NASA Mars Satellite Snaps 1st Public-Picked Photos

"NASA today said it took eight high-resolution photos of Mars that were chosen through a public suggestion box the space agency put up in January. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, or HiRISE camera, aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is nicknamed 'the people's camera,' NASA stated. Through the suggestion box known as HiWish, NASA has received nearly 1,000 suggestions. The first eight images of areas the public selected are available online."

http://science.slashdot.org/story/10/03/31/2052217/NASA-Mars-Satellite-Snaps-1st-Public-Picked-Photos

"Supertaskers" Can Safely Use Mobile Phones While Driving

"While most of us are dangerous when texting, chatting on a phone or being otherwise distracted while driving, one in 40 are actually just fine with such distractions. In a small study, such 'supertaskers' were just as good at driving when carrying on a conversation over a hands-free phone as they were when fully focused. That said, the researchers warned that most people are much worse at driving while chatting and shouldn't do it, adding: 'Given the number of individuals who routinely talk on the phone while driving, one would have hoped that there would be a greater percentage of supertaskers.'"

http://tech.slashdot.org/story/10/03/31/2154207/Supertaskers-Can-Safely-Use-Mobile-Phones-While-Driving

Your Rights Online: Microsoft Claims Google Chrome Steals Your Privacy

"Microsoft is going on the offensive against Google, accusing the search giant of creating a browser that does not respect user privacy. The company posted a video, embedded below, on TechNet Edge with the following description: 'Watch a demo on how Google Chrome collects every keystroke you make and how Internet Explorer 8 keeps your information private through two address bars and In Private browsing.' Microsoft's first criticism is Chrome's combining the address bar and the search box into a single entry box; IE8 keeps those fields separate. 'By keeping these boxes separate, your privacy is better protected and the addresses of the sites you're visiting aren't automatically shared with Microsoft, or anyone else,' says IE product manager Pete LePage."

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/03/31/2223228/Microsoft-Claims-Google-Chrome-Steals-Your-Privacy

Science: World's Smallest Superconductor Discovered

"One of the barriers to the development of nanoscale electronics has potentially been eliminated, as scientists have discovered the world's smallest superconductor. Made up of four pairs of molecules, and measuring just 0.87nm, the superconductor could potentially be used as a nanoscale interconnect in electronic devices, but without the heat and power dissipation problems associated with standard metal conductors."

http://science.slashdot.org/story/10/03/31/2237238/Worlds-Smallest-Superconductor-Discovered

Science: Fossil of Ant-Eating Dinosaur Discovered In China

"Charles Q. Choi of LiveScience reports that a farmer in southern Henan Province in China has dug up the first known ant-eating dinosaur, a half-meter-long theropod (the dinosaur family to which T. Rex belongs), whose fossilized remains were described as 'fairly intact'. The 83- to 89-million-year-old pygmy dinosaur has been named named Xixianykus zhangi by Xig Xu, De-you Wang, Corwin Sullivan, David Hone, Feng-lu Han, Rong-hao Yan, and Fu-ming Du, whose paper on the critter, A basal parvicursorine (Theropoda: Alvarezsauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous of China, was published in the March 29 issue of Zootaxa (the abstract is available in PDF format for free, the full article is paywall-protected.)"

http://science.slashdot.org/story/10/03/31/2243236/Fossil-of-Ant-Eating-Dinosaur-Discovered-In-China

Linux: Gnome 2.30 Released

"The GNOME project is proud to release this new version of the GNOME desktop environment and developer platform. Among the hundreds of bug fixes and user-requested improvements, GNOME 2.30 has several highly visible changes: new features for advanced file management, better remote desktop experience, easier notes synchronization and a generally smoother user experience. Learn more about GNOME 2.30 through the detailed release notes and the press release."

http://linux.slashdot.org/story/10/04/01/0149232/Gnome-230-Released

18 gunmen killed in attacks on Mexican army bases

VILLAHERMOSA, Mexico – Dozens of gunmen mounted rare and apparently coordinated attacks targeting two army garrisons in northern Mexico, touching off firefights that killed 18 attackers.

The attempts to blockade soldiers inside their bases — part of seven near-simultaneous attacks across two northern states — appeared to mark a serious escalation in Mexico's drug war, in which cartel gunmen attacked in unit-size forces armed with bulletproof vehicles, dozens of hand grenades and assault rifles.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100401/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_drug_war_mexico;_ylt=Ai3n7CBWYwj6RKYkRdQ7RQys0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFiYWJrZ2U3BHBvcwM1MgRzZWMDYWNjb3JkaW9uX3dvcmxkBHNsawMxOGd1bm1lbmtpbGw-

Japan business confidence rises, central bank says

TOKYO – Confidence at Japanese companies rose for a fourth straight quarter amid growing faith in the global economic recovery, a key central bank report showed Thursday.

In the Bank of Japan's quarterly "tankan" survey of business sentiment, the main index for large manufacturers stood at minus 14, an 11-point improvement from three months ago.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100401/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_economy;_ylt=AobaIVgXozxDX1jbRqIYAVus0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNrdGV2NGxlBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwNDAxL2FzX2phcGFuX2Vjb25vbXkEY2NvZGUDbW9zdHBvcHVsYXIEY3BvcwM2BHBvcwMzBHB0A2hvbWVfY29rZQRzZWMDeW5faGVhZGxpbmVfbGlzdARzbGsDamFwYW5idXNpbmVz

A testy test drive in Chevy's new Volt

"How did you like it?" Bob Lutz asks me. It, in this case, is Chevrolet's Volt, the electric –drive vehicle that the company is introducing this year. And this is a loaded question, since Lutz is GM's soon-to-retire vice chairman, a Detroit design deity who put style back into GM's line, and the ultimate car nut. Volt is the product GM's on-again, off-again affair with electrics, but the company will put Volt into production later this year and, needless to say, GM has a lot riding on every new vehicle it introduces. So do you, since as a taxpayer you are a part owner of GM. Chevy hasn't announced pricing on the Volt, but Nissan just said that its new all-electric Leaf will be priced at $32,780, before the $7,500 federal tax credit. Chevy brought Volt to town for the New York International Auto Show, so I got my first test drive today.


Read more: http://curiouscapitalist.blogs.time.com/2010/03/30/a-testy-test-drive-in-chevys-new-volt/?xid=rss-topstories#ixzz0jpMYaOzn

Why Internet connections are fastest in South Korea

Editor's Note: Which 17 countries have faster Internet connections than the United States? See our Internet speed map.

(CNN) -- People in the United States basically invented the Internet. So U.S. connections must be the fastest and cheapest in the world, right?

Not so much.

Broadband Internet speeds in the United States are only about one-fourth as fast as those in South Korea, the world leader, according to the Internet monitoring firm Akamai.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/03/31/broadband.south.korea/?hpt=C2

Area 51 vets break silence: Sorry, but no space aliens or UFOs

VANCOUVER, Wash. — After nearly five decades, guys like James Noce finally get to tell their stories about Area 51.

Yes, that Area 51.

The one that gets brought up when people talk about secret Air Force projects, crashed UFOs, alien bodies and, of course, conspiracies.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011461015_area51vets28m.html

Prostate drug may work as a preventive

Men at an above-normal risk of prostate cancer may be able to reduce their risk of developing the disease by taking a drug already on the market.

In research reported Wednesday, the drug dutasteride, currently used to shrink enlarged prostates, was found to reduce the risk of prostate cancer by about a quarter in high-risk men. The medication, sold under the brand name Avodart, apparently caused small tumors to stop growing or even to shrink, researchers reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-prostate1-2010apr01,0,2741240.story

States Challenge New Health Care Law

Governors of three states have signed "Freedom Acts" prohibiting implementation of federal health care reform legislation as resistance to the Health Care Reform Act surfaces in state governments.

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert signed H.B. 67 into law last week, which "prohibits an individual in this state from being required to purchase health insurance," and authorizes the state legislature to approve or deny federal reform legislation.


http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/32483/

Risk of offshore drilling is clear; payoff isn't

WASHINGTON — In proposing a major expansion of offshore oil and gas development, President Barack Obama set out to fashion a carefully balanced plan that would attract bipartisan support for climate and energy legislation while increasing production of domestic oil.

It is not clear that the plan announced Wednesday will do either.

http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_14797642

‘Idol’ elimination leaves a singer brokenhearted

Wasn't this supposed to be the year of the girls on "American Idol"?

So far, not so much. Didi Benami became the third in a row voted off, finishing in 10th place. Unlike Lacey Brown and Paige Miles, who went before her, she'll get to sing in the "Idol" summer tour, and if she can channel the vocals she brought to her version of "Rhiannon" on Wednesday, we may not have heard the last of her.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36127221/ns/entertainment-reality_tv/

'Clash of the Titans'? The gods must be crazy

There's nothing worse than a boring behemoth.

In Clash of the Titans, the immortals on Mount Olympus threaten to dispatch a gargantuan creature known as a Kraken when mortal soldiers declare war on them. Humans quake in their sandals at the thought of encountering such a beast.

But when the rampaging fiend finally appears, it's a big yawn — much like the rest of the film. This wannabe epic is overwrought and frenetic but not even sporadically exciting. Its most astounding achievement is the ability to be both chaotic and dull.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2010-04-01-clash01_ST_N.htm

Science in the public view: A good gamble

Researchers at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Geneva, did something gutsy but smart Tuesday: they revved the Large Hadron Collider up to a new energy level in full public view.

Happily for the dozens of scientists and engineers in attendance, the LHC successfully reached its goal of a 7 TeV energy level--two beams of protons each at 3.5 trillion electron-volt energies whizzed in opposite directions and eventually collided at several points in the gigantic underground ring-shaped particle accelerator.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-20001468-264.html

Roundup: The First Reviews of Apple’s iPad

The early reviews for the iPad are in, and they're certainly going to make Steve Jobs happy.

Apple handed out iPads to a few select publications a couple of days early, and the critical consensus is overwhelmingly positive.

The usual reviewers from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, as well as a few surprising newcomers to the Apple early reviews circuit, all praised the iPad for its epically long battery life (over 12 hours), impressive speed and beautiful touchscreen.

Priced between $500 and $830, the iPad is hitting stores Saturday.

Read More http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/04/roundup-ipad-reviews/#ixzz0jpKz9rir

YouTube Simplifies UI

Changes to YouTube's user interface are intended to make the site easier to use and to encourage visitors to watch more videos.

SAN BRUNO, Calif.—By the end of business on March 31, video-sharing site YouTube will have made some obvious—and not-so-obvious—changes to the user interface of its main page.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Data-Storage/YouTube-Simplifies-UI-in-Effort-to-Become-More-UserFriendly-326635/

UN Haiti donor pledges surpass targets at almost $10bn

The international community has pledged a total of $9.9bn (£6.5bn) in immediate and long-term aid to earthquake-hit Haiti at a UN donor conference.

The $5.3bn (£3.5bn) of support over the next two years exceeds the $4bn requested by the Haitian government to rebuild infrastructure.

"This is the down-payment Haiti needs for wholesale national renewal," UN chief Ban Ki-moon said in New York.

The 12 January quake killed 200,000 and left one million more homeless.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8596080.stm

Dagestan suicide bombings kill 12

The Russian republic is shaken by violence two days after suicide bomb attacks in Moscow's subway left 39 dead. Many fear that volatility in the mostly Muslim Caucasus region is spreading.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-dagestan1-2010apr01,0,7399991.story

Census 2010: Are you counted?

Wednesday is Census Day in the USA — the day that counts for counting where every American lives.

Now, the tough work for Census takers begins.

About 62 million households, or 52%, have mailed in the 10-question form that counts residents and gathers demographic data.

Census officials expect a surge in returns now that it's April 1 because the forms specifically ask who lives where on this date.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2010-03-31-census-day_N.htm

First Look: Britney's 2010 Candies Campaign

See the very first shots from Britney's 2010 Campaign for Candie's

Take a Look »

EU approves SriLankan Airlines' emissions monitoring plan

The European Union's competent authority has approved SriLankan Airlines' Annual Emission Monitoring Plan (AEM) to monitor exhaust emissions of its fleet of aircraft.
SriLankan was one of the first airlines in Asia to obtain approval for its AEM, continuing its pioneering role in conservation among airlines in the region।

http://www.dailymirror.lk/print/index.php/business/127-local/7279.html

Sri Lankan Airlines lures ladies with feats of all-female flying crew

Mar 31, 2010 (LBO) - Sri Lankan Airlines said it wants to encourage more young women to become pilots with the national carrier, pointing to recent flights by an all-female flying crew।
Sri Lankan Airlines’ lady pilots have "quietly revolutionized" aviation in Sri Lanka, with several international flights being carried out by all-female crews, the airline said in a statement।
Captain Anusha Siriratne and Junior First Officer Madini Chandradasa were the first all-female crew, operating a flight from Colombo to Trichy and back on November 1, 2009. Each leg on an Airbus A320 aircraft took one hour

http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/fullstory.php?nid=828942002

WarioWare D.I.Y.: The trouble with doing it yourself

One of our all-time favorite games is WarioWare, especially the first installment for the Game Boy Advance। The clever idea of remixing Nintendo's old properties into an irreverent hyperspeed assortment of challenges was revolutionary at the time, and had great replay value.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20001524-1.html

YouTube's big redesign goes live to everyone

SAN BRUNO, Calif.--YouTube is rolling out a new coat of paint on Wednesday.
Its video page redesign, which went up as a beta test to users in late January, will be going out live to everyone by the end of the day. The cleaner look is part of a bigger plan to simplify the site based on user feedback and testing, as well as to keep people from ever leaving.
In a "blogger breakfast" press event at the YouTube headquarters in San Bruno, Calif।, YouTube UI designer Julian Frumar explained that the site was simply not working like it should with the addition of extra features over the years. There were too many things on the screen that were slowing down page views and overwhelming people. In other words, YouTube was getting bloated.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20001503-248.html

Hyundai comes out with its first hybrid

NEW YORK--After showing hybrid concepts over the last few auto show seasons, Hyundai finally shows the real deal with a hybrid version of its Sonata midsize sedan at the New York auto show. The standard Sonata got an update at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show, radically restyling it with Hyundai's new fluidic sculpture design language. Now fitted with Hyundai's Blue Drive hybrid system, the car gets significantly better mileage।

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-31347_7-20001525-270.html

Zune HD gets lower prices, 64GB model

It may be a little late to the game in comparison to the iPod Touch, but starting April 12, you'll finally have the opportunity to get your hands on a 64GB version of the Zune HD. The high-capacity player will initially be available exclusively through ZuneOriginals.com in a choice of platinum, black, blue, red, green, purple, or magenta. The black model will also be available through other outlets in the future. Pricing for the 64GB model is set at $349.99, which is competitive with the iPod Touch

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-12519_7-20001493-49.html

Top 30 iPad games we'd like to see

The iPad may not have a built-in camera, multitasking capabilities, or support for Flash, but it does have a 9.7-inch high-resolution touch screen and a faster processor than an iPhone 3GS. Though most games for the iPhone and iPod Touch should run on the iPad, many developers are rapidly creating updated "HD" versions of their existing games to take advantage of the device's improved resolution and slightly altered layout।

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-10446967-233.html

No cloud music for iPad's launch

For anyone hoping that a cloud-based music service will launch with the iPad this Saturday, disappointment is lurking.
Music industry sources told CNET this week Apple has informed label managers that a streaming music service is unlikely to be ready before the third quarter.
It will be a disappointment for iTunes fans who have been speculating as to when Apple might use music site Lala--which Apple acquired in December--for its streaming expertise to launch a cloud-based music service।

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-10446967-233.html

Britney Nominated for Juno Award

Find out what Britney has been nominated for at Canada's most prestigious music awards!

Go Britney! »

Commodity Outlook for Menthol Oil by KediaCommodity

Menthol oil yesterday traded with the negative node and settled -0.77% down at 621.2. In yesterday's trading session menthol oil has touched the low of 620.2 after opening at 626, and finally settled at 621.2. For today's session market is looking to take support at 618.6, a break below could see a test of 616 and where as resistance is now likely to be seen at 625.4, a move above could see prices testing 629.6. Spread betweenmenthol oil APR & MAY contacts yesterday ended at 4.40, we have seen yesterday that the menthol oil market had traded with a negative node and settled -0.77% down. Spread yesterday traded in the range of 0.1 to 4.8.

http://www.topnews.in/commodity-outlook-menthol-oil-kediacommodity-2257764

The best way to prevent metabolic syndrome is to eat a “king size breakfast”

A new University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) study has concluded that higher fat at breakfast may be healthier than you think.

The adage "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper" can be the best advice to follow to prevent metabolic syndrome, say the researchers.

http://www.topnews.in/best-way-prevent-metabolic-syndrome-eat-king-size-breakfast-2257771

Risk of stroke and heart disease may be cut by Chocolate

According to an expert, a bar of the sweet treat can slash your risk of heart disease and stroke by 39 per cent.

The Sun has reported that Dr Brian Buijsse believes a 50g treat has the greatest effect.

Buijsse studied nearly 30,000 people aged 35 to 65 in Germany, to reach the conclusion.

http://www.topnews.in/risk-stroke-and-heart-disease-may-be-cut-chocolate-2257773

Maruti Suzuki may launch a factory-fitted CNG vehicle

India's largest automaker, Maruti Suzuki may launch a factory-fitted CNG vehicle by the next fiscal in the Indian market. Officials have confirmed that the R&D team is working on the feasibility of the plan but a lot will still depend on the availability of fuel across the country.

http://www.topnews.in/maruti-suzuki-may-launch-factoryfitted-cng-vehicle-2257774

ASG signs a multi-million dollar contract

ASG has managed to sign a multi-million dollar contract with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C). The total worth of this deal is $41 million. The duration of the contract is nine years.

http://www.topnews.in/asg-signs-multimillion-dollar-contract-government-2257776

Manoj Kohli to head Bharti’s African operations

As the Bharti Group has been able to quench its thirst for an African safari by the $10.7 billion deal to acquire Kuwaiti telco Zain's African operations, Sunil Bharti Mittal has recently named its top lieutenant Manoj Kohli to head the African operations.

http://www.topnews.in/manoj-kohli-head-bharti-s-african-operations-2257777

Hero Honda gifts its shareholders 4000% dividend

Celebrating the success that the two-wheeler major has been enjoying over the past couple of years, Hero Honda today announced the Silver Jubilee Special Dividend of 4,000 per cent or Rs 80 per equity share of Rs 2 each, the company said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.

http://www.topnews.in/hero-honda-gifts-its-shareholders-4000-dividend-2257778

Australian consumers are still not spending more

A new survey revealed that most of the Australian consumers are still not ready to spend more. Though many of them said that they believe the global crisis has come to an end.

The survey was conducted by the Australian National Retailers Association. The association said that recent interest rate rises were eating the incomes and dampening consumer confidence.

http://www.topnews.in/australian-consumers-are-still-not-spending-more-2257779

NAB says it will acquire AXA APH but without its debt

National Australia Bank Ltd. said today that it has agreed to approve the pricing components of its takeover target AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Ltd. NAB gave a proposal to buy AXA Asia Pacific Holding's undertakings in New Zealand and Australian for $A4.6 billion.

http://www.topnews.in/nab-says-it-will-acquire-axa-aph-without-its-debt-2257780

Gindalbie seals $A70 billion iron ore deal with Ansteel

Gindalbie Metals Ltd., a Perth based miner, announced today that it has sealed the iron ore deal with its Chinese joint venture partner Angang Group International Trade Corporation (Ansteel). The deal is worth $A70.6 billion and is considered as the largest ever trade deal in the history of Australia.

http://www.topnews.in/gindalbie-seals-a70-billion-iron-ore-deal-ansteel-2257781

ST Aerospace clinches S$1b maintenance contract with Jet Airways

SINGAPORE: ST Aerospace, a unit of ST Engineering, has clinched a S$1 billion maintenance-by-the-hour agreement from Jet Airways.

This deal is the largest that ST Aerospace has announced since 2006.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1047052/1/.html

Bomb attack kills 13 in crowded Afghan market

KABUL : A bomb blast in a crowded market in southern Afghanistan killed 13 people and wounded dozens more on Wednesday in an area at the forefront of the US-led war against the Taliban.

Afghan officials said the attack took place in a village near Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand province, as farmers were receiving seeds being handed out to persuade Afghans to abandon the poppy crops that produce heroin.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1047062/1/.html

Singapore stocks end 1.6% lower on profit taking

SINGAPORE : Singapore stocks closed 1.6 per cent lower on Wednesday as investors took profit after two days of gains.

Analysts said the market is likely to see some more selling pressure on Thursday as investors look to book profit ahead of the Good Friday long weekend.

The Straits Times Index dropped 45.93 points to 2,887.46.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1047070/1/.html

Motor Racing: Lotus hopeful ahead of first race on home turf

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian-backed Lotus Racing are eager to put on a crowd-pleasing show at their first appearance on home turf this weekend, after respectable performances in Bahrain and Melbourne.

"For us it is our first homecoming race in Malaysia. It is a crowd I like. I'd like to have a good race this weekend," Lotus driver Heikki Kovalainen told reporters ahead of Sunday's event at the challenging Sepang circuit.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_sports/view/1047073/1/.html

Four dead in Washington 'drive-by' shooting

WASHINGTON : Four people were killed and six others wounded in the US capital late Tuesday in a shooting in one of the city's poor southeast neighbourhoods, US media reported.

The toll rose overnight as a fourth victim was reported dead early Wednesday, according to local Fox 5 news, citing police sources.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/1047077/1/.html

Google searches trigger error messages in China

Some searches on Google's Chinese-language site failed to return results Tuesday from within China, but it was not clear if the site was blocked or if the problems were due to a service glitch.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/technologynews/view/1046898/1/.html

SKorea maintains alert after warship sinking

South Korea said Wednesday it has ordered all government officials to stay on emergency alert until the crisis sparked by the mysterious sinking of a warship is resolved.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1047000/1/.html

Electric Nissan Leaf priced at $33,000 in U.S.

Nissan said on Tuesday it will begin taking orders on April 20 in the U.S. for the electric Leaf sedan which will be priced starting at $32,780 before subsidies.

The all-electric car, which has four doors and a hatchback, will start shipping in 20 areas in the U.S. in the first half of next year and be available nationally later next year. A lease costs $349 per month.

http://news.cnet.com/greentech/?tag=hdr;snav

iPhone 4G: 25 most-wanted features (photos)

http://reviews.cnet.com/2300-6454_7-10002721.html

Virgin spacecraft makes maiden voyage (photos)

http://news.cnet.com/2300-11386_3-10002879.html

MIT's latest think tank (photos)

http://news.cnet.com/2300-11386_3-10002708.html

Pa. university to give all students iPads

Even though Apple's iPad has yet to hit store shelves, the small Seton Hill University plans to give all full-time students an iPad starting in the fall.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-10471690-17.html

Confusion reigns over Google search outage in China

Chinese Internet users who want to use Google even just to find out the weather are having their queries blocked, according to several reports.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-20001418-265.html

Tech coalition pushes rewrite of online privacy law

It's time to fix a 1986 privacy law that fails to protect cloud computing services and the privacy of Americans' mobile devices, a broad coalition including Google, Microsoft, and liberal and conservative groups will announce, CNET has learned.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20001393-38.html

Microsoft issues emergency patch for 10 IE holes

Security experts praise Microsoft for patching vulnerabilities now rather than waiting two weeks for the next Patch Tuesday, given the severity of the issues affecting Internet Explorer.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-20001428-245.html

Google, Verizon CEOs advocate for light Net regs

Google CEO Eric Schmidt and Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg co-wrote an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal asking the FCC to take a light regulatory approach to the Internet.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-20001438-266.html

Obama faces major online privacy test

 President Obama's promise to improve Internet privacy laws faces a major test: will he side with law enforcement or a new coalition including Google, Microsoft, eBay, AT&T, and advocacy groups? It took years for a similar privacy coalition in the 1990s to claim victory.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20001463-38.html

Build your own Sony VAIO PC

Build select VAIO notebooks to your exact specifications. Whether you're a gamer, designer, student or entrepreneur, you can create a notebook that suits your needs. Options range from processors and hard drives to unique colors and textures.

http://dw.com.com/redir?astid=2&ltype=mlst&merId=15000929&mfgId=15000929&oid=2001-5_9-34026332&ontid=5&pg=&pId=34026332&prc=%24&sorder=&stype=&tag=cj&ttag=cjsonyvaio033110fd&lop=online&edId=3&siteid=9&channelid=33&destUrl=http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-3586864-10535871

TOSHIBA Qosmio 18.4" Gaming Notebook

Whether you're crunching numbers for your next business meeting, watching the newest thriller in HD, or joining some hardcore gaming, the Qosmio Notebook will exceed all of your expectations. The Intel Core i7 720QM processor boosts speed and reduces power requirements

http://dw.com.com/redir?astid=2&ltype=mlst&merId=15000929&mfgId=15000929&oid=2001-5_9-34026332&ontid=5&pg=&pId=34026332&prc=%24&sorder=&stype=&tag=cj&ttag=cjtoshibaqosimo18pc033110fd&lop=online&edId=3&siteid=9&channelid=33&destUrl=http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-3586864-10440897?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16834114804%26nm_mc%3DAFC-C8Junction%26cm_mmc%3DAFC-C8Junction-_-Notebooks-_-Toshiba-_-34114804&cjsku=N82E16834114804

Most-anticipated smartphones of 2010 (photos)

HTC Evo 4G (Sprint)

Previously known as the Supersonic, the HTC Evo 4G is the first 4G smartphone to be released in the U.S. It will run on Sprint's WiMax network and is expected to be released this summer. Aside from the 4G support, the Evo boasts a 4.3-inch capacitive touch screen, Android 2.1, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, and an 8-megapixel camera.

http://reviews.cnet.com/2300-6452_7-10002953.html

Hybrid and Electric car at a glance

The move from cars powered by gas or diesel engines to those that run on electricity will start to hit its stride this year with the introduction of the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt. Three types of vehicles are emerging as automakers look for ways to get better gas mileage or avoid gasoline completely: Full Story »

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100330/ap_on_bi_ge/us_nissan_electric_car_glance;_ylt=AvAaU7hBLtb4n8hMesU4qbeyBhIF;_ylu=X3oDMTMzazdvNXB0BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMzMwL3VzX25pc3Nhbl9lbGVjdHJpY19jYXJfZ2xhbmNlBHBvcwMxMgRzZWMDeW5fYXJ0aWNsZV9zdW1tYXJ5X2xpc3QEc2xrA2h5YnJpZGFuZGVsZQ--

Europe risks 'second league' of world economies: IMF

BUCHAREST (AFP) - Europe is in danger of being relegated to the second division of world economic powers, while the United States and Asia bounce out of the global downturn, the head of the IMF warned on Tuesday. Full Story »
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100330/bs_afp/imfeufinanceeconomy;_ylt=AkCY5hVoXudBTfmIXqua7RCyBhIF;_ylu=X3oDMTJwZWdjMjZxBGFzc2V0A2FmcC8yMDEwMDMzMC9pbWZldWZpbmFuY2VlY29ub215BHBvcwMzBHNlYwN5bl9hcnRpY2xlX3N1bW1hcnlfbGlzdARzbGsDZXVyb3Blcmlza3Mz

Obama to allow oil drilling off Virginia coast

WASHINGTON - In a reversal of a long-standing ban on most offshore drilling, President Barack Obama is allowing oil drilling 50 miles off Virginia's shorelines. At the same time, he is rejecting some new drilling sites that had been planned in Alaska. Full Story »

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100331/ap_on_bi_ge/us_obama_drilling;_ylt=AvZWTeoBvsRzDXOsMWa1zU6yBhIF;_ylu=X3oDMTJta2pxOG1oBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMzMxL3VzX29iYW1hX2RyaWxsaW5nBHBvcwM3BHNlYwN5bl9hcnRpY2xlX3N1bW1hcnlfbGlzdARzbGsDb2JhbWF0b2FsbG93

Summary Box: Nissan sets electric car price

THE DEAL: Nissan Motor Co. says it will sell its Leaf electric car for just over $25,000 in the U.S., including a government tax credit. The base sticker price is $32,780. The Leaf can travel 100 miles on a charge from a home outlet. Full Story »
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100330/ap_on_bi_ge/nissan_electric_car_summary_box;_ylt=AqlIImwvgV1GOUXfUJjYVQSyBhIF;_ylu=X3oDMTM0YjBpdGwwBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMzMwL25pc3Nhbl9lbGVjdHJpY19jYXJfc3VtbWFyeV9ib3gEcG9zAzUEc2VjA3luX2FydGljbGVfc3VtbWFyeV9saXN0BHNsawNzdW1tYXJ5Ym94bmk-

Fairy girls and city grit at Tokyo Fashion Week

TOKYO (AFP) - Layered chiffon tops and silky hemlines met shiny leather boots on the catwalk of the Tokyo Fashion Show this week in a blend of old-world femininity and edgy city themes. Full Story »

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100326/lf_afp/lifestylejapanfashion;_ylt=AqRfHX5aOvYzrlizYmXE6npPWrsF;_ylu=X3oDMTJ0MnFxaGY0BGFzc2V0A2FmcC8yMDEwMDMyNi9saWZlc3R5bGVqYXBhbmZhc2hpb24EcG9zAzI0BHNlYwN5bl9wYWdpbmF0ZV9zdW1tYXJ5X2xpc3QEc2xrA2ZhaXJ5Z2lybHNhbg--

India Fashion Week opens after fire permit delay

NEW DELHI (AFP) - Organisers of India's leading fashion week said the event would finally open on Thursday after a missing fire permit forced the cancellation of all shows on the first day. Full Story »

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100325/lf_afp/lifestyleindiafashion;_ylt=AhUix0jL74das0mJ7NyRmAtPWrsF;_ylu=X3oDMTJ0NHUwNnByBGFzc2V0A2FmcC8yMDEwMDMyNS9saWZlc3R5bGVpbmRpYWZhc2hpb24EcG9zAzI3BHNlYwN5bl9wYWdpbmF0ZV9zdW1tYXJ5X2xpc3QEc2xrA2luZGlhZmFzaGlvbg--

New Jewelry Collection by Molly Sims Adds Some Spring Sparkle

New York - Spring is finally here, and that can only mean one thing: It's time to shed the heavy layers and pile on the glittery baubles. Full Story »

http://news.yahoo.com/s/fwd/20100324/en_fashion_fwd/newjewelrycollectionbymollysimsaddssomespringsparkle;_ylt=AkKXJ4iD8r_ZchNXJ9oh5RRPWrsF;_ylu=X3oDMTNzcjNyZXY5BGFzc2V0A2Z3ZC8yMDEwMDMyNC9uZXdqZXdlbHJ5Y29sbGVjdGlvbmJ5bW9sbHlzaW1zYWRkc3NvbWVzcHJpbmdzcGFya2xlBHBvcwMzMARzZWMDeW5fcGFnaW5hdGVfc3VtbWFyeV9saXN0BHNsawNuZXdqZXdlbHJ5Y28-

Madonna designs Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses

MILAN (Reuters Life!) - Madonna has teamed up with Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana to design a collection of sunglasses.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100316/lf_nm_life/us_fashion_madonna_dolcegabbana;_ylt=AmrhHbTmuwYLcpNCpVbRro1PWrsF;_ylu=X3oDMTM2M2lrODU5BGFzc2V0A25tLzIwMTAwMzE2L3VzX2Zhc2hpb25fbWFkb25uYV9kb2xjZWdhYmJhbmEEcG9zAzQ5BHNlYwN5bl9wYWdpbmF0ZV9zdW1tYXJ5X2xpc3QEc2xrA21hZG9ubmFkZXNpZw--

Twiggy: `It could have gone terribly wrong'

AP

NEW YORK - Back in the Mod '60s, when Twiggy conquered London and fashion changed forever, the waif of a teen with huge eyes, a boyish bob and long legs craved the glamour and curves of a different icon. Full Story »
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100330/ap_en_ce/us_fashion_twiggy;_ylt=AsqbdON9RslzdBOtaIj6zTtPWrsF;_ylu=X3oDMTJucTA1OWQxBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMzMwL3VzX2Zhc2hpb25fdHdpZ2d5BHBvcwM3BHNlYwN5bl9wYWdpbmF0ZV9zdW1tYXJ5X2xpc3QEc2xrA3R3aWdneWl0Y291bA--

Madonna teams with daughter Lola on fashion line

NEW YORK - When Madonna needed inspiration for her latest fashion collection, she didn't have to look far. The pop icon teamed up with her 13-year-old daughter Lourdes to create Material Girl, an affordable juniors' clothing line that debuts at Macy's this fall. Full Story »
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100330/ap_en_ce/us_fashion_madonna_and_child;_ylt=AjfMpzKA.J58li.BdcXoDNdPWrsF;_ylu=X3oDMTMycWdrbjdrBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMzMwL3VzX2Zhc2hpb25fbWFkb25uYV9hbmRfY2hpbGQEcG9zAzQEc2VjA3luX3BhZ2luYXRlX3N1bW1hcnlfbGlzdARzbGsDbWFkb25uYXRlYW1z

Madonna and daughter launch joint fashion collection

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Madonna has initiated her 13-year-old daughter Lourdes into life as a Material Girl, with the pair collaborating on a fashion line for juniors to be launched in July. Full Story »

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100331/lf_nm_life/us_madonna;_ylt=ArRguIVqe.7NyWisun2VUd9PWrsF;_ylu=X3oDMTJncTRyYnYzBGFzc2V0A25tLzIwMTAwMzMxL3VzX21hZG9ubmEEcG9zAzEEc2VjA3luX3BhZ2luYXRlX3N1bW1hcnlfbGlzdARzbGsDbWFkb25uYWFuZGRh

How To Make A Radio Controlled Toy Plane

We discussed about  How to make a paper airplane and Rubber band powerd toy plane projects that you can try on and get an idea about how to flying an airplane. But those projects are very simple and used only very basics of flying machines. You can go further and build advance flying machines or toy airplanes. From here onward I will discuss on those topics. As a begining we will look at how to make a radio controller toy plane. When you build your own plane it is very important to think about how you are going to control that plane while its moving. Not like automobiles; planes or flying machines should have better controlling when it take off, landing and flying. When any machine moving through or on air, its movement is totally depend on how the air behave and how it changes. So, to maintain stability of your airplane, you should control it properly. We can remotely control your airplane and radio frequency can be easily used to transfer your control signal from your remote controller to your airplane. Those planes we called as "Radio Controlled Air Planes".

http://howtomakeatoyplane.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-to-make-radio-controlled-toy-plane.html

Hanger 9 - Cessna 40 ARF, Value Series

In this article will look at further details about Hanger 9 - Cessna 40 ARF, Value Series radio controlled airplane and how each of these components are fixed and controlled. In previous article I mentioned that we need few components to make a airplane. First we need to have structure of the plane, wings and tail. Then we need to have a propeller for your airplane and engine/motor to give power to the propeller. Finally you need to have a mechanisum to control your airplane.

http://howtomakeatoyplane.blogspot.com/2010/03/hanger-9-cessna-40-arf-value-series.html

Chinese boy plucked from pipe

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8594300.stm

Magnetism Can Sway Man's Moral Compass

"Discovery News reports that scientists have identified a region of the brain which appears to control morality and discovered that a powerful magnetic field can scramble the moral center of the brain, impairing volunteers' notion of right and wrong. 'You think of morality as being a really high-level behavior,' says Liane Young, a scientist at MIT and co-author of the article. 'To be able to apply (a magnetic field) to a specific brain region and change people's moral judgments is really astonishing.' Young and her colleagues used functional magnetic resonance imaging to locate an area of the brain just above and behind the right ear known as the right temporo-parietal junction (RTPJ), which other studies had previously related to moral judgments. Volunteers were exposed to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for 25 minutes before reading stories involving morally questionable characters, and being asked to judge their actions. The researchers found that when the RTPJ was disrupted volunteers were more likely to judge actions solely on the basis of whether they caused harm — not whether they were morally wrong in themselves. The scientists didn't permanently remove the subjects' moral sensibilities and on the scientists' seven point scale, the difference was about one point, averaging out to about a 15 percent change, 'but it's still striking to see such a change in such high level behavior as moral decision-making.' Young points out that the study was correlation; their work only links the RTJP, morality and magnetic fields, but doesn't definitively prove that one causes another."

http://science.slashdot.org/story/10/03/30/1741224/Magnetism-Can-Sway-Mans-Moral-Compass

EA Editor Criticizes Command & Conquer 4 DRM

Command & Conquer 4's DRM hasn't garnered Electronic Arts as much bad press and fan outrage as Ubisoft's scheme, despite being very similar. Nevertheless, it's been causing problems and frustrations for some users, including EA.com's own editor-in-chief, Jeff Green. An anonymous reader points this out:

http://games.slashdot.org/story/10/03/26/0653202/EA-Editor-Criticizes-Command-amp-Conquer-4-DRM

Haptic Gaming Vest Simulates Punches, Shots, Stabbing

"IEEE Spectrum reports that University of Pennsylvania researchers have developed a Tactile Gaming Vest that smacks and vibrates as players get shot in a game based on Half-Life 2. Four solenoid actuators in the chest and shoulders in front and two solenoids in the back give you the feeling of a simulated gunshot. In addition, vibrating eccentric-mass motors clustered against the shoulder blades make you feel a slashing effect as you get stabbed from behind. If this kind of vest could be linked to a movie while you watch it, the experience would be that much more exciting. Or as one of the creators put it, 'every time Bruce Willis gets shot, you feel it.'"

http://games.slashdot.org/story/10/03/30/074233/Haptic-Gaming-Vest-Simulates-Punches-Shots-Stabbing

Hacker Will Try To Restore Linux Support On PS3

Many readers have been sending in news of the impending PS3 firmware update that will remove the ability to install other operating systems on the console. (We discussed it here on Sunday.) Over the past few days, legions of PS3 owners have been voicing their anger at Sony's decision, upset that they'll be forced to either lose their custom install or forgo use of the PlayStation Network and be unable to play certain games and movies. Now, hacker George Hotz, known for his iPhone jailbreaks and his PS3 hack earlier this year, has vowed to fight back and restore Linux support on the PS3. He said, "The PlayStation 3 is the only product I know that loses features throughout its lifecycle. Software PS2 emulation, SACD playback, and OtherOS support are all just software switches you can flip. It's unbelievable you would go and flip one, not just on new boxes you are shipping, but on tens of millions already in the field."

http://games.slashdot.org/story/10/03/30/2151257/Hacker-Will-Try-To-Restore-Linux-Support-On-PS3

James Lovelock Suggests Suspending Democracy To Save the World

"Climate scientist James Lovelock claims it may be necessary to put democracy on hold to prevent a global climate catastrophe. He goes on to say that the best remedies may be adaptation techniques such as building sea defenses."

http://science.slashdot.org/story/10/03/30/238233/James-Lovelock-Suggests-Suspending-Democracy-To-Save-the-World

Michael Robertson takes on Pandora, Web radio

BYO, which stands for "Bring Your Own" is built on top of Robertson's MP3tunes.com, which offers digital music lockers. Users can access copies of their songs from Robertson's servers using Web-connected devices. With their own music, BYO users will be able to create their own music programming as well as be able to fast forward and rewind. "They have total control," according to Robertson. The real hook here, though, is BYO's incorporation of news, weather, and sports.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20001334-261.html

Clearwire 4G launches in Houston

Houston is the latest city to get Clearwire's 4G WiMax service, the company announced Monday.

Both Clearwire and its partner, Sprint Nextel, will be offering 4G wireless service in Houston. Clearwire, which is backed by Sprint, cable giants Comcast and Time Warner Cable, as well as Intel and Google, has been building its nationwide 4G wireless network for over a year. Houston marks the 28th city to get the service. Most of the markets that already have 4G WiMax are in Texas along with some major cities, such as Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Baltimore.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-20001347-266.html

Rumor: Google's Chrome to bundle Adobe's Flash

Google is planning to bundle its Chrome browser and/or operating system with Adobe Systems' Flash in a deeper partnership, we've heard from reliable sources.

Getting chummier with Flash?

The announcement, which is expected to come on Tuesday, is an interesting wrinkle ahead of the launch of Apple's iPad, which famously doesn't include Flash. Adobe-Apple relations are chilly, to say the least.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-20001370-2.html

Google planning fix for Android fragmentation?

Google may have settled on a plan for dealing with Android fragmentation: slowing down and splitting up.

The Nexus One runs Android 2.1: the fourth Android release in less than a year.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Engadget's tour of CTIA last week resulted in conversations with Android followers who report that Google has a two-pronged strategy for dealing with the spate of Android handsets running as many as four different versions of the operating system. This complicates life for application developers, who have to either pick a version or two to target with their application or conduct lots of testing to make sure they can run across Android handsets.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-20001368-265.html

MI5 to let go of tech-averse staffers

The United Kingdom's Security Service has introduced a redundancy program for staff who lack IT skills, according to the Intelligence and Security Committee's annual report (PDF).

In the report, which was laid before parliament on March 18, Security Service Director General Jonathan Evans is quoted as saying the service--commonly known as MI5--was instituting voluntary and compulsory reduncancies--that is, layoffs--after a review of its staff profile.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-20001385-92.html

Microsoft rushes to patch zero-day IE hole

Microsoft will release an emergency update on Tuesday for Internet Explorer that fixes nine vulnerabilities, including one that has been exploited in attacks on IE6 and IE7 systems, the company said on Monday.

Microsoft warned of the attacks three weeks ago, releasing Security Advisory 981374 during its most recent Patch Tuesday.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-20001375-245.html

ESPN 3D coming to DirecTV in June

DirecTV said Monday that starting in June, it will have four channels dedicated to 3D content.

The channels will include ESPN 3D, a 3D-only channel called N3D, one 3D pay-per view channel, and one 3D DirecTV on Demand.

ESPN 3D is arriving just in time for the 2010 World Cup, which will be the first time a major sporting event is broadcast in 3D. DirecTV says there will be 25 World Cup matches available in 3D. For those not into soccer, ESPN says there will be "a minimum" of 85 live sports events filmed in 3D for the first year, starting June 11. The X Games, the college football's ACC championship game, the 2011 BCS National Championship game, college basketball, and some NBA games are already on the schedule.

 

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31021_3-20001383-260.html

Yahoo adds Facebook status updates to Mail

Yahoo continues to inject social networking into its services.

Starting later on Monday, Yahoo Mail users will be able to update their Facebook status from their Yahoo Mail in-box. Facebook users will be able to log into their accounts right from the Yahoo Mail home page and will also be able to click through to the Facebook profiles of friends when they receive e-mail from friends who have linked their two accounts.

 

http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-20001389-265.html

WSJ: Verizon iPhone in the works

In addition to a new iPhone model that works on AT&T's network, Apple is also reportedly prepping an iPhone that is compatible with Verizon's network.

The Wall Street Journal quoted unnamed sources in a story Monday who say one of Apple's contract manufacturers--the companies that build the hardware according to Apple's specifications--is working on an iPhone that runs on a CDMA network. That's the cellular network that Verizon uses in the U.S. The sources said the CDMA-compatible iPhones will go into mass production in September, though when Apple would sell it wasn't mentioned. Apple has traditionally released new iPhone hardware in late June or early July.

 

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31021_3-20001388-260.html

 

 

Why AT&T should buy you a femtocell

Femtocells, network widgets that ease the problems that many suffer trying to use their mobile phone at home, are going to be selling like hotcakes soon.

But here's what I'm thinking. You shouldn't have to buy yourself a $150 femtocell. They should be coming with your next-generation mobile phone--for free.

Let me explain.

 

http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-20001242-264.html

SKorean president orders military on alert

SEOUL, South Korea – South Korea's president ordered the military on alert Tuesday for any moves by rival North Korea after the defense minister said last week's explosion and sinking of a South Korean ship may have been caused by a North Korean mine.

The blast ripped the 1,200-ton ship apart last Friday night during a routine patrol mission near Baengnyeong Island, along the tense maritime border west of the Korean peninsula. Fifty-eight crew members, including the captain, were plucked to safety; 46 are missing, with dim prospects for finding any further survivors.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100330/ap_on_re_as/as_skorea_ship_sinks;_ylt=AlASTAbvWCALaOFdj5ombPKs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNvMTN0MjhpBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMzMwL2FzX3Nrb3JlYV9zaGlwX3NpbmtzBGNjb2RlA21vc3Rwb3B1bGFyBGNwb3MDOQRwb3MDNgRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX2hlYWRsaW5lX2xpc3QEc2xrA3Nrb3JlYW5wcmVzaQ--

'Nyet' to $1 million? Math genius may reject award

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia – Who doesn't want to be a millionaire? Maybe a 43-year-old unemployed bachelor who lives with his elderly mother in Russia — and who won $1 million for solving a problem that has stumped mathematicians for a century.

Grigory Perelman can't decide if he wants the money.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_sci_math_genius;_ylt=AtR0z7BLZLiI.r9bDaBbE7ms0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNtYjVkdm0zBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMzMwL3VzX3NjaV9tYXRoX2dlbml1cwRjY29kZQNtb3N0cG9wdWxhcgRjcG9zAzgEcG9zAzUEcHQDaG9tZV9jb2tlBHNlYwN5bl9oZWFkbGluZV9saXN0BHNsawNueWV0dG8xbWlsbGk-

Obamas mark Passover with private Seder

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama plans to mark the start of Passover with a private Seder in the executive mansion.

Obama and first lady Michelle Obama invited friends and White House aides to mark the Jewish holiday with a meal on Monday. The Obama aides started the tradition during 2008's primary campaign in Pennsylvania; Obama made a surprise stop to meet with staffers who were sharing an impromptu meal in a hotel basement.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100329/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_passover;_ylt=AhhS0Ogr5J8_g.Hnu12f5kes0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNsbTBqbGs1BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMzI5L3VzX29iYW1hX3Bhc3NvdmVyBGNjb2RlA21vc3Rwb3B1bGFyBGNwb3MDNwRwb3MDNARwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX2hlYWRsaW5lX2xpc3QEc2xrA29iYW1hc21hcmtwYQ--

Health premiums could rise 17 pct for young adults

CHICAGO – Under the health care overhaul, young adults who buy their own insurance will carry a heavier burden of the medical costs of older Americans — a shift expected to raise insurance premiums for young people when the plan takes full effect.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100330/ap_on_he_me/us_health_care_age_matters;_ylt=AsFZ2mkX9s.U5qs48nNCdqus0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTN1MGE4Nm51BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMzMwL3VzX2hlYWx0aF9jYXJlX2FnZV9tYXR0ZXJzBGNjb2RlA21vc3Rwb3B1bGFyBGNwb3MDNgRwb3MDMwRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX2hlYWRsaW5lX2xpc3QEc2xrA2hlYWx0aHByZW1pdQ--

Nearly third of children globally are couch potatoes

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) – American children aren't the only couch potatoes with nearly one third of children globally spending three hours a day or more watching TV or on computers, according to study of over 70,000 teens in 34 nations.

From Argentina to Zambia, Regina Guthold of the World Health Organization in Geneva and her colleagues found most children aren't getting enough exercise and it made no difference if they lived in a rich or a poor country.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_children_exercise;_ylt=Av7wK7kpTGq2KHeBISb3BCus0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNvNWpxNXNrBGFzc2V0A25tLzIwMTAwMzI5L3VzX2NoaWxkcmVuX2V4ZXJjaXNlBGNjb2RlA21vc3Rwb3B1bGFyBGNwb3MDNQRwb3MDMgRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX2hlYWRsaW5lX2xpc3QEc2xrA25lYXJseXRoaXJkbw--

Chinese Buy Volvo

Ford Motor Company sells the brand for $8 billion.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/18876388

 

Report: Apple working on Verizon iPhone

NEW YORK - The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple may be working on an iPhone designed for Verizon Wireless.

Currently AT&T is the only U.S. phone company that carries the iPhone.

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36089312/ns/technology_and_science-wireless/

Heavy rain set to topple records on East Coast

BOSTON - Nervous residents along the sodden East Coast watched rivers rise Monday as they braced for a new round of flooding — and the wettest March on record in some areas.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36085345/ns/weather/

Nissan to sell electric car in Japan for $40,000

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Nissan Motor Co. said Tuesday its new electric car, the LEAF, will start at 3.76 million yen ($40,000) in Japan, aiming to put zero-emission cars within reach of drivers around the world.

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36092225/ns/business-autos/

NASA will help probe Toyota accelerators

WASHINGTON - NASA and the National Academy of Sciences are joining the government's effort to figure out what caused the sudden acceleration problems that led to Toyota's massive recalls.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36092407/ns/business-autos/

 

Taking Apart the Energizer Trojan

"Researchers at SkullSecurity have written a tutorial on how they reverse engineered the Energizer Trojan and generated an Nmap probe to remotely detect infections. The Energizer Trojan is a great educational tool because its inner workings are very simplistic, and it makes minimal efforts to hide itself or conceal its purpose; it even lists what appears to be the author's name — 'liuhong' — in the source! The article provides an introduction to malware analysis, from infecting a test machine to debugging and disassembling the Trojan to writing the actual probe."

 

http://it.slashdot.org/story/10/03/29/1948210/Taking-Apart-the-Energizer-Trojan

OpenSSL 1.0.0 Released

"After over 11 years of development since the start of the OpenSSL Project (1998-12-23), OpenSSL version 1.0.0 has finally hit the shelves of the free-for-all store."

 

http://news.slashdot.org/story/10/03/29/1952215/OpenSSL-100-Released

AMD's 12-Core Chip Cuts Software Licensing Costs

"AMD released on Monday its 12-core chip code-named Magny-Cours, doubling the number of cores over the previous-generation Opteron chip. While a doubling of performance is nice, another key benefit delivered by a chip with a dozen cores may be in reducing software costs. For Matt Lavallee, director of technology at MLS Property Information Network, a company that supplies real estate data, upgrading to the 12-core Opteron chip from his current quad-core chips will allow him to cut the number of servers — and his software licensing fees. While the 12-core chip costs a little more than an eight-core chip, it's 'nowhere near as much as a SQL server costs,' said Lavallee, who has been beta-testing the new chips. MLS operates 60 servers, and Lavallee said he could theoretically cut the number of servers by half but will likely reduce his server count by a third with the chip upgrade."

 

http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/10/03/29/2033230/AMDs-12-Core-Chip-Cuts-Software-Licensing-Costs

Lord British Claims He Owns the Moon

"Following the recent discovery of Richard Garriott's old moon rover, the man known as Lord British has laid claim to his own lunar territory. Moon dwellers, all hail your new overlord!"

 

http://idle.slashdot.org/story/10/03/29/2037239/Lord-British-Claims-He-Owns-the-Moon

Open Source, Open Standards Under Attack In Europe

"A battle for the soul of European IT is taking place behind closed doors in Brussels. At stake is the key Digital Agenda for Europe, due to be unveiled in a month's time. David Hammerstein, ex-Member of European Parliament for the Greens, tweeted last week: 'SOS to everyone as sources confirm that Kroes is about to eliminate "open standards" policy from EU digital agenda; Kroes has been under intense lobbying pressure from Microsoft to get rid of interoperability and open source goals of EU.' This is confirmed by the French magazine PC Inpact (Google translation), which also managed to obtain a copy of the draft Digital Agenda (DOC). It's currently supportive of both open source and open standards — but for how much longer?"

 

http://news.slashdot.org/story/10/03/29/2115235/Open-Source-Open-Standards-Under-Attack-In-Europe

Warner Brothers Hiring Undercover Anti-Pirates

"TorrentFreak reports that Warner Brothers UK is hiring college students with an IT background to participate in an internship that will pit them against pirates on the world wide web in an effort to crack down on illegal digital distribution. The intern will literally be on the front-lines of the epic battle against pirated content, ensnaring users in incriminating transactions, issuing takedown requests, and causing general frustration amongst the file-sharing population on the Internet."

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/03/29/2142255/Warner-Brothers-Hiring-Undercover-Anti-Pirates

Description of the database normalization basics

Description of Normalization

Normalization is the process of organizing data in a database. This includes creating tables and establishing relationships between those tables according to rules designed both to protect the data and to make the database more flexible by eliminating redundancy and inconsistent dependency.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283878

Complete Hibernate 3.0 Tutorial

This tutorial provide step by step instructions on using Hibernate 3.0. Hibernate is popular open source object relational mapping tool for Java platform. It provides powerful, ultra-high performance object/relational persistence and query service for Java.

http://www.roseindia.net/hibernate/index.shtml

Object-Oriented Programming Concepts

As computers increase in processing power, the software they execute becomes more complex. This increased complexity comes at a cost of large programs with huge codebases that can quickly become difficult to understand, maintain and keep bug-free.
Object-oriented programming (OOP) tries to alleviate this problem by creating networks of objects, each like a small software 'machine'. These objects are naturally smaller entities, simplifying the development task of each unit. However, when the objects co-operate in a system, they become the building blocks of much more complex solution.

http://www.blackwasp.co.uk/ObjectOrientedConcepts.aspx

Sunken section of South Korean naval vessel found

The South Korean military says it has located the stern of its warship that sank in mysterious circumstances on Friday following an explosion.

The authorities are hoping that some of the 46 crew members still missing may be alive but trapped in underwater air pockets in the wreckage.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8592175.stm

Sven-Goran Eriksson to coach Ivory Coast in World Cup

Former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson has been appointed to coach Ivory Coast at the World Cup in South Africa.

An announcement was made on Sunday, with Mark Hughes and former Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster also coming under consideration for the role.
A statement from the country's football federation said: "He's an experienced coach who has proved himself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/8587871.stm

No More Database Programming Needed !

Are you tired in writing complex code for your database design? Want to be little relax? This article will help you to enjoy your job.

In early days we had to write coding from the scratch to implement our database designs. Later people moved to database designing graphical tools. The latest trend of designing databases is use database navigation maps where you can visually feel your database design. This method is very useful if your database is little complex and you have lot of key constraints, referential integrity constraints, indexes and triggers etc. Using database navigation maps you can see either the entire database or part of it, how the tables are integrate each other, what are the keys you have defined for tables and references etc. Most importantly you don't need to write any single code or no need to remember complex SQL syntax.

Read more: http://lk-tech.blogspot.com/2009/05/no-more-database-programming-needed.html#ixzz0jd5zd3nq

Save Millions Of Dollars, Don't Pay For Graphic Tools

Are you a graphic designer, web designer or digital artists who is paying back most of your income for software tools that you are using for your creations? What will be your net income if you could save money that you are paying for those software tools? Yes, there are tons of free tools that you can use as alternative graphic software tool. Some of the free tools having rich set of functions than commercial tools, but most of the people are having lack of knowledge about them and their features. So, I decided to introduce few of them that I am using for my creations without paying any dollar for any company. That means cost for my creations are negligible and income is really high.

Read more: http://lk-tech.blogspot.com/2009/05/save-millions-of-dollars-dont-pay-for.html#ixzz0jd5gdsUB

Crystal Report Toolbar Images Not Displayed In ASP.NET

Crystal Report Toolbar Images Not Displayed In ASP.NET

If you have used Crystal Report (Crystal Reports 2008 Official Guide) with Microsoft ASP.NET, you might have face this issue many times. This is a common problem with Crystal Report deployment and many people don't have proper solution for the problem. Crystal Report Toolbar images not shown in deployed environment is one of the main inconvenient with the tool that is leaded many developers not to use Crystal Report tool as their reporting tool even though Microsoft Visual Studio distribute Business Objects Crystal Report Tools free of charge. Even though your report is perfectly working inside the report viewer, it is not useful if the report viewers toolbar is not working properly. You can not navigate through multiple pages, can not export your report, can not print the report...etc. So that it is equally important to work your report and report viewer both correctly to feel end user happy reporting experience.

Read more: http://lk-tech.blogspot.com/2009/06/crystal-report-toolbar-images-not.html#ixzz0jd59xLlz

How To Insert Single Quote Into DB2How To Insert Single Quote Into DB2

If you try to insert single quote into DB2 sql table directly, it will give an error message due to single quote is reserved for mark a string value in sql. It is not allowed to use escape sequence for single quote with sql. Below example is incorrect with sql syntax.

INSERT INTO CUSTOMERS ( COMPANY_NAME ) VALUES ('Nandun\'s Company')

http://lk-tech.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-to-insert-single-quote-into-db2.html

Microsoft Promotes Robert Youngjohns to Senior Vice President and President, North America Sales & Marketing

Microsoft Corp. today announced the promotion of Robert Youngjohns from Corporate Vice President to the role of Senior Vice President and President, North America Sales & Marketing. Youngjohns' promotion is recognition of his proven ability to lead the sales team and improve customer satisfaction since he joined the company in December 2007.

Robert Youngjohns Click for high-res image

"Today's promotion is a testament to Robert's strong team leadership and relentless dedication to our customers," said Kevin Turner, chief operating officer, Microsoft. "Not only have he and his team delivered strong results, he has also helped our customers realize the full potential of our solutions."

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2010/mar10/03-18msyoungjohnspr.mspx

Microsoft Connects People in New Ways With Communications Server “14”

Today at the VoiceCon Orlando 2010 conference, Microsoft Corp. announced that the next version of its unified communications software, code-named Communications Server "14," will be available in the second half of 2010. In his keynote address, Gurdeep Singh Pall, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Office Communications Group, demonstrated the new software for the first time publicly and said Communications Server "14" will help make communications simpler, more open and more cost-efficient.

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2010/mar10/03-24cs14pr.mspx

Microsoft Releases Technical Preview of Next Generation of Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Microsoft Corp. today announced the Community Technical Preview 3 (CTP3) for the next generation of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, code-named "CRM5." This CTP is primarily aimed at software developers within the broad partner base of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, including independent software vendors (ISVs), global system integrators (GSIs), hosting partners and value-added resellers (VARs), giving them an opportunity to start early development and testing of their solutions for this new release.

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2010/mar10/03-25ctp3pr.mspx

Microsoft data centers go beyond the container

Microsoft's data center of the future will be more like a trailer park.
Only the concrete pad will need to be built on-site, with everything else shipped in as a pre-manufactured unit. That's a step beyond the current approach, used in places like the company's massive new Chicago data center, where Microsoft has the servers shipped in a container but still requires a traditional building to provide water and cooling.


http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20000982-56.html?tag=newsLeadStoriesArea.1

Ford ships 2 millionth car with Microsoft Sync

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer may have gotten Ford's 1 millionth car equipped with Sync, but the 2 millionth car is being shipped with less fanfare.

That didn't stop Ford from sending out an announcement, though. On Wednesday, the automotive company announced that it has installed Sync on its 2 millionth car – less than a year after Ford CEO Alan Mulally personally delivered the 1 millionth to Ballmer.
Sync is Ford's voice-controlled infotainment system built on the Windows Embedded Automotive platform. A bit more than two months ago, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Ford showed off a new version of Sync that has Pandora radio and other apps.


http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/199312.asp

Microsoft creates chemistry set for Word

Microsoft is hoping to let Word do better in Chemistry class.
The software maker said on Wednesday that it is releasing an add-on for the word processor that makes it easier to include labels, formulas, and chemical images into documents. Chem4Word, as the add-on is known, was introduced on Wednesday at the spring meeting of the American Chemical Society.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20001112-56.html

Bing Rolls Out New Features for Spring Revamp

Microsoft introduced new features to its Bing search engine Thursday including Quick Tabs, an Answer box, and new mapping tools powered by Foursquare to deliver real-time data embedded in maps. Bing says the move represents a further departure from Google-style listing of search results and one toward what it calls a "decision engine" where Bing can intuitively deliver exactly the price, link, score, or weather forecast you are looking for.

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/032510-bing-rolls-out-new-features.html

Microsoft Launches Preview of Dynamics CRM5

Microsoft has delivered a new Community Technology preview (CTP) of the next generation of the company's Microsoft Dynamics CRM software, codenamed "CRM5."

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Enterprise-Applications/Microsoft-Launches-Preview-of-Dynamics-CRM5-655855/

Vote for Your Favorite Student Tech Innovations

Students across America have been dreaming up ways to solve the world's toughest problems using the magic of software. They are competing in the Imagine Cup, the world's premier student technology competition hosted annually by Microsoft Corp. Starting today and running through April 23, the public is invited to learn more about the U.S. finalist teams, view videos about their innovations, and vote for their favorite Software Design idea at http://www.imaginecup.us/peopleschoice.aspx.

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2010/mar10/03-25mspeopleschoiceimaginecuppr.mspx