Category: News

CareerCast put together a list of the best and worst jobs of 2010. The best job in America is an actuary. The 17th worst job is a journalist. Something is wrong.

The survey considered five criteria — “stress, working environment,
physical demands, income and hiring outlook.” In other words, the
ranking factors in both the quality of the job and the difficulty of
obtaining the job. That makes no sense. Popular jobs will have a worse hiring outlook. But they’re often better jobs! It’s like a college ranking that finds Harvard is one
of the worst schools in America because its admissions rate is so low. Or a Yelp ranking that finds Applebee’s is one of the best restaurants in town because you never have to wait to get a table. It just does not compute.

If you want jobs that are hiring, look to health care and education.
If you want jobs that are “popular”, then be prepared to go up against a lot of applicants. Journalism would be a
good example. This list says being a photojournalist is the 12th worst job in America. That’s crazy. I’d guess the ranking algorithm punished photojournalism precisely because so many people want to do it,
which means it’s hiring outlook is poor. That doesn’t make it a bad
job. It makes it a great job that lots of people want! This is a weird list.

AT&T (NYSE: T) surprised us all today at CES by basically announcing a huge overhaul of its smartphone and mid-range phone offerings. The new line-up will position AT&T nicely for moving beyond Apple’s iPhone—which has been one of its only cutting edge smartphone offerings to date.

In the next six months, it will release five new Android devices from Motorola (NYSE: MOT), Dell and HTC and two Palm (NSDQ: PALM) OS. As part of that, AT&T is beefing up its applications offerings by creating new partnerships with Google’s Android Market and Palm’s OS app store, and will be providing carrier billing to Nokia’s Ovi Store. In addition, for its mid-range phones, which it calls “quick messaging,” AT&T will be standardizing on Qualcomm’s Brew platform, which they hope will help start to solve some of the industry’s fragmentation problems. By 2011, it expects 90 percent of those lower-priced phones to be running Brew.

Of course, if AT&T offers more smartphones, it will have to prepare its netwrok for even more mobile broadband data. De la Vega: “AT&T is managing unprecedented mobile broadband growth. We are continuing to invest aggressively and support the long-term growth of apps.”

De la Vega said with the announcements made today, it will be “the only US carrier to offer a line-up of all the major OS’s…We’ll launch all of them in the first half of the year.”

The five Android devices will be coming from Motorola (an exclusive device based on its Blur technology), Dell (which is releasing its first phone on the platform), and HTC (which did not offer any details on what handsets would be launched). HTC’s CEO Peter Chou: “AT&T and HTC has had a close and productive relationship for the past five years, and we are pleased to expand it even further by announcing new Android products to AT&T customers. AT&T has been very focused on innovation, and we have a lead Android development.”

De la Vega said that application growth is soaring. “No country has seen the growth we have seen.” In 2009, apps downloaded in the US increased to 832.7 million apps, a 9x jump in the past two years, and revenues from those downloads have increased 60 percent.

As part of the Brew platform for AT&T’s moderately priced, mid-range phones, it said that it will launch a new app store called AppCenter, and that developers will eventually be able to submit their apps online through a web form. AT&T said it will adopt what has become the revenue-split standard because of Apple (NSDQ: AAPL). Developers will keep 70 percent, and AT&T will take 30 percent.

If you’re an AT&T customer and you have a Nokia phone, you probably already know that the app scene is pretty barren. AT&T’s Media Mall offers a few pages of arguably useful apps, but support for programs like AT&T’s App Beta developer initiative is limited to a single Nokia handset.

Fortunately, Nokia has just opened up their catch-all Ovi Store to all AT&T customers with one of their phones. The list of phones supported stretches back a few years – the oldest supported device is the 6555, a barebones S40 flip from over two years ago. According to their press release, customers looking to get set up need only follow a few steps:

• Step one: go to store.ovi.com from your Nokia device from AT&T
• Step two: once at store.ovi.com you will be prompted to download the Ovi Store application
• Step three: enjoy great content and applications for your Nokia device with AT&T.

Apart from breathing new life into some otherwise basic phones, the biggest deal about Ovi’s AT&T debut is its support for carrier billing, which makes impulse buying apps and themes easier than ever. Instead of having to whip out a credit card for purchases, charges show up directly on the bill, which in a sense is a win-win situation: customers get instant gratification and the companies involved pick up some extra, if sometimes unintended revenue.

Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0

Despite the hopes of the show organizers, President Barack Obama will not be attending the 2010 Detroit Auto Show next week. According to an administration official who spoke with the Free Press today, Obama has no plans on going to Detroit for the show to pose with plug-in hybrids or electric-vehicles.

Why? Well, Obama seems to has his plate full these days with two wars, $900-billion health care reform bill and attempted terrorist attacks. Other than that, his attendance at show would remind the American citizens about his decision to rescue General Motors and Chrysler for little political benefit.

If you’re an automaker and were hoping to get a picture of your latest plug-in hybrid or EV next to Obama, head down to the D.C. Auto Show at the end of this month (about 6 blocks from the White House).

– By: Stephen Calogera

Source: Free Press

If 2009 in the digital-media world needed a title, you could argue it would likely be something to the effect of: “Social media goes mainstream.” Indeed, it’s no secret that social media is a huge force these days, but big questions remain about how companies – even the biggest, buzziest players – are going to make money. ContentNext, Media Industry Newsletter and The Jordan, Edmiston Group have co-produced a new report that helps shed light on that debate. The report, six months in the making, not only chronicles all the deal activity in social media over the last 18 months, but also includes:

* Profiles of a select group of digital brands, including how they’re faring and their strategies and likely challenges moving ahead

* A points-of-view section featuring contributions from thought leaders like Samir Arora (Glam Media), and Mitchell Berman (ZillionTV) and Domenic Venuto (Razorfish)

* Deep analysis of traffic metrics

The 200-plus-page book, available in either print or digital versions, is the second annual “State of Digital Media” report.

Visit our reports page to read the full report.

1080P, 240Hz, LED edge-lit and employing an industry-first 4-color filter (the secret extra color is yellow), Sharp’s latest LE920 Series LCDs, measuring up to 68 diagonally, are the best displays Sharp can sell you. And they even support Twitter!

Their price is still unannounced, and the LE920 Series won’t be available until May.

The sets look like big iPod touches in person, from a distance, because of the chrome rim.

In the meantime (this March, actually), you can pick up an LE820/810 Series TV starting at $1800. They’ll range from 40 to 60 inches and keep the price down by using a normal 3-color filter and operating at 120Hz.

But you should decide for yourself whether or not 240Hz is really worth the hassle.

SHARP® EXPANDS THE LCD COLOR GAMUT WITH A GROUNDBREAKING TECHNOLOGY IN THREE NEWLY DESIGNED AQUOS® LED LCD TV SERIES

• Revolutionary four-primary-color technology enables more than one trillion colors

• Three UltraBrilliant Edge-lit AQUOS LED LCD TV Series with sizes ranging from 40- (40″ diagonal) to an industry-first 68-inch (68 1/32″ diagonal) screen class

• Newly developed dramatic, contemporary design sets the standard

• Flagship LE920 Series offers AquoMotion 240 for clearer fast-moving video

• AQUOS Net™ adds streaming video for enhanced home theater enjoyment

LAS VEGAS, January 6, 2010 – Sharp unveils three new AQUOS LED LCD TV series, breaking new ground in LCD technology and design. Premiering in the U.S. in early 2010, this next-generation set of UltraBrilliant Edge-lit AQUOS LED LCD TVs unveils a revolutionary technology, introducing never-before-seen colors to the TV industry. Unveiled by the company at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Sharp’s proprietary four-primary-color technology enables more than a trillion colors to be displayed for more sparkling golds, Caribbean blues and sunflower yellows.
“As a pioneer in the LCD industry, Sharp continues to advance the technology, introducing it’s first LED-backlight LCD TV on the market less than two years ago and paving the way for larger screen sizes, thin designs and Internet connectivity,” said Mikio Katayama, president and chief operating officer, Sharp Corporation. “We have changed the way an LCD TV produces an image with the new four-primary-color technology, allowing us to broaden the visual experience and immerse consumers in a new world of color.”

Four Primary Color Technology
This four-primary-color display employs a four-color filter, for the first time in the industry, that adds the color Y (yellow) to the three colors of R (red), G (green), and B (blue). This combination expands the color gamut, faithfully rendering nearly all colors that can be discerned with the unaided human eye. Four-primary-color technology enables the display to reproduce colors that have been difficult to portray using conventional LCD displays, such as the golden yellow color of brass instruments.
When combined with Sharp’s 1080p X-Gen LCD panel, which incorporates UV2A Technology, the displays offer dramatic reduction in energy consumption compared to conventional fluorescent-backlight LCD TVs.
Continuing Sharp’s history of innovation and originality, the new AQUOS LEDs offer a stunning new contemporary design that pushes the envelope for flat-screen television artistry. At only 1.6-inches thin, the full-front panel glass (on the LE920 and LE820 series) extends to meet the slim border for a subtle edge that befits the elegance of a modern home theater.
These advanced AQUOS LED LCD TVs also include Sharp’s newest version of AQUOS Net, which delivers streaming video with Netflix®. AQUOS Net gives users instant access to customized Web-based content as well as AQUOS Advantage Live real-time customer support. The new AQUOS LED LCD TV product lines are all compliant with Energy Star® Version 4.0 standards which become effective in May 2010 and are equipped with Sharp’s OPC function that automatically adjusts the unit’s brightness based on the lighting of the room.

LE920 Series
The LE920 AQUOS LED LCD TV Series represents the flagship line of this new suite of AQUOS products, offering the pinnacle in image quality and connectivity. This Full-HD 1080p LCD TV Series, available in an industry-first 68-inch (LC-68LE920UN) screen class size, as well 60- (LC-60LE920UN) and 52-inch (LC-52LE920UN) screen class sizes (68 1/32″, 60 1/32″ and 52 1/32″ diagonals respectively), combines Sharp’s Full HD 1080p X-Gen LCD panel with its UltraBrilliant Edge-lit LED backlight to display vibrant colors and deep blacks. Additionally, this 1080p TV offers outstanding performance for fast-action imagery, employing AquoMotion 240, which virtually eliminates blur and artifacts on fast-moving video. Offering extreme flexibility, the LE920 Series includes a USB media player for digital video/music/photo enjoyment.

LE820/810 Series
Offering additional large-screen AQUOS LED LCD TV options, the LE820 and LE810 Series are available in 60- (LC-60LE820UN and LC-60LE810UN), 52- (LC-52LE820UN and LC-52LE810UN), 46- (LC-46LE820UN and LC-46LE810UN) and 40-inch (LC-40LE820UN and LC-40LE810UN) screen class sizes (60 1/32″, 52 1/32″, 45 63/64″ and 40″ diagonals respectively). Similar to the LE920 Series, these models combine Sharp’s X-Gen LCD panel with an UltraBrilliant Edge-lit LED backlight. Sharp’s proprietary Fine Motion Enhanced technology is included for 120 Hz Frame Rate Conversion, as well as fast response time (4 ms).

Advanced Connectivity
• Four HDMI™ with Instaport™ quick switching to avoid delay when switching between sources
• 1080p component video input
• RS-232C input for custom installations
• PC input so the TV serves a dual purpose as a PC monitor
• Ethernet jack for high-speed Internet
• USB input for music/photos(LE820/810)

Availability
• The LC-68LE920UN will be available in May, pricing is TBD
• The LC-60LE920UN will be available in May, pricing is TBD
• The LC-52LE920UN will be available in May, pricing is TBD
• The LC-60LE820UN will be available in March for an MSRP of $3,999.99
• The LC-52LE820UN will be available in March for an MSRP of $2,999.99
• The LC-46LE820UN will be available in March for an MSRP of $2,399.99
• The LC-40LE820UN will be available in March for an MSRP of $2,199.99
• The LC-60LE810UN will be available in March for an MSRP of $3,499.99
• The LC-52LE810UN will be available in March for an MSRP of $2,599.99
• The LC-46LE810UN will be available in March for an MSRP of $2,099.99
• The LC-40LE810UN will be available in March for an MSRP of $1,799.99

Bravo Drills 12.1g/t Au Over 24.4 Metres, Expanding Homestake Silver Deposit

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA–(Marketwire – 01/06/10) – Bravo Venture Group Inc. (TSX-V:BVG – News)(Frankfurt:B6I – News) reported today that high-grade gold intercepts from two major 100 metre step-out drill holes continue to expand the width and lateral dimensions of the mineralization in the Homestake Silver deposit on its 100 percent owned Homestake Ridge Project, located in NW British Columbia. Homestake Silver is believed to be a separate, second deposit on the Homestake Ridge property, located approximately 700 metres to the southeast of the Main Homestake deposit.
The Company reported multiple high-grade gold intercepts of significant thickness in drill hole HR09-165. Highlights of three of these intercepts, all estimated true thicknesses, include:
– a 24.4 metre interval averaging 12.1g/t gold and 6.8g/t silver, which included a higher-grade 2.4 metre interval averaging 87.0g/t gold and 22.1g/t silver.
– a 14.5 metre interval averaging 4.8g/t gold and 2.1g/t silver, which included a higher-grade 2.5 metre interval averaging 10.4g/t gold and 3.3g/t silver.
– and a 2.7 metre interval averaging 10.0g/t gold and 134.3g/t silver.
The Company also reported that newly received assays have expanded a second mineralized zone in drill hole HR09-164 from a previously reported 0.4 metre interval averaging 7.1g/t gold and 148.0g/t silver to 33.2 metres averaging 1.5g/t gold and 5.1g/t silver, which included a 3.6 metre interval averaging 7.9g/t gold and 37.5g/t silver.
To view Figure 1, please click on the following link: http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=AjqSyroAQUW.bMQyDWeWONqtcq9_;_ylu=X3oDMTE2OWh2ZWsxBHBvcwMxBHNlYwNuZXdzYXJ0Ym9keQRzbGsDaHR0cG1lZGlhM21h/SIG=11lstengp/**http%3A//media3.marketwire.com/docs/BVGfig1106.jpg
Results were also received from drill hole HR09-163 and included a 3.5 metre interval averaging 2.9g/t gold and 155.7g/t silver within a 40.4 metre interval averaging 0.3g/t gold and 49.8g/t silver. Anomalous, but generally lower grade silver values were returned from several holes that tested the southeastern extension of the mineralized zone. All intervals are reported as estimated true thickness.
Thick intervals of high-grade gold mineralization in drill holes HR09-164 and HR09-165 have significantly increased both the thickness and lateral extent of this gold-enriched portion of the Homestake Silver zone. Both holes are significant step outs of at least 100 metres from prior mineralized intercepts and are entirely open along strike to the northwest and at depth. Drilling at the Homestake Silver deposit from 2007 to 2009 has identified high-grade silver and gold mineralization, sometimes in multiple horizons, over +500 metres of strike and 400 metres of dip. Mineralization remains open down-dip along this full strike-length.

Table.

Homestake Ridge Project
Bravo has completed drilling for the season at the Homestake Ridge Project and crews are in the process of demobilization. A total of 48 holes have been cored on the property for 13,436 metres during this year’s program. Assays from 5 drill holes are pending.
Twenty-two holes have been drilled in Homestake Silver deposit (two lost), 22 holes in the Main Homestake deposit (four lost), and six holes tested other targets on the claim group (one lost). An updated long section of the 2009 drill plan and a full compilation of the 2009 assay summaries are available on Bravo’s website at bravoventuregroup.com.
About Bravo Venture Group Inc.
Bravo Venture Group Inc. is focused on exploring its precious and base metal-rich Homestake Ridge project in British Columbia, a gold-rich epithermal/VMS-related system within Eskay Creek/Silbak-Premier stratigraphy. Pursuant to the recently announced “Plan of Arrangement”, Bravada Gold Corp. will focus on exploring Bravo’s extensive Carlin-type gold holdings strategically located within the Battle Mountain/Eureka “Cortez” gold trend in Nevada.
Rob Macdonald (P.Geo.) is the Qualified Person responsible for reviewing the technical results in this release.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
Joseph A. Kizis Jr., Director, President
Bravo Venture Group Inc.
We seek safe harbor.”

Article Tags: Craig Idso

First, they called it “global warming”. Then they noticed there had been no warming for 15 years, and cooling for 9, so they hastily renamed it “climate change”. Then they noticed the climate was changing no more than it ever had, so they tried “energy security”, and even named a Congressional Bill after it. Then they noticed that most Western nations already had bountiful energy security, in the form of vast, untapped domestic supplies of oil, gas, coal, or all three, so they switched to “ocean acidification”.

This is the new phantasmagoric for the tired, old scare whipped up by the NRDC and the environmental extremist movement for their own profit at our expense. The world’s corals, they tell us, will be eaten away by the acidified ocean within not more than ten years hence. Shellfish will be no more, their calcified carapaces and exoskeletons dissolved by the carbonic acid caused by our burning of fossil fuels. The oceans will die. Sound familiar?

Yet, as the indefatigable Craig Idso here demonstrates, the scientific consensus – if science were done by consensus at all, which it is not – is that the rising “ocean acidification” scare is just more piffle.

Source: scienceandpublicpolicy.org (PDF)

Read in full with comments »   

Bacteria naturally turn carbon dioxide into methane gas over billions of years. Now Japanese researchers want to give that process a speed boost, to help counter global warming and create some much-needed natural gas.

Agence France-Presse reports that Japan hopes to reduce the transformation period from billions to about 100 years.

The researchers at the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology plan to develop a method within five years for speeding up the bacterial transformation. Their target: produce methane gas from carbon dioxide buried about 6,600 feet (2,000 m) beneath the sea bed, just off the northern tip of Japan’s main island.
Many nations have already built massive carbon sequestration plants that can store carbon dioxide underground, as part of a worldwide effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions. And some researchers have experimented with synthetic trees that can soak up carbon even better than the real things.

Few would probably complain if the Japanese can pull off this neat trick and produce some natural gas in the bargain. But we’ll keep our fingers crossed that the new super-strain of bacteria doesn’t cause any unforeseen consequences.

[via Agence France-Presse]

Popular Science is your wormhole to the future. Reporting on what’s new and what’s next in science and technology, we deliver the future now.

The Vine Hotel is a sleek, modernist retreat conceived by renowned Portuguese designer Nini Andrade Silva. Located at the center of Funchal, Madeira Island’s capital city, the hotel features avant-garde design touches at every glance. Dramatic color schemes vary from room to room, but the overall aesthetic remains consistent throughout, exuding chic luxury. Suites include free standing baths, glass dividing walls, and floor to ceiling windows. An expansive infinity pool lined by cabanas is the most prominent feature of the hotel’s exterior and enjoys impressive views of the town below.

Continue reading for more images.

Source: We Heart Stuff

If the rumors are accurate and Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman(notes) has, in fact, received multiple offers in the neighborhood of $21 million, then it’s not difficult to determine how various major league teams arrived at that figure.

The math is straightforward: They give you $1 million simply for being a left-handed human (see "Shouse, Brian"), and anyone with triple-digit velocity can expect to earn roughly $20 million every four years, regardless of the on-field results (see "Farnsworth, Kyle").  

Chapman, of course, is both a lefty and a flamethrower. He’s also the most intriguing MLB free agent currently available, though he’s expected to sign a deal soon, perhaps within the week. We’ve only caught glimpses of his repertoire during international competition, so he’s tricky to project. The stats haven’t been jaw-dropping, but specific moments – like when he hit 100 mph on the radar gun during the ’09 World Baseball Classic – have enhanced his reputation in no small way.

At age 22, Chapman clearly hasn’t reached his ceiling. But there are no reasonable comps, because he’s hit a velocity plateau that lefties rarely visit. Control is the biggest concern, as Chapman has routinely finished among the leaders in walks and wild pitches in the Cuban Serie Nacional. He was also frustrated by Japan’s disciplined lineup in a WBC loss, allowing three runs, three hits and three walks over 2.1 innings. 

And still there’s no shortage of suitors. We consulted an American League scout regarding Chapman, and the recurring theme was inconsistency. Chapman’s fastball will range from the low-90s to 100, his command is unsteady, and his best secondary pitches (slider and curve), while not without promise, aren’t ready for the big stage.

Despite the evident upside, the scout’s take was that Chapman could – and perhaps should – begin in the low minors. There’s clearly work to be done. On the plus side, Chapman is an outstanding athlete and he’s hardly a mess mechanically. There are valid reasons to believe he can eventually become a strike-thrower with a repeatable delivery. But is he there yet? No.

Does he belong in the discussion with Stephen Strasburg(notes), the top overall pick in the 2009 draft? No, not right now. Those two are at different points in the development arc. You’ll note that many of the offers for Chapman – like the reported $15.5 million deal from the Red Sox – are ostensibly similar to the contract signed by Strasburg, a player who was only eligible to negotiate with one team.

Chapman will generate ongoing buzz because his backstory is compelling and his fastball is, at times, almost impossibly fast. But don’t expect a useful major league contribution this season. Fantasy-wise, he’s just a trade chip and/or a decoration for a dynasty roster. 

Update, Jan. 11: Apparently we have a winner in the Chapman bidding. The Reds have reportedly offered $25 million over five years, with an option for a sixth season that could boost the value of the deal to $30 million. Please enjoy Chapman responsibly, Mr. Baker. 

—

Photo via AP Images

About two months ago, we were told that hardcore version of the 599 GTB Fiorano supercar will debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. Bringing back the GTO badge, the model will be known as the 599 GTO and will pay homage to the legendary 250 GTO of the 1960s.

In a recent interview with EVO, Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa gave out some more details on the upcoming model from the Prancing Horse’s stable. Felisa said to think of the 599 GT as a road-going version of the track-only Ferrari 599XX with superior dynamics than the current 599 HGTE.

Power will come from the Enzo-derived 6.0L V12 with an increased rev-limit, allowing for a total of 700-hp. That should allow 0-60 mph to come in around 3.2 seconds with a top speed that could hit 217 mph. That could very well make the 599 GTO Ferrari’s fastest road car ever.

Ferrari 599XX:

– By: Kap Shah

Source: EVO