New US-Russian Crew Docks at Space Station After Super-Fast Flight

A Soyuz rocket successfully delivered a trio of new residents to the International Space Station on the first-ever "express" flight to the orbiting laboratory.

The Russian rocket carrying NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and Russian cosmonauts Alexander Misurkin and Pavel Vinogradov docked with the station on time at 10:28 p.m. EDT (0228 March 29 GMT) while both spacecraft flew high over the Pacific Ocean after a history-making six-hour flight.

"Expedition 35 now has a six member crew on board the space station,"NASA spokesman Josh Byerly said during the space agency's live comentary of the docking.

It has been a long day for the crew. Because of the launch's accelerated timescale, Misurkin, Vinogradov and Cassidy will not have had the chance to rest for 20 hours by the time they settle in for the first night in their new home.

The Soyuz TMA-08M's launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome went smoothly with liftoff occurring at 4:43 p.m. EDT (2043 GMT). The three spaceflyers will stay on board the orbiting outpost until they return to Earth in September. [Launch Photos: Soyuz Rocket's 'Express' Flight to Station]

Before now, manned trips to the space station have taken at least two days, but with the docking of this ship just six hours after liftoff, marks the beginning of a new kind of mission that saves time and money, NASA officials have said.

"In my opinion, our mission is just next little step on the way, on the way to the moon, Mars, and I am very happy to do this step," Misurkin said in a preflight interview with NASA.

Russia's unmanned Progress cargo ships have made these express dockings before, but using the method for a crewed flight prevents the spaceflyers from spending extra time in a crowded capsule. Officials with the NASA also explained that these trips save money because a quicker flight means that Mission Control personnel will be on duty for a shorter amount of time.

The three newest residents of the International Space Station have a jam-packed stay ahead of them. A Russian Progress cargo spacecraft is scheduled to dock with the station at the end of May, and the crewmembers will perform spacewalks as well as help run the more than 100 science experiments while on board.

"We as human beings, we like to explore; there?s frontiers of knowledge, there?s frontiers of physical space that I think we all just feel compelled to go to and each one of those different types of environments, be it space or high mountains or the water, all bring different aspects to what we can learn, what can we can bring back to better life in either a small spectrum of our lives or in the broader sense of it," Cassidy said during an interview with NASA. "That?s how I think the space program is."

The three other residents of the station ? Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, Tom Marshburn of NASA and Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko ? will fly back to Earth in May. Vinogradov is set to take command upon their departure.

Cassidy was a crewmember on board the STS-127 space shuttle mission in 2009. Vinogradov flew to the Russian Mir space station in 1997 and the International Space Station in 2006. This is Misurkin's first time in orbit.

Follow Miriam Kramer @mirikramer and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook?and Google+. Original article on SPACE.com.

Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-russian-crew-docks-space-station-super-fast-025755661.html

social darwinism wisconsin recall election april 4 santa monica college wisconsin primary dallas fort worth airport texas tornados

Feng Shui for Your Tiny Apartment | Zillow Blog

Living in a tiny space doesn?t necessarily have to mean sacrificing design, or in this case, feng shui. Here are some basic guidelines for maintaining good flow, however small your space may be.

Establish the command position

In feng shui, the command position, or power spot, is the point of the room where you feel safest and most in command. In this case, it is often the spot located directly opposite the door. You can easily see the entryway, thus giving you the best control (both visually and physically) of your space. If you?re living in a studio apartment, this will mean that you?ll have to decorate and rearrange furniture around your bed. Try using room dividers?to make your space feel more like a larger apartment.

Declutter your life

This is an important standard not just in feng shui but in all aspects of life. Physical clutter translates into emotional turmoil and can leave you feeling unnecessarily stressed. As always, you can use self-storage to take care of any excess furniture you can?t part with quite yet. If you find yourself pressed for space but unwilling to invest in self-storage, storing vertically can be a lifesaver and will offer some unique and practical wall decorations.

Incorporate mirrors

The No. 1 problem with small spaces is that they?re too small for your big world. Mirrors are the key to bypassing this conundrum. Not only will they give your apartment the impression of being more spacious than it actually is, but they?ll easily place you in the command position, as they enable you to see what?s going on behind you at all times.

Additionally, keep visible knickknacks as decorations to a minimum. If you do have too many decorative objects, try to organize them together as a group. Overall, your objects and furniture should accompany and complement one another, not compete for attention.

Keep your entryway clear

In feng shui, the three most important spaces are the kitchen, the entryway and the bedroom. If you live in a tiny apartment or studio, then most likely these are your only spaces. The important thing is to make sure that your entryway is clear. Avoid cluttering your pathways as well so that good energy can flow throughout your apartment easily.

Personalize to make yourself feel ?at home?

It can be difficult to feel ?at home? and truly personalize your apartment if you know that you?ll only be staying there for a short amount of time. Even so, good feng shui means truly feeling comfortable and in tune with your living space. Surround yourself with artwork or decorations that are inspirational to you to encourage good energy. If you?re thinking about painting the walls, make sure you unify the color and theme with the room at large, accommodating the existing color of your furniture or making changes accordingly to fit your new color template.

Related:

Jenny Zhang is a writer at?SpareFoot, the online marketplace where you can find and reserve a self-storage unit with comparison shopping tools that show real-time availability and exclusive deals.

Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of Zillow.

Source: http://www.zillowblog.com/2013-03-28/feng-shui-for-your-tiny-apartment/

elizabeth berkley lenny dykstra jenelle evans jenelle evans mlb 12 the show sabu franchise tag

'Facebook phone' likely to put social network at front of Android

Rosa Golijan , NBC News ? ? ? 11 hrs.

"Come See Our New Home on Android," the invitation sent to members of the press on Thursday declared. Does this mean the long-rumored Facebook phone is about to become official? What is the social network's next move? And does it stand a chance?

Facebook is intending to introduce a modified version of Google's Android operating system, according to sourcing from TechCrunch's Josh Constine, the New York Times' Nick Bilton and Brian X. Chen, and the Wall Street Journal's Evelyn M. Rusli and Amir Efrati. This version of Android will put Facebook front and center and "will debut on a handset made by HTC, according to a Facebook employee and another person who were briefed on the announcement," Chen and Bilton explain.

"Imagine Facebook?s integration with iOS 6, but on steroids, and built by Facebook itself," Constine adds. "It could have a heavy reliance on Facebook?s native apps like Messenger, easy social sharing from anywhere on the phone, and more."

?It?s putting Facebook first,? a person familiar with the matter emphasized to Wall Street Journal reporters. But unlike competitors such as Amazon and Google, it is not putting Facebook itself into the hardware game.

"With Amazon, it's pretty clear," mobile industry consultant Chetan Sharma told NBC News. "They want to sell their content and services. They're building their own devices, which is different from what Facebook is doing."

However, the idea of a modified version of Android may be viewed as an act of hostility directed at Facebook's frenemy, Google.

"The reaction from Google will be interesting to see," Sharma pointed out. "There's obviously overlap ... It seems to Google that it's underpinning their Google+ efforts. Longer term, I don't see them letting it go and letting other people do their work."

But even if Google lets Facebook's plans fly, there are other issues to consider, Sharma says. "If it's just a phone that's going to be pushed by HTC, its chances are going to be limited," he explains. "[HTC] doesn't have the marketing powers." To truly stand a shot, Facebook needs to join hands with carriers.

Of course, some might wonder whether any carriers would be game. After all, Facebook's VoIP efforts and its baked-in Messenger service might conflict with carriers' business agendas, right?

Not necessarily so, says Sharma. "In certain markets [VoIP and Messenger] would be challenging," he elaborates. "In markets where unlimited voice and messaging is already bundled in ? in those scenarios operators have less resistance to the idea. They already make money on voice and messaging and they'll also make money on the data used by Facebook."

Initial whispers don't suggest that "Facebook Home," as the social network's device/software combo is expected to be named, is going to be pitched by any carriers, so we'll have to see how things fare with merely HTC. (Of course, that's assuming all these rumors and reports pan out.)

Things will be official on Thursday, April 4, and we'll be in Menlo Park, Calif., to report live.

Want more tech news or interesting links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on Twitter, subscribing to her Facebook posts, or circling her on Google+.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653377/s/2a2435f1/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Ctechnology0Ctechnolog0Cfacebook0Ephone0Elikely0Eput0Esocial0Enetwork0Efront0Eandroid0E1C9144291/story01.htm

miami heat good friday maundy thursday keith urban Dorothy Hamill FGCU Red Equal Sign

The Workers Compensation Survival Guide : MA Contractors ...

I?m participating on a panel discussion about ?The Workers Comp Survival Guide? on 4/10.? The event is sponsored by the ASM (Associated Subcontractors of Mass), and will take place from 7:30 AM to 10:00 AM at the Westin, Waltham.

We?ll be providing information on the current state of the workers comp marketplace, both in Massachusetts, and nationally.? As part of this, we?ll be hitting on many topics, including:?

1. Experience Rating
2. Alternate Financing Mechanisms ? like Group Captives, and Retro?s.
3. Various Credits (QLMP, Deductibles, Construction Credits, etc)
4. Assigned Risk Pool
5. Rates
6. WC Claim Cost Containment
7. WC Fraud

Many employers feel there really isn?t much to do to affect the cost of their WC insurance.? In fact, WC is a line of coverage where the employer has a significant impact on what they will ultimately pay in premiums.? This discussion will give you valuable insight on how best to control your costs.?

I hope you can join us on 4/10/13.?

http://asm.affiniscape.com/associations/8185/files/WorkersComp2013.pdf

This information brought to you by Chris Sheppard of Smith Buckley & Hunt Insurance Agency, your Massachusetts contractors insurance agent and Massachusetts business insurance resource.

Comments

Source: http://www.macontractorsinsurance.com/2013/03/the-workers-compensation-survival-guide/

kim kardashian flour matt forte jeremy shockey new orleans saints ireland vangogh yield

Change (talking-points-memo)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/295261831?client_source=feed&format=rss

florida primary 2012 super bowl matthew broderick tax refund calculator huntington disease west memphis three taxes

Google Maps Engine Lite beta lets amateurs craft their own location sets

Pros have long had access to Google Maps Engine if they need to highlight anything from local stores to natural resources. Today, Google is catering to the rest of us would-be cartographers with a beta for Google Maps Engine Lite. The web service lets everyday users draw objects and import locations for their own reference, whether it's plotting favorite hiking trails or pinpointing worthwhile places on an upcoming vacation. Map makers can stylize the maps and share them with others, if they like -- the Lite label mostly limits users to "small" spreadsheet imports and a maximum of three data sets for comparisons. As long as you can live within those prescribed boundaries, you can try the slimmed down engine right now.

Filed under: Internet, Google

Comments

Via: Google Lat Long Blog

Source: Google Maps Engine Lite

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/tCLSrg7v8ag/

tony stewart kurt busch kurt busch nba dunk contest 2012 act of valor woody guthrie benson henderson

Boeing CEO urges FAA to return 787 to service, delays continue

By Alwyn Scott

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - - Boeing Co Chief Executive Jim McNerney on Thursday urged regulators reviewing battery problems on the company's grounded 787 passenger jet to let the plane back into service, saying he was confident the redesigned battery was safe.

He would not specify when he expected the jet to be flying customers again other than saying "sooner rather than later."

Separately, the airplane leasing company that is the world's biggest buyer of 787s said it expects its first delivery of the high-tech jet to be delayed to summer from spring, but that getting the plane restored to service will "go quickly."

The Federal Aviation Administration and its administrator Michael Huerta "have been champs here," McNerney told a U.S. Chamber of Commerce aviation summit in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. (For event video, click: http://link.reuters.com/juf96t )

"They have put us through our paces and they have America's best interests in mind. They have the safety of the public in mind as I hope we do, which I think at this point means let's get this thing back into service and get on with it."

Regulators worldwide banned flight of the 787 after lithium-ion batteries overheated on two of the aircraft in January. The grounding is costing Boeing an estimated $50 million a week in lost income and compensation payments to airlines.

McNerney said the grounding has been a "frustrating experience," but he had high confidence that the proposed fix for the battery system will work. Boeing is now running test flights to prove the safety of the system, which includes a steel box to prevent fire and contain explosion. McNerney said he expected the plane to be in service "sooner rather than later," though he was not more specific.

Shares of Boeing fell 0.5 percent to $85.76 in morning trading. The stock is up 16 percent since the plane was grounded, most of which came over the last month as the 787 moved closer to flying again.

Meanwhile, speaking in the sidelines of the conference, the president of Boeing's biggest 787 customer said he expects approving and installing a fix for the battery will "go quickly."

"I think it is going to go quickly now," said Fred Cromer, president of International Lease Finance Corporation, which has ordered 74 Boeing 787s. "The FAA is interested in getting the plane back in the air as soon as possible."

Boeing and the FAA have "a very good partnership," he said, and are working to make sure the fix "is a solution that all sides agree is the right thing to do."

AIG unit ILFC is due to receive its first five 787s this year. Cromer said there was no formal word from Boeing about when the first of the jets would be delivered, but that the schedule had shifted to summer from spring. The first jet is leased to Norwegian Air Shuttle , he said.

McNerney said recent corporate changes at Airbus parent EADS would make the European competitor a "stronger company."

"Airbus can figure out for themselves what they want to be, but I think the model does move a little closer towards -- I think the word (EADS chief executive) Tom (Enders) uses is -- a normal company. I know that has a special meaning in Germany, but I think that will create a stronger competitor, which I think is good for the industry."

EADS shareholders on Wednesday approved sweeping changes in control that the company says will prevent interference, despite coinciding with a rise in European state shareholdings triggered by Germany's decision to buy a stake from carmaker Daimler

(Reporting by Alwyn Scott; Editing by Tim Hepher, Ben Berkowitz and David Gregorio)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boeing-ceo-urges-faa-return-787-delays-continue-182220187--finance.html

Frys tryptophan BestBuy.com Kohls Black Friday www.walmart.com Macho Camacho Rise of the Guardians