98% Before Midnight

All Critics (148) | Top Critics (38) | Fresh (145) | Rotten (3)

Hawke and Delpy remain as charming as ever, and their combined goofiness is more endearing than annoying.

Love is messy here, life cannot be controlled, satisfaction is far from guaranteed. Romance is rocky at best. But romance still is.

Though "Before Midnight" is often uncomfortable to watch, it's never less than mesmerizing - and ultimately, a joy to walk with this prickly but fascinating couple again.

"Before Midnight" is heartbreaking, but not because of Jesse and Celine. It's the filmmakers' passions that seem to have cooled.

Before Midnight is fascinating to watch, and so long as Celine and Jesse are communicating, there's still hope.

How (Jesse and Celine) try to rekindle that flame is what drives Midnight, a film that feels so authentic it's like overhearing a conversation you're not sure you should be hearing.

I'm not sure this is the end of Richard Linklater's 'Before' trilogy. It's perfection just as it is, but then again, Linklater has nine more years to work on the sequel.

Loving words mix with personal attacks, the magic moments with the unintended slights, as we witness the occasional desperation of imperfect people doing the best they can when life moves beyond meet-cute and courtship. That's authentic.

Linklater and his players bring an end to the fantasy and welcome the thrilling ups and bitter downs of reality to this love story.

Like the first two films, it reflects the real world in a way that seems almost preternatural. It's just that, here, the real world is a harsher, more disappointing place.

The duo, clearly so comfortable in their characters' skin, indulge in intelligent banter, sharp humour and emotional truths.

So much better written than contemporary novels, this film is a literary as well as cinematic achievement to cherish. For grown-ups.

As before, it's often very funny, with Jesse and Celine swapping Woody Allen-esque one-liners - nicely snarky, appealingly abrasive.

The acting, the dialogue and direction are superb.

None of the films is faultless in itself, but, tinted with complementary tones, the complete cycle comes as close to perfection as any trilogy in cinema history.

Marvelous. It's impossible to shake the feeling that we are merely eavesdropping on reality. Witty, wise, and -- most important of all -- truly romantic in ways that movies usually aren't.

It's been 18 years since Hawke, Delpy and Linklater introduced us to Jesse and Celine, and their story just gets richer, funnier and more punchy each time we see them. In 1995's Before Sunrise, they were idealistic 23-year-olds.

Hawke and Delpy are as believably real as any screen couple can ever be.

This is one of the few sequels for which the cliche 'eagerly awaited' is truly applicable.

Predictably, it's just as great as the first two.

By the end, Before Midnight inches towards a dawn of charm. But it's a troubled trip.

As an organic experiment in collaboration between actors and director, it is a triumph, co-created and co-owned by Delpy, Linklater and Hawke.

Hawke and Delpy, who are both credited on the script too, have never found co-stars to bounce off more nimbly or bring out richer nuances in their acting.

The performances and dialogue are wonderfully naturalistic; a reminder that the best special effects are often the cheapest.

Before Midnight is about the nature of long-term relationships, and the way love deepens and grows but also finds itself subject to the complications of maturity. Smart, insightful, and poignant.

For those who witnessed Jesse and Celine's tentative getting together as inter railing students almost twenty years ago, it's reassuring to see them still in love.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/before_midnight_2013/

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Obama tells leaders to follow Mandela's example

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) ? President Barack Obama on Saturday encouraged leaders in Africa and around the world to follow former South African President Nelson Mandela's example of country before self, as the U.S. president prepared to pay personal respects to relatives who have been gathered around the critically ill anti-apartheid icon.

"We as leaders occupy these spaces temporarily and we don't get so deluded that we think the fate of our country doesn't depend on how long we stay in office," Obama said.

Obama spoke at a news conference with South African President Jacob Zuma in the midst of a weeklong tour of the continent that also included stops in Senegal and Tanzania. But many other African nations are embroiled in religious, sectarian and other conflicts.

Obama decided to avoid stopping in his father's home nation of Kenya because of international disputes there. The International Criminal Court is prosecuting Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta for crimes against humanity, including murder, deportation, rape, persecution and inhumane acts allegedly committed by his supporters in the violent aftermath of Kenya's 2007 elections.

"The timing was not right for me as the president of the United States to be visiting Kenya when those issues are still being worked on, and hopefully at some point resolved," Obama said. He noted he's visited Kenya several times previously and expects he will as well in the future.

Obama and Zuma appeared at the Union Buildings that house government offices and the site of Mandela's 1994 inauguration as the country's first black president after 27 years behind bars for his activism.

The 94-year-old Mandela has been in a nearby hospital for three weeks after being admitted with a lung infection. Zuma told reporters that Mandela is in critical but stable condition and the whole nation is praying that he will improve.

Obama and his wife planned to meet with some of Mandela's relatives later in the day but because of their wishes doesn't plan to see the man Obama on Saturday revered as "one of the greatest people in history."

Obama referred to Mandela by his clan name as he praised South Africa's historic integration from white racist rule as a shining beacon for the world.

"The struggle here against apartheid for freedom, Madiba's moral courage, this country's historic transition to a free and democratic nation has been a personal inspiration to me, it has been an inspiration to the world," Obama said.

"The outpouring of love that we've seen in recent days shows that the triumph of Nelson Mandela and this nation speaks to something very deep in the human spirit, the yearning for justice and dignity that transcends boundaries of race and class and faith and country," Obama said. "That's what Nelson Mandela represents, that's what South African at its best represents to the world, and that's what brings me back here."

Zuma told Obama he and Mandela are "bound by history as the first black presidents of your respective countries."

"Thus, you both carry the dreams of millions of people in Africa and in the diaspora who were previously oppressed," Zuma said, reading from a prepared statement.

On other topics, Obama declined to commit to supporting South Africa's bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. He said the U.N.'s structure needs to be updated and it would be "odd" for an expanded Security Council not to have African representation.

"How we do that and what fashion is complicated, it's difficult and it involves all kinds of politics," Obama said.

"Everybody wants a seat at the table, but when it comes time to step up and show responsibility, sometimes people want to be free riders," Obama said, adding he wasn't referring to South Africa specifically.

Zuma responded that he wishes the process of change at the U.N. would speed up.

Obama also said he wants to boost trade with Africa and plans to renegotiate an African trade pact to improve it for American businesses. He said he welcomes competition from other nations who have been aggressive in pursuing commercial opportunities in Africa, including China.

"I don't feel threatened by it. I think it's a good thing," he said. He added: "Our only advice is make sure it's a good deal for Africa." He said that includes making sure foreign investment employs Africans and doesn't tolerate corruption or take its natural resources without compensation for Africans.

Obama also is paying tribute to South Africa's fight against apartheid by visiting the Soweto area Saturday afternoon for a town hall with students at the University of Johannesburg. At least 176 young people were killed in Soweto township 27 years ago this month during a youth protest against the apartheid regime's ban against teaching local Bantu languages. The Soweto Uprising catalyzed international support against apartheid, and June is now recognized as Youth Month in South Africa.

The university plans to bestow an honorary law degree on the U.S. president.

Protesters demonstrated outside the university against U.S. policy on issues including the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the war in Afghanistan and global warming. Hundreds marched to the U.S. Embassy on Friday, carrying signs that read: "No, You Can't Obama," a message inspired by Obama's "yes, we can" campaign slogan.

Obama has been trying to inspire the continent's youth to become civically active and part of a new democratically minded generation. Obama hosted young leaders from more than 40 African countries at the White House in 2010 and challenged them to bring change to their countries by standing up for freedom, openness and peaceful disagreement.

Obama wraps up his South Africa stay Sunday, when he plans to give a sweeping speech on U.S.-Africa policy at the University of Cape Town and take his family to Robben Island to tour the prison where Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years behind bars.

Obama has visited the island before, but said it's a particular privilege to bring his daughters back to learn its lessons.

___

Follow Nedra Pickler on Twitter at https://twitter.com/nedrapickler

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-tells-leaders-mandelas-example-112000386.html

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U.S. asked Ecuador to deny Snowden asylum, leader says

By Brian Ellsworth

QUITO (Reuters) - Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said on Saturday the United States had asked him not to grant asylum for former U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden in a "cordial" telephone conversation he held with Vice President Joe Biden.

Correa said he vowed to respect Washington's opinion in evaluating the request. The Andean nation says it cannot begin processing Snowden's request unless he reaches Ecuador or one of its embassies.

Snowden, who is wanted by the United States for leaking details about U.S. communications surveillance programs, is believed to still be at the Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow after leaving Hong Kong.

Praising Biden's good manners in contrast to "brats" in the U.S. Congress who had threatened to cut Ecuador's trade benefits over the Snowden issue, Correa said during his weekly television broadcast: "He communicated a very courteous request from the United States that we reject the (asylum) request."

Biden initiated the phone call, Correa said.

"When he (Snowden) arrives on Ecuadorean soil, if he arrives ... of course, the first opinions we will seek are those of the United States," Correa said.

A senior White House official traveling with President Barack Obama in Africa on Saturday confirmed the conversation had taken place.

The case has been a major embarrassment for the Obama administration, which is now facing withering criticism around the world for the espionage program known as Prism that Snowden revealed.

A German magazine on Saturday, citing secret documents, reported that the United States bugged European Union offices and gained access to EU internal computer networks, which will likely add to the furor over U.S. spying efforts.

Correa has for years been at loggerheads with Washington on issues ranging from the war on drugs to a long-running environmental dispute with U.S. oil giant Chevron.

A leftist economist who received a doctorate from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Correa denied he was seeking to perturb relations and said he had "lived the happiest days of my life" in the United States.

But he said the United States has not heeded Ecuador's request to extradite citizens sought by the law, including bankers he said have already been sentenced.

"There's a clear double standard here. If the United States is pursuing someone, other countries have to hand them over," Correa said. "But there are so many fugitives from our justice system (in the United States) ... and they don't return them."

TRAVEL DOCUMENT CONFUSION

Correa said Ecuador's London consulate issued Snowden an unauthorized safe-passage document, potentially as a result of communication with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is living in the London embassy after receiving asylum last year.

Assange said on Monday that Snowden had received refugee papers from the Ecuador government to secure him safe passage as he fled Hong Kong for Russia. Correa's government had originally denied this.

A "safe-pass" document published by U.S. Spanish-language media network Univision which circulated widely online purported to offer Snowden safe passage for the purpose of political asylum. The United States has revoked his passport.

"The truth is that the consul (overstepped) his role and will face sanction," Correa said during the broadcast.

The decision was "probably in communication with Julian Assange and out of desperation that Mr. Snowden was going to be captured, but this was without the authorization of the Ecuadorean government."

Correa's critics have in recent days accused him of letting Assange take charge of crucial foreign policy matters.

Assange, who is wanted in Sweden for questioning over sexual assault allegations, has not been able to leave the London embassy because Britain will not give him safe passage.

Snowden's lack of a valid travel document appears to be one of the primary obstacles to his leaving the transit area of the Moscow international airport. Without a passport, he cannot board a commercial flight or move through airport immigration, according to diplomacy experts.

Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino declined on Thursday to comment on whether Ecuador would send a government plane to pick Snowden up. But Correa has indicated he does not have plans to provide Snowden with transport to an embassy.

Correa scoffed at reports that he himself had been aware that the document was issued or was involved in the decision.

"They think I'm so dumb that I ordered our consul in London to write a safe passage document for a U.S. citizen traveling from Hong Kong to Russia. That's simply absurd," he said.

(Additional reporting by Mark Felsenthal in Johannesburg; Editing by Daniel Wallis, Vicki Allen and Sandra Maler)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/biden-spoke-ecuadors-correa-snowden-white-house-180538899.html

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PandaWhale's Slow And Steady March To Relevance

There is an interesting shift occurring in consumer websites and apps where users perform micro-work that reshapes experiences. Classic examples of this are how Pinterest users are grabbing images from the web, personally reorganizing them, and, in the process, building a new image search engine, much like Google Images. And some would argue even better and more relevant. Or consider Instapaper and Pocket users who grab content to read later, stripped free of bloated ads and other unnecessary information. There are more and more services fitting into this trend, which I?ve called a ?web of extraction,? and one emergent property that?s doing this in a novel way is one you may not have heard of: PandaWhale.

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

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Millions worldwide share difficult Mandela vigil

As Nelson Mandela lingers in a hospital, yet another remarkable moment is helping to seal his legacy: Millions of people around the world, united by respect and gratitude, are preparing for this beloved man to die.

The preparations take many forms: Prayers and vigils, pictures and candles, headlines and YouTube videos. All are measurements of his legend, and yet as the 94-year-old Mandela's hospitalization continues, the anticipation has left many caught in an awkward limbo, sharing on a global scale what is usually a private scenario.

There is no one in the world like Mandela ? a victim who both governed and forgave his tormentors, a figure so universally admired that his countless honors include both America's Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Soviet Union's Order of Lenin.

So as the days have passed since his hospitalization on June 8 ? the slow decline of a giant broadcast everywhere with the speed, detail and distortion that are hallmarks of the Internet age ? his vigil, too, has been unique.

The world is waiting to honor the man who proved the power of unity and forgiveness, said Lori Brown, a sociology professor at Meredith College in North Carolina.

"It is possible to honor him while he is alive, but the massive funeral, the media focus on his entire life, the showing of video clips of his speeches, the reading of his writings, these are all part of what we sociologists call rites of passage," she said.

"His death will allow for not only global grieving of his passing but a global celebration of his life," she said. "The world will own his memory, while right now his illness and life are more private and 'owned' by his family."

Everywhere, families know this type of personal experience. They grapple with the belief that the end is near and with reluctance to speak of it. They measure their respect for life against the desire for an incapacitated loved one to be freed from it.

Now this struggle is playing out for members of the world family who treasure Mandela's story.

"There's something very uncomfortable about the waiting," said Robert Kraft, a psychology professor at Otterbein University in Ohio and author of an upcoming book on South Africa.

Even thinking about "closure" at a moment like this, he said, "is extremely uncomfortable for someone we love."

Actor Dennis Haysbert, who portrayed Mandela in the film "Goodbye Bafana," has felt deep emotions since Mandela entered the hospital with what the South African government said was a lung infection.

"I am not waiting for his death. I am celebrating him as he lives," Haysbert said.

Still, it's hard to discuss. "We're still talking about a living, breathing human being, talking in anticipation of his demise, of his passing. That's hard, but I understand it. I understand the need to do it. It's a matter of preparation."

"I would imagine he's preparing himself," Haysbert continued. "And I think that everyone who loves him, who respects him, who truly honors him are preparing themselves for it."

Those preparations are most difficult and visible in South Africa, where Mandela led a peaceful transition from racist white rule to a democratically elected government, which he headed. There have been nationwide prayers, tokens of support left in makeshift shrines ? and throngs upon throngs of media.

Said Makaziwe Mandela, one of Mandela's daughters, of the media glare: "It's like truly vultures waiting when a lion has devoured a buffalo, waiting there for the last carcasses. That's the image that we have, as a family."

Later, Mandela's ex-wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, said: "If we sometimes sound bitter, it is because we are dealing with a very difficult situation. You can understand our emotions."

The intense interest in Mandela's decline is due to his resonance around the world.

In Britain, the Archbishop of York issued a special prayer for Mandela.

A YouTube "Pledge for Peace: I Am Nelson Mandela" campaign inspired videos from Japan, Mexico, Russia, Australia, Italy, and India.

In Bangladesh, the popular actor Hasan Masood wrote on Facebook: "Nelson Mandela, please get well soon. May God give you the strength to come back."

A headline in a Malaysian newspaper read: "Everyone's Hero."

"I am very angry," said Mariana Alves in Madrid, who believes Mandela's illness stems from harsh treatment during his 27 years in prison. "But you have to admire that he was able to forgive those who treated him so badly and finally condemned him to die this way, breathless."

In Australia and the Netherlands, there were false reports of Mandela's death ? the latter prompting an Amsterdam neighborhood council to observe a minute of silence in his honor.

"I think we just have to leave him peacefully," said Ramesh Pasupuleti, parking his car in north London's Mandela Street, one of several so named. "If the time comes, the time comes. We are all grateful for what he has done."

People feel as if they know Mandela, said Kraft, the psychologist.

"He was not secretive. When he experienced joy he smiled, he danced, he hugged, he embraced. He put himself and his emotions out in public. We also saw his struggles," he said.

"I think he is one of the truly great people of the last 100 years. It's not as if a somewhat lesser person is dying, or a beloved celebrity is dying. We are aware that greatness is going to be gone," Kraft continued. "It's a little different than someone else who is simply well known and accomplished."

And when the end does come, whenever that may be, it too will be different.

"I don't think you can really prepare for it," said Haysbert, the actor. "What does that mean, you're not going to feel the emotion of it?"

"You're thinking that you prepared yourself for it until it happens," he said. "Then it just sort of smacks you."

___

Jesse Washington covers race and ethnicity for The Associated Press. He is reachable at http://www.twitter.com/jessewashington and jwashington@ap.org.

___

AP Writers Julhas Alam contributed from Dhaka, Bangladesh; Harold Heckle in Madrid; Jill Lawless from London; and Eileen Ng from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/millions-worldwide-share-difficult-mandela-vigil-182458358.html

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Israel shows no signs of yielding to Palestinians

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) ? Israel's prime minister is showing no signs of bending as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry presses forward with efforts to restart Mideast peace talks.

Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday that he is ready to begin talks with the Palestinians immediately, but he made no mention of yielding to Palestinian demands to halt settlement construction or release Palestinian prisoners.

Netanyahu says he will not compromise on Israel's security and if a deal is reached, he says he will seek approval in a national referendum. A referendum is not required, and critics have said it would add an additional obstacle to implanting a deal that relinquishes territory to the Palestinians.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/israel-shows-no-signs-yielding-palestinians-092955091.html

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Obama tells leaders to follow Mandela's example

JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? President Barack Obama encouraged leaders in Africa and around the world Saturday to follow former South African President Nelson Mandela's example of country before self, as the U.S. president prepared to pay personal respects to relatives who have been gathered around the critically ill anti-apartheid icon.

"We as leaders occupy these spaces temporarily and we don't get so deluded that we think the fate of our country doesn't depend on how long we stay in office," Obama said.

Obama spoke at a news conference with South African President Jacob Zuma in the midst of a weeklong tour of the continent that also included stops in Senegal and Tanzania. But many other African nations are embroiled in religious, sectarian and other conflicts.

Obama decided to avoid stopping in his father's home nation of Kenya because of international disputes there. The International Criminal Court is prosecuting Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta for crimes against humanity, including murder, deportation, rape, persecution and inhumane acts allegedly committed by his supporters in the violent aftermath of Kenya's 2007 elections.

"The timing was not right for me as the president of the United States to be visiting Kenya when those issues are still being worked on, and hopefully at some point resolved," Obama said. He noted he's visited Kenya several times previously and expects he will as well in the future.

Obama and Zuma appeared at the Union Buildings that house government offices and the site of Mandela's 1994 inauguration as the country's first black president after 27 years behind bars for his activism.

The 94-year-old Mandela has been in a nearby hospital for three weeks after being admitted with a lung infection. Zuma told reporters that Mandela is in critical but stable condition and the whole nation is praying that he will improve.

Obama visited with two of Mandela's daughters and eight of his grandchildren Saturday at the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory, part of the former president's foundation. Obama said he told the family he hopes Mandela draws comfort from the time he's spending with loved ones.

"I also reaffirmed the profound impact that his legacy has had in building a free South Africa, and in inspiring people around the world ? including me," Obama said in a statement after the visit. "That's a legacy that we must all honor in our own lives.

Obama also spoke by telephone with Graca Machel, Mandela's wife, while she stayed at his bedside in the hospital. Machel said she drew strength from the call and that Obama added a characteristic "touch of personal warmth."

"I am humbled by their comfort and messages of strength and inspiration, which I have already conveyed" to Mandela, she said.

The White House said that in accordance with the family's wishes, Obama was not planning to visit with Mandela.

In nearby Pretoria earlier, Obama revered Mandela as "one of the greatest people in history," referred to him by his clan name as he praised South Africa's historic integration from white racist rule as a shining beacon for the world.

"The struggle here against apartheid for freedom, Madiba's moral courage, this country's historic transition to a free and democratic nation has been a personal inspiration to me, it has been an inspiration to the world," Obama said.

"The outpouring of love that we've seen in recent days shows that the triumph of Nelson Mandela and this nation speaks to something very deep in the human spirit, the yearning for justice and dignity that transcends boundaries of race and class and faith and country," Obama said. "That's what Nelson Mandela represents, that's what South African at its best represents to the world, and that's what brings me back here."

Zuma told Obama he and Mandela are "bound by history as the first black presidents of your respective countries."

"Thus, you both carry the dreams of millions of people in Africa and in the diaspora who were previously oppressed," Zuma said, reading from a prepared statement.

On other topics, Obama declined to commit to supporting South Africa's bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. He said the U.N.'s structure needs to be updated and it would be "odd" for an expanded Security Council not to have African representation.

"How we do that and what fashion is complicated, it's difficult and it involves all kinds of politics," Obama said.

"Everybody wants a seat at the table, but when it comes time to step up and show responsibility, sometimes people want to be free riders," Obama said, adding he wasn't referring to South Africa specifically.

Zuma responded that he wishes the process of change at the U.N. would speed up.

Obama also said he wants to boost trade with Africa and plans to renegotiate an African trade pact to improve it for American businesses. He said he welcomes competition from other nations who have been aggressive in pursuing commercial opportunities in Africa, including China.

"I don't feel threatened by it. I think it's a good thing," he said. He added: "Our only advice is make sure it's a good deal for Africa." He said that includes making sure foreign investment employs Africans and doesn't tolerate corruption or take its natural resources without compensation for Africans.

Obama also is paying tribute to South Africa's fight against apartheid by visiting the Soweto area Saturday afternoon for a town hall with students at the University of Johannesburg. At least 176 young people were killed in Soweto township 27 years ago this month during a youth protest against the apartheid regime's ban against teaching local Bantu languages. The Soweto Uprising catalyzed international support against apartheid, and June is now recognized as Youth Month in South Africa.

The university plans to bestow an honorary law degree on the U.S. president.

Protesters under police watch demonstrated outside the university against Obama's record on surveillance and foreign policy. Demonstrators from a range of trade unions and civil society groups chanted, "Away with intelligence, away," holding posters depicting Obama with an Adolf Hitler moustache.

"People died in Libya. People are still dying in Syria," said 54-year-old Ramasimong Tsokolibane. "In Egypt, in Afghanistan in Pakistan drones are still killing people. So that's why we are calling him a Hitler. He's a killer."

Obama has been trying to inspire the continent's youth to become civically active and part of a new democratically minded generation. Obama hosted young leaders from more than 40 African countries at the White House in 2010 and challenged them to bring change to their countries by standing up for freedom, openness and peaceful disagreement.

Obama wraps up his South Africa stay Sunday, when he plans to give a sweeping speech on U.S.-Africa policy at the University of Cape Town and take his family to Robben Island to tour the prison where Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years behind bars.

Obama has visited the island before, but said it's a particular privilege to bring his daughters back to learn its lessons.

___

Associated Press Television News reporter Bram Janssen contributed to this report.

___

Follow Nedra Pickler on Twitter at https://twitter.com/nedrapickler and Julie Pace at https://twitter.com/jpacedc

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-tells-leaders-mandelas-example-112000386.html

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Phoenix, Las Vegas bake in scorching heat

DEATH VALLEY, Calif. (AP) ? Dan Kail was vacationing in Las Vegas when he heard that the temperature at Death Valley could approach 130 degrees this weekend. He didn't hesitate to make a trip to the desert location that is typically the hottest place on the planet.

"Coming to Death Valley in the summertime has always been on the top of my bucket list," the 67-year-old Pittsburgh man said. "When I found out it might set a record I rented a car and drove straight over. If it goes above 130 I will have something to brag about."

The forecast called for Death Valley to reach 128 degrees Saturday as part of a heat wave that has caused large parts of the western U.S. to suffer. Death Valley's record high of 134 degrees, set a century ago, stands as the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth.

"The wind out here is like being in front of a blast furnace," Kail said.

As temperatures soared in Las Vegas Friday, 200 people were treated for heat problems at an outdoor concert, Clark County spokesman Erik Pappa said.

Thirty of them were hospitalized for heat-related injuries at Vans Warped Tour at Silverton Casino as temps reached 115.

Most of the others "were essentially provided shade and water and a place to sit down," Pappa said.

It was expected to get even hotter in Las Vegas over the weekend.

Phoenix reached 116 on Friday ? 2 degrees short of the expected high ? in part because a light layer of smoke from wildfires in neighboring New Mexico shielded the blazing sun, the National Weather Service said. Phoenix was forecast to hit nearly 120. The record in Phoenix is 122.

The heat was so punishing that rangers took up positions at trailheads at Lake Mead in Nevada to persuade people not to hike. Zookeepers in Phoenix hosed down the elephants and fed tigers frozen fish snacks. Dogs were at risk of burning their paws on scorched pavement, and airlines kept close watch on the heat for fear that it could cause flights to be delayed.

The heat wasn't expected to break until Monday or Tuesday.

The scorching weather presented problems for airlines because high temperatures can make it more difficult for planes to take off. Hot air reduces lift and also can diminish engine performance. Planes taking off in the heat may need longer runways or may have to shed weight by carrying less fuel or cargo.

Smaller jets and propeller planes are more likely to be affected than bigger airliners that are better equipped for extreme temperatures.

Temperatures are also expected to soar across Utah and into Wyoming and Idaho, with triple-digit heat forecast for the Boise area. Cities in Washington state that are better known for cool, rainy weather should break the 90s next week.

"This is the hottest time of the year, but the temperatures that we'll be looking at for Friday through Sunday, they'll be toward the top," said weather service meteorologist Mark O'Malley. "It's going to be baking hot across much of the entire West."

The heat is the result of a high-pressure system brought on by a shift in the jet stream, the high-altitude air current that dictates weather patterns. The jet stream has been more erratic in the past few years.

Health officials warned people to be extremely careful when venturing outdoors. The risks include not only dehydration and heat stroke but burns from the concrete and asphalt. Dogs can suffer burns and blisters on their paws by walking on hot pavement.

"You will see people who go out walking with their dog at noon or in the middle of the day and don't bring enough water and it gets tragic pretty quickly," said Bretta Nelson, spokeswoman for the Arizona Humane Society. "You just don't want to find out the hard way."

Cooling stations were set up to shelter the homeless and elderly people who can't afford to run their air conditioners. In Phoenix, Joe Arpaio, the famously hard-nosed sheriff who runs a tent jail, planned to distribute ice cream and cold towels to inmates this weekend.

Officials said personnel were added to the Border Patrol's search-and-rescue unit because of the danger to people trying to slip across the Mexican border. At least seven people have been found dead in the last week in Arizona after falling victim to the brutal desert heat.

In June 1990, when Phoenix hit 122 degrees, airlines were forced to cease flights for several hours because of a lack of data from the manufacturers on how the aircraft would operate in such extreme heat.

US Airways spokesman Todd Lehmacher said the airline now knows that its Boeings can fly at up to 126 degrees, and its Airbus fleet can operate at up to 127.

While the heat in Las Vegas is expected to peak Sunday, it's unlikely to sideline the first round of the four-week Bikini Invitational tournament.

"I feel sorry for those poor girls having to strut themselves in 115 degrees, but there's $100,000 up for grabs," said Hard Rock casino spokeswoman Abigail Miller. "I think the girls are willing to make the sacrifice."

___

Skoloff reported from Phoenix. Also contributing were Robert Jablon in Los Angeles, Julie Jacobson and Michelle Rindels in Las Vegas, Michelle Price in Salt Lake City, Cristina Silva and Bob Christie in Phoenix, and Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, N.M.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/phoenix-las-vegas-bake-scorching-heat-202602575.html

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'White House Down': The Reviews Are In!

Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum get thumbs up from critics, but reviewers say movie is 'dumb.'
By Todd Gilchrist

Channing Tatum in "White House Down"
Photo: Columbia Pictures

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1709744/white-house-down-movie-reviews.jhtml

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Puma Ends Aaron Hernandez Contract After Murder Charge In Odin Lloyd Shooting

Aaron Hernandez, Michael Fee

Former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez, right, stands with his attorney Michael Fee, during a bail hearing in Fall River Superior Court Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Fall River, Mass. Hernandez, charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player, was denied bail. (AP Photo/Boston Herald, Ted Fitzgerald, Pool)

Aaron Hernandez

Former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez stands during a bail hearing in Fall River Superior Court Thursday, June 27, 2013 in Fall River, Mass. Hernandez, charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player, was denied bail. (AP Photo/Boston Herald, Ted Fitzgerald, Pool)

Shayanna Jenkins

Shayanna Jenkins, fiancee of former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez, weeps in the courtroom after a bail hearing for Hernandez in Fall River Superior Court Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Fall River, Mass. Hernandez, charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player, was denied bail. (AP Photo/Boston Herald, Ted Fitzgerald, Pool)

Sam Sutter

Bristol County District Attorney Sam Sutter speaks to the media outside the Fall River Justice Center after a bail hearing was held for former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez in Fall River Superior Court Thursday, June 27, 2013 in Fall River, Mass. Hernandez, charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player, was denied bail. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Bystanders chant and take pictures outside the entrance to the Fall River Justice Center after a bail hearing was held for former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez in Fall River Superior Court Thursday, June 27, 2013 in Fall River, Mass. Hernandez, charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player, was denied bail. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Shayanna Jenkins, Janice Bassil, James Sultan

Shayanna Jenkins, right, fiancee of former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez, is escorted by attorneys Janice Bassil and James Sultan, left, after a bail hearing in Fall River Superior Court Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Fall River, Mass. Hernandez, charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player, was denied bail. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Shayanna Jenkins, Janice Bassil

Shayanna Jenkins, middle, fiancee of former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez, is escorted by attorney Janice Bassil, left, and an unidentified attorney after a bail hearing in Fall River Superior Court Thursday, June 27, 2013 in Fall River, Mass. Hernandez, charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player, was denied bail. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Shayanna Jenkins, Janice Bassil

Shayanna Jenkins, right, fiancee of former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez, is escorted by attorney Janice Bassil after a bail hearing in Fall River Superior Court Thursday, June 27, 2013 in Fall River, Mass. Hernandez, charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player, was denied bail. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Interested bystanders and media members crowd around the entrance to the Fall River Justice Center after a bail hearing was held for former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez in Fall River Superior Court Thursday, June 27, 2013 in Fall River, Mass. Hernandez, charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player, was denied bail. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

An unidentified attorney of former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez, right, leaves Hernandez's home after securing some dress clothes from the house Thursday, June 27, 2013, in North Attleboro, Mass. A judge on Thursday denied bail for the former NFL player, who is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of a friend. (AP Photo/The Attleboro Sun Chronicle, Mark Stockwell) MAGS OUT. MANDATORY CREDIT, PROVIDENCE JOURNAL OUT

An unidentified attorney of former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez, right, leaves Hernandez's home after securing some dress clothes from the house as police investigators work outside the home Thursday, June 27, 2013, in North Attleboro, Mass. A judge on Thursday denied bail for the former NFL player, who is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of a friend. (AP Photo/The Attleboro Sun Chronicle, Mark Stockwell) MAGS OUT. MANDATORY CREDIT, PROVIDENCE JOURNAL OUT

Police investigators work outside the home of former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez Thursday, June 27, 2013, in North Attleboro, Mass. A judge on Thursday denied bail for the former NFL player, who is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of a friend. (AP Photo/The Attleboro Sun Chronicle, Mark Stockwell) MAGS OUT. MANDATORY CREDIT, PROVIDENCE JOURNAL OUT

Police investigators work outside the home of former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez Thursday, June 27, 2013, in North Attleboro, Mass. A judge on Thursday denied bail for the former NFL player, who is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of a friend. (AP Photo/The Attleboro Sun Chronicle, Mark Stockwell) MAGS OUT. MANDATORY CREDIT, PROVIDENCE JOURNAL OUT

A police car is parked in the driveway outside the home of former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez Thursday, June 27, 2013, in North Attleboro, Mass. A judge on Thursday denied bail for the former NFL player, who is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of a friend. (AP Photo/The Attleboro Sun Chronicle, Mark Stockwell) MAGS OUT. MANDATORY CREDIT, PROVIDENCE JOURNAL OUT

Shayanna Jenkins

Shayanna Jenkins, fiancee of former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez, listens in the courtroom during a bail hearing for Hernandez in Fall River Superior Court Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Fall River, Mass. Hernandez, charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player, was denied bail. (AP Photo/Boston Herald, Ted Fitzgerald, Pool)

Aaron Hernandez, Michael Fee

Former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez, right, reacts to his attorney Michael Fee during a bail hearing in Fall River Superior Court Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Fall River, Mass. Hernandez, charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player, was denied bail. (AP Photo/Boston Herald, Ted Fitzgerald, Pool)

Aaron Hernandez

Former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez, right, stands with his attorney Michael Fee during a bail hearing in Fall River Superior Court Thursday, June 27, 2013 in Fall River, Mass. Hernandez, charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player, was denied bail at the hearing. (AP Photo/Boston Herald, Ted Fitzgerald, Pool)

Aaron Hernandez

Former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez wipes his mouth while handcuffed during a bail hearing in Fall River Superior Court Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Fall River, Mass. Hernandez, charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player, was denied bail. (AP Photo/Boston Herald, Ted Fitzgerald, Pool)

Aaron Hernandez

Former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez enters a courtroom for a bail hearing in Fall River Superior Court Thursday, June 27, 2013 in Fall River, Mass. Hernandez, charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player, was denied bail. (AP Photo/Boston Herald, Ted Fitzgerald, Pool)

Aaron Hernandez

Former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez enters a courtroom for a bail hearing in Fall River Superior Court Thursday, June 27, 2013 in Fall River, Mass. Hernandez, charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player, was denied bail. (AP Photo/Boston Herald, Ted Fitzgerald, Pool)

Aaron Hernandez

Former New England Patriots football tight end Aaron Hernandez stands during a bail hearing in Fall River Superior Court Thursday, June 27, 2013 in Fall River, Mass. Hernandez, charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player, was denied bail. (AP Photo/Boston Herald, Ted Fitzgerald, Pool)

Aaron Hernandez

Family of Odin Lloyd react during the arraignment of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez in Attleboro District Court Wednesday, June 26, in Attleboro, Mass. Hernandez was charged with murdering Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player for the Boston Bandits, whose body was found June 17 in an industrial park in North Attleborough, Mass. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mike George, Pool)

Aaron Hernandez

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, left, stands with his attorney Michael Fee, right, during arraignment in Attleboro District Court Wednesday, June 26, in Attleboro, Mass. Hernandez was charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player for the Boston Bandits, whose body was found June 17 in an industrial park in North Attleborough, Mass. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mike George, Pool)

Aaron Hernandez

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, left, is led into Attleboro District Court for arraignment Wednesday, June 26, in Attleboro, Mass. Hernandez was charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player for the Boston Bandits, whose body was found June 17 in an industrial park in North Attleborough, Mass. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Keith Nordstrom) MANDATORY CREDIT. MAGS OUT. PROVIDENCE JOURNAL OUT.

Aaron Hernandez

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, center, is led away, as his attorney Michael Fee speaks to him, right, after arraignment in Attleboro District Court Wednesday, June 26, in Attleboro, Mass. Hernandez was charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player for the Boston Bandits, whose body was found June 17 in an industrial park in North Attleborough, Mass. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mike George, Pool)

Aaron Hernandez

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, left, stands with his attorney Michael Fee, right, during arraignment in Attleboro District Court Wednesday, June 26, in Attleboro, Mass. Hernandez was charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player for the Boston Bandits, whose body was found June 17 in an industrial park in North Attleborough, Mass. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mike George, Pool)

Aaron Hernandez

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, left, stands with his attorney Michael Fee, right, during arraignment in Attleboro District Court Wednesday, June 26, in Attleboro, Mass. Hernandez was charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player for the Boston Bandits, whose body was found June 17 in an industrial park in North Attleborough, Mass. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mike George, Pool)

Aaron Hernandez

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, left, stands with his attorney Michael Fee, right, during arraignment in Attleboro District Court Wednesday, June 26, in Attleboro, Mass. Hernandez was charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player for the Boston Bandits, whose body was found June 17 in an industrial park in North Attleborough, Mass. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mike George, Pool)

Aaron Hernandez

Michael Fee, defense attorney for former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, speaks to the media outside Attleboro District Court after Hernandez was arraigned Wednesday, June 26, 2013, in Attleboro, Mass. Hernandez was charged with murdering Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player for the Boston Bandits, whose body was found June 17 in an industrial park in North Attleborough, Mass. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mark Stockwell) MANDATORY CREDIT MAGS OUT PROVIDENCE JOURNAL OUT

In this image taken from video, police escort Aaron Hernandez from his home in handcuffs in Attleboro, Mass., Wednesday, June 26, 2013. Hernandez was taken from his home more than a week after a Boston semi-pro football player was found dead in an industrial park a mile from Hernandez's house. (AP Photo/ESPN) MANDATORY CREDIT

In this image taken from video, police escort Aaron Hernandez from his home in handcuffs in Attleboro, Mass., Wednesday, June 26, 2013. Hernandez was taken from his home more than a week after a Boston semi-pro football player was found dead in an industrial park a mile from Hernandez's house. (AP Photo/ESPN)

In this image taken from video, police escort Aaron Hernandez from his home in handcuffs in Attleboro, Mass., Wednesday, June 26, 2013. Hernandez was taken from his home more than a week after a Boston semi-pro football player was found dead in an industrial park a mile from Hernandez's house. (AP Photo/ESPN)

In this image taken from video, police escort Aaron Hernandez from his home in handcuffs in Attleboro, Mass., Wednesday, June 26, 2013. Hernandez was taken from his home more than a week after a Boston semi-pro football player was found dead in an industrial park a mile from Hernandez's house. (AP Photo/ESPN)

Aaron Hernandez

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez arrives for arraignment at Attleboro District Court Wednesday, June 26, in Attleboro, Mass. It wasn't clear what charges were being filed against him. Less than two hours after his arrest, the Patriots announced they had cut him from the team. Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player for the Boston Bandits, was found slain June 17 near Hernandez's home in North Attleborough. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mark Stockwell) MANDATORY CREDIT

State police continue their search for evidence Monday, June 24, 2013, along Homeward Lane the access road into Westwood Estates where New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez resides In North Attleboro, Mass. Hernandez is being questioned about the murder of Odin Lloyd, 27, of Boston whose body was found about a mile from the athlete's house last week. (AP Photo/The Attleboro Sun Chronicle,Mark Stockwell ) PROVIDENCE JOURNAL OUT

Law enforcement officers wearing wetsuits emerge from bushes during a search for evidence along a road near the home of New England Patriot's NFL football player Aaron Hernandez Monday, June 24, 2013, in North Attleborough, Mass. The body of Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player for the Boston Bandits, was found in a nearby industrial park on June 17. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mark Stockwell) MANDATORY CREDIT

In this image taken from video, a police officer photographs a car outside the home of New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez, Saturday, June 22, 2013, in North Attleboro, Mass. State police officers and dogs searched Hernandez's home as they investigate the killing of Odin Lloyd, a semi-pro football player whose body was found nearby. (AP Photo/ESPN)

In this image taken from video, police officers talk outside of the home of New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez, Saturday, June 22, 2013, in North Attleboro, Mass. State police officers and dogs searched Hernandez's home as they investigate the killing of Odin Lloyd, a semi-pro football player whose body was found nearby. (AP Photo/ESPN)

In this image taken from video, police search a car outside the home of New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez, Saturday, June 22, 2013, in North Attleboro, Mass. State police officers and dogs searched Hernandez's home as they investigate the killing of Odin Lloyd, a semi-pro football player whose body was found nearby. (AP Photo/ESPN)

In this image taken from video, a state police officer and dog arrive outside the home of New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez, Saturday, June 22, 2013, in North Attleboro, Mass. State police searched Hernandez's home as they investigate the killing of Odin Lloyd, a semi-pro football player whose body was found nearby. (AP Photo/ESPN)

In this image taken from video, police officers talk outside the home of New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez, Saturday, June 22, 2013, in North Attleboro, Mass. State police officers and dogs searched Hernandez's home as they investigate the killing of Odin Lloyd, a semi-pro football player whose body was found nearby. (AP Photo/ESPN)

Odin Lloyd

This Dec. 25, 2012 photo taken by a sister and provided by the Boston Bandits football team shows Odin Lloyd, 27, whose body was found Monday, June 17, 2013 in an industrial park in North Attleborough, Mass., about a mile from the house of New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez. (AP Photo/Lloyd family via the Boston Bandits )

New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez drives from his home late Thursday morning, June 20, 2013, in North Attleborough, Mass. Hernandez had a connection to homicide victim Odin Lloyd, of Boston, whose body was found in an industrial park near the athlete's home. Family and officials were mum on the nature of their relationship Thursday, two days after police visited Hernandez' home. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mark Stockwell) MANDATORY CREDIT. MAGAZINES OUT.

Massachusetts State Police dig for evidence Thursday, June 20, 2013, at the sight in an industrial park in North Attleborough, Mass., where the body of Odin Lloyd, of Boston, was found earlier this week. New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez had a connection Lloyd, but family and officials were mum on the nature of their relationship Thursday, two days after police visited Hernandez' home. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mark Stockwell) MANDATORY CREDIT. MAGAZINES OUT.

New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez drives from his home late Thursday morning, June 20, 2013, in North Attleborough, Mass. Hernandez had a connection to homicide victim Odin Lloyd, of Boston, whose body was found in an industrial park near the athlete's home. Family and officials were mum on the nature of their relationship Thursday, two days after police visited Hernandez' home. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mark Stockwell) MANDATORY CREDIT. MAGAZINES OUT.

Massachusetts State Police search along a road near the home of New England Patriot's NFL football player Aaron Hernandez in North Attleborough, Mass., Wednesday, June 19, 2013. Police spent a second day at Hernandez' home on Wednesday, two days after a body was found about a mile away. (AP Photo/Erika Niedowski)

Two members of the Massachusetts State Police walk toward the front door of the home of New England Patriot's NFL football player Aaron Hernandez in North Attleborough, Mass., Wednesday, June 19, 2013. Their knock on the door went unanswered. State and local police spent hours at the home Tuesday as another group of officers searched an industrial park about a mile away where a body was discovered the day before. (AP Photo/Erika Niedowski)

Aaron Hernandez

Family of Odin Lloyd react during the arraignment of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez in Attleboro District Court Wednesday, June 26, in Attleboro, Mass. Hernandez was charged with murdering Lloyd, a 27-year-old semi-pro football player for the Boston Bandits, whose body was found June 17 in an industrial park in North Attleborough, Mass. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mike George, Pool)

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/27/puma-aaron-hernandez-contract_n_3512926.html

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Artist Plays Detective: Can I Reconstruct A Face From A Piece Of Hair?

Her techniques aren't super-sophisticated. She's not a leader in the field. She's more or less an amateur. This is what you can do with ordinary genetic engineering tools right now. Artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg can find a cigarette lying on the sidewalk on Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn, and working from traces of saliva, by pulling DNA out of those saliva cells and using a bunch of simple algorithms available online, she can make some very educated guesses about what the smoker might look like.

She thinks she's got a probable lead on not only gender, but on more subtle things: eye color, hair color, facial structure, skin tone. The bit of green chewing gum she found next to a bodega on Wilson Avenue ...

... "probably" (while the probabilities may vary with characteristics) belonged to a Latino man who looks like this ...

And, although this isn't fair because she already knows what she looks like, when she tried retro-engineering herself from her own DNA, this is what she got ...

How she does this, you will see here, in this short (well, it's longer than I usually post, clocking in at more than 11 minutes) documentary shot by Kari Mulholland. The video takes us from Heather sitting in her doctor's waiting room pondering a little hair stuck under glass in a picture frame, and then we move on, to her decision to collect loose hairs left on subway seats, tabletops, to the business of breaking DNA out of ordinary saliva or hair, to her finding the genetic bits that code for eye color, hair color and facial features online, to her ultimate works: 3-D sculptures that are now shown in art galleries all over the world.

As commentator Ellen Jorgensen says, Heather's project is "a very accessible way for the public to engage with this new technology. It really brings it to light how powerful it is, the idea that a hair from your head can fall on your street and a perfect stranger can pick it up and know something about it, and with DNA sequencing becoming faster and cheaper, this is the world we're all going to be living in."

I guess so. What I don't know is, How close is she getting, really? What I do know, is that while getting her Ph.D. and doing her art, she has managed to learn whatever it is you need to know to do this, and it didn't seem to take her that long.

I'm thinking, this is a game a lot of people can, and one day will, play. I hope they're nice people.

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2013/06/28/196307915/artist-plays-detective-can-i-reconstruct-a-face-from-a-piece-of-hair?ft=1&f=1007

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Senegalese president defends anti-gay law

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) ? Senegalese President Macky Sall has defended his refusal to decriminalize homosexuality one day after publicly clashing with President Barack Obama on the issue at a joint press conference.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Sall said it was important for other countries to refrain from imposing their values beyond their borders. He compared his position on homosexuality to other countries' positions on polygamy, which is widely practiced in Senegal.

"We don't ask the Europeans to be polygamists," Sall said. "We like polygamy in our country, but we can't impose it in yours. Because the people won't understand it, they won't accept it. It's the same thing."

Senegal's penal code calls for prison sentences of up to five years and fines of up to $3,000 for committing "an improper or unnatural act with a person of the same sex."

Despite the law, Sall maintained that gays were not persecuted in Senegal, and were prosecuted only if they violated the law. He also said the population, while opposed to homosexuality, was not actively intolerant.

"I think in Senegal people are very quiet. They are not very violent, even for the homosexuals," he said.

Local activists strongly disagree, pointing out that more than a dozen homosexuals are currently in jail for no other reason than their sexual orientation, with guilty verdicts having been handed down despite a lack of evidence. They also say extortion and other forms of discrimination are rampant.

In February 2008, police rounded up men suspected of being homosexuals after a Senegalese tabloid published photographs of a clandestine gay wedding in a suburb of Dakar. Gays went into hiding or fled to neighboring countries, but they were pushed out of Gambia by the president's threat of decapitation.

A report released this week by Amnesty International says 38 African countries ? about 70 percent of the continent ? criminalize homosexual activity.

In four of those ? Mauritania, northern Nigeria, southern Somalia and Sudan ? the punishment is death.

These laws appear to have broad public support. A June 4 Pew Research Center survey found at least nine of 10 respondents in Senegal, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda and Nigeria believe homosexuality should not be accepted by society.

Sall warned that because of these views, public advocacy on behalf of gay rights could prompt a strong negative reaction. "We need to be careful, because in Africa and in certain Muslim societies, these are subjects that can provoke fundamentalism," he said.

In a December 2011 memorandum, Obama instructed federal agencies to promote gay rights overseas, drawing strong protests from some African officials and many of his African fans. But while experts say the U.S. has forcefully pushed for gay rights behind closed doors, the public positioning has been discreet, with officials often citing concerns about putting local activists in danger.

Prior to this week's Africa trip, Obama's second since becoming president, some advocates had pushed for him to vocally advocate for gay rights, saying the respect he commands in much of Africa could help sway public opinion.

At Thursday's press conference in Dakar, Obama said everyone should be equal under the law regardless of cultural differences. "When it comes to how the state treats people, how the law treats people, I believe that everybody has to be treated equally," he said.

In response, Sall said Senegal was "still not ready" to decriminalize homosexuality. He said the country was "very tolerant" but needed more time to address the issue.

Though Obama's visit was seen as an opportunity to showcase Senegal's stability and history of peaceful democratic transition, the front pages of local newspapers on Friday were dominated by talk of the exchange on homosexuality. The newspaper Liberation, for example, praised Sall for his "courageous" stance and, alongside a photo of Obama and Sall, ran a banner headline that played on Obama's famous campaign slogan: "No, we can't."

Sall said Friday that he was not disappointed that the issue of homosexuality had received so much attention. He said he welcomed the opportunity to contrast his views with Obama's.

"I'm not disappointed, because I'm a democrat and I can understand very well the position of President Obama on this topic," Sall said. "We are friends. We are partners."

Asked Friday if he thought the day might come when gays are accepted in Senegal and throughout Africa, Sall said it was impossible to predict.

"I don't know what will happen in 10 years, because the world changes," he said. "It depends on each culture or each civilization. We have to take time. Because people need time to absorb. It's not something you can have in one day."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/senegalese-president-defends-anti-gay-law-165212208.html

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Siri inventors now developing the voice assistant of the future

Bright Voice Assistant Software

SRI International, creator of Apple?s voice assistant Siri, is hard at work on a new intelligent assistant known as ?Bright? that could one day know what users want before they even ask for it. Google Now already attempts to do this using location data, Internet browsing history and more, however SRI International?s Bright project will be even more sophisticated. The software is currently being designed for cybersecurity and emergency response in order to aid IT professionals in preventing the spread of a computer virus, or even to help 911 operators send the proper assistance to the scene of an accident, but it could also one day come to consumer electronic devices as well.

[More from BGR: BlackBerry is back from the dead]

SRI International?s Grit Denker?described Bright?as a ?cognitive desktop? that ?really understands what you?re doing, and not just for you, but also in a collaborative setting for people,??MIT?s?Technology Review blog reported.

[More from BGR: In the fight to win over Windows haters, Windows 8.1?s new Start button is probably useless]

The technology currently utilizes three cameras that monitor what a person is looking at and then displays information in real-time. It then recognizes tasks, eye movements, finger touches and hand motions to determine what information is important. For example, if a person was to simply glance at a notification, Bright would hide it. But if he or she stares at it for an extended period of time, the system would move it directly into that person?s line of sight.

There is a long road ahead for the SRI team. The system is currently focused on connecting information using ?cognitive indexing? to try to predict what is important. The team still needs to build out Bright?s functionality, adding things such as the ability to predict interests and to automate tasks.

This article was originally published on BGR.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/siri-inventors-now-developing-voice-assistant-future-180029240.html

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Neighbor testifies about Martin-Zimmerman fight

George Zimmerman leaves the courtroom court for the day in his trial in Seminole circuit court in Sanford, Fla. on Thursday, June 27, 2013. Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder for the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin. (AP Photo/Orlando Sentinel, Jacob Langston, Pool)

George Zimmerman leaves the courtroom court for the day in his trial in Seminole circuit court in Sanford, Fla. on Thursday, June 27, 2013. Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder for the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin. (AP Photo/Orlando Sentinel, Jacob Langston, Pool)

Trayvon Martin's parents, Sybrina Fulton, left, and Tracy Martin, center, attend George Zimmerman's trial in Seminole circuit court in Sanford, Fla. on Thursday, June 27, 2013. Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder for the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin. (Jacob Langston/Orlando Sentinel)

Witness Jennifer Lauer, left, answers questions for Assistant State Attorney Bernie de la Rionda, right, and defense attorney Mark O'Mara, center, during George Zimmerman's trial in Seminole circuit court in Sanford, Fla. Thursday, June 27, 2013. Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder for the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin. (AP Photo/Orlando Sentinel, Jacob Langston, Pool)

George Zimmerman, center, talks to his defense team during his trial in Seminole circuit court in Sanford, Fla. Thursday, June 27, 2013. Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder for the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin. (AP Photo/Orlando Sentinel, Jacob Langston, Pool)

SANFORD, Fla. (AP) ? A neighbor of George Zimmerman who had perhaps the best view of the struggle between the neighborhood watch volunteer and Trayvon Martin testified at Zimmerman's murder trial Friday that it appeared the unarmed teen was straddling Zimmerman during their confrontation.

However, Jonathan Good said he did not see anyone's head being slammed into the concrete sidewalk, which Zimmerman has said Martin did to him. Good initially testified that it appeared "there were strikes being thrown, punches being thrown," but during detailed questioning he said he saw only "downward" arm movements being made.

Zimmerman has claimed that he fatally shot 17-year-old Martin last year in self-defense as the Miami-area teen was banging his head into the concrete sidewalk behind the townhomes in a gated community.

But under prosecution questioning, Jonathan Good said he never saw anyone being attacked that way during the fight between Zimmerman and Martin.

"I couldn't see that," Good said moments later while being cross-examined.

Good, the second person to take the witness stand Friday, said he heard a noise behind his townhome in February 2012, and he saw what looked like a tussle when he stepped out onto his patio to see what was happening.

He said he yelled, "What's going on? Stop it."

Good testified he saw a person in black clothing on top of another person with "white or red" clothing. He said he couldn't see faces but it looked like the person on the bottom had lighter skin. Martin was black and was wearing a dark hoodie. Zimmerman identifies as Hispanic and was wearing a red jacket.

"It looked like there were strikes being thrown, punches being thrown," Good said.

Later, under cross-examination, he said that it looked like the person on top was straddling the person on bottom in a mixed-martial arts move known as "ground and pound." When defense attorney Mark O'Mara asked him if the person on top was Martin, Good said, "Correct, that's what it looked like."

Good also said the person on the bottom yelled for help.

During cross-examination, O'Mara got on his knees to recreate the fighting as he asked Good to walk him through it.

Good was in the middle of dialing 911 inside his townhome when he heard a gunshot, he said.

Zimmerman, 29, could get life in prison if convicted of second-degree murder. Zimmerman followed Martin in his truck and called a police dispatch number before he and the teen got into a fight.

Zimmerman has denied the confrontation had anything to do with race, as Martin's family and their supporters have claimed.

Before Good testified, a worker at a video surveillance company that maintains cameras at the townhome community took the witness stand. A prosecutor played two videos from surveillance cameras; one showed what looks like a person walking past a window at the complex's clubhouse, and another showed what looks like someone with a flashlight by the complex's mailboxes.

Greg McKinney said the digital clock on the video is off by 18 minutes, a point O'Mara hammered home by getting McKinney to concede the timing difference was inexact and could be more than 18 minutes.

Jurors already have been shown some of the state's biggest pieces of evidence, including the 911 call featuring cries for help prosecutors believe came from Martin.

On Thursday, a friend of Martin who had been on the phone with him when he was shot testified about what she heard during his confrontation with Zimmerman.

___

Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KHightower

Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-06-28-Neighborhood%20Watch/id-42edf5482bdd40118fb528a41121623a

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Extreme weekend heat wave to scorch western US

Record hot temperatures beat down on parts of the country. NBC News' Chris Clackum reports.

By Daniel Arkin and M. Alex Johnson, NBC News

A wave of record-setting, life-threatening heat is expected to blaze across the West this weekend, with temperatures in some areas projected to top 120 degrees.

Death Valley, Calif., could even top 130 degrees Saturday through Monday, just below the world record high of 134 recorded there on July 10, 1913, The Weather Channel said.

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The cause is a high pressure system that will scorch a long arm of the Southwest. Temperatures in Phoenix and Las Vegas are expected to soar into the triple digits, with temperatures hovering between 115 and 120 degrees. In western parts of Arizona, temperatures could reach 125.

Officials in Arizona warned residents to take precautions.

"If you get dizzy or lightheaded, those are some signs of dehydration. If you become confused, that's a real warning sign," Dr. Kevin Reilly of the University of Arizona Department of Emergency Medicine told NBC station KVOA of Tucson.

In Las Vegas, meanwhile, the National Weather Service warned of the potential for a "life-threatening heat event." Temperatures were expected to match those of a July 2005 heat wave when 17 people died in the Las Vegas Valley.

The extreme weather is expected to reach Reno, Nev., reach across Utah and stretch into Wyoming and Idaho, where forecasters are predicting potentially lethal hot spells. Triple-digit temperatures were forecast during Idaho's Special Olympics in Boise.

Matt York / AP

Runners take advantage of lower temperatures at sunrise Thursday in Mesa, Ariz. Excessive heat warnings will continue for much of the Desert Southwest as building high pressure triggers major warming in eastern California, Nevada and Arizona.

Organizers urged coaches to prepare their athletes.

"The basic stuff, wearing breathable, appropriate clothes, staying in the shade as much as possible, staying hydrated is obviously a big thing," Matt Caropino, director of sports and training for Special Olympics Idaho, told NBC station KTVB. "We've put in place some misters that we're going to have at our outdoor venues."

The National Weather Service advised people to keep tabs on signs of potentially lethal heat stroke.

"Heat stroke symptoms include an increase in body temperature, which leads to deliriousness, unconsciousness and red, dry skin," it said in a report. "Death can occur when body temperatures reach or exceed 106-107 degrees."

Los Angeles was forecast to peak between the upper 80s and the lower 90s Saturday as inland communities like Burbank edge toward the low 100s. Palm Springs, Calif., no stranger to steamy summers, may peak at 120 degrees, NBC station KMIR reported. Sweltering heat also is expected for the state's Central Valley, according to The Weather Channel.

Commercial airlines were also monitoring conditions because excessive heat can throw flights off course. The atmosphere becomes less dense in extremely high heat humidity, meaning there's less lift for airplanes ? calculations that have to be made individually for every type of aircraft.

Triple-digit heat forced several airlines to bring operations to a halt after Phoenix climbed to 122 degrees in June 1990.

Related:

'It's brutal out there': Weekend heat wave to bake western US

Alaska sweating through brutal blast of heat

Oppressive heat hits West as storms soak East

This story was originally published on Fri Jun 28, 2013 8:50 AM EDT

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Douglas Mwonzora: Obama Visit Last Chance to Catch up in Africa

President Obama's southern Africa trip could not come at a better time... for Americans. This week, Human Rights Watch called on the president to take a strong stance against the Zimbabwe police force's politically motivated abuses against activists and civil society organizations. I agree. I also want to stress how that a stable Zimbabwe is very much America's strategic interest.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, and outgoing Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad understand how pivotal Zimbabwe is and I'm confident President Obama does as well; other Americans may not.

You see the current regime under President Robert Mugabe has already made convenient bedfellows with a number of unscrupulous characters who now play strategically important, and often heavily shrouded, roles in Zimbabwe's future.

You may have heard of the small Zimbabwean town of Chiadzwa. Thousands of Zimbabweans have called the town home for centuries, yet it contains one of the world's richest diamond deposits. The Marange Diamond Fields hold up to a third of the world's diamond reserves yet are one of the saddest consequences of Mugabe's 'Look East' policy. Industry experts estimate that in practice, the diamond industry is 50 percent owned by the Chinese Anjin Company and 50 percent by the Zimbabwe Defense Industry--so much for indigenization promised by President Mugabe for years. What was once a paradise for wildlife and the people who inhabited the land for generations has been completely destroyed and nearly 4,000 families have been--or are in the process of being--forcibly displaced without compensation.

Like China, Russia was one of the major powers that stood up against attempts by Western countries to slap Zimbabwe with sanctions five years ago. Though China remains Zimbabwe's largest military supplier, Russia has also entered the game, sending a clear message of support for Mugabe. Describing political relations between Russia and Zimbabwe as "absolutely friendly," Russian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Sergey Baharev said this week, "My major task will be to boost and scale up our economic ties as they are just lagging behind our political ties. I will try to do my best to speed up our trade and economic cooperation." Last year, Russian media confirmed a deal between Russian Technologies, a state corporation and the Zimbabwe military in which Russia would supply military helicopters to Harare in exchange for access to Zimbabwe's platinum deposits.

While poverty and destitution have forced millions of Zimbabwean's to leave their homes in search of employment, our country's rich uranium deposits also have Iran knocking at our door. The Christian Science Monitor called the relationship between Zimbabwe and Iran a "heaven-made match." We have diamonds and Iran has guns: a natural exchange.

As Zimbabwe looks for global partnerships, the U.S. would benefit by responding positively and aggressively. Zimbabwe and other African nations should not have to rely on the convenient bedfellows of pariah states and countries offering short-term solutions with utter disregard for the long-term freedom and prosperity of African countries. As one expert recently noted, President Obama "should make this choice clear by emphasizing that the U.S. model is a path to prosperity for all individuals, not just political elites--in contrast to the corruption and human rights abuse" that are often linked with the countries currently jockeying for position in Zimbabwe and southern Africa as a whole.

Southern Africa has a lot to offer the U.S. and other democratic nations; a presidential visit void of outspoken commitment to long-term democracy and prosperity in Zimbabwe would be a missed opportunity for Americans and Zimbabweans alike.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/douglas-mwonzora/obama-last-chance-africa_b_3510990.html

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