Comcast : 10 Gbit's Ethernet in Connecticut

Comcast Business Launches 10 Gbit's Ethernet in Connecticut

NORWICH, Conn. -- Comcast Business today announced that its full portfolio of multi-Gigabit Ethernet services is now available across six communities in New London County, Connecticut, bringing the total number of towns and cities in Connecticut that have access to Comcast’s services to 66. Capable of up to 10 Gigabits-per-second (Gbps) of performance, these services are specifically designed for businesses, hospitals, schools and other organizations requiring more capacity, looking to network multiple locations together, or planning to connect their offices to a third-party data center.

“Eastern Connecticut is filled with thriving businesses of all sizes, nearly all of which require access to a reliable, high-performance communications network to successfully compete in today’s ever-changing economy,” said Tony Sheridan, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT. “We’re very happy that Comcast Business has continued to invest in bringing its multi-gigabit Ethernet services to so many of our local communities, and we look forward to continuing our valuable partnership well into the future.”

With this announcement, the communities of Bozrah, Franklin, Lisbon, Norwich, Preston and Sprague can now take advantage of four different types of Comcast Business multi-Gigabit Ethernet services, including:

    Ethernet Private Line – point-to-point service between two customer sites for bandwidth-intensive applications.

    Ethernet Virtual Private Line – point-to-multipoint service that allows customers to tailor capacity, performance characteristics and cost to meet the needs of their applications.

    Ethernet Network Service – multipoint-to-multipoint service to connect organizations with high-bandwidth requirements and multiple locations across Comcast’s network.

    Ethernet Dedicated Internet – continuous, high-capacity service between customers’ LANs and the public Internet.

“Whether it’s a school providing tablets to its students for online learning, a hospital transferring large imaging files or a police department monitoring surveillance video in real-time, capacity and performance are increasingly becoming the two main engines driving all businesses,” said Paul Savas, vice president of Comcast Business in Connecticut.

“Our fiber expansion in these six communities is the latest example of the significant investments we’ve made to increase the availability of our multi-Gigabit Ethernet services – which can scale from anywhere between 1 Mbps all the way up to 10 Gbps of performance – to help foster economic development and drive competition, innovation and value for our customers across New London County and Connecticut overall. We look forward to continuing to expand these services so businesses of all sizes can take advantage of the scalability and performance our vast network can offer.”

All of Comcast’s multi-Gigabit Ethernet services are delivered over an advanced network that spans 145,000 miles across 39 states and the District of Columbia. Serving 20 of the top 25 U.S. markets, Comcast’s network features a 100 Gbps backbone and expanded local footprint through Ethernet over HFC. Bandwidth is available up to 10 Gbps and can be scaled in increments and offered in three different classes of service, backed by service level agreements and monitored 24x7x365 from Comcast’s dedicated Network Operations Centers. Comcast was the first service provider in the world to offer Metro Ethernet Forum CE 2.0 certified Ethernet services and was also the first service provider to achieve all three of the previous CE 1.0 certifications (MEF 9, 14 and 18).


Cr.Light Treading Post

Trevor Noah on ‘Daily Show’

Trevor Noah, who has appeared on The Daily Show

UPDATE, 7:43 AM: Comedy Central made it official this morning: Trevor Noah, who has appeared on The Daily Show just three times, is taking over as host when Jon Stewart steps down. Word that Noah was the network’s choice got out Friday. Here is today’s Comedy Central announcement:

    Trevor Noah has been selected to become the next host of the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning The Daily Show.

    Noah joined The Daily Show in 2014 as a contributor. He made his U.S. television debut in 2012 on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and has also appeared on Late Show with David Letterman, becoming the first South African stand-up comedian to appear on either late-night show. Noah has hosted numerous television shows including his own late-night talk show in his native country, Tonight with Trevor Noah.

    He was featured on the October 2014 cover of GQ South Africa and has been profiled in Rolling Stone, Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal, and by CNN and NPR’s Talk of the Nation, among others. He continues to tour all over the world and has performed in front of sold out crowds at the Hammersmith Apollo in London and the Sydney Opera House in Australia.

Noah only debuted on The Daily Show as senior international correspondent on December 4. And in this morning’s coverage of the news, NBC’s Today show report was typically illustrative of how well-known Noah isn’t in this country:

“We now know who will replace Jon Stewart. His name: Trevor Noah,” Savannah Guthrie revealed.

“Huh?” responded Al Roker.

“I think it’s fair to say he’s not well known in this country. He’s a South African comedian,” she continued.

“Do not feel bad if you have to Google him,” assured Tamron Hall.

“Trevor Noah is the name – look him up,” advised Willie Geist.

Noah made the shortlist of contenders in early February, as more likely candidates — or at least those topping the media’s list of likely candidates — shrank with news they’d been snagged by Comedy Central competitors. The list included former Comedy Central star Stephen Colbert, who already had committed to taking over David Letterman’s CBS late-night show (CBS started running Colbert promos Friday in its basketball coverage); former Comedy Central star John Oliver, who decided instead to sign a contract extension to continue hosting Last Week Tonight at HBO; former Daily Show correspondent Jason Jones, who said so long to the show last week as he heads to TBS to star and produce a comedy series and also exec produce a planned topical talker that would star his wife, fellow Daily Show correspondent Samantha Bee – also on the list of People Not Hosting The Daily Show – that’s expected to be a late-night vehicle; and current Daily Show correspondent Jessica Williams, who declared herself “underqualified” for the gig in February in response to a petition calling for Comedy Central to give her the host’s chair.

Noah commented on today’s news via Twitter:

No-one can replace Jon Stewart. But together with the amazing team at The Daily Show, we will continue to make this the best damn news show!
One industry source told Deadline that Comedy Central wanted a host who was not another white male. The genre has taken a lot of criticism among all networks for the homogeneity in its ranks. Noah is from South Africa; his mother is South African and his father is Swiss.

In an interview with the New York Times, which was given the jump on this morning’s announcement, Michele Ganeless, the Comedy Central president, was not quoted addressing that directly, but said the network’s goal had been to “find someone who brings something really exciting and new and different,” explaining, “We talked to women. We talked to men. We found in Trevor the best person for the job. You don’t hope to find the next Jon Stewart — there is no next Jon Stewart.”

But the network referenced the debate, elliptically, in a tweet this morning:

“We’re always excited to find new, talented voices that can contribute to our program,” Stewart said when he unveiled Noah to The Daily Show back in December:

Noah is repped by CAA, LEG and Morris Yorn.

PREVIOUS, 6 AM: Comedy Central made it official this morning, leaking to the New York Times its planned Monday announcement that the young South African comic will take over the hosting slot on The Daily Show when Jon Stewart departs. That date remains unknown. Deadline revealed on Friday that Noah was being fast-tracked for the job.

“You don’t believe it for the first few hours,” Noah told the Times by phone from Dubai, where he is on a leg of a comedy tour. “You need a stiff drink, and then unfortunately you’re in a place where you can’t really get alcohol.”

Jon Stewart, in an uncharacteristically exclamation-point-laden profusion of boosterism, told the Times, “I’m thrilled for the show and for Trevor. He’s a tremendous comic and talent that we’ve loved working with.” Mr. Stewart added that he “may rejoin as a correspondent just to be a part of it!!!”

The comedian, 31, has only appeared on the flagship Comedy Central program three times. Michele Ganeless, the Comedy Central president, told the Times: “We talked to women. We talked to men. We found in Trevor the best person for the job. You don’t hope to find the next Jon Stewart – there is no next Jon Stewart. So, our goal was to find someone who brings something really exciting and new and different.”

Cr.Deadline Post

TV review: 'Killing Jesus' is a clunker

Kelsey Grammer is King Herod in National Geographic's "Killing Jesus,

'Killing Jesus,' 

7-10 p.m. Sunday (March 29) on the National Geographic Channel Repeated at 10 p.m. and at 7 and 10 p.m. April 10.

What do you want from a movie called "Killing Jesus"? The National Geographic Channel, adapting the book by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard, promises a political and social, rather than religious, retelling of the life and death of Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately, the movie opens with a sequence that feels like parody: Kelsey Grammer as King Herod, in terrible wig and fluffy fake beard, roaming around, seeming to channel Scrooge from "A Christmas Carol."

It's hard to take "Killing Jesus" entirely seriously after that, despite the grim fact that it counts down to a crucifixion. Like "Killing Lincoln" and "Killing Kennedy," also from O'Reilly books, "Killing Jesus" is apparently satisfied to look and sound vaguely cheesy.

That's too bad, because the attempt to educate viewers about Roman politics and life in Israel could be noble. A documentary would be a better vehicle, though, than a movie that called on screenwriter Walon Green ("Law & Order: Criminal Intent") to script Bible-sounding yet strangely contemporary dialogue for its characters.

Beyond Grammer, who luckily doesn't have an ongoing part in the story, the cast of "Killing Jesus" includes Rufus Sewell as Caiaphas and Stephen Moyer ("True Blood") as Pontius Pilate.

Eyebrows were raised at the news that Haaz Sleiman, the Lebanese-American actor who plays Jesus, was raised Muslim. At least, for once, the actor looks the part.
I'm not giving "Killing Jesus" any stars, not because it deserves a zero but because the response here is bound to be so subjective. I found it a clunker, but if you think you'll enjoy it, if you liked the book, your reaction may differ.

If you're iffy, though, a far better Bible miniseries is just around the corner. The classy, 12-hour "A.D.," a sequel to "The Bible," begins next Sunday on NBC.


Cr. St Louis News

Lava meets Ice : Scrambled eggs ?

Superheated molten rock doesn't just melt through ice, but creates beautiful and red hot air bubbles

Ever wondered what would happen if someone poured lava onto a sheet of ice?
This film gives an answer - which isn't quite what you might expect.
The video was originally published in 2012 and has now been watched by more than seven million people.

Since then, a pair of lava lovers from Syracuse University have conducted more than 100 experiments, pouring super hot rock into water and onto snow.

The Science Channel caught up with sculptor Bob Wysocki, professor at the Department of Art, and geologist Jeff Karson, professor at the Department of Earth Sciences, to see how their lava affair was progressing.

"Our first guess about what would happen was that was that the lava was going to explode or tunnel down through ice, melting a hole," said Karson.
"It didn't do either of those things."

Mr Lava Lava: here's what happens when fire meets ice

When the superheated molten rock hits the ice it actually moves across it, creating beautiful bubbles.

"The way it looks is like scrambled eggs from hell," Karson added. "It just did things we didn't really expect."

The bubbles are blown by a process similar to glass blowing. When lava meets ice, the frozen water turns immediately into steam, inflating the bubbles.
This steam also keeps the lava from touching cold ice, forming a cushion which allows it to move along the frozen surface.

Cr.Mirror UK

Christians around the world mark Palm

Pope Francis holds the Palm Sunday Mass at St. Peter's Square on March 29

Christians around the world are marking Palm Sunday by waving fronds, attending church services and visiting sites in the Holy Land at the start of the Holy Week that ends with Easter.

Crowds of faithful gathered in Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the traditional site of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. Many waved the fronds to symbolize how worshipers greeted Jesus over 2,000 years ago as he triumphantly returned to Jerusalem.
Later in the day, hundreds of Christian pilgrims are expected to march behind a white donkey from the Mount of Olives to the holy city, retracing Jesus' traditional route into Jerusalem.

Worshipers also gathered in the Nativity Church in Bethlehem, the traditional site of Jesus' birth, clutching olive branches and bouquets as they sung in praise.

At the Vatican, Pope Francis marked Palm Sunday in St. Peter's Square. In keeping with the simple tone of his 2-year-old papacy, Francis leaned on a plain wooden pastoral staff instead of a traditionally more ornate one as he stood under a red canopy on the basilica steps.

Francis and other prelates at the Mass wore bright red vestments to recall Jesus' death by crucifixion. Tens of thousands of faithful held olive branches during Mass under a brilliantly blue sky.
Tourists and pilgrims have poured into Rome, and many will follow the pope's Way of the Cross service at the Colosseum Friday.

In Nigeria, the faithful attended church a day after millions voted in a presidential election too close to call, many praying for peace after violence marred its 2011 poll.

Christians also prayed in religiously diverse Lebanon as well, some of those refugees who have fled Syria's four-year conflict.

Cr.CBS News

Kids’ Choice Awards 2015

Kids’ Choice Awards 2015: Angelina Jolie

 Nick Jonas wowed the crowd at the 2015 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, held Saturday at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., which seats 17,500 — screaming kids.

The host pulled double duty, kicking off the live show with a medley performance of his hits “Chains” and “Jealous.” Welcomed by a video montage of A-listers chanting his name — Taylor Swift, Heidi Klum and, of course, SpongeBob SquarePants’ Patrick Star — Jonas took the stage, in front of the star-studded audience, including Chris Pratt, Jamie Foxx and Angelina Jolie, who was joined by two of her kids, Shiloh and Zahara.

“A lot of girls in the house are still struggling after One Direction became two directions,” Jonas greeted the crowd, alluding to this week’s news of the boy band losing member Zayn Malik. Poking fun at himself, he quipped, “What’s next, the Jonas Brother?”

Emma Stone won the first award of the night for favorite movie actress. Next up, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting and Kevin James presented Liam Hemsworth — who walked up to stage through a fountain of slime — with the orange blimp for favorite male action star. Hemsworth’s co-star Jennifer Lawrence, not in attendance, also won for favorite female action star, and “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1″ won for favorite movie.

Some of the night’s other big winners were Jolie, who won for “Maleficient”; Ben Stiller, who won for the latest “Night at the Museum” installment; girl band Fifth Harmony; “The Voice” for favorite talent competition show; Disney Channel’s “Austin & Ally” and “Modern Family,” whose entire cast was slimed when they accepted their honor for favorite family show.

“When I was little, I was told I was different,” Jolie said during her acceptance speech, picking up the award for best villain. She addressed the room of kids with an inspiring message. “Different is good. So, don’t fit in. Don’t sit still. Don’t ever try to do less than you are. When somebody tells you you’re different, smile and hold your head up high and be proud. And as your villain, I would also say, cause a little trouble. It’s good for you.”

Josh Gad, who headed to the Kids’ Choice Awards after Variety Studio: Actors on Actors, presented the blimp for favorite reality Sh ow with Adam Sandler. The comedians (not to be confused with Gad’s upcoming FX series) announced the winner, “Dance Moms,” but not before Sandler doused Gad in green goo via a gigantic slime gun.

Throughout the night, Jonas made his way through the crowd to take photos with celebrities such as Terrell Owens and Al Roker, who predicted a forecast of slime.

Jennifer Lopez was one of the show’s surprise superstars. The “American Idol” icon presented the award for favorite male singer, which went to the man of the night, Jonas.

Jennifer Lopez was one of the show’s surprise superstars.

“You deserve this and so much more,” Lopez said, bringing down gallons of slime to drench the host. “Do you want some more? Because I can make it happen!” she teased.

Chris Rock, Zendaya, Tia Mowry-Hardrict, Debby Ryan, YouTube phenomenons Bethany Mota and Shawn Mendes, and Nick Cannon, who donned an orange suit, were presenters at the KCAs.

Iggy Azalea and Jennifer Hudson teamed up to perform their single “Trouble” with the rapper dressed up as an inmate and the songstress as a cop.

Closing the night, Australian band 5 Seconds of Summer rocked out to their hit “What I Like About You” — and yes, the stage exploded with slime.

Cr.Variety Post

Top 5 Most Amazing Places on Earth

The world we live in was created not only for man but for all living things. Life exists everywhere and it is full of beautiful places and overwhelming with the wonders of nature. However, city life and modernization gives us limitations, but if you would dare to explore you will find that wherever you go you are surrounded with marvels this planet has to offer. What lies and goes beyond seas, oceans, mountains and valleys remain a mystery, and there is always something new to discover such as these weird yet awesome places on earth:

5. The Bermuda Triangle

Weird as it seems, this has captured the interest of many and has been referred to as the “devil’s triangle” for the reason that any ship or plane that may enter this triangle vanishes into this air.
Massive ships and huge air planes have disappeared into nothingness and to date, no one has discovered why. It remains a mystery to people and scientists. The three points covered by the triangle corresponds to three places namely Bermuda, Florida and Puerto Rico.
The term Bermuda Triangle was noted by Vincent Gaddis way back in 1964. Since then, researchers have been digging deep trying to find answers as to what exactly occurs within this queer and puzzling triangle and what really makes things and people vanish.

It is thought by some that there are probably unexpected problems in navigation experienced in the air which confuses the pilot that’s why the plane eventually ends up landing in the ocean. This is one mystery that is yet to be solved, where people and scientists are both hopeful and eager to be enlightened but for now, nobody dares to go to this place anymore because it would mean calling out to death!

4. Pamukkale (Turkey)

Another weird place in this planet is the popular Travertine Pools. These earthy and beautiful, breathtaking pools are bizarre in a way that no one can actually tell or explain how it has been formed.

Story tells that around thousands of years ago, Turkey, where this place is situated, was faced and shattered with earthquakes, one after the other. The occurrences brought about the formation of fractures which created hot springs. It showered the place with overflowing amounts of water that was infused with calcium carbonate. Once the water ran dry and evaporated, it left a chalky stuff which got thicker and formed massive layers of this thick substance which then turned into walls.

 Pamukkale is one of the rarest places you will ever see which looks like milk from a distance. Quite a number of tourists visit this place but is now closed b=down by UNESCO to preserve it.

3. Suqatra Island (Yemen)

This place is believed to be the lost world since it is positioned away and off coast of Yemen. It’s a perfect picture of a weird yet heavenly world, which will make you genuinely happy just by reveling in its beauty. Filled with natural aura and environment, it serves as one great vacation spot that you must visit for a one of a kind and unforgettable experience of a lifetime. You will be rejuvinated and feel full of life upon witnessing this small, simple yet magnificent island which is also called Socota. Fact is, it is a chunk of land that was isolated from the world around 6 million years back in time and houses an estimated 900 species of weird and unusual plants unlike anything else on earth.

Here you will find the most popular tree- Dragon’s Blood which is utilized in crystal production. One other plant is the Desert Rose, or more popular as the Elephant’s Leg which has very distinctive qualities that stands out from the rest.

Little was known of this uncanny place to the world but now gains recognition as one of the most amazing places on earth and is a priceless treasure, Mother Nature’s precious gift to mankind.

2. The Belize Blue Hole

Located in the Bahamas, it is named as the blue hole because of its deep cavities arriving in circle shapes.
Divers reportedly have seen new species and creatures which is yet unknown. The hole has an estimated length of 14 km with chambers filled with stalagmites and stalactites. Here’s a picture of a diver deep into the Belize Blue Hole.

It’s believed that sea level may have been lower than 150 m as compared to what it is today and in time, water made the limestone worn out and then formed caves. After this, the sea level rose again while some collapsed and formed blue holes. This happened around 65000 years ago during the ice-age.

1. Eye of Africa (Mauritania)

Appearing in the form of the human eye when viewed from space, this weird place is located in the Sahara Desert, Mauritania, and considered a Richat structure which is elliptical in a small degree and 40 km wide. It contains various kinds of both intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks.

The truth behind how it has been formed is a mystery to researchers and all people. Some speculate that it was caused by nuclear blasts that occurred thousands of years ago.

Cr.Viral Share

10 Most Beautiful Eyes in the World

It is said that the eyes are the mirror of the soul as it is the most expressive part of your face. A woman’s best asset would be her eyes for it shows who she is. By looking at them, you see right through her personality and you will feel her emotions, mood and feelings. It’s quite a challenge to find the most alluring, revealing and tantalizing of all. Who could be the Top 10 Female Celebrities with the most beautiful eyes in the world?

10. Charlize Theron

This South African fashion model and actress Charlize Theron has got stunning eyes. She started her career in acting in the United States and became famous around the late 1990s. It was with her Leading Role in the film ‘Monster’ that she won an Oscar for Best Performance by an Actress.

9. Milla Jovovich

American model, musician, fashion designer and actress- these define the very talented Milla Jovovich. She has starred and played various roles in quite a number of action and science fiction genre films, and has been called the “reigning queen of kick-butt” by the VH1 channel.

8. Celina Jaitley

Celina Jaitley is a very attractive Indian actress who’s mainly visible in Bollywood films. She’s a former model and beauty queen, who was crowned in 2001 as Femina Miss India Universe. She’s got alluring Asian features with her striking, beautiful almond shaped eyes which is attributed to a Kashmiri background.

7. Kristin Kreuk

Both Canadian actress and executive producer, Kristin Laura Kreuk is renowned as Lana Lang in the hit American TV series, Smallville, and has gorgeous green eyes which glowing beauty may be just like kryptonite to superman!

6. Giada De Laurentiis

Giada Pamela De Laurentiis is a writer, an Italian-American chef, and TV personality with amazing eyes. She is host of Giada at Home which is a Food Network Program, being a professional chef and running her own cooking program, Everyday Italian which has been aired since 2003.

5. Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn, a British actress and humanitarian, was a woman who has simply beautiful eyes. She has won the Oscar as Best Actress in a Leading Role and is recognized as an icon for both film and fashion.

4. Elizabeth Taylor

Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor, DBE or simply Liz, started as an early child star and became a famous British-American actress in Hollywood’s Golden Age. She has vivid blue eyes that renders the sky pale. She won Best Actress in a Leading Role in the movies Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and Butterfield 8.

3. Kristen Stewart

Known as the unique human, Bella Swan, lucky to be the love of Edward in the Twilight Saga films, the American actress Kristen Jaymes Stewart has meaningful and thoughtful eyes one can get lost into.

2. Angelina Jolie

American actress and director Angelina Jolie has eyes that are nothing but drop-dead gorgeous! They perfectly complement her incredible, luscious lips. She’s also very talented and has won numerous awards including three Golden Globe, Academy Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.

1. Aishwarya Rai

A beautiful woman who started as a model before venturing into the acting career, Aishwarya Rai is an Indian actress who won the 1994 Miss World pageant. In 2004, she was picked by Time magazine as one of the ‘100 Most Influential People’ in the entire world. Her eyes are the most beautiful you will ever see

Cr.Viral Shar

6 Sleep position reveal your true personality ?

6 Sleep position reveal your true personality ?

What your sleeping position says about you ?
Does your sleep position reveal your true personality?

Robert Phipps, a U.K.-based body language scientist, analyzed the results of a survey taken by a British hotel chain on the preferred sleeping positions of over a thousand of its patrons, according to Huffington Post.

Another research project undertaken by Dr. Chris Idzikowski of the Edinburgh Sleep Centre also included over 1,000 subjects who were asked about their sleep positions and personality traits.

Phipps said his analysis was unscientific and meant more for fun – something like a sleep horoscope – and Idzikowski's research was based more on self-evaluations rather than on scientific observations, but the findings of both studies were publicized by the Telegraph, the Daily Mail and Fox, and are now found on many health-related websites and blogs.

According to a report on the studies by sleepjunkies.org, six basic sleeping positions were linked to common personality traits.
   1. In the starfish position, the person sleeps on his back with arms raised overhead. He is said to be a good listener and dislikes being in the limelight. Five percent of the respondents said they were "starfish".

   2. People who sleep like soldiers, another back sleeping position, lie straight with their arm close to their sides. About eight percent of the respondents preferred this position and they are characterized as being quiet, reserved, and having high expectations.

    3.The fetal position was the most popular, with 41 percent of the respondents claiming they slept in this curled up side-sleeping fashion. Fetal-position sleepers may have crusty exteriors, but are warm, conscientious, and organized.

    4.The yearner is another side-sleeping position in which the arms are held straight out from the body. Yearners, who comprised about 13 percent of the respondents, are generally open-minded and eager, but can be cynical and lacking in perseverance.

    5.Another side-sleeping method is the log position, with arms down at the sides. People who sleep like a log are sociable and have easy-going, trusting personalities, but can be somewhat stubborn and inflexible. About 15 percent of those surveyed said they were log sleepers.

    6.Sleeping on the stomach in the free-falling position, with arms overhead hanging onto the pillow, was the choice of seven percent of the respondents. They can be described as brash extroverts with thin skins who don't take criticism well.
While the links between sleep positions and personality traits may not always be precise, there is plenty of scientific evidence that shows sleep positions can affect your health and well-being.

According to WebMD, back-sleepers, such as the soldier and the starfish, tend to snore more, which leads to a poorer quality sleep. Back sleeping may also exacerbate the brief pauses in breathing associated with sleep apnea. People who snore excessively are advised to try sleeping on their side or stomach.

On the other hand, some sleep positions may be good for your health. The stomach-sleeping freefall position is good for digestion. People suffering from restless leg syndrome may sleep better in the fetal position so they can control leg movements.

The Mayo Clinic's website has several recommendations about sleeping positions for people suffering from back pain. For those who normally sleep on their backs, placing a pillow under the knees will help maintain the normal curve of the spine. Stomach sleepers should put a pillow under their pelvis to alleviate pressure, while side sleepers suffering from back pain will rest better with a pillow tucked between their thighs and knees.

No matter what sleep position you find most comfortable, you need the support of a good quality mattress. Old mattresses that sag or are lumpy and worn out don't allow you to get the rest you need to function the following day. An expert can assist you in selecting the best mattress for your needs and budget. For more information about choosing the mattress and other topics about sleep, visit A Better Night's Sleep.

Cr.Chron News,Mayo Clinic,Huffington Post

Angelina Jolie, Science Hero

Angelina Jolie, Science Hero

In the age of celebrity anti-vaxxers, we need more stars like Angelina Jolie, who has used her fame to educate the public about scientific advances in genetic testing and preventative surgery.

For better or worse, celebrities have a way of making us think.  While many celebrities eschew the spotlight outside their particular medium, some good ones actually make use of their fame to help mankind by recording public service announcements, endorsing charities, or raising awareness of important social issues.  For example, colonoscopies for colon cancer screening got a significant boost after Katie Couric had hers televised.  A few bad celebrities, on the other hand, choose to get on camera and spout dangerous anti-vaccine nonsense that ultimately puts the public at risk (see Bill Maher, Donald Trump, and Rob Schneider, among others).

Angelina Jolie definitely belongs in the "good celebrity" category.

Though scientists were able to map the entire human genome just a few years ago, we still don't understand the vast majority of how genes work.  We know there must be good genes —the only proof you need is to look at the beautiful Kim Basinger and her equally beautiful daughter Ireland—but we know there are bad genes too.  And Angelina Jolie, despite inheriting a nearly perfect set of good genes from her parents, was unfortunate enough to inherit BRCA1 from her mother.

The BRCA1 gene mutation puts women at about a 5x greater risk of breast cancer and an almost 30x greater risk of ovarian cancer.  Those numbers are both significant and scary.  Mrs. Jolie's mother died of ovarian cancer at age 56 (having also been diagnosed with breast cancer), as did her grandmother.  This strong maternal family history led her to get a blood test, which confirmed that she indeed had inherited the BRCA1 mutation. 

In February of 2013 Angelina made the very difficult and personal decision to attack breast cancer before it happened by having a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy, drastically decreasing her risk of developing breast cancer (she had been told that she had up to an 87 percent risk before surgery).  While this was the best decision for her health that she could have possibly made, it was by no means easy, especially for a Hollywood actress who lives perpetually in the public eye and is part of one of the most famous celebrity couples in the world. 

As a surgeon who performs mastectomies, I have witnessed exactly how devastating it can be to have this body- and life-altering procedure done.  Despite this, Angelina made the audacious and brave decision not to keep it a secret.  Rather than hiding (which she very easily could have done), she openly stated that she was sharing her condition with the world to raise awareness, helping to educate other women who may be similarly affected.  Christina Applegate had done much the same several years earlier after her double mastectomy, also revealing that she had inherited the BRCA1 mutation (though she had already been diagnosed with early breast cancer by the time of her surgery).

Last week Angelina took the next step, having her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed laparoscopically in order to dramatically reduce (though not completely eliminate) her 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer.  Even though several tests showed no evidence of cancer in her ovaries, she again bravely chose to have them removed before they could cause a problem, just like she had done with the mastectomy.  While this operation was less drastic cosmetically (and technically less difficult) than her first, the physiologic effects are both profound and instantaneous.  Without the hormones produced by her ovaries, she immediately went into menopause, surely a daunting prospect for a vibrant and beautiful 39-year-old mother of six.

But even braver than her decision to have the surgery was the fact that once again she did not shun the spotlight, opting instead to write an op-ed piece in The New York Times on March 24, just a week after the procedure.  In it she detailed the latest (and hopefully last) chapter in her ordeal and why she continues to undertake it.  Though she admitted that she is still not completely out of the woods (still carrying a 3-5 percent risk of both cancers), she revealed that her main reasons for her candor were to raise awareness and to let women know that they have options, surgical and otherwise.

As happened with Katie Couric, since Angelina made her first BRCA announcement in 2013, testing for the gene has increased by 40 percent.  Hopefully this latest statement will increase awareness that much more and encourage people to talk to their doctors and get tested.  Women (and men) need to know that this gene mutation exists, because like so many other diseases, it is treatable if caught early enough.  It doesn't have to be a death sentence.

I knew Angelina had a good heart when she was named a UN Goodwill Embassador at age 26.  This story has only served to solidified my respect for her as a person and my admiration for her courage.  Making the decision to have these operations is difficult on its own.  Doing it as one of the most recognizable women on the planet makes it that much more difficult.  But using your stardom and doing it publicly, all in the name of helping people, is the epitome of bravery.

Angelina Jolie has played the hero in several of her movies.  Now she is one for real.
Hopefully Angelina’s latest statement will increase awareness that much more and encourage people to talk to their doctors and get tested.
Cr.The Daily Beast

Every Tom Hanks Movie in 7 Minutes

This week, Tom Hanks and James Corden... wait, "who's James Corden?"  you ask.

He's the new British comic/actor that's taken over for Craig Ferguson as host of The Late,

Late Show... so back to Tom Hanks. Tom and James reenacted all of Tom's biggest movies, from Splash to Big to Forrest Gump and Castaway, all in 7 minutes.

It's a good way to catch up on Tom's extensive filmography without spending the next 72 hours glued to your TV.


Cr. CH  Collegehumor

Germanwings Co-Pilot Appears : Crashed Plane

Police Deployed To Alleged Home Of Co-Pilot

PARIS/SEYNE-LES-ALPES, March 26

 A young German co-pilot locked himself alone in the cockpit of Germanwings flight 9525 and set it on course to crash into an Alpine mountain, killing all 150 people on board including himself, prosecutors said on Thursday.

French prosecutors offered no motive for why 28-year-old Andreas Lubitz apparently took the controls of the Airbus A320, locked the captain out of the cockpit and deliberately set it veering down from cruising altitude at 3,000 feet per minute.

German police were searching his home for evidence that might offer some explanation for what was behind Tuesday's crash in the French Alps.

French and German officials said there was no indication he was a terrorist. Acquaintances described Lubitz as an affable young man who had given no sign of harboring harmful intent.

According to Marseille prosecutor Brice Robin, Lubitz acted "for a reason we cannot fathom right now but which looks like intent to destroy this aircraft."

Setting the plane's controls for rapid descent was an act that "could only have been voluntary," Robin said. "He had... no reason to stop the pilot-in-command from coming back into the cockpit. He had no reason to refuse to answer to the air controller who was alerting him on the loss of altitude."

The captain, who had stepped out of the cockpit, probably to use the toilet, tried to force his way back in: "You can hear banging to try to smash the door down," Robin said.

Describing sound recordings from one of the plane's black boxes, Robin said most of the passengers would not have been aware of their fate until the very end.

"Only towards the end do you hear screams," he said. "And bear in mind that death would have been instantaneous...the aircraft was literally smashed to bits."

FlightRadar24, an online air tracking service that uses satellite data, said it had found evidence the autopilot was abruptly switched from cruising height to maintain an altitude of just 100 feet, the lowest possible setting. The plane crashed at about 6,000 feet.

"Between 09:30:52 and 09:30:55 you can see that the autopilot was manually changed from 38,000 feet to 100 feet and 9 seconds later the aircraft started to descend, probably with the 'open descent' autopilot setting," Fredrik Lindahl, chief executive of the Swedish tracking service, said.

The CEO of Lufthansa, parent company of Germanwings, said its air crew were picked carefully and subjected to psychological vetting.

"No matter your safety regulations, no matter how high you set the bar, and we have incredibly high standards, there is no way to rule out such an event," CEO Carsten Spohr said.

Attention will now focus on the motivations of Lubitz, a German national who joined the budget carrier in September 2013 and had just 630 hours of flying time - compared with the 6,000 hours of the flight captain, named in German media only as "Patrick S." in accordance with usual practice.

"SUICIDE" THE WRONG WORD

Robin said there were no grounds to suspect that Lubitz was carrying out a terrorist attack. "Suicide" was also the wrong word to describe actions which killed so many other people, the prosecutor added: "I don't necessarily call it suicide when you have responsibility for 100 or so lives."

The family of the co-pilot arrived in France for a tribute alongside other victims but was being kept apart from the others, Robin said.

Police set up guard outside Lubitz's house in Montabaur, Germany. Acquaintances in the town said they were stunned.

"I'm just speechless. I don't have any explanation for this. Knowing Andreas, this is just inconceivable for me," said Peter Ruecker, a long-time member of the local flight club where Lubitz received his flying license years ago.

"He was a lot of fun, even though he was perhaps sometimes a bit quiet. He was just another boy like so many others here."

A photo on Lubitz's Facebook page, which was later taken down, shows a smiling young man posing in front of San Francisco's Golden Gate bridge.

Robin said the conversation between the two pilots before the captain left the cockpit started normally but that Lubitz's replies became "laconic" as they started readying what would have been the normal descent to the airport of Duesseldorf.

"His responses become very brief. There is no proper exchange as such," he said.

Investigators were still searching for the second of the two black boxes on Thursday in the ravine where the plane crashed, 100 km (65 miles) from Nice, which would contain data from the plane's instruments.

Pilots may temporarily leave the cockpit at certain times and in certain circumstances, such as while the aircraft is cruising, according to German aviation law.

Cockpit doors can be opened from the outside with a code, in line with regulations introduced after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, but the code can be overridden from inside the cockpit. Lufthansa's CEO said that either the pilot had entered the code incorrectly, or the co-pilot inside had overridden it.

Germanwings said 72 Germans were killed in the first major air passenger disaster on French soil since the 2000 Concorde accident just outside Paris. Madrid revised down on Thursday the number of Spanish victims to 50 from 51 previously.

As well as Germans and Spaniards, victims included three Americans, a Moroccan and citizens of Britain, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Colombia, Denmark, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Iran and the Netherlands, officials said. However, DNA checks to identify them could take weeks, the French government said.

The families of victims were being flown to Marseille on Thursday before being taken up to the zone close to the crash site. Chapels had been prepared for them with a view of the mountain where their relatives died.

The Joseph-Koenig Gymnasium in Haltern, western Germany

 

Students stand in front of candles in front of the Joseph-Koenig Gymnasium in Haltern, western Germany

Cr.The World Post

'Cyborg' to Ronda Rousey

Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino

Invicta FC featherweight champion Cristiane Justino is clearly trying to goad UFC women’s bantamweight titleholder Ronda Rousey into a fight, and she’s pressing any button available.

Today, “Cyborg,” who’s fresh of a successful Invicta FC title defense over Charmaine Tweet (her seventh consecutive official win via knockout), took aim at her chief rival in a statement sent to MMAjunkie via manager George Prajin.

In it, Justino (13-1) suggested a long-debated but seemingly impossible catchweight fight with Rousey (11-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) is unlikely since Rousey will either retire to focus solely on a burgeoning movie career or drop down to the 125-pound flyweight division to avoid a potential fight with her.

Justino also addressed Rousey’s steroid accusations and past criticisms of “Cyborg’s” 2011 failed drug test, which cost the Brazilian the Strikeforce title. She also pointed out Rousey’s willingness to move up in weight for a fight with retired MMA vet Gina Carano or former pro boxer Laila Ali – but not Justino.

Or, as “Cyborg” put it, “The fans see me coming and you talking.”

Justino’s full statement:

Your excuses for not fighting me are falling almost as fast as you will when I get you in the cage – stop with the reckless steroid allegations- I am clean! You know I have passed multiple test, including random testing- lets do Olympic random testing you and I- like Mayweather/Pacquiao- and one less excuse for you to hide behind – Lorenzo signed me- I’m back and coming for you – but you will either retire to movies or run to 125 like you ran from me at 145- you will never be the best until you fight the best- step up- it takes two to scrap- don’t be scared- the fans see me coming and you talking- have some respect for the fans- it’s embarrassing how you will go up in weight to fight Gina or Leila but not me- regardless I’m coming for you- make an effort instead of just hiding behind excuses – you may have 99 excuses not to fight me – but not being in the UFC ain’t one.

Up next for Rousey (11-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC), who’s on unparalleled reign of dominance, is a UFC 190 pay-per-view headliner with Bethe Correia (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC). The event takes place Aug. 1 at Rio de Janeiro’s HSBC Arena.

Justino, meanwhile, awaits her next assignment.

Cr.MMa Junkie News

Italy high court : Amanda Knox case

Italy high court to take up Amanda Knox case Friday

Italy's highest court Friday will consider whether to uphold the 2009 murder conviction of American Amanda Knox, according to Judge Gennaro Marasca.

The high court judge will either uphold the murder convictions of Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend, or send the case back for another appeal, or potentially on to a different section of the court.

Knox, a 27-year-old Seattle native, and Raffaele Sollecito were convicted of the 2007 killing of Knox's British roommate, Meredith Kercher. Knox and Kercher lived together in Italy at the time of Kercher's death.

Sollecito and Knox were acquitted in 2011 on appeal, and then Knox returned to the United States. However, Italy's Supreme Court overturned the acquittals in 2013, and they were convicted last year after a retrial.

If a new trial is ordered, Knox and Sollecito will buy a little time before a final decision is reached. But if the court upholds the conviction, the case will be closed for good -- and what happens to Knox next is uncertain.

Conventional wisdom dictates that Knox will eventually face an extradition hearing or reach a deal with the Italian Justice Ministry to serve her 28-year sentence, but that could take years. The statute of limitations is double the sentence, meaning the Italians have 57 years to bring her back to the country.

Knox, however, would benefit from the United States' extradition treaty with Italy -- under which the United States will not extradite a person who has been acquitted -- and from the U.S. Constitution's protection against double jeopardy.

Sollecito, on the other hand, still lives in Italy, and has a lot more to lose than Knox does, at least in the short term. He would be scooped up immediately and hauled off to prison to start a 25-year sentence. All of his options will have been exhausted and he will have no choice but to go to directly to jail.

Sollecito earlier said he would be in court on Wednesday to face the judge. "I've been living this for eight years," he told the Italian crime TV program "Quarto Grado." Not appearing in court would be like hiding in the corner during a tsunami -- it will take you away anyway."

Rudy Guede, from the Ivory Coast, was convicted separately in a fast-track trial and is midway through a 16-year sentence for Kercher's murder. His case was confirmed by Italy's high court in 2010.

Will Knox be extradited?

Many commentators in the U.S. have reasoned that Italy may not ask the United States for Knox's extradition because it would cause a diplomatic rift between the two nations. But there could be a greater rift if it appears that Knox gets away with murder and her Italian ex-boyfriend pays for the crime.

If Sollecito is languishing in prison and Knox is sipping Frappuccino in a Seattle Starbucks, Italians will not be pleased, says Alessandro Capponi, an Italian journalist for Corriere Della Sera who has been covering the case since Kercher was killed in 2007.

"It will be seen as an injustice," Capponi told CNN. "You may not see people out on the streets, but if you ask 10 people what they think, those 10 people will tell you they see it as a complete injustice that only the Italian and the African are in prison. The Italians will say that the American gets away with murder and it won't be the first time."

U.S.-Italian cases

This is not the first time Italy and the United States have butted heads on matters involving American suspects accused of crimes in Italy.

In 1998, an American Marine aircraft sliced through a ski lift cable in the Dolomites, sending 20 people plummeting to their death. Even after admitting to destroying the videotape of the deadly flight, only two of the four Marines were charged and convicted. Only one served jail time -- just over four months of a six-month sentence.

In 2012, Italy's highest court upheld the convictions of 23 Americans (22 CIA agents and an Air Force pilot) for the kidnapping of Egyptian cleric Abu Omar, a suspeced terrorist, from a street in Milan. They were sentenced to between five and eight years in prison, but Italy has not yet asked for extradition.

"Our relationship with the United States is full of these diplomatic tensions," said Capponi. "This will just be added to the list."

Knox's case has been divisive from the start, and her supporters have come down hard on the Italian judicial system. Sollecito has never had the luxury of that attitude, knowing full well that he is in the hands of the system whether he likes it or not, so vocally criticizing it wouldn't be in his best interest.

In fact, he has long suffered the impact of Knox's ardent campaigners who have mostly criticized Italy from the other side of the Atlantic.

By almost any Italian precedent, Sollecito should not have had to be in prison during his initial trial -- but because Knox was deemed a flight risk, she had to stay in jail. Because Sollecito was her co-defendant, he did too, even though he had no ties to anyone abroad.

"Knox could still beat the system, but Sollecito's game is up if the convictions are upheld," Nicola Canestrini, an Italian extradition lawyer familiar with both legal systems, told CNN. "He has no wiggle room and it could be that he serves the time for both of them, which will likely cause deep resentment here in Italy."

Perhaps a little too late, Sollecito's defense team has been slowly inching away from Knox, especially since the latest conviction.

Last summer, he held a press conference when his lawyers filed their appeal to the high court, in which his lawyer Giulia Bongiorno pointed out "certain anomalies" in Knox's testimony that have nothing to do with Sollecito.

"We ask that the court to not extend the anomalies of Amanda's testimony to Raffaele," Bongiorno said at the time.
Whether that is enough to get the high court to give Sollecito another, independent chance is yet to be seen.

"I am not a crazy person. I am not a criminal. I am innocent," Sollecito told reporters last summer at the press conference. "But my name is Raffaele Sollecito, not Amanda Marie Knox."

Now it is up to the judge to determine whether that makes any difference.

Cr.CNN

White Light Stellar Flares

A major solar eruption is shown in progress October 28, 2003

New data from NASA’s Kepler space telescope is allowing astronomers a glimpse at potentially catastrophic flaring in a solar-type star roughly 300 light years away.

The observations detail some of the largest flaring events ever detected from a fully-mature G spectral-type star, known for now by its Kepler Input Catalog number KIC 11551430. Flaring from the star is several thousands times stronger than the Carrington Event — a September 1859 solar super-flare, hundreds of times stronger than most of our Sun’s “X-class” flares (the most powerful solar flares yet classified).

We are counting thousands of white light flares from KIC 11551430 in a range from 10 to 10,000 times bigger than the biggest flares produced by our own Sun, Rachel Osten, an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute and the team leader on the Kepler survey of this star, told Forbes.

“When you count and plot these really energetic stellar flares,” said Osten, “you expect to have more and more energetic flares happening less and less frequently.”

The fact that we see a limit on the flare energies for these stars, Osten says, “sort of” confirms that these flares get their energy from star spots, or magnetic fields poking through the stellar surface.

In the mid-19th century, x-ray measurements of the Carrington Event weren’t yet available. But because the superflare was associated with spectacular Earth auroras, Osten says the event was likely coupled with a coronal mass ejection (or CME) — a magnetized plasma streaming high-energy accelerated particles at thousands of kilometers per second.

Osten says our own Sun might still be capable of producing something slightly larger than the Carrington Event which, at the time, sent the new technology of the telegraph into a tailspin.

But in its 4.5 billion year history, has the Sun ever produced a flare 10,000 times larger than the Carrington Event? 

“Almost certainly, yes,” said Osten. “During its first hundred million years, the Sun was very active.”
Osten says a close binary stellar companion in which two stars are gravitationally interacting might explain why KIC 11551430, located in the bright constellation of Cygnus, is so active. She says that when two stars are that close, tidal forces cause their rotation and orbital period to be coupled with each other. As a result, a star with a close binary companion will rotate much faster than if it were simply a single star.

David Soderblom, a staff astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute and one of the Kepler team members, told Forbes that if indeed this star does have a stellar binary companion, this putative companion likely orbits KIC 11551430 only every 5.2 days.  That’s much closer than Mercury orbits our own Sun. However, Soderblom is quick to point out that no planets have been detected around the star. And even if planets were orbiting both these putative stellar binary companions in what he terms “circumbinary” orbits, he says they would still be extremely difficult to spot via current planet detection methods.

But for argument’s sake, what would happen if an Earth-like planet around one of these stars got in the path of one of these extremely high-energy white light flares?

“Solar flares on our own Sun [produce] a CME,” said Osten. As Osten explains, flares in conjunction with a CME can act as part of an enhanced stellar wind that can compress a planet’s magnetosphere and expose a portion of its atmosphere to the effect of ionizing radiation.

In a period of a few years, energetic particles associated with the flare would strip the ozone layer from the planet, exposing the surface to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from our sun as solar light. Osten says it would then probably only be a matter of months before any inhabitants were killed off.

“On this star, this flaring is happening every week,” said Osten. “We’re trying to determine if CMEs accompany large flares. We haven’t seen them.”
But if the extreme flares that we see for these very active stars are accompanied by CMEs, then Osten says that would be an impediment for life being able to develop on one of the star system’s hypothetical nearby habitable planets.

And although no one is suggesting something similar could happen to our own star, our Sun is still capable of Carrington-type events of the sort that could wreak havoc on today’s satellite communication systems.

“No matter how closely we study our Sun, it remains just one star,” said Soderblom.  “In terms of real knowledge and behavior, at most, our [understanding] of the Sun only goes back half a century.”

But by observing hundreds of thousands of other stars, Soderblom says we can gain context for “what the Sun does” in a way that the Sun itself “will never tell us.”

Cr.Forbes, Solar Lamp

Comcast Gets Social to Shake Bad Customer

a Comcast cable truck works in front of a home in Mount

 Comcast is adding more social media representatives as it tries to work on its reputation for inefficient, unresponsive or just plain rude customer service.

It is tripling the size of its social media team to 60, and could add more. That's just a tiny percentage of the thousands of customer service people it has. But answering people faster on Twitter and Facebook is part of an overall push to improve customer service.

The country's biggest cable provider is promoting its customer service efforts as regulators weigh whether to allow Comcast to buy the No. 2 cable company, Time Warner Cable, in a $45 billion deal that would create an Internet and cable giant. The combined company would serve nearly 30 percent of cable TV subscribers and more than half of high-speed Internet subscribers.

That's raised an outcry from consumer advocates who say the combined company would have too much control over the country's Internet access.

And the company's reputation for treating customers badly — calling them names, making it difficult to cancel service, requiring multiple visits, calls and emails to fix problems, tacking on fees, passing customers from call center employee to employee — hasn't helped it sell the deal to the public.

The company has a "multiyear road map" to fix its problems, and "still has a lot of work left to do," said Tom Karinshak, the senior vice president of customer service for Comcast Cable.

Comcast's spending on customer service has increased in the past few years, rising about 5 percent in both 2013 and 2014, to $2.21 billion last year.

Comcast Corp., which is based in Philadelphia, announced its social media push on Monday. It aims to answer complaints on Facebook, Twitter and possibly other forums in 30 minutes. It now often takes far longer than that — more than a week for many recent answers to customer complaints with its @ComcastCares service account. DirecTV, a satellite TV competitor,Android TV Box, and other big cable companies Charter and Time Warner Cable have recent replies on Twitter that come within a day or just hours of a complaint.

As for other improvements, Karinshak said Comcast has added more appointment hours in evenings and weekends, let customers return equipment at UPS stores and been able to reduce the number of times technicians have to make multiple service trips to fix problems.
For customers on the phone, Comcast said a change in its computer systems lets employees spend less time on data entry.

The company is also testing an app that lets people know how far away a technician is and shows a picture of the technician. It is also working on redesigning its bills and simplifying promotional packages — the cheaper prices you pay for a limited time after signing up.

Cr.ABC News, Android TV Post

Now TV arrives on EE TV today

Now TV arrives on EE TV today

EE has announced that Now TV will be added to its EE TV smart box today. The popular streaming service offers movies, sports and Android TV box sets, as well as access to live Sky entertainment, sports and movie channels.
EE TV already offers 70 Freeview channels and 18 on-demand apps including YouTube and BBC iPlayer. Customers will now be able to watch plenty more - so long as they have a Now TV pass.

Now TV's Entertainment Month Pass is the cheapest package currently on offer. Subscribers get 13 pay TV channels including Sky 1, MTV and Sky Atlantic plus 250 box sets of series like Downton Abbey for just £6.99 a month.

Now TV also has two sports packages: customers can opt for a Sky Sports Day Pass for £6.99 or a Sky Sports Week Pass for an extra £4, which allow customers to watch everything across the broadcaster's seven Sky Sports channels.
A Sky Movies Month Pass is available as well. It provides subscribers with 16 premiere movies a month, more than 1,000 on-demand movies and 11 Sky Movies channels for only £9.99. There are no long-term contracts for any of the Now TV bundles, so it's easy to cancel if you tire of it too.

Now TV Director, Gidon Katz said: "With Game of Thrones, the world's most talked about show available to watch from the very beginning, there couldn't be a better time for EE TV customers to enjoy Now TV."

The EE TV box is currently free for EE mobile and broadband customers.



Once customer have not wait for long time of this service, they will use Smart Android TV box effectively.

Cr.Broad Band Choices

Solar eclipse – as it happened 20 March 2015

solar power during the eclipse

Germany managed to keep the lights on despite a drop in solar power during the eclipse, Reuters reports.

    The initial 13 gigawatts (GW) drop in Germany was less than operators had feared and they were able to draw on alternative power sources including coal, gas, biogas and hydroelectric energy pumped from storage.
    Grid spokespeople said control rooms were tense. “The mood is concentrated but confident that it will go smoothly,” said Andreas Preuss, spokesman of TenneT peer Amprion, which operates the longest network inside Germany.

Computer monitors indicate the forecasted power loss

    “Network frequency is stable, reserve load is being called on,” one of the four high-voltage grid firms, TenneT, said in a live webfeed.
    Solar power output has expanded sharply to 38.2 gigawatts (GW) since the region’s last notable eclipse in 2003, so the country - which borders nine nations - has to prove its power market and network handling centres can function under extraordinary conditions.

    Forecasts for the day’s solar output had earlier risen to 22 GW - the equivalent of 20 nuclear power stations - indicating greater potential for disruptions as the eclipse cuts out the sun’s rays. The daily peak in 2014 was 23.4 GW.






Let's  show how to use  solar power as solar light see YouTube, solar lamp

Cr.Guardian

Danny MacAskill riding The Ridge line

Danny returns home to the Isle of Skye to ride the notorious Cuillin Ridge.

new video project took the trial rider well and truly out of his comfort zone. Swapping his familiar trials bike for a full suspension mountain bike, Danny travelled to the Isle of Skye, the place where he was born and grew up, to ride the epic trail on the Cuillin Ridge.

The rocky terrain, huge cliff drops and unforgiving lines really put Danny’s famous bike handling skills to the limit, but it was well worth the effort to showcase the Isle of Skye’s beautiful landscape.

Riding the Cuillin Ridge also fulfilled a life-long dream of Danny’s and with the help of filmmaker Stu Thompson and his colleague’s at Cut Media we're all able to share that joy.

Cr. RedBull Post

Darren Sharper : sexual assault in Arizona

Darren Sharper pleads guilty to sexual assault in Arizona

Former NFL safety Darren Sharper pleaded guilty to sexual assault and attempted sexual assault in Arizona on Monday.

The 39-year-old has been sentenced to nine years in prison and lifetime probation. The penalty actually seems on the light side, but Sharper will face plenty more years behind bars, considering Arizona isn’t the only state Sharper has allegedly drugged and raped women. 

He’s also facing charges in Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Las Vegas and has been jailed in L.A. since February 2014.

The five-time Pro Bowler is expected to plead guilty to all of his charges across the four states. Hearings in Las Vegas and New Orleans are tentatively scheduled for later this week and next month, respectively.

In the New Orleans case, Sharper faces life behind bars without the possibility of parole.

Cr.Profootball Talk

Kurt Busch Quickly Reminds NASCAR

Will Kurt Busch win again at Martinsville this coming weekend, ?

 NASCAR may have suspended Kurt Busch for the first three races of the season, but there’s no suspending his talent.

In his first two races back following his reinstatement, Busch has finished fifth and third, and he came just one lap short of winning Sunday’s Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway.

With those two finishes, Busch has made a very noteworthy statement—not about the off-track troubles he’s endured over the last few months, but rather that the best way for him to get past everything, to move on and move forward, is to do what he does best: get behind the wheel of a race car.

I’ve always said that a focused Kurt Busch is the most dangerous Kurt Busch on a race track—in a good way, that is. If his mind is solely 100 percent on the race and not distracted by off-track issues, he is as good as anyone on any given race day.
The problem is that Busch has had a lot of distractions over the years that have cut into his focus. Some of those distractions have been created by him, most notably due to his temper.

And then there was the most recent episode of an off-track incident severely impacting his on-track status.

NASCAR may have suspended Kurt Busch

Only months after finishing his first season at Stewart-Haas Racing, one that saw him win at Martinsville and qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup, allegations of domestic abuse against his former girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll—and a subsequent investigation—came to the forefront.

And while the fallout from the Driscoll situation—both in the courts and in NASCAR—was significant, the only way Busch will be able to overcome his woes is to put his best effort forward on the track.

Just like he has the last two weeks and, in particular, Sunday at Fontana.

Busch was set to enjoy perhaps one of the greatest weekends of his Sprint Cup career. Not only did he win the pole, but he also was the fastest driver in all three Cup practices at Auto Club Speedway. You could see it in his eyes and hear it in his words: Busch was a walking, talking picture of focus.

And had it not been for the second late-race caution that brought about one last restart, Busch very well could have won Sunday’s race.

In the end, Busch’s failure to win came down to tires. On the second-to-last caution, he and SHR teammate Kevin Harvick both went with two tires. Meanwhile, Brad Keselowski and crew chief Paul Wolfe both elected to go with four tires on the same stop.

It was a gamble. Keselowski dropped from sixth to 17th as pit stops cycled through.

But that gamble ultimately paid off.

Keselowski roared from 17th to eighth place in less than a lap. And when the final caution period followed, he was in the catbird seat on the final restart as well. Ergo, Harvick and Busch were all but helpless to stave off Keselowski’s better rubber and faster car.
End of story, end of race—and both Harvick and Busch came up short to Keselowski, finishing second and third, respectively.

But in a way, it's not the end of the story for Busch. In a sense, it's just the beginning. Busch now returns to Martinsville Speedway this coming weekend, the site of his last Sprint Cup victory a year ago.

Still, while he would have liked the win Sunday, Busch had nothing to be ashamed of for falling short at the start-finish line.

“It was a solid day,” Busch said in a Chevrolet media relations transcript. “I don’t know what we could have done different. We just got pinned in by the yellows and the sequence at the end on which tires we needed to have to optimize how many laps were left. We had two tires; (Brad) Keselowski had four. We didn’t need that extra yellow at the end and I just got out muscled by Keselowski.”

Can he repeat last year’s success at Martinsville? Anything is possible.

One other thing to note after Sunday's race is that Busch has climbed to 28th place in the Sprint Cup standings. By comparison, Busch’s teammate, Tony Stewart—who recorded his best finish of a very challenging season thus far (14th) on Sunday—is ranked 32nd in the Sprint Cup standings, 20 points behind Busch.

And that’s after five races for Stewart, while Busch has needed just two races to rise to where he sits in the standings.

Another strong run at The Paperclip—and potentially another win—could vault Busch into the top- 5, if not the top 20, one week from now.

If Busch can show he can remain focused solely on his career, he may continue to draw more attention to himself—but this time for all the right reasons.

All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Cr.Bleacher Report