And Speaking of Fights Over the Debt Limit?

Two members of Connecticut?s congressional delegation praised the Pentagon Tuesday night for its decision to reduce the number of days that civilian defense contractors will spend on unpaid leave as part of federal spending cuts.

The move means that 650,000 civilian employees across the country will have to take only six days off this year. That?s a reduction from the 11 days that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel had called for in May after the Pentagon was ordered to trim its spending by $37 billion this year.

Those spending cuts?known around Washington as ?sequestration??were imposed under a law that Congress passed to end the last major ?debt ceiling standoff two years ago.

The law called for automatic cuts to defense and domestic spending if lawmakers couldn?t agree how to cut it themselves by the end of 2011 (they couldn?t).

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Congressman Joe Courtney both praised Hagel?s decision Tuesday, in statements that you can read after the jump. But both of them also criticized the defense spending cuts as harmful to Connecticut contractors and their families.

Courtney said the House Speaker John Boehner should call the House back from its August recess to pass a budget that ?turns off? the sequester.

Interestingly, Courtney and Blumenthal both voted to pass the 2011 law that creates the current sequestration situation:

Via GovTrack.US: The House vote to pass the bill (8/1/2011) and the Senate vote (8/2/2011). Image compiled by Wes Duplantier/The Hartford Courant.?

?This furlough reduction is welcome news not only for hardworking Defense Department employees, but also for our national security and defense,? Blumenthal said. ?I pressed for this reduction in furlough days because it was unfair and unfortunate for military readiness. I am hopeful that such shortsighted supposed savings can be avoided in the future because they deprive essential employees of both work and wages. I have met with military technicians in New London whose furlough days not only make it harder to pay bills and support their families, but also undermine helicopter maintenance repair in Connecticut, but across the country. I will continue to push for a balanced compromise that will mitigate furloughs and end the harmful impact of sequestration.? ?

?

?Today?s announcement is a much-needed dose of relief for hard working civilians in Connecticut and around the country who help protect our nation,? Courtney said. ?Finding savings throughout the defense budget to reduce furloughs will help restore critical workdays so that the mission of the SUBASE, the Connecticut National Guard?s TASMG in Groton and Naval Undersea Warfare Center ?can move forward.

?Although the reduction of furlough days is welcome news, this announcement does not end the harm sequester is inflicting on DOD employees and their vital missions ? and on critical domestic services such as Head Start and NIH, among many others. Speaker Boehner should cancel the recess and immediately complete work on a budget which turns off sequester once and for all and reduces the federal budget deficit in a reasonable and thoughtful way.?

?I want to salute leaders in Connecticut like Robert Faulise with the National Association of Government Employees and Adam Puccino with the Metal Trades Council who helped raise public awareness back home on the negative impact of sequestration on our military readiness and our communities in Connecticut.? I will continue to work closely with them to keep pressure on in Congress to find the political will to end these unnecessary and self-inflicted cuts to our defense capabilities and our economy.?

Source: http://courantblogs.com/capitol-watch/and-speaking-of-fights-over-the-debt-limit/

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U.S. EPA Announces More Than $880,000 Available in Border Environmental Funding; Several workshops for grant applicants to be held in US and Mexico (NM, TX)

?

Release Date: 07/17/2013
Contact Information: Jennah Durant or Austin Vela, 214 665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov

(Dallas ? July 17, 2013) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announces $884,000 in grants available for the US-Mexico border region in Texas and New Mexico. The funds will be awarded under the Border 2020 U.S.-Mexico Environmental Program, in coordination with the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC). All proposals must be submitted by August 29, 2013.

EPA will award grants to projects that reflect the goals of the Border 2020 program, especially those supporting work in the Texas/New Mexico border region. Project types include improving air quality monitoring networks; developing applications for reusing water; developing bilingual outreach campaigns to stop illegal dumping; updating sister city-plans; improving understanding of each country?s compliance and enforcement roles; and other projects that help fulfill the goals and objectives of Border 2020. Greater consideration will be given to proposals that leverage other resources and demonstrate measurable results.

Several workshops will be held for potential grant applicants:

Workshops in the U.S.:
7/19/13?McAllen Firemen?s Pumphouse, 201 N. 1^st Street, McAllen, TX, 9:30-11:30 am
7/24/13?Del Cerro Community Center, 180 La Fe Ave., Vado, NM, 3-5 pm
7/30/13?American Dam/Carlos Marin Field Office, 2616 West Paisano Drive, El Paso, TX, 3-5 pm

Workshops in Mexico:
8/1/13?Estaci?n Palabra ?Gabriel Garc?a M?rquez,? Ave. C?sar L?pez de Lara #1020, Sector Aduana Enfrente de la Plaza Primero de Mayo, Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, 1-3 pm
8/7/13?Sala R?o Bravo, COCEF, Blvd. Tomas Fern?ndez #8069, Fracc. Los Parques, Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, 3-4:30 pm

The mission of the bi-national Border 2020 Program is to protect human health and the environment in the U.S.-Mexico border region. BECC is an international organization established to preserve, protect, and enhance the environment in the U.S. ? Mexico border region.

Eligibility is open to U.S. and Mexican non-governmental organizations; local and state government agencies; industry associations; universities; U.S. tribes and Mexican indigenous communities. Proposal applications can be downloaded from the BECC website at

www.cocef.org or the EPA Border 2020 website at, www.epa.gov/border2020.

# # #

Source: http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/55AB6F22792B8E4185257BAB00698890

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Haute 100 NY Update: Tom Ford to Open Two New Retail Stores

Tom Ford is expanding his retail empire. The 51-year-old designer will open two new retail locations within the next few months, according to Daily Front Row.

Ford?s Chicago flagship store will open its door in August, followed by a Dallas boutique in September. The designer currently has 93 stores worldwide, with three locations in New York City.

Source: http://www.hauteliving.com/2013/07/haute-100-ny-update-tom-ford-to-open-two-new-retail-stores/376489/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=haute-100-ny-update-tom-ford-to-open-two-new-retail-stores

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Factbox: China comment: finmin rules out big stimulus

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's new leaders have promised to keep the economy on an even keel in 2013 with flexible policy settings while accelerating free-market reforms to sustain long-term growth.

Beijing would tolerate quarterly growth slipping as far as 7 percent year-on-year before looking to lift the economy, according to government economists from top think-tanks. The government is projecting growth this year of 7.5 percent.

Below are recent comments on the economy from top government leaders and other senior figures.

LOU JIWEI, FINANCE MINISTER

"China will not conduct large scale fiscal stimulus this year. We will fine-tune some policies to support economic growth and employment on the premise of keeping the size of fiscal deficit unchanged."

"We will mainly take measures to support economic growth and employment while putting more energies to push forward the next round of reform."

"We will keep the size of the fiscal deficit unchanged (this year) but will adjust it structurally. The central government will cut expenditures by 5 percent."

"We will unveil some tax reduction policies, especially for small-sized firms, to better increase employment."

"We will adjust the expenditure responsibilities of central and local government and increase central government's spending appropriately."

"China will expand the value-added tax reform program to the whole service industry." (Lou made the comments during the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Washington.) Source: The website of the Ministry of Finance, July 17

LI KEQIANG, PREMIER

"Neither should we change policy orientation due to temporary economic fluctuations, which may affect the hard-won restructuring opportunity, nor should we lack vigilance and preparations when the economy might slide below the reasonable range,"

"We are confident, having the necessary means and the ability (to achieve this year's growth targets).But we need to pay a lot of efforts."

"When the economy operates within reasonable range, we will focus on transforming of the mode of economic development."

"The macroeconomic policies will focus on stabilizing economic growth or guarding the inflation when the economic growth near upper or lower limits."

Source: the central government website, July 16

LI KEQIANG, PREMIER

"China's economic situation is generally stable so far this year with main economic indicators within reasonable range and annual expectations."

"But the economic environment is becoming more complicated and faces favorable and adverse conditions, while the economy still has growth momentum and faces downward pressure."

"We are at a stage where we must rely on economic transformation and upgrading to keep sustainable and healthy (economic) development."

"Reform will get rid of obstacles from the structure and mechanisms and inject new momentum for stabilizing and restructuring the economy."

"Macro-economic control should be based on present conditions and with an eye to the future to ensure the economic growth rate and employment levels do not slide below lower limits and consumer prices do not surpass the upper limit."

"We will quicken reforms in key areas including administrative management, the fiscal system, finance and prices."

(Li made the comments during a trip to southern Guangxi Province.)

Source: Xinhua, July 9;

XI JINPING, PRESIDENT

"We should improve our way of evaluating officials' performance. We should not only look at (economic) development but also fundamentals, not only at obvious achievements but also at potential results."

"We will include indicators including welfare improvements, social development and ecological benefits as important measures in evaluating officials. We should no longer evaluate performance of officials simply against GDP growth."

(Xi made the comments in a national party meeting on personnel and organization issues)

Source: Xinhua, June 29;

LIU SHIYU, DEPUTY CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR

"I am worried that the 'shadow banking' capital may flow into the property market, outdated industries and some local government financing vehicles with poor qualifications, which might lead to relatively high risks."

"We must develop a system of small- and medium-sized banks mainly invested by private investors ... and we should unswervingly push forward market-oriented reforms of interest rate and exchange rate (regimes)."

"Personally, I think we could complete the two reforms naturally over the next 10 years if we the international financial crisis won't take a turn for the worse."

"We can also complete the reform on renminbi (yuan) convertibility under the capital account and the use of yuan in cross-border trade over the next 10 years if there is no big changes in the international market."

Source:Sina.com, March 18

(Reporting by China Economics Team; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/factbox-china-finmin-rules-big-stimulus-101007263.html

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Despicable Me: Minion Rush updated, more obstacles, more Minions!

Everyone's favorite Minion based game, Despicable Me: Minion Rush, just got updated and now has more obstacles, and more Minions! The first update to the game since release sees new obstacles in a new environment, evil purple Minions, and over 150 new missions and achievements.

The new location is El Macho's lair from the movie, and who doesn't like to knock over evil Minions, right? There's also a new villain and his sidekick to defeat from the movie ? no spoilers here ? as well as the chance to "prepare for summer in a new secret area." All sounds great, and if you really want to get the best out of the game and you haven't already read our tips, tricks and cheats guide, then be sure to give that a once over as well!

• Free - Download Now

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/8dofpnLkJXw/story01.htm

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Chrysler backs down, agrees to recall 1.56 million older-model Jeeps

June 18, 2013 at 2:42 PM ET

UPDATED: After a public disagreement that threatened to blow up into a larger battle, Chrysler said Tuesday that it agreed to recall 1.56 million Jeep vehicles that a government safety watchdog said could potentially erupt into fire if rear-ended.

Chrysler had been expected to file papers Tuesday refusing to comply with a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's voluntary recall request sent earlier this month. That request covered Jeep Grand Cherokees in model years 1993 to 2004 and Libertys in model years 2002 to 2007.

NHTSA had warned after investigations that a crash from behind on these vehicles could puncture the fuel tank, located in the rear of the models, spill fuel and potentially cause a fire. NHTSA said the defect may have been responsible for up to 51 deaths.

Chrysler had disagreed with NHTSA's assessment.

Read more: Take that back: Famous recalls from Tylenol to Toyota

"As a result of the agreement, Chrysler Group will conduct a voluntary campaign with respect to the vehicles in question that, in addition to a visual inspection of the vehicle will, if necessary, provide an upgrade to the rear structure of the vehicle to better manage crash forces in low-speed impacts," Chrysler said in a statement.

NHTSA set events in motion earlier this month when it sent a letter to Chrysler recommending a safety recall of certain older Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Liberty models with gas tanks mounted behind their rear axles. The letter stated that, in an initial assessment, the vehicles have performance and design defects that could cause deadly fires in rear-end collisions.

Read more: Hands-free systems not nearly as safe as automakers say

Chrysler's response in a "White Paper on NHTSA's Recall Request" said the company has fully cooperated with government's review of the model-years in question. The paper states that it provided "technical information and detailed analyses showing these models are safe, and meet or exceed all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards."

The paper also said Chrysler disagreed with NHTSA's recall request. "The subject vehicles are not defective and their fuel systems do not pose an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety in rear-impact collisions," said Chrysler, which is owned by Italian automaker Fiat SpA.

Chrysler stuck to that line Tuesday, saying in a brief statement that the vehicles are not defective and are "among the safest in the peer group."

"Nonetheless, Chrysler Group recognizes that this matter has raised concerns for its customers and wants to take further steps, in coordination with NHTSA, to provide additional measures to supplement the safety of its vehicles," the statement said.

Read more: Ford will cut factory CO2 admissions 30%

As recently as this morning, Chrysler officials were signaling that they would reject the recall request even if that meant squaring up against NHTSA in court. But a senior Chrysler source who asked not to be named acknowledged that the maker came to recognize it might be able to win that battle yet still could lose in the court of public opinion.

?The morning (news reports) were accurate but the decision wasn?t finalized,? said the Chrysler veteran, who was not officially authorized to discuss the recall, adding that the maker ?absolutely? recognized that public sentiment seemed to be shifting against the company. ?Even if all the data shows we?re right?we?re impacted by concerns about public opinion. This is an iconic brand and we have to consider this from a reputation standpoint.?

Read more: 10 best base-model cars

Had the maker decided to rebuff NHTSA it could have limited the scope by citing the 10-year statute of limitations on recalls, noted Clarence Ditlow, director of the Center for Auto Safety, the consumer group that originally spurred NHTSA to investigate the Jeep gas tank issue three years ago. Such a move would effectively have reduced the number of vehicles the government could have continued pressing to recall.

NHTSA could have responded by ordering a series of public hearings. Ultimately, the case could have wound up in court.

The Detroit Bureau's Paul A. Eisenstein contributed to this report.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story reported that 2.7 million Jeep vehicles would be recalled. Chrysler updated that figure on Tuesday evening.

More business news:

Follow NBCNews.com business on Twitter and Facebook

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663286/s/2ea6a21a/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Cbusiness0Cchrysler0Ebacks0Edown0Eagrees0Erecall0E10E560Emillion0Eolder0Emodel0E6C10A3630A45/story01.htm

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Halo: Spartan Assault to be available first on Verizon's Windows Phone 8 devices

We knew Halo: Spartan Assault would be making its debut sometime this month; what we didn't know, however, is that it would only be reaching Verizon-branded Windows Phone 8 handsets initially. According to the Big Red network, its subscribers will be the first in the US to be able to download the popular franchise's mobile title, although no word was given on when exactly we can expect it to launch. Halo: Spartan Assault is set to cost $6.99 once it eventually hits the Windows Phone store -- the good news is July's almost over, so it won't be much longer before you can get in on the action. For now, it looks as if our hands-on preview will have to hold you over.

Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Mobile, Verizon

Comments

Source: Verizon

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/L9YxwlsdGU8/

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Fishing in the sea of proteins

Public release date: 2-Jul-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Dr. Jessica Jacobs
Jessica.Jacobs@rub.de
49-234-322-2197
Ruhr-University Bochum

Composition of splicing complex in chloroplasts identified for the first time

To convert a gene into a protein, a cell first crafts a blueprint out of RNA. One of the main players in this process has been identified by researchers led by Dr. Jessica Jacobs at the Ruhr-Universitt Bochum. The team "fished" a large complex of proteins and RNA, which is involved in the so-called splicing, from the chloroplasts of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. This cuts non-coding regions out of the messenger RNA, which contains the protein blueprint. "For the first time, we have established the exact composition of an unknown splicing complex of the chloroplasts", says Jacobs. She reports with her colleagues from the Department of General and Molecular Botany and the Work Group for Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry in the journal "Molecular and Cellular Proteomics".

From gene to protein craftwork required

Genes, the bearers of genetic information, contain coding and non-coding regions. To convert a gene into a protein, enzymes first create a copy of the gene, the messenger RNA. A useful blueprint for a protein is only obtained, however, when enzymes cut the non-coding regions, called introns out of the messenger RNA. Scientists call this process splicing. Large complexes of RNA and proteins are responsible for the splicing.

Components of the splicing complex identified in chloroplasts

The RUB researchers examined the splicing of the gene psaA, which is found in chloroplasts. These cellular constituents of plants which carry out photosynthesis probably originated from formerly free-living cyanobacteria. According to the endosymbiotic theory, the cyanobacteria lived in symbiosis with the plants and were eventually integrated into their cells. Chloroplasts therefore have their own genetic material - a relic from the cyanobacterial genome. However, the chloroplasts are dependent on the communication with the cell nucleus in order to be functional. The Bochum team identified the components of the protein complex that splices the chloroplast gene psaA. In the splicing complex they found 23 different proteins that are encoded in the genome of the cell nucleus. "The protein complex discovered gives us an insight into the functioning of components involved in the communication between chloroplasts and the nucleus", says Jessica Jacobs.

How to fish a splicing complex

The team carried out its investigations on the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. "We used a protein bait to fish the splicing complex out of the chloroplasts", says Jacobs. Before starting the experiment, it was known that the protein Raa4 is involved in the splicing of the psaA gene. The many interaction partners of Raa4, however, were unknown. The RUB biologists genetically altered the alga in such a way that it produced a modified form of the protein Raa4 - with a tag, i.e. a kind of "fish hook". They isolated all the proteins of the cell and filtered them through a particular material, on which only Raa4 got caught on its fish hook along with all of its bound interaction partners. They determined the components of the splicing complex fished out with the aid of mass spectrometry. The researchers found a splicing complex with the same composition for various environmental conditions: in light, darkness, and in an oxygen-free environment.

###

Bibliographic record

J. Jacobs, C. Marx, V. Kock, O. Reifschneider, B. Frnzel, C. Krisp, D. Wolters, U. Kck (2013): Identification of a chloroplast ribonucleoprotein complex containing trans-splicing factors, intron RNA and novel components, Molecular and Cellular Proteomics DOI: 10.1074/mcp.M112.026583

Further information

Dr. Jessica Jacobs, Department of General and Molecular Botany, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology at the Ruhr-Universitt, 44780 Bochum, Germany, Tel. +49/234/32-22197, E-mail: Jessica.Jacobs@rub.de

Editor: Dr. Julia Weiler

---

[ | 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.

Public release date: 2-Jul-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Dr. Jessica Jacobs
Jessica.Jacobs@rub.de
49-234-322-2197
Ruhr-University Bochum

Composition of splicing complex in chloroplasts identified for the first time

To convert a gene into a protein, a cell first crafts a blueprint out of RNA. One of the main players in this process has been identified by researchers led by Dr. Jessica Jacobs at the Ruhr-Universitt Bochum. The team "fished" a large complex of proteins and RNA, which is involved in the so-called splicing, from the chloroplasts of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. This cuts non-coding regions out of the messenger RNA, which contains the protein blueprint. "For the first time, we have established the exact composition of an unknown splicing complex of the chloroplasts", says Jacobs. She reports with her colleagues from the Department of General and Molecular Botany and the Work Group for Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry in the journal "Molecular and Cellular Proteomics".

From gene to protein craftwork required

Genes, the bearers of genetic information, contain coding and non-coding regions. To convert a gene into a protein, enzymes first create a copy of the gene, the messenger RNA. A useful blueprint for a protein is only obtained, however, when enzymes cut the non-coding regions, called introns out of the messenger RNA. Scientists call this process splicing. Large complexes of RNA and proteins are responsible for the splicing.

Components of the splicing complex identified in chloroplasts

The RUB researchers examined the splicing of the gene psaA, which is found in chloroplasts. These cellular constituents of plants which carry out photosynthesis probably originated from formerly free-living cyanobacteria. According to the endosymbiotic theory, the cyanobacteria lived in symbiosis with the plants and were eventually integrated into their cells. Chloroplasts therefore have their own genetic material - a relic from the cyanobacterial genome. However, the chloroplasts are dependent on the communication with the cell nucleus in order to be functional. The Bochum team identified the components of the protein complex that splices the chloroplast gene psaA. In the splicing complex they found 23 different proteins that are encoded in the genome of the cell nucleus. "The protein complex discovered gives us an insight into the functioning of components involved in the communication between chloroplasts and the nucleus", says Jessica Jacobs.

How to fish a splicing complex

The team carried out its investigations on the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. "We used a protein bait to fish the splicing complex out of the chloroplasts", says Jacobs. Before starting the experiment, it was known that the protein Raa4 is involved in the splicing of the psaA gene. The many interaction partners of Raa4, however, were unknown. The RUB biologists genetically altered the alga in such a way that it produced a modified form of the protein Raa4 - with a tag, i.e. a kind of "fish hook". They isolated all the proteins of the cell and filtered them through a particular material, on which only Raa4 got caught on its fish hook along with all of its bound interaction partners. They determined the components of the splicing complex fished out with the aid of mass spectrometry. The researchers found a splicing complex with the same composition for various environmental conditions: in light, darkness, and in an oxygen-free environment.

###

Bibliographic record

J. Jacobs, C. Marx, V. Kock, O. Reifschneider, B. Frnzel, C. Krisp, D. Wolters, U. Kck (2013): Identification of a chloroplast ribonucleoprotein complex containing trans-splicing factors, intron RNA and novel components, Molecular and Cellular Proteomics DOI: 10.1074/mcp.M112.026583

Further information

Dr. Jessica Jacobs, Department of General and Molecular Botany, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology at the Ruhr-Universitt, 44780 Bochum, Germany, Tel. +49/234/32-22197, E-mail: Jessica.Jacobs@rub.de

Editor: Dr. Julia Weiler

---

[ | 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/2013-07/rb-fit070213.php

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Melissa McCarthy & Sandra Bullock Had a Crush on Who?!

New Kids on the Block heartthrob Joey McIntyre can still make the ladies swoon -- even his co-stars in The Heat, Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy!

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/exclusive-heat-stars-melissa-mccarthy-sandra-bullock-talk-celebrity-crushes/1-a-540283?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Aexclusive-heat-stars-melissa-mccarthy-sandra-bullock-talk-celebrity-crushes-540283

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Rich Dev, Poor Dev: Why some succeed where others fail - Talk Mobile

Both iOS and Android are rapidly approaching the million app mark. It's an absurd number of apps, and making a living in that vast sea is a tough prospect. Windows Phone and BlackBerry 10 are both over 100,000 apps, which on its own is also an absurd number. How is a developer supposed to get noticed when there are thousands upon thousands of other apps in the same store?

A developer can rely on search and word-of-mouth, but that's only going to get them so far. How is a developer supposed to get their app featured on the platform storefront? How are they supposed to tell users and publications about their app? And just how can they convince users to actually download the app? Is it better to be flashy or funny, informative or intriguing? Does it matter what audience you're targeting?

Just bobbing up and down in the waves of a million other apps is counting on an impossible stroke of luck to get noticed. Developers can be their own best advocates - but how does somebody who specializes in code and interface design come to understand what it takes to market their wares?

Let's get the conversation started!

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/29DQcNRn6dU/story01.htm

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Afghan peace bid stumbles on Kabul-Taliban protocol row

By Amena Bakr

DOHA (Reuters) - A fresh effort to end Afghanistan's 12-year-old war looked in disarray on Thursday after a diplomatic spat about the Taliban's new Qatar office delayed preliminary discussions between the United States and the Islamist insurgents.

Talks between U.S. officials and representatives of the Taliban had been set for Thursday in Qatar but Afghan government anger at the fanfare surrounding the opening of a Taliban office in the Gulf state threw preparations into confusion.

The squabble may set the tone for what could be long and arduous negotiations to end a war that has raged since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan that followed the September 11, 2001 al Qaeda attacks on U.S. targets.

Asked when the talks would now take place, the source in Doha said "There is nothing scheduled that I am aware of." Asked if that meant they would not happen today, the source added: "Yes that's correct."

The opening of the office was a practical step paving the way for peace talks. But the official-looking protocol surrounding the event raised angry protests in Kabul that the office would develop into a Taliban government-in-exile: A diplomatic scramble ensued to allay their concerns.

A Taliban flag that had been hoisted at the Taliban office on Tuesday had been taken down and lay on the ground on Thursday, although it appeared still attached to a flagpole.

A name plate, inscribed with the title "Political Office of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan" had also been removed.

Questioned whether the Taliban's office in Doha had created a sense of optimism about peace efforts, the source replied: "Optimism and pessimism are irrelevant. The most important thing is that we now know the Taliban are ready to talk, and sometimes talk is expensive."

Word of the U.S.-Taliban talks had raised hopes that Karzai's government and the Taliban might enter their first-ever direct negotiations on Afghanistan's future, with Washington acting as a broker and Pakistan as a major outside player.

The Taliban has until now refused talks with Kabul, calling Karzai and his government puppets of the West. But a senior Afghan official said earlier the Taliban was now willing to consider talks with the government.

PRISONER SWAP

In its talks with the U.S. officials, the Taliban was expected to demand the return of former senior commanders now detained at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a move opposed by many in the U.S. Congress, as well as the departure of all foreign troops.

The United States wants the return of the only known U.S. prisoner of war from the conflict, Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, who is believed to be held by the Taliban.

The protocol dispute burst into the open on Wednesday when Afghan President Hamid Karzai said his government would not join U.S. talks with the Taliban and would halt negotiations with Washington on a post-2014 troop pact.

Officials from Karzai's government, angered by the official-sounding name the Taliban chose for its political office in Doha, said the United States had violated assurances it would not give official status to the insurgents.

Afghan government officials objected to the impression that the insurgents had achieved some level of international political recognition and could use it as an official embassy or even as a base for a government-in-exile.

"As long as the peace process is not Afghan-led, the High Peace Council will not participate in the talks in Qatar," Karzai said in a statement, referring to a body he set up in 2010 to seek a negotiated peace with the Taliban.

VOID OF TRUST

A statement on Qatar's foreign ministry website late on Wednesday clarified that the office which opened was called the "Political Bureau for Afghan Taliban in Doha".

The source familiar with the matter said: "The Taliban have to understand that this office isn't an embassy and they are not representing a country."

The dispute over the Taliban office after months of behind-the-scenes diplomacy to restart the peace talks underscored what U.S. officials say is a void of trust between Karzai and the Taliban, who have been waging an insurgency to overthrow his government and oust foreign troops.

Fighting continued in the war-ravaged nation. Four U.S. soldiers were killed in a rocket attack on the heavily fortified Bagram base near Kabul late on Tuesday, international military officials said.

U.S. and Afghan officials said U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke with Karzai on Tuesday night and again on Wednesday morning in an effort to defuse the controversy.

Underlining the importance of the process to the United States, the State Department said Kerry would travel to Doha for meetings with senior Qatari officials on Friday and Saturday. But U.S. officials said he would not meet with Taliban representatives.

(Additional reporting by Yara Bayoumy in Dubai, Miriam Arghandiwal, Jeff Mason and Roberta Rampton in Berlin and Phil Stewart in Washington; writing by William Maclean; editing by Philippa Fletcher)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-taliban-talks-qatar-not-expected-thursday-source-063921843.html

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Rockmelt comes to Android with thumb-friendly navigation

Rockmelt brought its social news browsing to iOS back in 2012, with promises that the Android version was on the way. The company took its sweet time with the port, but it's here at last -- and with a few Android-only perks in return for the wait. While the core news aggregation remains intact, there's a new set of thumb navigation controls that makes sure tablet owners (or just those with giant smartphones) can read in comfort. Phone owners also get a landscape view similar to what their tablet brethren see and a set of elevator-like buttons help users of all kinds get back to articles after a refresh. The interface extras may not seal the deal by themselves, but they could tip the balance for those still undecided on a Google Reader alternative.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet

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Source: Rockmelt

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/19/rockmelt-comes-to-android/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Feedbag: What The Hell Do I Feed A Fussy Eater? - Deadspin

Welcome to the Feedbag, where all the dumb questions about food, drink, cooking, eating, and accidental finger removal you've been embarrassed to ask can finally receive the berating they goddamn deserve. Also: answers. Send all your even-vaguely-food-related questions to albertburneko@gmail.com with the subject "Feedbag." All of them.

Justin:

I got a query and it can't wait until the next feedbag.

Showed you, didn't I?

I'm bbq'ing for a group of friends, and because I am an arrogant lifer I decided to impress the pleebs with the menu. I am (was) doing shrimp grilled in a banana leaf pouch.

Ooh, that sounds delicious.

I was going to finish it with coconut curry

[removes shirt]

but apparently the girl whose party it is hates curry.

[meekly reapplies shirt]

So I switched it to mojo marinated shrimp.

[pulls arms out of sleeves]

Too spicy.

[spacesuit]

What do you suggest?

I suppose it's probably impractical for me to advise that your host grow the fuck up and get an adult set of fucking tastebuds, huh? (Too spicy?! Since when the fuck does mojo?the typical primary ingredients of which are cumin, garlic, citrus juice, and cilantro?have to be especially spicy?) Or that she magically become the sort of person who appreciates that someone is putting care and thought into preparing food for her to eat and decide to take a fucking flyer on something new as an act of good faith toward an invited guest whose cooking abilities and taste she does not intend to insult?

OK, then. It sounds to me like you've got your heart set on grilling shrimp for this finicky ungrateful weenie of an asshole and her presumably charming but also blinkered friends and guests. You're just going to have to scale back your ambitions a bit (to account for your host being a choad). Melt a couple of sticks of good butter over low-medium heat in a small pot with some lemon zest and juice, a wee sprinkling of crushed red pepper (assuming your chicken-livered dingbat host can handle just a widdle bitty widdle bit of piquancy), a crushed garlic clove, and a bay leaf. Let that stuff hang out at a low temperature for a little while, then skim the foamy milk solids off the top with a spoon. Brush your shrimp with some of the wonderful-smelling and -tasting result, and grill 'em for, oh, a minute per side. Then, toss 'em with the rest of the butter-saucelike concoction and another squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and serve them over a bed of pur?ed carrots because that's what fucking babies eat because your host is a fucking baby.

Sorry. Lost control there for a second. Serve the shrimp over some plain white rice and see to it that one of the other guests whips up the brightest, tartest, most pungent salad your fussy dictatorial butthead of a host will deign to allow. Park the shrimp and rice next to the salad on the plate. Voyolay.

Yes, this is an incredibly simple and not powerfully flavored thing to serve. It's also going to taste very good, and the party guests will enjoy the hell out of it, while also admiring that you have delicately and pleasingly accented the shrimp instead of obscuring it or turning it into a raft for other, stronger shit.

The final step is hosting a party of your own at which you serve goat eyeballs marinated in literally every goddamn thing in the world.

Lori:

I am unsure how to make a proper lasagna, and the question is preparing the pasta. Should you put dry pasta sheets in the oven with all the sauce, cheese, etc, and have the baked-goodness cook the pasta for you, or should you boil the pasta first? Most recipes call for boiling noodles first, BUT I worked in a camp kitchen for 8 years and they always made lasagna the dry-noodle method. Who is correct? Does it matter?

Let's make sure we're talking about the same thing, here, Lori. Nowadays in your local grocery store, there are two kinds of boxed lasagna: the regular dried stuff which you're meant to boil before using, and the kind labeled "no-boil" or "oven-ready." The latter of these has been parboiled and dehydrated prior to packaging, and can be added dry to your dish, where it will rehydrate itself in the oven by drawing in the liquid from the tomato sauce.

So, which kind do you have? If you have the stuff labeled "no-boil" or "oven-ready," go ahead and use the dry pasta in your lasagna preparation; you may need to make a slightly wetter tomato sauce to ensure there's enough liquid present to rehydrate the pasta as it cooks. If you've got the regular dried stuff, boil it first, and err on the side of dryness with your tomato sauce so that you don't end up with a (nonetheless delicious) cheese-and-tomato swamp which must be served in soup bowls with a goddamn ladle.

But wait! I hear you shrieking, which seems maybe a bit needless but whatever?I've heard that you can use the regular dried stuff without boiling it first mew m'pew pew! Yes, it is true that you have heard that ("mew m'pew pew"?). Some people do indeed use regular, non-oven-ready lasagna noodles in their lasagna preparations without boiling them first. These people are stupid and also Ra?lians (probably). As I can attest from bitter experience, attempting to use regular dried pasta without boiling it first yields a gummy, weird, unpleasant result, no matter how much liquid you put in your tomato sauce. Regular dried pasta is meant to be boiled first. Sorry.

The good news is, however squintily you might suspect this no-boil bunkum of being some kinda newfangled Johnny-come-lately techno-claptrap for the daggum kids and their daggum "Intendies," either variety, handled properly, will make a wonderful lasagna. Because lasagna is the goddamn best.

Ben:

Over this past weekend, I used your pulled pork instructions. From the fact that the serving plate was swarmed by my guests like some ravenous horde of zombies and 7 lbs of it was finished off in minutes, I'm gonna say it was a success. However, I'm wondering what to do with all that leftover stock or soup or whatever you call the stuff left in the pot. Any tips for additional dishes that can be made from this? Also, I just used Yuengling Lager as my beer, but would you recommend using a beer with a more pronounced flavor or even adding in a bit of some liquor like a whiskey to kick the flavor up a notch next time?

Let's deal with your second question first, Ben. Fancy up your beer if you want to (you're the one who'll be serving/eating it, after all); add some whiskey; serve the pulled pork on sliced fougasse with Gruy?re and arugula and flecks of gold leaf and dress in white linen and stand through the open sunroof of a white stretch Hummer waving your pulled pork sandwich in one hand and making infuriating raise-the-roof motions with the other as you cruise through Miami blasting Macklemore at decibel levels high enough to kill birds. It's your food. Do what you want with it. Just know that, if the best you can do is to waddle into your local convenience store, extract a few sweaty, wrinkled, wadded-up dollar bills from the pocket of your rattiest sweatpants, plunk them down for a stupid case of stupid canned domestic mule-piss, and use that instead, your pulled pork will still taste every bit as good as any reasonable person could ever expect.

As for what to do with all that greasy, beery, porky leftover liquid at the end: make stew! Many of the best stews include beer anyway; this shit is composed almost entirely of the stuff. Brown some cubed meat (pork or beef) and drop it into that liquid, along with some root vegetables, some potatoes, and maybe some barley or something (along with maybe a string-tied bundle of herbs to be extracted later), simmer it for a long time, and then eat it with bread and butter like a goddamn Viking marauder.

Katie:

Let's assume I can make delicious fried foods, but that I can't stop a grease fire from getting soot and smoke all over the walls. Any ideas how to get soot stains off the walls/ceiling? I'm starting to think that burning the place down may have saved time.

I looked up how to remove soot stains from things, Katie, and between the complicated and expensive-seeming instructions here and the tedious, complicated, and expensive-seeming instructions here, my general sense is that the way to go is to lay down a tarp, put on protective eyewear, assemble your dry-cleaning sponge, and abandon your home for a life of itinerant rail-riding. Probably you should ask a clean person.

Oh and also! Maybe you should stop deep-frying coal, you fucking psycho.

Send your Feedbag questions to albertburneko@gmail.com.

Albert Burneko is an eating enthusiast and father of two. His work can be found destroying everything of value in his crumbling home. You can find lots more Foodspin at foodspin.deadspin.com.

Image by Jim Cooke.

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Help! My Balls Smell!

Jolie Kerr is a cleaning expert and advice columnist. She'll be here every other week helping to answer your filthiest questions. Are you dirty? ? Read?

Source: http://deadspin.com/feedbag-what-the-hell-do-i-feed-a-fussy-eater-514020780

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Hannity on Obama: ?He went to a Muslim school in Indonesia, or wherever it was, Kenya. I forget.? (Americablog)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

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WikiLeaks trial focuses on whether Tweets meet evidence standards

By Medina Roshan

FORT MEADE, Maryland (Reuters) - The court-martial of the U.S. soldier accused of providing reams of classified documents to WikiLeaks in a case illustrating the challenge of keeping secrets in the digital age must decide whether tweets and Web pages can be admitted as evidence.

Lawyers for Private First Class Bradley Manning, 25, who is accused with providing more than 700,000 files to the anti-secrecy website in the biggest breach of classified U.S. data in the nation's history, argued on Tuesday that Twitter postings offered by prosecutors do not meet the court's standards.

"Anyone can create a Web page...that looks like WikiLeaks or that looks like Twitter," argued defense attorney Captain Joshua Tooman when the government sought to admit a May 7, 2010 tweet from WikiLeaks seeking military Internet addresses, and the Web page of the Internet archive site archive.org that showed a 2009 WikiLeaks "Most Wanted" list of items it was seeking from the public.

Tooman said a government investigator had accessed the tweets indirectly, through Google, rather than directly through Twitter or WikiLeaks. He said the evidence failed to meet the test of authenticity since there was no way of knowing what the website looked like when the tweet or page was published.

Prosecutors argued those tweets, as well as one on January 8, 2010 from WikiLeaks saying it had an encrypted video of a U.S. air attack, were evidence of a leak and should be admissible.

Judge Colonel Denise Lind did not rule on the evidence. She ordered the trial into recess until a status hearing next Tuesday. The trial is scheduled to resume on June 26.

Manning was an intelligence analyst in Iraq in 2010 when WikiLeaks published the classified information. He faces 21 charges, the most serious being aiding the enemy, and faces life in prison without parole if convicted.

(Writing by Ian Simpson; Editing by Scott Malone)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wikileaks-trial-focuses-whether-tweets-meet-evidence-standards-195217726.html

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Saatchi cautioned over assault on Nigella Lawson

LONDON (AP) ? Prominent British art collector Charles Saatchi has admitted assault and accepted a police caution after published photos showed him grasping the throat of his wife, celebrity chef Nigella Lawson.

Tabloid newspapers this week published photos of the incident, which happened June 9 in a posh London restaurant.

Saatchi, 70, had earlier characterized the incident as a "playful tiff" during an intense debate about the couple's children.

Lawson, 53, is a well-known TV presenter and chef whose cookbooks are best-sellers in Britain and the United States.

The Daily Mirror said late Monday that Saatchi, 70, had accepted the official warning after a five-hour grilling over dramatic photographs published in its sister paper, the Sunday People, which showed him grasping Lawson's throat. The tabloid published photographs of what it said showed Saatchi taking a cab back from a London police station.

Under British law, a caution is a formal warning given to someone who admits the offense. It carries no penalty, but it can be used as evidence of bad character if a person is later prosecuted for a different crime.

When asked about Saatchi, London's Metropolitan Police said that a 70-year-old man had been cautioned for assault after voluntarily attending a police station following an investigation into the pictures published by the Sunday People.

The force did not mention Saatchi by name ? authorities in Britain rarely identify suspects who haven't been charged.

Saatchi had earlier told the London Evening Standard newspaper that the photos made the altercation look worse than it was.

Saatchi, an Evening Standard columnist, said "the pictures are horrific but give a far more drastic and violent impression of what took place."

"About a week ago, we were sitting outside a restaurant having an intense debate about the children, and I held Nigella's neck repeatedly while attempting to emphasize my point," he was quoted as saying. "There was no grip, it was a playful tiff."

Saatchi also told the paper the couple "had made up by the time we were home.

"The paparazzi were congregated outside our house after the story broke yesterday morning, so I told Nigella to take the kids off till the dust settled."

Lawson's spokesman, Mark Hutchinson, confirmed that she and her children had left the family home after the photos were published but declined to comment further.

Saatchi and Lawson married in 2003 and live in London with Lawson's son and daughter from her marriage to journalist John Diamond, who died of cancer in 2001, and Saatchi's daughter from a previous marriage.

Lawson gained fame with her 1998 best-seller "How To Eat" and subsequent "How to Be a Domestic Goddess" (2000) and is one of Britain's best-known cookbook writers, as well as the host of foodie TV shows including "Nigella Bites" and ABC's cooking program "The Taste."

A former journalist who attended Oxford University, she served as deputy literary editor of The Sunday Times and subsequently wrote for numerous other newspapers and magazines.

Lawson is also one of the few British food personalities to have had real success in the United States, both on television and with her cookbooks. She has often made the point that she is not a trained chef, but is simply showing people what they can do in their own kitchens.

She is known for her sensual style on television ? both critics and admirers have called her shows "gastroporn."

Lawson is also known for her refreshing frankness. In January, she made news for insisting that her belly not be airbrushed out of promotional photos for her show, "The Taste," on ABC.

"That tum is the truth and is come by honestly, as my granny would have said," she wrote in a blog post.

Saatchi, co-founder of the Saatchi & Saatchi ad agency, owns one of London's biggest private art galleries. He was the main patron of the Young British Artists movement of the 1990s, which made household names of artists including Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin.

___

National Writer Jocelyn Noveck in New York contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/saatchi-cautioned-over-assault-nigella-lawson-104323069.html

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Utah church shooter charged with attempted murder

OGDEN, Utah (AP) ? It was a quiet part of the Father's Day Mass as about 300 people stood up in preparation for communion. A parishioner, known by many at the church as Ricky Jennings, entered through the glass doors in back, holding his wife Cheryl's hand.

Seconds later, police say Jennings fired a single shot at the back of Cheryl's father's head, nearly killing him. The loud bang pierced the silence, sending people diving for cover beneath pews and the priest behind the altar.

"It was echoing in my head so loud," said Rebecca Ory Hernandez, who was only a few feet away with her 5-year-old son. She grabbed the boy, threw him under the pew and got on top of him. She heard the pastor blurt out an expletive into his microphone. "I was waiting for another gunman," she said.

The shooter ran from the church, the pastor and a half dozen other men close on his heels. Ory Hernandez and other parishioners went to James Evans. They used scarves and a shirt to help soak up the blood, and she cradled his head. His wife, Tara, who had been standing next to him, and others prayed.

"I'm OK, I'm OK," Evans kept saying, as blood spilled from his mouth.

Meanwhile, Charles Richard Jennings Jr., 35, stole a truck from a nearby neighbor at gunpoint and led police on a highway chase, police said. He was caught hours later on foot after the truck ran out of gas.

Jennings was charged Tuesday with attempted murder. The Weber County attorney also charged him with two counts each of aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery and possession of a firearm by a restricted person.

Jennings made a brief court appearance by video. Bail was set at $105,000.

Police are still trying to determine why Jennings shot his father-in-law, said Ogden Police Lt. Danielle Croyle on Tuesday. They think he may have been drinking or on drugs, and detectives know the couple had a history of domestic disputes that may have triggered Sunday's shooting, she said. But, she said Jennings has not given any specific confession as to why he shot Evans.

The Evans family, meanwhile, is grateful for a small miracle.

Evans, who turns 66 on Tuesday, was struck at the side of his head, the bullet going through near his ear and out his cheek and missing his brain, said Dr. Barbara Kerwin, the director of the intensive care unit at McDay-Dee Hospital in Ogden.

"He turned his head just at the right time," his wife said Monday, crying at a hospital news conference. "If didn't turn his head, he would have been hit in the back of the head and he would have been dead."

He was in critical condition Monday but doctors say he's expected to live, although he'll need reconstructive surgery and rehab to learn to swallow and speak again, Kerwin said. He was awake on Monday, nodding yes and no, writing and using hand signals to communicate.

Jennings was booked on suspicion of attempted aggravated criminal homicide, aggravated robbery and possession of a firearm by a restricted user. Charges are expected to be filed Tuesday, and Jennings will appear by video for arraignment in Ogden, said Weber County deputy county attorney Dean Saunders.

Court records show Jennings has a criminal record going back to 1996, when he pleaded no contest to several traffic-related misdemeanors. Over the years, he's pleaded no contest to felony charges of failing to yield to police and attempting to receive a stolen vehicle, and misdemeanor charges for traffic violations, criminal trespassing and theft. He's also pleaded guilty to theft charges and a felony charge of attempting to tamper with a witness or juror.

Lt. Croyle said his wife, Cheryl, stayed inside the church after her husband fled. There is no indication she knew what her husband was going to do, and authorities don't expect to file any charges against her, Croyle said.

After paramedics rushed James Evans to the hospital, the Rev. Erik Richtsteig returned to the brick church that sits on the east side of Ogden at the foot of a steep rock mountain called Jumpoff Canyon, surrounded by middle-class houses with manicured lawns and rose bushes.

As doctors operated on James Evans, who had recently accompanied the priest on a trip to the Holy Land in Jerusalem, Richtsteig told his congregation who the shooter was, and asked them to pray for the couple and their 3-year-old son.

Then, for those who stayed, he finished the Mass, explaining his reasons matter-of-factly, Ory Hernandez said.

"Evil will not prevail," Richtsteig said.

The congregation is shaken, Richtsteig said Monday: "They were a mess ? they were worshipping God and this man came in and did an act of violence."

Ory Hernandez says she has cried, enraged that violence came to the house of worship, and was at a loss for words when her son told her, "I didn't know there were any bad guys in this town, mommy."

But it won't stop her from coming back to church.

"The bad guy doesn't get to win this time," she said.

___

Follow Brady McCombs at https://twitter.com/BradyMcCombs.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/utah-church-shooter-charged-attempted-murder-160622483.html

Zero Hour

A quest for family history brings the Krugs to the Old Scotch Church ...

John and Judy Krug stood on the shoulders of their ancestors last Thursday, under the shade of century-old pines at Hillsboro's Old Scotch Church.

They had traveled nearly 1,000 miles from San Diego, Calif., searching for a tombstone engraved with the name of John Bernard Krug, a poor German boy who sailed to the United States in 1865. He survived the passage and learned to farm in the Midwest, moving to Washington County in 1895 with his wife and 13 children.

John Bernard was John's great-granduncle. Up until two years ago John didn't know where his forefather was buried, or that he had a family history in Oregon.

Both John, 75, and Judy, 72, come from large clans, and calling the Krugs history buffs is an understatement. They've amassed more than 40 binders worth of information about their deceased relatives, including maps, newspaper clippings and photos of grave markers.

Judy has been hunting for family stories since she was 12.When she married John in 1969, she was keen to get him going on the search for his ancestry. They've walked through many cemeteries in the past 30 years, made countless phones calls, and spent late nights at local history centers poring over microfilm, books and records.

"Sometimes, when you listen to family stories you think, 'This is impossible,' but these stories stay alive for a reason," Judy said. "They might not be exact, but there is always a grain of truth which can send you in the right direction."

The kernel that led them to Washington County began with an email to a professional genealogy group in Germany. For $300 they received the names of John's great-grandfather's siblings, which included John Bernard Krug.

From there, they began calling Krugs living in Illinois and Iowa. The trail eventually lead them to Oregon, where they reached out to the Latter-day Saints Family History Center and the Oregon Historical Society. They also contacted the Hillsboro Main Library where several librarians helped them with copies of obituaries and articles on the family printed in the Hillsboro Argus.

Judy said the most helpful group was USGenWeb, a national genealogy website run by volunteers. Within 24 hours of contacting the organization's Washington County group, a woman got back to them with family obituaries and a photocopy of John Bernard Krug and his family printed in The Oregonian in 1912. The caption states that the Krugs were one of Oregon's largest families.

Jan Bony, the Oregon coordinator of the USGenWeb project, said that when someone requests information, volunteers collect public records from courthouses, newspapers, historical societies and libraries, which are then archived online.

When John and Judy were able to locate several of John's cousins in the Portland area earlier this year, they decided to make the drive north.

"You don't know who you are unless you know where you came from," is a mantra Judy lives by.

In their light blue Ford Crown Victoria, they pulled up on the gravel path next to the Old Scotch Church. Having been established in 1878, it is one of the oldest operating churches in the state.

They walked across the damp earth, making their way to the cemetery behind the whitewashed church building.

Standing over a concrete marker, Judy shouted, "Look! It's Bernard's son!"

"And there's Ed senior and Dora and John Bernard," John said, motioning to the graves a few plots down, rattling off the names as if he knew them personally.

The couple ventured around to the front of the cemetery and 15 feet from an old tree stump, Judy gasped, "Lizzie Schmidt and Sarah Krug!"

She pulled out her camera, fixing her lens on the markers of six family members they didn't expect to find, making a total of 13 Krugs buried in the Old Scotch Church cemetery.

?Holding the binder on John Bernard in his hand, John flipped back to the picture of the Krugs, a fuzzy outline of his family from their farm in 1912.

"Why we do care so much about this?" John paused, nodding his head. "Because it's family and family will always be important."

-- Taylor Smith

Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2013/06/a_quest_for_family_history_bri.html

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New phone from an unlikely vendor steals title of world?s thinnest smartphone

Huawei on Tuesday announced the Ascend P6, the world?s thinnest smartphone. The handset measures a mere 6.18 millimeters thick and weighs 120 grams, eight grams more than Apple?s iPhone 5?despite the fact that the phone is much larger. The Ascend P6 is equipped with a 4.7-inch 720p display, an in-house 1.5GHz quad-core processor and an 8-megapixel rear camera. The smartphone also includes a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, 2GB of RAM, a 2,000 mAh battery, 8GB of internal storage, a microSD?slot and?Huawei?s Emotion user interface atop Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. The Ascend P6 will be available in black, white and pink in China later this month and it will launch on Vodafone, O2 and Orange in Europe in July. Huawei?s press release follows below.

Elegant and edgy, the new HUAWEI Ascend P6 is the world?s slimmest smartphone

[More from BGR: iPhone 5S display leaks as mass production begins]

At 6.18mm slim, the HUAWEI Ascend P6 is impossibly beautiful and always intuitive

London, United Kingdom, June 18, 2013: Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, today unveiled the HUAWEI Ascend P6, the world?s slimmest smartphone measuring 6.18mm. The smartphone features a 1.5GHz quad-core processor and a sleek metallic body. With its 4.7-inch high definition in-cell display, industry-leading 5MP front-facing camera, and outstanding software, the HUAWEI Ascend P6 is the embodiment of elegance with an edge.

?The HUAWEI Ascend P6 is a star among smartphones with its industry-leading design, high-quality camera, and intuitive user interface, Huawei?s proprietary Emotion UI,? said Richard Yu, Chief Executive Officer, Huawei Consumer Business Group. ?Building on the success of our Ascend P series of fashion smartphones, the HUAWEI Ascend P6 provides unsurpassed technology and a design that is simply stunning.?

HUAWEI Ascend P6 is ultra slim at 6.18mm and weighs just about 120g. While it is small enough to slip into the tiniest of pockets or clutch bags, the stylish HUAWEI Ascend P6 is designed to be seen and coveted! It features a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, Android 4.2.2 operating system, 2000mAh battery, 4.7-inch HD in-cell LCD screen technology, and ?MagicTouch? for enhanced screen responsiveness even when wearing gloves.

As the flagship smartphone of the Huawei Ascend P series, the HUAWEI Ascend P6 embodies a cutting edge design for the fashion conscious. The smartphone?s brushed metallic look with a naturally curved base is both elegant and intuitive. Impossibly beautiful, the Ascend P6 balances fashionable features and user-friendly functions.

Perfect for ?selfies?, the HUAWEI Ascend P6?s industry-leading 5MP front-facing camera and auto facial-enhancing capabilities create model-gorgeous shots you?ll want to share. Its 8MP rear-facing BSI camera with F2.0 aperture and 4cm macro view also enables 1080P full HD video recording and playback. With Huawei?s proprietary IMAGESmart software, the HUAWEI Ascend P6 turns even the most novice photographer into a professional, with contrast and color enhancement, auto scene recognition, object tracing focus, and instant facial beauty support.

The HUAWEI Ascend P6 is even more intuitive and able to be customized with Huawei?s Emotion UI. Inspired by people, for device users worldwide, Huawei has gathered input from over 5 million consumers to help us optimize the latest version of Emotion UI. The proprietary user interface includes updates to Uni-Home including enhanced security, Huawei?s Me Widget, MagicTouch, and SmartReading. New to Huawei?s Emotion UI are the panoramic shoot and facial recognition photography functions.

Huawei?s unique Automated Discontinuous Reception (ADRX) and Quick Power Control (QPC) battery optimization and power saving technology improves performance by more than 30%, compared with smartphone batteries of equal size. With its multi-screen AirSharing capability, you can connect to a range of devices to boost your productivity at work or play by easily sharing documents or enhance your gaming experience with minimal lag time.
The HUAWEI Ascend P6 is available in black, white and pink with matching color cases. It will begin shipping to China from June and to Western Europe from July through Vodafone, Telefonica, Orange, H3G, O2, Carphone Warehouse, TalkTalk, Media Markt & Saturn, TIM and online via Amazon and CDiscount with other markets to follow.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/phone-unlikely-vendor-steals-title-world-thinnest-smartphone-185525172.html

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