Discovery of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in ancient cave could lead to cure for superbugs

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria cut off from the outside world for more than four million years have been found in a deep cave.

The discovery is surprising because scientists had thought bacteria built up resistance to antibiotics after being repeatedly exposed to the treatment.

However, the resistant bugs from Lechuguilla Cave in New Mexico, U.S., have had no contact with humans, suggesting the environment may be to blame.


They are thought to have picked up their resistance from natural anti-bacterial chemicals in the environment.

'Our study shows that antibiotic resistance is hard-wired into bacteria. It could be billions of years old, but we have only been trying to understand it for the last 70 years,' said Dr Gerry Wright, from McMaster University in Canada, who has analysed the microbes.

'This has important clinical implications. It suggests that there are far more antibiotics in the environment that could be found and used to treat currently untreatable infections.'

The research is published in the online journal Public Library of Science ONE.

Lechuguilla Cave, which reaches to a depth of 1,604 feet, is one of the largest and deepest unspoiled cave systems in the world.


It is surrounded by an impermeable layer of rock discovered in 1986, and access to the cave is limited to a handful of expert cavers and researchers each year.

The bacteria were collected from some of the deepest and most isolated recesses of the cave and tested for antibiotic resistance.

Researchers found that while none of the bacteria are harmful to humans, almost all were resistant to at least one antibiotic and some to as many as 14 different drugs.

Overall, resistance was seen to virtually every antibiotic in current use by doctors.

'Most practitioners believe that bacteria acquire antibiotic resistance in the clinic,' said Dr Wright.

'As doctors prescribe antibiotics, they select for members of the community that are resistant to these drugs.

Over time, these organisms spread and eventually the bacteria that commonly cause these infections are all resistant.

'In extreme cases these organisms are resistant to seven or more drugs and are untreatable using traditional treatment, and doctors must resort to surgery to remove infected tissue.

'The actual source of much of this resistance is harmless bacteria that live in the environment.'

How dying stars spew out the material of future planets

While stars like our Sun are known to eject much of their mass in their final years, it has remained unclear just how the dust is blown away.

Scientists reporting in Nature describe an astronomical study of extraordinary resolution to tackle the mystery.

They found dust grains of nearly a millionth of a metre across, big enough to be pushed out by dying stars' light.

What has confused astronomers until now is just how that material is expelled; computer models of the process suggest that particles coming from the stars should be so small that they would simply absorb the light around them and undergo significant heating.

Record Chinese apply to US graduate school

Postgraduate schools in the United States have seen a record-breaking number of Chinese applicants over the past year, a new survey showed.
The Council of Graduate Schools, a US organization dedicated to the advancement of graduate education and research, recently published a new survey that said Chinese applicants increased by 18 percent for the 2012 fall semester, marking the seventh successive year of double-digit growth in applications from China.
Applications from India increased by 2 percent, following an 8 percent increase in 2011. South Korea’s 2 percent gain last year was followed by a decrease of 1 percent this year.
"The overall growth in applications is encouraging, but there are interesting variations between individual countries and regions,” said Debra W. Stewart, president of the Council of Graduate Schools, in a written statement.
"We need to ensure that US graduate education attracts students from around the globe by increasing outreach efforts and pursuing policies that would allow those graduates who want to remain in the United States and contribute to our economy to do so,” she added.
The survey polled all 500 US colleges and universities that were members of the Council of Graduate Schools as of January 2012.
The majority of institutions reported an increase in applications over the last year, with an average increase of 11 percent at these institutions. Four out of 10 responding institutions reported a decrease, averaging 9 percent.
Chinese undergraduate students rose in number as well. The Institute of International Education, a non-governmental organization based in the US, reported that Chinese students increased by 43 percent at the undergraduate level from 2010 to 2011, which largely accounts for the growth this past year.
By November 2011, the total Chinese enrollment in the United States reached 158,000, or nearly 22 percent of the overall international student population.

Contact lost with flagship Envisat spacecraft

At 2bn euros, Envisat represented in 2002 the single
most valuable launch in European space history 

Contact has been lost with the European Space Agency's (Esa) flagship Earth observation mission - Envisat.

Controllers stopped receiving data from the eight-tonne spacecraft on Sunday, and have not as yet been able to re-establish communications.

Envisat was launched in 2002 and is already operating five years beyond its planned mission lifetime.

Esa was expecting to turn off the spacecraft in 2014, once the first in a series of follow-ons had been launched.

A recovery team, which includes experts from industry, is now working to try to re-establish contact with the platform.

It is not uncommon for communications with a satellite to be lost from time to time, and controllers will be encouraged that the spacecraft appears to be in a stable condition as it moves around the globe from pole to pole.

Envisat has been at the forefront of European Earth observation endeavours for a decade.

It carries 10 sophisticated instruments to monitor the land, the oceans, Earth's ice cover and its atmosphere.

The mission is due to be replaced by the Sentinel series of satellites.

The first of these - Sentinel 1 - is supposed to take over the radar duties of Envisat when it is launched next year.

Scientists had hoped to have the pair operating in orbit together for a period of time so they could cross-calibrate their data.

Once that was done, it was expected that Envisat, which costs some 40 million euros a year to run, would then be retire. (BBC.co.uk)

US tops global clean energy investment rankings

Global solar generation capacity increased
by almost 30 gigawatts in 2011 

The US has regained top spot from China as the biggest investor in clean energy in 2011, according to global rankings.

The table, published in a report by the Pew Charitable Trusts, showed that US invested more than $48bn (£30bn) in the sector, up from $34bn in 2010.

China slipped to second place, the authors reported, with investment only increasing by $0.5bn to $45.5bn.

Globally, overall financial backing in clean energy technologies hit a record $263bn, up 6.5% from 2010 levels.

The report, Who is Winning the Clean Energy Race, showed that G20 nations accounted for 95% of the investment in the sector (which does not include nuclear power).

The data, compiled by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, ranked the UK as seventh in the world, with $9.4bn of investment in 2011.

Over the course of the year, an additional 83.5 gigawatts (GW) was added to the world's clean energy generation capacity, including almost 30GW of solar and 43GW of wind.

"The sector continues to expand and is outpacing growth in the overall (global) economy. The sector reached its trillionth dollar of investment last year," observed Phyllis Cuttino, director of Pew's Clean Energy Program.

"We now have 565GW of installed (generation) capacity around the world. That outstrips nuclear installed capacity by 47%.

"So I think the facts fly in the face of those individuals who say this is a niche industry. This a growing and maturing sector."

She said market data showed that the US benefited in the short-term from attracting finances, however it was unlikely to be sustained. (BBC.co.uk)

First Intel Ivy Bridge launch expected on April 23

Ivy Bridge is the first in a series of upcoming Intel mainstream chips that emphasize graphics and multimedia processing. Its launch is expected on April 23, 2012.

Preliminary benchmarks demonstrate the chip's graphics prowess compared to earlier Intel designs. Ivy Bridge is also the first Intel chip to employ new 3D transistors and the first to support USB 3.0 (in the companion chipset).

Rumors have Apple bringing out a thinner 15-inch MacBook model in the coming months as well as 13-inch MacBooks. Those systems will likely tap Intel's more power-efficient Ivy Bridge chips.

And Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Sony, Toshiba, Acer, and Asus will update and/or bring out new systems. These will run the gamut of laptop designs, but more systems are expected to be thin. Even many higher performance systems are expected to have a slimmer chassis. Those laptops typically use a separate graphics chip from suppliers such as Nvidia.

Though the first Ivy Bridge announcement will come this month, rollouts are expected to be staggered. As Intel has done in the past, quad-core chips appear first followed by the most power-efficient processors that go into ultrabooks and the MacBook Air.

Headline April 12, 2012/ Central Bank & Coral Reef

CENTRAL BANK & CORAL REEF

Respectful Dedication Carla Bruni,First lady France - Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of Indonesia -

Yossou N'Dour / Senegal 

---

Carla Bruni First Lady of France

President of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

Youssou N'Dour/Senegal

The bitter and ineradicable truth is that by and large 'Central Banks' have totally failed in controlling inflation!!? I am totally skeptical that any government is likely to provide any satisfactory resolution to the problem of inflation. Therefore planning for the future is the confident expectation that we know what the general level of prices will be, is just plain stupidity!!!

The future course of inflation is shrouded in mystery! The political market is generating just one thing : Roadblocks to productivity and growth! What you all must must understand is that we in Pakistan, and in the world generally have just no inkling of our surrounding fogs. Samuel Brittan sums up the moment brilliantly : "we have sized on policies with temporary and fleeting effects, resulting from the slowness of human beings to adapt to changing opportunities and elevated them into fundamental economics."

So on December last, the ECB offered to lend Europe's banks as much money as they wanted for three years at an astonishingly low interest rate of 1%. In fact ECB printed 600 billion dollars in just a day. Mario Draghi then went on to suggest that he might do it again., possibly at a larger scale!!!??

Europe stopped dead in its tracks! A short term master tactic! But then, after the Japanese Tsunami, Japan's Central Bank printed trillions of Yen to stabilize the economy!! Modern economies as it is, are not only very volatile, but very very fragile. And the political meddling to which a Central Bank is subjected to in the developing world, flaws and inhibits the work of the Bank. Never forget that the Central Bank's primary role is as "The lender Of The Last Resort!". Its only option in crises is to act wisely. A late or a unwise action can send the economy into a unfathomable depression resulting in addition towards a systemic disaster.

But having said that the world ought to consider a system of checks and balances so that the way the large economies use this power of pumping huge cash must be with due deliberations. It is a high wire special skill act, later, when this cash has to be withdrwn. The future I assure you is likely to be Comedy Central!

Goodnight and God bless with a plea to share us forward.

SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless

Scripps College 2012 Fulbright Awards

The results are still coming in, but Scripps College is on its way to a record-breaking year of Fulbright scholars. Here’s a peek at some of the amazing women – all serving English Teaching Assistantships – who’ve already accepted their award:


Julia Berryman

Julia travels soon to Malaysia, where she’ll work with English instructors teaching and planning extracurricular activities for primary or secondary school students. “I’m still sort of reeling from the news!” she says. “I can’t wait to meet my students, learn bahasa melayu, immerse myself in the culture, and of course try delicious Malaysian food. I’m especially looking forward to drinking a special tea called Teh Tarik one of my Malyasian friends here at Scripps has introduced me to!”


Ariel Bloomer

“I’ll be headed to Bulgaria,” says Ariel. There, she expects to work on her travel writing and photography skills when she’s not assisting in a foreign language high school. Prior to beginning her assistantship, Ariel will also attend the Fulbright International Summer Institute, a two-week interdisciplinary academic program in Pravets, Bulgaria.

“I’m honored to be offered this opportunity, even though in all honesty I am just as terrified as I am excited,” she says. “Leaving Scripps is scary enough, and learning to navigate adulthood in a new country, culture, and language is a whole new level of scary. It will be an adventure, and I expect it will be filled with all the excitement, anxiety, loneliness, wonder and growth that make adventures worthwhile.”

Anna Cho

Anna will go to South Korea for her Fulbright. “It was really my ideal post-graduation job,” she says. “I am Korean American, and this will give me an opportunity to explore my cultural heritage. I am also excited to help students and myself obtain a broader understanding of our diverse world.”

Kelsey Figone

“I’ll be traveling to Indonesia to teach English, most likely at an Islamic boarding school,” says Kelsey. In addition to her Fulbright duties, she also expects to run an after-school storytelling club – sharing and writing folk tales from Indonesia and the United States – or a dance club teaching different styles of Indonesian dance, modern dance, and ballet. “I can’t believe everything’s actually fallen into place like I’d hoped,” says Kelsey. “I’m so excited, and I’m starting to get a little nervous about going, yet I’ve had so much support from Scripps – especially Professors Crowley and Boucquey – that I feel prepared to take this exciting next step. It’s everything I’d hoped for.”

Michelle Gloster

Michelle will be close by, globally, doing her assistantship in Thailand. She expects her 12 month program to place her
somewhere fairly rural – and that excites her. “I am ecstatic and honored,” she says. “It’s something I’ve been striving for since my sophomore year at Scripps, and I am very excited to spend a year in Thailand that will be invaluable to my future career as a teacher.”


Stephanie Jimenez


Stephanie travels to Colombia soon. She’s been placed at Universidad de Medellin in the city of Medellin, where she’ll give presentations, host English conversation clubs, tutor, and assist professors in whatever way needed. “Though I was born in New York City,” she says, ”half of my family is Colombian. Until now, I’ve never had the chance to visit. I see this opportunity not only as a way to develop my skills as a future educator, but as an opportunity for personal growth and fulfillment.”




Melissa Mesinas


Melissa heads to Peru in March 2013 to work with the indigenous Quechua population. “I’m thrilled to embark on a new journey in Peru,” she says. “I will be able to apply the knowledge and confidence I have gained during my time at Scripps.” And, fit a trip to Machu Picchu with her mom in during her busy schedule.


Original source here

Bats Save Energy By Drawing in Wings On Upstroke

Whether people are building a flying machine or nature is evolving one, there is pressure to optimize efficiency. A new analysis by biologists, physicists, and engineers at Brown University reveals the subtle but important degree to which that pressure has literally shaped the flapping wings of bats.

The team’s observations and calculations show that by flexing their wings inward to their bodies on the upstroke, bats use only 65 percent of the inertial energy they would expend if they kept their wings fully outstretched. Unlike insects, bats have heavy, muscular wings with hand-like bendable joints. The study suggests that they use their flexibility to compensate for that mass.

“Wing mass is important and it’s normally not considered in flight,” said Attila Bergou, who along with Daniel Riskin is co-lead author of the study that appears April 11 in theProceedings of the Royal Society B. “Typically you analyze lift, drag, and you don’t talk about the energy of moving the wings.”

The findings not only help explain why bats and some birds tuck in their wings on the upstroke, but could also help inform human designers of small flapping vehicles. The team’s research is funded by the U.S. Air Force Office of Sponsored Research.

“If you have a vehicle that has heavy wings, it would become energetically beneficial to fold the wings on the upstroke,” said Sharon Swartz, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Brown. She and Kenneth Breuer, professor of engineering, are senior authors on the paper.

Read more at Brown University Website.

Robot To Monitor Brisbane’s Drinking Water

A high-tech autonomous robot will be sent into the depths of Brisbane's reservoirs to monitor the health of our drinking water. The $200,000 underwater robot, which QUT's Institute for Future Environments recently acquired, is one of a kind in Queensland, and will enable researchers to take faster and more efficient water quality measurements.

Dr Ryan Smith, from QUT's Science and Engineering Faculty, said the vehicle used multiple sensors to monitor elements including dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll, salinity, temperature and pH levels in significantly less time than manual sampling.

"There are a lot of people examining issues of water quality, but the current technology is labour intensive and requires a lot of time," he said. "We can do repeated, efficient, methodical monitoring with this underwater vehicle in a fraction of the time and at a reduced expense.

"Automated and efficient sampling and monitoring of freshwater reserves provides a necessary assessment of the quality and quantity of Queensland's drinking water supply." The robot, which is also capable of taking underwater images, will be deployed in April on a trial run in Moreton Bay.

Dr Smith said it would hopefully be deployed into water reservoirs around Brisbane within the next couple of months. Two computers are on-board the robot, one to operate the vehicle and its sensors, and the other to act as an intelligent 'brain' that processes the gathered information and makes navigational decisions.

Dr Smith said the vehicle could be deployed for up to eight hours at a time, and be programmed to follow the same route to compare with previous data collected.

"For example, in the Wivenhoe reservoir, if the temperature increases past a certain point will that support different aquatic organisms, or how is the water chemistry changing from increased run-off after a rain event?

"The ultimate question is, which factors play into the health of the water system?" Dr Smith said QUT would like to collaborate with other research institutes and universities to ensure the vehicle was well-used. "We have to save and protect the water that we have," he said. "A lot of that comes down to monitoring and assessing what we have to try and mitigate future problems that may arise."


Read article at the original source here.

Princeton Review Names Erik Anderson A Best Professor.

Philosophy professor Erik Anderson says it certainly feels good to be recognized, in a book out this week, as one of the best professors in America. But what really made his day were the laudatory comments from his students. “Because I care about whether my students think they’re getting anything out of my classes,” Anderson says. “To get that kind of feedback is a great thing.”

Anderson is named in The Best 300 Professors, a collaboration between The Princeton Review and the online site RateMyProfessors.com. “His classes are all interactive,” the book reports. “(H)e doesn’t really like to lecture, preferring instead to guide students in engaging with one another.”

Senior Anna-Theresa Keane would concur. A philosophy major from New York state, Keane has taken four classes with Anderson, who is also her faculty advisor. She praises his ability to lead captivating discussions of philosophical theory that also manage to stay on point.

“I took his logic class, which is a famously difficult course,” Keane says. “For any kind of problem I had, I could e-mail him with questions. He was always prompt with responses. He’s just very good at finding examples at locations other than philosophical texts that can help illustrate his points. He makes philosophy very approachable.”

Now in his 15th year at Drew, Anderson has been the chairman of the three-person philosophy department for the past six years. But in September he’ll step down as chairman to assume a distinguished chair for the humanities created by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Over the next four years, Anderson, with fellow Drew professors, will team-teach a series of courses, including four-course sequences in history and in comparative humanities.

“The most exciting thing to do is watch your colleagues teach,” Anderson says of his new gig. “I get to do art, science and philosophy—my favorite things. What’s not to like?”—Christopher Hann

Original source here.

Doctoral Candidate Alberto Luna ’08 Researches Motivation for Learning-Disabled Students

When students need a listening ear, Alberto Luna ’08is there. Luna is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate and supplemental instruction supervisor in the school of psychology at University of Arizona, where he completed his master’s in 2010. He has also served as program developer for the honors college Xtreme Discovery Teams and as a Summer of Excellence graduate coordinator for two years.

“I do assessments, clinical interviews, reports, consultations with teachers and parents, therapy, and counseling, among other services,” says Luna, who uses the skills he obtained as a psychology and English major every day.

“I wanted to be part of the psychology field in a way that allowed me to have a direct impact on young people and their academic and socio-emotional well-being,” he says. “School psychology was the answer. My dissertation seeks to identify predictive factors in motivation for postsecondary students with learning disabilities.”

Luna cites his research on attrition, which shows that up to 34 percent of learning-disabled students drop out of high school. Even those who do make it to college leave early 11 percent more often than their peers.

“I hope to learn the factors needed to increase these students’ low motivation, particularly intrinsic motivation, that would lead to academic success in college and degree attainment,” he says. Personal experience as a Posse Foundation Scholar at Lafayette bolstered Luna’s desire to reach young people who face educational, societal, and cultural challenges.

“Culturally competent school psychologists are needed, as are role models for these students,” he says. “Students of color are disproportionately overrepresented in special education, which indicates that school psychologists are needed to provide better services and make more accurate diagnoses for these students who may or may not be placed in special education incorrectly.” An interest in the needs of multicultural students began at Lafayette.

“When I was part of the intercultural development office, I worked on Intercultural Horizons, a student-led magazine with research-based articles in the area of cultural diversity,” he recalls. For this and his other diversity work, Luna twice won the David A. Portlock Cross-Cultural Relationships Award.

Luna was also mentored by several faculty and staff members. Rosie Bukics shared how to embrace opportunities, Alex Ohlin supported Luna’s founding of W.O.R.D.S. (Writing Organization Reaching Dynamic Students), and Alan Childs opened Luna’s eyes to the benefits of psychology. In addition, Michael Benitez, Amber Zuber, and Robert Allen helped Luna focus on the direction for his future.

Though still on track to pursue a career as a school psychologist, Luna keeps his attention on the task at hand.

“The most challenging aspect of my research and studies is staying current,” he says. “I track the historical aspect of theory and research, as well as the most recent empirical data that supports the use of specific newly designed interventions and strategies for different populations. It’s all part of the investigation process, which makes it fun as well as challenging…finding the best way to help students be the best they can be.”

Original source here.

Bug hits new Nokia Lumia 900 smartphone

A software bug in the latest Nokia smartphone is causing some handsets in the US to occasionally lose their data connection, the company has said.

The Finnish manufacturer said a fix for the Lumia 900's "memory management issue" would be issued on 16 April.

In the meantime, affected customers are being offered $100 (£63) in call credits.

Analysts say the setback could hit Nokia's hopes of regaining market share from rivals Apple and Google.

Nokia is still the world's largest mobile manufacturer, but is losing out significantly in the smartphone market.

The Lumia 900, which was released in the US on Sunday, runs Microsoft's latest Windows Phone software. The phone is expected to launch in the UK by the end of the month.

'Prudent measure'

In a blog post, Nokia said the phone had enjoyed a "positive response" since its release, but that problems soon emerged.

"After this flagship device began selling, we identified a software issue," the company wrote.

"In short, a memory management issue was discovered that could, in some cases, lead to loss of data connectivity.

Carolina Milanesi Analyst

"This issue is purely in the phone software, and is not related to either phone hardware or the network itself. As a proactive and prudent measure, we decided to take immediate action."

The company said that users who wanted the update immediately could trade in their handsets for a model already running the software fix.

Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi said it was a worrying start for a product which Nokia had promoted with a considerable marketing effort.

"It's like they stalled their engine when everybody is looking at them at the start of their race," Ms Milanesi said.

However, others praised Nokia's speed in dealing with the bug once it was identified.

"I have been impressed by their forthright, aggressive, and undoubtedly costly response," said Boston-based analyst John Jackson from CCS Insight.

Also on Wednesday, Nokia warned it expected to post losses in the first and second quarters of this year, news which saw the company's shares drop by 14%.

Source: BBC

7 smart toys for today’s connected kids

The price of admission to this year's hottest toys list is a touch of tech. Not that old double-A battery and an on-switch kind — today's toys come equipped with capacitive screens, augmented reality, and the assumption that you already have an iPad, an iPod touch, or an iPhone in the family. You know what that means? There's a good chance our youngsters are (or will soon be) more tech-savvy than we are.

The good news? Many of these toys will do more than just suck those little brains in and get them glued to yet another screen. Choose right, and their favorite new tech toy could help teach them about math, science, physics, digital photography, computer programming, or even motivate them to go outside and learn more about good ol' Mother Nature. Here are some of the best teaching toys that I've seen and tested so far this year.

1. Apptivity Monkey1. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn AppTivity Monkey
Ages: 6+ months
In stores: July 2012
Price: $30

This Fisher-Price plush toy has an iPhone or iPod touch case embedded in its belly. Download a free app, stick the smart device in the monkey's case (where it's well protected), and then turn your toddler loose. Your little one just needs to squeeze the monkey's paws to learn about numbers, letters, colors, and more. Even without an iGadget, kids can listen to songs and phrases. Cute, cuddly, and connected.

2. Fisher-Price and Disney Master Moves Mickey
Ages: 2+ years
In stores: August 2012
Price: $70

Move over Elmo, Master Moves Mickey (MMM) is getting kids off the couch and teaching all the coolest moves. Already nicknamed Sir Mick'sAlot in my family, this little dude is all dolled up in his freshest dance gear and ready to get down with 15 breakdancing moves, eight original songs, a handful of interactive dances, and plenty of cute new Mickey Mouse one-liners to get the whole family up and dancing. With his signature enthusiasm and easy-to-understand directions, MMM teaches little ones and adults alike how to bust a move all on their own.

 

3. VTech Switch & Go3. VTech Switch & Go Dinos
Ages: 3 to 8 years
In stores: Fall 2012
Price: $16

Here's an interesting twist on the old Transformers idea. It's a toy car that turns into a dinosaur, with a built-in LCD screen for customized animation, dinosaur and vehicle sound effects, and educational dinosaur facts. In dinosaur mode, action buttons trigger interesting facts about each dinosaur as it comes to life, exclaiming up to 30 expressions such as, "I'm a herbivore. I chow down on plants," or "They call me spine lizard because of the long spines on my back."

4. The Nat Geo Wild Anteater Bug Vac by Uncle Milton
Ages: 5+ years
In stores: Fall 2012
Price: $30

Kids and bugs, with no ew factor — that's what this little device by Uncle Milton is all about. At the touch of a button concealed under this baby anteater's tail, you can quickly and safely collect and observe live ants and other small insects. Then, you can remove the anteater's belly and a look at the bugs inside via built-in microscope. When you're done, you can safely release the critters back into their environment. No "Look what I found, Mommy!" live spider freak-outs for squeamish moms like me who aren't so crazy about those creepy-crawlies all up close and personal. There's no better playground than the great outdoors to encourage kids' curiosity, imagination, and connection to the world at large. This toy is perfect for all of those.

5. Photo Fashion Barbie5. Mattel's Photo Fashion Barbie
Ages: 6+ years
In stores: August 2012
Price: $50

She's a doll, a mini-fashion mogul, and a perfect example of the kind of ingenious mobile marketing that will soon be second nature to our kids. Photo Fashion Barbie has a built-in (or rather belt-in, since you take a picture by pressing her snazzy heart belt buckle) digital camera hidden in her back that can shoot up to 100 photos. Barbie can even instantly display the photos mini-billboard style from a screen on the front of her shirt. Why not? Modern Barbie has a lot of great talents, skills, and can do anything she sets her mind to. It's nice to see her creative attributes displayed front and center, as well.

6. Smart Lab's ReCon 6.0 Programmable Rover
Ages: 8+ years
In stores: Now!
Price: $70

Here's a great toy for the budding rocket scientist. The Rover is a toy, a robot, and a tool for learning. You just program the ReCon 6.0 to navigate any path, from a simple, straightforward passage with a few turns here and there, to a more sophisticated and intricate course. The Rover teaches early programming, basic math, and problem solving — no computer required. It also comes with a microphone, speaker, LCD screen, cargo hold, headlights, and triangular track system, so it actually travels smoothly over all kinds of surfaces.

7. Force Flyer Helicopter7. Regal Elite Force Flyers RC helicopters
Ages: 10+ years (indoor) 14+ years (outdoor)
In stores: May 2012
Price: $50 for indoor flyers, $100 for outdoor model

Regal Elite's new Force Flyer is controlled literally by a wave of the hand. You just strap the control pad onto the back of your hand and secure it via Velcro strap around your wrist. You use your thumb to control the speed of the helicopter's rotors and altitude; it soars up to 100 feet. Turn your hand a fraction in any direction, and the Force Flyer responds by using the glove's built-in accelerometer, similar to that in a Wii remote. Put in the hands of a child, this new RC helicopter will dazzle, wow, and awe. Put in the hands of an adult like me, it will test your patience. (I couldn't stop crashing the darn thing.) Still, it's one of the coolest toys I saw during this year's Toy Fair in New York.

Source: Yahoo

Travel's silly season: rat racing, cricket spitting and mullet tossing, oh my

April, wrote the poet T.S. Eliot, is the cruelest month but, here in the Overhead Bin, we think it might also be the weirdest.

In fact, with upcoming events dedicated to tossing mullets, spitting crickets and racing rats, we’re at a bit of a loss. With so much bizarre behavior on display, we’ve been unable to come up with a consensus on a candidate as this month’s inductee into the Weird Festival of the Month club.

Instead, here’s a look at a trio of contenders and an invitation to weigh in on their offbeat eligibility and, perhaps, check them out during your travels.

Rat racing
 In 1973, Sister Julia Clare Fontaine, a professor at Spalding University in Louisville, Ky., overhead a student complaining about the “rat race” of finals week and an idea was born. Now in its 40th year, the Running of the Rodents (April 12) is like a mini-Kentucky Derby with rodents instead of horses.

The race, which has been nicknamed “the most exciting two seconds in sports,” pits student-trained rats against each other on a 0.024-furlong (15.8 feet) oval. This year’s theme is Viva Rat Vegas and will feature contenders including Vivian Vegas and Liberatce.

Alas, there are no Derby-esque mint juleps involved, said school spokesman Rick Barney, although he suspects a few may be enjoyed later in the evening.

Cricket spitting
Yes, cricket spitting, in which adventurous contestants pop flash-frozen, semi-thawed, adult brown crickets into their mouths and then proceed to see how far they can spit them. Held April 14­–15 this year, the competition is part of Bug Bowl, an annual celebration of all things buggy sponsored by the Entomology Department at Purdue University.

The event traces its roots to the mid-1990s after Professor Tom Turpin heard someone standing by a booth selling roasted crickets say, “You know, if I were to put a cricket in my mouth, I’d spit it from here to that tree.” Officially launched in 1997, the current record, said Turpin, stands at 37 feet, 9 3/4 inches.

He also reiterated the competition’s principal rule. “Once they’ve stepped into the cricket-spitting circle, they have 20 seconds to spit their cricket,” he told msnbc.com. “But we’ve noticed over the years that it doesn’t normally take that long.”

Mullet tossing
Most folks, we assume, like to catch mullets, the small fish found in the Gulf of Mexico. But in Pensacola, Fla., it seems, they’d rather toss them. Sponsored by the Flora-Bama Lounge, Package & Oyster Bar, the Interstate Mullet Toss (April 27­–29) earns its pan-jurisdictional name because contestants stand on the beach outside the Florida bar, grab a mullet from a bucket and see just how far they can throw it into Alabama, a few feet away. The current record, says event coordinator Cheryl Lange, is 189 feet, 8 inches.

According to Lange, the 28-year-old event was born after Jimmy Louis, a local musician, returned from a cow-chip tossing competition and set out to recreate the concept in Pensacola. “Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of cows on the beach,” said Lange, who went on to voice what could be considered a call to action to would-be weird-event promoters everywhere:

“Hey, you gotta use what you got.”

MSN

Protect your eyes, The Three Stooges are back

LOS ANGELES: Maybe it was just a matter of time before Peter and Bobby Farrelly, the brothers who wrote and directed the comedy "Dumb & Dumber," made a movie about their original dimwitted inspiration, The Three Stooges.
The result of the Farrelly brothers' work, "The Three Stooges" movie (bravely being released on Friday 13th), is an updated take on team Larry, Curly and Moe with all their misadventures, slapstick humor, eye pokes and iconic Stooge sound effects - finger-snaps, 'nyuk-nyuks' and 'boinks.'
Starring Sean Hayes, Will Sasso and Chris Diamantopoulos as the trio of boneheads, and with a supporting cast that includes "Modern Family's" Sofia Vergara, "Curb Your Enthusiasm's" Larry David and the cast of "Jersey Shore," the film aims to appeal to kids of all ages who are looking for laughs.
Peter Farrelly recently spoke about bringing The Three Stooges back to life on film.
Q: Why did you want to make The Three Stooges?
A: "They were our favorites growing up. They gave us more laughs than any other comedy group."
Q: How hard was it resurrecting an old vaudeville act?
A: "It's very tricky, as we didn't just want to do a version of them, like you might for Batman. We wanted to do Larry, Curly and Moe, exactly as you remembered them. And we wanted to please the hardcore Stooges fans first, but also bring it into a new generation of fans. They were in danger of disappearing. A lot of kids don't know them now, and we wanted to bring them back in a way that would do them justice. So we always planned to write new material and place them in the present day.
Q: Were you nervous about whether their trademark slapstick comedy might earn a restrictive film rating like "R" versus a more family friendly rating such as PG or PG-13?
A: "We were, because of all the hitting and physical violence. But they gave us a PG as there's no bad language, no nudity and no blood. Nobody's really hurt, even though we're raking chainsaws over people's heads and the Stooges do all their eye pokes and so on. It's a kid's movie. That's why we did this little scene at the end warning kids not to try it at home.
We show them that we use rubber hammers and sound effects. It's all just fun."
Q: Casting was obviously crucial. How hard was it finding Sean (Larry), Will (Curly) and Chris (Moe)?
A: "Really hard, but casting's never been easy for us. Jim Carrey was the 150th guy offered "Dumb & Dumber" - not the 149th, the 150th! That's the truth. Everyone passed on it and even after that was a hit, we had a hard time getting actors. So, we take a Zen view of it because we've been so lucky with our casting. And these three guys we got for this are amazing.
We read thousands and when they showed up, I guarantee you they were the best people on the planet for it.
Q: And Larry David plays a nun! How'd you do that?
A: "You get him drunk, ask him to do it and hold him to it when he's sober. As for the others, I've always been a huge Jane Lynch fan, and she's playing against type as a very sweet Mother Superior. And Sofia Viagra, as we called her, was sensational, an absolute doll. She couldn't have been more fun. We were under the impression from watching her in 'Modern Family' that she exaggerated that accent a bit - but no! It's the real deal. And then Jennifer Hudson and swimsuit model Kate Upton - we had a hot cast."
Q: How did you persuade the "Jersey Shore" group to do it?
A: "We first wrote this 12 years ago, and all the hitting and abuse does start to wear you down a bit. So, we wanted the Stooges to split up, and back then we had Moe ending up on "Queer Eye For The Straight Guy." But that show's long gone now, so we rewrote for "Jersey Shore."
Q: With all the antics on their show, were you nervous when they came to work?
A: "The first couple of days I was like, 'Oh boy, this is going to be a nightmare!' But they couldn't have been more gracious and professional. I was shocked at how hard they worked and how easygoing they all were."
Q: And you're opening on Friday 13th. You're obviously not superstitious.
A: (Laughs) "I am, but every day was a bad luck day for The Three Stooges, so what does it matter?"
(Reuters)

Sony confirms 10,000 layoffs as part of 'One Sony' initiative

Sony announced Thursday it plans to lay off 10,000 employees, about 6 percent of the company's global workforce, in an effort to return the troubled company to profitability.

The cuts, as previously reported, are part of the electronics and entertainment giant's "One Sony" initiative, which focuses on the company's core strengths: digital imaging, gaming, and mobile. Kazuo Hirai, who took over as Sony's chief executive on April 1, said restructuring is expected to cost the company 75 billion yen (about $926 million) in fiscal 2012, according to The Next Web.

To boost the Sony's ailing TV business, Hirai said the company would reduce the number of products offered by 40 percent, focusing on the development of OLED and Crystal LED, The Verge reported.

The cuts come as Sony grapples with declining earnings. The company announced earlier this week it had revised its earnings forecast for the fiscal year ended March 31; instead of the previously projected loss of 220 billion yen ($2.7 billion), the company now expects to post a loss of 520 billion yen ($6.4 billion).

Source

California's autonomous car bill inches closer to reality

A bill that paves the way for autonomous cars to be driven on state roads cleared its first of many hurdles. California Senate Bill (SB) 1298 passed the Senate Transportation Committee yesterday on an 8 to 0 vote.

The bill, authored by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima), will set up safety and performance standards for the safe operation of autonomous vehicles on California's public roads. The rules and regulations for robotic cars will be modeled after those already being used in Nevada.

Autonomous vehicles will be required to meet all applicable safety standards and performance requirements in state and federal law, and the California Highway Patrol will consult with the Department of Motor vehicles to recommend additional requirements. The new legislation will permit the operation of autonomous vehicles on California's public roads by a licensed driver.

Approval from the Senate Transportation Committee is the first of many steps on the path to the Governor's desk. Next, SB 1298 will move to the Senate Rules Committee for a possible referral to a second policy committee. Arizona, Hawaii, Florida, and Oklahoma are also currently considering autonomous vehicles legislation. Nevada began issuing permits to companies that want to test autonomous vehicles on state roads last month after they've documented 10,000 miles on private tracks or other roads under various conditions.

Source

Crysis 3 surfaces on EA store

Crysis 3 has blown its cover. Electronic Arts' Origin.com has posted (and partially pulled) product pages for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC versions of Crysis 3.

The product page for Crysis 3 shows a Nanosuit-wearing soldier wielding what appears to be an advanced bow and arrow set. The character stands in front of a city environment, hinting that the third entry will return to the urban setting of Crysis 2, instead of the original game's tropical locale.

Read more

IBM brings smart charging to Honda Fit EVs

To a computer company like IBM, plug-in electric vehicles just look like more nodes on the network.

IBM today is expected to announce a demonstration project with Honda and California utility Pacific Gas & Electric to charge a fleet of Honda Fit EVs without disrupting the grid.

The smart-charging project will also test smartphone and Web-based apps for consumers, giving them an estimate of charge time and location of charging stations.

The power grid as a whole has the capacity to accommodate millions of plug-in vehicles, say experts. But if there's a concentration of electric cars charging at once, it could strain the local distribution grid. Utility executives say that having even just four or five electric cars in the same neighborhood could cause stability problems.

The IBM smart-charging system will be able to monitor a car's battery charge state along with the grid load and optimize the car's charge rate. If the grid is getting overloaded on a hot summer day, for example, the system could change the charging schedule. Consumers could indicate they'd want their car fully charged by, say, 6 a.m. and take advantage of off-peak rates.

IBM will use the telematics system already in the Honda Fit EV to gather data. The information will also be analyzed for charging patterns for the regional grid, IBM said.

Source

When Madeline Was Young by Jane Hamilton

Book Description:
Jane Hamilton, award-winning author of The Book of Ruth and A Map of the World, is back in top form with a richly textured novel about a tragic accident and its effects on two generations of a family.

When Aaron Maciver’s beautiful young wife, Madeline, suffers brain damage in a bike accident, she is left with the intellectual powers of a six-year-old. In the years that follow, Aaron and his second wife care for Madeline with deep tenderness and devotion as they raise two children of their own.

Narrated by Aaron's son, Mac, When Madeline Was Young chronicles the Maciver family through the decades, from Mac’s childhood growing up with Madeline and his cousin Buddy in Wisconsin through the Vietnam War, through Mac’s years as a husband with children of his own, and through Buddy’s involvement with the subsequent Gulf Wars. Jane Hamilton, with her usual humor and keen observations of human relationships, deftly explores the Maciver's unusual situation and examines notions of childhood (through Mac and Buddy’s actual youth as well as Madeline’s infantilization) and a rivalry between Buddy’s and Mac’s families that spans decades and various wars. She captures the pleasures and frustrations of marriage and family, and she exposes the role that past relationships, rivalries, and regrets inevitably play in the lives of adults.

Inspired in part by Elizabeth Spencer’s Light in the Piazza, Hamilton offers an honest and exquisite portrait of how a family tragedy forever shapes and alters the boundaries of love.

Dior Names Belgian Designer to Succeed Disgraced Galliano

French fashion powerhouse Dior on Monday named Raf Simons as chief designer to succeed disgraced John Galliano who was fired more than a year ago for racist outbursts.

The 44-year-old Belgian, who started out designing furniture, will be responsible for Haute Couture, Ready-to-Wear and Women's Accessories, the Paris-based fashion house said in a statement.

He will premiere his first Christian Dior Haute Couture collection in Paris in July, said Dior, one of the crown jewels in Bernard Arnault's LVMH luxury empire.

Dior hailed the Belgian as "one of the biggest contemporary talents", saying that "he will inspire and push into the 21st century the style that Mr Dior launched with the opening of his house and that has changed, since its first collection, the codes of world elegance."

Flamboyant British designer Galliano was sacked last year after a video emerged of him hurling anti-Semitic slurs at patrons in a Paris bar.

Since then, his former righthand man Bill Gaytten has overseen Dior collections.

Galliano was convicted of anti-Semitism by a French court in September, receiving suspended fines totalling 6,000 euros (8,400 dollars) after the court accepted his argument that he was sorry for his actions.

The Paris criminal court found him guilty of making anti-Semitic insults in public -- an offence under French law -- when he clashed with bar patrons in the capital's Marais district on two occasions, in 2010 and 2011.

The court ordered Galliano to pay a symbolic euro in damages to each of the victims and to five anti-racism groups that were plaintiffs in the case. He was also told to pay the associations 16,500 euros in legal costs.

The 50-year-old designer later checked into rehab for two months in Arizona and Switzerland.

Simons, who has always been a darling of the fashion press, had his own eponymous line that was shown in Paris for a while. He is known for his often ground-breaking, minimalist fashion which he originally designed for men before launching into women's pret-a-porter.

The Flemish Belgian works and lives in Antwerp, and his name had been repeatedly mentioned over recent months as a possible replacement for Galliano.

The Jil Sander fashion house, for which he had worked as creator since 2005, announced his departure in February.

His last Sander fashion show, which was well received in Milan, was awash with sculptural pastel-coloured dresses.

Simons, whose blue eyes, athletic build, and short hair lend him an air of strict authority, was born in Neerpelt, close to the Dutch border.

He studied industrial design before launching his career as a furniture designer for art galleries and private patrons.

Following an internship with Belgian fashion designer Walter Van Beirendonck, he switched to clothes, working under a Belgian tailor, before showing off his mostly classical first men's wear creations in Milan for Raf Simons in 1995.

In 1999-2000, he also designed men's wear for the experimental Ruffo Research fashion house, in association with Veronique Branquinho who worked on women's creations.

But despite good reviews, he declared bankruptcy and took a year's sabbatical saying he felt "stifled and constrained by the commercial aspect of fashion".

In 2000, he started teaching fashion at the Vienna University of Applied Arts, a job he kept for five years. But in 2001 he also resumed his own fashion work with a smaller team and the backing of a Belgian industrial tycoon.

His Paris fashion shows, which played ever more on refining volumes, were keenly watched as indicative of future trends.

Taking his cue from the sub-cultural youth movement and his own predilection for clear cut lines, Simons described his men's wear as meant for "the individualist, an eccentric who doesn't mind being different".

As of 2004, he started designed women's clothing.

In 2008, he opened two shops in Japan and took to designing accessories, including handbags, shoes and glasses, working with partners such as Eastpak, which designed backpacks popular with US students.

In May last year, he presided at the fashion festival in Hyeres, southern France, defending young designers who try to branch out by saying that "if they have a real message, if they have a true story to present, the fashion world will follow them."

Wisden double for Sangakkara

Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara has become the first man to be named simultaneously as Wisden's leading cricketer in the world and one of its five cricketers of the year.

Sangakkara is joined as the five Wisden players of the year by Lancashire's Glen Chapple, Worcestershire's Alan Richardson and England duo Alastair Cook and Tim Bresnan.
Sangakkara compiled 2,267 international runs in the three formats last year - no other player broke 2,000 - with five centuries and 13 fifties, and uniquely reached four figures in both Tests and one-day internationals for the third time.

A century in probably his last Test on English soil at Hampshire helped ensure he was named as one of the cricketers of the year, the award conferred by the publication's editor - a mantle taken on this year by Lawrence Booth - on the individuals who have most shaped the English cricketing summer, and which a player can win only once.

"I had always wanted a Test hundred at Lord's but, if that was not to be, then anywhere in England," Sangakkara tells David Hopps in the Almanack. "The Rose Bowl felt as if it might be my last opportunity." (skysports.com)

Manchester City close gap with Manchester United

Manchester City came back into the premier league title race after they thrashed West Brom with a 4-0 win reducing the gap with leaders, Manchester United, to five points who slumped to a surprise 1-0 loss at Wigan.

Starting the night eight points behind Manchester United, City knew a win was desperately needed if they were even to think about a miraculous turnaround and manager Roberto Mancini handed rebel striker Carlos Tevez a first start in almost seven months who gave an impressive performance.

His fellow countryman, Sergio Aguero scored he opener, when he ran at the West Brom defence in the sixth minute and put a 20-yard drive beyond Ben Foster's reach.

Former Atletico Madrid scored his second when Nasri slid the ball to him to beat Foster from eight yards.

A hat-trick would have soon come had he been able to extend his leg on to Nasri's fizzing cross-shot, but that was soon forgotten as he created Tevez's first goal in 11 months with 61 minutes gone.

Silva made it 4-0 with 65 minutes on the clock, chipping over Foster after racing on to an Aguero pass.

Manchester United delivered one of their worst displays of the season and were deservedly sunk by Shaun Maloney's fine curling shot in the 50th minute, inflicting the champions' first league loss since Jan. 4.

Meanwhile, Arsenal strengthened their grip on a Champions League spot as early goals from Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott put them on the way to a comfortable win over 10-man Wolves at Molineux.

Van Persie scored the opener from the penalty spot after Wolves' on-loan defender Sebastien Bassong was sent off for bringing down Walcott, who added a second a minute later.

Court Room wedding proposal

Gregory Todd, a chef who almost died after being knifed by his girlfriend Tiffany Baillie says he will marry her as soon as she leaves the prison gates after a judge jailed her for three years.

Todd, 48, left Hull Crown Court in tears today despite hearing his girlfriend had said: "Yes!" to his court room marriage proposal. Mr Todd almost died when Baillie, 32, plunged an 8in kitchen knife into his back as he slept.

But he appeared at Hull Crown Court last week with a white gold diamond solitaire ring with the intention of proposing in court in an act of Easter forgiveness.

He had to wait 24 hours to be told the marriage proposal, relayed by her barrister, had been accepted in a tearful telephone call from Newhall Prison to his home in Hessle which they shared.

Baillie, 32, who had been depressed after a miscarriage has been forgiven by Mr Todd who spent three months in hospital recovering from a damaged pancreas and spleen after she attacked him two weeks after losing his baby.

Attack of the Killer Fungi: Rising Threat Worries Scientists

An unprecedented number of diseases caused by fungi have been causing some of the most severe die-offs and extinctions ever witnessed in wild species and jeopardizing crops to boot, scientists now report.

Fungi are wiping out amphibians on several continents, decimating bats in eastern North America, contributing to the disappearance of bees dubbed colony collapse disorder, and killing corals and sea turtles.

They are even threatening humans, if indirectly, by attacking crops. Fungi and fungilike organisms called oomycetes can cause significant losses to rice, wheat, maize, potatoes and soybeans, according to the researchers who write that the problems "vary regionally but pose a current and growing threat to food security."

To determine if fungi are causing more diseases and extinctions among plants and animals, the team, led by Matthew Fisher at the Imperial College London, combed through years of scientific reports.

Alleged UFO spotted over South Korea

The video which was posted on YouTube by crazybreakingnews on April 7 2012, has already been viewed nearly four million times.

The white spherical object which is filmed outside the window of a passenger plane appears to be moving at a similar speed to the plane.

As the passenger tries to zoom in for a closer look the mysterious object, flies out of shot.The clip has provoked mixed response online. Some people have openly declaring it a fake, with explanations ranging from a computer-generated image added to the film afterwards, a water droplet on the plane window or a white plastic bag caught by the wind.

No reason to ban cell phones while driving - study

THERE is no reason to ban texting or talking on cell phones while driving, a Swedish study found.

A report by the Swedish National Road and Transport Institute (VTI) - based in Linkoping, southern Sweden - found that educating drivers on the safer use of the devices was preferable to a total ban.

"It is our opinion that a combination of different countermeasures - which educate and inform the driver, while at the same time support him or her in a safe usage of communication devices - is preferable to a law against communication device usage while driving," it said.

Katja Kircher, of VTI, told Sveriges Radio, "We've seen that it doesn't help to have such a law while driving. This is partly because we've seen that people wouldn't adhere to the law and partly because we've seen no effect on crash risks."

In October last year, a VTI study found that there was no long-term traffic safety impact for countries that allowed cell phone use with hands-free equipment.

Sweden is one of a handful of European countries to allow the use of cell phones while driving without hands-free devices. Others include Albania, Serbia, Moldova and Malta. (adelaidenow.com.au)

Indonesia Earthquake: Tsunami Warning Issued Following Magnitude 8.6 Temblor

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia -- A massive earthquake off Indonesia's western coast triggered tsunami fears across the Indian Ocean on Wednesday, sending residents in coastal cities fleeing to high ground in cars and on the backs of motorcycles.

A strong aftershock nearly three hours later sparked a new wave of panic. Indonesia's government responded by issuing a fresh tsunami warning.

Some residents were crying in Aceh, where memories of a 2004 tsunami that killed 170,000 people in the province alone, are still raw. Others screamed "God is great" as they poured from their homes or searched frantically for separated family members.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the first 8.6-magnitude quake was centered 20 miles (33 kilometers) beneath the ocean floor around 269 miles (434 kilometers) from Aceh province.

That prompted the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii to issue a tsunami watch for Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Myanmar, Thailand, the Maldives and other Indian Ocean islands, Malaysia, Pakistan, Somalia, Oman, Iran, Bangladesh, Kenya, South Africa and Singapore.

A wave measuring less than 30 inches (80 centimeters) high, rolled to Indonesia's coast. There were no other signs of serious damage.

But just as the region was sighing relief, an 8.2-magnitude aftershock hit.

"We just issued another tsunami warning," Prih Harjadi, from Indonesia's geophysics agency, told TVOne in a live interview.

People along the western coast of Sumatra island and the Mentawai islands were told to stay clear of coasts.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centers watch remained in effect. A tsunami watch means there is the potential for a tsunami, not that one is imminent.

The initial quake was a strike-slip, not a thrust quake, according to experts. In a strike slip quake, the earth moves horizontally rather than vertically and doesn't displace large volumes of water.

They were still analyzing the aftershock.

"When I first saw this was an 8.7 near Sumatra, I was fearing the worst," Roger Musson, seismologist at the British geological survey who has studied Sumatra's fault lines, noting one of the initial reported magnitudes for the quake. "But as soon as I discovered what type of earthquake it was, then I felt a lot better."

The first tremor was felt in Malaysia, where it caused high-rise buildings to shake for about a minute, and in Singapore, Thailand, Bangladesh and India.

It caused chaos in the streets of Aceh. Patients poured out of hospitals, some with drips still attached to their arms. In some places, electricity was briefly cut.

Hours after the temblor, people were still standing outside their homes and offices, afraid to go back inside.

"I was in the shower on the fifth floor of my hotel," Timbang Pangaribuan told El Shinta radio from the city of Medan. "We all ran out. ... We're all standing outside now."

He said one guest was injured when he jumped from the window of his room.

Thailand's National Disaster Warning Center issued an evacuation order to residents in six provinces along the country's west coast, including the popular tourist destinations of Phuket, Krabi and Phang-Nga.

India's Tsunami Warning Center issued a warning for parts of the eastern Andaman and Nicobar islands. In Tamil Nadu in southern India, police cordoned off the beach and used loudspeakers to warn people to leave the area.

The quake was felt in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where many people in the city's commercial Motijheel district left their offices and homes in panic and ran into the streets. No damage or causalities were reported.

In Male, the capital of the Maldives, buildings were evacuated.

Indonesia straddles a series of fault lines that makes the vast island nation prone to volcanic and seismic activity.

A giant 9.1-magnitude quake off the country on Dec. 26, 2004, triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean that killed 230,000 people, most of them in Aceh. (AP)