Android (4.0+)/Web: PushBullet is a webapp and companion Android app that makes it simple to get files, documents, addresses, lists, and plain text?just about anything you want?from your desktop into your Android phone's notifications pane. From there, you can open it directly in any application you choose.
There are plenty of ways to get files from your computer to your Android phone?you can email it to yourself, put the file in Dropbox and then open it on your phone, use Google Drive for documents?but none of those methods makes it as easy as PushBullet does. PushBullet's greatest strength is that anything you push goes right into your notifications pane where you can work with it instantly?you don't need to open another app, sync, or download what you sent yourself.
When you push a file, a note, an address, or a list to your phone, PushBullet drops it into the notifications pane. Just tap the item in the notifications list and you'll be prompted to open it in the right application. If you push an address, you can choose Maps. If you push a document, you can choose whatever document reader you have installed. If it's a list, you can use Android's rich notifications to browse it and leave it in the notifications (like a shopping list, for example, only in your notifications bar) or open it in another app.
The app is brand new, so expect a few quirks here and there. It's also free, and requires you download the Android app and select a Google account to pair the webapp and the Android app after installing. We tested it, and it works as advertised. It may not totally replace the old Dropbox trick, but it's a great way to get addresses and APKs right to your phone so you can use them immediately.
PushBullet | via Hacker News
PushBullet (Free) | Google Play via Pushbullet Blog
NORC at the University of Chicago releases presidential election survey Public release date: 18-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Eric Young young-eric@norc.org 301-634-9536 NORC at the University of Chicago
Addresses Americans' views on role of government in health care, entitlement reform and partisanship
1/18/2013, Bethesda, MD. Today, the independent research organization NORC at the University of Chicago released the new report, 2012 NORC Presidential Election Study: American's Views on Entitlement Reform and Health Care. Results from this survey suggest that substantial majorities of the American public prefer the status quo on most provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and on entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare. However, most Americans are not in favor of the status quo on partisanship and prefer that their own representatives work with others and make compromises, even those that include policies respondents dislike.
Health Care
"Even though we found that senior citizens tended to be 'health-care conservatives' I was surprised that they are not that enthusiastic about the government's role in their own existing government-provided health insurance programs," said Dr. Andrea Campbell, political science professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "Only 60 percent of seniors say the government should pay for health care for all Americans over 65, compared to three-quarters of those under 65. Only 53 percent of seniors said the government should cover drug bills for senior citizens. Even two-thirds to three-quarters of younger respondents surveyed think the government should cover senior citizens drug bills."
The report also addressed specific provisions in the ACA. Almost 70 percent of respondents favor the requirement that insurance companies cover children on their parent's insurance plans through age 25. A majority support the government requiring states to expand Medicaid, a provision of the ACA that the Supreme Court struck down. On the other hand, only 39 percent of Americans support the requirement that all people buy health insurance. Republicans are less supportive than Democrats of all provisions of the ACA.
Entitlement Reform
On the issue of entitlement reform, the survey found that approximately 60 percent of respondents favor traditional Social Security over a program that would allow workers to invest the taxes themselves. More than 65 percent favor traditional Medicare over a program that would give workers a specific amount of money to spend on either private or government health insurance.
The survey results found that 76 percent of self-identified Democrats strongly support Social Security, and 77 percent of self-identified Democrats support Medicare, both in their traditional forms. On the other side of the aisle, 60 percent of Republicans, favor replacing Social Security with a defined contribution plan and 44 percent favor changing Medicare to a system supporting the purchase of private or government health insurance.
"Democrats as a group are a lot more committed to preserving Social Security and Medicare in their current forms than Republicans as a group are committed to changing them, and so the balance of public opinion is on the side of the policy status quo," said Dr. Mark Hansen, Hutchinson Professor in Political Science and Senior Advisor to the President at the University of Chicago.
Partisanship
"As our research around the 2012 presidential election comes to a close, we can see that even though the country is divided along partisan lines on many ideas and issues, there is reason for hope," said Kirk Wolter, Senior Fellow and Executive Vice President, Survey Research with NORC at the University of Chicago. "On the eve of the Presidential Inauguration a strong majority of the American people want to see cooperation as our leaders deal with our most pressing problems."
Background and Methodology
This nationally representative survey of 1,125 adults was conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago in partnership with the following experts:
Professor Mark Hansen, University of Chicago
Professor Andrea Campbell, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Professor Stephen Ansolabehere, Harvard University
Professor Benjamin Page, Northwestern University
###
For the full report, please go to: http://tinyurl.com/aqq3elf
About NORC at the University of Chicago
NORC at the University of Chicago is an independent research organization with more than 70 years of leadership and experience in data collection, analysis, and dissemination. NORC supports a national field staff and international research operations collaborating with governments, educational and nonprofit organizations, and businesses to provide data and analysis that support informed decision making in health, education, economics, crime, justice, energy, security, and the environment.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
NORC at the University of Chicago releases presidential election survey Public release date: 18-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Eric Young young-eric@norc.org 301-634-9536 NORC at the University of Chicago
Addresses Americans' views on role of government in health care, entitlement reform and partisanship
1/18/2013, Bethesda, MD. Today, the independent research organization NORC at the University of Chicago released the new report, 2012 NORC Presidential Election Study: American's Views on Entitlement Reform and Health Care. Results from this survey suggest that substantial majorities of the American public prefer the status quo on most provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and on entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare. However, most Americans are not in favor of the status quo on partisanship and prefer that their own representatives work with others and make compromises, even those that include policies respondents dislike.
Health Care
"Even though we found that senior citizens tended to be 'health-care conservatives' I was surprised that they are not that enthusiastic about the government's role in their own existing government-provided health insurance programs," said Dr. Andrea Campbell, political science professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "Only 60 percent of seniors say the government should pay for health care for all Americans over 65, compared to three-quarters of those under 65. Only 53 percent of seniors said the government should cover drug bills for senior citizens. Even two-thirds to three-quarters of younger respondents surveyed think the government should cover senior citizens drug bills."
The report also addressed specific provisions in the ACA. Almost 70 percent of respondents favor the requirement that insurance companies cover children on their parent's insurance plans through age 25. A majority support the government requiring states to expand Medicaid, a provision of the ACA that the Supreme Court struck down. On the other hand, only 39 percent of Americans support the requirement that all people buy health insurance. Republicans are less supportive than Democrats of all provisions of the ACA.
Entitlement Reform
On the issue of entitlement reform, the survey found that approximately 60 percent of respondents favor traditional Social Security over a program that would allow workers to invest the taxes themselves. More than 65 percent favor traditional Medicare over a program that would give workers a specific amount of money to spend on either private or government health insurance.
The survey results found that 76 percent of self-identified Democrats strongly support Social Security, and 77 percent of self-identified Democrats support Medicare, both in their traditional forms. On the other side of the aisle, 60 percent of Republicans, favor replacing Social Security with a defined contribution plan and 44 percent favor changing Medicare to a system supporting the purchase of private or government health insurance.
"Democrats as a group are a lot more committed to preserving Social Security and Medicare in their current forms than Republicans as a group are committed to changing them, and so the balance of public opinion is on the side of the policy status quo," said Dr. Mark Hansen, Hutchinson Professor in Political Science and Senior Advisor to the President at the University of Chicago.
Partisanship
"As our research around the 2012 presidential election comes to a close, we can see that even though the country is divided along partisan lines on many ideas and issues, there is reason for hope," said Kirk Wolter, Senior Fellow and Executive Vice President, Survey Research with NORC at the University of Chicago. "On the eve of the Presidential Inauguration a strong majority of the American people want to see cooperation as our leaders deal with our most pressing problems."
Background and Methodology
This nationally representative survey of 1,125 adults was conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago in partnership with the following experts:
Professor Mark Hansen, University of Chicago
Professor Andrea Campbell, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Professor Stephen Ansolabehere, Harvard University
Professor Benjamin Page, Northwestern University
###
For the full report, please go to: http://tinyurl.com/aqq3elf
About NORC at the University of Chicago
NORC at the University of Chicago is an independent research organization with more than 70 years of leadership and experience in data collection, analysis, and dissemination. NORC supports a national field staff and international research operations collaborating with governments, educational and nonprofit organizations, and businesses to provide data and analysis that support informed decision making in health, education, economics, crime, justice, energy, security, and the environment.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
As titans Apple (AAPL) and Samsung (005930) continue to stomp across the smartphone landscape, a new battle is emerging between two scrappers in 2013. In one corner sits Microsoft (MSFT), the world?s largest software company that still can?t seem to find its footing with Windows Phone. In the other corner, Research In Motion (RIMM), a toppled giant steadying itself as it prepares for the fight of its life. Two enter the ring, but only one may emerge as the smartphone war heats up in 2013.
[More from BGR: You may want to think twice before switching to Walmart?s Straight Talk for unlimited iPhone 5 service]
First, a reality check: this will be a long, bloody, drawn-out battle and it is unlikely that either company will emerge as the clear victor this year. RIM will not stroll?leisurely?out of 2013 having completely reversed course. Microsoft will not end the year with a dominant position in the mobile market, as some had anticipated.
[More from BGR: Nexus 5 smartphone, Nexus 7.7 tablet rumored for May debut]
For Microsoft and RIM, 2013 is all about positioning their platforms to succeed moving forward. Android and iOS have deep roots planted across the globe and they will continue to dominate the market for years to come. Their reign cannot and will not last forever, though. And as their momentum slows, a well-positioned third option stands to step in and reap the benefits from the market leaders? inevitable decline.
But in all likelihood, ?there can be only one.?
Let?s look at the tale of the tape: Windows Phone is a sleek and unique platform. It bears no resemblance to traditional mobile operating systems like Android and iOS, instead offering a fresh take on the smartphone user interface. ?Live tiles? populate the home screen and offer no-touch, real-time information to the user. Within apps, the UI is text-heavy and easy to navigate.
On the plus side, Windows Phone has distinction, performance and the backing of multiple handset OEMs including Nokia (NOK), HTC (2498) and smartphone giant Samsung ? though Samsung has yet to truly take the platform seriously. The star of the Windows Phone show right now is the Lumia 920, and Nokia seems to finally have found some modest success with this sleek handset.
But history does not favor Microsoft. The Windows Phone OS is now more than two years old and the market hasn?t paid it much attention to date. There are a number of reasons, not the least of which are the timing of Microsoft?s launch ? Android and iOS were accelerating at breakneck speeds at the time ? and a scarcity of apps that continues to plague the platform.
And then there?s RIM.
BlackBerry 10 has some huge advantages over the opposition. For one thing, RIM has a subscriber base of 79 million BlackBerry users to start with. After Windows Mobile crashed and burned so monumentally, Microsoft basically started from the ground floor.
RIM also has managed to build some excitement for its upcoming next-generation smartphones. Investors are excited ? though RIM?s recent run may soon be gone in a flash ? and users are excited.
And it should be noted that for the most part, we already know exactly what we?re getting from RIM. Its first two BlackBerry 10 smartphones, the BlackBerry Z10?and the?BlackBerry X10, have been leaked exhaustively. People already want these phones, which definitely eases the pressure a bit come January 30th.
This is much more than just a battle for third behind Android and iOS. One or both of those leading platforms may soon begin an inevitable decent, and if either Microsoft or RIM is on the rise when that bell curve finally begins to turn south for Android or iOS, it could have a huge impact on that company?s continued success.
The smartphone heavyweights will continue to attract much of the attention ? and all of the profits ? in 2013. But the real fight to watch is in the bantamweight division, where RIM and Microsoft will trade blows in an effort to begin an ascent that could gain steam as iOS and Android lose their shine.
During his wide-ranging statement Monday, the mayor briefly addressed gun control and whether the city-operated convention center should host gun shows.
?I believe this gun debate is something that needs to take place in Washington, and we?ve got to do our part in that,? Mike Rawlings said. ?We?re going to
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Stratham girl selected for international hockey program
SACO, Maine ? The Selects Hockey organization has selected Maddox Gahr Angerhofer, a goalie for the Seacoast National Selects U12 girls hockey team, to join the international program with the East Coast Selects hockey team.
Angerhofer, a seventh-grader who lives in Stratham, N.H., and attends Heronfield Academy in Hampton Falls, N.H., joined more than 200 invited girls from across North America to compete for 68 positions on four teams, with those selected to participate in the program's international spring training development camp and the World Selects Invitational in Stockholm, Sweden this April.
Participants will be submerged into foreign cultures and face top international competition.
"Maddox was superb," said Kathy Pippy, director of girls hockey for the Selects Hockey program. "She not only showed she has the skill to be a top hockey prospect but also demonstrated great leadership and passion on the ice."
Adair, O'Leary lead PHS boys reserve basketball team
PORTSMOUTH ? Kevin Adair and Danny O'Leary each had 11 points and six rebounds as the Portsmouth High School boys reserve basketball team beat Trinity, 60-31, on Monday.
Nathan Amundsen had 10 points and 10 rebounds for Portsmouth (5-5), while teammate Cole Musto had six points.
St. Pierre, Sullivan pace PHS girls reserve basketball team
PORTSMOUTH ? Amaya St. Pierre and Alexis Sullivan each scored six points for Portsmouth (9-1), while Katie Auger played well.
State St. Saloon, Back Channel Canvas win in city hoop league
PORTSMOUTH ? Chris Coates scored 31 points and Jon Jones added 29 as State Street Saloon defeated Marshall Rental Center, 100-84, in a Portsmouth Recreation Men's Basketball League game Monday night at Spinnaker Point.
Andrew Watt scored a game-high 32 points for Marshall Rental Center, while Charles Raye had 19 in the loss.
In other action, Ben Lindberg's 21 points led Back Channel Canvas Shop to a 73-58 win over Lizfit.net.
Ethan Betts added 19 points for Back Channel, while Mike Walcek and Graham Shaffer-Rais scored 16 and 15 points, respectively, for Lizfit.net.
Hampton lacrosse registration starts today at Lane Library
Registration for the upcoming Hampton Youth Lacrosse season is today and Thursday at Lane Library between 5 and 7:30 p.m.
The league is open to all boys and girls in grades 3 through 8 from Hampton, Seabrook, North Hampton and Hampton Falls. For more details, contact Don Sexton at donald.sexton@comcast.net.
UNH's Frame named America East Player of the Week
DURHAM ? Morgan Frame, a senior forward on the University of New Hampshire women's basketball team, was honored as America East Player of the Week on Monday.
Frame, of Waterville, Maine, led UNH to its first America East conference victory of the season ? a 63-62 win against Maryland-Baltimore County at Lundholm Gym on Jan. 9 ? with season-highs in both points (20) and rebounds (12).
Frame is second on the Wildcats in scoring (10.6) and rebounding (7.1) this season.
UNH (6-9 overall, 1-2 America East) returns to action Wednesday (noon) at Albany.
Serena, defending champion both advance at Aussie Open
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) ? Serena Williams tumbled to the court and needed a medical timeout in the first set for treatment on her right ankle. Once she got up, it was all over for Edina Gallovits-Hall.
Williams routed Gallovits-Hall 6-0, 6-0 in the first round of the Australian Open on Tuesday despite the scary sequence in the first part of the match.
The No. 3-ranked Williams is favored to win the season's first major, rolling into Melbourne Park with 35 wins in her previous 36 matches, including titles at Wimbledon, the London Olympics and the U.S. Open. But the injury could be a significant setback as she seeks a third consecutive Grand Slam title.
Defending champion Victoria Azarenka also advanced, overcoming a wobble in the second set to beat Monica Niculescu 6-1, 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena. Andy Murray won his first match as a Grand Slam champion, beating Robin Haase of the Netherlands in straight sets.
Autopsy: Chiefs' Belcher
drunk at time of murder-suicide
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) ? An autopsy shows that Kansas City Chiefs linebacker and former University of Maine standout Jovan Belcher was legally drunk when he shot his girlfriend nine times and then killed himself.
The Jackson County Medical Examiner released the results of autopsies performed on Belcher and his 22-year-old girlfriend, Kasandra Perkins, following their deaths on Dec. 1.
Police say Belcher killed Perkins at the couple's Kansas City home, then drove to the team's practice site and committed suicide in front of his coach and general manager. The autopsy report released Monday says Perkins was shot in the neck, chest, abdomen, hip, back, leg and hand. Belcher's blood-alcohol level was 0.17, and was likely higher at the time of the shooting. The legal limit is 0.08 percent.
Seacoast Cal Ripken winter baseball clinic offered
A Seacoast Cal Ripken winter baseball clinic is being offered at Seacoast United Indoor Sports Complex in Hampton for all interested Hampton, North Hampton and Hampton Falls players between the ages of 8 and 12 beginning Friday, Jan. 25 or Feb. 1 and running every other week through Friday, March 29. Players will be separated into small training groups of no more than eight and the cost is $60 for five sessions over the 10-week span. Clinic times will be one-hour slots beginning between 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and the focus each week will change to include fielding, hitting and pitching.
The exact training times, and which week your child begins, will be issued shortly after registration closes. Visit www.SeacoastRipken.com and go to the registration page to sign up. Contact Scott Gallant at 944-3660 or email him at sgallant@bluewatermtg.com with questions.
Coach registration open for Seacoast Cal Ripken baseball
Anyone interested in being a head coach or assistant coach for the 2013 Seacoast Cal Ripken baseball season can now visit the registration page at www.SeacoastRipken.com to sign up. This is for COACHES ONLY. Player registration will begin at the end of January. Once you sign up, you will need to become a certified Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth coach if you are not already. No coaching experience is necessary, and training will be provided.
We reserve the right to remove any content at any time from this Community, including without limitation if it violates the Community Rules. We ask that you report content that you in good faith believe violates the above rules by clicking the Flag link next to the offending comment or fill out this form. New comments are only accepted for two weeks from the date of publication.
I agree with wanting it to just end, but look at how it's affecting apple. They are losing market share and there stock is dropping daily. The only people they're hurting is themselves, so let em continue with their bullsh*t.
11.Droid_X_Dougposted on2 hours ago20
It is ending. Apple is just in denial. I doubt Apple will get their hearing request granted. That in-and-of-itself should send a pretty strong hint to Apple. The question is whether they get the hint.
2.imkyleposted on4 hours ago20
Apple the only thing you should be worried about is whether Samsung will be the top cell phone seller all 4 quarters in 2013 and not just quarter 4 like last year.
10.richardyarrell2011posted on2 hours ago10
It's pretty much a sad conclusion with Apple. Piss on apple Samsung rules this space.
20.JohnnyBravoposted on36 min ago00
Samsung will continue to rule the smartphone wars against Apple. They have the momentum and their products keep getting better and better every upgrade. 2013 will be a CRUCIAL year for Apple in the smartphone sector. To stay relevant they need to release a MASSIVE iOS improvement update that at least has to be on par with what is out now. I would not improve a damn thing about the exterior of the iPhone as it is a thing of beauty but the software is so damn boring and restrictive!!!
My american side of me wants to stick up for Apple, however, I am not happy with how Apple carries on their business. They think there consumers are idiots! They dont give them enough credit. Unfortunately that worked for a little while but now that the consumer is getting smarter about smartphones and what entails a decent smartphone device its begining to hurt Apple. Hell even my almost 60 year old parents think Apple is lame and are now leaning towards Android when it comes to smartphones. Tablets is a different story...they love their iPad! No doubt about it Apple rules the tablet sector.
3.InspectorGadget80posted on4 hours ago51
Had bout enough with this b.s. law suit. The stupid judge should should let samsung continue selling the galaxy nexus it was google popular nexus phone. She needs to think bout the consumers not the money shes recieved by u know who.
4.nyamoposted on4 hours ago30
why are they trying to ban a year old phone? not like the nexus sales ever made that big of a splash anyway
18.JohnnyBravoposted on47 min ago00
First of all my dude the Galaxy Nexus is still one hella phone. There are only a couple items that I would change on that phone: Camera bump to 8MP and improved battery life. Other than that it is a solid well rounded device period. Secondly, it isnt because this phone is hurting Apple, the Galaxy Nexus was never a threat to Apple, its all about driving it deeper to Samsung. This 604 Siri patent founded or not is all Apple has on this device so they are going to use it and push it until they get the results they want. It would be another notch on Apples belt against Samsung. Lets face it these two companies hate each other, which drives them to create better products. So the in the end we the consumer are the winners of all these amazing devices but the "patent wars" ruins it for everyone!!! arrrghhhhh!!!
5.joey_sfbposted on3 hours ago60
I hate apple for their bulls**t lawsuits. Yeh!, apple spend more time researching new tech and stop recycling old 2009 tech and claim others hurt your sales with bulls**t rectangle round patent.
You ask for $50 per infringing Samsung unit sold amounting to billons of dollars but aren't willing to pay more than $1 dollar for other's patents.
Does Thermonuclear mean zero in integrity as well??
6.james23posted on3 hours ago30
Apple should be concentrating how they can beat samsung, cause they are being left behind will all the New Technology coming out, This just Fuels Samsung to get stronger and better, Apple is going to loose this fight.
21.InspectorGadget80posted on19 min ago00
not to mention YOUM samsung flexible bendable OLED SCREEN
8.quawy2013posted on2 hours ago20
Apple nneds to get they products right before they come for sammy
9.Mxyzptlkposted on2 hours ago23
They could make an entire series out of all te courtroom lawsuit drama.
13.darkkjediiposted on1 hour ago31
Myx I like apple too, but dude this has gotten ridiculous. It's like apples trying to stymie the competition, cuz they can't out innovate them. I think they're losing their creative edge.
17.tedkordposted on48 min ago10
Thats exactly what they're doing. Its their M.O. Has been since they stole the GUI from Xerox, which they then tried to sue MS for also stealing it.
14.-SEUL8TR-posted on1 hour ago00
When was the last time you ever posted a positive post....?
12.darkkjediiposted on2 hours ago41
Apple chill out, you're losing your appeal. Samsung is starting to take over, cuz they simply innovate while u litigate. Your OS while sold is stagnant, and outdated, the device is too small, and restrictive, and the battery life is only adequate...and this is coming from an owner of your products (ip5/ipad3). I recently re acquired the note 2, and all I can say is WOWWWWWWWW!!!!
15.-SEUL8TR-posted on1 hour ago00
N13 + n12 +1 one from me! Why can't they all just innovate instead of litigating, its bad for us, the public!
19.tedkordposted on45 min ago00
Because they know, from experience (Mac vs. PC) that they can't win. One walled garden cannot keep up with multiple open companies all trying to out do eachother, innovation wise.
NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) ? Newtown first-grader Katelyn Sullivan has been sleeping in her parents' bed since last month's massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary school.
Katelyn, who attends another school in town, knew seven of the victims. They were in her Sunday school or dance class, or just friends. But on this day, the 6-year-old wasn't thinking about bad men or death. She was meeting soccer stars such as Mia Hamm and Landon Donovan, and kicking a ball around the field at the Newtown Youth Academy, a nonprofit sports center.
"The best part was probably playing soccer," she said. "I was playing with professional players, but I don't know who they were."
She just shrugged when her parents mentioned that one was Alexi Lalas, the retired star of the U.S. national team.
Since the tragedy, Katelyn and her two older brothers also have met members of the Harlem Globetrotters and the UConn men's basketball team. Brooklyn Nets forward Kris Humphries picked Katelyn up at one event to help her dunk a basketball.
But what mattered to her parents was their children were having fun.
"It's just been huge," said Joe Sullivan, Katelyn's father. "It's a pick-me-up for the community and the kids to get back to a little bit of a sense of normalcy and to kind of take their minds off of everything that has happened."
The sports world began responding shortly after the 20 children and six adults were killed inside the school Dec. 14.
New York Giants receiver Victor Cruz came to play tag football and video games with the family and friends of victim Jack Pinto, after learning the 6-year-old shooting victim was to be buried in a replica of Cruz's jersey. The Giants later hosted families from Sandy Hook at a game.
"I didn't want to go in there and make a speech," Cruz said. "I just wanted to go and spend some time with them and be someone they could talk to, and be someone they can vent to, talk about how much of a fan they are of the team, or different times they watched the Super Bowl."
Later in the month, NBA and NHL stars helped lead a series of clinics and games for Newtown children at the Chelsea Piers sports center in nearby Stamford. Pro Lacrosse players did the same in Newtown.
And college hockey players from the University of New Haven came to help staff the center when it opened its doors to Newtown children to come in and play.
The media has been barred from most of the events.
"We made sure everyone understood that if they were coming, they had to be playing with the kids," said Kaki Taylor, who helped organize the events at the youth academy. "This isn't a public relations opportunity. It's about the kids. Everyone has been great about that."
Gold medal gymnast Aly Raisman visited the center and a local gymnastics school, where one little girl told her it was the best day of her life.
"A lot of the kids who died were young gymnasts, so I felt like I had connection to them," Raisman said. "It was such an easy thing to do to go and hang out with them. It made me feel really good to do something for them."
Peter D'Amico, who owns the youth center, said he's taken calls from pro and college teams from all over. Some have offered free equipment, others want to invite the kids to games, still others want to come to town to hold events such as last week's MLS-sponsored Soccer Day in Newtown. The evening of autographs and games included 40 players and more than 1,000 kids.
Many others have sent money.
The Orange Bowl Committee, host of the BCS Championship, donated $80,120 to a scholarship fund for Sandy Hook children being set up by the University of Connecticut.
The New England Patriots donated $25,000 to the town. Patriots owner Robert Kraft's family also owns a corrugated box plant in Newtown.
"What we are trying to ensure is this doesn't end in a couple of weeks," D'Amico said. "The Yankees, Mets and Red Sox might be doing something this summer with the Little League. The Patriots are talking about something next football season."
Nathan Grube, the director of the PGA Tour's Connecticut stop, the Travelers Championship, said they are keeping that message in mind and are making plans to do something during the tournament in June. Officials at Madison Square Garden say they are planning something big that will be announced in the near future.
Hamm, the retired soccer star, said nobody in the sports world is under an illusion that they can make all the pain and suffering go away. But athletes remember what it was like to be a young child and have a sports hero, she said. If they can show the kids that their heroes care about them, well, that might just be a little something.
"If you're a kid, you shouldn't have to be thinking about these things," Lalas said. "You should be having fun. You should be kicking me in the shins and trying to put the ball through my legs and making fun of my hair. Making them smile, that's what this is all about."
Dr. Marian Moca, a child psychiatrist at the UConn Health Center, said what the athletes are doing is important, and creates a sense of caring, support and safety the kids need at this time.
"They also play an important role as role models for these kids," he said, "and are teaching them empathy and altruism, which I think is important too."
UConn basketball coach Kevin Ollie said it's not just the kids who benefit.
"They are inspiring us in the way they are overcoming this," he said. "It's been a blessing and a privilege for me. It's a life lesson for us too."
____
AP sports writers Nancy Armour, Tom Canavan and Brian Mahoney contributed to this report.
With the popping of cables and the snapping of metal, a 200-foot crane collapsed onto a building under construction near the East River waterfront Wednesday, injuring seven people, three of whom needed to be extricated from underneath the fallen machinery.
The red crane toppled around 2:30 p.m., sprawling across the metal scaffolding and wood planking that made up the first floor skeleton of a residential building in the New York City borough of Queens behind a big neon "Pepsi Cola" sign, a local landmark. Workers putting up the second floor framework scrambled to get out of the way.
"Once that snap came, that was it," said Russell Roberson, 32, of Brooklyn. "I just heard guys yelling, 'Run, run!"
The people who had to be extricated from underneath the crane suffered a range of injuries, broken bones being the most severe, Deputy Fire Chief Mark Ferran said. He said emergency services personnel didn't need heavy machinery to get them out. None of the injuries was life-threatening.
Preston White, 48, a carpenter from the Bronx, was working his first day at the site in the Long Island City neighborhood. He had turned to speak to a friend when he heard a popping sound and turned back around.
At that moment, "I saw the cable whipping toward the deck. ... You could just hear it buckling," White said.
The impact shook the scaffolding he was on.
The crane cut down the framework of the building "like a hot knife in butter," White said, because there was no concrete on it yet.
Roberson said the crane had been up since the weekend - and went down really fast.
City officials went up in a cherry picker while investigating the accident.
Tony Sclafani, a spokesman for the city's Department of Building, said their engineers were investigating the cause of the collapse.
"This is a mobile crane, whose boom collapsed onto the building under construction," Sclafani said.
He said the crash happened at the site of a project for a 25-story apartment building under contract by TF Cornerstone, a residential and commercial real estate developer and property management company. The company said it was working with authorities to help determine what caused the crash.
Construction cranes have been a source of safety worries in the city since two giant rigs collapsed within two months of each other in Manhattan in 2008, killing a total of nine people.
Those accidents spurred the resignation of the city's buildings commissioner and fueled new safety measures, including hiring more inspectors and expanding training requirements and inspection checklists.
Another crane fell and killed a worker in April at a construction site for a new subway line. That rig was exempt from most city construction safety rules because it was working for a state-overseen agency that runs the subway system.
During Superstorm Sandy in late October, a construction crane atop a $1.5 billion luxury high-rise in midtown Manhattan collapsed in high winds and danged precariously for several days until it could be tethered.
Sending and receiving text messages is the MOST popular method cell phone owners communicate with each other. From a psychological stand point this is understandable because sending and receiving text messages is a very low commitment and low pressure method of communication compared to phone calls.
From the perspective of spying on a cell phone, or rather, the owner of a cell phone this means the ability to spy on the SMS of a mobile device is the most important and most revealing feature of mobile tracking software. The good news is literally every single mobile tracking software program allows you to monitor their phones text messages. This means you have a ton of options and you do not have to spend much money at all. In fact for as little as $49 you can have full access to the following information regarding their cell phones SMS communications:
See every single text they send and receive.
See the exact time every one is sent and received.
See if each messages is an incoming or outgoing.
See the phone numbers they are sent to and received from. This is extremely powerful because the phone numbers they are communicating with can be input into some sort of reverse phone lookup tool which will allow you to view detailed information about the other person such as their name and wehre they live.
See the exact contents of every single message exactly as they were sent and received.
Whether you are in a relationship concerned your love partner is cheating or you are a parent wanting to monitor all of the communications regarding your son or daughters phone this information you can monitor is invaluable. Keep in mind ALL mobile tracking programs allow you to track much more than text messages. You will also be able to freely monitor calls, emails sent and received, web sites visited by their mobile browser and even see their physical location at all times. The quality of these different monitoring features varies from spy app to spy app but the good news is the quality of the text messages spy feature is really great no matter which app you choose.
How Text Message Spying Works
Once the text monitoring app has been installed (either to their cell phone or to your computer) the app silently and invisibly monitors for texts sent and received. As soon as either happens the app will relay this information either to the phone spy members area OR directly in the software programs main window (in the case of remote phone spy). Even if they immediately delete every message as soon as they get it you will still be able to see it.
If you've cancelled your home phone service, but still yearn for handsets peppered throughout the house, Ion's Bluetooth Cordless Phone Station could fill that void. Slotting a cellphone into the base, which also functions as a charger, allows a trio of satellite handsets to make calls using the docked device via Bluetooth and DECT 6.0 tech. If design and conference calls ares on your mind, Ion's rolled also out a saucer-shaped speakerphone system dubbed Talking Point. The glossy disc connects to smartphones via Bluetooth, packs a top-facing speaker and multiple microphones for capturing audio from several directions. Also tagging along is the Phone Station Plus, which packs stereo speakers, an LCD display and condenser mic, and allows Bluetooth-enabled cellphones to use it as a speakerphone rig. Journey past the jump for the press release, glamour shots and a handful of hands-on photos.
BRIDGEPORT, Calif. (AP) ? Grammy-nominated R&B singer Frank Ocean has temporarily lost his driver's license and faces a marijuana possession charge after police say he was pulled over twice on the final days of the year in California's Eastern Sierra Nevada for driving more than 90 mph in 65 mph zones.
The Mono County Sheriff's Department said officers first stopped Ocean's black BMW on Dec. 30 as he was heading northbound on U.S. 395 near Keoughs, and cited him for speeding.
Ocean was pulled over again on New Year's Eve at about 4:30 p.m. as he was heading southbound on U.S. 395 at about the same speed.
The second time, sheriff's spokeswoman Jennifer Hansen said a strong odor of marijuana wafted out as a deputy approached the vehicle.
Hansen said the deputy found a small bag of marijuana on the 25-year-old Ocean, whose legal name is Christopher Edwin Breaux, and cited him for marijuana possession.
California Highway Patrol Sgt. Andrew Thompson said a CHP officer also gave the Beverly Hills resident a verbal warning about his speed and cited Ocean for driving with a suspended driver's license and having tinted front windows. Ocean's license was confiscated and a passenger who was traveling with the popular crooner was allowed to drive the vehicle away, Thompson said.
Ocean's representative Heathcliff Berru declined comment on Thursday.
ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigerian police have arrested most of the suspects in bombings that killed hundreds of people in the past two years, President Goodluck Jonathan said.
An Islamist insurgency in Nigeria's impoverished north has intensified since Jonathan, a southern Christian, came to office in 2010. It represents the most serious threat to Africa's most populous nation.
At least 32 people have died in the past week in gun and bomb attacks in the northeast, where Islamist group Boko Haram is strongest, but Jonathan said the violence was temporary.
"Most of these terror suspects have been arrested," he said at a New Year's Day church service in the capital Abuja on Tuesday.
"These people involved in some of these crimes - like bombing of the Catholic Church in Niger state, bombing of the United Nations building, bombing of the police headquarters - have been arrested. These are momentary challenges."
He did not say who was detained and when, or whether they would face trial. The attacks he listed all took place in 2011.
Jonathan has said several times that the authorities are winning the battle against Boko Haram, but officials have given few details on how they are clamping down on its activities.
A ramp-up in security across northern towns and cities ensured Christmas violence was more muted than in the previous two years, when dozens were killed in church bombings.
Boko Haram, which is loosely based on the Afghan Taliban, is trying to impose Islamic law on the country of more than 160 million, which is split roughly equally between Christians and Muslims.
Jonathan has been criticized for using solely a military approach to the unrest, pushing young Muslims disillusioned with his government into joining Boko Haram.
(Reporting by Felix Onuah and Camillus Eboh; Writing by Joe Brock; Editing by Tom Pfeiffer)
Jan. 2, 2013 ? A new ray of hope has broken through the clouded outcomes associated with Alzheimer's disease. A new research report published in January 2013 print issue of the FASEB Journal by scientists from the National Institutes of Health shows that when a molecule called TFP5 is injected into mice with disease that is the equivalent of human Alzheimer's, symptoms are reversed and memory is restored -- without obvious toxic side effects.
"We hope that clinical trial studies in AD patients should yield an extended and a better quality of life as observed in mice upon TFP5 treatment," said Harish C. Pant, Ph.D., a senior researcher involved in the work from the Laboratory of Neurochemistry at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders at Stroke at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. "Therefore, we suggest that TFP5 should be an effective therapeutic compound."
To make this discovery, Pant and colleagues used mice with a disease considered the equivalent of Alzheimer's. One set of these mice were injected with the small molecule TFP5, while the other was injected with saline as placebo. The mice, after a series of intraperitoneal injections of TFP5, displayed a substantial reduction in the various disease symptoms along with restoration of memory loss. In addition, the mice receiving TFP5 injections experienced no weight loss, neurological stress (anxiety) or signs of toxicity. The disease in the placebo mice, however, progressed normally as expected. TFP5 was derived from the regulator of a key brain enzyme, called Cdk5. The over activation of Cdk5 is implicated in the formation of plaques and tangles, the major hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.
"The next step is to find out if this molecule can have the same effects in people, and if not, to find out which molecule will," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of the FASEB Journal. "Now that we know that we can target the basic molecular defects in Alzheimer's disease, we can hope for treatments far better -- and more specific -- than anything we have today."
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
V. Shukla, Y.-L. Zheng, S. K. Mishra, N. D. Amin, J. Steiner, P. Grant, S. Kesavapany, H. C. Pant. A truncated peptide from p35, a Cdk5 activator, prevents Alzheimer's disease phenotypes in model mice. The FASEB Journal, 2012; 27 (1): 174 DOI: 10.1096/fj.12-217497
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.
No need for routine repeated CT scans after mild head trauma, reports neurosurgeryPublic release date: 3-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Connie Hughes Connie.Hughes@wolterskluwer.com 646-674-6348 Wolters Kluwer Health
If patient is stable, repeated scans unlikely to affect treatment
Philadelphia, Pa. (January 3, 2013) When initial computed tomography (CT) scans show bleeding within the brain after mild head injury, decisions about repeated CT scans should be based on the patient's neurological condition, according to a report in the January issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.
The study questions the need for routinely obtaining repeated CT scans in patients with mild head trauma. "The available evidence indicates that it is unnecessary to schedule a repeat CT scan after mild head injury when patients are unchanged or improving neurologically," according to the study by Dr. Saleh Almenawer and colleagues of McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont., Canada.
Are Repeated Scans Necessary after Mild Head Trauma?
In a review of their hospital's trauma database, the researchers identified 445 adult patients with mild head injury who had evidence of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH)bleeding within the brainon an initial CT scan. In many trauma centers, it's standard practice to schedule a second CT scan within 24 hours after ICH is detected, to make sure that the bleeding has not progressed.
To evaluate the need for routine repeated scans, Dr. Almenawer and colleagues looked at how many patients needed surgery or other additional treatments, and whether the change in treatment was triggered by changes in the patients' neurological condition or based on the routine CT scan alone. (For patients whose neurological condition worsened, CT was performed immediately.)
Overall, 5.6 percent of the patients required a change in treatment after the second CT scan. Most of these patients underwent surgery (craniectomy) to relieve pressure on the brain. Nearly all patients who underwent further treatment developed neurological changes leading to immediate CT scanning.
Just two patients had a change in treatment based solely on routine repeated CT scans. Both of these patients received a drug (mannitol) to reduce intracranial pressure, rather than surgery
Decisions on CT Scans Can Be Based on Neurological Status
Dr. Almenawer and colleagues extended the same method to patients reported in 15 previous studies of CT scanning after mild head injury. Including the 445 new patients, the analysis included a total of 2,693 patients. Overall, 2.7 percent of patients had a change in management based on neurological changes. In contrast, just 0.6 percent had treatment changes based on CT scans only.
Bleeding within the brain is a potentially life-threatening condition, prompting routine repeated CT scans after even mild head injury. The researchers write, "Although CT scanners are very useful tools, in an era of diminishing resources and a need to justify medical costs, this practice needs to be evaluated." Each scan also exposes the patient to radiation, contributing to increased cancer risk.
The new study questions the need for routine repeated CT scans, as long as the patient's neurological condition is improving or stable. "In the absence of supporting data, we question the value of routine follow-up imaging given the associated accumulative increase in cost and risks," Dr. Almenawer and coauthors conclude.
Neurological examination is the "simple yet important" predictive factor leading to changes in treatment and guiding the need for repeat CT scanning after mild head injury, the researchers add. They emphasize that their findings don't necessarily apply to patients with more severe head injury.
###
About Neurosurgery
Neurosurgery, the Official Journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, is your most complete window to the contemporary field of neurosurgery. Members of the Congress and non-member subscribers receive 3,000 pages per year packed with the very latest science, technology, and medicine, not to mention full-text online access to the world's most complete, up-to-the-minute neurosurgery resource. For professionals aware of the rapid pace of developments in the field, Neurosurgery is nothing short of indispensable.
About Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) is a leading international publisher of trusted content delivered in innovative ways to practitioners, professionals and students to learn new skills, stay current on their practice, and make important decisions to improve patient care and clinical outcomes.
LWW is part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company with 2011 annual revenues of 3.4 billion ($4.7 billion).
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
No need for routine repeated CT scans after mild head trauma, reports neurosurgeryPublic release date: 3-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Connie Hughes Connie.Hughes@wolterskluwer.com 646-674-6348 Wolters Kluwer Health
If patient is stable, repeated scans unlikely to affect treatment
Philadelphia, Pa. (January 3, 2013) When initial computed tomography (CT) scans show bleeding within the brain after mild head injury, decisions about repeated CT scans should be based on the patient's neurological condition, according to a report in the January issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.
The study questions the need for routinely obtaining repeated CT scans in patients with mild head trauma. "The available evidence indicates that it is unnecessary to schedule a repeat CT scan after mild head injury when patients are unchanged or improving neurologically," according to the study by Dr. Saleh Almenawer and colleagues of McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont., Canada.
Are Repeated Scans Necessary after Mild Head Trauma?
In a review of their hospital's trauma database, the researchers identified 445 adult patients with mild head injury who had evidence of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH)bleeding within the brainon an initial CT scan. In many trauma centers, it's standard practice to schedule a second CT scan within 24 hours after ICH is detected, to make sure that the bleeding has not progressed.
To evaluate the need for routine repeated scans, Dr. Almenawer and colleagues looked at how many patients needed surgery or other additional treatments, and whether the change in treatment was triggered by changes in the patients' neurological condition or based on the routine CT scan alone. (For patients whose neurological condition worsened, CT was performed immediately.)
Overall, 5.6 percent of the patients required a change in treatment after the second CT scan. Most of these patients underwent surgery (craniectomy) to relieve pressure on the brain. Nearly all patients who underwent further treatment developed neurological changes leading to immediate CT scanning.
Just two patients had a change in treatment based solely on routine repeated CT scans. Both of these patients received a drug (mannitol) to reduce intracranial pressure, rather than surgery
Decisions on CT Scans Can Be Based on Neurological Status
Dr. Almenawer and colleagues extended the same method to patients reported in 15 previous studies of CT scanning after mild head injury. Including the 445 new patients, the analysis included a total of 2,693 patients. Overall, 2.7 percent of patients had a change in management based on neurological changes. In contrast, just 0.6 percent had treatment changes based on CT scans only.
Bleeding within the brain is a potentially life-threatening condition, prompting routine repeated CT scans after even mild head injury. The researchers write, "Although CT scanners are very useful tools, in an era of diminishing resources and a need to justify medical costs, this practice needs to be evaluated." Each scan also exposes the patient to radiation, contributing to increased cancer risk.
The new study questions the need for routine repeated CT scans, as long as the patient's neurological condition is improving or stable. "In the absence of supporting data, we question the value of routine follow-up imaging given the associated accumulative increase in cost and risks," Dr. Almenawer and coauthors conclude.
Neurological examination is the "simple yet important" predictive factor leading to changes in treatment and guiding the need for repeat CT scanning after mild head injury, the researchers add. They emphasize that their findings don't necessarily apply to patients with more severe head injury.
###
About Neurosurgery
Neurosurgery, the Official Journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, is your most complete window to the contemporary field of neurosurgery. Members of the Congress and non-member subscribers receive 3,000 pages per year packed with the very latest science, technology, and medicine, not to mention full-text online access to the world's most complete, up-to-the-minute neurosurgery resource. For professionals aware of the rapid pace of developments in the field, Neurosurgery is nothing short of indispensable.
About Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) is a leading international publisher of trusted content delivered in innovative ways to practitioners, professionals and students to learn new skills, stay current on their practice, and make important decisions to improve patient care and clinical outcomes.
LWW is part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company with 2011 annual revenues of 3.4 billion ($4.7 billion).
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Android (4.0+)/Web: PushBullet is a webapp and companion Android app that makes it simple to get files, documents, addresses, lists, and plain text?just about anything you want?from your desktop into your Android phone's notifications pane. From there, you can open it directly in any application you choose. 
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Public release date: 18-Jan-2013
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