Nikon D5300 specs, features, and price

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TOKYO - Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the D5300, the first Nikon DX-format digital SLR camera to offer built-in Wi-Fi and GPS functions.

The Nikon D5300 will be available November-mid onwards across India in Black, Red and Grey color variants at an MRP of Rs. 54,450 for the body only, Rs. 59,950 with 18-55mm VR lens, and Rs. 75,950 with 18-140mm VR lens.

The Nikon D5300 features an effective pixel count of 24.2-megapixels and a Nikon DX-format CMOS sensor. Measuring 125 x 98 x 76 mm (4.9 x 3.9 x 3 inches) and weighing 530 g (1 lb 2.7 oz) the D5300 is slightly smaller and lighter than its predecessor.

The D5300′s built-in Wi-Fi connectivity feature can be used for transmitting images to a smart device for sharing as well as for remote shooting.

Built-in GPS also means images can be geotagged with latitude, longitude, and altitude data, without the use of external adapters. Full HD 1080p video can now also be recorded at 60/50 fps and a new pentamirror increases viewfinder magnification to approx. 0.82x.

Speaking on the announcement, Hiroshi Takashina, Managing Director, Nikon India said that the D5300 features Nikon's latest innovative technologies, allowing users to instantly shoot, store and share images.

Sajjan Kumar, Vice President-Imaging, Nikon India, elaborated explaining that It's also been upgraded to use the Nikon EXPEED 4 image processing engine which enables a larger ISO range of 100 to 12,800 (expandable to 25,600 equivalent) though the camera still has a top continuous burst speed of 5 frames per second.

Source: Associatednews

Mom bought condoms for daughter - and her friends

DEAR ABBY: My 17-year-old daughter confided that she has become sexually involved with her boyfriend and asked if I would buy condoms for her. I agreed that she should protect herself and bought her a box of 12.

A week later, she informed me that she needed another 12-pack. When I asked why she had run out so quickly, she confessed that she has been supplying them to her girlfriends. Apparently they can't confide in their moms the way she can with me.

My dilemma is that condoms are expensive and, on one hand, I don't want to be the one supplying a group of kids. On the other hand, if I can help to prevent an unwanted pregnancy, maybe it's worth it. What do you think I should do? — Safe Sex Advocate in Illinois

DEAR SAFE SEX ADVOCATE: If your daughter's friends are old enough to be sexually active, they and their boyfriends should also be responsible enough to provide their own birth control. Generally, teens do not need the permission of their parents to receive information about it. Because you want to help them avoid unwanted pregnancies (as well as STDs), direct them to the nearest Planned Parenthood Center for low-cost or no-cost birth control and instruction on how to use it. There are 18 of these health centers in Illinois. To find the one closest to you, go to PlannedParenthood.org.

Indulgent dad

DEAR ABBY: I am the mother of three wonderful girls. The problem is my husband thinks the way to make them love him is by allowing them everything I don't. I'll give you some examples:

I don't let the girls eat anywhere except at the table, so my husband brings treats into the family room. I try to limit high-sugar/fat items like chips and candy, which he buys for them on a regular basis. I also try to adhere to a regular bedtime schedule, while he thinks nothing of stretching lights-out to an hour or more later.

Then he complains that the girls won't listen to him, so I must be in charge of the discipline. While this makes him Fun Daddy in our house, it makes me ... Mean Mommy in Ohio

DEAR MOMMY: It appears you're not just raising three wonderful girls, but also coping with an immature, overgrown boy. Parenthood is supposed to be a united, consistent partnership, a team effort. Your husband is sabotaging you and ignoring that one of the responsibilities of parenthood is establishing rules and limits that children should live with.

Your husband needs parenting classes, and if that's not possible, some sessions with a child behavior expert who can explain the consequences of what he's doing to his daughters in the name of being "Fun Daddy." From my perspective, there isn't anything funny about it. You have my sympathy.

Party dilemma

DEAR ABBY: I work at a senior retirement community, and the residents have a Halloween party each year. In the past, there were prizes for the three best costumes. However, last year they stopped giving prizes because one of the residents is a professional artist and costume contests kansas city maker, and the association felt it would be unfair to the others to have him compete.

This year it was decided not to hold the contest at all. The residents are disappointed. How can they continue to have the costume contest and include the professional? — Dressed up in Louisiana

DEAR DRESSED UP: Ask the artist/costume designer to be the judge.

© Universal Uclick 10/16

Source: Kansascity

SureGuard Mattress Protectors

Grandville, MI, October 05, 2013 --( PR.com)-- With the release of their new line of mattress protectors, SureGuard plans to make everyone aware of the numerous health benefits mattress protection brings.

On average, the typical American spends over 8 hours sleeping. With people spending a third of their life in bed, maintaining a healthy sleep space is vital.

"We are beginning to realise that sleep habits play a vital role in our overall health," said Brett Rycroft, SureGuard's spokesman. "Mattress protectors help in creating a safe, healthy sleeping experience."

Most importantly, mattress protection offers many benefits for people that experience allergies, night sweats or incontinence.

"Your mattress is a serious investment that must be looked after," said SureGuard spokesman, Brett Rycroft. "In addition to preventing the collection of allergens and dust mites, mattress protectors also help guard your mattress from moisture and stains, increasing its useful life."

Allergy Prevention

It is estimated that 1 in 10 people are allergic to dust mites. More alarming is that almost 90 percent of allergic asthma 5s iphone cases bedding for girls queen size are caused by dust mites. And, where do most dust mites live and breed? In your mattress! Believe it or not, up to a whopping 10 million dust mites may live in a used mattress - their favorite food being your dead skin and hair.

Apart from dust mites, other allergens like pet dander and pollen often accumulate in a mattress. With a mattress protector, people can guard themselves from the allergens inside their bed.

"You'll find plenty of doctors encouraging the use of mattress protectors as a vital aid in controlling allergies," Rycroft said.

Waterproof Protection

Apart from allergies, millions of people of every age and culture experience bedwetting, incontinence or night sweats. Research suggests that 20% of children wet the bed, and almost 8% of adults are incontinent.

Furthermore, a study of over two thousand people found that 41% percent of them experienced night sweats at least once a month. Mattress protectors like the ones provided by SureGuard offer extra peace of mind when nighttime accidents strike.

"Unlike PVC and vinyl bed sheets, SureGuard's mattress protectors are waterproof and breathable, creating a clean, safe, comfy and cool sleep area," Rycroft said. "And, they're soft and noiseless, letting kids and adults live without the distress of drenching the bed."

Warranty Protection

Aside from waterproof protection, a great benefit of SureGuard mattress protectors is they help maintain warranties. Mattress companies often guarantee their beds for 10 to 20 years. But just about any replacement warranty is voided if the mattress gets stained.

A fluid-proof mattress protector is a simple and affordable way to secure the warranty and extend the life of your mattress. This saves money in the long run.

With the many benefits a mattress protector provides, it makes sense to get one and make your bed a safer, healthier spot to spend one-third of your day. For allergy sufferers and bed wetters, it's a must.

About SureGuard mattress protectors:

SureGuard offers superior quality mattress protectors that provide consumers with a healthy and comfortable sleep environment. The brand was established to offer bedding protectors that provide a dry, dust mite- and allergy-free sleep space for people of all ages.

For a limited time people can get 10% off any SureGuard mattress protector at Amazon - simply use claim code X63LO3KT at checkout.

Now anyone can rest assured with a SureGuard mattress protector. For more information, visit http://SureGuardMattress.com

Source: Pr

Here's The Letter Telling NSA Staff To Go Home For The Government Shutdown

<couponp>Given that the government shutdown makes an exception for "national security," some employees of the National Security Agency may have been surprised Tuesday to get a letter telling them their jobs don't fall under that category.

In a memo sent to thousands of NSA staffers, shared with me by one agency employee, the NSA's associate director of human resources noted that despite exceptions to the federal government shutdown that include "activities required for national security, including the safety of human life or the protection of property," recipients of the letter are being sent home indefinitely. "We very much regret the shutdown furlough and recognize the difficult financial implications of any furlough, no matter how limited its length," reads the unclassified letter. "While everyone at the NSA provides vital services, because the duties you perform do not support 'excerpted' functions, you will be placed in a furlough status effective 1 October 2013."

Here's the full letter, which also includes a form NSA staffers can use to file unemployment claims:

Two NSA staffers I spoke with said that they hadn't been told how much of the agency's staff had been furloughed, which they said may be a measure to protect operational security and morale. But both noted they didn't know of any fellow staffers who hadn't been sent home, including colleagues across the surveillance-focused Signals Intelligence group, the security-focused Information Assurance Division and the agency's research division. The NSA hasn't officially stated the scope of the furlough, but the Hill has reported that as many as 70% of civilian staffers have been put on indefinite leave.

The government shutdown and NSA cutbacks come just as the agency's role has been called into question by Congress and the media in the wake of revelations of the agency's massive pervasive surveillance leaked by Booz Allen contractor Edward Snowden. In that light, the notion that a large portion of the NSA's role doesn't constitute critical national security functions may offer more fodder for its critics.

But in a statement sent to some reporters, Director National Intelligence office spokesperson Shawn Turner said warned that "the Intelligence Community's ability to identify threats and provide information for a broad set of national security decisions will be diminished for the duration.

"The immediate and significant reduction in employees on the job means that we will assume greater risk and our ability to support emerging intelligence requirements will be curtailed," Turner added. "The fraction of Intelligence Community employees who remain on the job will be stretched to the limit and forced to focus only on the most critical security needs."

The letter to furloughed employees warns them to "keep abreast of the latest news" in case the shutdown ends and their jobs are reinstated. It also notes deep in its legalese that any staffers who "believe that this action is taken in reprisal for whistleblowing" may file a complaint with Merit Systems Protection Board or the Office of the Special Counsel.

Edward Snowden, who was terminated from his contractor position after his leaks in June, need not apply.

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Follow me on Twitter, and check out the new paperback edition of my book, This Machine Kills Secrets: Julian Assange, the Cypherpunks, and Their Fight to Empower Whistleblowers, a New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice.
Source: Forbes

Citizen Khan creator Adil Ray: 'Don't allow yourself to be offended'

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When the first series of the pioneering sitcom Citizen Khan aired last year, it sparked around 200 complaints and was accused of making fun of Islam, stereotyping Asians and being disrespectful to the Qur'an. A Facebook post said: "Cancel the show OR we will have repeat of riot we had a few months ago."

Well, a second series and a Christmas special have been filmed and there have been no riots - although shamefully some death threats were made.

However, Adil Ray, creator of the sitcom about a self-appointed "community leader", is not going to bow to pressure to make changes to appease his critics. Ray says he and the BBC knew there was "probably going to be an adverse reaction" as "it's a very sensitive area - it's the first time we've had a sitcom based on a Muslim Pakistani family".

His upbringing in Birmingham and his religion gave him the perspective to deal with the controversy. "There was something my mum taught me when I was younger: 'Don't allow yourself to be offended about anything in life.'

"I remember the first time I got called 'Paki' at school and I went home and told my mum and she said: 'So what, what's that done to you? It doesn't matter, just get back into school.' And she was so right."

He adds: "Particularly if you think you're religious - and I would like to think that my religion and faith is strong - a comedy show or whatever won't affect that. That's quite key I think, otherwise it's a sign of weakness."

For every one person who complained about the scenes such as Khan's youngest daughter Alia rushing to put on a hijab when her father was around, Ray says, he would get ten or so emails from Muslim, Catholic and Jewish people saying their daughter also paid lip service to their religion.

"So you kind of go 'well who's right here?' The fact is nobody's right, we're not all the same. You have some Muslims who didn't like it and wanted to complain and a lot of Muslims, the vast majority of Muslims, who did like it. That's a good thing. If the entire Muslim population had come out and said 'yes we all love Citizen Khan' that'd be quite scary."

Ray has experienced controversy before. In 2009 he received threats from Sikh listeners who claimed he was being insensitive about a Sikh religious symbol on his Asian Network show.

He agrees with John Cleese's view that "no one has the right not to be offended", but says the most important thing when he comes in for criticism is to use Islamic teachings to ask himself what his intentions were.

"You have to ask if you are doing the right thing. What I've intended to do with Citizen Khan is a good thing - to make Mr Khan a good character, to make him universal and a communication between different communities."

The Radio 2 and 5 Live presenter is an articulate advocate for the universality of comedy, revealing his early influences were shows such as Fawlty Towers and Only Fools and Horses - some of his happiest childhood moments were eating fish and chips while watching That's My Boy, starring Mollie Sugden. "The power of comedy struck home for me", he says, when he realised "here we were as a British Asian family ... laughing together at this white family sitcom".

That drove him to make Citizen Khan family-friendly viewing. He admits it is "slightly romantic" of him but says one of the things that motivated him to do comedy was "the joy you can bring to families".

There can be a snobbishness in coverage of sitcoms. Citizen Khan averaged around 4 million viewers yet some reviewers still felt inclined to look down their noses. Ray admits that "it does bother you - but you don't focus on that". He adds: "As long as more people are liking it than aren't, and as long as the BBC commissioners love it and recommission it, that's all that matters at the end of the day."

He warms to his theme: "There's a real desire and hunger for that kind of comedy - not trying to be cool and on-trend but 'just make me laugh out loud' and we've tried to embrace that, in the same vein as studio comedies that have been on BBC1 like Mrs Brown's Boys or Miranda.

"They might not sometimes be the critics' choices or the coolest comedies but we're in times now where people like to be nostalgic and relive the times when they laughed out loud.

"I think on the whole you've got to concentrate on the positives and when people turn round to you and say they've never watched TV with their children before but now their children are loving [Citizen Khan], that's great."

What he also wants is for his comedy to cross ethnic and religious boundaries: "Yes [Citizen Khan] is about a Pakistani Muslim family but what I really want is a white English lady to be watching it and nudge her husband and say 'That's like you, Mr Khan is just like you'. That - and the idea that children love the show - means more to me than anything any reviewer could ever say."

Ray enjoyed early opportunities on the nursery slopes of BBC3 and on the Asian Network. He is grateful for the freedom he was given, but worries that budget cuts to the digital radio station might mean others don't enjoy the chances he had.

Mr Khan is based on a number of people he observed growing up, and came to life via the BBC2 show Bellamy's People and a Salford Sitcom Showcase. There are some changes as the show reappears for a second series, beginning on Friday - one character change, guest stars such as Vicar of Dibley actor James Fleet and more physical comedy.

In one episode Mr Khan tries to impersonate some animals, revealing a talent for rubbery physical comedy in the sitcom's star that is reminiscent at times of Rowan Atkinson's Mr Bean. "We wanted to make it more physical," Ray explains, "purely because it dawned on me, watching series one again, that Mr Khan is just a child, he's a kid."

The writers, Ray, Goodness Gracious Me's Anil Gupta and Richard Pinto, have to tread a fine line with how Mr Khan is portrayed. "Sometimes you get to a point in any comedy where you need your main lead to be slightly monstrous, whether it's slightly chauvinistic or selfish or arrogant. Those characters in the past - Rigsby, Del Boy, Basil Fawlty - they've all got those faults," Ray points out.

"The danger sometimes is when writing Mr Khan you go 'hang on, we don't want to suddenly play to this perception of Muslim or Pakistani men that they are [those things],' there's a real delicate way of doing it. We need to have those monstrous moments, he needs to have battles with his mother-in-law and his daughter, only for him to redeem himself later.

"If you don't take him to that level there's no sweet end really - in a BBC1 sitcom you need those moments. In the end, for all his flaws Mr Khan is a good guy. When he needs to do the right thing, he does."

Curriculum vitae

Age 39

Education Handsworth Grammar school, Birmingham; University of Huddersfield, BA (Hons) marketing

Career 1995 DJ, Choice FM 1998 DJ, Galaxy FM 2000 broadcaster, BBC Asian Network 2003 presenter, The Last Word 2006 presenter Desi DNA, Tales from Europe 2007 presenter, Is It Coz I Is Black, Heaven and Earth 2008 presenter, Explore 2009 presenter, actor Radio 4: Picturing Britain, Sparkhill Sound 2010 actor, writer, Bellamy's People; presenter, Radio 5 Live 2011 presenter, Exposed: Groomed For Sex 2012 creator, writer, actor, Citizen Khan; presenter, Radio 2

Source: Theguardian

Editorial missed the mark on snooping cases

The Editorial Board's endorsement of a recent federal court ruling in Minnesota dismissing a class-action suit on behalf of about 5,000 Minnesotans, mostly women, whose driver's licenses and motor vehicle data were illegally looked up by an official of the Department of Natural Resources took naiveté to new heights ("A welcome ruling in data snooping case," Sept. 26).

Because I represent individuals in one of many parallel cases, involving primarily snooping tactics by counties, cities and a few private entities, I will leave the legal aspects of the litigation to the court system.

However, the editorial's mixture of chagrin and insouciance would be lamentable and downright laughable if it were not such a serious matter. The editorial noted that the improper access, which includes personal data, photographs and even medical information, is "downright creepy," but it offered no realistic remedy for the victims of the practice.

These intrusions create more than momentary discomfort. They often are undertaken by law enforcement personnel, like the offending DNR manager, for prurient or salacious purposes.

The incident that prompted the 1994 federal law at issue in the litigation, the Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA), stemmed from the murder of a woman who was stalked and slain by a man who accessed her driver's license data. Other victims in the Minnesota cases have reported surveillance, misuse of financial information and other real indignities.

Congress recognized the severity of these syndromes when it established a minimum of $2,500 in damages for each inappropriate lookup.

How would the newspaper propose to remedy these violations? By "personal liability" against the individual offenders.

It is sheer naiveté to imagine that an individual snooper would be able to pay the kind of compensation sought in these instances. The editorial's call for only the individual offenders to "face consequences" is a lame and mindless approach that lets employers off the hook and leaves victims without meaningful recourse.

Congress certainly did not have this in mind when it enacted the law nearly 20 years ago.

---------------

Marshall H. Tanick is a Minneapolis attorney who represents individuals in privacy litigation.

Source: Startribune

The $100 3D Peachy Printer blasts past Kickstarter funding targets

A Canadian startup company is the latest to create a tidal wave of 'investor' interest via Kickstarter by offering a new kind of affordable 3D printer. The Peachy Printer combines a photolithographic process to mould resin and a rising water platform to add depth to make "the world's cheapest 3D printer". This $100 device comes in kit form, to keep costs down. Rinnovated Design has, at the time of writing, raised $175k in 3 days, shooting well over its original funding target of $50k.

What makes the Peachy Printer special? "Unlike most other low-cost 3D printers, I didn't focus on using cheaper components within the same design. Instead I re-invented how the 3D printer works," said Rylan Grayston of Rinnovated Design. In the video below Grayston explains the 3D printer design and goals of the Kickstarter project. He says that funding is required for improving the software and making high volume parts orders.

As you can see in the video above, the Peachy 3D Printer system can cut costs as the depth axis transport design is simplified thanks to its floating resin system. "The peachy moves a laser beam along the X and Y axes to create the shape of the object, while using a drip system to control the level of the resin on the Z axis which determines the height of the object".

3D scanning too

The Peachy Printer can work with an existing video camera, web cam or DSLR to act as a 3D scanner. To do this scan the Peachy emits a "back and forth laser pattern that simulates a line laser". Your camera picks up this image and some custom software written for Blender creates a mesh of points describing the object in 3D space. The developers say that they are also working on a feature to create a "texture map from the footage and apply it to the 3D models mesh automatically".

It's great to see a new approach to 3D printing that is affordable and has a lot of potential for refinement. The printer is estimated to ship in July/August 2014. (all prices quoted are in Canadian Dollars).

Source: Hexus