Wisconsin Assembly Passes Anti-Union Bill as Senate Democrats Stay Away

The 51-to-17 vote just after at 1 a.m. in the Assembly drew boos and shouts of ?Shame! Shame!? from Democrats who said that leaders had abruptly cut off debate and prevented more than a quarter of the legislators from casting votes. It came during the second week of sustained demonstrations inside and around the Capitol. Union workers and others from Wisconsin and nearby states continued to protest the proposals backed by the new governor, Scott Walker, a Republican elected in November.

Some Republican leaders in other states have moderated their talk against state employee unions in recent days. But in Wisconsin, Mr. Walker traveled the state on Friday in an effort to put more pressure on the Senate?s 14 Democrats to return from Illinois.

Democrats said the early-morning vote showed that Republicans had little interest in negotiating. They ?rushed a vote in seconds, cheating Democratic representatives of the opportunity to vote against this horrible legislation,? said the leader of the Assembly?s Democrats, Peter Barca. ?Then they fled the chamber surrounded by armed law enforcement agents,? he said.

Republicans said the Assembly debated the bill long enough during a three-day Democratic filibuster. Mr. Walker said in a statement, ?The 14 Senate Democrats need to come home and do their jobs, just like the Assembly Democrats did.?

While Republicans have a majority in the Senate, they are a vote short of a quorum for fiscal legislation. Democrats say they will not return until the governor agrees to negotiate on his proposals to strip unions of power, which include forbidding collective bargaining except for basic wages, and limiting raises to no more than the rate of inflation.

Democrats have already indicated that they would accept provisions that would cut the take-home pay of state employees by diverting money to help finance pension and health care costs.

A spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Department of Administration said the increased contributions to pensions and health care would amount to about a 6 percent decrease in take-home pay for a state employee with a $50,000 income, the average for state workers. Workers would pay more than 12 percent of their health care premiums, up from 6 percent, while 5.8 percent of their pay would be diverted to finance pensions, up from less than 1 percent for typical workers.

A fight over similar legislation in Indiana was stalemated as well, after 37 of 40 Democratic House members walked out, preventing a quorum. B. Patrick Bauer, the House minority leader, said from Urbana, Ill., that Democratic lawmakers would be staying in Illinois through the weekend, and beyond.

Susan Saulny contributed reporting from Indianapolis.

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Source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=465961ddd94826169ee45dbcb172b2d8

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Blog - Birds 'n' Worms

Skype To Go: VoIP for all mobile and landline phones

Skype has launched Skype To Go, a service that lets users make voice calls over the Internet (VoIP) from any mobile or landline phone. In other words, you no longer need an Internet connection nor a 3G connection to make a Skype call. You don't even need to install anything, since a computer or smartphone isn't necessary.

How does it work? You provide the number you want to call and Skype provides you with a unique Skype To Go number with your area code. You can then call this number from your mobile or landline at Skype's rates; payment can be made either via Skype Credit or subscription.

Skype To Go numbers are free, and you can have up to nine of them. You can set up a separate number for each person you want to call, and save them directly to your phone's contact list. The call should just go straight through.

While this service is not free, we have to say it is still quite revolutionary. After all, Skype's calling rates are notably lower than most long distance services.

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Source: http://www.techspot.com/news/42574-skype-to-go-voip-for-all-mobile-and-landline-phones.html

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Hardware 19 - The Cockney Cast

Hardware 19 - The Cockney Cast

Posted on 18th Feb 2011 at 10:18 by Podcast with 6 comments

This week's bit-tech and Custom PC podcast is brought to you by Clive, Antony and Paul.

First on the agenda is the continuing Intel Sandy Bridge saga, and what motherboard manufacturers are doing to sort it out. We also comment on MSI's returns strategy, which the company announced on Wednesday.

Next we make some time to talk about the gorgeous Silverstone FT03. It's a pretty peculiar case due to its inverted design, but it's always refreshing to see manufactures taking a different approach.

Finally, Antony gives us a sneaky look at the CPU cooler group test from the latest issue of Custom PC, which went on sale at newsagents yesterday. Make sure you pick up a copy if you want to see which new CPU coolers offer the best combination of cooling and value.


As always, we've also set up our weekly competition, although there's a slightly different twist on it this week. The lucky winner will be able to get their hands on a Mionix Propus 380 mousepad, which will provide the perfect tracking surface for whichever mouse you choose to use.

As ever, the bit-tech hardware podcast features music by Brad Sucks, and was recorded on Shure microphones. You can download the podcast direct, listen in-browser or subscribe through iTunes using the links below. Also, be sure to let us know your thoughts about the discussion in the forums.

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5 Stylus Pens and Brushes Perfect for iPad Artists

We recently posted a stunning collection of iPad artwork, showcasing 10 outstanding sketches done using Apple?s tablet.

During our hunt for iPad art, we noticed that many artists were using nothing more than their finger, and while it?s great news that such precision can be accomplished by iPad finger painting, we couldn?t help but think it would be more organic to use a brush or a pen.

We?ve rounded up a few accessories that may provide improved control or a better solution for bringing your artwork to life on the iPad.

MORE/REAL Stylus

stylus

Don Lehman has invented an interesting stylus cap that fits onto standard pens and markers, enabling artists to utilize tools they?re already comfortable and familiar holding. It works like a regular pen cap and has been designed to fit on a Sharpie finepoint, a Bic Round Stic, and a Pilot Fineliner. The tip of the cap is made from conductive rubber and aims to provide users with superior control.

The MORE/REAL Stylus is being launched through Kickstarter, a site that helps ideas become a reality by bringing inventors a community of funders. Lehman?s project has already received over $35,000, and has collected over 1000 backers. The MORE/REAL Stylus comes in stainless steel and in a limited edition brass finish. The product was designed with the iPad in mind, however Lehman claims it should work with any touch screen device. At this time, the product is available for purchase through Kickstarter and costs $20 for one cap size of your choice.

Nomad Brush

stylus

Painters will likely be right at home using the Nomad Brush. At first glance it appears to be an ordinary paint brush but it?s bristles consist of conductive fibers, allowing it to work on the iPad?s screen. This iPad-ready brush uses a blend of natural and synthetic fibers and sports a walnut-carbon handle with a soft grip. I honestly couldn?t paint a decent picture if it meant saving a life, but if you?re interested in iPad art, this appears to be a must-have accessory. This product can be purchased at the official site for $24.00 per brush.

Pogo Sketch

stylus

An aluminum stylus pen from Ten One Design, comes in four stylish colours and sports a metal pocket clip for wearing. If you?re used to sketching with a pen, we?d imagine that using Pogo Sketch would be a natural experience. It does seem a bit on the thin side, so as far as comfort goes, it would really just depend on what you?re familiar with.

Although it is possible to produce exceptional artwork using your finger, there?s a gallery on the product?s site displaying some amazing drawings penned with this stylus. Using an Android or iPhone? This product will work on those too. One the product page it also states it will work with both trackpads and touch screen devices.

The pens come in four flavours; silver, hot pink, burnt orange and cactus green. It?s available from Ten One Design?s site for $14.95 per brush.

Mini Capacitive iPad Stylus

Stylus

The Mini Capacitive iPad Stylus pen, designed by Boxwave, is a miniature pen that can be easily carried in your pocket or connected to the iPad through the headphone jack. The design of the pen is more geared towards convenience and could be handy in zero below temperatures since you don?t have to remove your gloves. As far as sketching goes, its short stumpy design doesn?t appear to be the best choice for artists.

It comes with a price tag of $12.95 and it?s available in black, silver, red and blue from Boxwave?s site.

Griffin Stylus

stylus

Griffin says its stylus pen is a ?balanced pointer?. It?s stylus uses a soft rubber tip and supports omni-directional use, giving users control over drawing. There?s also a clip so the pen can be easily attached or worn.  As far as we can tell, Griffin?s pen is a tad thicker than the Pogo Sketch stylus so it could be better for larger sized hands. The glossy black exterior looks pretty sleek and the small size of its tip may offer more precision than simply using your finger. It works with any touchscreen device and costs $19.99 per stylus on Griffin?s site.

If you know of a great stylus for touchscreens please share it with us in the comments.

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Source: http://thenextweb.com/apple/2011/02/26/5-stylus-pens-and-brushes-perfect-for-ipad-artists/

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Wisconsin Assembly Passes Anti-Union Bill as Senate Democrats Stay Away

The 51-to-17 vote just after at 1 a.m. in the Assembly drew boos and shouts of ?Shame! Shame!? from Democrats who said that leaders had abruptly cut off debate and prevented more than a quarter of the legislators from casting votes. It came during the second week of sustained demonstrations inside and around the Capitol. Union workers and others from Wisconsin and nearby states continued to protest the proposals backed by the new governor, Scott Walker, a Republican elected in November.

Some Republican leaders in other states have moderated their talk against state employee unions in recent days. But in Wisconsin, Mr. Walker traveled the state on Friday in an effort to put more pressure on the Senate?s 14 Democrats to return from Illinois.

Democrats said the early-morning vote showed that Republicans had little interest in negotiating. They ?rushed a vote in seconds, cheating Democratic representatives of the opportunity to vote against this horrible legislation,? said the leader of the Assembly?s Democrats, Peter Barca. ?Then they fled the chamber surrounded by armed law enforcement agents,? he said.

Republicans said the Assembly debated the bill long enough during a three-day Democratic filibuster. Mr. Walker said in a statement, ?The 14 Senate Democrats need to come home and do their jobs, just like the Assembly Democrats did.?

While Republicans have a majority in the Senate, they are a vote short of a quorum for fiscal legislation. Democrats say they will not return until the governor agrees to negotiate on his proposals to strip unions of power, which include forbidding collective bargaining except for basic wages, and limiting raises to no more than the rate of inflation.

Democrats have already indicated that they would accept provisions that would cut the take-home pay of state employees by diverting money to help finance pension and health care costs.

A spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Department of Administration said the increased contributions to pensions and health care would amount to about a 6 percent decrease in take-home pay for a state employee with a $50,000 income, the average for state workers. Workers would pay more than 12 percent of their health care premiums, up from 6 percent, while 5.8 percent of their pay would be diverted to finance pensions, up from less than 1 percent for typical workers.

A fight over similar legislation in Indiana was stalemated as well, after 37 of 40 Democratic House members walked out, preventing a quorum. B. Patrick Bauer, the House minority leader, said from Urbana, Ill., that Democratic lawmakers would be staying in Illinois through the weekend, and beyond.

Susan Saulny contributed reporting from Indianapolis.

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Source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=465961ddd94826169ee45dbcb172b2d8

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Google updates search algorithm to bury low-quality sites

Google has adjusted the way its algorithm handles search rankings for low and high quality sites. The search giant makes unannounced tweaks to its engine all the time, but they're usually unnoticed by the masses. However, the latest update reportedly affects some 11.2% of the search giant's queries so the company felt it was appropriate to clue everyone in on the change.

The company has introduced an update that reduces rankings for low-quality sites and boosts rankings for high-quality sites. Google defines low-quality sites as those that copy content from other sites or sites that are "just not very useful." Conversely, the company recognizes high-quality sites as those that produce original content and information that includes research, thoughtful analysis and so on.

"Google depends on the high-quality content created by wonderful websites around the world, and we do have a responsibility to encourage a healthy web ecosystem. Therefore, it is important for high-quality sites to be rewarded, and that's exactly what this change does." Google hasn't specifically named what "low-quality" sites are affected, but an employee said that "people will get the idea of the types of sites we're talking about."

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Source: http://www.techspot.com/news/42570-google-updates-search-algorithm-to-bury-low-quality-sites.html

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Weekend Open Forum: Your first and current mouse

Mobile Payments Try to Take Root in Afghanistan

When someone in a far-flung rural mountain village in Afghanistan wants to transfer money to family in another part of the country, there are few conventional banking options. A new text-based payment service, backed by the country's banks and telecom providers, now offers a simpler, more convenient alternative.

In 2008, telecommunications company Vodafone and Roshan, an Afghan telecom provider, teamed up to launch a mobile-phone payroll service called M-Paisa for the Afghan National Police. Now M-Paisa has been expanded so that anyone with a mobile phone and an M-Paisa account can transfer money across the country for a small fee.

The consultancy Frog Design was commissioned to study the implementation of the M-Paisa payment system in Afghanistan. Jan Chipchase, executive creative director of global insights at Frog Design, presented details of the work during a keynote presentation at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on February 17.

With irregular bank hours, but a high mobile penetration, Afghanistan is, in some ways, ideal for mobile payments. "The gulf between what's there now and what could be there if it is successful is enormous," says Chipchase.

Similar mobile payment systems have been very successful elsewhere. The first system designed for cash transfer via text messages, called M-PESA, was launched in 2007 by Vodafone and Kenya's telecom provider Safaricom. Since then, other mobile money transfer systems have cropped up in several countries in Africa and Asia. ZPESA in Tanzania, Obopay in Senegal, and Easypaisa in Pakistan are variations on the M-PESA theme. But of all these systems, M-PESA has seen the most dramatic growth and success. It is now used by about 55 percent of Kenya's adult population for paying everything from electricity bills to school fees.

Setting up a system of mobile payments in Afghanistan proved to be especially complicated, according to Chipchase's two-week survey. Sporadic attacks on cell-phone towers by the Taliban have crippled coverage in parts of the country, and the regime has decreed that cell towers be turned off at night.

"The elephant in the room, of course, is war," says Bill Maurer, director of the Institute for Money, Technology and Financial Inclusion at the University of California in Irvine, which funded the study. Fotini Christia, a political scientist at MIT who has studied civil war in Afghanistan, notes that many rural areas lack cell-phone coverage to begin with.

Another stumbling block is the lack of cash trade in certain parts of the country, where people still trade in commodities such as goats and gold. Many rural Afghans still lack a basic education, limiting their access to the text-based M-Paisa service.  

Christia agrees that these issues are real obstacles to M-Paisa. "People still trade in kind, in a week's supply of crops," she says.  "If it was to pick up, it's more likely to pick up in urban centers rather than anywhere else." 

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Source: http://feeds.technologyreview.com/click.phdo?i=507793182c7ffce2c06854ccd2d8c4f6

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