Gateway DX4870-UB2B

The Gateway DX4870-UB2B ($499.99 list) is a basic tower desktop PC that checks all the boxes on what you need from a new desktop, particularly if you already have a LCD display that you're carrying over. It's speedy for its segment, has capacious storage, will let your family keep many documents open simultaneously, and it's relatively inexpensive. Unlike the $300 bargain basement specials, the DX4870-UB2B comes with a modern Intel Core i3 processor, dual-band Wi-Fi, and lots of drive space. It's expandable, so it can grow with your family. It's not ground breaking, but it's a solid choice with a great bang for the buck, so it's our latest Editors' Choice for budget desktop PCs.

Design and Features
The DX4870-UB2B follows other Gateway desktops, looking almost identical to the last black tower Gateway DX4870-UB17 ($500). Like that model, the DX4870-UB2B comes in a tower chassis with black panels all around, including the plastic front panel and metal side panels. The system's tray-loading DVD burner is hidden, but two of the system's USB 2.0 ports, SD card reader, and audio jacks are exposed on the top front of the chassis. In the back, the system has four more USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, PS/2 mouse and keyboard ports, HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, more audio jacks, and two connectors for the included WiFi antennas. It would have been nice if the front USB ports were USB 3.0 to accommodate USB hard drives instead of the slower USB 2.0.

The inside of the system is certainly expandable, with plenty of space to move around for future upgrades. The system has space for two additional drives: one optical 5.25-inch bay and one 3.5-inch hard drive bay. Theoretically, you could shoehorn another three to four 2.5-inch notebook class drives in the same space, provided you have the correct brackets to hold the drives. The motherboard has four free SATA ports to service these drives. The system also has two DIMM slots free, along with a slot for a PCIe 3.0 x16 graphics card and two additional PCIe 2.0 x1 expansion cards. One PCIe x1 slot is occupied by the included 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi card, which will serve most users well. This is an improvement over other budget systems like the Lenovo IdeaCentre Q190 ($400) and Zotac Zbox ID83 Plus ($473), both of which don't support 5Ghz WiFi, only the more common and crowded 2.4GHz channels.

The last consideration you have to make for expandability is the system's 300W power supply. While sufficient for additional drives and minor expansion cards, 300W will be insufficient for a high-powered discrete graphics card with Nvidia's or AMD's highest end GPUs. You can of course swap out the included power supply, but most budget system buyers never open their chassis, even if they are tempted by the system's expandability. Bring a screwdriver if you dare, because you'll need it for the case door and the drive bays. At least the internal card slots are tool-less.

Like other Gateway systems, the DX4870-UB2B comes with quite a few pre-loaded applications and utilities. These include 7digital, Zinio, Kindle, eBay, Chacha, Netflix, NewsXpresso, Amazon, Tunein, Hulu Plus, Xbox Games, Cut The Rope, Stumbleupon, Skype, Merriam-Webster, Britannica, Spotify, Microsoft Office (ad), Norton Internet Security), and Wild Tangetn games. That's a lot of pre-loaded apps, and most if not all are available for free from Microsoft Windows Store. While you may want to spend a few moments uninstalling all these programs, fret not, since the system has a capacious 1TB hard drive with plenty of free space left. The DX4870-UB2B comes with a standard one-year warranty.

Performance
The system comes with a third-generation Intel Core i3-3240 processor, 6GB of DDR3 memory, Intel HD Graphics 2500 (integrated in the Core i3 processor), and a 1TB 5,400rpm SATA hard drive. All of these components mean the system is plenty fast on our benchmark tests, certainly faster than the Lenovo Q190 and the Zbox ID83 Plus. That said, there are systems in this price range that are faster, notably the Polywell Nano i3-Q7 ($595) which trades physical and storage space for SSD speed, and the Acer Aspire AT3-600-UR11 ($600), which has a discrete graphics card and slightly more powerful processor adding to its performance totals. Check the performance chart link to see the final numbers, but suffice to say the DX4870-UB2B has the performance to keep your family happy for the next five years or so.

The Gateway DX4870-UB2B is a great choice for the budget-minded PC buyer who wants to replace that old desktop, but still needs the traditional large screen, keyboard, and mouse of a PC. It's not anything flashy, but it's a great buy, and likely will last you another five years before you need to replace it, something that can't be said if you decide to go with a cheaper tablet or laptop. This mix of components (and the changing of the seasons) lets the DX4870-UB2B inherit the budget desktop Editors' Choice from the previous Gateway DX4870-UB17.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/_32pTJbrWno/0,2817,2422314,00.asp

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Movie review: 'Fruitvale Station' puts a human face on a tragic shooting

| courtesy Sundance Institute Octavia Spencer stars in "Fruitvale," screening in the U.S. Dramatic competition at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival

Review ? Quiet moments lead to a shattering conclusion.

The powerful urban drama "Fruitvale Station," which won the Grand Jury Prize at this year?s Sundance Film Festival, starts with a flashpoint moment in America?s apparently endless struggle with race.

Here are the facts: On New Year?s morning 2009, in a tense encounter with police, 22-year-old Oscar Julius Grant III was shot in the back by a Bay Area Rapid Transit police officer at a BART station in Oakland, Calif. He later died in the hospital. Passengers on the BART train recorded the shooting on their cellphones, and the video was seen widely ? prompting protests and riots around the Bay Area against police mistreatment of African Americans.

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?Fruitvale Station?

A moving portrait of an African-American shooting victim that focuses on the man?s life, not the newspaper headlines.

Where ? Broadway Centre Cinemas.

When ? Opens Friday, July 26.

Rating ? R for some violence, language throughout and some drug use.

Running time ? 90 minutes.

Filmmaker Ryan Coogler, a Bay Area native, begins with those facts as he weaves an engaging, emotional and human-scaled story that imagines the last 24 hours of Oscar Grant?s life.

Starting with a chilling cellphone-shot re-enactment of the shooting, Coogler flashes back to the beginning of that tragic day. He finds Grant (played by Michael B. Jordan) at home in Hayward, Calif., at a crossroads in his life. He?s trying to make right with his girlfriend, Sophina (Melonie Diaz), who caught him cheating. He?s trying to get back his job at a nearby supermarket. And he?s trying to do right by his mom (Octavia Spencer), who?s celebrating her birthday on the last day of the year.

Coogler and cinematographer Rachel Morrison capture, in documentary style, moments of Grant?s day. He helps a supermarket customer (Ahna O?Reilly) figure out how to do a fish fry. He rescues a pit bull that is run over in the street. He drops his daughter, Tatiana (Ariana Neal), off at daycare. He contemplates whether to sell a bag of marijuana in his possession and thinks back to the sadness in his mother?s eyes a year earlier when she visited him in prison.

Because we know how this story ends, normally mundane moments take on an air of tragic foreshadowing. Sophina pleads with Grant to come clean, to get his life together and think about his future. When Grant and Sophina make plans to travel to San Francisco to watch the New Year?s fireworks, it?s Mom who suggests that to avoid traffic they should take the train.

There is room for a debate about the dramatic license Coogler takes with Grant?s life, truncating or possibly inventing episodes of his life and cramming them into a single day. But Coogler?s take quietly serves to show Grant as a human being, with his flaws and redeeming qualities, and not just as a face in a newspaper obituary.

Coogler provides Jordan a golden acting opportunity, and the young actor does not disappoint. Jordan (who co-starred in the UFO thriller "Chronicle" and played the quarterback for two seasons on "Friday Night Lights") channels Grant?s frustration with his life as an unemployed parolee, but also his determination to do right by Sophina and Tatiana.

Jordan is well-matched by his female co-stars. Diaz, an indie darling ("Hamlet 2," "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints"), effuses both love for Grant and hard-earned skepticism that he can correct his past mistakes. And Spencer, fairly fresh off her Oscar for "The Help," serves as the gentle moral anchor for Grant and the wider community.

"Fruitvale Station" arrives in theaters just as another case of a young African-American shooting victim, Trayvon Martin, dominates the headlines. It?s difficult to compare Grant?s death to Martin?s in terms of specifics (Martin wasn?t shot by a cop, and there was no cellphone footage to clarify how he was killed), but the movie may help by focusing attention on the person, not the profile.

story continues below

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Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/entertainment2/56627054-223/grant-fruitvale-shooting-station.html.csp

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"Serve it to Cancer" volleyball tournament raises money for breast cancer

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Source: www.cnycentral.com --- Wednesday, July 24, 2013
"Serve It To Cancer" volleyball tournament raises money to help in the fight against breast Cancer. ...

Source: http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=925645

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Ex-UNO football coach arrested in prostitution case

Former University of Nebraska at Omaha football coach Pat Behrns was arrested Tuesday in connection with a prostitution case in Council Bluffs.

Behrns, 63, was arrested Tuesday afternoon in the Bluffs on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution, officials said.

A Bluffs police department lieutenant said Wednesday that Behrns and 12 others were arrested as part of a periodic prostitution sting operation in which initial contacts are made over Internet websites.

Authorities said they wouldn?t release additional specifics about the arrests or the sting because the operation is recurring.

The lieutenant said he did not know if Behrns was still being held or whether the ex-coach?s first appearance in court had been scheduled.

Behrns was head coach of the Mavericks from 1994 through the program?s dismantling in March 2011 as UNO prepared to join the NCAA?s Division I ranks.

He was also the head coach of the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux football team from 1980 to 1985.

Behrns is a 1972 graduate of Dakota State University.

Contact the writer: Jay Withrow

jay.withrow@owh.com ?? | ??402-444-1259 ?? |??

Jay covers crime, weather, breaking news and other stories for Omaha.com.

Source: http://www.omaha.com/article/20130724/NEWS/130729443

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Armstrong urges judge to dismiss govt lawsuit (The Arizona Republic)

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Samsung?s new Exynos 5 Octa (5420) processor unveiled. Twitter giveaway lets you win a Galaxy S4 Zoom, Tab 3 8.0, or Chromebook

Samsung?s new and improved Exynos 5 Octa mobile processor that was teased last week is now official.

The new SoC (model number Exynos 5420) comes with four ARM Cortex-A15 cores (1.8GHz) and other four Cortex-A7 cores (1.3 GHz), enhancing the overall CPU processing capability by 20 percent over the previous chipset.

The 5420 is the world?s first applications processor that uses a six-core ARM Mali-T628 GPU. Reportedly, this boosts 3D graphics capabilities by at least two times when compared to older architectures.

?ARM welcomes the latest addition to the successful Exynos Octa 5 series, which uses ARM?s Mali GPU solution to dramatically improve graphics performance. ARM big.LITTLE and ARM Artisan Physical IP technologies continue to be at the heart of the Octa series and now complement the new functionality brought by ARM GPU Compute. This combination enables unprecedented capabilities in areas such as facial detection and gesture control, and brings desktop-quality editing of images and video to mobile devices,? said Pete Hutton, executive vice president & general manager, Media Processing Division, ARM.

Samsung says that mass production for the Exynos 5 Octa 5420 will start in August. This means that the upcoming Galaxy Note III (expected to be officially announced in early September) can use the new CPU.

Meanwhile, to celebrate the introduction of the 5420, Samsung has kicked-off a Twitter giveaway (available only in the US, Canada, and the UK).

All you have to do to enter is tweet with the #ExynosEvolved hashtag. There will be weekly prizes (until October), including 12 Exynos-powered devices, like the Galaxy S4 Zoom, Galaxy Tab 3 8.0, and Chromebook. For more details, including official rules, go here.

Via Press release

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Florence Welch gatecrashes gig during London night out

The Florence + The Machine star was enjoying an evening out with pals at the South London Pacific bar in Kennington when resident group Sourberry kicked off a set with Daft Punk's huge hit Get Lucky.

Welch couldn't resist joining in, so she jumped on stage and grabbed the microphone, thrilling the crowd with her own rendition of the track. She then downed a tequila shot handed to her by a reveller before blasting out her version of Gossip's Standing in the Way of Control.

A post on Sourberry's website reads, "It was the annual Sourberry summer party and Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine was in attendance. She hopped up on stage during our sound check and rocked out a couple of numbers with us while we warmed up. Get Lucky - Daft Punk and Standing in the Way of Control - The Gossip. So let's raise the bar, and our tequila shot to the stars."

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ok-magazine-celebrity-gossip/~3/IcPtbmScQSM/

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Protein complex linked to cancer growth may also help fight tumors

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Researchers have discovered a gene expression signature that may lead to new immune therapies for lung cancer patients. They found that NF-κB, a protein complex known to promote tumor growth, may also have the ability to boost the immune system to eliminate cancerous cells before they harm, as well as promote antitumor responses.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/tFD2rrPBHkM/130722122905.htm

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Family of Egypt's Mursi threatens legal action over army 'abduction'

CAIRO (Reuters) - The family of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi said on Monday it would take legal action against the army, accusing it of abducting the country's first democratically-elected president.

Mursi has been held at an undisclosed military facility since the army removed him from office on July 3 and suspended the constitution in the wake of huge street protests against his one-year rule.

The army says Islamist Mursi is being held for his own safety.

"There is no legal or constitutional basis ... for detaining someone not accused of a crime for his own safety," Mursi's son, Osama, told a news conference marking the family's first formal appearance since his ouster.

He said the family would take immediate legal action "inside Egypt and at an international level" against Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the army commander and defense minister who played a central role in forcing Mursi from office.

Osama said the family had not been in touch with their father since his ouster and had no information on the state of his health.

Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood accuses the army of orchestrating a military coup. It denounced a move, launched on Sunday, to revise Egypt's constitution, drafted last year by an Islamist-dominated body and adopted despite objections from Christians and liberals. The Brotherhood calls the military-backed interim government illegitimate.

"(Mursi's)arrest and that of his advisors is completely illegal," said Heba Morayef, Egypt director of Human Rights Watch. Under international law, she said, the maximum time someone can be held without charge is 48 hours.

(Reporting by Maggie Fick; Editing by Matt Robinson)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/family-egypts-mursi-threatens-legal-action-over-army-131718237.html

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From Israel to the NBA and Mavericks for Mekel

LAS VEGAS -- As far back as Gal Mekel can remember, he was always a basketball junkie.

"Basketball was my first love," said Mekel, who was born and raised in Israel. "I started (playing) when I was 5 on the court right next to my house, and I started with a serious team when I was 6 of 7.

"When you grow up you have posters of Michael Jordan and everybody on your wall. It's a dream of everybody."

And it's a dream for Mekel, a 25-year-old free-agent point guard who signed a three-year, $2.3 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks earlier this month.

When the regular season starts, Mekel will join Houston's Omri Casspi as the only players from Israel to play in the NBA.

In his six games for the Mavs in the Las Vegas Summer League last week, Mekel showed that he's a proficient ball-handler who can run an offense and knows how to find an open player.

But with rookie Shane Larkin (broken ankle) not available to split time at point guard, and with the Mavs ending summer-league play with four games in four days, the added burden of playing with less rest took its toll on Mekel.

Still, the early impressions from Mavs summer league coach Monte Mathis about Mekel were positive ones.

"I think it's a jump from any league coming into the NBA," Mathis said. "Any league in Europe, any league in the states - whether it's college, small college - it's a jump."

The oldest of seven kids, Mekel as a child in Israel woke up many times in the middle of the night to watch NBA games live on television.

Mekel doesn't have a role model, but he likes point guards.

"I love the point guards that's involving everyone and getting all of the other guys better and controlling the tempo," Mekel said. "You have a lot of them in the NBA - Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Chris Paul - a long list. That's the style of game that I play."

In the Mavs' six summer-league games, Mekel averaged 9.7 points and five assists in 27.8 minutes per game. He shot 45.1 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from 3-point range.

"There's skills on the court, there's basketball skills and there's the head, the skills above the neck," Mavs owner Mark Cuban said. "Gal's got good basketball skills, but he's got to improve his shot."

"But in terms of understanding the game with the basketball, he sees it before it happens. That's rare to find - you don't see that a lot - so I'm excited to see how well he'll do."

Mekel also knows a lot of folks in his native land are pulling for him to do well.

"A lot of players love the game in Israel," Mekel said. "A lot of guys, young guys, are playing.

"We're trying. Israel is a basketball nation and I hope we'll see more players (in the NBA) in the future."

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/07/23/3515753/from-israel-to-the-nba-and-mavericks.html

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Fundraiser for local restaurant owner battling cancer today

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Froome rides to victory in 100th Tour de France

PARIS (AP) ? Chris Froome won the 100th Tour de France on Sunday, having dominated rivals over three weeks on the road and adroitly dealt with doping suspicions off it.

In two years, Britain has now had two different winners: Bradley Wiggins in 2012 and then Froome, a cooler, calmer, more understated but no less determined character than his Sky teammate with famous sideburns.

Froome rode into Paris in style ? in the canary yellow race leader's jersey he took on Stage 8 in the Pyrenees and never relinquished, vigorously fending off rivals whose concerted challenges turned this Tour into a thriller. Froome and his Sky teammates linked arms as they rode for the line.

The 100th edition was visually stunning, too, starting with a first-ever swing through Corsica, France's so-called "island of beauty," before veering through the Pyrenees to Brittany and then across France to the race's crescendo in the Alps ? 3,404 grueling kilometers (2,115 miles) in total.

Uniquely, the 100th Tour treated itself to a late-afternoon start for its final Stage 21 so the riders raced a few hours later on the cobbles of the Champs-Elysees as the sun cast golden hues over the peloton and the shadows lengthened over the dense, cheering crowds.

French Air Force jets in formation trailed red, white and blue smoke in the skies about the leafy avenue as the peloton powered up it for the first time and, exceptionally, circled like a necklace around the Arc de Triomphe in their brightly colored team jerseys.

After setting off from the magnificent Versailles Palace, the former residence of three kings and their seat of power until the French revolution of 1789, the riders were granted the privilege of meandering through the chateau's manicured gardens, past lakes like mirrors, spurting fountains and statues looking on stonily.

As per tradition and because Froome's big race lead made him untouchable, Sunday's 133-kilometer (82-mile) final ride was a largely leisurely affair until the pace picked up sharply on the Champs-Elysees. Marcel Kittel won the final sprint on that famous avenue, the German's sprinter's fourth stage win of this Tour.

Riders pedaled up to Froome to offer congratulations; he sipped from a flute of champagne as he rode; a Tour organizer stuck an arm from his car window to shake Froome's hand. Peter Sagan colored his beard green to celebrate the green jersey he won for picking up the most points in sprints over the three weeks.

"It's a dream to arrive in yellow on the Champs-Elysees," Froome said before leading the pack from Versailles. "C'est formidable."

His efforts to speak French have been gratefully noted by TV commentators here.

Nairo Quintana, the 23-year-old Colombian who secured second place behind Froome with an impressive win on Saturday's penultimate Stage 20, laughed as third-placed Joaquim Rodriguez tried to spark up a cigar in the saddle. The wind seemed to snuff out his lighter.

Neither Froome, Quintana nor Rodriguez have ever failed a drug test or been directly implicated in any of cycling's litany of doping scandals. That is an encouraging and notable departure both from the era of Lance Armstrong and many other Tour podiums before and since.

Froome's clear physical superiority made him overwhelming favorite going into the Tour and carried him through it. His winning margin of more than 5 minutes was the largest since 1997, when Jan Ullrich ? who has since admitted to doping ? beat Richard Virenque ? who also confessed to using performance-enhancers ? by 9 minutes and 9 seconds.

Armstrong had larger margins of victory than Froome but all seven of the Texan's wins were stripped from him last year for serial doping. In the Tour's official history book, his name has literally been crossed out.

As the first Tour champion since that shockwave, Froome rode through a barrage of doubt and skepticism, especially since his strength in the mountains and time trials reminded some observers of Armstrong and the way he and his team used to suffocate the race.

Froome's three stage victories ? in the Pyrenees, on Mont Ventoux in Provence and in a mountainous trial ? were the most for a Tour winner since Armstrong got five in 2004, results now annulled.

Unlike some other riders who cut short questions about doping and bristled, Froome said he was happy to discuss the issue that has so poisoned his sport. He insisted he rode clean and said he, too, felt let down by his cheating predecessors.

Froome argued that his success demonstrates that cycling's anti-doping system ? now among the most rigorous, invasive and sustained of any sport ? must be working, because otherwise he wouldn't be able to win.

At 28, Froome is entering his peak years as a bike racer. His prowess on climbs and in time trials gives him the essential ingredients to win more Tours. At Sky, he's backed by one of the best-funded, organized and smartest teams.

With few exceptions, including the absent Giro d'Italia winner Vincenzo Nibali and Wiggins, the cream of cycling's grand tour riders raced in the 100th edition. That Froome beat them so handily suggests he'll again be the overwhelming favorite in 2014 ? in the 101st Tour that starts in Leeds, northern England.

Scottish rider David Millar, who completed his 12th Tour on Sunday, said one of Froome's strengths is that he is able to handle the very intense training needed to win the Tour without getting burned out by it.

"There's no reason why it shouldn't be. I think the sport's harder than it's ever been. In order to win, especially in the manner in which Chris has done it, with the training ... You know, he doesn't really get time off. It's very demanding physically and psychologically. But I'm not sure how long anybody can do that for," Millar said. "He's very Zen-like. I think that's his big advantage. That's the kind of juxtaposition he has. He has that ability to operate at a very high level, say scientifically, but stay serene and Zen-like. Whereas other guys, they don't have that ability to switch off."

Froome also had the sprinkling of good luck riders need to win the Tour. He only grazed his knee when he hit a curb and fell at the start of the Tour, on Stage 1, and he avoided a pile-up that fractured the pelvis of his teammate, Geraint Thomas, who gritted his teeth and continued to Paris.

___

AP Sports Writer Jerome Pugmire in Paris contributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/froome-rides-victory-100th-tour-france-195043201.html

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Deadly Quake Topples Rural Area in China

At least 75 people were found dead after a powerful earthquake struck a rural area of China on Monday.

More than 400 people were injured and thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed.

The 6.6 quake hit near the city of Dingxi, about 766 miles west of Beijing. Scientists say the quake struck only about 12 miles below the surface, making it much more destructive.

"I saw the bulb hanging from the ceiling start swinging wildly around. I woke my two friends and we ran into the bathroom to hide," Li Jingui, 21, said.

He was on the fourth floor of a school dormitory in Dingxi when the shaking started, the Associated Press reported.

"After the strongest tremors were over, we were worried that there would be aftershocks so we packed our stuff and ran out into a large clearing," Li said.

Rock and mudslides made it difficult for rescue teams to reach the area.

Forecasters predict heavy rain and further landslides later in the week. They warn they'll be a greater need for shelter.

Source: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/July/Deadly-Quake-Topples-Rural-Area-in-China/

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Why Sen. Carl Levin backs military's position on sexual-assault cases

Sen. Carl Levin (D), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, believes military sexual-assault cases should remain under the control of the chain of command. Many in his party disagree. What's his rationale?

By David Cook,?/ Staff writer / July 19, 2013

Sen. Carl Levin (D) of Michigan speaks at a Monitor Breakfast at the St. Regis Hotel on July 16, 2013 in Washington, D.C.

Michael Bonfigli /The Christian Science Monitor

Enlarge

Sen. Carl Levin (D) of Michigan is chairman of the US Senate Armed Services Committee and a member of the intelligence panel. He was the guest at the July 16 Monitor Breakfast.

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Why he opposes taking military sexual-assault cases out of the chain of command's control:

"[I]f you remove the chain of command, you are taking away ... the club that they need to change the culture, which is ... being able to prosecute someone."

The need to challenge the defense budget:

"We ought to look at the budget much more specifically than to start with an assumption that the current shares [for individual services] ... should continue."

National Security Agency technology that allows it to keep a record of all calls Americans make or receive:

"There are pluses to it in terms of catching bad guys, and there are some minuses to it in terms of abuses.... If this technology were in the hands of [former FBI Director] J. Edgar Hoover, would I feel comfortable? No."

US policy toward rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad:

"I urged the president to convene a group of countries that want Assad to be removed.... It is a plan [aimed at] increasing the military pressure by helping the Syrian opposition to become stronger."

How he rates the performance of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel:

"He is doing great.... He has won the support of my Republican colleagues who voted against him."

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/politics/~3/_EiMjBf-9t4/Why-Sen.-Carl-Levin-backs-military-s-position-on-sexual-assault-cases

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Moto X event, Sony smartphone camera, VLC for iOS & more - Pocketnow Daily

Stories:
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- New Nexus 7 leak details hardware changes, rumor mentions launch date http://pocketnow.com/2013/07/19/new-n...
- VLC for iPhone and iPad back in the iTunes App Store http://pocketnow.com/2013/07/19/vlc-f...
- Sony developing high-end, fully external smartphone cameras? http://pocketnow.com/2013/07/19/sony-...

Watch today's Pocketnow Daily as we talk about the Moto X event finally becoming a reality on August 1st. Nokia's Lumia 521 is next, as it may not be hot in specs or features, but it sure is hot for its $100 price tag on T-Mobile. New Nexus 7 leaks show hardware details, and another look at Android 4.3 on the Nexus 4 show significant improvements in performance. VLC for the iPhone and iPad is next, as Apple has finally approved it again, but hurry up and download it before Apple changes its mind. We end today's show talking about Sony's new idea of bringing their Alpha department together with the Xperia department in order to bring portable cameras for their smartphone line-up.

All this and more after the break.

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Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rjx5yH17QnQ&feature=youtube_gdata

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New Zealand hit by quake of magnitude 6.9, minor damage

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck New Zealand at around 0520 GMT on Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey's monitoring service reported.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries after the tremors.

(Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu,; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/zealand-hit-quake-magnitude-6-9-usgs-053343162.html

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Philadelphia to Host Opening Round Playoff Game Airing Nationally on CBS Sports Network

July 19, 2013 - Arena Football League (AFL) Philadelphia Soul

CHICAGO - As the 2013 Arena Football League postseason picture begins to clear, the Philadelphia Soul (11-5) have been announced as the opening round host for CBS Sports Network's telecast of "NET10 Wireless Arena Football", the League office announced today. The Soul, currently in the midst of a six-game winning streak, clinched their second consecutive East Division championship earlier this month. Kickoff is set for at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia could find out their opponent for the quarterfinal matchup as early as this weekend, as the two wildcard spots are inching closer to being decided. The Tampa Bay Storm (7-9) can get into postseason play with a win or a loss by either the Orlando Predators (6-10) or New Orleans VooDoo (5-11). Orlando also has an opportunity to clinch a playoff berth this week with a win and a loss by New Orleans.

Coming into Week 18, Philadelphia has a one-game lead over the Jacksonville Sharks (10-6) for the No. 1 seed in the American Conference. A Soul win coupled with a Sharks loss in Week 18 would lock up the top seed for Philadelphia for a second straight season and give the Soul home field advantage through the first two rounds of the playoffs, leading up to ArenaBowl XXVI Presented by IOA in Orlando on August 17.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Source: http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4644837

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Now, get your medical records on smartphone, iPad

Patients can now access their medical records on devices like iPads and smart phones.

At the International Medical Hospital Show 2013 in Japan?s Tokyo Big Sight, Fujitsu introduced a Mobile integrated EMR technology.

It will help patients to not only get medical treatment data but other information including accounting data, Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), medical examination data and waiting board sign in the hospital.

EMR was first introduced in Japan in 1999 and since then it has penetrated widely in hospitals across the country.

Fujitsu, a Japanese multinational information technology equipment and services company, also introduced ?HumanBridge?, a regional network solutions which enables to connect medical informations of health, medical and welfare.

In modern era, when hospitals globally are facing challenges in providing better treatment to elderly people, emergency medical care, shortage of doctors and nursing staff and other issues, introduction of modern healthcare technology will help them cope with the situation.

Fujitsu has top market share of 38 percent for EMR system delivery in major hospitals in Japan.

To avail the advanced technology in medical healthcare, some 80,000 visitors, including doctors, nurses, medical administrators and medical equipment dealers visited the International Modern Hospital Show 2013.

Some 373 exhibitors participated to showcase their modern medical technologies collectively.

Source: http://forum.santabanta.com/showthread.htm?325363-Now-get-your-medical-records-on-smartphone-iPad&goto=newpost

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Google now lets you scale the Eiffel Tower from the comfort of your computer scr...

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This Samsung SSD Runs at a Blistering 3,000MB/s

If you think your SSD is speedy, think again: this new Samsung SSD is capable of reading data at a frankly obscene 3000MB/s.

Read more...

Source: http://gizmodo.com/this-samsung-ssd-runs-at-a-blistering-3-000mb-s-823656231

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Retina iPad mini sequel may launch this year after all

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Source: http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=641970005814084&id=133848416626248

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 - Video Review

Published on 14-07-2013 11:02 AM

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 packs a 10.1-inch (1280x800) display, it's powered by a 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Atom processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal memory, microSD card support (up to 64 GB), 3.2-megapixel main shooter, 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, 6,800 mAh battery, runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with Samsung's TouchWiz on top of it and all that for $399.

What do you say about the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1? Are you getting one?

Source: http://www.noeman.org/content/748-samsung-galaxy-tab-3-10-1-video-review.html

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Bob Ford: Phils unlikely to close the deal again

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Source: http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=168491&44=215454751&32=3796&7=195327&40=http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/20130715_Phils_unlikely_to_close_the_deal_again.html

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New 2013 Ducati Monster Diesel Leaking Oil

I rode my new ride home from the dealership (~35km) and noticed drops of oil on the floor of my garage after I parked it, which concerned me. I took it out again a few hours later thinking it wouldn't get any worse and that I'd take it to the dealership on Monday to see where the leak is coming from....however, after coming back home I noticed a ridiculous amount of oil leaking out from the right side of the motorcycle in what I imagine to be the oil reservoir.

I rode the motorcycle a bit harder, but well under 6000 RPMs as per break-in instructions, which caused more oil to leak than earlier. I tried cleaning off the oil to find out where the oil is leaking from and even tried tightening bolts, but I didn't find any that were loose.

Any thoughts appreciated as I'd like to go riding tomorrow...the dealership is closed on Sundays.

Source: http://www.ducatimonster.org/forums/ducati-monster-1100/231969-new-2013-ducati-monster-diesel-leaking-oil.html

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Powell, Simpson test positive for banned stimulant

Former 100-meter world-record holder Asafa Powell and Jamaican teammate Sherone Simpson have each tested positive for banned stimulants, their agent told The Associated Press.

Powell and Simpson tested positive for the stimulant oxilofrine at the Jamaican championships last month and were just recently notified, Paul Doyle said Sunday, with their provisional ban effective immediately. The news came the same day that American 100-meter record holder Tyson Gay revealed that he also failed a doping test.

Powell helped the Jamaicans to the 400-meter relay gold medal at the 2008 Olympics and was the last man to hold the individual 100 record before countryman Usain Bolt broke it earlier that year.

Simpson won Olympic gold in the women's 400 relay in 2004 and silver in 2012, along with an individual silver in the 100 in 2008.

"They're devastated," Doyle said in a phone interview. "I'm optimistic that Asafa's and Sherone's names will be cleared. It is a stimulant ban, which I hate to call any infraction minor ? any positive test is major, in my opinion ? but at the same time it was something that was inadvertent. Hopefully, through our investigation and all that, we'll be able to show it was unintentional."

These doping positives come a month after another Jamaican Olympic champion, Veronica Campbell-Brown, tested positive for a banned diuretic.

Doyle said it's too early to say whether Powell or Simpson will be able to compete at the world championships in Moscow next month. Powell did not finish in the top three at last month's nationals to qualify for worlds, but possibly could participate as a member of the 400 relay. Simpson earned a spot by finishing second behind Kerron Stewart in the women's 100.

"We'll see if things can get cleared up before worlds," Doyle said.

In a statement released through his agent, Powell said his team has "launched an investigation" to find out "how the substance got in my system."

"I assure you that we will find out how this substance passed our rigorous internal checks and balances and design systems to make sure it never happens again," said Powell, who's sprinted down the lane in under 10 seconds more times than anyone in history. "My attitude towards doping regulations and testing is well-known and I willingly give samples whenever requested. This result has left me completely devastated in many respects."

Simpson also released a statement, saying: "This is a very difficult time for me. ... My team and I will try to do everything we can to get this issue dealt with as best as we can."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/powell-simpson-test-positive-banned-stimulant-182002474.html

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Top Android Games In Google Play Store

Top New Games in the Google Play Store

Here are some of the latest games trending in the Play Store:

Tiny Thief

Developed by Rovio games, the same people behind Angry Birds, this is a different experience from the developers. It is a point and click puzzle game that has you solving puzzles and collecting items like fruit baskets and all, all along tricking and escaping from medieval Knights from catching you.

Infinite Flight

This is a complex flight simulator that has you flying, or rather crashing, various kinds of planes. Being a flight simulator, this app comes with a slew of configuration from weather details to even the weight of the plane.

Inferno +

It is dual stick game, in which you control and shoot using the touchscreen. You basically move your fighter around avoiding robots and humans while shooting back at them in 3d futuristic levels. You also get power-up stations that give shields and bonuses to get you to the end.

Dr. Driving

This is a driving simulator that has you driving through a dense traffic with every mistake making you start from the start. Challenging, yes, but at least your driving skills get perfected.

Kavinsky

Unlike most game, this is a street fighter style retro game that is based on an Album. Yes you read that right, an electronic album named ?Outrun? by Kavinsky. It makes for a good fighting game, with the added bonus of some good electronic music too!

Source: http://www.muktware.com/5732/top-android-games-google-play-store

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Sibanye Gold recognises AMCU as majority union

JOHANNESBURG, July 12 (Reuters) - South African gold producer Sibanye Gold (JSE:SGL) said on Friday it had recognised the Association of?Mineworkers and Construction Union?(AMCU) as the majority union at its Driefontein operations.

The recognition is the first formal acknowledgement of AMCU at a South African gold mine. It coincides with the start of industry-wide wage talks between gold producers and trade unions.

Sibanye Gold shares took a beating after it recognises the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) as the majority union at its Driefontein operations, the first formal nod by a South African gold producer for a union many see as militant.

AMCU represents 17% of the gold mining workforce, according to the Chamber of Mines, and has demanded that gold producers more than double the wages of entry-level workers.

Sibanye shares are down nearly 2%, the biggest decline among other gold miners and compared with a 1.65% rise by the gold mining index .

Source: http://www.moneyweb.co.za/moneyweb-mining/sibanye-gold-recognises-amcu-as-majority-union?sn=2009%20Detail

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Course to use Hovercraft golf carts

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio ? The cool factor just spiked at the Windy Knoll Golf Club in Springfield, Ohio.

The Golf Channel reported the course will begin using hovercrafts to allow golfers to maneuver greens (and water hazards, for that matter.)

?We wanted to be able to offer something no other course could,? Pete Duffey told the Golf Channel. ?A way to further put Windy Knoll Golf Club on the map of public destination golf courses. It was an easy decision. When we saw them on YouTube, we said ?We gotta have those!??

The carts are set to be unveiled on July 27, but won?t be available to golfers until late August, the club?s website said.

The price of cool will cost you, however. It?s estimated to cost $230 per player to rent.

By the way, the club got the idea from pro golfer Bubba Watson, who had a hovercraft made for himself (video below).

Source: http://independence.fox4kc.com/news/news/251913-course-use-hovercraft-golf-carts

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Wells Fargo Q2 profit rises 20 pct

Wells Fargo, the biggest U.S. mortgage lender, says its second-quarter profit surged 20 percent after it reduced expenses.

Net income rose to $5.27 billion from $4.40 billion a year earlier. On a per-share basis, earnings were 98 cents, beating the 93 cents forecast by Wall Street.

Revenue edged up to $21.4 billion from $21.3 billion and exceeded Wall Street expectations.

Wells Fargo cut expenses in the second quarter by $142 million, to $12.3 billion.

San Francisco-based Wells Fargo controls nearly 28 percent of the U.S. mortgage market, and that has helped bolster its earnings in recent quarters. It funded $112 billion worth of mortgages, down from $131 billion in the second quarter of 2012. With mortgage rates rising sharply in recent weeks, analysts are concerned about the potential impact on the bank's mortgage business. Much of its recent lending came from refinancing, which has been reduced by the recent spike in rates.

Wells Fargo, the fourth-largest U.S. bank by assets, was little known outside the Western U.S. before scooping up a teetering Wachovia in the depths of the financial crisis in 2008. The bank has turned a profit every quarter since 2009, the year it wrapped up its acquisition of Wachovia.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wells-fargo-q2-profit-rises-20-pct-125056872.html

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Google Finance now displays stock exchange data for Brazil, Turkey, Thailand, Austria, and Switzerland

Google has announced that it?s adding data for five more stock exchanges to Google Finance, its dedicated portal serving up business news and headlines.

The five in question are:

• BM&F Bovespa (Brazil)
• Borsa Istanbul (Turkey)
• The Stock Exchange of Thailand
• SIX Swiss Exchange
• Wiener Borse (Austria)

This takes Google Finance up to more than 40? stock exchanges from around the world, and is in addition to its mutual fund data, indexes and currencies.

Google Finance was first launched back in 2006, and as well as displaying real-time financial data from the world?s markets, it also reels in information and articles from other Google products, including news and blogs.

Feature Image Credit ? Thinkstock

Source: http://thenextweb.com/google/2013/07/12/google-finance-now-displays-stock-exchange-data-for-brazil-turkey-thailand-austria-and-switzerland/

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Wildlife officials remove arrow from Canada goose

BAY CITY, Mich. (AP) ? Wildlife officials in Michigan have removed an arrow from a Canada goose more than two months after the injured bird was spotted, leaving the once-easily recognized bird to blend in once again with its fellow geese.

The female goose initially was seen wandering in downtown Bay City in April and people alerted the state Department of Natural Resources, expressing concern for its safety, MLive.com reported (http://bit.ly/131InlA ).

Officials initially decided not to remove the arrow, because the bird was able to fly without difficulty. The DNR again came across the goose at the end of June when biologists were banding geese and decided to take action.

"It really, actually, was a lucky chance that we were able to get that goose in the pen when we were rounding up geese to band them," Michigan DNR Wildlife Outreach Technician Holly Vaughn said. "That particular goose wasn't targeted. It just happened to be with the rest of the geese when our biologists were banding."

A biologist removed the arrow, banded the bird and let it go within about a half-hour, releasing it back into the Saginaw River.

"The arrow was able to move freely within the bird. The wound from the arrow itself had pretty much healed up around the arrow," Vaughn said. "They found that taking the arrow out wouldn't do any further damage."

Officials say the goose appeared to be OK afterward, and Vaughn said it "just went on its merry way."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wildlife-officials-remove-arrow-canada-goose-144523986.html

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Maps show levels of cancer-linked toxins in Portland air

PORTLAND, Ore. ? The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has released maps predicting the spread of cancer-linked air toxins over the next few years.

DEQ based their findings on measurements taken in the metro area between 2009 and 2011.

You can use these maps to check how the air quality in your neighborhood will look over the next few years.

The number of dots you see represent testing areas ? a higher number of dots does not mean more toxins in the area.

Moving your mouse over dots on the map reveals the amount of each measured toxin you will expect to find in that area. The data is based on estimated levels of pollution, not actual measured levels in every case.

Sarah Armitage, an air quality planner with DEQ said people should pay attention to these findings, but no one is in immediate danger.

?Air toxins, since we're talking about cancer risks, it's more of a probability issue. It's how long you're exposed to it,? Armitage said.

Armitage said the emissions come from a variety of sources.

?In Portland, over the last 30 years, our levels of air pollution have gone down significantly,? she said. ?That?s looking mainly at things like ozone or smog and carbon monoxide. But along with those are toxic air pollutants.?

Armitage added that Portland?s air toxin levels are similar to cities of similar size.

Read more about the DEQ air toxins study

Maps used with permission from the Oregon DEQ

Source: http://www.katu.com/news/local/Maps-show-levels-of-cancer-linked-toxins-in-Portland-air-215142921.html

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Ballmer unveils broad Microsoft reorganization

By Juan Carlos Perez

July 11, 2013 10:04 AM ET

IDG News Service - Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer unveiled what he termed is a "far-reaching realignment" of the company designed to help Microsoft innnovate faster and operate in a more coherent and holistic manner as it faces a variety of challenges from rivals big and small.

"Going forward, our strategy will focus on creating a family of devices and services for individuals and businesses that empower people around the globe at home, at work and on the go, for the activities they value most," Ballmer wrote in a memo sent to all Microsoft employees.

The reorganizations' three main angles are to focus the whole company on a single strategy, improving its capacity in all its business and technology areas and collaborating better around a common set of goals, he wrote.

"This is a big undertaking. It touches nearly every piece of what we do and how we work. It changes our org structure, the way we collaborate, how we allocate resources, how we best empower our engineers and how we market," Ballmer wrote.

As part of the plan, Office chief Kurt Del Bene will retire from the company. Leading the new Operating Systems Engineering Group will be Terry Myerson; the Devices and Studios Engineering Group will be led by Julie Larson-Green; the Applications and Services Engineering Group will be led by Qi Lu; and the Cloud and Enterprise Engineering Group will be led by Satya Nadella.

Rumors that Ballmer was working on a drastic and extensive company reorganization began popping up weeks ago. He reportedly kept the plan close to his vest, causing anxiety among high-level officials fearful of what their fate might be.

Unhappy investors and industry critics have argued for years that Microsofts product roster is too heterogeneous and disconnected, housing products as disparate as gaming and entertainment devices, CRM software, desktop and server OSes, collaboration and communication applications, development tools, consumer online services and tablets.

A recurrent suggestion has been to spin off some business units as autonomous subsidiaries or independent companies.

In addition, Microsoft has a reputation for having a bad corporate culture marked by corporate politics and lack of cooperation. This came to the forefront a year ago when Vanity Fair magazine published an article titled "Microsoft's Downfall: Inside the Executive E-mails and Cannibalistic Culture That Felled a Tech Giant.

That story in part detailed the so-called stack ranking system that forces team leaders to give glowing, fair and bad annual reviews to a pre-determined percentage of their employees, even if most team members excelled at their job.

Whatever the solution, there has been a consensus that Microsoft needs to be restructured and streamlined in order to make it more agile and flexible in both its product development and business strategy.

There have been some big opportunities Microsoft has missed in recent years, in particular the explosion in popularity these past 3 years of smartphones and tablets both as personal and work tools. Windows has a small share of the tablet and smartphone OS market. Microsoft is trying to improve its position there with Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 but its way behind iOS and Android.

Last summer, Microsoft spent $1.2 billion to buy Yammer and catch up in enterprise social networking, a hot trend these past few years in which its SharePoint collaboration server and other business software like Office, Exchange and Lync hadnt kept up with competition.

Going back a bit further in time, Microsoft left a door open for Google and others to challenge Office and Exchange with less expensive and cloud-only email and productivity suites.

And of course, Microsoft saw the then upstart Google march into the Internet search fray in the early 2000s and walk away with what became the largest, fastest growing and most profitable segment of the online advertising market.

As with any major company reorganization, it remains to be seen if it will yield the expected results once it is fully implemented. Its not unheard of for reorganizations to backfire in a variety of ways. The plan may be inherently flawed. Sometimes the mere fact that a company needs to restructure lowers employee morale and customer confidence.

Reprinted with permission from IDG.net. Story copyright 2012 International Data Group. All rights reserved.

Source: http://rss.computerworld.com/~r/computerworld/s/feed/topic/14/~3/Hr-yjHlaJls/Ballmer_unveils_broad_Microsoft_reorganization

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Secretive N.C. abortion bill fuels #vaginamotorcycles (CNN)

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