Friday, 19 July 2013

You Should Comparison Shop For Your Car Insurance

Auto insurance is large part of being a responsible vehicle owner. However, auto insurance policies seem to be written in the most confusing terms possible. This article can help you to better understand what all of those terms mean. By understanding the terms of the auto insurance world, you will be a more informed consumer.Do your homework before you make a decision. Every company uses its own formula, based on your driving record and your responses, to evaluate your insurance premium. If you compare the rates of competing insurance companies, you will find the best offer and save considerable money.

It is commonly believed that car insurance rates will always drop when a driver turns 25 years old. The truth is that they start to decrease once they reach 18 as long the driver is responsible and drives safely.Before you purchase a vehicle, look into how much it will cost to insure the car. Your insurance agent can inform you which new cars have the lowest insurance rates. You can make a better decision in buying a new or used car based off this information. A higher safety rating means lower insurance policies.

To keep your insurance rates low, pay on time and never allow your auto insurance coverage to lapse. Creating gaps in your insurance coverage can often be the result of switching carriers or policies. Insurance companies do not like gaps in coverage, and they will raise your rates if they find out.Take the time to identify what you need your auto insurance policy to cover. While auto insurance policies offer a lot of different coverage types, not every one is necessary for your situation. If you tend to have accidents, you would be wise to pay for collision coverage.

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When purchasing car insurance, get quotes from multiple carriers. Rates can vary drastically in the car insurance world. You should look around for a new quote about once per year. Just be careful to make sure that the quotes are offering the same levels of insurance when reviewing.

Because car insurance rates change depending on where you live, you might want to consider where you are planning to move. The accident and theft rate of an area generally determine the insurance rates. Usually suburbs and rural areas will have lower rates the big cities.

If you can pay your annual car insurance premium all at once, do so instead of paying monthly. Insurance agents add three to five dollars to monthly bills. The extra money you spend could easily add up. It can also become a hassle on top of all your other monthly bills. If you have less payments you will be better off.

You will want to remove any driver from your auto insurance policy who no longer drives your vehicle. Removing extraneous drivers from your insurance policy could drop your insurance policy rates.

It is important to understand what the different auto insurance policies cover, in order to determine how much insurance you should need. Make sure you keep enough liability coverage to secure all of your assets. To drive this point home, suppose you have $200,000 in assets, but only $50,000 in liability coverage. If you are driving one night and smash into someone, causing $150,000 in medical costs, you could be sued for the remaining $100,000 in medical fees, and that could cost you your assets. A good insurance policy, with appropriate levels of coverage, will more then pay for itself in the event of an accident.

Car insurance can save your life in the event of an accident. If you are going through a difficult time period, you can rest assured, because if you have good insurance you will be okay. Use this article to get the information you need about coverage.

Source: http://qualityprocanadian.net/2013/07/18/you-should-comparison-shop-for-your-car-insurance/

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Tuesday, 16 July 2013

This Quadcopter Video of Niagara Is Way Better Than a Tightrope

It's crazy hot out there this week, but this gorgeous video shot from a remote-control helicopter hovering over Niagara Falls lets you (nearly) feel the cool, refreshing spray on your sweaty overheated face.

Read more...

Source: http://gizmodo.com/this-quadcopter-video-of-niagara-is-way-better-than-a-t-802491102

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POSCO may quit steel mill project in India's Karnataka: source

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Source: hk.ibtimes.com --- Monday, July 15, 2013
South Korea's POSCO <005490.KS> is considering pulling out of a $5.3 billion steel mill project in India's Karnataka state because of opposition from residents and political instability, a source told Reuters on Tuesday. ...

Source: http://hk.ibtimes.com/articles/20130716/posco-may-quit-steel-mill-project-in-indias-karnataka-source.htm

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NASA aborts spacewalk after water leak in astronaut's helmet

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida | Tue Jul 16, 2013 10:38am EDT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - A spacewalk to work on the International Space Station abruptly ended on Tuesday when water started building up inside an astronaut's helmet, NASA officials said.

U.S. astronaut Chris Cassidy and Italy's Luca Parmitano were less than an hour into a planned six-hour outing when Parmitano reported water inside his helmet.

"My head is really wet and I have a feeling it's increasing," Parmitano radioed to flight controllers in Houston.

The cause of the leak was not immediately clear.

Parmitano headed back into the station's airlock, while Cassidy hastily cleaned up equipment and prepared to join him. Parmitano remained inside the airlock still in his spacesuit, with the situation apparently worsening.

"It's a lot of water. It's saturated and in his eyes and mouth," Cassidy, relaying a message from Parmitano, told Mission Control in Houston.

Staying calm, Cassidy, a former Navy SEAL, quickly ran through check lists and packed up equipment.

"I don't want to make a mistake and make it worse," he radioed to flight controllers.

Back inside the airlock, Cassidy kept a close eye on his partner while the chamber was re-pressurized. Parmitano could no longer use his spacesuit's communications system.

"He looks miserable, but OK," Cassidy said.

(Reporting by Irene Klotz; Editing by Kevin Gray, Doina Chiacu)

Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/scienceNews/~3/8G5-3ywIitg/story01.htm

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ZTE Geek U988S outed as world's first Tegra 4 phone, headed to China Mobile

ZTE U988S outed as the world's first Tegra 4 phone,

China's TENAA certification database is notorious for leaking mobile devices, but this time ZTE's learned that if you can't beat it, then just play along with it. After this U988S was leaked by TENAA recently, ZTE decided to share some product shots on a forum and Sina Weibo ahead of time. What's more, the company confirmed that this red device is actually the China Mobile version of the Geek, but the Intel chip has been replaced by NVIDIA's upcoming Tegra 4. As teased before, this will likely make the new Geek the world's first phone to pack this quad-core chip, which will be clocked at 1.8GHz and will have 2GB of RAM, according to the TENAA filing.

Other changes include a 5-inch LCD upgrade from 1,280 x 720 to 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, plus the front-facing camera is now at two megapixels instead of just one. On the other hand, the old 8-megapixel main camera is here to stay. Sadly, this particular device will only work on China Mobile's TD-SCDMA network, meaning the rest of the world will have to stay tuned for a global version. Let's hope it doesn't take too long.

Filed under: ,

Comments

Via: Engadget China

Source: Sina Weibo, TENAA, ZTE Fans

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/3L9vGKexp9E/

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Robots to revolutionize farming, ease labor woes

SALINAS, Calif. (AP) ? On a windy morning in California's Salinas Valley, a tractor pulled a wheeled, refrigerator-sized contraption over rows of budding iceberg lettuce plants. Engineers from Silicon Valley tinkered with the software on a laptop to ensure the machine was eliminating the right leafy buds.

Hired by a Salinas-based agricultural produce company, the engineers were testing the Lettuce Bot, a machine that can "thin" a field of lettuce in the time it takes about 20 workers to do the job by hand.

The thinner is part of a new generation of machines that target the last frontier of agricultural mechanization ? fruits and vegetables destined for the fresh market, not processing, which have thus far resisted mechanization because they're sensitive to bruising.

Researchers are now designing robots for these most delicate crops by integrating advanced sensors, powerful computing, electronics, computer vision, robotic hardware and algorithms, as well as networking and high precision GPS localization technologies. Most ag robots won't be commercially available for at least a few years.

In this region known as America's Salad Bowl, where for a century fruits and vegetables have been planted, thinned and harvested by an army of migrant workers, the machines could prove revolutionary.

Though they cost millions of dollars, farmers say, the robots are worth the investment: They could provide relief from recent labor shortages, lessen the unknowns of immigration reform, even reduce costs, increase quality and yield a more consistent product.

"There aren't enough workers to take the available jobs, so the robots can come and alleviate some of that problem," said Ron Yokota, a farming operations manager at Tanimura & Antle, the fresh produce company that hired the Lettuce Bot.

Many sectors in U.S. agriculture have relied on machines for decades and even the harvesting of fruits and vegetables meant for processing has slowly been mechanized. But nationwide, the vast majority of fresh-market fruit is still harvested by hand.

Research into fresh produce mechanization was dormant for years because of an over-abundance of workers and pressures from farmworker labor unions.

In recent years, as the labor supply has tightened and competition from abroad has increased, growers have sought out machines to reduce labor costs and supplement the nation's unstable agricultural workforce. The federal government, venture capital companies and commodity boards have stepped up with funding.

"We need to increase our efficiency, but nobody wants to work in the fields," said Stavros G. Vougioukas, professor of biological and agricultural engineering at the University of California, Davis.

But farmworker advocates say mechanization would lead to workers losing jobs, growers using more pesticides and the food supply becoming less safe.

"The fundamental question for consumers is who and, now, what do you want picking your food; a machine or a human, who with the proper training and support, can" ... take significant steps to ensure a safer, higher quality product, said Erik Nicholson, national vice president of the United Farm Workers of America.

On the Salinas Valley farm, entrepreneurs with Mountain View-based startup Blue River Technology are trying to show that the Lettuce Bot would not only replace two dozen workers, but also improve production.

"Using Lettuce Bot can produce more lettuce plants than doing it any other way," said Jorge Heraud, the company's co-founder and CEO.

After a lettuce field is planted, growers typically hire a crew of farmworkers who use hoes to remove excess plants to give space for others to grow into full lettuce heads. The Lettuce Bot uses video cameras and visual-recognition software to identify which lettuce plants to eliminate with a squirt of concentrated fertilizer that kills the unwanted buds while enriching the soil.

The company, which raised $3 million from a major Silicon Valley venture capital firm for the Lettuce Bot, also plans to develop machines to automate weeding ? and eventually harvesting ? using many of the same technologies.

Another company, San Diego-based Vision Robotics, is developing a similar lettuce thinner as well as a pruner for wine grapes. The pruner uses robotic arms and cameras to photograph and create a computerized model of the vines, figure out the canes' orientation and the location of buds ? all to decide which canes to cut down.

Fresh fruit harvesting remains the biggest challenge.

Machines have proved not only clumsy, but inadequate in selecting ripe produce. In addition to blunders in deciphering color and feel, machines have a hard time distinguishing produce from leaves and branches. And most importantly, matching the dexterity and speed of farmworkers has proved elusive.

"The hand-eye coordination workers have is really amazing, and they can pick incredibly fast. To replicate that in a machine, at the speed humans do and in an economical manner, we're still pretty far away," said Daniel L. Schmoldt at the U.S. Agriculture Department's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

In southern California, engineers with the Spanish company Agrobot are taking on the challenge by working with local growers to test a strawberry harvester.

The machine is equipped with 24 arms whose movement is directed through an optical sensor; it allows the robot to make a choice based on fruit color, quality and size. The berries are plucked and placed on a conveyor belt, where the fruit is packed by a worker.

Still, the harvester collects only strawberries that are hanging on the sides of the bed, hence California's strawberry fields would have to be reshaped to accommodate the machine, including farming in single rows, raising the beds and even growing varieties with fewer clusters.

Experts say it will take at least 10 years for harvesters to be available commercially for most fresh-market fruit ? not a moment too soon for farmers worried about the availability of workers, said Lupe Sandoval, managing director of the California Farm Labor Contractor Association.

"If you can put a man on the moon," Sandoval said, "you can figure out how to pick fruit with a machine."

----

Contact Gosia Wozniacka at https://twitter.com/gosiawozniacka

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/robots-revolutionize-farming-ease-labor-woes-142756655.html

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Oil slips on China's economic slowdown

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Source: news.ph.msn.com --- Monday, July 15, 2013
World Oil prices edged lower on Monday after weak economic data in both China and the United States, the two biggest global consumers of crude. ...

Source: http://news.ph.msn.com/business/oil-slips-on-chinas-economic-slowdown

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Monday, 15 July 2013

Cantwell, Herrera Beutler introduce bill to support fishing jobs

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Source: us-senators.com --- Sunday, July 14, 2013
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and U.S. Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Camas, and Jared Huffman, D-Calif., have led a coalition of senators and representatives to introduce new legislation that would help support the West Coast?s fishing industry, according to a statement released Thursday. Many fishing businesses in the West Coast groundfish fishery have struggled to pay high interest rates on federal loans and fees on their catch, according to Herrera Beutler. The legislation ensures these fishermen receive the same interest rates on federal loans as other businesses and extends the length of these loans from 30 to 45 years. In addition, the legislation reduces fees the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) collects from fishermen to pay down their loans, Herrera Beutler said in the release. In 2011, the West Coast groundfish fishery supported 3,000 Jobs and a catch valued at $64 million, according to the Camas Republican. ?This bill will provide much-needed relief to the folks in Southwest Washington whose livelihoods depend on fishing,? Herrera Beutler said. ?Conditions have changed in both the economy and the fishing industry since these loans were issued, and too many small fishing businesses up and down our coast are struggling to keep afloat financially.? The Secretary of Commerce declared the West Coast groundfish fishery a federal fisheries economic disaster in 2000, because of overcapital ...

Source: http://us-senators.com/2013/07/cantwell-herrera-beutler-introduce-bill-to-support-fishing-jobs-2/

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Computer as smart as a 4-year-old? Researchers IQ test new artificial intelligence system

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Artificial and natural knowledge researchers IQ-tested one of the best available artificial intelligence systems and learned that it's about as smart as the average 4-year-old.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/computers_math/information_technology/~3/5wDopmCtMDw/130715151059.htm

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American Cancer Society provides fun day for "Little Wranglers"

  • 11-year-old Dylan Juneau of Nederland tries his chances at winning his younger sister a toy from the claw game at Sports Connection on Saturday, July 13, 2013, during the American Cancer Society's Little Wranglers day of fun for young cancer warriors. 
Photo taken:
Randy Edwards/The Enterprise

    11-year-old Dylan Juneau of Nederland tries his chances at winning his younger sister a toy from the claw game at Sports Connection on Saturday, July 13, 2013, during the American Cancer Society's Little Wranglers day of fun for young cancer warriors. Photo taken: Randy Edwards/The Enterprise

    11-year-old Dylan Juneau of Nederland tries his chances at winning...

  • Source: http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/American-Cancer-Society-provides-fun-day-for-4664131.php

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    Sunday, 14 July 2013

    Boeing stock dives on fire in empty 787 in London

    NEW YORK --?

    Shares of Boeing dropped almost 5 percent Friday after an empty 787 experienced a fire at Heathrow Airport.

    An unspecified technical issue forced another 787 to turn back to Manchester Airport.

    British police said the fire aboard an Ethiopian Airlines plane is being treated as unexplained.

    The entire fleet of Boeing 787s was grounded in January for problems involving the plane's lithium-ion batteries. One caught fire at Boston's Logan airport.

    The planes were cleared to resume flying in April after Boeing redesigned the battery system and got approval for the changes from global aviation regulators. Ethiopian was the first airline to resume using the 787.

    Boeing shares fell $5.01, or 4.7 percent, to $101.87 in trading Friday. The shares earlier dropped as low as $98.99.

    Boeing spokesman Marc Birtel said in an email to The Associated Press that the company has personnel looking into the event at Heathrow.

    Shares of Boeing suppliers also fell. Precision Castparts fell $3.49, or 1.5 percent, to $233.78. Spirit Aerosystems, which also makes parts for the 787, fell 48 cents, or 2.1 percent, to $22.65.

    Citi analyst Jason Gursky said the cause of the fire may not be known until later Friday or over the weekend. So, the ultimate outcome for Boeing's stock might wait until Monday. He said a fire related to the plane's electrical system, even if it is not tied to the lithium-ion battery, would be a concern for investors.

    "If the fire is related to a burned coffee pot or a mistake in the crew rest area.the stock should recover quickly to $106-$107," Gursky wrote in a note to clients.

    Source: http://www.fortmilltimes.com/2013/07/12/2818237/boeing-stock-dives-on-fire-in.html

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    Drug-eluting scaffold to deliver chemotherapeutic medication for management of pancreatic cancer after surgery



    Original Research

    (254) Total Article Views


    Authors: Zhan Q, Shen B, Deng X, Chen H, Jin J, Zhang X, Peng C, Li H

    Published Date July 2013 Volume 2013:8 Pages 2465 - 2472

    DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/IJN.S47666

    Qian Zhan,1 Baiyong Shen,1 Xiaxing Deng,1 Hao Chen,1 Jiabin Jin,1 Xing Zhang,2 Chenghong Peng,1 Hongwei Li1

    1Department of General Surgery, Rui Jin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; 2Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Abstract: Traditional post-surgical chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer is notorious for its devastating side effects due to the high dosage required. On the other hand, legitimate concerns have been raised about nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery because of its potential cytotoxicity. Therefore, we explored the local delivery of a reduced dosage of FOLFIRINOX, a four-drug regimen comprising oxaliplatin, leucovorin, irinotecan, and fluorouracil, for pancreatic cancer using a biocompatible drug-eluting scaffold as a novel chemotherapy strategy after palliative surgery. In vitro assays showed that FOLFIRINOX in the scaffold caused massive apoptosis and thereby a decrease in the viability of pancreatic cancer cells, confirming the chemotherapeutic capability of the drug-eluting scaffold. In vivo studies in an orthotopic murine xenograft model demonstrated that the FOLFIRINOX in the scaffold had antitumorigenic and antimetastatic effects comparable with those achieved by intraperitoneal injection, despite the dose released by the scaffold being roughly two thirds lower. A mechanistic study attributed our results to the excellent ability of the FOLFIRINOX in the scaffold to destroy the CD133+CXCR4+ cell population responsible for pancreatic tumorigenesis and metastasis. This clinically oriented study gives rise to a promising alternative strategy for postsurgical management of pancreatic cancer, featuring a local chemotherapeutic effect with considerable attenuation of side effects.

    Keywords: electrospun scaffold, FOLFIRINOX, pancreatic cancer, drug-eluting scaffold

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    Source: http://dovepress.com/drug-eluting-scaffold-to-deliver-chemotherapeutic-medication-for-manag-peer-reviewed-article-IJN

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    "Meet The Press" Panel: Immigration, Washington Dysfunction, Zimmerman Verdict

    Posted on July 14, 2013

    "Meet The Press" Panel: Immigration, Washington Dysfunction, Zimmerman Verdict

    The Meet the Press roundtable dicusses the difficulties facing lawmakers in Washington and the outcome of the George Zimmerman trial.?

    Source: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2013/07/14/meet_the_press_panel_reflects_on_washington_dysfunction_zimmerman_verdict.html

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    Saturday, 13 July 2013

    What Are The Best Home Based Business Opportunities To Join On ...

    Home based business opportunities provide every day people with the chance to earn a full-time income on the internet and to escape the 9 to 5 grind.

    But what are the best home based business opportunities to join? It can be hard to pick out the best online business with all the new launches taking place on a daily basis. So on this page we will go over the essentials of what to look out in your new home business.

    1. Internet Marketing Training ? Business opportunities need to evolve around taking advantage of modern day internet marketing strategies.

    With the power of the internet, work from home entrepreneurs can now use systems and tools to automate their income and marketing. Gone are the days of having to grind it out with prospecting and house parties, because entrepreneurs can simply leverage systems and automation to help capture leads and close the sales on their behalf.

    The ability to drive traffic with solo ads, blogging, videos and article marketing should be the foundation of the internet marketing training that your new company will provide.

    2. Lead Capture System ? If you were to simplify how to see success in an online business it would be to focus your mind like a laser on driving traffic to your lead capture page.

    The online system that is already in place should then take care of the rest and convert that traffic into leads and then leads into sales.

    So as a result the best home based business opportunities should provide you with high converting lead capture pages to use out of the box. Ideally you will want to be seeing a 25% to 40% conversion rate on those pages.

    3. High Ticket Sales Funnel ? The aim for most people when they join an online business opportunity such as Empower Network is to get to the point where they can work from home full-time and quit their job.

    The reason many people struggle to achieve this goal is because they are trying to sell low ticket products over and over again. It is hard to reach a healthy income by selling $27 products all the time. But you don?t need to make many $500 to $1,000 product sales to earn a full-time income online.

    So look to join a home based business that gives you high ticket products to sell as part of a high converting sales funnel. You are likely to still start out with a low cost front end product, but make sure the backend contains those big ticket commission opportunities.

    Source: http://theboardmagazine.com/2013/07/what-are-the-best-home-based-business-opportunities-to-join-on-the-internet/

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    Google News: Getty Images Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images 3 minutes 3 seconds ago - Yahoo! Eurosport UK

    Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

    Source: http://www.ttonline.org/threads/25887-Getty-Images-Photo-by-Mike-Ehrmann-Getty-Images-3-minutes-3-seconds-ago-Yahoo!-Eurosport-UK?goto=newpost

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    Audible receives major interface overhaul in latest update

    Audible

    Not a single piece of the app left untouched, bringing the it up to modern design standards

    Users of the Audible for Android app are in for a treat tonight with a complete interface design overhaul update pushing out through the Play Store. Previously a very functional but also clearly dated app, Audible has completely moved into the modern design era with a new interface that relies on tabs, proper use of the action bar and smooth interface movement all around. The app keeps a familiar grey, black and orange color scheme, but improves every bit of functionality, adds in a few new features and improves stability.

    It seems as though not a single piece of the app was left untouched, and we have to hand it to Audible for making the necessary improvements to bring the app up to par with modern standards. You can grab a download or update of the latest version from the Play Store link at the top of this post.

        


    Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/_F5YDUYa2BQ/story01.htm

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    Helena Christensen: Nude in FutureClaw!

    Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/07/helena-christensen-nude-in-futureclaw/

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    Sharknado! Syfy's latest flick is causing a frenzy

    Movies

    July 12, 2013 at 7:36 AM ET

    Did you watch? Syfy's latest disaster movie, about a shark tornado (duh), may not be winning an Academy Award anytime soon, but it sure is winning the Internet since it aired Thursday night.

    The film, which Entertainment Weekly dubbed "another Syfy disaster film gone horribly right," stars John Heard, Tara Reid, and "90210" alum Ian Ziering as protagonist Fin Shepard. Fin Shepard. Does it get any better than that?

    Not that it matters, but the plot is as such: When a huge tornado upends the ocean and floods the streets of Los Angeles, sending hundreds of vicious sharks hurtling through the air, Fin, a bar owner, is called upon to stop them. Read an interview with the movie's writer, Thunder Levin, that may answer any more questions you have.

    Syfy is the NBC Universal-owned home of such ridiculous action movies as 2010's "Sharktopus," "Dinoshark," 2012's "Piranhaconda," and "Mega Python vs. Gatoroid," which, naturally, starred pop stars Tiffany and Deborah Gibson.

    Check out the hilarious reaction to "Sharknado" and next time it's on, set your DVR:

    Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/sharknado-syfys-latest-flick-causing-frenzy-6C10614306

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    What's the Best Way to Prevent Touch Screen Smudge Attacks?

    Hold your phone up to the light. See that? It's finger grease, and it's an easily exploited hint at what your password or PIN might be. Don't become a victim of smudge attacks. The IT Security experts at Stack Exchange provide tips on keeping the contents of your phone your own.

    After eating some garlic bread at a friend's house, she managed to quickly determine the PIN code to unlock the screen of my Samsung SIII. She figured this out by simply holding the device against the light and looking at the grease pattern my thumb left on the screen. It only took her two attempts to unlock the screen! I guess she wouldn't have been able to access my phone if I had kept the screen cleaner, or if the device could only be unlocked by pressing numbers, rather than dragging the finger to form a pattern. Is this a common means of attack? Are finger dragging pattern passwords really more insecure than number touch passwords?

    See the original question.

    Smudge Attack Basics (Answered by D3C4FF)

    What you describe is known as a "smudge attack." It really depends on how much you've used your phone since you've last unlocked it, but the general principle still stands. If you use the pattern feature of Android phones, this can be particularly obvious. The University of Pennsylvania produced a research paper on the topic and basically concluded that they could figure out the password over 90 percent of the time. The study also found that ?pattern smudges,? which build up from writing the same password numerous times, are particularly recognizable. Furthermore: ?We showed that in many situations full or partial pattern recovery is possible, even with smudge ?noise? from simulated application usage or distortion caused by incidental clothing contact.?

    While this is a plausible risk, it's not a particularly practical vulnerability as an attacker needs physical access to your phone. Using a PIN code over a pattern may reduce the chance of this presenting a threat but it still exists depending on the strength of your PIN and the cleanliness of your hands/screen. However, these same researches postulate another possible attack using the heat residue left by contact between your fingers and the screen which would be another problem altogether.

    Obviously, cleaning your screen after every use is a practical (and not too difficult) defense against this specific attack. I'd expect that if you've used your phone (say to make calls/send a message/any kind of web browsing) it would also sufficiently obfuscate the patterns/codes. From examining my screen this seems to be the case.

    WhisperCore (Answered by Adnan)

    One way to mitigate smudge attacks on smart phones is with an application called WhisperCore. It arranges the numbers vertically and it then asks you to wipe the screen in order to unlock the phone, obfuscating the original smudges. If you use a pattern to lock your phone, after you input the correct pattern, it's a screen full of stars. Swipe the highlighted stars to unlock the phone, again obfuscating the original smudge pattern. Of course, the application basically works as a mandatory reminder to wipe your screen, but it's doing it in a way that makes less annoying to wipe your screen every time you unlock your phone.

    More Digits, and Double Up (Answered by Rory Alsop)

    A quick and easy security improvement: In any pass code of more than 4 digits, be sure to use one of the digits at least twice. The "swipe a pattern" option is very easy to see?even at a distance it can be shoulder surfed. As previously mentioned by D3C4FF, check out this paper from the University of Pennsylvania for interesting information on smudge attack techniques and how you might avoid becoming a victim.

    One major takeaway from the paper: Use more than four digits. Most touchscreen users choose a 4-digit PIN (if they use the PIN option), so it's what most attackers will try. If, however, you use a 6-digit PIN where two of the digits are used twice, the attack space becomes quite challenging, as the attacker doesn't know whether you use a 4-digit PIN, or even more. They are likely to start with four, and it's more likely the attacker locks the phone than gets in.

    Disagree with the answers above? Find more answers or leave your own at the original post. See more questions like this at the IT Security site at Stack Exchange. And of course, feel free to ask a question yourself.

    Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/J4EOlRlFXuY/whats-the-best-way-to-prevent-touch-screen-smudge-atta-757563408

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    Thursday, 11 July 2013

    Sexual exploitation of underage girls rampant on primetime, Parents Television Council says

    By Brent Lang

    LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Exploitation of underage girls is rampant on primetime, a new study by the Parents Television Council concludes.

    The advocacy group's research monitored more than 200 episodes of broadcast television shows during two-week network sweeps periods in 2011 and in 2012 and found that 63 percent of those episodes contained sexual content involving women.

    The group claims that 33 percent of that content involved sexual exploitation. The PTC said it used the United Nations Security General's definition of "sexual exploitation" to determine what content was objectionable. A 2003 report cites abuses of power and position in which someone profits "monetarily, socially or politically" from sexually exploiting another person.

    The PTC maintains that scenes of exploitation were more likely to be humorous in nature when they involved underage girls (43 percent) compared to adult women (33 percent). The group said that child molestation, sex trafficking, sexual harassment, pornography and stripping were among the topics that served as fodder for jokes.

    "When is it appropriate to laugh at the sexual exploitation of a child?" PTC President Tim Winter said on a conference call with reporters. "We hope this report stirs an urgent dialogue on this question."

    The examples the group cites as evidence of a jokey approach to exploitation range in shock value from a strip poker scene in "Glee" to a sex-slave auction involving the teenage daughter on "Family Guy." Serious material that the PTC claims puts young adult characters in compromising positions could be found on programs like "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and now-canceled shows like "Private Practice" and "Gossip Girls."

    Obviously, shows like "Law & Order" feature characters trying to stop sexual exploitation, not condoning it.

    Winter said the group intended to release its findings last winter, but shelved those plans after the mass killings in Newtown, Conn. The PTC chief said the organization chose to focus on the issue of violence in the media in the aftermath of the shootings.

    The PTC said it is hoping to educate parents and viewers about the level of sexually exploitative material on the small screen because it believes that television can have a deleterious impact on younger audience members.

    "The very premise of broadcasting as a business is influencing the behavior of a viewer," Winter said.

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sexual-exploitation-underage-girls-rampant-primetime-parents-television-211809647.html

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    Zynga Plus Poker Readies Real-Money Launch on Facebook

    Poker and casino products on Facebook and mobile to be demoed at World GES summit.

    Zynga unveils its real money poker product for Facebook in partnership with Facebook.

    Zynga is to demo its real-money poker and casino software for Facebook at the World GES conference this week, VentureBeat reports.

    Zynga launched Zynga Plus Poker , a real-money poker client on the PartyPoker network, in April 2013 for UK customers only. The poker room is a simple skin of the Party client, and shares the same player pool liquidity. It also launched Zynga Plus Casino using bwin.party?s software in tandem.

    Expanding to Facebook and mobile is a natural progression for Zynga?s real-money gaming (RMG) aspirations. The move was expected following a new deal between Zynga and Facebook inked in November 2012, which required Zynga to make its real-money games available on the Facebook platform.

    VentureBeat reported on Wednesday that the new platform would be demoed at the World Gaming Executive Summit, which runs through July 11. The invite-only event brings together more than 300 delegates from the world of gaming, including regulators and online gaming operators.

    Sean Ryan, the head of game partnerships at Facebook, will be showing off both ZyngaPlusPoker and ZyngaPlusCasino on Facebook and mobile, VentureBeat reports. There are no details yet on when either product will launch.

    Continue reading on pokerfuse PRO ?

    Source: http://pokerfuse.com/news/media-and-software/zynga-plus-poker-readies-real-money-launch-on-facebook-10-07/

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    Firefighter camaraderie draws thousands to Arizona

    PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. (AP) ? Firefighters William Benitez and Lou Larosa were fresh out of the New York City Fire Department when terrorists flew planes into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, killing several thousand people, including hundreds of first responders.

    The days ahead were tough as the two rookies and their colleagues attended dozens of funerals, while thousands of their fellow firefighters came from around the country to show support.

    It's that camaraderie among firefighters that drew Benitez, Larosa and nearly a dozen others from their department, including the chief, to a massive memorial service in Arizona honoring 19 members of the Prescott-based Granite Mountain Hotshots. The elite crew died June 30 when a wind-fueled, out-of-control fire overran them as they tried to protect a former gold-mining town from the inferno.

    "It's very important to have a big showing ... show the family there are people there for them," Benitez said Tuesday after the service that drew some 8,000 people to the minor league hockey arena.

    "I always feel like the best part of it is when wives, siblings, get to see the amount of people showing up," Larosa added.

    The day was filled with speeches from dignitaries including Vice President Joe Biden and Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer. The memorial in Prescott Valley began with a choir singing "On Eagle's Wings" as Biden sang the words alongside Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, U.S. Sen. John McCain and other members of the state's congressional delegation.

    But the words of the lone survivor of the Hotshot fire crew resonated deepest in the packed arena. Brendan McDonough, who was serving as the lookout for his 19 teammates on that fateful afternoon, notified the crew of the rapidly changing weather that sent winds swirling and caused the blaze to cut off his firefighters' escape route, then swiftly left his post for safety.

    Prescott Fire Department spokesman Wade Ward said it's been tough on McDonough, but that "he did exactly what he was supposed to."

    McDonough walked onto the stage Tuesday and offered what's called "The Hot Shot's Prayer," calmly reciting the words: "For if this day on the line I should answer death's call, Lord, bless my Hotshot crew, my family, one and all."

    He concluded by telling the crowd: "Thank you. And I miss my brothers."

    Biden called them "men of uncommon valor."

    "There's an old saying: All men are created equal, and then a few became firefighters," the vice president said. "Thank God for you all. Thank God for your willingness to take the risks you do."

    The event was marked by an outpouring of support from several thousand firefighters from across the country.

    Many talked about the brotherhood ? and sisterhood ? of the profession, a bond even among strangers in a job fraught with danger and adrenaline.

    "When you hear of a death, especially a group of firefighters, and there's 19 that we're here to mourn, there's no question that at the drop of a hat you do what you can to go and support the fire service and their families," said Capt. Steve Brown of the Rancho Cucamonga Fire Protection District, who brought 17 others in his department from California.

    Gov. Jan Brewer praised people for responding as she hoped they would ? with candlelight vigils, financial contributions, prayers, and flowers and notes placed at makeshift memorials.

    "Of course our hearts are filled with profound sadness today, but they're also filled with great pride," Brewer said. "How wonderful is it to know that Arizona was home to 19 men like those we honor today."

    Alumni of the Granite Mountain Hotshots sat in the front rows, with about 1,000 members of the fallen firefighters' families surrounding them in seats on the floor of the arena. Those who first responded to the Yarnell Hill Fire sat in the rows behind them.

    Outside the arena, where several thousand people who couldn't fit inside watched the service on jumbo screens, a bronze statue of a firefighter stood with an ax in hand. A granite marker read, "In honor and recognition of all wildland firefighters across this great nation. Duty - Respect - Integrity."

    The highly specialized Granite Mountain crew was part of a small community of Hotshots nationwide. There are only about 110 of the 20-person teams, mostly stationed west of the Mississippi River.

    Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo gave firefighting tools to the deceased men's families, along with flags that had been flown in their honor.

    The memorial was the last of a handful of vigils for the men before the first of 19 funerals begin later in the week.

    Biden offered the families some solace as he wrapped up his remarks.

    "As unbelievable as it is to even fathom ... the day will come when the memory of your husband, your son, or your dad or your brother will bring a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye," he said. "My prayer for all of you is that that day will come sooner than later, but I promise you as unbelievable as it is, it will come."

    ___

    Associated Press writer Bob Christie contributed to this report from Phoenix.

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/firefighter-camaraderie-draws-thousands-arizona-071950984.html

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    Sunday, 7 July 2013

    UAE will continue to be key energy provider: Abdullah

    (MENAFN - Khaleej Times) Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, has reiterated that the UAE, under the leadership of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will continue to be a major global provider of energy.

    Shaikh Abdullah made his remarks at the inauguration of the London Array, the world's largest offshore wind farm in the outer reaches of the Thames Estuary, off the coast of the United Kingdom.
    Masdar, Abu Dhabi's renewable energy company, was one of three partners who invested and developed the sophisticated wind power project. The inauguration was attended by UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, along with other dignitaries.

    Shaikh Abdullah said: "It's an honour to have helped deliver this tremendous wind power project in the United Kingdom. Our countries share a long history and we continue to benefit from our strong bilateral relations. Since the first visit of our founding father, the late Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the close bond between our countries has continued to grow.

    "The UAE has a strong legacy in the energy sector," added Shaikh Abdullah. "From our abundant hydrocarbon sector to renewable energy technology, the UAE is extending its energy leadership into future generations. We believe that by addressing energy security - balancing the sources of power we rely on - we can also create economic and social opportunity. Through Masdar, the UAE is seriously addressing this goal. The London Array is a good example of how the development of wind power can drive economic growth, social opportunity and address long-term energy security.

    "Our efforts, however, are not only limited to large-scale, mega-power projects," he said.

    "We are also committed to promoting energy access and delivering electricity to countries that need it most. By providing access to energy, developing nations can better achieve sustainable, economic development and also mitigate the impact of climate change. Renewable energy is a powerful form of foreign aid with lasting economic, social and environmental benefits," he said.

    He also commended the UK's efforts to diversify its domestic energy sources.

    "We congratulate the UK - and all partners who worked on The London Array - on this historic milestone in addressing the country's long-term energy security," said Shaikh Abdullah.

    "The UAE is committed to accelerating the development of renewable energy and we look forward to future projects. I would also like to invite you all to join us in January during 'Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week' to continue this dialogue and find meaningful ways to continue this momentum," he said.

    The ceremony was attended by Edward Davey, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change; Greg Barker, Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change; Abdul Rahman Al Mutaiwee, UAE Ambassador to the UK; Dominic Jermey, UK Ambassador to the UAE, as well other representatives from both government and private sectors.

    Masdar, Norway's Dong Energy and E.ON on Thursday opened the London Array, a 630MW offshore wind farm, which first started generating power in October 2012. The 175th turbine was brought online in March 2013 and it is now celebrating the completion and full operation of the site, which is able to supply around 500,000 UK homes with electricity each year.

    In July 2009, construction began on a new onshore substation on the north Kent coast, to pass the energy generated by the London Array straight into the national grid. Offshore, the first foundation was installed in March 2011 while the 175th and final Siemens 3.6MW turbine was installed on time in December last year. Over 75 organisations have helped to build the London Array, with over 6,700 individuals involved.

    Speaking at the launch event, Cameron said: "This is a great day for Kent and a great day for Britain. The London Array has been built by some of the bravest seamen, the most talented engineers and hardest workers. It will bring benefits to Kent for years to come."

    Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and CEO of Masdar, said: "This inauguration is a historic milestone for the United Kingdom and the development of renewable energy. Projects like the London Array demonstrate the economic opportunities of large-scale renewable energy projects - from the direct investment they attract to the industries they strengthen.

    "The London Array also exemplifies what can be achieved through smart policies and strong partnerships," added Dr Al Jaber.

    "Masdar is a committed partner in addressing the world's growing need for clean energy. We look forward to extending our portfolio and finding ways to integrate renewable energy that delivers a lasting impact," he said.

    The London Array is located around 20km off the coasts of Kent and Essex on a 100sqkm site. Its 175 Siemens 3.6MW turbines have a combined capacity of 630MW and are expected to produce enough electricity to power over half a million UK homes each year.

    Source: http://www.menafn.com/1093676687/UAE-will-continue-to-be-key-energy-provider-Abdullah?src=RSS

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    Friday, 28 June 2013

    The Mother Of All American Vintage Car Collections Going To Auction

    This is The Morning Shift, our one-stop daily roundup of all the auto news that's actually important ? all in one place at 9:00 AM. Or, you could spend all day waiting for other sites to parse it out to you one story at a time. Isn't your time more important?

    1st Gear: Sell All The American Cars!

    The Mother Of All American Vintage Car Collections Going To AuctionS

    From Motoramic comes this great news that the remains of a small-town Chevy dealer's collection, built up over 50 years, is finally going up for auction.

    The owners of Lambrecht Chevrolet in Pierce, Nebraska built up around 500 vehicles over the 50 years of business, mostly through trade-ins, and left those cars to gather dust when they closed up. The cars came to represent "a lifetime of hard work, tears, and joy" says the daughter of the Lambrechts.

    Their hard work can be your gain when the vehicles go up for auction this fall. Just take a look at what's for sale [PDF]. There's a Vega wagon with only 17 miles! And did we mention all the Corvairs?

    While most of the cars are older GM products, there are some other great finds including a relatively low-mileage '70s International 4x4 pickup and a Kaiser Sedan.

    Which would you pick?

    2nd Gear: The Global Cadillac And Buick And Holden Musical Chairs

    The Mother Of All American Vintage Car Collections Going To AuctionS

    The world loves Cadillacs and Buicks and, here in the U.S., we're surely warming up to them. This has a lot to do with placement and, especially in the case of Cadillac, in them no longer looking like nothing more than Landau-roofed Chevy boats.

    Holden's design director Andrew Smith will now head up design for both brands, globally, which is a huge challenge. We know what a Cadillac is supposed to look like now and Buick, at least, is starting to coalesce around a shared language.

    He replaces Mark Adams (pictured), who was responsible for overseeing the new Cadillac CTS and our beloved Cadillac ATS. Now Adams has to go to Europe to untangle the Buick-Opel mess reports Automotive News.

    Smith, despite the success of the brands he's taking over, probably has the better deal here.

    3rd Gear: The Infiniti Challenge

    The Mother Of All American Vintage Car Collections Going To AuctionS

    Infiniti, despite some enjoyable products throughout the years, has never become Nissan's Lexus. Nor has it become Nissan's Acura which, given current conditions, maybe isn't a bad thing. Nissan starts over.

    The Wall Street Journal brings us this story about former Audi head Johan de Nysschen's attempt at remaking Infiniti from scratch and the billions they're going to spend to do it.

    ?This is like a startup company,? says Infiniti President Johan de Nysschen. Mr. Ghosn personally wooed Mr. de Nysschen away from Audi last July to lead the Infiniti makeover, just a few months after he moved the brand away from Nissan?s working-class roots in Yokohama to Hong Kong?closer to the booming Chinese luxury market. Since then, Mr. de Nysschen has installed a new management team poached from high-end German car makers.

    The big challenge? Explaining what an Infiniti is.

    I know what a Lexus is. I don't think a Lexus is the car for me, usually, but I know who the car is for and I don't begrudge them buying one.

    4th Gear: And More About That Honda/Acura Challenge

    The Mother Of All American Vintage Car Collections Going To AuctionS

    We've got de Nysschen trying to help out Audi, Adams trying to help out Opel and GM in Europe, and Mike Accavitti to aid in a refresh of Honda and Acura.

    Brent Snavely takes a look at Accavitti, who got his start working for Lee Iacocca (pictured) after sending him a letter, it's a cute story. But here's the meat:

    After looking at consumer surveys Accavitti discovered that Acura?s buyers purchase the cars for rational reasons, and it?s often hard to sell a luxury brand based purely on a rational basis.

    ?We need to create an emotional connection between the customer and the brand and marketing can do that,? Accavitti said.

    With Honda, Accavitti wants to build on the core values such as innovation, a youthful feeling and reliability.

    Right now Acura's approach appears to be: Fake it till you make it. But they have to make it.

    5th Gear: How To Make Gearheads

    The Mother Of All American Vintage Car Collections Going To AuctionS

    The folks at Hagerty Insurance, the ones who deal with insuring our crazy classic car collections, have always seemed to me to be real car people. Every person I've worked with there appeared to have a passion for the automobile and a desire to live the lifestyle their company supports.

    This story from The Detroit News supports this belief I have.

    About 123 people helped rebuilt a 1969 Camaro SS through volunteer labor, skipped lunch breaks, and the like.

    Many of the people who work for Hagerty are classic car experts with years of hands-on experience at maintenance and restoration. But many others don?t bring such experience to their jobs, so every year or two, the company finds a vehicle in need to restoration, recruits employees willing to get down and dirty, and rebuilds a car in the company?s garage.

    This particular car was majorly damaged but, through hard work, saved the vehicle.

    Here at Jalopnik we make sure all of us get together and stalk one person to make sure we connect with our company's values. Next year it's Ralph Gilles so? that sound you hear in the bushes is us!

    Reverse: Route 66 Reaches The End Of The Road

    Beginning in the 1950s, the building of a massive system of interstate highways made older roads increasingly obsolete, and by 1970, modern four-lane highways had bypassed nearly all sections of Route 66. In October 1984, Interstate-40 bypassed the last original stretch of Route 66 at Williams, Arizona, and the following year the road was decertified. According to the National Historic Route 66 Federation, drivers can still use 85 percent of the road, and Route 66 has become a destination for tourists from all over the world.

    [HISTORY]

    Neutral: Which Luxury Brand Has The Strongest Identity? What are the identities of all the luxury automakers? Which one is the strongest?

    Photo Credit: Getty Images

    Source: http://jalopnik.com/the-mother-of-all-american-vintage-car-collections-goin-596486944

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    Paula Deen 'heartbroken' as sponsors flee

    Following celebrity chef Paula Deen's admission that she used a racial slur, she has been dropped by The Food Network, Smithfield Foods and now Walmart. Deen gave a tearful interview on the 'Today' show on Wednesday.?

    By Staff,?Reuters / June 26, 2013

    Paula Deen appears on NBC News' "Today" show in New York. Deen dissolved into tears during the interview which followed her admission that she had used a racial slur in the past.

    AP Photo/NBC, Peter Kramer

    Enlarge

    U.S. celebrity chef Paula Deen, under fire after she admitted using a racial slur, said in a tearful TV interview on Wednesday that she is not a racist, as retailer Walmart said it was cutting ties with the chef.

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    In an interview on NBC's "Today" show, the Southern food doyenne said she never intentionally hurt anyone and that it was important for her to tell "everyone out there what I believe and how I live my life."

    When asked if she felt she had racist tendencies, she replied, "No."

    It was her first TV interview since The?Food Network?said Friday it would drop her show after she was sued for discrimination and admitted in a legal deposition that she had used a racial slur in the past.

    Deen, who has built a business empire that includes cookbooks, restaurants and kitchen supplies, was also dropped by pork giant?Smithfield Foods?Inc last week. On Wednesday, Walmart was the latest company to sever ties.

    "We are ending our relationship with?Paula Deen Enterprises," Walmart spokeswoman?Danit Marquardt?told Reuters.

    Marquardt said Walmart, the biggest division of Wal-Mart Stores Inc, the world's largest retailer, will not place new orders beyond those already committed with Deen's company for branded products including groceries, cookware and candles.

    The controversy surrounding Deen?erupted last week when a deposition was released in transcript form in which Deen, who is white, was asked if she had used the "N-word," and responded, "Yes, of course."

    The "N-word" is a euphemism for "nigger," an epithet for black people.

    The deposition related to a racial and sexual discrimination lawsuit filed by a former employee,?Lisa Jackson, who worked for Paula Deen Enterprises.

    The lawsuit alleges that when Deen?discussed plans for her brother?Earl "Bubba" Hiers' 2007 wedding with Jackson, Deen?said she wanted a "true Southern plantation-style wedding."

    "Well, what I would really like is a bunch of little niggers to wear long-sleeve white shirts, black shorts and black bow ties, you know in the?Shirley Temple?days, they used to tap dance around," Deen?said, according to the lawsuit.

    Asked about the epithet in the deposition on Wednesday, Deen?said she had used the slur when describing, probably to her husband, how a black man robbed a bank where she was working in the 1980s. She said she had used the word since, "but it's been a very long time."

    Deen recalled the bank robbery and said: "I had had a gun put to my head, a shakin' gun." She did not give a full description of that incident.

    Deen says she is 'heartbroken'?

    On "Today," Deen?said she was thankful for the support she has received, and also heartbroken because she has had to comfort friends distressed about things being said about her that she said were untrue.

    "If there's anyone out there that has never said something that they wish they could take back, if you're out there, please pick up that stone and throw it so hard at my head that it kills me. Please, I want to meet you. I want to meet you," she said, sobbing.

    The 66-year-old celebrity chef had called off a scheduled interview with NBC on Friday to discuss the situation and instead released a video defending herself.

    The?Food Network, which is owned by Scripps Network Interactive Inc, later said it would not renew her contract when it expires at the end of June.

    Deen's fans have voiced their support for the chef online, expressing anger on the Facebook pages for the?Food Network?and Walmart, with many saying they'll boycott both companies for severing ties with Deen.?

    (Reporting by Patricia Reaney and Jessica Wohl; Editing by David Storey, Piya Sinha-Roy and Stacey Joyce)

    Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/JOhQXNFh2CY/Paula-Deen-heartbroken-as-sponsors-flee

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