SAINT-MARC, Haiti (AP) — The cholera epidemic that has raged across this country is claiming fewer victims, with a sharp drop in new cases everywhere from the shimmering rice fields of the Artibonite Valley to the crowded urban slums. It is a welcome development, but tinged with doubt: It’s not yet known whether the epidemic that has killed nearly 4,000 people is fading or merely taking a break, only to surge again perhaps with the onset of the next rainy season. “The general situation is improving. It’s clear,” Stefano Zannini, chief of mission for the aid group Doctors Without Borders, said Sunday. “The problem is that the possible development of the epidemic is unpredictable. It is…
Continue reading …Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are in favor of changing the rules to allow cash-strapped states to seek bankruptcy protection but House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has dismissed the idea. Cantor says states already have the power to balance their books through cutting spending, raising taxes, or renegotiating…
Continue reading …Federal Excess: FedEx introduces liquid nitrogen-cooled biotech shipping, we can envision other uses
January 25, 2011 No Comment
Just think about this the next time a FedEx van comes speeding past you — that four-wheeled transporter could be carrying containers equipped with liquid nitrogen cooling that keeps its innards at a chilly -150 degrees Celsius. Don’t worry, though, says FedEx, the use of dry vapor is actually safer than the currently used dry ice and classifies this new methodology as non-hazardous. While we may like to poke fun, it sounds like a pretty legitimate boon for healthcare and biotechnology shipments, which can now be maintained at a deeply frozen temperature for up to 10 days at a time. FedEx will provide the self-sufficient container and collects it upon delivery of the goods, while also monitoring its condition during transit. No word on whether or when DiGiorno will be signing up for the service. [Thanks, Pavel] Continue reading Federal Excess: FedEx introduces liquid nitrogen-cooled biotech shipping, we can envision other uses Federal Excess: FedEx introduces liquid nitrogen-cooled biotech shipping, we can envision other uses originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 04:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …Egyptian authorities are braced for one of the biggest opposition demonstrations in years today. An alliance of youth activists, political Islamists, industrial workers and even soccer fans are promising to turn today’s national holiday to celebrate the police force into a day of “revolution against torture, corruption, poverty, and unemployment….
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One day after a man walked into a police precinct and fired his shotgun, wounding four Detroit officers, authorities are still puzzled about the motive. The four officers are recovering, but the gunman died after he was hit by return fire. (Jan. 24)
Continue reading …Music Man Game Changer robo guitar features 250k pickup configurations (video)
January 25, 2011 No Comment
“Game Changer” must be the most over-used word in the world of technology, and we try to avoid it as much as possible. Thanks to Music Man, however, it looks like this time we won’t be able to. The, ahem , Game Changer is — in this case — an all-analog pickup switching system similar to what we’ve seen in robot guitars in the past. Set to make its debut in select Reflect guitar and bass models this year, the system boasts over 250,000 pickup coil configurations, and since the pickup is being physically rewired, there is never any digitizing or modeling in the system. The USB port is for downloading different configurations from your computer — many of which will be available on the company website, although of course you can always roll your own. Price and availability to be announced. Video after the break. Continue reading Music Man Game Changer robo guitar features 250k pickup configurations (video) Music Man Game Changer robo guitar features 250k pickup configurations (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 03:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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MOSCOW (Reuters) – President Dmitry Medvedev placed the blame on Tuesday on a lapse in security for allowing a suspected suicide bomber to kill at least 35 people and wound scores at Russia's busiest airport. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Monday's attack at Moscow's Domodedovo airport, but the action bore hallmarks of militants fighting for an Islamist state in the North Caucasus region on Russia's southern frontier. “It's obviously a terrorist act that was planned well in advance in order to cause the deaths of as many people as possible,” said President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday. “What happened shows that there were clear…
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The Justice Department will ask Congress to make it mandatory for Internet service providers to retain data on their users’ activity. Law enforcement officials can already ask for data to be preserved, but Justice would like to have more robust snooping capabilities in order to investigate and prosecute “almost every type of crime.” ISPs are required to make the records they do have available to law enforcement upon request, and many Internet providers, including cellular networks, telcos and cable companies, already retain data for government access. According to this CNET report, the Justice Department would like to force providers large and small to retain information. Not surprisingly, the push for mandatory data retention originated in the Bush administration.
Continue reading …After a decade at the helm of one of the world’s most powerful companies, departing Google CEO Eric Schmidt plans to seek new challenges on the talk show circuit, sources at CNN say. Schmidt—who will be replaced by Google co-founder Larry Page in Apri l—wants to host his…
Continue reading …Samsungs 750 and 950 3D LED monitors do a whole lot, won’t give us a price
January 25, 2011 No Comment
We reported on Samsung’s new line of 3D-enabled LED monitors just before the CES tsunami hit, but it seems the specs got lost in the commotion. So here’s what we know about the new 750 series and the asymmetrical 950 series: they’ll come in both 23- and 27-inch sizes with 1080p resolution, two-millisecond response time, 1000:1 contrast ratio, and D-sub, HDMI, DisplayPort, and DVI-DualLink connectivity — and they can all be ordered with a TV tuner for hybrid HDTV / monitor operation. They all do 3D for gaming, TV, films, and user-generated content, and the hybrid 750s and all the 950s can do 2D-to-3D conversion from PCs, Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, and set-top boxes. We know what you’re thinking: “How much?” Well, we’d like to know the same thing. The whole line hits stores in March, but Samsung has yet to set a price. Continue reading Samsungs 750 and 950 3D LED monitors do a whole lot, won’t give us a price Samsungs 750 and 950 3D LED monitors do a whole lot, won’t give us a price originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 03:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
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