Gov. Rick Scott approves no-bid Glades deal




















Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet unanimously approved the request of two agriculture companies Wednesday to allow them to renew their leases to farm state land in exchange for them swapping other parcels for Everglades clean-up efforts.

Scott, along with Attorney General Pam Bondi, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater ignored concerns of environmental groups across the state that the conditions of the leases to A. Duda & Sons and Florida Crystals were overly generous and would limit the state’s options for cleaning up the Everglades in the future.

The environmentalists urged the Cabinet to slow down and re-negotiate a shorter-term lease that gives the state the options it may need if the restoration projects require more land. But Melissa Meeker, executive director of the South Florida Water Management District, told the Cabinet there would be no need for their land.





"The parcels where the leases are so far outside where any potential project would be…far from any footprint where we would be looking for any projects,’’ she said. "We feel very confident that we have the land we need.’’

The environmental groups said they will take their appeal to the water management district board, which must approve the lease agreements.

"We still hope they will reduce the length of the lease,’’ said Charles Pattison of 1000 Friends of Florida. He said that if the state decides it needs additional land covered under the leases, it could be on the hook to pay the growers for lost income from farming.

The sugar companies argued that every acre of land that remains in farming — including state land — equals jobs for their employees.

"Every time we take land out of production it costs jobs,’’ said Gaston Cantens, vice president of Florida Crystals. "Everyone likes to beat up on us."





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Why the Future of TV Still Isn’t Here Yet






As content providers continue to intimidate tech companies with a seemingly endless couch-potato conundrum, the latest innovation in the war to win your living room isn’t some new gadget from Apple or Netflix, or even that exciting à la carte content delivery system from Intel — it’s a protocol that helps our screens better communicate with one another. YouTube and Netflix have teamed up to create something called DIAL, a competitor of sorts to Apple’s AirPlay, which, as GigaOm’s Janko Roettgers describes it, ”helps developers of second-screen apps to discover and launch applications on smart TVs and connected devices.” Basically, it turns your phone into a kind of wireless super-remote for your TV, as Roettgers explains: 



With DIAL, the Netflix app on your phone will automatically discover that there is a device with a Netflix app connected to your TV. It will fire up that app, and then the two apps are free to do whatever they want — which presumably involves some healthy binge-viewing.







This solves a “big problem” because it makes using those apps on your smart television a lot easier.  As of right now, controlling the Netflix app on a PlayStation still requires the console remote to open up the app on your television before controlling it from a phone or tablet. This eliminates a step — and that, ladies and gents, is the biggest thing actually happening in TV tech right now. Instead of letting us pay just for the content we want, the cable industry’s aging model is still forcing tech companies to help us sift through all the extras were forced to buy. Because with the big media companies refusing to budge on innovative content deals so far this year, “content discovery” tools like GIAL and AirPlay remain one of the only ways everyone can get along. 


RELATED: Netflix Is Winning the Internet


It wasn’t supposed to be this way, of course. Many expected hardware like a supped-up Apple TV or the Roku streaming stick to “fix” television — instead of some protocol that makes finding stuff on our TVs easier. But, as Netflix discovered when it tried to get in the hardware business, the total package can alienate the other key players. Back in 2007, the streaming company had a set-top box in the works that would transform Netflix into a cable competitor, reports Fast Company’s Austin Carr. But CEO Reid Hastings scrapped the idea because it was too competitive. “We could not be competing against Sony, LG, and Samsung,” says Steve Swasey, then the company’s VP of communications. On top of the potential loss of support from hardware makers, this separate Netflix box scared away the content owners, with which Netflix has worked so hard to get streaming TV deals. 


RELATED: The Future of Streaming Video Looks Like TV Reruns


The old-school media industry’s fear of tech-world competition has driven the future of television in a spiraling direction. When one of the too-many entities gets offended, the future falls apart, as we saw with Google TV in an experiment that ultimately scared off content providers as well. A protocol like DIAL is the politically correct solution: It doesn’t change how we pay for content — but it sure does work within the comfortable way we’re used to sitting down and watching TV!


Gadgets News Headlines – Yahoo! News





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Batman Star Christian Bale Thrills 8-year-old Cancer Patient with Personal Call

Christian Bale received his share of negative publicity after audio surfaced of him angrily ranting on the set of the 2009 action movie Terminator Salvation. But the Dark Knight actor has done a lot to change that image since, including his recent gesture to an 8-year-old Batman fan suffering from cancer.

As we can see in this video posted on YouTube by the parents Leukemia sufferer Zach Guillot, Bale clearly gives the boy a thrill by calling him in his hospital room and chatting with him about his role in the Batman franchise.

VIDEO: Christian Bale's Heroic Visit to Aurora, CO 

"The thing that's great about Batman, and the whole point of the movie, is that anybody can be Batman," Bale can be heard telling Zach. "You know, anyone can be as strong as that, and help people, and do good in the world."  

Watch the video to see more of this uplifting phone conversation between the star and his young lifelong fan.

PICS: Star Sightings

You can read more about Zach's battle with Leukemia at his personal Facebook page.

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Miami Dolphins slam Norman Braman, Marlins Park deal




















The Miami Dolphins ramped up their public campaign for a tax-funded stadium renovation this week, buying full-page ads against their top critic and trying to distance the plan from the unpopular Marlins deal.

The team bought an ad in Tuesday’s Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald knocking auto magnate Norman Braman’s criticism of the Sun Life Stadium deal, which would have Florida and Miami-Dade split the costs with owner Stephen Ross for a $400 million renovation. The Dolphins would pay at least $201 million, with taxpayers using state funds and a higher Miami-Dade hotel tax to pay $199 million.

In a fact sheet sent to media Tuesday morning, the Dolphins listed ways their deal differs from the 2009 Marlins deal. First: Ross, a billionaire real estate developer, would use private dollars to fund at least 51 percent of the Sun Life effort, compared to less than 25 percent from Marlins owner Jeff Loria. Second, Sun Life helps the economy more than the Marlins park does.





“Just because the Marlins did a bad deal doesn’t mean we should oppose a good deal where at least a majority of the cost is paid from private sources and more than 4,000 local jobs are created during construction alone,” the fact sheet states. And while the Dolphins’ Miami Gardens stadium has hosted two Super Bowls since 2007 and is in the running for the 2016 game, “Marlins Stadium does not generate the ability to attract world-class sports events -- other than a World Series from time to time depending on the success of the team.”

NFL teams play eight home games a year if they don’t make the playoffs, while baseball teams have 81.

Miami and Miami-Dade built the Marlins a $640 million stadium at the site of the Dolphins’ old home at the Orange Bowl in Little Havana. The Marlins contributed about $120 million and agreed to pay between $2.5 million and $4.9 million a year for 35 years to pay back $35 million of debt the county borrowed for the stadium. As a publicly owned stadium, the Marlins ballpark pays no property taxes. Most of the public money came from Miami-Dade hotel taxes, along with $50 million of debt tied to the county’s general fund.

Sun Life is privately owned and pays $3 million a year in property taxes to Miami-Dade. It currently receives $2 million a year from Florida’ s stadium program, a subsidy tied to converting the football venue to baseball in the 1990s when the Marlins played there. The Dolphins also paid for a second full-page ad with quotes from leading hoteliers in Miami-Dade endorsing the stadium plan. Among them: Donald Trump, whose company recently purchased the Doral golf resort. “Steve Ross’ commitment to modernize Sun Life Stadium -- while covering most of the construction costs -- is the right thing for Miami-Dade,’’ the ad quotes Trump as saying.

Also on Tuesday, Ross and team CEO Mike Dee sent a letter to Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and county commissioners requesting negotiations over the stadium deal. The letter said the deal Ross unveiled last week is a “baseline for debate” and asked for talks. The letter also urged the commission to adopt a resolution proposed by Commissioner Barbara Jordan endorsing the state bill that would allow taxes for Sun Life. The resolution is on the agenda for Wednesday’s commission meeting.





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No charges against 2nd person in Texas college shooting

HOUSTON — Authorities say they don't expect to file charges against a 25-year-old man who was involved in an argument that escalated into gunfire at a Houston-area community college.

The two men who were arguing and a bystander were shot in the incident Tuesday outside the library at the North Harris County campus of Lone Star College.

Authorities have charged 22-year-old Carlton Berry with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Harris County Sheriff's Office spokesman Thomas Gilliland said Wednesday the other man, identified in court records as Jody Neal, did not have a weapon.




AP



Ana Leal, left, embraces Lone Star College student Sabrina Cuellar after she was evacuated and picked up by her mother yesterday.



Gilliland says investigators are still determining what prompted argument between Berry and Neal.

Court records have identified a maintenance worker who was also shot as 69-year-old Bobby Cliburn.

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Texas campus issues alert amid reports of shooter




















A Texas college has gone into a lockdown amid reports of a shooter on campus.

Jed Young, a spokesman for the Lone Star College System campus in north Harris County, told The Associated Press that a shelter-in-place order has been issued.

Emergency personnel have responded to the Houston-area college campus.





The Harris County Sheriff’s Office had no immediate details.

The shooting happened sometime shortly past noon at the campus, according to the Sheruff’s Office, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Initial reports indicate at least three people may have been wounded. No other information about injuries was immediately available.

"We know that shots have been fired and we are in a shelter-in-place situation on the campus," Vicki Cassidy, manager of media relations for Lone Star College System, told the Chronicle. "It's a pretty chaotic scene at this point in time."

Cassidy said she could not provide any other details about the shooting. The campus is one of six that makes up the community college system.

Early reports indicate the shooting may have occurred in the library as well in the cafeteria.

The campus has been placed on lockdown as authorities investigate the case. Officials asked students and faculty to remain where they are on the campus. They also ask other people not to come to the campus.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.





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Apple slips, BlackBerry slides and Windows Phone stalls in December






Kantar Worldpanel’s December smartphone market share numbers are out. And they are as fascinating as ever. Kantar pegs the BlackBerry market share in America as 1.1% last month, down from 1.4% in November. Surprisingly, Windows Phone’s market share also ticked down to 2.6% in December from 2.7% in November. That might be a statistical artifact, but it is surprising not to see a substantial boost in Windows share considering the marketing support and new devices from AT&T (T).


[More from BGR: BlackBerry 10 OS walkthrough, BlackBerry Z10 pricing]






In Europe, Windows Phone is rapidly picking up steam. Its market share soared to 13.9% in Italy from 11.8% in November. In the UK, Windows Phone’s share moved to 5.9% from 5.1% in a month.The EU average share of Windows Phone bloomed to 5.4% from 4.7% between November and December.


[More from BGR: Verizon Q4 loss doubles to nearly $ 2 billion despite record subscriber adds]


At the same time, BlackBerry dipped to 4.0% from 4.4%. The stage is set for the spring battle between Windows Phone and BlackBerry camps.


Interestingly, Apple’s (AAPL) share in the UK slipped to 32.4% in December from 36.1% in November. The massive popularity of Samsung (005930) models in the British market was undoubtedly the main reason; Android’s share hit 54.4% in the UK.


This is the latest sign that Apple’s market share problems outside the U.S. market are not limited to emerging markets and Southern Europe. The UK has traditionally been the second most loyal market to the Apple brand, right after the United States. According to Kantar, Apple slipped 2.1 percentage points in America between November and December, ending up with 51.2% share of the smartphone market.


This article was originally published on BGR.com


Gadgets News Headlines – Yahoo! News





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'Olympus Has Fallen' Trailer

The White House is a major target at the movies this year, with no less than two action films featuring a serious breach of security – and only one man that can protect the president. In addition to Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum's White House Down (in theaters this June), the first film out of the gate is Olympus Has Fallen starring Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart and Morgan Freeman. Watch the intense trailer.

Pics: Stars Who Have Played the President

In theaters March 22, Olympus finds Butler as a secret service agent struggling to recover from a tragic accident involving the first lady who unexpectedly becomes the only man who can protect the commander-in-chief after terrorists attack the White House, code named "Olympus." Die Another Day star Rick Yune plays the terrorist mastermind who matches wits with the president (Eckhart) while the speaker of the house (played by Freeman) scrambles to save the nation's top man and avert an even bigger disaster.

Video: Can Channing Tatum Save the Prez?

Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day), Olympus Has Fallen also stars Angela Bassett, Melissa Leo and Ashley Judd.

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High court: former Manhattan DA busted for felony pot sales

A former Manhattan assistant district attorney has been indicted for felony pot sales -- the very kind of crime he once prosecuted.

David Leung, 44, had been busted during a September buy and bust operation on East 9th Street. Leung was allegedly selling high grade weed through a delivery service.

He declined comment today as he left Manhattan Criminal Court, where he was informed of the indictment.

He's accused of selling to an undercover an envelope containing two bags of marijuana for $200. Cops with Narcotics Borough Manhattan South found another "two large bags" of marijuana in his trunk, according to the charges against him.




Steven Hirsch



Former Manhattan prosecutor David Leung.



Leung had worked at the Manhattan DA's office from 1994 to 2003, since going into private practice and moving to West End, Ind.

He remains free without bail; he is due to be arraigned on the new indictment on February 19.

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Existing home sales and prices rose in Broward in December




















South Florida’s housing recovery is on strong footing.

In Broward County, the median price of an existing single-family home surged 21.1 percent to $230,000 in December from a year earlier, according to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Realtors.

The median price of an existing condo or townhouse in Broward in December jumped 24.7 percent to $95,100 year over year, the group said.





Sales of single-family homes in Broward climbed 14.9 percent in December year over year while the volume of condo and townhouse closings increased 4.7 percent over the period.

The inventory of single-family homes in Broward fell 35.5 percent in December from a year earlier, while the inventory of condos and townhomes on the market declined 25.2 percent year over year, the Fort Lauderdale group said.

“Buyers are quite surprised there is not more inventory after everything they have been hearing,’’ said Eyvonne Kafourus, an agent with Prudential in Fort Lauderdale. “I see a lot of people coming in from other states, for job transfers and retirement.’’

“Buyers are getting aggravated because they are losing deals,’’ said Charles Bonfiglio, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Realtors. “Eighty to 90 percent [of sales] are multiple offer situations. They’ve got to move quickly.’’

The median days on the market for a single-family home in Broward declined to 37 days in December from 56 days a year earlier, the Realtors group said.

Florida has been seeing a flow of new arrivals after a period of exodus during the downturn.

“We’ve obviously turned the corner. We’ve noticed inventory tightening up,’’ said Philip Vias, a broker associate with Prudential in Fort Lauderdale.

Vias said more buyers seem to be coming in from the Northeast. “What’s held things up is homes weren’t selling up north. North it’s starting to trickle down.’’

Statewide in Florida, single-family home sales climbed 15.8 percent in December from a year earlier as the median price increased 14.1 percent to $154,000.





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