NOV's 2Q Earnings Miss, Sales Beat

Global large-cap energy equipment maker National Oilwell Varco Inc. (NOV) reported weak second quarter earnings, hamstrung by seasonal decline in Canada and a choppy North American market.

Earnings per share (excluding transaction costs) came in at $1.33, a penny below the Zacks Consensus Estimate and considerably lower than the year-ago adjusted profit of $1.46.

The latest miss marks NOV?s second underperformance in as many quarters. It is also as per our expectation, due to the combination of NOV?s Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and -0.75% ESP (Read: Zacks Earnings ESP: A Better Method).

However, quarterly revenue jumped 18.3% year over year ? from $4,734.0 million to $5,601.0 million ? and was also above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5,452.0 million amid rising international demand.

Segmental Performance

Rig Technology: Revenue in the Rig Technology segment increased 17.8% year over year to $2,833.0 million, while revenue out of backlog was up 17% from the corresponding period last year. The segment?s operating profit was up 2.8% year over year to $587.0 million.

Rig Technology?s profitability during the quarter was helped by higher demand for capital equipment used for newbuild offshore rigs. Operating margin, at 20.7%, however, dipped from 23.7% in the year-ago period due to price cuts.

Petroleum Services & Supplies: The company?s Petroleum Services & Supplies segment achieved revenues of $1,749.0 million, down 1.5% from the year-ago period, while operating profit declined 22.7% from the second quarter of 2012 to $304 million. Operating margin was 17.4% versus 22.1% in the year-ago quarter. The negative comparisons were due to the seasonal downturn in Canada.

Distribution & Transmission: Distribution & Transmission revenues climbed 66.0% year over year to $1,295.0 million. Operating profit was $71 million, compared with $54 million in the year-earlier quarter. The segment results were helped by a full quarter?s contribution from the Robbins & Myers acquisition and rising international demand. However, operating margin came in at 5.5%, down from 6.9% in the second quarter of 2012 due to Canada breakup.

Backlog

Backlog for capital equipment orders for the company?s Rig Technology segment was a record $13,950.0 million at Jun 30, 2013, up 24% from the previous quarter level.

Balance Sheet

At the end of the second quarter, the company had cash on hand of $2,327.0 million and debt of $4,120.0 million. The debt-to-capitalization ratio stood at approximately 16.4%.

Zacks Rank & Stock Picks

NOV, which ranks ahead of Cameron International Corp. (CAM) as the biggest U.S. maker of oilfield equipment, currently retains a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), implying that it is expected to perform in line with the broader U.S. equity market over the next one to three months.

Meanwhile, one can look at Dril-Quip Inc. (DRQ) and Natural Gas Services Group Inc. (NGS) as good buying opportunities. These energy equipment service providers ? sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) ? have solid secular growth stories with potential to rise significantly from current levels.

Read the Full Research Report on NOV

Read the Full Research Report on DRQ

Read the Full Research Report on CAM

Read the Full Research Report on NGS

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/novs-2q-earnings-miss-sales-140505084.html

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Alleged Exploding Samsung Galaxy S4 Adds to China's Smartphone Woes

Posted 07/29/2013 at 1:11pm | by Leif Johnson

It turns out it's not just Apple products that have been involved in tragic incidents in China lately. As reported by Gizmodo, a man in Hong Kong was simply playing an app on his Samsung Galaxy S4 when the device allegedly exploded. After he threw it across the room and under the couch in panic, the fire spread and caused some massive damage to his apartment.

The man, known only as "Du," claims he was using products that all originated with Samsung, including the battery and the charger. Du claims he was playing a game called "Love Machine," a simple and poorly reviewed app that can picked up for iOS as well. (Although, considering the circumstances, you might want to think twice before you attempt to mimic Du's evening on your iOS device.)

Source: Xianguo

Previously Apple bore the brunt of the horror stories surrounding faulty smartphones and accessories in China, particularly after a flight attendant suffered a fatal electrocution from a charging iPhone. It was later revealed that the charger was manufactured by a company other than Apple.

That's not to say that we're necessarily safe from such accidents on the home front. Just last month, we reported that Best Buy had recalled 5,100 third-party battery replacements for the MacBook Pro following 13 incidents in which the batteries went up in flames.

Follow this article's writer, Leif Johnson, on Twitter.

Source: http://www.maclife.com/article/news/alleged_exploding_samsung_galaxy_s4_adds_chinas_smartphone_woes

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Panel Backs CT Scans for Lung Cancer

A U.S. medical panel for the first time endorsed annual CT scans to detect lung cancer in current and former smokers, an effort to tackle the nation's biggest cancer killer that contrasted with a new caution from a separate medical group about overdiagnosis and overtreatment of cancer.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, whose recommendations determine which therapies and tests must be provided by insurers under the Obama administration's new health law, concluded that about 20% of lung-cancer deaths might be avoided through early detection and treatment.

The recommendations drew support even from some doctors who are often skeptical of broad cancer screening. But a separate panel of doctors advising the National Cancer Institute voiced concerns that in cancer care generally, too much screening and too much early treatment can sometimes be harmful to patients.

Writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, authors Laura J. Esserman, Ian M. Thompson Jr. and Brian Reid said, "An ideal screening intervention focuses on detection of disease that will ultimately cause harm" and for which treatments "are more effective in early-stage disease."

The JAMA authors also said the word "cancer" itself is overused, can frighten patients and ought to be reserved for disease that has a "reasonable likelihood" of being lethal.

The authors didn't specifically discuss the federal task-force recommendations about lung-cancer screening, but their conclusions could affect how the recommendations are carried out.

"Physicians, patients and the general public must recognize that overdiagnosis is common and occurs more frequently with cancer screening. Overdiagnosis, or identification of indolent cancer, is common in breast, lung, prostate and thyroid cancer," the authors wrote.

The federal preventive-services task force, which consists of private physicians appointed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, acknowledged risks but concluded that low-dose computed tomography, or CT, imaging "reduced lung cancer mortality by 20% and all-cause mortality by nearly 7%." Its findings are being published Tuesday in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

"We believe the benefits do outweigh the harms," said Michael LeFevre, co-vice chairman of the task force. He said the decision was largely based on a 2011 study sponsored by the National Cancer Institute.

The task force recommended that people consider screening for lung cancer if they are current or former smokers between the ages of 55 and 79, and have smoked the equivalent of a pack of cigarettes a day for 30 years and have smoked within the past 15 years. Lung screening is already available at some hospitals and often costs in the range of $100 to $300 a test.

Dr. LeFevre made the conservative estimate that "we might be able to prevent 20,000 deaths" yearly. It is estimated that about 37% of American adults are current or former smokers, and lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.

"I think that in the main, this does make sense," said H. Gilbert Welch, a Dartmouth medical professor and author of "Overdiagnosed: Making People Sick in the Pursuit of Health." He cited three factors that make CT scans for lung cancer compelling: lung cancer's high death rate; a clearly identifiable high-risk patient group; and the fact that treatments for advanced lung cancer are mostly unsuccessful.

Another doctor who has expressed caution about screening concurred. "Although I am a skeptic, the level of evidence is pretty high," said Barnett Kramer, director of the division of cancer prevention at the NIH's National Cancer Institute. Dr. Kramer helped create the study, called the National Lung Screening Trial, that led to the new recommendation.

But he stressed that "the benefit of stopping smoking is much, much larger than the benefit of CT screening." People who kick the habit can also reduce their risk of death from other cancers, heart disease and stroke, he said.

Other doctors recommended that patients find their own personal risk of lung cancer before deciding on screening. One site that enables such assessment, from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, is http://www.mskcc.org/lung-screening-tool.

Write to Thomas M. Burton at tom.burton@wsj.com

A version of this article appeared July 29, 2013, on page A2 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: Panel Backs CT Screening for Lung Cancer.

Source: http://feeds.wsjonline.com/~r/wsj/xml/rss/3_7089/~3/ouxrq6qdIiw/SB10001424127887324170004578636210396697762.html

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Jimmy Fallon Baby Picture: An Adorable Girl, GIF

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/07/jimmy-fallon-baby-picture-an-adorable-girl-gif/

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Use These Affiliate Marketing Tips To Grow Your Business | Content ...

Author: Tony Shawrtz | Total views: 64 Comments: 0
Word Count: 914 Date: Sat, 27 Jul 2013 11:11 AM

This sort of system is so attractive because it is fairly cheap and easy to manage. There is no product involved for the affiliated businessman. It is not as easy as it first appears, however. It takes a committed effort if you want to develop a reliable income stream.

Make sure that your partners don't take advantage of cookies, and certainly don't do it yourself. At best, this is irritating to the visitor. You could possibly spread viruses or break the customer tracking chains.

Always disclose when you are using affiliate marketing and see how it affects your readers and visitors in a positive manner. Transparency is always appreciated, particularly in the field of affiliate marketing. If your readers understand the reasons you utilize affiliate marketing, they may be more positive and responsive to the links provided on your site.

Selecting an affiliate products company with several payment options should be high on your list, especially if you need a quick turn-around for your earnings. There are affiliate companies that only offer payment once you have reached a particular dollar amount, while others will direct pay you through a checking account or other online payment services.

As a time saving tip for affiliates who are dealing with many emails with instructions that need to be addressed, don't waste time continuing to go back to the emails to reread the message. Save time and be productive put them into a word document. By using the document as your reference, you can work more quickly and efficiently.

When visitors come to your sports-focused website, they are expecting information about sports. Providing affiliate links may prove to be unfruitful if the links are forwarding visitors to websites that do not pertain to sports. If your link is close to the website topic, your visitors are going to be more interested in it.

Paid advertising, such as Google Ads, is a good way to make money from affiliate marketing programs. Use targeted keywords in your ads to attract customers to your site.

When selecting prospective affiliates, do so with purpose and with a clear idea of who your target audience is. This allows you to drive traffic and connect with your target market through a sense of shared understanding.

Choose affiliate companies that are supportive and help their affiliates by sharing resources that can help sell their products. Generally, affiliate businesses are not stupid. They do research to learn what marketing techniques convert customers. Successful companies share their information with affiliates in an effort to create customized marketing campaigns to sell products.

If you employ banner ads try to put a question on it, some people will click and not be able to refuse clicking. Most people will be unable to leave without clicking on the banner. Reward the visitors by presenting discounts to those that answered the question correctly.

When you are reviewing a product, spice up your opinions with movies, pictures, and whatever else you can think of that will really make that product look good to others. You will be able to bring in more income with affiliate marketing if you go this route. These will help people see how great the product is and convince them to buy one. Be very precise and specific in your reviews. Buyers want to know everything there is to know about something before they buy it.

Knowing real time statistics is incredibly important. These will help you to track how much traffic your site is getting, and exactly how many of your products have been purchased.

A crucial element of affiliate marketing is obtaining as many backlinks as you can, but it can backfire on you if your visitors feel deceived by inappropriate content. A visitor will not be happy if the link they clicked on did not take them to the destination that he or she thought it would. This will speak of dishonesty to your visitors, no matter how well the strategy is planned.

You should not conclude that 100% commissions are a program scam. Take the time to read through it and you may find that there is no scam to it. There are legitimate companies that offer such programs. While you enjoy the 100 percent commission, the company makes money on subscriptions that follow the original purchase. This can greatly benefit you, so pay close attention to an offer similar to this.

You need to make sure that you remain relevant if you wish to find success with affiliate marketing. Keep up with your affiliates and what sort of promotions they may be offering. Check out the constantly evolving tools that will draw customers into your affiliate marketing goals.

Be upfront and disclose that you do make money when your readers buy from your affiliate link. Visitors to your site are likely savvy consumers; resist the temptation to cover up the nature of affiliate links. Early honesty will improve your chances of increasing repeat visits and affiliate customers.

Always try to push your goals further. One day you could turn this into a real profit opportunity. Keep on pressing forward, never let up on working hard, and you will see your profits continue to grow. It can be hard to get started but if you keep at it you can succeed.

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Related to: affiliate marketing - online marketing - video marketing - article marketing - social marketing - SEO - search engine optimizitiongoogle - faceboo - Twitter - money

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1: Article Marketing Strategy: Putting Together a "Class Schedule" For Your Article Topics

Businesses go to so much trouble when there is one sure-fire, simple, very inexpensive way to attract new clients to a business: Teach a free class. That is what article marketing is like. Your articles are just like free classes. You teach your target readers something helpful in your article. Your resource box then says, "If you enjoyed this article you can visit my website and apply what you have learned."

by: Steve Shaw on: Sat, 23 Apr 2011

2: Simple Article Writing: 5 Steps For Beginners Who Are Learning To Write Articles (Try This!)

When you look at an article, you may say, "That article looks great, but I have no idea how I would produce something that good." In this article I am going to help you break your article creation process down into "blocks"--smaller bits of information that when assembled together will form a top quality article submission.

by: Steve Shaw on: Sun, 21 Apr 2013

3: Why You Need To Build Multiple Streams of Income For Yourself

Being an entrepreneur and earning multiple streams of income is a dream that many have, but in reality it does take some initial hard work to achieve this. Earning multiple streams of income is the wave of the future, and here are some tips and advice for you when you are looking for ways in which to do this for yourself.

by: Michel Maling on: Sat, 29 Sep 2012

4: Understanding Online Business Success

Starting a home based business to earn income online takes a significant amount of time and energy upfront to get things going. Not seeing results immediately can be discouraging and cause people to give up too early. In this article, we look at the process of starting a home based business and working through the frustrations to be there when the sales come flowing in.

by: Mike Christie on: Sat, 29 Sep 2012

5: Back Link Building - 6 Methods You Can Use To Rank Your Blog Posts

Panda and Penquin Google has changed the game with back link building. Here are the backlink strategies I use to get quality backlinks.

by: Jen Thoden on: Wed, 13 Mar 2013

Source: http://www.content4reprint.com/internet-marketing/use-these-affiliate-marketing-tips-to-grow-your-business.htm

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Driver of crashed Spanish train to be questioned in wake of deadly derailment

As reports have come out saying the train that crashed in Spain, killing 78 people, was going twice the speed limit, the train's driver had earlier posted photos bragging about speeding on Facebook. NBC's Keir Simmons reports.

By Alastair Jamieson and Becky Bratu, NBC News

The driver of a Spanish train that derailed causing the deaths of 78 people is being investigated for "recklessness," police said Friday, as a Virginia mother who died was remembered as "very sweet."

Stephen Ward, an 18-year-old who survived this week's train crash in Spain that killed 78 people, described the incident saying, "It felt like a roller coaster."

A judge in Santiago de Compostela requested that police interview 52-year-old Francisco Jose Garzon, as investigators focused on excessive speed as the cause of the accident, one of Europe?s worst rail disasters.

Security video showed the eight-car train derailing after speeding around a tight curve, hitting a wall with such force that one car caught fire and another mounted an embankment and came to rest on a nearby road.

In the moments after the crash, the driver told train operator's emergency service: "I should've been going 80 [49 mph] and I was doing 190 [118 mph]," according to a report in El Pais the newspaper.?NBC News could not confirm the report.

Regional police chief Jaime Iglesias said Garzon was being treated as a suspect, The Associated Press reported, but he added they had not yet been able to question him because of unspecified injuries he sustained in the crash.?Garzon was under a police guard at a hospital.

Iglesias said?Garzon was being investigated for criminal behavior in causing the accident and "recklessness," Reuters reported.

A spokeswoman for the supreme court in the Galicia region told the news service that Garzon had not yet been charged and evidence including the train's "black box" was being assembled.

"We're collecting elements to be used as evidence, videos, audios and all the technical work that is being done on the train," she said.

State train company Renfe said the driver was a 30-year veteran of the firm with more than a decade of train driving experience. ?

His Facebook account included a March 2012 picture he had taken showing a cab speedometer marking 124 mph, according to El Pais.

CCTV video captured the horrifying moment that a train derailed in Spain Wednesday, killing dozens of people and injuring scores more.

Ninety-five of the injured were still being treated in hospitals Friday, 32 of them, including four children, in a serious condition. Police revised the death toll downward from 80 to 78 on Friday.

As workers removed the last of the blackened, twisted cars from the scene Friday, survivors told of the horrifying moment when the train, packed with people heading to Galicia for a regional holiday, left the tracks.

"It was like a scene from hell,? 18-year-old Mormon missionary Stephen Ward, from Utah, told the U.K.'s?The Daily Telegraph?from his hospital bed in Spain. ?I thought I was dreaming. There was blood everywhere, my own and other people's. And bodies were being carried out ? Some were already dead and others looked like they were about to die."

Among the dead was American Ana-Maria Cordoba, 47, who worked for the Catholic church as a benefits specialist for the Arlington Diocese in Virginia, just outside Washington D.C., NBCWashington.com reported.

"She was very well-liked... [and] very helpful.?She had a deep faith and was so very sweet,? diocese spokesman Michael Donahue said.

Cordoba was traveling with her husband and daughter, who were both listed in stable condition at a local hospital.

via Facebook

American crash victim Ana Maria Cordoba was traveling with her husband and daughter.

They were among many Catholic passengers bound for Santiago de Compostela for the city?s annual St James festival, which had been due to take place Thursday.

A State Department official confirmed she had died, saying ?we extend our deepest condolences to her loved ones.??

Among the American survivors were Robert and Myrta Fariza of Houston, Texas, who had been on their way to their daughter's wedding.

Robert Fariza said their car flipped over. "It became chaos, things flew and everything, it was sudden darkness and I was kind of thrown on one side of the train and that's why I'm kind of all kinds of beaten up here, and my wife, unfortunately, she was sitting on the side where the train flipped over, so everything kind of fell on her," he said.

"There were dead people everywhere, unfortunately, and right next to me there was a young man who had died right there.?

As Spain absorbed the aftermath of Wednesday night?s crash, stories emerged of heroism during the rescue effort ? and heart-break as relatives waited in hospital for news of their loved ones.

Xoan A. Soler/La Voz de Galicia via Reuters

A fireman prepares to take an injured girl from Abel Rivas, a local man who has been hailed a hero after carrying a number of victims from the mangled wreck of the train.

Newspaper La Voz De Galicia reported that local resident Abel Rivas, 29, had been hailed a hero after carrying a number of victims from the mangled wreck, including a five-year-old girl.

He acted ?instinctively,? he told the newspaper.

Meanwhile, El Pais gave an account of how a simple wedding ring had reunited a distraught couple with their seriously injured daughter, who survived the crash.

It said the couple had been waiting to meet Veronica Martinez Vazquez, 39, less than three miles up the track at Santiago de Compostela station.

When news of the accident broke, the couple spent more than 12 hours calling every local hospital, as well as the sports center that was used as a temporary morgue, but could find no news about their daughter.

Eventually one hospital said it had a female patient in a coma, whose injuries were so bad she could only be described by her gender, height, approximate age and that she was wearing an engraved ring.

The couple said a hospital doctor told them the inscription on the ring was "Finisterre, 2012" ? which they immediately recognized as the time and place of Veronica?s wedding.

President Barack Obama said Thursday that he and his wife Michelle were ?shocked and saddened? by the derailment.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.?

Lavandeira Jr / EPA

Scores are killed and injured in a train derailment in NW Spain.

This story was originally published on Fri Jul 26, 2013 6:27 AM EDT

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663309/s/2f30d478/sc/11/l/0Lworldnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A70C260C196937320Edriver0Eof0Ecrashed0Espanish0Etrain0Eto0Ebe0Equestioned0Ein0Ewake0Eof0Edeadly0Ederailment0Dlite/story01.htm

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2011 Africa and Middle East Unrest Fast Facts

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Yahoo! Mail Log In Failed Error in Galaxy S3

If you have been having trouble signing in to your email account or you keep on getting a ?Yahoo! Mail Log In Failed? error in your Samsung Galaxy S3, here are the possible causes of the problem as well as the solutions to help you go about it.

The Possible Causes of the ?Yahoo! Mail Log In Failed? Error in Galaxy S3

There are a couple of things that are possibly causing the problem. The most obvious reason is that you have a wrong password registered in your Galaxy S3. Another source of the issue is related to the configuration of the email settings of your phone. Then, this is that this is a common error experienced by the stock email app of the device. Next, there might be a glitch in the system of your phone.

The Possible Solutions to the ?Yahoo! Mail Log In Failed? Error in Galaxy S3

Here are ways to solve the ?Yahoo! Mail log in failed? problem of the Galaxy S3:

1. Check Password

Check the password that you have set in your phone if it is similar with the one registered with your Yahoo! Mail account. You can also delete the log-in data in your phone and re-create it again.

2. Fix Configurations

According to Yahoo! and Vodafone, set up the following configuration under the email app of your Galaxy S3:

• Incoming Server ? imap.mail.yahoo.com
• Outgoing Server ? smtp.mail.yahoo.com
• Incoming Port ? 993 (requires SSL)
• Outgoing Port ? 465 (requires SSL)
• Username: (Enter your full email address here for example [email?protected])
• Password: (the one you registered with Yahoo!)

3. Download and Install Yahoo! Mail App

If you are using the stock email app of your phone there is a chance that the error will show up based on an AndroidCentral forum. So, one way to go around the issue is by downloading the official Yahoo! Mail app from Google Play store.

4. Solutions to Fix Glitches

If this is simply caused by a glitch, a quick solution would be to restart your phone or clear the cache data of your app. Try to enter Safe Mode as well and access your Yahoo! Mail from there. If you are successful using Safe Mode, that means there might be another app causing the error. Locate the suspicious app or the most recent app that you installed prior to the problem and disable it. But if the problem persists, perform a Factory Reset as a last resort.

Email to Us Your Questions and Suggestions

We hope that the information provided here somehow helped. For more questions, write to us at?[email?protected]. Just be detailed as much as possible in your questions so we can effectively pinpoint your problem and help you find the right solution for it.

Users who have something to contribute on the subject can also share their views and suggestions via?email or in the comment box below.

Tags: Android, Galaxy S3, Samsung, Yahoo Mail

Category: Mailbag

Source: http://thedroidguy.com/2013/07/yahoo-mail-log-in-failed-error-in-galaxy-s3/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=yahoo-mail-log-in-failed-error-in-galaxy-s3

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Anthem insurance plan with MaineHealth wins key approval ...

AUGUSTA, Maine ? The state insurance bureau has greenlighted a key component of a new insurance product that would be sold on Maine?s health insurance exchange next year under a controversial deal between insurer Anthem and health system MaineHealth.

The Maine Bureau of Insurance issued a decision Thursday that largely approved one piece of the health plans, the proposed network of doctors and hospitals that would serve consumers who buy the policies.

The network was the subject of a public hearing in late June, in which some health providers excluded from the network and several Anthem customers raised concerns that patients may have to travel farther for care and find new doctors.

The bureau approved the provider network on several conditions, including that Anthem submit more information about how the plans would affect access to health care based on where consumers live, and that Anthem contract with additional specialists in some areas and report on consumers? future experience with the plans.

The plans still need further approvals before they can be sold on Maine?s insurance exchange. The state insurance bureau will issue a broader report by the end of July detailing whether the plans comply with the federal health reform law. That report also will include one other carrier that plans to offer health insurance on Maine?s exchange, the nonprofit Maine Community Health Options.

The federal government will have the final say about whether plans from both organizations meet standards to be sold on the exchange.

The insurance exchanges are a key component of the health reform law, the federal Affordable Care Act, which aims to widen health coverage to 30 million people.The exchanges will operate as online markets where consumers and small businesses can shop for coverage beginning in October 2013. The plans would take effect in January 2014.

Plans sold on the exchanges will be available to individuals who buy their own insurance, small businesses and the uninsured. Most workers who have health insurance through a large employer aren?t eligible to shop for plans on the exchange and wouldn?t be affected by the Anthem-MaineHealth deal.

About 257,000 Mainers are expected to be eligible to shop for insurance on Maine?s exchange, which will be run by the federal government.

The Anthem-MaineHealth plans include 32 of Maine?s 38 hospitals, but exclude Central Maine Healthcare, which operates Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Bridgton Hospital and Rumford Hospital, as well as Parkview Adventist Medical Center in Brunswick, York Hospital, and Portland?s Mercy Hospital.

Central Maine Healthcare officials have denounced the plan as a ?backroom deal? that allows MaineHealth to undercut hospitals that compete with its health system, undermining the intent of the reform law to improve access to affordable health care.

Anthem and MaineHealth contend that their collaboration will lead to lower health insurance premiums for consumers and allow policyholders plenty of choice in who they see for care.

Watch bangordailynews.com for updates.

Source: http://bangordailynews.com/2013/07/25/health/anthem-insurance-plan-with-mainehealth-wins-key-approval/

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PERK BECOMES FIRST BROWSER TO BLOCK ADS ON THE WEB ...

Loyalty Web Browser Continues its Quest to Reward Web Surfers and Provide Them with Complete Control of Their Online Experience

AUSTIN, Texas ??Perk, the world?s first web browser that rewards users for surfing, searching and shopping online, announced today that it now blocks banner ads and third-party cookies as a default feature, achieving yet another first for desktop and mobile browsers.? The new feature gives users of the loyalty web browser total control of how they experience the web.

Providing users with the ability to customize how they experience the web is a core tenant of Perk, contrary to traditional browsers that offer little control over the advertisements, third-party cookies and retargeting that is pushed on them. And if users?choose?to see ads, then Perk will reward them with ?Perk Points? that are redeemable for?goods, services?and Bitcoin, or the ability to donate to a number of leading charity organizations.

?Plain and simple, Perk?s goal has always been to be the first to give users full control of their browsing experience, and to reward them for their attention,? said?Roj Niyogi, founder and CEO of Perk. ?We believe in the ?Attention Economy??where people are rewarded for giving you time to tap in to their attention, not forcing unwanted ads down their throats. Instead of seeing ads as a disruptor, Perk?s users will begin to see them as an aid to a customized Web surfing experience. We want people to be fully aware of the fact that if they choose to turn ads on, it?s because they feel it will enhance their online experience and provide them with something of value.?

Recently it came to light that?Mozilla?and the Center of Internet and Society at Stanford are planning to enact a ?clearinghouse? to arbitrate which third-parties can and cannot place cookies on users? computers. Although this seems similar to what Perk is doing, there is one fundamental difference between the two: Mozilla and the Center of Internet and Society are taking full control of which third parties can place a cookie on your computer, while Perk is giving the users full control over whether or not they are tracked, rewarded and served with relevant ads.

?Mozilla and the Center of Internet and Society?s decision to control who has the right to track and serve ads to you is something that is diametrically opposed to the way we think about giving users control of their browsing experience,? said?Adam Salamon, founder and COO of Perk. ?We want to offer Web surfers the browsing experience they prefer.? We simply give people the control to dictate exactly what their online experience will look like and reward them for their participation.?

Perk is powered with top tier search capabilities and is built on the open source project, Chromium, the technology behind Google Chrome. To download Perk and start earning ?Perk Points? or search ad-free, please visit?www.perk.com. To learn more about the great rewards you can receive for surfing, searching and shopping the Web, please visit?here.

About Perk

Perk?is the world?s first Web browser ? available on Mac and Windows ? that rewards users with ?Perk Points? that can be redeemed for products, services and causes, by simply surfing, searching and shopping online. Perk is built on the Chromium open source project and includes over 2,000 merchant partners including 1800 Flowers, BestBuy.com, Urban Outfitters,?drugstore.com?and many more.

Perk.com is backed by Insight Capital, has its headquarters in?Austin, TX?with offices in?Bangalore, India.

About Jutera Labs

Jutera Labs?is an?Austin, Texas-based technology incubator that operates using the principles of keiretsu, where interlocking business relationships and shareholders merge to form a shared ecosystem for conceiving, developing, launching and scaling companies. Jutera Labs? companies focus on the fields of digital media, retail and advertising.? The company has offices in both Austin, Texas?and?Bangalore, India.

Jutera Labs was founded in 2010 by ex-Social Media.com and Bazaarvoice (NASDAQ:?BV) executives?Roj Niyogi?and?Adam Salamon, who have parlayed their experience with running startups in social, deals / loyalty, online and multichannel retailing into an incubator for emerging companies.? Jutera Labs completed a Series A round in September of 2011. ?Its main investors are Walnut Creek, California-based Insight Capital, as well as undisclosed business angels.

Otilia is the founder and editor of AdOperationsOnline.com, launched in 2008. She is based in Dublin (IE) and Arad (RO) and works as a consultant through her company, RightFit Media, specialized in web monetization, social media strategy, brand awareness and brand development for ad tech companies.

Latest posts by Otilia Otlacan (see all)

Source: http://www.adoperationsonline.com/2013/07/25/perk-becomes-first-browser-to-block-ads-on-the-web/

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Telkom?s union membership numbers revealed

Telkom has provided a breakdown of its unionised employees as the group continues wage negotiations with both Solidarity and the South African Communications Union.

The fixed-line operator said on Thursday (25 July) that it had signed a wage agreement with the Communication Workers Union that would increase its personnel costs by 6.8% over the next three years.

The move will affect 16,800 employees belonging to the CWU and is meant to address the historical pay differences between white and black employees, the company said in a statement.

Two other unions, Solidarity and the South African Communications Union (Sacu) have not yet put pen to paper.

However, Telkom said in a statement on Friday (26 July) that it was close to signing with Sacu.

Telkom confirms that it has received written commitment from Sacu that, following its internal processes, the union intends to sign the proposed agreement. Telkom?s statement made at yesterday?s media briefing was based on this written commitment.

Negotiations between Telkom and unions began in March after Telkom announced that management and bargaining unit staff would be afforded the opportunity of applying for voluntary severance packages (VSPs) and early retirement packages (VERPs) until the end of August 2013.

In June Telkom said that 1,411 bargaining unit and 178 management employees exited up to 31 May 2013 as part of its bargaining process. The group has an approximate workforce of 21,000 people.

The telco noted that employee expenses increased by 14.5% in the year ended March 2013, primarily due to the R434 million cost relating to voluntary severance and early retirement packages, the average annual salary increase of 6.5% and a higher bonus provision.

Telkom reiterated that the labour agreement signed on Thursday with the CWU, is a means to address and eradicate salary disparities based on race and gender.

Membership	As at 31 March 2013			As at 30 June 2013
Trade Union	Number of Employees	Unionised employees %	Overall %	Number of Employees	Unionised employees %	Overall %
CWU	7,151	51.65%	38.56%	6,653	52.25%	39.06%
SACU	3,815	27.55%	20.57%	3,495	27.45%	20.52%
Solidarity	2,878	20.79%	15.52%	2,586	20.30%	15.18%
Non-Unionised	4,701	0%	25.35%	4,297	0%	25.23%
TOTAL	18,545	100%	100%	17,031	100%	100%

The tables reflect union membership as at 31 March 2013, when the negotiations began, and again at 30 June 2013, the latest figures available.

More on Telkom

Telkom agrees wage deal with CWU

Sacu to Telkom members: let?s strike

Telkom wage talks update

Telkom wage talks impossible: union

Surprise move in Telkom dispute

CCMA calls for more Telkom talks

Telkom workers set for strike action?

Source: http://mybroadband.co.za/news/business/83059-telkoms-union-membership-numbers-revealed.html

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Amped Wireless High Power 600mW Compact Wi-Fi Range Extender (REC10)

Amped Wireless is not as well known a wireless device manufacturer as D-Link or Netgear, but the company continues to put out some impressive consumer networking hardware. Not everything we test from Amped Wireless is a hit, but we are increasingly seeing excellent offerings, such as this Amped Wireless High Power 600mW Compact Wi-Fi Range Extender (REC10).

The wireless signal booster did not extend a signal quite as far in testing as our current Editors' Choice, D-Link's Wireless Range Extender DAP-1320. However, the REC10 did a good job extending a Wi-Fi network and is one of the most feature-rich range extender/signal boosters we've tested. These advanced capabilities go beyond what your typical wireless extender offers, making this signal booster more intriguing for power users.

Specs
The REC10 is a single-band extender (it only extends the 2.4 GHz band, as do most extenders, since the 2.4 band is capable of longer range), and it supports up to a theoretical 300 Mbps transmit/receive rate. This compact extender plugs right into an electrical outlet. It's got that same kind of plug-in design as D-Link's DAP-1320. The REC10 is a bit flatter than the DAP-1320 and sits more flush against a wall or outlet plate because it's thinner, measuring 2.75 by 4 by 1 inches (HWD).

The device has dual 600mW amplifiers to help boost a Wi-Fi signal. There is also a detachable high-gain 2dBi antenna which screws to the top. Inside is yet another high-gain antenna. The vendor's specifications state that the REC10 can cover up to 6500 square feet.

One hardware feature the REC10 has that D-Link's extender lacks is an Ethernet port. This can be? also add bridging functionality to the extender, for attaching a device like a server or a printer. That port alone may be enough to make you choose the REC10 over the DAP-1320. My only issue is that it's only Fast Ethernet with 10/100 speeds and not Gigabit Ethernet, which is the standard these days.

At the bottom of the REC10 are WPS and reset button. The device supports Windows wireless printing, HP AirPlay, and Apple AirPrint Home Sharing so it can be used in mixed Apple and Windows networks.?

Setup
The REC10 ships with a setup guide and a CD that contains a user manual and an installation video. Amped Wireless does a good job with all the products I've tested in providing clear and detailed setup instructions.

The setup guide first recommends placing the extender midway between your router and the area your wireless clients starts to lose connectivity. Once you plug the device into an outlet, the Amped Wireless logo on the front glows white.

After it's plugged in, you simply connect to the default, unsecured SSID the extender is already configured with, "Amped_REC10." Then, fire up a browser to setup.ampedwireless.com to configure the extender. Again, Amped Wireless does a fine job with consistency in setup across its product line. The setup process is essentially the same no matter which product you install: a booster, router, bridge ? and so on.? The documentation does caution you to use Chrome, Safari, or IE (8 and later) for the browser-based setup and not Firefox.

I tested the REC10's ability to extend a Western Digital My Net 900 router's wireless network. It's important that these extenders work with third-party networking equipment; otherwise they are not of much value. Few consumers have only one vendor's networking equipment deployed throughout their home networks. The REC10 worked well with the Western Digital router.

The browser-based setup opens to the Dashboard. This is a central console where you can configure the extender and view status information. To extend a wireless network, click the Scan button.? A list of all wireless networks in range appears within the Dashboard. These networks are displayed by SSID, channel, 802.11x level, security and encryption type, and signal strength.

You then select the network you want to extend by clicking a radio button next to each network listed. This starts a wizard that walks a user through extending a network. You're then prompted to click Next. If your network has a security passphrase, you have to enter it on this screen. Click Next again and the following screen allows you to clone settings from your wireless network, such as SSID and security, with a button click.? You can keep a separate SSID and security set just for the extender. Most users will want to clone. When you clone, the SSID for the extender is given the same SSID as the network you are connecting it to, except "RE" is appended at the end of the extender's SSID.

The last step, as in most of the Amped Wireless devices I test, is to apply settings which took 149 seconds in my testing. Amped Wireless devices tend to have long settings change and reboot times. Comparable devices can often apply the same changes in under 60 seconds, so the REC10's reboot is a bit lengthy.

After the network is extended, the client used for setup is disconnected from the wireless network. I like that the software has an on-screen message indicating the connection drop and also the fact that there is a? drop-down menu within the interface that shows you how to reconnect based on your device's operating system.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/YIkLRh0XvIw/0,2817,2422103,00.asp

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Marijuana use in adolescence may cause permanent brain abnormalities, mouse study suggests

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Regular marijuana use in adolescence, but not adulthood, may permanently impair brain function and cognition, and may increase the risk of developing serious psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, according to a recent study.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/mFxoBWwz-f8/130724125028.htm

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Historic Inns in Maine - Select Registry Inns and Bed & Breakfasts

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Natural Beauty and Discerning Luxury: the Environmentally Friendly Berry Manor Inn

Recently selected by TripAdvisor.com as one of the Top Ten Best Bed and Breakfasts and Inns in the US, the Berry Manor Inn in Rockland is a truly enchanting option for your Maine vacation. Elegance abounds at this lovely 1898 mansion, where Maine Coast charm meets Victorian refinement.

The Berry Manor Inn has been a center of grand and gracious hospitality for over a century, with truly romantic roots ? the original owner built it as a wedding present for his new bride. Guests can revel in Maine?s spectacular beauty in any season, from the blossoming spring to summer?s sunny opulence, from fall?s colorful show to the brilliant white winter wonderland.

From deluxe king rooms in the carriage house, to the former manor house master bedroom and the former ballroom, each and every room is the picture of discerning taste. Its charming hometown of Rockland was named the ?2007 Top Adventure Town in Maine to Live and Play? by National Geographic and was nominated as ?Coolest Small Town in America? by Budget Travel.

To enhance the special memories, several package options are available for romantic getaways, active exploring or just deep relaxation. Another great bonus: guests can feel good about their stay at the Berry Manor Inn, which has been named by the state of Maine as an ?Environmental Leader in Hospitality? for its dedication to pampering guests while showing that an environmentally friendly inn can provide top-notch comfort, luxury and service.

Victorian Elegance at the Pentagoet Inn in Castine

The lovely Pentagoet Inn sits nestled on a seaside bluff graced with majestic elms, in the charming town of Castine ? selected as one of the most beautiful villages in New England. This distinct Queen Anne Victorian inn is a perfect home base for a relaxed, quiet and off-the-beaten-track stay in coastal Maine. Built in 1894, the inn is Castine?s oldest, original ?summer hotel? still welcoming guests to the enchanting Penobscot Bay area.

This unique and storybook house features a three-story turret, gables and a wraparound porch filled with flowers and wicker furniture. The picturesque porch is a delightful spot to read the morning paper or enjoy an intimate dinner at dusk.

The Pentagoet is conveniently located for exploring the Blue Hill peninsula, Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor, and the Downeast region of Maine. More than a dozen towns are within easy reach of Castine, each with its own unique character and offering many lovely options for day trips: from antique shops and art galleries to flea markets and country fairs.

Gourmands will not be disappointed dining here. Guests are treated to complimentary afternoon tea with homemade cookies, tarts and cakes prepared daily by the in-house pastry chef. Moreover, the Pentagoet?s renowned farm-to-table menu offers exquisite local seafood dishes and only the very best of local artisanal products complimented by an excellent wine list and specialty cocktail menu.

Savor the Kennebunkport Style at the Captain Jefferds Inn

The cozy charm of this 1804 sea captain?s home, tucked away within the heart of the historic residential district of Kennebunkport, is the perfect place to treat yourself to a seaside getaway. Take time to smell the roses in the inn?s beautifully manicured gardens, listen to the pleasant lapping of ocean waves, and enjoy easy access to golfing, sailing, kayaking, fishing and biking just a stone?s throw away.

Guests of all ages can relish in the beauty of Kennebunk beaches, or take a meandering stroll around Dock Square?s specialty boutiques, art galleries, antique shops and spectacular array of restaurants. The Captain Jefferds, owned and operated by generations of families for two centuries, offers guests pristine service and attention to detail, expressed in each carefully-decorated room.

Numerous packages are available to make your stay even more memorable ? imagine skiing, snowshoeing, or enjoying a horse-drawn sleigh ride in the winter wonderland; or a romantic chocolate, champagne and strawberry-filled stay with your sweetheart.

Bar Harbour bounty at the Manor House Inn

Just a stone?s throw from the dazzling beauty of the Acadia National Park, the Manor House Inn is located along one of Bar Harbor?s graceful tree-lined streets in the heart of the West Street National Historic District. This Victorian Inn, steeped in local tradition, consists of the original three-story 1887 Boscobel Mansion ? listed on the National Register of Historic Places ? as well as the 1897 Chauffeurs? Cottage, two garden cottages and the Acadia Cottage at Manor House Inn.

The spacious one-and-a-half acres of thoughtfully landscaped grounds around the cottages provide a delightful green oasis to enjoy day and night. Each morning, guests are treated to a hearty, home-baked breakfast buffet, which can be enjoyed in the sunny breakfast garden. Tea and homemade sweets are offered each afternoon;imagine curling up in a cozy wicker chair in the afternoon sun on the inn?s gracious front porch.

The Inn is known for its genteel hospitality and offers guests a wide range of amenities including king or queen beds, fireplaces, whirlpool tubs in private baths, and private porches. The Innkeepers, Stacy and Ken, grew up in Bar Harbor and like to say that the town is their home and Acadia National Park their backyard, so they will happily and expertly help visitors plan their vacation and enjoy the scenic beauty of the gorgeous rocky Maine coast. The Manor House Inn is located within walking distance of village shops, restaurants, and ocean activities like whale-watching, kayaking, and schooner rides.

Active travelers will revel in more than 50 miles of beautiful Carriage Trails through the exquisite beauty of the Acadia National Park, 200 miles of hiking trails and the many freshwater lakes that are a perfect backdrop to a memorable picnic. Watch the sunrise from the summit of Cadillac Mountain, see the adorable evergreen forest creatures and be entranced by the ever-changing Atlantic tide pools. The Manor House Inn is a perfect base for exploring the Acadian wonders.

Cape Cod Colonial Hideaway on Moosehead Lake

The Blair Hill Inn at Moosehead Lake offers discerning travelers the opportunity to surround themselves with authentic North woods d?cor andcuisine and a range of luxury comforts and amenities. The Lodge is a four-season inn nestled in the spectacular Maine wilderness. Its 1917 Cape Cod Colonial appeal has been preserved and treasured, from cozy wood-burning fireplaces in guest rooms to the elegant, white wooden deck chairs on the verdant grounds.

This warm and welcoming inn and its 15-acre hillside estate with legendary vistas of Moosehead Lake has become one of the most desired destinations in Maine. The Blair Hill Inn provides guests a joyful tranquility that allows them to sit back, relax, and be at one with the surrounding glory of nature as far as the eye can see.

Built in 1891 as a country estate, the inn is perched 30 feet high atop huge stone walls. The commanding views of and from the estate offer a rare combination of man-made elegance surrounded by nature?s panorama. This unique location has been awarded and profiled by numerous publications such as North Country, Private Clubs, Men?s Journal, Victoria, Travel & Leisure, and National Geographic Adventure.

The exceptional Blair Hill Inn also boasts one of the state?s premiere restaurants featuring fresh regional ingredients served in refreshingly creative ways. Fresh, ?farm-to-table? ingredients ? including vegetables and herbs from the inn?s own gardens and greenhouse are the stars of executive chef Amy Oliver?s new five-course menus each weekend. A select palette of light and flavorful dishes, as seasonal as the week?s harvest, is beautifully prepared and served for guests? enjoyment.

These historic Maine bed and breakfast gems are just a few of the many options awaiting you at Select Registry. Contact us today to plan your dream vacation!

Source: http://blog.selectregistry.com/2013/historic-inns-in-maine/

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Honeymoon murder case: Millionaire Shrien Dewani to be extradited to South Africa to stand trial

London: Indian-origin businessman Shrien Dewani, accused of plotting the murder of his wife during their honeymoon in 2010, will be extradited from Britain to South Africa to stand trial, a court in London?ruled on Wednesday.

A judge at Westminster Magistrates' Court decided that it would not be "unjust or oppressive" to extradite the 33-year-old, accused of plotting to kill his Swedish-born Indian wife in South Africa in November 2010. Dewani's lawyers now have 14 days to appeal against the order.

The Bristol-based businessman, who strongly denies any involvement in his wife's murder, was seeking to delay his extradition on account of his mental health. He had been excused from appearing in court, having been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression and has been receiving treatment at a hospital near his home city.

Honeymoon murder: Millionaire Shrien Dewani to be extradited to South Africa to stand trial

His risk of suicide is real but not immediate, and while he remains moderately depressed he is better than he was, the court was told on Wednesday. His lawyers have expressed concerns he would be a high suicide risk if he returned to the country, and his human rights could be breached because of the risk of violent and sexual assaults in jail.

Anni Dewani, 31, was shot when a taxi in which the couple were travelling was hijacked in the Gugulethu township near Cape Town while the couple were on their honeymoon. She was found dead in the back of the abandoned vehicle with a bullet wound to her neck. Dewani and driver Zola Tongo were ejected from the car before Anni was driven away and killed.

Last year, South African Xolile Mngeni was convicted of premeditated murder for shooting her. Prosecutors claimed he was a hit-man hired by Shrien Dewani to kill his new wife, something that Dewani has consistently denied. Tongo was jailed for 18 years after he admitted his part in the crime, and another accomplice, Mziwamadoda Qwabe also pleaded guilty to charges over the murder and was handed a 25-year prison sentence.

Dewani's defence team have expressed concerns he would be a high suicide risk if he returned to the country, and his human rights could be breached because of the risk of violent and sexual assaults in jail. Dewani and driver Zola Tongo were ejected from the car before Anni was driven away and killed.

Last year, South African Xolile Mngeni was convicted of premeditated murder for shooting her. Prosecutors claimed he was a hit-man hired by Shrien Dewani to kill his new wife, something that Dewani has consistently denied. Tongo was jailed for 18 years after he admitted his part in the crime, and another accomplice, Mziwamadoda Qwabe also pleaded guilty to charges over the murder and was handed a 25-year prison sentence.

Wednesday's hearing was attended by members of Anni Dewani's family, who wore photographs of her pinned to their clothes, decorated with pink ribbons. Outside the court, Anni's sister Amy Denborg said: "We do not feel a sense of relief. This is just one step closer to what we are hoping for.

It is not the end story. "We just want to know what happened to Anni. It's a step in the right direction. It has been really hard on the family. We are struggling."

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Source: http://ibnlive.in.com.sportnetwork.net.feedsportal.com/c/33219/f/548443/s/2f1a1992/sc/11/l/0Libnlive0Bin0N0Cnews0Choneymoon0Emurder0Emillionaire0Eshrien0Edewani0Eto0Ebe0Eextradited0Eto0Esouth0Eafrica0Eto0Estand0Etrial0C40A91450E20Bhtml/story01.htm

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Texas' ongoing drought keeping lake levels down

Associated Press

Posted on July 24, 2013 at 12:40 PM

Updated today at 1:02 AM

WHITE RIVER LAKE, Texas (AP) ? When A.O. Smith bought the lone marina on White River Lake in 2000, the water level was already low.

Since then there have been some wet years and some really dry ones, and the lake is now so low that the 68-year-old wonders how much longer he can keep his doors open.

"Business is down and it's all connected to water," said Smith, who's surviving on revenue from the marina's restaurant and his savings. "I've never seen the lake this bad."

The 10,000 people who rely on water from the White River Lake, 70 miles southeast of Lubbock, also wonder if their faucets will run dry.

They're not alone.

Twelve other Texas water districts have reported they could be 45 days away from running out of water and 12 more are down to a 90-day supply. The 109 lakes that provide water to Texans are at their lowest combined level for this time of year, 64 percent, and ? unless there is significant rain by fall ? the outlook is dire.

Ground was left parched by the 2011 drought and that means no runoff into rivers and lakes, which are at the lowest level since 1990 for this time of year. About 71 percent of the state is in severe to exceptional drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Widespread rains across the state last week will help in the short term, but more is needed.

"I don't think they're going to go away unless we get the reservoirs back up," Ruben Solis, director of surface water resources for the Texas Water Development Board, said about mandatory and voluntary restrictions. "2011 was an eye-opener."

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality works closely with water suppliers to identify alternative sources. Restrictions including limiting and prohibiting outdoor water use are set locally according to drought contingency plans.

About 22 percent of the state's 4,660 public water suppliers are under voluntary or mandatory restrictions. Ongoing dry conditions prompted Gov. Rick Perry earlier this month to renew a 2011 drought disaster declaration for 222 of 254 counties. The declaration allows affected counties to receive private and public assistance.

Planning for future water needs has become a priority for lawmakers who this year agreed to establish a $2 billion water fund that needs voter approval in November.

Some areas are faring better than others, Solis said. North Central Texas and East Texas have gotten more rain and therefore lakes there have benefited; the western half of the state and South Texas are "not good at all," he said.

And the next month doesn't bode well for an area west of a line from Wichita Falls to Del Rio, where there's an increased chance of below normal rainfall, while the rest of the state has equal chances for above, normal or below normal precipitation.

Ironically, Texas lakes were 68 percent full in July 2011 thanks to heavy rainfall the previous year. In July 2010 the lakes were 83 percent full. But by November 2011 they were only 58 percent full ? the worst levels for Texas lakes at any time of year going back to 1990, Solis said.

A lack of substantial rain isn't the only problem. Evaporation from wind and hot temperatures can rob the lakes of as much as 7 million acre-feet, or about 2.3 trillion gallons, a year, according to long-term averages produced by the Texas Water Development Board.

State climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon said evaporation could cause the largest volume gap ever between the amount of water actually in Texas lakes and their total storage capacity.

At White River Lake, permanent pumps for the $25 million water treatment plant along the shore are unusable because the lake is too low. Two temporary floating pumps are set nearby to carry water to the plant.

Only one boat ramp remains open, and Smith's marina docks are yards from the waterline. Few motorboats use the lake, which supplies water to Ralls, Post, Crosbyton and Spur.

Last summer the towns received $2.1 million in Texas Department of Agriculture grants to rehabilitate groundwater wells and dig a new one. Water use has dropped 40 percent since August, and in May the district's most strident restrictions were implemented ? no outside watering for any purpose, district general manager Tom Fulton said.

The district will probably "squeak by (by) the skin of our teeth," Fulton said. Recent rains helped raise the level of White River Lake by three-quarters of a foot, but did not resolve the problem.

"We are going through a disaster, we really are," Fulton said. "We're on unchartered ground."

Source: http://www.wfaa.com/news/texas-news/216773711.html

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Google unveils new Nexus 7, Internet TV device - Charlotte Observer

SAN FRANCISCO Google is betting consumers will pay slightly more for a sleeker, more powerful version of its Nexus 7 tablet as the Internet company escalates its rivalry with Apple and Amazon.com in technology's key battleground ? the mobile computing market.

The fancier devices unveiled Wednesday in San Francisco will go on sale in the U.S next Tuesday in Google's online store and numerous retailers with brick-and-mortar stores.

Among other things, the souped-up line of Nexus tablets will boast a higher-definition 7-inch display screen and a processor that promises to be nearly as twice as fast. Dual stereo speakers have been added for richer sound, and the device's battery duration has been extended to 10 hours for Web browsing, an increase of about an hour.

On other fronts, Google Inc. also unveiled a gadget that will lean on its widely used Chrome Web browser and take aim at Apple on another front ? the living room.

The new device, called Chromecast, is part of the company's attempt to make it easier for people to access Internet content on their TVs. Chromecast is a small stick roughly the same size as a thumb drive that can be plugged into an HDMI port on flat-panel TVs. It brings Netflix, Google's YouTube site and other Internet content to what is usually the biggest screen in households.

Forrester Research analyst Sarah Rotman Epps said Chromecast could undermine Apple in the still-nascent market to plug streaming devices into TVs, just as the Nexus tablets have siphoned some sales away from Apple's iPad.

Google's previous products designed to connect TV sets to the Internet haven't worked out well. The company initially tried to embed an operating system called Google TV into sets made by TV manufacturers, but that flopped. Last year, Google introduced an orb-like device called the Nexus Q in hopes of delivering more Internet video to flat-panel TVs, only to quickly pull the product from the market.

"Chromecast looks like a smart and disruptive device," Rotman Epps said. "Maybe it took the other failures for Google to get it right."

Google wants to have a presence on TVs because it could open up a lucrative new channel for it to sell more ads, which bring in most of its revenue.

In a show of its determination to make inroads on TVs, Google started selling Chromecast for just $35 on Wednesday. That price undercuts the most popular Internet-streaming devices made by Apple and Roku. An Apple TV box sells for $99, while the least expensive Roku box capable of showing high-definition video goes for $80. Roku, a company that formed within Internet video subscription service Netflix Inc., also sells an Internet streaming stick similar to Chromecast for $100.

Earlier this year, Apple revealed that it has sold more than 13 million of its streaming boxes. Roku said its sales of streaming boxes surpassed 5 million units this year.

The Chromecast device connects with smartphones, tablets and personal computers to beam Internet connect to TVs. The Apple and Roku streaming boxes rely on a standard remote control to select Internet content.

As an enticement to get people to try Chromecast, Google is offering three months of free Netflix service with a purchase of the Internet-streaming stick. That translates to a $24 value, leaving the cost of the device at $11 for those who would have gotten Netflix anyway.

As for the Nexus 7, the extra firepower added to the second generation of the tablets will come with a higher price. A model with 16 gigabytes of storage will sell for $229, a $30 per increase from the current Nexus 7 released a year ago. That's still 30 percent below the $329 that Apple Inc. charges for its iPad Mini. A comparable Kindle Fire HD tablet from Amazon.com Inc. currently sells for $199.

A 32-gigabyte version of the Nexus 7 will sell for $269, a $20 price increase.

The price hike for the Nexus 7 comes at a time when more people have been showing a preference for less expensive tablets. Google helped propel the trend with last year's introduction of the Nexus line, contributing to pressure for Apple to come out with the iPad Mini as an alternative to its top-selling tablets with a 10-inch screen.

Google is confident the Nexus 7 will still look like a great value once consumers see how much more powerful the new models are, said Sundar Pichai, an executive who oversees the company's Android and Chrome software.

The iPad Mini has driven down the average selling price of Apple's tablets, hurting the Cupertino, Calif., company's profit margins.

Even at a lower price, the Nexus tablets haven't been as popular as the iPad. Pichai said the Nexus products account for about 10 percent, or 7 million, of the roughly 70 million tablets now running Android software.

In the first half of this year alone, Apple sold 34 million iPads, including full-size models.

Amazon.com doesn't disclose its sales of Kindle Fires, which run on a modified version of Android. The research firm IDC estimates about 1.8 million Kindle Fires were sold during the first three months of this year.

The Nexus 7 will be the first device to get the 4.3 version of its Android software. It's a relatively minor upgrade from the "Jelly Bean" flavor of Android. Google still hasn't said when it will release a more comprehensive Android overhaul, currently known as "Key Lime Pie."

As with the original line of Nexus 7s, the new devices are being made by AsusTek Computer Inc., working from Google's design.

Google is still tinkering with a new line of Nexus tablets with 10-inch display screens. The Mountain View, Calif., company also hasn't updated its Nexus 4 phones, though it worked with phone makers to release variants of Samsung's Galaxy S4 and HTC's One this summer. The variants run a pure version of Android, without the customizations added by the phone makers.

Source: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/07/24/4186620/google-unveils-new-nexus-7-higher.html

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Brother MFC-J4710DW

As the high-end printer (for now, at least) in Brother's Business Smart series, the Brother MFC-J4710DW offers everything you'll find in the Editors' Choice Brother MFC-J4610DW and more. That translates to starting with the same 400-sheet capacity for letter-size paper and a manual feed for up to tabloid size (11 by 17 inches), among other features, and then adding a larger touch screen, duplex scanning, and the ability to load up to 250 sheets of tabloid-size paper in one of its trays. The combination makes it an easy pick as Editors' Choice for micro and small offices.

What all of the models in the Business Smart multifunction printer (MFP) series have in common is that they can print on tabloid-size paper fed through a manual-feed slot. For most of the models, the manual feed is the only choice for larger than letter-size size printing, limiting how much you can print at tabloid size (or legal size, for that matter) without it turning into an annoying chore.

The ability to put tabloid-size paper in one of the MFC-J4710DW's two drawers eliminates that issue. It also turns the printer into a true tabloid-size MFP, in much the same class as the Brother MFC-J6510DW and the Editors' Choice Brother MFC-J6710DW. Compared with those printers, however, it also has the advantage of being a lot smaller. Set the drawer for tabloid-size paper, and it sticks out from the printer, adding 14.9 inches to its depth. Collapse the drawer for letter-size paper, however, and the printer is just 10.0 by 18.9 by 11.4 inches (HWD).

Basics
If you ignore the large-size tray, the MFC-J4710DW is virtually identical to the Brother MFC-J4610DW in most other ways. It can print and fax from, as well as scan to, a computer, including over a network; it can work as a standalone copier and fax machine; it can print directly from a PictBridge camera; and it can print from and scan to a memory card or USB memory key. It will also let you preview files on a memory card or USB key before printing, using a 3.7-inch color touch screen rather the 1.8-inch screen on its less expensive near twin.

The two printers also share the same mobile printing features, including printing through the cloud, printing from a smartphone or tablet over a Wi-Fi connection, and offering Wi-Fi Direct, so you can connect to a mobile device even if the printer isn't on a network with an access point. Web-connected features let you print from and scan to an assortment of online services, including Evernote, Dropbox, and Facebook.

To say that the paper handling for printing is a strong point, is an understatement. In addition to the 400-sheet capacity, with a 150-sheet drawer for letter-size paper, and a 250-sheet drawer for paper up to tabloid size, it includes a built-in duplexer (for printing on both sides of a page) and the manual feed slot in the back that I've already mentioned.

The paper drawers go into the printer with the long side of letter-size paper parallel to the front, so it comes out with the long side first. Given that design, it's not much of a leap to also let you feed tabloid-size paper through the manual feed slot with the 11-inch side as the leading edge, or to extend the one paper drawer, making it big enough to hold tabloid size paper, with the 11-inch side as the leading edge going into the printer.

For scanning, the MFC-J4710DW offers both a letter-size flatbed and a 20-page automatic document feeder (ADF). As with most office-oriented MFPs, the ADF lets you scan up to legal-size pages. More important, however, is that unlike the scanners on most inexpensive MFPs, the MFC-J4710DW scanner can scan in duplex, which means scanning both sides of a page simultaneously.

If you deal with duplex documents very often, the duplex scanning is a key feature. Most inexpensive MFPs that can scan duplex pages use duplexing ADFs, not duplexing scanners. The difference is that a duplexing ADF has to scan one side, turn the page over, and scan the other, which takes a lot longer than scanning both sides at once. That's faster than doing it manually, but it's no match for actually scanning in duplex.

As you would expect, the combination of being able to both scan and print in duplex also lets you copy both single- and double-sided originals to your choice of single- or double-sided copies. You can also scan in either simplex (one side only) or duplex for faxing and copying.

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Setup, Speed and Output Quality
Setting up the MFC-J4710DW is standard. I connected it to a wired network for my tests, and installed the drivers on a Windows Vista system.

Print speed is a strong point. On our business applications suite, I timed it (using QualityLogic's hardware and software for timing), at an effective 5.7 pages per minute (ppm). That counts as a tie with the Brother MFC-J4610DW, at 5.6 ppm, and is significantly faster than the other Business Smart printers we've tested. It's also faster than the MFC-J6510DW and MFC-J6710DW, which both came in at 4.1 ppm. Photo speed is also fast, at 57 seconds for a 4 by 6.

Output quality for the MFC-J4710DW is a little uneven, with relatively better text than either graphics or photos compared with other inkjet MFPs. Text quality was near the high end of the range for inkjet MFPs, making it easily good enough for most business use. Graphics were a touch below par, making them good enough for any internal business need. Whether you'll consider them good enough for PowerPoint handouts or the like will depend on how much of a perfectionist you are. Photos were roughly a match for the low end of what you would expect from drugstore prints.

One issue I ran into that demands mention is that the printer repeatedly jammed with the Brother BP71 photo paper that Brother recommends using. It didn't jam with the lighter weight Brother BP61 photo paper, however, which is the paper Brother provided for testing with the other printers in the Business Smart series.

Given that printing photos on photo paper is not an important application for a printer meant for office use, this doesn't count as a serious problem. However, if you want to print on photo paper, be aware that the recommended paper may not feed reliably, although Brother said it was unable to replicate the jamming that I saw. The problem is unfortunate, because the BP71 paper offers better color quality for photos than the BP61 paper, raising the quality from the low end of what you'd expect from drugstore prints to at least the mid-range of that category.

The MFC-J4710DW delivers a lot to like otherwise. It stands out in particular for its duplexing scanner and 400-sheet capacity, including the drawer for up to tabloid-size paper. It also gets lots of points for its speed, high-quality text, and its long list of MFP functions. If you're looking for an MFP with lots of office-oriented features plus tabloid-size printing, and particularly if you need to scan, copy, or fax duplex documents on regular basis, the Brother MFC-J4710DW will be hard to beat at anything like the price. That's more than enough to make it Editors' Choice.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/Sm-MzvbUNvI/0,2817,2422180,00.asp

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