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After months of speculation, the tablet wars begin in earnest this week. Motorola is releasing its Xoom tablet on Feb. 24, and I consider it the first truly comparable competitor to Apple's hit iPad. That is partly because it is the first iPad challenger to run Honeycomb, an elegant new version of Google's Android operating system designed especially for tablets.
Both Motorola's hardware and Google's new software are impressive and, after testing it for about a week, I believe the Xoom beats the first-generation iPad in certain respects, though it lags in others. Like the iPad, the Xoom has a roomy 10-inch screen, and it's about the same thickness and weight as the iPad, albeit narrower and longer. And, like the iPad's operating system, Honeycomb gives software the ability to make good use of that screen real estate, with apps that are more computer-like than those on a smartphone.
The Xoom has a more potent processor than the current iPad; front and rear cameras versus none for the iPad; better speakers; and higher screen resolution. It also can be upgraded free later this year to support Verizon's faster 4G cellular data network (though monthly fees may rise.)
Motorola is taking aim at the iPad just as Apple is expected to announce, next week, a second-generation of its tablet. Little is known about this second iPad, but it's widely expected to take away at least one of the Xoom's advantages over the original iPad—cameras—and is rumored to be thinner and lighter, since weight was one of the most common complaints about the generally praised first iPad.
The iPad has way more tablet-specific apps—around 60,000 versus a handful—and, in my tests, much better battery life. Plus, whatever the specs say, it's a fast device with a beautiful screen that delights people daily. But, overall, the Xoom with Honeycomb is a strong alternative to the original iPad, and one that will only improve over time.
Unfortunately for consumers looking for iPad alternatives, the Xoom has an Achilles' heel: price. While iPads come in a range of models priced all the way up to $829—none of which requires a cellphone contract—Apple's entry price for the iPad is just $499. By contrast, the base price of a Xoom without a cellphone contract is $800—60% more. And even with a Verizon two-year contract at $20 to $80 a month—depending on the data limit you choose—the least you can pay for a Xoom is $600, or 20% more before counting the contract costs.
In fairness, the iPad model with the same memory as the Xoom and a 3G cellular modem like the Xoom's is $729, which is a closer comparison. But it is still less than $800, and consumers still focus on that $499 iPad entry price (for a Wi-Fi-only model.)
As much as I like the Xoom and Honeycomb, I'd advise consumers to wait to see what Apple has up its sleeve next before committing to a higher price for the Motorola product.
Meanwhile, here's what I found in testing the Xoom.
Though it works fine in portrait, or vertical, mode, the Xoom is mainly designed as a landscape, or horizontal, device. The screen is long and narrow, proportioned to best fit widescreen video. The HD screen boasts a resolution of 1280 by 800, versus 1024 by 768 for the iPad.
It felt heavier than the iPad, though the weight of 1.6 pounds is the same as on the cellular version of the Apple product. Overall, it has a solid, high-quality feel. There aren't any physical buttons except for an on-off switch at the rear and volume controls on an edge. The common Android home, back and other buttons are rendered in the software. The glass on the front is surrounded by a relatively thin black border.
I found it generally comfortable to hold, except when I was reading for long periods in vertical mode, where the long, thin shape and weight made it feel a bit unbalanced.
I performed the same battery test on the Xoom as I have on other tablets. I played video constantly with the connectivity turned on and the screen at almost full brightness until the battery died. Alas, while the Xoom claims up to 10 hours of video playback, I got just 7 hours and 32 minutes. By contrast, on the same test, the iPad, which also claims 10 hours, logged 11.5 hours, or four hours more.
I also tested the Xoom's front-facing 2-megapixel camera by performing a video chat with a Motorola employee using Google Talk software. The chat broke up or froze several times over Verizon's network, but we eventually got it to work pretty well on Wi-Fi.
The Xoom's battery is sealed, and it only comes with 32 gigabytes of memory, versus a range of between 16 and 64 GB for various models of the iPad. However, it has a slot for a memory card that Motorola says will work after a software upgrade to add more memory. There is also a removable back and a SIM card slot that would be used only if you chose to upgrade to 4G in the second quarter of this year.
Perhaps even more impressive than the hardware is the Honeycomb software, which, for now, Google won't offer on cellphones, only tablets, of which the Xoom is the first.
I've always felt that Android had a rough-around-the edges, geeky feel, with too many steps to do things and too much reliance on menus. But Honeycomb eliminates much of that. Actions like composing emails, or changing settings are much more obvious and quicker. The smart but cluttered notification bar has been moved to the lower right and simplified. A tap on it pops up relevant information.
There is still a separate email app for Gmail, as opposed to other email services you may use. But, now, as on the iPad, email is presented in multiple columns and is more attractive and easier to use.
The browser is especially impressive, with PC-like features, such as visible tabs for open pages and the ability to open a private browsing session. Apps like Maps and YouTube have 3-D views. There's a movie-editing app and live widgets for the home screens that show email previews or video frames.
There are some downsides. The ability to play Flash video—a big Android selling point—won't work on the Xoom at launch. It will take some weeks to appear. And I found numerous apps in the Android Market that wouldn't work with the Xoom. I couldn't locate a working video download or rental service, though Google says these will be available soon.
Some apps for phones, like the popular game Angry Birds, filled the screen beautifully and worked fine.
Bottom line: The Xoom and Honeycomb are a promising pair that should give the iPad its stiffest competition. But price will be an obstacle, and Apple isn't standing still.
Find all of Walt Mossberg's columns and videos at the All Things Digital website, walt.allthingsd.com. Email him at email@example.com.


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Syrian opposition will welcome UN chemical team
Syria's Western-backed opposition group urged a U.N. team heading to Syria in the coming days to start their investigation of alleged chemical weapons use in a village near Aleppo where rebel fighters recently ousted government forces.
The Syrian National Coalition said in a statement Friday that it sent a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reiterating its offer of "full cooperation with the investigation team, particularly in assuring their unfettered access into liberated areas."
The U.N. gave approval Wednesday for the investigation of three allegations of alleged chemical weapons use. The decision followed an understanding reached between the Syrian government and U.N. disarmament chief Angela Kane and chief chemical investigator Ake Sellstrom, who visited Damascus last week.
The U.N. only identified Khan al-Assal, a village on the southwestern outskirts of Aleppo, which was captured by the rebels last week and was under attack by government forces this week. The government and rebels have blamed each other for a purported chemical weapons attack in Khan al-Assal on March 19.
"As the Free Syrian Army has recently liberated the Khan al-Assal area, we urge the U.N. team to begin its investigation in this area and hope to welcome their arrival without any further delays," the opposition coalition said.
In the letter to Ban, obtained by The Associated Press, the coalition's U.N. representative, Najib Ghadbian, urged the U.N. team to "act without delay to investigate reported incidents of chemical weapons use throughout this area."
"Both the Syrian Coalition and the Supreme Military Council stand ready to cooperate fully with representatives of the mission and welcome U.N. investigators into all territories under our control," the letter said.
U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said Thursday the locations of the two other sites to be investigated "are being kept confidential as a safety and security precaution." The two sites were chosen based on an evaluation of available information which indicated "an onsite investigation is warranted," he said.
Nesirky said the chemical weapons experts were gathering in The Hague, Netherlands and will depart "within days" for Syria.
The mandate of the investigation team is to report on whether chemical weapons were used, and if so which chemical weapon, but not to determine the responsibility for an attack.
The letter said the opposition coalition and Supreme Military Council are committed to upholding international humanitarian and human rights laws "and condemn the deployment of chemical weapons."
"We further demand that any individuals found responsible for the use of chemical weapons be held accountable for their crimes, in full accordance with international law," the letter said.

subset: commoncrawl


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Goji Muffins with Mixed Whole Berries, Citrus and Pecan topping!
I wanted to use some Goji berries in my baking and so I thought muffins would be a good start. I purchased the softer more like raisins dried berries from Whole Foods. The combination of whole berries, with a pecan topping made a delicious breakfast or snack muffin. The fresh candied orange peel I recently made was a great tasting combination with berries, especially the goji berry. The recipe is my version of Blackberry Muffins from Williams - Sonoma Muffins book.
90 g sugar
3 TBsp. All Purpose Flour
2 Tablespoons Unsalted butter - softened room temperature
Pecans chopped small - 1/3 cup - 45g
2 cups - 315g Plain All Purpose Flour
185g - 3/4 cup Sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder - Fresh
1/2 teaspoon baking soda - ditto
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 Large Egg - lightly beaten
5 TBsp. 75g - unsalted butter - melted
1 Cup - 250g - 8 oz - Buttermilk
250g - 2 Cups of Fresh Whole Fruits - I used a combination of Goji, Blackberries, Blueberries and Candied Orange Peel
Preheated Convection Oven 375F
I used my XLarge 6 muffin pan with muffin liners - Or you can make 12 smaller muffins - Spray or use muffin paper liners
To Make The Topping: In a Small Bowl
Stir together the sugar, flour. Rub in the softened butter to make a nice crumbly mixture, add the pecans and combine. Set aside
To Mix the Muffins:
In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Make a well in the center and add the egg, cooled melted butter, and buttermilk.
Stir/ using a folding motion, just until evenly moistened. Batter will be a little lumpy..do not over mix or you will have tough muffins...very important.
The batter will be slightly lumpy.
Fold in the Fruits, use a large spatula, gently. Do this using only a few strokes, being careful not to break the blackberries. Do not over mix
Spoon the batter gently filling each muffin cup. Do not push the batter down into the cups. Fill up to the rim.
I scooped up a handful of topping and gently cupped my hand over the top of the muffin laying the topping on with a gentle push into a rounded mound.
Bake until light golden brown, and springs back at the touch. 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the bake.
Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes and then remove from the muffin pan.
Serve warm or room temperature.
See the moist Goji berry with it's tiny seed, it's eatable in this healthy power packed berry. Use them like you would raisins. They taste somewhere between a cranberry and a cherry, with a slight sweetness and flavor that I think is enhanced with candied orange peel.


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The word hame is usually found in the plural: hames are two curved wooden or metal pieces forming part of the collar of a draught animal's harness; they fit around the neck and the traces are fastened to them. (A draught/draft animal is one used for muscular work, typically pulling – i.e., drawing – a cart, plough, or other heavy load.)
In Ireland, though, hames has been repurposed in the informal idiom make a hames of, meaning make a mess or a hash of. It implies the mess has resulted from carelessness, clumsiness, or ineptitude: a sports player who misses an easy opportunity, or a baker who forgets the leavening agent, can be said to have made a hames of it.
Hames is sometimes preceded by a modifying or intensifying term: you could make a right hames, a fierce hames, an almighty hames, an awful hames, or a complete and total hames of a task. Browsing Google Books we find a variety of things being made a hames of: jobs, plays, heists, documents, Bibles, sums, relationships, Socialism:
This was a good start: my first salaried job and I was making a hames of it. (Robert E. Tangney, Other Days Around Me)
I made a right haimes of my suit. (Flann O'Brien, At Swim-Two-Birds)
Neil hated computers and could make a hames of the slightest little thing. (Patricia Scanlan, Two for Joy)
Why should a carefully-prepared document be made a hames of by a typographically illiterate user who has set to display as 44pt Punk Bold in diagonal purple and green stripes? (TEX Users Group, Vol. 16, 1995)
Often it's just it that appears at the end of the phrase, in which case the expression refers to something made obvious by the context:
Expressed at its simplest, it's 'You can't let the Irish run the country, sure they'd make a hames of it.' (David McKittrick, Endgame: The search for peace in Northern Ireland)
'How did I make a hames of your play?' asked F. J. 'You made a hames of it at that particular line when Donal says…' (Garry O'Connor, Sean O'Casey: A Life)
Make a hames of is very much an Irish expression. Its meagre results in Google's vast books corpus, and its total absence from the Corpus of Contemporary American English (and the Historical one), testify to the idiom's limited province. But it's in active use here. I heard it regularly growing up, and still do. I love how it sounds, and I use it myself.
A search on the Irish Times website shows several recent instances of its use from politicians, spokepersons, and journalists themselves, including the memorable line 'But why is the young Irish male making such a hames of the hip-hop hug?' It even shows up in headlines. More informal examples may be found in the Boards.ie forums.
The OED says hame is from Middle Dutch (Dutch haam) corresponding to Middle High German ham(e) = fishing rod, of unknown origin. Why it was incorporated into make of hames of is uncertain: maybe because it's difficult to put hames on the right way. Michael Quinion says his 'carriage-driving consultant tells me it's all too easy to put the hames on a horse the wrong way up, thus making a complete mess of things'. Terence Dolan tentatively supports this etymology.
Chambers Slang Dictionary mentions hame and haym as variants of haim (etymology unknown), jazz lingo for 'a job other than in the music business; . . . a job, usually tedious or unpleasant', but there's no obvious connection with the hames discussed above. I could try to forge one speculatively, but I would probably make a hames of it.
See this Twitter chat about Irish words that hames might have come from, including @Karenwq4's suggestion seamlas whose meanings include shambles and mess, and a related list from Dulach Glynn.


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Mortgage-interest deduction could be on the table in 'fiscal cliff' debate
Of all the deductions woven into the sprawling U.S. tax code, few have been more fiercely guarded than the enormous tax break that lets homeowners deduct the interest they pay on their mortgages.
But as Congress and the White House negotiate the first major rewrite of tax laws in decades, changing the generations-old mortgage-interest deduction — which costs the government roughly $100 billion a year — has gone from far-off possibility to part of the conversation.
The outcome of that debate could have profound long-term effects on homeowners across the country — and particularly those in the Washington area, who tend to benefit from the tax break more than many other Americans due to the region's hefty home prices and high incomes.
As the Obama administration and lawmakers on Capitol Hill scramble to defuse automatic spending cuts and tax increases set to take effect Jan. 1, a herd of sacred cows — from Social Security and Medicare to deductions for charitable giving and mortgage interest — are in danger of losing their untouchable status.


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Hi, my name is Michael and I'm a Salvage Archaeologist who became a Computer Animator 20 years ago and now I'm using both my archaeology and computer animation skills to reimagine archaeological landscapes in virtual reality! Most of my days are now spent in front of a computer working in Autodesk Maya, Unity or Unreal game engines, but today we are with our friends at ASI | Archaeological and Cultural Heritage Services to see what archaeologists think about our recent virtual reality (VR) (re)imagination of a 16th century Wendat (Iroquoian) Longhouse.
- About the Project
- Take Part in 2017!
- How to Post
- Explore Posts
- #dayofarch Swag


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A Marvel exec reportedly spilled some pretty major Iron Man 3 details. A laundry list of famous directors have said they're not doing Star Wars: Episode VII... all except for one great director. Mark Millar hints once again that the Fantastic Four and X-Men films could cross over. There are some new pictures of Wargs from The Hobbit! Transformers 4 gets a new star... who was chosen by the Internet. Game of Thrones casts a very crucial character. And there are set photos that reveal a somewhat new version of some classic Doctor Who villains.
Spoilers from here on out...
Iron Man 3
Simon Philips, president of Marvel's International and Consumer Products division, reportedly gave a presentation in São Paulo. And he mentioned some major spoilers.
First of all, the scene in the trailer where Tony is lying in a hospital bed? Totally about to be injected with the Extremis virus. And the Extremis virus will allow Tony to put parts of multiple Iron Man suits together. Also, Tony will have a "Hall of Armors" with at least 16 new suits of armor, including some classic armors from the comics. And Pepper Potts will get her own set of armor, and take part in some fight scenes. Whether or not she becomes her alter-ego Rescue, is unclear.
And at least one rumored plot development — Tony creating multiple mix-and-match suits of armor — is apparently true. Screen Rant looked at the descriptions of the upcoming toys — which include the "Iron Man 3 Iron Assemblers Action Figure Assortment: 14 "Connectable" figures with multiple interchangeable pieces to deliver maximum customization." They also point out that rumors regarding the Rescue armor for Pepper have been around for a while. and that actress Gwyneth Paltrow said that "she's getting old for this shit." [Comic Book Movie and Comic Book Resources and Screen Rant]
Star Wars: Episode VII
With Michael Arndt confirmed as screenwriter of the upcoming film, and original cast members seeming pretty positive about reprising their roles, all that remains is finding a director. And there's lots of news on that front.
A few days ago, Marc Webb (The Amazing Spider-Man) took himself out of the running and now even more directors are jumping off the bandwagon. So who's letting fans down easy? First, Steven Spielberg told Access Hollywood, "No! No! It's not my genre. It's my best friend George's genre." We assume that he doesn't mean science fiction (since he's made a bunch of those), but space opera. Unless Star Wars has become its own genre. [Access Hollywood via Film School Rejects]
Also, Zack Snyder went on the record with the L.A. Times, saying: "I don't think I'd be interested in [directing it]. I'm a huge 'Star Wars' fanatic. I just think doing [episodes] seven, eight and nine is just a slippery slope. It's a whole other mythological experiment I'm excited to see, but it's a lot of effort." [L.A. Times]
J.J. Abrams didn't say absolutely not, but doesn't seem to be throwing his hat in the ring either: "Look, Star Wars is one of my favorite movies of all time. I frankly feel that – I almost feel that, in a weird way, the opportunity for whomever it is to direct that movie, it comes with the burden of being that kind of iconic movie and series. I was never a big Star Trek fan growing up, so for me, working on Star Trek didn't have any of that, you know, almost fatal sacrilege, and so, I am looking forward more than anyone to the next iterations of Star Wars, but I believe I will be going as a paying moviegoer!" [HollywoodLife.com]
And finally, Quentin Tarantino, who had not made all that many fan wish lists, said, "I could so care less. No, sorry. Especially if Disney's going to do it. I'm not interested in the Simon West version of Star Wars." [EW]
But meanwhile, Jon Favreau noticeably doesn't seem to be closing the door all the way when he's asked about it: "I am just giddy, first and foremost as a fan, to see what happens with it. I think there is a lot of question marks of how they are going to do it, and who they are going to do it with, and what the story is going to be about; but to say that I am not excited about it is definitely an understatement. We'll see." He also gushes about George Lucas, and how lucky he's been to be involved with Lucas' world, in various capacities. More at the link. [HollywoodLife.com]
But will Favreau's enthusiasm be enough to win the day? Here's a video interview with George Lucas and Kathleen Kennedy from StarWars.com, in which Kennedy talks about what they're looking for in a director:
It's not going to be people who don't already have some affinity for Star Wars, probably. It's going to be somebody who really appreciates what Star Wars meant to them and is excited to dive in and be a part of this. That's the thing that I think will be immediately apparent are the directors who walk into the room and say, 'I can't wait to be a part of this.'
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Director Marc Webb wants to do a different cut of the sequel for the IMAX version:
"I remember watching the abbreviated version [of the POV shot] in IMAX when I went to test the IMAX version, and I was like, 'Shit, I should have held on it," he said, explaining that he had already cut that scene down from 40 seconds to 12. "There was a real feeling in the IMAX environment that was really great. I learned a lesson then to be reverent of the IMAX experience. Maybe we'll do cuts that are specific for the IMAX in the future, I don't know, but there was something about that environment specifically that is unique and really exciting."
It's not clear he'll get his wish this time around, but it does sound like something Hollywood might do to bolster more pricey IMAX ticket sales. [Comic Book Resources]
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Bryan Singer, who took over directing from Matthew Vaughn, just announced via twitter that he was beginning pre-production for the movie. Filming will begin in April 2013. [SpoilerTV]
Even though Disney now owns Marvel, many of the properties had been previously licensed by other companies. Spider-Man is at Sony, but Fantastic Four and X-Men are at Fox. And it looks like Fox is hoping to put together an Avengers-style continuity where the stories build into one another. Creative consultant Mark Millar discusses his plans for the mutants:
"The X-Men feels like a universe by itself; there's so many characters and so many great potential spin-off characters. They asked me to come in and work out a plan, so unfortunately at this point I can't get too specific. I DO have a three to four year plan of where things could go, but you know, I'll be working with guys like Matthew and Josh Trank (the new director of 'Fantastic Four') and just figuring out how everything can work together and not contradict each other."
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Here are some pictures of Wargs! [Comic Book Movie]
Transformers 4
In a decision that will be deeply studied by the internet scholars of the future, a director has finally made a casting decision based on the suggestions of random internet commentators. Rejoice, because we have the power… to convince Michael Bay to cast Mark Wahlberg in Transformers 4. It probably helped that the two worked together well on Bay's movie Pain and Gain. Says Bay about that experience:
"Mark is awesome. We had a blast working on "Pain and Gain" and I'm so fired up to be back working with him. An actor of his caliber is the perfect guy to re-invigorate the franchise and carry on the Transformers' legacy."
Bay has also let it drop that Transformers 4 takes place four years after Dark of the Moon and we should expect it on July 4, 2014. [MichaelBay.com]
And here's the movie's logo:
Kick-Ass 2
Let's be honest, this is what we were all looking forward to from this film. Here are images of Hit-Girl in action. [Daily Mail]
Snow Piercer
South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-Ho's English language debut (an adaptation of a French comic) will be released by Weinstein Co. in the United States. The film takes place on a train in the near future, after a new ice age has wiped out most of the people on earth. [First Showing]
After Earth
The Will and Jaden Smith vehicle, directed by M. Night Shyamalan, has finished filming in Humboldt County, CA. They dropped some $5 million dollars during their five months of shooting in the area's redwood forest. The film's plot involves Jaden Smith's character traversing a post-apocalyptic, uninhabited environment. So movie goers, be prepared for lots of really big trees! [Times Standard]
Hotel Transylvania 2
Sony has announced a sequel to the Genndy Tartakovsky-directed Adam Sandler vehicle. The release date is September 25, 2015. But Tartakovsky is scheduled to direct Popeye for a 2014 release, so he probably won't be back. [Slash Film]
Beautiful Creatures
Here's a banner of the cast looking all sorts of witchy-gothic for this YA adaptation. Someone has got to tell folks in Hollywood that pouting doesn't make girls look like they have higher cheekbones. They just look pouty. [Coming Soon]
Doctor Who
We've been hoping Neil Gaiman's next episode would restore the Cybermen to their former awesomeness, and now here's your first proof that the Doctor's longtime enemies have been redesigned. Check out your first set photos of the noticeably different — and quite possibly Mondasian — Cybermen. [Life, Doctor Who and Combom]
Game of Thrones
Season three of this show has picked up an actress to play Roslin Frey. British newcomer Alexandra Dowling will take on the character — who readers of the books will know plays a very crucial role in a very important ceremony. [SpoilerTV]
This Stephen King adaptation just got picked up for a fourth season with a full 13 episodes. [TV Equals]
Here are some stills from episode 3x09, "Sarah." [SpoilerTV]
666 Park Avenue
Here are some promotional pictures from the November 25 episode, 1x08 "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" [SpoilerTV]
And here's the synopsis for episode 1x09, "Hypnos" which will air December 2:
Jane is sent back in time when she is hypnotized by Maris Elder (Whoopi Goldberg); Henry considers running for city council; Sasha's identity is revealed.
The Neighbors
Episode 1x09, "Merry Crap-Mas", now has a synopsis:
Marty and Debbie dislike the kids' entitled attitude towards Christmas and decide to return their gifts and use the money for a family vacation; when the Weavers realize the aliens already opened all the presents, Larry Bird must save Christmas.
Last Resort
Here's the synopsis for episode 1x08, "Big Chicken Dinner":
Marcus brings the islanders and the members of the Colorado together for a feast in the spirit of Thanksgiving; Grace searches for the truth when an essential crew member is accused of a crime.
Here's one promotional still from this week's episode, 5x07, "Five-Twenty-Ten." [SpoilerTV]
Someone called "Masked Scheduler" on Twitter has seen episode 5x08, and reveals that the title is "The Human Kind," and that the episode is a tearjerker. [SpoilerTV]
The Vampire Diaries
Apparently show runners Julie Plec and Michael Narducci are so excited about the rest of Season 4, that they couldn't keep all those secrets to themselves. Because they just gave the most spoilery interview ever to The Hollywood Reporter. They answer 13 questions, and toss out a handful of hints.
Here are a couple highlights:
"Matt and Jeremy are going to become closer," Narducci teased. "Matt as the singular last man standing human is going to come in handy as Jeremy's struggling his supernatural urges to kill vampires and as Elena's going down the rabbit hole of the consequences of having killing someone in the next episode. Matt's going to be that reliable voice of reason."
As for Elena offing Connor:
"We learn, for the first time, that killing a hunter comes with a price," Plec teased, adding that viewers will discover the repercussions next week. "There's a weird consequence to it all that she's going to have to deal with that takes her to some dark, dark places."
Read the rest at [Hollywood Reporter]
Here are promotional photos from episode 2x12, "Season of the Hexenbiest." [K Site TV]
Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast is the latest new show to receive a full season order. [TV Equals]
Here's the extended promo for epsiode 1x06, "Worth":
And here are promotional photos from episode 1x07, "Out of Control." [SpoilerTV]
Once Upon a Time
Because no Monday morning is complete without an entire featurette about Fairytale Couture. [SpoilerTV]
We have more photos of Huntress, from her inaugural episode seven, "Muse on Fire." [Buddy TV]
Arrow is adding yet another recurring character in episode 13. Ollie's new playmate is a CIA Black-Ops Agent named Halloway. It's unclear if he is a friend or enemy. [SpoilerTV]
Here are some promo pics for the partially animated episode "Hunteri Heroici." [SpoilerTV]
Here's a new trailer for the SyFy show / MMO video game, called "New in Town." [TV Equals]
Person of Interest
Episode 2x12 will be called "Prisoner's Dilemma." [SpoilerTV]
Additional reporting by Amanda Yesilbas and Charlie Jane Anders.


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Catalogue No: NBN1DAs you might expect, some of these tracks are EXPLICIT...14 tracks - AVAILABLE ONLY FOR DIGITAL DOWNLOAD streaming from our® channel, or listen now on Spotify®:Personnel:Wayne County: VocalsJayne County: VocalsGreg Van Cook: GuitarEliot Michaels: Lead GuitarHenri Padovani: Rhythm GuitarVal Haller: BassPeter Jordan: BassJ.J. Johnson: DrumsSammy Mirelli: DrumsMorgan Fisher: Hammond organ, Synthesiser, Vox organ & pianoDarryl Way: ViolinJools Holland: PianoDavid Cunningham: SynthesiserProducers:Martin Birch/David Cunningham/Mervyn Slime/The Electric Chairs/Stacy HeydonMixed by Jayne County & Eliot MichaelsDuring the '70s two bands in N.Y.C. were to lay down the rules for all that followed of a rock outrage movement which rumbles more loudly every day. If the N.Y. Dolls received the bulk of the attention, Wayne County was surely its anchor.How does a person begin to describe her unique contributions. She made better use of toilet seats, 12 foot dildos, motorised vibrators and four letter words than any rock & roll warrior before or after. Ms County has truly been the ultimate pioneer in perversity in the past ten years, and most of the major bands that specialize in shock owe her their very existence.Through the halcyon days of Max's and CBGB's, into the insanity of the UK punk scene when, together with Johnny Thunders and Cherry Vanilla, Wayne was a part of the 1977 N.Y. rock invasion that shook London to its very foundations and the third jewel in the JUBILEE triple crown the two other stars of that 1978 landmark film were Adam Ant and Toyah and on to the ultimate transformation in Berlin 1980-81 from which Wayne emerged as Jayne, the County phenomenon has once again risen from the ashes. Most of the tracks on this album were recorded in the 1978-1980 period of growth and transformation for Jayne, and unlike most of what was recorded during that savage and erratic period, they are as valid at this moment as they would have been in 1965, 1973 or 1999.The world has been enjoying a love-hate relationship with Jayne County for almost a decade, and in recent days she has come to enjoy a renewed prominence. Listen to these songs from a true survivor and visionary of rock & roll future because now is the time for a rock & roll reformation and now more than ever is the time for the Queen of outer space, the wonder woman of the year, Ms Jayne County.Jimi LalumiaN.Y.C. 1982 Prices listed are subject to change without prior notification. Purchases will be charged at prices in effect at the time order is placed.
Prices listed are subject to change without prior notification. Purchases will be charged at prices in effect at the time order is placed.
1. Man Enough to Be a Woman 2. Berlin 3. Fuck Off 4. Trying to Get on the Radio 5. It Ain't How Much You Got 6. Night Time 7. Hot Blood 8. Max's Kansas City 9. Toilet Love 10. Eddie & Sheena 11. Bad in Bed 12. I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night 13. Midnight Pal 14. Cream in my Jeans/Stuck on You (Live)


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Tips for Creating a Learner-Centered Syllabus
According to Linda B. Nilson, author of Teaching At Its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors, a syllabus "is not only the road map for the [semester's] foray into knowledge but also a travelogue to pique students' interest in the expedition" (p 33). Before addressing the particulars of a learner-centered syllabus, Judith Grunert, author of The Course Syllabus: A Learning Centered Approach, suggests that we engage in "scholarly reflection" and consider the following questions:
- Who are my students, and what do I want them to learn beyond the content (i.e., communication skills, the ability to use resources effectively, critical thinking, etc.)?
- What point is my course making, and what do I want my students to believe or question?
- Where does this course fit in my students' intellectual life?
- How does this course introduce students to the methods, procedures, values, and/or issues in my discipline?
- How does this course fit into the program and/or departmental curriculum? Is it a foundational course?
- What parts of the course are going to be most interesting to students? Where will they experience the most difficulty either in understanding or motivation? What parts of the course connect to topics students already understand or have experienced?
- If someone else were teaching this course, what would they do differently? (5-6)
According to Nilson, a learner-centered syllabus could be as many as 20 to 30 pages in length, (especially if it is a combination of the official course syllabus and the section syllabus). In addition to the standard information found in a syllabus, a learner-centered syllabus may also include items such as the following:
- A welcome letter to set the tone, to share one's teaching and learning philosophy, etc.
- Detailed instructions for assignments, projects, presentations, etc. This is often considered a standard part of any syllabus.
- A detailed grading policy (i.e., including the weights assigned to each test and/or assignment, the impact of any extra credit, the impact of a missed quiz [i.e., the lowest quiz score is dropped]). A detailed grading policy is also generally considered a standard part of a syllabus.
- A course schedule with the topic(s) for each week, homework such as assigned reading, due dates for various assignments and exams, etc. If you need to revise it later, provide a written revision. Also, consider including important dates such as last drop dates, registration dates for the next semester, Spring Break, etc.
- A learning style inventory and an interpretation key, or a website address that includes an inventory and assessment.
- A learning contract (make this a hyperlink) if applicable.
- Suggestions for team building, especially if students will be working in dyads, triads and/or small groups.
- Examples of quality papers if applicable.
- Advice on how to master course material. Given that students often hear advice better from each other, this could be based on previous students' suggestions.
- How to read/take notes/study in this discipline. Again, this could be based on prior students' input. Give students an idea of how much time should be spent studying for this class. When planning, keep in mind that students have other obligations. However, don't lower your standards or minimize what is required to succeed in the course.
- Web-based resources and library materials pertinent to the course, as well as suggestions for accessing the library's wealth of resources. Or, have an instructional librarian provide an overview on how use LCC's library to the fullest.
- Provide information about other campus resources such as Tutoring Services, Academic Advising Center, the Academic Resource Center, etc. LCC also requires section syllabi to include information regarding services available to students through the Center for Student Access. (See The Center for Student Access' Faculty Handbook)
Keep in mind that the more information and detail included in the syllabus, the fewer questions and less anxiety on the students' part. Also, if your syllabus is lengthy, you may want to consider including a table of contents to make accessing the syllabus easier.
Finally, model the behavior you expect from your students by providing the syllabus on the first day of class.
Davis, B. G. Tools for Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1993. Print.
Grunert, Judith. The Course Syllabus: A Learner-Centered Approach. Bolton: Anker, 1997. Print.
Jones, Ken. "Creating a Learning Centered Syllabi." Learning Enhancement Center. St. John's U., 2000. Web. 15 Jan. 2010.
Haugen, Lee. "Learning-Centered Syllabi Workshop." Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching. Iowa State U., 1998. Web. 15 Jan. 2010.
Nilson, L. Teaching At Its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2010. Print.
Starke, Diane. "Getting Started - Resources for the New College Instructor." Professional Development Module. Texas Collaborative for Teaching Excellence, 2007. Web. 11 Mar. 2010.
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"This is 'Magic' and this is 'Jack'," the little girl says in the video ad, holding her two cute puppy dogs up to the camera. The girl's father, magicJack inventor Dan Borislow, then asks her, "Kylie, did you know that your dad is going to let everybody try a magicJack in the whole country for free?"
Free for 30 days, that is. magicJack is a popular service comparable to VoIP, except that after you hook its app into a USB port on your broadband connected computer, you plug the USB gadget to the RJ11 slot in your telephone. The cost: $39.95 for the initial year and $19.95 for subsequent years to make local and long distance phone calls.
"I love the magicJack!" Kylie declares. It's all very warm and fuzzy, but not to CTIA - the Wireless Association, which is worried about the next-generation version of the gizmo. It's a plug-and-play, "carrier agnostic" attachment that magicJack says will allow mobile users to complete their mobile phone call via magicJack's network instead of their carrier's, and presumably save money on wireless bills.
Grrr, says CTIA. Using these devices "would clearly interfere with licensees' exclusive rights to their spectrum and carries the same potential for harmful interference as wireless boosters and repeaters," the trade association warned the Federal Communications Commission on Friday. "Moreover, without a clear affirmation of the exclusive rights assigned to wireless licensees to operate on their licensed spectrum without outside interference (or in the case of magicJack, illicit operations on exclusively licensed spectrum), the benefits derived to the public from innovative wireless services will be greatly diminished."
Indeed, magicJack version 2.0 will include a femtocell signal booster to let consumers break out of mobile network jail. They may even be able to use their old GSM cell phones with discontinued service plans, its promotional literature promises, or connect to other femtocell-powered magicJacks: "All the user has to do is come within eight feet of the magicJack one time to register the connection and then talk away within a range of a 3,000 square foot house."
Now we're interested
A femtocell base is something like a mini wireless cell phone tower that improves home connectivity. You can set it up by attaching the device to your broadband modem or router. The big telcos have been experimenting to various degrees with femtocells. As we've reported, early last year AT&T rolled out its broadband-linked 3G Microcell gadget, which puts a tower-like access point in the consumers' home. Verizon and Sprint followed suit around the same time. But analysts say they're skeptical as to how much enthusiasm consumers will show for these devices, or whether they will help cell phone subscribers as much as the big carriers (who don't need to put up so many cell towers).
Now, however, we have the possibility of mobile users purchasing femtocell technology that does not come through their carrier, but through a firm that specializes in helping consumers end-run around carrier services. CTIA says this is wrong because, among other reasons, the innovation could spawn harmful signal interference.
"The law is clear," the group insists, "the unauthorized operation of these devices is an obvious violation of the FCC's rules and the Communications Act. The FCC must affirm that signal booster operators must obtain FCC licenses and that 'the sale and marketing of such devices to unauthorized parties is illegal.'"
The carriers have paid billions for their spectrum, and they aren't excited about the possibility that a host of unlicensed femtocells in an apartment block, for instance, might interfere with their signals.
Give us a boost
But not everybody agrees with CTIA's request that the FCC clamp down on this use of femtocell technology. Wireless amplifier maker Wilson Electronics, for example, argues that while cheaper repeaters and amplifiers can pose interference threats to CRMS networks, the best solution is not an outright ban on their unlicensed home use, but equipment certification requirements to ward off interference.
"It appears indisputable that handset amplifiers can be robustly designed and marketed with the oscillation detection technology and shutdown logic necessary to prevent interference to wireless networks," Wilson contends. "That being the case, the Commission can protect wireless networks from the interference caused by the sale and use of low quality boosters and repeaters by adopting a rule that provides that only repeaters, boosters and handset amplifiers manufactured with integrated oscillation shutdown protection will be certificated for use in the CMRS."
This move would be consistent with the FCC's "Open Networks" policies, Wilson suggests—presumably the FCC's Carterfone principle, which guarantees users the right to attach any legal device to a common carrier network that doesn't harm it. Then, Wilson urges, "leave it to consumers to choose whether to use such certificated devices."
No surprise that CTIA is very skeptical of this approach. "Commonsense and good engineering practice demonstrate that mobile devices have a much more widespread ability to cause harmful interference," its filing warns. "The wireless operator cannot determine precisely where the device will be used and therefore such devices have much more potential for harmful interference."
No one but us
Meanwhile, magicJack maker YMax is telling the FCC that its next-generation device will help put the kibosh on the epidemic of crank 911 calls coming over VoIP networks. These often untraceable pranks, "many made by repeat callers, often children," frequently come through subscription-expired phones that still offer 911 capability. In 2008, the Commission released a Notice of Inquiry asking for solutions to the problem.
The next-generation magicJack, YMax promises, will enable the called public safety agency to obtain the location information of the call. "Moreover, YMax's technology also serves the public interest by introducing a near-term, viable [Automaker Location Identifier] solution for 911 calls made by nomadic VoIP subscribers—a potentially life-saving solution that the industry and the Commission have been seeking for years," the company adds. "No one else has suggested a viable ALI solution for 911 calls made by nomadic VoIP subscribers that will be workable until years from now."
Thus concludes this wrap-up of the kinds of arguments for and against magicJack's innovation—only one of the many skirmishes we can expect as more consumers cut the cord and take their telephone and broadband experience to the airwaves.


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Prime Time Direct 25 *****
The best way to find the start is to have a good look at the photograph. It starts almost directly below the rectangular overhang in the middle of the Amphitheatre. Above at about 5m is a shallow left facing corner.
Pitch 1: 25m 22
Climb up the corner until it gets to a tenuous stemming move. Continue up to a ledge on blocks. Or move left across the slab on good holds to a crack system and continue to the rail. Move back right to the blocks and then from the right side continue up the overlap above. Diagonal up left and do a tricky move into the short right facing corner to a good belay.
Pitch 2: 35m 25
This is sustained and varied and exciting pitch as good as any on Yellow Wood. Climb up to the rectangular overhang and then swing out left onto a thin rail. Have some tiny cams ready. Crank up and then do a tenuous stemming move to get to the easier ground below the large left facing corner. Continue up the corner with some funky moves to a rail under the overhang and rail right onto the exposed arete. Climb straight up from the edge to a rail about 4m above. Move right a couple of meters and then head diagonally up right on a low angle slab. Belay on a good ledge on the left.
First Ascent: Charles Edelstein and Dave Vallet December 2008


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I work for the Portable Antiquities Scheme as the Deputy Finds Adviser for Iron Age and Roman coins and part time as a Roman Finds Adviser. It's my job to help our national network of Finds Liaison Officers to identify and record all the tricky coins and artefacts brought in by metal detectorists to record and to emphasise their research potential. Every day working for the Scheme is different. The past couple of weeks have seen me give lectures at metal Detecting Clubs in Liverpool and the Wirral, attend a conference on Roman coins from Britain and record more than 1000 coins from new sites discovered throughout the country. This entry gives a snapshot of what I've been doing today.
9.15am: I arrive at work at the Department of Coins and Medals at the British Museum and spend the next half hour answering email queries from finders and Finds Liaison Officers. Answering queries is a major part of my role. Today, I've identified and referenced a couple of coins from the Isle of Wight, where the FLO, Frank Basford, works very hard with detectorists to record as many objects as possible. As a result, he has recorded more than 1500 Roman coins for the island which has totally changed our understanding of the Roman period there.
9.45am: I check in to the Finds Liaison Officers' Finds Forum and leave a couple of opinions on objects posted there. One of the FLOs wants to know where he can find examples of iron Roman brooches, whilst another queries whether an unusual wire feature on the foot of a Roman brooch is a repair or part of its decoration. I make a note to flick through some Roman catalogues later to try and find parallels. I post a map of the distribution of Roman knee brooches recorded by the PAS which I've been working on and it provokes some interesting discussion from FLOs…
10.20am: I start putting together a provisional object and image list for a display on 'Roman coins as religious offerings' which will form part of a new Money Gallery at the British museum. I want to use a combination of objects from the museum's collections and some reported through the PAS. I choose a selection of coins found in the River Thames at London Bridge, some cut and mutilated coins from a range of sites throughout the country and decide it would be a good idea to also have some artefacts too. I therefore email the curators in the Department of Prehistory and Europe to see whether they have any votive objects in their reserve collections which might be suitable. I'm hoping for a miniature object and a lead curse tablet!
1pm: Lunch and a bit of a rest!
2pm: I check up on my intern, Victoria, an MA student in Museum Studies from George Washington University. She's spent the summer recording coins on the PAS database and scanning accompanying images and has done an amazing job, entering more than 1000 over the past month. We get a lot of help from students and volunteers and I hope they get as much out of it as we do!
2.30pm: Back to the museum display. I've just found out I have to write the general display text to accompany my finds by Monday. It's only 80 words explaining the theme of my display but I think it's going to be a bit of a challenge.
3pm: Start recording part of a large assemblage of coins from a site in Wiltshire which looks like it might be a Roman temple site. Amongst the coins are about 20 pierced with iron nails – possible evidence of a ritual practice I aim to investigate in more detail later. I add these coins to my spreadsheet of 'mutilated coins' recorded by the PAS and will come back to them next week when I start writing an article on 'Cut and mutilated Roman coins recorded by the PAS'.
4pm: I start collecting together all the reference works and recording sheets that Victoria and I will need tomorrow. We're going to a Finds Day in Sussex as part of a team of FLOs and PAS Finds Advisers to record coins and objects. Getting out and about to let people know about the Scheme is really important. We're hoping to see some interesting finds and meet some new finders..


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Foresight Archives
Foresight Institute Prize Descriptions and Applications
Foresight Institute awards are the premier prizes in nanotechnology. In alignment with our mission, these awards and prizes recognize students, researchers, journalists and governmental officials who use their influence to advance the acceptance and achievement of molecular nanotechnology (MNT).
Foresight Institute Feynman Prizes: Experimental and Theory
The Foresight Institute Feynman Prizes are given in two categories, one for experimental and the other for theory in advances in nanotechnology. Established in 1993, the Foresight Feynman Prizes in nanotechnology are given to researchers whose recent work have most advanced the achievement of Feynman's goal for nanotechnology: the construction of atomically-precise products through the use of molecular machine systems.
Foresight Institute Feynman Prizes Instructions for 2020.
Previously awarded Feynman Prizes
Foresight Institute Feynman Grand Prize
Foresight Institute established the Feynman Grand Prize in 1996 to motivate scientists and engineers to design and construct a functioning nanoscale robotic arm with specific performance characteristics. This $250,000 incentive prize was named after Dr. Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize winner in Physics, whose original goal for nanotechnology — systems of molecular machines building with atomic precision, is the guiding vision of long-term nanotechnology.
Further Grand Prize information can be found here; the application is located here.
Foresight Institute Distinguished Student Award
The Foresight Distinguished Student Award was established in 1997 and is given to a college undergraduate or graduate student whose work is notable in the field of nanotechnology. This award is primarily intended to allow a winning student to attend Foresight Institute's research conference.
Foresight Institute Distinguished Student Award Instructions for 2020.
2020 Distinguished Student Award.
Previously awarded Distinguished Student Awards
Foresight Institute Prize in Communication
The Foresight Institute Prize in Communication recognizes outstanding journalistic or other communication endeavors that lead to a better public understanding of molecular nanotechnology and its high social and environmental impact. This prize was created to encourage continued responsible coverage of molecular nanotechnology as a means for engaging the public in dialogue leading to improved public policy on this important issue. This prize was established in 2000 and was last awarded in 2007.
2007 Prize in Communication winner
Previously awarded Communication Prizes
Foresight Institute Government Prize
The Foresight Institute Government Prize, established in 2005, is given periodically to a government official who has used the influence of their office to advance beneficial nanotechnology and encourage the funding of molecular nanotechnology research.
2005 Foresight Institute Government Prize Winner
More Information
For more information on Foresight Institute's prizes, click here.
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Foresight materials on the Web are ©1986–2020 Foresight Institute. All rights reserved. Legal Notices.
Web site developed by Stephan Spencer and Netconcepts; maintained by James B. Lewis Enterprises.


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What does it fix?
Fixed bugs:
- Problem that title might not enter after opening saved project.
- Problem that the scene might become black or white.
- Problem that the scene is distorted when writing it by different aspect ratio.
- Problem of terminating abnormally when application ends.
- Improvement of each performance.
- AVC HD High Profile available.
- Function of font size changing.
- Function of scene trimming.
- Function of BGM recommendation.
- AVC 720P format available.
- Function of smile and blur image detection.
Manual installation instructions
1. Exit all running programs.
2. Download this update and save it to your hard drive.
3. When the download is completed, locate the downloaded file inthe location you specified.
4. Double-click EP0000600142.exe to run it.
5. Wait while the wizard updates your software.
6. When the installation is complete, restart the VAIO.
Infos Fichier
Nom du fichier
- EP0000600142.exe
Architecture du fichier
- 32 / 64 bit
Taille du fichier
Date de sortie
- 51-51-2013


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To ensure you get the best performance out of your game please make sure, that you have updated the game to the most recent version:
You can find the version number of your installation of the game, on the left-hand side, at the bottom of the main menu.
If your version of the installation doesn't match, you can try to install the patches via the Game Updater (gu.exe or gu_addon.exe) in the installation directory of Anno 1404:
- Navigate to the Anno 1404 installation folder. This is usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Ubisoft\Related Designs\Anno 1404 (for the retail version) or C:\Program Files (x86)\Ubisoft\Ubisoft Game Launcher\games\Anno 1404 (for the Uplay PC version).
- Double click with your left mouse button on gu(gu.exe) or gu_addon(gu_addon.exe) to run the Game Updater.
- Follow the on screen instructions to complete the installation of the patch.
Please note that the Uplay PC and Steam version should automatically be kept up to date.
Should you have difficulties executing the Game Updater, try running the program with administrative rights. Alternatively, you can manually install the missing patches:
Anno 1404 + Anno 1404: Venice
Anno 1404 Gold Edition
To make sure the installation routine has sufficient rights to make changes to your system, please run the patch files with administrative rights.
Should you require further assistance, or if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us.


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What I help you do
Raise more money. Build a stronger board. Plan for the future. Fix problems and take advantages of opportunities.
Maybe you're a young organization … and you need to develop your capacity. Maybe you're an established organization … but you've encountered some setbacks. Maybe you're a highly experienced organization looking to innovate. Maybe you're some combination … or something else altogether.
I can help … as your partner, resource, and trusted advisor. If you're worried about cost or availability, don't be. Let's talk.


text: DescriptionClean eating is easy when you have a garden of nutritious greens on your counter. Both a living decoration and convenient source of nutritious greens, the EcoQube Frame is the world's first vertical microgreen garden. It's handcrafted with sustainable bamboo, food-safe acrylic, and eco-friendly seed pads, providing the perfect growing conditions for each plant type and ensuring a sizable harvest year-round. Just add water, and in as early as a week, you can dig into your own, homegrown micro-veggies!


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5 sailors disciplined in Navy diver deaths in Md.
The Navy has disciplined five sailors for their roles in the training accident deaths of two Navy divers.
Navy Diver 1st Class James Reyher of Caldwell, Ohio, and Navy Diver 2nd Class Ryan Harris of Gladstone, Mo., drowned Feb. 26 while working at the Aberdeen Proving Ground.
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 spokesman Lt. Nathan Potter says the Navy isn't releasing the names of those disciplined because it's an administrative matter.
The five received nonjudicial punishments. Those are administrative actions that can include reprimands or restrictions. Potter wouldn't comment on the details.
Each sailor may challenge the punishment in a court-martial.
A June hearing was held to determine whether to press formal criminal charges against two sailors for dereliction of duty and involuntary manslaughter. The punishments stem from that investigation.


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BEYA Mule
Nicholas Kirkwood BEYA injects femininity into a traditionally masculine silhouette. Crafted from soft pebbled calf leather in a versatile beige hue, then detailed with intricate stitching, the mule strikes the balance between understated and standout style. A faceted heel completes the design.
Italian sizing. Fits true to size. See Size and Fit notes.
Heel height: 55mm/2.2in
Italian sizing.
Small to size, take ½ size up.
100% calf leather
Keep the shoes clean and dry using a dry soft cloth; store them in the dust bag provided, we recommend you store each shoe in a separate bag. Always store your shoes away from light and heat, rain and moisture. Avoid contact with abrasive surfaces. Use a high-quality leather, suede and fabric protector spray, do not spray metallic, patent or Ultra Specchio leathers.


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Far Cry 3 is a delightful and harsh tropical wonderland, crawling with wildlife and threatened by the pirates and drug runners that disrupt its peace. The troubled paradise you explore is colorful and wild, enticing you to investigate its ravines and discover new ways to enjoy the open-world playground sprawling in front of you. This is a game that ignites the desire to complete every last challenge and check out every last icon on your map. You gradually journey across the entirety of two sunny and sinful islands, hunting for rare game, speeding medicine to needy communities, and skinning sharks so that you might craft new wallets with their hides. Far Cry 3 is an excellent game, marred mainly by some irritating design elements and an inconsistent story that often defaults to generic "tribal" cliches to make an impact.
6400884Crazy is as crazy does. Whatever that means.None
When the story leaves those cliches behind for deeper territory, however, it does manage to communicate ideas of substance. It takes many hours for its themes to come together in a coherent way--yet in certain aspects, the incoherence makes sense. As protagonist Jason Brody, your initial quest to rescue your friends from a chaotic and truly frightful pirate named Vaas turns into a personal journey blurred by drugs, and fueled by the desire to follow a new and exciting spiritual path. Those friends are too shallow for you to care much about them, which keeps the story at arm's length for a good half of the game. But his friends' shallowness ultimately allows Jason to take a guilt-free look inward, as he grows further mesmerized by the customs of the local Rakyat tribe that takes him under its wing. You might see the narrative curveballs coming after a while, but the trippy manner in which certain events unfold effectively blurs the lines between reality and Jason's occasionally drug-addled imagination.
Nonetheless, narrative oddities stand out. Some of Jason's friends are strangely unaffected by the horrors inflicted upon them. The game quickly glosses over an event that would make most of us emotional wrecks, making Jason's proclamations that the issue was harder to deal with than he expected ring hollow. Some moments seem made to be shocking for the sake of shock alone--not because they develop the world or its characters--but Far Cry 3 isn't so much about story as it is about its world, and the ways you exploit it for your own personal enjoyment. Story missions have you navigating caves and holding off enemies in modern shooter fashion, but out in the wild, you have an entire paradise to tame.
And it's that lush and menacing world that makes Far Cry 3 utterly enthralling. The game is big, certainly, but where Far Cry 2 could feel aimless, its sequel feels more focused without ever losing its sandbox appeal. One core activity may sound familiar to returning fans: you shoot up enemy outposts so that you may liberate them, turning them into safe zones where you can load up on ammo and other supplies. These camps also serve as quick-travel points, lessening the tedium of driving from one objective to the next. Early on, freeing an outpost can be remarkably easy: you shoot down a handful of pirates, and the flag is raised declaring the camp as the Rakyat's. Further in, however, you must put Far Cry 3's diverse possibilities to intelligent use.
Crazy is as crazy does. Whatever that means.
One consideration: you must be aware of an outpost's alarm. Should a pirate trigger it, reinforcements arrive in a matter of seconds, so you might want to sneak in and deactivate the alarm system. Or, you could snipe the individual alarms, though shooting one does not deactivate others. Caged leopards and bears can be freed with a single shot, granting you a temporary ally in your quest for vengeance. Consider using a C4 charge and luring a small group of pirates to an explosive demise, or using a flamethrower to char evil henchmen to a crisp. That same flamethrower can lay waste to vegetation and effectively create moats of fire that can keep combatants at bay. (Well, some combatants, anyway.) Near the end of the game, your foes can put up quite a fight, and be great in number, so Far Cry 3 doesn't just give you the tools to be creative; it ultimately demands you use them to survive.
You don't have to conduct your business so loudly and dramatically, however: Far Cry 3 gives you ample opportunity to be stealthy and sometimes outright requires it. Forced stealth, such as that seen in a later-game mission that fails you the moment you are discovered, isn't that enjoyable. Fortunately, sneaking about is usually a blast, because it pays off in a brutal takedown of your unsuspecting target. Such moments are even greater once you have earned certain powerful abilities, such as the one that allows you to assassinate a pirate and toss a blade into another's skull in a single, effortless move.
Liberating outposts is only one of many activities to pursue in Far Cry 3. To reveal more of the map and gain access to free weapons, you climb radio towers and hack their transmitters. The entire concept is clearly inspired by the Assassin's Creed series, and no wonder, considering both games were created by the same development studio. First-person platforming is a frequent frustration in shooters--but Far Cry 3 makes it a delight. The tower creaks and groans as you climb ladders, make a few well-timed leaps, grasp some ledges, and ultimately arrive at the pinnacle. After you make a few hardware adjustments to the transmitter, the camera zooms to several points of interest, and you can make a breathless descent to the ground via zip line.
Crazy is as crazy does. Whatever that means.
There's so much more out there: hunting missions that give you a bow and arrow or a shotgun, perhaps, and send you after rare creatures. You can jump on an ATV or behind the wheel of a truck for a timed medicine run that showcases Far Cry 3's bouncy vehicles--and how they respond authentically to the bumpy terrain. Some challenges compare your performance to other players via the game's online leaderboards; others require you to murder a specific target using your knife. These activities are tied together in smart ways, with one task often leading you to another hunting challenge, a vehicle to race, or even a cave to investigate.


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Nicolas Sarkozy (pronounced ( listen), born Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa; 28 January 1955) is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier.
Before his presidency, he was leader of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP). Under Jacques Chirac's presidency he served as Minister of the Interior in Jean-Pierre Raffarin's (UMP) first two governments (from May 2002 to March 2004), then was appointed Minister of Finances in Raffarin's last government (March 2004 to May 2005) and again Minister of the Interior in Dominique de Villepin's government (2005–2007).
Sarkozy was also president of the General council of the Hauts-de-Seine department from 2004 to 2007 and mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine, one of the wealthiest communes of France from 1983 to 2002. He was Minister of the Budget in the government of Édouard Balladur (RPR, predecessor of the UMP) during François Mitterrand's last term.


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Ramen Across San Francisco Bay Area's Peninsula: A Guide
Spanning the length of the Peninsula from San Mateo south to San Jose, this part of the Bay Area is often known as Silicon Valley for obvious tech reasons. It also happens to be the ramen belt of the Bay Area. Discussing the region's premier bowl of ramen will cause the same type of contentious debate that the best pastrami in New York or deep dish in Chicago ignites. For Ramen Week, we've taken matters into our own hands to examine the signature ramens of five of the Peninsula and South Bay's favorite slurping shops.
Maru Ichi, Mountain View
It looks like squid ink, but no, that's intensely browned garlic oil which serves as the thin cover for this Mountain View ramen house's specialty Kuro (black) Ramen ($7.98). Beneath the oil slick resides a somewhat light tonkotsu broth with heavy cinnamon notes. It's less creamy than its peers, more like chicken noodle soup. The magic happens when the garlic oil starts mixing with the tonkotsu broth. The combination evokes hearty autumn flavors of pumpkin and clove, almost like a Thanksgiving gravy. This is not the salty tonkotsu found at other ramen shops nearby. Let me put it this way: I've never drunk less water while eating ramen.
The highest highs and principal critiques come from the details outside the broth. This is the only stop on the tour that makes its own noodles. The Hakata-style thin noodles are just tense enough to hold their own with the clinging garlic oil. Housemade kimchi is a wonderful spice accompaniment and I thoroughly enjoyed the giant stack of bean sprouts on top of the ramen for additional crunch. Since the garlic oil only adds a slight nutty flavor, be sure to use the dried garlic chips on the side if you seek a mroe distinct aftertaste that necessitates the use of breath mints. Unfortunately, the dry chashu pork was devoid of any life and the promised seaweed never emerged as a garnish, while the egg's dried yolk was an afterthought. The noodles and broth, fortunately, make up it.
Ramen Dojo, San Mateo
Kazunori Kobayashi has a small ramen empire in San Mateo, where he owns three very popular shops with three different signature broths. Dojo specializes in a Spicy Garlic Ramen ($8.95) that truthfully doesn't have a strong garlic flavor. The spice is certainly noticeable, though, especially if you decide to go above "mild," the second-least spicy choice on the zero to three alarm spice scale. As creamy as the tonkotsu broth was, its pork flavor notes were a bit too restrained.
Each ramen here is uniquely garnished with shredded red pepper for additional spice and an umami-heavy scoop of "chicken gravy" that combines cooked ground chicken, chopped shiitake mushroom, and chopped ginger into something like chicken butter. I definitely noticed the garlic in the roasted garlic cloves that come as another garnish, which certainly don't hold back the garlic punch. Other very artfully presented garnishes include stringy kikurage mushrooms, fresh green chives, two pieces of tender roasted pork, and a tiny quail egg. Many diners like to add corn atop the ramen, though I found it dominated almost every bite.
After slurping my way through this quintet of ramens, I was very happy to enjoy the flourish of greenery in Dojo's ramen, even if it is just a thin piece of lettuce.
Orenchi Ramen, Santa Clara
Of all the ramens tasted on the Peninsula, Yoshiyuki Maruyama's signature tonkotsu Orenchi Ramen ($9) is the one you're most likely to slurp to the finish. I'm not saying that just because I'm always starving while I wait outside in the inevitable, Cronut-level line. I'm saying it because the smartly balanced broth is both deeply flavorful and not too heavy. Maruyama simmers the broth for 18 hours until it reaches the proper intensity. They serve 500 bowls of ramen are a day, and they always run out of soup, so try to come right at opening time.
The Orenchi Ramen achieves a profound depth of pork, not unlike a juicy-sweet pork chop in liquid form. That might be because Maruyama uses Kurobuta pork in the broth, often chefs' choice cut for pork chops. Yet the tonkotsu broth is lighter and less salty, from the addition of chicken broth. There is more intrigue, too, in the broth, as I seemed to detect faint ginger and curry notes. Toppings include a beautiful soft-boiled, liquid yolk egg (the only liquid yolk of the five ramens), thinly sliced chashu pork with little fat, sesame, nori, and sliced green onions. Orenchi has a heavy hand with garnishes of enoki mushrooms and maybe a too-generous amount of bamboo shoots. But the wheat noodles are boiled to perfection, with just that right amount of spring and a faint chewy backbone. As enjoyable as the whole bowl is, the story here is a broth that I had no problem waiting two hours for.
Santouka Ramen, San Jose
Santouka is a highly regarded Hokkaido-based ramen chain with a lone Bay Area shop inside of Mitsuwa Marketplace's miniature food court. Shio Ramen ($8.99) (a 20-hour stewed tonkotsu broth with additional salt added) is what has launched the brand to global fame. You'll certainly notice the salt elements of the broth, but it's balanced with enough strong pork flavor to avoid being overwhelming. There's no doubt Santouka knows what they're doing with this broth.
The bowl has a distinct milky color and tastes richer than the other broths I sampled, meaning it's more filling as a result. Santouka's medium-wide, springy noodles are cooked very al dente. A sour pickled plum crowns the ramen with some bamboo shoots, a colorful fish cake, wood ear mushrooms, and scallions. A halved soy marinated egg comes in an adjacent cup, but what really made me throw my chopsticks up in joy were the pork jowl chashu slices atop the soup. This was the only chashu of the five ramens that clearly had tremendous care put into them. The soy-marinated pork was tender and sweet, as opposed to dry and fatty. I wish I could have a full-sized entrée of this chashu—regular pork belly has nothing on this chashu.
Ramen Halu, San Jose
There are many aspects of the Ramen Halu experience that caught me by surprise. First of all, the marine-inspired ambiance (strange for a pork broth themed restaurant) seemed very bizarre. Then I sampled the signature HALU Ramen ($7.90). This is the only one of the five that left me wondering what the heck happened to the ramen? The broth is the real guilty party. It's actually made of two broths: one from stewed pork, seaweed, and vegetables; and another lighter, clear broth based on shoyu and dashi. They must cancel each other out, since I didn't taste either's promising ingredients. The murky brown color immediately called to mind the broth for French onion soup, but it unfortunately tasted more like a weak boeuf bourguignon, with a few weird passing notes of beef and cracked black pepper.
The noodles are thicker than most and were a little too soft. The broth-to-noodle ratio leaned far too heavily towards the broth, and it was nearly impossible to mix all the ingredients and have every element compliment each other. Don't even get me started on the the oversized wide bowl, which I couldn't stop dropping my spoon into by accident. I did appreciate the unique addition of spinach as a garnish, but the chewy chashu pork was characterless. The soft boiled egg had a crumbly, dry yolk. In short, I'm still scratching my head from Halu's signature ramen. As highly praised as it is, there is no way this ramen is in the same league as the others.
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Nutrition Watchdog Urges Beyoncé to Drop Pepsi Deal
Or donate proceeds to treat diabetes, obesity, etc.
A nutrition watchdog urged Beyoncé Knowles to rethink her $50 million deal with Pepsi as the soft drink's "brand ambassador."
In a letter to the pop star, the Center for Science in the Public Interest told Beyoncé that by lending her name and image to the product, she is linking her "positive attributes with a product that is quite literally sickening Americans" and is associated with weight gain, obesity, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.
Along with offering Beyoncé a raft of statistics linking sugary drinks to disease, the CSPI also made the argument that almost all of obesity-related health problems have a disproportionate impact on low-income, African-American and Hispanic communities.
If Beyoncé goes ahead with the deal (it is after all, a nice chunk of change), then Michael Jacobson, CSPI's executive director, suggested that she "consider donating your proceeds to a hospital, diabetes organization or another reputable charity involved in the prevention or treatment of soda-related diseases.
"I imagine that it must be hard for anyone to turn away $50 million. But this endorsement deal strikes me as particularly inappropriate considering your popularity with America's young people and the extent to which Pepsi and other sugar drinks promote disease," Jacobson wrote.
CSPI and other health advocates have been at war with the soft drink industry, coming off a big victory in New York where Mayor Michael Bloomberg managed to ban the 16 oz. soda serving.
Indra Nooyi, chairman and CEO of PepsiCo, and Roger Goodell, commissioner of the National Football League, were copied on the CSPI's letter. Pepsi and Beyoncé could not immediately be reached.


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Many organized groups are vitally interested in Montana's fish, wildlife, and parks resources. These groups have become more specialized in their interests, making it a challenge for FWP to gather broad input on issues. Especially at the regional level, FWP has an increasing need to more fully involve citizens, sportsmen and sportswomen and non-traditional constituents in decision making, policy development and communication based on regard for the resource, mutual respect and personal relationships. An advisory committee comprised of key citizens can help the department achieve its goals by serving two main functions: providing the agency with information, ideas, emerging trends and initiatives from the public in a setting that welcomes diverse interests, and providing a vehicle for FWP to inform key citizens – with the expectation that they will in turn inform the broader public. This exchange of information, ideas and opinions should identify and address potential conflicts, inform various constituencies about management of public resources, and present management choices in a broad context.
Citizen Advisory Committees (CAC) in each region will help Fish, Wildlife & Parks to be responsive and responsible public-resource managers. Citizen advisors can help the department operate efficiently and effectively within the constraints of state law, FWP Commission rules and department policy. While CAC recommendations are welcome, the primary role of the group is to offer informed advice to the department and to participate in honest, open and respectful dialog. Recommendation and advice must be legal, in accordance with policy, and fiscally responsible. The CAC will be strictly advisory, and recommendations are neither legally nor administratively binding.
Expected Outcomes
Regional CAC's will advise Fish, Wildlife & Parks on various regional and statewide programs and policies, identify areas in which the department can be more effective, and offer insight and guidance from members' own experiences and constituencies. Citizen advisors will help identify emerging trends and resolve conflicts before they become intractable, and act as FWP ambassadors to various interest groups and geographic communities. Fish, Wildlife & Parks employees will benefit from having a deeper understanding of public priorities and expectations, and advisors can function as a trusted "sounding board" for ideas and initiatives. CAC members also serve to encourage FWP employees to become more accessible and responsive to the public. Citizen Advisory Committee members will benefit from understanding FWP programs, priorities, administrative processes and limitations in a broader context.
Scope of Authority
Service on CAC's is strictly voluntary. The group is advisory in nature and will not have authority over any private or public land, personnel issue, state or federal agency or non-governmental organization. No CAC recommendation will commit FWP resources without the express consent of Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
CAC Function with Legislators
The CAC's have hosted several legislative open houses. CAC members may address the assembled legislators regarding issues they are interested in. Also, individual CAC members are welcome to contact their legislators regarding issues. FWP takes no role in CAC members' individual contacts with legislators.
Regional CAC candidates will be identified by regional FWP managers and citizen volunteers and appointed by the regional supervisor, with concurrence of the FWP director. Regional CAC's will consist of no more than 16 members who volunteer to serve terms ranging from 2 to 4 years. While there are no formal qualifications to serve on the CAC, members will be sought who have been active in their local communities, are willing to work collaboratively, have a general understanding of public policies and resource issues and who represent a variety of interest groups and geographic communities across the region.
Roles and Expectations
Committee members should make a commitment to attend meetings. Members are expected to offer their thoughts and ideas, communicate with others in a respectful manner and share information about the work of the CAC with other individuals and groups as appropriate.
FWP staff is likewise expected to listen attentively and respectfully. Fish, Wildlife & Parks provides logistical and administrative support of the CAC, and gathers data and information to present to the committee. FWP reimburses CAC members for expenses incurred in attending CAC meetings. Members are encouraged to contribute agenda items, invite guests and recommend topics and venues for future committee meetings.
Information about the CAC, its meetings and discussion topics will be the responsibility of Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Committee activities will be recorded and distributed to members and interested parties. General committee information will be disseminated through regional and statewide media and FWP's web site.


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A terrific piece by Jason Wilde, now with ESPN Milwaukee, on the game yesterday and the missed facemask call at the end. As Wilde notes, the non-call has been the subject of a rather intense national debate — from posts at PFT to discussions on several ESPN shows and talk radio.
It is certainly the case that the Packers did a lot to lose. And I'm certainly sympathetic to the argument that it doesn't do much good to dwell on blown calls. But it's also indisputable that several questionable calls affected the outcome of the game — two potential offensive pass interference calls on Larry Fitzgerald on plays that resulted in touchdowns, a horrendous roughing the passer called on Cullen Jenkins and, on the last drive, the missed helmet-to-helmet hit by Bertrand Berry and the facemask on Michael Adams. And it's worth spending a moment on the last one.
Wilde quotes former NFL referee Bill Carollo, who now heads officiating for the Big Ten — a job that requires him to review and evaluate refs for a living. Carollo was interviewed by Steve The Homer True.
"Certainly (Adams) made contact, dislodged the ball, and continued and hit the quarterback. He did get him in the facemask; you can't hit him above the shoulders with anything," said Carollo, who watched the game on television. "In this case, probably a personal foul could've been called on that play. (Green) didn't necessarily rule that it was a pass, so it couldn't be roughing the passer, but he could have an unnecessary roughness on that play for grabbing the facemask…
"If a penalty was called on that play, you'd have to throw the flag, and then determined, when did the foul occur? That makes a big difference in this case because it's really close," Carollo explained. "In this case, though, when the facemask was grabbed, the ball was still loose, which means it was still in the Packers' possession. So they have not lost possession. The foul happened before the ball was recovered in the air. If the foul happened after the fact, and the Arizona player had the ball, then Arizona would keep the ball with the penalty assessed from that spot.
"In this case, I believe the penalty occurred before Arizona recovered the ball in the air, so it would be a previous-spot foul: 15 yards from the previous spot."
That means the Packers would have had the ball first-and-10 at their own 39-yard line.
Most interesting, though, were the comments that Aaron Rodgers made. He told reporters that he didn't spend a lot of time thinking about the non-call on the last play.
I get paid to play. There's always going to be one or two plays in the game where you wonder if there should have been a call or should not have been a call, but those are out of my control. The things I worry about are things I can control. I made some mistakes in the game, those are the ones I'm thinking about, not a potential facemask.
The one play I was thinking about laying in bed last night was the first play of overtime. Unfortunately, (I) just missed Greg on that one. That could have ended the game, potentially.
I'm glad he thought about that one and didn't go whining publicly about the blown call. But I hope he forgets it quickly, too.


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In what may be the most impractical discovery I've ever made, it came to my attention last week that sea caves make serviceable cell phone amplifiers.
Last weekend I was on an 88-foot liveaboard dive boat that was cruising California's Channel Islands. One of the best parts of the trip is that cell phones work only intermittently even along the mainland-facing shores of the island—and most of the time not at all. The freedom from the internet compounds the sedative effects of scuba diving from a rocking boat.
On the last day before heading back to Santa Barbara we found ourselves in remarkably calm water near Santa Cruz Island. The captain took advantage of the weather to pull the boat deep into Painted Cave, a gigantic coastal cave carved from the island by wave action. Depending on who you ask, Painted Cave is the first- or second-largest (or longest!) sea cave in the world.
As the captain puttered the boat into the cave many of us raced to the front of the boat to snap pictures. Mostly cell phones, as the big cameras were safely stashed in Pelican cases or awkward underwater lighting rigs.
I pulled up my camera to take a couple of shots when I felt it chirp in my hand. Text message received! I could hear a few other phones around me making noise as well. I don't recall how many bars I had—one or two at the most—but sure enough, the shape of the cave was concentrating the signals from across the water of Santa Barbara enough to restore basic service.
From Santa Barbara to Santa Cruz is something like 46 miles over open water. While it's not impossible to get an occasional signal, it's generally unusable. (The signal comes from what I presume are the mainland towers, not towers on the island; I believe only Avalon has cell towers on the Channel Islands.) But the shape of the cave, with its sharply descending walls, were acting like a simple reflector. At least that's my theory. If anyone has tried the same thing in Painted Cave I'd love to hear about it.
In the meantime, consider this a free survival tip. If you're ever stuck on warm, dry island, be sure to climb down into the nearest slippery sea cave to see if you can get a signal to the mainland. Just watch out for angry sea lions.


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The Food Service Representative (FSR) is responsible for the efficient execution of all fresh food/ food service programs in compliance with corporate and regulatory guidelines, supporting our vision of being "Fast, Fresh and Friendly". The FSR, in conjunction with the Assistant Store Manager, is responsible for training the Customer Service Representatives on food service programs. The FSR is responsible for maintaining a safe, sanitary and appetizing food service environment. The FSR ensures an exceptional customer experience.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
• Provide superior customer service to all customers: greeting, assisting, suggest selling and thanking each customer.
• Respond to all customer requests in a timely manner.
• Support and follow all safety and security initiatives.
• Adhere to all Food Service Program procedures, standards and sanitation requirements.
• Ensure the proper execution of all food service programs including ordering, product handling and display.
• Adhere to all store operations procedures, policies and guidelines.
• Properly execute up-selling initiatives and provide a value to the customer.
• Execute food service efficiencies and ensure production planning and planograms are utilized and followed.
• Oversee the inventory and ordering of product and supplies and ensure routine maintenance and upkeep of the food service equipment and facilities.
• Execute all action plans, leveraging the store's fresh food strengths and addressing areas of opportunity to ensure food service profitability.
• Responsible to be knowledgeable of all food service marketing programs, campaigns, strategies and initiatives. Educate all food Customer Service Associates to be the same.
• Execute the corporate training plan and effectively conduct hands on training with the Customer Service Representatives to ensure proficiency.
• Follow all daily operating procedures to ensure store is clean, organized and well-kept to ensure a positive customer experience.
• Replenish product and supplies, while keeping the store in the highest quality stocked position at all times.
• Effectively communicate with store management and team members.
• Complete all tasks assigned by store management including the completion of all mandatory training within the timeline established by management.
• Perform Customer Service Representative responsibilities, as needed.
Minimum Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Must be at least 18 years old
• Strong focus on customer service and working with people
• Strong commitment to teamwork
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to professionally communicate verbally to customers
• Strong food service experience preferred
• ServSafe certification preferred
• Detail oriented and excellent organizational skills
• Proven self-starter with demonstrated ability to make decisions
• Ethical, honest, trustworthy, respectful, compassionate, supportive and patient
• Flexible and adaptable to change
• Ability to handle difficult situations professionally
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.
• Reliable transportation
Working Conditions:
• Retail environment with occasional exposure to unpleasant working conditions including dust, extreme temperatures and potential contact with petroleum and/or cleaning products.
• Spends the majority of the shift standing with frequent bending and lifting.
• In inclement weather conditions, employees may be expected to assist with efforts to maintain full store operations.
The above job description is intended to describe the general content and requirements for the
performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements. High's of Baltimore, LLC retains the discretion to add to or change the duties of this position at any time, with or without notice. This job description does not constitute a contract of


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Students of this rigorous curriculum will become adept at recognizing the many worldviews influencing our culture and equipped to challenge the assumptions of these worldviews. With compelling topics such as The Existence of God, Establishing a Worldview, The Trustworthiness of the Scriptures, and God, Evil, and Suffering, each study is available individually allowing you to craft your own experience according to your needs and interests.
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Chambers was unable to compete in the trials in Sheffield before managing fifth on his comeback to the 60 metres at the weekend's British Athletics Grand Prix.
The 34-year-old, who won silver at the meet in Paris two years ago, admitted afterwards he did not want to go to next month's championships in Gothenburg if he was not fully fit.
But he has been given the green light to join head coach Peter Eriksson's team, which will be captained by Jenny Meadows.
Meadows only returned to action after 16 months out in Birmingham at the weekend but is selected to defend her 800m crown after going under the qualifying mark.
Double Olympic gold medallist Mo Farah, who won the 3,000m two years ago, is an expected absence from the team after previously indicating he was focusing on the outdoor season.
Meadows will lead a 29-member squad highlighted by the likes of Olympic high jump bronze Robbie Grabarz and in-form pole vaulter Holly Bleasdale.
The 31-year-old had said at the weekend that the European Indoor Championships, which begin on March 1, might come too soon for her as she works her way back.
But after she reached the qualifying mark by running two minutes 2.86 seconds at the National Indoor Arena Eriksson has elected to name her captain.
"It's a great honour to be named captain of the GB & NI team," Meadows said.
"I'm really excited to be given the opportunity to follow Helen Clitheroe, who did such a brilliant job in Paris two years ago."
Clitheroe has opted not to defend her 3,000m title despite going under the qualifying mark as she won in Birmingham.
Great Britain won eight medals at the European Indoors two years ago and Eriksson is hopeful of returning a similar haul.
"I have been really encouraged by the performances so far by the team in 2013, and I'm sure this will continue at the European Indoors," he said.
"Jenny (Meadows) has shown that she is a very strong character, with great leadership qualities and experience on this stage – she will be a great captain for the GB & NI team."
Grabarz will bid to add to his European outdoors bronze medal from 2012, while Bleasdale is currently the top-ranked pole vaulter in the world after an impressive start to the year.
The 21-year-old cleared 4.75 to win in Moscow earlier this month ahead of Olympic silver medallist Yarisley Silva and 2011 World champion Fabiana Murer.
A strong women's 4x400m team will see Perri Shakes-Drayton, Eilidh Child and Shana Cox joined by Christine Ohuruogu.
James Dasaolu, who claimed his first 60m title in Chambers' absence in Sheffield, will help lead Britain's men's sprint hopes along with Harry Aikines-Aryeetey.
Great Britain squad:
Men – 60m: Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Dwain Chambers, James Dasaolu; 400m: Michael Bingham, Nigel Levine, Richard Strachan; 800m: Mukhtar Mohammed, Michael Rimmer, Joe Thomas; 60m hurdles: Andrew Pozzi; 4x400m: Michael Bingham, Richard Buck, Luke Lennon-Ford, Nigel Levine, Richard Strachan, Conrad Williams; High Jump: Robbie Grabarz; Pole Vault: Steve Lewis; Long Jump: Chris Tomlinson.
Women – 60m: Asha Philip; 400m: Eilidh Child, Shana Cox, Perri Shakes-Drayton; 800m: Jenny Meadows (capt); 1500m: Laura Muir; 3000m: Lauren Howarth; 4x400m: Margaret Adeoye, Meghan Beesley, Eilidh Child, Shana Cox, Christine Ohuruogu, Perri Shakes-Drayton; Pole Vault: Holly Bleasdale; Long Jump: Shara Proctor; Triple Jump: Yamile Aldama.