Saturday, June 15, 2013

Former Sen. Pedro Espada gets five years in prison for tax fraud - The Saratogian - AP | Samsung Galaxy Note 8 review - Sci/Tech - Google News | "Man of Steel" critics' reviews: Film wallows in sorrow more than soars - CBS News

"Man of Steel" critics' reviews: Film wallows in sorrow more than soars - CBS News

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CBS News

"Man of Steel" critics' reviews: Film wallows in sorrow more than soars
CBS News
The reviews are in, and while most movie critics agree that the newest retelling of the classic Superman story is worth seeing, "Man of Steel" is weighed down by pathos and too much kryptonite. The 8 greatest comic book movies of all time · "Man of Steel" ...
The Superman We DeserveRollingStone.com
Personal moments are key for 'Man of Steel' composerUSA TODAY
Superman: Why we've loved him through the yearsChristian Science Monitor
Huffington Post -Variety -Forbes
all 949 news articles »

Vladimir Putin's Man Crush on Steven Seagal - Businessweek

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RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty

Vladimir Putin's Man Crush on Steven Seagal
Businessweek
When six members of Congress went on a fact-finding trip to Russia in May to learn more about the brothers accused of the Boston Marathon bombings, they sought the help of a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin: Steven Seagal. The aging star...

Putin: NGO 'foreign agent' law can be 'improved' Montana Standard
G8 Summit: A Civil Society-Driven Agenda -- Russia Please Take NoteHuffington Post
Putin says he may review 'foreign agents' lawAsiaOne

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Samsung Galaxy Note 8 review

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Samsung has arguably done more than any other manufacturer to push the limits of the tablet format. Its Galaxy Note, a 5-inch smartphone/pen-based tablet, now on its second iteration, has established the 'phablet' form factor, for example, while the 10.1-inch Galaxy Note 10.1 also supports pen input and sits alongside the standard touch-only Galaxy Tab.
Samsung has now added an intermediate device to the Note range, the 8-inch Galaxy Note 8. It comes in two versions, one with Wi-Fi and mobile (3G) broadband and the other with Wi-Fi only. We were sent the Wi-Fi-only model, which costs £282.50 (ex. VAT; £339 inc. VAT).
Design
Samsung could be accused of confusing the market with its wide array of different sized smartphones, tablets and 'phablets' and the use of pen input on some of these devices. Alternatively, you could say that this diversity of products reflects the wide range of user requirements.
One thing you can't accuse Samsung of is lacking a strong brand image. For a while now, the physical design of devices like the Galaxy Note has been very similar. That consistency continues with the Galaxy Note 8.
The Galaxy Note 8 has a distinctive bright white chassis and a shiny backplate. It feels good in the hand, but the backplate's shininess makes the device a little slippery to hold. It's secure if your hands are big enough to cradle it one-handed in portrait mode, but the fingers can slide around a little when you're holding it in landscape mode. That said, it's nothing we haven't come across before with Samsung's larger devices, and isn't a deal breaker.
The physical home button that's so familiar from the Galaxy S4 smartphone and its predecessors is here, as are the two touch-sensitive Menu and Back buttons that flank it. The Note 8's edges have a silver trim, which houses its various buttons and connectors.
The build is reasonably solid, though the all-plastic chassis does bend if you exert a bit of pressure. The weight of 340g makes the Galaxy Note 8 an easy device to hold for extended periods. Its overall dimensions of 135.9mm wide by 210.8mm deep by 7.95mm thick make the Galaxy Note 8 slightly too large for most coat pockets, but it compares well with the competition. For example, it's only slightly bigger than the iPad mini, whose dimensions are 134.7mm by 200 by 7.2mm.
Measuring 8in. across the diagonal, the Galaxy Note 8's screen delivers a shade more viewing area than the 7.9in. iPad mini, and betters Apple's device on resolution too, with 1,280 by 800 pixels compared to the iPad mini's 1,024 by 768. We may hanker for higher resolution, and would prefer more pixels in this case, but found the screen perfectly usable for a range of activities from web browsing and e-book reading to the all-important pen-based note-taking that's a key feature of this device.
Features
Running a 1.6GHz quad-core Samsung Exynos 4 Quad processor with 2GB of RAM, the Galaxy Note 8 is an extremely smooth performer. The touchscreen is also responsive. With GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, DLNA, MHL, dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, 5-megapixel and 1.3-megapixel cameras at the rear and front respectively, along with stereo speakers, the technical features are generally impressive. There's no flash on either camera, and no NFC (Samsung prefers its own S-Beam), but these are minor niggles. Moreover, the 4,600mAh battery got us through a day's worth of fairly intensive use that involved streaming, GPS and browsing.
The Galaxy Note 8 runs Android 4.1, putting it just behind the leading edge, and there are two models, one with Wi-Fi and mobile (3G) broadband and one with Wi-Fi only. If you get the 3G model you can use Android's phone features — we'd have liked to test this, but Samsung sent us the Wi-Fi-only version to review.
Don't be fooled by that headline 16GB of internal storage. Much of it is occupied out of the box, and our review sample reported just 9.7GB free. The device supports microSD cards, and the covered slot is on the left edge where it's easily accessible. A key reason for the difference between the headline and available storage is the huge amount of bundled software Samsung has crammed in.
First off, Samsung has included its TouchWiz Android skin and a range of the add ons we have come to associate with its top end devices. So, for example, there's Samsung's Smart Stay feature which uses the front-facing camera to detect whether you're looking at the device and keeps the screen on if you are, as well as a range of palm-based gestures such sweeping the screen to take a screen grab. There's also a 'reading mode' screen setting that helps make the screen less harsh when reading an e-book, and more.
The familiar dual app display system is here too, although it only works for a small number of apps. One useful implementation of this feature is the ability to be in an app and make jottings at the same time — taking notes from a web page, for example.
There's also a variety of apps for use with the pen, plus a number of other extras. The latter include Dropbox, with a generous 50GB of cloud-based storage, Flipboard, Samsung's Music Hub, Music Player, WatchON and Polaris Office. There's even built-in infrared support, plus an app to help you control various devices with it.
Pen-based apps include S Planner for diary management, S Note for brief notes — both written and drawn — and Paper Artist, a rather nice drawing app. That's a lot of apps — but it doesn't cover everything that consumes the headline 16GB of storage out of the box.
The pen input is the star of the show. The Wacom digitizer stylus lives in a housing on the edge of the chassis. It's pressure sensitive, so that while ordinary handwriting recognition is possible (and works well), you can also use it to good effect for freehand drawing. It can even hover over items to call up more information. The bundled apps are only the start, and Samsung's app store highlights plenty more available for download.
We found that it quickly became quite intuitive to pull out the stylus and start taking notes for all manner of things — in fact, we preferred using the Galaxy Note 8 to the 5-inch Galaxy Note II.
Conclusion
The Galaxy Note 8 is a delight to use. It feels the perfect size for a pen-based tablet, simply because it's so close to an A5 paper notebook. If anything, it betters the 5in. Samsung Galaxy Note in this respect. It's reasonably comfortable to hold one-handed in portrait mode to make jottings, while the pen input benefits from pressure sensitivity.
Still, you'll need to really want the added features that pen input brings to the Galaxy Note 8, because it's relatively expensive at £339 (inc. VAT; £282.50 ex. VAT) for the Wi-Fi-only model. Compare that to £269 for the 16GB Wi-Fi-only iPad mini or the similarly-specified Google Nexus 7 at £159.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 8 review - ZDNet

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Samsung Galaxy Note 8 review
ZDNet
Summary: The 8-inch Galaxy Note 8 is reasonably comfortable to hold one-handed in portrait mode to make jottings with its pressure-sensitive pen, and is a delight to use. Still, you'll need to really want the added features that pen input brings to the device,
...
Too many stars in the 'S4' galaxy dull Samsung's brandCNET (blog) 

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom cameraphone: 16 MP camera, OIS, Xenon FlashNorthern Voices Online
Verizon Galaxy S4 Mini Could Be in the WorksGotta Be Mobile
Seeking Alpha-Caribbean Media Vision (blog)-Phones Review
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NDTV

'Man of Steel' worth your box office bucks? - Fox News

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Scottish Daily Record

'Man of Steel' worth your box office bucks?
Fox News
Of course another movie it's a bird it's a blame it's the latest Superman movie man of steel physical up. Not my world can't help. But hear this -- Compounds. Excuse me. While -- is a special effects it's in theaters today it's been so long since I've seen a movie.
'Man of Steel' opens with solid $21 million Thursday nightLos Angeles Times
Superman Reviewed: What Are People Saying About 'Man Of Steel'?MTV.com
Clip: 'Man of Steel' featuretteUSA TODAY
Today.com -CBS News -RollingStone.com
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Jeb Bush: Immigrants 'more fertile,' fuel economy - Houston Chronicle

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ABC News

'Man of Steel' review: Superman reboot is 'a joyless, one-note production' - Washington Post

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Telegraph.co.uk

'Man of Steel' review: Superman reboot is 'a joyless, one-note production'
Washington Post
“Man of Steel,” the latest reboot of the Superman franchise, opens Friday in theaters around the country. Washington Post film critic Ann Hornaday writes that Henry Cavill makes a credible Superman, but she didn't particularly care for the “busy, bombastic ...
Man of Steel Speeds to $21 Million Box-Office Debut; Superman Flick's Opening ...E! Online
'Man of Steel' opens with solid $21 million Thursday nightLos Angeles Times
'Man of Steel' worth your box office bucks?Fox News
USA TODAY -MTV.com -CBC.ca
all 1,036 news articles »

Police: NY man with homemade bomb stockpile blew up his oven while trying to ... - Washington Post

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Police: NY man with homemade bomb stockpile blew up his oven while trying to ...
Washington Post
SPRINGWATER, N.Y. — New York authorities say a man who was stockpiling homemade bombs is in custody following an explosion inside his apartment. Investigators say they believe Joseph Martino was drying explosive material in his oven Thursday night ...

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House Takes Action Against Sexual Assault in the Military, Passes $638 Billion ... - Headlines & Global News

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Headlines & Global News

House Takes Action Against Sexual Assault in the Military, Passes $638 Billion ...
Headlines & Global News
The House of Representatives passed a $638 billion defense bill on Friday that will go after members of the military guilty of performing sex crimes. The bill calls for anyone in the military found guilty of rape or sexual assault, at the very least, be dismissed ...

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Former Sen. Pedro Espada gets five years in prison for tax fraud - The Saratogian

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Former Sen. Pedro Espada gets five years in prison for tax fraud
The Saratogian
NEW YORK (AP) — Former state Sen. Pedro Espada Jr. will spend five years in prison after pleading guilty to tax fraud charges. Espada was sentenced Friday in Brooklyn. The once-influential politician also was convicted in a separate case alleging he looted ...

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Facebook to announce mysterious new product next week - PCWorld

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ABC News

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CBS News says reporter Sharyl Attkisson's computer was hacked - Los Angeles Times

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MiamiHerald.com

CBS News says reporter Sharyl Attkisson's computer was hacked
Los Angeles Times
The computer of Washington-based CBS reporter Sharyl Attkisson was hacked, the network said Friday morning. Attkisson, an investigative reporter who has done hard-hitting stories on topics including the anti-gun trafficking program known as "Fast and ...
CBS News says reporter's computer was hackedReuters
CBS probe finds computer of lead Benghazi reporter was hackedFox News
CBS News confirms Sharyl Attkisson's computer hackedCBS News
Politico -Talk Radio News Service -The Atlantic Wire
all 45 news articles »

Ex-State Senator Gets 5-Year Sentence for Theft - New York Times

Ex-State Senator Gets 5-Year Sentence for Theft - New York Times

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New York Daily News

Ex-State Senator Gets 5-Year Sentence for Theft
New York Times
Pedro Espada Jr., the former state senator who was convicted of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a nonprofit health care network he ran, was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday, during a hearing that showcased Mr. Espada's defiance ...
Ex-NY senator gets 5 years in prison in tax caseWFAA
Ex-Sen. Espada gets 5 years in prisonThe Journal News / Lohud.com
Pedro Espada Jr., Former New York State Senator, Sentenced To Five Years For ...Huffington Post
New York's PIX11 / WPIX-TV -Newsday
all 32 news articles »

First woman in space: Miserable cosmonaut or triumphant space flyer? - Christian Science Monitor

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Christian Science Monitor

First woman in space: Miserable cosmonaut or triumphant space flyer?
Christian Science Monitor
How would you handle getting lost in outer space? Skip to next paragraph. In Pictures Space photos of the day: Female Astronauts. Related stories. Are you scientifically literate? Take our quiz · Remembering the Challenger: Five ways it changed spaceflight ...
Fifty years ago, first woman to fly in space wore world's first mission patchcollectSPACE.com
Tereshkova marks 50 years of her historic flightNewsday
1963: Space's First LadyCNN International

all 41 news articles »

Obama nominates campaign donors for jobs as ambassadors - Reuters

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Obama nominates campaign donors for jobs as ambassadors
Reuters
By Gabriel Debenedetti. WASHINGTON | Fri Jun 14, 2013 5:33pm EDT. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House said on Friday it would nominate six people for U.S. ambassadorships, including three who were closely connected to President Barack...
Obama Nominates Donors for European Ambassadorships in 2nd TermBloomberg
Obama
 
to Name HBO Executive as Ambassador to SpainHollywood Reporter

Obama taps finance director as envoy to DenmarkHouston Chronicle 

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Obama appoints big money fundraisers to diplomatic postsWashington Times

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Obama nominates campaign donors for jobs as ambassadors - Chicago Tribune

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Obama nominates campaign donors for jobs as ambassadors
Chicago Tribune
By Gabriel Debenedetti WASHINGTON, June 14 (Reuters) - The White House said on. Friday it would nominate six people for U.S. ambassadorships, including three who were closely connected to President Barack Obama's 2012 re-election campaign.

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Court says isolated human genes cannot be patented

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WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously threw out attempts to patent human genes, siding with advocates who say the multibillion-dollar biotechnology industry should not have exclusive control over genetic information found inside the human body....
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Court says human genes cannot be patented

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WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that companies cannot patent parts of naturally-occurring human genes, a decision with the potential to profoundly affect the emerging and lucrative medical and biotechnology industries....

Lilly stops mid-stage Alzheimer's drug study

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NEW YORK (AP) -- Eli Lilly and Co. said Thursday that it stopped a mid-stage clinical trial of an experimental Alzheimer's disease drug because of potential side effects on patients' livers....

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