Microsoft's big coming out day for Windows 8 is finally upon us. In celebration, Redmond's throwing a launch party for its newest OS update on New York City's Pier 57. You may not be able to join in on the fun in person, but we've got this handy stream beyond the break should you wish to play along virtually, and it's starting any minute.
Update: Some folks are having issues with the primary stream, and if you're one of those folks, you may wanna redirect your browser here for an alternative feed.
Update 2: The stream is back, this time with a focus on the Surface RT. Follow along below!
Structure discovered for promising tuberculosis drug targetPublic release date: 25-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Catherine Kolf ckolf@jhmi.edu 443-287-2251 Johns Hopkins Medicine
M. tuberculosis cell wall could soon be breached
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have figured out the three-dimensional shape of the protein responsible for creating unique bonds within the cell wall of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis. The bonds make the bacteria resistant to currently available drug therapies, contributing to the alarming rise of these super-bacteria throughout the world.
With the protein structure in hand, the scientists say, drug designers have a clear way forward for weakening the cell wall and killing these deadly bacteria. Their results are reported in a paper published online Oct. 25 in Structure.
"We've known for a while that this protein would make a good drug target, but without a structural model, drug discovery is like blindly choosing random objects to fit into a small hole of unknown shape and size. The results of our study have removed the blindfold," says L. Mario Amzel, Ph.D., professor and director of the Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
The Johns Hopkins team used a technique called X-ray crystallography to scatter radiation off a specially prepared portion of the enzyme that forms the unique molecular bonds within the cell wall of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. They then used information about the direction and intensity of the radiation scattered to build a 3-D model of the arrangement of atoms in the enzyme.
Mario A. Bianchet, Ph.D., assistant professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins and a member of the research team, says the challenge of TB infection is that most of the long and costly standard drug treatment is just to get rid of the roughly 1 percent of bacteria that persist after the first week of a patient's treatment. "The 'persisters' resist in part because of unique bonds within their cell walls. Their cell walls form a thick, three-layered boundary between the bacteria and the outside world, including a middle layer of interlocking molecules, called peptidoglycans, that form a network resembling a chain-link fence," says Bianchet.
Peptidoglycans are long chains of individual sugar molecules with short protein branches extending from every other sugar on alternating sides of the chain. Specific enzymes bond the protein branches to each other to create a meshwork. In most species of bacteria, Amzel says, the majority of the bonds between these branches are created between position 4 on one branch and position 3 on an opposing branch. In M. tuberculosis, however, the majority of the bonds are created between positions 3 on both branches. The most common antibiotics interfere with the enzyme that creates the 4-3 bonds, which is enough to destabilize the cell wall and kill most of the TB bacteria.
The bacteria that persist have a particularly high level of 3-3 bonds between the peptidoglycan chains in their cell walls. These 3-3 bonds are created by a different enzyme, the one that Amzel and Bianchet studied, which is not specifically targeted by any current drugs. In addition to showing the structure of the enzyme, the team also showed a peptidoglycan molecule inside the action site where the 3-3 bonds are made, giving drug designers even more details about the way the protein works.
Amzel adds that "beyond fighting TB, the structure of this enzyme may help us fight other disease-causing bacteria that have similar enzymes, such as Enterococcus faecium and the spore-forming, drug-resistant Clostridium difficile."
###
Other authors on the paper include Sabri Erdemli, Radhika Gupta, William Bishai and Gyanu Lamichhane from The Johns Hopkins University.
This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health Office of the Director (DP2OD008459) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (1R56AI087749).
On the Web:
Link to article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.str.2012.09.016
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Structure discovered for promising tuberculosis drug targetPublic release date: 25-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Catherine Kolf ckolf@jhmi.edu 443-287-2251 Johns Hopkins Medicine
M. tuberculosis cell wall could soon be breached
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have figured out the three-dimensional shape of the protein responsible for creating unique bonds within the cell wall of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis. The bonds make the bacteria resistant to currently available drug therapies, contributing to the alarming rise of these super-bacteria throughout the world.
With the protein structure in hand, the scientists say, drug designers have a clear way forward for weakening the cell wall and killing these deadly bacteria. Their results are reported in a paper published online Oct. 25 in Structure.
"We've known for a while that this protein would make a good drug target, but without a structural model, drug discovery is like blindly choosing random objects to fit into a small hole of unknown shape and size. The results of our study have removed the blindfold," says L. Mario Amzel, Ph.D., professor and director of the Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
The Johns Hopkins team used a technique called X-ray crystallography to scatter radiation off a specially prepared portion of the enzyme that forms the unique molecular bonds within the cell wall of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. They then used information about the direction and intensity of the radiation scattered to build a 3-D model of the arrangement of atoms in the enzyme.
Mario A. Bianchet, Ph.D., assistant professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins and a member of the research team, says the challenge of TB infection is that most of the long and costly standard drug treatment is just to get rid of the roughly 1 percent of bacteria that persist after the first week of a patient's treatment. "The 'persisters' resist in part because of unique bonds within their cell walls. Their cell walls form a thick, three-layered boundary between the bacteria and the outside world, including a middle layer of interlocking molecules, called peptidoglycans, that form a network resembling a chain-link fence," says Bianchet.
Peptidoglycans are long chains of individual sugar molecules with short protein branches extending from every other sugar on alternating sides of the chain. Specific enzymes bond the protein branches to each other to create a meshwork. In most species of bacteria, Amzel says, the majority of the bonds between these branches are created between position 4 on one branch and position 3 on an opposing branch. In M. tuberculosis, however, the majority of the bonds are created between positions 3 on both branches. The most common antibiotics interfere with the enzyme that creates the 4-3 bonds, which is enough to destabilize the cell wall and kill most of the TB bacteria.
The bacteria that persist have a particularly high level of 3-3 bonds between the peptidoglycan chains in their cell walls. These 3-3 bonds are created by a different enzyme, the one that Amzel and Bianchet studied, which is not specifically targeted by any current drugs. In addition to showing the structure of the enzyme, the team also showed a peptidoglycan molecule inside the action site where the 3-3 bonds are made, giving drug designers even more details about the way the protein works.
Amzel adds that "beyond fighting TB, the structure of this enzyme may help us fight other disease-causing bacteria that have similar enzymes, such as Enterococcus faecium and the spore-forming, drug-resistant Clostridium difficile."
###
Other authors on the paper include Sabri Erdemli, Radhika Gupta, William Bishai and Gyanu Lamichhane from The Johns Hopkins University.
This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health Office of the Director (DP2OD008459) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (1R56AI087749).
On the Web:
Link to article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.str.2012.09.016
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Remember back in August when Acers JT Wang suggested that if Microsoft priced the Surface with Windows RT at $199 that it would negatively impact its partners and vendors? So now that the Apple event is over and we heard Apple announce the iPad Mini at $329, heres where the Microsoft Surface with Windows RT stands in terms of price:
Since its the more expensive option at this point, doesnt include the full type cover as initially thought (without additional charges), and only includes Office 2013 Home and Student Edition, does the Surface still stand a chance in the marketplace? Im curious to know how others feel about this.
Despite everything, Im still interested in the Microsoft Surface and Windows 8 application developer. For enterprise users, Windows 8 seems to be the best of both worlds, something that arguably Apple still cant capture. During Apples press conference today, they mentioned that they have 125 million documents in the cloud. They also announced that theyve sold over 100 million iPads. This means that theres just over 1 document in the cloud per person. Thats not too impressive. The other thing they mentioned is that developers made over $6.5 billion (with a b) on applications in the App Store. However, they failed to mention that this also translates to $2.79 billion that Apple themselves have pocketed for developers hard earned dollars. Microsoft is changing the game, slightly, for developers by offering an 80/20 split after the application has made $25,000 in the Microsoft Store.
To begin to learn how to develop for Windows 8, download Visual Studio Express here and visit Generation App, a 30-day training plan for developing a Windows 8 application.
DELHI, NY (10/24/2012)(readMedia)-- SUNY Delhi students will show their appreciation to the community that founded their college by volunteering locally through the O'Connor Center for Community Engagement for Community Service Day on Saturday, October 27.
Students will assist various area organizations in celebration of Delhi's 100th birthday. "This year our annual Community Service Day not only celebrates the college's centennial by helping the town and village of Delhi, but it also celebrates National 'Make A Difference Day,'" said Elizabeth Sova, SUNY Delhi Coordinator of the O'Connor Center for Community Engagement. "The day will be jam-packed with activities right here on campus as well as many of our traditional volunteer sites."
Delhi students will be volunteering at the following non-profit agencies and organizations: Saturday's Bread in Oneonta, Roberto's Kids, Merchants on Main (Village of Delhi), Delaware County Community Action Network (DCCAN), The ARC of Delaware County, area churches, Delaware Opportunities Big Buddies, Delaware County Office for the Aging, Delhi Senior Housing, Delhi Outdoor Education Center, WSKG, Oneonta World of Learning (OWL) and Woodland Cemetery.
Also on October 27, SUNY Delhi will host the Spooky Science Event, co-sponsored by the O'Connor Center for Community Engagement (OCCE), WSKG and OWL. Approximately 500 elementary and middle school students and their families from Delhi, South Kortright, Charlotte Valley, Stamford, Walton and Oneonta schools will participate. New PBS SciGirls Spooky Science episodes will be shown from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in The Okun Theatre. A science dance workshop will be held in the college's dance studio and 21 stations of take-home activities will be led by OWL volunteers and SUNY Delhi students. SUNY Delhi's Patisserie Club will also offer cupcake decorating.
The O'Connor Center for Community Engagement began in 1999 with grant support from the O'Connor Foundation and other local organizations. The Center matches individual students, clubs, classes, and faculty and staff volunteers with non-profit agencies and organizations within the greater Delhi community that need a helping hand. It serves as a clearinghouse for these community organizations, and facilitates volunteerism by arranging for transportation, orientation and training, and feedback on completed community service projects. The O'Connor Center has been named to the
President's National Honor Roll for Community Service for the last six years. Delhi students complete over 24,000 hours of service annually with over 70 percent involved in some type of service activity through clubs and organizations.
For more information about Community Service Day or the Spooky Science Event, contact Elizabeth Sova at 607-746-4781.
__________________ You don't have to know everything, if you know where to find it. When you do ask questions, you may look stupid. When you do NOT ask questions, you will STAY stupid.
It would be nice to have the Timezone ( GMT +/- x ) in the location field in the profile. (User CP -> Edit Your Details)
Gowrings Motobility will be bringing its roadshow to the RAF Museum in London on 1-3 November 2012.?Located approximately?6 miles from central London, the RAF Museum houses a world-class collection of aircraft, aviation artefacts and memorabilia. Visitors can get close to flying machines from an early airship gondola, a Bl?riot from 1909 and the most up to date aircraft, the Eurofighter Typhoon.
About the Roadshow
The aim of the roadshow,?which is now in its third year,?is to inspire people with disabilities to experience attractions and places of interest they may not have otherwise considered.? It is hoped that it will show people what they can do and that they can take the attitude that you really can ?go where you want to go?.
Visitors will be able to experience a taste of flying first hand as Aerobility will be bringing their fully wheelchair accessible flight simulator.??Also on hand will be a number of local charities to offer news, information and advice.
Discounts for wheelchair users
Wheelchair users and their carers can take advantage of free parking and 10% off at the gift shop.? To?take advantage of the offer during the Roadshow, visitors should request an invitation in advance from Gowrings Mobility by calling 0845 608 8020.? This offer is only valid during the Roadshow dates on the following dates:
Thursday 1 November
Friday 2 November and
Saturday 3 November 2012.
The Roadshow is open between 10 AM and 4 PM each day.
More details can be found here
?
Address:
Royal Air Force Museum London, Grahame Park Way London NW9 5LL
A news station out of South Carolina launched an investigative report after they heard a local disabled Veteran had been fired for being disabled. The Veteran, Jonathan Brown, has filed a lawsuit against the company. Lexington County court filings show the reason that New life Fitness World terminated Jonathan Brown on July 31 was ?disabled veteran.? The reason was noted on Brown?s ?Employment Status Change? form attached to the lawsuit. Now it is one thing to discriminate and try to cover it up, but this douche actually wrote it down on the discharge!
?
Here is an excerpt from the story, courtesy of WIS News:
Brown worked as a manager at the gym?s Charter Oak Road location in Lexington for nearly two years. Brown recently returned home after a deployment to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Marine left the service after an eye injury prevented him from continuing on in the military. His injuries are to both eyes and he?s receiving treatment from the Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn VA hospital in Columbia on a near-weekly basis.
?
?The VA is just like the military. If you miss an appointment, you might not get another one to actually let them help you with your problem,? Brown told WIS. Military doctors don?t know what?s causing the blurriness and shaking in both eyes, according to Brown.
?
Brown was a gunner on a Bradley vehicle in Iraq, firing a 25MM weapon known to the military as a 25 ?Mike Mike.? Brown isn?t sure whether firing the weapon had anything to do with his disabling eye condition.
?
On July 30, Brown said he got called into the office by his new regional manager to talk about his VA doctor?s appointments, ?It was kind of a surprise. He came in and wanted to sit down with me after I turned in some medical work, saying I needed to go to the VA a few times. We sat in the office and he said he just had to let me go?for; it just wouldn?t work out,? Brown said.
?
Brown said his boss, Jonathan Moreno, told him the reason he had to fire him was because he was a disabled veteran and wouldn?t allow any discussion of his decision. ?His mind was made up by the time he was even walking into the building,? Brown said.
?
Brown said he was willing to work nights and weekends in order to make up the lost time, but said Moreno wouldn?t entertain the arrangement. It was something Brown was already doing after working an arrangement out with his previous manager, ?I stayed a lot later. Usually I?m supposed to be done by seven. I wouldn?t leave the gym until easily nine or 10 o?clock, just to make sure I had everything straightened up and ready to roll for the next day.?
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?I have not seen a case that is so spelled out in black and white and is so clear a violation of the law, and obviously they need an education,? Brown?s attorney James Smith said. Smith, an Iraqi War veteran himself, filed the lawsuit for Brown in September. Smith said employers are required to make ?reasonable accommodations? for employees with disabilities and argues that Brown?s willingness to make up lost time was fair to both sides. ?Those are reasonable accommodations, which must be made by an employer and they just need to understand that. Apparently they don?t,? Smith said.
?
We went to Moreno, who works at Gold?s Gym in Lexington after leaving New Life Fitness World a few weeks after he fired Brown, for his side of the story. Moreno calls the claim that he fired Brown because he?s a ?disabled veteran,? ?horse [expletive].? Moreno?s signature is at the bottom of the form, approving Brown?s firing, which is marked, ?disabled veteran.?
?
Moreno told WIS the reason he fired Brown was because of customer service complaints, the gym was not clean and that Brown was not meeting his sales goals. Moreno declined an on camera interview to explain his decision to fire Brown. Brown?s final pay check shows the gym paid him $150 in bonuses for meeting production, sales and membership goals. Moreno referred us to his former bosses for comment.?
?
Here is a snapshot of Jonathan?s final check, with the bonus:
?
?
Another excerpt from WIS:
When Brown went to work for New Life Fitness World, he worked under Jody Parks, who was the general manager before Moreno took over. Parks told WIS that he?d worked out a plan that would allow Brown time to make his VA appointments, but would require him to make up his missed time. ?He was able to basically come back in and make up the time that he had missed. It was fair on that level,? Parks said.
Parks now manages a competing gym in Lexington. ?He didn?t come in and say, ?Hey I did this, can I make it up?? It was something that was set up beforehand, so we kind of knew in advance,? Parks said. Parks said the gym was aware of his war injuries when they hired Brown in November 2010. Brown was an essential part of the mix at the Lexington location, according to Parks, because of the large retired military membership there. ?He was a great guy. Good employee,? Parks said.
?
Brown is also having to place his home up for sale due to the loss of his job. To me this is an open and shut case, the new manager actually wrote the reason for firing him was because he was a ?Disabled Veteran?. I guess he did not know that is?discrimination?and against the law. And on top of that the Veterans Lawyer is an Iraq war Vet also, so I am sure this band of brothers will burn them good!
Here is a picture of the manager Jonathan Moreno, that fired our Disabled Brother. He now works at Golds Gym in the same city.
Jonathan Moreno
?
Here is the Video from WIS News Investigation:
wistv.com ? Columbia, South Carolina | Here is the facebook page for the location that fired the Disabled Vet, let them know how you feel. Although the manager that fired him left a few weeks later. Seems he left the company in one hell of a bind! PLEASE BE CIVIL, NO THREATS, THE END GOAL IS TO GET THIS WOUNDED WARRIOR TAKEN CARE OF. ?New Life Fitness World Lexington, SC Location?- PLEASE NOTE THIS IS THEIR OLD PAGE AND IS NO LONGER MONITORED.
I also believe Gold?s Gym needs to get rid of this guy before he does something stupid like this to them, and gets them wrapped up in a lawsuit. We tried to find Mr. Moreno, but of course he is nowhere to be found. If anyone luck?s up and finds his facebook etc, let us know by email.
We have an email in to Sgt. Brown, and will let you know as this story develops. Here is the link to the story on the News Stations Page. Lawsuit Claims Former Marine Fired For Being Disabled Veteran
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UPDATE 20121024:
New Life Fitness world of Lexington has responded to WIS News Investigative Report on their new facebook page. Here is their response:
Press Release/ Response to WIS-TV
New Life Fitness World is an enterprise whose owner proudly served alongside U.S. soldiers in South Vietnam. We have over 125 employees in Iowa and South Carolina, and we regularly and proudly employ and serve active duty military and verterans. Jonathan Brown was employed by New Life Fitness World. The reason for his termination is hotly contested, and management vigorously disputes the reason for termination given by Jonathan Brown in his lawsuit. Out of respect for employee confidentiality, and to avoid prejudicing the judicial process, management will have no further comment. ? New Life Fitness World of SC Lexington
Due to the actions of the former Manager they made a new facebook page,?and said it is under new management. You can view the above press release on the new page here New Life Fitness World Of Lexington
In Monday's presidential debate, President Obama accused Mitt Romney of wanting to take America back to the economic policies that preceded the Great Depression. It was a timely zinger, but its accuracy depends on what Obama actually meant.?
By Mark Trumbull,?Staff writer / October 23, 2012
President Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney smile during the third presidential debate at Lynn University Monday in Boca Raton, Fla.
Rick Wilking/AP
Enlarge
President Obama took one of his rhetorical thrusts at Mitt Romney to new heights, or depths, in their debate Monday, asserting that his rival wants to revive the "economic policies of the 1920s."
Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of The Christian Science Monitor Weekly Digital Edition
Throughout the presidential race, Mr. Obama has adopted the slogan "Forward" for his own policies, and charged that his Republican challenger wants to reinstate failed policies of the past that "got us into this mess."
The comments typically imply that Romney is a clone of President Bush. On Monday, Obama's remark looked some eight decades further back, to the White House administrations of other low-tax Republicans: Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge.
But what, exactly, was Obama alleging, and is it true? The quick answer is: It depends on what Obama meant.
The zinger came at the end of a string of other accusations, and Obama offered no further elaboration on it, leaving it unclear exactly what he was suggesting.
But the most obvious parallel between Republican leaders in the 1920s and Mr. Romney is the theme of low taxes and light regulation. Obama's implication is probably that things didn't work out so well then, with the Wall Street crash and the Great Depression starting at the end of the decade under another Republican, Herbert Hoover (inaugurated in 1929). So we might not want to elect someone advocating the same path now.
Yet if that is what Obama was saying, the allegation is problematic. Many economic historians suggest that those policies did not set the stage for the Great Depression. Rather, the economists point largely to a different factor: harmful monetary conditions. In short, the Federal Reserve's tight rein on money was a precipitating factor, which then interacted with other problems (including bank runs and a poor fiscal response to the downturn) that worsened the economy.
Now, if Obama was making that more nuanced point, he might be on firmer ground. He could argue that Romney as president would use his power of appointment to steer the Federal Reserve in a direction of tight monetary policy ? repeating mistakes seen in the 1920s and 1930s.
For example, most economists who do forecasting for the nation's businesses support the Fed's current policy of "quantitative easing" ? purchasing US bonds in an attempt to lower their value and encourage investors to invest their money elsewhere, boosting the private-sector economy. But Romney has said that he's not a fan of quantitative easing. And he has said he would not reappoint Ben Bernanke as Fed chairman when Mr. Bernanke's term expires in 2014.
But is Romney really a throwback to Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover?
Certainly, there are some parallels. At the beginning of the '20s, the decade certainly wasn't roaring. When Harding was elected in 1920, the nation was in deep economic trouble prompted by the end of World War I. Federal spending had plunged, consumer prices were deflated, and unemployment was high. Harding called for a "return to normalcy."
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Remember all those movies and TV series in which a FBI agent turned a completely blurred photo into a focused image by clicking one button? Remember how you sneered? Well, soon you will not be able to laugh at it anymore. This app lets you deblur any heavily blurred image just like that. More »
1. Are you doing NaNo this November? Why, or why not?
I unfortunately don't have time this year. I am finishing up my undergraduate degree and releasing two non-fiction books before the holiday season. taking time out for NaNoWriMo just is not in the cards this time.
2. How do you feel about the challenge of writing a novel(la) of 50k words in a month?
After doing 750words.com every day now for over six months, and my average word count per day is between 1800 and 3000. 50,000 a month isn't really that spectacular of a challenge anymore. If you are serious about making writing your career, and you are getting paid to write, you make the time to do it as often as possible. Everyone says that, but it is true. If you are not writing, you feel it. I think the folks who feel most harried about NaNo are generlaly not in the habit of writing all of the time, even when they don't feel like it. That's hard, because understandably, life happens, we have families and jobs and school. I know someone who releases a new book every two weeks of at least 50,000 words. That is definitely a little too steep a goal for most humans, including myself. However, the person I am talking about has been doing this for over forty years and he does nothing else. My own goal for this year is to actually release something at least every other month, and I know that this goal is definitely pushing it for me.
3. If you have tried before, did you succeed? Fail? A bit of both?
I have done both. One year I quit mid NaNo because I was in the middle of a project, I have succeeded two years in a row. Last year, it was far more important to finish other projects that I was actually being paid for.
4. What advice do you have to a would-be-novelist (NaNo or otherwise)?
Traditional publishing as we knew it as few as two and three years ago is dying a very public and extremely painful death before our very eyes. If you are serious about writing and getting your work out there, learn all you can about how to handle your own career because ultimately you alone are responsible for it. Stop waiting for an agent or a publisher to "notice you" and just take it for granted that you get the best percentages as far as royalties, the best options as far as control over what you write and YOUR WORK and the life of that work if you handle it yourself. 98% of publishers will make you responsible for promotion, the cost of your book tours and they are not, these days, giving the best percentages on royalties. Add to this the fact that advances from traditional publishers are getting smaller and offered far less often. Ask yourself this question: If someone offered you 25% of something or 70%f something by way of profit, which would you rather have? Would it be worth your while, then to make sure that you put out high production values on your own, rather than waiting for some in-house moron who doesn't care about you, or your work or more importantly, you ever getting paid nearly as much as you do? I am guessing you would rather do it yourself unless you truly don't love or care about what you write.
Make copies of absolutely everything you write. Yes, that is right. I said EVERYTHING. If you make a comment on Facebook or on a news site such as Huffington Post, for example, have a copy of it. You never know if a discussion might not start something that ends up being a much larger work. I have said things on discussion boards that took a long time to craft only to have it deleted by an overzealous board moderator who did not share my particular opinion. These days, even before I hit send, I have hit CTRL-C (copy) and then CTRL-V (paste) into a document to sakve it. Also, have copies, and make backups of your work. Everyone says this, but seriously, back up your hard drives, often. I can speak from experience what it is like to lose nearly three years worth of work for not having done so. I am one of the owners of Pan Historia an interactive fiction and RP site that has been around since 1999. Over the years, we have lost entire servers, and with it thousands upon thousands of pieces of work for hundreds of people when the back up drive also failed. It was tragic. We always tell our members to make copies on their own drives as well. It's important. Even with cloud technology, that is something that should definitely be done.
Read the very best blogs out there on the subject. At the very top of my list would be Passive Guy and the Passivevoice blog. This man is a former attorney and he and his wife both live of of what they write. This is the news source for what is going on in the industry and the things pertinent to authors. J.A. (Joe) Konrath is a successful author and intermittently has very good advice on his blog along with his buddy, Barry Eisler. Dean Wesley Smith and his wife, Katherine Christine Rusch also have blogs, teach seminars but keep their fingers on the pulse of what is happening. All of the above have gone the traditinal publishing route, and have gone to self publishing and know what is what.
http://www.thepassivevoice.com
http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/
http://kriswrites.com/
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/
Amazon's Kindle Direct has some great info pages, as does Smashwords, B&N, Create Space, etc. Don't spend a lot of money getting someone to format your book for you for ePublishing. It isn't necessary. It is far easier now than it was, but formatting can definitely spell success or failure in any offering. Also, look into the potential of crowdfunding through sources such as Indiegogo.com or even Kickstarter to help you fund your work.
Understand: Self-Publishing. Is. NOT. a. Get. Rich. Quick. Scheme. You are most definitely going to work your @$$ off. But if you are working your @$$ off, why not do it working for yourself and what you want, doing what you love vs. being an unemployed fanfic writer or a cubicle slave? Fifty Shades of Grey? Come on people. 98% of you here in charloft write far better than any of that overhyped b.s. You don't have to go very far to read better fiction here on LJ and DW.
I am not saying that if you do all of this and you will be the next Joe Konrath or Amanda Hocking and make six or even seven figures from your writing and self-publishing. (Hocking later did go with a traditional publisher as well, but still continues to also self-publish.) What I am saying is that if you really want this, if you pay attention to your production values, you have great editing, formatting and have a fantastic cover, your chances are better than even that you can actually make a living off your writing and potentially do what you love - or at the very least it can make enough to put some groceries on the table, pay your cellphone bill, make your car payment or even your mortgage payment for you. I am speaking from experience. I would not have believed the possibility if I had not seen it first hand.
5. Are you a plotter that outlines everything ahead of time, or are you more into figuring it out as you go along?.
It depends on what I am writing and howthe manuscript is intended. if it is non-fiction, I need to have some structure. If it is an historical novel beased on events, the outline is critical. If it is just a spontaneous story, I let ig go where it leads. Any of the above ends up in my Scrivener program. It helps me keep organized rather than spread out in various folders on my HD and notebooks in my backpack.
6. What will your novel be about this year? Who are the characters? What is the plot?
No novel. I am finishing out for final release, "Sekmet: The Beauty and the Terror" and a book of prompts from writers_muses
7. What NaNo support would you like to see charloft offer?
I think you all have always had some very good support and prompts centered around the events of NaNoWriMo. Keep it up. I think the members really enjoy this, even if they cannot participate.
I would also, definitely encourage charloft admins to point folks to the Scrivener program if they are again going to be offering substantial discounts for NaNoWriMo participants. I got mine for 50% off of the $45 price tag last year, so it's a great tool. There are other deals around the web that are offered to NaNo participants. Putting those links up would be helpful, too.
We're less than two weeks away from one of the biggest Android events of the year, where it's possible we'll see a new version of Android, and new phones and tablets. We've already seen just about all there is to see of the LG Nexus 4, and rumors suggest a possible Samsung Nexus 10, as well as a new 32GB Nexus 7. But in amongst all the rumors, leaks and speculation, we've also had a fairly busy week of news for existing devices.
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean finally hit UK Galaxy S3 phones, bringing with it a host of Samsung-specific improvements to the TouchWiz UI. O2 and Three are already pushing out the update, with Vodafone set to follow in the near future.
In Japan, we saw the announcement of what's arguably the most high-spec'd Android handset yet, in the form of the AU-exclusive HTC J Butterfly. With a 5-inch, 1920x1080 (yes, 1080p) display and a quad-core Snapdragon S4 CPU, this device should set the standard for high-end smartphones as we move into 2013. The J Butterfly itself won't be released outside of Japan, but we wouldn't be surprised to see a close relative of this phone land on Verizon in the U.S. before the year's out.
And finally, ASUS launched its second-generation Padfone, the Padfone 2, at glitzy events in Milan, Italy and Taipei, Taiwan. At the Milan event, ASUS' energetic chairman Jonney Shih was on hand to reveal the device, which like its predecessor can be docked with a bundled tablet accessory for a larger-screen tablet experience. Like the J Butterfly, the Padfone 2 runs a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro SoC, which looks set to become the new standard chip for high-end Android phones and tablets.
Check out a selection of the highlights in international Android news below. If you've got news, be sure to tip us at the usual address.
Inglewood emergency personnel respond to the scene where a man, wearing a mask, set a duplex on fire and then shot five members of a family on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012 in Inglewood, Calif. A father and his 4-year-old son were killed and a woman and two other young children were wounded by the gunman, authorities said. A 6-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl were in critical condition, Inglewood Police Chief Mark Fronterotta said. The woman, said to be the children's mother, was being treated for gunshot wounds to the knee and pelvis. An 8-year-old boy was uninjured. (AP Photo/The Daily Breeze, Chuck Bennett) MAGS OUT; NO SALES MBO
Inglewood emergency personnel respond to the scene where a man, wearing a mask, set a duplex on fire and then shot five members of a family on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012 in Inglewood, Calif. A father and his 4-year-old son were killed and a woman and two other young children were wounded by the gunman, authorities said. A 6-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl were in critical condition, Inglewood Police Chief Mark Fronterotta said. The woman, said to be the children's mother, was being treated for gunshot wounds to the knee and pelvis. An 8-year-old boy was uninjured. (AP Photo/The Daily Breeze, Chuck Bennett) MAGS OUT; NO SALES MBO
Police officers respond to the scene where a man, wearing a mask, set a duplex on fire and then shot five members of a family on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012 in Inglewood, Calif. A father and his 4-year-old son were killed and a woman and two other young children were wounded by the gunman, authorities said. A 6-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl were in critical condition, Inglewood Police Chief Mark Fronterotta said. The woman, said to be the children's mother, was being treated for gunshot wounds to the knee and pelvis. An 8-year-old boy was uninjured. (AP Photo/Los Angeles Times, Katie Falkenberg) NO FORNS; NO SALES; MAGS OUT; ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER OUT; LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS OUT; VENTURA COUNTY STAR OUT; INLAND VALLEY DAILY BULLETIN OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT, TV OUT
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) ? Police searched for a gunman who wore a painter's mask when he set fire to a home before going on a shooting spree early Saturday, killing a father and his 4-year-old son and injuring a woman and two other young children near Los Angeles.
A SWAT team set up a perimeter and was using dogs to search for the attacker, who may have lived in a rear house on the property, Inglewood Police Chief Mark Fronterotta said.
Five neighboring houses in Inglewood were evacuated as officers searched residences and the trunks of cars. Other nearby residents were told to remain inside with their doors locked. The suspect was described as armed and dangerous.
Investigators were trying to determine whether he fled or remained in the house as it burned.
The man wore a painter's mask apparently to shield his identity, Fronterotta said.
The gunman had known the family for at least eight years, according to Capt. Tom Richards of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Television footage showed a home gutted by flames and a plume of smoke rising over the residential neighborhood early Saturday.
Detectives determined the suspect set the house ablaze at about 4 a.m. before opening fire with a weapon, Fronterotta said. Earlier the chief said the blaze was started after the gun attack.
The 28-year-old woman, said to be the children's mother, was being treated for gunshot wounds. She was in critical condition, as was a 6-year-old boy with a gunshot wound to the pelvis and a 7-year-old girl with a gunshot wound to the chest, according to a department statement.
After being shot, the mother carried the wounded 4-year-old to a neighbor's yard.
"This extraordinary rescue attempt by the mother occurred in spite of the fact that she had gunshot wounds to both legs," the statement said.
The 30-year-old father was shielding two of his children when he was shot, the chief said. He died in surgery, as did the 4-year-old boy.
An 8-year-old boy was uninjured.
Police have no motive. But a neighbor, Judy Castellanos, told the Los Angeles Times that the suspect lived in one of three units on the property and described him as "really weird" and "dangerous." She said he had not paid his rent for years and that a new property owner had been trying to evict him.
"He had been asked to leave by the end of this month," Castellanos told the newspaper, adding that he was reclusive and would not let anyone look inside his home. Castellanos, who said her daughter is related to the man who was killed, did not give the suspect's name.
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Public release date: 25-Oct-2012
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