Aviary?s Developer Of Peacock Takes Popular Photo Manipulation Tool Independent, Calls It Nodewerk

Aviary isn't done with the news this year. In a nod to power users, it's sending its advanced flash suite off as an independent product. The suite's original developer, Mario Klingemann, is leading the effort and today has relaunched a core part of it, node-based photo manipulator Peacock, as a new AIR download called Nodewerk. You can get it here?and take a look at some of the visual creations from Peacock/Nodewerk by scrolling down here.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/-MqyUYj03Ak/

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VIDEO 1: 'RVtravel.com' Interviews Rex Willet | RV Business

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December 26, 2012 by RV Business? Leave a Comment

RVtravel.com correspondent Chris Dougherty interviews Rex Willett, president of truck camper manufacturer Northstar Campers. The company was founded by Willett?s grandfather and is the oldest truck camper manufacturer in the USA. It specializes in campers for two people while 80% of its models will go on a half ton pickup.

Filed Under: Breaking News
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Source: http://www.rvbusiness.com/2012/12/video-1-rvtravel-com-interviews-rex-willet/

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Health care tax hikes for 2013 may be just a start

WASHINGTON (AP) -- New taxes are coming Jan. 1 to help finance President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. Most people may not notice. But they will pay attention if Congress decides to start taxing employer-sponsored health insurance, one of the options in play if lawmakers can ever agree on a budget deal to reduce federal deficits.

The tax hikes already on the books, taking effect in 2013, fall mainly on people who make lots of money and on the health care industry. But about half of Americans benefit from the tax-free status of employer health insurance. Workers pay no income or payroll taxes on what their employer contributes for health insurance, and in most cases on their own share of premiums as well.

It's the single biggest tax break allowed by the government, outstripping the mortgage interest deduction, the deduction for charitable giving and other better-known benefits. If the value of job-based health insurance were taxed like regular income, it would raise nearly $150 billion in revenue in 2013, according to congressional estimates. By comparison, wiping away the mortgage interest deduction would bring in only about $90 billion.

"If you are looking to raise revenue to pay for tax reform, that is the biggest pot of money of all," said Martin Sullivan, chief economist with Tax Analysts, a nonpartisan publisher of tax information.

It's hard to see how lawmakers can avoid touching health insurance if they want to eliminate loopholes and curtail deductions so as to raise revenue and lower tax rates. Congress probably wouldn't do away with the health care tax break, but limit it in some form. Such limits could be keyed to the cost of a particular health insurance plan, the income level of taxpayers, or a combination.

Many economists think some kind of limit would be a good thing, because it would force consumers to watch costs, and that could help keep health care spending in check. Obama's health law took a tentative step toward limits by imposing a tax on high-value health insurance plans. But that doesn't start until 2018.

Next spring will be three years since Congress passed the health care overhaul, but because of a long phase-in, many of the taxes to finance the plan are only now coming into effect. Medicare spending cuts that help pay for covering the uninsured have started to take effect, but they also are staggered. The law's main benefit, coverage for 30 million uninsured people, will take a little longer. It doesn't start until Jan. 1, 2014.

The biggest tax hike from the health care law has a bit of mystery to it. The legislation calls it a "Medicare contribution," but none of the revenue will go to the Medicare trust fund. Instead, it's funneled into the government's general fund, which does pay the lion's share of Medicare outpatient and prescription costs, but also covers most other things the government does.

The new tax is a 3.8 percent levy on investment income that applies to individuals making more than $200,000 or married couples above $250,000. Projected to raise $123 billion from 2013-2019, it comes on top of other taxes on investment income. And while it does apply to profits from home sales, the vast majority of sellers will not have to worry since another law allows individuals to shield up to $250,000 in gains on their home from taxation. (Married couples can exclude up to $500,000 in home sale gains.)

Investors have already been taking steps to avoid the tax, selling assets this year before it takes effect. The impact of the investment tax will be compounded if Obama and Republicans can't stave off the automatic tax increases scheduled at the end of the year if there's no budget agreement.

High earners will face another new tax under the health care law Jan. 1. It's an additional Medicare payroll tax of 0.9 percent on wage income above $200,000 for an individual or $250,000 for couples. This one does go to the Medicare trust fund.

Donald Marron, director of the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, calls the health care law tax increases medium-sized by historical standards. The center, a joint project of the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute, provides in-depth analysis on tax issues.

They also foreshadow the current debate about raising taxes on people with high incomes. "These were an example of the president winning, and raising taxes on upper-income people," said Marron. "They are going to happen."

Other health care law tax increases taking effect Jan. 1:

? A 2.3 percent sales tax on medical devices used by hospitals and doctors. Industry is trying to delay or repeal the tax, saying it will lead to a loss of jobs. Several economists say manufacturers should be able to pass on most of the cost.

? A limit on the amount employees can contribute to tax-free flexible spending accounts for medical expenses. It's set at $2,500 for 2013, and indexed thereafter for inflation.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/health-care-tax-hikes-2013-080031786.html

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Tips On How To Efficiently Improve Your House - Joe Aldeguer

Anyone needs a little advice in home improvement, even if you are a professional. There are just those projects that you may not be 100% sure of, or techniques that you don?t know about. If this is the case, great advice could be just a click away. Start with this article and learn some great tips about home-improvement today.

If you need a power tool for a short-term project, consider renting one from a home improvement store rather than purchasing it yourself. You will not only save room in your garage or workshop, but you will not be saddled with the maintenance of a tool that you use very infrequently.

Keep your partially used can of drywall compound from drying out between uses! All you have to do scrape and wipe the insides of the can down to the surface of the remaining drywall mud. Next, pour just enough water onto the mud to cover its surface. Before you use it again just pour off the water and it will be as good as new!

If you are unable to pick a paint color because you are not sure how the colors will look in your desired room, purchase a small amount of paint in different colors to test out on the wall. Having a larger color swatch to look at and evaluate in your room?s lighting can help you to make a decision.

Great home-improvement jobs start with great ideas. If you do not know where to start or think that you need help with doing your home improvements, then consult an interior designer to help. They have the knowledge of color schemes, designs, and overall layouts that are trendy and unique to help you with your project.

It is best to paint your home in the spring and fall months. During the winter the air is filled with too much moisture that can cause the paint to take an extended amount of time to dry. During the summer months it can be too hot and cause the paint to blister or bubble.

Upgrade your kitchen to improve home value quickly. Kitchen improvements can be as simple as refreshing paint or wallpaper or as complex as installing new cabinetry, appliances or flooring. You can do most kitchen improvements yourself or contract with a professional for more difficult items. Investing in your kitchen makes your home more enjoyable for yourself and your family, and it also increases the home value should you ever decide to sell your house.

Design a renovation with an eye to creating built-in storage. For example, a broom closet can be reborn into a small pantry, or you can add floor-level shelving to a coat closest for shoes and bags. If you are renovating to sell a home, the benefit of the added storage can be the deciding factor in a buyer?s decision.

Be careful to what degree you personalize your home improvement projects. What appeals to you now may not appeal to potential buyers down the road. The more specialized and substantial your project is, the smaller return on investment you can expect to receive when you sell your home in the future.

In conclusion, home improvement is inevitable for homeowners. Parts of a home may break down and need repair or new additions to a house must be made. Using the tips that were provided in this article, you can tackle your own home improvement needs with ease and keep your home in top shape.

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Source: http://joealdegueronline.com/tips-on-how-to-efficiently-improve-your-house/

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One Direction's Louis Tomlinson's Birthday Plans Include Niall Horan, 'Ted'

1D birthday boy tells MTV News he wants a 'chill' movie night.
By Christina Garibaldi

One Direction's Louis Tomlinson
Photo: Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1699336/one-direction-louis-tomlinson-21st-birthday.jhtml

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Ex-President Bush to spend Christmas in hospital

FILE - In a Tuesday, June 12, 2012 file photo, former President George H.W. Bush, and his wife, former first lady Barbara Bush, arrive for the premiere of HBO's new documentary on his life near the family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine. The 41st president will spend Christmas in a Houston hospital after developing a fever and weakness following a monthlong, bronchitis-like cough. Bush?s spokesman Jim McGrath said Monday, Dec. 24, 2012, that doctors remain ?cautiously optimistic? that he will recover, but they want to keep him in the hospital. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

FILE - In a Tuesday, June 12, 2012 file photo, former President George H.W. Bush, and his wife, former first lady Barbara Bush, arrive for the premiere of HBO's new documentary on his life near the family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine. The 41st president will spend Christmas in a Houston hospital after developing a fever and weakness following a monthlong, bronchitis-like cough. Bush?s spokesman Jim McGrath said Monday, Dec. 24, 2012, that doctors remain ?cautiously optimistic? that he will recover, but they want to keep him in the hospital. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

HOUSTON (AP) ? Former President George H.W. Bush will spend Christmas with his wife and other family members in a Houston hospital after developing a fever and weakness following a monthlong, bronchitis-like cough, his spokesman said Monday.

A hospital spokesman had said the 88-year-old ex-president would be released in time to spend the holiday at home, but that changed after Bush developed a fever.

"He's had a few setbacks. Late last week, he had a few low-energy days followed by a low-grade fever," Jim McGrath, Bush's spokesman in Houston, told The Associated Press. "Doctors still say they are cautiously optimistic, but every time they get over one thing, another thing pops up."

He said the cough that initially brought Bush to the hospital on Nov. 23 is now evident only about once a day, and the fever appears to be under control, although doctors are still working to get the right balance in Bush's medications. No discharge date has been set.

"Given his current condition, doctors just want to hang on to him," McGrath said, adding that he didn't know what had caused the fever.

Bush's wife, Barbara; his son, Neil, and Neil's wife, Maria, are expected to visit on Christmas, McGrath said.

Since he was hospitalized, Bush has been visited by many of his children and grandchildren, including former President George W. Bush, who came twice, and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, McGrath said. With 37 members in the immediate family, Bush has received many emails and phone calls, McGrath said.

Bush, the nation's 41st president, and his wife, Barbara, live in Houston during the winter and spend their summers in a home in Kennebunkport, Maine.

The former president was a naval aviator in World War II ? at one point the youngest in the Navy ? and was shot down over the Pacific. He achieved notoriety in retirement for skydiving on at least three of his birthdays since leaving the White House in 1992.

Being in the hospital for such a long time has not been easy for Bush, who is accustomed to being active, McGrath said. But the president has said he's determined "not to get grumpy about it."

"He's just the most relentlessly positive person," McGrath said, and "he does enjoy joking with the nurses."

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Plushnick-Masti can be followed on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RamitMastiAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-24-US-Bush-Hospitalized/id-d39ede94aa4245568cda1b92c2bbb366

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G Data AntiVirus 2013 review | Privacy PC

Posted by David Balaban on December 24, 2012

G Data AntiVirus 2013 is a streamlined and highly effective solution for everyday security provision.

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Not only does the motto ?Security Made in Germany? being currently used in G Data product marketing imply location aspect of the company profile, it also translates to undoubted reliability. G Data Software AG is a German (Bochum-based) security software vendor with over 25 years of background in the IT protection field, which makes it one of the industry pioneers both in Europe and worldwide. The areas covered include private user and enterprise security, with effective solutions delivering the defenses that have consistently won recognition by international evaluation institutions.

This review is intended to provide a thorough analysis of G Data AntiVirus 2013 product which was made to address private users? security challenges with smart protection instruments conforming to the present-day malware combating trends. Equipped with unique two-engine detection system, cloud technology and system monitoring tools, the software proved to do a great job spotting and safely eliminating viruses, Trojans, rootkits, and the not-yet catalogued threats. Exceeding the regular antivirus strategy, this solution also enhances a number of online security niches such as web surfing, email and e-banking protection. Furthermore, the G Data team by no means neglected the system performance impact nuance, adding custom security / performance balance opportunities and optimization tools including idle scan which gets triggered only when the system is not being used.

We scrutinized G Data AntiVirus 2013 from several essential angles to get a complete product profile that should suffice for the average user to make up their mind.

System Requirements

Operating System:

• Windows XP SP2 and above (32-bit) / Windows Vista (32-bit and 64-bit) / Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit) / Windows 8 (32-bit and 64-bit)

Hardware:

• 1 GB RAM or higher for Windows Vista / Windows 7
• 512 MB RAM or higher for Windows XP

Other Requirements:

• Internet connection for signature and product updates

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Usability

Product setup went generally smooth and fast. Instead of sticking to the stub installer algorithm which is prevalent across the board, the vendor chose to follow the bulk file download, so the longest part of the entire process is the time required for downloading about 350 MB of data. Installation proper is therefore not lengthy, requesting the user to select full or custom setup; pick the opt-in Malware-Feedback that implies agreeing to participate in the G Data Malware Information Initiative; and decide whether automatic signature updates are to be performed hourly. Everything else is pretty usual, including the choice between 30-day trial and commercial version, so no particular skills are required to complete the procedure.

The first impression from the user interface was kind of dubious. On the one hand, it looks a little over-simplistic and old-fashioned ? at least compared with some of the competitor products we tested recently. This might be explained by the fact the 2013 versions of the latter were made to fit into the Windows 8 style. Since G Data AntiVirus 2013 does not fully support all new features of this OS version for the time being (e.g. the new Windows 8 interface), that might be the thing affecting its external manifestation.

On the other hand, the interface is tailored to have everything it takes to manage the program?s functionality and be duly informed about protection status and security related events ? apparently, simplicity is not always a bad thing. The left-hand pane includes licensing information and one really helpful component called ?CPU load? which displays memory usage by G Data and System in separate icons. Security status displayed on the GUI?s home section is another useful feature; moreover, the related issues can be fixed in a single click ? that?s what the ?Correct? button is there for. Program settings and auxiliary options (accessing help, logs and product information, creating rescue CD) are the only two buttons on the top. The main features are concentrated below: those are virus protection, virus signatures, web protection and email check. Digging deeper into the settings didn?t turn out to be a more puzzling experience than exploring the main interface: you mostly get options to select or de-select ? as easy as that.

Now, let?s assign G Data AntiVirus 2013 some tasks and see what it?s like in action. First thing we did was trigger signature update. This process implies updating two engines (A and B), as well as the Whitelist. As long as the Internet connection is active, it goes okay, with no lags or other issues whatsoever.

Next, we ran system scan which sticks to the following sequence: system areas, memory and startup, rootkit check, and virus check proper. The process went generally fine until it reached the ?Virus check? part: it turned out way lengthier than we could have possibly anticipated, with only 30% progress reached in 45 minutes. At this point, it?s fair to remark that we kept the default performance parameters unaltered, while there is an option of customizing security / performance correlation ? in the latter case, if the optimal balance is configured the scan times get reasonable. And yet, it?s kind of frustrating to run into an issue like that with the recommended parameters selected.

Overall system productivity remained virtually unaffected throughout the test, except perhaps the average of 4 seconds added to the boot time. With all the unquestionable strong points, G Data AntiVirus 2013 might obviously do a better job in terms of the scan times. Furthermore, in our humble opinion, GUI upgrade for full Windows 8 compatibility would do the vendor a favor by attracting a broader user base.

Features

In addition to smart virus protection based on the use of two engines, G Data AntiVirus 2013 accommodates some Internet security features to keep you safe when visiting sites, exchanging emails, and banking online. This added value is flattering because it means you get more than just an antivirus. Now, some details.

• AntiVirus Monitor is the core protection feature integrated in this product. Composed of two mutually-enhancing engines, this component serves as a powerful tool for filtering out viruses, rootkits, Trojans, adware, dialers, worms, and other types of malware. Owing to behavior monitoring capability, G Data is constantly on the lookout for suspicious applications running on your machine or attempting to access it. The innovative mix of signature detection and behavior watch makes this software highly sensitive to zero-days, i.e. new threats.
• Security / Performance optimization is about the choices you are entitled to do in terms of tuning your preferred level of protection and system productivity. The default values give you maximum security and medium speed but, as the usability test above showed, that might be a burden for your machine and a test for your nerves, especially when you run full system scan. So the vendor kindly empowers the user to define this balance: for instance, you can manually deactivate one of the engines, or set a custom AntiVirus Monitor mode other than the default ?Check read & write access?.
• Being equipped with the Web Cloud feature, G Data AntiVirus 2013 gets you closer to the safe side of the Internet by applying sophisticated whitelisting mechanism to block suspicious websites and the ones containing obviously malicious components such as corrupt payloads. Furthermore, the utility prevents phishing attacks and monitors instant messenger activity.
• Employing cutting-edge Mail Cloud techniques, G Data virtually nullifies contamination probability via the email channel which is frequently used by scammers these days. The kernel component of this feature is called the OutbreakShield whose objective is to ensure instant protection against email malware outbreaks.
• The main idea of BankGuard is to ensure adequate protection against Banking Trojans designed to steal sensitive financial details and transmit this data to their authors.
• Idle Scan is intended to maintain normal system productivity when you are actively using your computer. In other words, this feature determines when the system is idle and runs automatic scans in these intervals. This functionality can be disabled at any time, just make sure you define regular scheduling in that case.
• Fingerprinting is another remarkable feature aimed at optimizing performance during scans. This means G Data AntiVirus 2013 can memorize every little detail of the tasks it performed on your machine earlier, and intelligently single out some patterns in order to reduce its effort next time without sacrificing efficiency.
• The product is configured by default to perform Hourly Updates of its virus signatures, so you get the privilege of enjoying minty-fresh protection from new malware that is added to the database.
• By creating Boot CD you can clean a malware-infested system without the viruses preventing you. This method enables scanning the PC and eliminating infections prior to Windows launch, making the process smooth, unimpeded, and trouble-free.

Efficiency

Detecting the bad stuff and weeding it out for good are the things G Data is obviously proficient at. Protection thoroughness is reinforced by hourly signature updates, innovative antivirus approach, and a set of online security features comprising web surfing, email and online banking defense.

Looking at independent test results, it?s clear that this software?s main virtue is exceptionally reliable virus detection ? we believe this is largely due to the vendor?s tactic of combining two third-party engines: from Avast! and Bitdefender.

G Data AntiVirus 2013 is on Virus Bulletin?s VB100 list. Furthermore, according to a number of recent tests conducted by the worldwide-known AV-Comparatives, G Data showed 99.9% detection rate, which is the best result out of the set of 15 evaluated products, and hence got Advanced award ? could have been Advanced+ if it weren?t for false alarms that were spotted. In AV-Comparatives? latest Real World Protection Test, the software being reviewed turns out to be one of the 3 best products out of the 21 utilities tested.

The above facts leave no room for doubt with regard to detection accuracy and cleaning capability hard-coded into G Data AntiVirus 2013. In terms of efficiency, it is one of the industry leaders, delivering truly premium protection to private users. The only thing to keep in mind here is the possible nuisance of receiving false positives on normal applications ? well, we guess that?s the flip side of the nearly perfect detection.

Help & Support

This product provides built-in support options accessible through the ?More? drop-down menu in the top right-hand part of its GUI. Additionally, users can fill out G Data service form or browse the top FAQs on their website. For urgent help, G Data EmergencyLine is available ? that?s the vendor?s phone support. We didn?t find online chat with Support representative, which is not critical considering high responsiveness of their help team, yet might be a good idea to implement.

+/- (Pros/Cons)

• Easy to install and use
• High protection scores
• Intelligent performance optimization
• Online security features (web surfing, email, e-banking protection)
• Trial version available
• Reasonable cost

• Somewhat old-fashioned interface
• False positives
• Lengthy full scan with default settings unaltered

Bottom line

G Data AntiVirus 2013 is a great example of how two different detection engines can successfully coexist within one solution and complement each other. Nearly immaculate protection is hence the business card of this software. Moreover, the extent of online security supplied by G Data definitely surpasses the Internet protection scope competing antivirus products offer. When it comes to usability, things aren?t as serene though because you may run into long scan times, and it might take some configuring to adjust the optimal performance mode. This particular issue set aside, G Data AntiVirus 2013 is a streamlined and highly effective solution for everyday security provision.

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Source: http://privacy-pc.com/antivirus-software-review/g-data-antivirus-review.html

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