Future Mars missions: Faster, better, cheaper?

Curiosity will be NASA's last blockbuster Mars expedition for a while ? marking a turning point in our relationship with the Red Planet

FUTURE historians of Mars might note 5 August 2012 as the moment when humanity's long relationship with the Red Planet entered a new era. If all goes well, that will be the date that the Mars Science Laboratory touches down, after an intricate descent which even NASA predicts will be "seven minutes of terror".

This huge rover, better known as Curiosity, is aimed at a 5-kilometre-high heap of sediment that should provide information about Mars's entire history - perhaps including traces of ancient or even current life.

So the stakes are high. But it's likely to be the last such flagship expedition we see for some time, as NASA's near-monopoly on Mars exploration gives way to a plethora of smaller, cheaper missions by other countries and, soon, private companies.

Fans of the US space agency and of blockbuster spacecraft may be disappointed, but planetary-science enthusiasts should be exhilarated. Now that NASA has done the groundwork, future missions need not be as lavish, but can be more numerous and highly targeted, deepening our knowledge of Mars (see "Curiosity rover is turning point for Mars exploration").

We need all the information we can get. Questions abound about the planet's geology, hydrology and atmospheric development. And for the first time, those answers may be of real commercial, as well as academic, interest. Some who have set their sights on Mars are planning in earnest for human exploration - and even colonisation. But much more research is needed first.

NASA is by no means out of the race. It has been here before. During the 1990s the agency embarked on 16 varied missions, including several to Mars, that were designed to be less individually ambitious. But a high failure rate meant that programme ended amid derision, its mantra of "faster, better, cheaper" becoming inexorably coupled with the wry rejoinder: "pick any two".

Nonetheless, the basic strategy is sound. Only a handful of these missions have to succeed for the programme to end up more cost-effective than a blockbuster like Curiosity. So Mars fans should hope that NASA and its rivals can make the paradigm work this time. Humanity's relationship with Mars may depend on it.

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Apple patent details an even smarter Smart Cover with a second display

A new Apple patent filed a little over a year ago with the US Patent and Trademark Office shows off a Smart Cover that would double as a secondary display and allow user input. As with other patents, no one knows if it'll ever see the light of day but it's definitely a neat concept.

The patent details a cover that adds a second display that could act as extra screen real estate in order to show notifications, function as a media controller, or even accept user input in the form of a touch keyboard or drawing instrument. Using the keyboard as a cover would be very simliar to what Microsoft is trying to do with the up and coming Surface tablet.

An accessory device arranged to communicate with a host device by way of a communication channel, the host device comprising a host device display arranged to present visual information, the accessory device comprising: a flexible flap having a size and shape in accordance with the host device display, wherein at least a portion of the flexible flap is covered by a flap display configured to present visual information; and a connecting portion, the connecting portion arranged to provide at least a communication channel arranged to convey information between the host device and the accessory device wherein at least some of the information is presented visually on the flap display.

The Smart Cover assembly would attach in a way similar to how the existing ones do but would draw power from a built-in connector running along the side of the cover.

Apple has several patents floating around and whether this one will ever develop into an actual product is anyone's guess. It could make for a nice way to draw input into an iPad maybe eliminating the need of always using a desktop in conjunction with accessories like Bamboo pads. It'd be much easier to carry around and create content on the go.

If something like this does come to market how many of you would be interested in picking one up?

Source: Engadget

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London Olympics: Day 7 -- The iPINIONS Journal

Friday, August 3, 2012 at 3:29 PM

Posted by Anthony L. Hall

Archery

Today was the final day of competition in this sport, which turned out to be far more thrilling to watch than I ever imagined.? Only four medals were awarded but every qualifying round provided excitement and suspense worthy of The Hunger Games.

Apropos of which, I actually saw Khatuna Lorig -?the archer who famously trained Jennifer Lawrence for this movie ? lose a nail-biter yesterday to Mariana Avitia of Mexico in the women?s bronze medal match. But before you say the Mexican must have had a cultural advantage, you should know that Ki Bo-Bae of South Korea won gold; and, well, another Mexican, Aida Roman, won bronze.

Trampoline

I was pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable I found this event. In fact, it is fair to say that the performers displayed all of the skill and grace of springboard divers and gymnasts combined. Yet I could not get over the feeling that jumping up and down on a trampoline is a recreation that belongs in the backyard, not a sport that belongs at the Olympics.

Not to mention my irritation with the dizziness watching their quadruple summersaults with triple twists caused?.

Track and Field

Competition began today in Track and Field, the feature sport of every Olympics.? There were preliminary rounds in many events but finals only in men?s shot put and the women?s 10,000.

But instead of commenting on any of them, I shall suffice today to reprise what I wrote in my commentary on the Opening Ceremony about the premier matchup of this second week of the Games.

Regarding the second-biggest rivalry of these Games [Phelps versus?Lochte was touted?as the biggest], I heard Usain Bolt say on the BBC today?that he?s only ?95%? fit. Frankly, this struck me as a preemptive excuse for being upset by team rival Yohan Blake. At least Phelps seems mentally prepared to take on his would-be usurper mano-a-mano.

I hope someone prevails upon Bolt to understand that it?s better to lose after being fully prepared and giving all he had than to lose because he couldn?t be bothered to get 100% fit for the biggest race of his life. But it would not surprise me if he false starts at these Games the way he did at the World Championships last year to avoid the ultimate challenge against Blake in the 100m.

(?Opening Ceremony,? The iPINIONS Journal, July 27, 2012)

In fact, I?m on record predicting that, if they do race, Blake would win gold in the 100m and Bolt, gold in the 200m?.

But it would be remiss of me not to mention the possibility of Justin Gatlin of the USA raining on this Jamaican parade. If he does, however, I would consider it a dubious victory because I believe once a doper, always a doper. (He tested positive in 2006 and received a lifetime ban. Except that he?was reinstated after just four years?for ?cooperating? with anti-doping authorities who were investigating why his coach, Trevor Graham, was turning out so many athletes who test positive for performance-enhancing drugs.)

Swimming

One of the marks of a great champion is being able to say to those who would presume to dethrone him after he has a disappointing performance, ?not so fast, buddy.?

This is exactly what Phelps said with his win over Lochte in the 200m individual medley yesterday (avenging that earlier loss to him in the 400m individual medley), and it?s what he said with his win over le Clos in the 100m butterfly today (avenging that earlier loss to him in the 200m butterfly). Never mind that he won in a relatively slow time of 51.21. But this only demonstrates, again, how super human Phelps was in Beijing where he clocked a still-standing world record of 49.82.

The real excitement in this race, however, was watching le Clos (of South Africa) and Evgeny Korotyshkin of Russia touch the wall at the exact same time for?silver.

Meanwhile, there is a campaign afoot to make the 50m freestyle in Swimming what the 100m sprint is in Track and Field: the?premier race?of the sport. The problem is that there is only one style of running; whereas there are four styles of swimming. To be fair, therefore, shouldn?t we have the 50m sprint in backstroke, butterfly, and breaststroke too?

In any event, Florent Manaudou of France won gold; Cullen Jones of the USA, silver; and Cesar Cielo of Brazil, bronze.

MEDAL COUNT: USA: 42, China: 42; Great Britain: 22

Source: http://www.theipinionsjournal.com/2012/08/london-olympics-day-7/

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Goldman Sachs to invest $9.6M in NYC jail program

NEW YORK (AP) ? Goldman Sachs will invest almost $10 million in a city jail program that will produce profits for the investment firm if recidivism rates drop, marking the first U.S. effort of its kind to enlist private investors in financing public social programs, officials said Thursday.

Known as social impact bonds or pay-for-success contracts, such initiatives began in Britain and are in the works in some U.S. state governments. But New York City is the first in the nation to put one together, officials and experts said.

Inmates ages 16 to 18 will receive education, training and counseling intended to reduce the likelihood of them reoffending after their release.

"New York City is continually seeking innovative new ways to tackle the most entrenched problems, and helping young people who land in jail stay out of trouble when they return home is one of the most difficult ? and important ? challenges we face," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a statement.

About 5,000 inmates ages 16 to 18 come through city jails each year, Correction Commissioner Dora B. Schriro said. Nearly half of the adolescents who leave city jails return within one year.

Goldman will provide $9.6 million to pay for the program at the Rikers Island jail complex. The firm will get back the $9.6 million if recidivism dips by 10 percent and as much as $2.1 million in profit if the reoffending rate declines more.

If recidivism doesn't fall by at least 10 percent, Goldman will lose as much as $2.4 million. The mayor's personal foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, is providing a $7.2 million loan guarantee that can be used to repay the rest of Goldman's investment.

"We believe this investment paves the way for a new type of instrument that enables the public sector to leverage upfront funding from the private sector," Goldman CEO Lloyd Blankfein said.

In general, social impact bonds work like this: Private investors put up money for a program with a specific goal. If it's achieved, the government pays back the investors, with a profit. If not, the government pays nothing.

Such bonds offer investors a potential return on their money and give government cash upfront to start a new initiative. And if it succeeds, the theory goes, taxpayers save money, spending less to curb recidivism than to keep jailing repeat offenders, for example.

Among states exploring the concept, Massachusetts is negotiating with two nonprofit groups to finance juvenile justice and homelessness programs.

The approach "offers a way to speed up progress in addressing social problems, to focus attention on improving performance on government-financed social services, and to do so in a way where the taxpayers are on the hook only if the program works," said Jeffrey B. Liebman, a Harvard University public policy professor who wrote a report last year on social-impact bonds.

Some observers have raised concerns about injecting private profit-making into what they consider to be the government's job. Even advocates caution that the approach doesn't suit all social problems.

"This is a mechanism that could potentially mobilize more money to solve more problems in the short term. But we certainly need to be thoughtful about what implication this has in the longer term" about the role of government, said Antony Bugg-Levine, the CEO of the Nonprofit Finance Fund. It leads an effort to share and generate information about social impact bonds and advised New York City on its effort.

___

Follow Jennifer Peltz at http://twitter.com/jennpeltz.

Associated Press

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So what is a Contrary House loan? Since the Ideas - madeinjapan.us

new reverse mortgage rulesJust what is a alter property finance loan? This is the typically requested just by golden-agers and then pre-retired many people attempting to find strategies to enhance their pension cash. Based on a existing piece of writing while in the Houston Post, alter mortgage ?could be considered wise decision designed for retirees,? occasionally as cool as ahead of time property finance loan financial products. Yahoo Dollars as well ?tokens? these kinds of financial products by using staying ?aging owners of your poorhouse.? In the a lot media channels consideration, various customers endure asking yourself so what is a alter property finance loan?

Just what is anewreversemortgagerules.pro Change Home mortgage? Who exactly Qualifies?

Regarding requiring, ?Exactly just what alter property finance loan?? constructing a response is these kinds of financial products are really a wonderful types of property finance loan that permit retirees to help you take examples of the your home home equity. Designed for buyers exactly who nonetheless owe money on some sort of ahead of time house loan, your loan takings enables you to cover his / her classic mortgage loan. Almost every other takings will be presented on the purchaser of hospitality attire single payment, found in monthly payments or perhaps to be a personal line of credit. Such money is tax-free and is made use of nevertheless the purchaser gets fit.

As well as http://newreversemortgagerules.pro offering money, these kinds of financial products have retirees delay payments on charge just up until these expire, offer for sale the house or perhaps reside out in the open of the house for starters month. As it were identify a pair of buyers, both have to kick the bucket before the mortgage loan need to be repaid. As a result even while buyers definitely will nonetheless will need give their apartment owners insurance plans and then residence duty, they could will never need to build another payment to make the unwinding in the resides. This kind of, and also additional cash, will be able to keep golden-agers inside of a much greater position through pension.

Naturally, to get yourself a mortgage loan, retirees have to connect with a lot of experience. Older people need to be a minimum of 62 and cannot have great u . s . arrears. Debtors also needs to have sufficient home equity as part of their your home your loan takings insures his / her already present property finance loan sense of balance. The quantity of home equity retirees really need to qualify definitely will mostly rely upon what their ages are and then residence appeal.

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Common Reasons You May Need an Oral Surgeon | General health

Health and Fitness | General health | * Written by Andrew Stratton | Tuesday, 31 July 2012 06:28 | Word Count: 492

An oral surgeon provides medical treatment to encourage and allow healing within the mouth. These providers are often specialists, though some dentists also offer this service as a part of their standard practice. In all cases, the goal is to have a fresh, healthy smile and one that is going to last for years to come. In some cases, to make that happen, it is necessary to have surgery. If your doctor states that you need this type of help, the first step is to find a professional to help you. Then, you need to understand the reasons for this type of surgery.

Finding a Professional

Look for an oral surgeon that specializes in this type of service. Rather than just a dental care provider, seek out a surgical specialist. This will ensure the doctor has the skills necessary to get your oral health back to the level it needs to be. Keep in mind that you may want to talk about your specific condition and ensure the surgical professional can fix that type of problem.

Wisdom Teeth

There are many reasons to call on these professionals. Wisdom teeth removal is one of the most common. Those who are entering early adulthood often need to have these teeth removed from their mouth due to their poor positioning or crowding of other teeth. In some cases, these teeth can become impacted and painful and in others, they can shift the jawline.

Extracting Teeth

Another common reason for this type of procedure is to extract problem or dead teeth. There are many reasons this can happen, such as the result of trauma or tooth decay that has become severe. Additionally, some people have too many teeth that crowd each other. This fairly common procedure is one to take seriously.
Implants

Sometimes, it is necessary to add teeth, or artificial teeth, to the mouth. Dental implants can fill in gaps and work to improve your cosmetic appearance. However, these can also be a solution for those who want to get rid of bridgework and dentures for a more permanent solution.

Periodontal Gum Disease

In some cases, gum disease becomes so severe that it is necessary to remove or fix bone and tooth decay and loss. This condition can help to add more bone mass to the area to help strengthen a jaw that is weakened from this condition.

Turning to an oral surgeon is often an option when there are significant changes necessary to the mouth. Most procedures are performed in dental offices, but not all dental care professionals provide this type of surgery. Discuss your options and needs with your dentist and then find the surgeons best for your needs.

A good Palmdale oral surgeon?will sit down in the clinic and perform a thorough examination and diagnosis before talking with you about plans for treatment. Find out more at?http://www.bakeroralsurgery.com.

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