[Medianews] Nasa: Sky-Mapping Space Telescope Runs Out Of Coolant

[George Antunes]

  NASA sky-mapping telescope runs out of coolant

Associated Press

Oct 4, 2010  4:21 PM (ET)

http://apnews.myway.com//article/20101004/D9IL3EJ83.html


PASADENA, Calif. (AP) - NASA's sky-mapping spacecraft has embarked on a 
new phase in its mission after running out of coolant designed to chill 
its heat-sensitive instruments.

The space agency said Monday two of the telescope's detectors can still 
function at warmer temperatures and will continue to search for 
near-Earth asteroids and comets.

Since launching in 2009, the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or 
WISE, has completed its primary mission to map the entire sky.

WISE has discovered more than 33,500 new asteroids, 19 comets and 
numerous brown dwarfs.

The extended survey is expected to last one to four months.

-- 

George Antunes, Political Science Dept
University of Houston; Houston, TX 77204
Voice: 713-743-3923  Fax: 713-743-3927
Mail: antunes at uh dot edu

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[Medianews] Al Jazeera Says World Cup Broadcast Was Jammed From Jordan

[George Antunes]

  Al Jazeera: World Cup broadcast was jammed from Jordan

By Salma Abdelaziz
CNN.com

October 1, 2010 4:33 p.m. EDT

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/10/01/jordan.qatar.aljazeera/


(CNN) -- Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based satellite TV network, claims its 
live broadcasts of the 2010 FIFA World Cup were jammed from a location 
inside Jordan.

"This resulted in millions of viewers throughout the Middle East and 
North Africa to [sic] suffer from frequent disruptions of the 
broadcast," Al Jazeera said Thursday. The global network said it based 
its accusation on the findings of "teams of independent international 
technology experts" who investigated the interruptions.

A Jordanian government source "categorically denied" Al Jazeera's claim 
and called it "absolutely baseless and unacceptable," according to a 
report by Jordan's official Petra News Agency.

An Al Jazeera spokesperson said: "This action targeted Al Jazeera and 
was intentionally designed to deprive millions of fans across the region 
from enjoying this global event. It is alarming that the source of the 
interruption is in fact from inside the Arab world, and we will be in 
touch with the Jordanian government to demand a full inquiry to uncover 
the details of this incident."

The Jordanian government source, quoted by Petra, responded: "The 
government is ready to cooperate with any team of independent experts to 
examine the facts, and is certain that any such examination will prove 
these allegations false."

Shawn Powers, assistant professor at Georgia State University and 
associate director for The Center for International Media Education, 
told CNN the technology required to carry out jamming of this type and 
scale is highly likely to have been owned by a government -- and used 
with the government's knowledge. According to Powers, Jordan's 
motivation for possibly interrupting Al Jazeera broadcasts could stem 
from the troubled history between Qatar and Jordan.

"It is a bigger deal than just a spat about soccer. It is a way to stop 
the rise of Qatar. Jordan and Qatar are competing nation states for 
influence in the region. By discrediting Al Jazeera -- that's good for 
them [Jordan] because it takes away a potent weapon of the Qatari 
government," Dr. Powers said.

Jordan fist took action against Al Jazeera in 1998 after the network 
accused the Jordanian government of conspiring with Israel against the 
Palestinian territories. Jordan reacted by shutting down Al Jazeera's 
bureau in Amman and recalling the Jordanian ambassador in Qatar. Similar 
spats have taken place with Jordan accusing Al Jazeera of excessive 
criticism of Jordan's King Abdullah and his government.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup was staged in South Africa in June and July.

-- 

George Antunes, Political Science Dept
University of Houston; Houston, TX 77204
Voice: 713-743-3923  Fax: 713-743-3927
Mail: antunes at uh dot edu

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[Medianews] Avail-TVN Eyes TV-Everywhere Expansion With $30 Million Upgrade

[George Antunes]

  Avail-TVN Eyes Expansion With $30 Million Upgrade
Media Services Firm Gears Up for Sports, TV Everywhere and Other Services

By Todd Spangler
Multichannel News

10/4/2010 12:01:00 AM

http://www.multichannel.com/article/457929-Avail_TVN_Eyes_Expansion_With_30_Million_Upgrade.php


Digital-media services firm Avail-TVN plans to pump more than $30 
million into its video-distribution network over the next two years, 
revamping its infrastructure to provide new services and substantially 
more content.

The company's new offerings are to include TV Everywhere services for 
content providers and out-of-market sports packages from the National 
Basketball Association and National Hockey League starting this fall.

Avail-TVN has deals with the NBA and NHL to offer sports packages to 
cable and telco TV providers when their 2010-11 seasons begin this fall, 
and is in talks with other sports leagues, CEO Ramu Potarazu said. On 
that front, the company will be competing with InDemand Networks and 
Comcast Media Center.

As part of the larger upgrade, Avail-TVN is moving to a "super headend" 
(SHE) architecture, which will provide aggregated linear, 
video-on-demand and pay-per-view content from a single source. That, 
according to the company, will improve efficiencies of existing services 
such as quick-turn VOD. In addition, Avail-TVN plans to dramatically 
increase its storage capacity to 5 Petabytes (about 5 million 
Gigabytes), about 30 times its current capacity, to fuel delivery of 
more content to more platforms.

Reston, Va.-based Avail-TVN -- which has more than 300 content and 
service-provider customers -- was formed through IPTV content aggregator 
Avail Media's acquisition last year of VOD provider TVN Entertainment, a 
deal reportedly worth $80 million.

"What we did with the combined company was to say, ‘What should be our 
next-generation platform to provide expanded services to our content 
providers as well as our distribution partners?'" Potarazu said.

While it will continue to distribute live TV via satellite, Avail-TVN 
will adopt a hybrid distribution model that uses both terrestrial fiber 
and satellite distribution to help customers increase capacity and 
streamline costs. The hybrid network also will let the company offer new 
services such as dynamic ad insertion, time-shifting of linear content 
("live-to-VOD") and distributed storage.

So far this year, the company has increased the amount of HD content 
available by more than 130% and VOD assets by 67%, and began rolling out 
MPEG-4 linear video services with cable MSOs throughout North America. 
Avail-TVN currently provides 300 SD and 60 HD feeds in MPEG-4, and with 
the super headend architecture will be able to offer those services the 
cable operators across its entire footprint.

Avail-TVN in the fourth quarter of 2010 plans to introduce the 
out-of-market sports packages, as well as local, customized pay-per-view 
playout and 3D programming. New services for content providers are to 
include more comprehensive content preparation and TV Everywhere support 
with a centralized authentication service.

New services on tap for the first half of 2011 include 
multiplatform-enabled ingestion, storage, management and distribution of 
content to multiple devices from a single source.

-- 

George Antunes, Political Science Dept
University of Houston; Houston, TX 77204
Voice: 713-743-3923  Fax: 713-743-3927
Mail: antunes at uh dot edu

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[Medianews] A Competitive Guide To Broadband Video

[George Antunes]

  Over the Top Assault
A Competitive Guide To Broadband Video

Todd Spangler
Multichannel News

10/4/2010 12:01:00 AM

http://www.multichannel.com/article/457989-Over_the_Top_Assault.php


Don't expect subscription TV services to get swept to their doom by an 
Internet hurricane anytime soon. Today, Internet-connected TV services 
are supplemental to — not a replacement for — cable TV.

But there’s a steadily rising tide of “over-the-top” video services and 
devices that could make life uncomfortable for cable, satellite and 
telco TV providers by piping content directly to the big flat-screen in 
the living room. These include new initiatives from tech behemoths Apple 
and Google and a stepped-up focus by Netflix to expand its lineup of 
on-demand TV shows and movies.

Even if Internet-distributed content doesn’t fully destroy the pay TV 
model, it threatens to chew away at the edges of what is now a mature 
business by driving consumers to lower-priced tiers. And the landscape 
could change dramatically if U.S. regulators adopt rules forcing 
programmers to license content to online distributors.

“When incumbents are challenged by a credible alternative, they lose 
market share,” said Will Richmond, industry analyst and VideoNuze 
publisher. “New choices will always lead to some fragmentation in the 
market.”

Among industry execs sounding the alarm: Verizon Communications chairman 
and CEO Ivan Seidenberg, who believes Internet video distribution will 
become a big problem.

“Cable has some life left in its model … The bundled offering of 300 or 
400 channels is the only way customers can buy that [content],” he said 
at a Goldman Sachs investor conference last month. “But that’s going to 
get disintermediated over the next several years.”

Below: a table outlining major broadband-to-the-TV options available 
today, and how likely they are — or aren’t — to siphon off subscribers 
of traditional TV service.

SERVICES

Product/Technology: Amazon Video on Demand
How Does It Work?: 50,000-plus TV shows and movies, available via 
streaming to PCs, several Internet-connected TVs, Blu-ray Disk players, 
set-tops, game consoles
Pricing & Availability: TV shows $0.99-$2.99 per episode to rent or own 
(some free); available now
Partners *: Sony, Panasonic, Roku, TiVo, Samsung, major studios and networks
Cord-Cutter Outlook: A la carte model has narrower appeal than 
subscriptions; no live-TV programming
Probability of Success = Low

Product/Technology: iTunes
How Does It Work?: iTunes Store off ers 65,000-plus TV shows and 
10,000-plus movies for rent or purchase
Pricing & Availability: TV shows to rent for $0.99 or purchase; HD 
movies to rent for $3.99; available now
Partners *: ABC/Disney, Fox, BBC America for rentals; major studios and 
networks
Cord-Cutter Outlook: No live TV; 99-cent next-day rentals don't have 
wide support
Low

Product/Technology: Google TV
How Does It Work?: Allows users to search for and access linear TV 
listings, YouTube and other Internet video and run Internet-based 
applications on TV
Pricing & Availability: To be determined; devices scheduled to ship fall 
2010
Partners *: Sony, Dish Network, Logitech, Best Buy
Cord-Cutter Outlook: Initial approach is to enhance existing TV services 
and provide expanded access to Net video
Very Low

Product/Technology: Hulu
How Does It Work?: Free Web content includes 2,600 current primetime TV 
shows and 1,000 movies; premium service Hulu Plus available on various 
devices
Pricing & Availability: Hulu Plus: $9.99/mo.; currently in private beta
Partners *: Sony 225 content providers, including owners NBC, Fox and ABC
Cord-Cutter Outlook: Content is largely broadcast shows; no live sports 
or news; may be "good enough" for some at an attractive price point
Low to Medium

Product/Technology: Netflix
How Does It Work?: 20,000-plus movies and TV shows available to stream 
to more than 100 devices, including many TVs, Blu-Ray disc players
Pricing & Availability: Subscription plans start at $8.99/mo.; available now
Partners *: TiVo, Roku, Sony, LG, Panasonic, Apple, Nintendo Wii, 
Microsoft Xbox, Best Buy Insignia
Cord-Cutter Outlook: Content still lags availability on TV; no live TV 
(except Starz's linear channel on PCs) but model could incorporate live 
events
Low to Medium

Product/Technology: Wal-Mart's Vudu
How Does It Work?: 3,000-plus HD streaming movies on demand, many 
available in 1080p HD, through compatible Internet-connected TV
Pricing & Availability: Rentals $0.99-$5.99; purchases $4.99-$24.99
Partners *: LG, Samsung, Sharp, Toshiba, Vizio; major movie studios
Cord-Cutter Outlook: Content catalog is mostly movies; aimed at high-end 
niche
Very low

DEVICES

Product/Technology: Apple TV
How Does It Work?: Small Internet set-top provides streaming access to 
rentals of TV shows and movies, plus Netflix, YouTube, purchased iTunes 
content
Pricing & Availability: $99; was to start shipping September
Partners *: ABC/Disney, Fox, BBC America 

[Medianews] Fox Pulls Plug on Dish

[George Antunes]

  Fox Pulls Plug on Dish

By Mike Farrell
Multichannel News

10/4/2010 12:01:00 AM

http://www.multichannel.com/article/458028-Fox_Pulls_Plug_on_Dish.php


Fox Networks pulled the plug on a number of networks last week, leaving 
14.3 million Dish Network customers in the middle of an increasingly 
contentious carriage dispute that could set the tone for higher stakes 
retransmissionconsent negotiations next month.

The status of the negotiations as of press time is in flux, and a deal 
could be reached at any moment.

Given Dish’s track record in carriage disputes, that could mean a deal 
could be reached in a few days, a few weeks or never.

The deadline to reach a deal for FX, National Geographic Channel and 19 
Fox Sports Net regional sports channels came and went at midnight (PT) 
on Oct. 1. As both sides traded barbs, Dish concentrated on the 
exorbitant 50%-plus rate increases it claims the broadcaster is 
demanding (and which Fox predictably denies), while News Corp.-owned Fox 
focused on its desire to be fairly compensated.

While neither side would give specifics, SNL Kagan estimates that FX 
receives average monthly carriage fees per subscriber of 43 cents and 
Nat Geo of about 21 cents. Fees for the sports networks range from 52 
cents to $2.88 per subscriber per month, according to Kagan data.

“Dish Network is not going to allow Fox or any programmer to bully our 
customers into paying such an unconscionable price increase,” Dish 
senior vice president of programming Dave Shull said in a statement.

In the meantime, Dish said it is making several channels available to 
its customers at no additional charge during the dispute, including HD 
Net Movies, HD Theater, NBA TV, NFL Network, NHL Network, and several 
other regional sports networks.

Fox countered that it is only asking for fair compensation for its 
networks. And it warned that Dish subscribers could face the same 
problems with its Fox broadcast and MyNetwork TV stations come Nov. 1, 
when their retransmission-consent deals expire with the satellite giant.

“The proposal we’ve offered Dish is fair and in line with the tremendous 
value we provide,” Fox said in a statement. “We regret the inconvenience 
to our viewers, but Dish has asserted its subscribers do not value our 
channels and has made a decision to go forward without them.”

Fox encouraged Dish customers to vist its www.getwhatipaidfor.com 
website for more information.

Among Fox’s recommendations on the site is for Dish subscribers to 
switch to DirecTV, FiOS, AT&T U-Verse or their local cable operator.

Fox and Dish both have a history of tough negotiations over carriage 
agreements. The programmer had a high-profile retrans battles with Time 
Warner Cable in January and is currently in negotiations with 
Cablevision Systems.

Dish has not been afraid to allow networks to fall off in past 
negotiations — about 10 Viacom cable networks, including MTV and 
Nickelodeon, and 15 CBS broadcast stations went dark for two days on 
Dish in 2004; and Lifetime channels met the same fate for several weeks 
in 2006. And the No. 2 satellite carrier has never carried YES Network, 
the regional sports channel carrying New York Yankees baseball games.

This year, Fuse network fell from the satellite giant’s lineup in July 
and HD feeds for Disney Channel, Disney XD, ESPNews and ABC Family all 
fell off in June and remain so.

While Dish may seem to have the upper hand in the current carriage fight 
— the upcoming Major League Baseball playoffs will be on other channels 
— it could be in for a battle come November. By that time, Fox 
Broadcasting stations will be well into Major League Baseball’s World 
Series (beginning Oct. 27) and weekend airings of National Football 
League games.

According to www.getwhatipaidfor.com, Dish customers in 18 markets — 
including New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Detroit and 
Philadelphia — could lose access to Fox owned-and-operated stations in 
those areas. Fox said it continues to negotiate with Dish and is 
“working hard to reach an agreement.”

In a separate dispute, MSG Networks pulled its New York regional sports 
channels MSG and MSG Plus from Dish on Oct. 1, after the two reached a 
stalemate in negotiations. And though the networks are different, the 
arguments on both sides are the same — Dish thinks it’s paying too much 
and MSG thinks it isn’t getting paid enough.

-- 

George Antunes, Political Science Dept
University of Houston; Houston, TX 77204
Voice: 713-743-3923  Fax: 713-743-3927
Mail: antunes at uh dot edu

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[Medianews] New Fall TV Shows Fail To Stand Out In Ratings

[George Antunes]

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-tv-premiere-20101004,0,5743111.story

New TV shows fail to stand out in ratings
None of the broadcast networks' rookie series has cracked the top 10, 
and 'Lone Star' and 'My Generation' have bitten the dust. But returning 
programs and NFL games have fared well.

By Scott Collins
Los Angeles Times

October 4, 2010


Some programs this fall are delivering very strong ratings. Just not new 
programs. If TV executives want encouragement from the numbers, they 
have to turn to football and returning series.

Two weeks into the fall TV season, the broadcast networks have gotten 
off to one of their most sluggish starts ever. For the first time in at 
least five years, not a single new show has cracked the top 10 either 
among total viewers or the advertising-friendly demographic of adults 
aged 18 to 49, according to the Nielsen Co. Even CBS' remake of "Hawaii 
Five-0," with its familiar brand name and 10 p.m. Monday time slot, has 
failed to sizzle and has tumbled compared with "CSI: Miami" last year.

Then there are the outright bombs. After two airings Fox axed its 
critically acclaimed drama about a Texas con man, "Lone Star." A pair of 
episodes was likewise all it took for ABC to yank the critically 
unheralded youth soap "My Generation." Industry watchers predict that 
ABC's legal drama "The Whole Truth" and NBC's Jimmy Smits vehicle 
"Outlaw" will be next on the road to oblivion. As a result, Fox — the 
No. 1 network among young adults for several years running — and ABC 
both saw their premiere-week ratings slide by double digits compared 
with a year ago.

As is customary, poor marketing has been cited as a factor in the demise 
of some new shows, especially "Lone Star." In that case, network 
promotion experts were presented the difficult task of trying to 
persuade a recession-weary public to care about a hotshot young crook 
who two-timed his wife and bilked people out of their life savings.

But there may be a simpler explanation: The new shows just aren't that 
good. Even before the season started, TV executives and critics alike 
grumbled that the freshman class lacked any series with breakout 
potential. Viewers seem to agree, at least so far.

"There simply weren't many shows with positive preseason buzz," said 
Steve Sternberg, a veteran TV analyst who writes a subscription-based 
newsletter for media buyers. "I keep reading how the press is surprised 
about 'Lone Star,' but I don't know a single one of my peers who thought 
it would do well."

The legacy networks also face a tougher job these days because cable 
rivals now churn out so much original programming during the summer, 
blunting the effect of the broadcasters' marketing push. In July, TNT's 
"Rizzoli & Isles" — the kind of star-driven crime franchise broadcasters 
used to own exclusively — set a record as the most-watched cable series 
launch ever, with 7.6 million total viewers.

"Fewer and fewer people are watching each broadcast net during the 
summer," Sternberg said. "Their stubborn refusal to cross-promote one 
another's shows, as cable has done so effectively for years, is the main 
reason ratings aren't higher for new shows. I'll bet that most people 
never even heard of more than two or three of the new series."

Yet while the new shows have clearly disappointed, there are still 
positive signs for the networks. Chief among them: The overall erosion 
in viewership for broadcast TV appears to be slowing at last. The five 
over-the-air, English-language networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and CW) are 
still down in total viewers compared with year-ago figures, but it's by 
the smallest amount — 2% — in at least four seasons.

Viewers have turned out in droves for favorite returning shows, such as 
Fox's high school musical "Glee," which is soaring to record ratings in 
its second season. Meanwhile, NFL games on CBS, NBC and Fox, as well as 
ESPN, are hitting all-time highs.

"Many viewers opted for familiar favorites versus the newbies that 
launched against them," said Shari Anne Brill, an independent media 
analyst who pointed to the hard-fought battleground of 9 p.m. Mondays, 
where "Lone Star" got crushed against ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" and 
CBS' comedy block.

CBS has done a particularly good job of hanging on to its audience. 
Ratings for its premiere week were flat compared with last year's among 
young adults, even though it took a big hit by downgrading " CSI: NY" to 
Friday nights. One savvy move that paid off was switching the hit sitcom 
"The Big Bang Theory" from Mondays to Thursdays, giving the network a 
successful comedy block on the latter night for the first time in decades.

NBC was the only network to show premiere-week growth, up 11% in young 
adults. True, much of that was due to last year's disastrous experiment 
putting Jay Leno in prime time, which made it relatively easy to put up 
better numbers this time around.

And it's far too early to count 

[Medianews] A Code for Chaos

[George Antunes]

  October 2, 2010

A Code for Chaos
By JOHN MARKOFF
NY Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/03/weekinreview/03markoff.html?ref=technology&pagewanted=print


IN June, a Belarus-based computer security firm identified a new 
computer malware program, Stuxnet, which was repeatedly crashing the 
computers of one of its clients. Then, last month, a German security 
researcher suggested that the program’s real target might be the Iranian 
nuclear program — and that clues in the coding suggested that Israel was 
the creator. Since then, there has been growing alarm about the worm, as 
its target and sophistication have become more apparent. The code has 
appeared in many countries, notably China, India, Indonesia and Iran. It 
appears designed to attack a certain type of Siemens industrial control 
computer, used widely to manage oil pipelines, electrical power grids 
and many kinds of nuclear plants. The question is: Just how dangerous 
has this worm and cyberwarfare become?

How widespread is cyberwarfare?

A 2007 F.B.I. report asserted that 108 countries had at least some 
offensive cyberwarfare capabilities. And there has been widespread 
speculation that a secret cyberwar “arms race” is under way as a number 
of countries build sophisticated software and hardware attack 
capabilities. Most recent wars and military engagements, like Russia’s 
quarrel with Estonia in 2007 or with Georgia in 2008, have been 
accompanied by a “cyberwar” engagement, in which government and 
financial Web sites have been targeted.

What was the earliest case of cyberwarfare?

In his book “At the Abyss,” Thomas C. Reed, a former secretary of the 
Air Force, described a software program known as a Trojan horse, in 
which industrial control software was covertly added by the United 
States to equipment being shipped to the Soviet Union from Canada. When 
the equipment was installed in a trans-Siberian gas pipeline in June 
1982, it suddenly went haywire, touching off a huge explosion and fire, 
according to Mr. Reed.

Another episode in January 1990, the collapse of AT&T’s long-distance 
network, also raised suspicions of sabotage.

But security experts have been concerned about potential cyberattacks 
since the 1970s, during the early days of the Arpanet, an experimental, 
military-financed research network that was the predecessor to the 
Internet. There was great concern about a network connection — a now 
old-fashioned 9600 baud modem — that had been installed by scientific 
researchers linking Moscow and the United States, via a mathematics 
research center in Vienna. When national security officials discovered 
the link, financing to the center was canceled.

How is Stuxnet different?

Stuxnet is the first widely analyzed malware program that is intended to 
jump from Windows-based computers to a specialized system used for 
controlling industrial equipment, like electric power grids, 
manufacturing plants, gas pipelines, dams and power plants. Previously, 
most high-profile cyberattacks have focused on Web sites and corporate 
or military networks.

At least, that’s true when it comes to proven cyberattacks. But there 
has also been speculation about episodes that could have been caused by 
sabotage. For example, The Los Angeles Times reported in 2001 that 
intrusions into the network that controlled the electrical grid were 
traced to someone in Guangdong Province, China. Later reports of other 
electric grid attacks have often included allegations that the break-ins 
were orchestrated by the Chinese, although no proof has been produced.

In the case of Stuxnet, what are arguments for and against Israel’s 
involvement?

Ralph Langner, a German security researcher, was the first to point out 
that it appeared that the Stuxnet program had been tailored to attack a 
nuclear facility or a uranium enrichment plant. And several hints in the 
code suggest Israeli authorship, including a possible allusion to the 
Book of Esther, which describes Jewish retaliation against a Persian 
threat, and a number — 19790509 — that appears to refer to the date of 
the execution of an Iranian Jew by a firing squad in Tehran.

But many military and intelligence analysts, including several with 
direct knowledge of Israeli intelligence operations, have said it is 
unlikely that either an Israeli or United States operation would leave 
such blatant clues. That leaves the possibility that someone wanted to 
plant evidence pointing incorrectly to Israeli involvement. Most 
computer security specialists say the authorship of the program may 
never be discovered.

What kind of attack do computer security experts fear most?

There has been widespread fear about attacks that jam or damage large 
financial networks, the electric power grid, power plants, 
transportation systems or any of the modern infrastructure underlying 
industrial economies.

In many cases, the first step in securing these systems has been to 
insure that they are entirely separated 

[Medianews] Highway Patrol: Announcer Art Gilmore dies at 98

[George Antunes]

  [Note that later in life he was a volunteer reader for Recording for 
the Blind.]

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-adv-art-gilmore-20101002,0,6239749.story

Art Gilmore dies at 98; announcer was a familiar voice on radio, TV, 
movie trailers
'Amos 'n' Andy' on radio and 'The Red Skelton Show' on television were 
among his many gigs, which also included more than 2,700 movie previews.

By Dennis McLellan
Los Angeles Times

October 2, 2010


Art Gilmore, who launched his more than 60-year career as an announcer 
in the 1930s and became a widely recognized voice on radio, television, 
commercials, documentaries and movie trailers, has died. He was 98.

Gilmore died Sept. 25 of age-related causes at a convalescent care 
center near his home in Irvine, said his nephew, Robb Weller.

"He was one of an elite corps of radio and television announcers, a 
voice that everyone in America recognized because it was ubiquitous," 
film critic and show business historian Leonard Maltin told The Times 
this week.

"For at least 20 years, if you listened to radio, watched TV or went to 
the movies, you couldn't help but hear Art Gilmore's voice," said 
Maltin. "It wasn't especially deep like some announcers, but it had 
authority, command and yet also a kind of friendliness. I think it was 
an all-American voice."

Among the highlights of Gilmore's long and prolific career:

On radio, he was the announcer on shows such as "Amos 'n' Andy," "Dr. 
Christian," "Red Ryder" and "The Sears Radio Theater."

Moving to television in the 1950s, he was the announcer for "The George 
Gobel Show," and he began a 16-season stint as the announcer on "The Red 
Skelton Show." He was also the narrator on the TV series "Mackenzie's 
Raiders," "Men of Annapolis" and "Highway Patrol," for which he intoned:

"Whenever the laws of any state are broken, each state has a duly 
authorized organization that swings into action. It may be called the 
state militia or the state police or the highway patrol. These are the 
stories of the men whose training, skill and courage have enforced and 
preserved our state laws."

On both radio and television, Gilmore's voice was heard introducing and 
concluding "The World Tomorrow," a church-sponsored program with Herbert 
W. Armstrong and later his son, Garner Ted Armstrong.

Moviegoers also heard Gilmore's voice on more than 2,700 movie trailers, 
including those for " It's a Wonderful Life," "The Best Years of Our 
Lives," "Rear Window," "Shane," "Creature From the Black Lagoon" and the 
original "Ocean's 11."

Among the odds and ends of a career that included narrating children's 
records and serving as national spokesman for Chrysler: Gilmore was the 
voice of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1942 movie "Yankee 
Doodle Dandy."

Weller, a television host and producer, said his Uncle Art served as his 
mentor, beginning in the late '50s.

"When I was a kid, 8 or 9, I'd go with him to CBS Television City, where 
he was announcing 'Red Skelton,' and sit right in the booth with him," 
recalled Weller, noting that Gilmore was a stickler for precise 
pronunciation and always kept a dictionary by his side.

"Art always said the word tells you how to say it," said Weller. "If 
it's an exciting word, it's exciting. If it's a morose word, you say it 
in a lower tone. So when he did [the trailers for] 'It's a Wonderful 
Life,' it's up and fun; and when he did 'Seven Days in May,' it was down 
and serious and foreboding.

"I think his ability to vary his reads and give the studios what they 
wanted was his key to doing so many of these trailers."

Gilmore was born in Tacoma, Wash. on March 18, 1912. While studying 
speech at what is now Washington State University, he became an 
announcer on the campus radio station. He left school in 1935 and became 
staff announcer at KOL in Seattle.

Moving to Los Angeles in 1936, he became a staff announcer at KFWB and 
soon went to work at the CBS-owned KNX.

After serving as an officer in the Navy in the Pacific during World War 
II, Gilmore resumed his career, which included serving as the narrator 
of the Joe McDoakes comedy shorts starring George O'Hanlon. He also 
occasionally worked as an actor on "Dragnet," "Adam-12" and other shows.

Gilmore served as the national president of the American Federation of 
Television and Radio Artists from 1961 to 1963 and was the founding 
president of Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters.

 From 1973 through 2005, Gilmore volunteered reading textbooks for the 
Los Angeles unit of Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic and served as a 
board member from 1980 to 1984.

A resident of Sherman Oaks for 65 years, Gilmore moved to Irvine five 
years ago.

His survivors include his wife of 72 years, Grace; his daughters, 
Marilyn Gilmore and Barbara McCoy; two grandchildren; and four great 
grandchildren.

-- 
=
George Antunes  Voice (713) 743-3923
Associate Professor Fax   (713) 

[Medianews] No laps for warm laptops; skin damage is possible

[Williams, Gregory S. (Oak Ridge)]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101004/ap_on_he_me/us_med_laptop_toasted_sk
in

By LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner, Ap Medical Writer -
2 hrs 37 mins ago
CHICAGO - Have you ever worked on your laptop computer with it sitting
on your lap, heating up your legs? If so, you might want to rethink that
habit.

Doing it a lot can lead to "toasted skin syndrome," an unusual-looking
mottled skin condition caused by long-term heat exposure, according to
medical reports.

In one recent case, a 12-year-old boy developed a sponge-patterned skin
discoloration on his left thigh after playing computer games a few hours
every day for several months.

"He recognized that the laptop got hot on the left side; however,
regardless of that, he did not change its position," Swiss researchers
reported in an article published Monday in the journal Pediatrics.

Another case involved a Virginia law student who sought treatment for
the mottled discoloration on her leg.

Dr. Kimberley Salkey, who treated the young woman, was stumped until she
learned the student spent about six hours a day working with her
computer propped on her lap. The temperature underneath registered 125
degrees.

That case, from 2007, is one of 10 laptop-related cases reported in
medical journals in the past six years.

The condition also can be caused by overuse of heating pads and other
heat sources that usually aren't hot enough to cause burns. It's
generally harmless but can cause permanent skin darkening. In very rare
cases, it can cause damage leading to skin cancers, said the Swiss
researchers, Drs. Andreas Arnold and Peter Itin from University Hospital
Basel. They do not cite any skin cancer cases linked to laptop use, but
suggest, to be safe, placing a carrying case or other heat shield under
the laptop if you have to hold it in your lap.

Salkey, an assistant dermatology professor at Eastern Virginia Medical
School, said that under the microscope, the affected skin resembles skin
damaged by long-term sun exposure.

Major manufacturers including Apple, Hewlett Packard and Dell warn in
user manuals against placing laptops on laps or exposed skin for
extended periods of time because of the risk for burns.

A medical report several years ago found that men who used laptops on
their laps had elevated scrotum temperatures. If prolonged, that kind of
heat can decrease sperm production, which can potentially lead to
infertility. Whether laptop use itself can cause that kind of harm
hasn't been confirmed.

In the past, "toasted skin syndrome" has occurred in workers whose jobs
require being close to a heat source, including bakers and glass
blowers, and, before central heating, in people who huddled near
potbellied stoves to stay warm.

Dr. Anthony J. Mancini, dermatology chief at Children's Memorial
Hospital in Chicago, said he'd treated a boy who developed the condition
from using a heating pad "hours at a time" to soothe a thigh injured in
soccer. Mancini said he'd also seen a case caused by a hot water bottle.

He noted that chronic, prolonged skin inflammation can potentially
increase chances for squamous cell skin cancer, which is more aggressive
than the most common skin cancer. But Mancini said it's unlikely
computer use would lead to cancer since it's so easy to avoid prolonged
close skin contact with laptops.
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[Medianews] Actor shot during performance of Passion

[Williams, Gregory S. (Oak Ridge)]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-news/8040230/Actor-sh
ot-during-performance-of-Passion.html

A West End musical has been suspended after an actor was apparently shot
in the face by accident during an on-stage duel.

By Victoria Ward
Published: 11:00PM BST 03 Oct 2010

A West End musical has been suspended after an actor was apparently shot
in the face by accident during an on-stage duel.

Stephen Sondheim's Passion was immediately cancelled after the incident
which occurred during a matinee performance on Saturday.

Actor David Birrell, 35, who plays Colonel Ricci in the musical, was
rushed from the Donmar Warehouse theatre to hospital with a serious eye
injury.

He was taking part in a scene in which his character challenged another
to a duel.

But it is understood that there was a fault with the gun used on stage,
which was meant to fire blanks.

Audience members were not necessarily aware of what had happened as Mr
Birrell's character was shot by another character in the scene.

London Ambulance Service was called to the scene at 4.15pm and confirmed
they had attended a 35-year-old man who was then taken to University
College Hospital.

Eyewitnesses said they saw the actor being carried to an ambulance
"looking shaken" and with his right eye bandaged following the show.

Audience members were told that Saturday's performance was cancelled but
no reasons were given.

The Donmar does not carry understudies so there was no cover available.

Theatre staff are investigating the incident in a bid to determine what
happened.

But online blogs and Twitter were last night abuzz with news of the
accident.

Simon Bailey, the actor who plays Lieutenant Torasso in Passion,
tweeted: "Thank you all, we had an incident this eve, I won't divulge,
but keep good thoughts for my friend please fellow twits xx"

Another Tweeter, WestEndWhingers, wrote: "Did they both reach for the
gun? Passion cancelled due to firearms accident apparently. Hope actor's
OK."

One user of Musical Theatre News blogspot said: "It seems there was a
problem with a gun."

A Donmar spokesman confirmed the actor had suffered an eye injury but
said they were still looking into what happened.

He said: "During the matinee performance of Passion on Saturday David
Birrell sustained an injury to his eye for which he is currently being
treated in hospital.

"Our priorities are to David's well being and recovery; and to
theatregoers who have purchased tickets for performances in the coming
days."

The spokesman confirmed that all performances were cancelled until
Wednesday and that patrons would be refunded.

It is hoped the musical will resume on Thursday although it was unclear
whether Mr Birrell would be taking part.

Mr Birrell is stage veteran and starred in Monty Python's Spamalot. He
has also had roles in TV shows including Coronation Street, Midsomer
Murders, Heartbeat and The Bill.
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[Medianews] The 2010 Ig Nobel Prize Winners

[Monty Solomon]

http://improbable.com/ig/winners/#ig2010

The 2010 Ig Nobel Prize Winners

The 2010 Ig Nobel Prizes were awarded on Thursday night, 
September 30, at the 20th First Annual Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony, 
at Harvard's Sanders Theatre. The ceremony was webcast live. 
Video will be posted soon.


ENGINEERING PRIZE: Karina Acevedo-Whitehouse and Agnes Rocha-Gosselin 
of the Zoological Society of London, UK, and Diane Gendron of 
Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Baja California Sur, Mexico, for 
perfecting a method to collect whale snot, using a remote-control 
helicopter.

REFERENCE: "A Novel Non-Invasive Tool for Disease Surveillance of 
Free-Ranging Whales and Its Relevance to Conservation Programs," 
Karina Acevedo-Whitehouse, Agnes Rocha-Gosselin and Diane Gendron, 
Animal Conservation, vol. 13, no. 2, April 2010, pp. 217-25.

WHO ATTENDED THE CEREMONY: Karina Acevedo-Whitehouse, Agnes 
Rocha-Gosselin, Diane Gendron

MEDICINE PRIZE: Simon Rietveld of the University of Amsterdam, The 
Netherlands, and Ilja van Beest of Tilburg University, The 
Netherlands, for discovering that symptoms of asthma can be treated 
with a roller-coaster ride.

REFERENCE: "Rollercoaster Asthma: When Positive Emotional Stress 
Interferes with Dyspnea Perception," Simon Rietveld and Ilja van 
Beest, Behaviour Research and Therapy, vol. 45, 2006, pp. 977-87.

WHO ATTENDED THE CEREMONY: Simon Rietveld and Ilja van Beest

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PRIZE: Toshiyuki Nakagaki, Atsushi Tero, 
Seiji Takagi, Tetsu Saigusa, Kentaro Ito, Kenji Yumiki, Ryo Kobayashi 
of Japan, and Dan Bebber, Mark Fricker of the UK, for using slime 
mold to determine the optimal routes for railroad tracks.

REFERENCE: "Rules for Biologically Inspired Adaptive Network Design," 
Atsushi Tero, Seiji Takagi, Tetsu Saigusa, Kentaro Ito, Dan P. 
Bebber, Mark D. Fricker, Kenji Yumiki, Ryo Kobayashi, Toshiyuki 
Nakagaki, Science, Vol. 327. no. 5964, January 22, 2010, pp. 439-42.

[NOTE: THE FOLLOWING ARE CO-WINNERS BOTH THIS YEAR AND IN 2008 when 
they were awarded an Ig Nobel Prize for demonstrating that slime 
molds can solve puzzles: Toshiyuki Nakagaki, Ryo Kobayashi, Atsushi 
Tero]

WHO ATTENDED THE CEREMONY: Toshiyuki Nakagaki, Kentaro Ito, Atsushi 
Tero, Mark Fricker, Dan Bebber

PHYSICS PRIZE: Lianne Parkin, Sheila Williams, and Patricia Priest of 
the University of Otago, New Zealand, for demonstrating that, on icy 
footpaths in wintertime, people slip and fall less often if they wear 
socks on the outside of their shoes.

REFERENCE: "Preventing Winter Falls: A Randomised Controlled Trial of 
a Novel Intervention," Lianne Parkin, Sheila Williams, and Patricia 
Priest, New Zealand Medical Journal. vol. 122, no, 1298, July 3, 
2009, pp. 31-8.

WHO ATTENDED THE CEREMONY: Lianne Parkin

PEACE PRIZE: Richard Stephens, John Atkins, and Andrew Kingston of 
Keele University, UK, for confirming the widely held belief that 
swearing relieves pain.

REFERENCE: "Swearing as a Response to Pain," Richard Stephens, John 
Atkins, and Andrew Kingston, Neuroreport, vol. 20 , no. 12, 2009, pp. 
1056-60.

WHO ATTENDED THE CEREMONY: Richard Stephens

PUBLIC HEALTH PRIZE: Manuel Barbeito, Charles Mathews, and Larry 
Taylor of the Industrial Health and Safety Office, Fort Detrick, 
Maryland, USA, for determining by experiment that microbes cling to 
bearded scientists.

REFERENCE: "Microbiological Laboratory Hazard of Bearded Men," Manuel 
S. Barbeito, Charles T. Mathews, and Larry A. Taylor, Applied 
Microbiology, vol. 15, no. 4, July 1967, pp. 899-906. 


WHO ATTENDED THE CEREMONY: Manuel S. Barbeito was unable to travel, 
due to health reasons. A representative read his acceptance speech 
for him.

ECONOMICS PRIZE: The executives and directors of Goldman Sachs, AIG, 
Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns, Merrill Lynch, and Magnetar for 
creating and promoting new ways to invest money - ways that maximize 
financial gain and minimize financial risk for the world economy, or 
for a portion thereof.

CHEMISTRY PRIZE: Eric Adams of MIT, Scott Socolofsky of Texas A&M 
University, Stephen Masutani of the University of Hawaii, and BP 
[British Petroleum], for disproving the old belief that oil and water 
don't mix.

REFERENCE: "Review of Deep Oil Spill Modeling Activity Supported by 
the Deep Spill JIP and Offshore Operator's Committee. Final Report," 
Eric Adams and Scott Socolofsky, 2005.



WHO ATTENDED THE CEREMONY: Eric Adams, Scott Socolofsky, and Stephen Masutani

MANAGEMENT PRIZE: Alessandro Pluchino, Andrea Rapisarda, and Cesare 
Garofalo of the University of Catania, Italy, for demonstrating 
mathematically that organizations would become more efficient if they 
promoted people at random.

REFERENCE: "The Peter Principle Revisited: A Computational Study," 
Alessandro Pluchino, Andrea Rapisarda, and Cesare Garofalo, Physica 
A, vol. 389, no. 3, February 2010, pp. 467-72.

WHO ATTENDED T