Jon Peddie Research (JPR) has released its first quarter estimates for the graphics processor market, reckoning the three month period as disappointing for Intel, but overall encouraging for Nvidia and AMD on the desktop. The company’s report tracks both integrated and discrete graphics solutions inside PCs, though it excludes servers… … Read More
Only one-in-four Americans fit to serve in the military
Military officials claim that they are able to be more selective, largely because the high youth unemployment rate and the drawdowns in Iraq and Afghanistan have prompted more people to apply.“There’s a lot more competition,” Sergeant First Class Israel Herrera told CNN. “There are not many opportunities out there, but the Army provides employment and stability, and that makes it an attractive option.”But for the overwhelming majority of US citizens, joining the military has become difficult – especially amid continuously rising obesity rates and high unemployment.More than 20 percent of high school students drop out before their graduation, 35 percent of Americans are obese or medically disqualified, 19 percent are drug or heavy alcohol users, and 5 percent have criminal records. These factors bar Americans from joining the military, and only one quarter of today’s youth are fit to join, the Pentagon estimates.“Before 2009, we would probably be able to give you an example of a young man or young woman who got in with a simple possession of marijuana charge,” Herrera said. “They would not get a waiver these days.”Six years ago, only 86 percent of new military recruits had a high school diploma, but today 99 percent of all new recruits have one. In 2005, the military suffered a shortage of new enlistees, while in recent years it has always had a surplus.The trend has caused some to wonder if an improved economy would lower recruiting standards, since the poor economy has allowed the military to be selective.“As we see signs of economic improvement, we must remain vigilant and continue to monitor impacts on our recruiting efforts,” Acting Under Secretary of Defense Jessica Wright told the Senate Armed Forces Committee last month.But even if the military accepts less qualified Americans, the Pentagon estimates shed an alarming light on the numbers of people who are too overweight or uneducated to serve the country even if they wanted to. With many Americans ineligible to join the military due to obesity, some members of Congress are trying to address the problem. Sens. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) on Thursday introduced the Fit to Serve Act, which will provide support for military leaders who want to provide their base’s sports fields and gyms to youth who need a place to exercise.The US military discharges more than 1,200 first-time enlistees every year due to weight gain, and nearly one in 20 current service members are clinically overweight, the senators wrote in a press release.“Obesity is the single greatest non-criminal hindrance for our young people seeking to enlist in the armed forces,” Sen. Murkowski said. “We want our young women and men to seek to serve their country to have basic information on what healthy weight means.” … Read More
Hurricane Sandy dumped 11 billion gallons of sewage into New York water
study released Tuesday from Climate Central revealed that some 11 billion gallons of raw and partially treated sewage were introduced into the water surrounding New York and New Jersey as a result of Sandy-induced damage. There were also six sewage spills larger than 100 million gallons in Gotham alone. Almost all of the damage – 94 per cent – in New York was blamed on overflow in area sewage plants, located in low-lying areas so gravity is able to pump and treat wastewater. Some facilities were shut down by power outages while others were completely swamped by floodwater. New York City will have to spend roughly $2 billion to repair the plants, according to the New York Observer. “Our sewage infrastructure isn’t built to withstand such surges, and we are putting our property, safety and lives at risk if we don’t adequately plan for these challenges,” report author Alyson Kenward told the Village Voice. “Sandy showed the extreme vulnerability of the region’s sewage treatment plants to rising seas and intense coastal storms.” Hurricane Sandy killed 159 people and caused $70 billion in damage across eight states, each of which was affected by sewage overflow. Kenward told the New York Daily News that residents should have little to fear regarding long-term health effects because the sewage becomes less threatening as it dissipates through the water. The environmental effects, however, are yet to be seen. Enough sewage leaked to completely cover Manhattan’s Central Park and fill it eleven feet high, the report noted. One of the worst affected stations was Bay Park Treatment Plant on Long Island. “The storm left this coastal plant completely out of operation for at least 42 hours after the storm,” the authors wrote. “Since the tidal flooding was so severe, operators were unable to provide even conservative estimates to the amount of non-salt water that escaped the plant. However, based on average daily flows through the plant, we estimate that at least 104 million gallons of untreated sewage overflowed into Rockaway Channel.” Last year, six months before Hurricane Sandy ravaged the eastern coast of the United States, Climate Central’s Dr. Ben Strauss testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee that because sea levels have risen nearly a foot since 1880, only a small bit of water – or sewage – could doom someone’s home. “Just a few extra inches could mean the difference to flood a family’s basement, or New York City’s subway system, disabling it for months,” he said. … Read More
Apple quarterly report shows continued demand for iPhone, iPad
Apple’s second quarter earnings exceeded analyst estimates despite the fact that many thought Cupertino would come up short. The company reported earnings of $9.5 billion on sales of $43.6 billion, topping Apple’s own expectations of $41 billion to $43 billion. … Read More
The 20 Most Stunning Poverty Statistics Of The Obama Epoch
The collectivism ideology of the current administration represents fiscal suicide. … Read More
Jackie Robinson biopic ’42′ hits box office home run
AFP - Jackie Robinson biopic “42″ hit a home run at the North American box office in its debut weekend, easily besting its box office rivals, industry estimates showed Sunday. The film, starring Chadwick Boseman as the ground-breaking African American baseball star and Harrison Ford as…
Space Weather: 50% Chance Of M Class Flare In The Next 24 Hours
NOAA estimates a 50% chance of a large M class flare occurring during the next 24 hours, and a 15% chance of an X class during the same period. … Read More
