Maxim Bange

The IAEA Incident and Emergency Centre (IEC) briefed delegations on Tuesday, 17 September 2013, on the measures the IAEA will employ to assess and predict developments during a nuclear power plant accident, and how this technical information can be relayed in an understandable manner for non-experts.

A Chinese hacker group called "Hidden Lynx" has been behind six different attack campaigns since 2011, according to a new report released this morning by security firm Symantec. Lynx is speculated to have between 50 and 100 active members at any given time, with two distinct teams split between low-level exploratory operations and more sophisticated attacks on high-profile targets like banks or US defense contractors. In one 2010 incident called "Operation Aurora," Lynx targeted Google's Gmail servers, gaining access to the accounts of dozens of human rights activists throughout the world.

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Yesterday, for a brief spell, ordinary Iranian citizens were able to talk to each other via Twitter and Facebook — services that had been officially banned since 2009. Today, however, they awoke to discover that the government had fully restored its anti-social blockade, with one communications official dismissing the whole episode as a “technical failure” stemming from some ISPs. That’s not necessarily true, however, and another possible explanation is that yesterday’s events were the result of a tussle between emerging pro-internet moderates like Iran’s new president, Hassan Rouhani, and hard-liners elsewhere in the country’s power structure. Alternatively, some fear that the temporary lifting of the ban was a ploy to allow the authorities to trace would-be Facebook users. In any case, the communication official’s response to the glitch sounds ominous: “We will take action if there was a human flaw,” he’s quoted as saying. “We are probing it.”

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Source: USA Today

The post Iranians’ glimpse of Facebook and Twitter freedom was due to a ‘technical failure’ appeared first on AIVAnet.

With less than a week to go until the national elections on September 22, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her team are working hard to maintain their lead in the polls and extend her current eight years in power.

But despite the world’s most powerful female politician reportedly hating campaign politics, the 59-year-old still managed to raise a smile following a surprise entrance during a Christian Democratic Union (CDU) event in the city of Dresden.

Some political parties are awash with money and can afford to go on campaign trails with few expenses spared. But for the parties who are happy with votes in single percentage figures – the Pirate Party for one – getting exposure requires more creative thinking.

As Merkel and members of her team stood on stage, a small object could be seen in the sky. After hovering around for a while onlookers could see that the UFO was in fact a small drone. It proceeded to swoop down just a few feet in front of Merkel, apparently taking photos and recording video of the event.

Seconds later with its Pirate Party operator apparently having been approached by the police, the drone crash-landed into the stage and was taken away by an official. While Merkel seemed to be amused, Germany’s defense minister in the dark suit and red tie to her right looked rather less impressed.

The party later confirmed that the stunt was a protest against the EU’s use of surveillance drones.

“The objective of the mission was to convey to the Chancellor and Minister of Defence Thomas de Maizière what it’s like to be suddenly observed from a drone,” said Markus Barenhoff, vice chairman of the German Pirate Party.

The party said it also wanted to draw attention to a scrapped drone project which had already cost Germany upwards of half a billion euros before it was closed down earlier this year.

The drone’s 23-year-old pilot was briefly detained and later released, having successfully grabbed the headlines and attention of voters across Germany. It is doubtful that the U.S. Pirate Party will emulate their european counterparts with a similar stunt on home soil – life is just too precious.

Germany: Pirate Party behind drone stunt at… by euronews-en

Source: Pirate Party Crashes Spy Drone in Front of German Chancellor Angela Merkel

De Europese Commissie denkt dat open data een omslagpunt heeft bereikt. Wetenschappelijk onderzoek is steeds vaker vrij beschikbaar.

Microsoft heeft Bing vernieuwd. Naast een nieuw logo zijn ook de zoekfuncties en de site verbeterd. Voorlopig alleen in de VS.

Google kondigt het einde aan voor IE8. Die op Windows XP draaiende browser wordt eind dit jaar geschrapt voor Google Analytics.

One of the fun things about being a parent to two toddlers is that you gain a sharp perspective in how the world has changed since you were a kid. A new report published today suggests that consumption of live broadcast TV has declined for the third year running, as on demand services like Netflix and Amazon's LoveFilm march on. The post Live TV Continues Its Decline as On Demand and Timeshifting Ramp Up appeared first on We Got Served.

Apple is hiring a number of musical experts to program its iTunes Match stations, according to a report from CNET. The human touch on the music stations stands in stark contrast to the algorithm-driven methodology that is used by Pandora, the current leader in streaming music.

Pandora uses algorithms and user feedback to determine what songs should be played, whereas Apple will have humans programming its wide variety of stations.

Apple has been staffing up and is looking to hire a range radio music programmers. These are people with deep knowledge in genres such Latin, metal and alternative music who will be responsible for selecting and promoting songs out of the thousands of new releases each month. Apple has also been trying to poach people from the labels themselves.

CNET also says Apple has been working with major music labels to promote “heat seekers”, acts that labels believe are on the verge of breaking out, but haven’t quite made it to that point.

Apple has always had a human touch on the iTunes Store, with editors reportedly choosing what albums and tracks to feature based on sales and personal preference, rather than a ‘pay-to-play’ system. The company uses a similar methodology on the App Store with its Staff Favorites and Editor’s Choice sections. iTunes Radio also features celebrity Guest DJs, including Katy Perry and Jared Leto at launch, as well as exclusive content — the Katy Perry station, for example, includes an unreleased track from her new album.

The ad-supported iTunes Radio is included free with iOS 7, launching tomorrow. Subscribers to Apple’s $25/year iTunes Match service, however, will hear no ads and will be able to skip an unlimited number of songs.

The post Apple Hiring Genre Experts to Program iTunes Match Stations appeared first on AIVAnet.

Cloud services provider Appirio today announced that it has acquired open innovation community TopCoder for an undisclosed fee in a move that combines two key developer communities.

Microsoft still hasn't found what it's looking for in the search market -- a way to beat Google -- but it's not giving up just yet.

Two fairly obvious scams hit the instant messaging app

DEN HAAG - Dinsdag werd bekend dat Nederland definitief 37 F-35's aanschaft ter vervanging van de F-16's. Maar tegelijkertijd maakte Defensie forse bezuinigingen bij de Luchtstrijdkrachten bekend. In 2014 wordt nog eens zeven F-16's aan de grond gezet. Ook wordt de status van vliegbasis Leeuwarden verlaagd, komt de Gulfstream definitief in de etalage te staan en wordt het Air Operations Control Station (AOCS) in Nieuw-Milligen in 2018 gesloten.

RIJSWIJK - De Nederlandse aerospacesector verwacht dat door de keuze voor de F-35 (JSF) duizenden banen worden geschapen en voor miljarden euro's aan productieopdrachten kunnen worden binnengehaald. Ruim 2200 werknemers in de luchtvaartsector zullen de komende tientallen jaren rechtstreeks werk hebben aan de JSF, zegt NIFARP, het platform van bouwers aan vliegtuigonderdelen voor de F-35. Daarnaast ontstaan nieuwe banen bij toeleveranciers.

A great professor can inspire a student, create a comfortable learning environment, and generally bring a course to life.

RateMyProfessors.com released its annual list of Top University Professors today, charting the best teachers in higher education based on student reviews. 

These 25 professors were noted for accessibility, clarity, and ability to cultivate a discussion, among many other traits. They come from a variety of subjects and from schools all over the country.

The top professor — Penny Livermore, a classics professor at Loyola University Chicago — is genuinely adored by her students. One wrote, "Penny is seriously an angel embodied in human form. She sees the best in everyone and will work with students in every circumstance."

#1 Penny Livermore, Classics, Loyola University Chicago

What students say:

"Penny is seriously an angel embodied in human form. She sees the best in everyone and will work with students in every circumstance. She is the next Mother Theresa! She feeds you, tells you stories, and gives you As!!! I was blessed to have the honor of meeting her!"

"Penny (as she would like you to call her) is the most wonderful woman. She is so inspirational and a breathe of fresh air. She sees us as PEOPLE (who happen to go to school) instead of just students. If you take her class, go talk to her and you will feel so good about life. Her class is awesome! Take her!"

#2 Devon Hanahan, Spanish, College of Charleston

What students say:

"By far my favorite professor at CofC! Very laid-back and funny. Will find fun ways to help you learn the material including Jeopardy games and fashion shows :) She has the best ratings at CofC for a reason. Will give study guides for exams and the oral interview (all you have to do is chat with her!) TAKE HER!!!"

"Love her!! Her teaching is crystal clear and she will explain something until you get it! She invites you to her house and to hang out with her outside of class! She moved one of our tests because she didn't feel like we were ready yet! She really wants to see you do well! Study guides, a friendly face, and a good attitude! Take her!"

#3 Kenneth Anderson, Music, University of California San Diego

What students say:

"There is no bad word to say about Ken. I went really intimidated by the fact that I can't sing, but then you realize everybody else can't sing either and we're in there for the same reason - to get rid of the fine arts req. He manages to get 300+ people to sing BEAUTIFULLY. It is so much fun in his class. How could I not recommend it? 20 thumbs up"

"I love this class! Professor Anderson keeps rehearsals lively and entertaining. He's got a great sense of humor and you actually end up learning a lot about the origins of gospel music. The concerts are a lot of fun to participate in, especially while singing with the phenomenal vocalists he invites to solo for us."

#4 Rosalind Hall, Music, Brigham Young University

What students say:

"Next to my mother, Sister Hall is my favorite woman on the planet. She truly loves her students and is loved in return. She is extremely helpful and provides many opportunities for students to grow and learn. She is THE BEST."

"Absolutely amazing teacher. Hands down one of the best professors at BYU, and one of the best people you will ever meet. If you ever get the chance to take choir from her do it. You will become a better singer and a better person."

#5 Kevin Raiford, Business, College of Southern Nevada

What students say:

"Very awesome! You will only fail if you don't do the work! Group projects are great in his class, and he always know how to explain his material. He is devoted to his classroom and his students. If you need help with ANYTHING, he is there! One of the BEST instructors at CSN!"

"you would be a fool not to take his class. by far one of the best teachers i have had.he the real deal. his resume and actual work experience in the field of managerial accounting make what he teaches real. He goes out of his way to help his students. If he taught underwater basket weaving i would take that class too."

#6 Debra Farrer, Education, California University of Pennsylvania

What students say:

"Extremely nice teacher. She is excited to teach and will help you with any questions you have. The class is really easy as long as you go and turn your work in. I didn't use the textbook much-her powerpoints are wonderful."

"Dr. Farrer is a great professor. She is very clear on what she wants from her students. The tests come from your notes and they are relatively easy. We did a lot of fun projects in her class such as learning centers, making our own books and learning about fun activities to get children involved in. I would definitely take her again if I could!"

#7 Bridget Middleton, Mathematics, Santa Fe College

What students say:

"I have a very hard time understanding math, but the way Mrs. Middleton explains it, it makes so much sense. She shows us different ways of solving and let's us use the method that's easiest for us. She tries to give us immediate feedback as much as possible so we know what needs improvement."

"I have never had a teacher that actually goes out of her way and care the way Mrs.Middleton does, she is very nice, understanding, and hot! definitely recommend her class over any other hands down!!!"

#8 Claude Mark Hurlbert, English, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

What students say:

"Hands down best professor. I learned more than I could have ever asked. Most caring, personal, intelligent professor ever. He connected our class through personal tragedies and triumphs and I feel so comfortable with everyone and consider every single one of them friends. He really cares about his students and is ALWAYS willing to help!"

"He's very helpful. Makes you write a 15pg single spaced book,but gives you almost all semester to do it. Sounds hard, but it's really easy. Parts of the book will be due at different times, and the class reads different pages of your book and gives you feedback. It doesn't sound fun, but in the end, you'll love it! he's always willing to help!"

#9 Dr. ­­­­Kimora, Criminal Justice, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

What students say:

"I had Dr. Kimora for two classes and they were both amazing. She will teach her lessons in a step by step well-organized manor and will always answer any questions you have. If you ever take her for a class it is worth it because you will enjoy it and will also find out about your mistakes if you made any."

"Professor Kimora is one of those professors that can change your life and view on topics. She is an excellent mentor & I HIGHLY recommended taking a course(s) with her. She is very enthusiastic about teaching & loves to do it, she speaks crystal clear & loves helping people. she is extremely fair & gives you the grade you deserve. She's the BEST!!!"

#10 Warren Schultz, Education, St. Joseph’s College

What students say:

"He is the best professor in the child study department. He gives us the information we need to know to be successful teachers and always does an arts and crafts project before the end of class with us. Its only a midterm, final, 2 lesson plans, and a literature presentation. Take him."

"What can you say about Mr. Schultz? He is a great Professor...He's caring, always available to help out students, and has funny stories that tie into the class. Highly recommend that you take his classes if you can."

#11 Myra Bloom, English, Oral Roberts University

What students say:

"It is a very good class and Professor Bloom is most helpful. There is a lot of information but you do not get bored about the library. The video was amazing. The trial searches Professor Bloom designed were excellent and taught me how to search with the best terms and strategies."

"That was amazing, so many resources that are so easy to use. Prof. Bloom is funny and she knows the content. Wow."

#12 Sarah Satterfield, Music, College of Central Florida

What students say:

"Awesome class. She really covers the milestones and highlights of the history of music extremely well, very easy to follow along as long as you take down notes. Overall just one of the nicest professors I've ever met."

"Great person, excellent teacher, and really loves her field! She's kind and loves helping students and makes class very enjoyable. Lectures get a bit long at times, but the dull moments are bearable. I recommend her to anyone - music majors, art majors, even math majors who need the humanities credits."

#13 Raj Bose, Business, University of Phoenix Hawaii Campus

What students say:

"Mr Bose is an outstanding instructor. He is very easy to understand and relates his marketing experiences through his teachings and apply it to the real world challenges."

"Raj kept the discussions interesting and relevant by always posting articles and you tube videos that went with answers and comments in the discussions. He helped bring real life facts to the text. It made the concepts easier and more fun to learn."

#14 Andrew Russakoff, Computer Science, St. John’s University

What students say:

"MOST AMAZING PROFESSOR AT ST JOHNS! he is the greatest. class never lasts longer than 40 minutes, he tells you exactly what you need to know and never tries to trick you. easy A and you learn a lot! i wish i could take his class over and over again"

"This Professor made class fun, he played the bagpipe on St. Patricks day. Easy to understand and very lenient. On exams he even gave hints to what the answer is. Must go to class though or you'll miss out. Talk to him after class for help or just to joke around or electronics. Very understanding"

#15 Karen Turner, Business, University of Miami

What students say:

"Best teacher I've had at UM. Genuinely cares about students and makes sure students are immersed in the subjects. Brings in real life examples and applications. Gives great life long legal advice as well. Surprised she doesn't work full time as a lawyer because she's that good. If you try very hard, you will do well."

"Excellent teacher, extremely nice. She can break anything complicated down into something very simple. She's very open minded about grading on quizzes and exams, and she's extremely helpful with them as well as the paper. She's also more interesting in lectures than most for the subject."

#16 Pietro Lorenzini, Criminal Justice, Governors State University

What students say:

"This was a terrific class. It was filled with information which is useful but was based on theories and jurisprudence. Great class with a refined and highly intellectual professor. I recommend it to all who are interested in criminal justice, political science and law school."

"For me this was a hard class but the professor made it worth the effort. He is smart, articulate, knows his subject real well and seems to care about students. He is very attractive too. Believe me, take Lorenzini if you can cause he's worth it!"

#17 Donald Franks, Mathematics, California University of Pennsylvania

What students say:

"Dr. Franks is definitely the best professor I have ever had. I hate math, but he made it enjoyable. He is smart and hilarious! I didn't mind coming to class at all. It was a privilege having him for class. :)"

"Worth getting up for an 8 AM Class with him. Awesome professor and still talks to you even when the semester is over and is always willing to help!"

#18 Paige Baltzan, Business, University of Denver

What students say:

"Ms Paige is a gift and I would not have been able to remain in school while working without her encouragement. She believed in me and that made all the difference for me."

"Paige strives to go beyond just teaching and insists that you learn and can apply the material before leaving her course. She cares that you learn - a new experience for me. Plus, she is really easy on the eyes."

#19 William Hoston, Political Science, University of Houston – Clear Lake

What students say:

"Good teacher & very helpful. Research paper, 3 reading critiques & two exams. Overwhelming at first but he does a good job organizing class & keeping students up to date with assignments."

"My favorite professor took the LSAT prep course got accepted into 3 law schools. Hopefully starting in the fall. Awesome prep, revises your personal statement and writes everyone a letter of rec."

#20 Garry Merritt, Languages, University of North Georgia – Oakwood

What students say:

"I was so afraid to take Spanish but Mr. Merritt was the best teacher ever...I really enjoyed his class he made it fun for all and was always willing to help!!! My first spanish class ever and I made an A!!!"

"Professor Merritt is an AMAZING teacher! He loves what he does and he makes class VERY fun! He put extra credit on all the tests and quizzes. I don't think I have ever enjoyed going to a class so much in my life! I would recommend him to anyone and everyone! :D"

#21 Margaret Jordan, English, Wayne State University

What students say:

"Dr. Jordan is the only professor I know who can not only introduce you to a text but can also take you within it and make you feel like you are experiencing exactly what the author intended for you to feel. It's okay to be wrong, because in her room no one is wrong. She welcomes dialogue and puts everyone at ease. This is my second class with her."

"Professor Jordan was an amazing professor. She was great at giving complete information. The class discussions always made class enjoyable. She just did not lecture but rather we all as a class were involved in teaching."

#22 Kevin Kreider, Mathematics, University of Akron

What students say:

"Probably one of the nicest professors I've ever met or had for a class. He's extremely helpful if you need the help. Also, he is willing to work with you if a situation arises in that you have to miss class (i.e. missing a week of class in an 8-week summer session). I wish all professors were like him."

"Two words: must take! His passion for teaching shows in the quality of his lectures and he's really helpful when you see him at his office hours. He's well liked amongst the students because he actually cares about your success. I wish every professor was like this guy. Dr. K is the man!"

#23 Jessica Damian, English, Georgia Gwinnett College

What students say:

"I'm a first year college student and this professor has no idea how much she has inspired me. She is without a doubt the best teacher to take!! As long as you attend classes and work hard, you won't have an issue. AMAZING PROFESSOR!!! AND A BEAUTIFUL PERSON!!!!!"

"Best teacher I have ever had. Amazing grasp on learning and focuses on class discussions over busy work.She focuses on each student individually and cares a great deal about all of them. Her goal is to help you succeed not only in her class but in the rest of your life. To top it all off she is gorgeous too! TAKE HER!!!!"

#24 Susan Young, Mathematics, University of Akron

What students say:

"Mrs. Young is an amazing professor. She teaches the course in an organized, straight-to-the-point fashion. She provides sample quizzes and tests, so you're never surprised by an exam question. Plus, if you're bordering an A or B in the class, she'll bump you up if she knows you've put in effort."

"Mrs. Young is an excellent math professor. She is articulate, explains concepts well, and her teaching style engages the student as she frequently poses questions and solicits for students' responses/feedback as she gives a lecture. She also updates Springboard (online website used at Akron) in a prompt manner. Highly recommended!"

#25 Anna Bass, Management, Southeastern Louisiana University

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There are a lot of rewarding jobs that may not seem glamorous, but the pay is great and the job growth high.

These factors put them at the top of job site CareerCast.com’s list of the most underrated jobs of 2013 published Tuesday. The company used survey data that "weighed stress, physical demands, and both the current and future employment outlook," combined with data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The list also takes into account data from the company's Jobs Rated report, which includes the competitiveness and growth potential of specific fields.

"Perception is not reality in this case," Tony Lee, publisher at CareerCast, tells Business Insider. "There are some really great jobs on this list that you may not have considered because they don't seem so exciting."

Take an emergency medical technician, for example. The job doesn't require a college degree, but the job growth is a whopping 33%. Plus, it's a great way to break into the health-care industry.

"People who are EMTs love it," Lee says. "They are passionate about it, and we find that most of them wouldn't want to do anything else."

Many of these professions also made last year's list of the most underrated jobs, except EMTs and librarians. And three jobs on the list — EMT, plumber, and electrician — don't even require a college degree.

A stable hiring outlook, competitive pay, and life-enriching work are the common themes of many of the professions on CareerCast's most undervalued jobs list.

12. Librarian

Median Salary: $55,370     

Projected Growth: 7%

Why: "Competition for jobs can be stiff — librarian scored No. 148 in the 2013 Jobs Rated outlook metric — but the field can be rewarding, evident in its ranking in both stress levels and workplace environment. Managerial qualities are important to overseeing a smoothly operating library."

Source: CareerCast

11. Electrician

Median Salary: $49,840       

Projected Growth: 23%

Why: "Similar to plumbers, electricians are in increased demand despite the slow construction market." At 23% projected growth through 2020, the BLS estimates a total of 133,700 jobs.

"Homes and businesses need more wiring than ever before, and electricians will be needed to install the necessary components," the BLS reports.

Source: CareerCast

10. Plumber

Median Salary: $49,140

Projected Growth: 26%

Why: "Despite slowed growth in the construction sector, specialty trades have provided opportunities for those seeking good jobs. Few are as accommodating as plumbing, which has seen strong hiring growth in the last year and is projected to swell another 26% by 2020."

"Demand for plumbers is expected to come from new building construction and stricter water efficiency standards for plumbing systems, such as low-flow toilets and showerheads," the BLS reports. With stability and the position’s low stress level score, it's a more valauble job than many might imagine.

Source: CareerCast

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

What happens when you combine the ridiculously long lines for the Cronut with the equally ridiculously long lines for Shake Shack?

This:

For one day only, the inventor of the Cronut teamed up with Shake Shack to sell a "Cronut Hole Concrete," with proceeds going to the New York City Patrolmen's Benevolent Association Widows and Children's Fund and the Madison Square Park Conservancy.

The treats combine Shake Shack's handmade frozen custard ice cream with Ansel's fluffy pastries. With only 1,000 Cronut Hole Concretes available, people lined up as early as 4 am this morning to ensure they would get their hands on this once-in-a-lifetime delicacy.

Here's what the Cronut Holes look like:

And here's the Cronut Hole Concrete, complete with custard:

 And here's a more detailed look at how ridiculously long this line was:

SEE ALSO: We Tried Exo — A Protein Bar Made With 25 Crickets

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India's inflation rate hit a six-month high of 6.1% in August. Food prices were up 18.2% on the year, and this was led by a mind-blowing 245% annual rise in onion prices.

Food costs account for a significant portion of the Indian people's income, and onions are a critical ingredient in most every Indian meal. This explains why officials are wary of rising onion prices.

Onion prices are at Rs. 70 ($1.10) per kg, though there were reports that prices had surged as high as Rs. 100 ($1.57) in certain parts of the country.

While the $1.10 might not seem like much, it's a hefty price tag in India and the volatility doesn't help.

Here are some of the crazy things we've seen around India in the aftermath of soaring onion prices.

1. Onion Groupon Deals: Groupon India offered onions at Rs. 9 for a kg, in response to surging onion prices, and the offer caused the site to crash. This represented an 85% discount to a market price of Rs. 60 at the time the deal went live. It was the first time Groupon India had a deal on onions.
2. Onion Bank Deposits: To protest rising onion prices a member of the state legislature from the BJP deposited onions at a local bank, the New York Times reported, citing local media.
3. Onion Snipers: In 1998, a television satirist said he had asked the Bombay police for the protection of sharpshooters because he intended to buy 10 kilos of onions. At the time mobs had looted government vegetable storage buildings and trucks loaded with onions, New Straits Times reported.
4. Onion Heists: Indian police thwarted thieves in the process of taking off with a truck full of onions. The thieves decided to target onions because the price of the vegetable had surged and because of the weakness in the rupee.
5. Onion Government Takedowns: Rising onion prices have led to the downfall of governments. In 1980, onion prices played a large part in bringing down the Janata Party alliance during general elections. In 1998, the BJP lost state elections in Delhi because of soaring onion prices.
6. Onion Weaponization: An onion farmers union in Western India had offered Rs 1,000 (approx. $16) to anyone who could knock out a government minister with an onion, New Straits Times reported.

Of course this is worrisome for India's new central bank governor, as rising inflation limits his ability to loosen monetary policy and help support economic growth which is at a 10-year low.

SEE ALSO: 26 Crazy Things That Only Happen In India

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Save 66% on Age of Empires® III: Complete Collection during this week's Midweek Madness*!

Immerse yourself in the award-winning strategy experience. Microsoft Studios brings you three epic Age of Empires III games in one monumental collection for the first time. Command mighty European powers looking to explore new lands in the New World; or jump eastward to Asia and determine the outcome of its struggles for power.

*Offer ends Thursday at 4PM Pacific Time

With Larry Summers dropping out of the Fed race, it now appears clear that Janet Yellen is the frontrunner to succeed Ben Bernanke.

According to WSJ, the White House is not inclined to start fresh with new names, and since Yellen was the #2, Summers' departure makes her the #1. But it's not a done deal until it's over.

POLITICO's Ben White — who deserves credit for identifying Summers as the favorite before just about any other reporter — says in today's Morning Money that while Yellen is probably the frontrunner, one can't discount the possibility of someone like Roger Ferguson, also a former Fed vice-chair, and the CEO of TIAA-Creff.

White cites one "well-connected" source who offers the following argument for Obama to pick Ferguson:

“He handled the Fed’s response to 9-11 adroitly and is a calm and analytical policy wonk. He knows the President and Valerie Jarrett well, but also gets along fine with Republicans on the Hill. And if he is the pick the President could let it be known that he won’t reward Elizabeth Warren for sabotaging the Summers pick by giving the appointment to Warren’s pal Yellen.”

This idea that The White House might not appoint Yellen over frustration with how the Summers nomination went down has been reported elsewhere.

Immediately after Summers withdrew, David Wessel at WSJ reported:

One leading candidate is Janet Yellen, the Fed's current vice chairwoman, who has garnered substantial support among Democrats in Congress and among economists. But the public lobbying on her behalf appears to have annoyed the president, say administration insiders, and may lead him to look elsewhere.

Bottom line: Yellen is now the favorite according to reports. But if she doesn't get it, it may be because the White House is angry at the way her supporters torpedoed his #1 pick.

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It took a grueling 19-hour effort, but the Costa Concordia cruise ship is now standing upright.

The "parbuckling" process, wherein pulleys and steel cables were used to slowly pull the 60,000-ton ship into an upright position, has been a success. The boat will now have hollow steel boxes called sponsons attached to the side of it to ensure buoyancy, before being towed away for scrap.

It's a remarkable scene, and even more remarkable when you consider that the boat has been there on its side on the rocky coast, since it crashed in January 2012, killing 32 people.

These pictures show just how weathered and mangled the boat has become. It's really quite remarkable:

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Good morning! Here's what's going on in the world of tech:

• Pre-orders for one of Apple's new phones, the 5c, began last week. Strangely, Apple hasn't bragged about sales numbers yet and the stock is sliding. 
• Google bought Bump for $30-60 million. Bump was founded in 2008 and raised $20 million. Its technology lets two phones exchange information when knocked together.
• Microsoft Bing has a new logo.
• There's a big New Yorker profile out on Bryan Goldberg. He's the controversial founder of a media startup for women, Bustle.
• There was an incident with Uber over the weekend. An intoxicated passenger tweeted that her driver tried to choke her. Uber didn't immediately accept responsibility for the incident.
• The FTC is starting to look closely at the "native advertising" trend, where websites better integrate (or hide) ads among content.
• Upworthy, a media startup that soared to 30 million monthly unique visitors 14 months after it launched, has raised $8 million.
• IBM will spend $1 billion to promote Linux, an operating system that competes with Windows. 
• Tumblr and DataSift have partnered up. The deal is significant because it's expected to help Tumblr monetize much better in 2014. DataSift will take Tumblr's data and use it to power consumer engagement analytics. 
• Tim O'Reilly of O'Reilly Media shares all the ways he failed as an entrepreneur. He also lists a few things he got right.

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A few months ago, we heard about plans to bring Chris Sawyer’s classic transport management game, Transport Tycoon, to Android and iOS sometime this year. This was certainly cause for some nostalgic joy as many of us will fondly remember the days when Transport Tycoon would take up hours of our lives, but from the teaser that was released with the announcement, there was no mention of a release date beyond “sometime in 2013″.

Luckily, there has been a second trailer released today which does give us a loose release window of October 2013 as well as giving us some gameplay from the upcoming mobile game. Check it out:

It looks like it hasn’t aged a day, perhaps almost literally. More than anything, Transport Tycoon looks like a mobile optimized version of the original PC game, but what it offers over Open TTD, which has been mimicking Transport Tycoon for some time on Android already, remains to be seen. I am worried a little that the gameplay portions of the trailer appear to have been recorded in 4:3 resolution, but hopefully the finish product will scale for widescreen resolutions.

Are you looking forward to getting the genuine Transport Tycoon on Android? Let us know if you’re up for some old-school transport management.

Source: YouTube

The post Transport Tycoon To Hit Android Screens October 2013 appeared first on AIVAnet.

Square Enix has resumed digital sales of Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn on its North American and European online stores.

Due to an "overwhelmingly positive response to" Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn when it launched worldwide on Aug. 27 for PlayStation 3 and Windows PC, Square Enix halted digital sales of the title until the company could expand its server capacity to accommodate players. Square Enix had also temporarily docked the MMO's character creation feature and enforced log-in restrictions across its servers.

Director Naoki Yoshida told Polygon that the game suffered congested servers to due Square Enix's "conservative estimates" on how many people would adopt the game at launch.  Due to the server congestion,...

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DEN HAAG - Het kabinet heeft de knoop doorgehakt. De F-35 Lightning II (Joint Strike Fighter) wordt de opvolger van de F-16. Het toestel houdt de gemoederen al jaren bezig. Een overzicht.

Instagram recently announced that it now has 150 million monthly active users (MAUs).

This is up from 130 million on June 20, the date of Instagram's last update on MAUs. That means the app added nearly 250,000 active users daily, on average, in the 81-day interval between announcements. June 20 is also the day that Instagram gave users the ability to share videos, matching similar capabilities offered by Snapchat and Vine. 

However, the addition of video hasn't produced a noticeable increase in the rate at which Instagram is adding users. In fact, we estimate that in the 81-day period prior to releasing video, MAUs  grew at a faster rate— nearly 280,000 a day average.

The slight deceleration is perhaps due to the popularity of other competitors in the increasingly crowded photo- and video-sharing space, including Vine, Tout, Snapchat, and messaging apps like WhatsApp that also allow photo-sharing. Snapchat photo uploads have soared over 400% in seven months. Also, it's possible that Instagram may have simply reached a natural growth peak. 

Of course, Instagram's growth rate is still impressive, and adding video was likely more tied to increasing user engagement rather than audience size (not to mention, 15-second videos are a great ad format).

Facebook is currently working on a monetization strategy for Instagram, which will bring advertising to the service. Heading up that charge is Emily White, who told the Wall Street Journal that the service should be ready to begin selling ads within one year. It will be interesting to see what if any impact the advent of Instagram advertising has on user growth. 

Download the chart and data in Excel.

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Apple is usually quick to gloat about its iPhone pre-orders. But pre-orders for the 5c began five days ago and the company has stayed quiet.

That could mean nothing, or it could mean early sales are bad for the first time in years. 

The 5c was positioned to be an iPhone for mass consumption. The colorful device is cheaper than the iPhone 5s and it has a plastic shell. But critics stay the price point at $99 isn't cheap enough. 

Apple's silence may be the driving force behind its slipping stock. On September 13, the day 5c pre-orders began, Apple's stock was $475 per share. Today it's hanging just below $450, a 4% drop from yesterday.

How unusual is Apple's silence?

The Verge's Chris Welch sums it up nicely:

In 2010, Apple announced that the iPhone 4 had seen 600,000 pre-orders in 24 hours — the most the company had ever received in a single day. Things only grew from there. The iPhone 4S surpassed one million pre-orders in 24 hours, with the iPhone 5 doubling that success one year ago. Last year, Apple's update came on the Monday after pre-orders began, but the company's PR team has been mum today.

Update: It's worth noting that Apple's other phone, the 5s, hasn't gone on sale yet. That may account for Apple's silence around 5c sales. Apple may not feel the need to share early sales figures before the entire line is out. 

iPhone 5s sales will arguably be more important than 5c sales. The 5c is meant to resemble the 4s and appeal to emerging markets . But the 5s an actual, upgraded device with fingerprint scanning technology, a better camera and gold trim. Its sales will be comparable to the iPhone 4s. The iPhone 5c is a much different kind of product.

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Foodies are discerning eaters who do extensive research before sitting down to a meal. So where do foodies like to eat?

OpenTable has just announced its top 100 restaurants that are Fit For Foodies, which is based on more than 5 million restaurant reviews submitted by OpenTable diners for more than 15,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The list of winners spans 26 states, with the majority of the restaurants serving contemporary American cuisine—perhaps a result of the increasingly popular farm-to-table movement. There were also several seafood restaurants.

"We’ve become a nation of foodies, and, as a result, restaurants everywhere are really raising the bar in their kitchens," said Caroline Potter, OpenTable's Chief Dining Officer. "Chefs and restaurateurs are more open to opportunities outside of places such as Manhattan. The cost of living – and doing business – is more affordable in smaller cities. It’s easier to get press and cultivate a crowd of regulars when there isn’t, literally, a restaurant (or two) on every corner."

While places like California and New York are filled with great restaurants, this year's list also highlights restaurants in Alabama, Delaware, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Virginia. Potter called out Husk in Nashville, for example, as one of the most sought-after reservations on OpenTable.

Still, California was the big winner with 19 restaurants that made the list. Both Chicago and Philadelphia had nine restaurants on the list, while surprisingly New York state only had five restaurants.

Here's the full list of Foodie-friendly restaurants with their locations:

a(MUSE.) – Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Acadia – Chicago, Illinois

All Spice – San Mateo, California

Altura – Seattle, Washington

Art Café 26 – Williamsburg, Virginia

Autre Monde – Berwyn, Illinois

Aviary – Portland, Oregon

Bar Lola – Portland, Maine

Barley Swine – Austin, Texas

Beast – Portland, Oregon

Beast and Bottle – Denver, Colorado

Belly and Trumpet – Dallas, Texas

Benu – San Francisco, California

Bibou – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Bink’s Midtown – Phoenix, Arizona

Binkley’s Restaurant – Cave Creek, Arizona

Blue Hill at Stone Barns – Pocantico Hills, New York

BOCA – Cincinnati, Ohio

The Bocuse Restaurant at The Culinary Institute of America – Hyde Park, New York

Canyon Kitchen – Sapphire, North Carolina

Carpe Vino – Auburn, California

Cascina Spinasse – Seattle, Washington

Castagna – Portland, Oregon

Chalkboard – Healdsburg, California

Commis – Oakland, California

Craigie on Main – Cambridge, Massachusetts

Crossroads – Los Angeles, California

Crudo – Phoenix, Arizona

Cúrate – Asheville, North Carolina

Driftwood – Dallas, Texas

The Farm and Fisherman – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant – Forestville, California

Feast – New York, New York

FIG – Charleston, South Carolina

Fishing With Dynamite – Manhattan Beach, California

Five Bistro – St. Louis, Missouri

Forage – Salt Lake City, Utah

Fore Street – Portland, Maine

Frances – San Francisco, California

Girasol – Studio City, California

Girl & the Goat – Chicago, Illinois

goosefoot – Chicago, Illinois

Gracie’s – Providence, Rhode Island

Grove – Grand Rapids, Michigan

The Grove – Delray Beach, Florida

Gwynnett St. – Brooklyn, New York

Heidi’s – Minneapolis, Minnesota

Highlands Bar & Grill – Birmingham, Alabama

How To Cook A Wolf – Seattle, Washington

Hugo’s Restaurant – Portland, Maine

Husk – Nashville, Tennessee

iNG Restaurant – Chicago, Illinois

ink. – Los Angeles, California

IRON at Marcus Pointe – Pensacola, Florida

Juno – Chicago, Illinois

Kabocha – Chicago, Illinois

Le Pigeon – Portland, Oregon

Lenoir Restaurant – Austin, Texas

Little Fish – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Maison – Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Manresa – Los Gatos, California

Moto Restaurant – Chicago, Illinois

n/naka – Los Angeles, California

Natural Selection – Portland, Oregon

Niche – Clayton, Missouri

The North Fork Table & Inn – Southold, New York

o ya – Boston, Massachusetts

Old Major – Denver, Colorado

Papilles – Los Angeles, California

The Pass – Houston, Texas

Piccolo – Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Pickled Heron – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Playground – Santa Ana, California

Poppy – Seattle, Washington

Posh – Scottsdale, Arizona

Primo – Rockland, Maine

The Pullman – Glenwood Springs, Colorado

The Restaurant at Meadowood – Saint Helena, California

Restaurant Alma – Minneapolis, Minnesota

Roe – Portland, Oregon

Root – New Orleans, Louisiana

Saison – San Francisco, California

Sbraga – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Serpico – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Seven Sows Bourbon and Larder – Asheville, North Carolina

ShinBay – Scottsdale, Arizona

Shorebreak Lodge – Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Sir and Star at the Olema – Olema, California

The Smoking Goat Restaurant – San Diego, California

Sons & Daughters – San Francisco, California

Spur Gastropub – Seattle, Washington

The Squeaky Bean – Denver, Colorado

Staple & Fancy Mercantile – Seattle, Washington

Takashi – Chicago, Illinois

Tilth – Seattle, Washington

Uptown Billiards Club – Portland, Oregon

Vedge – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Vernick Food & Drink – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Vetri – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Woodfire Grill – Atlanta, Georgia

SEE ALSO: The 45 Best Restaurants In America

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DEN HAAG - De Koninklijke Luchtmacht moet in het kader van nieuwe bezuinigingen zes tot zeven extra F-16's inleveren. Dat is op Prinsjesdag bekend geworden. Bij het ministerie van Defensie zullen in totaal 700 tot 900 mensen gedwongen ontslagen worden als gevolg van de bezuinigingen. Er worden meer dan 2300 functies geschrapt.

De oorzaak van de tijdelijke beschikbaarheid gisteravond van Twitter en Facebook in Iran was een technische storing. Dat heeft een functionaris van een Iraanse commissie gezegd die het Iraanse internetgebruik in de gaten houdt.

De functionaris zegt dat de storing snel was verholpen. De oorzaak is nog niet bekend. Volgens de functionaris is er een onderzoek ingesteld en wordt er actie ondernomen als blijkt dat het om een menselijke fout gaat.

Teleurstelling

Veel Iraanse internetgebruikers zijn teleurgesteld dat het slechts om een storing ging. Toen gisteravond Twitter en Facebook plotseling toegankelijk waren, hoopten veel internetgebruikers dat er een einde was gekomen aan de strenge internetregelgeving.

Ze dachten dat de nieuwe president Hasan Rouhani een gebaar wilde maken. Die had tijdens de verkiezingscampagne immers gepleit voor meer openheid en gaf onlangs aan dat hij de banden met het Westen wil verbeteren.

Twitteraars en Facebook-gebruikers schreven berichten als "Dank u wel, Rouhani" en "God heeft Facebook bevrijd".

Proxy's

Het optimisme verstomde snel toen vanochtend de sociale media weer geblokkeerd waren. Via zogeheten proxyservers - waarmee de blokkade deels kan worden omzeild - uitten Iraniërs hun ongenoegen.

Twitter, Facebook en andere sociale netwerksites werden in 2009 geblokkeerd, na de herverkiezing van president Ahmadinejad.