Sunday, March 31, 2013

Exxon has yet to excavate area of ruptured Arkansas oil pipeline

(Reuters) - Exxon Mobil on Sunday continued cleanup of a pipeline spill that loosed thousands of barrels of heavy Canadian crude in Arkansas as opponents of oil sands development latched on to the incident to attack plans to build the Keystone XL line.

Exxon's Pegasus pipeline, which can carry more than 90,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude from Pakota, Illinois to Nederland, Texas, was shut after the leak was discovered late Friday afternoon in a subdivision near the town of Mayflower. The leak forced the evacuation of 22 homes.

The company did not have an estimate for the restarting of the pipeline, which was carrying Canadian Wabasca Heavy crude at the time of the leak. An oil spill of more than 1,000 barrels into a Wisconsin field from an Enbridge (Toronto: ENB.TO - news) pipeline last summer kept that line shuttered for around 11 days.

The Arkansas spill drew fast reaction from opponents of the 800,000 bpd Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry heavy crude from Canada's tar sands to the U.S. Gulf Coast refining centre.

Environmentalists have expressed concerns about the impact of developing the oil sands and say the crude is more corrosive to pipelines than conventional oil. On Wednesday, a train carrying Canadian crude derailed in Minnesota, spilling 15,000 gallons of oil.

"Whether it's the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, or ... (the) mess in Arkansas, Americans are realizing that transporting large amounts of this corrosive and polluting fuel is a bad deal for American taxpayers and for our environment," said Representative Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat.

Supporters of Keystone XL and oil sands development say the vast Canadian reserves can help drive down fuel costs in the United States. A report from the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association, put together by oil and gas consultancy Penspen, argued diluted bitumen is no more corrosive than other heavy crude.

CLEANUP

Exxon said that by 3 a.m. Saturday there was no additional oil spilling from the pipeline and that trucks had been brought in to assist with the cleanup. Images from local media showed crude oil snaking along a suburban street.

Officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration were deployed to the scene.

"Cleanup efforts are progressing 24 hours a day," said Exxon spokesman Alan Jeffers, who added the oil had not leaked into nearby Lake Conway.

"We were very fortunate that the local responders made sure the oil did not enter the water."

(Reporting by Matthew Robinson in New York and Timothy Gardner in Washington; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/exxon-shuts-oil-pipeline-major-005905765.html

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Louisville's Ware leaves with right leg injury

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ? Louisville guard Kevin Ware badly injured his lower right leg during the Midwest Regional final against Duke on Sunday and had to be taken off the court on a stretcher.

A game official told several reporters that a bone snapped. Trainers immediately covered the leg with a towel and placed Ware on a backboard, then lifted him onto a stretcher.

He was taken to nearby Methodist Hospital, according to a statement from tournament officials. Louisville officials said no additional information was immediately available.

The injury occurred with 6:33 left in the first half as Duke's Tyler Thornton made a 3-pointer to get the Blue Devils within 21-20. Ware tried to contest the shot and his leg buckled when he landed, bending gruesomely.

The injury happened in front of the Louisville bench, and the Cardinals were overcome with emotion.

Louisville forward Wayne Blackshear fell to the floor, crying, and Chane Behanan looked as if he was going to be sick on the court, kneeling on his hands and feet. Peyton Siva sat a few feet away, a hand covering his mouth.

Luke Hancock patted Ware's chest as doctors worked on the sophomore and Russ Smith ? who is from New York City like Ware ? walked away, pulling his jersey over his eyes.

Someone finally pulled Behanan to his feet, but he doubled over and needed a few seconds to gather himself. As Ware was being loaded onto a stretcher, the Cardinals gathered at midcourt until coach Rick Pitino called them over, saying that Ware wanted to talk to them before he left.

Pitino wiped away his eyes as Ware was wheeled out, as did several of the Louisville players.

In the immediate aftermath, those who had been watching the game on television took to social media to express their concern. Former Washington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann, who famously sustained a broken leg during a Monday night football game against the New York Giants, tweeted that, "Watching Duke/ Louisville my heart goes out to Kevin Ware."

Louisville, the top overall seed in the tourney, went more than 3 minutes without scoring after the injury but regained its composure to take a 35-32 halftime lead.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/louisvilles-ware-leaves-leg-injury-220040888--spt.html

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Nigerian army says kills 14 Islamist insurgents in raid

KANO, Nigeria (Reuters) - Nigerian soldiers killed 14 suspected Islamist insurgents on Sunday during a dawn raid on a house in the main northern city of Kano, the military said.

Islamist sect Boko Haram wants to carve an Islamic state out of Nigeria. It and other Islamist groups have become the main threat to stability on Africa's top oil-producing state and increasingly menace neighbors like Cameroon.

Boko Haram has killed hundreds in gun and bomb attacks, including 25 in Kano earlier in March, since it intensified an insurgency two years ago.

In Sunday's raid, one soldier was killed and another seriously injured while a suspected suicide bomber was arrested in a car packed with explosives, the army said.

"This operation was conducted following a tip-off from our intelligence. You can see that there are over 10 of the terrorists all dead," Iliyasu Abbah, an officer in the military task force dealing with Islamist rebels, told Reuters.

Task force spokesman Ikedichi Iweha confirmed 14 suspected terrorists had been killed. A witness, who asked not to be named, said he saw a woman and a child among the dead.

Security was stepped up in northern Nigerian cities this weekend to cope with an increased threat posed by Islamist groups during Christian holidays, when churches have been targeted by suicide bombers.

Western governments fear that ties with groups like al Qaeda's North African wing are drawing Nigerian Islamists towards a more explicitly anti-Western agenda.

Such concerns have risen since France launched an operation in January to flush jihadist rebels out of northern Mali.

Al Qaeda-affiliated Nigerian group Ansaru said earlier this month it had killed seven foreign hostages seized on February 7 in the northern state of Bauchi because of attempts to free them.

A French family was kidnapped from north Cameroon last month and is believed to be being held by Boko Haram in Nigeria.

(Reporting by Chukwuemeka Madu and Idris Jibrin; Writing by Joe Brock; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nigerian-army-says-kills-14-islamist-insurgents-raid-130531418.html

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Quotes on Phil Ramone from luminaries

NEW YORK (AP) ? Reactions to Phil Ramone's death:

___

"A friend, a musical genius and the most lovable person. It was a thrill for me to have worked with Phil, and I have so many wonderful memories." ? Elton John

___

"I'm so saddened to learn of Phil's passing. We first worked together in 1967 when I did a free concert in Central Park. His brilliance at capturing sound was immediately evident. Later we worked together on the film 'A Star Is Born' where Phil was able to record me singing live, including 'Evergreen.' In the next decade we worked on the soundtrack to 'Yentl' and many other recordings. Phil had impeccable musical taste, great ears and the most gentle way of bringing out the best in all the artists he worked with. The monumental recordings he produced will endure for all time." ? Barbra Streisand

___

"There aren't enough words to express how heavy my heart is with the news of the passing of my dear friend and brother Phil Ramone. From Andy Williams and Lesley Gore, to Billy Eckstine, Paul Simon and all of my albums including 'Soul Bossa Nova' and 'Q's Jook Joint,' Phil was a collaborator in the studio and a friend in life for more than 50 years. Whenever I was in the studio recording, if Phil wasn't there by my side it would seem like one ingredient was missing. Today we lost one of the true musicians, innovators and geniuses of the record industry. His immense talents were only surpassed by the gigantic size of his heart, and I will miss him terribly." ? Quincy Jones

___

"I always thought of Phil Ramone as the most talented guy in my band. He was the guy that no one ever ever saw onstage. He was with me as long as any of the musicians I ever played with ? longer than most. So much of my music was shaped by him and brought to fruition by him. I have lost a dear friend ? and my greatest mentor. The music world lost a giant today." ? Billy Joel

___

What a heartbreak to all of us who knew him and loved him. What a great man, what a kind spirit, such an incredible producer. The star of stars behind the stars. Phil will be missed always. Truly a tragic loss for us on earth but what a wonderful blessing for heaven. As I've always said, 'Love you Phil, God Bless.'" ? Stevie Wonder

___

"Phil Ramone was a lovely person and a very gifted musician and producer. It was a joy to have him work with me in the recording studio on so many projects as he had a wonderful sense of humor and a deep love of music. Phil had the admiration and respect from everyone in the entertainment industry and his passing is a great loss." ? Tony Bennett

___

"Phil was a true gentleman in every sense of the word. It was an honor to know him. He was an angel and I loved him dearly. This is a profound loss for the music world, for all the lives he touched and of course for his family ... Rest in Peace, Phil ... You will be deeply missed and never forgotten." ? Michael Buble

___

As co-founder of A&R Recordings, he was a pioneer of audio technological developments ? creating new innovations for the compact disc and surround sound technologies. His impressive career spanned all genres in which he collaborated with a diverse group of artists including Tony Bennett, Etta James, Paul McCartney, Luciano Pavarotti, Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen and numerous others ... Our industry has lost an immense talent and a true visionary and genius, and The Academy has lost a very dear and close friend." ? Neil Portnow, President/CEO, The Recording Academy

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/quotes-phil-ramone-luminaries-000307518.html

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Saturday, March 30, 2013

Andrew Padilla, East Harlem Filmmaker, Explores Neighborhood's Gentrification In 'El Barrio Tours' Documentary

Andrew Padilla, East Harlem Filmmaker, Explores Neighborhood's Gentrification In 'El Barrio Tours' Documentary
El Barrio Tours East Harlem

A man watches the Three Kings Day Parade in East Harlem January 6, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Get Latino Voices Alerts:

DNA Info:

HARLEM ? Andrew Padilla's roots in El Barrio go back to when his grandfather first moved to East Harlem. Now, 60 years on, the filmmaker can barely afford to live there.

The gentrification and blurring of the line between the neighborhood and the Upper East Side, and its impact on longtime residents, are the topics of Padilla's new short documentary

Read the whole story at DNA Info

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    2. Latino Voices
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    Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/29/east-harlem-filmmaker-andrew-padilla-el-barrio-tours_n_2980151.html

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    Groupon's New Accounting Methods - Business Insider

    The Wealth Channel / YouTube

    Anthony Catanach

    ?

    Anthony Catanach Jr., an associate professor at the Villanova University School of Business, is a longtime critic of Groupon, and he just renewed his attacks on the daily deal giant.

    In August 2011, he predicted on his blog, Grumpy Old Accountants, that the SEC would probe Groupon's numbers ? and it came to pass, seven months later.

    This time around, Catanach calls into question a grab-bag of accounting items in Groupon's annual report. He says:

    • Groupon is no good at estimating the value of companies it buys.
    • Groupon's estimate of the amount of intangible "goodwill" on its balance sheet is ripe for a writedown.
    • Groupon's estimate of its deferred tax assets is shaky.
    • Groupon uses a non-GAAP accounting method that's "a curious metric that inflates operating performance."

    In his post, Catanach says, "Heads up SEC?you too E&Y!"

    (We emailed Groupon for comment and we'll update this post if we hear back.)

    The backdrop here is that Groupon is struggling to reorient its business away from a dependence on daily email deals toward selling goods directly, and by generally providing a marketing infrastructure for local businesses.

    It also recently fired its CEO, Andrew Mason.

    Here are a couple of highlights from Catanach's deep-dive into Groupon's numbers:

    Remember how the grumpies complained last August about Groupon?s ?unusual? gain on an e-commerce transaction that created second quarter profitability (see Groupon: Still Accounting Challenged)?? This was a gain driven solely by the Company?s own estimates of fair value, the reasonableness of which we questioned at the time.? Well, guess what?? We were right again!? In the fourth quarter (literally at the eleventh hour), the Company revised its value estimate of its F-tuan investment downward by almost 40 percent resulting in a write-down of $50.6 million (2012 10-K, page 84). This turnabout almost completely reverses the pre-tax $56 million gain that Groupon reported in the second quarter of 2012.

    ... ?In fact, cracks are beginning to appear in the goodwill numbers.? International segment revenue actually declined 15.9 percent in the final quarter of 2012 (2012 10-K, page 38) raising questions about reported international goodwill amounts.

    ... despite the declines in gross profit percentage, income from operations has turned positive for the first time primarily due to reduced marketing expenses. The dramatic reversals in marketing and selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses may reflect the Company?s changing business model, but given Groupon?s past reporting issues, one wonders if some of this expense volatility is due to the aforementioned decision to reclassify financial statement items.? Just a thought.

    Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/groupons-new-accounting-methods-2013-3

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    Gunnar Optiks MLG Legend


    Like a lot of people, I spend all day, every day, in front of a computer screen. Multiple screens, in fact. Between my 15-inch laptop, 23-inch external monitor, and the three or four PCs I test every week, my workday is full to the brim with glowing displays. My home life is no different. When I'm not kicking back with some games on either my PC or PS3, I'm usually watching shows on Netflix or Hulu or browsing Metafilter and Reddit. Needless to say, I have some eyestrain issues to deal with. Luckily, the Gunnar Optiks MLG Legend glasses ($99 direct) are made with gamers and heavy PC users in mind.

    I'd seen products from Gunnar Optiks before, but have always dismissed them. I wore glasses for most of my life before experiencing the miracle of Lasik. Glasses are uncomfortable, heavy-lensed face huggers, with lenses that manage to get grubby no matter how much care you take not to touch the lenses. I put up with my own glasses because they were necessary to see, but these glasses, made for gamers and PC users? No thank you. But hearing Gunnars' claims about reduced eyestrain, improved contrast, and resulting improvements in competitive gaming performance? I figured it was time to give them a try.

    Design
    In design, the MLG Legends are quite similar to the Gunnar Optiks PPK Digital Performance Eyewear we reviewed back in 2011, with the same bowed earpieces and simple hinges. The biggest difference between the two is the lens shape. Where the PPK model has rectangular lenses, the MLG Legends use a teardrop shape. The wider lenses reduce the amount of the frame encroaching on your peripheral vision, and resulting in more of an aviator look.

    My biggest concern was that the pressure on my nose and ears caused by the weight of the glasses would result in headaches as bad, or worse, than the eyestrain I was trying to avoid. The glasses actually ended up being far lighter than I expected?0.64 ounces?though that may have something to do with the fact that my old glasses had heavy coke-bottle lenses.

    The frames I tested came in all black (onyx in Gunnar's parlance), but are also available in chrome. The bowed earpieces are partially covered with transparent plastic sleeves, so you can read the words "Major League Gaming" on the earpieces. The ear pieces are made to flex easily, letting you wear them while also wearing a gaming headset, though it still takes a bit of getting used to. Long term use will still leave little nose pad prints on the bridge of your nose, but the strain on the ears and the problems with headsets that I anticipated were never much of a problem.

    Features
    Gunnar Optiks touts its gaming and computer glasses as solving the woes of eyestrain through four means, each given a peculiar name for marketing purposes: FRACTYL lens geometry, DIAMIX lens material, IONIK lens tints, and i-FI lens coatings. Let's try to look past the goofy marketing speak to cut through the hype.

    Gunnar claims that its lenses are specially shaped?that's the FRACTYL lens geometry at work?to provide optimum clarity, enhance focus, and to wrap around the eye in such a way as to "limit air currents around the eye" and thus prevent dry eyes. The first two claims seem reasonable enough, though they couldn't be easily tested using the equipment in the PC Lab. The lenses do seem to be distortion free, and appear to provide just the slightest magnification?though it's so slight that you'll only notice it if you're looking for it.

    The claims that the curved lenses create a so-called "microclimate" are more dubious. Gunnar's website states that the "Lenses wrap closely to the face and form a protective barrier from drying air currents while trapping humidity close to the eye." While the lenses will provide a barrier against air currents, such as those from an air conditioning vent or open window, it's not necessarily a technological feat?even cheap sunglasses or safety glasses will do the same thing.

    The second half of the claim, that they reduce dryness by trapping humidity near the eye, sounds like poppycock?and honestly I noticed no difference during use. However, Gunnar Optiks does claim that this is based upon lab testing, though we aren't equipped to verify this.

    The DIAMIX material used in the lenses is certainly clear and distortion free, but claims of higher durability and scratch resistance may be exaggerated. Our review unit has a scratch on the left lens that either occurred during shipping, or between the time we opened the package and put on the glasses.

    Gunnar's IONIK lens tints were developed to shift colors to a warmer part of the spectrum, while also increasing contrast perception. The result is the distinctive yellow tint of the lenses, which do reduce the level of blue-wavelength light coming into the eye from LCD screens and fluorescent lights, so this claim seems to be solid. This filtering did indeed reduce eye-strain, and softened the brightness of office lighting as well. In addition to visible light, the tinted lenses block UVA and UVB light?wavelengths which can damage the cornea, lens and retina of the eye.

    The fourth piece of the puzzle is Gunnar's iFi lens coatings, which include a hard coat to prevent scratching and coatings to reduce smudges and fingerprints. We've already mentioned scratching, but we really wonder about the hydrophobic and oleophobic coatings?the glasses are nearly impossible to keep clean, picking up every smudge and smear from both my face and fingers. Even when taking great care not to touch the lenses at all, I still had to wipe them regularly.

    Gunnar's regular offerings are meant for folks that either need no vision correction, or have either contacts or other means to correct their vision without glasses. Prescription lens wearers aren't totally out of luck, however, as Gunnar does offer prescription variations of its PC and gaming eyewear?for a hefty increase in cost. While non-prescription models sell for around $100 each, prescriptions bump up the price to more than $300, combining corrective lenses with Gunnar's unique blend of materials, frames, and lens coatings.

    Gunnar offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all of its non-prescription eyewear, so you can try them out and return them if you're not satisfied. The company also covers its products with a one-year warranty against defects in material or workmanship.

    Performance
    With my life already filled with glowing screens, it wasn't hard to test the MLG Legends. In addition to wearing the glasses during my regular work day, I also made it a point to wear them during extended periods of game testing. From day to day, I did find that the tinted lenses left my eyes feeling less fatigued at the end of the day, and after a few days, I found myself preferring the yellow tinted view of my screens to the noticeably blue glow without them.

    In gaming, there was certainly a benefit to wearing the glasses. The sharper contrast and reduced eye fatigue gave me a slight improvement in play while I fragged Joker-wannabes in Gotham City Impostors, and helped me to play at a slightly faster pace in the Red vs. Blue battles of Team Fortress 2.

    One unfortunate side-effect of the glasses, however, is the yellow-tinged view it puts on everything. For games that are more about competition than immersion, it's not a problem, but when playing anything in single-player mode, the yellow tint reduces overall immersion, screwing up the vibrant colors and shades that make modern games so visually impressive. You can either get used to the yellow tinge, or try to adjust your screen to correct for it, but neither is particularly satisfying.

    Conclusion
    In the end, I can't recommend the MLG Legend glasses for everyone. They're too expensive for most, and the benefits, while real, won't justify the cost in many people's minds. That said, the benefits (though heavily hyped) are noticeable?reduced eyestrain, enhanced contrast, and a potential improvement in gaming performance. If you're a competitive gamer, logging hours in-game every day and serious about your win/loss ratio, then consider them an investment. Your eyes will thank you.

    Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/JGTxLs1QY7s/0,2817,2416778,00.asp

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    Friday, March 29, 2013

    Damaged rods may delay new Bay Bridge opening

    OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Tests have discovered hydrogen in some of the damaged steel rods on the new eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, an indication of weakness in the metal, state transportation officials said Thursday.

    The California Department of Transportation said officials originally discovered that 32 of the 96 rods that have been tightened on the $6.4 billion span snapped two weeks ago.

    The rods, which are essentially giant bolts, are being used to connect steel earthquake safety devices called shear keys to the bridge's deck and a large concrete cap.

    The bridge, which is replacing the span damaged during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, is designed to withstand a major temblor.

    Caltrans officials acknowledged there is a risk that the problem could delay the bridge's opening over Labor Day weekend. Still, the agency says the project is currently on track.

    One of the tricky issues is that some of the failed bolts are located beneath a cement cap and cannot be easily removed, said Will Shuck, a Caltrans spokesman.

    "There is not enough room to lift them out, so you can't replace them," Shuck said. "They are working on an engineering solution for those bolts."

    The company that made the pieces that failed is Painesville, Ohio-based Dyson Corp. Shuck said the company has been "cooperative and helpful" with Caltrans' investigation.

    Caltrans is focused on fixing the problem and said it will determine who is financially responsible for the bolts' failure after repairs are finished and the costs are known.

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hydrogen-found-damaged-bay-bridge-001221382.html

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    The Duggars Are Considering Adoption - How Many Kids Is Too ...

    Michelle Duggar says she and husband Jim Bob Duggar would consider adopting a child.

    Great, you say. Get kids out of orphanages and foster care. Give kids a loving family and home to call their own. No more children lost in the system.

    Then you remember: Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are already parents to nineteen children. And you remember all the questions, judgments, and accusations surrounding their?fecundity.

    From?Newsday.com

    Duggar comment 1 The Duggars Are Considering Adoption   How Many Kids Is Too Many?

    From Hollywoodlife.com

    Duggar comment 2 590x99 The Duggars Are Considering Adoption   How Many Kids Is Too Many?

    And from Twitter, where complex ethical deliberations, moral judgments, and political debate can be condensed to the handy-dandy 140 character size.

    Duggar comment tweet1 The Duggars Are Considering Adoption   How Many Kids Is Too Many?

    Duggar comment tweet2 The Duggars Are Considering Adoption   How Many Kids Is Too Many?

    Or maybe not.

    In any case, I?m on the side of Michelle Duggar on this one.

    No, I don?t agree with all the teachings of her faith. But disagreement is a problem I have with plenty of religious teachings- teachings which are used to justify everything from assault on women to discrimination against gays to out-and-out war.

    But are we going to start dealing out Permission To Procreate cards only to the people who we think should have them based upon our agreement with their beliefs ?- whether that?s ?belief? in a particular God or political philosophy or that family?s dedication to successful economic fortitude or environmental righteousness? Personally, I?m not sure how many Uterus Is GO! cards I could hand over based my perfect approval. Maybe I?d give one to Brangelina. I?d still have to think on that one. ?I have questions about their number of plane flights per year.

    And speaking of environmental asceticism, I do question the impact of large families on the overall environment. There?s a heck-a-lot of resources needed to keep a family that size up and running each day. Here?s what Michelle Duggar has to say about over population:

    Ehhrrrm. Okay, hold up there, Michelle. I?m on your side here with buying used and repairing instead of replacing, but your opening volley of ?the entire population of the world?could fit in the city limits of Jacksonville,? misses the point of sustainability.

    Zero Population advocates recommend a replacement rate of population growth, i.e. number of folks dying equals the number of people born. That?s simplifying, but in developed countries, ?zero population growth? means 2 kids per woman (well?2.1 kids per woman. I always wonder how that .1 kid figures in when calculating half-time soccer snacks.)

    In other words, I have three kids. One of them needs to get shipped off to Denmark or Japan where low birth rate is too low?say experts, and the diminishing workforce will have scary negative economic consequences. However, the Duggars recently returned from a trip to China and Japan, so who knows. Maybe one or two of the kids accidentally got left behind. Population redistribution solved.

    Michelle Duggar Family 590x393 The Duggars Are Considering Adoption   How Many Kids Is Too Many?

    The Duggars back when there were only 17 kids. Or what they?d look like today with two Duggars helping out the needed population boom in Denmark.

    But remember, we?re not talking about Michelle and Jim Bob popping out another bio-kid. We?re talking about the Duggars putting their money where someone else?s mouth is and adopting a child who doesn?t currently have a family home. We?re talking about an established family of loving parents and healthy, seemingly happy kids taking a homeless child under their roof.

    Yeah, I know?don?t Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar have too many kids already? How can they ever give another kid ?the attention he or she needs with so many other kids demanding love and attention?

    It?s hard not to think of my own struggle with New Mommy Guilt, even when I went off to work and the ?babysitter? I was leaving my newborn with was my own husband. I later did a lot of needless psychological and emotional gymnastics to convince myself that leaving my firstborn with an experienced and caring professional childcare expert wasn?t neglect.

    With my second child, I wondered where I?d find the time to pay attention to all the needs of another little human.

    By my third child, the question had been answered: I?m the parent and no one can replace me. Quality time and quantity time were both important. But seeing my son born into a family of two older, loving siblings who were also capable of teaching and being playmates and guardians was only a good thing. The overall love was multiplied, ?not diminished.

    Agree or disagree with Michelle Duggar?s religion or politics or philosophies as you will. It?s hard to deny that a child adopted into that home would be brought into a home filled with a lot of love and caring and good things. Whether the good things outweigh someone?s definition of bad? I?m uncomfortable with making that judgment.

    Read More Do You Watch Too Much TLC?

    source, source

    Source: http://www.mamapop.com/2013/03/the-duggars-are-considering-adoption.html

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    Springpad update brings redesign, better search and performance

    Springpad 4.0

    A much needed update makes Springpad feel fresh again

    A large update brings Springpad up to version 4.0 today, with some notable improvements. The once cumbersome left toolbar has been simplified, and many of its previous controls are now intuitively integrated into the foreground of the app.

    There are now three main screens: home, notebooks, and search. The home screen displays individual springs (notes). A slider can be moved to show only your springs, your springs and those of collaborators, or your springs and springs you follow. The notebooks screen is relatively unchanged, with the addition of notebooks being followed at the bottom. The search screen lets you search through your own springs, or find other people's springs and notebooks. Homemade Cadbury Creme Egg recipe anyone? Best of all, adding new springs is a breeze with the new static add button on the bottom right of each screen.

    It seems Springpad has taken a few notes (no pun intended) from Google Keep. This leaner, meaner design makes Springpad much more enjoyable to use. Hit the Google Play link at the top to give it a spin for yourself.



    Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/vtDV0c2hOvE/story01.htm

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    Thursday, March 28, 2013

    Genetic 'spelling mistakes' that increase risk of common cancers determined

    Mar. 27, 2013 ? More than 80 genetic 'spelling mistakes' that can increase the risk of breast, prostate and ovarian cancer have been found in a large, international research study within the framework of the EU network COGS. For the first time, the researchers also have a relatively clear picture of the total number of genetic alterations that can be linked to these cancers. Ultimately the researchers hope to be able to calculate the individual risk of cancer, to better understand how these cancers develop and to be able to generate new treatments.

    The main findings are published in five articles in a special issue on genetic risk factors for cancer in the scientific journal Nature Genetics. The articles originate from COGS (Collaborative Oncological Gene-environment Study), an EU-based consortium where more than 160 research groups from all over the world are included. In the five COGS studies 100,000 patients with breast, ovarian or prostate cancer and 100,000 healthy individuals from the general population were included.

    The scientists performed genetic analyses on all study participants. The composition of the nitrogen bases A, G, C and T was studied on 200,000 selected sections of the DNA strand. When cancer patients had significantly different compositions compared to healthy control subjects, the differences were considered to be relevant to risk of disease. The alterations can be described as a genetic 'spelling mistake', where A, G, C or T have been replaced with another letter. This spelling mistake is called Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) -- pronounced 'snip'.

    For breast cancer the researchers found 49 genetic typos or SNPs, which is more than double the number previously found. In the case of prostate cancer, researchers have discovered another 26 deviations, which means that a total number of 78 SNPs may be linked to the disease. For ovarian cancer 8 new relevant SNPs were found.

    "An equally important finding is that we identified how many additional SNPs that could influence the risk of breast cancer and prostate cancer, respectively. For breast cancer the number is 1,000 and for prostate cancer 2,000," says Per Hall, Professor at Karolinska Institutet and the coordinator of the COGS consortium. "We also have a picture of where in the genome we should look in future studies.

    SNPs are part of our natural heritage, we all have them. How it affects the individual depends on where on the DNA strand the genetic deviation is found. The researchers now hope to be able to evaluate the importance of the identified deviations, so that it will be possible to more clearly predict which individuals are at high risk of developing one of these cancers.

    "We're now on the verge of being able to use our knowledge to develop tests that could complement breast cancer screening and take us a step closer to having an effective prostate cancer screening programme," says Professor Doug Easton of the University of Cambridge, UK, who has led several of the presented studies.

    At the same time as these five articles are published in Nature Genetics, the Nature Publishing Group publishes another two articles on studies emanating from the COGS collaboration in Nature Communications. An additional number of COGS articles will be published simultaneously in other journals. The studies are financed by partly different funders; however the COGS project is mainly funded by the European Commission 7th Framework Programme. Other financial contributors to the COGS project are the M?rit and Hans Rausing Initiative against Breast Cancer, the Swedish Research Council, Cancer Research UK and the Cancer Risk Prediction Center (CRisP).

    "COGS is the largest genotyping project in the world targeting identification of genetic alterations that influence the risk of common cancers. The collaborative efforts have been tremendous and key to success," says COGS coordinator Per Hall.

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    The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Karolinska Institutet.

    Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


    Journal References:

    1. Rosalind A Eeles et al. Identification of 23 new prostate cancer susceptibility loci using the iCOGS custom genotyping array. Nature Genetics, 2013; 45 (4): 385 DOI: 10.1038/ng.2560
    2. Paul D P Pharoah et al. GWAS meta-analysis and replication identifies three new susceptibility loci for ovarian cancer. Nature Genetics, 2013; 45 (4): 362 DOI: 10.1038/ng.2564
    3. Stig E Bojesen et al. Multiple independent variants at the TERT locus are associated with telomere length and risks of breast and ovarian cancer. Nature Genetics, 2013; 45 (4): 371 DOI: 10.1038/ng.2566
    4. Montserrat Garcia-Closas et al. Genome-wide association studies identify four ER negative?specific breast cancer risk loci. Nature Genetics, 2013; 45 (4): 392 DOI: 10.1038/ng.2561
    5. Kyriaki Michailidou et al. Large-scale genotyping identifies 41 new loci associated with breast cancer risk. Nature Genetics, 2013; 45 (4): 353 DOI: 10.1038/ng.2563

    Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

    Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

    Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/SMKCHbFWyCs/130327132552.htm

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    Key to Long, Quality Life Tied to Social Connections

    Loneliness and social isolation may not go hand in hand as quality of life or longevity predictors, according to a study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America , PNAS.

    Baby Boomers, Seniors Take Heed of the Message

    The American population is aging; the senior population continues at a swell faster than the younger population, raising the median age in the United States from 35.3 years in 2000 to 37.2 years in 2012, according to Transgenerational.org .

    Many people look forward to long lives filled with productive years, facing the challenges life presents. No one thinks to himself, "I'd like to live to be 90 years old, and I don't care what shape my mind or body is in." People want to be vital and useful.

    But habits of a lifetime and the inevitable loss of peers and some family members may harken social isolation in later years, particularly after retirement when the social structure of career and employment are gone. This can lead to loneliness, a known risk factor for earlier death, but also lack of social connections and isolation that the PNAS-published study finds is even more a red flag for a decrease in longevity.

    Social Isolation Is More than Just Loneliness

    Andrew Steptoe , Ph.D., lead author of the social isolation study, and his research partners assessed social isolation in the context of contact with family, friends and civic organizations in 6,500 men and women age 52 and older over an eight-year period. Researchers measured both loneliness, per a standard loneliness questionnaire and noted degrees of social involvement and/or isolation in the research participants.

    When all the data was compiled, the results demonstrated that although loneliness is one predictor of early mortality, social isolation was even more so. Loneliness, then, may be one component of social isolation, but the issue is more complex than just loneliness.

    Whether social isolation was considered singly or with other variables attributed to shorter longevity rates such as people who smoke, have cardiovascular disease, depression or arthritis, social isolation still rated as a higher factor than loneliness alone in shorter lifespan.

    Bottom Line

    The importance of this study's findings is that it provides an opportunity for those developing therapies for older adults have an improved insight into factors affecting lifespan and quality of life. It also provides an opportunity for individuals to examine their own social connections and structures with thoughts to the future about how to strengthen or enrich those connections and structures before time moves forward and it is too late to do so.

    Babies who are not touched enough or have insufficient human interaction can develop different physical and psychological issues, termed "failure to thrive." This study's results suggest the same thing happens with people throughout the life span, and older adults particularly.

    Smack dab in the middle of the baby boomer generation, L.L. Woodard is a proud resident of "The Red Man" state. With what he hopes is an everyman's view of life's concerns both in his state and throughout the nation, Woodard presents facts and opinions based on common-sense solutions.

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/key-long-quality-life-tied-social-connections-201700276.html

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    Wednesday, March 27, 2013

    T-Mobile: if you buy a phone with 'UnCarrier' and cancel, you own it -- but can trade it in

    TMobile if you cancel, the phone is yours, but you can trade it in

    During its Q & A, T-Mobile's just confirmed that if your purchase one of its phones under its new contract / non-contract "UnCarrier" system, you'll be obligated to buy it out -- but you could keep making monthly payments, or even trade it for another device. If you opt for the latter, you'll get "fair market credit," for your handset, according to the carrier, which said it would decide such a value. In other news, all phones sold will be locked -- so should you decide to switch and keep the phone, you're gonna need T-Mo's help.

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    Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/26/t-mobile-if-you-cancel-you-own-the-phone-but-you-can-trade/

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    Obama gives Secret Service its 1st female director

    This undated handout photo provided by the US Secret Service shows Secret Service agent Julia Pierson. President Barack Obama will appoint the veteran Secret Service agent as the agency?s first female director, signaling his desire to change the culture at the male-dominated service, which has been marred by scandal. (AP Photo/US Secret Service)

    This undated handout photo provided by the US Secret Service shows Secret Service agent Julia Pierson. President Barack Obama will appoint the veteran Secret Service agent as the agency?s first female director, signaling his desire to change the culture at the male-dominated service, which has been marred by scandal. (AP Photo/US Secret Service)

    (AP) ? President Barack Obama on Tuesday named veteran Secret Service agent Julia Pierson as the agency's first female director, signaling his desire to change the culture at the male-dominated service, which has been marred by scandal.

    Pierson, who most recently served as the agency's chief of staff, will take over from Mark Sullivan, who announced his retirement last month. The agency faced intense criticism during Sullivan's tenure for a prostitution scandal during preparations for Obama's trip to Cartagena, Colombia, last year.

    The incident raised questions within the agency - as well as at the White House and on Capitol Hill - about the culture, particularly during foreign travel. In addition to protecting the president, the Secret Service also investigates financial crimes.

    "Over her 30 years of experience with the Secret Service, Julia has consistently exemplified the spirit and dedication the men and women of the service demonstrate every day," Obama said in a statement announcing Pierson's appointment, which does not require Senate confirmation.

    Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano also praised Obama's "historic decision" to name Pierson as the service's first female director.

    Pierson, 53, has held high-ranking posts throughout the Secret Service, including deputy assistant director of the office of protective operations and assistant director of human resources and training. She has served as chief of staff since 2008.

    That same year, Pierson was awarded the Presidential Meritorious Executive Award for superior performance in management throughout her career.

    She joined the Secret Service in 1983 as a special agent and previously worked as a police officer in Orlando, Fla.

    "Julia is eminently qualified to lead the agency that not only safeguards Americans at major events and secures our financial system, but also protects our leaders and our first families, including my own," Obama said. "Julia has had an exemplary career, and I know these experiences will guide her as she takes on this new challenge to lead the impressive men and women of this important agency."

    Thirteen Secret Service employees were caught up in last year's prostitution scandal. After a night of heavy partying in the Caribbean resort city of Cartagena, the employees brought women, including prostitutes, to the hotel where they were staying. The incident became public after one agent refused to pay a prostitute and the pair argued about payment in a hotel hallway.

    Eight of the employees were forced out of the agency, three were cleared of serious misconduct and at least two have been fighting to get their jobs back.

    The incident took place before Obama arrived in Colombia and the service said the president's safety was never compromised. But news of the scandal broke during his trip, overshadowing the summit and embarrassing the U.S. delegation.

    Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said the Secret Service has "lost the trust of many Americans" following the Colombia scandal. Pierson, he said Tuesday, "has a lot of work ahead of her to create a culture that respects the important job the agency is tasked with."

    Sullivan issued a new code of conduct that bans employees from drinking within 10 hours of starting a shift or bringing foreign nationals back to their hotel rooms.

    Sullivan apologized for the incident last year during testimony before a Senate panel.

    ___

    Associated Press writer Alicia Caldwell contributed to this report.

    Associated Press

    Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-26-US-Obama-Secret-Service/id-c353cca5c72340e887d28d77e6a09a21

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    13 Trends That Will Define Business - Business Insider

    As much as we focus on the day-to-day political and economic crises in the United States or Europe, we forget that business is truly global. There are technologies and trade and policies that affect every business and country that exist.?

    When we get better at transporting things and have greater access to markets, trade gets even more global, and technology and cooperation are really starting to push that. FedEx's?global trade policy magazine Access?put together a list of the biggest trends in business, technology, and trade.

    We spoke to Brooking Institute fellow and?global trade expert Josh Meltzer?and FedEx global media manager Jenny Robertson?about some of the top trends?from the report.?

    Driverless cars are coming far sooner than we thought

    Access spoke?to Wired Magazine co-founder and futurist Kevin Kelly, and asked him what would define trade over the next few years.

    He replied:??I think in two years we?ll see certain parts of highway systems where you can turn your car over to the computer within certain parameters."?

    The potential impact on the economy is massive. Congestion will cost the US an estimated?$133 billion in 2020.?

    While the US lags behind, the rest of the world is moving forward with high speed rail

    There are?currently negotiations?to create the world's most ambitious high speed rail network. It could run from China to the United Kingdom, and over 17 countries in between. Parts are already operating, and the hope is to have a fully connected network by 2022.?

    Japan's participation in the Trans Pacific Partnership could define 21st century trade in the Asia Pacific region

    Japan's recent bid to join the Trans Pacific Partnership trade talks?could be a game-changer.

    "A successful bid could be a big strategic gain for the U.S. and the Trans Pacific Partnership ?generally, Brookings fellow Josh Meltzer told us. "It would make it a much more significant trade agreement from a U.S. perspective and change the nature of the negotiations."?

    The talks are essential for "developing new rules for 21st century trade in the Asia Pacific region, Melter says. "Those rules are things like digital trade and cross-border data flows, on statehood enterprise, on regulatory coherence, to name a few. And getting Japan in would be important because, from a rules perspective it would increase the potential for the TPP to ultimately become a free trade agreement A in the Asia Pacific region, which I think is the ultimate aim of all of the participants "

    Watch out for growing logistics clusters

    MIT professor?Yossi Sheffi argues?that a select few cities are making the investments and have the attributes to become "Logistics Clusters" and dominate world trade. He tells Access: ??If you look at Panama?s five-year plan, they want to become more than just the canal. Chongqing in central China is another city to watch. And the German?government just put 100 million euros into Dortmund, Germany, north of Cologne."

    The world needs to figure out how to consistently trade services

    The United States is the world's number one exporter of services, and is meeting with other leaders in Geneva to try and hammer out a legal framework.?

    There are still many barriers, Fedex Global Media Manager Jenny Robertson told us in an email interview:?

    U.S. services exporters encounter substantial non-tariff barriers (NTBs) around the world, which keep our services trade from reaching its full potential.? Traditional barriers to services exports include sectoral prohibitions on foreign participation, foreign equity limitations, discriminatory regulatory requirements, lack of transparency, and nationality requirements for service providers. 21st-Century NTBs include restrictions on data flows, forced localization, and unfair competition from state owned enterprise

    An?international services agreement that removes barriers could boost exports by $860 billion a year and create three million jobs.

    Chinese megacities are going to be an even greater economic behemoth?

    Fedex's Jenny Robertson tells us that?"Nine cities will be connected by 150 major infrastructure projects. The megacity?s location in the Pearl River Delta creates a single manufacturing hub of 42 million people ? four times the size of New York City."

    The merger will create the world's largest city by 2018, and a massive concentration of economic power.?

    Infrastructure is a massive advantage, and countries will race to match Germany and Singapore

    A?survey from consulting firm?Mercer found that Singapore had the world's best infrastructure, but that three German cities came in the top five. The benefits are clear. Singapore is a massive global shipping and business hub, and Germany's manufacturing power has weathered years of European difficulty.?

    Other countries will be looking to catch up.?Big examples?that will change global trade will include the Panama canal expansion, and massive investments by China in Guangdong and Shanghai.?

    Get ready for predictive GPS

    GPS is already almost ubiquitous.?Researchers at the University of Birmingham?have created an algorithm that's a sort of predictive GPS, it uses your phone combined with your ?friends to predict where you'll be in a day's time.?

    Social shopping may mean the end of exclusivity

    More and more, shopping experiences, even online, are community based, centered around curation and a lack of friction. Everyone involved in commerce is going to have to figure out how to deal with a more frictionless and democratic ecosystem.?

    Free trade agreements are making the world more open

    Access highlights three free trade agreements as particularly significant

    • The ?U.S. South Korea FTA will make some 95 percent of bilateral trade between the two huge economies duty-free over the next five years.
    • The new U.S. Panama FTA removes tariffs that were as high as 81 percent.
    • The EU-Singapore FTA, settled in September, connects two economic powers and makes it easier for both to do business.?

    Smart glasses are going to hit the marketplace and change the consumer experience

    Once the stuff of science fiction, wearable computers are going to be a fact of consumer life soon. Businesses need to use the experience with early adapters to figure out their advantage as the technology becomes more widespread.?

    The data explosion has changed everything, but we have no idea how to regulate it

    Data regulation is?"one of the least discussed, most urgent issues affecting trade."

    International trade policy needs a huge update to keep up with the pace of innovation. At this point, countries are being more reactionary rather than planning or innovating. One of the biggest things the world can do to grow the economy is come up with a framework that balances between respecting privacy, and giving business a break.?

    The financial crisis lead to massive infrastructure spending, and we're still seeing the impact

    CIBC World Markets, a Canadian bank,?expects $35 trillion?of global infrastructure spending over the next 20 years.?

    That's on top of what's already been spent. The amount of money that's flowed into the global economy hasn't been matched in size or speed?since World War 2.?

    Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/13-trends-that-will-define-business-2013-3

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    Tuesday, March 26, 2013

    Sanford Health in talks to take control of Fairview Health Services (Star Tribune)

    Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

    Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/294724713?client_source=feed&format=rss

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    Ukrainian capital grapples with snow, scandal

    A boy draws on a snow-covered car in Kiev, Ukraine, Saturday, March 23, 2013. Heavy snow storms from the Balkan region have been stricken Ukraine since Friday afternoon, in a last winter attack at the end of the first spring month. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

    A boy draws on a snow-covered car in Kiev, Ukraine, Saturday, March 23, 2013. Heavy snow storms from the Balkan region have been stricken Ukraine since Friday afternoon, in a last winter attack at the end of the first spring month. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

    People walk through snowy streets in Kiev, Ukraine, Saturday, March. 23, 2013. Heavy snow storms from the Balkan region have hit Ukraine since last afternoon, in a last attack by winter at the end of the first spring month. The temperature in the Ukrainian capital is about -8 Celsius (18 F) on Saturday.(AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)

    A driver shovels snow off his vehicle in Kiev, Ukraine, Saturday, March 23, 2013. Heavy snow storms from the Balkan region have hit Ukraine since last afternoon, in a last attack by winter at the end of the first spring month. The temperature in the Ukrainian capital is about -8 Celsius (18 F) on Saturday.(AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)

    People push a car under snowfall in Kiev, Ukraine, Saturday, March 23, 2013. Heavy snow storms from the Balkan region have hit Ukraine since last afternoon, in the last attack by winter at the end of the first spring month. The temperature in the Ukrainian capital is about -8 Celsius (18 F) on Saturday.(AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)

    People push a car under snowfall in Kiev, Ukraine, Saturday, March 23, 2013. Heavy snow storms from the Balkan region have been stricken Ukraine since Friday. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

    (AP) ? Residents of the Ukrainian capital suspect the city is trying to pull a fast one on them about its efforts to clean up from a paralyzing blizzard.

    A photo that appeared on the Kiev administration's website Sunday after a snowfall of 20 inches (50 centimeters) shows three snowplows clearing a street.

    The trouble is ? the street is actually in Moscow.

    Russia's ITAR-Tass news agency said Monday that it was an agency photo taken last November and retouched to remove the name of the snowplows' Russian operator.

    Kiev city administration spokeswoman Kateryna Baranova said the photo was a "regrettable technical mistake" but didn't elaborate.

    The photo was removed from the site, but not before some frame grabs of it were posted on Facebook, prompting comments such as "shame."

    Associated Press

    Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2013-03-25-EU-Ukraine-Snow-Scandal/id-814459f143d84ed8a4e09124fa792551

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    HP ENVY 120 e-All-in-One Printer


    The HP ENVY 120 e-All-in-One Printer stands alone as virtually its own category of inkjet?at least, if you don't count earlier models, like the HP ENVY 110 e-All-in-One Printer that it's in the process of replacing. The one-word description of the category: stylish. If your home office is in a corner of your family room, and you want a printer that your interior decorator would approve of, the ENVY 120 is probably it. Whether it's worth the price, however, depends on how much you value good looks.

    From a quick glance, The ENVY 120 could pass for a nicely designed, if slightly oversized, Blu-ray player. When it's off, it's simply a rectangular box, measuring 4.3 by 16.9 by 13.2 inches, made mostly of black plastic. There are no visible paper trays, no front panel buttons, and no other visual clues?aside from some easy to overlook text on the bottom front?to give away the fact that it's a multifunction printer (MFP).

    Get a little closer and you can see a glass panel on the top, which happens to be a see-through lid for the letter-size flatbed scanner. Unless you've already seen that kind of scanner before, however, you probably wouldn't recognize it as one.

    When you turn the printer on, by tapping on the touch-sensitive power icon, the 4.3-inch color touch screen on the front panel lights up to show some pretty icons including two labeled Scan and Copy. In addition, almost the entire front section of the printer opens up to about a 45-degree angle (which you can adjust manually if you care to). But there's still no visible input or output tray.

    Only when you actually print something does the ENVY 120 reveal itself as a printer, automatically closing the front panel lid, then opening it to 90 degrees, and swinging out an arm in front of the printer to catch the pages coming out. When you take the pages off the arm, it then rotates the arm back into the printer, and partially closes the front lid again.

    If you feel around under the lid, you'll find the paper drawer, which works like a DVD tray. There's even a touch-sensitive eject button you can use to tell the printer to move the front lid out of the way and eject the tray. You can then fill it with paper, touch the button again to close the tray, or push the tray in just a little, and let the printer grab it and take it the rest of the way.

    Unfortunately, although these snazzy features add to the cost, they don't do anything for printing or for other basic MFP capabilities. That leaves the basics for the ENVY 120 comparable to what you'll find in much less expensive printers.

    Basics
    In addition to standard printing, copying, and scanning, the ENVY 120 lets you print from and scan to memory cards and USB memory keys, as well as preview images on its LCD before printing. It also supports HP's Web apps and printing through the cloud. However it offers only Wi-Fi for a network connection, which means you can't use the Web-related features unless you have Wi-Fi on your network. Partially making up for that is support for Wireless Direct (HP's version of Wi-Fi direct), which means that if you don't have Wi-Fi on your network, you can still connect directly to the printer by Wi-Fi to print from a phone or tablet.

    Paper handling is a mixed bag. On the plus side, the printer offers automatic duplexing (for printing on both sides of a page) as a highly welcome extra. However, the 80-sheet input tray limits the printer to light-duty printing at best even by home or home-office standards. And unlike most printers, the ENVY 120 is limited to a maximum of letter-size paper, which means that if you ever wind up needing to print at legal size, you can't. As is typical for printers aimed primarily for home use, there's no automatic document feeder to supplement the letter-size flatbed.

    Setup, Speed, and Output Quality
    For my tests, I connected the ENVY 120 to a Windows Vista system by USB cable. Setup was standard for an inkjet. Print speed, unfortunately, was notably slow for the price. I timed the printer (using QualityLogic's hardware and software for timing) at just 2.1 pages per minute (ppm), the same speed as the much less expensive Canon Pixma MX522 Wireless Office All-In-One Printer and slower than the Editors' Choice Canon Pixma MX922 Wireless Office All-In-One Printer, at 2.4 ppm.

    HP ENVY 120 e-All-in-One Printer

    Print speed for photos is also on the slow side, at an average of 2 minutes 2 seconds for a 4 by 6. That makes it a little faster than the MX522, but significantly slower than the MX922, at 1:05.

    Output quality is a little below par overall, mostly because the text is a step below the range that includes the majority of inkjet printers. Most people would consider it good enough for day-to-day business, home, or school needs. However, it's not suitable if you have an unusual need for small fonts or need the kind of crisp output that helps you make an impression of being fully professional.

    Graphics output is absolutely par quality, making it suitable for almost any home need and most internal business needs. Depending on your level of perfectionism, you may or may not consider it good enough for PowerPoint handouts and the like. Photo quality is roughly equivalent to what you would expect from drugstore prints.

    As should be clear, the HP ENVY 120 e-All-in-One Printer is a little like a high-priced restaurant dish with great presentation but merely adequate taste. The Canon Pixma MX922, for one, will give you a lot more capability at a lower price. But if you must have a printer that looks like a stylish consumer-electronics device, the HP ENVY 120 e-All-in-One Printer may be the only inkjet that fits the description. And that may be enough to make it your preferred choice.

    Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/dWd2CQm6jRw/0,2817,2416956,00.asp

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