costelloelvisss: January 2013

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Garnet red PlayStation 3 bundled with God of War: Ascension and 500GB HDD arrives this March for $349

Sony apparently sees 2013 as a chance to colorize its aging PlayStation 3 console, today announcing yet another new color for the superslim packing 500GB of storage. To match the blood red tattoos found all over God of War star Kratos' body, Sony colored this one garnet red, and is pairing the console with God of War: Ascension -- thusly, the bundle arrives on March 12, the same day God of War: Ascension is scheduled to go up for sale. Unlike its "Classic White" brethren, you won't get a full-year subscription to PlayStation Plus in this bundle -- a disappointment considering this one costs $50 more. It does, however, include not just a copy of God of War: Ascension, but also God of War Saga (which collects the first three God of War games) and God of War: Origins Collection (which bundles the two God of War PlayStation Portable games). That's a total of six God of War games included in this bundle, so you'd better really be into spending time with Kratos should you pick this up.

Gallery: Garnet Red PlayStation 3 (God of War: Ascension bundle)

Filed under: Gaming, HD, Sony

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/31/garnet-red-playstation-3/

marie colvin cm punk cm punk lint buenos aires train crash argentina train crash nancy pelosi

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

This Incredible Soundboard Website Has Pretty Much Every Sound You'd Ever Want to Hear

I've found your new favorite website: Funswitcher.com. It has pretty much every sound known to mankind. From TV show theme songs like Community and Buffy, to video games sounds like Super Mario Star. Hell it even has sounds for having an orgasm and your favorite memes. You will lose hours to this website and you will not regret it. [Fun Switcher via The Awesomer] More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/ZZJ43SnP7js/this-incredible-soundboard-website-pretty-much-has-every-sound-youd-ever-want-to-hear

outback chaka khan taylor swift safe and sound delilah nevis 2012 sports illustrated swimsuit same day flower delivery

SpaceX to launch AMOS-6 - Broadband TV News

Spacecom has confirmed SpaceX as the launch partner for the new AMPS-6 communications satellite.

The craft is scheduled for a Falcon 9 launch vehicle in mid-2015 and will replace AMOS-2 at the 4 degrees West orbital slit.

It is anticipated that AMOS-6 will expand coverage into Western Europe and parts of Africa, supplementing the existing coverage in Central and Eastern Europe and Middle East coverage. The new 9KW satellite will offer 39 Ku-band segments and 24 Ka-band broadband beams to provide a wide array of services. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is responsible for planning, manufacturing, preparing for launch and providing ground control operations for AMOS-6.

?We are excited to partner with SpaceX and its tremendous team. AMOS-6 will be larger and stronger than AMOS-2 and AMOS-3 combined, and signals a new age for Spacecom,? commented David Pollack, president and CEO of Spacecom. ?As we establish our position as a global satellite operator providing more services and capacity, AMOS-6 will be a key element of our business strategy and future.?

SpaceX?s Falcon 9 is a medium-to-heavy lift, two-stage launch vehicle capable of lifting approximately 11 tons to low Earth orbit (LEO) and in excess of 4.5 tons to GTO. Designed to the highest levels of reliability and performance, Falcon 9, along with SpaceX?s Dragon spacecraft, was selected by NASA to resupply the International Space Station starting in 2010.

Source: http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2013/01/30/spacex-to-launch-amos-6/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=spacex-to-launch-amos-6

SAT Notre Dame Football Schedule detroit tigers Tsunami Lil Reese Hurricane Sandy Nyc Saanvi Venna

In-brain monitoring shows memory network

Jan. 29, 2013 ? Working with patients with electrodes implanted in their brains, researchers at the University of California, Davis, and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) have shown for the first time that areas of the brain work together at the same time to recall memories. The unique approach promises new insights into how we remember details of time and place.

"Previous work has focused on one region of the brain at a time," said Arne Ekstrom, assistant professor at the UC Davis Center for Neuroscience. "Our results show that memory recall involves simultaneous activity across brain regions." Ekstrom is senior author of a paper describing the work published Jan. 27 in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

Ekstrom and UC Davis graduate student Andrew Watrous worked with patients being treated for a severe seizure condition by neurosurgeon Dr. Nitin Tandon and his UTHealth colleagues.

To pinpoint the origin of the seizures in these patients, Tandon and his team place electrodes on the patient's brain inside the skull. The electrodes remain in place for one to two weeks for monitoring.

Six such patients volunteered for Ekstrom and Watrous' study while the electrodes were in place. Using a laptop computer, the patients learned to navigate a route through a virtual streetscape, picking up passengers and taking them to specific places. Later, they were asked to recall the routes from memory.

Correct memory recall was associated with increased activity across multiple connected brain regions at the same time, Ekstrom said, rather than activity in one region followed by another.

However, the analysis did show that the medial temporal lobe is an important hub of the memory network, confirming earlier studies, he said.

Intriguingly, memories of time and of place were associated with different frequencies of brain activity across the network. For example, recalling, "What shop is next to the donut shop?" set off a different frequency of activity from recalling "Where was I at 11 a.m.?"

Using different frequencies could explain how the brain codes and recalls elements of past events such as time and location at the same time, Ekstrom said.

"Just as cell phones and wireless devices work at different radio frequencies for different information, the brain resonates at different frequencies for spatial and temporal information," he said.

The researchers hope to explore further how the brain codes information in future work.

The neuroscientists analyzed their results with graph theory, a new technique that is being used for studying networks, ranging from social media connections to airline schedules.

"Previously, we didn't have enough data from different brain regions to use graph theory. This combination of multiple readings during memory retrieval and graph theory is unique," Ekstrom said.

Placing electrodes inside the skull provides clearer resolution of electrical signals than external electrodes, making the data invaluable for the study of cognitive functions, Tandon said. "This work has yielded important insights into the normal mechanisms underpinning recall, and provides us with a framework for the study of memory dysfunction in the future."

Additional authors of the study are Chris Connor and Thomas Pieters at the UTHealth Medical School. The work was supported by the Sloan Foundation, the Hellman Foundation and the NIH.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of California - Davis.

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

Journal Reference:

Andrew J Watrous, Nitin Tandon, Chris R Conner, Thomas Pieters, Arne D Ekstrom. Frequency-specific network connectivity increases underlie accurate spatiotemporal memory retrieval. Nature Neuroscience, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nn.3315

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/-ao3Knadd_w/130129144817.htm

rondo suspended bay bridge presidents day band of brothers presidents george washington russell westbrook

China urged to face Philippines at UN tribunal

Visiting U.S. Rep. Edward Royce, R-Calif., Chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs delivers his opening statement during his delegation's meeting with Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario (unseen) Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, in Manila, Philippines. Royce and five members of his delegation are in Manila for talks with top Philippine officials, including President Benigno Aquino III, aimed at strengthening relations between the two countries. At left is U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel, D-New York. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario greets visiting U.S. Rep. Edward Royce, R-Calif., Chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, prior to his delegation's meeting Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, in Manila, Philippines. Royce and five members of his delegation are in Manila for talks with top Philippine officials, including President Benigno Aquino III, aimed at strengthening relations between the two countries. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario, right, escorts visiting U.S. Rep. Edward Royce, R-Calif., Chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, prior to his delegation's meeting Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, in Manila, Philippines. Royce and five members of his delegation are in Manila for talks with top Philippine officials, including President Benigno Aquino III, aimed at strengthening relations between the two countries. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Visiting U.S. Representative Edward Royce, R-Calif., Chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, gestures prior to his delegation's meeting with Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, in Manila, Philippines. Royce and five members of his delegation are in Manila for talks with top Philippine officials, including President Benigno Aquino III, aimed at strengthening relations between the two countries. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

MANILA, Philippines (AP) ? A senior U.S. lawmaker meeting with Philippine officials said Tuesday that China should agree to face the Philippines before a U.N. arbitration tribunal to avoid a possible crisis over their long-raging territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

The Philippines took a daring legal step last week when it notified China that it will challenge Beijing's claims to virtually the entire South China Sea in a case before an arbitration tribunal under the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. China has not issued a formal response, but its ambassador to Manila, Ma Keqing, has reiterated Beijing's "indisputable sovereignty" over the contested region.

Rep. Ed Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Washington takes no sides in the territorial conflicts but backs an internationally accepted diplomatic solution.

"It is best that China joins the process so that we can move forward under international law," the California Republican told The Associated Press after meeting Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario and other diplomats in Manila.

"We want to calm the tensions," Royce said. "We want this approached from the standpoint of diplomacy, and that is what we are conveying because in that way we don't create crisis which roils the markets or creates uncertainty."

Royce is leading a six-member U.S. congressional delegation in meetings with President Benigno Aquino III and other Philippine officials before traveling to Beijing on Wednesday as part of a tour of Asia, where America has been trying to reassert its presence after focusing on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

China, the Philippines and four other countries have overlapping claims across the vast South China Sea. Beijing claims it has sovereignty over virtually all of the region, which may be rich in oil and gas and is home to some of the world's busiest shipping sealanes.

Chinese paramilitary ships confronted Philippine vessels last year in a monthslong standoff over a disputed shoal. China has effectively controlled the shoal since June, when Manila withdrew its ships as a typhoon approached.

There are fears that territorial conflicts in the region, including a dispute between Japan and China in the East China Sea, could spark Asia's next armed conflict.

Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Cuisia said del Rosario and other Philippine diplomats told the U.S. delegation that Manila decided to bring its disputes with China to international arbitration after other diplomatic steps failed, including an effort to get the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations involved in finding a solution.

In its case against China, the Philippines listed several aggressive moves it alleged were launched by China in recent years to fortify its territorial claims, including the occupation of South China Sea islands and the enactment this month of a Chinese law that allows Chinese patrol vessels to intercept, detain or expel foreign ships passing through vast stretches of waters that Beijing claims.

The Philippines specifically sought an end to Chinese occupation and activities on eight reefs and shoals and surrounding waters, including Mischief Reef, which China occupied in 1995, sparking fierce protests from Manila and concern from Southeast Asian nations.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-29-South%20China%20Sea/id-2982a8ad2689431bbbfbaf7daff11248

sag awards red carpet torrey pines nhl all star game 2012 pollyanna samuel adams snowy owl one for the money

Football legends work to raise prostate cancer awareness - PRWeek ...

NEW ORLEANS: The American Urological Association Foundation is using former National Football League stars to drum up awareness about prostate cancer in the week before the Super Bowl.

Pro Football Hall of Famers Mike Haynes, Marcus Allen, and Harry Carson are engaging in an intensive media-outreach schedule this week as part of the ?Know Your Stats? campaign.

At least 50 radio, TV, and print interviews are planned, according to Heather Gartman, EVP of healthcare in Ruder Finn's Washington office. Her ...

Source: http://www.prweekus.com/football-legends-star-in-cancer-awareness-effort/article/277979/

derek fisher lyrid meteor shower hippocrates andrew breitbart red wings penguins the band

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Friend or foe: U.S. wary of Muslim Brotherhood

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama begins his second term straining to maintain a good relationship with Egypt, an important U.S. ally whose president is a conservative Islamist walking a fine line between acting as a moderate peace broker and keeping his Muslim Brotherhood party happy with anti-American rhetoric.

The White House last summer had hoped to smooth over some of the traditional tensions between Washington and the Brotherhood, a party rooted in opposition to Israel and the U.S., when Egypt overthrew dictator Hosni Mubarak and picked Mohammed Morsi as its first democratically elected leader.

But a spate of recent steps ? from Brotherhood-led attacks on protesters, to vague protestations of women's freedoms in the nation's new constitution, to revelations of old comments by Morsi referring to Jews as "bloodsuckers" and "pigs" ? have raised alarm among senior U.S. officials and threatens $1 billion in American aid to Egypt.

Though the Brotherhood was founded in Egypt, its influence and affiliates have spread across the Mideast and into North Africa ? where two recent terrorist attacks and a French assault on Islamist militants in Mali have presented Obama with a new front in the battle against extremism for his second term.

The White House has little interest in picking a fight with the Muslim Brotherhood, which has grown in size and stature across the region since the Arab Spring revolts. The Brotherhood and similar Islamist movements are regarded warily by monarchies in Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco. Its members are part of the opposition coalition seeking to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad. It has small followings in Qatar, Algeria, and a like-minded ? although not officially affiliated ? ally in Tunisia.

When Egyptians elected Morsi, he offered words of moderation, brokered a cease-fire between Israelis and Palestinians in Gaza and bore down on terrorist dens in the Sinai Peninsula.

The Morsi-led government is "a new administration and they're obviously having growing pains," said a senior Obama administration official who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity so he could discuss the diplomatic relationship more candidly.

Since the Tahrir Square revolution two years ago, Washington has tried to help Egypt build a democratic state without appearing to tread on its sovereignty. Morsi won election last June with 51 percent of Egypt's vote.

A new eruption of political violence in Egypt over the weekend left about 50 people dead, deepening the malaise as the Morsi struggles to get a grip on enormous social and economic problems. He has declared a 30-day state of emergency and curfew in the three Suez Canal provinces hit hardest by the violence.

The White House is increasingly concerned about the direction the Brotherhood is taking Egypt: "It's not just about majority rule," the administration official said. "There are democratic principles that we continue to support."

Morsi's anti-Semitic comments, made in separate speeches in 2010 but which surfaced this month on Egyptian TV, also accused Obama of being a liar. They shocked U.S. officials who sprang to condemn them as counter-productive to American-supported peace efforts in the Mideast. But they surprised few people in Egypt, who have heard Brotherhood officials make similar statements for years.

Morsi initially struggled to respond to the U.S. backlash from the comments. His office issued a statement committing to uphold religious freedoms and tolerance, and condemning violence.

"The president strongly believes that we must respect and indeed celebrate our common humanity, and does not accept or condone derogatory statements regarding any religious or ethnic group," the statement said, without addressing the fact that Morsi himself made those comments.

The statement, however, did little to soothe U.S. lawmakers ? Democrats and Republicans alike ? who have balked at approving $1 billion in aid to Egypt that Obama promised in 2011 to help the new government settle an economic crisis that has drained the country's central bank and devalued the local currency in the revolution's aftermath.

"How would the American people feel about cutting money to education programs here and giving money to a government that is anti-Semitic?" Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., a member of the House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees funding to foreign governments, said.

"I don't think the administration has any right to say they are going to grant this foreign aid because I think this Congress may very well condition it," Wolf said. "I think there are a lot of questions, and I don't think it's a given."

Part of the proposed $1 billion aid package depends on International Monetary Fund approval of its own $4.8 billion loan to Egypt. But that loan has stalled for months because of Egypt's instability.

Despite its misgivings about Morsi, the White House still is pushing Congress for the funding, acknowledging that Egypt's downfall all but certainly would roil the already turbulent Mideast and North Africa.

"It's not in our interest to have an economic collapse in Egypt," said the senior Obama administration official.

The Brotherhood describes itself as a non-violent social organization dedicated to instilling Islamic values in the society. In Egypt, where it formed, the group was repressed by former regimes for decades and has struggled with adjusting to its new role leading the government. Its members, fearing a coup, are widely blamed with attacking anti-Morsi protesters outside the presidential palace in Cairo last month in clashes that left at least 10 people dead.

"What they missed was the fact that they are a governing party now, and to be getting into street battles when you also have commanding presence in the Egyptian state shows inexperience and panic," said Nathan Brown, a professor at George Washington University who has been researching Islamic movements for nearly a decade. "This is the kind of group that will be a pain to deal with for the United States, but it's not al-Qaida; it's not a security threat."

He added: "The biggest fear on the part of the (Obama) administration is a political breakdown in Egypt. They are worried that a collapse in the Egyptian state would be destabilizing on the region, and might allow the flow of arms and fighters among more radical movements in the region ? especially in trouble spots like Sinai and Gaza."

Obama administration officials said Morsi's promises to abide by Egypt's 1979 peace treaty with Israel, and continued security cooperation with Israel over the volatile Sinai Peninsula shows his willingness to be a reasonable partner. Morsi's work in November to broker a cease-fire between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rules was "a good first step," the senior Obama administration official said.

But Washington remains wary of Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, "who come from a very conservative viewpoint with issues that are very important to America," said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.

Gillibrand was part of a delegation of U.S. lawmakers who met with Morsi in Cairo this month shortly after his 2010 statements surfaced. She stopped short of saying Morsi appeared chastened but described him as mindful of "how important America is to the viability of his presidency and the economy."

She said lawmakers want to see what actions he takes, "and we want to see if his words match those deeds and actions," Gillibrand said.

___

Follow Lara Jakes on Twitter at https://twitter.com/larajakesAP

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/washington-casts-wary-eye-muslim-brotherhood-081823131--politics.html

pope shenouda bolton muamba sxsw crystal cathedral st. patrick s day brandon lloyd brandon lloyd

Monday, January 28, 2013

The Sunday Shows (TIME)

Share With Friends:

| Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/279889284?client_source=feed&format=rss

hunger games box office xavier joan crawford joan crawford john goodman kendall marshall whitney houston news

Watch This Renegade Phone Pull Off Its Own Aerobatic Stunts at the X Games

We've all broken our share of phones, and generally the only day-to-day danger they face is a three or four foot fall, or maybe the odd puddle of water. Norwegian X-Games competitor PK Hunder's phone had a bit more to deal with when he lost it in mid-air, half-way through a 720 during practice yesterday. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/lbDvz0hgSGA/watch-this-renegade-phone-pull-off-its-own-aerobatic-stunts-at-the-x-games

sweet home alabama etch a sketch the host hoodie hoosiers temperance world bank

Page Not Found (404) - Salon.com

Source: http://feeds.salon.com/salon/index

lotto winners mega ball winning numbers baltimore county current tv megamillions ncaa basketball tournament 2012 megamillions winning numbers

Canada denies Randy Quaid's request to stay

TORONTO (AP) ? Canadian immigration officials have denied U.S. actor Randy Quaid's request for permanent resident status in Canada.

A Canadian government official confirmed late Saturday his request for permanent status has been denied. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Quaid can appeal the decision to the federal court.

U.S. officials last year refused to seek extradition of the actor and his wife from Canada to face felony vandalism charges in Santa Barbara, California, but authorities in the coastal town say they'll still have the couple arrested if they return to the states.?

Quaid has sought to stay in Canada, claiming he was being hunted by "Hollywood star-whackers" who had killed his friends David Carradine and Heath Ledger.?

Quaid's trouble began in 2010 when he and his wife were arrested for causing more than $5,000 damage at a hillside home they were renting.?

Randy Quaid is the older brother of actor Dennis Quaid and is best-known for his roles in films such as "National Lampoon's Vacation" and "Independence Day." He won a Golden Globe award for his depiction of President Lyndon Johnson in a TV movie in the late 1980s.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/canada-denies-randy-quaids-request-stay-054909956.html

at last al green gina carano burger king delivery etta james at last john king obama sings al green

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Senate Immigration Proposal to Include Pathway to Citizenship

Two senators at the center of negotiations over comprehensive immigration reform, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) said on Sunday that a pathway to citizenship is an essential component of a comprehensive reform bill.

"That has to be also part of it," McCain told ABC News' Martha Raddatz on "This Week" when asked whether a pathway to citizenship would be a component of reform. "There's a new appreciation on both sides of the aisle including, maybe more importantly on the Republican side of the aisle, that we have to enact comprehensive immigration reform."

Like "This Week" on Facebook here. You can also follow the show on Twitter here.

McCain said that a small group of Senators will release the principles of a comprehensive, not "piecemeal," reform bill this week.

"I'm very pleased with the progress," McCain said. "It's not that much different from what we tried to do in 2007."

Read a full transcript of the interview with Sens. McCain and Menendez HERE.

Menendez, who met with President Obama on Friday along with other members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus leadership, said that the president expressed his full commitment to reform.

"The president made it very clear in that discussion that this was a top legislative priority for him in this session of the Congress and that he expects to work with all of us in an effort to achieve that goal and he's fully committed to it."

He added that a pathway to "earned legalization" is an "essential element" of an immigration reform bill.

"First, Americans support it in poll after poll. Secondly, Latino voters expect it. Thirdly Democrats want it. And fourth Republicans need it," Menendez said.

McCain added that he believes Obama's use of the presidential podium on behalf of immigration reform at an event in Las Vegas planned for Tuesday will aid efforts to pass a bill.

"I think it helps," McCain said. "I think its important that we all work together on this."

"Believe it or not, I see a glimmer of bipartisanship out there," he added.

Hackers claim attack on Justice Department website (reuters)

Share With Friends:

| Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/279726052?client_source=feed&format=rss

blake griffin pau gasol marlins park marbury v. madison 2013 lincoln mkz burger king mary j blige google project glass

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Apple Discovers Underage Workers At iPhone Factories - Business ...

Apple Inc stepped up audits of working conditions at major suppliers last year, discovering multiple cases of underage workers, discrimination and wage problems.

The iPhone and iPad maker, which relies heavily on Asian-based partners like Taiwan's Foxconn Technology Group to assemble the vast majority of its iPhones and iPads, said on Thursday it conducted 393 audits, up 72 percent from 2011, reviewing sites where over 1.5 million workers make its gadgets.

Apple in recent years has faced accusations of building its profits on the backs of poorly treated and severely underpaid workers in China.

That criticism came to the fore around 2010, after reports of suicides at Foxconn drew attention to the long hours that migrant laborers frequently endure, often for a pittance in wages and in severely cramped living conditions.

Foxconn is the trading name of Hon Hai Precision Industry and employs 1.2 million workers across China.

Under Chief Executive Tim Cook, who took over from Steve Jobs in 2011, Apple has taken new steps to improve its record and boost transparency, including the extensive audits of its sprawling supply chain. Last year, it agreed to separate audits by the independent Fair Labor Association.

In an interview on Thursday, Apple senior vice president of operations Jeff Williams said the company has increased its efforts to solve two of the most challenging issues - ensuring there are no under aged workers in its supply chain and limiting working hours to 60 hours a week.

While child labor reflected a small percentage of the workforce, Apple is now investigating its smaller suppliers - which typically supply parts to larger suppliers and hence face less oversight on such issues - to bring them into compliance, sometimes even firing them.

"We go deep in the supply chain to find it," Williams said. "And when we do find it, we ensure that the underage workers are taken care of, the suppliers are dealt with."

In one case, Apple said it terminated its relationship with a component maker Guangdong Real Faith Pingzhou Electronics Co Ltd after discovering 74 cases of underage workers.

Officials at Pingzhou Electronics could not be reached despite three telephone calls from Reuters.

Apple also discovered an employment agency that was forging documents to allow children to illegally work at the supplier.

Apple reported both the supplier and the employment agency to local authorities, the company said in its latest annual report on the conditions in its supply chain.

Apple has audited both small and ancillary suppliers, as well as large ones such as Korea's Samsung Electronics Co, for working conditions. It found 95 percent of sites audited complied with avoiding underage labor.

Child labor is an issue that is part of the larger supply industry as the component maker that Apple found violated child labor laws supplied parts to more than a hundred different companies, including automotive companies, Williams said, vowing to eradicate under aged labor from the industry.

"I don't know how long it will take to get there but that's our goal," said Williams, who has spent a significant amount of his 14 years at Apple in Asia managing the supply chain.

FOCUS ON STUDENT INTERNS

For 2013, Williams said a key focus for Apple will be student interns and ensuring that suppliers do not abuse the internship system, especially in China where many colleges require students to complete internships as part of their curriculum.

Some companies in China are solving labor shortages by employing students. Last September, city officials of the northeastern Chinese coastal city of Yantai ordered vocational high schools to send students to a large plant run by Foxconn - a key contract manufacture for Apple and other large electronics companies like Hewlett Packard - to overcome a shortage of workers.

Another focus areas has been "bonded labor", where agencies who help immigrant workers find jobs take a substantial portion of the worker's pay.

Apple said in the report that it asked suppliers to reimburse $6.4 million in excess foreign contract worker fees in 2012, according to the report.

The company said it achieved 92 percent compliance with a maximum 60-hour work week in its supply chain. Where violations were discovered, Apple took action, it said in its report.

Apple also found and stopped discriminatory practices against women workers in 34 supplier facilities that required pregnancy testing and 25 facilities that tested employees for certain medical conditions, the report said.

(Additional reporting by Shanghai newsroom; Editing by Richard Pullin)

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-discovers-underage-workers-at-iphone-factories-2013-1

Stacie Halas justin timberlake anne hathaway Corvette Stingray Claire Danes quentin tarantino jessica chastain

Rules for Visiting a New Mom

By Scary Mommy Contributor, Robyn

You know the scene: A close girlfriend has her long-awaited new baby and you feel the need to hightail it to her house to hold that little bundle of joy. In fact, it takes all of your self-control to not show up at the hospital and interrupt the precious few hours that she?ll have a staff doting on her around the clock. Either it?s because you love that new baby smell or you think Mama is going to have hurt feelings if you don?t show interest in her newest family member, but regardless,?you are going to hold that baby. This is what we do as women, yes?

Au contraire, mon amie. I distinctly remember being two months into motherhood and realizing that I didn?t need or want any more girlfriends stopping by and over-stimulating my colicky, sensitive child with their scary foreign faces, inappropriately loud voices, or refusal to stop bouncing him for even a few minutes. Give the baby a break from the bouncing, ladies. Do you think I want him to get used to that?? No, I don?t, because I?m tired and I don?t want to have to bounce him myself.

I assure you that I would not have been hurt had no one come to visit me at all.? Do you think I made this baby by myself?? In fact, I did not. There is a man who lives here to keep me company in the evenings. During the day I was too tired, overwhelmed, and covered in spit-up to care about loneliness, and having company just meant that I?d have to squeeze my fat ass into something that didn?t fit and vacuum the dog hair off the floor.

Before I became a mother I was one of those girlfriends who showed up just to hold your baby. I hereby publicly apologize to all of the new mommies that I did this to. No mother I know was sitting around, desperately waiting for me to appear at her house empty-handed and hold her baby. I am no Baby Whisperer, believe me.

There was one instance that I arrived at a girlfriend?s house for no other reason than to hold her new baby and then?I sat down and ate the dinner that her husband had been preparing for them. Me! I did not just have a baby! Why was I eating her food?? Shameful.

Now I?m a mother and realize that if you want to hold that babe in the first four months before the yummy new baby smell wears off, then there are some rules governing that situation?

The Rules for Visiting a New Mom

??Bring food that you know they?ll like.?This means a take-out lunch from a higher-end restaurant and bring enough food so that Daddy has something to eat when he gets home. Chicken, fish, steak, or something that fits their special diet.? Don?t be stingy; buy enough for leftovers. Don?t bring Subway; in case you hadn?t heard, Subway is disgusting. Don?t make something on your own unless it actually tastes good. It?s best to spend a little money and treat them to something nice since it?s going to be a long, long time before they go to a restaurant again. I hate to say it, but if you can?t afford to buy her a nice lunch then you need to consider whether you can really afford to hold this baby.

? Don?t eat her food. Does Mama have some pulled pork or a rack of short ribs simmering in the crock-pot when you arrive? Don?t you dare accept any of it if she offers.? She is being polite and you are not actually a guest.? You are an intruder. Remember: ?Everything that you don?t eat is leftovers for them tomorrow, so don?t eat anything at all. You can have some water if you get it yourself. You need to be on high alert to recognize fake offers of food/gifts/favors and so on from this woman; she is likely out of her mind from sleep deprivation and doesn?t know what she?s saying, but she will still remember your greediness years later.

One of my friends left a homemade chicken casserole and fresh chocolate chip cookies at our front door and didn?t even need to come inside.? The hallmark of a truly excellent friend is one who will knock quietly, put the food on the front porch, then get in the car and drive away.

??Bring a gift, even if you already gave a baby shower gift.?Ask Mama what she needs or check her registry for lingering purchases. Don?t get your panties in a bunch about this one; it can be something as simple as a case of pacifiers or replacement pump pieces?? things that only cost a few bucks. Nobody ever said that a gift had to be a surprise in order to be good. When in doubt, ask what diapers they use and bring those. If you buy the cheapest diapers you can find that are imported from Mexico, she?ll be dealing with scratchy leaky diapers and cursing your name at 4am.

? Snap Away. If you?re a semi-pro photographer, bring your camera and your most flattering lens. Don?t try to sell her the portraits later. Send them for free.

? No summer dresses in winter. Don?t bring size-inappropriate-for-the-season clothing that suits your taste and not theirs. Babies grow fast. Use your brain.

? Don?t bring decorative kick-knacks. As much fun as you might think it is, no mother wants you to decorate her new baby nursery. Decorating the nursery is strictly relegated to mom and dad and you can keep your over-sized stuffed animals, picture frames, and inspirational quotes out of it. Nobody wants something extra to dust around when they have a new baby. Don?t make Mama waste a stamp graciously thanking you for some random thing you dug up at Tuesday Morning that she never wanted in the first place.

??Make yourself useful.?Is your new-mother friend one of those controlling types who doesn?t want anyone helping with her housework?? Your friend needs to get over it because in about 8 months that baby is going to be mobile and her days of being in control of her surroundings are officially a thing of the past.

? Do the dishes. If the kitchen sink is full of dishes, turn on the water, rinse them off, and start loading them up in the dishwasher. Load them smart because you know how much we hate it when the dishwasher is loaded wrong.? Don?t halfheartedly ask Mama if maybe you can help out in some way because she?s going to say no even though she means ?God, yes, please someone help me for once.?? Just do it.

? Or the laundry. Look around and spy a pile of clean clothes that needs to be folded? Do you have two working hands?? Fold the laundry, even the underwear.

? Be that friend.?One of my friends not only brought food and a gift, but she called from the drugstore to see if I needed anything (indeed, I did need nursing pads for those leaky boobs no one warned me about) and started putting away all of the odds and ends that belonged in the baby?s closet that I couldn?t reach because of my c-section. When she asked what she could do it wasn?t really a question as much as it was a statement and request for orders.

Another girlfriend came over with her husband for an afternoon.? He sat in a chair and rocked the baby while she cleaned my kitchen spotless, including shining up the stainless steel of the refrigerator.? What did I do?? I took a bath and washed and dried my hair for the first time in a week.? You know when your hair gets so dirty that the roots hurt?? That was my hair.? I had an entire hour to myself where I wasn?t listening for the baby to cry for the first time since becoming a mother two months prior.? When I tried to check on the baby in the living room she whispered, ?Get out of here.? He can smell your milk.?

? But not THAT friend. I can honestly say that there were a few visitors during that time of my life who had me thinking, ?I?m being held hostage by this tiny person who just threw up in my eyes and you didn?t even bring me anything??? Don?t be that friend.? Learn from me, the reformed do-nothing baby holder.? Last summer when a friend had a new baby, I brought a small gift and lunch whenever I went to see her because I knew she felt so overwhelmed.? These days I don?t even give birthday presents without asking Mama what the little one needs, or if my gift idea is OK with her.

If you?ve been a blatant do-nothing baby holder in the past, fear not.? Make a mental note to buy the child a special gift for their next birthday party and rest easy knowing that at some point, your day of having vomit in your eyes will come and you will find yourself wondering what the hell these baby-holding friends are doing in your house.

Robyn divides her time between wondering where those 30 points of IQ snuck off to after the birth of her first child and silently judging parents who let their kids eat red dye #40. In her spare moments she updates her blog?therobynnest?and compulsively checks her?Facebook??for Paleo crockpot recipes.

Source: http://www.scarymommy.com/rules-for-visiting-a-new-mom/

Microsoft Surface Candy Crowley binders of women Alexis Wright presidential debates Felix Baumgartner Little Nemo

Friday, January 25, 2013

Mouse menopause model sheds light on UTIs in post-menopausal women

Public release date: 24-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail |

Share ]

Contact: Jim Sliwa
jsliwa@asmusa.org
202-942-9297
American Society for Microbiology

Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, show that reservoirs of uropathogenic E. coli within the bladder exist in higher numbers post-menopause than pre-menopause in a mouse model, a finding that could help explain the greater prevalence of urinary tract infections in post-menopausal women. They also found that estrogen supplementation reduced the numbers of such reservoirs dramatically. The research was published online ahead of print in the journal Infection and Immunity.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) afflict an estimated 13 million American women annually. Post-menopausal women are especially vulnerable to UTIs. The high incidence of UTIs in post-menopausal women has long been thought related to the menopausal fall in estrogen levels.

However, "estrogen therapy to help limit or prevent recurrent or chronic UTIs has not been consistently shown to be effective in reducing the burden of infections in this population," says Indira Mysorekar, a researcher on the study. "Given the increasing incidence of multidrug resistant bugs and the high incidence of UTIs in older women, it is vital that we fully understand the dynamics of estrogen interaction with uropathogenic Escherichia coli, and the course of UTIs, and model these to determine how they might intersect."

Uropathogenic E. coli also damage the bladder, says Mysorekar. "To repair the damage, new cells are produced that turn into specialized cells which make up the new bladder barrier," she says. "In the absence of estrogen," as in post-menopausal women, "this repair process was severely disrupted." Among other things, abnormally elevated levels of immune system cytokines may damage bladder cells. In the mouse menopause model, "the cytokine levels are very high," she says. However, the researchers found that estrogen supplementation can reduce the levels of cytokines, as well as the infectious reservoirs to levels found pre-menopausally, mitigating the infection and the resulting damage.

The goal of the current research was "to develop a definitive model of UTIs in menopause, to understand both the effect of loss of estrogen on the course of infection, and to determine whether estrogen therapy would be effective," says Mysorekar.

"The long term goal of my lab is to identify the molecular and genetic pathways that govern the estrogenic regulation of normal bladder function, and how it is altered during bladder disease and in menopause," says Mysorekar. "Our findings lay the groundwork for exploring the mechanism of estrogenic action and for testing hormone therapy efficacy in our animal model, and eventually in humans."

UTI symptoms include frequent urination, often accompanied by a burning sensation, cloudy, bad-smelling urine, and pelvic pain. They can be dangerous if they spread to the kidneys.

###
Formal publication of the article is scheduled for the March 2013 issue of Infection and Immunity.

(C. Wang, J.W. Symington, E. Ma, B. Cao, and I.U. Mysorekar, 2013. Estrogenic modulation of uropathogenic Escherichia coli infection pathogenesis in a murine menopause model. Infect. Immun. Published ahead of print 21 December 2012, doi:10.1128/IAI.01234-12)

Infection and Immunity is a publication of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). The ASM is the largest single life science society, composed of over 39,000 scientists and health professionals. Its mission is to advance the microbiological sciences as a vehicle for understanding life processes and to apply and communicate this knowledge for the improvement of health and environmental and economic well-being worldwide.

[ | 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.

Mouse menopause model sheds light on UTIs in post-menopausal women Public release date: 24-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jim Sliwa
jsliwa@asmusa.org
202-942-9297
American Society for Microbiology

Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, show that reservoirs of uropathogenic E. coli within the bladder exist in higher numbers post-menopause than pre-menopause in a mouse model, a finding that could help explain the greater prevalence of urinary tract infections in post-menopausal women. They also found that estrogen supplementation reduced the numbers of such reservoirs dramatically. The research was published online ahead of print in the journal Infection and Immunity.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) afflict an estimated 13 million American women annually. Post-menopausal women are especially vulnerable to UTIs. The high incidence of UTIs in post-menopausal women has long been thought related to the menopausal fall in estrogen levels.

However, "estrogen therapy to help limit or prevent recurrent or chronic UTIs has not been consistently shown to be effective in reducing the burden of infections in this population," says Indira Mysorekar, a researcher on the study. "Given the increasing incidence of multidrug resistant bugs and the high incidence of UTIs in older women, it is vital that we fully understand the dynamics of estrogen interaction with uropathogenic Escherichia coli, and the course of UTIs, and model these to determine how they might intersect."

Uropathogenic E. coli also damage the bladder, says Mysorekar. "To repair the damage, new cells are produced that turn into specialized cells which make up the new bladder barrier," she says. "In the absence of estrogen," as in post-menopausal women, "this repair process was severely disrupted." Among other things, abnormally elevated levels of immune system cytokines may damage bladder cells. In the mouse menopause model, "the cytokine levels are very high," she says. However, the researchers found that estrogen supplementation can reduce the levels of cytokines, as well as the infectious reservoirs to levels found pre-menopausally, mitigating the infection and the resulting damage.

The goal of the current research was "to develop a definitive model of UTIs in menopause, to understand both the effect of loss of estrogen on the course of infection, and to determine whether estrogen therapy would be effective," says Mysorekar.

"The long term goal of my lab is to identify the molecular and genetic pathways that govern the estrogenic regulation of normal bladder function, and how it is altered during bladder disease and in menopause," says Mysorekar. "Our findings lay the groundwork for exploring the mechanism of estrogenic action and for testing hormone therapy efficacy in our animal model, and eventually in humans."

UTI symptoms include frequent urination, often accompanied by a burning sensation, cloudy, bad-smelling urine, and pelvic pain. They can be dangerous if they spread to the kidneys.

###
Formal publication of the article is scheduled for the March 2013 issue of Infection and Immunity.

(C. Wang, J.W. Symington, E. Ma, B. Cao, and I.U. Mysorekar, 2013. Estrogenic modulation of uropathogenic Escherichia coli infection pathogenesis in a murine menopause model. Infect. Immun. Published ahead of print 21 December 2012, doi:10.1128/IAI.01234-12)

Infection and Immunity is a publication of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). The ASM is the largest single life science society, composed of over 39,000 scientists and health professionals. Its mission is to advance the microbiological sciences as a vehicle for understanding life processes and to apply and communicate this knowledge for the improvement of health and environmental and economic well-being worldwide.

[ | 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.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-01/asfm-mmm012413.php
jon jones chuck colson death meteor showers 2012 ufc 145 jones vs evans marian hossa philip humber

How to Install a Dog Door | Home Improvement Ideas

24Jan

Lowe?s home improvement expert, Mike Kraft, demonstrates how to install a dog door. Before installing, make sure to measure your dog for proper fit. Measure from the widest points, most likely shoulder to shoulder, and add two inches. Then measure from the shoulder to the bottom of the chest or belly (whatever is larger) and add two inches. These dimensions will help you choose the right size dog door. Note: allow for additional room if your dog is still growing. After you have picked a door, measure from your dog?s shoulder to the floor. This measurement will let you know how high to mount the door. After measuring, mark the height on your exterior door. To make installation easier, remove the door from the hinges. You can set the door on two table saws, but make sure you mark which side is the bottom. After removing the door, cut out the dog door template and tape it to the door (where you marked the dog door opening height earlier). Then, use a jigsaw to cut out the dog door hole. Once the dog door cutout is finished, insert the inside frame so you can mark the four screw holes. Take away the frame and drill holes where you have marked. Place the exterior frame in the door and add sleeves. Underneath, insert the inside frame to the cutout. Thread screws through the inside frame, through the door and into the sleeves. Follow up by flipping over the door and tightening the screws. After installation, your pet door should be ready for use. Note: you may have to train your ?

Comments Off

Source: http://www.cohocton.org/752-how-to-install-a-dog-door

news 10 hillary rosen j.k. rowling j.k. rowling axl rose google earnings pat burrell

Niles Animal Hospital and Bird Medical Center: Ownership of Pets ...

From the Chicago Tribune, an excellent article by noted pet expert/writer Steve Dale.

The American Veterinary Medical Association U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook is the closest thing there is to a census of pet ownership, and is conducted every five years. According to the recently released 2012 Sourcebook, between 2006 and 2011, pet ownership decreased by 2.4 percent in the U.S., to 56 percent of all households. Still, there are more pets than children in America!

One of the most notable changes is that cats have fallen in popularity, by 9 percent since the last survey. Dogs have also had a better day; their numbers falling, as well, though only by 3 percent. To be exact, there are today 74.1 million pet cats and 69.9 million dogs in the U.S.

The population decline is even more evident among birds and horses.

Bird ownership in the U.S. nosedived since 2006, dropping by 20.5 percent, and a total of 45.6 percent over the past 20 years. Today, there are a total of 8.3 million feathered friends at year-end 2011, according to the Sourcebook.

The horse population also took a hit, down about 33 percent, to 4.9 million, compared to 2006. Households owning pet rabbits hopped down by 25 percent. Even fish dropped in popularity (by 16.7 percent).

So, what's going on?

"There's no doubt the Demographics Sourcebook offers the best and most consistent methodology on pet ownership," says Dr. Douglas Aspros, White Plains, NY-based president of the American Veterinary Medical Association. "It's one thing to look at the facts, and it's another to interpret them. We simply don't know for sure (why pet numbers have fallen)."

Aspros does offer several ideas.

"Certainly, the economy plays some role, particularly in the decline in horse population," he says. "It's been devastating, but owning, feeding, housing and caring for horses is costly."

Aspros adds that the floundering economy over the course of this survey period may, in part, explain why ownership of large and expensive parrots has declined. However, he notes that budgies (often called parakeets), cockatiels and lovebirds are not particularly costly.

"As a kid, I could get a small bird at a five-and-dime store," he says. "It's true, they probably didn't have the best care. And advice about care was limited; at least the birds were available. Today, there's less availability. It's a shame; these (small birds) are great apartment pets."

The economy may also play some role in the dog and cat population decline. Aside from the cost of a pet, there's also veterinary care, food, grooming and more to consider.

"Absolutely, but more is going on," Aspros says. "There are several surveys which indicate people are willing to spend, arguably more than ever, on their pets. Of course, not everyone has the means to do that."

Aspros notes that the number of pedigreed dogs has been sliding (not measured in the AVMA pet demographic survey, but illustrated by waning American Kennel Club registration numbers). For various reasons, increasingly quality breeders have abandoned their hobby. And while all breeds are available through rescue, some may be harder to come by today than, say, 10 years ago.

Aspros is concerned that if pet ownership continues to slide, animal shelters and rescue groups could wind up in a bind, leading ultimately to more pets being euthanized, unable to find homes. But he adds that this is conjecture.

Here's some additional data from the survey:

Increasingly, dogs and cats are living together (presumably in peace). According to the survey, 36 percent of homes with dogs also have at least one cat. And of households with cats, today nearly 44 percent dare to live with at least one canine.

The state with the highest percentage of pet homes is Vermont, nearly 71 percent.

The state with the lowest percentage of pet homes is Massachusetts, at 50 percent.

Pet ownership among non-traditional families has increased by almost 17 percent since 2006, especially people who are single. (This may be due in part to the overall drop in married couples over the past decade.) Pet ownership is highest among those working full time and among those who own their own home.

(Steve Dale welcomes questions/comments from readers. Although he can't answer all of them individually, he'll answer those of general interest in his column Send e-mail to PETWORLD(at)STEVE DALE.TV. Include your name, city and state. Steve's website is http://www.stevedalepetworld.com; he also hosts the nationally syndicated "Steve Dale's Pet World" and "The Pet Minute." He's also a contributing editor to USA Weekend.)

Source: http://blog.nilesanimalhospital.com/2013/01/ownership-of-pets-has-dipped-slightly.html

rose bowl auld lang syne dick clark Happy new year fiscal cliff Pitbull Hannah Storm

Amazon's new Kindles now available in Canada, Paperwhite starting at CAD $139

Despite being our neighbors to the north, Canadians have had to sit patiently and wait for Amazon's refreshed line of e-readers to make their way to retail -- even the UK's had access to the E Ink slates. Now, just over five months later, the Paperwhite and latest generation Kindle will finally be available for purchase on Amazon.ca and at select retailers. For CAD $199, customers can choose between the top-of-the-line 3G Paperwhite and the WiFi-only model for $139, or opt for the low-end with the $89 latest gen Kindle. Support for French-language (Bonjour, Quebec!) is also included in the hardware, as well as direct access to the Canadian Kindle store. So, if you've been holding out hope that Bezos' latest e-reading trio would arrive in the Great White North, well, now's the time to submit your orders.

Show full PR text

Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Now Available on Amazon.ca

Kindle Paperwhite, the most advanced e-reader ever constructed with higher resolution, 62% more pixels, 25% higher-contrast, patented built-in front light, 8 weeks of battery life and an even slimmer and sleeker design-only CAD$139

Kindle Paperwhite Wi-Fi + 3G-the top-of-the-line Kindle with free 3G wireless-only CAD$199

Latest generation Kindle-small, light and even faster-only CAD$89

Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite also available at over a thousand retail locations, including Staples, The Source and Shoppers Drug Mart

Canada Kindle Store on Amazon.ca offers the largest selection of the most popular books, including the most best sellers from the Globe and Mail and Le Devoir best seller lists, winners of the Giller prize, and over 50,000 French-language titles

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 23, 2013-- (NASDAQ:AMZN)-Amazon.ca today announced that the new family of Kindle e-readers is now available to customers in Canada. The all-new top-of-the-line Kindle Paperwhite is the most advanced e-reader ever built with 62% more pixels and 25% increased contrast compared to the previous generation Kindle, a patented built-in front light for reading in all lighting conditions, up to 8 weeks of battery life, a thin and light design, and is available in both Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + 3G models. Never pay for or hunt for a Wi-Fi hotspot with the free 3G wireless Kindle Paperwhite for just CAD$199 or choose Kindle Paperwhite with Wi-Fi for only CAD$139. The new latest generation Kindle, the lightest and smallest Kindle ever, with new, improved fonts and faster page turns at the low price of CAD$89. Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Paperwhite Wi-Fi + 3G support multiple languages, including French, and are available starting today at www.amazon.ca/kindlepaperwhite.

In addition, Canadian customers can now access the Canada Kindle Store directly from their Kindle. The Kindle Store offers the largest selection of the most popular books, including the most best sellers from the Globe and Mail and Le Devoir best seller lists, winners of the Giller prize, and a broad selection of works from leading Canadian publishers and authors, including Margaret Atwood, Alice Munro and Yann Martel. The Canada Kindle Store has over 1.5 million Kindle books, including over 250,000 exclusive books customers won't find anywhere else, over 35,000 free books, and over 50,000 French-language titles. Visit www.amazon.ca/kindlebooks for more information. All Kindle books are "Buy Once, Read Everywhere"-customers can read their Kindle books on Kindle devices and on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Android and Windows phones and Android tablets using the free Kindle apps.

"We're excited to make the best-selling and most advanced e-readers in the world available to our Amazon.ca customers for the first time, making it easier and more affordable than ever for Canadian readers to own a Kindle," said Dave Limp, Vice President, Amazon Kindle. "With a Kindle in their hands, Canadian customers can now directly access the Kindle Store with the largest selection of the books people want to read, including the largest selection of best sellers and over 250,000 titles that are exclusive to the Kindle Store."

"E-readers have found their place in today's digital lifestyle by providing users with a unique reading experience," said Mark Shanahan, senior technology merchant at Staples Canada. "Our goal is to help people choose a device that's right for them by offering a broad selection of popular e-readers like the Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite in one convenient place, making it easy for customers to see, touch, and try the product."

Kindle Paperwhite-The World's Most Advanced E-Reader

Most Advanced E-Reader Display, 62% More Pixels, 25% More Contrast

Kindle Paperwhite's display is the most advanced e-reader display ever constructed. Featuring a 212 ppi display, Kindle Paperwhite has 62% more pixels than the previous generation Kindle, making text in books and periodicals crisp and clear at any size. Images are sharper, richer and show even more detail. Kindle Paperwhite's screen has 25% higher contrast than the previous generation Kindle- the blacks are blacker, and the whites are whiter.

Innovative Built-In Light

Backlit LCD displays direct light up through the display into the user's eyes. Kindle Paperwhite's patented front-lit display guides light underneath an anti-glare layer and down toward the display, away from the reader's eyes. This means a reader can read for hours with less eye fatigue and strain. The screen brightness is easily adjusted for reading in any light. The Paperwhite display provides an incredible experience in the dark and in direct sunlight.

Breakthrough Battery Life

Kindle Paperwhite's built-in front light is designed to be used at all times-both in daylight and in a dark room-for the clearest, crispest reading experience. In order to use the light at all times, Kindle Paperwhite requires exceptional power management to maintain the battery life that customers love about Kindle. Amazon's light guide technology precisely diffuses the light across the screen and only requires four LEDs to light the entire screen (unlike LCD screens which can use up to 50 LEDs). The light guide is so efficient that Kindle Paperwhite has a remarkable 8 weeks of battery life, even with the light on at all times.

Free 3G

Kindle's free 3G connection means customers never have to hunt for or pay for a Wi-Fi hotspot-they simply download and read books anytime, anywhere. Amazon pays for the 3G connection on Kindle Paperwhite Wi-Fi + 3G, so customers pay no monthly fees and sign no annual contracts.

Built-In Wi-Fi

Kindle Paperwhite comes with built-in Wi-Fi, letting readers discover new content at home or on the road anywhere you can access Wi-Fi.

Books in 60 Seconds

Find a book and start reading in seconds with our fast, free wireless delivery. No computer required to download content.

New Touch Technology

Kindle Paperwhite's new capacitive touch technology is uniquely integrated into the Paperwhite display, allowing for a thinner form factor for Kindle Paperwhite and even better touch accuracy.

Slim and Sleek Design

At just over a third of an inch thin and weighing 213 grams, Kindle Paperwhite is thinner than a magazine and weighs less than a typical paperback. The bezel height between the side of the device and the display itself is 77% thinner.

Hand-Tuned Fonts

Every font on Kindle Paperwhite is hand-tuned for maximum readability. The Amazon typography team worked at the pixel level to ensure consistency of stroke thickness and shape profiles across all individual glyphs, aligning each size to the specific grid of the new Paperwhite display. This allows for unprecedented sharpness of fonts. Kindle Paperwhite's higher resolution display also allows for new elegant typeface options, such as Baskerville and Palatino, which use thin stems that would not render well on a lower resolution display.

"Buy Once, Read Everywhere"

With free reading apps, customers can read their Kindle books on a large number of devices and platforms, including any Kindle as well as on iPhone, iPad, Android devices, Mac, PC, or Windows Phone.

Whispersync

Amazon's Whispersync technology synchronizes a customer's last page read, bookmarks and annotations across all of their devices, so they can always pick up where they left off.

Time to Read

Time to Read is a new feature for Kindle Paperwhite that helps readers know the amount of time it will take them to finish a chapter or a book. This feature is smart-it personalizes the time for each customer based on their reading speed and is constantly updated as the reader's speed and habits change. With Time to Read, it's never been easier to decide when to start a new chapter or finish the chapter you're reading.

Explore the "Bones of a Book" with X-Ray

With a single tap, readers can see all passages across a book that mention ideas, fictional characters, historical figures, places or topics that interest them, as well as more detailed descriptions from Wikipedia and Shelfari, Amazon's community-powered encyclopedia for book lovers. Amazon built X-Ray using its expertise in language processing and machine learning, access to significant storage and computing resources with Amazon S3 and EC2, and a deep library of book and character information.

Features Built Just for Readers

Each Kindle offers a variety of font styles and sizes, so customers can easily customize their reading experience. Kindle Paperwhite also comes with built-in dictionaries for instant lookup of words, Real Page Numbers, support for bookmarks and annotations, and more.

Worry-Free Cloud Storage

Customers' Kindle books are automatically backed up in the cloud, so they can re-download their books wirelessly for free.

Sharing

Customers can share highlighted sections, notes and meaningful quotes on Facebook and Twitter directly from Kindle without leaving the book.

Parental Controls

Parental Controls allow parents to restrict access to the Kindle Store, Cloud Archive and the Experimental Web Browser so they can give their Kindle to a child worry-free.

Top-Rated, World-Class Customer Service

Whenever customers shop on Amazon, buy a Kindle, or buy Kindle content, they know that they are also getting Amazon's world-class customer service. Customers have been shopping on Amazon.ca for 11 years, and they continue to do so because of the unparalleled, end-to-end customer experience.

Beautiful Leather Covers with Auto Wake and Sleep

Covers for Kindle Paperwhite feature a premium textured leather exterior and a subtle woven nylon interior to provide the lightest and thinnest form of protection. The integrated magnetic clasp ensures the cover remains securely closed while in a backpack, purse, or briefcase. The cover automatically wakes Kindle Paperwhite upon opening and puts it to sleep when closed, making it easy to dive right back into the book.

Latest Generation Kindle-Small, Light and Now Even Faster-only CAD$89

The smallest, lightest and most affordable Kindle ever is even better, with new improved fonts, 15% faster page turns and a new, unbelievably low price: just CAD$89. In addition, the new Kindle now supports children's books and comics, and includes new parental controls. Weighing just 170 grams, Kindle is small and light enough to fit easily in a pocket and take everywhere, and still features the same 6-inch electronic ink display that reads like real paper. At just CAD$89, the new Kindle is the perfect entry Kindle for young and adult readers alike.

Kindle Direct Publishing

Independent authors and publishers can make their books available in the Canada Kindle Store using Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) at http://kdp.amazon.ca. Canadian independent authors and publishers can utilize the English- or French-language KDP website to make their books available in Canada and more than 175 countries worldwide. They can also price their books and receive payments in Canadian dollars, earn up to 70% royalties on each book sold, all while retaining control of their content and copyrights.

Thousands of authors in Canada are already using KDP to make their books available in Kindle stores around the world, including Montreal resident Matthew Mather, the best-selling KDP author of the Complete Atopia Chronicles.

"My experience self-publishing with KDP has been nothing short of amazing," said Matthew Mather. "Within weeks of publishing, my book climbed to #1 on the science fiction best sellers list, and now I've sold tens of thousands of copies. I've just finished my second novel, "CyberStorm," and look forward to the idea of writing for a living, something I hadn't imagined possible just six months ago. The best part, though, has been the interaction with readers. I get emails from every corner of the world, contacting me to say how much they liked my work. This is an amazing feeling!"

Pricing & Availability

The Kindle family is available at Amazon.ca and at over 1,000 retail locations across Canada.

Kindle is available for CAD$89 at www.amazon.ca/kindle.

Kindle Paperwhite is available for CAD$139 at www.amazon.ca/kindlepaperwhite.

Kindle Paperwhite Wi-Fi + 3G is available for CAD$199 at www.amazon.ca/kindlepaperwhite3G.

Filed under: Amazon