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Iraq vet pleads guilty to killing fellow soldiers

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. (AP) ? An Army sergeant pleaded guilty Monday to killing four other soldiers and a Navy officer in 2009 at mental health clinic in Baghdad during the Iraq War, describing how he gunned down the men and saying he was in a "rage" when he began his rampage.

The plea agreement in a military court at Joint Base Lewis-McChord means Sgt. John Russell will avoid the death sentence. His maximum sentence would be a life term. He testified Monday to persuade Army judge Col. David Conn to accept the agreement. Conn agreed.

Russell ? who is from Sherman, Texas ? went on a shooting spree at the Camp Liberty Combat Stress Center near Baghdad in May 2009. It was one of the worst instances of soldier-on-soldier violence in the Iraq war.

In court, Russell said he was in a "rage" when he opened fire.

"I wanted the pain to stop," he testified in court at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, talking in a husky voice. He read a written statement detailing his memories of the killings.

Russell was nearing the end of his third tour when his behavior changed, members of his unit testified in 2009. They said he became more distant in the days before the May 11, 2009, attack and that he seemed paranoid that his unit was trying to end his career.

On May 8, Russell sought help at a combat stress clinic at Camp Stryker, where his unit was located. On May 10, Russell was referred to the Camp Liberty clinic, where he received counseling and prescription medication.

The following day witnesses saw Russell crying and talking about hurting himself. He went back to the Camp Liberty clinic, where a doctor told him he needed to get help or he would hurt himself. Russell tried to surrender to military police to lock him up so he wouldn't hurt himself or others, witnesses said.

Military prosecutors say Russell left the clinic and later returned with a rifle he took from his unit headquarters and began firing.

Russell said he wanted to hurt a doctor who he thought had earlier encouraged him to commit suicide. He didn't find that doctor, but still carried out the shooting.

Killed in the shooting were Navy Cmdr. Charles Springle, 52, of Wilmington, N.C., and four Army service members: Pfc. Michael Edward Yates Jr., 19, of Federalsburg, Md.; Dr. Matthew Houseal, of Amarillo, Texas; Sgt. Christian E. Bueno-Galdos, 25, of Paterson, N.J.; and Spc. Jacob D. Barton, 20, of Lenox, Mo.

Of the dead, Russell had interacted only with Springle, who tried to help him a couple of days before the attack.

Yates raised a gun at him after Russell killed Springle and Houseal, but Yates dropped the gun and ran.

Yates "ran and I ran after him, and I shot him," Russell said.

Yates' mother, Shawna Van Blargan, joined Springle's wife and son in court. They held each other tightly as Russell talked about killing their family members.

Van Blargan cried out when Russell described killing her son. She left the courtroom.

Russell also remembered finding Barton hiding under a table. Russell shot him in the head.

Bueno-Galdos tried to grab Russell's rifle. Russell testified he shot Bueno-Galdos in the chest, then shot him once more while he lay face down on the ground.

Two evaluations presented during a 2009 hearing said Russell suffered from severe depression with psychotic features and chronic post-traumatic stress disorder. A March 2011 evaluation said the major depression with psychotic features was in partial remission.

The Tacoma News Tribune reported (http://bit.ly/10ue9t1) Russell entered his plea while flanked by his two military defense attorneys and his civilian lawyer.

Some family members of Russell's victims have expressed frustration in news reports that it has taken four years to bring the case to trial.

Russell's pretrial agreement includes a contested portion that remains to be argued in court. He refused to plead guilty to murdering the service members with premeditation. Prosecutors planned to argue that point next month.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iraq-vet-pleads-guilty-killing-fellow-soldiers-185619348.html

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26 Mobile Apps to Improve Your Business and Networking | Social ...

By Debbie Hemley
Published April 23, 2013 Printer-Friendly

social media tools Have you been spending more of your mobile time using smartphone apps than browsing the web?

Suffice it to say, you?re not alone.

There are more than a million apps available and according to Sunil Gupta,?Users spend on average, 82% of their mobile minutes with apps and just 18% with web browsers.?

In this article, you?ll find apps to consider using to help you with your business and social activities.

Due to the enormous number of apps to choose from, I focused on apps that are convenient and provide social value.

Note: For consistency, all screenshots were taken from iTunes app store. I also looked for apps available on both iPhone and Android?and if not identical products on both platforms, another one with similar functionality would be available (see #3 for example).

Here are?26 apps, an A-Z guide to help you conduct business and network while on the go.

#1: Adobe Reader

Do you need to work on PDF docs on the go?

Adobe Reader offers features to?view PDF documents, store and access documents in the cloud with Acrobat.com, navigate through PDF content, annotate and comment on PDF documents, fill out forms, organize documents, electronically sign and print and share.

"Easily access, manage and share a wide variety of PDF types."

iPhone | Android
Free

#2: Bump

Do you want to easily share documents with those around you?

With Bump you can share contact information, photos, videos and files by simply bumping two phones together. You can also share contacts, photos and files with others and sync with your computer.

"Send your contact info, photos and music to the people around you who have this app."

iPhone | Android
Free

#3: CardMunch Business Card Reader

Have you been holding onto a whole bunch of business cards from the last conference you went to? Looking for a solution for the cards you collected at Social Media Marketing World in San Diego?

Convert business cards to address book contacts and add them as connections on LinkedIn. CardMunch provides card-capture functionality for faster card scanning.

"Turns your business cards into contacts, now with LinkedIn integration."

iPhone | Android *Yulu Card Reader
Free

#4: DocuSign Ink

Do you need to get that document signed, sealed and delivered?

With DocuSign Ink you can sign, send and store documents and even create a signature in different colors and formats.

"This app allows me to do my paperwork without having to download and print the papers, then sign and fax them in."

iPhone | Android
Free

#5: Easy Note + To Do

To-do lists have a way of growing when you don?t chip away at them little by little. Using an app for note-taking and managing lists can make them feel much more doable.

The Easy Note + To Do app allows you to organize notes in folders, check items as complete, assign a due date and prioritize.

"Good basic functionality with an attractive and clutter-free design."

iPhone | Android * EasyNote Notepad To Do List
Free

#6: Foursquare

Whether you?re in a familiar location or somewhere new, Foursquare has your back and 30 million others, too.

?Open up the app to discover and learn about great places nearby, search for what you?re craving, and get deals and tips along the way.?

"I really like seeing what my friends are doing. It's also useful to find places I've been before or remember when I was last at a certain place."

iPhone | Android
Free

#7: Google+

You don?t need to decide whether to check Google+ or leave your desk.

The Google+ app will help you stay connected via hangouts, photos and updates from what your friends are sharing.

"Sometimes the best things in life are small and simple yet packed with powerful connections!"

iPhone | Android
Free

#8: Highlight

Are you feeling particularly social today?

The Highlight app may be just what you?re looking for with its notifications when friends are nearby, ability to see mutual friends and messaging within the app.

"This app provides a good idea of what the near future of mobile + location can be."

iPhone | Android
Free

#9: Instagram

Taking photos on a mobile phone offers users spontaneity plus the ability to visually transform a picture and share it immediately.

Instagram includes filters and borders, blur effects and easy sharing to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Flickr and Foursquare.

"A photo can say more than a status update ever will."

iPhone | Android
Free

#10: Job Search

Searching for a new job can be time-consuming and stressful.? Using an app during a job search will help make the most of your time.

With the Job Search app you get access to information from company websites, recruitment agencies and job boards in the USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, India, South Africa, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore and Australia.

"Shows a lot of jobs available in my area."

iPhone | Android
Free

#11: Kindle

You don?t need a dedicated e-reader to take advantage of reading on the go.? With the Kindle app, you can stay up to date with books, eBooks, magazines and newspapers right on your smartphone.

And while there are more reading choices than you?ll ever have time for, if keeping up with social media?related books is of interest, you can certainly do that. iPhone users can search for books within?iTunes and Android users can find social media titles on Google Play.

"Being able to read books on the go without actually having to carry them with me is so convenient."

iPhone | Android
Free

#12: Logo Mania Quiz

Marketers recognize the value of a memorable brand logo. These apps will let you test your skills and make a game of identifying a logo.

If your business is rebranding and reassessing the value of your corporate logo, this may be a fun way to review the strengths of well-known logos. (You can play Angry Birds or Words with Friends later!)

"Can't stop."

iPhone | Android *LOGO Mania
Free

#13: Meetup

Is online time usurping much of your day? There?s still nothing like the face-to-face experience.

The Meetup app will help locate meetups around topics of interest to you including social media, tech, business and entrepreneurship?and of course a range of fitness, hobbies, community, parenting and dog meetups, among others.

"It's nice to see what people are doing in the community and be able to be involved."

iPhone | Android
Free

#14: Nook

Similar to the features mentioned about Kindle, the Nook reader app will help transform your smartphone into your own library on the go.

There?s still nothing like holding a print book in your hands, but with these apps you?ll never find yourself without something to read when you?re waiting for the bus or train and the unexpected long time in a waiting room.

This may not be the most desirable way to read something like War and Peace, but the convenience and ease will come in handy. Plus both apps will sync with your Kindle or Nook device and let you resume reading where you left off.

"Love being able to have my book handy, no matter where I am!"

iPhone | Android
Free

#15: Odometer

Do you need to keep track of mileage for a business trip?

Odometer apps will simplify the process and help you?store the date and number of miles traveled.

"Export history as .CSV file on Odometer +."

iPhone *Odometer + $.99
Android?*Odometer Free

#16: Photo Covers for Facebook Lite

Facebook cover photos are excellent real estate for business branding. The iPhone and Android apps referenced here will make it easy to create a new photo cover and post it while on the go.

Use your own image or choose one from a library of images that you further customize with special effects, captions and more.

"Simple but spot-on."

iPhone | Android * Timeline Cover 4 Facebook Lite
Free

#17: QR Reader

Whether you want to scan a QR code (Quick Response Code) or create one, there are a number of apps that will add meaning and destinations (websites, special offers, contact information, etc.) to those ubiquitous codes.

Use the QR Reader to check out how other businesses are using QR codes and see if one makes sense for your business.

"Has so many options, is easy to use and distributes my code!

iPhone | Android *Scan
Free

#18: (i)Reddit

Reddit describes themselves as the ?front page of the Internet.? If you?ve come to rely on Reddit?s news aggregation from countless sites, you?ll be happy with these apps knowing that you never have to leave home (or office) without Reddit again.

"This is a fantastic way to interface with Reddit."

iPhone | Android *Reddit News
Free

?#19: Square Register

What will your smartphone do next? Take credit cards?

If you?re headed to a tradeshow, conference or a community event where you?re planning to sell your products, the Square Register app makes it possible to swipe credit cards and have payments delivered to your bank account within 1-2 days.

"I love the convenience w/o the contracts and additional fees that are attached to the traditional credit card machine or merchant services contracts."

iPhone | Android
Free

#20: TED

If TED conferences are new to you, then you?ll be in for a thrill with their app that makes the wonder of these talks a mobile experience. There?s a wealth of information right at your fingertips.

Whether you want to buff up on some business-related topics, technology trends or be inspired by ones that are rated jaw-dropping, there?s clearly something for everyone on TED.

By #20, I don?t know about you but I?m feeling that if only there was an app for creating more hours in the day, we?d be all set!

"The TED app is great and perfect. It encourages you."

iPhone | Android
Free

#21: UberSocial

UberSocial, previously known as Twidroyd, is a mobile app that enables users to post new tweets, monitor and keep up to date on hashtags, lists and people you follow, while also managing other multiple social accounts all in one place.

"It's always been my most favorite mobile Twitter app because it's so easy to use and has many features."

iPhone | Android
Free

#22: Vintique

Want to look retro? Having several different styles for your photos on social accounts will add variety and make your images even more shareable.

The Vintique app allows you to add effects that give an old and classy look to photos.

"Fun to run pics thru all the effects."

iPhone??? *Vintique $.99
Android *Vintique-Photo Editor Free

#23: WiFi Finder

Need to find WiFi areas while traveling to make a Skype call or save on some of those minutes?

The Wifi Finder app features over 550,000 free and paid locations in 144 countries worldwide.

"Found hot spots I didn't know were in my town."

iPhone | Android
Free

#24: (e)xcel Contacts Lite

Business is all about contacts and making sure that you have a good solid list that you can access while you?re on the go is essential.

The Excel Contacts app will help you move contact information to and from your phone.

"Transfer contacts to and from your smartphone."

iPhone | Android
Free

#25: Yelp

Making a decision about where to eat, shop or play has become more streamlined with mobile apps. Yelp has a very large and loyal following and is definitely worth checking out, especially when you?re in a new city.

It?s also very interesting to see how the places you?ve come to know, within close proximity to work and home, rank within the Yelp community. And, if you?re so inclined, you can add your two cents!

"No matter where we are, local or traveling, I can always find so much more on Yelp."

iPhone | Android
Free

#26: Zendesk

It seems fitting that the last app on our list would be focused on customer support.

In this article we?ve run the gamut of the sales process; for example, maintaining and engaging contacts, promoting businesses with photos, QR codes, credit card payments, plus more. Managing customer support via mobile phones has also become a necessity.

With Zendesk you can view, update and create new help desk tickets, configure support ticket fields and add comments.

"Very simple to use, giving you peace of mind while you're on the move."

iPhone | Android
Free

Concluding Thoughts

As mentioned above, the average number of apps a person downloads is 40 and only around 15 are used regularly. Finding your core group of apps can be a very personal decision, establishing the kind of information you want and need to be able to access.

26 apps only scratches the surface. Hopefully along the way you?ve discovered some new apps to download and explore.

You may need to look at apps for specific needs. Be sure to check out the other articles related to mobile apps?on Social Media Examiner:

What apps do you use regularly for business and social networking? Which ones on this list will you consider trying? Leave your comments in the space below.

Tags: adobe reader, app, bump, cardmunch, debbie hemley, docusign, easy note + to do, ereader, excel contacts, facebook lite, highlight, instagram, job search, kindle, logo mania quiz, Meetup, mobile app, nook, odometer, photo sharing, qr reader, reddit, smartphone app, social media app, social networking, square register, ted, ubersocical, vintique, wifi finder, yelp, zendesk

Source: http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/26-mobile-apps-to-improve-your-business-and-networking/

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Using the Samsung Galaxy S4 on Sprint

Sprint Galaxy S4

Poor network performance can handicap even the fastest of smartphones

This is the Sprint Galaxy S4. There are many others like it, but this one is Sprint’s. Externally, the phone bears no Sprint branding, and the bundled Sprint apps are relatively tame, if numerous. Unfortunately for the carrier there’s one unique aspect of its Galaxy S4 tha's not quite so praiseworthy. That’s right, once again a Sprint device’s Achilles’ heel is its network performance.

More: Samsung Galaxy S4 review

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/8ZdLjOftWJc/story01.htm

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Netflix's 1Q subscriber gains catapult stock

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Netflix's move to compete against traditional cable-TV channels with original programming is pulling in more subscribers to its Internet video service and winning back investors who doubted the company's ability to cultivate distinctive entertainment.

The skepticism dissipated Monday with the release of Netflix's financial results for the opening three months of the year.

The first-quarter numbers revealed that Netflix Inc. added 2 million U.S. subscribers from January through March ? hitting the top end of the target set by the company's management. The growth left Netflix with 29.2 million U.S. subscribers to an $8-per-month service that streams movie and TV shows to Internet-connected devices.

The company picked up another 1 million customers in the dozens of international markets where it streams video, leaving Netflix with 7.1 million streaming subscribers outside the U.S. Even though the international operations are still losing money, Netflix said it will expand into an unidentified European market during the second half of the year.

Netflix's subscriber surge, coupled with signs that the company's profit margins are widening, delighted investors. The company's stock soared $42.73, or 24.5 percent, to $217.10 after the results came out. If the stock rallies similarly on Tuesday, it will mark the first time Netflix's stock has topped $200 in 19 months.

The stock had plummeted to as low as $52.81 last August as part of a devastating descent that began in July 2011 when Netflix outraged its U.S. subscribers with pricing adjustments. The change resulted in a price increase of as much as 60 percent for customers who wanted dual access to Internet video and a DVD-by-mail option that includes the latest theatrical releases. Investors also fretted as Netflix's losses on an international expansion piled up and the company's bills to license video mounted.

Now, it looks like Netflix CEO Reed Hastings ? an object of scorn when the company's stock was plunging ? might have known what he was doing all along. In the process, he appears to have regained the luster that made him a Wall Street darling while Netflix's stock was soaring toward its all-time high of nearly $305.

The first quarter served as Hastings' latest vindication.

Netflix eked out a profit of $2.7 million, or 5 cents per share, during the period. That contrasted with a loss of $4.6 million, or 8 cents per share, last year.

If not for the costs for refinancing some of Netflix's debt, the company said it would have earned 31 cents per share. That figure topped the average analyst estimate of 18 cents per share.

Revenue rose 18 percent from last year to $1.02 billion ? about $7 million above analyst forecasts

Hastings envisions Netflix becoming as popular as any channel on cable or broadcast TV, with as many as 90 million subscribers. To realize that goal, he decided in 2010 that Netflix should become more like Time Warner Inc.'s HBO channel and develop more series that can't be seen anywhere else.

That was a big change for Netflix, which had primarily licensed content that have previously been shown in movie theaters and on traditional television networks.

Netflix took its first major leap in its new direction in early February with the debut of "House of Cards," a critically acclaimed series made exclusively for Netflix. The series, starring Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey, reportedly cost Netflix $100 million, amplifying fears the company was spending more than it could afford.

In another breakthrough, Netflix released all 13 episodes of "House of Cards" at once, raising the risk that many people would just accept the company's standard offer of a free month of service and then quit. But Netflix said fewer than 8,000 people resorted to what it calls "free-trial gaming" during the first quarter.

"I think we're focused on moving toward more and more exclusive content, which reinforces a reason to join Netflix and a reason to subscribe," Hastings said in a Monday conference call with analysts. Without providing specific numbers, Hastings said "House of Cards" had a "nice impact but a gentle impact" on subscriber growth during the first quarter.

Netflix is becoming so popular that too many people using the same account are trying to watch video at the same time. The company currently allows no more than two devices to watch at the same time. Netflix said Monday that is introducing a $12-per-month plan that will allow up to four devices using the same account to watch video. Hastings expects less than 1 percent, or fewer than 292,000, U.S. subscribers to upgrade to the more expensive plan. He also reiterated Netflix's intention to keep its standard steaming option at $8 per month.

Another original series, "Hemlock Grove," came out on Netflix last Friday. Although the horror series didn't get great reviews from TV critics, Netflix said Monday that the viewership of "Hemlock Grove" during its first weekend surpassed the numbers posted by "House of Cards."

Another Netflix exclusive, the resurrection of "Arrested Development," is scheduled for next month.

Neither "Hemlock Grove" nor "Arrested Development" is expected to be compelling enough to overcome a traditional lull that occurs in Netflix's subscriber growth during the spring, when warmer weather and longer daylight hours decrease people's interest in staying indoors to watch TV. The company expects to add 230,000 to 880,000 U.S. subscribers during the current three months ending in June.

As Netflix's Internet video service attracts more customers, the DVD-by-mail that once was the company's foundation continues to crumble. Netflix lost another 240,000 DVD subscribers, pushing the number of customers on that service below 8 million for the first time since 2007. Despite the downturn, the DVD service remains highly profitable.

The company, which is based in Los Gatos, Calif., expects its second-quarter earnings to at least double from the 11 cents per share posted at the same time last year. Management envisions earnings for the current quarter ranging from 23 cents to 48 cents per share. Wall Street is expecting 39 cents a share, according to FactSet.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/netflixs-1q-subscriber-gains-catapult-stock-204400314--finance.html

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PFT: Jags unveil uniforms? |? Vikes, Phins leaked

Getty Images

There will be ?enhanced? security guidelines for the NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York, the league said Tuesday.

According to the NFL, those entering Radio City Music Hall for the draft must consent to searches by security personnel, with pat-downs and metal detectors among the measures that can be employed.?What?s more, all items brought into the building will be inspected, the league said.

The draft begins Thursday and runs through Saturday in New York.

The league, along with Radio City Music Hall and New York City police, are recommending those attending the draft to limit the number of objects brought into the building.?No containers will be allowed inside, with backpacks among the excluded items.?The NFL?s statement on the security measures has a list of banned items.

?Fans are urged to bring nothing larger than a very small purse,? the league said.

The league noted it already had security procedures in place before these additions.

?The NFL and its clubs have operated with a very high level of security since 9/11 for all of our games and events,? said Jeffrey Miller, NFL vice president and chief security officer in the league-issued statement. ?With the help of the FBI, New York Police Department, Radio City and our private security partners, we will enhance our already comprehensive plans for the safety of our fans and other attendees.?

A noticeable security presence at major sporting events doesn?t figure to go away anytime soon, and the NFL?s enhancements make sense, considering recent events.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/23/jaguars-unveil-new-uniforms/related/

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How Nest Will Save You More Money By Teaming Up With Utility Suppliers

The smart thermostat from from Nest just got a little smarter: by teaming up with utility providers, the device can now predict when power will be in high demand and price, and tweak your heating accordingly. More »