Quebec police: 5 dead in oil train derailment

LAC-MEGANTIC, Quebec (AP) ? As firefighters doused still burning oil tanker cars, more bodies were recovered Sunday in this devastated town in eastern Quebec, raising the death toll to five after a runaway train derailed, igniting explosions and fires that destroyed the downtown district. With dozens of people reported missing, authorities expected to find more bodies once they reached the hardest-hit area.

Quebec provincial police Lt. Michel Brunet said Sunday that at least 40 people are reported missing, but cautioned that the number could fluctuate up or down. Brunet confirmed two more deaths early Sunday afternoon after confirming two people were found dead overnight. One death was confirmed Saturday.

Fires were preventing rescuers from reaching part of the 73-car train, and billowing black smoke could still be seen long after the derailment.

The eruptions early Saturday morning sent residents of Lac-Megantic scrambling through the streets under the intense heat of towering fireballs and a red glow that illuminated the night sky.

Local Fire Chief Denis Lauzon likened the charred scene to "a war zone."

"This is really terrible. Our community is grieving and it is taking its toll on us," Mayor Colette Roy-Laroche said.

The search for victims in the charred debris was hampered because two of the train's cars were still burning Sunday morning, sparking fears of more potentially fatal blasts.

Two of the five cars that exploded are still on fire 36 hours later, Lauzon said. He said firefighters are staying 500 feet (150 meters) from the burning tankers, which are being doused with water and foam to keep them from overheating and exploding.

"It's a mess," he said.

The multiple blasts came over a span of several hours in the town of 6,000, which is about 155 miles (250 kilometers) east of Montreal and about 10 miles (16 kilometers) west of the Maine border. About 30 buildings were destroyed after tanker cars laden with oil caught fire in the picturesque lakeside town in Quebec's Eastern Townships.

The derailment caused several tanker rail cars to explode in the downtown district, a popular area packed with bars that often bustles on summer weekend nights. Police said the first explosion tore through the town shortly after 1 a.m. local time. The fire then spread to several homes.

Brunet said he couldn't say where the bodies were found exactly because the families have not been notified

The cause of the accident was believed to be a runaway train, the railway's operator said. The president and CEO of Rail World Inc., the parent company of Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway, said the train had been parked uphill of Lac-Megantic. The tanker cars then sped downhill into the town before derailing.

"If brakes aren't properly applied on a train, it's going to run away," said Edward Burkhardt. "But we think the brakes were properly applied on this train."

Burkhardt, who was mystified by the disaster, said the train was parked because the engineer had finished his run.

"We've had a very good safety record for these 10 years," he said of the decade-old railroad. "Well, I think we've blown it here."

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced he is heading to the town Sunday.

Because of limited pipeline capacity in North Dakota's Bakken region and in Canada, oil producers are using railroads to transport much of the oil to refineries on the East, Gulf and West coasts, as well as inland. Harper has called railroad transit "far more environmentally challenging" while trying to persuade the Obama administration to approve the controversial Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to the Gulf Coast.

Myrian Marotte, a spokeswoman for the Canadian Red Cross in Lac-Megantic, said there are about 2,000 evacuees and said 163 stayed at their operations center overnight.

"There are those are still looking for loved ones," Marotte said.

Marotte said many of the evacuees are staying with family and friends. "Some people have lost everything," she said.

Lines of tall trees in the area looked like giant standing matchsticks, blackened from bottom to tip. Witnesses said the eruptions shook residents out of their slumber and sent them darting through the streets.

Patrons gathered at a nearby bar were sent running for their lives after the thunderous crash and wall of fire blazed through the early morning sky.

Bernard Theberge, who was outside on the bar's patio at the time of the crash, feared for the safety of those inside the popular Musi-Cafe when the first explosion went off.

"People started running and the fire ignited almost instantaneously," he said.

"It was like a movie," said Theberge, who considered himself fortunate to escape with only second-degree burns on his right arm. "Explosions as if it were scripted ? but this was live."

Firefighters and rescue workers from several neighboring municipalities, including Sherbrooke and Saint-Georges-de-Beauce, were called in to help deal with the disaster. Firefighters from northern Maine were also deployed to the Quebec town, according to a spokesman at the sheriff's office in Franklin County.

The train belongs to Montreal Maine & Atlantic. According to the railroad's website, the company owns more than 500 miles (800 kilometers) of track serving Maine, Vermont, Quebec and New Brunswick.

Last week a train carrying petroleum products derailed in Calgary, Alberta, when a flood-damaged bridge sagged toward the still-swollen Bow River. The derailed rail cars were removed without spilling their cargo.

The Quebec accident was likely to have an impact across the border. In Maine, environmentalists and state officials had previously raised concerns about the threat of an accident and a spill from railroad tank cars carrying crude oil across the state.

The Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway carried nearly 3 million barrels of oil across Maine last year. Each tank car holds some 30,000 gallons (113,600 liters) of oil.

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has begun developing protection plans for the areas where the trains travel, spokeswoman Samantha Warren said recently.

___

Associated Press writer Rob Gillies and Charmaine Noronha contributed from Toronto.

Source: http://www.seattlepi.com/business/energy/article/Quebec-police-5-dead-in-oil-train-derailment-4650028.php

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College Hill plan designers laud progress

The scene along the Mercer Village section of Montpelier Avenue on Monday afternoon. In a presentation Monday, Mercer University President Bill Underwood pointed to the redevelopment of Mercer Village and the larger College Hill Corridor as important aspects of Mercer University?s health.

GRANT BLANKENSHIP/THE TELEGRAPH ? gblankenship@macon.com Buy Photo

There are two ways to look at how the College Hill Association has gone through its master plan.

Josh Rogers, executive director of Historic Macon, noted the difference last week when he spoke to two executives from Interface Studio, the Philadelphia-based company that helped design the plan.

?It was funny,? he said. ?I asked each of them separately, and what was most interesting was how much we (in Macon) belittled our own progress. ... I?m the same way -- I only see the houses that needed fixing.?

The Interface executives, however, had a much different perspective.

?They were just amazed at how much we?ve accomplished,? Rogers said.

Changes brought about by the plan -- the rise of Mercer Village, the Second Sunday concert series and improvements at Tattnall Square Park, among others -- seem almost to be taken for granted these days, even though they came about through the College Hill Corridor Commission?s development of a master plan, with input from Macon residents.

The plan focused on five areas for development: The Basics, which calls for improvements such as better lighting and more of a police presence in the neighborhood; The Vibe, which concentrates on the arts and social events in the corridor; The Connection, which includes infrastructure improvements; The Environment, which promotes green living and projects; and The Look, an effort to attract new residents and businesses to the neighborhood.

Scott Page, the principal partner with Interface who helped design the master plan in 2008, was in Macon last week to evaluate the progress the College Hill Alliance has made in meeting the plan?s goals, as well as to see what tweaks and updates the plan needs.

Page noted that while many cities across the country slowed or even stopped development because of the economic downturn, Macon managed to move forward with many of its plans to improve the corridor area between downtown Macon and Mercer University.

?They?ve accomplished a lot more than we expected,? he said. ?It was a really different approach. They were able to gather a group of volunteers and enabled each of them to do what was in their best interest. ... Sometimes, it takes a few years to get organized, but in this case, it happened immediately.?

The original project got off the ground thanks to two grants from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. One of them set up the College Hill Alliance to oversee programming and development in the corridor, while the other created the Knight Neighborhood Challenge, which provides funding for anyone who applies for a grant to launch projects in the neighborhood.

?The way Macon looks at revitalization has changed,? said Beverly Blake, director of the Knight Foundation in Georgia. ?Five years ago, people didn?t see any programming. But people are paying attention now. People want to be part of the change. They see the changes, the change in attitude. It?s very different than five years ago.?

Page said the master plan has essentially become a large checklist, and the alliance and its volunteers have been steadily checking items off the list.

Heather Holder, the alliance?s executive director, said College Hill has even seen advancements in areas that weren?t main goals from the master plan.

For example, the plan?s goal of putting in more bike lanes and improved walking conditions have led to people not using their cars as much in the corridor area, which has led many residents into a more active lifestyle. Holder and Alliance Communications Director Jessica Walden said they hope to see a healthier lifestyle take a bigger role when the plan is revised.

?Urban vibrancy can create a healthier lifestyle,? Walden said. ?We?re creating an environment for healthier habits.?

Already, the alliance is trying other health initiatives, such as holding blood drives and helping The Medical Center of Central Georgia promote events in the corridor.

Holder said a focus group made up of Mercer students helped illustrate the progress made in the corridor, since the members of the group arrived in Macon after changes had begun to be implemented. Most of them, she said, haven?t experienced Macon without the improvements already in place.

?Now, students go downtown,? she said. ?Four years ago, students were told to avoid downtown.?

Page said his visit was to survey the partners involved in the project and see what advances have been made. He plans to return later this year to hold public forums to update and revise the master plan.

?The first College Hill plan was there to make sure that Mercer and downtown became connected,? Page said. ?Now that there?s a foundation, people will have the opportunity to give their ideas. How do we build on the success of what we have??

To contact writer Phillip Ramati, call 744-4334.

Source: http://www.macon.com/2013/07/07/2548075/college-hill-plan-designers-laud.html

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Deal of the Day: Erie Flagship Community Federal Credit Union CD Rates at 1.00% APY

It becomes difficult to tap into superior interest rates with so many choices of banks and credit unions around. Average CD rates are low values, so finding the right financial institution that carries higher rates is the best research towards furthering one?s financial future. In Erie, PA, turn to the Erie Flagship Community Federal Credit Union for medium-term savings, with a 24-month CD of 1.00% APY that?s the true flagship of saving money.

Erie Flagship Community Federal Credit Union CD Rates Terms and Conditions

With a solid 1.00% APY interest rate, dividends on Erie Flagship Community Federal Credit Union?s 2-year CD are paid quarterly and at maturity. Share certificates with the credit union may also be automatically renewed with interest from a member?s current CD. As part of a promise by the National Credit Union Administration, all depositor funds are federally insured up to and including $250,000.

About Erie Flagship Community Federal Credit Union

Erie Flagship Community?Federal Credit Union was federally chartered by the employees of Erie City Iron Works and Erie Engine Company in?1947. More than 66 years later, the credit union stays true to its mission of ?People Helping People.? Anyone who lives, works or worships in Erie County, PA may become a member of Erie Flagship Community Federal Credit Union.

Take advantage of average CD rates.

Other Terms and Conditions may apply. Additionally, interest rates are based on the institution?s online published rates and may have changed since this offer was posted. Please contact the financial institution for the most recent rate updates and to review the terms of the offer.

Source: http://www.gobankingrates.com/cd-rates/erie-flagship-community-federal-credit-union-1-00/

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Baseball Buffet - Jul 07,2013

Experience the Ancient Source Energy with Kaveeta Suniel of Kosmic Fusion. Kaveeta will explain the power of the Source. Listeners will get their own live experience of this technique during the show.

?Before Midnight,? starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, is our choice for Best Picture (so far) of 2013 and a great choice for your Fourth of July weekend.

Black Girls Ignite Africa! Inc. is dedicated to the empowerment, encouragement, celebration and healthy development of African women and girls.

Hear from Paul Craig Roberts, Reagan?s former head of policy at the Department of the Treasury, Wall Street Journal editor and prolific author.

Bill Oakley, co-writer for the hilarious hit comedy ?Portlandia,? talks about the third season and the crew?s chances of taking home an Emmy this year.

Backyard Poultry with the Chicken Whisperer is a national radio show about keeping backyard poultry, show poultry and living a self-sufficient lifestyle.

Celebrate this Fourth of July holiday with family and friends and five fabulous wine recommendations from an independently owned winery.

Whether you?re grilling in the backyard or smoking ribs for a competition, join us for talk about cookers, sauces, techniques and all things BBQ.

Enjoy this chat with Sara O?Donnell, food blogger and creator of Average Betty, which has scored millions of views and numerous accolades on YouTube.

Carol Tuttle, acclaimed alternative psychotherapist, bestselling author and the creator of Energy Profiling and Dressing Your Truth programs, talks parenting.

Whether your weapon of choice is food, a credit card, pills or cigarettes, listen in for ways to help you stop pulling the trigger and hurting yourself.

Defense Attorney Richard Herman, legal analyst for CNN, offers an in-depth legal analysis of how the George Zimmerman trial will end.

Sales master and award-winning producer Lori Jo Vest shares her insights about how to avoid sales blunders in your business.

Nonie Darwish, writer and contributor to American Thinker, talks about the end of DOMA and her article ?Marriage: An Obligation and Not a Right.?

Darryl Anka, CEO of Zia Films, talks about his new film, ?Dearly Departed,? which addresses the question: What happens when we die?

Celebrate the lives and accomplishments of three LGBTQ icons: political figure Harvey Milk, transgender activist Martha P. Johnson and musician Sylvester.

Bestselling author Robert Allen discusses the financial world and master sales trainer Tom Hopkins shares his selling techniques and tips on salesmanship.

Composer and classically trained guitarist Michelle Qureshi shares her passion for creating unique pieces that range from subtle melodies to complex works.

?The Best Team Ever,? a historical novel about America at the turn of the last century, is a big, brawling adventure that brings to life the 1907 Chicago Cubs.

Join author, recording artist and sound healer Sharon Carne to learn how sound reduces stress, quiets the mind and opens space for creativity to flow freely.

Gordon G. Chang, author of ?Nuclear Showdown: North Korea Takes on the World,? talks about nuclear proliferation and the North Korea crisis.

Irv Rothman, CEO of HP Financial Services and author of ?Out-Executing the Competition,? offers advice for starting, building and expanding any business.

Jim Rash and Nat Faxon, Oscar-winning screenwriters for ?The Descendants,? starring George Clooney, chat about their directorial debut, ?The Way, Way Back.?

Justin Prahar of Sounds 2 Go knows how to get a wedding reception started?by keeping his mouth shut and letting the guests pen their picks on a playlist.

Source: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sportcitychefs/2013/07/07/baseball-buffet

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Bubble tea | Food and Beverage

Boba milk tea, also known as pearl milk tea or PMT, is a Taiwanese tea-based drink invented in tea shops in Taichung, Taiwan, during the 1980s. Most bubble tea recipes contain a tea base mixed with fruit or milk. Ice-blended versions are usually mixed with fruit or syrup, resulting in a slushy consistency. Most bubble teas come with small chewy tapioca balls, commonly called ?pearls? or ?boba? .

There are many variants of the drinks, and many kinds of types are used and ingredients added. The most popular bubble drinks are bubble milk tea with tapioca and bubble milk green tea with tapioca.

Source: http://heromobilecafe.com/bubble-tea

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review The Engagements - That's What She Read

Title: The Engagements
Author: J. Courtney Sullivan
ISBN: 9780307958716
No. of Pages: 400
Genre: Fiction
Origins: Knopf Doubleday
Release Date:?11 June 2013
Bottom Line: Simple and lovely story about the many facets of relationships

?Evelyn has been married to her husband for forty years?forty years since he slipped off her first wedding ring and put his own in its place. Delphine knows both sides of love?the ecstatic, glorious highs of seduction and the bitter, spiteful fury that descends when it?s over. James, a paramedic who works the night shift, knows his wife?s family thinks she could have done better. Kate, partnered with Dan for ten years, has seen every kind of wedding?from the Nantucket beach wedding to the Irish castle wedding?and has vowed never, ever, to have one of her own. And Mary Frances Gerety, a young advertising copywriter, knows exactly what marriage is: it?s a diamond ring on a girl?s finger?and it?s her job to make sure everyone believes that. Weaving these lives together, Sullivan gives us a sharply observed, witty, irresistible portrait of the thorny, joyful, and complicated union that is marriage.?

Thoughts: The diamond engagement ring ? that traditional symbol of love and commitment. Commercials would have one believe that only a person?s two months? salary can prove the depths of a person?s feelings for another. Others use the love of grandparents or parents to showcase their feelings. The Engagements by J. Courtney Sullivan revolves around this ubiquitous first step towards marriage as it follows the stories of five very different people, including the woman who established the phrase ?Diamonds are Forever.? This beautiful, simple collection of stories connects in unexpected but appealing ways that emphasize just how truly lasting diamond engagement rings truly are, even if the love is fleeting.

The cast of characters in The Engagements is every bit as varied as diamond engagement rings themselves. Evelyn is the figurative matriarch of the group. Having been married the longest, she understands the importance of tradition and the work involved to make a happy and lasting marriage. Evelyn is the type of character all readers will love because she is so humble and gentle. James is the symbolic son, working to make a better life for his young family while trying to show his wife how much he appreciates and loves her. Readers will appreciate the depths of his affections and the sacrifices he makes for his family. Delphine is the embittered older daughter. Having forsaken her marriage for the allure of an affair with an adoring younger man, she now faces down her fury when all of her dreams go awry. She is the character that will make readers laugh and cheer as she enacts her revenge on her young lover. Kate is the younger daughter who has opted to follow her own path in life and frowns upon every convention regarding the institution of marriage. She is the most polarizing of all the characters. Her self-righteousness and intractability regarding her opinions about marriage and raising children, as well as the fate of the world are off-putting and will be a turnoff for most readers.

Meanwhile, Mary Frances is the unconscious glue that ties them all together through her fierce promotions of diamonds and her creation of an ad campaign that still exists today. The elements of history used throughout The Engagements, especially as they surround Mary Frances? real-life advertising career for DeBeers, are fascinating. While it is no secret how much advertising drives consumerism and that companies have used ads to establish many a cherished tradition over the years, discovering just how the ?sacred? tradition of giving a diamond engagement ring started is eye-opening as well as a bit disconcerting. While it does not lessen the sentimentality behind such baubles, it does make a person think twice about the tradition and all diamond ad campaigns.

Ms. Sullivan sets the individual characters across the decades. In doing so, she highlights the changes in attitudes towards engagement rings and marriage over the years. In addition, there is a subtle interweaving of the characters and their stories which is not apparent in the beginning but is delightful to watch unfold. In fact, these connections are so understated that speed readers or those who tend to skim may miss key details which will prevent them from connecting the dots later in the story. To miss them is to miss seeing the fascinating ties that bind these eclectic characters together and which provide the story with much of its heart.

The Engagements is simply a lovely story that uses historical contexts to both instruct readers and to establish the spine of the story about the dynamics of relationships. Ms. Sullivan?s writing is subtle but effective, creating strong, realistic characters and even stronger emotional reactions. The net result is a delightful story that educates, entertains, and proves that there is no such thing as a standard for relationships.

Share and Enjoy

Source: http://www.thatswhatsheread.net/2013/06/review-the-engagements-by-j-courtney-sullivan/

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Status of the states on same-sex marriage

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The Supreme Court issued a pair of decisions this week with major consequences for efforts to legalize or bar same-sex marriage. One ruling opened the way for California to become the 13th state to allow gay marriage; the other struck down part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act and directed the government to recognize legally married same-sex couples.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/status-states-same-sex-marriage-215635329.html

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10-year-old vandals ravage dead woman's home - FOX23 News

Kids as young as 10 years old broke into an elderly woman's home, trashed it, spray-painted antiques, broke windows and set up camp.

The woman died a few months ago and the family was working to sort through her belongings in the home.

Tulsa police caught two 10-year-olds and a 13-year-old who lived down the street from the home in the 5300 block of South 36th West Avenue on Wednesday night.

FOX23 News spoke to the woman who lived next door to the home, who says she caught the kids in the act.

"I pulled up in my van and I could see the front door," said Tammie Owen.

She knew the kids didn't belong in the home.

"The kid come out and ran back out when he noticed me sitting in my van," said Owen.

She went to the fence and started questioning one of the kids, who told her a story she didn't believe.

"He said, ?Grandma gave me a key and said I could come over here,'" said Owen. "I'm like, ?Let?s call the cops and let the cops decide what to do.'"

She says the kids told her they didn't like that idea.

"'Oh there is no need for cops to be called,'" said Owen of the kids? reaction.

That's when the kids took off on their bicycles. When police arrived, the front doors were shattered and a boat in the yard was spray-painted.

"The house was just trashed,? said Owen.

FOX23 News spoke to a family member on the phone who said inside the home vulgar language was spray-painted on the washer, dryer, inside the freezer and antiques.

He said the kids dumped each drawer, made coffee and Kool-Aid and set up the television with the air conditioning blasting in the house.

He also said pills were smashed up.

"I wanted to beat them," said Owen.

She recognized the 10-year-olds, who lived at the end of the street.

Fox23 News knocked on their door to speak to the parents but no one answered.

"I wanted to teach them respect. You don't do people's houses like that way?anybody?s, I don't care whose it is," said Owen.

Police say the kids were not sent to juvenile detention but will have to go to juvenile court and face a judge, who will determine their punishment.

Source: http://www.fox23.com/news/local/story/10-year-old-vandals-ravage-dead-womans-home/3JhukLVafkKWzHan0UX03g.cspx?rss=77

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Best horror, baseball mashup, other summer sports reads

We are going to get to sports, pinky swear, but you certainly do not need to read my grade for the Magic draft ("OK, I guess, but what do I know?") and not much else is going on ? so this looks like an opening to talk about:

Books.

You know, the things they used to kill trees to make but now can instantly appear in some machine of yours and practically read themselves for you. What caught my eye was a website ? goodreads.com ? that includes numerous lists of "worst books ever."

And my all-time "worst book ever" is found on the list of "forced to read in school but hated." The book is "Silas Marner" by George Eliot. It comes in a disappointing 23rd, but that's probably because all the English teachers who once demanded it be read have been taken out back to be treated badly.

George (actually a woman) tells the story of Silas, a weaver in Victorian England (or so I remember). It could have been done in five pages but apparently George liked to write. When I had to read this in the 11th grade, I had no desire to learn about weaving.

Give me a break.

Of course this "hated book" list includes "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding at No. 1 and that's a great book. No, that's not my opinion, that's a fact.

But I promised you sports, so what about the best books about sports?

"Sports Illustrated" did a "Top 100 Sports Books" list some time ago that you can find at talkingbooks.dpi.wi.gov ? yes, through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. It's top four are: (1) "The Sweet Science" by A.J. Liebling, a love-horror look at boxing; (2) "The Boys of Summer" by Roger Kahn, a book I loved as a teenager because it wrote of the Brooklyn Dodgers before they were stolen by Sodom (ala Los Angeles); (3) "Ball Four" by Jim Bouton, a remarkably honest account of the 1969 Yankees; and (4) "Friday Night Lights" by H.G. Bissinger, depicting how football can consume a small Texas community.

I never read "The Sweet Science" but have read the other three and all are worth your time, especially in this "slow season" for sports (not counting police reports, of course).

And I want to pitch one more book to you that you probably don't know: "Brittle Innings," written in 1994 by Michael Bishop. It was republished in 2012 and when I checked Amazon.com this week, there were three copies available.

Friends, another pinky swear: This is the best account of Southern minor league baseball in the 1940s ever written. Here's the catch: There is a major supernatural element midway in the novel. In fact, the book probably is the only gothic horror/baseball genre mashup ever written. But it's great and you should read it.

After all, this is the slow season, remember?

NFL thoughts: NFC North

Green Bay 11-5 last year, over/under 10

Be afraid, Packer Backers, be very afraid. Somebody doesn't want you in the Super Bowl. The Pack must play San Francisco, the Giants and Baltimore from outside their division -- and all three games are on the road. The 2013 Pack were a statistical mystery: QB Aaron Rodgers led the league with a 108.0 passing rating and 39 TDs but the passing offense was just ninth. A new rushing game will be key. Pack probably are NFC favorite but I'm not so sure.

Chicago 10-6 last year, 8.5 over/under

Intriguing team to watch that could finish 7-9 or 11-5 under new Coach Marc Trestman. What can different coaching and a revamped offensive line do for QB Jay Cutler? This is a cook-or-get-out-of-the-kitchen contract season for him. And don't forget WR Brandon Marshall and his 117 receptions and 11 TDs last season. Like we said, fun to watch.

Minnesota Vikings 10-6 last season, over/under 7.5

Not likely that three teams in this division will total 31 victories again. Most likely to fall are the Vikings, who had second best rushing game and 31st passing attack last year. Starting with Week 7, the schedule is just nasty. Finally, do you really think Adrian Peterson can put up the same rushing numbers? And if he can not, do you really think QB Christian Ponder can make up the difference?

Source: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/os-jerry-greene-cheap-seats-0630-20130629,0,2208.column?track=rss

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 hits the FCC with LTE you probably can't use

The FCC can be cruel sometimes, showing us devices we're unlikely to see in the US without significant changes; this is one of those moments, unfortunately. A Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 has once again surfaced at the FCC, this time as the SM-T315 with built-in cellular access. However, it's not optimized for American use -- while there's AT&T-friendly HSPA data, the LTE inside is only meant for a handful of other countries, like South Korea. As such, this model won't be coming stateside unless there's a frequency change. We're not totally surprised at the lack of US-ready LTE when AT&T already offers the Galaxy Note 8.0, but it would be nice to have a little more variety in our 8-inch LTE slates.

Filed under: Tablets, Samsung

Comments

Source: FCC

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Ch0BKMbWTPs/

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Video: Hernandez's lawyer answers

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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/21134540/vp/52308703#52308703

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Egypt's army says it's ready to save nation

CAIRO (AP) ? Wading into an increasingly volatile fray, Egypt's military on Sunday gave the nation's Islamist rulers and their opponents a week to reach an understanding before planned June 30 opposition protests aimed at forcing out the president, in a toughly worded warning that it will intervene to stop the nation from entering a "dark tunnel."

The powerful military also gave a thinly veiled warning to President Mohammed Morsi's hard-line backers that it will step in if the mostly secular and liberal protesters, who have vowed to be peaceful, are attacked during the planned demonstrations.

In a bid to project a business-as-usual image, Morsi's office said in a statement late Sunday that the president met with the army's chief, Defense Minister Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, to discuss the "domestic scene and the government's efforts to maintain the security of the nation and the safety of its citizens." There was no mention of el-Sissi's warning.

Seeking to assert Morsi's seniority over el-Sissi ? the president is the supreme commander of the armed forces ? the brief statement, alluding to June 30, said he ordered the quick completion of plans to protect the state's strategic and vital installations.

The opposition argues that Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood, despite having won a series of elections since the 2011 revolution that ousted autocrat Hosni Mubarak, have squandered their legitimacy with heavy handed misrule. It contends that the Islamists have encroached on the independence of the judiciary, sought to monopolize power, and pushed through an Islamist-backed constitution, breaking promises to seek consensus.

Morsi's supporters say the opposition has shunned his offers of dialogue and now are turning to force to remove him because they have been unable to compete at the ballot box.

On Sunday, a court compounded Morsi's troubles by saying members of his Muslim Brotherhood conspired with Hamas, Hezbollah and local militants to storm a prison in 2011 and free 34 Brotherhood leaders, including Morsi. Also, the most iconic youth figure of the 2011 revolution, Wael Ghonim, called on Morsi to step down before June 30 to prevent bloodshed.

Both sides say they intend to be peaceful on June 30, but many fear the day could descend into violence. There are worries young protesters could attack offices of the Brotherhood and its political arm, the Freedom and Justice party. Some of Morsi's hard-line supporters have vowed to "smash" the protests or have declared protesters infidels who deserve to be killed.

"Those who will spray Morsi with water will be sprayed with blood," warned one cleric.

El-Sissi, weighed in with his first public comments on the planned protests while addressing officers at a seminar Sunday.

It was his most direct warning yet that the military ? which ruled Egypt directly after Mubarak's fall until Morsi's June 30, 2012 inauguration ? could step in.

He said the country's divisions had reached a point that they were a danger to the state itself.

"Those who think that we (the military) are oblivious to the dangers that threaten the Egyptian state are mistaken. We will not remain silent while the country slips into a conflict that will be hard to control," he said in his comments, made public on the military's Facebook page.

Ostensibly, el-Sissi addressed both sides. But his demand for "genuine reconciliation" seemed to be a nod toward the opposition's stance that Morsi's past gestures of "dialogue" have been empty and a signal to him that he must make compromises.

"It is the most powerful public and direct message from the military to the president," said analyst Abdullah el-Sinnawi, thought to be close to the military. "I see this as a warning of a coup if Morsi does not find a solution."

Another analyst, Gamal Abdel-Gawad of the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic studies, said the comments signaled a change in the military's position.

"We are in a different phase now. He (el-Sissi) is giving a deadline for a solution to the president to do what he can do or else they will be forced to intervene," he said.

El-Sissi appeared to lower the threshold for what warrants intervention by the military. In earlier pronouncements, he cited the collapse or near collapse of the state.

On Sunday, however, he said the military has a "patriotic and moral responsibility" to stop Egypt from "slipping into a dark tunnel of conflict or internal fighting." He said sectarian violence and the collapse of state institutions would also justify intervention.

He urged all parties to reach a "genuine reconciliation" to defuse the crisis before June 30.

"We have a week during which a great deal can be achieved. This is a call that is only motivated by love of the nation, its presence and future," he said.

In a thinly veiled warning to Morsi's hard-line backers, el-Sissi said: "It is not honorable that we remain silent in the face of the terrorizing and scaring of our Egyptian compatriots. There is more honor in death than watching a single Egyptian harmed while the army is still around."

El-Sissi also warned that the military will no longer tolerate any "insults" to the armed forces and its leaders, apparently a reference to a series of comments by figures from the Muslim Brotherhood, from which Morsi hails, that were perceived by the military as derogatory.

After its post-Mubarak period of direct rule, the powerful military has largely stayed out of the political fray. Soon after his inauguration, Morsi pushed the military's top two generals into retirement, ending the de facto military rule of Egypt that dates back to a 1952 coup that toppled the monarchy.

Morsi appointed el-Sissi as military chief and defense minister, leading many to believe the general would be beholden to the president. But el-Sissi, through a series of subtle but telling hints, has shown a significant level of independence as well as displeasure over the policies of the Morsi administration.

Morsi's comrades in the Brotherhood have made it clear that they want the military to focus entirely on protecting the nation against outside threats, but el-Sissi has countered by making clear that maintaining the security and stability of the nation was part of the military's mandate.

Protest organizers say they will bring out crowds across the country, building on public anger over a host of problems in the country, from surging crime and rising prices to fuel shortages, power cuts and unemployment. The protests call for Morsi to step down and early elections to be held at the end of a short transitional period.

Sunday, another prominent figure from the anti-Mubarak uprising, Ghoneim, weighed in with a video posted on his Twitter account saying it was time for Morsi to go.

"I was hoping that I would thank (Morsi) for what he has done for Egypt a year after he took office. But regrettably, the conditions in Egypt now are very grave," Ghoneim said. "Please stop the strife we are approaching, for the sake of God and country, and resign before June 30."

The report issued by a court in the Suez Canal city of Ismailia added to Morsi troubles. The court statement read by judge Khaled Mahgoub named two members of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood as among the conspirators along with Hamas and Hezbollah members in an attack on Wadi el-Natroun prison on Jan. 29, 2011.

The judge said his court would refer the evidence and testimonies it gathered to prosecutors so they can start their own investigation.

Morsi and the 33 Brotherhood leaders who were in jail in 2011 have maintained that they were freed by local residents. Hamas, the Palestinian chapter of the Brotherhood, has denied involvement in the attacks on prisons.

The Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice party said Sunday's court statement on the Wadi el-Natroun prison break was "void and illegal." It posted on its Twitter account that Mahgoub "will end like any other judge who did not respect the law or the constitution."

The prison breaks took place during the 18-day popular uprising that toppled Mubarak's regime. The breaks involved about 11 of Egypt's 41 prisons and led to a flood of some 23,000 criminals onto the streets, fueling a crime wave that continues to this day.

____

Associated Press reporter Maggie Michael and Tony G. Gabriel contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypts-army-says-ready-save-nation-154511490.html

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Messier 61 looks straight into Hubble's camera

June 24, 2013 ? The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured a new image of nearby spiral galaxy Messier 61, also known as NGC 4303. The galaxy, located only 55 million light-years away from Earth, is roughly the size of the Milky Way, with a diameter of around 100,000 light-years.

The galaxy is notable for one particular reason -- six supernovae have been observed within Messier 61, a total that places it in the top handful of galaxies alongside Messier 83, also with six, and NGC 6946, with a grand total of nine observed supernovae.

In this Hubble image the galaxy is seen face-on as if posing for a photograph, allowing us to study its structure closely. The spiral arms can be seen in stunning detail, swirling inwards to the very center of the galaxy, where they form a smaller, intensely bright spiral. In the outer regions, these vast arms are sprinkled with bright blue regions where new stars are being formed from hot, dense clouds of gas.

Messier 61 is part of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster, a massive group of galaxies in the constellation of Virgo (the Virgin). Galaxy clusters, or groups of galaxies, are among the biggest structures in the Universe to be held together by gravity alone. The Virgo Cluster contains more than 1300 galaxies and forms the central region of the Local Supercluster, an even bigger gathering of galaxies. The image was taken using data from Hubble's Wide Field Camera 2.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/space_time/astronomy/~3/uEPLIJiYUAA/130624141326.htm

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AP sources: Obama to expand renewable energy

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama is preparing to announce new steps to combat climate change, including increased production of renewable energy on public lands and federally assisted housing.

Environmental groups briefed on Obama's plan Monday say he'll direct his administration to allow enough renewables on public lands to power 6 million homes by 2020.

The groups say Obama plans to significantly expand production from sources like solar and wind at low-income housing projects. They say Obama will also announce more aggressive steps to increase efficiency for appliances.

Environmental groups say Obama's most important step will be to launch a process to regulate carbon emissions from existing power plants.

The groups were not authorized to discuss Obama's plan publicly and demanded anonymity.

Obama will unveil his national climate plan Tuesday at Georgetown University.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-sources-obama-expand-renewable-energy-232044194.html

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Michael Lewis: 6 Things You Need to Know About Raising Capital for a Small Business

"Money makes the world go around, of that we can be sure," sang Alan Cummings in the popular stage play "Cabaret." Certainly, the half-million Americans starting new businesses in 2012 have reason to suspect the truth of those lyrics since raising capital, whether to fund a new technological marvel or open a franchised restaurant, is one of the most challenging aspects of starting a new business.

Unfortunately, the need for capital never ends. This means that understanding how to find and shake the "money tree" is critical. And before you begin your search, there are a number of crucial questions you must ask yourself - and answer.

Questions to Ask When Raising Business Capital

1. How Much Capital Do I Need?

Although many resources?provide information on starting a business with?no?or little money in the bank, remember that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Don't be misled by the popular literature - having little or no capital is a primary reason why businesses fail.

"Bootstrapping a business when you're not drawing a salary and depleting whatever savings you have is one of the most difficult things to do," says Toby Stuart, professor at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. Even an independent cell phone app developer has to eat until the application has been designed, programmed, and marketed before any revenues begin. If your startup business requires even minimal outlays for offices, equipment, or employees, the amount of capital needed before opening your doors for business is likely to be significant.

Being Realistic
Entrepreneurs are often wild-eyed optimists, an often necessary attitude to get their ventures off the ground. But instead of a unique product, record sales, and slow competitors they usually envision, the real world is quite different.

The truth is that no new business succeeds without a?detailed and thorough business plan?that recognizes where you are today, where you want to be tomorrow, what problems might arise, and how you are going to resolve them. The value of a business plan is that you are forced to think about your potential business critically, challenge your assumptions, and?research when you're not sure of your facts. A complete plan identifies and quantifies the capital that is likely to be required to reach break-even and beyond. It is absolutely essential when soliciting investors.

While ?planning is often tedious and time consuming, executing a plan means several things:

• You will get a better understand of your market and the competitors you will face


• You may avoid costly disastrous mistakes in the future


• You will have a realistic view of the capital needed to start your business and keep it alive until it can stand on its own

Furthermore, bankers and potential investors generally evaluate entrepreneurs and the potential of their ability to deliver success on the quality and completeness of their business plan.

Asking for Enough Money
The most egregious, indefensible mistake an entrepreneur can make when seeking capital is asking for too little to have a chance at success. Lacking sufficient capital in the beginning is akin to starting a long journey with empty pockets, a broken-down vehicle, and a half-tank of gas; the odds that you will reach your destination are slim to none.

When calculating the capital you need, plan that everything will take twice as long and cost twice as much as you expect. Figure that your worst-case scenario will occur, not your best-case. Don't assume instant profitability, a common mistake of many first-time entrepreneurs according to the National Federation of Business. And remember, if you don't raise enough capital initially to cushion your company if sales are slow or emergencies occur, it will be nearly impossible to raise more money just to keep the business going.

According to Canadian banker and blogger Roger Downie,?startup capital?should, at a minimum, cover all plant, equipment, and leasehold costs - plus at least six months' worth of projected operating costs, including the owner's salary. John Reddish, a management consultant who specializes in helping companies achieve high growth, says, "After developing personal and business budgets that can sustain the company for the time you think it'll take to break even, add at least 50%." Like intelligence and good looks, it is virtually impossible to have too much money.

2. How Do I Raise New Capital?

The most common source of startup capital is the business owner him- or herself in the form of credit card advances, home equity loans, and loans from family members. Federal and state governments sponsor numerous subsidized loans and grants for startups through the Small Business Administration and its counterparts on the state level.

When these sources are exhausted or unavailable for some reason, entrepreneurs usually seek capital from private sources such as commercial and investment banks, groups established by private investors to exploit such opportunities, wealthy individuals, and venture capital funds. Their proposed investment is usually styled in the form of debt, equity, or a combination of each:

• Debt. The most common form of capital used by startups is debt, and it is secured by the assets of the company including the possible personal guarantee of the owners.?As time goes by, the company repays the principal with interest from cash flow. If the business fails, the lenders foreclose and liquidate the assets for repayment, possibly seeking any deficiency from the owners. Asset lenders are concerned with the market value of the assets, not the business enterprise, lending only a proportion of the asset's value to the company in order to ensure repayment. Lenders are not normally in the business of taking risks. While the interest rate on borrowed money may be high, using debt allows you to maintain 100% ownership.


• Equity.?When utilizing equity, investors become owners of the business with the entrepreneur, the amount of ownership held by each is dependent upon a negotiation, which in turn is based upon the funds invested and the?agreed-upon value of the business (as it is at present, and as it may be in the future). Business valuation is an art, not a science; the conclusion is always subjective depending upon the perspective of the valuator. Entrepreneurs typically want as much money as possible for as little equity as acceptable; investors are the opposite, wanting as much equity as possible for as little money as possible. The final equity proportions and amount of money raised is generally a compromise based upon the eagerness of the investor to invest and the desperation of the entrepreneur looking for money.

Delaying capital infusions from non-affiliated third parties as long as possible (until you can prove the business concept and show revenues) is always the best approach. Investors typically require that entrepreneurs have "skin in the game" before being willing to invest their own money, and prefer you've made progress toward implementing your business plan as well.

3. What Is the Value of My Company?

The value of a company is important because it is the basis for determining the "cost" of the new capital when seeking equity additions to the capital structure. Simply explained, a company with a $1 million valuation and no debt seeking a new capital of $1 million would be worth $2 million after the investment. The old owners would own 50% of the new $2 million company (for their contribution of the old company with a $1 million value), while the new investors would also own 50% interest for their contribution of $1 million cash.

Generally, a valuation considers four questions:

1. How much is the company worth today?


2. How much could it be worth in the future?


3. How long will it take to create the future value?


4. What is the likelihood of achieving success?

There are a number of different methods used to value startup companies. Bill Payne, a prominent angel investor with the Angel Capital Association describes?four popular methods?to value pre-revenue companies, asserting that entrepreneurial projections are "too imprecise" and optimistic to be reliable. Professor Ian Giddy of New York University focuses on more?traditional methods of corporate valuation, while a popular YouTube video provides?business valuation 101?explanation. Prospective business owners seeking capital must understand the basic concepts of?discounted cash flow?and the use of?market multiples?before establishing or negotiating a value for their company.

Understanding how your company will be evaluated and being able to affect the valuation positively can enable you to get higher valuations and retain greater ownership of your company when the investment is funded.

4. Who Might Be Interested in Investing in My Company?

As the amount of funds needed increases, you will be required to access an increasingly sophisticated investor seeking maximum return for assuming the risk of a new venture. Family and friends are typically the first group sought by business owners seeking capital - they are less discriminating than professional investors, and are more likely to invest due to the relationship than the economics of the business proposal. On the other hand, family investors bring their own set of problems, including the possibility of strained relations if the investment fails.

In the December 2012 issue of?Inc.,?Ilya Pozin identifies and discusses a variety of funding options, in addition to self-funding, business incubators, and government grants.

VCs and Angels Funding Are Rare
While entrepreneurial magazines and websites promote the availability of angel investors and venture capital (VC) firms for capital, very few startup firms interest either type of investors or can survive the rigorous screening process. As a consequence, according to the Kauffman Foundation director of Private Equity and former venture capitalist Diane Mulcahy, VC is the exception, not the norm, for startups. Historically, less than 1% of U.S. companies have raised capital from VCs.

Women Business Owners Face Additional Difficulties
Women generally face more difficulties than men raising startup capital because, according to research by The Clayman Institute for Gender Research at Stanford University, they generally lack contacts within the "old boys' network" of funding sources. Furthermore, many professional investors have less confidence in women than men to penetrate their intended markets.

Internet sites such as WomanOwned.com, established in 1997, provide insights about fundraising, business management, and network assistance to more than 3.5 million women business owners around the world.

Crowdfunding May Be Considered
A new funding mechanism known as "crowdfunding" was created in the?Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (JOBS), allowing small companies to raise up $1 million from individuals over the Internet with annual income of less than $100,000 through a simplified registration procedure and limited financial information.

While the bill has attracted powerful critics worried about increased fraudulent transactions, most observers believe the Act will provide needed access to new funds for startup companies. Sites such as Kickstarter?and?gofundme?are allowing entrepreneurs to reach new money sources effectively and inexpensively.

5. What Are My Legal Responsibilities to Potential Investors?

Generally, business owners seeking funds from individual investors are required to provide forms and specific factual information in understandable language to potential investors so that they have the ability to evaluate the investment and determine whether it is right for them. Offerings and continued legal obligations of companies to their investor owner are regulated through the US?Securities Act of 1933?and the?Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

While JOBS is intended to simplify the procedures, making it easier for small firms to access the equity markets, compliance with the relevant regulations is required. Failure to do so subjects the issuers of securities to punitive civil and criminal acts. Seeking and paying for competent legal advice when soliciting, negotiating, or contracting with investors or lenders is mandatory for prudent business owners. While an attorney may not secure advantages for you on the upside, a lawyer's value in eliminating the possibilities of fraud charges, confusion about the agreements reached, or avoiding future legal problems is considerable.

6. How Do I Negotiate a Win-Win Agreement?

A funding event, whether for a startup or an ongoing operation, involves two parties: the investor and the company. In some cases, there is a single investor; in others, multiple investors. In the latter case, such as a crowdfunding event, the investors participate as a unit, each sharing a proportion of the same investment. In some cases, funding is take-it-or-leave-it; in others, there is intense negotiation. In each case, the parties strive to reach an agreement that accomplishes their respective goals.

Negotiations between investors and business owners involve, at minimum, the following factors:

• The Amount of Capital Invested.?Funding may be a single amount or a combination of investments over a defined period.


• The Timing of the Investment.?A specific sum is invested initially with future investments on specific future dates or when certain contingencies have been met.


• The Return on Investment.?In debt, return, or from the company's perspective, "cost" may be expressed as interest with specific payment periods and principal amortization. In equity, return is the proportionate share of future earnings directed to the investor.


• The Timing of the Return to the Investor.?Prospective payments in the future will be discounted to reflect the investor's opportunity costs and the risk-free return which he would have otherwise earned by forgoing the investment.


• The Certainty of the Return.?Since the return on capital will be in the future, investors are naturally concerned about the likelihood the projected results becoming reality. This "risk" increase is directly proportional to the period between investment and projected return, the size of the return relative to the investment, and the reliability of the underlying financial and operating assumptions.


• Control.?Who makes decisions when things don't go as planned? Investors usually require certain protections to minimize losses or to maximize gains when possible, including majority ownership of the company in the event of certain events. Business owners generally resist direct intervention into company operations, viewing it as a challenge to their authority and capabilities.

Negotiation is a skill that can be learned and practiced. However, learning at the table across from a seasoned professional is usually expensive. Seek advice and assistance before you make an agreement you will regret.

Final Thoughts

Many financing professionals claim that the rigorous, stressful process of raising capital for a new venture ensures that only the best companies (i.e., those most like to succeed) receive funding. Persistence - the willingness to learn from rejection without losing enthusiasm - is critical. Every idea, every company can be analyzed and deconstructed to the point it is unworkable. Jay Turo, founder of the advisory and investment banking firm?Growthink, properly advises entrepreneurs to "be irrational," and appeal emotionally rather than intellectually to potential investors.

What other advice can you suggest to those who seek to raise money for a small business?

Michael Lewis is a former business executive and entrepreneur. He writes about business funding, money management, and technology on the popular financial blog, Money Crashers.

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Follow Michael Lewis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/moneycrashers

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-lewis/6-things-you-need-to-know_b_3484069.html

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