For troops at war, relief arrives in a package of video games

11 hrs.

Winda Benedetti , NBC News

In the early months of 2012, a soldier from the?Indiana National Guard's 713th Engineer Company stationed?in Afghanistan sent a note asking for help:

My unit and I just suffered a HORRIFIC loss in just the first nine weeks of a 12-month tour out in Afghanistan, so I was hoping that a care package from you guys would help ease the pain a little for the guys that are still here in the fight.?

I was in the 8th truck; five soldiers were in the 3rd truck of our convoy. We were all out on a mission when they ran over an IED [improvised explosive device]. We were able to save one of my soldiers in that truck. THANK GOD FOR THAT!

The soldier,?hoping?to help his team?recover from the tragedy???which occurred during what one official called a "very important" but "extremely dangerous" mission???knew what was needed:

• PS3
  
• Xbox
  
• Any fighting or boxing games
  
• Any sports games
  
• Guitar Hero
  
• 2 extra PS3 controllers
  
• 2 extra Xbox controllers
  
• Computer games
  
• External hard drive
  
• Gaming mouse
  
• Gaming headsets
  
• Gaming keyboard
  

His request was answered.?The video?game-filled?care package that eventually arrived came from a non-profit called?Operation Supply Drop.?OSD,?as it's known, was started two years ago by?Captain Stephen "Shanghai Six" Machuga, a former Army?Airborne Ranger who had served eight years in the?Army, including a 13-month stint in Iraq.

Machuga has transformed?the basement of his Washington, D.C.-area?home into a kind of warehouse for donated video games and gear. On?his website, he takes requests from soldiers stationed overseas?while?he, his wife and a few volunteers?try to send out?the requested games and equipment?as quickly as?possible.?

On Saturday,?OSD hosts its?"8-Bit Salute to Veterans"???a nationwide?video game donation drive designed to raise video?games, game equipment and funds to send to troops in Afghanistan as well as to veterans recovering at?Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.?

Army?Sgt.?Chaene Kingrey ??who spent a year in Afghanistan as well as a year in Iraq???is another recipient of one of Machuga's packages. Up in the northern Laghman Province of?Afghanistan,?he and his three-man?team worked 12-hour days, their base?taking incoming fire just about every other day.

"You really cannot put into words how they helped," he told NBC News in an email interview.?"It helped me a lot coping with everything.?There were many times where stress was building, but after sitting down and playing a couple of games it just reminded me of home."

Foot?powder, cookies and Harlequin novels
It was Machuga's?own experiences serving in Iraq that inspired him to find a way to get video?games to troops working in some of Afghanistan's?toughest locales.

He said that when he was in Iraq,?"we would get care packages from well-intended church groups and knitting circles, but it was spotty at best.?Foot powder gets packed in with cookies and you get foot powder-flavored cookies."

The problem is,?well-meaning donors often just?don't understand what the troops really need, he said. For example, his?infantry company once?received a large donation?from a library???it was?a crate?full of third-hand Harlequin romance novels. This for a bunch of?18- to?25-year-old guys.

"We did end up getting some use out of them," Machuga?admitted. "As targets on the confiscated weapons range."

As an avid gamer himself, he knew just how enormously helpful?something a bit more ... interactive ... could be.

"Nothing made that 13 months (in Iraq)?fly by more than video gaming," he said. "It absolutely took my mind off where I was, what I was doing, and gave me a taste of home."

Video games to the rescue
In the past two years,?Machuga has sent 25 video video game care packages?to places like?Nasiriyah, Iraq?and?Kandahar,?Afghanistan and another six are heading?out to Afghanistan for Veterans Day. Each package includes?about $1,900-worth of games and hardware.

"Folks who have received our care packages and are used to the regular wool socks and tins of cookies are absolutely shocked stupid when one of our care packages full of thousands of dollars of video games shows up at mail call," Machuga said. "It genuinely raises the morale of an entire platoon/company."

Kingrey agreed.?"Being able to just sit down and play video games you like with people you're deployed with is among the best things you can do while overseas."

To give you an idea of the kinds of places these games are going, one care package was?on its way to a base in?Helmand, Afghanistan, when an?improvised explosive device (IED) hit the?mail convoy carrying it. Everyone was OK but the vehicle ? and the care package ??was destroyed.

Machuga?believes games can help soldiers be more?optimistic and more resilient while serving in stressful situations as well as help them deal with with the effects of?post-traumatic stress disorder when they come?home. That's why he has extended the program to patients at Walter Reed.

"I for one had a little trouble adjusting when I got back home," he said. "Every trash pick day for a?while made my nerves jangle. I would have trouble driving down the street, looking for wires coming out of them and expecting one of them to blow up."

(For more on video games easing soldiers' pain, see the video from?NBC's Rock Center below.)?

8-Bit Salute to Veterans
While many?game developers and publishers both big and small?have been very supportive of Operation Supply Drop, donating games and?equipment?for the troops, the demand outstrips the need. Saturday's?"8-Bit Salute to Veterans" events are being held in cities across the United States to help?raise funds for and collect video games and consoles to be sent to U.S. troops and veterans.?(For locations and more information?about what's happening at each location and how to donate, check?this link.)?

Donations of games and?cash are welcome. Cash will cover shipping, handing and insuring of 70 pounds of games and gear being flown to the other side of the planet, and will be used to fill game requests they don't have.

And if you're wondering what kind of games our troops?most frequently request???the answer may (or may not) surprise you. Machuga explains that, yes,?people who are getting shot at for a living really do?find relief in?playing games about getting shot at.

"First-person shooters," Machuga said. "That's right, every single, and I mean every?single wish list has a request for the latest Call of Duty, Battlefield or Halo, and usually all three."

Winda Benedetti?writes?about video?games for NBC?News. You can follow her tweets about games and other things?on Twitter?here?@WindaBenedetti?and you can?follow her?on?Google+.?Meanwhile, be sure to check?out the?IN-GAME?FACEBOOK PAGE?to discuss the day's?gaming news and reviews.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/ingame/troops-war-relief-arrives-package-video-games-1C6894445

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Mac mini review (2012)

More Info

• Mac Mini updated in two new flavors, at $599 for i5 dual-core and $999 for i7 quad-core server model
• iFixit opens up new Mac Mini, has no trouble putting it all back together again
• Mac mini review (mid 2011)

October 23rd was mostly the iPad mini's coming out party; an event with one major headliner. But that newborn product didn't enter Apple's ecosystem alone. Amidst the flurry of announcements, there was one other wee hardware relative on hand ready to join in on the launch festivities: a refreshed 2012 Mac mini. Addressing criticisms of last year's model, Apple added Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 ports, upgraded to third-generation Ivy Bridge Core processors to the mix and boosted the standard RAM allotment to 4GB (you can configure it with up to 16 gigs). Perhaps most interestingly, it's now offering a hybrid storage option, the so-called FusionDrive, which combines flash memory with a SATA HDD.

One quirk still remains, though: the product's demographic leanings. Just who is the Mac mini for? Is it the go-anywhere, portable desktop best integrated in yachts, airports, automobiles and living rooms? Or, with a starting price of $599, is it the perfect, low-cost migration assistant (pun intended) for consumers making the switch from a Windows desktop? Follow on to see which hat this not-quite-an-HTPC wears best.

Gallery: Mac mini review (2012)

Continue reading Mac mini review (2012)

Filed under: Desktops, Apple

Mac mini review (2012) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Nov 2012 15:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/09/apple-mac-mini-review/

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Win tickets to see On Religion and to question ... - Secular News Daily

The new production of AC Grayling and Mick Gordon?s stimulating play ?On Religion? is being staged at the Tower Theatre in London from 20 to 24 November (with an extra matinee on 24 November).

We have two tickets to give away for the 7.45pm performance on Saturday 24 November after which NSS Honorary Associate AC Grayling will be taking questions from the audience about the play and the issues it raises.

Informed by conversations with leading philosophers, theologians and scientists including Professor Richard Dawkins, Rev Dr Giles Fraser, Professor John Gray, Baroness Julia Neuberger, Archbishop Rowan Williams and Tariq Ramadan, this play explores faith and religion through a human, moving and theatrically cinematic story.

To be in with a chance of winning the tickets, just answer to this question:

In which book did AC Grayling question the morality of the allied air offensive against German and Japanese cities in World War II?

Send your entry to admin@secularism.org.uk and the winner will be drawn from a hat.

Find out more about On Religion by Mick Gordon & A C Grayling

Related articles:

1. Anthony Grayling has decided not to take office as BHA President
2. Answer simple question ? win an iPad
3. New survey evidence: Census religion question ?fatally flawed?
4. Census religion question questioned
5. Anthony Grayling named new British Humanist Association President

National Secular Society is Britain's only organisation working exclusively towards a secular society.

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Source: http://www.secularnewsdaily.com/2012/11/win-tickets-to-see-on-religion-and-to-question-ac-grayling-about-the-play/

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Chattanooga stuns No. 20 Lady Vols 80-71

Tennessee's Andraya Carter, right, pressures Chattanooga's Alex Black during their NCAA college basketball game, Friday, Nov. 9, 2012, in Chattanooga, Tenn. (AP Photo/Chattanooga Times Free Press, Angela Lewis) THE DAILY CITIZEN OUT; NOOGA.COM OUT; CLEVELAND DAILY BANNER OUT; LOCAL INTERNET OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT

Tennessee's Andraya Carter, right, pressures Chattanooga's Alex Black during their NCAA college basketball game, Friday, Nov. 9, 2012, in Chattanooga, Tenn. (AP Photo/Chattanooga Times Free Press, Angela Lewis) THE DAILY CITIZEN OUT; NOOGA.COM OUT; CLEVELAND DAILY BANNER OUT; LOCAL INTERNET OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) ? Tennessee's first game of the post-Pat Summitt era revealed in stunning fashion just how much has changed for one of the signature programs in women's college basketball.

Taylor Hall scored 24 points Friday as Chattanooga stunned No. 20 Tennessee 80-71 in the Lady Vols' first game under new coach Holly Warlick, who spent the last 27 seasons as an assistant on Summitt's staff. Chattanooga never trailed in the second half and beat a ranked opponent for the first time ever.

By the end of the game, a McKenzie Arena crowd of 8,468 that had seemed equally divided at the start of the night was gleefully chanting "UTC!" Several dozen fans stormed the court afterward to celebrate with the Lady Mocs.

Summitt, who announced last year she had early-onset dementia, stepped down in April after collecting 1,098 wins, eight national titles and 18 Final Four appearances in 38 seasons. She was succeeded by Warlick, a former three-time All-America guard for Tennessee who was the first athlete at the school to have her number retired.

Summitt remains on staff as head coach emeritus and attends most of Tennessee's practices. She watched Friday's game from the fifth row in a narrow section behind and to the right of Tennessee's bench. Summitt was approached for dozens of photographs and autographs by fans of both teams before the opening tip.

Warlick stood in front of the bench throughout the night with her arms folded or her hands on her hips.

The head coaching switch isn't the only change surrounding Tennessee this season. The Lady Vols don't return a single player who started an NCAA tournament game during their run to a regional final last season. Tennessee's roster includes four freshmen, four sophomores and only one junior and two seniors. Tennessee's No. 20 preseason ranking is its lowest position in the Top 25 since February 1985.

All those Tennessee underclassmen had plenty of jitters Friday.

Tennessee needed Ariel Massengale to sink a 25-footer at the buzzer just to force a 28-28 halftime tie with Chattanooga, a team that lost 90-47 to the Lady Vols last season. Chattanooga pulled ahead by making six of its first seven shots - including a trio of 3-pointers - in the second half. Chattanooga built on that lead by outhustling the Lady Vols.

In one sequence, Taylor Hall got a putback and drew a foul to give Chattanooga a 45-39 lead. Hall missed the ensuing free throw, but 5-foot-9 guard Kayla Christopher got the rebound and made a 3-pointer to extend the Lady Mocs' advantage to 48-39.

The Lady Vols turned the ball over five times in the first three minutes. They missed seven of their first eight shots. Tennessee settled down and went on a 16-2 run to take a nine-point lead late in the first half, but Chattanooga answered by reeling off 13 straight points to regain the lead. The Lady Mocs never let up in the second half.

Hall was the best player on the floor all night long. At one point in the first half, Hall was 4-of-4 from the floor while her teammates were a combined 1-of-15. Once Hall started getting more help from her teammates, Chattanooga took the lead and never looked back.

This wasn't the first time the Lady Vols struggled to leave Chattanooga with a victory. When the Lady Vols last played Chattanooga at McKenzie Arena four years ago, they also had a freshman-laden team and trailed late in the second half before squeaking out a 66-63 victory.

This time, Chattanooga closed the deal.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-11-09-T25-Tennessee-Chattanooga/id-778a28ed4e9247b4bf8a512081a42884

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Global Temperature Rise Could Reach 10 Degrees Fahrenheit By 2100, Report Finds

From Mother Nature Network's Russell McClendon:

Burning fossil fuels could raise Earth's temperature by 10.8 degrees Fahrenheit (6 degrees Celsius) within 88 years, according to a new report by accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. That's triple the goal of the 2009 Copenhagen Accord, a nonbinding U.N. treaty in which 141 nations pledged that "the increase in global temperature should be below 2 degrees Celsius" (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

"It's time to plan for a warmer world," PwC partner Leo Johnson writes in the report's introduction. "Even doubling our current rate of decarbonisation would still lead to emissions consistent with 6 degrees (Celsius) of warming by the end of the century. To give ourselves a more than 50% chance of avoiding 2 degrees (Celsius) will require a six-fold improvement in our rate of decarbonisation."

That's not impossible, but as Johnson points out, it's unlikely. Humanity reduced its collective carbon intensity by 0.7 percent in 2011, yet Johnson says we now must decarbonize by 5.1 percent annually to meet the Copenhagen Accord's target. "[N]ot once since World War 2 has the world achieved that rate of decarbonisation," he writes, "but the task now confronting us is to achieve it for 39 consecutive years."

The main reason why decarbonization isn't happening quickly enough, the report adds, is widespread reliance on fossil fuels. Even though global carbon intensity is down, energy-related carbon emissions grew by 3 percent from 2010 to 2011. Too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, along with other greenhouse gases such as methane, contributes to global warming by trapping solar heat on the Earth.

U.S. carbon intensity fell 3.5 percent from 2010 to 2011, according to the report, and U.S. energy-related emissions fell by 1.9 percent. These reductions were matched or exceeded by several other developed nations, including France, the U.K., Germany and Italy. But they were also offset by rising emissions in developed and developing countries ? China saw its energy-related emissions rise 9.4 percent, for instance, followed by Australia (8.7 percent), Turkey (8.6), Argentina (7.9) and India (6.9).

The U.S. reduction of energy-related emissions is partly due to a mild winter, PwC points out, as well as the growth of fuel-efficient vehicles in recent years. But it's mostly a result of the country's recent shale gas boom, which has helped replace carbon-heavy coal and oil with natural gas, which emits less carbon dioxide. And while the U.S. is now using less coal thanks to cheap gas, it's still exporting large amounts of coal to other countries, negating much of its own progress.

And the U.S. isn't alone in exploiting shale gas ? the controversial drilling technique known as "fracking" is already spreading to other gas-rich parts of the world, from Canada and Russia to India and Australia. This could help in the short-term, according to PwC, but it may also hinder long-term efforts to fight global warming.

"A shift to gas away from oil and coal can provide temporary respite, a necessary but not sufficient move to the low-carbon challenge," the report states. "[But] an over-reliance on gas, particularly in emerging economies expecting high energy demand growth, could lock in the dependence on fossil fuel." Avoiding this lock-in, PwC says, "will require discipline in governments that encourage gas generation, to ensure that incentives are not diverted away from renewable energy."

World leaders will meet later this month in Doha, Qatar, to continue long-stalled U.N. climate change negotiations. The two-week summit kicks off Nov. 26.

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/08/global-temperature-rise_n_2094996.html

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Find Best Places To Enjoy Sunset In Bali Island

Looking for the ultimate place for something memorable? Then Bali is the place to be.

Boasting of beautiful sceneries including stunning landscapes of rice fields and rice paddies, palm trees that provide shade for afternoon naps by the beach, powdery white sand beaches, marine activities like scuba diving, snorkeling, and sea walking, luxurious Bali villas rent, as well as warm and hospitable people, Bali is the ultimate place to make memories. And to add to these sites are the amazing and breathtaking sunsets of Bali.

While one stays in Bali, a sunset view would complete the vacation. Bali has the perfect spots that will make you see a contrast of yellow orange and red forming at the horizon. As the sun goes down, you will experience a different kind of overwhelming feeling of a day being completed.

If you want to see the best sunset views in Bali, check out these places:

Petitenget Beach. This beach is located near Seminyak Beach and what makes it better for such an activity is that there are a fewer people. There is peace and serenity to match the sunset.

The Samaya. This is also a nice spot to watch the sunset purely for its less crowded area.

Envy Restaurant. While sipping champagne and having a quiet dinner, you can also have a magnificent view of the sun going down.

Tanah Lot. This place is accessible through an hour drive from Kuta. However, the view it provides of the setting sun is worth all the driving and traveling. The temple itself is amazing and its backdrop of the sun going down makes it all the better and more exciting.

Echo Beach. Located in Canggu, it is the best place for surfing and afterwards, watching the sunset. You can stay at the Beach House and enjoy the seafood barbeque dinner.

The Rock Bar. If you feel like sipping cocktails with friends and love ones, then the Rock Bar in Jimbaran Bay is the perfect spot as it is perched on the edge of the water providing a fantastic view of the setting sun. After which, you can enjoy a great dinner of seafood.

Crystal Palace. Ever imagine lounging in bean bagsby the beach? Then, try Crystal Palace. They have a wide array of Aussie collection of affordable wines that you can enjoy. The sunset view is emphasized with a guitar music played in the background or music put on by the DJ.

W Hotels Woobar. Recently opened in March 2011, it is just a newcomer and is not as crowded as its neighboring bars. You can get to relax, sip a glass of wine, and enjoy the ambience.

Ku De Ta. This is perhaps the most popular and expensive bar in Seminyak. For instance, their drinks may cost $15. But if you are looking for that intense sunset experience, then this is the place to be. You can have the option of staying in one of their tables or enjoy the grassy lawn by the entrance of the bar.

See, other than the villas in Bali and Bali villas rent, there are other places where you can enjoy a view of the sunset.

About the Author:
Kiara Brownell is a traveler who loves to see beautiful places around the world. She already visited some of the top destinations in the world including the beautiful place of Bali. She recommends to visit bali seminyak villas to find the best villas in bali that suit your budget.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Find-Best-Places-To-Enjoy-Sunset-In-Bali-Island-/4255460

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NORML Election Night 2012 LIVE | NORML Blog, Marijuana Law ...

by Erik Altieri, NORML Communications Director November 6, 2012

Tonight, we stand on the precipice of a historic shift in how our country handles marijuana policy. Three states (Washington, Colorado, and Oregon) will be deciding on full legalization of adult use, while three more (Massachusetts, Arkansas, and Montana) will be voting on medical cannabis measures. For a brief synopsis on all the marijuana initiatives at play tonight, consult our Smoke the Vote Guide.

Below you will find our Election Night Live Blog. Starting early evening on Election Day, NORML Communications Director Erik Altieri will be posting live updates including the latest exit polling, first result numbers, information from our activists on the ground, and more.

So after you?ve cast you?re own ballot and driven every friend and family member you can find to the polls, stay glued to this page for the latest news as it breaks. Tonight we can legalize marijuana, let?s SMOKE THE VOTE.

Will be updated as news breaks?

(If the blog isn?t displayed below press CMD+R on Mac or CTRL+R on PC)

Periodic video updates and call-ins from guests will appear below

Tags : 2012, cannabis, election, legalization, legalize, live, marijuana, night, NORML, pot, results, vote, voting, weed
Posted in : ACTIVISM

Add Your Comment

Source: http://blog.norml.org/2012/11/06/norml-election-night-2012-live/

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Why A Moderate Approach Might Be Best!

Having worked in the fitness industry for over 10 years now, what I?ve learned from watching the trends is that one particular trend or ?guru? will claim that their way is the only way to get fit or achieve your fitness goals.? Even if that means you MUST supplement with some plant extract or completely eliminate grains and any thing that looks like a carb from your diet, the ONLY way to achieve fitness superstardom is by following a straight, linear path.

Not every workout requires pumped-up muscles and gut busting weights. Stick with a lifetime approach to fitness.

I love fitness, but it?s not a religion. You aren?t always going to walk the straight and narrow, and nor do you have to. It?s perfectly fine to do a mix of low intensity and high-intensity cardiovascular work, for instance. Not every single workout requires interval training, high-intensity interval training, tabatas, and the like. If your body wants to crank out some moderate steady state cardiovascular activity without dripping buckets of sweat, you?re still doing a whole lot better than if you had done absolutely nothing.

Along the same lines, not every workout in the weight room needs to translate into the requisite day-after (or two days-after) muscle soreness. ?Bodybuilders popularized workout splits that might have them in the gym 6 days a week, but beginner trainees can see results with as little as 2 to 3 times per week full body workouts.

And sometimes, an ?easy? workout is appropriate. Though they?re not always my favorite, every once in a while, I have one. Maybe I slept poorly because a certain toddler had a nightmare, maybe I?m stressed, or maybe I simply am getting older, but I?ve had workouts where I feel like I?ve made little progress (e.g., not progressing in terms of weight). Nevertheless, I got it my workout in, took some time for myself, and did something other than complain that I?m stressed or just don?t have the time.

Just like exercise should not equal suffering, weight loss needn?t be an exercise in total deprivation. If you?ve packed on the weight and need to lose it in an absolute hurry to fit in your bridal dress or make weight for some athletic competition, that?s one thing. Perhaps a rapid approach to fat loss or slashing carbs might be a way for you to lose weight (and water weight) in a hurry. But just because you?ve heard that diet works super-fast does not mean it?s best for you. Most of my client success stories feature people that have lost the weight (and more importantly, kept the weight off) because their overall approach was more reasonable. ?How? By using baby steps, incremental changes, persistence, dedication, forming better habits, lifting weights, and adding in moderate amounts of cardiovascular activity. ?Their approach was somewhere in the middle.

Here?s my point; you don?t need to kill yourself in the gym, slog through daily hour long cardio sessions, or avoid every single gram of carbohydrate to improve your strength, shed some fat, and improve your figure. The face of health and fitness is changing. ?I see more and more elderly trainees, post-natal moms, first-time lifters in their 40s and above, and other beginners making serious gains and progress by keeping their approach moderate and their goals long-term.

And while your progress may not always be dramatic on the scale, your shirt soaking wet, or your muscles rippled and hard, the changes that are going on are undeniable.? The middle of the road approach might not be exciting but it?s reasonable, doable, and achievable?and might be the road for you.

-Sumi Singh is a Personal Trainer in Austin, TX and an online diet coach. Her website is www.shailafitness.com

Source: http://www.brinkzone.com/general-fitness-info/why-a-moderate-approach-might-be-best/

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