Retired UFC legend Chuck Liddell found himself in the audience of some military personal recently. For some reason, the incomprehensible phenomenon of fans wanting fighters to hurt them for photos/videos occurred once more. We've seen this before, specifically with Liddell.
There's a certain type of fan that evidently gets a *ahem* kick out of asking professional fighters to punch them, kick them and choke them. To them, it's funny, we guess. To us, it would just be downright scary.
At least the latest fan turned punching bag had the quasi legitimate confidence boost of wearing body armor when he asked Liddell to kick him in the torso. It didn't seem to do the soldier much good when Liddell hit him with a spinning back kick.
Chuck Liddell kick - 1, military body armor - 0. Check out the video above from the UFC's television host Megan Olivi and see for yourself. Any psychologists out there, feel free to try and explain to Cagewriter the thinking behind asking pro fighters to hit you, uncontested. We're stumped.
After the jump, our all time favorite fighter hitting fan videos - both featuring Alistair Overeem. Whereas Liddell specializes in obliging drunk fans and idiot radio show hosts, Overeem specializes in kicking little girls and punching female reporters. Really.
Movie makers thrive on quick autofocusing for their action shots, so they'll be glad to hear that Canon will offer an upgrade to the EOS C100 video camera with that kind of performance in mind. The $500 transplant will give the C100 continuous autofocusing using a variant of the extra-fast Dual ...
Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Tamba Hali (91) runs an interception into the endzone for a touchdown as Kansas City Chiefs inside linebacker Derrick Johnson (56) blocks during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Nov. 3, 2013. (AP Photo/ Bill Wippert)
Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Tamba Hali (91) runs an interception into the endzone for a touchdown as Kansas City Chiefs inside linebacker Derrick Johnson (56) blocks during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Nov. 3, 2013. (AP Photo/ Bill Wippert)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll reacts to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback being sacked late in overtime in an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 3, 2013, in Seattle. The Seahawks won 27-24 in overtime. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Denver Broncos head coach John Fox during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday, Oct. 6,2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Sharon Ellman)
Kansas City, the only unbeaten team in the NFL, is now alone atop The Associated Press power rankings.
The Chiefs didn't exactly impress the voters in a 23-13 victory against Buffalo that included two touchdowns from the defense and none from the offense. Some panelists figure Kansas City's 9-0 record will get a test soon enough: The Chiefs, 2-14 a year ago, go to Denver after this week's bye.
"Chiefs' stunning turnaround continues with a road win on the tougher-than-expected Bills, as defense shines once more," wrote Bob Glauber of Newsday. "Now it's time for the next — and biggest — test: Two of their next three against the Broncos after they return from the bye."
Seattle fell out of a tie for the top spot in the AP Pro32 poll released Tuesday after beating winless Tampa Bay 27-24 in overtime with the biggest comeback in franchise history. The Buccaneers led the Seahawks 21-0 in the second quarter.
The Chiefs had six first-place votes and 371 points from the 12-member panel. The No. 2 Seahawks (366 points) and third-place Broncos (364) split the other six first-place votes.
Although the closer-than-expected win cost the Seahawks a few points in the rankings, it didn't completely turn off the voters.
"Epic comeback, or lucky to avoid a colossal upset at home against the winless Bucs?" Glauber said. "Take your pick, but bottom line is good teams find a way to win. Even when it's winning ugly."
The Broncos held the same spot after their bye, with two former coaches on the voting panel figuring the absence of coach John Fox after heart surgery will affect the team one way or another.
"Will have to see how Fox's illness affects the team," wrote Tony Dungy, an NBC Sports analyst.
"The absence of their coach will bring this team together," wrote Herm Edwards of ESPN.
Indianapolis and San Francisco moved from a tie for fifth to even for fourth at 347 points apiece, eight more than last week. The Colts rallied from 18 down to beat Houston 27-24, and the 49ers had their bye.
"Might be the most complete team in AFC," Dungy wrote of the Colts, who won a Super Bowl under him.
New England jumped three spots to sixth after scoring four touchdowns in the fourth quarter of a 55-31 victory over Pittsburgh. Tom Brady had four scoring passes.
"Brady finally looks like Tom Terrific with new receivers," wrote John Czarnecki of Fox Sports.
New Orleans dropped three spots to seventh after a 26-20 loss to the New York Jets, while Cincinnati, Detroit and Carolina rounded out the top 10.
Green Bay fell four spots to drop out of the top 10 after a 27-20 loss to Chicago, which jumped two positions to No. 12. Dallas held at 13th, and the Jets moved up three spots to No. 14. San Diego fell to 15th from No. 11.
Arizona stayed at No. 16, followed by Tennessee, Miami, Philadelphia and Cleveland. The Eagles and Browns each jumped six spots. Baltimore and Washington were tied at No. 21, with the Ravens falling six spots and the Redskins moving up from 23rd.
The New York Giants, Buffalo, Oakland and St. Louis all lost ground, while Houston moved up two to No. 27, followed by Pittsburgh and Atlanta.
The bottom three spots were the same with Minnesota followed by the two remaining winless teams — Tampa Bay and Jacksonville.
Contact: Della Miller della@avs.org 530-896-0477 American Institute of Physics
New York, November 5, 2013The AVS has selected its major award winners for 2013. The AVS established an annual awards program to encourage excellence in research and innovation in technical areas of interest to the AVS. Listed below are the major award winners:
Medard W. Welch Award Dr. Chris G. Van de Walle, University of California, Santa Barbara, "For seminal contributions to the theory of heterojunctions and its application to semiconductor technology, and for elucidating the role of hydrogen in electronic materials." This award recognizes and encourages outstanding research in the fields of interest to AVS. The award consists of a cash award, a medal, a plaque, and an honorary lectureship at a regular session of the International Symposium.
John A. Thornton Memorial Award and Lecture Dr. Ivan Petrov, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, "For seminal contributions in determining the role of low-energy ion/surface interactions for controlling microstructure evolution during low-temperature growth of transition-metal nitride layers." This award recognizes outstanding research or technological innovation in the areas of interest to AVS with emphasis on the fields of thin films, plasma processing, and related topics. The award is conferred biennially as a suitable candidate may be identified. The award consists of a cash award, a plaque, and an honorary lectureship at a regular session of the International Symposium.
Albert Nerken Award Dr. Howard A. Padmore, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, "For sustained contributions to the design, development and application of novel synchrotron x-ray instrumentation used to study a range of scientific problems from biology to materials and solid state science." This award recognizes outstanding contributions to the solution of technological problems in areas of interest to AVS. The award consists of a cash award, a plaque, and an honorary lectureship at a regular session of the International Symposium.
Peter Mark Memorial Award Dr. Daniel Gunlycke, Naval Research Laboratory, "For significant contributions to the understanding of the electronic properties of low-dimensional graphene nanostructures." This award is presented to a young scientist or engineer (35 years of age or under) for outstanding theoretical or experimental work, at least some of which must have been published in an AVS journal. The award consists of a cash award, a plaque, and an honorary lectureship at a regular session of the International Symposium.
George T. Hanyo Award Mr. Steven R. Blankenship, NIST, "For outstanding contributions to the scanning tunneling microscopy user facilities and other laboratories at the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology at the National Institute of Standards and Technology." This award is presented to recognize outstanding performance in technical support of research or development in areas of interest to AVS. It recognizes valuable contributions made by persons outside normal professional circles. The award consists of a cash award and a plaque.
A complete list of the Fellows as well as the 2013 graduate student winners is attached. Nominations for the 2014 awards are currently being solicited. For more information, please contact Angela Klink, AVS, 212-248-0200, fax 212-248-0245, e-mail angela@avs.org.
Additional Awards
2013 AVS Fellows
AVS Fellows are members who have made outstanding contributions in areas of interest to AVS.
Morgan R. Alexander, The University of Nottingham, "For his pioneering combined use of surface analysis and high-throughput materials array techniques, which led to the discovery of new materials to support stem-cell growth and bacterial resistant coatings"
Jane P. Chang, University of California--Los Angeles, "For sustained research leading to the synthesis and patterning of novel multifunctional materials and structures at the nanoscale"
Mark H. Engelhard, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, "For sustained creative application and novel adaptation of surface analytical tools to address a wide range of energy and environmental problems and for service to the surface analysis community"
Tony F. Heinz, Columbia University, "For the development and inspired application of spectroscopic methods for elucidating the properties and dynamics of surfaces, interfaces, and nanoscale materials"
Melissa A. Hines, Cornell University, "For the development of atomic-scale understanding of the chemical control of surface morphology, particularly with respect to technologically important silicon surfaces"
Aart W. Kleyn, FOM DIFFER, and University of Amsterdam, "For exceptional scientific and technical work in the areas of interfacial charge transfer, surface science, heterogeneous catalysis, energy storage and conversion, and plasma-surface interactions"
Ganpati Ramanath, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, "For developing creative approaches to realize novel nanomaterials via chemically-directed nanostructure synthesis and assembly, and tailoring interfaces using molecular nanolayers, for applications in electronics and energy"
Frances M. Ross, IBM, T.J. Watson Research Center, "For pioneering development of a liquid cell for in situ and real time electron microscopy measurements, which led to a deep understanding of the kinetics and growth mechanisms of nanostructures"
Jochen M. Schneider, RWTH Aachen University, "For seminal contributions to low temperature growth of crystalline alumina and nanolaminated carbides and for introducing ab-initio guided designs of hard coatings and protective films"
Roger G. Tobin, Tufts University, "For outstanding contributions to understanding the dynamics of energy transfer between adsorbates and metal substrates, and chemical reactions and electronic effects on stepped surfaces"
Klaus Wandelt, The University of Bonn, and The University of Wroclaw, "For seminal contributions to the understanding of metal, oxide, and semiconductor surfaces in gas and liquid environments, especially atomistic studies of metal surfaces in liquid electrolytes using electrochemical STM"
AVS Graduate Student Awards
2013 Top-Level Student Finalists
There are five (5) top-level named Graduate Student Awards and four (4) Graduate Research Awards, described below. The recipients of these awards are determined after a general competition with all the graduate research applicants and a presentation to the Awards Committee at the International Symposium.
Russell and Sigurd Varian Award
The Russell and Sigurd Varian Award was established in 1982 to commemorate the pioneering work of Russell and Sigurd Varian. It is presented to recognize and encourage excellence in graduate studies in the sciences and technologies of interest to AVS. The award is supported by Agilent Technologies Vacuum Products Division. It consists of a cash award, a certificate, and reimbursed travel support to attend the International Symposium.
Jason Kawasaki, University of California, Santa Barbara
Nellie Yeoh Whetten Award
The Nellie Yeoh Whetten Award was established in 1989, in the spirit of Nellie Yeoh Whetten, to recognize and encourage excellence by women in graduate studies in the sciences and technologies of interest to AVS. A fund to support the award was established by Timothy J. Whetten, friends and family of Nellie Yeoh Whetten, and AVS. The award consists of a cash award, a certificate, and reimbursed travel support to attend the International Symposium.
Indira Seshadri, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Dorothy M. and Earl S. Hoffman Award
The Dorothy M. and Earl S. Hoffman Award was established in 2002 to recognize and encourage excellence in graduate studies in the sciences and technologies of interest to AVS. It is funded by a bequest from Dorothy M. Hoffman, who was president of AVS in 1974 and held other positions of responsibility in the Society. The award consists of a cash award, a certificate, and reimbursed travel support to attend the International Symposium.
Zhu Liang, University of Illinois at Chicago
Dorothy M. and Earl S. Hoffman Scholarships
The Dorothy M. and Earl S. Hoffman Scholarships were established in 2002 to recognize and encourage excellence in graduate studies in the sciences and technologies of interest to AVS. They are funded by a bequest from Dorothy M. Hoffman. The scholarships consist of a cash award, a certificate, and reimbursed travel support to attend the International Symposium.
Tevis Jacobs, University of Pennsylvania
Vincent Sauer, University of Alberta
2013 Graduate Research Awards
The Graduate Research Awards were established in 1984 to recognize and encourage excellence in graduate studies in the sciences and technologies of interest to AVS. Each consists of a cash award, a certificate, and reimbursed travel support to attend the International Symposium.
Bonggeun Shong, Stanford University
Ming Wei, Univ. of Central Florida
Timothy Lawton, Tufts University
Xiaofeng Feng, University of California, Berkeley
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AVS announces its major award winners of 2013
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
5-Nov-2013
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Contact: Della Miller della@avs.org 530-896-0477 American Institute of Physics
New York, November 5, 2013The AVS has selected its major award winners for 2013. The AVS established an annual awards program to encourage excellence in research and innovation in technical areas of interest to the AVS. Listed below are the major award winners:
Medard W. Welch Award Dr. Chris G. Van de Walle, University of California, Santa Barbara, "For seminal contributions to the theory of heterojunctions and its application to semiconductor technology, and for elucidating the role of hydrogen in electronic materials." This award recognizes and encourages outstanding research in the fields of interest to AVS. The award consists of a cash award, a medal, a plaque, and an honorary lectureship at a regular session of the International Symposium.
John A. Thornton Memorial Award and Lecture Dr. Ivan Petrov, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, "For seminal contributions in determining the role of low-energy ion/surface interactions for controlling microstructure evolution during low-temperature growth of transition-metal nitride layers." This award recognizes outstanding research or technological innovation in the areas of interest to AVS with emphasis on the fields of thin films, plasma processing, and related topics. The award is conferred biennially as a suitable candidate may be identified. The award consists of a cash award, a plaque, and an honorary lectureship at a regular session of the International Symposium.
Albert Nerken Award Dr. Howard A. Padmore, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, "For sustained contributions to the design, development and application of novel synchrotron x-ray instrumentation used to study a range of scientific problems from biology to materials and solid state science." This award recognizes outstanding contributions to the solution of technological problems in areas of interest to AVS. The award consists of a cash award, a plaque, and an honorary lectureship at a regular session of the International Symposium.
Peter Mark Memorial Award Dr. Daniel Gunlycke, Naval Research Laboratory, "For significant contributions to the understanding of the electronic properties of low-dimensional graphene nanostructures." This award is presented to a young scientist or engineer (35 years of age or under) for outstanding theoretical or experimental work, at least some of which must have been published in an AVS journal. The award consists of a cash award, a plaque, and an honorary lectureship at a regular session of the International Symposium.
George T. Hanyo Award Mr. Steven R. Blankenship, NIST, "For outstanding contributions to the scanning tunneling microscopy user facilities and other laboratories at the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology at the National Institute of Standards and Technology." This award is presented to recognize outstanding performance in technical support of research or development in areas of interest to AVS. It recognizes valuable contributions made by persons outside normal professional circles. The award consists of a cash award and a plaque.
A complete list of the Fellows as well as the 2013 graduate student winners is attached. Nominations for the 2014 awards are currently being solicited. For more information, please contact Angela Klink, AVS, 212-248-0200, fax 212-248-0245, e-mail angela@avs.org.
Additional Awards
2013 AVS Fellows
AVS Fellows are members who have made outstanding contributions in areas of interest to AVS.
Morgan R. Alexander, The University of Nottingham, "For his pioneering combined use of surface analysis and high-throughput materials array techniques, which led to the discovery of new materials to support stem-cell growth and bacterial resistant coatings"
Jane P. Chang, University of California--Los Angeles, "For sustained research leading to the synthesis and patterning of novel multifunctional materials and structures at the nanoscale"
Mark H. Engelhard, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, "For sustained creative application and novel adaptation of surface analytical tools to address a wide range of energy and environmental problems and for service to the surface analysis community"
Tony F. Heinz, Columbia University, "For the development and inspired application of spectroscopic methods for elucidating the properties and dynamics of surfaces, interfaces, and nanoscale materials"
Melissa A. Hines, Cornell University, "For the development of atomic-scale understanding of the chemical control of surface morphology, particularly with respect to technologically important silicon surfaces"
Aart W. Kleyn, FOM DIFFER, and University of Amsterdam, "For exceptional scientific and technical work in the areas of interfacial charge transfer, surface science, heterogeneous catalysis, energy storage and conversion, and plasma-surface interactions"
Ganpati Ramanath, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, "For developing creative approaches to realize novel nanomaterials via chemically-directed nanostructure synthesis and assembly, and tailoring interfaces using molecular nanolayers, for applications in electronics and energy"
Frances M. Ross, IBM, T.J. Watson Research Center, "For pioneering development of a liquid cell for in situ and real time electron microscopy measurements, which led to a deep understanding of the kinetics and growth mechanisms of nanostructures"
Jochen M. Schneider, RWTH Aachen University, "For seminal contributions to low temperature growth of crystalline alumina and nanolaminated carbides and for introducing ab-initio guided designs of hard coatings and protective films"
Roger G. Tobin, Tufts University, "For outstanding contributions to understanding the dynamics of energy transfer between adsorbates and metal substrates, and chemical reactions and electronic effects on stepped surfaces"
Klaus Wandelt, The University of Bonn, and The University of Wroclaw, "For seminal contributions to the understanding of metal, oxide, and semiconductor surfaces in gas and liquid environments, especially atomistic studies of metal surfaces in liquid electrolytes using electrochemical STM"
AVS Graduate Student Awards
2013 Top-Level Student Finalists
There are five (5) top-level named Graduate Student Awards and four (4) Graduate Research Awards, described below. The recipients of these awards are determined after a general competition with all the graduate research applicants and a presentation to the Awards Committee at the International Symposium.
Russell and Sigurd Varian Award
The Russell and Sigurd Varian Award was established in 1982 to commemorate the pioneering work of Russell and Sigurd Varian. It is presented to recognize and encourage excellence in graduate studies in the sciences and technologies of interest to AVS. The award is supported by Agilent Technologies Vacuum Products Division. It consists of a cash award, a certificate, and reimbursed travel support to attend the International Symposium.
Jason Kawasaki, University of California, Santa Barbara
Nellie Yeoh Whetten Award
The Nellie Yeoh Whetten Award was established in 1989, in the spirit of Nellie Yeoh Whetten, to recognize and encourage excellence by women in graduate studies in the sciences and technologies of interest to AVS. A fund to support the award was established by Timothy J. Whetten, friends and family of Nellie Yeoh Whetten, and AVS. The award consists of a cash award, a certificate, and reimbursed travel support to attend the International Symposium.
Indira Seshadri, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Dorothy M. and Earl S. Hoffman Award
The Dorothy M. and Earl S. Hoffman Award was established in 2002 to recognize and encourage excellence in graduate studies in the sciences and technologies of interest to AVS. It is funded by a bequest from Dorothy M. Hoffman, who was president of AVS in 1974 and held other positions of responsibility in the Society. The award consists of a cash award, a certificate, and reimbursed travel support to attend the International Symposium.
Zhu Liang, University of Illinois at Chicago
Dorothy M. and Earl S. Hoffman Scholarships
The Dorothy M. and Earl S. Hoffman Scholarships were established in 2002 to recognize and encourage excellence in graduate studies in the sciences and technologies of interest to AVS. They are funded by a bequest from Dorothy M. Hoffman. The scholarships consist of a cash award, a certificate, and reimbursed travel support to attend the International Symposium.
Tevis Jacobs, University of Pennsylvania
Vincent Sauer, University of Alberta
2013 Graduate Research Awards
The Graduate Research Awards were established in 1984 to recognize and encourage excellence in graduate studies in the sciences and technologies of interest to AVS. Each consists of a cash award, a certificate, and reimbursed travel support to attend the International Symposium.
Bonggeun Shong, Stanford University
Ming Wei, Univ. of Central Florida
Timothy Lawton, Tufts University
Xiaofeng Feng, University of California, Berkeley
###
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe, right, turns toward his son Peter after completing his vote on election day in McLean, Va. on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe, right, turns toward his son Peter after completing his vote on election day in McLean, Va. on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie waves to workers at Oasis Pastry Shop during a campaign stop in Hillside, N.J., Monday, Nov. 4, 2013. Christie will face Democratic candidate, Barbara Buono in an election Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
Democratic mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio embraces his daughter Chiara as he talks to the media after voting, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013 in the Park Slope neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough of New York. His son Dante is at left. De Blasio is running against Republican candidate Joseph Lhota. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, votes at Brentsville District High School in Nokesville, Va., Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013. Cuccinelli faces Democrat Terry McAuliffe in today's election.(AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate Barbara Buono, center, arrives with her husband Martin Gizzi, right, to cast her vote, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013, in Metuchen, N.J. Buono is challenging Republican Gov. Chris Christie, who is running for re-election. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie looked for a big re-election victory Tuesday night amid talk of a 2016 presidential run, and Democrats hoped for a sweep of top offices in Virginia topped by Terry McAuliffe in the governor's mansion. New Yorkers chose a new mayor for the first time in a dozen years.
In other, widely scattered odd-year balloting, Colorado was setting a tax rate for marijuana, Houston was deciding the fate of the Astrodome and Alabama Republicans were choosing between two of their own — from different wings of the party — in a special congressional runoff election in a conservative state.
Across the country, voters also were choosing sides in a host of local elections and ballot initiatives. Turnout was expected to be relatively light — even in the most hard-fought races — given that it was not a presidential or congressional election year, and voters were primarily hard-core partisans.
Not on the ballot, President Barack Obama took a pass on wagering any guess on outcomes, saying: "Never predict elections. That's a losing proposition."
Taken together, the results in individual states and cities were expected to yield no broad judgments on how the American public feels about today's two biggest national political debates — government spending and health care — which are more likely to shape next fall's midterm elections.
Even so, Tuesday's voting had local impact, and it mattered in ways big and small.
In Virginia, Democrats were pushing to control all major statewide offices for the first time since 1970, a rejection of the conservatism that has dominated for the past four years. But Republicans were expected to hold the Legislature.
The state's two U.S. senators already are Democrats, and McAuliffe was favored to win the governorship, a one-term limited office, four years after voters elected conservative Republican Bob McDonnell. Both Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton made appearances for McAuliffe in the final weeks, and so did Barack Obama over the weekend.
Republican state Attorney General Ken Cuccinnelli was hoping for a late-game rally that would prove that a tea party-backed conservative could win the governorship of a swing-voting state. He brought big-name supporters to the state, too, including Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal — all potential presidential contenders.
Democrats also were expected to win the lieutenant governorship, and had a strong shot at the attorney general's office. They also could break through Republicans' veto-proof majority in the state House, and all that could set the stage of a presidential battleground ahead of the next White House race.
In New Jersey, Republican Gov. Christie was relishing the possibility of a big victory with support from across the political spectrum that would send a message to the GOP that a Republican with an inclusive message could win in Democratic territory.
In that sense, his expected win had implications for the 2016 presidential race.
A big victory could show his ability to draw support from Democrats, independents and minorities. This would be much as George W. Bush did in his re-election race as governor in Texas in 1998 — positioned to argue that he was the most electable in what might well be a crowded presidential primary field.
Later this month, Christie assumes the chairmanship of the Republican Governors Association, giving him another platform for a possible national campaign.
A Christie victory would make him the only Republican governor considering the presidency and serving with a Democratic Legislature, and he could use that to argue for pragmatism over ideology as a divided GOP seeks a path forward. He was opposed for re-election by state Sen. Barbara Buono.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, the party's internal squabbles played out in the special congressional runoff primary election in Alabama. It featured veteran politician Bradley Byrne, the choice of the GOP establishment, against tea party favorite Dean Young.
The race was the first test of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's promise to try to influence primaries. The group has pumped at least $200,000 into supporting Byrne, who has almost two decades in politics. Young argues that the Chamber endorsement is evidence that Byrne is the choice of big Washington interests.
Other races to watch:
—Big city mayors: In New York, Democrat Bill de Blasio was expected to cruise to victory over Republican Joe Lhota after Michael Bloomberg's dozen-year tenure. Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, Seattle and other cities also chose mayors.
—Washington state: Voters weighed in on a ballot issue over mandatory labeling of genetically modified food, a contest that has drawn hefty financial contributions in opposition from the likes of PepsiCo., Monsanto and General Mills, which last year spent $46 million to defeat a similar measure in California.
—Colorado: Colorado voters determined whether to tax marijuana at 25 percent and apply the proceeds to regulating the newly legalized drug and building schools. Voters in 11 rural counties were asked if they wanted to approve secession from the state. One county was talking about joining Wyoming.
___
Associated Press writers Bill Barrow and Christina Almeida Cassidy in Georgia, Kristen Wyatt in Colorado, Chris Grygiel in Washington state, Corey Williams in Michigan and Nedra Pickler in Washington contributed to this report.
Hop is a new email service that aims to make email more manageable. Unlike other services that use smart mailboxes, Hop transforms your emails into conversations instead of messy threads and attachments. The difference makes you actually want to respond to emails more often.
Most of us spend lots of time in our inboxes and it isn't always a task we look forward to. After spending some time with Hop over the last week or so, I've actually found myself coming back to an empty inbox more often than not. I've found that the reason for that is because Hop doesn't make me feel like I'm responding to emails. I feel like I'm taking part in an actual conversation.
Hop currently supports Gmail, AOL, Yahoo!, and iCloud. Once you configure your account, you're taken to the main inbox view. From here you can toggle the view on the top menu between conversation and traditional inbox view. Traditional inbox view is what we're all used to. The messages view is where you'll want to be, trust me.
Responding to an email is as easy as tapping into any message and just responding. That's it. You can attach images, upload files, open files that are sent to you and more. The only difference is how you view what you're doing. To me, that's the made the difference in how often I'm answering emails. I've also found that I'm treating email more like how I treat text messages and IMs which isn't a bad thing. I'm more short and to the point. There's something about email composers that make us feel like we have to fill them. I've learned not to do this with the help of Hop and I'm sure the recipients of my emails appreciate it.
The good
Message style views make email less of a chore and more of a conversation flow
Push notifications are wicked fast, in almost all cases I got Hop notifications before the actual Mail client told me I had messages
Traditional inbox view is still available for when you really need it
The bad
Limited account support at this time, no Exchange
The bottom line
For people that don't look forward to opening their inboxes every morning, Hop will make you change your mind. Not only does it make email seem more personal, it has a funny way of helping you empty your inbox without you even realizing you're being productive. And for anyone that has a nasty habit of being too wordy in emails, Hop can help you solve that problem too without even knowing it.
Slope by Dekke is a new stand for iPad, actually tablets in general, that is unique in its own right. As you can see above, it looks much like the base of an iMac stand and pairs beautifully with an attached iPad. The most amazing part, however, is that it uses a series of tiny air pockets to secure your iPad into place and secure itself to most surfaces. It really is like magic.
I had the pleasure of sitting down with Erik Kittlaus recently, the creator of Slope. If the name sounds familiar, that's probably because Erik's brother, Dag Kittlaus, is one of Siri's co-founders. I met both of them last Spring when Dag spoke at an economic development event event in our hometown of Michigan City. And I've kept in contact with Erik ever since.
When Erik first told me about Slope about a year ago, it was a Kickstarter project looking for some funding. I was intrigued with the idea and have to say, seeing it in person was still quite amazing. The first thing you notice is how light it really is. I was a bit skeptical as to how well it'd actually be able to hold an iPad in place that was about three times it's weight. But it does, and it does it well.
There are two black areas on Slope on both the top and the bottom. These areas look like pads but are really tiny air pockets that are so small, we can't see them with our naked eye. (You can read more on this via the site link at the bottom.) They're quite spongy to the touch. When you stick your iPad, or whatever other tablet you own to Slope, it works like a suction cup. The bottom does the same for whatever surface you place it on.
I've tested Slope out on a variety of different surfaces and found only one surface it didn't particularly like, and that was the night table next to my bed. I'm assuming it may be due to the type of wood grain. It definitely adhered and I felt comfortable that it wouldn't fall over, the bottom would just pull up before the iPad would pull off. Basically, I just had to use two hands. On other surfaces, I had no problem pulling the iPad right off with a firm grip and the Slope staying attached to whatever surface it was mounted to.
Slope comes in two different sizes, the standard slope for up to 10" tablets and the Slope mini for 7" tablets. I have been using the standard sized Slope stand with both an iPad Air and an iPad mini and it works exceptionally well with both devices. If you only own a mini, that's where you'd want to buy just the Slope mini.
The good
Using suction means no residue on your iPad, and it won't wear over time
The stainless steel design is beautiful, and looks like it belongs next to your iMac
Extremely lightweight which makes it ultra portable
Works with pretty much any tablet, regardless whether it's made with plastic or aluminum
The bad
Some surfaces may not play nice with Slope, I only came across one though
It can collect dust and lint rather easily, but a cloth to clean it is included with your purchase
The bottom line
Slope is hands down one of the most elegant and versatile docks I've ever seen. From using it in the kitchen when reading recipes to transferring it to the coffee table to share videos with family, I've found it's a dock that moves wherever you go. And for most people, that's going to be what matters.
A significant increase this weekend in TCP traffic with source port zero detected could be part of reconnaissance efforts in preparation for more serious attacks, according to security researchers from Cisco Systems.
There's usually no service on a system that listens on port 0 (zero), because according to the Transport Protocol port assignments by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), port zero is a "reserved port" and should not be used. Therefore receiving TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) traffic with a source port of zero is unusual.
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"Generally speaking port zero traffic can be indicative of a possible reconnaissance attack, and may be a precursor to more serious penetration attempts," Craig Williams, technical lead in the threat research team at Cisco, said Monday in a blog post.
Attackers can use such abnormal traffic to fingerprint operating systems and network security devices, because different OSes and network equipment can respond differently to port zero traffic, the researcher said. "This can enable the attacker to make a more precise attempt to compromise a network."
Cisco saw a large spike in TCP port zero traffic Saturday, with an increase in both the traffic volume and the number of sensors that detected such activity. The magnitude observed by the sensors was five times higher than usual, Williams said.
The highest volume of traffic came from eight IP (Internet Protocol) addresses assigned to Ecatel, a Dutch provider of dedicated server hosting and content delivery services, Williams said.
"We do not know the intent of these packets," the researcher said. "This could be a simple research project to map portions of the Internet by operating system and service pack or it could be an attacker preparing to do something nefarious."
As a general rule, users who see port zero activity on their networks should treat it suspicious and should investigate the source, Williams said, adding that this port should be blocked in firewalls because it doesn't serve a legitimate purpose.
It's hard to speculate what the goal of the traffic might be since Cisco only revealed the source port for it and not the destination ports, HD Moore, the chief research officer at security firm Rapid7, said Tuesday via email. The scans performed as part of Project Sonar, a community effort supported by Rapid7 that involves scanning Internet-facing systems to collect data and improve security, use non-zero source ports, he said.
According to Moore, many intrusion detection systems and firewalls already drop port zero traffic so there isn't much benefit to using this source port. "If I had to guess, I would say the traffic is the result of a broken embedded device (SIP phone, etc.) or a new piece of malware with a bug in its scanning code," he said.
Even if the traffic picked up by Cisco's sensors is part of a reconnaissance effort by attackers, the scanned systems might not be attacked in the immediate future. According to the Cisco researchers, reconnaissance may take place months before an actual attack begins.
Bunagana (DR Congo) (AFP) - Rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo's powder-keg east surrendered Tuesday after a crushing UN-backed offensive ended their 18-month insurgency in a region that has seen some of Africa's deadliest conflicts.
Kinshasa, emboldened by its biggest military victory in half a century, said its forces would keep up the momentum to go after Rwandan Hutu militia also active in the region.
A statement by the M23 that it would "end its rebellion" and instead pursue its goals "through purely political means" came after 200 or so holdout rebels were routed from their hilltop positions overnight.
"It's a total victory for the DRC," said government spokesman Lambert Mende, adding that the routed rebels had fled to neighbouring Rwanda. A local official said the M23's top commander Sultani Makenga was among them.
"The M23 no longer have the capabilities to return, ever. They have burnt their own weapons," said one army officer.
The army launched a major offensive on October 25, steadily claiming the main rebel-held towns until diehard M23 fighters were forced to hole up on three hills about 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of the regional capital Goma and near the Rwandan border.
The insurgents -- who at their strongest occupied Goma for 10 days a year ago -- called for a truce on Sunday, but the army pressed on with its assault.
The UN special force in the region -- which had so far been assisting with aerial reconnaissance, intelligence and planning -- joined direct combat late Monday after getting the green light to bombard the hilltops.
In Bunagana, which had been the M23's base, an officer said the rebels "burnt 42 vehicles and their ammunitions depots", and "fled in every direction" when they faced the overnight advances of Kinshasa troops,
Aline, a clothes seller in Bunagana who had just returned from across the border in Uganda said she was happy. "The rebels have gone for good. They'll never come back."
One resident returning to Goma was more restrained, warning the rebels could return "because we don't know where they've gone".
But while Kinshasa celebrated a rare victory in a densely forested region where it has chronically failed to deliver a knock-out punch to rebel groups, Rwanda remained mum.
UN experts and Kinshasa have repeatedly described the M23 as a Rwandan puppet, accusing Kigali of arming the group and even of sending some of its own troops to the battlefield.
The rebels' crushing defeat after 10 days of fighting appeared to signal that Kigali had finally yielded to intense diplomatic pressure and chosen to forsake its one-time proxy.
On Tuesday, government spokesman Mende said the M23 had been "top of the list" of multiple armed groups targeted for eradication in the east, and that the Rwandan Hutus were next.
"There is no more place in our country for any irregular group," Mende said.
Now the army will "get on with disarming" the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Kivu-based Rwandan group that includes the remnants of Hutu militia who carried out the 1994 genocide, he said.
Kigali, which refrained from responding to alleged shelling by Congolese forces during the latest fighting, has demanded that Kinshasa and the United Nations hunt down the FDLR.
Kivu region is key to Rwandan economy
The demise of the M23, made up of ethnic Tutsis, leaves minority Tutsi-led Kigali without a military ally across the border for the first time in years.
The Kivu region, rich in sought-after minerals such as the coltan used in mobile phones, is key to Rwanda's fast-growing economy.
Analysts say better preparation by the Congolese troops and the unprecedented offensive mandate granted to the special UN brigade tipped the military balance.
The heavily armed 3,000-strong UN intervention brigade joined 17,000 peacekeepers already deployed with a mission to stamp out rebel groups accused of human rights abuses including rape, murder and recruiting child soldiers.
The M23 was launched in April 2012 by ex-rebels who had been integrated into the regular army after an earlier peace deal but mutinied again, claiming that Kinshasa was failing to keep its side of the bargain.
The UN refugee agency said Tuesday that the recent fighting had forced 10,000 civilians to flee across the border to Uganda, Rwanda's neighbour to the north.
The area of North and South Kivu has a bloody history. It saw the birth of the 1996 Rwandan-backed rebellion that toppled Mobutu Sese Seko and installed Laurent-Desire Kabila, the father of the current president.
The region was also the detonator of the 1998-2003 conflict known as the Great African War, which involved nine countries and is described as the continent's deadliest war of the modern era.
The disbanding of the M23 marks the clearest and most significant military victory for the Congolese government since the 1963 crushing of a separatist rebellion in the southern province of Katanga.
Nate isn’t happy about moving to 395 Neptune Avenue—a new town, a new life, and he’s got no input into any of it. But when he finds an old reel-to-reel tape underneath the floorboards of his new room, he’s tossed into a mystery that spans 40 years and who knows how many worlds, complete with talking squirrels, creepy dolls, and a tree monster out of a lumberjack’s nightmares. A middle-grade adventure with supernatural overtones but real-world emotions, The Lost Boy gets bigger, funnier, and more exciting as it goes along. It’s reminiscent of Kaz Kibuishi’s Amulet, but has a mood and spirit all its own.
That’s thanks in no small part to writer/cartoonist Greg Ruth’s beautiful art. His evocative penwork ranges from Rockwellesque small-town scenes to whimsical fantasy to deep, dark horror, and it’s rare to see a graphic novel with such control over line and tone. In a year that’s seen any number of excellent comics for kids, The Lost Boy stands out as an exceptional example of graphic storytelling, and the fact that it seems clearly to be the first in a series will get young readers even more excited. We’re very pleased to have Greg Ruth illustrating this month’s issue of the Slate Book Review.
Kmart's plan to be open for 41 straight hours beginning at 6 a.m. Thanksgiving morning is drawing criticism. At this Kmart store in Connecticut, shoppers wait in line to take advantage of sales on Thanksgiving Day.
Douglas Healey/AP
Kmart's plan to be open for 41 straight hours beginning at 6 a.m. Thanksgiving morning is drawing criticism. At this Kmart store in Connecticut, shoppers wait in line to take advantage of sales on Thanksgiving Day.
Douglas Healey/AP
It's only been hours since Kmart announced its Black Friday plan — to remain open for 41 hours in a row beginning early on Thanksgiving Day. But online critics are throwing a red light on the plan, with some calling the company a Grinch for its aggressive approach to the start of the Christmas shopping season.
"Everybody thinks your executives are horrible people," a man named Christopher Sweet wrote on Kmart's Facebook page. Another critic, Ted Talevski, appealed to the workers: "This is a message to all Kmart employees! Do not go to work on Thanksgiving Day!"
Responding to the negative feedback, Kmart says that it will try to staff its stores with seasonal workers to accommodate employees who want to be with friends and relatives.
Amber Camp, who says she works at Kmart, said via Facebook that her bosses "are planning on all the employees to have some time so we can actually spend time with our families on Thanksgiving."
The criticisms began flowing soon after Sears, Kmart's parent company, announced that the stores that long promoted "blue light specials" will be open from 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning to 11 p.m. Friday night.
Sears stores will work a less aggressive schedule, opening from 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving night to 10 p.m. Friday.
"Kmart has opened at 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving for the past three years," reports CNN Money, where we spotted the story about the backlash. "Last year, however, stores closed for a few hours at 4 p.m. to let shoppers and employees get to their Thanksgiving dinners."
The company's social media team repeatedly issued responses to the criticisms on Facebook, saying, "We understand many associates want to spend time with their families during the holiday. With this in mind Kmart stores do their very best to staff with seasonal associates and those who are needed to work holidays."
One person offered their own response to a similar statement on Twitter, saying, "yes, that's what the companies I worked for told us too, however we had no choice in the matter and I doubt your associates do either."
But some defended the move, saying that many retail employees would be happy to earn overtime. And others say they aren't bothered by the plan.
"Nobody is physically forcing employees to work at Kmart if they don't like the scheduling," one Facebook comment read.
Nate isn’t happy about moving to 395 Neptune Avenue—a new town, a new life, and he’s got no input into any of it. But when he finds an old reel-to-reel tape underneath the floorboards of his new room, he’s tossed into a mystery that spans 40 years and who knows how many worlds, complete with talking squirrels, creepy dolls, and a tree monster out of a lumberjack’s nightmares. A middle-grade adventure with supernatural overtones but real-world emotions, The Lost Boy gets bigger, funnier, and more exciting as it goes along. It’s reminiscent of Kaz Kibuishi’s Amulet, but has a mood and spirit all its own.
That’s thanks in no small part to writer/cartoonist Greg Ruth’s beautiful art. His evocative penwork ranges from Rockwellesque small-town scenes to whimsical fantasy to deep, dark horror, and it’s rare to see a graphic novel with such control over line and tone. In a year that’s seen any number of excellent comics for kids, The Lost Boy stands out as an exceptional example of graphic storytelling, and the fact that it seems clearly to be the first in a series will get young readers even more excited. We’re very pleased to have Greg Ruth illustrating this month’s issue of the Slate Book Review.
Digg just launched Digg Video, a clearing house for the funny/weird/interesting/actually educational videos the internet bubbles up. Digg says a mobile version is coming soon, too, so you'll never be without distraction ever again. [Digg Blog]
Movie makers thrive on quick autofocusing for their action shots, so they'll be glad to hear that Canon will offer an upgrade to the EOS C100 video camera with that kind of performance in mind. The $500 transplant will give the C100 continuous autofocusing using a variant of the extra-fast Dual ...![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
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