Free drum lessons online - Add to musical expertise

Free drum lessons online equip you with the art of music. Free drum lessons online also widens your horizon, depending on your actual degree of knowledge on drums. You need not go anywhere and yet, can learn all the lessons on drums. To get lessons on drums directly from music teachers is itself a very costly proposition. Many of us cannot afford to do that. So people in general, look for some alternate ways to get trained on drums. Free drums lessons online are the best option for them. Many websites are now available on internet that provides you free drum lessons online. Sitting at home, you can visit various websites and gain knowledge on drum lessons. Many drum trainers contribute to present lessons on drums through online medium. Such drum lessons give you the opportunity to learn the best possible lessons on drums. With the advancement of interactive sessions with audio and video aids, the free drum lessons online have become extremely beneficial and popular. Your dream to acquire lessons on drums becomes a reality with almost no cost. Sometimes, you are inclined to get your lessons on drums from a specific trainer but due to some reason or the other you find it difficult to access them; free drum lessons online make this possible without any hassle.

Free drum lessons online for beginners are extremely beneficial. Such online lessons on drums are specially designed for the beginners. Many such courses are available online which are linked to various degree of acumen of the participants. Free drum lessons online infact satisfy all types of students. You need to search specific websites. The music aspirants get to learn new styles through free drums online. This is a way to enrich the world of music on drums. The aspirants get to know all the aspects of drum music via online. No formal preparation is involved to get proper exposure on free drum lessons online.

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Source: http://www.artipot.com/articles/1317986/free-drum-lessons-online-add-to-musical-expertise.htm

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Bigasoft iPad Video Converter for Mac OS X v3.6.29.4563

Bigasoft iPad Video Converter can convert any kind of video formats including WMV, ASF, AVI, DivX, MKV, MOD, TOD, MTS, VOB, MPEG, MOV, RM, 3GP, high quality 1080p or 1080i MKV, M2TS and more to iPad video MP4 and iPad H.264 720p video. Moreover, it can also convert audio files including WMA, WAV, MP2, AC3, RA, M4A, OGG, AAC etc. to iPad MP3.

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Source: http://www.afterdawn.com/software/audio_video/convert_video/bigasoft_ipad_video_converter_for_mac_os_x.cfm

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MacBook Pro review (13-inch, mid-2012)

When the MacBook Pro with Retina display is in the game, Apple's "regular" Pros may seem a bit like also-rans. After all, why would you choose them when you could get a brilliant 15-inch 2,880 x 1,800 IPS panel and a Core i7 Ivy Bridge processor? Well, price, for one thing. While we walked away from our Retina MBP review mighty impressed, that model starts at $2,199. The latest crop of Pros, meanwhile, keep the same pricing scheme as last year's models ($1,199 and up), but step up to Intel's third-generation Ivy Bridge processors. We took the entry-level 13-incher for a spin to get a feel for how the dual-core Core i5 CPU, 4GB of RAM and Intel HD Graphics 4000 stack up to the competition. Read on to see how it fared.

Gallery: MacBook Pro review (mid-2012, 13-inch)

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MacBook Pro review (13-inch, mid-2012) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 16:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/30/macbook-pro-review-13-inch-mid-2012/

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EYES ON LONDON: British anti-climax, hidden flame

Kazakhstan's Alexandr Vinokourov celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the Men's Road Cycling race at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 28, 2012, in London. Rigoberto Uran of Colombia took silver, with Alexander Kristoff of Norway claiming bronze. (AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan's Alexandr Vinokourov celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the Men's Road Cycling race at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 28, 2012, in London. Rigoberto Uran of Colombia took silver, with Alexander Kristoff of Norway claiming bronze. (AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev)

Great Britain's gymnast Daniel Purvis performs on the horizontal bar during the Artistic Gymnastic men's qualification at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 28, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Harinelina Rakotondramanana of Madagascar falls after failing to lift in the women's 48-kg weightlifting at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 28, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Gymnast Cyril Tommasone from France performs on the rings during the Artistic Gymnastics men's qualification at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 28, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

USA's Michael Phelps competes in a heat of the men's 400-meter individual medley at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 28, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

LONDON (AP) ? Around the 2012 Olympics and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details of the games to you:

___

IT WASN'T TO BE

The excitement near the road course finish line outside the palace fell flat as Great Britain and favorite Mark Cavendish failed to win a medal.

"I was there when he didn't win it!" shouted Richard Jones of London.

He'd been watching the race on television with his wife and another couple when they decided with an hour to go to hustle over to Buckingham Palace for the finish.

"We practically did a triathlon to get here," said Jane Carson of Chester. "And we didn't even get very close ? but neither did Cav."

? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer

___

STAG DO

A rowing regatta isn't the usual place to start a bachelor party.

It worked out just fine for husband-to-be Martin Stanning, though, as he watched sister Heather romp to victory in the women's pair with partner Helen Glover at Dorney Lake? setting a Olympic best time in the process.

Martin was under orders in the "stag do" ? as it's called in Britain ? from his older brother Alistair, who was organizer-in-chief. His parents were there, too.

Glover and Stanning are big favorites to win the final of the women's pair on Wednesday after going through this season unbeaten. If they win gold, they'll become the first British women to do so.

?Steve Douglas ? Twitter http://twitter.com/sdouglas80

___

HOT VENUE

Although the ExCel venue is well south of the Olympic Park, the venue is shaping up as a surprisingly good place to catch the Olympic spirit.

ExCel is hosting boxing, weightlifting, judo, fencing and table tennis in separate spaces, but the sprawling complex is connected by a central hall that has turned into a pedestrian mall where the combined crowd can mingle amid a large array of dining options.

With thousands of fans pouring off trains Saturday, ExCel had a remarkable vibe as each of its sports except wrestling got underway. The venue's only obvious flaw is a lack of seating in that central hall, where hundreds of people are just sitting on the ground to eat their baked potatoes and curries.

? Greg Beacham ? Twitter http://twitter.com/gregbeacham

___

HERE COMES THE SUN

Another day in often-soggy London, another healthy dose of blue skies and bright sunshine. With a cool breeze blowing gently, it's hard to imagine a better start to these games from a weather perspective.

How did we get so lucky? Maybe Sir Paul asked John and George to put in a good word for a little help from above.

? Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/APKrawczynski

___

GYM INTRIGUE

There's intrigue at the men's gymnastics.

China, which hasn't lost a major competition since the 2004 Olympics, is already second after a dismal performance this morning.

The U.S. has got through its worst event ? pommel horse ? in decent shape while Japan, runner-up to China at both the Beijing Olympics and the last two world championships, had to count a fall on high bar, one of its better events.

? Nancy Armour, Twitter www.twitter.com/nrarmour

___

KAZAKH GOLD

After a sprint finish, Alexander Vinokourov of Kazakhstan wins the Olympic gold medal in the men's cycling road race. Britain's high hopes of a medal have been dashed.

___

CANADA PROUD

"This is only my second one since 1972, so I am a rookie to opening ceremony, but one word: Proud!" ? "Captain Canada" Ian Millar, 10-time Olympian and 2008 Olympic silver medallist in team show jumping

?Danica Kirka ? http://twitter.com/danicakirka

___

OLYMPIC SPIRIT

Putting aside their rivalry here, football players from Brazil, Egypt, Belarus and New Zealand are sharing the same hotel in Manchester and are getting along just fine.

The Brazilian federation has posted photos of the teams playing table tennis together and says players from the four teams have been mingling in activities throughout the hotel. The teams are playing in Group C of the men's Olympic tournament.

? Tales Azzoni ? Twitter http://twitter.com/tazzoni

___

SECOND BEST

Greg Munford, 31, applied for "loads" of tickets but didn't get a single one. "I was gutted," he says.

So he came from his home in the English city of Bath to London's Hyde Park, where thousands of people are sprawled on wood chips (the grass fell victim to a concert series and wet weather) watching five big screens showing everything from handball to cycling.

"If I can't get to the venues this is the second-best place to be," says Munford. "I'm soaking up the spirit." He admits he didn't understand much of the dressage on the screen, but offered: "It all looks very elegant!"

? Niko Price ? Twitter http://twitter.com/nikoprice

___

BUSTLING PARK

Tourist Time.

Olympic Park is hustling and bustling. The pathways are filled with foot traffic, the merchandise stores bursting with visitors.

Everyone appears to be getting the lay of the land, and the benches and tables appear to be very popular as folks grab a rest from all the walking.

?Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/APKrawczynski

___

CHAOS AT THE PALACE

There's chaos outside Buckingham Palace where the men's road course race will zoom by at the finish.

Thousands are surging toward the barricades, as security is imploring people to back up into Green Park or move further down the course.

Nobody wants to move, though, as everyone is eager to see Great Britain possibly win its first medal.

?Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer

___

HIDDEN FLAME

It's a shame you can't see the Olympic flame. That was the reaction from visitors to London's Olympic Park and across Twitter on Saturday, as the intricate cauldron and its copper petals remained out of sight in the middle of the stadium.

All recent Olympics have featured a flaming cauldron, visible across the Olympic precinct.

But in London, only spectators lucky enough to have a ticket for events inside the main stadium will actually see it. Other park visitors will only be able to see an image beamed onto big screens.

At a news conference Saturday, cauldron creator Thomas Heatherwick defended the decision, saying organizers had tried to resist the temptation of creating a cauldron that was bigger, fatter or higher than at previous games.

"There was the complete precedent of the 1948 (London) Games of the cauldron set within the stadium... to one side with the spectators and with the technology we now have that didn't exist in 1948 it can be shared with everyone in the Park with screens," Heatherwick said.

The cauldron design was backed by the UK prime minister, but some members of the International Olympic Committee are said to be privately critical of the concept.

? Sandy Macintyre and Mark Davies

___

HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE

Seems even the queen can't resist the opportunity to act with Daniel Craig.

The British monarch didn't need much persuading to take part in the brief flick that electrified the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony, says Jackie Brock-Doyle, the spokeswoman for the organizing committee.

"She liked the whole concept Danny brought together," she says ? presumably right down to the detail of having the queen's corgis, Monty, Holly and Willow, similarly take starring roles.

The matter was presented to her majesty by organizing committee chairman Sebastian Coe last year.

? Danica Kirka ? http://twitter.com/danicakirka

___

CLOSE SHAVE

British gymnast Louis Smith knows a thing or two about making a statement. The eccentric 23-year-old ? the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist on pommel horse ? is known as much for his well-coiffed hair and elaborate tattoos as his elegant routines.

A couple of days before the biggest ? and perhaps final ? meet of his life, Smith slipped out of the Olympic village to his home in Peterborough to visit his barber.

"I could have used one in the village, but I didn't want to tell him he was doing it wrong," Smith said.

He returned with a distinctive do, with shaved sides and a meticulously groomed flowing flattop.

Smith says the "hip" cut is designed to grab the kind of attention he thinks the sport needs.

?Will Graves ? Twitter http://twitter.com/WillGravesAP

___

AN AMAECHI MOMENT

Strolling through security to enter Olympic Park, former British basketball star John Amaechi says he has been quite pleased with how his home country has opened these games.

The center paired with gymnast Nadia Comaneci to take the torch to the roof of the North Greenwich Arena earlier this month and is eager to see how Britain opens against powerful Russia in its men's basketball opener on Sunday.

"It's been wonderful so far, but the real work hasn't even started," Amaechi says. "That will tell the tale."

?Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/APKrawczynski

___

I SEE BY YOUR OUTFIT ...

Dressed head to toe in the British flag ? or, rather, AS the British flag ? Mick Burn wanted to find a spot along the road course to cheer cyclist Mark Cavendish.

But his outfit was so extreme, the man from Watford in Hertfortshire couldn't make it more than a few feet (meters) at a time without being stopped by fans wanting to pose for a picture with him.

"I've been mobbed all day," he says. And he's delighted by that fact.

It took him almost two years and 200 pounds (more than $300) to assemble the outfit, which consisted of everything from "posh golf pants," a waistcoat, his watch, eyeglasses and even his underwear. The toughest item was the sport coat, which cost him 50 pounds (about $75) on eBay.

Burn had thought his niece, rower Lucinda Gooderham, would be competing in these games. She didn't qualify, but he vowed to keep fine-tuning the outfit for Rio.

See a picture of him here: http://pic.twitter.com/IxF6WM7y

?Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer

___

SMOOOOOOOOOOTH

"Louis Smith as smooth as strawberries and cream on pommel horse. It's like he's in slow motion, control in amazing." ? AP's Will Graves tweets from the gymnastics venue. A spectacular pommel horse by Britain's Smith capped the day for the British, who finished almost 2.5 points ahead of China with at a total of 272.420. Team finals are Monday.

?Will Graves ? Twitter http://twitter.com/WillGravesAP

___

GHOST TOWN

On a Saturday lunchtime, London's main shopping area, Oxford Street should be packed. Saturday afternoon, it is surprisingly empty of the usual crowd of Londoners and tourists. Were there a lot of late nights last night at opening ceremony parties or are the crowds in different parts of London enjoying the events?

?Fergus Bell ? Twitter http://twitter.com/fergb

___

__

EDITOR'S NOTE ? "Eyes on London" shows you the Olympics through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across the 2012 Olympic city and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item, and get even more AP updates from the Games here: http://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-07-28-OLY-Eyes-on-London-Package/id-eba812d27e8f47efa74871fe9a41c2c8

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Love and Equality: Gay Wedding Ideas and Resources

This article has been viewed 43 times.

Individuals who wish to pledge their endless love, despite having distinctions, hold the right to marry. However, planning a wedding ceremony needs a great deal of time and focus. Here are some gay wedding ideas and resources you should consider:

Make a spending budget

Figure out the amount you can spend for the wedding. Speak with your lover the potential expenses for the wedding ceremony like wedding venue, flowers, cuisine, entertainment, etc. Focus on the things you require for the ceremony and reception.

Pick a schedule

Discuss possible wedding schedules together with your spouse and other family members. Think about your work cycles so that you can choose a date for your wedding that is least demanding for your job. Think about the type and date of your honeymoon. Choosing a weekend might work best because most people may be free of their obligations at work or school. Arrange another date in case your first option does not work out.

Select a wedding ring

Select a reputable jeweler. Look online for jewelry stores around your neighborhood. You can also talk to couples for referrals. Consider the sum you can spend for gay man wedding rings. Check lists to get an idea of the retail price range. Do not forget to speak about your spending budget to the jewelry retailers so that they can show rings that fall within your budget. Shop with your spouse to find out what style you both want. Match your marriage bands with the engagement rings ? have these personalized so they can be more unique. If youre shopping for diamond rings, familiarize yourself with the four Cs: cut, clarity, color, and carat. Ensure the jeweler has the proper certificates for the gemstones.

Hire wedding coordinators

Wedding planners can help you with the overall planning process, so be sure to choose a dependable one. Consult newlyweds, family, and associates for recommendations. Search online for available coordinators. Check their background and expertise ? look at critiques and wedding photos of previous clients. Identify the level of support you need from the planners. For example, you can hire one who can organize together with suppliers, caterers, and venue managers. You can hire one who can help you with the wedding portfolio or keep track of specifics and timetables. Be sure the wedding coordinators fee matches your budget.

Choose a theme

Talk to your lover regarding possible wedding ceremony concepts. Be creative when coming up with the concept. Go for garden weddings if you prefer a solemn and private ceremony. Consider the time of your wedding, too. Select beach weddings if you are planning to get married during the summer. Choose wedding colors based on your preferred flower ? choose a main color for the central motif.

Find a location

Pick a wedding venue that will suit your budget. Garden wedding ceremonies can be a fantastic option if you are on a tight budget, as you can hold the ceremony in your garden. Think of your guest list ? determine the actual number of people who will be going to the wedding. Look at the availability of the wedding venue. Book the venue four months prior to the wedding date to avoid any problems. Be sure you have a backup wedding venue if you plan to hold a backyard marriage ceremony.

Additional tips

Get a music group or a DJ for amusement throughout the wedding reception. Find wedding catering services so you dont have to cook the food on your own. Search the internet for more gay wedding ideas and resources.

Source: http://www.article-i.com/relationships/love-and-equality-gay-wedding-ideas-and-resources/

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Portrait Digital Photography Methods | Arty Apt

Electronic Photography Tips: How to Just take Creature PhotosPart OneAre you good with animals? Do you?ve that particular something that only attracts animals to you? Why not use that skill with your camera to create extra money.Pet entrepreneurs want images of there beloved dog. If it is really a hamster, lizard, pet, cat or perhaps a horse. They want good quality digital photo?s of their animals.Some ways you have access to jobs is always to market in your local newspaper, or on the web. You may just be surprised at how many responses you?ll get.Not only can you offer the digital print but there are other ways managers want to remember there animals. Certificate plates, essential bands, glasses, calendars, also T-shirts.In this informative article I?ll offer you some suggestions on HOW to get wonderful photo?s of animals. One?s the pet owners would be happy to display and show their friends.I would recommend you will find out what type of character the pet has. No two creatures are the same. Some are lazy and prefer to set around all day not doing a lot of everything. Others are very productive. Operating, getting, having fun with other animals.I had your pet dog that could follow the water coming out of a line. He?d leap up in the air and try to bite it.Another one that would chase her tail and really get airborne moving up to get it.Or what about that dwarf hamster running inside it is wheel. Alone it?s not much but put in a slower hamster and the fun really begins. Mine are amusing. One will undoubtedly be working extremely fast and the other sometimes goes completely around. Or perhaps gets thrown out of the wheel. But always comes back for more.How about the baby calf? Just just created exploring a blade of grass. That lawn goes in the wind and the leg jumps.These are just a few examples of some good photo opportunities.Another idea will be when you live in an where there are horse shows, people love to have pictures of there horses in action.I live in the Ocala, Florida area. We?ve a lot of race horse?s in this region. We also provide Show Jumpers and Traveling Marathons. (horse?s dragging carts through limitations). We have place shows, 4-H shows and one per year High School Rodeo?s. Anybody of these would be a good place to provide your services to take digital photo?s for the owners.Parents wanting to see images of their kids earning ribbons. Jumpers groing through walls. You might get one of the horse removing, one of it at the peak of the jump and one of it getting. Children barrel race at High School Rodeo?s or riding bulls.These are just a few options.If you?re planning to be using digital photo?s of little animals, pets, cats, birds, lizards, you wish to chose a place the animal feels comfortable. Also, consider the background. Ensure the background does not get your eye more then your animal you?re taking a photograph of. You want them to be the key focus, the first thing that catches your attention when you consider the image.When taking a photograph of a puppy try and get as close as possible. This might not necessarily be easy, especially if the pet is quite effective, but it will enhance more detail.If it is only really impossible to get close then provide your camera with a contact lens. This can assist in isolating your dog when it comes to depth of field. It?ll also somewhat blur the trunk surface and make your furry friend the center of attention.Another method to get great electronic photo?s is always to get down on there stage. Sure, you may seem silly running around in the soil to get a snakes eye view, but just think of the fantastic images that can come of it.Most entrepreneurs wouldn?t even think to do something like that. They simply take photo?s from above there dog or while holding them. This can make the photograph special for them. Experiencing there pet the way another dog would see it.You may possibly also have a tool liven up on holidays and keep the pet or at the lowest be int he image with the pet. Think about an Bunny or Santa Claus?Take a variety of different sides of your pet. Concentrate on there eyes, ears, nose or even there whiskers for face photos. Take a full body shot, half body shot. These pictures provides you with pictures of different aspects. Everybody takes photographs from the leading view. Make your?s different.For example: a sleeping semi curled up making use of their at once their paws. Take the picture as the full picture from the front, from the back, from the side.NOW is the time to take ACTION and start getting anything you like to do into practice. DON?T WAIT!!!! Visit my internet site to understand more about the business of creating money along with your digital camera.

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Source: http://artyapt.com/blog/portrait-digital-photography-methods/

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Pro-Green Is a Certified Construction & Painting Company Serving ...

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Get Internet Explorer for Xbox Before Anyone Else Does [Xbox]

Major Nelson just announced that Microsoft is accepting beta testers for the next version of Xbox Live which includes new features like Internet Explorer for Xbox, better search and discovery, an updated dashboard and more. If you're interested and of course you are (new features yay!) you can sign up right here. [Major Nelson] More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/MheF6uWT3pQ/get-internet-explorer-for-xbox-before-anyone-else-does

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U.S. fears Syria preparing for massacre in Aleppo

AMMAN/BEIRUT (Reuters) - President Bashar al-Assad's forces renewed a ground and aerial bombardment of Aleppo on Friday, extending efforts to crush rebels in Syria's commercial capital in what the United States said it feared could become a massacre.

Insurgents targeted army roadblocks and security installations, with both sides avoiding close-quarters warfare in the city of 2.5 million people, Syria's biggest urban center.

The U.S. State Department said credible reports of tank columns moving on Aleppo, along with air strikes by helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, represented a serious escalation of Assad's efforts to crush a rebellion that began 16 months ago.

"This is the concern: that we will see a massacre in Aleppo, and that's what the regime appears to be lining up for," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

Troops stationed on the outskirts of Aleppo unleashed barrages of heavy-caliber mortar rounds on the western neighborhoods of Saladin, al-Sukkari and al-Fardos, while Russian MI-25 helicopter gunships struck al-Sakhour in the east with rockets, several opposition activists in the city said.

RISING CASUALTIES

In the first reported casualty on Friday, a man of about 60 wearing a traditional white prayer outfit was killed near a park in Saladin. His body was placed in a mosque pending identification.

Thirty-four people were killed in Aleppo and its environs on Thursday, according to opposition activists keeping a tally of casualties in the northern city.

"The rebels have so far been nimble, and civilians have mostly been the victims of the bombardment," said activist Abu Mohammad al-Halabi, speaking by phone from the city.

"There is lots of internal displacement, and schools have been turned to makeshift shelters that are packed. One shell hitting a school will result in a catastrophe," he said.

"The regime is massing troops and tanks at the entrances of Aleppo, but it seems it is for now content with bombarding the city, with the rebels constantly on the move."

Majed al-Nour, another activist, said rebels attacked a security outpost in the neighborhood of Bustan al-Joz, which is close to the Aleppo city center, on Thursday.

"The rebels are present in the east and west of the city, and have a foothold in areas of the center. The regime forces control the entrances of Aleppo and the main thoroughfares and commercial streets and are bombarding the residential districts that fell into rebel hands," he said.

Nour said tens of thousands of people had fled Aleppo to nearby northern rural regions close to Turkey from which the Syrian army has withdrawn in recent weeks to focus on urban areas where relatively lightly armed rebels have hunkered down.

UNITING THE OPPOSITION

The heavy fighting around Aleppo follows an audacious bomb attack that killed four of Assad's closest lieutenants in Damascus on July 18 and led some analysts to speculate that the government's grip was slipping.

With U.N. Security Council resolutions for sanctions against Syria vetoed by Russia and China for a third time last week, the United States has said it is stepping up assistance to Syria's fractured opposition, although it remains limited to non-lethal supplies such as communications gear and medical equipment.

One of the most senior figures to defect from Assad's inner circle, Brigadier General Manaf Tlas, put himself forward on Thursday as someone who could help unify the opposition inside and outside Syria on a plan for a transfer of power.

Tlas, speaking in a newspaper interview in the Saudi city of Jeddah, also said he was looking for support from Saudi Arabia and other powers. "I am discussing with ... people outside Syria to reach a consensus with those inside," Tlas told Thursday's edition of the Saudi newspaper Asharq al-Awsat.

Tlas went on to Turkey and met with Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. Turkey, a former ally of Assad and now one of his fiercest critics, has a heavy strategic stake in shaping any post-Assad leadership in neighboring Syria.

Tlas appeared briefly with Davutoglu at an official guest house, but made no statement.

Turkey closed its border posts with Syria on Wednesday to all traffic except Syrian refugees.

Russia, one of the few remaining allies of the authoritarian Assad whose family has run Syria for 42 years, said calls for him to quit power were hindering efforts to end the conflict.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said such calls, led by the United States, Turkey and other Western and Arab nations, were fanning violence. He reiterated Moscow's contention that support for Syrian rebel groups was tantamount to backing terrorism.

Iran promised to stand by Syria, come what may.

First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi told Iran's Press TV on Thursday that the Islamic Republic's support for Syria, its main Arab ally, was "unchangeable", countering suggestions that Iran could soften its backing for Assad.

(Writing by Will Waterman; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-forces-pound-aleppo-damascus-083803528.html

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Clean your Hard drives before selling them

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Choosing The Best Louisiana Alternative Energy - Business | Health ...

Many people in Louisiana want to cut down on costs and this will mean that they have to look for the best alternative energy sources. Luckily, there are a number of Louisiana alternative energy, that they can use and this will give them the opportunity to settle with the ideal results. These renewable sources are easily available, easy to use, and very appropriate for people who want to cut down on the costs of spending. You need to invest in the right one that will end up serving the right purpose and fulfill your needs.

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Source: http://itoscana.org/choosing-the-best-louisiana-alternative-energy/

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Toyota takes first-half global sales lead from GM

TOKYO (AP) ? Toyota has bounced back from safety recalls and natural disasters to retake the crown as the world's top automaker from General Motors.

The Japanese automaker says it sold 4.97 million vehicles globally in the first half of the year. That's 300,000 more than GM's 4.67 million. Both companies released their numbers on Wednesday.

The lead will make it difficult for GM to catch Toyota in the second half of the year.

Toyota's numbers show that it has recovered from last year's earthquake and flooding and a series of embarrassing safety recalls.

GM says its sales will grow as it revamps 70 percent of its U.S. model lineup in the next two years.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/toyota-takes-first-half-global-sales-lead-gm-135626448--finance.html

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Olympic Athletes Feel the Hurt

Image: Flickr/Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games

Most sports involve some level of physical risk, and Olympic contests are no exception. Although the injury rate is lower than that for some professional sports such as American football and soccer, about 10 percent of Olympians get hurt during their days at the games, either while training on site or in actual competition.

A total of 1,055 injuries were reported during the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, according to a thorough study of injury reports by Lars Engebretsen of the University of Oslo in Norway. The insults ranged from fractured feet, dislocated shoulders and ruptured Achilles tendons to less traumatic but more prevalent ankle sprains and head contusions.

Of course, the circumstances that inflicted pain varied considerably. Engebretsen found that the fraction of injuries that took place during training was highest in table tennis, tennis, swimming, gymnastics, beach volleyball, equestrian, modern pentathlon and athletics. Injuries most often occurred during competition in boxing (no surprise), water polo, hockey, handball, weight lifting, baseball and judo.

Although we tend to think of collisions and falls as likely culprits, overuse of an athlete's muscles or joints caused more than 40 percent of the injuries in rowing, modern pentathlon, sailing, shooting, tennis, beach volleyball, triathlon, athletics, weight lifting, swimming and badminton. Contact with another athlete did cause more than half the injuries in boxing, judo, water polo, handball, taekwondo, wrestling and soccer.

Severity varied, too, of course. Fractures were highest among taekwondo injuries (4.8 percent). The same sport also had the highest rate of dislocations or ruptures to tendons and ligaments (3.2 percent).

The Winter Olympics have fewer athletes overall, so fewer injuries were reported during the 2010 Games in Vancouver: 287. But the injury rate was 11.2 percent, a little higher than the 9.6 percent for the summer games.

The distribution of injuries varied much more widely among winter sports, too. In short-track speed skating, 28 percent of men were hurt but only 9 percent of women were. In snowboard cross, however, which involves frequent contact between boarders in a free-for-all downhill race, only 11 percent of male racers were hurt but an incredible 73 percent of female athletes were. Oddly, a surprisingly high proportion of injuries occurred during training runs, when a boarder was alone on a course, without competitors to raise the stakes. The high rate may just have been the result of fast slopes, according to Engebretsen.

Legs and arms and everything in between were compromised during the past two Olympics. But hockey players suffered by far the most facial damage, caused by flying pucks, swinging sticks and the occasional fight. Downhill skiers and snowboarders had the most head injuries. Concussions affected 7 percent of all winter athletes?twice as high as in the summer games.

Engebretsen will see how the statistics hold up in 2012. He is at the London Games, and he will be studying rates of illness as well.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=d897f3d51b667d0e0542b17520f5d8e8

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Marlins trades Hanley Ramirez to Dodgers

MIAMI (AP) ? Former NL batting champion Hanley Ramirez was traded from Miami to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, part of what appears to be the third big fire sale in Marlins' history.

Left-handed reliever Randy Choate also was dealt to the Dodgers. The Marlins received right-hander Nathan Eovaldi and minor league pitcher Scott McGough.

The trade came two days after the Marlins sent pitcher Anibal Sanchez and infielder Omar Infante to the Detroit Tigers for pitching prospect Jacob Turner and two minor leaguers.

"We weren't winning with the group we had and we want to make changes," Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said.

As the team prepared to move into its new $634 million retractable-roof ballpark, Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria hired Ozzie Guillen as manager and committed $191 million in a five-day span during the offseason to sign All-Stars Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and Heath Bell. The team agreed to star in a Showtime reality series, "The Franchise."

In their colorful new uniforms, the Marlins were 31-23 through June 23, just percentage points out of first place, then lost 17 of their next 20 games. They started Wednesday 45-52, fourth in the NL East and 12? games out of first place.

"These are tough trades, but when you underachieve at the level this team has underachieved and has not won at the level we expected it to ? we have talked about restructuring and this is part of it," Beinfest said.

Miami might not be done, with pitcher Josh Johnson and Bell also trade possibilities before Tuesday's deadline to make swaps without waivers.

"Be careful with what you think, what you say, and how you smile because you might be next (to get traded)," Guillen said. "That's the way it has to go if you don't perform. That's business."

After winning the 1997 World Series, the Marlins jettisoned high-priced stars Moises Alou, Kevin Brown, Al Leiter, Robb Nen, Jeff Conine and Devon White. They won the Series again in 2003, then allowed Ivan Rodriguez, Ugueth Urbina, Derrek Lee, Mark Redman, Braden Looper and Juan Encarnacion to depart.

The 28-year-old Ramirez is hitting .246 with 14 home runs and 47 RBIs, far from his big season in 2009 when he hit a league-leading .342 with 24 homers and 106 RBIs.

"I am sad to go," Ramirez said. "This will be always be my home, but it will just be a little different."

A three-time All-Star, he shifted from shortstop to third base this season to make room for Reyes.

"It's sad to see Hanley go to another team," Reyes said. "We developed a great relationship. I feel he was one of my real good friends on the team. Anytime someone close to you goes to another team it kind of surprises you a little bit and you get sad a little bit, but still need to go out on the field and play the game."

He joined several other stars who changed teams in recent weeks, including Ichiro Suzuki, Wandy Rodriguez and Kevin Youkilis.

"He meant a lot to this organization, a premium talent, an uber talent in a lot of respects," Beinfest said.

Los Angeles is 2? games behind NL West-leading San Francisco. After a 32-15 start, the Dodgers are just 21-30 since.

Ramirez could play either shortstop or third base for the Dodgers. Dee Gordon is on the disabled list with a torn ligament in his right thumb that could sideline him until mid-August, and is batting only .229 with 17 RBIs.

The Dodgers haven't gotten much production from their third basemen, with Juan Uribe batting just .190 with two homers and 17 RBIs and others doing little at the spot.

Choate, a 36-year-old lefty, is 0-0 with one save and a 2.49 ERA in 44 games. He began his big league career with the New York Yankees in 2000 and also has pitched for Arizona and Tampa Bay.

Eovaldi, a 22-year-old righty, is 1-6 with a 4.15 ERA. He made his major league debut last season. Eovaldi will make his Marlins debut on Saturday in a start against San Diego.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/marlins-trades-hanley-ramirez-dodgers-171014985--mlb.html

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Greek Athlete Kicked Off Olympic Team For Tweet

Voula Papachristou, Greece's triple-jump champion, was barred from competing in the London Olympic Games by the Hellenic Olympic Committee after an offensive tweet on Monday. She?tweeted, "with so many Africans in Greece, at least the West Nile mosquitos will be eating food from their own home."

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/082BFQVvLY4/

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Ford C-Max Energi pricing: $29,995 after a federal tax credit, available this fall

Ford already spilled the beans on its $25,995 C-Max Hybrid (shown in the vid just after the break), but those anxiously awaiting more surrounding the C-Max Energi can finally start saving a precise amount of pennies. The automaker's first production plug-in hybrid will go on sale this autumn for $29,995 after a federal tax credit, and according to Ford, that's "more affordable than the Prius plug-in hybrid." For those in need of a memory jar, the Energi is expected to deliver 550 miles of total range, representing a 95 mpg equivalent (MPGe) and an electric-only top speed higher than the Prius plug-in. As the Prius bashing continues, Ford is also quick to point out that its Energi will boast 60 more horsepower than Toyota's rival. Those intrigued can visit the source links to see the newly launched "build-and-price" website for the car, and those who reside in the state of California will likely qualify for an extra $1,500 in tax credits.

Continue reading Ford C-Max Energi pricing: $29,995 after a federal tax credit, available this fall

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lvsports: Joe Paterno's family calls NCAA sanctions 'a panicked response' http://t.co/p3CLONCP

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Source: http://twitter.com/lvsports/statuses/227488340532928514

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A50 Audio System review: Astro Gaming's latest wireless headset ...

Alright, so you've been successfully pwning n00bz in Battlefield and Call of Duty, but lately you've decided your rig could benefit from one of those surround sound headsets that everyone says will make you so much better at first-person shooters. You might remember Astro Gaming's latest offering from E3, the A50 Wireless Headset -- it's the company's second try at a wireless Dolby Headphone-enabled 7.1 surround sound system. Its previous attempt, the MixAmp 5.8 (sold alone and bundled with the $229 A30 / $280 A40 Wireless Audio Systems), was a solid solution for folks wanting traditional MixAmp controls and enough versatility to use with any pair of wired headphones. (What's up, audiophiles?) However, it didn't provide as seamless a setup for gaming on the couch as headsets with embedded wireless radios like Turtle Beach's X41. So, does essentially shoving the MixAmp 5.8 into an A40 make for a better living room-geared solution? Does it manage to retain that MLG-bred DNA Astro is famous for? Does it trump headsets in its range like the $270 XP500? Most importantly, should serious gamers consider dropping 300 bones for it? We'll explain it all after the break.

Hardware

If it ain't broke, don't fix it -- that seems to be the mantra behind the A50's design. The headset is nearly identical to the tried-and-true A40 ($200 as a standalone product), all the way down to subtle details like the embroidered headband -- the same sort you'd find on a fitted baseball cap. For those unfamiliar, it's a very retro-futuristic design; you're looking at an extremely flexible skeletal frame made from sturdy matte plastic along with two glossy metal tubes that connect the earcups to the headband. That said, discerning shoppers will notice the A50 differentiates itself from the A40 with a non-glossy finish on the outside of the earcups and red coloring on the partially visible internal wiring. The coiled and slightly exposed wiring might seem like a malfunction waiting to happen, but we've never experienced any breaks or snags with last year's A40. So we'd say it's fair to expect the same robustness here as well.

Some tweaks have also been made to accommodate a more couch-friendly experience than the A40 wireless system (i.e., A40 plus Astro MixAmp 5.8). Aesthetically, this means the A50 doesn't have customizable speaker tags, nor can you move the mic to the right earcup on the fly. Not that it matters, because if you're at home, it's not like anyone can see how totally awesome your customizations are anyway. However, this does actually have an impact on the tonality of the A50, which we'll discuss in more detail later.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it -- that seems to be the mantra behind the A50's design.

With that, let's talk about what might have counted as "broken" in the past. As we mentioned earlier, the MixAmp 5.8's performance and versatility were both great, but having a wired headset that plugged into a belt-attached receiver that connected wirelessly to a transmitter was ideal only for a niche group of users. Namely, it was made for those with large living rooms and who wanted the traditional MixAmp experience without tracking wires across the room. It was also a wireless option for those interested in hooking up their audiophile cans like the Sennheiser's 500 series. In the case of the A50, though, the belt pack is gone. Its controls, radios and rechargeable lithium-ion battery are now embedded in the headset itself -- specifically, the left earcup.

Within your thumb's reach on the back of the right earcup is a notched volume wheel, while further up you'll find a power button with an indicator light and a tri-mode switch for sound profiles, which we'll explain in the audio section. The volume roller is placed in a great spot and becomes more intuitive with each use -- you won't be fiddling to find it at all. However, we quickly became annoyed with just how many flicks it took to move throughout the volume range -- we're talking around 50 taps of the thumb. You might think that once your volume is set you'd barely be touching the wheel, but we found ourselves trekking up and down its range in all sorts of scenarios, from new games to music listening. That said, the dial and tri-mode switch function smoothly, and unlike previous MixAmps, you won't notice any static or off-centering in the audio signal while making adjustments.

Moving along to the outside of the right earcup, it's essentially a giant rocker for adjusting the balance of audio coming from games and voice chat. It's convenient to press that big, tactile button and hear a satisfying click, though we did find the sound of its springs to be a bit annoying at lower volumes. Thankfully, the rocker also enables three audio cues to help you gauge the balance. (Additionally, you'll hear these sounds indicating when the headset is powered on or in need of a charge.) Overall, we wouldn't say this system is as intuitive as having a duo of stereo system-like volume dials to control the audio levels like previous MixAmps, but we're at a loss trying to come up with a better implementation than this.

Along the rear of the left earcup sits a mini-USB port for charging, and a 2.5mm input for your Xbox Live chat cable, and we've got no complaints about their placement. The outside features a non-removable mic that's extremely flexible, and positioning it upright will let you quickly mute any potentially embarrassing conversations you might need to have with your roommates. Still, we've got to kvetch at least a little. This flip method (which we've loved on wired Sennheiser headsets like the PC 360) is certainly better than having a mute switch embedded inline with a cable, but its left-side-only mic placement puts you at a loss. It's one of those subtle design elements that make the A40 unique and accommodating to the user, and as understandable as that design choice is, we're just a bit saddened that the option isn't here.

By the way, although the A50's MixAmp TXD wireless transmitter looks largely the same as the original 5.8's TX, A40 owners might be disappointed to learn that the 5.8's MixAmp RX receiver is not compatible with this unit due to differing audio technologies (more on that later). The same goes if you try to use the A50 with the OG 5.8 TX. All that's understandable, for sure, but still a bummer if you plan on having buddies over for split-screen gaming or an intimate LAN party.

Setup and layout

We're happy to report that getting the whole A50 package set up went smoothly -- the hardest part was fiddling with the three plastic bits that snap together to create a stand for the headset and MixAmp transmitter. Aside from those pieces, you'll find a pair of USB cables, a TOSlink cord and an Xbox chat cable. Yes, you'll still need to plug a pesky cable into your controller to talk on Live, since Tritton has the exclusive rights for totally wireless Xbox headsets with its upcoming Warhead. Still, since Turtle Beach offers a wireless controller puck to ensure there are no cords at all, we can't help but be disappointed that Astro has once again left Xbox users in need of a cable for its wireless system -- even if it is one fewer than was needed for the 5.8. Although the wire never separated from our controller, we do wish the connection were a little tighter. From left to right, the back of the A50's TXD features an auxiliary input for your PMP (you'll need to supply your own cable); a USB power socket and an optical input that connects with your console or computer; an optical pass-through and a second USB port for charging the headset. Unlike the MixAmp 5.8 TX, the TXD spares us the hassle of a proper wall wart as it gets its power right from the USB of your gaming system.

Astro, again, managed to leave its wireless system needing a wire for Xbox users.

The cables from the base shoot straight from the back, a setup similar to what you'll find on the Nexus Q. From there, it's a matter of charging up the headset and powering it, and the TXD, up. Annoyingly, the base's buttons are still controlled independently (as on the original), meaning you won't be able to power it on and switch from stereo or virtualized Dolby Headphone 7.1 sound from the comfort of your couch. While we suspect the idea is to keep the base powered on at all times, there are surely many folks out there who'd prefer to avoid such a scenario altogether. It's not like you'd have to do the same with your console. We're happy to report that this time around PS3 users don't have to fork over extra cash for a TX-to-console chat cable, as was the mind-boggling case with the MixAmp 5.8.

All that said, we still have another nit to pick in the cable department. If you'll recall, the A50's internal battery is not user-replaceable. This means you'll need to hook it up to the TXD or your console via USB every single time the battery dies. With our usage, this was about every six hours despite Astro's claim of 12-plus around 10 hours "across platforms." However, we're told that keeping the mic muted should allow for better battery life, and that Xbox users will likely achieve longer runs between charges because of that chat cable. Thankfully, the A50 can function while charging, but the included three-inch charging cord won't get you very far. A longer "Play-and-Charge" cable is available from Astro, but it'll set you back eight bucks. At that price, we're not sure why it's not included in the package. By the way, we're told that battery will last up three years for most users, and that a service replacement program will be available for those who burn out the battery before then.

Fit

Hands down, this is one of the most comfortable headsets you'll slap on your noggin. All of the embedded tech makes it noticeably heavier than the A40 (0.81 vs. 0.71 pounds) but Astro's compensated for this with more of its Tempur-Pedic-esque padding. Essentially, there's a floating headband that balances the headset's weight distribution, while the deep earcups and circumaural fit should ensure that the pads will wrap around your ears rather than push against them. We'd be remiss not to mention that the left side of the headset feels noticeably heavier in-hand due to the internal battery, but you might not be able to discern the difference once it's on your head. Better yet, the padding is made of cloth, ensuring your ears never get excessively sweaty after long periods of wear.

Bottom line: we had no issues using this puppy for hours of game play.

Beyond that, the earcups have a long range of adjustment up and down the metal headrails, and the cups fold flat (notably, with the earpads facing down) for resting on your collar when it's time to take a break. Recall that flexibility we mentioned early? It really helps keep the clamping force of the A50 at a minimum, yet its fairly loose fit remains snug enough to provide a solid seal between your ears and the earcups -- it's ultra-comfortable and won't cause cartilage cramps. The only headset that rivals it for us is the PC 360, which loses some brownie points for having pads that push against glasses rather that mold around them like with the A40 and A50. Bottom line: we had no issues using this puppy for hours of game play.

Sound and wireless connectivity

Building on the 5.8GHz solution first introduced with the MixAmp 5.8, Astro also threw in KleerNet lossless audio processing. To put it simply, Kleer is well-known for its wireless DSP, which aims to offer CD-like resolution for audio files, being capable of offering uncompressed, lossless audio. This also means the unit has the ability to interface with other KleerNet-enabled devices. Just like the A40, this headset uses 40mm drivers (rated at 48oHms) despite the 50 moniker, but the sound signature is noticeably different. The most drastic change is the A50's completely closed back design, instead of the A40's optional semi-open or closed back setup handled by its speaker tags. (Essentially, the tags for the A40 can be used as partial blocks for the earcup vents or near-total blocks using its foam dampeners.) Basically, you can expect gobs of passive-isolation and bass.

The A50 produces audio that's warm, punchy and absolutely massive.

As it stands, you'll have a choice between three presets: Media (bass boost), Core (flat) and Pro (treble boost). Following in the steps of Turtle Beach, Astro says users will soon be able create their own custom presets featuring options for "EQs, sidetones, noise-gates and more"; although the company hasn't said when, exactly, this feature might roll out. Out of the box, the A50 produces audio that's warm, punchy and absolutely massive. Media mode is excellent for movie-watching and listening to music, but we didn't use it as much while gaming. This is without a doubt the deepest and wub-wub-iest bass we've experienced, and it definitely drowns out the rest of the mix a bit. Core mode sounds much like the A40 models have since the 2011 Edition, albeit a bit less clinical with more extension in the low end and slightly darker treble. The Pro mode essentially pushes out a major boost in the treble, making it easy to discern footsteps and gunshots. Although it sounds fairly thin as expected, the sound doesn't become overly sibilant or unpleasant to listen to. Naturally, you'll have to figure out which preset you like best, but we usually found ourselves swapping between the Normal and Pro modes during matches.

One thing is certain: this headset is capable of pumping out great, loud sound. We found no traces of distortion at even the loudest volumes, and we're curious to see how much the sound could potentially improve once Astro lets us set custom EQs. As it stands, we find that Astro's pre-loaded A50 presets for the Media and Core modes are simply too bass-focused at the moment, seeming more like demos for how low it can go.

So how about Dolby Headphone's simulated 7.1? You might want to read up on the More Coverage link below for full details on how the magic happens, but it works great -- just like most quality headsets that use the DSP. The A50 itself is naturally a stereo headset that still maintains a decently wide sound stage compared to the A40, so the added surround effect really does give an impressive "image" of where sounds are coming from. It's by no means necessary for having fun in games like Call of Duty, but it does serve as an aid to hearing sounds as if you were really on the battlefield. That said, you'll still find this advantage in many other headsets, they just might not sound as creamy and crisp as the A50 manages to be.

There are a few minor flaws we have to point out with regards to incoming audio. For one, despite using a 5.8GHz signal rather than the more crowded 2.4GHz frequency (and being only between 10 to 20 feet away from the TXD on average), the sound tended to cut out for a split second multiple times during MW3 sessions on our Xbox. We even did A/B with the MixAmp 5.8 (via optical pass-thru), and weren't able to reproduce the problem -- we're waiting for a response from Astro about this abnormality. Additionally, we're running some more tests with other games and consoles to get some more insight as to whether the problem actually lies with the A50. Secondly, we noticed a small bit of buzzing along with some expected signal hiss. It's usually unnoticeable, but you might hear it creep in when the incoming audio becomes quiet.

Update: Astro has confirmed the problems and says a firmware update will be issued shortly to the alleviate the issue. We'll be sure report back with our results once it's available.

Of course this is a headset, and with that designation comes the embedded microphone. We've talked about its external characteristics, so now let's explore it in a bit more detail. The mic is of the unidirectional variety, but it does have a fairly small sweet spot for placement. How do we know this? Well, your voice is actively monitored and the audio is fed into your ears, as with Astro's other MixAmps. This makes it easier to avoid shouting, especially given the thick isolation from the earcups. The monitoring is much clearer, and actually usable unlike previous MixAmps, but we'd still prefer it to be much more present in the mix.

As it stands, there is no way to control its level other than moving how close the mic is to your mouth. The problem is that the signal gets distorted if the mic is too close, so we're hoping that we'll be able to adjust its level when Astro rolls out that preset manager we mentioned earlier. In-game, our buddies reported hearing us clearly with only the occasional complaint that we sounded muddled. We'd say its largely similar to the A40 2011 Edition's microphone, meaning it isolates speech well enough for in-game, but we wouldn't recommend it over a Blue Snowball for gameplay commentaries.

Wrap-up

For the most part, Astro Gaming has succeeded in creating what's likely to be the next hot gaming headset. $300 is a steep price considering how much consoles go for these days, but it's still closely aligned with competing products like Turtle Beach's $270 XP500. It's clear that Astro isn't just dabbling in the home market anymore: it's making an earnest bid to unseat other headset makers. If you've been looking for wireless gaming headphones, and provided the issue with audio cutting out gets resolved, then this belongs on your shortlist alongside the $270 XP500 / $250 PX5 and maybe even the $270 Tritton Warhead (when it stops being vaporware, that is). What if we had to choose, you say (especially in comparison to the wireless A40 system)? We'd say it looks like you've got some great options for serious in-game sound.

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/23/astro-gaming-a50-wireless-headset-review/

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PFT: Cowboys sign first-round pick Clairborne

Getty Images

The Lions announced on Monday that they?ll be terminating the contract of cornerback Aaron Berry.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the Lions also officially waived Berry on Monday.

As a result, all other teams have the ability to submit a waivers claim for Berry?s contract by 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

Undrafted in 2010, Berry is due to earn a base salary of $465,000 in 2012, the final year of his current contract.? Thus, it?s a low risk, financially, to add him to the roster.? (From a P.R. standpoint, it could be a problem.)

And as we scan the standings for teams that may be interested, one that jumps out is the Buffalo Bills.? New defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt recruited Berry out of high school to attend Pitt.

Of course, if Wannstedt isn?t willing to give one of his former college players a second (or, technically, third) chance, maybe that tells the rest of the league all it needs to know.

The Vikings have a clear need at the cornerback position, but it would be very difficult for the Vikings to justify adding another problem child to the mix, even if they ask Governor Mark Dayton to come up with the formal explanation for the move.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/07/23/cowboys-sign-first-rounder-morris-claiborne/related

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33 Cloud Service Providers Join Zerto Cloud Disaster Recovery ...

BOSTON, MA ? (Marketwire) ? 07/23/12 ? Zerto today announced that 33 leading Cloud Service Providers (CSP) from around the globe have joined the Zerto Cloud Disaster Recovery Ecosystem (ZCE). Providers in the ecosystem are now able to offer cloud disaster recovery (DR) services in a way that was not possible before, enabling businesses of all sizes to cost-effectively protect production applications both to the cloud and in the cloud.

Businesses are looking to the cloud to provide cost-effective data protection for their production applications. With cloud DR, companies can now replace their primary or secondary data centers and benefit from cloud automation and flexibility while having a solid DR assurance. Until now, cloud-based DR for production applications had been ineffective, complex and cost-prohibitive. Due to limitations with legacy array-based replication, CSPs were required to have exactly the same storage type as their customers, increasing their overall costs. Further driving up costs was the complexity of managing these cloud-based DR offerings, which were inflexible, labor-intensive and difficult to scale. By resolving these problems for CSPs, Zerto makes the cloud itself more resilient, so CSPs can provide enterprise customers with tight SLAs and assurance when placing their most critical business applications in the cloud.

?Zerto?s solution has been adopted by cloud service providers because it enables them to offer simple, automated, storage-agnostic DR at an attractive price,? said Ziv Kedem, Zerto CEO and co-founder. ?Recent outages show that until now, customers hoping to use the cloud for disaster recovery had no viable options. The widespread participation in Zerto?s Cloud DR Ecosystem shows that the service provider community is eager to offer DR services that work better with their cloud environments and meet the rigorous standards companies expect of DR services.?

?For our enterprise customers, disaster recovery can be a critical step in the cloud journey,? said Ben Miller, Product Solution Director at Bluelock. ?Before Zerto, a true multi-tenant, cloud-based DR service compatible with Bluelock?s VMware vCloud Datacenter Services was not possible. Zerto provides a secure hypervisor replication capability that will allow Bluelock to provide a disaster recovery offering with the economics and agility of cloud computing that customers have been seeking.?

The Cloud DR offering that ZCE partners will deliver to their customers is based on Zerto Virtual Replication 2.0, the latest version of Zerto?s hypervisor-based replication solution. Companies can choose DR-as-a-Service (DRaaS), protecting on-premise applications to the cloud, and/or In-Cloud DR, protecting applications deployed in the cloud and replicated to a secondary cloud datacenter.

?Zerto provides a solution for our customers who want to decrease their costs while increasing the functionality of their DR environment,? said Ken Seitz, Manager of Product Strategy at Peak 10. ?Having Zerto as part of our overall BC/DR offerings allows simpler configuration for our customers and improves the ability to replicate directly into the Peak 10 recovery cloud. The ZCE combined with our existing cloud infrastructure makes disaster recovery available for a large segment of our customers who once thought it was out of reach.?

Additional testimonials from members of the Zerto Cloud Disaster Recovery Ecosystem can be read at www.zerto.com/zerto-cloud-dr-ecosystem-partner-testimonials.

Zerto Cloud Disaster Recovery Ecosystem founding members include:

North America

Europe & Asia Pacific

For additional information on joining the Zerto Cloud Disaster Recovery Ecosystem (ZCE), please visit http://www.zerto.com/zerto-cloud-dr-ecosystem-program. To find a local provider of Zerto Virtual Replication please visit www.zerto.com/cloud-service-providers.

About Zerto
Zerto provides enterprise-class business continuity and disaster recovery solutions for virtualized infrastructure and cloud. Zerto won Best of Show at VMworld 2011 as well as 2011 Product of the Year Gold Award. Zerto Virtual Replication is the industry?s first hypervisor-based replication solution for tier-one applications replacing traditional array-based BC/DR solutions that were not built to deal with the virtual paradigm. For more information, please visit: www.zerto.com

Social Media Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/zertocorp

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/zerto

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZertoCorp

Mark Prindle
Fusion Public Relations
(212) 651-4223
mark.prindle@fusionpr.com

Source: http://www.nearshorejournal.com/2012/07/33-cloud-service-providers-join-zerto-cloud-disaster-recovery-ecosystem/

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