Apple announces new retina MacBook Pros, starting at just $1,299 and available today

Apple has just announced new MacBook Pros from the live event going on right now. The new MacBook Pros will feature the new Haswell chips just as the MacBook Air received over the summer as well as extended battery life.

The new retina MacBook Pros will feature Thunderbolt 2, 802.11ac WiFi connectivity and more. The 13" model will start at just $1,299 for the base model while the 15" variant will start at $1,999.

New retina MacBook Pros will be available starting today.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/73kZR_-DIaU/story01.htm
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College prices appear to be moderating

WASHINGTON (AP) — There's some good news on college tuition. Yes, the cost has gone up — but not as much in the past.

For in-state students at a four-year public college or university, published tuition and fees increased this year on average $247 to $8,893. That's a 2.9 percent increase — the smallest one-year increase in more than 30 years, the College Board said Wednesday in its annual report on college prices.

Out-of-state prices, as well as the costs to attend public two-year colleges and private institutions rose but they also avoided big spikes, said Sandy Baum, co-author of the report. These more moderate increases could lessen concern that an annual rapid growth is tuition prices in the new normal.

"It does seem that the spiral is moderating. Not turning around, not ending, but moderating," Baum said.

The average published cost for tuition and fees at a private college for the 2013-14 academic year was $30,094 — up $1,105. An out-of-state student at a public college or university faced an annual average price tag of $22,203, which is up $670. The average price tag to for an in-state student to attend a two-year institution was much less at $3,264 — up $110.

Most students don't actually pay that, though. There are grants, tax credits and deductions that help ease the cost of going to college. About two-thirds of full-time students get grants, most from the federal government.

But, in the two years leading up to the 2012-2013 school year, the federal aid per full-time equivalent undergraduate student declined 9 percent, or about $325.

That means students have to foot more of the bill themselves.

"The rapid increases in college prices have slowed, however, student and families are paying more because grant aid is not keeping up," said David Coleman, president of the College Board.

While the average published price for tuition and fees for a private college is $30,094, the net price is $12,460 — up $530 from last year. The net price is what they actually pay after grants. There were years this decade that saw the net price going down, but it has gone up the last two years.

The average published in-state price for tuition and fees at a public four-year school is $8,893, but the average net price is about $3,120.

Molly Corbett Broad, president of the American Council on Education, in a statement called it "troubling" that overall grant aid is not keeping up with prices. Her organization represents the presidents of U.S. colleges and universities.

"Institutions are committed to holding down costs, but it is equally important for state and federal governments to play their part to make college affordable," she said.

The College Board is a not-for-profit membership group that promotes college access and owns the SAT exam.

The report spells out the large declines in state appropriations given to public institutions in recent years. These cuts have been blamed for rises in college costs. Other causes often cited range from the high cost of health care for employees to the demand by students for flashier campus amenities.

Among the other findings in the report:

— Adding in costs for room and board to live on campus, average annual published costs: At public, four-year universities, $18,391 for in-state students and $31,701 for out-of-state students; $40,917 for private colleges and universities; $10,730 for in-state students at public two year schools.

— The average published tuition and fees at for-profit institutions increased by $70 to $15,130 — an increase of less than 1 percent.

— New Hampshire and Vermont had the highest published in-state tuition and fees at both four-year and two-year institutions. Wyoming and Alaska had the lowest published in-state tuition and fees at a four-year institution, while California and New Mexico had the lowest in-state among two-year schools.

— In 2012-2013, $238.5 billion in financial aid was issued to undergraduate and graduate students in the forms of grants from all sources, Federal Work-Study, federal loans and federal tax credits and deductions. Also, students borrowed about $8.8 billion from private, state and institutional sources.

— About 60 percent of students who earned bachelor's degrees in 2011-2012 graduated with debt, borrowing a total of $26,500 on average.

___

Online: http://www.collegeboard.org/

___

Follow Kimberly Hefling at http://www.twitter.com/khefling

• Education
• Financial Aid
• College Board

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/college-prices-appear-moderating-040219431.html
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Power and the Presidency

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

22-Oct-2013

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Contact: Clea Desjardins
clea.desjardins@concordia.ca
514-848-2424 x5068
Concordia University

New book by Concordia scholar sheds light on history of presidential directives in the US

This news release is available in French.

Montreal, 23 October 2013 Following the latest US budget crisis, a fed-up President Barack Obama said to his opponents, "You don't like a particular policy or a particular president? Then argue for your position. Go out there win an election."

This despite the fact that various government officials have sharply criticized Obama for his allegedly autocratic use of presidential proclamations and executive orders over the past few months. But such actions are nothing new argues Graham Dodds, political science professor at Montreal's Concordia University.

Throughout US history, presidents have used unilateral directives to impose controversial policies, and Congress and the courts have seldom resisted says Dodds in his new book, Take Up Your Pen: Unilateral Presidential Directives in American Politics (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013), which chronicles how presidents came to be able to make law by a mere stroke of the pen and what the impact of these directives has been.

"In unilateral presidential directives," Dodds explains, "we see a dramatic expansion of presidential power that rests on vague justifications and has gone relatively unchecked. This development has roots in the Constitution's ambiguity and the character of executive power."

Although Constitution itself does not mention unilateral presidential directives, the judiciary first endorsed their constitutionality when the nation was only 23 years old. "That means that the status of these directives is bound up with the broader question of the scope of executive power," says Dodds.

Despite the early acceptance of presidential directives, presidents did not make use of the new policymaking tool for some time. But Dodds recounts that the nature of unilateral presidential directives changed dramatically with Theodore Roosevelt, who found in them the perfect means to implement his "stewardship" view of the presidency at the vanguard of an active government. "Roosevelt issued almost as many executive orders as all of his predecessors combined, and he did so for controversial purposes, provoking sharp conflicts with Congress," recounts Dodds.

The regular use of unilateral presidential directives became well established over the next half dozen presidencies. Although the number of executive orders declined, the use of unilateral directives has figured prominently in areas like national security, labor, civil rights and environmental protection.

Take Up Your Pen sheds light on several longstanding debates, including the roots of presidential power, the modern presidency and the nature of political development. Says Dodds, "the development of unilateral presidential directives is not some minor, isolated phenomenon; rather, it influences and is influenced by much of what is important and interesting in American politics. Even with evolving issue areas, periodic congressional resistance, and the occasional court case striking down a directive, odds are that presidents will continue to use unilateral directives for significant purposes for decades to come."

###

Related links:

Media contact:

Cla Desjardins

Senior advisor, media relations

University Communications Services

Concordia University

Phone: 514-848-2424, ext. 5068

Email: clea.desjardins@concordia.ca

Web: concordia.ca/now/media-relations

Twitter: twitter.com/CleaDesjardins

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

22-Oct-2013

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Share

Contact: Clea Desjardins
clea.desjardins@concordia.ca
514-848-2424 x5068
Concordia University

New book by Concordia scholar sheds light on history of presidential directives in the US

This news release is available in French.

Montreal, 23 October 2013 Following the latest US budget crisis, a fed-up President Barack Obama said to his opponents, "You don't like a particular policy or a particular president? Then argue for your position. Go out there win an election."

This despite the fact that various government officials have sharply criticized Obama for his allegedly autocratic use of presidential proclamations and executive orders over the past few months. But such actions are nothing new argues Graham Dodds, political science professor at Montreal's Concordia University.

Throughout US history, presidents have used unilateral directives to impose controversial policies, and Congress and the courts have seldom resisted says Dodds in his new book, Take Up Your Pen: Unilateral Presidential Directives in American Politics (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013), which chronicles how presidents came to be able to make law by a mere stroke of the pen and what the impact of these directives has been.

"In unilateral presidential directives," Dodds explains, "we see a dramatic expansion of presidential power that rests on vague justifications and has gone relatively unchecked. This development has roots in the Constitution's ambiguity and the character of executive power."

Although Constitution itself does not mention unilateral presidential directives, the judiciary first endorsed their constitutionality when the nation was only 23 years old. "That means that the status of these directives is bound up with the broader question of the scope of executive power," says Dodds.

Despite the early acceptance of presidential directives, presidents did not make use of the new policymaking tool for some time. But Dodds recounts that the nature of unilateral presidential directives changed dramatically with Theodore Roosevelt, who found in them the perfect means to implement his "stewardship" view of the presidency at the vanguard of an active government. "Roosevelt issued almost as many executive orders as all of his predecessors combined, and he did so for controversial purposes, provoking sharp conflicts with Congress," recounts Dodds.

The regular use of unilateral presidential directives became well established over the next half dozen presidencies. Although the number of executive orders declined, the use of unilateral directives has figured prominently in areas like national security, labor, civil rights and environmental protection.

Take Up Your Pen sheds light on several longstanding debates, including the roots of presidential power, the modern presidency and the nature of political development. Says Dodds, "the development of unilateral presidential directives is not some minor, isolated phenomenon; rather, it influences and is influenced by much of what is important and interesting in American politics. Even with evolving issue areas, periodic congressional resistance, and the occasional court case striking down a directive, odds are that presidents will continue to use unilateral directives for significant purposes for decades to come."

###

Related links:

Media contact:

Cla Desjardins

Senior advisor, media relations

University Communications Services

Concordia University

Phone: 514-848-2424, ext. 5068

Email: clea.desjardins@concordia.ca

Web: concordia.ca/now/media-relations

Twitter: twitter.com/CleaDesjardins

---

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| E-mail


Share

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-10/cu-pat102213.php
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Reds choose Bryan Price for next manager

Bryan Price smiles after being named manager of the Cincinnati Reds, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013, at a news conference in Cincinnati. Price, who had been the National League baseball team's pitching coach, was signed to a three year contract. Price replaced Dusty Baker. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

Bryan Price smiles after being named manager of the Cincinnati Reds, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013, at a news conference in Cincinnati. Price, who had been the National League baseball team's pitching coach, was signed to a three year contract. Price replaced Dusty Baker. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

FILE - In this May 26, 2012, file photo, Cincinnati Reds pitching coach Bryan Price watches a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, in Cincinnati. The Reds have chosen Price to replace Dusty Baker as their next manager, according to a person familiar with the decision. The club plans to introduce the 51-year-old Price at a news conference later Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made.(AP Photo/David Kohl, File)

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo (61) talks with pitching coach Bryan Price during the third inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

Bryan Price speaks at a news conference with general manager Walt Jocketty, left, and owner Bob Castellini, right, after Price was named manager of the Cincinnati Reds, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013, in Cincinnati. Price, who had been the National League baseball team's pitching coach, was signed to a three year contract. Price replaced Dusty Baker. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

FILE - This is a Feb. 16, 2013, file photo showing Cincinnati Reds pitching coach Bryan Price. The Reds have chosen Price to replace Dusty Baker as their next manager, according to a person familiar with the decision. The club plans to introduce the 51-year-old Price at a news conference later Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Pitching coach Bryan Price was first on the Reds' list of manager candidates. Three hours of answering every question tossed his way ended their search rather quickly.

After one interview, it was over.

The Reds stayed in-house for their next manager, giving Price a three-year deal Tuesday that came with expectations that he'll take them deep into the playoffs right away.

"Bryan is exceptional," owner Bob Castellini said. "We've been fortunate to be with him long enough to know how exceptional he is.

"I can't tell you how well this has fit in for us. We did not have to go out and do a search," he said. "We had the person we felt could take this team deep into the postseason and then some."

Dusty Baker led the Reds to three 90-win seasons and three playoff appearances in the last four years, their best stretch of success since Sparky Anderson managed the Big Red Machine in the 1970s. But Cincinnati got knocked out in the first round of the postseason each time.

The Reds fired Baker with a year left on his two-year deal after a final-week fade that included an implosion by the pitching staff.

Cincinnati lost its last six games, including a 6-2 defeat at PNC Park in the wild-card playoff against the Pirates. General manager Walt Jocketty said the closing slump was a major factor in the decision to make a change.

Jocketty considered two in-house candidates: Price and Triple-A manager Jim Riggleman. Price got the first interview and impressed everyone so much that Jocketty didn't interview anyone else.

"I was convinced that Bryan was our guy just because of the past association we've had with him," Jocketty said. "I think that to bring other people in just for the process of going through an interview — to me, I wouldn't want that."

The job carries enormous expectations for the 51-year-old Price, who has been one of the most successful pitching coaches in the majors but has never managed at any level. He interviewed for the Marlins' job last year, which got him thinking that he'd like to be a manager some day.

Given his four successful seasons in Cincinnati, he wanted to stay if possible.

"It's a team that's capable of doing even more," Price said. "I think we certainly should talk very optimistically about the three playoff appearances in the last four years, which were maybe somewhat discredited because we hadn't gotten past the first round.

"Considering the 15 years prior, it was definitely a huge step in the right direction," Price added. "But we all have expectations of getting beyond that."

Price was a left-handed pitcher for six years in the minors, his career scuttled by elbow surgery. He started his coaching career in Seattle's farm system and was the Mariners' pitching coach from 2000-05. He moved to Arizona as pitching coach from 2006-09, resigning there after Bob Melvin was replaced.

Jocketty hired him to replace Dick Pole in Cincinnati, where he helped the Reds' staff develop into one of the NL's best during his four seasons working with Baker. Now, Jocketty has several important lineup decisions to make to try to keep the Reds competitive in the NL Central, which sent three teams to the playoffs.

Division champion St. Louis opens the World Series against Boston on Wednesday. The Pirates passed the Reds for second place and home-field advantage for the wild-card playoff during the final week of the season.

The pitching staff will have some changes, with starter Bronson Arroyo eligible for free agency. Left-hander Tony Cingrani made his debut last season and showed he could win in the majors, but was sidelined by back problems in September. Ace Johnny Cueto missed most of the season with shoulder problems.

The Reds have to decide whether to keep left-hander Aroldis Chapman as their closer or move him into a starting role. Price would have preferred making him a starter. If he gets moved into the rotation, the Reds don't have anyone with appreciable experience at closing games.

He and Jocketty said they hadn't made any decisions on the pitching staff or the everyday lineup.

The offense struggled last season with no consistent right-handed hitter. Cleanup hitter Ryan Ludwick tore cartilage in his right shoulder on a slide on opening day and missed most of the season. He returned in mid-August and hit only two homers with the shoulder still bothering him.

Joey Votto and leadoff hitter Shin-Soo Choo led the NL in on-base percentage, but Choo is a free agent. Billy Hamilton created a sensation with his speed when he was called up in September, but struggled to get on base consistently in Triple-A before his first promotion to the majors.

___

Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekay

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-10-22-Reds%20Manager/id-d806d94412564d73a58ac1da428c60fb
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Cuba To Phase Out Two-Peso Currency System

A woman displays Cuban pesos, or CUP (right) and the more valuable convertible pesos, or CUC (left), in Havana Tuesday. Raul Castro's government announced that it will begin unifying the two currencies.

AFP/AFP/Getty Images

A woman displays Cuban pesos, or CUP (right) and the more valuable convertible pesos, or CUC (left), in Havana Tuesday. Raul Castro's government announced that it will begin unifying the two currencies.

AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Cuba will end the two-currency system it has used for nearly 20 years. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba has used either American currency or a peso that's pegged to the dollar alongside its national peso.

The monetary unification will phase out a system that has become a symbol of exclusivity and foreign wealth. Many products that are imported into the country can be bought only with the dollar-based convertible peso. But most Cubans are paid in the standard peso, which is worth just a fraction of the other currency.

"The policy exacerbated the creation of a two-tier class system in Cuba which divided privileged Cubans with access to the lucrative tourist and foreign-trade sectors from those working in the local economy," the BBC reports, "all-too-visibly contradicting Cuba's supposedly egalitarian society."

Cuba's Central Bank says it will continue to back both the convertible peso, or CUC, and the Cuban peso, or CUP, when it begins the process of unifying the two currencies. The bank says the change will make it easier to calculate labor costs and other statistics, along with making Cuba's economic system more efficient.

No dates have been released for the plan, which has the backing of President Raul Castro. The change was announced in an official guideline published in the Communist state's Granma newspaper.

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/10/22/239794658/cuba-to-phase-out-two-peso-currency-system?ft=1&f=1004
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Have Barack Obama and Eric Holder Caused an Increase in Mass Murder? (Powerlineblog)

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Apple pulls HMV music app after realizing it approved a competing music store

We were so pleased for legacy UK music store HMV, when it turned up with a new iOS app last week. It seems Apple was a little bit over-excited too, having apparently mashed the approve button without really realizing what it was doing. HMV was selling music downloads via the new app, a massive ...

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/DQxka2C2HTw/
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