BEIRUT (AP) ? The Syrian military says it will cease military operations for four-days starting on Friday in observance of a major Muslim holiday.
In the announcement read on state TV on Thursday however, the army said it would still respond to gunfire or roadside bombs and keep rebels from bolstering their positions or getting supplies.
The international envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, proposed the four-day cease-fire for Eid al-Adha, saying it could lead to a longer truce and political negotiations between the sides.
Rebel forces have dismissed the idea, saying they don't trust the regime of President Bashar Assad to stick to its promises.
Both sides have violated previous cease-fires after agreeing to them.
Activists say more than 35,000 people have been killed since the uprising against Assad began in March 2011.
Is your cell phone dead and there's nary an outlet in sight? It's not an issue if you're feeling zesty and also toting a BoostTurbine hand charger, which Eton just announced as part of its new portable charger lineup. The BoostTurbine2000 and 1000 model numbers denote the mAh of the batteries in each device, which can borrow volts from a conventional outlet, then transfer up to a full or half charge (respectively) to most smartphones. In a pinch, though, you can pop out the hand-crank and grab about 30 seconds of call time for each minute of sweat equity, according to the company (depending on your motivation, natch). The BoostTurbine2000 will set you back $59 while the 1000 model will run $49, and both are now available at Eton's store. The company also outed a new line of regular plug-in portable chargers -- it's all in the PR after the break.
NASA sees warming cloud tops indicating Tropical Storm Tony weakeningPublic release date: 25-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Rob Gutro robert.j.gutro@nasa.gov 443-858-1779 NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
In a tropical cyclone, strong uplift of air pushes the tops of thunderstorms high into the troposphere. When that strength wanes, the cloud tops drop and become less cold. That's because the higher you go in the troposphere, the colder it gets. NASA satellite infrared data has revealed that Tropical Storm Tony's cloud top temperatures are warming and the storm is weakening.
The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared imagery of Tropical Storm Tony on Oct. 24 at 12:17 p.m. EDT that showed the strongest thunderstorms east of the center of circulation, but cloud top temperatures are warming. Those thunderstorms are reaching high into the troposphere where cloud top temperatures are as cold as -63 Fahrenheit (-52 Celsius). The cloud pattern in Tony is also becoming less organized.
On Oct. 25, 2012 at 5 a.m. EDT Tropical Storm Tony had maximum sustained winds near 45 mph (75 kph). Tony was moving to the east-northeast near 23 mph (37 kph) and this general motion is expected to continue during the next couple of days. Tony's center is far from land, about 835 miles (1,345 km) southwest of the Azores Islands near 30.4 North latitude and 38.4 West longitude. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 105 miles (165 km) from the center.
According to the National Hurricane Center discussion of Tony, "the southwesterly winds have not substantially separated the surface circulation from the convective canopy, although a combination of the shear and cooler waters has weakened the deep convection."
The National Hurricane Center expects Tony to start losing tropical characteristics today and dissipate over the weekend of Oct. 27 and 28.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
NASA sees warming cloud tops indicating Tropical Storm Tony weakeningPublic release date: 25-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Rob Gutro robert.j.gutro@nasa.gov 443-858-1779 NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
In a tropical cyclone, strong uplift of air pushes the tops of thunderstorms high into the troposphere. When that strength wanes, the cloud tops drop and become less cold. That's because the higher you go in the troposphere, the colder it gets. NASA satellite infrared data has revealed that Tropical Storm Tony's cloud top temperatures are warming and the storm is weakening.
The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared imagery of Tropical Storm Tony on Oct. 24 at 12:17 p.m. EDT that showed the strongest thunderstorms east of the center of circulation, but cloud top temperatures are warming. Those thunderstorms are reaching high into the troposphere where cloud top temperatures are as cold as -63 Fahrenheit (-52 Celsius). The cloud pattern in Tony is also becoming less organized.
On Oct. 25, 2012 at 5 a.m. EDT Tropical Storm Tony had maximum sustained winds near 45 mph (75 kph). Tony was moving to the east-northeast near 23 mph (37 kph) and this general motion is expected to continue during the next couple of days. Tony's center is far from land, about 835 miles (1,345 km) southwest of the Azores Islands near 30.4 North latitude and 38.4 West longitude. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 105 miles (165 km) from the center.
According to the National Hurricane Center discussion of Tony, "the southwesterly winds have not substantially separated the surface circulation from the convective canopy, although a combination of the shear and cooler waters has weakened the deep convection."
The National Hurricane Center expects Tony to start losing tropical characteristics today and dissipate over the weekend of Oct. 27 and 28.
###
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
In May, Microsoft (MSFT) launched its first subsidized Xbox 360 for $99 with a two-year subscription to Xbox Live Gold. In the run up to the holidays, the company is now adding two more Xbox 360 models with subsidized pricing to the mix. Joining the existing $99 4GB Xbox 360 with Kinect?bundle is a $99 250GB Xbox 360 and a $149 250GB model with Kinect. Both new models will require a $14.99 per month subscription fee to Xbox Live for two years.
A firm release date hasn?t been announced yet, but the official Xbox website lists the new subsidized models as ?coming soon? with a reminder to ?check back later to see a full list of participating retailers.??Savvy shoppers who want to save a little money in the long run can take advantage of a $50 discount promotion on almost all Xbox 360 consoles or pick up a new holiday bundle.
It must be Big Touchscreen Day over at Acer headquarters. In addition to announcing a pair of all-in-one desktops, the company is trotting out two touch-enabled monitors, available in 23- and 27-inch sizes. Though both have 1080p resolution, the 23-inch T232HL uses IPS technology to achieve wide viewing angles, while the larger T272HL has a Vertical Alignment (VA) panel. Otherwise, the specs are near-identical: a 100 million to 1 contrast ratio, 5ms response time and a trio of inputs that includes VGA, DVI and HDMI. As for design, you'll notice they have a similar industrial design as the new all-in-ones, with thin frames, edge-to-edge displays and a see-through stand. Both will be available this month, with the 23-incher going for $500 and the 27-inch model selling for $700.
Gerhard Richter's "Abstraktes Bild (809-4)," from the collection of musician Eric Clapton.
By Rolling Stone
Eric Clapton sold an abstract painting by the German artist Gerhard Richter for ?21 million, or $34 million, at a Sotheby's auction in London on Friday, reports the BBC, helping to set a record for the highest-selling work by a living artist. The painting, entitled "Abstraktes Bild (809-4)," was initially?projected to fetch up to $19 million.
Eric Clapton to Auction Painting Worth Up to $19 Million
Clapton bought?"Abstraktes Bild (809-4)" in 2001 for $3.4 million.?It's one of a series of four paintings by Richter from the mid-1990s. Three were sold to Clapton in 2001, while the fourth is owned by the joint collection of the Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland.
100 Greatest Guitarists: Eric Clapton
Richter -- whose work includes the?cover of Sonic Youth's 1988 LP "Daydream Nation"?-- ?has become one of the most coveted living artists, with one of his paintings selling for $21.8 million at a New York auction earlier this year.
Last year, Clapton sold?more than 70 of his instruments, amplifiers, and memorabilia?and?raised $2.15 million for the Crossroads Center, a drug and alcohol rehab facility in Antigua he co-founded in 1998.
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Public release date: 25-Oct-2012
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