Friday 29 November 2013
Apple Store
Black Friday 2013: U.S. Apple stores offer gift cards instead of discounts on iPad, Mac products
Summary: The company's discounts used to be small, but this year they have been replaced with store gift cards with the purchase of select Apple products and third-party accessories.
Apple watchers woke up Thanksgiving morning to a new wrinkle in the company's typical Black Friday plans. Instead of the usual small discounts the company offered across most of its product lines in years past, the Australian Apple Store launched with gift cards being promoted for the purchase of many items instead. Then to confuse things more, European Apple Stores came online after midnight with the typical discounts, and not the gift cards.
What would Apple do in the U.S.? After the online store went down for a few hours this morning,it's returned with the same Black Friday gift card "deal" as greeted Aussie shoppers. In other words, there will be no sale prices for products sold at Apple stores this Black Friday, just gift cards.
If you're still willing to buy directly from Apple today, be prepared for further disappointment if you're planning to buy an iPhone 5c or 5s or the iPad mini with Retina display. That's because Apple isn't offering a gift for these popular new products. In comparison, Walmart will provide a $75 gift card if you pick up a 5c or 5s at its stores this weekend, and Target is offering a $75 card for an iPad mini with Retina display purchase.
You will receive a $75 Apple gift card if you buy an iPad Air, which is $25 less than what Target is offering on Black Friday if you purchase the tablet from that store. You can get a $50 gift card with the purchase of an original iPad mini or an iPad 2 -- Walmart offered a $100 gift card for an iPad mini purchase yesterday as part of its first round of doorbusters, while Best Buy matched it online earlier this week. Target is offering $75 gift cards for the first-generation iPad mini and $100 cards for an iPad 2.
Those looking for a new Mac can score a $150 Apple gift card, whether you're grabbing a new iMac or a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. Note, however, that Best Buy is slashing the price on Macs for Black Friday, either by $150 or $200 depending on the configuration. Though a gift card is nice if you're planning on buying other in-store purchases, when it comes to systems, the lower price is probably preferable to most buyers.
The iPod is still around and kicking, and will be part of the Black Friday gift card fest. The iPod touch comes with a $50 card, while the latest iPod nano includes a $25 card. Some miscellaneous Apple products are also being offered with gift cards, ranging from the Apple TV ($25 card) to the AirPort Extreme and 2TB AirPort Time Capsule ($50).
Finally, there are some third-party accessories that Apple will sell with gift cards worth up to $75. Many will include a $25 card, such as the Nike+ FuelBand SE, Powerbeats by Dr. Dre headphones, and Mophie Juice Pack Air iPhone 5 battery case, while purchases of such items as the second-generation Nest Learning Thermostat, GoPro HERO3+ camera, and Beats by Dr. Dre Studio headphones will come with a $50 card. Buying the $499.95 Bowers & Wilkins A5 AirPlay wireless music system nets you a $75 gift card.
Thursday 28 November 2013
Steam
Steam's Autumn Sale offers up to 80 percent off Sleeping Dogs, Skyrim and more
Valve kicked off its Steam Autumn Sale today, bringing savings of 33 to 80 percent off on a slew of PC titles, including Sleeping Dogs, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, Rogue Legacy and many more. Like previous Steam sales, the company will be offering a mix of daily deals and flash sales that update every eight hours.
The Steam Autumn Sale runs from today until Dec. 3.
The first batch of featured sale games on Steam include the following daily deals.
- Prison Architect - $14.99
- The Walking Dead - $6.24
- Terraria - $2.49
- Left 4 Dead 2 - $4.99
- Sleeping Dogs - $4.99
- Rogue Legacy - $5.09
- The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - $7.49
- Antichamber - $4.99
- Outlast - $6.79
The following flash sales are currently live.
- Crysis 2 - $7.49
- Space Hulk - $10.19
- Castle Story - $13.39
- HammerWatch - $3.39
Beyond the shorter time-limited deals, many other Steam titles are marked down during the sale. Games that cost less than $5 include Fez, FTL, Magicka, Portal 2,Surgeon Simulator 2013 and more. Titles under $10 include Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Gone Home, The Orange Box, Brothers and many more.
Valve's Steam Autumn Sale 2013 page advises that players looking for a deal add games they're interested in, but are not yet on sale, to add the game to their Steam wishlist. They'll receive a notification via email if the title goes on sale during the promotion.
Wednesday 27 November 2013
Sharkeisha
“Sharkeisha” grew to become that Absolutely no. one particular trending matter about Tweets in the Oughout. Azines. about Saturday, once online video media of an fresh lady sucker-punching another lady in the center of a good discussion attended viral about Instagram and various social media marketing web pages.
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Tuesday 26 November 2013
Brandon Browner
Report: Seahawks’ Brandon Browner facing year suspension
Below is an earlier version of this post, which is being continuously updated. We have also updated the headline above to remove a reference to performance-enhancing drugs, as that piece of the story appears to be inaccurate.
For Seahawks fans, the biggest takeaway of this confusing story is that Browner’s days in Seattle are likely over. And, possibly, his days in the NFL.
A day after news broke that Seahawks cornerback Walter Thurmond may be suspended four games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, starting corner Brandon Browner is facing his own eight-game suspension for allegedly using performance-enhancing drugs, according to NFL.com.
However, Browner immediately responded on Twitter that he is not facing a suspension for PEDs.
I'm not facing suspension for PEDs, it's sad that the NFL is reporting this…
— Brandon Browner (@bbrowner27) November 25, 2013
Browner is currently sidelined with a groin injury, but the Seahawks were hoping he would return in time for the playoffs. That possibility may be unlikely if NFL.com’s Mike Silver is correct in reporting that Browner has tested positive again for PEDs.
Updated 4:24 p.m.: NFL.com has now changed its headline and story to remove references to a new suspension specifically for PEDs. Now the story, written by NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal and sourcing Silver, says Browner is facing suspension for “violation of the league’s substance abuse policy.”
Browner, 29, was suspended four games last season for a PED violation and returned for the playoffs after missing the final four games of the regular season.
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports wrote on Twitter that a source told him Browner did not test positive again for PEDs. But La Canfora left the door open for Browner’s possible suspension on other grounds.
Spoke to a source with knowledge of Brandon Browner's status who said he did not have another positive test for PEDs …
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) November 26, 2013
Source would not elaborate on any other possible violations of NFL policy that may have result in suspension but adamant nothing w/PEDs
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) November 26, 2013
Updated 4:27 p.m.: Browner’s agent, Peter Schaffer, has written on Twitter that his client has not been suspended for PEDs.
Brandon Browner isn't facing a suspension for PED's the report is 100% wrong.
— Peter Schaffer (@peterjschaffer) November 26, 2013
Meanwhile, Silver also reported that the Seahawks will, as rumored, sign cornerback Antoine Winfield and are likely to sign another cornerback, now that the team’s “Legion of Boom” secondary has perhaps taken two big hits in as many days.
Updated 4:33 p.m.: And now Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reports that the Seahawks have yet to sign Winfield or anybody to replace Thurmond and/or Browner in the secondary. Silver’s initial report is becoming more and more dubious.
I can also confirm Seahawks have yet to sign anyone to replace anybody in the secondary.
— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) November 26, 2013
La Canfora reported the same, adding that Winfield is still mulling over the possibility with his family.
Updated 4:46 p.m.: NFL.com’s ever-changing story now states that the Seahawks are planning to bring in free-agent cornerback Perrish Cox for a workout Tuesday. The story’s language has also been altered to state that the Seahawks “are trying to sign” Winfield, instead of stating that the Seahawks have indeed signed Winfield.
Here’s a bit more from NFL.com while we work on obtaining more details — though apparently everything here should be taken with a grain of salt.
This suspension should end Browner’s Seahawks career, according to Silver’s sources. His contract expires at the end of the season and the organization is believed to be done with him. Browner’s agent declined comment to Silver, citing the confidentiality of the league’s program.PED violations has grown into a recurring issue for the Seahawks. Pete Carroll was forced to address the problem in the offseason after pass rusher Bruce Irvin was suspended. The Seahawks lead the league with five PED suspensions since 2011.
Updated 4:48 p.m. That second quoted paragraph has now been completely stripped from NFL.com’s chameleon of a story.
Updated 5:24 p.m.: NFL.com now reports, citing writer Albert Breer, that Browner’s suspension is for one year.
Updated 5:27 p.m.: Todd Dybas of The (Tacoma) News Tribune reports that the Seahawks also worked out longtime Seattle cornerback Marcus Trufant on Monday.
49ers
Colin Kaepernick looked left, scrambled right, then found Anquan Boldinopen in the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown.
Quarterback and receiver raced toward each other for a celebratory chest-bump, proving to all that the San Francisco 49ers' offense is alive and well.
"We showed people we can pass the ball," running back Frank Gore said. "That's big for this team."
The 49ers' passing game showed signs of life and should only get stronger as it gets healthier, making this team dangerous, Bill Williamson writes. 
The only positive thing about the Washington Redskins, a team clearly heading in the wrong direction, is their attitude, John Keim writes.
If Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III have become the future of football suddenly put on hold, consider Kaepernick the one who looks ready to play his way out of the doldrums.
The young, mobile quarterbacks, who have struggled in 2013 after breakout seasons in 2012, faced off for the first time Monday night, and Kaepernick outperformed his counterpart as the 49ers broke a two-game losing streak with a 27-6 win over the Washington Redskins.
"I did comment to him in the middle of the week, Wednesday or Thursday, that he was being exactly perfect -- leadership and demeanor-wise," 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said.
"A combination of loose and focused. ... Some people have baby deer skin. Some people have armadillo skin. He's got the armadillo skin."
Kaepernick completed 15 of 24 passes for 235 yards -- the first time in five games he has topped 200 yards -- with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a career-best 134.5 passer rating.
The Redskins dared him to throw the ball by bottling up Gore (13 carries, 31 yards), and the QB responded by showing some veteran-like chemistry with the veteran Boldin, who had five catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns.
"Colin, he's been taking a lot of criticism, but one thing I like about Colin, he's always hanging in there," receiver Vernon Davis said. "He's always fighting through adversity. He's one of those guys who's tough."
Davis also had a touchdown catch for the 49ers (7-4), who are tied for second with theArizona Cardinals in the NFC West and are three games back of the Seattle Seahawks with five to play.
"We knew what type of game this was for us," Boldin said. "We're right in the hunt. We've got to come out with a win."
A loss would have put the defending NFC champions in trouble in their quest to return to the playoffs, but they're nowhere near as bad off as the Redskins (3-8), who have dropped three straight and sit alone in last place in the NFC East a year after a late-season run that won the division.
Contrast the Kaepernick chest-bump scene with the sight of Griffin lying on his stomach after throwing an interception on the final play of the first quarter, a 15-minute span in which he completed 1 of 6 passes for minus-1 yard.
It used to be a guarantee that the fans would chant "R-G-3!" at some point during every Redskins home game, but not on a night when the franchise player completes 17 of 27 passes for only 127 yards and gets sacked four times -- and when the offense as a whole amasses a mere 190 total yards.
"We've got to conquer some of the demons that we have going on as an offense and just as a team in general -- and I think we will," Griffin said. "It takes all of us."
Griffin took some flak last week from teammate Santana Moss for not taking enough responsibility for mistakes, and on Monday, Griffin said a report on the NFL Network that he asked for his negative plays not to be shown during team meetings was evidence that "people are trying to character assassinate" him.
Regardless, there was plenty of fault to go around after this game, including a fair share of blame for coach Mike Shanahan, who said his team was "embarrassed" against the 49ers and whose future is unclear as his team heads for a third last-place finish in his four years in Washington.
"We haven't got dominated like that since I've been here," the coach said.
Kaepernick and Griffin seemed poised to take the quarterback position to a new dimension last season when they wowed the NFL with their mobility when running zone-read and play-action.
Game notes
Harbaugh said 2012 leading wide receiver Michael Crabtree will be activated from the physically unable to perform list Tuesday and will play Sunday against the Rams. Crabtree returned to practice Nov. 5 for the first time since tearing his right Achilles tendon in May. ... The Redskins had their worst offensive output since gaining 178 yards in a 23-0 loss to Buffalo in 2011.
Monday 25 November 2013
Bound 2
Seth Rogen & James Franco recreate Kanye West’s “Bound 2″” with “Bound 3″ Parody.
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Thanksgiving
Wicked wintry weather that pummeled the West Coast is now barreling across the country, threatening to wreck millions of holiday travel plans just before Thanksgiving.
Nearly 200 flights out of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport were canceled Monday, in addition to the nearly 300 canceled Sunday.
Sleet and freezing rain will continue blanketing parts of the Southern Plains and Southern Rockies on Monday.
And after the storm deluges parts of the South with rain Monday evening, it'll start zeroing in on the Northeast, the National Weather Service said. And that could spell more travel nightmares.
It's not just the bad timing that has travelers riled up. In many of the places, this kind of weather isn't supposed to happen.
"This is not Texas weather, man," driver Ron Taylor toldCNN affiliate KTVT. "This is Alaska, or Idaho."
Even parts of Lubbock, known for its warmth and flatness,turned into a snowboarding park as several inches of snow covered the western Texas city.
An Arctic air mass will probably keep temperatures 15 to 20 degrees below normal along the East Coast through Thursday. But even if the system fails to deliver heavy snow, fierce winds could still hamper air travel, forecasters said.
Airlines flying in and out of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport "pre-canceled about 300 departures to reduce the number of stranded travelers" Sunday in anticipation of the harsh weather, the airport's official Twitter account said. And 10% of flights at Oklahoma City's Will Rogers World Airport were also canceled because of the weather Sunday.
Then there's the snow. New Mexico could see up to 8 inches accumulating through Monday.Massive rainfall, too
Heavy rain is expected to fall from Texas to Georgia on Monday and over the Carolinas on Monday night, with some sleet and snow mixed in for northern parts of that swath. The heaviest rain is expected across parts of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina.
By Tuesday, the rain will reach the mid-Atlantic states and parts of the Northeast. And that could turn into freezing rain in the southern and central Appalachians.
Five people have died in weather-related crashes in Texas, the Texas Highway Patrol said Monday. Sgt. Chris Ray said half of his deputies handled 71 accidents over the weekend, and that number will rise when the other deputies report accident totals. The central Texas Panhandle seemed to be hardest hit, he said.
Three of those killed in Texas were in a pileup on icy Interstate 40 in northwest Texas late Friday, Ray said. One of them was a man who got out of his car to help, and got struck. And at least 20 people were hospitalized from collisions within three miles of the fatal pileup, the Oldham County Sheriff's office said.
Four people have died in Oklahoma since Friday, Betsy Randolph of the state's Department of Public Safety said. In each case, the driver was going too fast for conditions, she said. Randolph said only one of those killed was wearing a seat belt.
Two people died in New Mexico in dangerous road conditions. A 4-year-old girl who was not properly restrained was killed Friday when the car she was riding in slid off icy U.S. Highway 70, the state's Department of Public Safety said. On Saturday, a woman in her 50s died when the pickup that she was riding in rear-ended a semi-truck in heavy traffic near Gallup, New Mexico, state police said.
In Arkansas, authorities investigated 18 crashes in a two-mile section of Interstate 540 Monday morning, according to Lance King, troop commander for state police. The largest was a three-car pileup. Three people were transported from the scene, and there were no fatalities, he said.
In Yuba County, California, a 52-year-old died when a tree fell on top of a vehicle Thursday, the county sheriff's office said.
By Thanksgiving Day, the storm will be giving the Northeast a layer of snow.
But much of the country will enjoy calm Thanksgiving weather -- even if it's a little more frigid than usual.
Walmart Black Friday
Early iPad Black Friday 2013 Deals Offer up to $150 Off
When it comes to the iPad Black Friday 2013 deals, Staples is taking an early lead with up to $80 off the current iPads and a special Black Friday deal that takes up to $150 off the last generation iPad 4.
Hands down, if you are looking at the Walmart Black Friday 2013 iPad mini dealor the Best Buy Black Friday 2013 iPad 2 doorbuster, stop and check these out for a good alternative that offers more choice and will let you enjoy Thanksgiving with your friends or family.
Unlike the Walmart Black Friday 2013 deals, these iPad deals at Staples include more than just the 16GB models and even include LTE models on AT&T and Verizon.
Staples offers a collection of iPad Black Friday 2013 deals.
These iPad Black Friday deals are available online right now, allowing shoppers to avoid the long lines and crowds that can make even a guaranteed in stock iPad mini at the Walmart Black Friday shopping event a hassle that some will pass on.
When it comes to the iPad, we don’t see deep discounts on the new models through the year. While some retailers are discounting these more often, Black Friday iPad deals will offer some of the best savings of the year.
The early Staples Black Friday 2013 deals include the iPad mini, iPad Air and iPad 4. There is no discount on the new iPad mini with Retina Display that Apple just launched in late October. Still, thanks to the LTE options, higher capacity models and online purchasing options, these deals are better than the limited Walmart Black Friday 2013 doorbuster iPad deal.
There are already a collection of iPad Black Friday 2013 deals at Staples that beat Walmart and Best Buy.
Here’s a quick rundown of the discounts available as part of the early iPad Black Friday deals at Staples.
- iPad mini – $80 off all models
- iPad Air – $50 off all models
- iPad 4 – $150 off all models
While the iPad Air is a tempting update, the iPad 4 offers the best iPad Black Friday deal we’ve seen so far, and there is no need to wait for Black Friday to buy it. With this deal shoppers can buy the 16GB iPad 4 for $349.
That’s $150 off the previous retail price and just $50 more than the best iPad 2 Black Friday deal we saw at Best Buy. For the extra $50 shoppers get a higher resolution display, newer processor and the promise of a longer overall life and support for updates.
These are not the only iPad Black Friday 2013 deals we will see this year, but with deep discounts online, ahead of any possible sell outs or other madness, these are the very good deals. If you are looking to spend between $300 to $400 on an iPad this holiday season, this looks to be the most hassle free way to get the most value for your cash.
The next best bet would be the iPad Air deals at Target that offer a $100 gift card with the purchase, dropping the price as low s $380. That’s a great deal, but only available in limited quantities, which means many shoppers will go home empty-handed.
Malcolm Gladwell
One day not too long ago,Malcolm Gladwell defended himself. He'd been accused of promoting claptrap in the form of the "10,000 hour rule," the primary subject of his book Outliers. He posted a response on The New Yorker's Web site that included this sentence: "There's a reason the Beatles didn't give us 'The White Album' when they were teen-agers."
Well, yes. Before the Beatles could give us The White Album, they had to achieve disorienting success. They had to take a lot of drugs. They had to learn to hate one another. They had to experience the centrifugal energies of the '60s. They had to live.What we infer from what Gladwell wrote, however, is that they had to practice, and were able to make The White Album once they passed the 10,000-hour threshold.
It is a notion both obvious and preposterous, one that could be taken seriously only by Tiger Moms and other anxious exponents of the meritocracy. It is also utterly characteristic of its author. Gladwell has been treading the line between the obvious and the preposterous for years, yet instead of being dismissed out of hand, he has become the most influential journalist of his generation, a village explainer embraced as a kind of philosopher.
His success is not accidental; his success, indeed, is grounded in the fact that he has made success his subject and has learned from his heroes. In all of Gladwell's books, people succeed when they master a skill that seems inconsequential but turns necessary. The skill that Gladwell has mastered is the inevitable act of misdirection that has become his signature:
The Gladwell Feint.
The Gladwell Feint is Malcolm Gladwell's 100-mph heater — we know it's coming, and there's still nothing we can do about it. In all of his books and in all of his stories, there is a moment when he questions the obvious…obviously. He tells us we have it wrong…and we know we have it right. He surprises us … and his surprise fulfills our expectations. He makes us anxious that we don't know something…only to assure us that we've known it all along. He flatters us by seeming to challenge us, and then makes the terms of the challenge so simple that we can't help but feel smart when we get it "right."
Gladwell is not the only writer to write explanatory journalism calibrated to flatter the sensibilities of his readership — so does David Brooks and, to a lesser extent, Michael Lewis. But Gladwell does it almost exclusively. In his most recent book, David and Goliath(Little, Brown, $29), he writes about "the power of the underdog," telling story after story that amounts to some variation of the children's-book staple: And that little boy grew up to be… King David! But that's not the Gladwell Feint.
The Gladwell Feint in David and Goliath is that the book is not really about underdogs at all but rather highly successful people who can teach us something about success. Gladwell might be suspect as a philosopher, but his credentials as the Horatio Alger of late-period capitalism are unsurpassed. He does not get up to 80 grand a speech because he makes his audiences feel bad about themselves. He gets that kind of money because in seeming to demystify the meritocracy, he makes his audiences feel both assured about their own standing and anxious enough to go home and make their kids practice, practice, practice.
He's supposed to be a nice guy. He says that he never wants to write a negative story, and he has applied the Gladwell Feint to counterintuitive causes like pit bulls and three-strikes laws. He is best when he is worst — when he strays from his thesis and allows himself to be merely good-hearted. But there is a noir thriller to be written about a kid whose mother reads Outliers and forces him to practice the violin for 10,000 hours. He comes looking for Gladwell.
It's not to play him a sonata.
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