Moving site to the Windows Azure Web Sites

27.10.2012 07:50 UTC

It was a year and half when last time I updated my web site. Sadly this is just one project I have where I can have some experience with web development. And because I really missed it, so I've put three things on my agenda:

• Move domain from ru to com, so now my site is available on http://outcoldman.com.
• Add support for mobile devices and make some minor changes.
• Move site from masterhost to orcsweb. I have both of them for free, but second one gives better conditions, like more storage and better network bandwidth. And I like orcsweb, because these guys update their servers on next days after new .NET Framework ships.

But how you can understand from the topic I failed last task. Because orcsweb sets medium trust for shared sites ? this is a huge pain for developers. For example I met problems with using AntiXSS.

Windows Azure Web Sites

Azure Web Sites is still in preview. Azure gives you up to 10 Shared Web Instances for free. But if you want to use custom domains you need move instance to Paid Shared Instance Model, which will cost you about 10-15$ per month. I'm not sure about this, I still cannot understand how this will work if my instance will use CPU only for 1 minute in an hour. I will need to pay for whole hour or just for one minute?

Couple days ago also I saw an information that Web Sites now support .NET Framework 4.5. And this was the latest argument for Web Sites instead of orcsweb. Particularly I dreamed also about to try cloud.

I don't want to tell you how it was easy for me to create a Web Site Instance in Azure. Azure portal has really good documentation and a lot of videos about how to do this. I just want to say ? try it. If you don't have an account in Azure ? you can try free trial, which will ask you about credit card, but don't worry. You can set limit to 0$, so you will not need to worry about what will be when trial period will come to end or what if you will use more resources than Azure gives you for free. Each free shared web instance on Web Sites has domain name like x.azurewebsites.net, so it is very easy to use them to try something or show your project to world.

And this is really cool that you don't need to think a lot about settings. I just downloaded Publish Profile, which I imported to the ASP.NET MVC 4 project in Visual Studio (right click on project in solution explorer and choose Publish?). And that is it.

Mobile Devices support

I thought that this requires a huge amount of work. Because I remembered from ASP.NET ? you need to render your pages on server for mobile devices in special way if you want to support them. I was so surprised when I found that to do this you just need to add two things. Set viewport for mobile devices:

?

And set special css classes for case when width is less than some defined value:

?

The easiest way is to take a look how ASP.NET MVC 4.0 defines its classes for mobile devices. This is really good example.

Moving domain

At first I specified for both of my domains that they should redirect to azure web site instance. After this I set two special rules for Url Rewriter in web.config. Url Rewriter is installed on Web Sites by default.

After this I found that it is really easy to change domain in Google Web Master and Google Analytics services. As I understand to do the moving right ? I will need also to find main referral pages in internet (Google Analytics can help me to do this) and change links on it (or ask owners to change them). And after this I can say good bye to my old domain.

What is next?

As I said I really missed web-development. So I have some plans to continue improving my web site. At first I want to refactor couple places in source code and publish it to GitHub. When I tried some new features, like Entity Framework and SQL Server CE I didn't try to do it well, I just tried it. And when I saw that it works ? I published it with thoughts that I will refactor this code in future. Very common situation, right?

One thing which I still cannot understand ? is how to analyzer log files from 0:/LogFiles/http/RawLogs/*.log. They have next format:

# date time s-sitename cs-method cs-uri-stem cs-uri-query s-port cs-username c-ip cs-host sc-status sc-substatus sc-win32-status sc-bytes cs-bytes time-taken

The best option which I found is to import them to excel.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/outcoldman_en/~3/94nL_KmEXKs/325

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12 pop-culture trends that can stay in 2012

By Courtney Hazlett, TODAY

OPINION: Wouldn't it be great if the promise of a new year also meant a promise that some of pop culture's more odious trends could be left behind?? Here are 12 I could happily leave in 2012.

Getty, Reuters, YouTube

Blow us a kiss goodbye? Lindsay Lohan, left, a galloping PSY, center, and Brad Pitt mumbling for Chanel.

Gangnam style
More than 2 billion people have "liked" the video for "Gangnam Style" on YouTube since it debuted there on July 15, and I can firmly assert that I am not among them. I can appreciate a good earworm; I've been caught humming "Call Me Maybe." But I see no up side to the irritant that is PSY. The dance moves are unflattering, the melody nonexistent. And then it gets stuck in your head. Please: no more.

Lindsay Lohan
I'll keep this brief. Lindsay, I want the best for you, I do. But in 2013 I'd like to not read a word about you. Please stay away from clubs. Call a cab. Pay for everything.

Bad celeb ads
I get it -- endorsements are easy money. Signing on to be the face of a product is little work for a whole lot of dough and if Chanel came knocking on my door, I'd take the gig -- this is the one thing Brad Pitt and I have in common. But I'd want the ad to be spoof proof. Not just to save ego, but because it's not good for the career when you're starring in a film and all the viewer can think of is your silly perfume ad.

Rihanna?s Instagram
The photo-sharing social network, Instagram, has been under scrutiny lately for its advertising policy, but the real scandal is the fact that it allows Rihanna to play along. Sadly, it's a job requirement to keep track of her feed -- how else would I know if she and Chris Brown were together again? How else would I know if she had a new tattoo, or if the skin on her upper thighs was blemish-free? Sharing is one thing, over-sharing another.

Deciphering greater meaning in celeb tattoos
If a celebrity gets a tattoo and doesn't take an Instagram picture of it, does the tattoo exist? Does it have MEANING? Ink up your skin all you want, kids, but let's not spend another moment wondering what its place is in the universe.

The wardrobe malfunction down south
If you're a celebrity and your stylist can't find an undergarment that works with your particular dress, you should probably get another stylist.?

Bump watching
People are either pregnant or they are not. And until someone decides to make it known that their uterus is occupied, we, the public, just cannot know more. I'm fine leaving it at that. (And I never thought the day would come that I'd write this: Thank you, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. You did you part by sparing us from this ritual before the request even went out. Congrats on your baby-to-be.

Kimye, or any other lovers' contraction
The ill-fated romance between Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez kicked off the trend, and since" Bennifer" made it into the lexicon there appears to be some strange, unwritten obligation to give all celeb couples the same treatment. Here's the thing: Bennifer worked. It rolled off the tongue, it saved headline space.? But Kimye, for the aforementioned Kim and Kanye? No.

Celebs 'quitting' twitter
And by quitting, I mean making a grand "I am not doing this any more" gesture and then rejoining. Miley Cyrus, Chris Brown, Alec Baldwin are all offenders. You're either in or out, folks. Commit.

Teen Mom tweets
Speaking of Twitter: Admittedly, I have a strange fascination with "Teen Mom" (especially "Teen Mom 2"). But their tweeting habits -- the fighting, the new baby news, the marriages, the obvious amount of time they're spending on the social network and not with their kids -- ?it's too much.

The television over-think
You guys, don't ruin shows you love by thinking too hard about everything (Yes, I'm talking about "Homeland" here). Remember, this television-watching stuff is supposed to be fun.?

Madonna's concert stunts
Hopefully, the finale of Madonna's MDNA tour will put an end to her well-publicized concert stunts, but in case that's not her plan ... Please stop waving guns and dedicating stripteases to children shot by the Taliban. The stunts are so commonplace, it's hard to actually get mad about them, instead they're just really?irritating?and tired.

But let's end on a positive note; there were some great pop culture standouts in 2012. ?

Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee was great comedy and a perfect use of the digital medium.

Alec Baldwin's "Here's the Thing" podcasts for WNYC are real gems -- if you've never listened to any, trust me when I encourage you to check out the subjects that have no initial appeal. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

Jimmy Fallon and the Roots can put their classroom-instrument spin on any song as far as I'm concerned, and Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield proved that celebs can be just plain nice.

Here's to more of that in 2013. Happy New Year!

Related content:

Source: http://entertainment.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/31/16045683-12-pop-culture-trends-that-can-stay-in-2012?lite

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Faulty brakes may be to blame in Russian plane crash

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Faulty brakes may be to blame for a Russian airliner sliding off the runway and smashing onto a highway near Moscow, killing five people, a member of the crash investigation team said on Sunday.

Investigators said they were examining the black boxes to try to determine the cause of Saturday's crash, which cracked the wings off the Tupolev-204 plane and split the fuselage clean into three pieces.

If they find bad brakes were at fault, it would match a warning issued to the state-owned Tupolev by Russia's aviation authority to fix problems with the brakes that may have caused a Tu-204 with 70 people onboard to go off a Siberian runway on December 21.

Any sign that the catastrophe during peak holiday travel could have been avoided will worsen concerns over the country's poor air-safety record, despite President Vladimir Putin's calls to improve controls.

"After landing the pilot uses all the available brake systems on the plane, but for some reason the machine did not stop," a member of the investigation team told the Interfax new agency. "Most likely it was faulty reverse engines or brakes."

A fifth crew member of the Red Wing plane, which was traveling without passengers, died of her injuries in hospital on Sunday, the company said.

Despite icy weather conditions, the plane had been piloted by an experienced crew with many hours of flying under their belt, according to Russia's aviation safety body.

Television footage showed the jet with smoke billowing from the tail end and the cockpit broken clean off after the crash.

A photo showed a crew member, still strapped to a seat, sprawled on the pavement after apparently being hurled far from the plane during its impact with the highway barrier.

Red Wings, whose fleet includes nine of the Soviet-designed Tu-204 jets, said on Sunday it would not retire them from use.

The Russian-built Tu-204, which is comparable in size to a Boeing 757 or Airbus A321, was produced in the mid-1990s but is no longer being made.

Russia and other former Soviet republics had some of the world's worst air-traffic safety records last year, with a total accident rate almost three times the world average, the International Air Transport Association said.

(Writing by Alissa de Carbonnel; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/faulty-brakes-may-blame-russian-plane-crash-151759368.html

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How to Improve Your Credit in the New Year

With the New Year just around the corner, I know that many of you are contemplating your New Year?s resolutions. If you are reading this blog, then you probably have a few financial resolutions on your mind. Many people set a resolution to improve their credit in the New Year, and this is a great time to get started. It?s a new year, and you can start fresh. So, if you want to take your credit to a new level this year, check out the advice from all of these great finance bloggers.

Money Crush

Before you get started with improving your credit, take a minute to read this article. Jackie over at the Money Crush investigates whether you should take the time to work on improving your credit score or whether you should focus on other financial goals. You want to make sure it?s worth your time before you get started.

Free Money Wisdom

Jon the Saver has some good tips if you need to repair a poor credit score. He talks about the importance of having and using credit (in this case credit cards) in order to take the steps to improve it.

Good Financial Cents

Jeff over at Good Financial Cents has some tips on how to rebuild your credit after bankruptcy. Remember this is a new year, and you are starting fresh. You had to go into bankruptcy, but now you are moving on and moving forward!

I Will Teach You to Be Rich

Ramit over at I Will Teach You to Be Rich will bluntly give you a variety of tips and tricks on how to improve your credit score in general. He even has a section for people who want to improve their score, but who do not have any credit card debt.

Free from Broke

Over at Free from Broke you can find even more tips on how to improve your score in general. He does recommend finding out your FICO score, which you can do if you are curious, but this is not entirely necessary.

Be sure to share these articles and tips with your friends!

And You?

Will you be taking steps to improve your credit in 2013? What will you be doing?

Source: http://www.yourfinancessimplified.com/how-to-improve-your-credit-in-the-new-year/

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Real Estate Investing with REITs

Real estate can make an interesting addition to almost any portfolio. However, few of us have the large amounts of capital needed to buy a property. And, in the current climate, it can be difficult to get approval for a loan to buy up property. Fortunately, there are alternative investments that allow you to become a real estate investor without having to overcome those two hurdles. One option is to invest in real estate related stocks, and another is to invest in REITs.

What are REITs?

A Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) allows you to invest in a variety of real estate related investments. It?s designed to do for real estate what mutual funds do for stocks. However, unlike a mutual fund, a REIT can be listed on a public stock exchange. A REIT can be can be a corporation, an association, or an actual trust. The organization acts as an investment agent.

REITs can hold a variety of investments. They can actually own different types of income-producing property, residential and/or commercial, or even finance real estate transactions. REITs are structured in such a way that they can avoid some income taxes in the United States. In order to qualify, though, a REIT has to distribute at least 90% of its taxable income to investors. This means that the dividends paid out by a REIT can be quite generous. There are private REITs and public REITs. Most ordinary investors are likely to have more success investing in public REITs.

Additionally, it?s possible to diversify your REIT holdings geographically. There are international REITs, as well as domestic REITs. You can look for REITs that specialize in one type of real estate, or choose one that has a variety of different types of real estate. Consider what you think is most likely to provide consistent returns over time.

When choosing a REIT, you want to consider the net asset value, as well as the funds from operations and the adjusted funds from operations. It?s important to carefully consider what you choose in order to get the best possible outcome for your investment.

Advantages of REITs

The biggest advantage of the REIT is that you have the opportunity to add real estate to your investment portfolio without needing a large amount of capital. Additionally, the dividend payout can provide you with a source of income. REITs are also relatively easy to buy and sell on a stock exchange. They are more liquid than actually buying property, and you don?t tie up your money in the same way.

Risks of REITs

As you might imagine, though, there are risks involved with investing in REITs. Because they are tied to real estate, many of them lost a great deal of share value after the financial crisis of 2008. While some are showing signs of recovery, the reality is that there is always the risk of loss. If the real estate market suffers, so does the REIT. If you invest in a REIT that specializes in residential mortgages, and there are a high number of defaults, then your investment loses value.

Additionally, if you rely too heavily on the dividends for income, you might be in trouble if the value drops and the REIT stops making as much money. In some cases, particularly when you invest in a private REIT, you run into the possibility that you might not be able to sell as readily as you would like. Make sure that you understand the liquidity of the REIT before you invest.

Bottom Line

Before you invest, make sure you understand the risks involved, and consider what portion of your portfolio you want in real estate related investments. If you are looking for a way to add a little diversity to your portfolio, with the help of real estate, a REIT can be worth considering. However, carefully think about your risk tolerance, and be sure you understand your target asset allocation. As always, consider your investment goals avoid investing too much in any one asset class.

Photo from Wikimedia Commons.

Source: http://beingfrugal.net/real-estate-investing-with-reits/

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Costa Phillippou gets big win as Tim Boetsch deals with rough night at UFC 155

Costa Philippou wasn't even supposed to be fighting at UFC 155. It was supposed to be Chris Weidman, Philippou's teammate, taking on Tim Boetsch. It was supposed to be a fight that decided a potential contender for Anderson Silva's bout. But in MMA, things don't always work out like they are supposed to, and Philippou walked away with a win at UFC 155.

Philippou stepped in to fight Boetsch after Weidman was injured in training camp. Boetsch took an early lead with clinch work and takedowns in the first round, but between rounds he talked about an injury that was bothering him. It got worse for Boetsch in the second round, as a large cut opened in his forehead and he was poked in the eye.

[Complete UFC 155 recap: Cain Velasquez mauls Junior dos Santos]

With his eye swelling and blood covering his face, Boetsch tried to deal with Philippou's striking. Boetsch attempted takedowns, but couldn't hold off Philippou, who finished the fight at 2:11 in the third round.

After the fight, Philippou sent this tweet that said it all.

They know me now.

? Costas Philippou (@Philippou185UFC) December 30, 2012

Though he's now 12-2 and has five straight wins in the UFC, Philippou has flown under the radar among middleweights. It will be hard to ignore him after he took advantage of this opportunity at UFC 155.

Other popular content on the Yahoo! network:
? Five NFL coaches most likely to be fired
? Slideshow: Athletes to watch out for in 2013
? The Miami Heat say Dwyane Wade didn't deserve suspension
? Y! Finance: The worst product flops of 2012

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/costa-phillippou-gets-big-win-tim-boetsch-deals-045553011--mma.html

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Obama says immediate action needed on fiscal cliff

President Barack Obama speaks to reporters in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington after meeting with Congressional leaders regarding the fiscal cliff, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

President Barack Obama speaks to reporters in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington after meeting with Congressional leaders regarding the fiscal cliff, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama says "the hour for immediate action is here" on a deal to avert the fiscal cliff.

The president says he remains "optimistic" that an agreement can be reached in Congress before a looming year-end deadline to avoid tax increases and spending cuts.

If Congress can't reach a deal, the president says Congress should allow a vote on a basic package that would preserve tax cuts for middle-class Americans while extending unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless and working toward a foundation for a broader deal.

The president says an hourlong meeting Friday with congressional leaders was "good and constructive."

Senate leaders say they hope to reach a compromise that could be presented to lawmakers by Sunday, little more than 24 hours before the deadline.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-12-28-Fiscal%20Cliff-Obama/id-739afe077dc1448aafddbc65d63f80ac

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Obama: Troops aiding African diplomat evacuation (The Arizona Republic)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

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Doctoral and Postdoctoral Positions, The Max Planck Institute for the ...

The Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity (Department for Socio-Cultural Diversity) is seeking to appoint

1. up to four researchers (wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiter/innen) at the doctoral and postdoctoral level
Applicants should have a degree in anthropology, sociology, political science, or geography. Applicants for the postdoctoral positions should have an excellent PhD, publications and envisage a research career.
Their research experience and publications should be relevant to the research areas of the department.
Applicants for a doctoral position should have a research project in mind for their PhD (and send a brief description of about one page), but need not have a fully developed proposal. Advanced PhD students may also apply for one- or two-year writing-up scholarships. Please note: the Max Planck Institute does not award doctorates; PhD students should independently enroll in universities. Presence at the G?ttingen institute is required.
Very good spoken and written English is required.
The successful applicants will contribute to the department?s research relating to
- social interactions in contexts of diversity,
? organisations, institutions and diversity (including e.g. cities or NGOs),
? superdiversity and its consequences.
Initial contracts will be for two years and are renewable to up to 4 years (for PhDs) and up to six years (for postdoctoral fellows). Salary will be based on the German public service scale TV?D, level E 13 (50% for PhDs). The envisaged starting date is 1 June 2013.
The deadline for electronic (one file please) or postal applications is 6 February 2013.
Applications should include a cover letter, CV, a list of publications, and the names and contact details of two potential referees. PhD applicants in particular should send a record of university courses and performance.
Interviews will be held in the first half of March 2013.

2. two one-year postdoctoral researchers
Scholars whose research relates to the substantive concerns of the department?s research programme and whose PhDs have been submitted by 1 June 2013 are eligible to apply. The fellowship is intended to provide the basis for developing a new research project or writing the PhD thesis into publications. The fellowship holders are expected to take part in the academic life of the institute.
Fellowships will begin on 1 September or 1 October 2013.
The deadline for electronic (one file please) or postal applications is 1 June 2013. Applications should include a cover letter, CV, a list of publications, a research/writing plan for the period of the fellowship and the names and contact details of two potential referees. Please also send an electronic copy of the PhD-thesis or sample chapters. These will of course be treated confidentially. Based on the guidelines of the Max-Planck Society, fellowships entail a monthly stipend of approximately ? 1.468 to ? 1.621 (German nationals) or ? 2.100 to ? 3.000 (foreign nationals). Stipends are not subject to income tax or obligatory social security contributions.
The Max Planck Society wishes to increase the participation of women wherever they are underrepresented; therefore, applications from women are particularly welcome.
Following its commitment to an equal opportunities employment policy, the Max Planck Society also especially encourages handicapped persons to submit their applications.
Applications should be sent to: Frau C. Albern, Max-Planck-Institut zur Erforschung multireligi?ser und multiethnischer Gesellschaften, Hermann-F?ge-Weg 11, D-37073 G?ttingen (per post), or electronically to VWE@mmg.mpg.de
For further details about the positions contact Prof. Dr. Karen Sch?nw?lder at schoenwaelder@mmg.mpg.de
Call: http://www.mmg.mpg.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Stellen/2012_Ausschreibungen_researchers_postdocs.pdf

This entry was posted in Job Openings. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://news.sisr-issr.org/?p=384

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ART & ENTERTAINMENT IN BRIEF 27/12 ? TalkVietnam

The server has not found anything matching the Request-URI. No indication is given of whether the condition is temporary or permanent. The 410 (Gone) status code SHOULD be used if the server knows, through some internally configurable mechanism, that an old resource is permanently unavailable and has no forwarding address. This status code is commonly used when the server does not wish to reveal exactly why the request has been refused, or when no other response is applicable.

Source: http://talkvietnam.com/2012/12/art-entertainment-in-brief-2712-3/

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Black Galaxy Note 2 spotted, reportedly coming in early 2013

Rumors of new Samsung Galaxy Note 2 colors are nothing new, and nothing particularly surprising, given the diverse palette of Galaxy S3 colors now available. Since the phone's launch, though, many have to been hankering for a Galaxy Note 2 in classic black. If the latest rumors are to be believed, that's exactly what'll be coming in early 2013.

Czech blog AndroidSlash has come across a high-res press render of a Note 2 in black. And, well, it's a Galaxy Note 2. In black. Interesting to note is that the black Note 2 seems to retain its faux-metal texture, whereas the black Galaxy S3 lost this effect in favor of glossy plastic effect.

There's speculation that this, and other Note 2 color variants, will be shown at Mobile World Congress in February. But remember Samsung's also going to be at CES in just over a week, so there's a chance we might see the Note 2's new coat of paint sooner than expected. Lucky for you, we'll be reporting live from both shows in the new year.

Anyone want to place bets on when the inevitable perry pink version will appear?

Source: AndroidSlash; via: SamMobile

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/wSDycxRFeaQ/story01.htm

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Costs For Marketing Mobile Apps Spiked Last Month Even As Downloads Temporarily Dropped

As app developers geared up for the super-competitive Christmas season, marketing costs rose by 30 percent in November from the month before, according to Fiksu, a Boston-based company that helps publishers find the most efficient marketing channels. The company said that the cost of getting a “loyal” user, or one that opens an app more than three times, rose to $1.38 from $1.06 in October. That reversed a four-month trend that saw marketing costs decline going into October’s launch of the iPhone 5. Fiksu said the average number of downloads for the top 200 free iPhone apps in the U.S. declined to 4.57 million per day in November, down from 5.4 million in October. This is a temporary decline following the annual bump that comes with the launch of a new Iphone. When consumers get new phones around the annual iPhone launch or Christmas, downloads spike temporarily as people try out new apps or download old favorites. ?We can expect costs and download volumes to climb through December, much like last year, as marketers spend heavily in preparation for the flood of new devices and rush of user activity and app discovery around Christmas,” said Fiksu’s CEO Micah Adler in a statement. Indeed, mobile analytics startup Flurry reported yesterday that app downloads spiked at 328 million on Christmas Day, a record high for a single day since Flurry started measuring app downloads. Downloads per hour peaked early at around 11 a.m. on the 25th, and remained high throughout the day until around 8:30 or 9 p.m. While Christmas represents a single-day peak, Flurry is projecting that app downloads will remain high throughout the next week and into New Year?s Day, ending the holiday period with over 1.5 billion downloads, and possibly reaching as high as 2 billion total. Meanwhile, Fiksu is backed by Charles River Ventures. They’ve accumulated more than 63 billion app actions including launches, registrations and in-app purchases, as well as real-time bidding requests in helping developers find the most optimized ways of getting new users.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/8RpJvTXj2jY/

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Jessica Simpson Posts Revealing Bikini Shot of Herself

Jessica Simpson is on a roll with the Twitter pics from her Hawaii vacation. First the singer made her official pregnancy announcement by sharing a photo of baby Maxwell Drew with the words "BIG SIS" spelled out in the sand, and then she posted a snapshot of she and fiance Eric Johnson posing along a beautiful Hawaiian beach.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/jessica-simpson-posts-revealing-bikini-shot-herself/1-a-511436?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Ajessica-simpson-posts-revealing-bikini-shot-herself-511436

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• How to spot a Faerie by Layla

  Run from Shapeshifters, Vampires and humans with lethal weapons whilst searching for five Elementals; convince the Dark King to give up his throne and search for the Faerie Queen? Easier said than done.

  Tags: agency, air, beautiful, chaos, dark, death, earth, elements, fairy, fantasy, fey, fire, future, good vs evil, government, king, life, light, literate, monarchy, mystery, order, original, paranormal, power, queen, sci-fi, shapeshifters, spirit, supernatural, vampires, war, water, weapons, werewolves, wings (Add Tags ?)

• Covens, Cliques, and Hexes by LuckyNumber24

  (Literate Rpers only) Hidden in the forests of Goodfellow, Washington, there is a school, determined to teach and protect the next generation of Magick Users. (IN NEED OF MALES!)

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• The Will to Survive by pinkamenapoison

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• Siveen by EKRonnie

  The one thousand year anniversary of the war between Skyes and Spawns has woken a young Saerian from her sleep, a mission of danger set forth for her to complete.

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• Fractured Fairytales by RPGNerdette

  They were cast into our world at birth, not knowing of their linage. They lived separate lives. But one day the pendants they've had since birth lead them to their fate, and together, they must save the home they've never known. (TONS of spots Open)

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• The Outside by yogitheambrangyl

  They were locked up like animals, forced to be changed into something they never thought was possible. Can't be continued, but read if you wish! {^-^}

  Tags: abilities, battles, elementals, experiments, fantasy, fear, freedom, guards, hunters, mutants, original, powers, scientists, weapons (Add Tags ?)

RolePlayGateway is a community dedicated to online, text based role-playing games, their players, and other skills and pastimes associated with role-playing, be it anything ranging from play-by-post roleplay to D&D and everything in between.

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We will never delete a roleplay thread that has been brought to life on our forums. We are not the type of organization that will be unrealistically strict, nor will we come down like a ton of bricks issuing bans and official warnings at the first opportunity. Instead we wish to issue our new (and old) players into a world of unrivaled freedom of play. Here at RolePlayGateway you play your way.

Free Form Role Play, is what RolePlayGateway is all about. And as such, you should be allowed to play in ways that interest and motivate you. It is our goal to successfully accommodate the skillful and creative minds of roleplayers world wide. Roleplayers on RolePlayGateway absolutely revel in the appeal of the unreal, as it offers a chance to gain control over their own world. We also offer interesting articles and great reading for all visitors that want to learn more about roleplay and the relations to other kind of casino games like poker, and video poker.When interested in an online poker game, check the Cake poker rakeback offers first. As with RPGs, you can create your own fantasy war online.??Learn also how to include gambling in your RPG campaigns, or poker as an RPG by reading our articles, among many others!

Yes, we are a community. But a community cannot possibly grow or become stable from a singular common interest like roleplay. So, to involve a more diverse crowd, all members will find that throughout the site there are many non-roleplay threads and discussions happening all the time. From general discussions and debates, gaming, martial arts, and technology chat, to places where you can show off skills such in areas like music, art, and writing. Talk about your poker hands or your favorite TV shows.

Alongside the forums, we also have an integrated chat service that will allow you to talk to staff and other members in real time, along with being able to roleplay in a chat style.

Register for an account today!

Source: http://www.roleplaygateway.com

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Blades and clades: Why some grasses got better photosynthesis

Dec. 24, 2012 ? Even on the evolutionary time scale of tens of millions of years there is such a thing as being in the right shape at the right time. An anatomical difference in the ability to seize the moment, according to a study led by Brown University biologists, explains why more species in one broad group, or clade, of grasses evolved a more efficient means of photosynthesis than species in another clade did.

Their findings appear this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Biologists refer to the grasses that have evolved this better means of making their food in warm, sunny and dry conditions with the designation "C4." Grasses without that trait are labeled "C3."

What scientists had already known is that while all of the grasses in the BEP and PACMAD clades have the basic metabolic infrastructure to become C4 grasses, the species that have actually done so are entirely in the PACMAD clade. A four-nation group of scientists wondered why that disparity exists.

To find out, Brown postdoctoral researcher and lead author Pascal-Antoine Christin spent two years closely examining the cellular anatomy of 157 living species of BEP and PACMAD grasses. Using genetic data the team also organized the species into their evolutionary tree, which they then used to infer the anatomical traits of ancestral grasses that no longer exist today, a common analytical technique known as ancestral state reconstruction. That allowed them to consider how anatomical differences likely evolved among species over time.

Paradoxically, to understand C4 evolution, the researchers focused on the anatomy of C3 grasses in each clade.

In general what they found was that in the leaves of many PACMAD C3 grasses the veins were closer together, and that the veins themselves were surrounded by larger cells ("bundle sheath" cells) than in BEP C3 grasses. Ultimately PACMAD grasses had a higher ratio of bundle sheath cells to mesophyll cells (cells that fill in the area between veins).

In C4 plants, such an anatomical arrangement facilitates a more efficient transfer and processing of CO2 in the bundle sheath cells when CO2 is in relatively short supply. When temperatures get hot or plants become stressed, they stop taking in as much CO2, creating just such a shortage within the leaf.

So PACMADs as a group had developed an anatomical predisposition to C4 photosynthesis that BEP grasses didn't, said senior author Erika Edwards, an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Brown.

"We found that consistently these PACMAD C3s are very different anatomically than the C3 BEPs," she said. "We think that was the evolutionary stepping stone to C4-like physiology."

When the new leaves turned over

It didn't used to be this way. Back around 60 or so million years ago, BEP and PACMAD grasses were more similar and both headed in the same direction. The distance between the leaf veins in both clades had been growing closer together. But then they started to diverge in a key way. The bundle sheath cells surrounding the veins in BEP grasses started to shrink down while those in PACMAD grasses stayed larger.

For a long time the climate didn't particularly punish or reward either of those directions. But then climate changed, and opportunity knocked, Edwards said. Only PACMAD was near the proverbial door.

"When atmospheric CO2 decreased tens of millions of years after the split of the BEP and PACMAD clades, a combination of shorter [distances between veins] and large [sheath] cells existed only in members of the PACMAD clade, limiting C4 evolution to this lineage," Christin and co-authors wrote in the paper.

The researchers also found that evolution among C4 grasses was anatomically nuanced. Some C4 grasses evolved because of advantageous changes in outer sheath cells, while others saw the improvement in inner sheath cells.

Ultimately, Edwards said, studies like this one show that plant biologists have made important progress in understanding the big picture of when and where important plant traits evolved. That could lead to further advances in both basic science, and perhaps agriculture as well.

"Now that we have this increasingly detailed birds-eye view, we can start to become a more predictive science," she said. "Now we have the raw goods to ask interesting questions about why, for example, one trait evolves 10 times in this region of the tree but never over here. In terms of genetic engineering we're going to be able to provide some useful information to people who want to improve species, such as important crops."

In addition to Christin and Edwards, the paper's other authors at Brown were David Chatelet and Laura Garrison. Other authors were Colin Osborne of the University of Sheffield in the U.K.; J. Travis Columbus of Claremont Graduate University in California; Guillaume Besnard of the Universite Paul Sabatier-Ecole Nationale de Formation Agronomique in Tolouse, France; Trevor Hodkinson of Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland; and Maria Vorontsova of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Surrey, U.K.

The National Science Foundation (grants 0920147 and 0843231), the Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship (252568) and the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (10LABX-41) supported the research.

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Journal Reference:

1. P.-A. Christin, C. P. Osborne, D. S. Chatelet, J. T. Columbus, G. Besnard, T. R. Hodkinson, L. M. Garrison, M. S. Vorontsova, E. J. Edwards. Anatomical enablers and the evolution of C4 photosynthesis in grasses. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2012; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1216777110

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/n3yx2Ev9jt4/121226081058.htm

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China opens GPS-substitute to public

27 December 2012 Last updated at 09:41 ET

China has opened up its domestic sat-nav network to commercial use across the Asia-Pacific region.

Beidou - named after the Chinese word for the Big Dipper constellation - offers an alternative to the US's global positioning system (GPS).

It had previously been restricted to the Chinese military and government.

A spokesman said that Beidou is targeting a 70-80% share of the Chinese market in related location services by 2020.

The China Satellite Navigation Office added that by that time it also intended the service to be available across the globe.

Growth plan

Chinese officials say that Beidou can identify a user's location to 10m (33ft), their velocity to within 0.2 metres per second, and clock synchronisation signals to within 50 nanoseconds.

At present the receiver chips cost several times more than their GPS equivalents.

However - assuming prices fall - the Chinese government believes manufacturers will want to build them into equipment alongside those made for the US system, to offer users improved coverage.

Six satellites are already in orbit, but officials said they planned to add a further 40 to the system over the next decade, according to a report by China Daily.

Satellite launches

Organisers have estimated that the market for transport, weather, and telecom spin-off services from Beidou's signals could be worth 200bn yuan ($32bn; ?20bn) by 2015.

However, it is widely thought another motivation for the project is China's desire not to be reliant on a foreign-operated system that could be turned off at a time of conflict,

The country recently showed off domestically-built drone aircraft at the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, which would be reliant on such location data to operate.

Beidou is one of a growing number of alternatives to GPS under development.

Russia is developing the Glonass system for both civilian and military use.

It has 23 operational satellites in orbit. However, a recent report by Russia Today suggested the country's defence ministry had reservations about the project after a corruption scandal and technical problems.

The EU is also working on its own network - Galileo. It began sending test signals from its third satellite at the beginning of the month - a minimum of four are necessary to lock onto a location.

Meanwhile, UK defence company BAE Systems is working on Navsop - a system that relies on hundreds of existing signals including those used for radio, TV, wi-fi and mobile phones.

It suggests that when completed the system could offer "superior performance" to more expensive dedicated navigation satellite networks. However, it has not announced a launch date.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20852150#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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How To Run Your Home Based Business Like A Real Business ...

TIP! A product that can be used to fill a need, especially one that you might have in your life, is an excellent choice to offer in your home business. People are more likely to purchase products that address a particular need that they have.

There are circumstances beyond your control that can make life difficult, and it?s up to you to figure out how you will respond to those circumstances. You can find yourself suddenly unemployed after having a steady job for years, and now you are not sure what to do. Now may be the time to consider starting your own home business. The helpful advice in the article above can be just what you need to finally be your own boss.

TIP! Try joining a home business forum. This will allow you to interact with others in the same position.

Integrate business trips with your vacations. If a trip is for business purposes rather than simply for pleasure, you may be able to deduct some expenses on your taxes. You can take a vacation and business trip in one if you are lucky enough to find a valuable business conference in your niche that is also located in a great tourist destination. You can normally write the travel expenses off on your taxes.

TIP! Designate a specific work area in your home. Make sure that your work space has room to organize the supplies you need.

Upon opening your home based business, you should begin to keep close track of any transit time related to official business. As an entrepreneur, if you have any automobile expenses, they will be eligible for a deduction on your business taxes. If your business requires a lot of road time, you can save a significant amount on your taxes with driving-related deductions.

TIP! Before hiring anyone to help with your home business, do a thorough check into their background and employment history. The key is to ensure their suitability for the position for which you are hiring them, or else you may doom yourself to failure.

Make sure the site for the home based business you own is able to sell the products and services you offer. Many people who run home-based businesses sell only in person. If you are doing this, you could lose a lot of internet sales. On various websites, registration can be completed for a minimal cost.

TIP! You should be on top of your game even when you are at home working. If you don?t put yourself first, your self esteem may be hurt, even if you are enjoying your home business.

Take the time to talk to a business attorney around your area before you start your work from home business. Certain states have particular laws when it comes to starting a online business. If you consult with a lawyer who deals in business, you can learn the laws of your state. You need to ensure you are abiding by them.

TIP! Practice patience. Bear in mind that it takes time to make your site visible, to build a customer base and to earn a good reputation.

A home based business could mean a large amount of time on the phone. You should probably get an extra phone line or two. When you do not want incoming calls, simply make sure you set your phone to not ring.

TIP! Emergency funds are necessary for your business in case there are unexpected expenses. This can assist you when unexpected expenses hit, without disrupting your regular business operations.

Ensure that your work from home business is safe and secure. In order to do this you may need to enlist a set of rules and boundaries. Purchasing the correct equipment may also be required to secure your home business enterprise. This will help ensure your family?s safety and help you avoid any accidents that could be a nightmare for your business. Believe it or not, even home businesses can be inspected.

TIP! Have business cards made up. There are some Internet sites where you can get business cards for free.

While conducting business in comfortable clothes may be fun at first, you may find yourself missing the professional attire required at your previous job. You should try and go to other locations a few times a week in order to maintain personal relationships.

TIP! You should develop a good estimate of what your start-up costs will be well before you open your home business. Your costs may be lower than a traditional business, but they still must be accounted for.

No matter what guaranteed business program you use, you will not become an overnight success. Building a successful home based business will take time. As long as you stay motivated and work hard, your business will eventually see success that you can be proud of.

TIP! Allow people to get in touch with you via phone, mail or email. Track customer inquiries, especially whether a customer bought a product after submitting a question.

One of most important things for you to remember as the owner of a home business enterprise is that tax deductions are your friend. You can save some money on taxes if you claim your deductions.

TIP! You should deposit any payments you receive immediately. To ensure timely deposits, consider scheduling them daily or once a week, as compared to once a month.

It is not recommended to take out a loan to begin a home business. Is money worth risking a friendship? Putting a major asset, such as a home, up for collateral doesn?t seem like a good idea either.

TIP! One of the best ways to ensure that your home business makes as much money as possible, is to effectively market your business and products on the internet. There are a number of free ways that you can make your business more visible, including article marketing, blogging and social networking.

Be sure to dress well. You might feel the need to work in pajamas in your home office. You should wear what you wear to any other job. You can be as productive as possible if you keep a good head.

TIP! Find others who own home businesses and see if they are interested in a reciprocal advertising agreement. When your business is advertised on other business websites you increase the opportunities for people to find you.

You have to be determined and self-starting if you intend to make your online business successful. Because many counties may have regulations on the types of buildings you need to operate your business out of, it may be helpful to think about building your own office building at your house, so customers do not need to enter your place of residence. If you are having trouble keeping your home and work life separate, this can help, too.

TIP! Seek out the locations of your customers and make an effort to communicate with them directly. You may be able to attract new customers online, but this is no substitute for face-to-face interaction.

When starting your work from home business, it is important to have a website that is capable of selling your product. Having an online presence gives you the opportunity to target a wider audience, which can lead to an increase in sales. Hiring the services of a professional web designer ensures that your website will be up and running in no time.

TIP! Before attempting to sell something, make sure you have a basic understanding of what the price range should be for the product in the market today. Research what your competition has and what they charge, and offer your products at a more competitive price.

Learn about what the market is like for your business; what are the going rates for other businesses in the area? Use the information you glean from your research to determine what you should charge. Don?t charge below market rates to undercut the competition. It can leave you without enough money, and it might be hard to raise your rates later.

TIP! Make a list of products that are intriguing when you can?t come up with an idea about what to sell from a home business. Pick products that will be useful to people.

Get involved with online communities that support businesses run from home. You can easily find many reputable sites from a simple Google search. Blogs can be a great source of information as well.

TIP! If you?re the only owner of your business, you should be the only financial decision maker, too. For example, do not give your spouse a business credit card.

Create a business plan that is detailed and covers the many aspects of running a business. Over time, you may choose to deviate from your original plan; you may even decide to completely abandon it. However, a well-written business plan offers valuable guidance and creates a sense of purpose and direction for your business. Make sure your business plan is up to date.

TIP! Always make sure that you have extensive documentation tracking the daily costs and expenditures of your home business. Make sure you stay on top of record keeping so you can get the most out of your tax deductions and also to help if you are audited.

While reading this article, hopefully you were inspired to take your life into your own hands. You were given a lot of tips about starting a online business, and now is the time to grab the bull by the horns and go for it! You can keep this article for reference to read anytime you are not sure what the next step you should be taking is.

Share and Enjoy

Source: http://www.wahonline.com/how-to-run-your-home-based-business-like-a-real-business/

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hahhakai: Business Product Creation Tips For How To See Super ...

In relation to promoting any product, whether you created that product or just obtained the resell rights to it, you have to to find an effective sales method. There are numerous individuals who have found success through the use of online labeled advertisements, creating their very own web sites, or by utilizing online auction websites. While all of those promoting approaches could produce results, they may not work for you.

If given the chance, most people would choose to promote their products through an internet auction website. It?s because in contrast to many other promoting methods, online auctions are cheap to make use of and they often produce fast results; nevertheless, those outcomes may not be what you had been trying for. In case you are planning on purchasing the resell rights to a non-public label product for the sole objective of promoting that product by a web-based public sale website, you are suggested to rethink your decision. It is because on-line auction websites aren?t what they used to be.

Instead of earning profits with online public sale websites, many are shedding it. As beforehand mentioned, on-line auction web sites have changed. Previously, only a limited variety of products had been available for sale. The restricted number of products helped items not solely sell, but sell for a high price. Now, there may be a lot competitors on these websites that it?s onerous to make a profit. The truth is, with the time it takes to publish a web-based public sale and the charges related to doing so, it?s possible you?ll find yourself shedding money.

To obtain the personal label resell rights to an e-guide, you will need to search out an opportunity. On-line, it is possible that you?ll come across a number of completely different people who are selling the resell rights to their e-books. The truth that they?re selling their rights doesn?t essentially imply that their work cannot sell or that it?s poor in quality. In reality, many e-guide authors just would not have the time to market their product to its targeted audience. Nonetheless, in case you do have the time and the data, you could possibly make a full or half-time living.

As previously mentioned, you?ll have to discover a person who is prepared to sell their e-e book resell rights to you. When searching for that particular person and e-ebook, you are encouraged to be on the lookout for quite a lot of totally different things. First, it is very important request samples or a replica of the e-book. The price of obtaining the resell rights to a personal label product, together with an e-e book, may be fairly high. Earlier than agreeing to buy the resale rights, you will have to ensure that the product will likely be marketable and in demand. In that case, you can then proceed to strike a deal.

Finding an e-e book writer, that is promoting their personal label resell rights, is a reasonably easy process. The arduous half is discovering consumers for the product that you are now liable for selling. There are a selection of different ways that you may attempt to promote an e-book. In addition to simply utilizing one promoting strategies, you might be able to find extra success by using a mixture of them.

For extra home money methods: http://www.warriorforum.com/articles/729809-how-make-money-home-no-scams-allowed.html

Source: http://answers.beatthebrochure.com/business-product-creation-tips-for-how-to-see-super-fast-success/59690

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Source: http://hahhakai.blogspot.com/2012/12/business-product-creation-tips-for-how.html

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Religious Christmas Photos 2012

A pile of gifts for the homeless. A family's favorite nativity scene decoration. These images were included in the submissions we received for our callout for photos of what Christmas means.

Interested in sharing a picture of what this holiday means to you? Tag a photo on Twitter with the hashtag #truechristmas. Enjoy the collection of photos below.

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/25/-christmas-pictures_n_2360977.html

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How To Set Up All Your Kickass New Gear

Someone out there must think you're pretty special if you got such great gadgety goodness for Christmas. Now all you have to do get it up and running. Don't worry: we've got you covered.

More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/E1BY2NcFs-4/how-to-set-up-all-your-kickass-new-gear

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Shooter who ambushed firefighters left note showing intent to burn, kill

(CNN) ? A sniper who ambushed volunteer firefighters in upstate New York on Monday, killing two and seriously wounding two others, left a note saying he hoped to burn down his neighborhood and kill as many people as possible, police said Tuesday.

A charred body, believed to be his sister?s, was found in the burned house she shared with him Tuesday, police said.

William Spengler, 62, used a Bushmaster semiautomatic rifle, the same kind of weapon used in the assault on Sandy Hook Elementary School, Webster Police Chief Gerald Pickering said.

?He was equipped to go to war,? Chief Pickering said.

The shooter, who was convicted of killing his grandmother decades ago, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound hours later.

Pickering, at a news conference Tuesday, read a sentence from the three-page typewritten note that detectives believe Spengler?s left behind: ?I still have to get ready to see how much of the neighborhood I can burn down and do what I like doing best ? killing people.?

The note indicated Spengler?s intentions, but not his motive, Pickering said. The rest of the contents will not be made public because it is evidence in a criminal investigation, he said.

There is ?all kinds of speculation? about why Spengler wanted to destroy his neighborhood and kill firefighters and residents, Pickering said.

One theory is that he was upset about a donation his mother, who died in the past year, made to the fire department, he said. Another theory is there could be a connection to his arrest in the killing of his grandmother, he said.

?Motive is always the burning question and I?m not sure we?ll ever really know what was going through his mind,? Pickering said.

Spengler was convicted in 1981 of first-degree manslaughter in the death of his grandmother and had been released on supervised parole, Pickering said.

It will be a challenge for the medical examiner to determine if his siste r? 67-year-old Cheryl Spengler was killed before the fire was set because it was a ?raging inferno,? Pickering said.

Spengler?s former neighbor, Roger Vercruysse, said that Spengler was a nice guy who used to come over to Vercruysse?s sister?s house for holiday parties and would wave to the family from his front porch, where he often sat during the summer.

?He?d come to our house, we used to have picnics,? he said.

Spengler was especially attentive to his mother, who passed away in October, Vercruysse said, visiting her every day in the nursing home where she lived until she died.

?He loved his mama,? Vercruysse said. ?He always talked about his mother.?

Spengler did not share the same closeness with his sister, with whom he shared his home, Vercruysse said.

?He told me he hated his sister and never could tell me why,? he said. ?I?d always wave to the sister, but she was not friendly.?

Firefighters from the Rochester-area town of Webster responded before 6 a.m. Monday to a 911 call, reporting a fire that Spengler is believed to have set, when the gunfire began, Pickering said.

?This was a clear ambush on first responders,? he said. Spengler was firing from ?a natural depression? against a bank and a tree, he said.

An off-duty police officer, who happened on the scene, returned gunfire and sheltered firefighters with his car, Pickering said.

?Had the police officer not been there, more people would have been killed because he immediately engaged the shooter with a rifle,? he said. ?Essentially, it was a combat condition.? Investigators won?t know until after an autopsy if any of his shots hit Spengler, he said.

Officer John Ritter of the Greece, New York, Police Department, suffered minor shrapnel wounds but was released after treatment at a hospital.

The two wounded firefighters were in stable condition after surgery Tuesday, Pickering said Tuesday morning. They were being treated for ?serious injuries? in intensive care at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York, he said.

Seven houses were destroyed and several others damaged by the fire, which investigators believe spread from a car parked next to the home where they believe Spengler lived, Pickering said.

Authorities do not know how Spengler obtained the Bushmaster rifle, .38-caliber revolver and 12-gauge shotgun he used, Pickering said. As a convicted felon, Spengler was not allowed to legally possess weapons.

In chilling audio heard over a scanner Monday, a West Webster Fire Department firefighter reported ?multiple firemen shot? ? including himself, with wounds to his lower back and lower leg ? and ?shots still being fired.?

?I?m pretty sure that we have two DOAs? ? the term for dead on arrival ? ?on the street,? the wounded firefighter said. ?? They?re down and not good.?

For several hours after that, the threat of gunfire stopped firefighters from battling the blaze and forced police SWAT teams to evacuate 33 people in the neighborhood of small waterfront homes.

The fire destroyed seven houses. It was under control by 2:30 p.m. ET, but authorities weren?t able to get into any of the homes. Pickering said it?s possible that more victims could be inside.

Lt. Michael Chiapperini, a firefighter who died at the scene, was a veteran of the West Webster Fire Department and a police lieutenant. He?d been named Firefighter of the Year just two weeks ago. And not long before that, he had volunteered to go to Long Island to help those suffering after Superstorm Sandy, New York Lt. Gov. Bob Duffy said.

The other slain firefighter was Tomasz Kaczowka, who was also a 911 dispatcher. He?d been with the West Webster Fire Department for just more than a year, department spokesman Al Sienkiewicz said.

The shooting occurred amid a renewed gun control debate after the December 14 elementary school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, that killed 26 people, most of them children. The gunman in that case, Adam Lanza, also killed his mother and himself.

The head of a lobbying group that represents first responders said the Monday shooting was ?senseless and cruel.?

?The firefighters who responded today were performing a selfless, meaningful service to their community, unaware that a cold-hearted maniac was planning to ambush them and take their lives,? said Harold Schaitberger, general president of the Washington-based International Association of Fire Fighters. ?Coming on the heels of the horrific tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, and on Christmas Eve, this shooting is even harder to comprehend.?

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo described the Webster shooting as ?horrific.? And the state?s attorney general called it a ?senseless tragedy?

President Barack Obama has set a January deadline for ?concrete proposals? to deal with gun violence after the Newtown shooting.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, has said she will introduce legislation to reinstate the assault weapons ban that expired in 2004, while National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre has said his group will fight any new gun restrictions, saying most gun laws now on the books are rarely enforced.

Pickering, the Webster police chief, said it was important ? after the shooting in his town and others ? to ?get a handle on gun control.? He also said more needs to be done to make sure that dangerous people aren?t in society, where they can kill.

?For the last 20 years we have been turning people loose and de-institutionalizing people, and I think we?ve swung too far,? he said. ?I think there are still people that need to be in institutions that are a danger to themselves or others. And this is a classic example.?

Source: http://fox2now.com/2012/12/25/shooter-who-ambushed-firefighters-left-note-showing-intent-to-burn-kill/

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