Is This the Entrance to Heaven or a Deep Space Lighthouse? [Astronomy]

It's always the same. Just when I'm thinking that I couldn't be surprised by the Hubble Space Telescope anymore, it captures another image that leaves me in awe. Like this searchlight-like beams in space. It's what I'd imagine the doors to heaven would look like if I believed in such things. More »

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Is Extraterrestrial Life More a Dream Than a Real Possibility? [Space]

There is no getting around the fact that a lot of people would be very excited if extraterrestrial life existed. But while plenty of scientists are working hard to find it, others aren't as convinced—and a team of Princeton physicists has gone as far as publishing an academic article explaining exactly why they think we're all living in a fantasy land. More »

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Gmail free storage upped to 10GB, 25GB for paying Google Drive customers

Google has marked the launch of Google Drive by giving Gmail users an extra 2.3GB or so of storage. The company announced that it'll bump the free allowance up to 10GB (and counting) for free users, and 25GB for paying Google Drive customers, a substantial increase from the previous 7.7GB or so previously offered.

We're not seeing the changes reflected in our own accounts just yet. But considering the fact that Gmail updates are usually rolled out over the course of a few days, it shouldn't be too long before we start to see our extra storage space.

Google says it'll continue to slowly add to the new 10GB free allowance every day, just as it's been doing since Gmail launched with 1GB of space back in 2004.

Source: Gmail blog

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Workout Spots Wants To Be The OpenTable For Fitness

Workout Spots is hoping to bring the oh-so-popular "OpenTable for X" approach to the world of fitness. The goal, as the name implies, is to help people find nearby gyms, and to register for classes at those gyms. The interface is pretty straightforward ? you just enter your zip code, how far you're willing to travel, whether you're looking for a "spot" or a class, and in the latter case, the class type, and then you get a list of results. Each gym has a profile with basic information and a calendar of classes. If you find a class that you like, you can register directly from the Workout Spots site.

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3 Styles of Patio Covers Houston Homes Often Have | All-Tex Home ...

Choosing a patio cover can be an exciting but, at the same time, overwhelming experience for any homeowner. After all, your decision can either improve your home or totally turn off potential buyers. Patio covers are a long-term investment, so you have to consider which styles will really pay off.

Start your search right here. Listed here are the three styles of patio covers Houston homes often have:

• Adjustable patio covers
  A recent development, adjustable patio covers are designed like pergolas. The difference is that they have mechanisms that let users adjust the angle of the slats or louvers to control the amount of shade or coverage.Pros: Can be used in all kinds of weather. The adjustable slats can provide full coverage when it rains or it?s too sunny, or partial shade when it?s a clear day.

  Cons: ?More expensive than most kinds of patio covers. Depending on the manufacturer or design you choose, adjustable patio covers can cost you more than a pergola but at par or even less than full covers.

For more information on patio covers Houston locals often get, you can call our expert installers at (888) 669-1806.

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Alesis Q25

Many MIDI controllers these days come with plenty of knobs and sliders. But the Alesis Q25 ($179.99 list) harkens back to a different era, one of simplicity of design?except updated for today's laptop and iPad-driven music studios. The Q25 ?is a 25-note, velocity-sensitive MIDI keyboard with a built-in USB interface. It promises accurate MIDI control, portability, and not much else. As long as your needs are modest, it's a solid controller at a bargain price.

Design, Controls, and Connections
The Q25 measures 19 by 7.25 by 2.38 inches (HWD) and weighs 4.6 pounds. It's made entirely of black matte plastic, with non-weighted synthesizer keys in white and black, and slightly tapered, rounded edges that lend the Q25 a feeling of solidity and comfort when transporting it. The controls really are simple: To the left of the 25-key key bed are old-style, plastic pitch bend and modulation wheels. The pitch bend has a center detent and returns to the center as soon as you lift your finger, while the modulation wheel has no detent and no spring-loaded return; it stays in position wherever you leave it.

Above the two wheels are Octave Down, MIDI/Select, and Octave Up buttons. Finally, there's a data entry slider that feels a little cheap and scratchy when moved in its recessed vertical slot. There are no other programmable knobs, sliders, pads, or transport controls?this should be obvious at a glance, but controllers like the M-Audio Oxygen 25 ($149.95 list) trade a little extra depth and a higher street price (more on that later) for much more in the way of MIDI control.

Alesis throws in a USB cable and a Quick Start guide, and also bundles a DVD copy of Ableton Live Lite Alesis edition, which gets you started recording and sequencing music. The Q25 is class-compliant, so you don't need to install a driver on the PC or Mac; just plug it in and start playing. There's no aftertouch, though. The Q25 works fine with an iPad as long as you buy the Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit , which comes with two adapters, one of which mates a dock connector to a USB port. Unfortunately, the Q25 doesn't work with the IK Multimedia iRig MIDI , since that interface works with a MIDI cable only, and therefore requires some kind of external power for the controller; the Q25 doesn't come with a power adapter in the box.

Testing and Conclusions
I had no problem playing and recording MIDI data in Apple Logic Pro 9, Steinberg Cubase 6.5, and Cakewalk SONAR X1 using the Q25. The Octave Down and Octave Up buttons made it easy to jump around in the keyboard range, depending on the sound I wanted, and the velocity sensitivity was well tuned and felt natural to my fingers. Playing the keys resulted in no untoward vibrations or rattles, and the Q25 stayed put on my desk, thanks to its well-positioned rubber feet. One glitch: I noticed that after several weeks of testing, the lower B key began to rattle a tiny bit internally, although the rest of the key bed remained rattle-free.

You probably wouldn't want to knock the Q25 around in the back of a van on an extended live tour, at least without a (very) well-padded case of some kind. But as a small desktop controller, or as one you could throw in a bag and bring to a hotel or a friend's house, the Q25 does the job with aplomb. And at a street price hovering in the $70 range, it's tough to find something like it that's this inexpensive. The M-Audio Oxygen 25, now on its third generation, tends to cost $90 to $100 on the street, despite its lower list price. The Oxygen 25 offers much more in the way of real-time controls, thanks to its array of knobs, sliders, and transport buttons. The Oxygen 25 is also slightly thinner than the Q25, although it's deeper, and requires more of that crucial space between your desktop PC keyboard and monitor.

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Incase USB Mini Cable Kit Review

When you think of pocket gear, you probably think of multitools or even small flashlights that you can add to your keyring.? You probably don’t think of USB cables, but the USB Cable Kit from Incase is small enough to qualify as pocket gear.? I recently purchased this cable set to keep in my purse, [...]

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Montreal filmmaker Xavier Dolan honoured by Cannes invitation, but ...

Editor's note: This story has been corrected. Details below.

MONTREAL - Xavier Dolan is going back to Cannes, and he?s not happy. The 23-year-old Montreal director will return to the world?s most respected film festival for the third time in four years with his third film, Laurence Anyways, which will appear in the Un certain regard series.

?It?s not the news we were waiting for,? Dolan said in a round table discussion with Montreal media Thursday morning. ?For sure, there?s disappointment. We had envisioned ? like any filmmaker who dreams of going to Cannes ? of being in competition and winning the Palme d?Or.?

For months, there had been predictions that Laurence Anyways would be part of the Official Competition for the fest?s grand prize. But while outspoken, Dolan was taking it all in stride.

?The fact is the film was judged by the Cannes people to belong in Un certain regard,? he said. ?It?s still part of the official selection. And it remains the most coveted film festival in the world. So it?s still an honour. The disappointment was momentary and is replaced by the excitement of returning to a place that has come to feel like family.?

Dolan?s second film, Les amours imaginaires, was also featured in the Un certain regard section in 2010.

?There?s a bit of d?j? vu,? he said, of returning in the same section this year. ?But it doesn?t alter the joy of going to Cannes and being part of it.?

Un certain regard is a series intended to promote young talent with a unique cinematic vision. It was introduced in 1978 and runs parallel to the competition for the coveted Palme d?Or. Actor Tim Roth heads this year?s Un certain regard jury.

Dolan?s first film, J?ai tu? ma m?re ? which he wrote, directed and co-starred in with Anne Dorval ? was shown as part of the Director?s Fortnight in 2009; it launched his career by winning three awards at the festival.

Having your first three films at Cannes is an incredible feat. While Toronto may be the biggest, Cannes remains the most prestigious film festival on the planet. Dolan?s latest accomplishment further cements him as one of the world?s top young filmmakers. And the fest holds a special place in his heart.

He dreamed of going to Cannes as a teenager, and began telling people that J?ai tu? ma m?re would get into the fest before the movie was even finished.

?Because I?m a megalomaniac, I (always) said that?s where I want to go,? he said, with a twinkle in his eye. ?How could I go anywhere else? I will be in official competition right away, and win the Palme d?Or immediately, thank you. You should always dream of reaching the highest point so that you fall just below it. One shouldn?t have Earthly ambitions.?

While he isn?t part of the Official Competition this year, Dolan knows there will be other opportunities. Festival director Thierry Fr?maux has already defended the decision to put Laurence Anyways in Un certain regard by explaining that Dolan is a young director with his whole life ahead of him.

It?s a relationship that is obviously far from over, and one that Dolan cherishes.

?Cannes was my first contact with cinema,? he said. ?It?s where I was born as a filmmaker.?

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, he knows he is a lucky man with a career path that would be the envy of many a filmmaker, and that falls in line with some great ones.

?It?s a logical trajectory,? he said, ?taken by Wong Kar-wai and Jim Jarmusch, who were discovered in categories running parallel to the festival ? and graduated through the ranks.?

Dolan hopes to get one step closer to his goal with Laurence Anyways, which he calls his best film. At an ambitious two hours and 39 minutes, it is also his longest.

?I?m proud,? he said. ?I gave it my all. I?m sure every director thinks their film works and is proud. But I?m young, je suis bitch and I?m able to be critical of movies.?

Laurence Anyways will be released in May, after it premieres at Cannes.

tdunlevy@montrealgazette.com

twitter.com/tchadunlevy

Corrections: The original online version of this story has been changed to correct reporting and typographical editing errors.Un certain regard was introduced as a series in 1978, not 1998 when the category was introduced.

? Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

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'A Voice' In Nicki Minaj's Head Told Her To Quit Twitter

'I had 11 million followers and I hope they will wait for me,' Minaj says, hinting at a return to the site.
By Nadeska Alexis

Nicki Minaj in her video for "Beez In The Trap"
Photo: UMG

As of Friday afternoon (April 20), Nicki Minaj has been absent from Twitter for five days, keeping the Barbz on a sharp lookout for her return.

Minaj deactivated the account in a fit of frustration on Sunday, but during her current press run in the U.K., she admits that she's still pondering if or when she will get back on the social media site. In an interview with Graham Norton, Nicki explained that one of the many personalities in her head — we're assuming it wasn't Roman this time — told her to quit Twitter.

"A voice in my head told me to delete my Twitter and that's what I did," she said, adding, "I had 11 million followers and I hope they will wait for me."

Norton specifically asked when she planned to get back on her timeline, but she wouldn't confirm anything, telling him, "I don't know yet, I'm thinking about it. I miss my Barbz, please bear with me."

Nicki disappeared from Twitter over the weekend after getting into a spat with one of her fan sites, NickiDaily, which she took issue with for posting leaked music from her Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded album. "Like seriously, it's but so much a person can take. Good f---ing bye," she wrote before signing off indefinitely.

The leak was Nicki's breaking point, but it's very possible that she was also getting fed up with some of the feedback she's been receiving since she dropped Roman Reloaded.

For now, Barbz shouldn't be too worried about Nicki being permanently absent from Twitter. She will be able to reactivate her account even after several weeks of inactivity, and thanks to her verified status, no one will be allowed to inherit her @NickiMinaj handle without the permission of Twitter employees.

Do you think Nicki should reactivate her Twitter account? Tell us in the comments!

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Windows Loyalists, Rejoice! You Too Can Now Make Cinemagraphs [Apps]

Until recently, apps for cinemagraphs—the GIF's less-active cousin—were only available for iOS, leaving a whole cinemagraph-loving, Windows operating-system using group in the lurch. More »

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Clueless Hackers Took Down DC Government Sites Thinking They Were Attacking the Feds [Hackers]

This morning, hackers took down some of Washington DC's government websites. But as DCist reports, the hackers who did it probably thought they were going after the federal government. Sigh. More »

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How can a business partner get out of a commercial lease when ...

Nina L. Kaufman, Esq.

An award-winning small business attorney in New York City, Nina is a sought-after professional speaker and Entrepreneur Magazine online contributor. She is the go-to counsel for knowledge economy and creative companies, delivering legal services and educational resources that save them time, money, and aggravation.

Posted on April 17, 2012 in Business Transactions

Q.:? I started an LLC with two partners. After a year in business, I am choosing to take another path. I want to resign from the LLC and am attempting to separate my legal liabilities. We initially signed a three-year commercial lease with personal guaranties and currently have 23 months remaining. Is there a convincing argument I can bring to the property manager/owner to be removed from liability on this commercial lease?

?

A.:? Good luck. In this real estate market, landlords will want to keep as many deep pockets as they can find on a commercial lease.? The landlord is not obligated to release you from the commercial lease, because your agreement to be responsible for the LLC?s commercial lease debt was not contingent on whether you remained with the company or not.

?

Your first step is to find an attorney in your area to advise you.? Next, inform the landlord that you will be leaving the business and request to be removed from the personal guaranty.? If the landlord says yes, you?ll want the attorney to help draft the necessary amendments to the commercial lease and personal guaranty.? If the landlord says no, you?ll want the attorney to draft a document whereby the remaining partners agree to indemnify you if the business defaults on the commercial lease and the landlord comes after you.? Make sure you do this as part of a coordinated exit plan with your partners.

?

What other law questions do you have about commercial leases and office space?

?

Related posts:

1. How can I get out of my commercial lease?
2. I?m being evicted from my commercial lease and want to avoid paying rent
3. Will landlords fix up the space for new tenants of commercial leases?
4. Partnership Q&A: Partner wants out of the company and the lease
5. Understanding Common Commercial Lease Terms

Tagged as: business lease, commercial lease, commercial leases, commercial space, office lease, office space, retail store lease

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Today?s musings (Unqualified Offerings)

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