AP’s Condon Rips S&P’s Record, Ignores Fannie Mae’s, Freddie Mac’s Systematic Mortgage Securities Deceptions
April 18, 2011 No Comment
As night follows day, the press is beginning to go after a business entity which had the nerve to do its job and call attention to Uncle Sam's dire fiscal situation. Standard and Poor's is presumably not 100% populated with angels, but it didn't deserve the gratuitous and ignorant shots fired at it this evening by the Associated Press's Bernard Condon and an “expert” he quoted. In attempting to tar the firm, Condon acted as if the mortgage-lending mess was the creation of “banks” which marketed mortgage-backed securities and asleep at the switch ratings agencies. He didn't once mention Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, the fiasco's Democratic crony-run uber-culprits, which for 15 years consistently
Continue reading …iRobot Packbots enter Fukushima nuclear plant to gather data, take photos, save lives (video)
April 18, 2011 No Comment
iRobot recently deployed a pair of robots to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan, where intense levels of radiation have made it increasingly dangerous for human rescue workers to operate. The remote-controlled Packbots entered one of Fukushima’s reactor buildings on Sunday morning, in the hopes of providing authorities with a better idea of what’s going on inside the plant’s nether regions. Each Packbot entered the facility with an attached video camera, allowing Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) to receive live interior images and temperature readings of the troubled reactor building. It would certainly be a daunting task for any human to undertake, but the Packbot is specially designed to cope with hazardous conditions (in the past, it’s been used to defuse bombs for the U.S. Army ). And the Packbot isn’t alone , either. Authorities are also using a mechanical excavator and transporter to wipe away some of the debris outside the plant, while an unmanned helicopter has been hoisted skyward, to take aerial photos of the area. TEPCO has yet to release information on the Packbots’ findings, but if Sunday’s mission proves to be a success, they’ll be sent in to two other reactor buildings, to do it all over again. Check out a video and an extra image of the Packbot, after the break. Continue reading iRobot Packbots enter Fukushima nuclear plant to gather data, take photos, save lives (video) iRobot Packbots enter Fukushima nuclear plant to gather data, take photos, save lives (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 10:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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For years, consumers have been able to shoot slow-motion videos — mostly with the help of Casio’s line of slightly gimmicky point-and-shoots. But Fastec’s TS3Cine aims for a more discerning customer — the kind of videographer who might spice up a promo or short with some slow-mo action. Unlike Casio’s cameras, which cut the resolution to little more than thumbnail-size as you crank the frame rate, the TS3Cine does 720p video at 720fps , and 1280 x 1024 at 500fps. It’s only when you further slow down the video (up to 20,000fps) that the image size starts to shrink. This camera also has a badass design, pairing a DSLR-like body with a gargantuan 7-inch WVGA LCD that effectively eliminates the need for an external monitor. Pros have their choice of a C-Mount, F-Mount, and optional SL-Mount, and can upgrade to a 256GB SSD for a cool two grand if the standard 128GB one isn’t roomy enough. It also has Gigabit Ethernet and USB ports, HDMI-out, support for an external power source, and a removable battery. Can’t afford the $29,900 price tag? If you’re in the Boston area, at least, you can rent it for $625 a day, a price that includes a tripod and two batteries — enough juice for up to six hours of shooting. Head on past the break for a sample video clip and a tour of this beastly camera in action. Continue reading Fastec’s DSLR-sized TS3Cine does 720p at 720fps for $30,000 Fastec’s DSLR-sized TS3Cine does 720p at 720fps for $30,000 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 22:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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For years, consumers have been able to shoot slow-motion videos — mostly with the help of Casio’s line of slightly gimmicky point-and-shoots. But Fastec’s TS3Cine aims for a more discerning customer — the kind of videographer who might spice up a promo or short with some slow-mo action. Unlike Casio’s cameras, which cut the resolution to little more than thumbnail-size as you crank the frame rate, the TS3Cine does 720p video at 720fps , and 1280 x 1024 at 500fps. It’s only when you further slow down the video (up to 20,000fps) that the image size starts to shrink. This camera also has a badass design, pairing a DSLR-like body with a gargantuan 7-inch WVGA LCD that effectively eliminates the need for an external monitor. Pros have their choice of a C-Mount, F-Mount, and optional SL-Mount, and can upgrade to a 256GB SSD for a cool two grand if the standard 128GB one isn’t roomy enough. It also has Gigabit Ethernet and USB ports, HDMI-out, support for an external power source, and a removable battery. Can’t afford the $29,900 price tag? If you’re in the Boston area, at least, you can rent it for $625 a day, a price that includes a tripod and two batteries — enough juice for up to six hours of shooting. Head on past the break for a sample video clip and a tour of this beastly camera in action. Continue reading Fastec’s DSLR-sized TS3Cine does 720p at 720fps for $30,000 Fastec’s DSLR-sized TS3Cine does 720p at 720fps for $30,000 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 22:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …For years, consumers have been able to shoot slow-motion videos — mostly with the help of Casio’s line of slightly gimmicky point-and-shoots. But Fastec’s TS3Cine aims for a more discerning customer — the kind of videographer who might spice up a promo or short with some slow-mo action. Unlike Casio’s cameras, which cut the resolution to little more than thumbnail-size as you crank the frame rate, the TS3Cine does 720p video at 720fps , and 1280 x 1024 at 500fps. It’s only when you further slow down the video (up to 20,000fps) that the image size starts to shrink. This camera also has a badass design, pairing a DSLR-like body with a gargantuan 7-inch WVGA LCD that effectively eliminates the need for an external monitor. Pros have their choice of a C-Mount, F-Mount, and optional SL-Mount, and can upgrade to a 256GB SSD for a cool two grand if the standard 128GB one isn’t roomy enough. It also has Gigabit Ethernet and USB ports, HDMI-out, support for an external power source, and a removable battery. Can’t afford the $29,900 price tag? If you’re in the Boston area, at least, you can rent it for $625 a day, a price that includes a tripod and two batteries — enough juice for up to six hours of shooting. Head on past the break for a sample video clip and a tour of this beastly camera in action. Continue reading Fastec’s DSLR-sized TS3Cine does 720p at 720fps for $30,000 Fastec’s DSLR-sized TS3Cine does 720p at 720fps for $30,000 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 22:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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A single-letter change seen in the DNA of kids with ADHD causes hyperactivity in mice. Mice with the altered DNA have more excitable brain cells, which calm down when they get stimulant ADHD drugs.
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A negative social environment may increase risk for suicide attempts by lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) teenagers.
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Pat Tillman’s mother upset with Washington Pat Tillman’s Mom Mary Takes On General McChrystal And The President! Mom blames Gen. McChrystal for cover-up of Pat Tillman’s death in Afghanistan Stanley McChrystal Cleared Of Wrongdoing In Pentagon Inquiry Into … WASHINGTON — A Pentagon inquiry into a Rolling Stone magazine profile of Gen. Stanley McChrystal that led to his dismissal as the top US commander in Afghanistan has cleared him of wrongdoing. The probe’s results released Monday also … McChrystal Cleared in Pentagon Probe – The Daily Beast Greg Mortenson isn’t the only person being fact-checked these days. The Defense Department investigated Michael Hastings’ controversial Rolling. Michelle Obama Stands by McChrystal Appointment, “We're Proud to … ABC News’ Sunlen Miller reports: First Lady Michelle Obama stands by the appointment of embattled General Stanley McChrystal to co-chair her White House commission on military families. “He is the best choice, decades of service. Pentagon Review Clears Retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal in 'Rolling … ABC’s Z. Byron Wolf reports: A military investigation has cleared Gen. Stanley McChrystal and his staff of violating military policy in their interactions with a Rolling Stone reporter. The ensuing article, “The Runaway General,” … Pentagon Review Clears McChrystal in 'Rolling Stone' Controversy … McChrystal signed off on a Silver Star citation for Tillman that did not mention he was killed by friendly fire even as he wrote an urgent memo to commanders at the Pentagon making clear Tillman likely was killed by friendly fire. … salfonsi says: Pentagon inquiry clears McChrystal of wrongdoing – Yahoo! News http://yhoo.it/fXm2Td
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The tablet wars are building, petty disputes that will soon lead to bloodshed. Products will be launched into battle only to be gunned down straight out of their boxes, crying for their fabricators as bigger, faster, better slates step over the stricken chassis of their predecessors, running on to their own brief bits of glory. At a high level it’s obviously Android vs. Apple vs. The Rest, but battle lines are forming as we consumers, caught in the middle, try to decide just what the right size is for a tablet. Right now two camps seem to be getting the most supporters: seven-inchers, like the Streak 7 and BlackBerry PlayBook , and 10-inchers, like the Motorola Xoom and the Apple iPad . But, sometimes weapon systems need to be a little more specialized. Sometimes the templates don’t fit, and the $530 (after rebate, on-contract) T-Mobile G-Slate by LG isn’t fitting into those categories, slotting somewhere in between with its 8.9-inch display backed with Tegra 2 graphics, 4G HSPA+ wireless, and all the oomph you want in a modern Android device. It’s a little smaller and little lighter than the 10-inchers, bigger and meatier than the sevens and, by cutting down the middle, it hits almost all the right marks. Gallery: T-Mobile G-Slate hands-on Continue reading T-Mobile G-Slate review T-Mobile G-Slate review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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