Apple iPhone 5 (T-Mobile)

The iPhone 5 has finally come to T-Mobile, and if you're in the market for a?smartphone?from Apple, pay attention. T-Mobile's iPhone is the same iPhone 5 that you've seen elsewhere, with better voice quality at a lower price. That's a terrific combination for anyone currently shopping for an iPhone.

Revisiting the iPhone 5
Apple's phones don't vary much from carrier to carrier, as Apple doesn't allow any bloatware or changes in design. So take a look at my reviews of the iPhone 5 for Verizon Wireless and AT&T. T-Mobile gets the same metal-and-glass design, the same 4-inch screen, the same 8-megapixel camera, and most importantly, the same iOS 6 operating system, with its easy-to-use grid of icons and unbeatable array of apps.

It's worth noting the iPhone's particular strengths and weaknesses versus newer, leading Android phones like the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S 4, though. On a broad level, iOS is very easy to use, but much less customizable than Android is today.

In terms of hardware, the smaller screen is an obvious difference; at 1,136 by 640 pixels it's lower-resolution than the 1080p screens on competing phones, although it's hard to perceive the difference between the iPhone's 326 pixels per inch and the Galaxy S 4's 440ppi. The 4-inch screen size makes it more comfortable for one-handed use than some of today's larger phones, but people who prefer big touch keyboards or lots of real estate for webpages will be frustrated.

The phone's 1.3GHz Apple A6 processor doesn't match the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 models on raw benchmarks like Geekbench, but the iPhone 5 matched the Galaxy S 4 on the Browsermark Web browser benchmark and got close to Snapdragon-powered phones on the GLBenchmark graphics benchmark. The smaller screen helps with performance, of course, as the iPhone is only pushing about a third as many pixels as the 1080p phones do.

The one area where the iPhone falls definitively short is on battery life. Its 7 hours, 36 minutes of talk time and about 3 hours of HSPA+ video streaming is far short of the 10 hours, 50 minutes of talk time and 4 hours, 48 minutes of streaming on the Galaxy S 4. Bigger phones allow for bigger batteries.

Call Quality and Internet
Here's where we get to the differences with the T-Mobile version, because this is a new iPhone, just invisibly. Unlike on previous GSM iPhones, the T-Mobile iPhone unlocks HSPA+ 42 support on the 1700Mhz AWS band. Combine that with support for 1700MHz LTE as well, and you get an iPhone able to hit T-Mobile and AT&T networks nationwide, as well as foreign HSPA+ networks if unlocked.?

If you're buying an iPhone for T-Mobile, it is very, very important that you get one with 1700MHz HSPA+ support. All iPhones sold through T-Mobile should have the right bands, but I've heard that some Apple stores are still selling older units that don't support T-Mobile's frequency. Double check, because if you don't have AWS, you're in the slow lane.

Speeds were stunning, even without LTE. T-Mobile only officially has LTE in seven cities, but HSPA+ is nationwide. I got download speeds between 8-13Mbps in midtown Manhattan using Ookla's Speedtest.net app, which fulfill anyone's definition of 4G. Uploads on HSPA+ are slower, though, between 0.3 and 1.5Mbps. The company has said it will cover 100 million Americans with LTE by midyear and 200 million by the end of 2013.

Signal strength was good. I compared the iPhone 5 to a Galaxy S 4 in a weak signal area, and both phones lost their ability to make calls at about the same time.

This iPhone also supports HD Voice, which isn't on any other iPhone. For now, to make an HD Voice call you'll need to be talking to another HD Voice phone on T-Mobile, which means an iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S III, Samsung Galaxy S 4, HTC One S, HTC One, or Nokia Astound.

Calls made from the iPhone 5 to a Galaxy S 4 with HD Voice had unusually rich voice tone, especially in the treble, although there was a touch of scratchiness high up in the audio range. Without HD Voice, calls showed a little bit of compression garble and background noise leakage in noisy areas. The speakerphone is nice and punchy, with just a touch of background hiss.

Overall, this is a fine voice phone, but not quite up to the Galaxy S 4's level in terms of clarity and noise cancellation. Compared to other iPhones across carriers, though, T-Mobile's model wins because of the clarity of HD Voice.

Service Plans
T-Mobile's real selling point is its service plans. Let's start with the price of the phone itself. T-Mobile sells the iPhone for $579 outright, with no contract, or $99 plus $20 per month for 24 months. On the three other major carriers, no-contract iPhones generally cost $649 and the two-year-contract versions cost $199 plus an invisible subsidy built into your service plan. Cricket is the only carrier with a much cheaper no-contract iPhone, at $499.99, but it's on a generally much slower network.

We crunched the numbers when T-Mobile announced the iPhone and found that T-Mobile's model is consistently cheaper than the three other major networks. Over two years on the sample plan we examined, you'd pay $2,160 for a T-Mobile iPhone, as opposed to $239.76 more on Sprint, $479.76 more on AT&T, and $480 more on Verizon.

T-Mobile's sticking point, of course, is coverage. While the carrier's network in major U.S. cities is generally very good, T-Mobile's network doesn't cover as many rural square miles as AT&T's and Verizon's, especially in regions like northern New England, northern Michigan, west Texas, and the Great Plains. As always, it's best to ask people who live near you how they're doing with T-Mobile service.?

Conclusions
Apple's iPhone line is more consistent across carriers than any other kind of phone. T-Mobile adds one major feature, HD Voice, and another compelling benefit, a low price. If you're shopping for an iPhone and T-Mobile's network runs well in your area, you'd be silly not to strongly consider this great new option.

The iPhone 5 falls short of Editors' Choice status on T-Mobile, though. While it's a great experience, simple and clean, the Samsung Galaxy S 4 (which we've reviewed for this carrier) and the HTC One (which we haven't tested on T-Mobile, but have evaluated the Sprint model) offer better screens, more customizability, and a bigger window on the world.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/y4aBHVPn8-k/0,2817,2418127,00.asp

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IMF flags risks of asset bubbles, middle income trap in Asia

By Kevin Lim

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asia needs to guard against asset bubbles and its emerging economies must improve government institutions and liberalize rigid labor and product markets if they wish to reach the level of developed countries, the International Monetary Fund said on Monday.

"Emerging Asia is potentially susceptible to the 'middle-income trap,' a phenomenon whereby economies risk stagnation at middle-income levels and fail to graduate into the ranks of advanced economies," the IMF said in its latest Regional Economic Outlook for Asia and the Pacific.

"MIEs (middle-income economies) in Asia are less exposed to the risk of a sustained growth slowdown than MIEs in other regions. However, their relative performance is weaker on institutions," the international funding agency said.

IMF's warning about the emerging risks faced by Asian countries come at time when the region looks set to lead a global economic recovery as risks from a meltdown in Europe recede.

"While the external risk of severe economic fallout from an acute euro area crisis has diminished, regional risks are coming into clearer focus. These include some ongoing buildup of financial imbalances and rising asset prices," the IMF said.

IMF was monitoring credit ratios and output levels in Asia closely as conditions can worsen very quickly, the fund's director for Asia and Pacific region, Anoop Singh, told reporters at a briefing in Singapore.

He said regional authorities needed to respond early and decisively to potential overheating.

IMF, which recently cut its 2013 and 2014 growth forecasts for Greater China, India, South Korea and Singapore but raised its outlook for Malaysia and the Philippines, nevertheless sounded generally positive about near-term prospects.

"Growth in Asia is likely pick up gradually in the course of 2013, to about 5.75 percent, on strengthening external demand and continued robust domestic demand," it said.

ECONOMIC INSTITUTIONS, JAPAN

The IMF said India, the Philippines, China and Indonesia needed to improve their economic institutions while India, the Philippines and Thailand were also exposed to a larger risk of growth slowdown stemming from sub-par infrastructure.

Malaysia and China were the highest-ranked developing Asian countries in an IMF chart measuring institutional strength while Indonesia, India and the Philippines were at the bottom.

IMF defined institutional strength as demonstrating higher political stability, better bureaucratic capability, fewer conflicts and less corruption.

For many developing Asian economies, there remains ample room for easing stringent regulations in product and, in some cases, labor markets, the fund added.

The IMF also said various statistical approaches indicate that trend growth rates have slowed in both China and India

For China, trend growth appears to have peaked at around 11 percent in 2006-07, while India's trend growth is now around 6-7 percent compared with about 8 percent prior to the financial crisis.

"By contrast, trend growth for most ASEAN countries seems to have remained stable or to have increased somewhat, with the notable exception of Vietnam," the fund said.

ASEAN is the acronym for the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations whose members include Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Myanmar.

Turning to Japan, Singh said the IMF "welcomed" Japanese efforts to stimulate its economy, and said quantitative easing was just part of a package of measures that included cutting debt and embarking of structural reforms such as increasing female participation in the workforce.

"In Japan, we have welcomed the measures taken. It's because they are focused on addressing the deflation that has affected Japan for the last 10-15 years."

"As Japan moves back to sustainable positive growth, it's going to help the region and the global economy and that is the most important," he said.

(Reporting by Kevin Lim; Editing by Kim Coghill)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/imf-flags-risk-middle-income-trap-emerging-asia-031000704.html

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Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 review

More Info

• Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 shipping this month for $1,099, ARM-powered Yoga 11 coming in December
• Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 review
• Microsoft Surface with Windows RT review

Normally, when a company releases two laptops in different sizes (the MacBook Air, anyone?) we review just one: we assume you'll get the gist about the design and trackpad the first time, ya know? So it's funny, then, that we're taking a look at the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 after we've already tested the Yoga 13 and named it one of our favorite Windows 8 convertibles. They look alike, with an inventive hinge allowing you to fold the screen back like a book cover. The keyboards are the same too, though the 11-incher's is understandably a tad more crowded. They even have the same oddly shaped power port.

Except, of course, they're totally different products. Whereas the Yoga 13 is a proper laptop, with a Core i5 processor and full Windows 8, the Yoga 11 runs Windows RT, and is powered by a Tegra 3 chip (yes, the same one you're used to seeing in Android tablets). That means a big dip in performance, but exponentially longer battery life. Legacy x86 apps are off-limits too, given that this is Windows RT and all. Now that we've set up that equation for you (weaker performance plus longer battery life minus standard Windows apps equals what?) let's meet up after the break to see if this is just as good a deal as its big brother.

Gallery: Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 review

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets, Lenovo

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Patrick Beverley Receives Death Threats for Injury to Russell Westbrook

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Instant View: Amazon sustains growth, revenue up 22 percent

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc kept up a strong pace of growth in core retail and newer businesses like digital media, posting a 22 percent jump in revenue to $16.1 billion in the first quarter, while its earnings beat expectations.

Commentary:

KERRY RICE, ANALYST, NEEDHAM & CO

"Gross margin is definitely better than expected. That is something that investors are certainly keen on.

"Guidance was light, both top- and bottom-line. That certainly won't help the stock perform, although they have over the last several quarters exceeded expectations on the operating income side. So for the guidance, people are more concerned about revenue than operating income."

(Reporting By Malathi Nayak and Poornima Gupta)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/instant-view-amazon-sustains-growth-revenue-22-percent-202758794--finance.html

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Editor's Letter: The new consoles are coming

In each issue of Distro, editor-in-chief Tim Stevens publishes a wrap-up of the week in news.

This week I'm writing from a special place: from the perspective of a Google Glass owner. Well, to be honest I'm not wearing them this exact moment -- I'm actually at 30,000 feet, making the most of a Gogo connection, and when your phone is in airplane mode there's not much point in wearing the headset. Unless, of course, you're looking for a conversation starter. In that role, the headset performs impeccably even when turned completely off.

It's been an interesting couple days wearing the headset around, days I'll continue to chronicle on the site because I know many of you are eager to know what Glass is like. I know this because I've had dozens of strangers come up to me and ask, "What's it like?" Suffice to say, Glass is very interesting and the potential is compelling, but right now the thing is somewhat frustrating in its limited functionality. That'll change real soon as more developers get to grips with the Mirror API.

Filed under: Apple, Samsung, Sony, Google, Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile, Nintendo

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Elephant poaching rises in C. African Republic

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) ? Elephant meat is flooding food markets in villages near a famed wildlife reserve in Central African Republic one month after rebels believed to be involved in poaching overthrew the government, conservationists said Thursday.

The Dzanga-Sangha reserve in the rainforests of southwestern Central African Republic has been home to more than 3,400 forest elephants and features a world-renowned clearing where dozens gather each day.

Now the political chaos unleashed by a rebellion that overthrew Central African Republic's president of a decade has enabled elephant poachers to further their slaughter.

"Elephant poaching is on the increase and given the fact that Central African Republic for the moment is also in dire straits we are fearing for the worst in terms of people trying to look seriously for ivory," said Bas Huijbregts, head of policy for WWF's campaign against poaching in Central Africa.

Elephant meat is now being openly sold not only in the town of Bayanga near the reserve, but also in surrounding villages near the protected wildlife area, he said.

"Given the total absence of any type of law enforcement and rule of law in the area, there is elephant meat all over the place," he said.

At least 40 elephants have been slain at Dzanga-Sangha since the rebels took power on March 24, said local residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals from the rebels operating in the area.

However, WWF said it was impossible to estimate how many animals may have been killed because there are currently no patrols going on in the forest to determine where the elephant carcasses may be.

Central African Republic's forest elephants have faced growing threats in recent years from Sudanese hunters on horseback who are making their way further and further south.

The poachers are used to killing elephants in savannah terrain though experts say they are increasingly adapting their methods to hunt elephants in the forest terrain of southern Central African Republic and in neighboring Cameroon.

The Sudanese hunters are now working in tandem with armed rebels from the group known as Seleka, which now has seized control of the federal government, anti-poaching rangers who have fled rebel-controlled areas told The Associated Press.

At least one notorious poacher has declared himself the local representative for Seleka.

Poachers are making greater inroads because of the near-anarchic state that has emerged in many parts of the country since President Francois Bozize was forced from power. Bozize, who himself took control in 2003 after a rebellion, fled into exile as thousands of armed rebels descended upon the capital in late March.

While their leader Michel Djotodia has been chosen to lead a transitional government, critics say he wields very little control over the rebels, who came together from several different groups with a common goal of ousting Bozize.

The rebels are blamed for rampant looting of hospitals and aid groups in the capital, and WWF said it has also had to evacuate its staff from the Dzanga-Sangha reserve after armed rebels looted their offices several times.

WWF said it is working with park staffers who have remained behind to try to secure the key areas inside the reserve despite threats to their personal safety. Those efforts may not be enough to protect elephants though if the situation continues to deteriorate.

"The worst case scenario that we could imagine," said Huijbregts of WWF, "is there would be no change in rule of law, and total anarchy would install itself."

___

Associated Press writer Jose Richard Pouamba in Bangui, Central African Republic contributed to this report.

___

Online:

Dzanga Sangha Reserve: http://www.dzanga-sangha.org

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/elephant-poaching-rises-c-african-republic-145312663.html

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War medicine now is helping Boston bomb victims

The bombs that made Boston look like a combat zone have also brought battlefield medicine to their civilian victims. A decade of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has sharpened skills and scalpels, leading to dramatic advances that are now being used to treat the 13 amputees and nearly a dozen other patients still fighting to keep damaged limbs.

"The only field or occupation that benefits from war is medicine," said Dr. David Cifu, rehabilitation medicine chief at the Veterans Health Administration.

Nearly 2,000 American troops have lost a leg, arm, foot or hand in Iraq or Afghanistan, and their sacrifices have led to advances in the immediate and long-term care of survivors, as well in the quality of prosthetics that are now so good that surgeons often chose them over trying to save a badly mangled leg.

Tourniquets, shunned during the Vietnam War, made a comeback in Iraq as medical personnel learned to use them properly and studies proved that they saved lives. In Boston, as on the battlefield, they did just that by preventing people from bleeding to death.

Military doctors learned and passed on to their civilian counterparts a surgical strategy of a minimal initial operation to stabilize the patient, followed by more definitive ones days later, an approach that experience showed offered the best chance to preserve tissue from large and complex leg wounds.

At the same time, wartime demand for prosthetics has led to new innovations such as sophisticated computerized knees that work better than a badly damaged leg ever would again.

"This is a clear case where all of the expertise that was gained by prosthetic manufacturers was gained from the wars. It's astonishing how well they function and the things people can do with these prostheses," said Dr. Michael Yaffe, a trauma surgeon at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

The hospital has performed amputations on three blast victims so far. A few other patients there may yet need them. Yaffe is a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserves, and many other doctors treating Boston blast victims also have had military training.

Besides the three at Beth Israel, five patients who have lost a total of eight limbs are at Boston Medical Center; four who each lost a leg are at Massachusetts General and one who lost one limb is at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

The military partnered with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons to train doctors throughout the United States on advances learned from the wars, said Dr. Kevin Kirk, an Army lieutenant colonel who is chief orthopedic surgeon at San Antonio Military Medical Center.

Help, too, has come from Israel, which for decades has dealt with the aftermath of Palestinian bombs, like the ones in Boston, often laden with nails, ball bearings and other metals.

"Unfortunately, we have great expertise," said Dr. Pinchas Halpern, director of emergency medicine at Tel Aviv's Sourasky Medical Center.

Halpern, who gave lectures in 2005 at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General about responding to attacks, has been in email contact with doctors in Boston this week.

Among the topics he covered in his lectures were how to coordinate ambulances to distribute the wounded to area hospitals according to their type of injury, performing more CT scans than usual to locate deep shrapnel wounds, and ways to identify and classify wounds. Dr. Paul Biddinger of Mass General's emergency department said the hospital took much of Halpern's advice.

"We improved our plans for triage, site security, reassessment and inter-specialty coordination" following Halpern's visit, Biddinger said.

Blast victims can be challenging to treat because they typically have multiple complex physical injuries that may include loss of limbs, fractures, brain damage, and vision and hearing impairment, said Dr. Paul Pasquina, chairman of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Uniformed Services University and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

"It's very important that during their acute medical and surgical care that rehabilitation is applied early on, to get them up as soon as possible" to reduce risks from being immobile, including blood clots, deconditioned muscles and other problems that will make recovery more difficult," he said.

A multidisciplinary approach that involves everyone from plastic and orthopedic surgeons to therapists is important, said Dr. James Ficke, chairman of the department of orthopedics and rehabilitation at San Antonio Military Medical Center. He also advises the U.S. Army Surgeon General on orthopedics.

"The lessons we've learned are early surgery, multiple surgeries and getting them back to skilled facilities in a fairly fast fashion," he said.

"As a doctor, one of the lessons I learned most dramatically is I don't have any preconceptions of what they can or can't do as a patient. There was a patient who lost his leg completely and had no hip joint and recently did a marathon in Austin in 4:33."

For some, that may mean a prosthetic leg. John Fergason, chief prosthetist at Center for the Intrepid, the outpatient rehab center at the San Antonio medical center.

Brooke Army Medical Center, said there have been many advances, including computerized knees that allow amputees with above-the-knee amputations to walk down steep ramps, to walk up steps and go from a walk to a run.

After every war, "you see a tremendous spike in prosthetic innovation," largely because of increased research money, said Hugh Herr, a prosthetic expert at MIT and a double-amputee himself. Federal funds let his MIT lab do basic research on a bionic foot-ankle-calf system, and he founded a company that has commercialized that device.

If Boston victims are generally healthy and motivated, and their legs are amputated below the knees, or perhaps even above the knees, "it's possible they could run the marathon a year from now," he said. "It would take a lot of effort, but it's indeed possible with today's technology."

One amputee's story is encouraging.

Dan Berschinski, 28, used to run marathons but now works with the Amputee Coalition, an advocacy and support organization based in suburban Washington, D.C. He was an infantry officer in Afghanistan when he stepped on an IED in August 2009. The blast blew off his entire right leg and most of his left leg. After treatment in the field and in Germany, he was sent to Walter Reed.

His biggest initial challenge was intense pain, treated with narcotic painkillers, and phantom leg and foot pain. Doctors used to consider phantom pain a psychological problem but now consider it real, physical pain. Treatment includes nerve blockers.

"If they hit you really hard with a combination of narcotics and nerve drugs, people have a lower incidence of phantom pain the rest of their life," Berschinski said.

Recovery and rehab took about three years, including 10 months of daily physical therapy to strengthen his arms and core ? muscle power he'd need to learn to walk on prosthetics.

The bionic legs he uses cost $60,000 a piece, are hydraulically operated and equipped with microchips and a gyroscope that sense when to relax and stiffen to help him walk. Walter Reed was involved in developing the legs, said Zach Harvey, former prosthetics chief at Walter Reed.

Berschinski used to run marathons but now can go only about half a mile. He competes in triathlons ? swimming, biking with his arms, and racing in a wheelchair, and sometimes plays wheelchair basketball.

"I'm very happy with my progress," he said.

___

Associated Press writers Malcolm Ritter in New York, Lindsey Tanner and Sharon Cohen in Chicago, and Daniel Estrin in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/war-medicine-now-helping-boston-bomb-victims-000246898--spt.html

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Homes & Gardens events in Oregon for April 20-27 | OregonLive.com

Events are free unless noted. Fees usually include materials; call to confirm. All area codes are 503 unless noted.

EVENTS

SATURDAY, APRIL 20

Native Plant Sale: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, April 20-21. The Portland Audubon sale offers more than 100 species of Oregon wildflowers, shrubs and trees for purchase to enhance your yard, woodland or stream bank. Audubon Society of Portland Sanctuary, 5151 N.W. Cornell Road;; www.audubonportland.org or 292-6855, ext. 106, or 292-9453

Bonsai Society Exhibition: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, April 20-21. Members of the Bonsai Society of Portland display dozens of bonsai. Demonstrations 10 a.m.-5 p.m. both days. Japanese Garden, 611 S.W. Kingston Ave.; free with garden admission ($6.75-$9.50); japanesegarden.com or 223-1321

Jackson Bottom Wetlands Native Plant Sale: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Common and hard-to-find native plants in a variety of sizes. Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve, 2600 S.W. Hillsboro Highway, Hillsboro; 681-6206

Leach Botanical Garden Plant Sale: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Floyd Light Middle School, 10800 S.E. Washington St.; leachgarden.org

Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, through May 5. More than 40 acres of tulips and daffodils, play area for kids, crafters' marketplace, wine tastings, steam tractors and more. See website for activity schedule and bloom update. Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm, 33814 S. Meridian Road, Woodburn; daily parking and admission $5 per bike, $10 per carload; www.woodenshoe.com or 800-711-2006

House of Dreams Cat Shelter Plant Sale: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Indoor/outdoor plants, pots, birdhouses, gardening books, tools and garden art. Benefits the House of Dreams no-kill, free-roam cat shelter. Event at 1923 S.E. 58th Ave.; 232-2655 or kittydreamspdx@gmail.com

Oregon Orchid Society Show and Sale: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, April 20-21. Thousands of exotic, showy and rare orchid plants for sale, plus demonstrations on potting and growing, and an information booth, auction and orchid-photo contest. Ambridge Event Center, 1333 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.; $6-$9 two-day admission; oregonorchidsociety.org

Southeast Portland Tool Library's Tool and Knife Sharpening Fundraiser: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Get your kitchen knives, garden tools and outdoor items professionally sharpened while you wait or browse the tool library. Proceeds benefit the tool library. St. David of Wales Episcopal Church, 2800 S.E. Harrison St.; $5-$8; www.septl.org

Spring Plant Sale: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, April 20-21. Perennials, shrubs, organically grown tomatoes, hanging baskets and more. Bush's Pasture Park, 600 Mission St. S.E., Salem; 364-3308

Cecil and Molly Smith Garden: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, through May 19. The Cecil and Molly Smith Garden, renowned for its collection of species and hybrid rhododendrons, is open on weekends during the blooming season. Cecil and Molly Smith Garden, 5065 Raybell Road, St. Paul; $3; smithgarden.org or 647-2896

MONDAY, APRIL 22

Morning Bird-song Walks: Guided walks led by Audubon/Tryon volunteers Rick and Stephanie Wagner. Weekly 7 a.m. Mondays, through May 27 (including Memorial Day). Tryon Creek State Natural Area, 11321 S.W. Terwilliger Blvd.; www.tryonfriends.org or 636-9886, ext. 225

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

Clark Public Utilities Home and Garden Idea Fair: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, April 26-28. Family-friendly activities and demonstrations featuring ideas for enhancing home, yard and garden. Highlights include vendors, activities for kids, environmental exhibits and guest presentations. Presented by Clark Public Utilities. Clark County Fairgrounds, 17402 N.E. Delfel Road, Ridgefield, Wash.; free admission, parking $6 per vehicle; www.clarkpublicutilities.com or 360-992-3238

Rite Aid's Plant Sale: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Saturday, April 26-27. Trees, potted plants, shrubs, annuals, bulbs, perennials, ground cover and garden art, plus food, arts and craft vendors and kid-friendly activities. Benefits Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, which supports Doernbecher Children's Hospital. Rite Aid Distribution Center, 29555 S.W. Boones Ferry Road, Wilsonville; 685-6069 or rhackworth@riteaid.com

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

Tualatin Valley Garden Club and Tualatin Valley Rhododendron Society Grand Plant Sale: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, April 27-28. Veggies, flowers, trees and rhododendrons. Washington County Fair Complex, 873 N.E. 34th Ave., Hillsboro; 647-9980

Washington County Master Gardener Plant Sale: 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Annuals, perennials, shrubs and natives for sale; plus a master gardener clinic. Checks or cash only. Kinton Grange, 19015 S.W. Scholls Ferry Road, Beaverton; metromastergardeners.org/washington

Aloha Garden Club Plant Sale and Garden Faire: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Perennials, trees and shrubs donated from members' gardens. Aloha-Huber Park School, 5000 S.W. 173rd Ave., Aloha

Friends of the Refuge Native Plant Sale: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Trees, shrubs, flowers and other Oregon natives for sale, plus presentation on native plants and uses (10 a.m.) and wildflower walk (11 a.m.). Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge Wildlife Center, 19255 S.W. Pacific Highway, Sherwood; 625-5944, ext. 227

Columbia County Master Gardeners Spring Garden Fair: 9 a.m. Master gardeners offer 5,000 tomatoes in more than 30 varieties ($1.50 per plant), tomato and general gardening information, raffle tickets, hourly prizes, displays and vendors selling garden-related products. St. Helens High School, 2375 Gable Road, St. Helens; www.columbiacountymastergardeners.org

Glide Wildflower Show: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, April 27-28. Presentations on medicinal plants, weeds and other garden-related topics. Displays of hundreds of native flowers as well as natural dyes, edible and medicinal plants, plus a wildflower walk/run and more. Glide Community Center, 20062 N. Umpqua Highway (Oregon 138), Glide; $3 suggested donation; www.glidewildflowershow.org

Lake Grove Garden Club Plant Sale: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Perennials, annuals, shrubs, vegetable starts and more. Wizer's Oswego Foods, 330 First St., Lake Oswego; 858-8524

Metropolitan Garden Club of Portland Plant Sale: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Includes trees, shrubs, annuals and perennials. DiPrima Dolci Italian Bakery and Cafe, 1936 N. Killingsworth St.; gardenclubpdx.org or rhoard@gmail.com

Wilsonville Garden Club Spring Plant Sale: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Features mixed annuals and fuchsia baskets, annuals and divisions from members' gardens. Proceeds go toward a $2,500 scholarship for a Clackamas Community College horticulture student. Wilsonville Public Library, 8200 S.W. Wilsonville Road, Wilsonville; Sandy Huberd, wshuberd@gmail.com

Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District Native Plant Sale: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Trees, shrubs and perennials for sale, plus a Resource Fair where people can learn about sustainable gardening techniques through activities and information booths. Tualatin Hills Nature Park, 15655 S.W. Millikan Way, Beaverton; thprd.org or 629-6350

CLASSES + DEMONSTRATIONS

SATURDAY, APRIL 20

Children's Garden Club -- Spring Vegetables: 10-11 a.m. Kids can make stamps out of carrots, potatoes and bok choy to create spring greeting cards. Then they will plant vegetable seeds to take home and transplant in the garden. Registration required at website. Portland Nursery, 9000 S.E. Division St.; www.portlandnursery.com or 788-9000
Dahlia Workshop: Learn how to harvest, divide and store your dahlias, how to root cuttings, and more. Registration required. Choose from sessions at 10 a.m., 12:30 and 3 p.m. Saturday or Sunday, April 20-21. Old House Dahlias, 8005 S.E. Mill St.; www.oldhousedahlias.com or 771-1199

Healthy Gardening: 10-11:30 a.m. A talk about and demonstration on germinating seeds, container gardens and the health benefits of growing your own herbs and vegetables. June Key Delta Community Center, 5940 N. Albina Ave.; www.freshstarthealth.org or 503 890-5393

Gardening for All -- An Introduction to Vegetable Gardening: 10:30 a.m.-noon. WSU Extension master gardeners teach techniques for when and what to plant, improving soil and organic pest management. Columbia Room, Level 1. Vancouver Community Library, 901 C St., Vancouver; 360-906-5106

Low-Maintenance Gardens: 1-2:30 p.m. The basics of xeriscaping techniques, incorporating native plants, and general design tips for developing a low-maintenance garden. Registration required at website. Portland Nursery, 9000 S.E. Division St.; www.portlandnursery.com or 788-9000

Vertical and Small-space Veggie Gardening: 2:30 p.m. Dennis' 7 Dees Garden Center, 6025 S.E. Powell Blvd.; $5; www.dennis7dees.com or 777-1421

SUNDAY, APRIL 21

Rain Gardens: Step by Step: 11 a.m.-noon. Join Erik Carr for this design and construction workshop. Learn how rain gardens keep streams clean and healthy and provide habitat for urban wildlife. Sponsored by Clackamas County Soil and Water Conservation District. Milwaukie Presbyterian Church, 2416 S.E. Lake Road, Milwaukie; Rhoda Givens, 503-210-6008 or rgivens@conservationdistrict.org

Rose Care Made Easy: 1 p.m. Learn how to choose, plant and care for the best rose for your lifestyle. Farmington Gardens, 21815 S.W. Farmington Road, Aloha; www.farmingtongardens.com or 649-4568

Tomatoes Tomatoes Tomatoes: 1 p.m. Covers planting times, requirements, fertilizing, watering systems and more. Registration required at website. Portland Nursery, 5050 S.E. Stark St.; www.portlandnursery.com or 231-5050

Vegetables in Containers: 1 p.m. Rose Marie Nichols McGee on how to maximize your harvest in smaller spaces. Joy Creek Nursery, 20300 N.W. Watson Road, Scappoose; www.joycreek.com or 543-7474

Rain Garden 101: 2-6 p.m. Learn how to assess your site to determine the best location and size and other considerations for growing a rain garden. Offered through East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District. Registration required at the website. Hollywood Senior Center, 1820 N.E. 40th Ave.; emswcd.org or 222-7645

TUESDAY, APRIL 23

Square Foot Gardening: 9:30-10:30 a.m. Jerry Knott on growing vegetables in limited space by maximizing plant density and limiting the need for thinning, watering and weeding; plus tips for bed construction and soil maintenance. Demonstration Garden at Washington County Fair Complex, 882 N.E. 28th Ave., Hillsboro; metromastergardeners.org/washington

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

Portland Chrysanthemum Society: 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Chrysanthemum cuttings; demonstration and instruction. Portland Nursery, 9000 S.E. Division St.; tamara@mums.org or 3blileys@comcast.net

Rain Garden 101: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Learn how to assess your site, determine soil suitability and other aspects of creating a rain garden. Registration required at the website. Pilgrim Lutheran Church, 4244 S.E. 91st Ave.; emswcd.org or 222-7645

Heritage Canvas Family Tree Wreath: 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Create a rustic 14-inch heritage-style wreath using canvas, burlap and family photos. Bring black-and-white copies of photos, sharp scissors, names for wired leaves and copies of your family crest (if desired). Registration required. The Wade Creek House, 664 Wade St., Estacada; $28; http://thewadecreekhouse.blogspot.com or 630-7556

Twisted Twig Rustic Birdbath: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Use branches, twigs and a reclaimed bath container to create the birdbath stand. Bring gloves, hammer, cordless drill, pruners, pruning saw, loppers and pliers. Registration required. The Wade Creek House, 664 Wade St., Estacada; $25; http://thewadecreekhouse.blogspot.com or 630-7556

Growing Heat-loving Edibles in Cool Climates: 1-2:30 p.m. Learn how to work with our cooler climate and increase the yield of heat-loving edibles. Registration required at website. Portland Nursery, 9000 S.E. Division St.; www.portlandnursery.com or 788-9000

Click for public gardens.

Calendar items run on a space-available basis. Please submit notices at least one month before the event to Homes & Gardens Listings Desk, The Oregonian, 1320 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201; or by email (send as a plain text file, with Homes & Gardens in the subject line) to listings@oregonian.com. Except for cancellations and corrections, notices cannot be accepted by phone.

Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/hg/index.ssf/2013/04/homes_gardens_events_in_oregon_36.html

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Cops: Men toss dead groundhog, grouse into Pa. bar

BROOKVILLE, Pa. (AP) ? Police in one western Pennsylvania town are investigating a case of bar kill: a groundhog and a grouse, both dead, tossed into a tavern by unsatisfied customers.

The (Dubois) Courier-Express reports that the animals were tossed into Bill's Bar hours apart Sunday in Brookville, about 70 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

Brookville police Chief Ken Dworek tells The Associated Press that the suspects are an underage man who was refused service at the bar and another who was turned away because of "an alcohol problem."

The chief says such use of animals is a fairly common problem in Brookville. He says, for example, "a guy will get in an argument and put a dead squirrel on his girlfriend's doorknob, that kind of thing."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cops-men-toss-dead-groundhog-grouse-pa-bar-151312577.html

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Italian govt speeds state payments to vendors

MILAN (AP) ? The Italian government has approved a decree to pay 40 billion euros ($52 billion) owed by government entities to private businesses over the next 12 months to help relaunch Italy's stagnant economy.

Premier Mario Monti acknowledged Saturday after his caretaker government adopted the decree that overdue payments had become "a bad habit" that put a heavy burden on business owners.

State entities on an average pay their bills six months after services are rendered and some 90 days after the official due date, which Monti said put Italy behind Spain, Portugal and Greece.

Delayed government payments are a major factor behind liquidity shortages faced by many small and medium-sized Italian companies. Reduced turnover in the recession means many businesses, in turn, are having trouble keeping up with even small debts.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/italian-govt-speeds-state-payments-vendors-160007775--finance.html

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First trial to investigate magic mushrooms as a treatment for depression delayed by UK and EU regulations

Apr. 5, 2013 ? The world's first clinical trial to explore the use of the hallucinogenic ingredient in magic mushrooms to treat depression is being delayed due to the UK and EU rules on the use of illegal drugs in research.

Professor David Nutt, president of the British Neuroscience Association and Professor of Neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London (UK), will tell the BNA's Festival of Neuroscience today (Sunday) that although the UK's Medical Research Council has awarded a grant for the trial, the Government's regulations controlling the licensing of illegal drugs in research and the EU's guidelines on Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) have stalled the start of the trial, which was expected to start this year. He is calling for a change to the regulations.

He will tell the meeting at the Barbican in London, that his research has shown that psilocybin, the psychedelic ingredient in magic mushrooms, has the potential to alleviate severe forms of depression in people who have failed to respond fully to other anti-depressant treatments. However, psilocybin is illegal in the UK; the United Nations 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances classifies it as a Schedule 1 drug, one that has a high potential for abuse with no recognised medical use, and the UK has classified it as a Class A drug, the classification used for the most dangerous drugs. This means that a special licence has to be obtained to use magic mushrooms in research in the UK, and the manufacture of a synthetic form of psilocybin for use in patients is tightly controlled by EU regulations.

Prof Nutt will say: "The law for the control of drugs like psilocybin as a Schedule 1 Class A drug makes it almost impossible to use them for research and the reason we haven't started the study is because finding companies who could manufacture the drug and who are prepared to go through the regulatory hoops to get the licence, which can take up to a year and triple the price, is proving very difficult. The whole situation is bedevilled by this primitive, old-fashioned attitude that Schedule 1 drugs could never have therapeutic potential, and so they have to be made impossible to access."

"The knock-on effect is this profound impairment of research. We are the first people ever to have done a psilocybin study in the UK, but we are still hunting for a company that can manufacture the drug to GMP standards for the clinical trial, even though we've been trying for a year to find one. We live in a world of insanity in terms of regulating drugs at present. The whole field is so bogged down by these intransient regulations, so that even if you have a good idea, you may never get it into the clinic."

He will say that the regulations need to be changed. "Even if I do this study and I show it's a really useful treatment for some people with depression, there's only four hospitals in this country that have a licence to hold this drug, so you couldn't roll out the treatment if it worked because the regulations would make it difficult to use," he said.

Prof Nutt and his team at Imperial College London (UK) have shown that when healthy volunteers are injected with psilocybin, the drug switched off a front part of the brain called the anterior cingulate cortex, which is known from previous imaging studies to be over-active in depression. "We found that, even in normal people, the more that part of the brain was switched off under the influence of the drug, the better they felt two weeks later. So there was a relationship between that transient switching off of the brain circuit and their subsequent mood," he will explain. "This is the basis on which we want to run the trial, because this is what you want to do in depression: you want to switch off that over-active part of the brain.

"The other thing we discovered is that the major site of action of the magic mushrooms is to turn down a circuit in the brain called the 'default mode network', which the anterior cingulate cortex is part of. The default mode network is a part of the brain between the front and back. It is active when you are thinking about you; it coordinates the thinking and emotional aspects of you."

The researchers discovered that the 'default mode network' had the highest density of 5HT2A receptors in the brain. These are known to be involved in depression and are the targets for a number of existing anti-depressive drugs that aim to improve levels of serotonin -- the neurotransmitter [1] that gives people a sense of well-being and happiness. Psilocybin also acts on these receptors.

"We have found that people with depression have over-active default mode networks, and they are continually locked into a mode of thinking about themselves. So they ruminate on themselves, on their incompetencies, on their badness, that they're worthless, that they've failed; these things are not true, and sometimes they reach delusional levels. This negative rumination may be due to a lack of serotonin and what psilocybin is doing is going in and rapidly replacing the missing serotonin, switching them back into a mind state where they are less ruminating and less depressed," Prof Nutt will say.

The proposed trial will be for patients with depression who have failed two previous treatments for the condition. Thirty patients will be given a synthetic form of psilocybin and 30 patients will be given a placebo. The drug (or placebo) will be given during two, possibly three, carefully controlled and prepared 30-60 minute sessions. The first session will be a low dose to check there are no adverse responses, the second session will give a higher, therapeutic dose, and then patients can have a third, booster dose in a later session if it's considered necessary. While they are under the influence of the drug, the patients will have guided talking therapy to enable them to explore their negative thinking and issues that are troubling them. The doctors will follow up the patients for at least a year.

"What we are trying to do is to tap into the reservoir of under-researched 'illegal' drugs to see if we can find new and beneficial uses for them in people whose lives are often severely affected by illnesses such as depression. The current legislation is stopping the benefits of these drugs being explored and for the last 40 years we have missed really interesting opportunities to help patients."

Ethical approval for the trial was granted in March and Prof Nutt says he hopes to be able to start the trial within the next six months -- so long as he can find a manufacturer for the drug.

[1] Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transmit signals from neurons (nerve cells) to target cells.

[2] Funding: The Beckley Foundation has funded part of Prof Nutt's research, and the Medical Research Council has agreed a grant for the proposed clinical trial.

Abstract title: "Can we use psychedelic drugs to treat depressions?" Symposium: "Treating depression with antidepressants: where are we now and where are we going?"

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by British Neuroscience Association, via AlphaGalileo.

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

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

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/mind_brain/mental_health/~3/pA07KX3YSxA/130407090832.htm

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World powers expect Iran to be ready for progress at next nuclear talks

World powers say that Iran has signaled it is ready to 'engage seriously' on a proposal to limit its nuclear development at P5+1 talks that begin tomorrow in Kazakhstan.?

By Scott Peterson,?Staff writer / April 4, 2013

In this photo released by official website of the Iranian supreme leader's office on March 21, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves to a crowd in northeastern Iran on the first day of the new Persian calendar year.

Office of the Supreme Leader/AP

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Iran nuclear talks resume tomorrow in Kazakhstan, with six world powers expecting Iran to ?engage seriously? over a February proposal to curb its nuclear work, according to a senior US official.?

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?There has been a very positive line out of Tehran on the talks so far,? said the US official, speaking on condition of anonymity. ?We hope that that positive talk will now be matched with some concrete responses and actions on the Iranian side.??

"The onus is really on Iran to respond to the proposal and tell us where they stand," the American official said.?

The two-day talks in the Kazakh city of Almaty will build on a proposal put down by six world powers in late February, also in Almaty. The proposal calls on Iran to strictly limit its most sensitive nuclear work ? uranium enrichment to 20 percent, which is technically not?too far?from bomb-grade ? in exchange for partial relief from crippling sanctions.??

Iran?s chief negotiator hailed that proposal as a potential ?turning point? because it requires both sides to take steps. But after 13.5 hours of subsequent technical talks in Istanbul on March 18, an Iranian source said the offer had ?no balance? because Iran, from its perspective, was required to give up more than it got in return.

The US official said the six nations of the P5+1 group (the US, Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany) negotiating with Iran ?are in complete agreement that this is a balanced and fair and proportionate step-by-step proposal that asks appropriate things of Iran and offers a proportionate response.??

About Iran?s reaction, the US official said: ?I?m not entirely surprised that Iran?s first response would be to say we want more for doing less.? If Iran ?does not take concrete steps to address the concerns of the international community,? the US official added, then sanctions ?pressure only will increase.?

Nuts and bolts

The P5+1 proposal describes the ?voluntary measures? to be taken by both sides in a six-month timeframe ?with renewal by mutual consent,? according to a version of the proposal seen by The Christian Science Monitor.

Although this version could not be independently verified ? these talks are not public ? its details closely match broader descriptions from anonymous American, European, and Iranian sources in recent weeks.??

The current proposal calls on Iran to suspend all enrichment above the 5 percent needed to fuel power reactors; to convert its existing 20 percent enriched uranium into fuel for a research reactor, and export or dilute the rest; and to put its deeply buried Fordow enrichment facility in a ?reduced readiness status without dismantlement.?

The proposal lists a number of specific technical steps to be taken at Fordow, including piping and cable disconnections, vacuum adjustments, and removal of ?feed and withdrawal systems? that have until now enabled Iran?s centrifuges there to spin uranium to 20 percent purity.

Iran would also have to?accept ?enhanced? monitoring of its nuclear facilities, including cameras at Fordow to provide ?continuous surveillance with live stream transmission? to the Vienna headquarters of inspectors of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

In exchange, and ?after IAEA confirmation that Iran has implemented all these measures,? the US and European Union would suspend sanctions on gold and precious metals, and the export of petrochemicals.?

The P5+1 would also offer civilian nuclear cooperation, including providing fuel for an aging research reactor in Tehran ? which requires 20 percent enriched uranium for fuel ??as well as IAEA technical help with acquiring a modern research reactor, safety assistance, and supplying of isotopes for nuclear medicine.

The US would further ?license safety-related inspection and repair in Iran for Iranian commercial aircraft? bought years ago from American plane-makers.?

P5+1 diplomats have said this ?confidence building measure? is a first step, and this version of the proposal states that ?additional significant steps? taken by Iran will yield ?corresponding steps? from the P5+1. ?In return for further significant action? from Iran, it states, the US and EU would be ?prepared to take comparable action, including proportionate relief of oil sanctions.?

Backed into a corner?

Even as talks have resumed ? the Almaty I session in February broke an eight-month diplomatic dry spell ??all sides have continued rhetoric that grates against the other.

Iran?s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, for example, has several times in recent weeks listed past grievances against the US, and?accused Washington of wanting these talks in order to?show Iran?s ?weakness.? He has ruled out direct US-Iran talks for now.?

Likewise, the US and Israel continue to state that ?all options are on the table? ??meaning military ones as well ? in their bid to discourage any Iranian rush for a nuclear weapon. Iran publicly rejects nuclear weapons, but has yet to resolve questions with the IAEA about possible past weapons-related work.

A nuclear deal is possible and its contours well known, says Seyed Hossein Mousavian, who was a member of Iran?s nuclear negotiating team a decade ago and is now at Princeton. ?But America should try to [help save] the face of the Iranians, rather than push them into a corner," he adds.

Both sides should define their most important needs and what they can expect at the end of the diplomatic process, says Mousavian. He suggests a two-for-two formula, in which the P5+1 would present two lists: one with every single transparency measure they want Iran to take and a second detailing every measure and guarantee required for Iran to limit enrichment to 5 percent and prevent a ?break out? to a nuclear bomb.

Iran?s two lists would focus on its two priorities: Recognition of its ?right? to enrich uranium, and the lifting of nuclear-related sanctions that have choked its economy. Mutual agreement on such lists, says Mousavian, ?will help both of you know the end state.?

Ready for progress

Some of those conclusions are echoed by the ?Iran Task Force? of the Washington-based Atlantic Council, which reports today, after a two-year examination of Iran issues, that the US ?should prepare a roadmap, to be used in negotiations, for gradually removing sanctions as concrete agreements are reached. Iran needs to see off-ramps and an endgame.??

The Atlantic Council report says a US military option is a ?last resort,? but that the Obama administration ?must ensure that this threat remains credible, as it may ultimately be the only course that deters Iran from deciding to build nuclear weapons.?

The report also prominently calls for ?new measures to augment people-to-people ties, support Iran?s democratic evolution, and facilitate trade in food, medicine, and medical supplies? as a ?potent goodwill gesture.??

Those recommendations are among the ?most important,? says Barbara Slavin, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council who drafted the report.

?The US-Iran dispute has been going on for decades and is not about to end anytime soon. But someday, the US and Iran will have diplomatic relations again and we need to prepare the ground for that now,? says Ms. Slavin.?

A first step may be what happens at Almaty II, though diplomats don?t yet know what to expect from Iran, says the senior US official.

?The only thing we?ve heard is ? from the public rhetoric, which has been repeated in private conversations people have had with the Iranians ? those who do have communications with them ? and that is that they?re going to come in a positive frame of mind ready to continue to make progress,? says the US official. ?But whether that is going to be meaningful, we have no idea.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/ICmOcB2IaOU/World-powers-expect-Iran-to-be-ready-for-progress-at-next-nuclear-talks

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How to Permanently Solve Bad Reception with a Cell Phone Signal ...

Jill Wills

A recent survey by the Pew Internet and American Life project found that 72% of Americans experience some form of dropped calls, and 32% experience dropped calls at least a few times per week or more. Like it or not, dropped calls are still a major problem for a large number of people, and while the carriers are continuing to add towers and expand coverage areas, this is not a problem that's going to go away soon. So what is there to do?

After years of research into this problem, the FCC formally approved the use of cell phone signal boosters to extend the range of cell networks into areas that receive poor service, including homes, offices, commercial buildings and more. We'll take a closer look at what cell phone signal boosters are and give some guidance on how to choose the right system to permanently solve your reception problems.

Causes of Poor Cell Phone Signal

When it comes to poor cell phone signal, there are two main contributing factors: distance from the closest cell tower and obstructions causing interference.

Distance from the Closest Cell Tower

Carriers provide cell coverage through a network of strategically placed cellular towers. Ideally, whenever you're within this network, your mobile device will automatically connect with the closest tower, and as you move, will continue hopping to the next closest tower. Unfortunately, as you get towards the edge of your carrier's coverage area, there won't be new towers to hop to, and your mobile device will start to experience degraded signal the further it is from the nearest tower. You'll reach a point where your mobile device is too far from the tower to maintain a consistent connection, and you'll experience dropped calls.

Obstructions Causing Interference

While cell signal passes through the air with minimal trouble, every object it meets between the tower and your mobile device causes some degree of interference. Geographical elements, such as hills, mountains, and trees can cause major signal issues, as well as building materials, like metal siding, concrete, and wire mesh. Additionally, the increased use of energy efficient products, such as radiant barriers and window tinting, have contributed to the degree of cell phone reception problems in new homes.

While either one of these factors are enough to cause dropped calls and poor reception, the combination of the two all but guarantees problems. Next we'll look at how a cell phone signal booster is designed to deal with both of these factors.

What is a Cell Phone Signal Booster?

Cell phone signal boosters (also known as cell phone repeaters) were developed to address the two factors that cause poor cell phone reception. They're designed to amplify a weak outside signal and bypass any obstructions to provide a strong inside signal to an area that was originally lacking.

The system works by mounting an outside antenna in a location that currently has signal, which is typically on the roof. The signal is passed from the outside antenna, by a cable to a signal amplifier inside the building. Once the signal is amplified, it is then sent to an inside antenna, where it is broadcast out to the area which needs better reception. The system also works in reverse, with the signal from your phone being amplified and broadcast back to the tower, ensuring strong, two-way communication.

How to Choose a Signal Booster

In order to select the correct cell phone signal booster for your situation, you need to know the following three pieces of information: The carriers & networks that you need to support, the existing outside signal strength of those carriers, and the size of the area that needs to be covered in boosted signal. Let's review those in more depth:

Carriers & Networks to Support

Cell phone signal boosters only amplify specific frequencies of radio waves, which pertain to specific carriers (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, etc.) and networks on those carriers (2G, 3G, or 4G LTE). The first thing you need to know is which carrier(s) you need to support, as well as which networks on those carriers, as that determines which signal amplifiers you'll be able to use and which type of outside antenna you'll need.

Most North American carriers (except for T-Mobile and Nextel) use the same frequencies for 2G and 3G networks (which handle voice calls and 3G data), so the same signal amplifier can be used to amplify all of those carriers at the same time. The 4G LTE networks (which currently only handle fast data, no voice) on each carrier use different frequencies, so if you want to boost 4G LTE, then you'll need an amplifier that is specifically designed for that carrier's 4G LTE network.

In addition, if you need to support multiple carriers, then you'll want to use an omnidirectional (omni) outside antenna, which can send and receive from all directions at once. If you only need to support one carrier, then you can use a stronger yagi directional antenna, which you can aim at the closest cell tower and receive more boosting power than you would receive from an omni antenna.

Outside Signal Strength

The outside signal strength of the carriers you need to support determines how strong of an amplifier you need to provide adequate coverage for the area you need covered. The weaker the outside signal is, the stronger the cell phone signal booster needs to be in order to boost the signal and provide adequate coverage.

Area that Needs Coverage

The last piece of information that will determine which type of signal booster you need is the size of the area that needs to be covered in boosted signal, as well as the layout of the area. The combination of outside signal strength and the size of the area to be covered will determine how strong of an amplifier you'll need.

In addition, the layout of the area to be covered will determine which type of inside antenna you'll need. If the entire coverage area is located on one floor, then a dome antenna will be the best choice for distributing the boosted signal, but if the coverage area is over multiple floors, then you'll want to go with a panel antenna, which is more directional and can be used to ensure signal is distributed across the required area.

Signal Boosters for Vehicles and Individual Use

Until this point, we've been discussing cell phone signal boosters for buildings, but there are also vehicle signal boosters for cars, trucks, RVs and even boats. While the principles are the same, the outside signal strength and coverage area come less into play, as those are constantly changing as the vehicle moves. Rather, the choice really depends on which carriers and networks you need to support.

Finally, there is a style of signal booster called a cradle, which is meant for one device at a time, and the device must be sitting the cradle the entire time it's in use. It's the most mobile of the signal booster options, as the system consists of only the cradle and a magnetic mount outside antenna, and is also the most affordable, but is less convenient when talking on the phone, as you need to use a Bluetooth headset or speakerphone while in use.

FCC Approval

After years of working with both cell phone signal booster manufacturers and cellular carriers in the United States, the FCC announced in February the formal approval for the use of cell phone signal boosters by consumers in the U.S. In addition to this approval, the FCC also instituted checks to ensure that signal boosting equipment will not interfere with carrier networks, which include the registration of a cell phone signal booster with the carrier that it will be used with, as well as the certification of new signal boosters against a stringent set of standards, to ensure that only safe equipment is being sold to the public. These checks are anticipated to go into effect in the fall of 2013. Overall, both manufacturers and carriers regard this as a great step forward to helping consumers receive better service in their homes, offices, and vehicles.

Understanding the basics of how a cell phone signal booster works and what you need to think about when purchasing one is a huge first step in determining the right system for you. Every situation is different, from the local geography to the construction of the house or building, so if you have the opportunity, consult with a signal booster expert as to what system is best for you.

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Jill Wills is head of community & customer support at UberSignal, an industry leader in the design and supply of cell phone signal booster solutions. She loves helping people solve their reception problems, and is a regular contributor to the UberSignal blog.

Want to see your work on Lifehacker? Email Tessa.

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5993365/how-to-permanently-solve-bad-reception-with-a-cell-phone-signal-booster

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Macklemore, 'Pitch Perfect' Cast To Perform At MTV Movie Awards!

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2013 wintertime Arctic sea ice maximum fifth lowest on record

Apr. 3, 2013 ? Last September, at the end of the northern hemisphere summer, the Arctic Ocean's icy cover shrank to its lowest extent on record, continuing a long-term trend and diminishing to about half the size of the average summertime extent from 1979 to 2000.

During the cold and dark of Arctic winter, sea ice refreezes and achieves its maximum extent, usually in late February or early March. According to a NASA analysis, this year the annual maximum extent was reached on Feb. 28 and it was the fifth lowest sea ice winter extent in the past 35 years.

The new maximum -- 5.82 million square miles (15.09 million square kilometers) -- is in line with a continuing trend in declining winter Arctic sea ice extent: nine of the ten smallest recorded maximums have occurred during the last decade. The 2013 winter extent is 144,402 square miles (374,000 square kilometers) below the average annual maximum extent for the last three decades.

"The Arctic region is in darkness during winter and the predominant type of radiation is long-wave or infrared, which is associated with greenhouse warming," said Joey Comiso, senior scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., and a principal investigator of NASA's Cryospheric Sciences Program. "A decline in the sea ice cover in winter is thus a manifestation of the effect of the increasing greenhouse gases on sea ice."

Satellite data retrieved since the late 1970s show that sea ice extent, which includes all areas of the Arctic Ocean where ice covers at least 15 percent of the ocean surface, is diminishing. This decline is occurring at a much faster pace in the summer than in the winter; in fact, some models predict that the Arctic Ocean could be ice-free in the summer in just a few decades.

The behavior of the winter sea ice maximum is not necessarily predictive of the following melt season. The record shows there are times when an unusually large maximum is followed by an unusually low minimum, and vice versa.

"You would think the two should be related, because if you have extensive maximum, that means you had an unusually cold winter and that the ice would have grown thicker than normal. And you would expect thicker ice to be more difficult to melt in the summer," Comiso said. "But it isn't as simple as that. You can have a lot of other forces that affect the ice cover in the summer, like the strong storm we got in August last year, which split a huge segment of ice that then got transported south to warmer waters, where it melted."

The NASA Goddard sea ice record is one of several analyses, along with those produced by the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) in Boulder, Colo. The two institutions use slightly different methods in their sea ice tally, but overall, their trends show close agreement. NSIDC announced that Arctic sea ice reached its winter maximum on Mar. 15, at an extent of 5.84 million square miles (15.13 million square kilometers) -- a difference of less than half a percent compared to the NASA maximum extent.

Another measurement that allows researchers to analyze the evolution of the sea ice maximum is sea ice "area." The measurement of area, as opposed to extent, discards regions of open water among ice floes and only tallies the parts of the Arctic Ocean that are completely covered by ice. The winter maximum area for 2013 was 5.53 million square miles (14.3 million square kilometers), also the fifth lowest since 1979.

While the extent of winter sea ice has trended downward at a less drastic rate than summer sea ice, the fraction of the sea ice cover that has survived at least two melt seasons remains much smaller than at the beginning of the satellite era. This older, thicker "multi-year ice" -- which buttresses the ice cap against more severe melting in the summer -- grew slightly this past winter and now covers 1.03 million square miles (2.67 million square kilometers), or about 39,000 square miles more than last winter. But its extent is still less than half of what it was in the early 1980s.

"I think the multi-year ice cover will continue to decline in the upcoming years," Comiso said. "There's a little bit of oscillation, so there still might be a small gain in some years, but it continues to go down and before you know it we'll lose the multi-year ice altogether."

This winter, the negative phase of the Arctic Oscillation kept temperatures warmer than average in the northernmost latitudes. A series of storms in February and early March opened large cracks in the ice covering the Beaufort Sea along the northern coasts of Alaska and Canada, in an area of thin seasonal ice. The large cracks quickly froze over, but these new layers of thin ice might melt again now that the sun has re-appeared in the Arctic, which could split the ice pack into smaller ice floes.

"If you put a large chunk of ice in a glass of water, it is going to melt slowly, but if you break up the ice into small pieces, it will melt faster," said Nathan Kurtz, a sea ice scientist at NASA Goddard. "If the ice pack breaks up like that and the melt season begins with smaller-sized floes, that could impact melt."

In the upcoming weeks, Kurtz will analyze data collected over the Beaufort Sea by NASA's Operation IceBridge, an airborne mission that is currently surveying Arctic sea ice and the Greenland ice sheet, to see if the sea ice in the cracked area was abnormally thin.

The sea ice maximum extent analysis produced at NASA Goddard is compiled from passive microwave data from NASA's Nimbus-7 satellite and the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Meteorological Satellite Program. The record, which began in November 1978, shows an overall downward trend of 2.1 percent per decade in the size of the maximum winter extent, a decline that accelerated after 2004.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/GbvpvYgiv1Y/130403141444.htm

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