Ecuador flower growers in Snowden shock

PIFO, Ecuador (AP) ? Gino Descalzi used to fret about things like aphids, mildew and the high cost of shipping millions of roses a year from Ecuador to florists in the United States. These days he's worried about a 30-year-old former spy stuck thought to be in the transit area of the Moscow airport, and he can't believe it.

The Obama administration sent a thinly veiled economic threat to this South American country on Thursday when it indefinitely delayed a decision to eliminate tariffs on imports of roses worth about $250 million a year. The move created leverage over the leftist government seen as likeliest to grant National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden political asylum that would protect him from U.S. criminal charges.

A week after Snowden began his stuttering, surreal flight across the globe, every passing day without him making progress toward Ecuadorean asylum makes the prospect look less likely. But the men who grow roses, asters and delphinia in the thin air of Ecuador's sun-soaked highlands are deeply concerned that, whatever happens to Snowden, they may turn out to be the most unlikely collateral damage from the geopolitical wrangle over his fate.

"This totally changes the financial panorama for our businesses and seriously affects the structure of our markets," said Descalzi, whose 280 employees produce some 22 million roses a year. "We're just shocked that an event so far from the political and economic life of Ecuador has caused so much commotion and worry."

The rose benefit for Ecuador had been widely expected to be approved. Any delay, they say, puts it into uncomfortably uncertain territory.

Even if Snowden never touches Ecuadorean soil and the U.S. cuts the 6.8 percent tariff on Ecuadorean roses, along with tariffs on frozen broccoli and canned artichokes, Ecuadorean flower growers are worried that the brouhaha has damaged Ecuador in the eyes of the United States, hurting its reputation for stability and reliability among the buyers who must decide between flowers from Ecuador and the already tariff-free blooms from its nearby market-dominant competitor, Colombia.

"This is not a mathematical equation," said Benito Jaramillo, the head of the Ecuadorean flower-growers' association. The graduate of Texas A&M and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign employs hundreds of people growing "summer flowers" ? a category of less-flashy blooms like hydrangeas and asters ? on his farm about a half-hour from the capital, Quito.

"The point is that there are a lot of other factors that damage our industry's image and competitiveness in the mid-term," Jaramillo said.

Flowers are serious business in Ecuador.

The industry says it employs about 50,000 people on about 550 farms across the country and is indirectly responsible for 110,000 jobs, putting it after only oil, seafood and bananas in the ranks of the country's biggest exporters. It boasts that the long days, rich sunlight and cool nights of the Andean highlands mean the heads of flowers, particularly roses, grow fuller and richer than those from Colombia, which they scoff at as more suitable for grocery stores than florists.

Industry representatives spent around a year campaigning hard in Washington for the inclusion of cut roses under the Generalized System of Preferences, or GSP, a mechanism meant to encourage development in lower-income countries. A broader trade pact that covers a wide range of Ecuadorean products, the Andean Trade Preference Act, had been widely expected to expire next month. That now seems certain, not least because Ecuador declared Thursday that it was preemptively rejecting it.

Now, the flower industry has turned its focus to its own government, which it desperately hopes won't offer asylum to Snowden.

A small group of U.S. senators explicitly threatened trade retaliation if Ecuador harbors Snowden. And on Saturday, Vice President Joe Biden asked Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa to turn down any asylum request.

"We can't put the interests of 14 million Ecuadoreans at risk because of a 29-year-old hacker whom we don't even know," Descalzi said. "This gentleman doesn't mean anything to us."

The business impacts of the Snowden affair have infuriated Ecuador's main business groups, who accuse the government of putting ideology before commerce.

The decision to renounce the Andean Trade deal was "permeated by political and ideological motives," said Roberto Aspiazu, chairman of a coalition of Ecuador's largest industries. The country's business sector is calling on the government to manage the relationship with the United States "with the utmost care," he said.

The government said it planned to compensate business damaged by the loss of U.S. tariff benefits and has painted its decision in terms of the nation's sovereignty versus U.S. threats.

"But in any case, now they're wanting to destroy Ecuador for receiving an asylum application from Mr. Snowden and they are pulling out the rubbish that we spy as well," President Correa said. "If you behave badly we will take (the trade deal) away from you. Well, here you have the sovereign response from Ecuador, my comrades."

But business groups warned that any government compensation could be interpreted as a subsidy subject to international litigation.

When asked how he feels about the whole situation, Jaramillo, the head of the flower association, thought before responding with a single word: "frustrated."

"One isolated issue shouldn't create so much damage," he said.

_____ Gonzalo Solano contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ecuador-flower-growers-snowden-shock-072605949.html

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Mimicking living cells: Synthesizing ribosomes

June 29, 2013 ? Synthetic biology researchers at Northwestern University, working with partners at Harvard Medical School, have for the first time synthesized ribosomes -- cell structures responsible for generating all proteins and enzymes in our bodies -- from scratch in a test tube.

Others have previously tried to synthesize ribosomes from their constituent parts, but the efforts have yielded poorly functional ribosomes under conditions that do not replicate the environment of a living cell. In addition, attempts to combine ribosome synthesis and assembly in a single process have failed for decades.

Michael C. Jewett, a synthetic biologist at Northwestern, George M. Church, a geneticist at Harvard Medical School, and colleagues recently took another approach: they mimicked the natural synthesis of a ribosome, allowing natural enzymes of a cell to help facilitate the human-made construction.

The technology could lead to the discovery of new antibiotics targeting ribosome assembly; an advanced understanding of how ribosomes form and function; and the creation of tailor-made ribosomes to produce new proteins with exotic functions that would be difficult, if not impossible, to make in living organisms.

"We can mimic nature and create ribosomes the way nature has evolved to do it, where all the processes are co-activated at the same time," said Jewett, who led the research along with Church. "Our approach is a one-pot synthesis scheme in which we toss genes encoding ribosomal RNA, natural ribosomal proteins, and additional enzymes of an E. coli cell together in a test tube, and this leads to the construction of a ribosome."

Jewett is an assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science.

The in vitro construction of ribosomes, as demonstrated in this study, is of great interest to the synthetic biology field, which seeks to transform the ability to engineer new or novel life forms and biocatalytic ensembles for useful purposes.

The findings of the four-year research project were published June 25 in the journal Molecular Systems Biology.

Comprising 57 parts -- three strands of ribonucleic acid (RNA) and 54 proteins -- ribosomes carry out the translation of messenger RNA into proteins, a core process of the cell. The thousands of proteins per cell, in turn, carry out a vast array of functions, from digestion to the creation of antibodies. Cells require ribosomes to live.

Jewett likens a ribosome to a chef. The ribosome takes the recipe, encoded in DNA, and makes the meal, or a protein. "We want to make brand new chefs, or ribosomes," Jewett said. "Then we can alter ribosomes to do new things for us."

"The ability to make ribosomes in vitro in a process that mimics the way biology does it opens new avenues for the study of ribosome synthesis and assembly, enabling us to better understand and possibly control the translation process," he said. "Our technology also may enable us in the future to rapidly engineer modified ribosomes with new behaviors and functions, a potentially significant advance for the synthetic biology field."

The synthesis process developed by Jewett and Church -- termed "integrated synthesis, assembly and translation" (iSAT) technology -- mimics nature by enabling ribosome synthesis, assembly and function in a single reaction and in the same compartment.

Working with E. coli cells, the researchers combined natural ribosomal proteins with synthetically made ribosomal RNA, which self-assembled in vitro to create semi-synthetic, functional ribosomes.

They confirmed the ribosomes were active by assessing their ability to carry out translation of luciferase, the protein responsible for allowing a firefly to glow. The researchers then showed the ability of iSAT to make a modified ribosome with a point mutation that mediates resistance to the antibiotic clindamycin.

The researchers next want to synthesize all 57 ribosome parts, including the 54 proteins.

"I'm really excited about where we are," Jewett said. "This study is an important step along the way to synthesizing a complete ribosome. We will continue to push this work forward."

Jewett and Church, a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School, are authors of the paper, titled "In Vitro Integration of Ribosomal RNA Synthesis, Ribosome Assembly, and Translation." Other authors are Brian R. Fritz and Laura E. Timmerman, graduate students in chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern.

The work was carried out at both Northwestern University and Harvard Medical School.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/_1dSF3gpNfo/130629164739.htm

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Genomic atlas of gene switches in plants provides roadmap for crop research

June 30, 2013 ? What allows certain plants to survive freezing and thrive in the Canadian climate, while others are sensitive to the slightest drop in temperature? Those that flourish activate specific genes at just the right time -- but the way gene activation is controlled remains poorly understood.

A major step forward in understanding this process lies in a genomic map produced by an international consortium led by scientists from McGill University and the University of Toronto and published online today in the journal Nature Genetics.

The map, which is the first of its kind for plants, will help scientists to localize regulatory regions in the genomes of crop species such as canola, a major crop in Canada, according to researchers who worked on the project. The team has sequenced the genomes of several crucifers (a large plant family that includes a number of other food crops) and analyzed them along with previously published genomes to map more than 90,000 genomic regions that have been highly conserved but that do not appear to encode proteins.

"These regions are likely to play important roles in turning genes on or off, for example to regulate a plant's development or its response to environmental conditions," says McGill computer-science professor Mathieu Blanchette, one of the leaders of the study. Work is currently underway to identify which of those regions may be involved in controlling traits of particular importance to farmers.

The study also weighs in on a major debate among biologists, concerning how much of an organism's genome has important functions in a cell, and how much is "junk DNA," merely along for the ride. While stretches of the genome that code for proteins are relatively easy to identify, many other 'noncoding' regions may be important for regulating genes, activating them in the right tissue and under the right conditions.

While humans and plants have very similar numbers of protein-coding genes, the map published in Nature Genetics further suggests that the regulatory sequences controlling plant genes are far simpler, with a level of complexity between that of fungi and microscopic worms. "These findings suggest that the complexity of different organisms arises not so much from what genes they contain, but how they turn them on and off," says McGill biology professor Thomas Bureau, a co-author of the paper.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/97SI62s6rJ8/130630144921.htm

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The founder of the Scottsboro Boys Museum, Sheila Washington, says paperwork wil...

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Don't Waste Money On Name-Brand Medications - Business Insider

Even doctors know it's pointless to spend money on name-brand medications.?

A new study?from the University of Chicago business school finds that pharmacists are much more likely to buy generic over-the-counter pain relievers than spend more money on name brands.

Store brand, generic OTC pain relievers almost always have the exact same dosages and active ingredients of their name-brand counterparts (the FDA makes sure of that). Even so, consumers have proven they still have a hard time passing up recognizable brands like Tylenol and Advil in favor of cheaper generics.

The study finds:

In a case study of headache remedies, we ?nd that?college education, working in a healthcare occupation, and other proxies for product knowledge predict?more purchases of private labels relative to brands. Pharmacists devote almost 90% of headache?remedy purchases to private labels, against 71% for the average consumer. ...?We conclude that a signi?cant share of the willingness?to pay for brands in these categories would disappear in a world where consumers were fully informed.

The implication is that there's no reason for Tylenol and Advil to cost more money than off-brand equivalents except for the fact that they're brands and they spend a lot of money to advertise. It's the same deal as paying double for a box of name brand cereal when a generic storebrand box costs less and tastes about the same. You're paying more for advertising than quality.

Even though generic ("private label," or store brand) pain relievers account for 71% of the quantity of purchases, they only represent 49% of the dollars spent on OTC pain relievers, according to the study. They're significantly cheaper than the name-brand stuff.

Matt Yglesias at Slate writes: "One moral of the story is that advertising works. Nobody I know thinks advertising works on them or on anyone else. But it?s clear that even when marketers?don?t?have any meaningful information to convey about why you should buy their product, investments in branding nonetheless move purchasing decisions."

It's important to note that this same logic might not always apply to prescription pharmaceuticals?and other types of medicine (this study primarily addresses headache remedies). But considering that so many pharmacists shun brand-name OTC pain relievers in favor of generics, this could be an obvious place for people to save money on a common household item.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/dont-waste-money-on-name-brand-medications-2013-6

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Video: Portfolio Prepping for Q3

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Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/video/cnbc/52346162/

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Concept Android smartphone Sony XTRUD lets users customize its hardware and software

Product designer Rybarczyk Francois offers his vision of an Android-based smartphone with an architecture that allows users to replace its hardware components. Dubbed as the Sony XTRUD, the concept handset would be an environmentally-friendly product that would allow users to upgrade components to better ones, or replace broken parts without needing to shell out money for a brand-new smartphone. Beyond the hardware, supposedly, even the XTRUD?s software will be upgradeable to keep the device up-to-date.

Despite the fact that Francois uses the Sony brand on the product renders of his concept handset, he clarifies that the device is only a personal project, and may not necessarily be in line with Sony?s ideas.

The Sony XTRUD, according to the artist?s description, follows Sony?s aesthetic concepts. It has a simple plastic or aluminum exterior with a geometric pattern and round shaped buttons for user input. It would also come with a slim profile.

Screws on the top part of the handset would permit users to open the device easily to access and replace its internal parts, such as the battery, camera, and even the screen. The Sony XTRUD also does not need a case to change the color of the device. It can easily be personalized according to a user?s color preferences, or customized to promote the company brand. On the bottom of the device, one finds a volume control wheel that appears to double as a zoom ring, and even as an audio jack.

Francois also illustrates the possible smart manufacturing process of the concept handset. The process would involve CMF exploration, followed by extrusion, cutting, machining, and finally, anodizing.

The Sony XTRUD would support Android operating system and offer a dedicated website. Francois creates a packaging render for the device, as well, and proposes a selling price starting at $199.

Some consumers would certainly appreciate having more control over their smartphone. On the part of manufacturers, however, the customizable handset would mean that consumers would not need to purchase new phones every so often to replace outdated models. On the other hand, such a product would allow them to sell individual components.

Would you want to buy a customizable smartphone?

via androidauthority

Tags: concept handset, concept smartphone, Design, sony xtrud

Category: Smartphones, Tech News

Source: http://thedroidguy.com/2013/06/concept-android-smartphone-sony-xtrud-lets-users-customize-its-hardware-and-software/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=concept-android-smartphone-sony-xtrud-lets-users-customize-its-hardware-and-software

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Aaron Hernandez Family Members, Friends Defend NFL Star: He's Not a Gang-Banger!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/06/aaron-hernandez-family-members-friends-defend-nfl-star-hes-not-a/

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Court lifts ban on Calif. gay marriages

The lead plaintiffs in the U.S. Supreme Court case that overturned California's same-sex marriage ban tied the knot at San Francisco City Hall on Friday, about an hour after a federal appeals court freed same-sex couples to obtain marriage licenses for the first time in 4 1/2 years.

State Attorney General Kamala Harris presided at the wedding of Kris Perry and Sandy Stier, of Berkeley, as hundreds of supporters looked on and cheered. The couple sued to overturn the state's voter-approved gay marriage ban along with Jeff Katami and Paul Zarrillo, of Burbank, who planned to marry Friday evening at Los Angeles City Hall.

"By joining the case against Proposition 8, they represented thousands of couples like themselves in their fight for marriage equality," Harris, who had asked the appeals court to act swiftly, said during Stier and Perry's brief ceremony. "Through the ups and downs, the struggles and the triumphs, they came out victorious."

Harris declared Perry, 48, and Stier, 50, "spouses for life," but during their vows, they took each other as "lawfully wedded wife." One of their twin sons served as ring-bearer.

Although the couple have fought for the right to wed for years, their wedding came together in a flurry when a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a brief order Friday afternoon dissolving, "effective immediately," a stay it imposed on gay marriages while the lawsuit challenging the ban advanced through the courts.

Sponsors of California's same-sex marriage ban called the appeals court's swift action "outrageous."

"The resumption of same-sex marriage this day has been obtained by illegitimate means. If our opponents rejoice in achieving their goal in a dishonorable fashion, they should be ashamed," said Andy Pugno, general counsel for a coalition of religious conservative groups that sponsored Proposition 8.

"It remains to be seen whether the fight can go on, but either way, it is a disgraceful day for California," Pugno said.

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 Wednesday that Proposition 8's sponsors lacked authority to defend the measure in court once Harris and Gov. Jerry Brown, both Democrats, refused to do so.

The decision lets stand a trial judge's declaration that the ban, approved by voters in November 2008, violates the civil rights of gay Californians and cannot be enforced.

Under Supreme Court rules, the losing side in a legal dispute has 25 days to ask the high court to rehear the case. The court said earlier this week that it would not finalize its ruling in the Proposition 8 case until after that time had elapsed.

It was not immediately clear whether the appeals court's action would be halted by the high court, but Gov. Jerry Brown directed California counties to start performing same-sex marriages immediately in the wake of it.

A memo from Brown's Department of Public Health said "same-sex marriage is again legal in California" and ordered county clerks to resume issuing marriage licenses to gay couples.

Given that word did not come down from the appeals court until mid-afternoon, most counties were not prepared to stay open late to accommodate potential crowds. The clerks in a few counties announced that they would stay open a few hours later Friday.

A jubilant San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee announced that same-sex couples would be able to marry all weekend in his city, which is hosting its annual gay pride celebration this weekend.

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Associated Press writers Jason Dearen, Paul Elias and Mihir Zaveri contributed to this story.

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/appeals-court-lifts-hold-calif-gay-marriages-19528404

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Samsung phone subsidies are even higher than iPhone subsidies

Samsung Phone Subsidies

Despite the fact that the iPhone is the best-selling smartphone line in the world, carriers have historically not been the biggest fans of Apple?s handsets. In fact, some carrier stores have been caught trying to get customers to purchase anything other than the iPhone.?Apple?s iPhone is known to carry huge subsidies, so it makes sense that wireless providers would favor more profitable handsets. It is quite interesting to learn, though, that when it comes to subsidies, Samsung phones actually cost carriers even more than the iPhone.

[More from BGR: Nokia told to adopt Android before it?s too late]

According to a report released this week by market research firm ABI Research, the average implied carrier subsidy for a Samsung smartphone in the United States is 84%. This means that on average, carriers are covering 84% of a Samsung smartphone?s up-front cost, while the rest is recouped in service fees over the course of a 24-month contract with the subscriber who purchases the phone.

[More from BGR: BlackBerry?s risky pricing strategy has backfired]

That compares to an 80% average implied subsidy for HTC smartphones and a 74% subsidy for the iPhone lineup.

?Samsung continues to squeeze its competitors at every turn,? ABI analyst Stuart Carlaw said.??The Samsung [Galaxy S4] is now considered on a par with Apple?s iPhone 5. Coupled with better subsidy, the breadth of its device portfolio, increasingly savvy marketing, and its excellence in channel execution, it is little wonder Samsung is dominating the mobile handset market from top to bottom.?

Carlaw?s colleague?Nick Spencer looked at the news from a different angle. ?The smartphone market in particular is entering a new phase focusing on execution and price, rather than innovation and value,? Spencer said. ?Samsung?s scale and supply chain excellence is allowing it to put its competitors under increasing price pressure and win market share. This is a major concern for the rest of the market, especially for smaller, less efficient vendors, as margins will be squeezed and overall market value reduced.?

This article was originally published on BGR.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/samsung-phone-subsidies-even-higher-iphone-subsidies-204049784.html

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BlueStacks Adds A Free Hardware Option To Its ?Netflix For Gaming' With GamePop Mini

Mobile virtualization startup BlueStacks only recently revealed the GamePop, its mobile home gaming console that offers all-you-can play gaming for a flat monthly fee, but it's already expanding the line. Today, the company is announcing GamePop Mini, a version of the GamePop that offers completely free hardware with a standard $6.99 monthly GamePop service subscription, with smaller hardware that's yours to keep after 12 months even if you decide to cancel your GamePop account.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/TMAGug592ZE/

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Tweetbot adds support for Instagram Video. No, seriously!

Gotta love the guys at Tapbots who seem to be able to go from zero to new features in no time flat, even if the new feature just happens to be Instagram Videos which has barely launched and is still, arguably more curiosity than product.

Since Twitter and Instagram haven't been seeing eye-to-eye on media embeds for a while now, Tweetbot continues to enjoy better support for Facebook's photo -- and now sharing -- network than the official Twitter app, and that Insta-gap is only growing. If you're already using Tweetbot, grab the update now. If you haven't tried it yet, you've got one more reason to try it now!

• $2.99 for iPhone - Download now
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/pUNaaz8L3CA/story01.htm

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Chick-fil-A president denounces rulings on gay marriage

(Chick-fil-A)

Chick-fil-A, the Atlanta-based fast-food chain known for its chicken sandwiches, waffle fries and Christian evangelism, has once again positioned itself at the center of America?s gay marriage debate, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

On Wednesday, the company?s president, Dan Cathy, sent out a tweet criticizing the Supreme Court?s rulings, which extended federal recognition to same-sex marriages and paved the way for the return of gay marriage in California.

?Sad day for our nation; founding fathers would be ashamed of our gen. to abandon wisdom of the ages re: cornerstone of strong societies,? Cathy wrote. His post was later deleted, but not before the Atlanta-Journal Constitution obtained a screenshot of it.

The company issued a statement on Thursday saying the tweet reflected Cathy?s personal views and not necessarily those of all Chick-fil-A customers and employees. The company added that it is ?focused on providing great-tasting food and genuine hospitality to everyone.?

This wasn?t the first time that Cathy has publicly come out against same-sex marriage. In July 2012, the Chick-fil-A president and COO told the Baptist Press that he was ?guilty as charged? in his opposition, saying that he and his company were ?very much supportive of the family unit?the biblical definition of the family unit.?

During the same week, Cathy also appeared on a radio show, on which he said same-sex marriage was ?inviting God?s judgment on our nation.?

He added, ?I pray God?s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we would have the audacity to try to redefine what marriage is all about."

Cathy, the son of Chick-fil-A?s founder and chairman, Truett Cathy, has a history of grabbing headlines for his unapologetic brand of social conservatism. In February 2012, students at Boston?s Northeastern University protested a proposal to put a Chick-fil-A on their campus and the school abandoned its plans.

Later that year, Boston Mayor Tom Menino sent Cathy a letter, urging him to ?back out? of his plans to open new locations in Boston because of his views on same-sex marriage. The letter was published online soon afterward.

According to ABC News, Chick-fil-A?s WinShape Foundation donated $3.2 million to advocacy groups that oppose same-sex marriage between 2008 and 2010. The company has since agreed to stop funding anti-gay groups.

More from Yahoo! and ABC News:?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/news/chick-fil-president-denounces-supreme-court-rulings-gay-154004419.html

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Weddings Used To Be Sacred And Other Lessons About Internet Journalism

Editor's note: Sean Parker is the executive general partner at Founder's Fund. Previously he was co-founder of Napster and the founding president of Facebook. He currently serves as a director of Spotify. My wife and I met 5 years ago and almost immediately began fantasizing about having a wedding in an enchanted forest. But life rarely works out the way it does in fairy tales.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/A94CyFTQZDk/

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Keillor plans 26-city 'Radio Romance Tour'

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) ? Humorist Garrison Keillor won't be taking a summer vacation.

Instead, the creator and host of "A Prairie Home Companion" kicks off a 26-city "Radio Romance Tour 2013" next month.

Keillor wraps up the current season of his popular public radio variety show on Saturday from Tanglewood in Massachusetts. Then he's launching his coast-to-coast bus tour July 8 in Spokane, Wash.

Keillor plans 27 concerts, from Washington state to Maine. The shows will not be broadcast.

Keillor will be joined by comedian Fred Newman, who does sound effects, and pianist Richard Dworsky and the Guy's All-Star Shoe Band featuring guitarist Pat Donohue and violinist and mandolinist Richard Kriehn. The shows will run more than two hours and will offer duet singing, with either singer Aoife O'Donovan or singer and fiddle player Sara Watkins.

There also will be such "Prairie Home" staples, as commercials for fake sponsors, like Powdermilk Biscuits, Guy Noir Private Eye and the latest News from Lake Wobegon.

"The summer tour is a show that I carpenter together from things that I remember liking a lot over ... the last 20 years or so, and piecing these all together" Keillor told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Thursday.

Keillor said that during intermissions, he and either O'Donovan or Watkins, depending on the date, will stroll into the audience with hand-held microphones to sing duets.

"Some people sing with us and other people just go to the toilet," Keillor said.

Keillor has done previous summer tours and said he likes the activity.

"Sitting on the porch with a lemonade is a very nice idea. But what will I do on the porch after 15 minutes that is less interesting?" he said.

The tour wraps up Aug. 6 in Interlochen, Mich., the day before Keillor's 71st birthday. The next season of "Prairie Home" opens in mid-September at the Fitzgerald Theater in downtown St. Paul.

"A Prairie Home Companion" draws more than 4 million listeners on more than 600 public radio stations each week. The show celebrates its 40 anniversary next year.

___

Online:

http://www.prairiehome.org

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/keillor-plans-26-city-radio-romance-tour-222751721.html

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NKorea likely to get cold shoulder at Asia forum

A reporter works in media room at Bandar Seri Begawan Brunei, Friday, June 28, 2013. Foreign Ministers from ASEAN countries gather in Brunei for the 46th ASEAN Foreign Minister Meeting starting June 29. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

A reporter works in media room at Bandar Seri Begawan Brunei, Friday, June 28, 2013. Foreign Ministers from ASEAN countries gather in Brunei for the 46th ASEAN Foreign Minister Meeting starting June 29. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei (AP) ? The upcoming regional security summit in this tiny Southeast Asian sultanate is the sort of venue where North Korea has often managed to open up sideline discussions with Seoul and Washington. This time, while there will be plenty of talk about Pyongyang, there is little chance of substantive talk with it.

North Korea has sought negotiations with the U.S. and South Korea but has ignored their demands that it first honor prior commitments to move toward nuclear disarmament. At high-level diplomatic talks beginning this weekend, it can expect the cold shoulder from those countries and others frustrated by Pyongyang's insistence on developing nuclear weapons.

After a December long-range rocket launch, a February nuclear test and weeks of threats to launch nuclear strikes against South Korea and the United States, North Korea earlier this month made a surprise offer for separate talks with its rivals. Government delegates from the two Koreas met and agreed to hold senior-level talks on non-nuclear issues, but the agreement collapsed because of a protocol dispute. The United States responded coolly to Pyongyang's appeal for direct negotiations, which some analysts view as a familiar effort to win aid in return for ratcheting down tensions.

"While it is certainly preferable for North Korea to pursue diplomatic rather than missile or nuclear tests, all of North Korea's neighbors by now are well aware of North Korea's history of diplomatic initiatives as just another tool through which North Korea has sought to consolidate gains following periods in which North Korean brinkmanship has driven political tensions to high levels," Scott Snyder, a Korea specialist at the Council on Foreign Relations think tank, wrote in a blog post.

He added that agreeing to hold talks with the North "and come back to the table as though nothing has changed since the last six-party talks were held in 2008 would imply acceptance" of Pyongyang's rocket launches and nuclear tests.

Whether Washington and its allies ignore Pyongyang's diplomats or not, North Korea's atomic aspirations will top the agenda in talks surrounding the 27-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum, which takes place Tuesday in the Bruneian capital of Bandar Seri Begawan.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his counterparts from South Korea, China and Japan will attend the forum and could hold private meetings that touch on Pyongyang. North Korea is expected to send its longtime foreign minister, 80-year-old Pak Ui Chun, to the meeting, according to South Korea's Foreign Ministry.

Because the ASEAN forum gathers diplomats from all six countries involved in long-stalled nuclear disarmament negotiations ? the United States, China, Russia, Japan and the two Koreas ? it has previously provided a chance to use informal, sideline talks to break stalemates over the nuclear issue.

In 2011, top nuclear envoys from the two Koreas met on the sidelines of the forum in Bali, Indonesia, and agreed to work toward a resumption of the dormant six-nation talks, though the negotiations remained stalled. The Koreas' foreign ministers held sideline talks in 2000, 2004, 2005 and 2007, and top diplomats from Pyongyang and Washington also met privately in 2004 and 2008.

North Korea will likely seek similar talks in Brunei, but South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Tai-young told reporters Tuesday that officials from Seoul aren't considering meeting the North Korean foreign minister on the sidelines. In Washington, State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said Monday that he knew of no discussions planned between Kerry and Pak in Brunei, and that such talks would be "fairly unusual."

Analysts said North Korea appears to be repeating its pattern of following aggressive rhetoric with diplomatic efforts to get outside aid and concessions.

Chang Yong Seok, an analyst at the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies at Seoul National University, said Pyongyang must do something to show it's refraining from continuing nuclear activities, such as announcing some disarmament steps, if it wants to have talks.

Despite its recent bid for diplomacy, North Korea has raised renewed worries about a nuclear program that outsiders estimate to include a handful of crude nuclear bombs. Pyongyang followed up its February nuclear test, its third since 2006, with an announcement that it planned to restore all its atomic bomb fuel producing facilities. The February test drew widespread international condemnation and tightened U.N. sanctions, which subsequently led the North to issue a torrent of warlike threats and sharply raise tensions on the divided peninsula.

Recent satellite photos show signs of new tunnel work at North Korea's underground nuclear test site, the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies said in an analysis Tuesday. The analysis said it doesn't appear to indicate another atomic blast is imminent but suggests the country has continued to work on its nuclear weapons program even as tensions eased.

Other issues expected to draw keen media attention in Brunei include South China Sea territorial disputes and relations between the U.S. and China, the world's two biggest economies.

China has territorial disputes with the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia over the South China Sea and its potentially oil- and gas-rich islands. Several claimants want group discussions to create a legally binding "code of conduct" to prevent clashes in the sea, but China prefers one-on-one negotiations.

Southeast Asian countries believe that "having bilateral negotiations with a strong guy would be a losing game," said Bae Geung-chan, a professor at the state-run Korea National Diplomatic Academy in Seoul.

Analysts say China and the U.S. probably won't have sensitive talks in Brunei that could change their relations. Their leaders recently held an unusually lengthy informal summit in California, during which both countries expressed optimism that the closer personal ties forged between the leaders could stem the mistrust between the world powers.

During the summit, President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, were in broad agreement over the need for North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons, according to U.S. officials.

___

AP writer Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-06-28-Asia%20Summit-North%20Korea/id-6479b175a5344a078d746d61e9c5f539

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UK inflation expectations hold steady in June - Citi/YouGov

LONDON (Reuters) - Britons' expectations for the level of inflation over the coming years were unchanged in June, a monthly survey by polling company YouGov showed on Friday.

Inflation expectations for the next 12 months held steady at May's level of 2.5 percent, and for the next five to 10 years were unchanged at 3.3 percent, the poll showed.

Both figures are slightly lower than earlier in the year.

"These results should reassure the (Bank of England), providing further evidence that the long period of above-target inflation has not destabilised inflation expectations," said Michael Saunders, an economist at Citi, which sponsors the survey.

(Reporting by David Milliken and Olesya Dmitracova)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uk-inflation-expectations-hold-steady-june-citi-yougov-154209672.html

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Jurors may hear dying woman's words at Fort Hood trial

By Jim Forsyth

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - Jurors in the trial of accused Fort Hood gunman Major Nidal Hasan will be allowed to hear the dying words of Private First Class Francheska Velez, who was six weeks pregnant when she was shot dead in the rampage, a military judge ruled on Thursday.

Velez, who was 21 and expecting her first child, screamed, "My baby, My baby" when she was shot during the November 2009 attack that killed 13 and wounded 32. Her words may be read to jurors, Colonel Tara Osborn ruled.

Hasan, who faces a possible death sentence if convicted of the killings at Fort Hood, did not object to the introduction of her statement. He was due to enter a plea at his next court appearance on July 2, according to a Fort Hood statement.

Hasan was likely to enter a plea of not guilty. He had expressed a desire at one point to plead guilty if the death penalty were taken off the table. That request was refused and defendants are not allowed to plead guilty to capital offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, has decided to represent himself in the court martial. Osborn has assigned military lawyers to assist him on legal research and to be prepared to step in as Hasan's defense counsel if needed.

The trial has been delayed several times to address numerous issues, including whether Hasan, a U.S.-born Muslim, may wear a beard in court, against Army regulations. He has said he is wearing it for religious reasons.

More recently, the trial was delayed while Osborn determined whether Hasan, who was shot by civilian police during the rampage and is paralyzed from the chest down, was competent and physically capable of representing himself at trial.

Hasan also unsuccessfully sought the right to argue at trial he was protecting the Taliban in Afghanistan from U.S. aggression when he opened fire at Fort Hood.

Fort Hood was a major deployment point for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Hasan himself had been preparing to leave for Afghanistan with a unit assigned to help soldiers deal with mental issues.

The selection of a panel of Army officers who will serve as the jury in the court martial is set to begin July 9. Opening statements are scheduled to begin no earlier than August 6.

(Editing by David Bailey and Cynthia Osterman)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/jurors-may-hear-dying-womans-words-fort-hood-231044309.html

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Spieth takes share of early lead at Congressional

BETHESDA, Md. (AP) ? Jordan Spieth is playing with nothing to lose and giving himself another chance to win.

Spieth played bogey-free in tame conditions Friday at Congressional for a 5-under 66 that gave him a share of the lead with Roberto Castro among the early starters in the second round of the AT&T National. Castro had a 69.

Spieth is the 19-year-old from Texas who has played well enough to assure himself a PGA Tour card for next season. But he won't be considered eligible for the lucrative FedEx Cup playoffs unless he's a PGA Tour member. And he can't be a member this year unless he wins.

He says that allows him to swing away, knowing that it's no longer about earning enough money, but winning tournaments.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/spieth-takes-share-early-lead-congressional-185543072.html

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Paid sick time law passes in NYC, veto overridden

NEW YORK (AP) ? New York City is becoming the most populous place in the United States to make businesses provide workers with paid sick time, after lawmakers overrode a mayoral veto early Thursday to pass a law expected to affect more than 1 million workers.

With the vote, the city joined Portland, Ore.; San Francisco; Seattle; Washington, D.C.; and the state of Connecticut in requiring the benefit for at least some workers. Similar measures have failed in some other places, including Milwaukee, Denver and Philadelphia.

Supporters see the New York measure as a pace-setter, although it has some significant limits and conditions, and they envision such laws becoming a national norm in coming years.

"The catalyst will have been the successful struggle we waged here in New York City," said Dan Cantor, the national executive director of the Working Families Party, which is among groups pushing the cause in Maryland, Oregon, Vermont and Washington states, among others.

Advocates say workers shouldn't have to choose between their physical and financial health. And customers and colleagues shouldn't have to be exposed to employees who come to work sick, supporters add.

Camilo Montes is diabetic and has felt ill at times during his six years working at a Queens car wash, but he has stuck it out instead of going home because he doesn't get paid sick days, he said.

Because he's supporting himself and his mother in Veracruz, Mexico, "I can't afford to lose a day's salary," Montes, 46, said through a Spanish interpreter after paid sick leave supporters rallied outside City Hall Wednesday.

But critics say that the government should leave sick day arrangements to workers and bosses and that the requirement will burden small businesses.

"Faced with this increase in costs, employers will seek to offset them in any number of ways, including reducing other benefits employees receive," entrepreneur-turned-politician Mayor Michael Bloomberg wrote in vetoing the measure earlier this month. "... It will harm the very people it seeks to help."

The huge financial information firm he founded, Bloomberg LP, does offer paid sick time, he has noted. But small companies can't afford it, he says.

Under the new law steered by Councilwoman Gale Brewer, employees of businesses with 20 or more workers would get up to five paid sick days a year beginning in April 2014; the benefit would kick in by October 2015 at enterprises with 15 to 19 workers. All others would have to provide five unpaid sick days per year, meaning that workers couldn't get fired for using those days.

The requirements could be postponed if the city's economy takes a major dive.

Employees could choose to work extra hours instead of taking sick time, a provision aimed at those who would rather swap shifts than stay home sick. That provision could be attractive to restaurant servers, for example, since the paid sick time wouldn't include tips.

Manufacturing companies would be exempt from the paid sick time requirement ? the rationale is that they're struggling, Council Speaker Christine Quinn has said ? though workers would still be protected from firing for taking unpaid sick days.

___

Follow Jennifer Peltz at http://twitter.com/jennpeltz

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/paid-sick-time-law-passes-nyc-veto-overridden-064416923.html

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In Egypt, skepticism over religion in politics

CAIRO (AP) ? In a tiny mosque in southern Egypt, the cleric railed in his sermon against opponents of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, comparing them to "the Devil, who rebelled against God and was kicked out of heaven." Among the Muslim worshippers, a 42-year-old civil servant had enough.

Recounting the incident, Nasser Ahmed said he stood up and chanted, "Down with the rule of the Guide," referring to the head of the Muslim Brotherhood, the conservative political powerhouse from which Morsi hails. Other worshippers in the el-Lawa Mosque joined the chanting. Some became so angry they rushed the cleric and tried to beat him up, Ahmed told The Associated Press.

The outburst during the Friday sermon earlier this month in the Luxor province village of Bouairat hasn't been the only case of the faithful lashing out at preachers who stray into politics. It was part of growing signs that, after a year of Morsi's presidency and two years of growing Islamist political power in general, religiosity is not the political selling point it once was among Egyptians.

Increasingly, Egyptians denounce "wrapping politics in the cloak of religion," even in rural areas seen as the heartland of the conservative, "piety" voter. Along with anger over Egypt's economic woes and discontent with Morsi's managing of the country, the disillusionment is a factor fueling support for massive protests to demand Morsi's removal, planned for Sunday.

Egyptians are hardly becoming less religious. But more are losing their belief that someone who touts his religiosity is necessarily a trustworthy, clean and effective politician. Even one ultraconservative party, al-Nour, is shifting its stance in response to the new cynicism.

Though not universal, the shift has been fast. In the series of elections since the fall of Hosni Mubarak in early 2011, it was a common refrain from voters that Islamists' piety means they will not be corrupt and will work for the good of the people. That helped boost the Muslim Brotherhood and the more ultraconservative movement known as Salafis to win every vote.

Over years under Mubarak, the conservative Muslims' beard and "zabiba" ? a mark on the forehead from prostration in prayer ? came to be seen as signs of a good man. Mubarak oppressed some Islamist groups, giving them the allure of being victims of a corrupt system. Non-political Islamists, who were spared in crackdowns, set up networks helping the poor and filling the vacuum amid Mubarak's neglect of social services.

Now those disillusioned with politicizing religion point to what they call Morsi's failures ? fuel shortages, rising prices, continual instability. But they also say they have been turned off by seeing clerics taking political sides on TV, in mosques and at political rallies. Others are alienated by rhetoric on Salafi TV channels they see as dividing Egyptians into good or bad Muslims ? or branding opponents as "kuffar," or infidels.

They point to lslamists in parliament and in executive posts, many in religious trappings like beards and robes, engaging in the same unseemliness all politicians do: Internal fights, violent rhetoric, planting loyalists in positions, and even the occasional sex scandal.

"The image has been greatly disturbed," said Mohammed Habib, who was once the deputy leader of the Muslim Brotherhood but split and has become a sharp critic. "The people will not make the same choices as before." He said the group's leadership has hurt itself by being "narrow-minded" and showing "lack of vision."

Kamal Habib, a researcher in Islamic movements, said that "politicizing religion has led people to doubt the channels they long trusted and even viewed as sacred."

A spokesman for the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party argued that religiosity was not why people voted for Morsi. Rather it was because Morsi belonged to a group ? the Brotherhood ? that has a foot in every village and town and has always been close to the people, said Abdel-Mawgoud Dardery.

He blamed private media and Mubarak loyalists for misrepresenting Morsi. Media "tarnished the image of President Morsi, he said, while old regime elements "have been trying to sabotage the economic process of the country."

Indeed, religion was not the Brotherhood's only or even strongest selling point in legislative elections it dominated in late 2011-early 2012 or in Morsi's win. The group boasts Egypt's most powerful organizational network, with cadres to campaign for it nationwide, and a history of charities that helped the poor. That means it would likely still perform strongly in any election in the near-term.

Still, Brotherhood officials often lean on religious rhetoric, talking of the need to defend the "Islamist project" to rally hard-liners behind Morsi. The president, who frequently says he is the leader of all Egyptians, is less direct but laces his speeches with Quranic references. Nine months into his administration, a book by a supporter listed among Morsi's accomplishments that he was the first Egyptian president with a beard, the first to allow a state TV presenter to wear a conservative headscarf and the first to hold prayers every Friday in a mosque.

In two post-Mubarak referendums, including December's which passed the new constitution, Salafi clerics and other hard-liners campaigned for a "yes" vote in each by saying, in one form another, God wanted it.

Such rhetoric seems to have diminishing appeal.

Khadiga Gad el-Mawla, a housewife in the southern city of Deir Mawass in the Islamist stronghold Minya province, says she is no longer a fan of two of the most popular Salafi sheiks, Mohammed Hassan and Mohammed Hussein Yaacoub, who have large followings in mosques and on TV.

"I used to listen when they talked to us about obeying God and the way to heaven," she told AP. "The clerics told us to elect Morsi because he is God's choice. ... But they cheated us."

"The more they say something and do the opposite, the more I get shocked," she said.

Ali Assel, a cleric in the southern city of Nassariya, said he was dismayed by Islamists' battles with the judiciary and the media. Last year, Islamist protesters besieged the Supreme Constitutional Court, preventing judges from ruling on disbanding the interim parliament and the body writing the constitution. Other Islamists barricaded Media City, a complex near Cairo that houses TV stations, angry over "the liberal media."

"Politics corrupted religion," Assel said, adding he was shocked to see the Brotherhood "serving their own agenda and battling to topple down state institutions."

There are few polls in Egypt, so getting a broad picture is difficult. A poll released this week by the Egyptian Center for Public Opinion Research, or Basserah, found Morsi's approval rating at 32 percent, compared to 78 percent after his first 100 days in office. The group polled 6,179 Egyptians across the country, with a margin of error of less than 1 percent. It did not ask questions about attitudes on religion.

Among the first blows to religious prestige came with a sex scandal soon after parliament was seated, when a Salafi lawmaker was caught in a compromising position in a car with a woman wearing the "niqab," the black robes and veil that leave only the eyes exposed. Another Salafi who said his facial bruises came from being attacked by enemies was discovered to have gotten a nose job.

Another factor: comedian Bassem Youssef, who has a weekly program in the style of Jon Stewart's The Daily Show. Youssef frequently plays footage of Islamists' TV appearance to show contradictions and mock their rhetoric ? so pointedly that he was investigated by police for insulting religion.

Youssef is often seen as an urban, liberal phenomenon. But with an audience of millions, plenty in rural and conservative areas watch him.

Youssef "exposes to the simple people the contradictions of the religious views and the triviality of the clerics," said Atef Ibrahim, 54, head of the chamber of commerce in the southern city of Assiut, who records Youssef's program to watch with his friends over the week.

Saad al-Azhari, a cleric who appears on a Salafi TV station, recognized Youssef's impact. But he said it will be "short-lived."

"Frankly speaking, the Islamist current is losing popularity," he said. "But this is the case for all movements" in Egypt.

He said Islamists' shortcomings have been because their powers are "incomplete" and "there is resistance from within state institutions."

In a telling sign of the diminished power of religious rhetoric, the Salafi al-Nour Party seems to be trying to a subtly different path. Once an ally of Morsi and the second biggest winner in the parliament elections, it has since distanced itself from the president. In a statement this week, it warned against dividing the country into Islamic and non-Islamic camps.

"The party rejects identifying those who oppose the ruing regime as against Islam or the Islamic project," the statement said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-skepticism-over-religion-politics-204121626.html

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Aaron Swartz has been posthumously inducted into the Internet Society's Hall Of Fame this year.

Aaron Swartz has been posthumously inducted into the Internet Society's Hall Of Fame this year. You can read a full list of new members here.

Source: http://gizmodo.com/aaron-swartz-has-been-posthumously-inducted-into-the-in-595063128

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OUYA console founder says it won't be a one-hit wonder

ouya

Yannick LeJacq NBC News contributor

16 hours ago

OUYA

After a runaway Kickstarter campaign and a year of development, the Android-powered OUYA video game console finally launches this week. But do gamers actually want another home entertainment device?

Ever since it first rocketed past its initial $950,000 Kickstarter goal in just eight hours to become one of the most successful projects in the crowdfunding platform's history, the OUYA has been turning heads. A small, cheap and sleekly designed console that promises to wed the disparate worlds of mobile and console gaming and disrupt a deeply entrenched industry dominated by heavyweights like Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo, the OUYA's potentially quixotic ambitions have also raised many a gamer's eyebrows.

The $99 price tag seemed too low for a full-fledged gaming console. And judging by some of the early press, the OUYA hasn't yet managed to convince gamers otherwise. But whether the OUYA lives up to all of its hype and speculation, do gamers really want another television-based console experience as more of the industry shifts toward mobile and more futuristic alternatives like virtual reality?

With the OUYA's launch finally under way this week, NBC News talked to the console's creator, Julie Uhrman, about the device's present and future possibilities.

I'm curious about the timing of the OUYA's launch. Was it important to you to get this device out and get it out a couple of months before the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 come out?

The one thing that's unique about the OUYA ? unlike any other really consumer electronic product I've ever seen, let alone a next-generation console ? is that OUYA is neverfinal. We feel incredibly good about the product that's going on the market, but it's going to get better. The (user interface) is going to continue to evolve, we're gonna add additional features and functionality, social features, parental controls. We're gonna localize OUYA so we can distribute it further than just English-speaking territories. And it's going to continue to evolve while also taking the feedback and support of our gamers and developers. So this is just the end of the end of the first chapter of OUYA, and then we move into the next one. It's not about the time of year; it's just the right time for the product.

In February, you told another interviewer that you would like to see the OUYA adopt a manufacturing or business model similar to the one for mobile devices?putting out a new OUYA model once a year. Is that still the case?

We're gonna have a much more frequent refresh rate than the traditional console market. We leverage readily available chips ? the Nvidia Tegra chip, to be specific. We're going to continually push the processing power and make better chips and put them on the marketplace so OUYA developers can take advantage of them.

We will be thoughtful, however, about when we create a new product and when we launch it to market because, first and foremost, we want to make sure that there are enough developers and enough games that are optimizing the content for these chips. At some point, we will start moving towards: Is there a way to improve the hardware to give a better experience for gamers? And if yes, when is the right time to do that? With hardware, unlike software, you can't turn on a dime. You can't make a decision today and have it impact your audience a month later, three months later, even six months later.

OUYA

OUYA founder Julie Uhrman.

Will each successive OUYA model cost the same amount? I wonder if the OUYA would necessarily remain the more frugal alternative to, say, the PlayStation or Xbox consoles. Fivehundred dollars might seem like a lot for a new console, but itlasted almost a decade for the last generation of consoles. At $99 a year over the course of seven or eight years, the OUYA could potentially outpace next-generation hardware.

We will always have a $99 shoe in the marketplace. But my goal ? and I've always said this ? is to provide the hardware as inexpensively as we can. We want gamers to have a low barrier to entry to get into the console so they can try out new developers and new types of games and play things that they never thought they might be interested in, because everything is free to try! So even with the new hardware, if I can find a way to sell it at less than $99, I will. We want to try to make the entry point as low as possible.

When we speak about disruptions in the modern console industry, a lot of the other new products or proposals have focused more on changing things like the basic interface of gaming?say, the Oculus Rift, which uses a headset rather than a television screen?rather than its business model. Have you thought at all about different types of controllers or interfaces that could be added to the OUYA eventually?

We made OUYA to be open because the creativity of many is significantly greater than the creativity of a few. We only have a team of over 30 people; we want the world to make OUYA better. By making it compatible with mobile devices ? and we're already starting to see that since we have it Bluetooth enabled for games like "You Don't Know Jack" that can pair iOS devices to it. By making it hackable ... you can open it with four standard hex screws on the top. People can sync their PlayStation and Xbox controllers to the OUYA, which creates a multiplayer experience in their living room once they've bought the standard unit. We even have people in GitHub giving us examples of leaderboards and skins and backgrounds to be utilized for OUYA.

I'm looking forward to the cool new peripheral or accessory that's made. If our audience can make something better and faster than we can, we will absolutely use it.

Yannick LeJacq is a contributing writer for NBC News who has also covered technology and games for Kill Screen, The Wall Street Journal and The Atlantic. You can follow him on Twitter at @YannickLeJacq and reach him by email at: ylejacq@gmail.com.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663301/s/2de41423/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Ctechnology0Couya0Econsole0Efounder0Esays0Eit0Ewont0Ebe0Eone0Ehit0Ewonder0E6C10A467538/story01.htm

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Channing Tatum: what's next for the 'White House Down' Star?

By Greg Gilman

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Channing Tatum has been enjoying a stellar rise to movie stardom over the last few years, and even if "White House Down" isn't the explosive hit he's hoping for, his career is showing no signs of flaming out any time toon.

While "White House," Roland Emmerich's $150 million exercise in the art of CGI destruction, is only on track to rake in around $30 million at the domestic box office this weekend, Tatum has at least three other potential moneymakers in some level of production.

The biggest of the three, at least in size and scope, is "Jupiter Ascending," the next sci-fi spectacular from "Matrix" directors Lana and Andy Wachowski. Tatum stars opposite Mila Kunis in Warner Bros.' summer 2014 release, which follows a destitute woman (Kunis) targeted for assassination by the Queen of the Universe because her very existence threatens to end the Queen's reign over the cosmos. Tatum will expand his action star power as a genetically engineered ex-military hunter who arrives on Earth to track Kunis down.

Although Tatum's showbiz success has been steadily increasing since he made young women swoon as a troubled breakdancing janitor in 2006's "Step Up," the 33 year old proved his comedic chops in last year's breakout comedy hit, "21 Jump Street," which he also executive produced.

Following a hilarious cameo in Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's "This Is the End," Tatum hopes comedy fans will once again flock to see him go undercover alongside Jonah Hill in "22 Jump Street" - another project that should assure Tatum has a strong summer showing next year.

And just as Tatum proved his worth as a funny person, "Foxcatcher" - a wrestling drama based on a tragic true story - should elevate his thespian status in the eyes of the most serious filmmakers.

Tatum stars in "Moneyball" director Bennet Miller's next film as Olympic Wrestling Champion Mark Schultz, whose brother, Olympic Champion Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo), is killed by paranoid schizophrenic John duPont (Steve Carell). Columbia Pictures is releasing the Annapurna Pictures production on October 15.

Tatum is also busy building his producing credits, which began with the 2010 documentary "Earth Made of Glass," followed by the 2011 ensemble high school reunion flick, "10 Years." Tatum's company, 33andOut Productions, is developing Peter Pan origin adventure, "Neverland," which Gavin O'Connor ("Warrior") will direct for Sony Pictures.

Most recently, Tatum has set his ambitions toward making it on the small screen, too. He is attached to executive produce a television pilot written by actor Nick Zano. Still untitled, the project is in very early stages of development at Warner Bros. Television. The half-hour, multi-camera comedy is based on Zano's own experience being raised in a multi-generational house of seven women in New Jersey.

Still want more Tatum? Cross your fingers 20th Century Fox can close a deal with him to appear alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the theatrical adaptation of classic musical, "Guys and Dolls."

So with a bevy of projects on the heels of release, entering production, or graduating from development, the "Magic Mike" star's future appears to be brighter than a strobe light flashing in a Florida strip club.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/channing-tatum-whats-next-white-house-down-star-012847482.html

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2013 NBA Draft Busts And Steals: Beware Of Nerlens Noel

The NBA Draft is almost here and we still don't know for sure who the top overall pick will be.

Kentucky's Nerlens Noel is my prediction, but the fact that there is no clear No. 1 choice is news by itself. Yet while this particular draft may lack star power, it does offer value, especially in the middle-to-late first round where a number of potential sleepers will be.

And, as always, we cannot forget about the busts as well. Let's take a look.

Busts

Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky

He's not as raw as the Thunder's Hasheem Thabeet and he's a more fluid athlete, but for a guy who's likely to be chosen first overall, Noel reminds me of the former second pick. This is not a good thing. There are concerns about Noel recovering from an ACL injury, and the fact that he's lost 25 lbs. from his very slight frame. While Noel is a terrific shot-blocker and highly active center, the lack of sheer basketball acumen and the fact that he is so raw offensively are huge scares. During his limited time at Kentucky, he didn't display a consistent touch outside the paint and showed that he could be a real work-in-progress as a pick-and-roll player. The dearth of big men in this draft has elevated his value, but it's still tough to justify taking Noel in the top three.

Michael Carter-Williams, PG, Syracuse

Carter-Williams has all the measurements on paper. He is 6-foot-6 and an explosive leaper who can flat out dish the rock. But NBA point guards these days have to score and have to be able to shoot the three out of a pick-and-roll, two areas where he has shown zero ability. Watch Carter-Williams and he will jump off the page with "flash plays," but something is definitely missing and I would stay away, even in the mid-teens. One scout told me that Jim Boeheim didn't love him either. For a guy with his type of talent, MCW doesn't impact the game the way he should.

Anthony Bennett, F, UNLV

Bennett is hard to evaluate because he played just one season in college and has a high ceiling. He can really finish above the rim and has displayed some nice versatility. But he's really going to struggle in the half-court NBA offense and quite honestly, I wonder what his true pro position is. He could play the three or the four, but he reminds me a lot of the Timerwolves' Derrick Williams, who was actually better when he left Arizona (scored more and was more efficient), but I don't believe he will be able to score with the same ease he did in college.

Steals

Dennis Schroeder, PG, Germany

The 6-foot-2 Schroeder really helped himself at the Nike Hoops Summit, where he displayed an elite first step and real ability to run screen-and-roll. He is still just 19 and a little wild, but his 6-foot-8 wingspan and tremendous lateral quickness make him special. He is also a hounding, on-ball defender and although he's raw, could become the best point guard out of the class because of his pure instincts on both sides of the floor.

Dennis Schroeder, 19, of Germany, has a wonderful blend of quickness and explosive ability from the point guard position. (Getty Images)

Giannis Antetokounmpo, F, Greece

Like Schroeder, Antetokounmpo has an incredible upside and will also need time to develop physically. At 6-foot-9, he possesses excellent versatility because of his ability to handle the ball and score in the open floor, as well as facilitate for teammates. He still gets pushed around and struggles with a lack of strength, but Antetokounmpo is an elite talent who could have been a surefire top 10 pick in a year had he gone to college in the states. Give him three NBA seasons and he could become the steal of this draft.

Jackie Carmichael, PF, Illinois State

Guards Erick Green (Virginia Tech) and Ray McCallum Jr. (Detroit) are sleepers, but Carmichael is about as sure a thing as you can get in the 30s or 40s, and exactly why this draft is so interesting. He has an extremely high motor and a real knack for rebounding. While limited offensively, Carmichael offers high value because he has zero ego and will compete every night -- for 5 minutes or 20. He's the kind of glue-guy every good team needs, but very few actually possess.

Email me at jordan.schultz@huffingtonpost.com or ask me questions about anything sports-related at @Schultz_Report. Also, be sure and catch my NBC Sports Radio show, Kup and Schultz, which airs Sunday mornings from 9-12 ET, right here.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/26/2013-nba-draft_n_3504452.html

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Bieber 'SNL' skit was 'greatest trainwreck' ever

TV

Gael Fashingbauer Cooper TODAY

20 hours ago

NBC.com

Justin Bieber in the sketch too unfunny for "SNL" to air.

Even if you watched the recent "Saturday Night Live" episode where Justin Bieber hosted, you missed this sketch. And for good reason. It may go down in history as one of "SNL's" worst ever.

In the bit, called "Song for Daddy," Bieber played the keyboard-playing son of a rambling country singer (played by Bill Hader) during an appearance on the "Steve Harvey" show.

The Hader-dominated sketch went over like a lead balloon with the young, Bieber-fan-filled audience. And in one part of the scene, a wall almost fell over on the teen singer, making him jump out of character and exclaim, "that's not part of it!"

The seven-minute sketch wasn't aired, but now the dress rehearsal version has been released, along with commentary where Hader and writers Rob Klein and John Solomon take viewers through the sketch and explain every excruciating failure.

When the wall almost fell on Bieber, Hader tried to stay in character, saying, "Oh, stage almost fell on you, son; that would've sucked." But Bieber was panicked. "He's really scared right there," Hader points out, adding that the stage manager told him to continue despite the near-miss.

The sketch also fell down thanks to audience obedience. In one scene, Hader tells the audience he's going to yell "Preserve!" and they should yell back, "Social Security!" The joke was that the cameras would cut to an audience of extras shifting uncomfortably and remaining silent. But the dress rehearsal's actual audience wasn't in on the plan, and obediently shouted back the response. As the audience responds, Hader mutters, "Not supposed to say..."

In another scene, Hader's character asks for a funny hat, and the crew doesn't have it, so he has to improvise. "I was supposed to have a prop hat," he says in the commentary. " (The crew) is going like this ... they're shrugging." Later, Hader tries to put a kazoo in a looped holder over his head, but it won't fit over his cowboy hat. "We didn't work this out," he says, laughing, as a crew member has to help Hader remove the hat.

Hader also points out a confused fan in the front row who twice loudly asks "WHAT?" when a joke fails.

By the end, the sketch features Hader playing a four-necked hot pink guitar, Bieber wearing a King Tut headdress and Hulk Hands, and for some reason, a giraffe tromping across the stage.

"I must say I still love this even though no one was laughing," cracks Klein.

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/snl-star-unaired-justin-bieber-sketch-was-greatest-trainwreck-ever-6C10452618

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