A new year is upon us, and like many others I have a few resolutions for my business and online life.
In addition to discussing the environment more frequently, here are some of my goals:
Less Travel
Last year was my worst travel year since 2009, doubling my normal road time. This travel was in large part to support Marketing in the Round (co-author Gini Dietrich also travelled extensively). By my calculations, I traveled at least one day a week 60% of the year, and from March until December it was more than 80%.
The impact on my family and personal exhaustion was significant.
There is no new book to promote in 2013. While I?m always game to travel for business reasons, the marketing and social media speaking circuits will see less of me next year? Unless people are willing to pay a significant fee.
It?s not about making money, rather creating a significant barrier so that I am on the road less. I want to be present for my daughter.
Business Only
It seems like I?ve had a serious pet project for each of the last three years. Whether it was fighting for the Gulf, writing and promoting books, or starting a company, there was an extra project at hand in addition to normal consulting.
In 2013, I intend to work hard in my business (including here on this blog), and turn off the lights. It?s a year to recharge the batteries, focus on what matters most, and run and bike outside.
My extra project for 2013 is being a Dad and a husband. That?s enough.
Take a Photography Class
I receive a lot of compliments about my photography, which as a self taught amateur pleases me to no end. But I?d like to improve on my hobby a little.
Plus photography helps me relax, providing an easy creative outlet that doesn?t involve the rigmarole of developing, writing, publishing and marketing a book.
So next year, I will invest some time and take a photography class. Here is to learning new insights!
Meditate
When a human doing stops to become a human being, it?s inevitable that you start to think. A lot.
That?s OK. Meditation bears creative fruit, always. That?s my experience.
So what?s next after some serious rest? Who knows? I certainly have a couple ideas now, but after meditation they could be completely invalid.
Until the path is clear, living in the present for a little while seems appropriate.
I?m sure just working hard, taking great pics, and meditating during off hours will produce a vision. What are your business resolutions for 2013?
Stephen A. Smith Thinking Son Is Finally Ready For The Sex Argument
Stephen A Smith sort of proved <em>The Onion</em>'s point when he went on a Twitter tirade about the article, "Stephan A Smith Thinking Son Is Finally Ready For The Sex Argument." Smith rebutted that he didn't have a son or a 9-year-old, later tweeting that he had realized it was a joke.
Planned Parenthood Opens $8 Billion Abortionplex
Congressman John Fleming of Louisiana posted the article "Planned Parenthood Opens $8 Billion Abortionplex" to his Facebook page, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/06/john-fleming-onion-planned-parenthood_n_1257763.html">commenting that it was "abortion by the wholesale."</a> Perhaps the $8 Billion price tag should have tipped him off.
Sean Penn Demands To Know What A**hole Took SeanPenn@gmail.com
A Danish television station not only ran this story as truth, but included a little poll on the side asking readers if Sean Penn has a right to be upset. So far, <a href="http://go-dyn.tv2.dk/articlefornoejelse/id-3498191:hvem-har-hugget-sean-penns-emailadresse.html">79% say he is ridiculous</a>.
Conspiracy Theorist Convinces Neil Armstrong That Moon Landing Was Fake
Both <em>The Daily Banab Zamin</em> and <em>The New Nation</em> (two Bangladeshi papers) picked up <em>The Onion</em>'s story about Neil Armstrong finally being convinced that the moon landing was staged, <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8237558.stm">not knowing the story was fake.</a>
Congress Takes Group Of Schoolchildren Hostage
<em>The Onion</em> sparked a panic in Washington D.C. when it started tweeting "breaking news" about 12 children being held hostage at the Capitol Building with the hashtag #CongressHostage. Capitol Police <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/29/the-onion-congress-hostage_n_987254.html">launched an investigation</a> after the tweets, many of which did not link to the parody story, were re-tweeted hundreds of times.
Congress Threatens To Leave D.C. Unless New Capitol Is Built
<em>The Beijing Evening News</em> printed parts of this article <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/U-S-satire-tricks-Beijing-paper-Satire-fools-2829911.php">as fact</a>, including a fake Dennis Hastert quote complaining that the Capitol "is no longer suitable for a world-class legislative branch. The sight lines are bad, there aren't enough concession stands or bathrooms, and the parking is miserable." No concession stands? But this is AMERICA.
Study Finds Every Style Of Parenting Produces Disturbed, Miserable Adults
Because this sarcastic news brief cited real-life organization The California Parenting Institute (CPI), the organization was swamped with phone calls. Their director of marketing and development, Wendy Hilberman, told the <a href="http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20111028/ARTICLES/111029463/1350?template=printpicart">Press Democrat</a> that "It's obviously not OK to list our agency, even in satire."
Harry Potter Book Sparks Rise In Satanism Among Children
If you Google "Jesus died because He was weak and stupid" you might get a good look into America's consciousness. Fictional six-year-old Jessica Lehman's quote has been used <a href="http://www.snopes.com/humor/iftrue/potter.asp">as a chain e-mail reason</a> <a href="http://forum.dancehallreggae.com/showthread.php/19293-quot-Jesus-died-because-He-was-weak-and-stupid-quot">to fear</a> Harry Potter. Go figure.
Study: 58 Percent Of U.S. Exercise Televised
On March 12, 2004, Deborah Norville stated on her MSNBC show that a new study said that 58 percent of exercise done in America was on broadcast television. Whoever wrote the script that night literally wrote, "For instance, of the 3.5 billion sit-ups done during 2003, two million, 30,000 of them were on exercise shows on Lifetime or one of the ESPN channels," as if it were news copy.
Barack Obama 'Tiger Beat' Cover Clinches Slumber Party Vote
Even <em>The New York Times</em> is susceptible to the occasional <em>Onion</em> parody. The Times published an article about <em>Tiger Beat</em> using a PhotoShopped image of the President on the magazine's cover that accompanied <em>The Onion</em>'s fake story. They later <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/weekinreview/17tigerbeat.html?_r=0">ran a correction</a> stating they had "erroneously included a parody cover."
Illuminati Warning: Martial Law Plans Revealed?
Three years after <em>The Onion</em> came out with this video of Rep. John Haller becoming increasingly concerned about "classified" information, many took to Facebook <a href="http://i.imgur.com/VlYaV.jpg">in fear of imminent martial law</a>.
Frustrated Obama Sends Nation Rambling 75,000 Word E-Mail
Now, we assume Fox News knows that <em>The Onion</em> is satire, but according to <a href="http://www.mediaite.com/online/foxnation-com-repurposes-anti-obama-article-from-the-onion-forgets-to-mention-its-a-joke/">Mediaite</a>, their website Fox Nation failed to mention that the story was fictional. Naturally, it attracted such gems in the comment as: ?HAHAHAHAHAHA OBUMMA ? Un-raveled. EPIC FAILURE. IMPEACH it.?
'98 Homosexual-Recruitment Drive Nearing Goal
This early <em>Onion</em> article attracted the fury of Fred Phelps (author of the "God Hates Fags" website), who according to <em><a href="http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.03/onion_pr.html">Wired</a></em>, "listed the article as proof of a gay conspiracy."
Vatican Reverses Stance On Gay Marriage After Meeting Tony And Craig
<em>The Onion</em>'s "news" that the Catholic Church had softened its feelings toward homosexuality after meeting one fabulous couple fooled some conservatives online. In the Facebook screenshot at left, <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/insane-things-representative-sally-kern-has-said">notoriously anti-gay Rep. Sally Kern</a> doesn't exactly take the bait, but doesn't say she knows it's a joke, either.
Report: Al-Qaeda Allegedly Engaging In Telemarketing
<em><a href="http://jclass.umd.edu/archive/newshoax/casestudies/pranks/PranksOnionTele2.html">The Battle Creek Enquirer</a></em> reported that the Sheriff's department had released a dispatch about the possibility of terrorists making telemarketing phone calls, including information from <em>The Onion's</em> article.
Child Bankrupts Make-A-Wish Foundation
This video of Chad, an ingenious Make-A-Wish kid who cheated the system by demanding unlimited wishes, fooled many into believing that the foundation had actually gone broke. Make-A-Wish <a href="http://www.wish.org/about/fraud_alerts">still has a disclaimer on their website</a> stating that the ?Today Now!? segment is not true and that all characters, including wish child ?Chad,? are fictitious.
Obama's 19-Year-Old Son Makes Rare Appearance At DNC
The Mecklenberg County, VA Republican Party thought they were really on to something when they posted <em>The Onion</em>'s story to their Facebook page. After posting, they expressed their disconcern in a comment that no other news sources had picked up the story of Obama's 19-year-old son. We wonder why?
Law amended in China to safeguard neglected elderly
Beijing News.Net - Friday 28th December, 2012
BEIJING - China Friday amended its law on the elderly to require that adult children visit their aged parents "often" - or risk being sued by them. The amendment however does not specify the ...
Apple loses another copyright violation case in China
Beijing News.Net - Friday 28th December, 2012
BEIJING - Global technology major Apple Inc has been fined 1.03 million yuan ($165,908) by a Beijing court for copyright violation by hosting and selling unlicensed electronic versions of books ...
Beijing cracks down on internet users
Beijing News.Net - Friday 28th December, 2012
BEIJING - China has unveiled tighter internet controls, requiring web users to register their names and legalising the deletion of posts or pages which are considered to contain illegal ...
Joergensen retains Copenhagen Masters title
Beijing News.Net - Saturday 29th December, 2012
Denmark's Jan Oe Joergensen beat Hu Yun of Hong Kong 21-12, 21-11 to retain the men's singles title at the Copenhagen Masters badminton tournament here. The 24-year old Dane played his semi-final ...
China tightens Internet controls to allow deletion of illegal online info
Beijing News.Net - Saturday 29th December, 2012
China has tightened its Internet controls, asking web users to register their names and legalising the deletion of posts or pages which are considered to contain illegal information. China's ...
1950 documents show China acknowledging Senkakus as Japans islets
Beijing News.Net - Saturday 29th December, 2012
A Chinese government document from 1950 appears to refute the country's current claim to the Senkakus by indicating the islets are part of Japan's territory and referring to them by their Japanese ...
China orders children to visit their parents or face lawsuits
Beijing News.Net - Saturday 29th December, 2012
China has passed a law that requires adult children to visit their elderly parents or risk facing lawsuit. The law does not specify how frequently such visits should occur, but warns that neglect ...
China Tightens Controls on Internet Use
Beijing News.Net - Friday 28th December, 2012
China's legislature has approved new rules that will tighten government control of the Internet by requiring users to register their real names, and demanding Internet companies censor online ...
China to formally elect new president PM March 5
Beijing News.Net - Friday 28th December, 2012
China will elect its top leaders, including the president and the premier, during the first annual session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) to be convened March 5, 2013, it was announced ...
Spicy soup burns hole through Chinese mans stomach lining
Beijing News.Net - Friday 28th December, 2012
A man from China was left with a burnt hole in his stomach lining after he consumed a notoriously spicy bowl of soup. The 26-year-old unnamed male ate a mala soup, meaning 'numbing hot,' a ...
China Poses Serious Threat to US Interests in Africa
Pravda - Friday 28th December, 2012
US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, will complete her ten-day African tour on August 14, when she visits Cape Verde islands. Clinton previously visited Kenya, the South African Republic, Angola, ...
Vatican Official Denounces Decision by So-Called Episcopal Conference of China
EWTN - Friday 28th December, 2012
Expresses Support and Admiration for Persecuted Auxiliary Bishop of ShanghaiBy Junno ArochoVATICAN CITY, DEC. 13, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-Fai, secretary of the Congregation for ...
If you're ever driving through rough terrain and break an important part such as a drag link or tie rod, you may be stuck until help arrives. If you were unable to summon help you could weld the part together with heavy-gauge jumper cables, two automotive batteries, and a welding rod.
YouTube user engineer775 shows in the video above how to setup an emergency welding rig by connecting two 12v car batteries in series (wiring them into a single 24v battery), connecting one side of a set of jumper cables to the positive and negative terminal not wired in series. The other end of the jumper cables will connect to the welding rod and the other to the metal workpiece. Touch the welding rod to the joint that needs to be connected to weld. You'll also want leather gloves and a welding helmet if you ever do this.
The problem with this technique is that you have no real control over the amperage generated by the batteries. This will vary depending on if you wire 2 batteries (24v) or 3 batteries (36v) together. Keep in mind that we are not endorsing this technique, especially for those who have no welding experience, but if you're stuck in the boonies with no cell phone signal you might like knowing how it can be accomplished. That said, if I were in the habit of going off road alone I'd probably add a couple of welding rods, an extra charged battery, two sets of jumper cables, and a cheap welding helmet to my vehicle emergency kit just in case.
Bug out Tip...Welding using car batteries | YouTube
News in Brief: International Conference on Complex Sciences, Santa Fe, N.M., December 5 ? 7
International Conference on Complex Sciences
By Rachel Ehrenberg
Web edition: December 28, 2012 Print edition: January 12, 2013; Vol.183 #1 (p. 10)
Winning the arms race with spam
Spammers are tricky adversaries: If e-mail spam filters seek out words like ?enlargement? then spammers switch up their approach. ?Spam changes a lot ? it starts looking more like ham,? said Richard Colbaugh on December 5. Now Colbaugh and Kristin Glass, both of Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, have created a one-two punch that anticipates new tactics and makes antispam programs less predictable. Training filters, for example, to look for bits of ham mixed with spam, such as several nonspammy words, will help detect even cleverly disguised spam. And instead of using one superior filter all the time, spam fighters should mix up their weaponry. Keeping several filters on hand can keep spammers from deducing and evading antispam tactics.
When paid sick leave pays
Paid sick leave is an HR dilemma. The policy can keep an infection from spreading and limit medical costs, but it also lowers productivity, especially when employees intent on playing hooky abuse it. Computer simulations of how an epidemic might spread through Miami suggest that paid sick leave usually pays off. It typically curtails a disease?s spread and minimizes health costs without crippling work output, Achla Marathe of Virginia Tech reported December 5. But if a company offers more days than infections usually last and employees are both highly productive and dishonest about being sick, then paid sick leave does little good.
Best videos of 2012: Rare view of Challenger tragedy
Watch a rare amateur video of the Challenger explosion, our most-viewed video of the year
Strong jet stream super-charged US Christmas storms
Record snowfall and dozens of tornadoes snarled holiday travel as a powerful winter storm plowed across much of the US, while rainstorms battered the UK
2012 review: The year in life science
The year's biggest stories in life science, including James Cameron's descent into the Mariana trench and efforts to break into Antarctica's buried lakes
Superstorm lessons for adapting to climate change
As the post-Sandy rebuild gets under way, coastal cities around the world will be watching
Best videos of 2012: First MRI movie of childbirth
Watch a unique view of a baby's birth, at number 2 in our countdown of the year's top science videos
Fleadom or death: Reviving the glorious flea circus
The parasite-based sideshows were almost done for by the domestic vacuum cleaner - but they are bouncing back, finds Graham Lawton
Approval for gene-modified salmon spawns controversy
Apparently months late, US regulators have declared genetically engineered fish safe to farm and eat, but final approval could be some way off
Best videos of 2012: New aircraft flies inside out
Watch a novel flying machine use a unique mechanism to propel itself, at number 3 in our countdown of the top videos of the year
2012 review: The year in technology
The year's biggest stories in technology, including Kinect devices that may spot signs of autism and controlling a robot by the power of thought
Superdoodles: The science of scribbling
Far from being a distraction, doodling has an important purpose - and you can harness it
2013 Smart Guide: Wave goodbye to the mouse
The Leap, a 3D motion control device set to launch next year, will let you control your computer with touch-free hand and finger movements
China unveiled tighter Internet controls on Friday, legalizing the deletion of posts or pages which are deemed to contain "illegal" information and requiring service providers to hand over such information to the authorities for punishment.
The rules signal that the new leadership headed by Communist Party chief Xi Jinping will continue muzzling the often scathing, raucous online chatter in a country where the Internet offers a rare opportunity for debate.
The new regulations, announced by the official Xinhua news agency, also require Internet users to register with their real names when signing up with network providers, though, in reality, this already happens.
Chinese authorities and Internet companies such as Sina Corp have long since closely monitored and censored what people say online, but the government has now put measures such as deleting posts into law.
"Service providers are required to instantly stop the transmission of illegal information once it is spotted and take relevant measures, including removing the information and saving records, before reporting to supervisory authorities," the rules state.
The restrictions follow a series of corruption scandals amongst lower-level officials exposed by Internet users, something the government has said it is trying to encourage.
Li Fei, deputy head of parliament's legislative affairs committee, said the new rules did not mean people needed to worry about being unable to report corruption online. But he added a warning too.
"When people exercise their rights, including the right to use the Internet, they must do so in accordance with the law and constitution, and not harm the legal rights of the state, society ... or other citizens," he told a news conference.
Chinese Internet users already cope with extensive censorship measures, especially over politically sensitive topics like human rights and elite politics, and popular foreign sites Facebook, Twitter and Google-owned YouTube are blocked.
Earlier this year, the government began forcing users of Sina's wildly successful Weibo microblogging platform to register their real names.
The new rules were quickly condemned by some Weibo users.
"So now they are getting Weibo to help in keeping records and reporting it to authorities. Is this the freedom of expression we are promised in the constitution?" complained one user.
"We should resolutely oppose such a covert means to interfere with Internet freedom," wrote another.
The government says tighter monitoring of the Internet is needed to prevent people making malicious and anonymous accusations online, disseminating pornography and spreading panic with unfounded rumors, pointing out that many other countries already have such rules.
Despite periodic calls for political reform, the party has shown no sign of loosening its grip on power and brooks no dissent to its authority.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Sally Huang; Editing by Nick Macfie)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Check for restrictions at: http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
In this Oct. 10, 2012, photo, musician Julio Fernandez holds a guitar during a class session at Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J. Students are participating in a music class for service men and women that helps them cope with their life after the military through a program called Voices of Valor. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
In this Oct. 10, 2012, photo, musician Julio Fernandez holds a guitar during a class session at Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J. Students are participating in a music class for service men and women that helps them cope with their life after the military through a program called Voices of Valor. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
In this Oct. 10, 2012, photo, songwriter Jennifer Lampert, right, writes down lyrics during a class session at Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J. Students are participating in a music class for service men and women that helps them cope with their life after the military through a program called Voices of Valor. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
In this Oct. 10, 2012, photo, students participate in a class at Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J. The music class is for service men and women that helps them cope with their life after the military through a program called Voices of Valor. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
In this Oct. 10, 2012, photo, U.S. Army Sgt. Thomas Springsteen writes notes during a class session at Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J. Springsteen is participating in a music class for service men and women that helps them cope with their life after the military through a program called Voices of Valor. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
In this Oct. 10, 2012, photo, musician Julio Fernandez, left, hands a guitar to U.S. Navy Petty Officer Mike Cordes during a class session at Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J. Students are participating in a music class for servicemen and women that helps them cope with their life after the military through a program called Voices of Valor. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
MONTCLAIR, N.J. (AP) ? During stressful times as a combat medic in Afghanistan, Mason Sullivan found solace in Vivaldi. New Jersey native Nairobi Cruz was comforted by country music, a genre she had never heard before joining the Army. For Jose Mercedes, it was an eclectic iPod mix that helped him cope with losing an arm during a tour of duty in Iraq.
These three young veterans all say music played a crucial role in alleviating the stresses of active duty. Now, all three are enrolled in a program that hopes to use music to ease their reintegration into civilian life.
"It's a therapy session without the 'sit down, lay down, and write notes,'" Mercedes, 26, of Union City, said of the music program. "It's different ? it's an alternative that's way better."
The pilot program, called Voices of Valor, has veterans work as a group to synthesize their experiences into musical lyrics. Guided by musicians and a psychology mentor, they write and record a song, and then hold a CD release party. The program is currently under way at Montclair State University, where students participate through the school's veteran affairs program.
Developed by husband and wife team Rena Fruchter and Brian Dallow, it is open to veterans of any age and background. No musical experience is required.
Both accomplished musicians, Fruchter and Dallow created the program as part of Music for All Seasons, an organization they founded which runs musical programs for audiences at places ranging from nursing homes to prisons.
Based on their experiences working with children at shelters for victims of domestic violence, Fruchter and Dallow realized that young people too traumatized to talk about what they had been through were nevertheless willing to bang on an instrument or sing ? often leading to communication breakthroughs. They felt the same might be true for veterans, or other populations traditionally averse to more overt forms of 'talk therapy.'
"We've had situations in which veterans have been carrying their burdens deep inside for such a long time, and they come into this group and they begin to talk about things that they've never talked about before," Fruchter said. "They really open up, and it translates into some music that is really amazing and incredible and powerful."
During a recent session of the eight-week program in Montclair, music facilitators Jennifer Lampert, a former Miss USO, and Julio Fernandez, a musician and member of the band Spyro Gyra, lead a small group of young veterans in brainstorming about their experiences.
"Tired of being angry," ''Easier not to move on," ''The war at home," were phrases Lampert extracted from a discussion among the participants and she wrote each phrase in marker on large notepads fastened to a classroom blackboard. As they spoke, Fernandez strummed an acoustic guitar while Lampert sang some of the phrases the students had come up with, adjusting the beat and tempo at their suggestion. Suddenly, a musical lyric emerged: "Sometimes, I wish the past is where I stayed."
A few weeks later, the group gathered at a sound studio in Union City, where they donned headphones and clearly relished the opportunity to record their collectively written tune, "Freedom," in a professional studio.
"To see music heal people in that way, it's beautiful, and the real incredible part is you don't have to do anything but give in to the music," Lampert said. She recounted how, time and again, the facilitators of the program had watched some participants start the class with shoulders slumped, hesitant to make eye contact, and afraid to speak up. Through the process of writing music they changed, she said, into group-focused, smiling, active participants unafraid to stand up and belt out a tune.
7/87/8_____
Follow Samantha Henry at http://www.twitter.com/SamanthaHenry
Despite the general incompetence of Soviet long-range nuclear bombers, the US couldn't allow a single such plane to reach American airspace. Its response—a new breed of fighter jet with an unprecedented wing design and handling. More »
A new type of machine could rival quantum computers in exceeding the power of classical computers, researchers say.
Quantum computers?rely on the bizarre properties of atoms and the other construction blocks of the universe. The world is a fuzzy place at its very smallest levels ? in this realm where?quantum physics?dominates, things can seemingly exist in two places at once or spin in opposite directions at the same time.
The new computers rely on "boson" particles, and resemble quantum computers, which differ from traditional computers in important ways. Normal computers represent data as ones and zeroes, binary digits known as bits that are expressed by flicking switch-like transistors on or off. Quantum computers, however, use quantum bits, or qubits (pronouced "cue-bits"), that can be on and off at the same time, a state known as "superposition."
This allows the machines to carry out two calculations simultaneously. Quantum physics permits such behavior because it allows for particles that can exist in two places at once or spin in opposite directions at the same time.?[Experiment Demonstrates Possibility of Quantum Internet]
Flash interactive: How quantum computers work
In principle, quantum computers could solve certain problems much faster than can?classical computers, because the quantum machines could run through every possible combination at once. A quantum computer with 300 qubits could run more calculations in an instant than there are atoms in the universe.
However, keeping qubits in superposition is challenging, and the problem grows more difficult as more qubits are involved. As such, building quantum computers that are more powerful than classical computers has proven very difficult.
Now, though, two independent teams of scientists have built a novel kind of device known as a boson-sampling computer. Described as a bridge between classical and quantum computers, these machines also make use of the bizarre nature of quantum physics. Although boson-sampling computers theoretically offer less power than quantum computers are capable of producing, the machines should still, in principle, out-perform classical computers in certain problems.
In addition, a boson-sampling computer does not require qubits. As such, "it's technologically far simpler to create than building a full-scale quantum computer," said researcher Matthew Broome, a quantum physicist at the University of Queensland in Australia.
Boson-sampling computers are actually a specialized kind of quantum computer (which is known more formally as a universal quantum computer).
"The main difference between boson-sampling computers and universal quantum computers is that boson-sampling quantum computers can't solve a universal set of problems like universal quantum computers can," Broome said. "But they are still conjectured to be able to solve problems that would be massively intractable for classical computers. Boson sampling computers are an intermediate model of a quantum computer."
Boson-sampling computers are not based on qubits, but on particles called?bosons. "In our case, we use photons," said researcher Ian Walmsley, a quantum physicist at the University of Oxford in England. Photons are the packets of energy that make up light, and are one type of boson.
Gallery: What the heck is a boson?
Broome and Walmsley were in separate groups that each devised a boson-sampling computer, based off concepts first described by theoretical computer scientist Scott Aaronson at MIT. The computers involve multiple devices that can each generate single photons. The photons are inserted into a network where they can interact with one another. They emerge from outputs equipped with sensors to analyze the particles.
The task of calculating which outputs these photons will emerge from, an operation known as boson sampling, grows well beyond the capabilities of classical computers the more photons are involved. The new computers accurately resolved what paths the photons would take ? three photons with Broome and his colleagues' machine and four in Walmsley and his collaborators' device.
Since boson-sampling computing is in its infancy, it remains uncertain whether these computers can solve problems beyond boson sampling. Still, this research suggests that computers based on quantum physics could indeed tackle problems beyond the reach of classical computers.
Year in Science: Higgs boson takes the prize
Previously, there was nothing to say "that anything you can do on a quantum computer you can't do on a normal computer, which leaves in question the necessity for quantum computers," Broome said. "Now, with boson sampling, we're coming up with machines based on quantum physics that can attack problems strongly believed to be intractable for classical computers."
In the future, "it would be great to push these computers toward more photons to tackle problems that would be challenging to simulate on normal computers," study coauthor Walmsley added. Using about 20 to 30 photons would?be a problem?beyond the capabilities of classical computers.
Both research teams detailed their findings online Dec. 20 in the journal Science.
Copyright 2012?InnovationNewsDaily, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Michael Phelps' 12,000-calorie-a-day training diet and Beyonce's maple syrup cleanse may top Google's list of the 10 most-searched diets of 2012, but the popular website Diets in Review.com found that when people want to get serious about weight loss, ? See all stories on this topic ?
Here?s a cautionary tale about tolerating a racially hostile comment, yet then agreeing that the comment was outrageous. Employers can?t have it both ways. Either the comment was grounds for discharge or it wasn?t really that severe.
Recent case: Nadiya, who is black, works as a prosecutor for Denton County. A white fellow prosecutor was assigned to prosecute a black defendant for driving while intoxicated through a black cemetery, damaging a number of grave markers.
A police officer had filmed the arrest, and the prosecutor played the video in his office. It showed the black suspect making a number of racially insulting remarks to the white officer. Apparently deeply offended after watching the video, the prosecutor sought out Nadiya, with whom he had never worked on a case, and regaled her with the tape?s details. Then he added that the tape made him want ?to go home and put on [my] white pointy hat.? He said he now understood ?why people hung people from trees.?
This, in turn, deeply offended Nadiya, who complained to her supervisor. The next day, the district attorney and his deputy spoke with Nadiya and asked her what she wanted them to do about the incident. She sought and received an apology, but then didn?t believe it was sincere. She wanted more to happen.
The DA then ordered the white prosecutor to attend a two-hour diversity training class. Later, he was heard to say that he had to be careful of what he said around the office for fear he?d have to take ?another one of those classes.?
Nadiya sued for a hostile work environment.
When the case went to court, the DA and other managers took the stand and admitted to the jury that the statements Nadiya had endured were ?sickening,? ?offensive,? ?unbelievable? and ?totally inappropriate.? One manager even cried on the stand, illustrating how upsetting the incident must have been. Still, the county asked the jury to find that the remedy?mandatory diversity training?was sufficient.
The jury disagreed and instead zapped the county with almost $300,000 in damages for pain and suffering. The county appealed, now arguing that Nadiya hadn?t really endured a racially hostile environment based on just the two comments.
The court said the county couldn?t have it both ways: It couldn?t say the comments were outrageous but not racially hostile. (Williams-Boldware v. Denton County, No. 4:09-CV-591, ED TX, 2012)
Final note: For black Americans, the noose and hanging from a tree are very powerful images, as is any reference to the Ku Klux Klan. The white prosecutor in this case managed to evoke both images in the same offensive comment.
This is no laughing matter. Between 1882 and 1968, more than 3,400 black Americans died at the hands of lynch mobs. Chances are that many black employees with roots in the South had a family member affected by lynching at some point in the past. A reminder is visceral for such workers.
You must include a warning against evoking these images in your harassment and discrimination training. Then adopt a zero-tolerance policy toward their use in the workplace. The prosecutor should have been fired.
Like what you've read? ...Republish it and share great business tips!
Attention: Readers, Publishers, Editors, Bloggers, Media, Webmasters and more...
We believe great content should be read and passed around. After all, knowledge IS power. And good business can become great with the right information at their fingertips. If you'd like to share any of the insightful articles on BusinessManagementDaily.com, you may republish or syndicate it without charge.
The only thing we ask is that you keep the article exactly as it was written and formatted. You also need to include an attribution statement and link to the article.
" This information is proudly provided by Business Management Daily.com: http://www.businessmanagementdaily.com/33462/employee-makes-outrageously-bigoted-comment-treat-that-as-an-offense-worthy-of-firing "
No matter what kind of phone you use, a lot of us are pretty dependent on Google for organizing our lives. Luckily, you can actually get Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Voice, and other services working great with iOS?it just takes a little bit of setup. Here's what you need to do.
Obviously, if you're really entrenched in Google services, your other option is to just use Android?after all, Android has a lot of features you can't get on iOS. However, iOS has its own specialties, and if you have your heart set on iOS' fantastic interface and app library, there's no reason being a Gmail user should hold you back.
Look familiar? We've posted this before, but a lot has changed: Google discontinued Google Sync, released an official Maps app, and even made their Gmail app usable. With that in mind, here's our updated guide to getting your Google fix on iOS.
Sync Gmail with iOS Mail
When it comes to Gmail, we think Sparrow ($3) is the best way to get your email on iOS. Seriously, buy it now. It has everything that makes Gmail great: support for labels, the ability to archive and delete messages from the inbox, and a fantastic interface designed to work with the iPhone. Gmail's official app is also a pretty good alternative, if you don't like Sparrow's few lacking features (like push notifications).
However, if you absolutely have to have the iOS integration that only Mail can provide, you'll need to do a bit of extra work. Here's how to properly add Gmail as an Mail account in iOS:
Open the Settings app and go to Mail, Contacts, Calendars. Tap the Add Account button and choose Gmail from the menu.
Enter your Gmail address under both Email and Username, and type your Gmail password into the Password box. (If you use two-step authentication?which you should?you'll need to use one of Google's application-specific passwords here.) Type in anything you want for Description (I used "Gmail").
Tap the Next button and flip the Mail switch to On if it isn't already. You can also turn Calendars on if you so desire (more on this later)
Now, if you open the Mail app, you should see your Gmail inbox. By default, pressing the Delete button archives a message instead of deletes it. If you want to change that behavior, open iOS' Settings, go to Mail, Contacts, Calendars, open up your Gmail account, and change "Archive Messages" to "Off". Note that in iOS 6, you can also press and hold the delete button to choose either action at any time.
Sync Google Contacts with iOS Contacts
If you want your Gmail contacts available on iOS without having to sync them with your computer, you can set up a CardDAV account on your iPhone that will sync them over the air:
Open the Settings app and go to Mail, Contacts, Calendars. Tap the Add Account button and choose Other from the menu (not Gmail).
Type google.com in the Server box. Enter your full Gmail address (user@example.com) in the Username boxes, and enter your Gmail password for Password. (If you use two-step authentication?which you should?you'll need to use one of Google's application-specific passwords here.) Type anything you want for Description.
Click Next. You should see the spinning wheel, and then iOS should successfully create the new account for you.
Now, if you head into the Contacts app, you should see all your Google contacts appear. If you make any changes on the iPhone, the changes will sync back to Gmail on the web, and vice-versa.
Note that if you're using a Google Apps for Business account, you can't currently use CardDAV. You'll have to use the old Google Sync method just for your contacts instead.
Sync Google Calendar with iCal (and Other iOS Apps)
To sync your Calendars, we recommend using the same Gmail method we used for our email above. If you already set up Gmail using this method, skip to step 3 in the following instructions. Otherwise, start with step 1:
Open the Settings app and go to Mail, Contacts, Calendars. Tap the Add Account button and choose Gmail from the menu.
Enter your Gmail address under both Email and Username, and type your Gmail password into the Password box. (If you use two-step authentication?which you should?you'll need to use one of Google's application-specific passwords here.) Type in anything you want for Description (I used "Gmail").
Tap the Next button and flip the Calendars switch to On if it isn't already. Be sure to switch Mail off if you're using Sparrow or the official Gmail app for your mail.
Now, if you head into iCal, you should see your main Google Calendar events. If you want to sync your other calendars, head to your computer and go to this page. From there, you can select which calendars sync down to your iPhone. Check their boxes, click save, and reopen iCal. You should see that all your other events appear.
This method should also work with other calendar apps that get their info from iCal, such as Week Cal (our favorite calendar app for the iPhone).
In short, we recommend having two different accounts set up in your settings: One Gmail account for your Mail and Calendar, and one CardDAV account for your Contacts. We've found that this recipe makes for the most accurate synchronization within each service.
Set Up Google Voice with Messages
The free, official Google Voice app on iOS is pretty great. You can read your text messages and voicemails, star important ones, make calls, and even create a quick dial list of your favorite contacts. However, its notification system isn't very good (since you have to open the app to sync the unread status of messages). GV Mobile+ ($3) is also good, adding the ability to message groups, edit your forwarding numbers, and even send picture messages (sort of). gMessage is also a good app, providing you with a very fast, intuitive interface for getting to your messages. However, both alternative apps require a bit of work to set up notifications.
If you want the best possible Google Voice experience on the iPhone, you'll need to jailbreak and install two tweaks from Cydia: Phone GV Extension ($3) and SMS GV Extension ($3). The Phone extension integrates Google Voice with the iPhone's default dialer, so you can dial out from the Phone app and by clicking phone numbers in other apps. The SMS extension lets you send and receive Google Voice texts from the default Messages app, which means better notifications and the ability to use iMessages with your iPhone-using friends. If you aren't jailbroken, the official Google Voice app is more than good enough, but these jailbreak tweaks are definitely the best way to get Google Voice working on your iPhone.
For more info on all of these apps and tweaks, check out our guide to improving your Google Voice experience on the iPhone.
Bring an Integrated Google Maps Back to iOS
Apple's Maps app leaves a lot to be desired, and thankfully Google's come to the rescue by releasing their own official Maps app with turn-by-turn navigation and more. Just grab it from the App Store to reap the benefits.
Its biggest downside, however, is that it doesn't integrate with iOS nearly as well as Apple Maps. Luckily, you have a few solutions. Jailbreakers can install the MapsOpener tweak to automatically open address links in Google Maps, and all iOS users can integrate Google Maps with Siri using a clever Address Book trick. It isn't perfect, but at least you'll be able to get directions without being horribly misled.
Everything Else
These aren't the only Google services that deserve a spot on your iPhone, but these instructions should get you most of the way there. If you use Chrome on the desktop, then Chrome for iOS is the perfect mobile browser. you can sync all of your bookmarks, search history, and passwords, and it also has many of the features that desktop users have come to love, like Incognito Mode. Google Reader users should check out Reeder, and Google Drive users should (obviously) download the Google Drive app. Google Mobile can also be handy for voice-activated search. Whatever your Google needs, you can probably meet most of them on iOS without too much trouble, and get the best of both Apple and Google together.
"); ipb.editor_values.get('templates')['togglesource'] = new Template(""); ipb.editor_values.get('templates')['toolbar'] = new Template(""); ipb.editor_values.get('templates')['button'] = new Template("
"); ipb.editor_values.get('templates')['menu_item'] = new Template("
#{title}
"); ipb.editor_values.get('templates')['togglesource'] = new Template(""); ipb.editor_values.get('templates')['emoticons_showall'] = new Template(""); ipb.editor_values.get('templates')['emoticon_wrapper'] = new Template("
Emoticons
"); // Add smilies into the mix ipb.editor_values.set( 'show_emoticon_link', false ); ipb.editor_values.set( 'bbcodes', $H({"acronym":{"id":"8","title":"Acronym","desc":"Allows you to make an acronym that will display a description when moused over","tag":"acronym","useoption":"1","example":"[acronym='Laugh Out Loud']lol[/acronym]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"Enter the description for this acronym (EG: Laugh Out Loud)","menu_content_text":"Enter the acronym (EG: lol)","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"entry":{"id":"35","title":"Blog Entry Link","desc":"This tag provides an easy way to link to a blog entry.","tag":"entry","useoption":"1","example":"[entry=100]Click me![/entry]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"blog":{"id":"34","title":"Blog Link","desc":"This tag provides an easy way to link to a blog.","tag":"blog","useoption":"1","example":"[blog=100]Click me![/blog]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"code":{"id":"13","title":"Code","desc":"Allows you to enter general code","tag":"code","useoption":"0","example":"[code]$text = 'Some long code here';[/code]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"embed":{"id":"37","title":"embed","desc":"Allows you to embed video material","tag":"embed","useoption":"0","example":"[embed]src=http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-2823239341954301626&hl=nl width=478 height=326[/embed]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"extract":{"id":"33","title":"Extract Blog Entry","desc":"This will allow users to define an extract for an entry. Only this piece of the entry will be displayed on the main blog page and will show up in the RSS feed.","tag":"extract","useoption":"0","example":"[extract]This is an example![/extract]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"hr":{"id":"12","title":"Horizontal Rule","desc":"Adds a horizontal rule to separate text","tag":"hr","useoption":"0","example":"[hr]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"1","optional_option":"0","image":""},"html":{"id":"15","title":"HTML Code","desc":"Allows you to enter formatted/syntax-highlighted HTML code","tag":"html","useoption":"0","example":"[html][/html]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"member":{"id":"31","title":"Member","desc":"Given a member name, a link is automatically generated to the member's profile","tag":"member","useoption":"1","example":"[member=admin] runs this site.","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"1","optional_option":"0","image":""},"php":{"id":"14","title":"PHP Code","desc":"Allows you to enter PHP code into a formatted/highlighted syntax box","tag":"php","useoption":"0","example":"[php]$variable = true;\n\nprint_r($variable);[/php]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"post":{"id":"6","title":"Post Link","desc":"This tag provides an easy way to link to a post.","tag":"post","useoption":"1","example":"[post=1]Click me![/post]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"Enter the Post ID","menu_content_text":"Enter the title for this link","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"snapback":{"id":"1","title":"Post Snap Back","desc":"This tag displays a little linked image which links back to a post - used when quoting posts from the board. Opens in same window by default.","tag":"snapback","useoption":"0","example":"[snapback]100[/snapback]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"spoiler":{"id":"7","title":"Spoiler","desc":"Spoiler tag","tag":"spoiler","useoption":"0","example":"[spoiler]Some hidden text[/spoiler]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"Enter the text to be masked","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"sql":{"id":"16","title":"SQL Code","desc":"Allows you to enter formatted/syntax-highlighted SQL code","tag":"sql","useoption":"0","example":"[sql]SELECT p.*, t.* FROM posts p LEFT JOIN topics t ON t.tid=p.topic_id WHERE t.tid=7[/sql]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"topic":{"id":"5","title":"Topic Link","desc":"This tag provides an easy way to link to a topic","tag":"topic","useoption":"1","example":"[topic=1]Click me![/topic]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"Enter the topic ID","menu_content_text":"Enter the title for this link","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"twitter":{"id":"36","title":"Twitter","desc":"A tag to link to a user's twitter account","tag":"twitter","useoption":"0","example":"[twitter]userName[/twitter]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":"twitter.png"},"wiki":{"id":"38","title":"Wiki tag","desc":"This tag links to the wiki.","tag":"wiki","useoption":"0","example":"[wiki]Main Page[/wiki]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"xml":{"id":"17","title":"XML Code","desc":"Allows you to enter formatted/syntax-highlighted XML code","tag":"xml","useoption":"0","example":"[xml]\n \n Test\n \n[/xml]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"youtube":{"id":"45","title":"YouTube","desc":"Just add the Youtube code to embed it.","tag":"youtube","useoption":"0","example":"[youtube]zXuyVKUesbw[/youtube]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""},"br":{"id":"43","title":"[br]","desc":"Add an additional linebreak","tag":"br","useoption":"0","example":"[br][/br]","switch_option":"0","menu_option_text":"","menu_content_text":"","single_tag":"0","optional_option":"0","image":""}}) ); ipb.vars['emoticon_url'] = "http://forum.renoise.com/public/style_emoticons/default"; //Search Setup ipb.vars['search_type'] = 'forum'; ipb.vars['search_type_id'] = 6; ipb.vars['search_type_2'] = 'topic'; ipb.vars['search_type_id_2'] = 36892; // Delete stuff set up ipb.topic.deleteUrls['hardDelete'] = new Template("http://forum.renoise.com/index.php?app=forums&module=moderate§ion=moderate&do=04&f=6&t=36892&st=&auth_key=880ea6a14ea49e853634fbdc5015a024&p=#{pid}"); ipb.topic.deleteUrls['softDelete'] = new Template("http://forum.renoise.com/index.php?app=forums&module=moderate§ion=moderate&do=postchoice&tact=sdelete&t=36892&f=6&auth_key=880ea6a14ea49e853634fbdc5015a024&selectedpids[#{pid}]=#{pid}&pid=#{pid}"); //]]>
You cannot start a new topic
You cannot reply to this topic
#1 ? Daft Cunt?
Group:Normal Members
Posts:75
Joined:28-May 07
Posted Today, 11:17 AM
Any chance of seeing such a functionality implemented in the sample editor ? I tried It-alien's Morpher tool but it won't work with single-cycle waveforms for instance. Anybody else interested in this ?
0
#2 ? Gooze?
Group:Normal Members
Posts:146
Joined:21-September 09
Gender:Male
Location:Bangkok
Posted Today, 01:42 PM
I'd love to mix different samples beyond just layering two sounds. But how does the sample morphing work? Is it a spectral analysis the gives a timbral mix like vocoding, an envelope analysis that matches attack and sustain from one sample to another or a signal convolution?
DAVIS, Calif. (AP) ? A veterinarian at the University of California, Davis, has some good news about a dog from the Philippines who became an international hero after sacrificing her snout to save two young girls.
After completing six weekly intravenous chemotherapy infusions, Kabang appears to have beaten the cancer she was suffering from, Gina Davis, the primary care veterinarian at the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital in Davis, told the San Francisco Chronicle (http://bit.ly/Ti87pl).
The dog, however, is still facing treatment for heartworms in her arteries before she can have the gaping wound on her face closed. Full treatment of that condition was put on hold during cancer therapy.
Kabang ? a female mongrel ? had the first of three arsenic-based heartworm shots on Dec. 4 and is expected to receive the other two in the second week of January, Davis said.
"It will be one to two months for her to recover from that before she goes in and has the surgery," Davis said.
Kabang had her snout and upper jaw sheared off when she jumped in front of a speeding motorcycle, saving her owner's daughter and niece from serious injury or death, according to newspaper reports in the Philippines.
The dog ended up in Davis earlier this year after a nurse from Buffalo, N.Y., spearheaded a fundraising campaign to bring her to the U.S. Veterinarians in the Philippines were apparently unable to treat her injuries.
Surgeons are planning to perform two or three procedures. The first will involve dental work, extractions and covering exposed roots.
They will then try to close the dog's wound and restore nasal functions. The dog's bony structures are currently exposed to air, increasing the chance of infection, Davis said.
Kabang may return to the Philippines in May or June. The bill for her treatment is expected to top $10,000.
Davis said despite Kabang's many conditions, the dog appears to be in good spirits.
"She has come through everything very well," Davis said. "Her appetite is still good. She's still bright and happy."
CHICAGO/WHITE PLAINS, New York (Reuters) - Retailers limped into Christmas with last-minute blowout deals on everything from TVs to celebrity-branded clothing, after a disappointing few weeks of sales led many analysts to lower their expectations for the holiday season.
Some industry watchers said shoppers were making smaller purchases, even though they are still visiting stores and browsing online. Since the holiday quarter can account for about 30 percent of annual sales and half of profit for many chains, such small distinctions can be crucial.
"The attitude of the shopper went from Christmas euphoria on Thanksgiving weekend to more subdued, to less frenetic," said Thom Blischok, chief retail strategist and a senior executive adviser with consulting firm Booz & Company's retail practice.
Before the season began, Blischok was looking for sales to rise more than 5 percent in November and December over the same period in 2011. Now, he said a gain of 2 percent to 2.5 percent appears more likely. Research firm ShopperTrak last week said it now expects an increase of 2.5 percent, rather than 3.3 percent.
"The season will be an OK season. It won't be as strong as last year, but it won't be maybe as bad as feared heading into it," said Joseph Feldman, managing director and senior research analyst at Telsey Advisory Group. "Christmas comes every year."
Some of the winning chains this holiday season appeared to be Macy's, TJX, Michael Kors, Costco, Limited, Gap Inc, Anthropologie and Walmart, Feldman said, citing the number of shoppers in their stores, their products and online presence.
Even so, some of those who are buying said they were holding back.
Terene Collymore, a student of criminology at Monroe College in New Rochelle, New York, was at a Walmart on Monday, buying last-minute gifts, such as knitting supplies for her mother. Collymore said she was being more careful this year and not spending more on herself.
"I don't throw money away," she said.
CHEAP TELEVISIONS ABOUND
Retailers have done a good job controlling inventory levels, even in the face of diminished forecasts, analysts said.
The season has been "decent" but "not exceptional," said Noam Paransky, vice president in AlixPartners retail practice.
He said he has not seen unplanned discounting or too much excess inventory despite slightly slower-than-expected growth.
"Retailers have been disciplined. They haven't hit the panic button yet," Paransky said.
Still, Target Corp slashed the price of its collaborative holiday collection with Neiman Marcus by 50 percent a few days ago. The collection was still marked at full price at Neiman Marcus.
Meanwhile Sears was offering 60 percent off clothing from the reality TV family's "Kardashian Kollection," and Target, Walmart and Best Buy all had last-minute discounts hundreds of dollars deep on big-screen TVs.
Apple's iPad mini has been tough to find in some places but is still available, while the new iPhone 5 is still in stock, suggesting that people may have stuck with their prior models or bought the less expensive iPhone 4S instead, said Feldman.
A mix of electronics are selling "exceptionally well," from low-cost tablets to very large-screen TVs, and items such as audio sound bars and headphones, said NPD Group's Stephen Baker.
One area of concern is in computers, as sales of PCs and tablets running Windows 8, from its launch in late October to mid-December, were down 13 percent from a year ago, Baker said.
That will likely be a disappointment to Microsoft and many third-party retailers, as past releases of Windows have spurred PC sales. However, that has been disrupted by the popularity of tablets eating away at PC sales, Baker said.
AFTER-CHRISTMAS SALES
Superstorm Sandy hit sales in the densely populated Northeast in late October and early November but retailers were able to bounce back weeks later with a strong turnout on Thanksgiving weekend.
Now, fresh concerns about whether Washington will reach an agreement to avert the "fiscal cliff" of tax hikes and spending cuts before January 1 is leading some shoppers to curb spending.
Overall, analysts said inventory levels appeared about right, though consumers' minds have changed since retailers placed orders for items such as apparel back in the spring.
"I don't think it's an issue of ordering too much, I think it's the fact that the consumer has recognized 'I can learn to live with less, I don't have to have that fourteenth sweater, I just don't have to have it,'" said Blischok.
Even if the stores are quiet, the Internet is not. There were 12 days this holiday when spending topped $1 billion, up from 10 such days in 2011, according to comScore. Online sales rose 16 percent in the first 51 days of the holiday season, it said.
Those retailers that are seeing weakness before the holiday could use after-Christmas sales to sell discounted goods, analysts said.
Typically, retailers like to clear out their holiday merchandise quickly, so that shoppers coming in with the gift cards they received are more likely to buy full-price spring merchandise at fatter profit margins.
The S&P 500 retail index rose 0.15 percent on Monday, outpacing a 0.24 percent dip in the S&P 500.
(Reporting by Jessica Wohl in Chicago and Phil Wahba in White Plains, N.Y.; additional reporting by Bill Rigby in New York; Editing by Ben Berkowitz, Gunna Dickson and Steve Orlofsky)
No matter what kind of phone you use, a lot of us are pretty dependent on Google for organizing our lives. Luckily, you can actually get Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Voice, and other services working great with iOS?it just takes a little bit of setup. Here's what you need to do. 
Open the Settings app and go to Mail, Contacts, Calendars. Tap the Add Account button and choose Gmail from the menu.
Tap the Next button and flip the Mail switch to On if it isn't already. You can also turn Calendars on if you so desire (more on this later)
Now, if you head into iCal, you should see your main Google Calendar events. If you want to sync your other calendars, head to your computer and go to this page. From there, you can select which calendars sync down to your iPhone. Check their boxes, click save, and reopen iCal. You should see that all your other events appear.
If you want the best possible Google Voice experience on the iPhone, you'll need to jailbreak and install two tweaks from Cydia: Phone GV Extension ($3) and SMS GV Extension ($3). The Phone extension integrates Google Voice with the iPhone's default dialer, so you can dial out from the Phone app and by clicking phone numbers in other apps. The SMS extension lets you send and receive Google Voice texts from the default Messages app, which means better notifications and the ability to use iMessages with your iPhone-using friends. If you aren't jailbroken, the official Google Voice app is more than good enough, but these jailbreak tweaks are definitely the best way to get Google Voice working on your iPhone.
Apple's Maps app leaves a lot to be desired, and thankfully Google's come to the rescue by releasing their own official Maps app with turn-by-turn navigation and more. Just grab it from the App Store to reap the benefits.
These aren't the only Google services that deserve a spot on your iPhone, but these instructions should get you most of the way there. If you use Chrome on the desktop, then Chrome for iOS is the perfect mobile browser. you can sync all of your bookmarks, search history, and passwords, and it also has many of the features that desktop users have come to love, like Incognito Mode. Google Reader users should check out Reeder, and Google Drive users should (obviously) download the Google Drive app. Google Mobile can also be handy for voice-activated search. Whatever your Google needs, you can probably meet most of them on iOS without too much trouble, and get the best of both Apple and Google together.
?