a value of 1, it is called set. When its value is 0, it's called reset.
Again, it is common to write out leading zeroes, so you will see %00001000 instead of %1000. Most of the time, we only write in binary when there aren't so many bits that it becomes impractical - so it's usually not used for more than 16 bits.
About the high bit being set
In my experience, the majority of games' music engines work using control values where the high bit is set. This means that the values passed to the music engine are simple numbers selecting the music from a list (1, 2, 3, ...) but the numbers have their high bit set, so they become ($81, $82, $83, ...). The music engine does a first check on the value by checking if the high bit is set. If it isn't, it rejects it. It then resets the high bit and uses the value as an index into a lookup table to find the music data, and begins playing.
I can't think of a good explanation for this, but it is generally true, especially for games made by Sega. Since $80 is often used for silence, $81 is generally the starting value. When hacking a music engine, pay attention to the parameters being used by the game; if it is always using values like $8x and $9x then you've got a high-bit engine; if it's using $0x and $1x then obviously you haven't. (Try slowing down emulation, and/or using the emulator's "run for 1 frame" option (Alt+F12 in Meka), to spy on values being written to a particular address.)
When you're writing values, note that if the currently playing music is number $81, writing $81 might not change anything. So if nothing happens when you expected it to, try $82.
There are lots of different ways for music engines to work. This guide only covers one of them. Hopefully I will be able to add to this guide when I hack different types of music engine, but this is the most common type, especially in first-party Sega titles, so it should set you on your way to hacking games yourself.
The main alternatives are:
- Games where the music control variable is somewhere totally different to the music engine, You can hack these by (tediously) searching the whole of RAM for the variable, instead of focusing just on the music engine's RAM area.
- Games which require a function call in the code to change the music, but still use a memory location to select the music. These won't respond when the byte is written; they have to be hacked.
- Games which require a function call in the code to change the music, and pass the parameter in a register. These are more tricky because there isn't an address to search for in the disassembly. Finding the music engine's entry point helps with these, since you can find calls to it or even hack it directly.
- Games which use non-sequential music numbers. Several games with music code written by Matt Furniss, for example, use "blocks" of music; a short track might take 1, a long one might take 5. Their music numbers are references to blocks, so the numbers might be 1, 2, 3, 8, 13, and trying block number 5 would give you music part-way through a track and possibly with some errors.
- Games where the music control variable passes through a chain of other code before being written. You may have to try to trace the execution backwards to find out how to control the music engine.
There is also the problem of avoiding music interruptions on non-SMS games, and games where the pause hack doesn't work. This is all rather complicated so I'll not go into it too deeply; but note that the memory editor lets you find lots of things, including title screen timeout timers ($ffff frames is plenty of time for most tracks), in-game timers, invincibility flags, etc.
I used Meka in this guide because it's pretty and its memory editor does everything I need. Other emulators may offer the features needed; Emukon is very good for debugging and hacking, but it runs slowly on my computer.
If you want to distribute your ROM or RAM hacks to others, it is sometimes better (if possible - it is not with "write trigger" hacks) to create patch file entries because they may be easier to apply. See the emulator's documentation for instructions; Meka's meka.pat file is self-documenting.
The best thing you can do with any successful hacking is to tell other people. Post it on the SMS Power! forums, perhaps in the "Hacks to find music" thread, and everyone will love you just a little bit more.


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Student Instructions
This is a math story. 1. Tap to start the activity. 2. Read the story to learn about the situation. 3. Read again and look for important quantities. You may use to annotate important details. 4. Read again to know the problem ( ? ). 5. Tap to draw and write your solution. 6. Tap to type your answer in a complete sentence. 7. Tap to explain how you solve the problem. 8. Tap to submit your work. Template created with Buncee


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Despite reforms, key human rights issues remain unaddressed in Myanmar – UN expert
A United Nations independent expert today welcomed the reforms that have been taking place in Myanmar while stressing that key human rights issues remain unaddressed, particularly in the states of Kachin and Rakhine where violence has displaced thousands of people.
"The reforms in Myanmar are continuing apace, which is a good sign for the improvement of the human rights situation in Myanmar," said the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the country, Tomás Ojea Quintana, after his latest visit. However, he warned that "there are significant human rights shortcomings that remain unaddressed."
Mr. Ojea Quintana called on authorities to address the issues of truth, justice and accountability through the creation of a truth commission, adding that this is crucial for the process of national reconciliation and to prevent future human rights violations.
He also underlined the importance of focusing on implementing the recent reforms, in particular in the areas of training for police, the army, judges and lawyers. "As time passes it becomes more urgent to address these shortcomings before they become entrenched," he said.
During his five-day trip, Mr. Ojea Quintana visited Naypyitaw, Yangon, Kachin and Rakhine, and met with Government officials, the National Human Rights Commission, civil society and former prisoners of conscience, among others. He also met with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Chairperson of the National League of Democracy.
The Special Rapporteur said he was particularly concerned by the escalation of military offensives in Kachin, where some 75,000 people have fled their homes since fighting began in June 2011 between Government troops and rebels.
"The ongoing large military presence, which remains beyond the reach of accountability mechanisms, means that serious human rights violations are continuing there," he said, adding that the resolution of the conflict will need to address the role played by ethnic minorities in the reconstruction of the nation.
Security issues in the state are also hindering humanitarian access, and Mr. Ojea Quintana stressed that all administrative and political obstacles should be removed to improve access.
Regarding Rakhine state, where several waves of clashes between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims have left 115,000 people displaced, Mr. Ojea Quintana warned the violence threatens to spread to other parts of the country and could potentially undermined the reform process in the country.
"Both Muslim and Buddhist Rakhine communities continue to suffer the consequences of violence that the Government has finally been able to control, though question marks remain over the extent to which excessive force has been used," he said.
The living conditions of some 120,000 people who are living in internally displaced camps are especially worrying, the expert said, without adequate health care in the larger Muslim camps.
"This is not just a matter of lack of resources, but requires the safe passage of humanitarian assistance to these camps. Currently, local and international medical staff are unable to provide medical care to some of the Muslim camps due to the threats and harassment they face from local Rakhine Buddhist communities," he said. "I urge the local authorities to send a clear message through their networks that this harassment of staff is not acceptable."
Mr. Ojea Quintana said it is also important to address the distrust between the two communities through dialogue and community initiatives to begin the process of repairing relations. "The facts of what has happened need to be established and those responsible for human rights violations held to account, which I hope the Investigation Committee established by the President will help to do in its upcoming report which should be made public."
Special rapporteurs are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a country situation or a specific human rights theme. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work. Mr. Ojea Quintana is scheduled to present a full report on his visit in March.


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WASHINGTON (TheBlaze/AP) -- Republicans blistered Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Wednesday over the nation's controversial health care law, bluntly challenging her honesty, pushing for her resignation and demanding unsuccessfully she concede that President Barack Obama deliberately misled the public about his signature domestic program.
In an explosive revelation, Sebelius admitted that it was possible convicted felons could be hired as Obamacare "navigators," giving them access to Americans' personal information like Social Security numbers and addresses.
Sebelius was repeatedly pressed on how the Obamacare rollout was botched so badly.
"We're not in it to just give you a rough time. We're in it to try and hopefully get it right," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, at a hearing where Republicans - all of whom had voted against "Obamacare" - focused on the program's flawed sign-up website as well as costs, policy cancellations, security concerns and other issues.
During two hours in the Senate Finance Committee witness chair, Sebelius parried some thrusts and listened impassively to others. Treated more gently by Democrats than Republicans, she said at one point: "Clearly the opposition is still quite ferocious, and I'm just hoping that people understand what their options are, what their benefits could be and what their opportunities are."
She offered few if any concessions about a program she pointedly observed "passed both houses of Congress, was signed by the president and upheld by the Supreme Court."
Nor did she provide much in the way of new information about the launch of a website that she has conceded was deeply flawed. She disclosed that the so-called punch list for repairs had included "a couple of hundred functional fixes" at the time the administration launched its urgent rescue mission last month.
Even now, she said, "we're not where we need to be."
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 06: Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius answers questions about the error-plagued launch of Healthcare.gov while testifying before the Senate Finance Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill November 6, 2013 in Washington, DC. Sebelius also faced tough questions from both Republicans and Democrats about people being kicked off their health insurance plans after President Barack Obama's earlier promise that if people liked their current coverage they could keep it under the Affordable Care Act. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
She added that the web portal now is handling large volumes of material with fewer errors. However, as she testified, the website, www.healthcare.gov ., was running sluggishly, with some users encountering difficulty and others receiving error messages.
Republican criticism and questions have turned in recent days into other areas, some blending policy and politics.
Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, one of Sebelius' most aggressive questioners, read aloud from a page of the White House website that says: "If you like your plan, you can keep it and you don't have to change a thing due to the health care law."
Turning to Sebelius, he said, "Well, we know that lying to Congress is a crime, but unfortunately lying to the American people is not. I'd just like to ask you a simple true-or-false question. Is that statement on the White House website true or is it false?" Sebelius said, "Sir, I think the statement is that. ..." before Cornyn cut her off.
"Is it true or is it false, Madame Secretary?" he asked.
She said "a vast majority" of people who are insured through their jobs would keep their plans and "a majority" of the 11 million in the individual market will keep plans with stronger coverage while "others will have to choose if they have to choose if they have a brand new plan and not a grandfathered - have to choose of a plan that they no longer get medically underwritten. ..."
Cornyn responded, "I will just ask that the record ... note that you have refused to answer my question whether it's true or false."
At the heart of his questioning was the recent flood of millions of cancellation notices that insurance companies have sent to individual policyholders, despite assurances dating to 2009 by the president that people would be able to keep their coverage if they liked it.
Several other Republicans also referred to the cancellations when their turn came to question Sebelius.
Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., asked if it violated Obama's promise that so many plans were canceled for falling short of the law's coverage requirements. Avoiding a direct response, Sebelius said, "For the vast majority of people who get employer-based health care, are in a public plan, are in the VA plan, are in Medicare, are part of the insurance market, their plans are very much in place. There is change coming in the individual marketplace with consumer protections that many people have never" had.
As senior Republican on the panel, Hatch led off. "While I'm glad that you are accepting responsibility for this disastrous rollout, I would have preferred that you and the rest of the administration were honest with us to begin with," he said.
Rather than ask Sebelius questions, Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas - the secretary is a former governor of the state - used his allotted time to raise numerous complaints about the law and her performance as the administration official in charge.
Roberts, who faces a tea party challenger in a bid for re-election next year, noted delays in parts of the law and said website woes have caused public uncertainty and fear.
"Your main goal should have been to protect Americans, to lessen their risk and to ensure their safety. But in your zeal to implement this law, not warnings, not advice, not counsel would deter you from implementing the exchanges," he said. "You have said America should hold you for - accountable, which is why today, Madam Secretary, I repeat my request for you to resign."
Sebelius did not respond.
Applicants' ID security was another focus. Republicans said the administration put in jeopardy the personal information of Americans by taking the website live before security testing was fully completed.
"So not only can millions of Americans not log in to the website successfully, but those who have actually succeeded could now find themselves at the mercy of identity thieves across the globe," said Hatch.
Sebelius said security issues were taken very seriously and "no one suggested that the risks outweighed the importance of moving forward" with the Oct. 1 launch date for the new insurance markets.
No major breaches have been reported, although in one publicized case the personal information of a South Carolina man was delivered to a website user who lives in North Carolina.
Broader security concerns have arisen because the part of the website that consumers interact with directly was not fully tested.
Federal law requires all government computer systems to have a security certification before going live. Yet on Sept. 27, Marilyn Tavenner, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, agreed to a temporary permit that said, "Aspects of the system that were not tested due to the ongoing development exposed a level of uncertainty that can be deemed as a high risk."
Separately, officials said the chief information security officer at the agency, Tony Trenkle, who was involved in the decision to issue the certificate, is resigning to take a job in the private sector. CMS spokeswoman Julie Bataille sidestepped questions about the reasons for the departure.
Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) asked why HHS doesn't just shutdown the flawed Obamacare website and start over:


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A spinning excavator, a giant pit of mud, rednecks, reckless disregard for personal safety, speed, waterskis and moonshine, added to taste: some recipes are simply perfect.
Vizio's Latest TVs Go All Quantum
There are a lot of questions posed by this video. Is the excavator stranded? Is this just a group of people making the best of a messy, annoying situation? Or was it placed there intentionally, as a part of some kind of perennial South Carolinian tradition; a sacred coming of age ritual known in the local dialect as gittin'r done? Lastly, when can I try this?
Search as I may, I can find no answers. Just more questions. [Break]


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Mitch Joel WARNING... LONG RANT! It takes a lot for me to both get angry and publish about it. Canada's…
Rio+20 World Environment News Summation
Written by Diana Thebaud Nicholson // June 25, 2012 // Sustainable Development // Comments Off on Rio+20 World Environment News Summation
(SciDev.net) Science at Rio+20
Finding cause for hope in Rio+20 disappointment
The disappointment arising from the lack of consensus at the Rio+20 conference on sustainable development is giving way to optimism among some observers, including Mary Robinson, former human rights chief at the United Nations, who writes that "the lack of political leadership was countered by the incredible vitality, determination and commitment of civil society." The shortcomings of the summit could point to the emergence of a new notion of "ecological citizenship," says Ilan Safit, a professor at Pace University. CNN (6/26), The New York Times (tiered subscription model)/Dot Earth blog (6/25), United Press International (6/25)
Rio+20 participants leave thinking not just big, but differently
The lack of meaningful commitments at the Rio+20 summit by governments means that developing nations, grass-roots organizations and corporations must take the lead in making development more sustainable, observers say. "We saw in the myriad Rio+20-related announcements … that they were taking action themselves — irrespective of any United Nations document," said Frances Beinecke, head of the Natural Resources Defense Council, and Trip Van Noppen, head of Earthjustice. "We can do this ourselves." The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (6/23), The Christian Science Monitor (6/22), AlertNet (6/23), The New York Times (tiered subscription model)/IHT Rendezvous blog (6/24)
Rio+20 ends with weak text, emboldened observers
Authors: Paulo Prada and Valerie Volcovici
World Environment News/Planet Ark
Global leaders ended a U.N. development summit on Friday with what was widely considered a lackluster agreement, leaving many attendees convinced that individuals and companies, rather than governments, must lead efforts to improve the environment.
Nearly 100 heads of state and government gathered over the past three days in efforts to establish "sustainable development goals," a U.N. drive built around economic growth, the environment and social inclusion. But a lack of consensus over those goals in Rio de Janeiro led to an agreement that even some signatory nations said lacked commitment, specifics and measurable targets.
A series of much-hyped global summits on environmental policy has now fallen short of expectations, going back at least to a 2009 U.N. meeting in Copenhagen that ended in near chaos. As a result, many ecologists, activists, and business leaders now believe that progress on environmental issues must be made locally with the private sector, and without the help of international accords.
"The greening of our economies will have to happen without the blessing of the world leaders," said Lasse Gustavsson, executive director of the World Wildlife Fund.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who arrived early on Friday for a quick announcement on U.S.-backed projects in Africa and a series of bilateral meetings with various world leaders, admitted as much. "Governments alone cannot solve all the problems we face," she said, "from climate change to persistent poverty to chronic energy shortages."
Most troubling for many critics of the summit is the fact that leaders arrived in Rio merely to sign a text that their diplomats had all but sealed beforehand. The text, dubbed "The Future We Want," left little room for vision or audacity from presidents and prime ministers, critics argued.
"The world we want will not be delivered by leaders who lack courage to come here, sit at the table and negotiate themselves," said Sharon Burrow, general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation.
"They took no responsibility for imposing the action, the targets, the time lines."
Some heads of state and government stayed away, given the global economic slowdown, worsening debt woes in Europe and continued violence in the Middle East. Notable absentees included U.S. President Barack Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron, all of whom attended a gathering of the Group of 20 major economies earlier this week in Mexico.
The summit, known as Rio+20, was never expected to generate the sort of landmark accords signed at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio, which included a treaty on biodiversity and agreements that led to the creation of the Kyoto protocol on greenhouse emissions. Although this week's meeting attracted more than 50,000 people, many were disappointed that the leaders made few specific commitments on issues ranging from energy to food security to oceans.
Throughout the three-day gathering and week-long negotiations beforehand, the streets of central Rio and surrounding the suburban conference hall that hosted the summit were filled with demonstrations by activists ranging from Indian tribes to environmentalists to anti-nuclear protesters.
The completion of a draft text even before the arrival of government heads gave the gathering itself a sense of finality from the start. Some delegates left on Thursday and by late Friday a handful of leaders were still delivering ceremonial addresses in a large, empty hall.
Instead of forging legally binding treaties, organizers say, the purpose of the summit was to initiate a process to define a new set of development principles.
But that process, like most global diplomacy, is rife with conflicting interests and tensions between rich countries and the developing world. "The storyline is different from 1992," said Andre Correa do Lago, chief negotiator at the conference for Brazil, which led the final talks on the declaration.
"This summit recognizes more than the others that not one size fits all," he added.
Many leaders used their time at the podium to note the markedly different needs they were struggling with, especially compared with the developed world. While Brazil, China and other big emerging nations spoke of their need to catch up with rich countries, others like Bolivia, Iran and Cuba unleashed traditional rants against capitalism and conventional definitions of growth.
One point of contention is what many emerging nations say is a need for a global fund that could help them pursue development goals. Early talk of a $30 billion fund for that purpose as a possible outcome of the summit foundered well before leaders arrived. A French proposal to tax financial transactions for that purpose also failed.
Clinton, announcing a $20 million grant for clean energy projects in Africa, said a better mechanism was "partnerships among governments, private sector and civil society."
Other countries, the World Bank and regional development banks also used the summit to showcase similar initiatives. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday that private investors since last year had pledged over $50 billion to boost the use of renewable energy sources worldwide.
Many business leaders at the conference said they were eager to find ways to contribute further. Richard Branson, the British billionaire, said in an interview at the "World Green Summit," one of many sideline events: "There's very little in a document like what they've come up with to accomplish real goals. That leaves it to the rest of us to find ways to move forward."
But some warned that private initiatives, while helpful, could not be responsible for the rulemaking and law enforcement necessary to ensure that wholesale changes take place.
"The private sector has an enormous and important role to play but not as a substitute to governments and international leadership," said Malcolm Preston, who leads the sustainability and climate change practice at PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
Environmentalists were angry that leaders failed to make commitments on two key issues: measures to protect the high seas and defining a process to stop subsidizing fossil fuels.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and other leaders said the outcome of the summit reflected what was possible after more than a year of discussions among the 193 government delegations that attended the summit. "From here we can only advance," she said. "We've arrived where we are together. To advance further we have to build a consensus."


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Library Search
The NRFC Library is a collection of materials to build a knowledge base around fathers, fatherhood, and operating a Responsible Fatherhood program. It also houses all resources created by the NRFC, including fact sheets, PSAs, and past webinars.
Use the search options provided below to find resources that you are interested in.
Most crimes committed by adolescents in the United States are linked to gang activity, which is disproportionally present in Latina/o communities. Although most gang-involved teenage fathers wish that their children would not join gangs, their parenting tends to foster gang involvement in their…


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Events include the finals for the international Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, a special 40th Anniversary Screening of "Aloha from Hawaii," special guests Rev. Mother Dolores Hart, T.G. Sheppard, Ronnie Milsap and an Elvis at Stax Listening Party, entertainment throughout the week on the Elvis Week Main Stage, fan club events, charity fundraisers and more. Tickets now available for the multi-day celebration of Elvis' life at ElvisWeek.com.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – June 11, 2013, – Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE) has announced an exciting lineup of events for Elvis Week 2013 to be held at Graceland in Memphis, Tenn. Taking place August 10-17, Elvis Week is an annual, multi-day gathering of friends and fans from around the world celebrating Elvis' life and legacy. It has become a pop-culture phenomenon and an annual pilgrimage for music lovers from around the world.
The cornerstone event, the Candlelight Vigil, will begin with the traditional opening ceremony on Thursday, August 15, at 8:30 p.m. at Graceland's front gate. Elvis music sets the tone of the evening as fans walk up the driveway to Meditation Garden. The event lasts throughout the night as thousands of participants gather on Elvis Presley Blvd. listening to music, remembering Elvis and enjoying the memorials that are created by fans along the street.
The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest returns for the seventh year with the largest number of competitors ever. The contest will feature 29 competitors from around the world, including winners from preliminary contests in the U.S., Japan, Brazil, the U.K., Canada and Australia. Elvis Tribute Artists (ETAs) will compete during the semifinal round of the contest on Wednesday, August 14, at The Cannon Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Memphis. The top 10 semifinalists will then move on to compete for the title of Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist of 2013 at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 17.
On Tuesday, August 13, an Elvis at Stax Listening Party will be held from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at Stax Museum of American Soul Music to celebrate the much-anticipated August 6th release of "Elvis At Stax," the 3-CD box set chronicling the music Elvis recorded at Stax Studios in July and December 1973. RCA/Legacy Recordings is hosting the event where fans will have an opportunity to stand in the very same spot where Elvis recorded the music they are hearing, in addition to witnessing stories and details behind the music and recording sessions from representatives of Sony and Norbert Putnam.
Conversations on Elvis, one of the most popular Elvis Week events, returns this year on Wednesday, August 14, at 1:00 p.m. at the Elvis Week Main Stage. Hosted by Tom Brown, Vice President of Original Productions for Turner Classic Movies (TCM), this event features Elvis' friends, colleagues, co-stars, musicians and more sharing some of their favorite stories and memories of Elvis. Confirmed guests include:
- Rev. Mother Dolores Hart who starred with Elvis in two films – "Loving You" and "King Creole." Six years later and after 10 successful feature films, she left Hollywood and joined the Abbey of Regina Laudis. Today, she is the Prioress of the Abbey and remains a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, having in recent years become the only nun to be an Oscar-voting member. Following Conversations, Mother Dolores will be signing copies of her new book, "The Ear of the Heart."
- T.G. Sheppard, who formed a close personal and professional relationship with Elvis while promoting records for RCA. Elvis later bought T.G. his first tour bus as a token of their friendship.
- Norbert Putnam, known as "Putt" by Elvis, recorded as a session bassist with Elvis on over 100 tracks. Norbert was also one of the studio musicians during Elvis' December 1973 recording session at Stax in Memphis. He will be joined by representatives from Sony who will be talking about the new "Elvis at Stax" release.
On Thursday, August 15, a special Elvis Gospel Celebration will be held at 9:00 a.m. on the Elvis Week Main Stage featuring Terry Mike Jeffrey, Andy Childs and former members of J.D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet – Bill Baize, Donnie Sumner, Ed Hill and Larry Strickland, as they sing some of their favorite Elvis gospel songs on stage.
Entertainment history will be celebrated on Friday, August 16, at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Memphis with a special enhanced 40th anniversary screening of Elvis' landmark 1973 television event. During this special screening, experience "Aloha from Hawaii" as you never have before with re-mastered video in high-definition and edited to create a special 40th anniversary experience. Included will be rarely-seen footage and audio combined with the stage footage. As a special enhancement to the evening, former members of J.D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet will perform.
At 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 17 at the Elvis Week Main Stage, the Official Elvis Insiders Event will be a celebration of all that is Elvis with special segments that highlight various parts of Elvis' life and career. Attendees will enjoy sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes looks, rarely-seen videos, feature segments filmed just for the event, special guests and more. Special guests appearances to include country music legend Ronnie Milsap, who did session work with Elvis, including playing piano and singing on "Kentucky Rain"; Elvis' original drummer DJ Fontana, who will be sharing memories about the filming of the "'68 Special," which celebrates its 45th anniversary this year; and former members of J.D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet – Bill Baize and Donnie Sumner who will talk about Elvis' "Aloha from Hawaii" concert.
To help close out the week, an Elvis Celebration Concert will also be held on the 17th at the Elvis Week Main Stage featuring Terry Mike Jeffrey and Band along with DJ Fontana and Elvis' background vocalist Millie Kirkham.
Other events scheduled during the week include additional special entertainment on the Elvis Week Main Stage, a Graceland Trivia Tour, the Annual Elvis Presley International 5K Run benefiting Livitup, Inc., Elvis Bingo, Graceland Stable tours and more.
Fans unable to join the celebration in Memphis will be able to participate online at ElvisWeek.com and via the Elvis Week 2013 mobile app with live streaming video, Google+ Hangouts and more.
Elvis Week ticket packages as well as tickets for individual events are now available. Visit ElvisWeek.com for detailed ticket and event information.
About Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE), a division of CORE Media Group, Inc., is based in Memphis, with additional offices in Los Angeles. In addition to Graceland and its related attractions in Memphis, including the Heartbreak Hotel, EPE is aggressively involved in a worldwide licensing program, merchandising, music publishing, and television, film, video and Internet projects. For more information on EPE and Graceland, visit www.elvis.com.


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Expert's Rating
- HDMI connectivity
- Stunning Retina display
- Top-notch performance
- Slim and lightweight
- Reduced screen glare
- USB 3.0 support
- 1920-by-1200 creates small UI elements
- Users will need to adjust for missing features
- Memory and storage not user upgradeable
Our Verdict
Apple isn't afraid to stir things up, making people rethink how they use technology. In recent years, most of that kind of innovation has focused on the iPhone, iPad, and iOS. But the MacBook Pro with Retina display, released at WWDC 2012, now directs attention back to the Mac.
The Retina MacBook Pro is not only a groundbreaking release, combining stunning performance and portability in a 15-inch Mac laptop; this model will also force you to change the way you interact with a laptop. From overhauling how you view and work with content to how you deal with external devices and connections, Apple isn't afraid to push its customers in new directions. The Retina MacBook Pro is certainly a more-than-gentle nudge.
Looking good: The Retina display
The marquee feature of this laptop is right in the name—the Retina display. The Retina display made its debut in the iPhone 4, followed by the third generation iPad. It's finally made its way to a Mac. You can look at the Retina display as another step in the iOS-ification of the Mac, or you can see it as I do—another way to remind you that all of these products are part of one big happy Apple family.
The Retina display's numbers are mind-boggling: 2880 by 1800 pixels—that's 220 pixels per inch—for a total of 5.18 million pixels on a 15.4-inch backlit screen. When the Retina MacBook Pro is set at its (Best) Retina setting, it's spectacular—the detail in photos is great, and text is the crispest and cleanest it's ever been. For the first few hours with the Retina MacBook Pro, I even found enjoyment in reading the text of system alerts. The Retina MacBook Pro helped rekindle my appreciation for the little details of Mac OS X that, over time, I've taken for granted. There were no dead pixels or light leakage on the two Retina MacBook Pros I looked at, and compared to my 17-inch MacBook Pro, colors were exceedingly vibrant.
With so many pixels, it's easy to notice the amount of detail you can see in high-resolution photos. But it emphasizes the low quality of many website images. Fire up Safari and you can read an article displayed in finely rendered text, with images that now look jaggy. For anyone tuned to such nuances, it can be annoying, but don't blame the laptop. It's up to Web designers to start to optimize graphics for Retina displays. With the popularity of the iPhone and iPad, the addition of a Retina laptop, and the eventual adoption of high-resolution displays in non-Apple devices, it's only a matter of time before the Web catches up.
Videos on the Retina MacBook Pro look excellent. To display a 1080p video on MacBook Pro, the video is enlarged to fill the screen, since these MacBook Pros already have more pixels on the screen than on a HDTV. I didn't notice any ghosting, and the laptop's video card seemed to have no problem handling the video.
The Retina MacBook Pro actually has two video cards—one integrated, one discrete. The integrated video card (which shares memory with the main memory, and is actually part of the CPU), is Intel's HD Graphics 4000, which is used to help preserve battery life. The discrete video card (a separate component with its own memory) is Nvidia's GeForce GT 650M, with 1GB of video memory. The system automatically switches processors based on the activity you're performing, so you're not sacrificing performance while, say, playing a game. You can turn off automatic graphics switching, which then sets the Retina MacBook Pro to always use the discrete video card.
With 2880-by-1800 pixels on hand, you might assume that the list of available resolutions in the Displays system preference would be unbearably long—there are 19 resolution settings for my 17-inch MacBook Pro. But that is not the case. In its ongoing effort to ease choices, Apple revamped the Displays system preference for the Retina MacBook Pro. Displays offers only five choices on a scale, which makes it much easier to find a comfortable resolution setting.
To the left of the scale are settings for Larger Text, to the right are settings for More Space, and in the middle is Best (Retina). If you really need to know the resolution numbers for each setting, they appear when you mouse over each setting. For example, the leftmost Larger Text setting "Looks like 1024 x 640" pixel resolution, while the rightmost More Space setting "Looks like 1920 x 1200."
When a second display is connected and set up to expand the desktop, the resolution listing appears, specifically for the external display. When I connected the Retina MacBook Pro to my 42-inch HDTV, it instantly recognized the display, and when I turned off mirroring, I was able to choose one of four resolutions for the HDTV, and set the Retina MacBook Pro to one of the five settings mentioned above.
I didn't have a chance to install Windows on a Boot Camp partition, but Macworld Lab installs Parallels as part of the benchmark suite, and I ran Windows 7 full screen through the virtual machine. I was able to set Windows to 2880-by-1800, and I was able to use applications without a hitch. Our sister publication, PCWorld, is planning a deep look at running Windows on a Retina MacBook Pro, so look for that upcoming report.
The Retina display also supports in-plane switching (IPS), which helps with color reproduction and viewing angles. Apple states a 178-degree viewing angle, and I don't dispute that.
A longtime concern about Apple's screens is the reflective glare. With the Retina MacBook Pro, Apple redesigned how the display is mounted. There's no longer a glass cover, and that, thankfully, reduces the glare. Apple says glare has been reduced by 75 percent; While I can't scientifically test that claim, I can say that the reduction is noticeable. I don't have to work as hard to ignore the glare as I've had to on previous MacBook Pros.
Soon after Apple announced the Retina MacBook Pro, the company discontinued the 17-inch MacBook Pro. With its support for 1920 by 1200 resolution—the native resolution of the 17-inch MacBook Pro—the Retina MacBook Pro serves as the replacement for the 17-inch model. I'm a 17-inch MacBook Pro user, and I use it because I want as much screen space as possible. Can you get the same amount of space with the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro? Yes, though the trade-off is that everything on the 15-inch screen is smaller than on a 17-inch screen. It doesn't bother me one bit—yet. As someone who's reached his 40s, I'm experiencing the change in vision that you expect when you get older, so it's possible that folks with aging eyes like mine will need to make adjustments.
What's inside stays inside
Apple offers two models of the Retina MacBook Pro. The $2199 model has a 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, 6MB shared L3 cache, 8GB of 1600MHz DDR3 memory, and 256GB of flash storage. (Most people call it an SSD or solid state drive, but Apple calls it flash storage.) The $2799 model has a 2.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, 6MB shared L3 cache, 8GB of 1600MHz DDR3 memory, and 512GB of flash storage.
The Retina MacBook Pro processors are part of Intel's Ivy Bridge processor technology, which are smaller and more power efficient than the previous generation of Sandy Bridge processors. Ivy Bridge processors are created using Intel's 22nm (nanometer) 3D Tri-Gate process, while Sandy Bridge processors are 32nm processors. Ivy Bridge also supports several features that promote power efficiency. Essentially, it promises improved performance from a chip that requires less power.
The processors support Intel's Hyper-Threading, which creates two virtual cores for each physical core present in the processor. With the quad-core Core i7 processor, Hyper-Threading creates eight virtual cores. Also, the processors have Turbo Boost, where the processing cores automatically boost its speed past the specified rate if it senses that it is running under the power and heat limits. The 2.3GHz processor in the $2199 model can boost its speed to 3.3GHz, while the 2.6GHz processor in the $2799 model goes up to 3.7GHz.
Before WWDC 2012, rumors of a 15-inch MacBook Air ran through the mill. While the Retina MacBook Pro is part of Apple's pro laptop line—and Apple representatives stressed during the Worldwide Developers Conference keynote that the Retina MacBook Pro is a pro machine—it has definitely taken some cues from its smaller, lighter sibling. One obvious cue is with the body design; it's thinner and lighter than its 15-inch counterparts in the "regular" MacBook Pro line. (More on the design later.) But not so obvious are the RAM and flash storage implementations—which may turn some customers off.
In the Retina MacBook Pro, the RAM is part of the motherboard; there are no slots and RAM sticks, and you have to decide at the time of purchase if you want to upgrade from the standard 8GB to 16GB. You can't upgrade the RAM after purchase. The situation is similar for the flash storage; it's not permanently attached, like the MacBook Air, but it's not considered a user-upgradeable part. Companies such as OWC offer flash storage upgrade kits for the MacBook Air, and chances are you'll see similar kits for the Retina MacBook Pro, but you'll possibly void your warranty if you use them, and Apple won't support such aftermarket hardware.
If your idea of a "pro" machine allows you to upgrade or customize some of its parts (like the Mac Pro, Apple's most customizable computer), then the Retina MacBook Pro will be a disappointment. However, that message has been on the wall, starting with the unibody Macs introduced in 2008, and reinforced with the 2010 MacBook Air—you can even look to the iPhone and iPad. Apple did not change the design of the regular 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro, so you still have the ability to upgrade RAM and storage later on in the life of those machines.
Upgrading to 16GB of memory adds $200 to the price of either Retina model. Unfortunately, the $2199 model does not have an option to upgrade the 256GB of flash storage. The $2799 model has a 768GB flash storage upgrade for an additional $500.
Faster connections: USB 3.0, Thunderbolt
On one side of the Retina MacBook Pro, you'll find a MagSafe 2 connector for power, two Thunderbolt ports, a USB 3.0 port, and a headphone jack. On the other side, there's another USB 3.0 port, an HDMI port, and a SDXC card slot.
USB 3.0 has long been on PCs, and it's finally—finally!—made its way on to the Mac. With the widespread availability of USB 3.0 storage devices, Mac users will now be able to tap into the speed benefits of USB 3.0. The USB ports are compatible with USB 2.0, so you can still use USB 2.0 devices, though you won't see an additional speed boost.
Thunderbolt is the high-speed connector here. Thunderbolt's specification states data throughput of up to 10 Gigabits per second (Gbps) per channel, though the actual speed depends on the connected Thunderbolt device.
Thunderbolt is also used to connect displays such as Apple's Thunderbolt Display ( ) or a Mini DisplayPort display like Apple's 27-inch LED Cinema Display ( ). The Retina MacBook Pro can drive two external displays; you can connect a pair of Thunderbolt Displays, or a Thunderbolt Display and a Cinema Display, or even a display connected through the Thunderbolt port and a display connected to HDMI. With two displays connected, the laptop's display is still available to use.
Missing features
What's missing? Ethernet—the Retina MacBook Pro comes with 802.11n, and Apple sells a Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter for $29. (You could perhaps use a USB to ethernet adapter, though I haven't tried one.) There's no FireWire 800, which I think is a bigger issue than the lack of ethernet, since FireWire devices are still common with Mac users. Apple will probably sell a lot of its new Thunderbolt to FireWire 800 adapters when they become available—it's too bad it's not an included accessory. There's no Kensington lock slot either, so you'll need to find another way to secure the Retina MacBook Pro to a desk.
Also missing is a SuperDrive, to no surprise. In my own personal use, I use the SuperDrive only to make backup copies of the DVD movies my kids get as presents, maybe five or six discs per year. I can't remember the last time I burned data to an optical disc; too many times I've had a backup DVD that went bad, and I have USB flash drives I can use for times I can't transfer a file over the network or the Internet. If you need a SuperDrive, you'll have to get an external drive, such as Apple's $79 USB SuperDrive.
A not-so-obvious missing feature is an ExpressCard/34 slot, which was only available on the recently discontinued 17-inch MacBook Pro. The Retina MacBook Pro has no ExpressCard slot, so you'll have to find other ways to get the functionality you're used to having with an ExpressCard. For example, 3G connectivity: You can use a USB 3G modem, or you can use tethering on your iPhone.
The Retina MacBook Pro uses a MagSafe 2 connector, the same kind that is used on the MacBook Air. The regular MacBook Pros continue to use the older MagSafe connector, and MagSafe 2 and MagSafe are not the same size. You can't plug in a MagSafe 2 adapter into a MagSafe plug, and vice versa. If you want to use a MagSafe adapter with the Retina MacBook Pro, you'll need a $10 MagSafe to MagSafe 2 Converter. There is no MagSafe 2 to MagSafe converter.
Slimmer body
At first glance, the Retina MacBook Pro looks a lot like the regular 15-inch MacBook Pro and the aluminum body design is essentially the same. The major difference is the thickness. With the lid closed, the Retina MacBook Pro measures 0.71 inches, while the regular 15-inch MacBook Pro is nearly an inch tall. The thin profile of the Retina MacBook Pro aids portability, but it also helps alleviate the discomfort you might have (as I do) with the edge of the laptop cutting into your wrist as you type. The angle isn't as steep as it is with the regular 15-inch MacBook Pro, but it's not like the tapered edge on the MacBook Air. It seems that Apple decided not to create a tapered edge in order to maximize the amount of battery inside.
The Retina MacBook Pro weighs 4.46 pounds, which is nearly a pound lighter than the regular 15-inch MacBook Pro, and more than 2 pounds lighter than the 17-inch MacBook Pro. Lighter is better—that's a given—but what's impressive about the Retina MacBook Pro's weight is that its 4.46 pounds feels evenly distributed. Of course, it's a bit heavier toward the screen, but it's also not too light in the area around the trackpad, so if you carry the laptop while it's open (admit it, you've done that more times that you'd like anyone to know), the laptop won't suddenly tip over.
A minor cosmetic note: One thing you'll notice with the open Retina MacBook Pro is that the MacBook Pro logo is no longer at the bottom of the screen. It's on the bottom of the laptop. Apple got rid of the cover glass for the display, and the logo was part of the cover glass. Apple decided to not put the logo on the bezel of the display.
Two other changes: The power button replaces the optical drive eject button on the keyboard, and there's no longer a battery life indicator on the hardware.
Benchmarks: How does it compare?
To gauge the performance of the two new Retina MacBook Pro models, Macworld Lab tested the $2199 and $2799 models using Speedmark 7, our benchmark suite of real-world applications and tasks.
Impressively, the 2.6GHz Core i7 Retina MacBook Pro isn't just the fastest laptop we've tested, it's the fastest Mac we've tested, posting a remarkable 330 Speedmark 7 score. The 2.3GHz Core i7 Retina MacBook Pro isn't far behind, with a score of 319. The previous fastest laptop was a Late 2011 15-inch MacBook Pro Core i7 2.4GHz, and the fastest desktop Mac we've tested was a Mid 2010 BTO 27-inch 2.93GHz Core i7 iMac with an SSD.
Compared to the fastest new 15-inch regular MacBook Pro with a 2.6GHz Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 5400-rpm 750GB hard drive, the 2.6GHz Core i7 Retina MacBook Pro is 38 percent faster, and the 2.3GHz Core i7 Retina MacBook Pro is 33 percent faster.
If you look at the scores for last year's MacBook Pros, the new 2.6GHz Core i7 Retina MacBook Pro is a whopping 51 percent faster. The comparison with the new 2.3GHz Core i7 Retina MacBook Pro is just as impressive; it's 46 percent faster.
It's the flash storage that gives the Retina MacBook Pros a serious boost. Compared to the new regular MacBook Pros, the Retina laptops see serious gains in disk-based activities, such as in our Duplicate 2GB Folder test, Zip 4GB Folder test, and Unzip 4GB File test. In other tests where the storage device comes into play (Import iMovie Archive, Aperture Import, iPhoto Import), the Retina laptops held an advantage.
In other tests that aren't so disk dependent and more CPU focused, the Retina laptops and the new regular MacBook Pros were within range of each other, such as in our HandBrake Encode test, Pages Import test, MathematicaMark, and the Cinebench CPU test.
The one test where the new regular MacBook Pros clearly pulled away from the Retina laptops is in our Portal 2 frame rate test. The regular 2.6GHz Core i7 MacBook Pro was 9 percent faster than its Retina counterpart with the same processor. The regular 2.3GHz Core i7 MacBook Pro was 4 percent faster than the 2.6GHz Core i7 Retina MacBook Pro, but it was 17 percent faster that 2.3GHz Core i7 Retina MacBook Pro. Even though the Retina laptops and the regular MacBook Pros have the same graphics hardware (the regular 2.3 GHz MacBook Pro's GeForce GT 650M has 512MB of memory, versus 1GB in the other three laptops), the Retina displays have so many more pixels to push that it can affect the frame rate in games.
Macworld is in the process of testing the four standard configurations of the new regular MacBook Pros. We'll have a detailed review coming soon.
We have a list of Speedmark scores that compares the new Retina MacBook Pros to every Mac we've tested with Speedmark 7, which includes some Mac models from 2009 to late 2011.
Heat and noise
I don't have lab-produced test results, but I'll give my subjective observations. The Retina MacBook Pro, while running the Diablo III installer, warmed up, but not enough to make me uncomfortable while it rested in my lap. The heat was from the center of the bottom of the laptop, and it didn't seem to radiate beyond that. The fans did not kick in.
After Diablo III finished its installation, I ran the game. I was able to select 2880-by-1800 in the game's settings, and during gameplay, the fans are definitely running and noticeable. The laptop heated up immediately, in the forward part of the bottom, underneath the keyboard where the GPU and CPU are located, and it heated up enough for me to move the laptop to a desk.
I watched several YouTube videos and iTunes movie trailers, all streaming 1080p or 720p over the Internet. The laptop got a bit warmer than when I installed Diablo III, but not hot enough for me to need to move the laptop off my lap. I wasn't able to trigger the fans while doing this, and the videos ran smoothly.
I also used Handbrake to convert a movie file for my iPhone—the Retina MacBook Pro doesn't have an optical drive and I didn't try ripping a DVD or CD using an external drive. The file conversion took less than 5 minutes, during which time the fans did not run, and the laptop did not noticeably heat up.
Battery life
The Retina display is power-hungry; you need a lot of juice to move all those pixels. The Retina MacBook Pro's built-in battery is rated at 95 watt-hours. By comparison, the regular 15-inch MacBook Pro is rated at 77.5 watt-hours. The Retina MacBook Pro has a much bigger battery.
However, Apple rates the battery life of all its 15-inch MacBook Pros at 7 hours of what the company calls "wireless web" use. When Macworld Lab tests battery life, we use a more rigorous test. We loop a movie file in full screen mode in QuickTime Pro until the battery is drained. This drains the battery faster than general use that involves Web access.
Both Retina laptops lasted about five hours in our test. Even with their larger batteries, they didn't last as long as the regular 15-inch MacBook Pros, which lasted several minutes longer. The previous generation of 15-inch MacBook Pros actually outlasted the new models by a significant margin.
The new definition of "pro"
Apple's idea of "pro"—at least for laptops—doesn't involve customizable hardware, which means a few hardcore users are at a crossroads. You can still buy the regular MacBook Pro, open it up, and have your way with it, but I'm guessing it won't be too long before that design too follows the 17-inch MacBook Pro into discontinued status.
So, what is Apple's idea of a "pro" laptop? For now, it's the Retina MacBook Pro, which is philosophically very close to the MacBook Air. Obviously, it's light, it's smaller than before, but the missing features force you to adjust, as with the MacBook Air. The "pro" aspect, in this case, refers to the performance; the general CPU speed matches the regular MacBook Pro (when you factor in the flash storage, the Retina MacBook Pro blazes past the regular laptops), so no performance compromises are made, and the performance is several notches past the MacBook Air.
Macworld's buying advice
With the Retina MacBook Pro, Apple once again proves it is a company that refuses to sit still and get comfortable. It redefined the ultraportable laptop with the MacBook Air, and has now altered the concept of the "pro" laptop. Going lighter and smaller was expected, given how Apple does things, but the change in feature set will have current MacBook Pro owners reexamining their needs.
One thing to consider: Customers actually have more laptop choices now than than they've had since the demise of the MacBook. There are three different types to choose from: the MacBook Air, the regular MacBook Pro, and the Retina MacBook Pro. It's a good variety that ranges in price from $999 to $2799, not including BTO options.
The Retina MacBook Pro, however, is the future of Apple's laptop line—and it's a bright, shining symbol of excellence. The Retina display is something to be marveled at, and the lightweight, smaller design addresses the demand for our devices to be even more portable. You'll have to make a few adjustments, but fortunately, you don't have to sacrifice performance. The Retina MacBook Pro is quite a remarkable laptop.
Editor's note: Updated at 6/15/12 at 8 a.m. PT to correct a price reference to the 2.6GHz Core i7 model. Updated on 6/18/12 at 7:30 p.m. PT to add a link to Speedmark 7 scores.