Amazon Focuses On Cloud Video With Elastic Transcoder Services ...

Another move today from Amazon that speaks to its growing presence in content delivery and enterprise services, done at competition-beating prices: today the company launched Elastic Transcoder, a new service that lets people upload digital video and put it into formats ? h264, AAC and mp4 for now ? that are usable on devices like smartphones and tablets, as well as PCs. Amazon hopes to lure in users with the promise of 20 minutes of free transcoding each month, but after that it offers pricing tiers based on SD or HD format and length of video, starting at $0.015 for SD or $0.030 for HD per minute, a big discount on existing services like Zencoder.

Interestingly, unlike some of Amazon?s services that see very gradual regional rollouts, this one is launching from day-one with availability for the U.S., Europe and Asia.

The Elastic Transcoder service plays on two sides of Amazon?s business interests. The first is its increasing presence in cloud-based storage and also services wrapped around that.

These services are often aimed at both larger enterprises and developers and startups. In the last week alone, Amazon has introduced a way to incorporate Amazon in-app purchases to games that are published for PCs on Amazon?s games portal; and it has acquired API-based voice recognition service Ivona to compete and one-better Apple?s Siri and Nuance, which powers the iOS voice-recognition service. Meanwhile, for storage Amazon is well-known as a host for a number of apps and sites ? a situation that had far-reaching consequences when Amazon last year saw outages that affected several much-used apps like Instagram, Pinterest and Netflix.

The second area this touches on is Amazon?s growing business in content delivery, specifically video content. Most consumers will know this primarily through services like Amazon Prime Instant Video (or Lovefilm in the UK), which gives users access to premium video content streamed and on demand to compete against the likes of Netflix.

But through its AWS division, Amazon is also a major host and enabler of other companies? video streaming services (including even Netflix). Video transcoding services like the ones being launched today are relevant both for professional producers but perhaps especially for more independent outfits that are looking for cost-effective solutions for small-scale projects. Amazon offers this service on an a la carte basis, making it particularly easy to use for the latter group, and startups in general. (We first spotted news of the launch on Hacker News, Y-Combinator?s startup-focused news service, although eventually Amazon announced the news, too.)

Amazon says that Elastic Transcoder is a one-stop shop. ?There?s no need to administer software, scale hardware, tune performance, or otherwise manage transcoding infrastructure. You simply create a transcoding ?job? specifying the location of your source video and how you want it transcoded,? it writes on the site. ?Amazon Elastic Transcoder also provides transcoding presets for popular output formats, which means that you don?t need to guess about which settings work best on particular devices. All these features are available via service APIs and the AWS Management Console.?

The move, by default, also enhances and promotes the usefulness of Amazon?s other cloud services. The transcoding jobs is run using the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud, also know as Amazon EC2. Amazon also notes that the service is linked up with content stored in Amazon Simple Storage Service (aka Amazon S3). It uses its in-house Simple Notification Service (Amazon SNS) to alert users of the status of their transcoding jobs.

Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN), is a leading global Internet company and one of the most trafficked Internet retail destinations worldwide. Amazon is one of the first companies to sell products deep into the long tail by housing them in numerous warehouses and distributing products from many partner companies. Amazon directly sells or acts as a platform for the sale of a broad range of products. These include books, music, videos, consumer electronics, clothing and household products. The majority of Amazon?s...

? Learn more

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2013/01/29/amazon-ramps-up-cloud-services-with-video-transcoding-price-busting-and-internationally-available/

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13 Pygmy Elephants Found Dead in Malaysia

Malaysian authorities have a possible elephant murder mystery on their hands after three more pygmy elephants reportedly were found dead on the island of Borneo Wednesday (Jan. 30).

The grim discovery brings the death toll to 13 this month, and according to the AP, authorities are investigating suspicions that the diminutive elephants were poisoned.

Also called Bornean elephants, these creatures are the most endangered subspecies of Asian elephant. While other male Asian elephants can grow up to 9.8 feet (3 meters), male Bornean elephants grow to less than 8.2 feet (2.5 meters) and they have bigger ears and rounder bellies, according to the conservation organization World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Researchers initially believed the babyish-looking mammals were the descendents of captive elephants brought to the island a few centuries ago. Other evidence, however, suggests that the pygmy elephants are a genetically distinct subspecies that arrived thousands of years ago during the Pleistocene Epoch by way of a land bridge. There are thought to be just 1,200 of them in Borneo today, mostly concentrated in Sabah, the Malaysian state at the northeastern corner of the island. [Gallery: The Pygmy Elephants of Borneo]

Though it's still unclear who or what might be responsible for the recent spate of elephant deaths, WWF officials noted that the population has been increasingly threatened by habitat fragmentation, and all the corpses reportedly have been found in areas where forests are being transformed into plantations within the Gunung Rara reserve in Sabah.?

"Conversions result in fragmentation of the forests, which in turn results in loss of natural habitat for elephant herds, thus forcing them to find alternative food and space, putting humans and wildlife in direct conflict," environmentalist Dato' Dr Dionysius S K Sharma, executive director of the WWF's Malaysia division, said in a statement. "All conversion approvals need to be reviewed by the Sabah Forestry Department and assessed not purely from commercial, but the endangered species and landscape ecology perspectives."

Follow LiveScience on Twitter @livescience. We're also on Facebook?& Google+.

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/13-pygmy-elephants-found-dead-malaysia-003931885.html

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Tips For Colin Kaepernick Jersey Successful Self Help Now ...

Private growth and development transpires, no matter if we consciously Colin Kaepernick Jersey work on it or otherwise not. Every single demo and tribulation in everyday life is another chance for personalized growth. The way we procedure and deal with these activities decides the level of ourselves that gets designed. The following tips can provide you with some tips on how to make the most of your upcoming self improvement option.

An excellent self improvement suggestion that you can pertain to your life is to make oneself take a new chance with a set up particular date within the quick-phrase potential. Consistently living existence in an ease and comfort region is a snare that can ensure that you keep stuck inside your misery. Acquire sensible hazards and get out of your comfort area in order to boost like a man or woman.

Adapt to all your other worries. Bottling your inner thoughts will restriction you not only sentimentally, however in every area in your life. By adopting Colin Kaepernick Jersey all of your current emotions, together with your frustration, fear, and unhappiness, you may move by means of and finally get past them. By accepting how you feel, you then become the learn of these.

Irrespective of what you are trying to assist on your own with, a terrific way to approach enhancing oneself is to handle things a day at one time. Try and increase and help your rehabilitation each day. Deal with each day like a new struggle and you will find yourself feeling much better quickly.

When experienced by some thing you might be overloaded by, you should Colin Kaepernick Jersey make an effort to do the best. Separate a task into small activities if possible. Establish your targets and ideas meticulously so you generally determine what the next step is. Upon having attained one thing you believed you could potentially not, your self-confidence ought to improve.

Focus on the good feeling receiving something completed brings. Don?t focus on simply how much you detest a selected exercise. Think about exactly how much better you may feel to obtain it off your to-do list! No one enjoys to nice and clean the dog?s kennel but it is worse to concern yourself with getting to get it done for several days prior to deciding to ultimately give in Colin Kaepernick Jersey and get to operate!

It is actually tough to break undesirable habits. Occasionally you can definitely find your self in a position to get the job done for a short moment of energy, and after that its right back towards the drawing board. However, this is why many people stop trying, too often. The important thing to breaking bad habits would be to continue to continue to keep breaking them till you can clean both hands of them.

One of many tips for happiness is achievement. For this reason it is necessary so that you can achieve your desired goals in order to become more content. This could be function relevant or something through your personal existence, whatever it is, strive Colin Kaepernick Jersey at it. Do not permit any setbacks prevent you from accomplishing your ultimate goal.

Personalized expansion may not be easy in fact, it sometimes requires a great deal of personal pain before the development and growth will begin. While we make our way by means of life, it may help to improve every problem to check out the best within it to ensure that we can still improve at finding true contentment inside of ourself.

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Source: http://www.mustreads.info/tips-for-colin-kaepernick-jersey-successful-self-help-now-disclosed/

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Ford sees $2 billion loss, slumping sales in Europe

DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co forecast a $2 billion loss in Europe this year, hurt by a punishing recession that could drive down industry sales in the region beyond 2012's nearly 20-year low.

Ford said on Tuesday its sales outlook was deteriorating in Europe and the 2013 loss would be worse than the $1.75 billion deficit in 2012. The automaker is closing plants and slashing costs.

By contrast, Ford, the No. 2 U.S. automaker, expects to earn more money in North America in 2013 and forecast 10 percent margins. North America was its chief source of strength last year and helped it to beat Wall Street estimates in the fourth quarter.

Still, the overall outlook was weaker than some analysts expected. The shares fell 5.7 percent to $12.99, its sharpest drop since August 2011.

"Upon first glance, we believe the guidance could prove a bit conservative in North America, considering the strong line-up, expected share gains and rational pricing," RBC Capital Markets analyst Joseph Spak said in a research note.

"Additionally, while we don't doubt the industry deterioration in Europe, we believe that management could be setting the bar low," Spak added.

In South America and Asia, Ford expects to break even this year. Overall, Ford looks for total operating profit this year to match 2012 results as market share gains in the United States offset Europe, where Ford expects to sell between 13 million and 13.5 million vehicles this year.

Ford said industry sales last year in the 19 markets it tracks in Europe were the lowest since 1995.

"We're likely to see, in the euro zone, a recession for the full year," Chief Financial Officer Bob Shanks told reporters after the company reported quarterly results.

"Clearly we still have some difficult times in front of us (in Europe)," Shanks said. "But we do think it will probably bottom this year."

'TAKING ITS MEDICINE'

Ford reported a per-share pretax operating profit of 31 cents in the fourth quarter, better than the average analyst estimate of 25 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Fourth-quarter revenue totaled $36.5 billion.

Ford earned nearly $1.9 billion in North America in the quarter, almost $1 billion better than the fourth quarter of 2011. It lost $732 million in Europe, much worse than the $190 million loss it reported a year earlier.

The company spent $1.2 billion on lump-sum pension buyouts last year, but did not say how many salaried retirees took the offer.

The improved North American performance reflected turnaround efforts by Alan Mulally, hired as chief executive in 2006. Under Mulally, Ford avoided government bailouts needed by rivals General Motors Co and Chrysler Group LLC in 2009.

Jefferies analyst Peter Nesvold estimated Ford cut capacity in North America by a little more than one-fifth from 2006 to 2009. Higher vehicle prices commanded an additional $10 billion in revenues from 2006 to 2010, Nesvold said.

The North American turnaround will be a blueprint for the restructuring in Europe. Ford plans to close three factories and reduce capacity in Europe by 18 percent to save as much as $500 million a year.

"Ford continues to take its medicine in Europe, while Asia Pacific and South America feel upfront costs as they position for longer-term growth," Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas said.

But Europe remained unpredictable, Ford said, adding it would take more action if necessary. Earlier, Ford had forecast its 2013 loss to be on par with 2012 levels.

The estimate of a bigger 2013 loss is also affected by lower interest rates and a stronger euro. Lower interest rates increase the value of Ford's future pension liabilities.

The $2 billion loss estimate for 2013 includes about "half a billion dollars" in restructuring costs, CFO Shanks said. "We view that as an investment in the future."

(Reporting by Deepa Seetharaman and Paul Lienert; Additional reporting by Laurence Frost; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ford-q4-profit-beats-street-widens-europe-loss-120528466--finance.html

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Real Estate Farms? Think Long Term | Leading Agent Real Estate ...

At least 2-3 times per week we have a Realtor? call us because they want to get their marketing back on track. The first thing they always say slipped, and the first thing (at least in the past 6-8 months) they?ve wanted to get back on track, immediately, is their Geographic Farming.

This type of marketing generally revolves around postcard marketing.

Dollar for dollar, postcard marketing is still the most cost effective and productive use of your marketing dollars. We see postcards not only garnering the highest response rates of any marketing campaign (including online and social media), but also at the same time building awareness and brand recognition that other forms of marketing simply cannot yet surpass.

So postcard marketing sounds great, right? You?re ready to jump off the cliff and start up, or re-start a farm area right? Well, BEFORE you do that, let?s look at the best practices. In fact, let?s just look at two of the best practices. These two things are missed and/or not considered by many, many agents, causing them to fail in their campaign efforts before they ever truly get started. Yet if you embrace and master these two best practices, you cannot go wrong.

What are these two things you ask? It?s simple: Consistency and Time.

What do I mean by this? If you are going to start marketing to a farm area with postcards, you have to do it consistently. Every three to four weeks, you need to be touching these people. MINIMUM.? Whether it?s a just listed postcard, a just sold postcard, a comps (Market Update) postcard, a postcard that demonstrates to homeowners why you are the agent they should choose to sell their home and what your specific differentiating factors are, or even just a simple ?value added piece? (e.g. local events calendar).

The hardest part we see many of our clients and potential clients wrestling with is that Farming is a process. It doesn?t happen overnight. It takes month, after month, of consistent, repetitive touches to your farm area, before they start to become engrained with your face and name, when they think of Real Estate. In general, we suggest to our clients that establishing a farm and successfully starting to get measurable results from said farm can take anywhere from six to eight months.

As they say though, ?Nothing good ever comes easy?.

If you keep down the path of relentless consistency, realistic expectations, and a never dying desire to set yourself apart from all the other Realtors? in your marketplace, you WILL succeed.

There are no easy paths, but the rewards are tremendous. Do you want more tips on how to establish a successful Geographic Farm Area? Are you looking for content for your marketing campaign(s)? Are you mid-way into getting your campaign started and would just like some encouraging words and someone to give your campaign a ?second set of eyes?? If you answered ?yes? to any of these questions, please contact me anytime. I would be more than happy to help you in any way I can.

Chris Leo is a Silicon Valley, CA entrepreneur, complete workaholic, top notch marketer, type ?A? personality, shameless self-promoter and never ending ?connector?.

Even though he is seemingly always working, when he does take breaks, the ?work hard, play hard? motto takes on a whole new meaning. His life is controlled chaos and he loves it.

Chris on Google+

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Source: http://leadingagent.net/blog/?p=1105

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Source: http://www.solutions4ever.net/2013/01/sports-shipping-who-first-crew-times/

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Source: http://barring-columnar.blogspot.com/2013/01/sports-shipping-who-first-crew-times.html

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Chris Brown investigated for possible assault

FILE - Singer Chris Brown appears at a news conference to announce his partnership with Ford's Sync, a voice activated hands free in car communication and entertainment system, in this Nov. 2, 2007 file photo taken in New York. Authorities are investigating allegations that Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown assaulted a man in a West Hollywood parking lot Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (AP Photo/Peter Kramer, File)

FILE - Singer Chris Brown appears at a news conference to announce his partnership with Ford's Sync, a voice activated hands free in car communication and entertainment system, in this Nov. 2, 2007 file photo taken in New York. Authorities are investigating allegations that Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown assaulted a man in a West Hollywood parking lot Sunday Jan. 27, 2013. (AP Photo/Peter Kramer, File)

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (AP) ? Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown is under investigation for an alleged assault in a West Hollywood parking lot, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said early Monday.

Deputies responding to a report of six men fighting Sunday night found the scene clear, but were told by witnesses that there had been a brief fight over a parking space.

"The altercation allegedly led to Chris Brown punching the victim," the department said in a statement released early Monday morning.

The "victim" wasn't identified but the celebrity website TMZ ? which first reported the fight outside the Westlake Recording Studio ? said it also involved Frank Ocean, one of the top nominees at Grammy Awards next month.

In a Twitter posting later, Ocean said he "got jumped by (Brown) and a couple guys" and suffered a finger cut.

It wasn't Brown's first problem in the run-up to the Grammys. His attack on singer Rihanna on the eve of the 2009 awards event overshadowed the show.

Last June, he was injured in a brawl with members of hip-hop star Drake's entourage at a New York nightclub.

No arrests were made. Brown was gone by the time deputies arrived but the department said the investigation is ongoing and Brown would be contacted later.

Email messages to Ocean's publicist and Brown's lawyer were not immediately returned. A man answering the phone at the recording studio declined to comment.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-01-28-People-Chris%20Brown/id-e7ddacda146c475f884dbcd2ee8781c0

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Rdio promises up to six months of free streaming in more countries

What's better than free music? Lots of stuff, probably -- but it's still on the top of our list. Rdio is hoping to get you hooked into its vowel-agnostic music streaming ways with the promise of "up to six months of free music" without ads or credit card numbers. The deal adds a number of countries to the list (of which the US is already a member) -- including the UK, Australia, Canada, France and Spain. There are 15 in total (again, already including the US). Germany and Brazil are sadly still excluded from the free music party. While the offering is ad-free, each month does include a limited number of plays (though Rdio's not giving an exact number at the moment), which will count down on your page. More info on the offering can be found after the break.

Show full PR text

Rdio Launches Free Music Streaming in Nearly All Countries Where Rdio is Available

Rdio, (www.rdio.com), the streaming music service from the co-creator of Skype, is now offering music lovers up to six months of free music on the Web in nearly all countries where Rdio is available1. New Rdio listeners can sign up and activate free streaming at rdio.com, with no credit card required, then dive right into Rdio's library of over 18 million songs.

This new offer is specifically designed to appeal to people with ears and hearts. Free streaming is available through the Web or Rdio's desktop apps for Mac and Windows, and allows listeners to:

? Choose from over 18 million songs, without ads
? Listen free on the web for up to six months, depending on how many songs you stream
? See and hear what your favorite artists are listening to
? Discover new music by following friends and tastemakers
? Create, curate, and collaborate on playlists
? Share your life soundtrack in real time on Facebook and Twitter

A meter at the top of user profile pages lets people know how much free music they have remaining each month. It's easy to upgrade any time to one of Rdio's subscription plans for unlimited streams and access to Rdio's acclaimed mobile apps. US plan options include:

? Rdio Web: $4.99 a month. Unlimited Web streaming.
? Rdio Unlimited: $9.99 a month. Unlimited Web and mobile streaming, as well as wireless syncing to listen offline.2

Music fans can sign up for free Rdio streaming right now at www.rdio.com.

Filed under: Internet, Software

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/u_LxOR_10JQ/

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Ariel Sharon Brain Scan Shows Response to Stimuli

[unable to retrieve full-text content]The results of a brain scan performed on Ariel Sharon, the former Israeli prime minister who had a stroke seven years ago, raise the chances that he is able to hear and understand.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/28/world/middleeast/ariel-sharon-brain-scan-shows-response-to-stimuli.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

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Get The Credit Repair Tips That Can Help - Finance

If you have a mistake in your credit report, you can have a low score and it could be difficult to get someone to give you credit. There is no need to pay for an expensive service, you can do many of these repairs yourself. Check out the following tips on how you fix your credit on your own.

Do not use your credit cards. Do all of your spending with cash or debit cards. If you absolutely have no other choice but to use a credit card, pay off the balance in full as soon as possible.

Debt collection agencies can be the most stressful part of a bad credit crisis. Make sure you know that cease and desists of any type can only stop you from being harassed, you?re still going to be in debt. This doesn?t let the customer off the hook for the debt, it merely stops the threatening calls.

During your credit improvement journey, you may feel pressured into committing to payment plans or sending in lump sum payments that are simply not affordable. Know what your budget is and stick to it. If you sign up for payment plans you cannot follow, your credit score will only get worst.

If you want to improve your credit score, don?t let anyone pull your credit report unnecessarily. Whenever someone inquires about your credit score, the inquire is recorded.

Pay all your bills to fix your credit. Credit counseling can also be a great help.

Try and pay down any revolving account balances in order to boost your credit score. You can improve your score by lowering your balances. Your FICO credit score notes what your balances are on your revolving accounts based on the credit you have available.

Be very wary of programs that do not sound legal; chances are they aren?t. There are scams all over the web that teach you how to create a new credit file. This tactic is not legal, and you face serious repercussions if you are caught. The legal costs can cripple you, and there is a very good chance you will be sent to jail.

Look through your credit card statement each month and make sure that it is correct. If there are, you will need to contact the company immediately to avoid them reporting this to a credit reporting agency,

Go through your credit report and identify any outstanding item. Ensure the report is free of errors and then begin the process of repairing the damage. Stay current with your monthly payments but start by tackling and paying off the largest amount owed first.

If your credit is such that you cannot get a new card to help repair it, apply for a secured one. Secured credit card applications have a high rate of approval because you must fund a security deposit against your credit limit. Even though this card will be secured by your own money, you will make payments and manage it as if it were unsecured. This will improve your credit as you show yourself able to make the payments on time.

Never trust a business or person who offers to clear up your credit for a price. Especially if it is correct information they say they can remove. These bad marks stay on your record for seven years or more. It is true, however, that you can remove inaccurate information from your report, but you do not need the assistance of a consultant to do so.

New lines of credit either long-term loans or a new credit card will initially lower your credit score. Resist the urge to apply for credit cards while shopping at your favorite retailer, even if they offer tempting promotions. Credit scores typically drop when new credit is opened.

Make sure to fully read every single credit card statement that you get. Check to be sure that you actually purchased the things that are listed on your statement, so that you are only paying for things you bought. You need to be sure that everything is correct on the statements.

If you are doing hardcore credit score improvement, you need to scrutinize your report for negative entries. Any mistakes, such as in the amount owed or the date the agreement was entered, could result in the removal of the entire negative trade line on your credit report.

Develop a plan that works if you are in need of credit score repair. Be totally committed to changing your spending habits. Don?t buy the things that aren?t needs. Ask yourself how necessary each purchase is, and how affordable it is too. If you can?t answer ?yes? to each of the questions above, you need to reconsider the purchase.

Financing homes can be made more difficult when your credit score is low. If your income is a factor you may qualify for a FHA loan, which has lower standards and makes the federal government your lender in a sense. FHA loans can even work when someone lacks the funds for down payment or closing costs.

Look for a credit repair agency that is legitimate. Too many of these services will use your desperation to make money. Far too many people have been bilked by dishonest agencies. Read all the reviews that you can find and you should be able to make a decision about who you can trust.

Look into credit counseling if your credit is a wreck. They can teach you how to get rid of all you owe and still live each month. You must be open to discard your credit cards, and you must send monthly payments to your creditors.

Consumers should carefully research credit counseling agencies before choosing one with which to work. There are some counselors that are real, while others are basically scammers. There are many scams out there. It is wise for consumers to not give out personal information unless they are absolutely sure that the company is legit.

As you can see, you have many options when it comes to repairing your credit. If you implement these tips, your credit score should rise. The best person to deal with your credit improvement is you and there is no reason why you cannot succeed at it.

Knowing about cnbc can certainly make your life easier. But before you start, you need to learn all you can about cnbc. When you do this, you can figure out the thorny issues that might arise. Utilize the tips you?ve just learned here and continue to do your research in order to have the best chance of success.

Related Posts:

Source: http://thenysefloor.com/2013/01/28/get-the-credit-repair-tips-that-can-help/

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Charges dropped against 1 in Texas campus shooting

HOUSTON (AP) ? Prosecutors on Monday dropped charges against a 22-year-old man who authorities initially believed was involved in a shooting that wounded him and two others at a Houston-area community college.

Carlton Berry was arrested soon after the Jan. 22 shootings at Lone Star College and charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

But authorities later accused another man, Trey Foster, 22, of being the shooter. Foster has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault and faces a charge of resisting arrest in an earlier case. He was arrested Friday in the Dallas suburb of Plano.

Investigators say the shooting happened after 25-year-old Jody Neal bumped into Foster while Foster was walking with Berry. Foster and Neal argued but went their separate ways. When the two ran into each other 30 minutes later, they argued again and Foster fired at Neal, wounding him in the abdomen and leg. Authorities say at least 10 shots were fired. Berry was wounded, and a maintenance worker for the college, Bobby Cliburn, 55, was hit in the leg.

The shooting caused panic among students and led to a campus lockdown.

Prosecutor Alison Baimbridge said that in the interest of justice, authorities have dropped the charges against Berry.

"I think as with any investigation, the more work that is done, the more witnesses that are spoken with, the more evidence that is collected and tested, I think once you do all of that, you are better able to determine who was where, what actually occurred. Once you put all of that together you see the bigger picture," Baimbridge said after a court hearing in which the charges against Berry were formally dropped.

Berry's attorney, Robert A. Jones, said his client should not have been charged in the first place and should not have been jailed because the evidence showed he was a victim. Berry was shot in the left hip, which Jones said was an indication that Berry might have been facing away or running away from the shooter.

"He said that continually, whenever (authorities) talked to him, that he didn't do anything. But that wasn't enough. Then they started their investigation based upon his statement and they realized he didn't do anything," Jones said.

Berry was expected to be released from the Harris County Jail later Monday, and Jones said he just wants to go home.

Foster made his initial court appearance Monday. He is being held on bonds totaling $100,000, and if he posts them, a judge ordered him subject to GPS monitoring and a curfew.

Quanell X, a community activist who is a spokesman for Foster's family, said Foster told him Berry had nothing to do with the shooting. Berry and Foster apparently knew each other from school.

"It was inappropriate and wrong for Trey to have a pistol on campus," he said.

Quanell X said Foster legally bought the .40-caliber handgun authorities say was used in the shooting at a sporting goods store in Houston. Foster took a class for a concealed handgun license but had not completed the process to get a license, he said.

Quanell X said Foster bought the gun to defend himself after he was shot in the face a couple of years ago and had recently been receiving threats. Quanell X said Foster panicked during the shooting.

"He was very remorseful and sorry that innocent people got shot," he said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-28-Texas-College-Lockdown/id-305531d3f7e749a1b256adf872c66e89

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Vitamin D Levels Link to Higher Premenopausal Breast Cancer Risk

FIRST PERSON | The University of California, San Diego School of Medicine published the results of a recent study that shows a link between low vitamin D serum levels and premenopausal breast cancer. Women with low vitamin D serum levels are at a greatly increased risk for breast cancer. The study looked at 1,200 blood samples before coming to this conclusion. I wish that this information was known several years ago. My vitamin D serum levels were extremely low at the time of my breast cancer diagnosis. It appears that Sharif B. Mohr, Ph. D et al, are onto something.

The study

A total of 1,200 blood samples were examined for this study. 600 of the samples were from women who developed breast cancer and 600 were from women who stayed cancer-free. After examining the samples, researchers concluded that premenopausal women with low vitamin D serum levels three months before diagnosis had three times the risk of getting breast cancer than those with the highest blood serum levels.

Researchers say that although they do not completely understand the role vitamin D plays in the development of breast cancer, it is believed that it has to do with the tumor's ability to form blood vessels. Prior studies with a time frame of greater than 90 days have not shown a conclusive link between vitamin D and breast cancer risk.

To me, this all makes sense and low vitamin D levels may have caused my breast cancer. I have several risk factors, like drinking alcohol and being above my ideal weight. Bloodwork done after my biopsy showed very low levels of vitamin D. This might have been the catalyst needed to set breast cancer in motion.

The good news is that it is very easy to find out if you are deficient in vitamin D. Ask your physician to order a blood test to screen for vitamin D levels. If your serum level is less than ideal, a simple supplement can bring it back up.

The researchers concluded that women with vitamin D blood serum levels of 50 ng/ml or higher reduced their risk of breast cancer by 50 percent. Had I known this earlier, maybe I could have avoided getting this awful disease.

Lynda Altman was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2011. She writes a series for Yahoo! Shine called "My Battle With Breast Cancer."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/vitamin-d-levels-higher-premenopausal-breast-cancer-risk-162400428.html

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Obama: Tough call on letting a son play football

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama is a big football fan with two daughters, but if he had a son, he says he'd "have to think long and hard" before letting him play because of the physical toll the game takes.

"I think that those of us who love the sport are going to have to wrestle with the fact that it will probably change gradually to try to reduce some of the violence," Obama tells The New Republic.

"In some cases, that may make it a little bit less exciting, but it will be a whole lot better for the players, and those of us who are fans maybe won't have to examine our consciences quite as much."

In an interview in the magazine's Feb. 11 issue, Obama said he worries more about college players than he does about those in the NFL.

"The NFL players have a union, they're grown men, they can make some of these decisions on their own, and most of them are well-compensated for the violence they do to their bodies," Obama said. "You read some of these stories about college players who undergo some of these same problems with concussions and so forth and then have nothing to fall back on. That's something that I'd like to see the NCAA think about."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-01-27-US-Obama-Football/id-efce4332b2b74f989f55a31703f7e124

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Bear Vs. Shark: Catamaran

I discovered Bear vs. Shark by accident. A college roommate had insisted I listen to Minus the Bear, and I wasn't paying attention, so only the "Bear" part stuck. It proved to be a serendipitous little mistake though, because Bear vs. Shark is as awesome as the battle portrayed in their name would be. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/JdFI6-eDbRM/bear-vs-shark-catamaran

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Boehner: It's 'time to deal' with immigration (Washington Post)

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West Seattle family to participate in Puget Sound Energy home ...

West Seattle resident Kristen Corning Bedford, pictured here with husband Slade and their children, will participate in Puget Sound Energy's Re-Energized by Design home makeover competition.

Information from Puget Sound Energy

Six PSE customers sharpen their competitive design skills to rumble in an energy-efficient room makeover competition

On Jan. 24 Puget Sound Energy introduced the six contestants for Re-Energized by Design, a design competition in which PSE customers will compete weekly in a series of energy efficiency room makeover challenges. Prizes include light emitting diode (LED) and compact fluorescent light (CFL) lighting from GE, and a full laundry and kitchen appliance suite by Frigidaire. The last contestant standing will win $5,000.

?The stakes are high so we know the competition will be intense,? said Dennis Rominger energy efficiency expert at PSE. ?These six contestants are ready to compete head to head. Sweat will be shed, winners will be crowned and most importantly, we will see creative ways to bring great design and energy efficiency together.?

The six contestants who will compete in Re-Energized by Design rose to the top during an intense selection process, including submitting videos or photo entries, a public vote to select 10 finalists, and final interviews. During the process, each entrant was evaluated on a variety of factors, including the originality and creativity of their entry, their understanding and enthusiasm for design and energy efficiency, and the energy savings potential of their home.

Each Re-Energized by Design contestant brings unique skills to the competition, including West Seattle resident Kristen Corning Bedford.

No challenge is too big for Kristen. She and her husband, Slade, purchased their home from hoarders, moving in with a two-year-old with another child on the way. They have spent the last two years working to make it their dream home.

Slade and Kristen grew up in the Northwest and are proud to call West Seattle home. Together they like to dream of creating things, including how to constantly fix up their home.

?A home should tell a story about the people who live there," Corning Bedford said. "I have a good eye for design and have been creating a vision for the spaces in this home for nearly two years. The work for this contest is the work I've been looking forward to since the day we moved in: bringing better light and color to the space.?

Each contestant?s efforts will be supported by a dedicated design coach who will provide style guidance and encouragement.

Re-Energized by Design contestants will participate in five room makeover projects. After each makeover challenge, local society and events photographer Duell Fisher, 425 and South Sound Magazine editor Lisa Patterson and radio personality Marty Riemer will review and score each contestant?s effort. The lowest-scoring contestant in each round will be eliminated.

Online ?webisodes? that get up close and personal with each contestant as they make their homes more beautiful and energy efficient will begin airing weekly in March, at www.ReEnergizedbyDesign.com. Until then customers can follow Re-Energize on Facebook at Facebook.com/Re-Energize for energy efficient design tips, special product promotions, and to learn more about contestants.

• 

Source: http://www.westseattleherald.com/2013/01/26/features/west-seattle-family-participate-puget-sound-e

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Justin Bieber Investigated for Nerf Gun Assault

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/01/justin-bieber-investigated-for-nerf-gun-assault/

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Global warming less extreme than feared? New estimates from a Norwegian project on climate calculations

Jan. 25, 2013 ? Policymakers are attempting to contain global warming at less than 2?C. New estimates from a Norwegian project on climate calculations indicate this target may be more attainable than many experts have feared.

Climate researcher Caroline Leck of Stockholm University has evaluated the Norwegian project and is enthusiastic.

"These results are truly sensational," says Dr Leck. "If confirmed by other studies, this could have far-reaching impacts on efforts to achieve the political targets for climate."

Temperature rise is levelling off

After Earth's mean surface temperature climbed sharply through the 1990s, the increase has levelled off nearly completely at its 2000 level. Ocean warming also appears to have stabilised somewhat, despite the fact that CO₂ emissions and other anthropogenic factors thought to contribute to global warming are still on the rise.

It is the focus on this post-2000 trend that sets the Norwegian researchers' calculations on global warming apart.

Sensitive to greenhouse gases

Climate sensitivity is a measure of how much the global mean temperature is expected to rise if we continue increasing our emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

CO₂ is the primary greenhouse gas emitted by human activity. A simple way to measure climate sensitivity is to calculate how much the mean air temperature will rise if we were to double the level of overall CO₂ emissions compared to the world's pre-industrialised level around the year 1750.

If we continue to emit greenhouse gases at our current rate, we risk doubling that atmospheric CO₂ level in roughly 2050.

Mutual influences

A number of factors affect the formation of climate development. The complexity of the climate system is further compounded by a phenomenon known as feedback mechanisms, i.e. how factors such as clouds, evaporation, snow and ice mutually affect one another.

Uncertainties about the overall results of feedback mechanisms make it very difficult to predict just how much of the rise in Earth's mean surface temperature is due to humanmade emissions. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) the climate sensitivity to doubled atmospheric CO₂ levels is probably between 2?C and 4.5?C, with the most probable being 3?C of warming.

In the Norwegian project, however, researchers have arrived at an estimate of 1.9?C as the most likely level of warming.

Humanmade climate forcing

"In our project we have worked on finding out the overall effect of all known feedback mechanisms," says project manager Terje Berntsen, who is a professor at the University of Oslo's Department of Geosciences and a senior research fellow at the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research -- Oslo (CICERO). The project has received funding from the Research Council of Norway's Large-scale Programme on Climate Change and its Impacts in Norway (NORKLIMA).

"We used a method that enables us to view the entire earth as one giant 'laboratory' where humankind has been conducting a collective experiment through our emissions of greenhouse gases and particulates, deforestation, and other activities that affect climate."

For their analysis, Professor Berntsen and his colleagues entered all the factors contributing to human-induced climate forcings since 1750 into their model. In addition, they entered fluctuations in climate caused by natural factors such as volcanic eruptions and solar activity. They also entered measurements of temperatures taken in the air, on ground, and in the oceans.

The researchers used a single climate model that repeated calculations millions of times in order to form a basis for statistical analysis. Highly advanced calculations based on Bayesian statistics were carried out by statisticians at the Norwegian Computing Center.

2000 figures make the difference

When the researchers at CICERO and the Norwegian Computing Center applied their model and statistics to analyse temperature readings from the air and ocean for the period ending in 2000, they found that climate sensitivity to a doubling of atmospheric CO₂ concentration will most likely be 3.7?C, which is somewhat higher than the IPCC prognosis.

But the researchers were surprised when they entered temperatures and other data from the decade 2000-2010 into the model; climate sensitivity was greatly reduced to a "mere" 1.9?C.

Professor Berntsen says this temperature increase will first be upon us only after we reach the doubled level of CO₂ concentration (compared to 1750) and maintain that level for an extended time, because the oceans delay the effect by several decades.

Natural changes also a major factor

The figure of 1.9?C as a prediction of global warming from a doubling of atmospheric CO₂ concentration is an average. When researchers instead calculate a probability interval of what will occur, including observations and data up to 2010, they determine with 90% probability that global warming from a doubling of CO₂ concentration would lie between 1.2?C and 2.9?C.

This maximum of 2.9?C global warming is substantially lower than many previous calculations have estimated. Thus, when the researchers factor in the observations of temperature trends from 2000 to 2010, they significantly reduce the probability of our experiencing the most dramatic climate change forecast up to now.

Professor Berntsen explains the changed predictions: "The Earth's mean temperature rose sharply during the 1990s. This may have caused us to overestimate climate sensitivity.

"We are most likely witnessing natural fluctuations in the climate system -- changes that can occur over several decades -- and which are coming on top of a long-term warming. The natural changes resulted in a rapid global temperature rise in the 1990s, whereas the natural variations between 2000 and 2010 may have resulted in the levelling off we are observing now."

Climate issues must be dealt with

Terje Berntsen emphasises that his project's findings must not be construed as an excuse for complacency in addressing human-induced global warming. The results do indicate, however, that it may be more within our reach to achieve global climate targets than previously thought.

Regardless, the fight cannot be won without implementing substantial climate measures within the next few years.

Sulphate particulates

The project's researchers may have shed new light on another factor: the effects of sulphur-containing atmospheric particulates.

Burning coal is the main way that humans continue to add to the vast amounts of tiny sulphate particulates in the atmosphere. These particulates can act as condensation nuclei for cloud formation, cooling the climate indirectly by causing more cloud cover, scientists believe. According to this reasoning, if Europe, the US and potentially China reduce their particulate emissions in the coming years as planned, it should actually contribute to more global warming.

But the findings of the Norwegian project indicate that particulate emissions probably have less of an impact on climate through indirect cooling effects than previously thought.

So the good news is that even if we do manage to cut emissions of sulphate particulates in the coming years, global warming will probably be less extreme than feared.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by The Research Council of Norway. The original article was written by B?rd Amundsen/Else Lie; translation: Darren McKellep/Carol B. Eckmann.

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

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/T3NUeZNN3E4/130125103927.htm

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Crystal Cruises entices bookings through brand ... - Luxury Daily

Crystal Symphony

Crystal Cruises is eyeing affluent travelers by offering exclusive Mediterranean excursions on its spring itineraries that cannot be accessed through other travel brands.

The cruise line?s new collection of experiences called ?Boutique Adventures? will be available this spring for groups ranging from one to 15 travelers on Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity ships sailing to the Mediterranean. Guests will have exclusive access to estates, art studios, museums, castles and businesses.

?Our guests are looking for different ways to experience destinations and they relish insider access,? said Mimi Weisband, vice president of public relations at?Crystal Cruises, Los Angeles. ?We are continually challenging our tour operators to seek out the unusual, experiential, intimate, cultural adventures.

?Our guests do not want a mass-market excursion ? they will pay more for something if it is unique and authentic,? she said.

Cruising the Mediterranean
There are seven Boutique Adventures that guests can choose. The cost ranges from $223 to more than $1,000 per guest.

Travelers can book the excursions online up to six months before their cruise.

The Florence excursion comprises a viewing of the Uffizi Gallery?s private Contini Bonacossi Collection, which is not accessible to the public.

In Funchal, Portugal, guests will have lunch with a local celebrity at Reid?s Palace or visit a family-run Madeiran winery where they will dine with the owners.

During the Rome experience, guests will make their own jewelry with instruction from a former Valentino model who now designs jewelry.

The Corfu, Greece, excursion consists of a painting lesson from the president of the Corfu Painters Society.

In Italy?s Vetriano, guests will attend the opera at Teatro Concordia, the?smallest public theater in the world.

Teatro Concordia

Excursions in Sorrento and Taormina, Italy, comprise?cooking lessons and meals with local, Michelin-star chefs.

In Taormina in Italy?s Sicily region, travelers will be served a meal while watching a classical concert at a Sicilian castle.

Crystal Cruises will promote the Boutique Adventures via its Web site, quarterly magazine and the on-board Shore Excursion team, per Ms. Weisband.

In addition, travel agents will also inform their clients about the experiences.

?The cruise industry has been becoming more aware of the large portion of the affluent travelers who shy away from cruises due to many misconceptions and overall lack of desire to be on-board the mega-ships,? said D.M. Banks, director at?DMB Public Relations, New York.

?Crystal Cruises is always looking at ways to provide the luxuries of cruises, while providing a boutique experience for their guests,? he said. ?This is another example of them thinking outside of the box to truly connect with their guests.

?Affluent travelers are more than happy to pay a premium for superior services and, more importantly, unique and personalized experiences. These intimate and semi-private excursions are great ways for guest to feel more immersed into the culture and destinations while at port.?

Story time
The new Boutique Adventures are meant to align with Crystal Cruises? ?Begin a New Story? ad campaign that launched last year, per Ms. Weisband.

The cruise line rebranded itself during the second quarter of 2012 through an all-encompassing campaign that centers on the notion of the travel journal and encourages consumers to share memories from past cruises.

The marketing efforts focus on cruise destinations and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, rather than the amenities of the ship.

Begin a New Story uses multiple channels including print ads with digital watermark technology, brochures, online banner ads, email, video and a smartphone app.

For instance, print ads appear in Cond? Nast Traveler, National Geographic Traveler, Town & Country, Travel & Leisure, Coastal Living, Elle D?cor, Food & Wine and Forbes Life.

Consumers can scan the ads with their smartphones to reveal a 60-second video that shows three travelers? experiences in select Crystal Cruises? destinations through watercolor animation.

The brand asked eight watercolor artists to create images that are used in all aspects of the campaign (see story).

?The trend for affluent consumers is more intimate and incredibly special ? both of which are key to these excursions,? Ms. Weisband said.

?Entering someone?s home, sharing a meal with them and just a few other guests, and being able to hear in-depth stories of living and working in that area from your host ? these are experiences that can be deeply personal, bonding and memorable, really expanding one?s understanding of a culture far beyond any info gleaned from merely sight-seeing,? she said.

?Affluent consumers crave such experiences that go beyond the norm, as so many of them travel at a level well above the basics.?

Final Take
Tricia Carr, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York

Tricia Carr is an editorial assistant on Luxury Daily. Her beats are apparel and accessories, arts and entertainment, education, food and beverage, fragrance and personal care, government, healthcare, home furnishings, jewelry, legal/privacy and nonprofits. Reach her at tricia@napean.com.

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Source: http://www.luxurydaily.com/crystal-cruises-entices-bookings-through-brand-exclusive-experiences/

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Court: Obama appointments are unconstitutional (cbsnews)

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Arcade video shooting games pulled after massacres

In this Jan. 17, 2013 photo; Richard Reitnauer of Yonkers, N.Y., poses outside the Ridge Hill Showcase Cinema De Lux movie theater in Yonkers, where his complaint about a violent arcade game led to its removal. The theater replaced it with a Pac-Man game. (AP Photo/The Journal News, Colin Gustafson) MANDATORY CREDIT; NYC OUT; NO SALES

In this Jan. 17, 2013 photo; Richard Reitnauer of Yonkers, N.Y., poses outside the Ridge Hill Showcase Cinema De Lux movie theater in Yonkers, where his complaint about a violent arcade game led to its removal. The theater replaced it with a Pac-Man game. (AP Photo/The Journal News, Colin Gustafson) MANDATORY CREDIT; NYC OUT; NO SALES

BOSTON (AP) ? It was 10 days after a gunman killed 20 first-graders and six educators in Newtown, Conn., when Tracey Hyams and her family came upon a teenager firing a lifelike toy rifle on a video game at a Massachusetts highway rest stop.

As Hyams, her husband and their 12-year-old son walked by, they could hear the rat-a-tat-tat of gunfire coming from the arcade game.

"We looked at each other and said, 'Did you see that? How inappropriate,'" Hyams said.

She sent an email to Massachusetts transportation officials, asking them to remove the game. About a week later, they got a response ? the state pulled not just that game, but eight others at rest areas along the Massachusetts Turnpike.

In Yonkers, N.Y., a moviegoer got similar action this month after he complained about a video shooting game in the lobby of the Showcase cinema complex there. National Amusements Inc. removed the game and replaced it with a Pac Man game.

In both cases, owners of the games said they were trying to be sensitive in the wake of the horrific Newtown massacre.

An executive with National Amusements, based in Norwood, Mass., said the theater chain plans to review its theaters to determine whether additional games should also be removed.

"We are going to meet with our vendor who supplies the games, and we're going to review it on a case-by-case basis," said Steve Horton, vice president of operations for National Amusements, a Norwood, Mass., company that operates more than 1,500 movie screens around the world.

Sara Lavoie, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, said Hyams noted in her email that Newtown is about an hour away from the rest area in Charlton where her family saw the shooting game on Christmas Eve, 10 days after the school shooting.

"We thought, 'Yeah, we agree with you. We will ask that all of the video games be replaced with more passive video games,'" Lavoie said.

Simon Kubiak, a founding member of the National Video Game Association LLC, an association of video gamers, said he sees the pulling of the arcade games as an overreaction.

"There are billions of copies of games out there, and the incidence of mass shootings hasn't increased. I don't think there's any correlation between the video game industry and the movie industry and mass shootings," he said.

"It's a terrible event, no doubt, but I think the powers that be need to address underlying problems and not cast blame on the video gaming industry."

Richard Reitnauer, the Yonkers moviegoer, said he first noticed the game after seven people were shot to death in July in a movie theater in Aurora, Colo. He didn't complain then, but when he noticed the game again days after the Newtown shooting, he called National Amusement's headquarters and asked if the company would remove it.

"I told him that I felt it was inappropriate game in an inappropriate place within view. You can hardly walk into this large theater lobby without your eyes drifting over to the game area. I told him that in the context of the shootings, this was kind of like the last straw. Society needs to become more sensitive," Reitnauer said.

When Reitnauer heard back from the company two weeks later, he was told the game had been removed.

"I feel it was a good gesture for the theater to take the guns out, and if everybody across America decided to take a small step, we just might start getting at some solutions."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-25-Shootings-Games/id-3d57da11dd0d4208942dd21f5699a128

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