Google launches Siri, challenges iPhone, iPad

Google launches Siri, challenges iPhone, iPad

San Francisco: Siri may be feeling a little job anxiety. The sometimes amusing assistant that answers questions and helps people manage their lives on Apple's iPhone and iPad is facing competition from an up-and-coming contender made by Google.

The contest began with the release of a free iPhone and iPad app that features Google Now, a technology that performs many of the same functions as Siri.

It's the first time that Google Now has been available on smartphones and tablet computers that aren't running on the latest version of Google's Android software. The technology, which debuted nine months ago, is being included in an upgrade to Google's search application for iOS, the Apple software that powers the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. It's up to each user to decide whether to activate Google Now within the redesigned Google Search app, which is available through Apple's app store.

Siri tried to dismiss the competitive threat. When asked for an opinion about Google Now, Siri responded: "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather Google later."

Source: http://www.mynews.in/News/google_launches_siri_challenges_iphone_ipad_N548680.html

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Florida lawmakers hope to speed up executions

By Bill Cotterell

TALLAHASSEE, Florida (Reuters) - The Florida Senate sent Governor Rick Scott a package of capital-punishment reforms on Monday designed to prevent condemned killers from spending decades on Death Row, despite warnings that speeding up the legal appeals process could lead to innocent prisoners being executed.

The "Timely Justice Act" sets deadlines for condemned killers to file appeals, and for the state to proceed with issuing warrants after the Florida Supreme Court upholds death sentences.

It also sets competency standards for lawyers handling cases. To reduce the number of appeals alleging incompetent counsel, any attorney twice found to have provided "constitutionally deficient representation" will be suspended from handling death appeals for five years.

"Is swift justice fair justice?" asked Democratic party Senator Arthenia Joyner, a Tampa attorney who voted against the bill. "We have seen cases where, years later, convicted people were exonerated," she said.

"I don't see the reason for the swiftness, especially with DNA evidence that can exonerate," said Senator Maria Sachs, who is also an attorney and a Democrat.

But Republican Senator Rob Bradley said, "this is not about guilt or innocence, it's about timely justice." Frivolous appeals designed only for delay are not fair to victims and their families, he said.

The act also requires the state Supreme Court to make annual reports to the Legislature on how many capital appeals have been pending more than three years. Attorneys found to have provided incompetent counsel would also be reported to the Florida Bar.

"Only God can judge," Matt Gaetz, a Republican who sponsored the bill in the House of Representatives, said last week during House debate. "But we sure can set up the meeting."

The House passed Gaetz's bill 84-34 last week. Governor Scott, a conservative Republican, is expected to sign the changes into law.

Florida has 400 men and five women currently under death sentence, with the next execution set for May 29. Gaetz and backers of his bill said 155 have been on Death Row for more than 20 years and 10 have been there more than 35 years.

Staff analysis of Gaetz's bill said the average time between sentence and execution, since Florida resumed executions in 1979, has been 13 years. The state has carried out 75 warrants in that time, second only to Texas, which has executed 496 convicted killers since 1976.

Richard Dieter of the Death Penalty Information Center in Washington, D.C., said 33 states currently have capital punishment, but Maryland is set to abolish it when that state's governor signs a repeal law this week. Five states have repealed the death penalty in the past six years, Dieter said.

"There's been a trend away from capital punishment," said Dieter. "The number of sentences imposed in the country has declined by 75 percent since 1990 and only nine states carried out an execution last year."

State Senator Darren Soto tried on Friday to raise the required jury vote from seven to 10 for death penalties. He said Florida is the only state allowing juries to recommend death by a simple majority of 7 to 5. He said Alabama is the only other state allowing non-unanimous death recommendations, which he said require 10 votes there.

(Editing by David Adams and Nick Zieminski)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/florida-legislators-approve-measure-speed-executions-194651847.html

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Russia caught bomb suspect on wiretap

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Russian authorities secretly recorded a telephone conversation in 2011 in which one of the Boston bombing suspects vaguely discussed jihad with his mother, officials said Saturday, days after the U.S. government finally received details about the call.

In another conversation, the mother of now-dead bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev was recorded talking to someone in southern Russia who is under FBI investigation in an unrelated case, officials said.

The conversations are significant because, had they been revealed earlier, they might have been enough evidence for the FBI to initiate a more thorough investigation of the Tsarnaev family.

As it was, Russian authorities told the FBI only that they had concerns that Tamerlan and his mother were religious extremists. With no additional information, the FBI conducted a limited inquiry and closed the case in June 2011.

Two years later, authorities say Tamerlan and his brother, Dzhohkar, detonated two homemade bombs near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three and injuring more than 260. Tamerlan was killed in a police shootout and Dzhohkar is under arrest.

In the past week, Russian authorities turned over to the United States information it had on Tamerlan and his mother, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva. The Tsarnaevs are ethnic Chechens who emigrated from southern Russia to the Boston area over the past 11 years.

Even had the FBI received the information from the Russian wiretaps earlier, it's not clear that the government could have prevented the attack.

In early 2011, the Russian FSB internal security service intercepted a conversation between Tamerlan and his mother vaguely discussing jihad, according to U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation with reporters.

The two discussed the possibility of Tamerlan going to Palestine, but he told his mother he didn't speak the language there, according to the officials, who reviewed the information Russia shared with the U.S.

In a second call, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva spoke with a man in the Caucasus region of Russia who was under FBI investigation. Jacqueline Maguire, a spokeswoman for the FBI's Washington Field Office, where that investigation was based, declined to comment.

There was no information in the conversation that suggested a plot inside the United States, officials said.

It was not immediately clear why Russian authorities didn't share more information at the time. It is not unusual for countries, including the U.S., to be cagey with foreign authorities about what intelligence is being collected.

The FSB said Sunday that it would not comment.

Jim Treacy, the FBI's legal attache in Moscow between 2007 and 2009, said the Russians long asked for U.S. assistance regarding Chechen activity in the United States that might be related to terrorism.

"On any given day, you can get some very good cooperation," Treacy said. "The next you might find yourself totally shut out."

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva has denied that she or her sons were involved in terrorism. She has said she believed her sons have been framed by U.S. authorities.

But Ruslan Tsarni, an uncle of the Tsarnaev brothers and Zubeidat's former brother-in-law, said Saturday he believes the mother had a "big-time influence" as her older son increasingly embraced his Muslim faith and decided to quit boxing and school.

After receiving the narrow tip from Russia in March 2011, the FBI opened a preliminary investigation into Tamerlan and his mother. But the scope was extremely limited under the FBI's internal procedures.

After a few months, they found no evidence Tamerlan or his mother were involved in terrorism.

The FBI asked Russia for more information. After hearing nothing, it closed the case in June 2011.

In the fall of 2011, the FSB contacted the CIA with the same information. Again the FBI asked Russia for more details and never heard back.

At that time, however, the CIA asked that Tamerlan's and his mother's name be entered into a massive U.S. terrorism database.

The CIA declined to comment Saturday.

Authorities have said they've seen no connection between the brothers and a foreign terrorist group. Dzhohkar told FBI interrogators that he and his brother were angry over wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the deaths of Muslim civilians there.

Family members have said Tamerlan was religiously apathetic until 2008 or 2009, when he met a conservative Muslim convert known only to the family as Misha. Misha, they said, steered Tamerlan toward a stricter version of Islam.

Two U.S. officials say investigators believe they have identified Misha. While it was not clear whether the FBI had spoken to him, the officials said they have not found a connection between Misha and the Boston attack or terrorism in general.

___

Associated Press writer Adam Goldman in Washington and Michael Kunzelman in Boston contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/russia-caught-bomb-suspect-wiretap-105240857.html

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Ten Tips For Developing A Successful Linking Building Program ...

As you go about developing a method for increasing traffic to your Online business site, you?ll desire to bear in mind the five tips for link building and best practice affiliate with link building. Through this information, you?re presented with those ten top guidelines associated with link building and with the best practice in link building today. Obviously, there are hints and other tips that can be beneficial to you. But, these simple guidelines is likely to be basic to getting a reliable inbound link constructing program set up.

1. Have an excellent website.

Before you start any kind of inbound link building program, ensure that your own personal website is as good ? as good ? as it could be. Make sure that you?ve a nice-looking, practical and user-friendly web site in and in place before you begin a link creating campaign.

2. Link with high traffic sites.

When it comes to link building, turn to link your internet site with other sites that have high traffic. The net result, the conclusion result of any link constructing strategy is always to attract more traffic to your own personal site. And, youve a far better potential for carrying this out if you link with sites that have large traffic.

3. Try to find links that are invited by sites.

Other sites are actually invited by some websites to place links on their sites. Offered these internet sites meet your other conditions, contemplate linking up with internet sites which in fact do want to place an url to your site on the area.

4. Enhance your search engine rank independent of link constructing.

As you begin making a link constructing program, use other methods of growing and improving you search engine results as well. You do not wish to put all of your eggs into one basked. More over, some sites will be more apt to allow a link to be placed by you on those sites if your own personal site ratings are stable.

5. Link only with quality sites.

Ensure that you only link with quality sites. A site that links to your site may think on your website ? and you need that reflection to stay positive.

6. Ensure a site is applicable.

Make sure that any website that includes a link to your website is just a website that is relevant to your own personal area. A link to your site on an irrelevant site really will not be greatly helpful to you.

7. Have a look at exactly how many quality one way links a website already has available or in position.

Give consideration to exactly how many quality inbound links a specific site you?re considering putting a link on really has currently. Search applications sometimes do consider backlinks to a site that you are relating with as it pertains to identifying your own personal site search engine results.

8. Limit Reciprocal links.

Take to as it is possible to to reduce mutual or other outbound links at your personal site. People weren?t wanted by you linking right through to your own personal site simply to link out again and go elsewhere. You would like people to stay at your website long enough to buy your services and products or even to engage your services.

9. Followup in regard to backlinks with regularity.

Just take the time to check up on inbound links to your site from time to time to make sure that they are functional and to make certain that those sites of which these inbound links to your own website are locate continue to meet your needs and demands.

10. Ensure your website information remains current.

Finally, make sure that the information and materials at your personal website remains updated and current. Ensure that your personal site remains functional, in fine form and user-friendly.

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Source: http://www.articlessquad.com/ten-tips-for-developing-a-successful-linking-building-program/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ten-tips-for-developing-a-successful-linking-building-program

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Panasonic SC-HTB70

If you want to add some power to your HDTV's sound, you need a home theater system. But if you want to do it without running wires all over your living room, you need a soundbar. The Panasonic SC-HTB70 is one of the most budget-friendly soundbars we've seen that still manages to perform well. Its sound isn't the best we've heard, and it lacks true low-end bass extension because it doesn't have a subwoofer, but at $199.99 (direct) it delivers solid output along with Bluetooth connectivity for your smartphone or tablet. If you can spend a little more and don't mind setting up a subwoofer, the Editors' Choice Sony HT-CT260 offers noticeably better audio quality, but if you want simplicity and savings, the SC-HTB70 is a good buy.

Design
One note up front: Panasonic touts the 120-watt soundbar as a "home theater system with subwoofer," but since it's all integrated into one unit and there isn't nearly enough room for low end to properly resonate like in a conventional subwoofer, I can't honestly describe the HTB70 as having a subwoofer. It's more comparable to the Yamaha YAS-101, another soundbar with all of its components, including low end drivers, in one cabinet.

The HTB70's design is minimalist to a fault. The 37.4-inch-long soundbar is a plain black rectangle measuring 4.2 inches high and 2.7 inches deep, with a black metal grille that wraps around from most of the front to the bottom side of the bar. Power, Input, and Volume Up/Down buttons sit on the right side of the bar.

The only display is a row of LEDs that indicate the active input, volume level, and other information. Instead of a read-out with numbers and letters, the LEDs are just points of light over labels that are almost impossible to read without having your face a few inches from the soundbar. Some of the LEDs light up in easily recognizable patterns when changing the volume or adjusting dialogue and "subwoofer" levels, but if you want to know which input is active or what sound mode the soundbar is currently on, you'll have to either squint or get closer.?The back of the soundbar holds only an RCA stereo audio input, an optical audio input, and a USB port used for servicing the soundbar.?

The remote is similarly minimalist, looking like a regular Blu-ray player or HDTV remote that's been chopped in half. It has volume, subwoofer level, and dialog level controls in addition to buttons for selecting input, selecting sound mode, muting audio, and using Bluetooth. The remote feels unresponsive and laggy, and I sometimes had a problem getting the soundbar to detect my commands when I was only a foot or two away.

Bluetooth Sound
Like the Editors' Choice Sony HT-CT260 and the Toshiba SBX4250, the HTB70 has built-in Bluetooth, letting you stream music from your smartphone or tablet directly to the soundbar. Pairing is a simple process of pressing the Bluetooth button on the remote and then scanning for the soundbar with your mobile device. I had no problem pairing the soundbar to my Samsung Galaxy S III to stream music to it.

Interestingly, the HTB70 boasts a "4-Way Multi-Angle Position Layout," which means the soundbar can be mounted on a wall or placed on a flat surface either facing forward or facing up with the grille pointing at the ceiling. It automatically switches how sound is processed when the soundbar is turned up or back, and lets you gain another inch and a half of clearance if your HDTV's bezel is too low. The soundbar seemed to work equally well in either position on a table, with the low end getting a bit more power from having the soundbar face upward at the cost of losing some midrange punch.

Performance
The HTB70 suffers from some distinct flaws when playing music, but for the price it performs satisfyingly well. The soundbar lacks a subwoofer, which limits its ability to put out bass, and its high end tends to get a bit overly bright at times. I listened to Dragonforce's "Die by the Sword," and Herman Li's already razor-edged guitar riffs sounded just slightly too sharp through the soundbar, and the drums and bass both sounded a bit soft compared to it. In Queens' "Bohemian Rhapsody," the vocals sounded satisfyingly clear and full and the drums came through well, but there wasn't as much bass as most soundbars that come with wireless subwoofers. To its credit, the HTB70 put out slightly cleaner low end and rounder sound than the Toshiba SBX4250, which does come with a subwoofer. Compared to the non-subwoofer-equipped Yamaha YAS-101, though, the music seemed slightly muddled.

The lack of a subwoofer really comes into play when watching movies, which often require plenty of low end to lend a sense of power to action scenes. I watched the Tyrannosaurus rex scene in Jurassic Park, and while the dinosaur's stomps and roars sounded full in the midrange, there wasn't any real feeling of furniture thumping (or cups of water shaking). The HTB70 filled the test room will clear audio and I could hear the full range very well, but there just wasn't any force in the low end. Jeff Goldblum and Sam Neill's dialogue was easy to hear with the Dialogue setting turned low, and turning that level up only made them sound overly sharp and more artificial. The best balance I found was the Dialogue setting on the lowest and the "Subwoofer" setting on the highest. These settings didn't offer the most powerful sound or the most crisp dialogue, but they produced the roundest and most generally satisfying audio.

If you want to give your HDTV's sound a boost without paying more than $200 or finding a place for a subwoofer, the Panasonic SC-HTB70 soundbar is a good choice. Its audio quality isn't stellar and it's unsurprisingly lacking in bass, but it sounds loud and clear enough to make your home theater stand out without much hassle. Plus, built-in Bluetooth gives you a wireless sound system. If you can spend a bit more, the Bluetooth Sony HT-CT260 is still our Editors' Choice for its excellent all-around performance and powerful wireless subwoofer.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/njHRSSf4PtI/0,2817,2417996,00.asp

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Tulowitzki strains shoulder in Rockies' loss

By JONATHAN DALTON

Associated Press

Associated Press Sports

updated 7:11 p.m. ET April 28, 2013

PHOENIX (AP) - Patrick Corbin's success has come from a simple formula - be aggressive and throw strike one.

The Diamondbacks' left-hander allowed two runs over 6 2-3 innings and Arizona beat the Colorado Rockies 4-2 on Sunday. It was the Diamondbacks' fifth win in six games.

"I thought today I was as sharp as I've been," said the 23-year-old. "I got a couple of fastballs up and that hurt me a little bit but I was able to keep us in it."

Corbin (3-0) scattered nine hits - four coming in his final 1 2-3 innings - and struck out five. Corbin didn't walk a batter for the second straight outing and hasn't allowed a base on balls in his last 15 innings.

"When you're getting ahead with that first pitch, the second pitch you can throw whatever you want," Corbin said. "It makes it 100 times easier."

Corbin became the second Diamondbacks pitcher to throw at least six innings and allow two runs or fewer in his first five starts of the season.

"He just keeps the ball in play," said Arizona manager Kirk Gibson. "He just competes. He works on things and understands the tools that he's acquired."

Gerardo Parra tripled and scored twice, and Josh Wilson had a run-scoring double for the Diamondbacks, who at 15-10 are off to their second-best start since 2006.

Rockies All-Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki was lifted in the bottom of the third inning because of a strained left shoulder.

J.J. Putz pitched the ninth for his fifth save for the Diamondbacks.

Colorado has two wins in its last eight games after opening the season 13-4, falling into a first-place tie with Arizona in the NL West.

"As long as you continue to go out on a day in and day out basis and play good hard baseball and continue to do the right things, it will definitely workout" said Rockies starter Jon Garland. "We have already seen what we are able to do when we get some guys hot offensively and we are throwing the ball good."

Tulowitzki reached on a fielder's choice in the first inning and was attempting to score two batters later on a single by Michael Cuddyer when he slid awkwardly into home plate. Tulowitzki was easily tagged out by Miguel Montero from a throw by left fielder Jason Kubel.

"I didn't know he got hurt on the play," said Rockies manager Walt Weiss. "It sounds like he jammed his shoulder sliding into the plate."

Top Colorado prospect Nolan Arenado was called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs and went 0 for 3 with a walk while starting at third base.

The 22-year-old Arenado hit .364 with 11 doubles, three homers and 21 RBIs in 18 games for the Sky Sox. He was taken in the second round of the 2009 draft.

To make room, the Rockies designated INF Chris Nelson for assignment.

Arizona broke through against Colorado starter Jon Garland (2-2) in the third, scoring twice.

Cliff Pennington singled to right, went to second on a sacrifice and moved to third on a single to left by Gerardo Parra. After Cody Ross grounded out to advance Parra to second, Pennington scored on a passed ball charged to Wilin Rosario.

Three pitches later, Garland threw a wild pitch to score Parra for a 2-0 lead.

"You try and be aggressive without running into outs on the bases," Gibson said. "We're aware of what guys throw in certain counts and when to be aware to dirt-ball reads. `G' made a good read on that because they were playing way off at third place which allowed him to come further down the way."

Paul Goldschmidt extended the lead 3-0 in the fourth when he singled and scored on Josh Wilson's double off the left-center field wall and Parra tripled to lead off the fifth and scored on a Ross single to make it 4-0.

The Rockies cut the lead in half in the sixth. Eric Young Jr. doubled for the third time in three at-bats and scored on a single to left by Dexter Fowler. Fowler later scored on a one-out wild pitch to pull Colorado to 4-2.

Colorado chased Corbin after putting runners on first and second with two outs in the seventh. But Matt Reynolds retired Young on a short popup in front of the dirt cut around home plate on the third base side to end the threat.

Garland allowed four runs - three earned - on eight hits with two walks, one intentional. The right-hander, who entered the game 3-3 with a 4.60 ERA against his former team, struck out two.

"He could have went out there for another inning if we don't get to his (lineup) spot," said Rockies manager Walt Weiss. "It's another one of our starters that gave us a chance to win the game."

NOTES: Colorado is 1-9 in its last 10 series at Chase Field. . Putz threw six straight balls and bounced a throw to first base. ... Parra extended his career-best hitting streak to 13 games. ... Arizona INF Martin Prado, mired in the midst of a 1-for-22 slump, was given the day off. ... Garland has pitched past the sixth inning only once in five starts. . Before the game, the Diamondbacks activated OF Jason Kubel off the 15-day disabled list and placed SS Didi Gregorius on the 7-day concussion DL. Gregorius was hit in the head with a pitch by Josh Outman on Friday. ... Kubel, who started in left field, was 10 for 30 with two doubles, two homers and six RBIs before he was placed on the disabled list with a strained left quad on April 13.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Howard delivers in Chooch's return

CSN: Carlos Ruiz returned from a 25-game suspension and Ryan Howard hit a two-run, pinch hit double that gave the Phillies a 5-1 win over the Mets and complete a three-game sweep of New York.

Tulowitzki strains shoulder in Rockies' loss

PHOENIX (AP) - Gerardo Parra tripled and scored twice, and Josh Wilson had a run-scoring double to help lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 4-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/51695937/ns/sports-baseball/

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Computer scientists suggest new spin on origins of evolvability: Competition to survive not necessary?

Apr. 26, 2013 ? Scientists have long observed that species seem to have become increasingly capable of evolving in response to changes in the environment. But computer science researchers now say that the popular explanation of competition to survive in nature may not actually be necessary for evolvability to increase.

In a paper published this week in PLOS ONE, the researchers report that evolvability can increase over generations regardless of whether species are competing for food, habitat or other factors.

Using a simulated model they designed to mimic how organisms evolve, the researchers saw increasing evolvability even without competitive pressure.

"The explanation is that evolvable organisms separate themselves naturally from less evolvable organisms over time simply by becoming increasingly diverse," said Kenneth O. Stanley, an associate professor at the College of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Central Florida. He co-wrote the paper about the study along with lead author Joel Lehman, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Texas at Austin.

The finding could have implications for the origins of evolvability in many species.

"When new species appear in the future, they are most likely descendants of those that were evolvable in the past," Lehman said. "The result is that evolvable species accumulate over time even without selective pressure."

During the simulations, the team's simulated organisms became more evolvable without any pressure from other organisms out-competing them. The simulations were based on a conceptual algorithm.

"The algorithms used for the simulations are abstractly based on how organisms are evolved, but not on any particular real-life organism," explained Lehman.

The team's hypothesis is unique and is in contrast to most popular theories for why evolvability increases.

"An important implication of this result is that traditional selective and adaptive explanations for phenomena such as increasing evolvability deserve more scrutiny and may turn out unnecessary in some cases," Stanley said.

Stanley is an associate professor at UCF. He has a bachelor's of science in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a doctorate in computer science from the University of Texas at Austin. He serves on the editorial boards of several journals. He has over 70 publications in competitive venues and has secured grants worth more than $1 million. His works in artificial intelligence and evolutionary computation have been cited more than 4,000 times.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Central Florida.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Joel Lehman, Kenneth O. Stanley. Evolvability Is Inevitable: Increasing Evolvability without the Pressure to Adapt. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (4): e62186 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062186

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_environment/~3/yFudqCEhgpw/130426115612.htm

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Motherhood, Humility and Empty Vessels | - Generation Cedar

It?s the one and only two preggo pictures for this, my 10th baby. You know you gotta have one. When I say ?tenth baby? it?s so hard for me to believe I have ten children. I?m glad and thankful, just surprised and never imagined it for my life. It doesn?t feel like it sounds, apparently. Because when I?m out by myself and someone asks me ?is this your first baby? and I say ?no?, and then it?s inevitable that I must answer the hyper-ventilating-invoking question, the response feels more dramatic than my life feels.

I understand the surprise, that ten children is not exactly common. But compared with my actual life, we?re just a regular family who drives a small bus. And shares clothes. And hugs more than the average times per day. And doesn?t stress anymore about germs. And, oddly enough, is more excited at the announcement of a new baby than just about anything else on earth. And shares the housework so that really, everybody probably does less work than normal. And has to take turns talking or it can get a little out of hand at the dinner table.

But other than that, I don?t feel different until we all go out in public.

Mostly, at this stage in my life, I?m humbled more than ever. And where I?m not, I?m praying to be. Andrew Murray said, in his book our family is reading again?Humility:

?True humility comes when before God we see ourselves as nothing, have put aside self, and let God be all. The soul that has done this, and can say, ?I have lost myself in finding You,? no longer compares itself with others.?

I think a lot about how motherhood can be so ?emptying? and how maybe that?s why our culture has become a consistent enemy of motherhood, at least of the motherhood that would threaten to empty. As my husband read that sentence, I thought of how contrary it is to every message around us?even to our own flesh, and why then, there is such a gulf between what God has said is ?right and good? and what everything else poses as ?right and good?.

Pregnancy (since I?m here in this time of reflection) is, literally speaking, a body who ?empties? part of itself to contain another human being. It?s a perfect picture of a ?life-giving vessel?, emptied so it can be filled.

And so it is with us in spirit. God can only fill an empty vessel, a surrendered heart. And then, the miracle of that filling! It is only when we can reach our hands to Heaven and say with Christ, ?Not my will, but Thine be done?, that we can walk in perfect peace, knowing He truly orders our steps.

So when another person says to me, ?pregnancy is just so hard on your body?, intending to persuade me that I?ve ?done? a silly thing by carrying another person, I can exhale with a calm knowing of the greater rewards of being emptied. I?ve had similar, encouraging epiphanies about motherhood and broken vessels. When my back hurts and round ligament pain makes me wince, I tell my children, I did it for you and it was so worth it. I don?t want pain to always be associated with something to be avoided.

Today is the anniversary of the tornado that ripped away all our earthly things. Emptying. Painful. And I can truly say I?m grateful for that life-changing event. It has helped me empty my hands of the more meaningless things in life (although I?m still working on it), to be able to hold what is most dear. I whisper a word of praise to the Father for that too, His perfect will. As a side note, I looked at some of those posts and re-read your comments the other day. Tears just streamed down my face?I probably wasn?t completely cognizant the first time I read them?and they were SUCH a huge blessing to me, two years later, as I reflected on your love and God?s goodness to put things in our lives in order to reveal such love. Thank you again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Along the lines of equipping ourselves to see past this world?s idea of success or happiness?to become WOMEN OF VISION?I highly recommend ?The Best of Visionary Womanhood?. Packed with articles full of wisdom, solid truth and a burning vision, it will help you keep focused when all around you seem to be getting off track.

BUT?even though you can buy it now for $5.00, why not wait until Monday when you can get 96 additional, INCREDIBLE books for $29.97?! Keep them all, give some as gifts, but it?s a deal you don?t want to pass up.

Related posts:

1. Motherhood, Fear & Resolving to Fight
2. ?When Motherhood Feels Too Hard? (Ebook) is FINALLY HERE!
3. Humility: The Only True Mark
4. Loving Motherhood in an ?I?m Bored? Society
5. Joyful Motherhood

Source: http://www.generationcedar.com/main/2013/04/motherhood-humility-and-empty-vessels.html

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N.J. Girls Murder Video: 12-Year-Olds Suspended For Online "Hit List"

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/04/nj-girls-murder-video-12-year-olds-suspended-for-online-hit-list/

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Regret and grandma prove time-tested deterrents to teens? tattoo pleas

?What is it??

That?s the question Gable Rhoads often fields about one of her tattoos, a black-and-red creature that crawls up her right arm. Is it a skeleton? A bird? A bat?

It?s a dragon. But you might not know it, she says, because not only have the colors and lines of the 27-year-old tattoo faded, but "it was just too large to properly visualize on my upper arm in the first place."

Rhoads, now 49, was no kid when she chose her tattoos. "I got my first tattoo when I was 22 and a recent graduate from Marine Corps boot camp; I thought my tattoo signaled to the world there was a tough woman under my shy, quiet exterior," she says.

But one of her daughters, Jade, was not quite an adult yet when she wanted to get hers. And that, as they say, can be a whole different story.

Rhoads' first-person account for Yahoo News was in response to our question: How do parents, especially those tattooed themselves, advise their children against them? That quandary arose somewhat amusingly on Wednesday when President Barack Obama told NBC?s "Today" show that he had warned his daughters that if they got tattoos, he and first lady Michelle Obama would get the same tattoos in the same place?a ?family tattoo,? if you will?and show them off on YouTube. Embarrassment, he implied, is ample deterrence.

Time speeds forward inexorably, and many who get inked face a problem: The tattoo that screamed undying love for a high-school cheerleader, say, or a boyfriend, or paid passionate allegiance to Def Leppard may have been badass back then, but now, not so much.

So, first family aside, what strategies do everyday parents employ to dissuade their kids from getting inked? Yahoo News asked them to share their tactics.

?I never forbade my daughters from getting a tattoo, but I did tell them to think long and hard before permanently changing their bodies,? Rhoads, who also has ?Semper Fi? and her ex-husband's name on her arm, says. ?The Minnie Mouse tattoo may be cute now, but what will the grandkids think when Minnie is wide and wrinkled??

Her ex-husband, she says, was more direct: He told Jade?now 25 with a tattoo of her own daughter's name and another of a flower?that women with tattoos were trashy. He later gave her the silent treatment. Those ploys didn't work.

"[My] tattoos are a part of me, and I do not regret them,? Rhoads, of Highland, Ind., says. ?Time will tell if she will come to regret [hers].?

Grandma is the first line of defense

The admonishment of ?Just Say No? worked in keeping Daniel A. Willis? teen boys from drugs. But keeping them from tattoos? Not so much.

When Joey, Willis? older son, turned 15, he offered the logic of "I want a tattoo, all my friends have one, I don't fit in without one.?

Enter Grandma.

Willis says his mother-in-law, Charlotte, is a very conservative woman. Raised in post-World War II Germany, she readily offers her perspective and doesn?t hesitate to dole out punishment. So, Willis issued Joey two ground rules: First, no tattoos on the face or below the shirt-sleeve. Second, he had to show the tattoo to his grandmother.

Condition No. 2, says Willis, who lives in Denver, was ?a show-stopper.?

Now 29, Joey didn?t get a tattoo until college. His younger brother, 27-year-old Keith, is ink-free.

Gravity can lead to regret

R.D. Hayes had trouble responding to her 7-year-old daughter?s pleas for a tattoo on her arm. Gracie?s age wasn?t the issue. It was because she was intent on copying her mom?s memorial tattoo of Gaje, Gracie's 6-year-old brother, who had been killed in an automobile accident.

Hayes, who lives in Oklahoma City, decided to simply tell the truth: Tattoos mean pain, gravity and regret.

?I remind [my kids] of all the dangers that can come from tattoos and how they may wake up one day and regret it,? Hayes, 28, says. ?I told them that gravity seems to take over as we age and, besides, tattoos can be some of the [worst] pain that you ever felt.?

Hayes, who had been a rebellious kid, says when she got her first tattoo?a small dot between her thumb and index finger?she waited patiently for her father to notice. She doesn't expect her kids will show any less spirit.

Her stepson, Brie, got his tattoo, a colorful teepee on his foot, right after he turned 18. ?It looked a bit girlish,? Hayes says. ?It was something that I wouldn't have placed on my body. He said it was to show off his Native American pride, but I couldn't help but laugh. [H]e now regrets it."

Which added fuel to her belief that parents should stress regret. Failing that, she recommends taking teens to a professional tattoo artist who can explain why it?s important to wait?or not get tattooed at all.

Read other parents? strategies:

Fake Infections Convinced Our Kids to Abhor Tattoos

How I Kept My Son from Getting a Spider-Man Tattoo

Mom to Kids: If You Really Want the Tattoo, Wait for It

No Tattoos?at Least in Inappropriate Places

In Warning Kids Against Tattoos, Sometimes Logic Actually Works

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/gravity-grandma-prove-time-tested-deterrents-teens-tattoo-210315072.html

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Easy Tips To Develop A Great Fashion Sense! ? Shopping and ...

You want to be fashionable no matter how old you are. While the details may change, others change with the tides.

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Add a little quirkiness to your fashion look in style. Wear your hair a little messy, or two patterns, or wear shoes that don?t perfectly match your outfit.

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Just use it cautiously or you don?t mix any of your clothing items up and bleach the wrong clothes on accident.

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Spend some time with a fashion consultant to find out which colors flatter you. Different colors have different visual effects on people depending on the color tone of their skin, hair color and skin tone.

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Don?t keep a bunch of makeup in your cosmetic bag.Choose things that you really love with a selection of the season. Think about what you need for your day versus night. Makeup will not last forever once you begin using it.Germs can even grow on it if you used it a few months or years ago and left it sitting.

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Use every bit of your favorite beauty products before you throw them away. You just have to get the most out of tube containers by using squeezers typically sold for toothpaste. You can turn bottles around and upside down in order to get out every little bit of content. You could also remove the top off to get the last bit of it. You can save some money by using these methods and not have to worry about constantly running out of your favorite beauty supplies.

?

Stay away from patterned clothing with large shapes if you are of the larger body size.Larger shapes can hurt your size and do not flatter you.

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Sheer clothing is beautiful, but beware of how sheer and what?s showing. Wearing see-through items will make you appear trashy than classy.

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Read more about baju online murah can be found here: lionishop.com.If you have on an ornate skirt, you should match it with a solid colored shirt to help it stand out.

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Problems with oil in both males and females to experience oily skin.Your hormones can get out of balance when you are suffering stress. If so, try to use some type of relaxation technique to calm down.

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One good fashion tip is trying on an item that you would ordinarily never wear. This could introduce you to incorporate something new into your fashion arsenal. It is a great way to include a lot of different fashion ideas into your fashion wardrobe.

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Wearing white after Labor Day is actually okay.You can wear white at any color that flatters you. If you look great in it, then enjoy wearing it all year long. No one will look down at you for it.

?

More info about jual baju korea murah can be found here: http://www.lionishop.com.Don?t forget the little things in your entire look. When you are traveling, bring along good luggage and more than just one umbrella for rainy days.

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Use some solid colors to structure your body gets. A pair of pants or a skirt in a solid color blouse will leave all the chance to wear a colorful patterned top that may grab attention. Wearing a brightly colored top will draw the attention of dark trousers helps direct eyes upwards toward your face.

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Use a lip pencil followed by blending the edges with a sponge applicator for fuller-looking lips. Apply gloss or petroleum jelly as the next step. Use a little more gloss in the middle of your top lip and you will achieve a popular pouty look. You can also try adding a bit of eye shadow to your eye shadow. Just put a small dot in the middle of each lip.

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If you constantly travel for work, it is a good idea to have many articles of clothing that are easy to care for and don?t wrinkle easily. Although many hotel rooms have ironing boards, it is better to not need to iron at all. You should automatically hang up all your clothes when you get to your hotel.

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Wear darker blouses and skirts to make yourself look skinnier if you?re overweight. Dark colors help emphasize your good parts and tone down the overweight extras you down by causing the eyes to go to your jewelry and accessories.

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You always want to look your best when occasions come up on your events list. Whether it?s a date, wedding, prom, or some other event, you want to be ready. In order to have a great sense of confidence and look great, remember the suggestions from this piece. Being stylish is easy.

Tags: dress tips, Fashion Style, new look, tips for a better stylish look

This entry was posted on Friday, April 26th, 2013 at 2:02 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Source: http://shoppingandproductreviews.deadale.com/uncategorized/easy-tips-to-develop-a-great-fashion-sense/

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CERN physicists can explain matter vs. antimatter

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Belief in God Can Improve Mental Health Outcomes | Psych Central ...

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on April 26, 2013

A new study suggests belief in God may significantly improve the outcome of those receiving short-term treatment for psychiatric illness.

Researchers followed patients receiving care from a hospital-based behavioral health program to investigate the relationship between patients? level of belief in God, expectations for treatment and actual treatment outcomes.

In the study, published in the current issue of Journal of Affective Disorders, researchers comment that people with a moderate to high level of belief in a higher power do significantly better in short-term psychiatric treatment than those without.

?Belief was associated with not only improved psychological well-being, but decreases in depression and intention to self-harm,? says David H. Rosmarin, Ph.D., an instructor in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

The study looked at 159 patients, recruited over a one-year period. Each participant was asked to gauge their belief in God as well as their expectations for treatment outcome and emotion regulation, each on a five-point scale.

Levels of depression, well-being, and self-harm were assessed at the beginning and end of their treatment program.

Of the patients sampled, more than 30 percent claimed no specific religious affiliation yet still saw the same benefits in treatment if their belief in a higher power was rated as moderately or very high.

Patients with ?no? or only ?slight? belief in God were twice as likely not to respond to treatment as patients with higher levels of belief.

Investigators believe the study demonstrates that a belief in God is associated with improved treatment outcomes in psychiatric care.

?More centrally, our results suggest that belief in the credibility of psychiatric treatment and increased expectations to gain from treatment might be mechanisms by which belief in God can impact treatment outcomes.?

Investigators hope that the study will lead to additional investigation on the clinical implication of spirtual life as more than 90 percent of the U.S. population hold religious beliefs.

Source: McLean Hospital

APA Reference
Nauert PhD, R. (2013). Belief in God Can Improve Mental Health Outcomes. Psych Central. Retrieved on April 26, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/04/26/belief-in-god-improves-mental-health-outcomes/54121.html

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Source: http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/04/26/belief-in-god-improves-mental-health-outcomes/54121.html

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149 die, more cry for help at Bangladesh collapse

SAVAR, Bangladesh (AP) ? Workers trapped in the wreckage of a collapsed factory building in Bangladesh cried out for help Thursday, as rescuers struggled to reach survivors of a disaster that killed at least 149 people and reignited questions about the often lethal conditions the country's garment industry.

Army Brig. Gen. Mohammed Siddiqul Alam Shikder said many people are still trapped in the building, which housed a number of garment factories employing hundreds of people when it came tumbling down Wednesday morning. A clearer picture of the rescue operation would be available by afternoon, he said.

The disaster in the Dhaka suburb of Savar came less than five months after a factory fire killed 112 people and underscored the unsafe conditions faced by Bangladesh's garment workers, who produce clothes for global brands worn around the world.

Workers said they had hesitated to enter the building on Wednesday morning because it had developed such large cracks a day earlier that it even drew the attention of local news channels. Just hours later it came tumbling down.

Tens of thousands of people gathered at the site, weeping and searching for family members. Searchers worked through the night to get through the jumbled mess of concrete with drills or their bare hands, passing water and flashlights to those pinned inside the building.

"I gave them whistles, water, torchlights. I heard them cry. We can't leave them behind this way," said fire official Abul Khayer.

Abdur Rahim, who worked on the fifth floor, said a factory manager gave assurances that the cracks in the building were no cause for concern, so employees went inside.

"After about an hour or so, the building collapsed suddenly," Rahim said. The next thing he remembers is regaining consciousness outside.

On a visit to the site, Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir told reporters the building had violated construction codes and that "the culprits would be punished."

Abdul Halim, an official with the engineering department in Savar, said the owner was originally allowed to construct a five-story building but he added another three stories illegally.

Local police chief Mohammaed Asaduzzaman said police and the government's Capital Development Authority have filed separate cases of negligence against the building owner.

Habibur Rahman, police superintendent of Dhaka district, identified the owner as Mohammed Sohel Rana, a local leader of ruling Awami League's youth front. Rahman said police were also looking for the owners of the garment factories.

Among the textile businesses in the building were Phantom Apparels Ltd., New Wave Style Ltd., New Wave Bottoms Ltd. and New Wave Brothers Ltd. According to their website, the New Wave companies make clothing for major brands including U.S. retailers The Children's Place and Dress Barn, British retailer Primark and Spanish retailer Mango.

Jane Singer, a spokeswoman for The Children's Place, said that "while one of the garment factories located in the building complex has produced apparel for The Children's Place, none of our product was in production at the time of this accident."

"Our deepest sympathies go out to the victims of this terrible tragedy and their families," Singer said in a statement.

Dress Barn said that to its knowledge, it had not purchased clothing from the factories involved since 2010. Primark, a major British clothing retailer, confirmed that one of the suppliers it uses to produce some of its goods was located on the second floor of the building.

In a statement emailed to The Associated Press, Primark said it was "shocked and deeply saddened by the appalling incident." It added that it has been working with other retailers to review the country's approach to factory standards and will now push for this review to include building integrity. Meanwhile, Primark's ethical trade team is working to collect information, assess which communities the workers come from and provide support "where possible."

Mango denied reports it was using any of the suppliers in the building. However, in an email statement to the AP, it said that there had been conversations with one of them to produce a batch of test products.

Kevin Gardner, a spokesman at Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., the second-largest clothing producer in Bangladesh, said the company is investigating to see if a factory in the building had been producing for the chain at the time of the collapse.

"We remain committed and are actively engaged in promoting stronger safety measures, and that work continues," Gardner said.

Charles Kernaghan, executive director of the Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights, which has an office in Dhaka, says his staff is investigating. He's hoping his team, working with local workers' groups, will be able to find out which brands were having their products made at the time of the collapse.

"You can't trust many buildings in Bangladesh," Kernaghan said. "It's so corrupt that you can buy off anybody and there won't be any retribution."

An enormous section of the concrete structure appeared to have splintered like twigs. Colorful sheets of fabric were tied to upper floors so those inside could climb or slide down and escape.

An arm jutted out of one section of the rubble. A lifeless woman covered in dust could be seen in another.

Sumi, a 25-year-old worker who goes by one name, said she was sewing jeans on the fifth floor with at least 400 others when the building fell.

"It collapsed all of a sudden," she said. "No shaking, no indication. It just collapsed on us."

She said she managed to reach a hole in the building where rescuers pulled her out.

Firefighters and soldiers with drilling machines and cranes worked with volunteers to search for survivors.

Rescuers carried the body of a young boy from the building; it was not immediately clear what he had been doing inside. The building housed a bank and various shops in addition to the garment factories.

Mosammat Khurshida wailed as she looked for her husband. "He came to work in the morning. I can't find him," she said. "I don't know where he is. He does not pick up his phone."

The morgue of the medical college echoed with the sobs of people waiting for the bodies of their loved ones.

"Where's my mother? Where's my mother? Tell me, tell me, oh Allah, oh Allah!" Rana Ahmed cried.

Asaduzzaman, the local police chief, said nearly 100 bodies had been handed to their families as of Thursday morning.

The collapse was even deadlier than the November factory fire that drew international attention to working conditions in Bangladesh's $20 billion-a-year textile industry. The country has about 4,000 garment factories and exports clothes to leading Western retailers, and the industry wields vast power in the South Asian nation.

The Tazreen factory in the fire lacked emergency exits, and its owner said only three floors of the eight-story building were legally built. Surviving employees said gates had been locked and managers had told them to go back to work after the fire alarm went off.

___

AP Retail Writer Anne D'Innocenzio in New York contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/149-die-more-cry-help-bangladesh-collapse-040400455--finance.html

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Make your PlayStation 3 look that much more like a Terminator robot with a 'Metallic Gray' DualShock 3

Tired of how much your PlayStation 3 doesn't look like a Terminator robot? Us too, especially given that hilariously mechanical new top-loading disc drive cover. Thankfully, Sony sympathizes with our plight, announcing this week that its "Metallic Gray" DualShock 3 controller for the PlayStation 3 will arrive in the United States in a few months (it's been available in Japan for some time). On June 3rd, the controller becomes available for the standard DS3 price of $54.99, and interested parties can pre-order right this second if they so choose. Of course, we don't anticipate a shortage when they arrive this June, but it's always possible that a T-800 will be sent back from the future to accessorize. In which case, you pre-order folks end up looking pretty good.

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Peripherals, Sony

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Via: Joystiq

Source: Sony

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Military grooms new officers for war in cyberspace

In this Feb. 20, 2013 photo, Martin Carlisle, standing, a computer science professor at the Air Force Academy and director of the school's Center for Cyberspace Research, instructs cadets in cyber warfare, at the U.S. Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs, Colo. The U.S. service academies are ramping up efforts to groom a new breed of cyberspace warriors to confront increasing threats to the nation?s military and civilian computer networks that control everything from electrical power grids to the banking system. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

In this Feb. 20, 2013 photo, Martin Carlisle, standing, a computer science professor at the Air Force Academy and director of the school's Center for Cyberspace Research, instructs cadets in cyber warfare, at the U.S. Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs, Colo. The U.S. service academies are ramping up efforts to groom a new breed of cyberspace warriors to confront increasing threats to the nation?s military and civilian computer networks that control everything from electrical power grids to the banking system. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

In this Feb. 20, 2013 photo, a cadet works at a large computer display inside a classroom at the Center for Cyberspace Research, where cyber warfare is taught, at the U.S. Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs, Colo. The U.S. service academies are ramping up efforts to groom a new breed of cyberspace warriors to confront increasing threats to the nation?s military and civilian computer networks that control everything from electrical power grids to the banking system. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

In this Feb. 20, 2013 photo, a cadet walks past multiple computer displays inside a classroom at the Center for Cyberspace Research, where cyber warfare is taught, at the U.S. Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs, Colo. The U.S. service academies are ramping up efforts to groom a new breed of cyberspace warriors to confront increasing threats to the nation?s military and civilian computer networks that control everything from electrical power grids to the banking system. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

In this Feb. 20, 2013 photo, Martin Carlisle, standing, a computer science professor at the Air Force Academy and director of the school's Center for Cyberspace Research, instructs cadets in cyber warfare, at the U.S. Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs, Colo. The U.S. service academies are ramping up efforts to groom a new breed of cyberspace warriors to confront increasing threats to the nation?s military and civilian computer networks that control everything from electrical power grids to the banking system. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

In this Feb. 20, 2013 photo, cadets work at computers inside a classroom at the Center for Cyberspace Research, where cyber warfare is taught, at the U.S. Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs, Colo. The U.S. service academies are ramping up efforts to groom a new breed of cyberspace warriors to confront increasing threats to the nation?s military and civilian computer networks that control everything from electrical power grids to the banking system. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AP) ? The U.S. service academies are ramping up efforts to groom a new breed of cyberspace warriors to confront increasing threats to the nation's military and civilian computer networks that control everything from electrical power grids to the banking system.

Students at the Army, Navy and Air Force academies are taking more courses and participating in elaborate cyberwarfare exercises as the military educates a generation of future commanders in the theory and practice of computer warfare.

The academies have been training cadets in cyber for more than a decade. But the effort has taken on new urgency amid warnings that hostile nations or organizations might be capable of crippling attacks on critical networks.

James Clapper, director of national intelligence, called cyberattack the top threat to national security when he presented the annual Worldwide Threat Assessment to Congress this month. "Threats are more diverse, interconnected, and viral than at any time in history," his report stated. "Destruction can be invisible, latent, and progressive."

China-based hackers have long been accused of cyber intrusions, and earlier this year the cybersecurity firm Mandiant released a report with new details allegedly linking a secret Chinese military unit to years of cyberattacks against U.S. companies. This year, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post all reported breaches in their computer systems and said they suspected Chinese hackers. China denies carrying out cyberattacks.

On Tuesday, hackers compromised Associated Press Twitter accounts and sent out a false tweet. AP quickly put out word that the report was false and that its accounts had been hacked. AP's accounts were shut down until the problem was corrected.

Once viewed as an obscure and even nerdy pursuit, cyber is now seen as one of the hottest fields in warfare ? "a great career field in the future," said Ryan Zacher, a junior at the Air Force Academy outside Colorado Springs, Colo., who switched from aeronautical engineering to computer science.

Last year the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., began requiring freshmen to take a semester on cybersecurity, and it is adding a second required cyber course for juniors next year.

The school offered a major in cyber operations for the first time this year to the freshman class, and 33 midshipmen, or about 3 percent of the freshmen, signed up for it. Another 79 are majoring in computer engineering, information technology or computer science, bringing majors with a computer emphasis to about 10 percent of the class.

"There's a great deal of interest, much more than we could possibly, initially, entertain," said the academy's superintendent, Vice Adm. Michael Miller.

Since 2004, the Air Force Academy has offered a degree in computer science-cyberwarfare ? initially called computer science-information assurance ? that requires cadets to take courses in cryptology, information warfare and network security in addition to standard computer science. The academy is retooling a freshman computing course so that more than half its content is about cyberspace, and is looking into adding another cyber course.

"All of these cadets know that they are going to be on the front lines defending the nation in cyber," said Martin Carlisle, a computer science professor at the Air Force Academy and director of the school's Center for Cyberspace Research.

About 25 Air Force cadets will graduate this year with the computer science-cyberwarfare degree, and many will go on to advanced studies and work in their service's cyber headquarters or for U.S. Cyber Command at Fort Meade, Md., the Defense Department command responsible for defensive and offensive cyberwarfare.

Almost every Army cadet at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., takes two technology courses related to such topics as computer security and privacy. West Point also offers other cyber courses, and a computer security group meets weekly. One of the biggest cybersecurity challenges is keeping up with the head-spinning pace of change in the field.

"You know American history is pretty much the same" every year, said Lt. Col. David Raymond, who teaches a cybersecurity course. "In this domain, it's really tough to keep up with how this thing evolves."

In his congressional report, Clapper noted that the chance of a major attack by Russia, China or another nation with advanced cyber skills is remote outside a military conflict ? but that other nations or groups could launch less sophisticated cyberattacks in hopes of provoking the United States or in retaliation for U.S. actions or policies overseas. South Korea accused North Korea of mounting a cyberattack in March that shut down thousands of computers at banks and television broadcasters.

Gen. Keith Alexander, head of U.S. Cyber Command, told Congress in March the command is creating teams to carry out both offensive and defensive operations. A spokesman said the command is drawing cyber officers from the service academies, officer schools and Reserve Officer Training Corps programs.

Teams from the three academies compete in events such as last week's National Security Agency Cyber Defense Exercise, in which they try to keep simulated computer networks running as an NSA "aggressor team" attacks. Teams from the U.S. Coast Guard and Merchant Marine academies also took part, along with graduate students from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School and Canada's Royal Military College.

Air Force won among undergraduate schools. The Royal Military College won among graduate schools.

That hands-on experience is invaluable, said 2nd Lt. Jordan Keefer, a 2012 Air Force Academy graduate now pursuing a master's degree in cyberoperations at the Air Force Institute of Technology.

"You can't just go out there and start hacking. That's against the law," he said. The competitions, he said, "gave me actual experience defending a network, attacking a network."

Counterterrorism expert Richard Clarke, noting that really high-level computer skills are rare, suggested the military might have to re-examine some of its recruiting standards to attract the most adept cyberwarriors.

"Hackers are the 1 percent, the elite and the creators," said Clarke, who served as White House cybersecurity adviser during the Clinton administration. "I wouldn't worry a whole heck of a lot (about whether they) can they run fast or lift weights."

Cyber's appeal was enough to get Keefer to put aside his dream of becoming a fighter pilot, a job with undeniable swagger. "It's a challenge, and for people who like a challenge, it's the only place to be," Keefer said.

___

Witte reported from Annapolis, Md. Associated Press Writer Michael Hill in Albany, N.Y., contributed to this report.

___

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Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-04-26-Future%20Cyberwarriors/id-499ed15ce3bc42429752a4af058d87bf

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