Insert Coin semifinalist: Radiator Labs rethinks steam heat, we go hands-on

If you've ever lived in a building that was heated by steam, there's a good chance that you've experienced comfort levels that were less than ideal. Now, Insert Coin semifinalist Radiator Labs is working to bring a solution to market that'll make your living space a lot more tolerable, and as an added bonus, it'll save energy at the same time. We took a moment to catch up with Marshall Cox, co-founder of Radiator Labs, here at Expand, who explained the elegantly simple solution that the company has in store.

At its most fundamental level, what you have is an oven mitt for your radiator that's augmented with a temperature sensor and an exhaust fan. Whenever the ambient heat reaches your set comfort level (which can be controlled from the web or a smartphone app), the fan will shut off and the insulating cover -- described to us as ironing board material -- will prevent additional heat from escaping. From here, steam is redistributed to other apartments that need it, rather than turning your unit into a sauna. Beyond this eco-friendly element, Radiator Labs is integrating a phase change material into its product that can store energy and heat an apartment for up to four hours without assistance from the boiler.

Going deeper down the rabbit hole, Radiator Labs is exploring some nifty technologies such as an Xbee mesh network, which it's using to evaluate the energy-saving benefits at play. While this component won't be integrated into the consumer version, we could see commercial installations that include wireless communications with the boiler itself. Combined with the phase change material, this would allow a boiler to fire much less often -- seems like a great idea, if you ask us. We're told that Radiator Labs will be seeking crowd-funding for its product this fall, which will be available in the $250 price range. For additional peeks at what's to come, be sure to check the gallery.

Jon Fingas contributed to this report.

Gallery: Radiator Labs cover hands-on

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The Easiest Way To Tell Your Seatmate You're Not Interested In Small Talk

Airplane seats are notoriously uncomfortable for sleeping. Whether it's because of the stiff-as-a-board headrest, or a chatty seatmate who didn't take a hint when you put on your headphones. So here's the simple solution to both problems: an inflatable pillow that doubles as an obnoxious wall. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/62H74Nqt564/the-easiest-way-to-tell-your-seatmate-youre-not-interested-in-small-talk

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgCpqib_i2g

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Argentines celebrate Francis as their 'slum pope'

A man pushes a cart past the Virgin of Caacupe church in the Villa 21-24 slum in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, March 14, 2013. Residents here proudly recall how the Buenos Aires archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio would arrive on a bus and walk through the mud to reach the young members of the slum's church. How he sponsored marathons and carpentry classes, consoled single mothers, blessed the local chapel and washed the feet of recovering drug addicts. How he became one of them. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)

A man pushes a cart past the Virgin of Caacupe church in the Villa 21-24 slum in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, March 14, 2013. Residents here proudly recall how the Buenos Aires archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio would arrive on a bus and walk through the mud to reach the young members of the slum's church. How he sponsored marathons and carpentry classes, consoled single mothers, blessed the local chapel and washed the feet of recovering drug addicts. How he became one of them. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)

In this April 2000 photo courtesy of the Espinola family, Buenos Aires' Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio poses for photo with Angela Espinola, 12, left, and her sister Eliza, 9, during an Easter procession organized by the Virgin of Caacupe church in the Villa 21-24 slum in Buenos Aires, Argentina. For more than a billion Catholics worldwide, he's Pope Francis. For Argentina's poorest citizens, who crowd into the many so-called ?misery villages? that surround the capital, he's proudly known as one of their own, a true ?slum pope.? (AP Photo/Courtesy of the Espinola family)

Cristian Marcelo Reynoso, who works as a garbage collector, walks to work near the Virgin of Caacupe church in the Villa 21-24 slum in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, March 14, 2013. ?Four years ago, I was at my worst and I needed help. When the mass started he knelt down and washed my feet. It hit me hard. It was such a beautiful experience,? said Reynoso referring to then Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio. Reynoso, 27, is trying to kick off an addiction to crack cocaine through the local church's rehab program. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)

Cristian Marcelo Reynoso, center, poses inside his home with his children, Milagro, 5, left, Oriana, 3, bottom, and Nahuel, 10, right, in their home in the Villa 21-24 slum in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, March 14, 2013. At Villa 21-24, a slum so dangerous that most outsiders wouldn't dare go in, Jorge Mario Bergoglio often showed up unannounced to share laughs and sips of mate, the traditional Argentine herbal tea. Reynoso, 27, said their favorite soccer club, San Lorenzo, ?was going through a bad streak the last time they talked, and he told me that even if it was losing you couldn't desert it ... It's like people. We all hit the bottom of the well, but you can always be rescued from the bottom.? Reynoso is trying to kick off an addiction to crack cocaine through the local church's rehab program. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)

Volunteer Constanza Lascumbres, top right, teaches reading to Nicole Farias, 9, at the Virgin of Caacupe church in a shantytown in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, March 14, 2013. At Villa 21-24, a slum so dangerous that most outsiders wouldn't dare go in, Jorge Mario Bergoglio often showed up unannounced over the course of more than 20 years. For many at the slum's Caacupe Virgin of the Miracles Church, it's nothing short of a miracle that the same man is now the pope. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) ? For more than a billion Roman Catholics worldwide, he's Pope Francis. For Argentina's poorest citizens, crowded in "misery villages" throughout the capital, he's proudly known as one of their own, a true "slum pope."

Villa 21-24 is a slum so dangerous that most outsiders don't dare enter, but residents say Jorge Mario Bergoglio often showed up unannounced to share laughs and sips of mate, the traditional Argentine herbal tea shared by groups using a common straw.

People here recall how the Buenos Aires archbishop would arrive on a bus and walk through the mud to reach their little chapel; how he sponsored marathons and carpentry classes, consoled single mothers and washed the feet of recovering drug addicts; how he became one of them.

"Four years ago, I was at my worst and I needed help. When the Mass started he knelt down and washed my feet. It hit me hard. It was such a beautiful experience," said Cristian Marcelo Reynoso, 27, a garbage collector trying to kick a cocaine addiction through the church's rehab program.

"When I saw the news on the TV, I began screaming with joy, and look, I'm still trembling," Reynoso said. "El Chaval (The Dude) is so humble. He's a fan of San Lorenzo (the soccer club), like me. You talk to him like a friend."

Long after he became a cardinal in 2001, this "prince of the church" wore a simple black T-shirt with a white collar. For many at the slum's Caacupe Virgin of the Miracles Church, it's nothing short of a miracle that their friend is the pope.

"He was always part of our slum," housewife Lidia Valdivieso, 41, said after praying while resting her palm on a statue of St. Expeditus, patron saint of urgent and impossible causes. Her 23-year-old son has cerebral palsy and is learning carpentry at the church's technical school.

"When I heard the news I couldn't believe it. Having a 'papa villero' (slum pope) is the most beautiful thing that can happen to us. I still remember him going on long walks through our muddy streets or talking to our children," Valdivieso said.

Inside the concrete block chapel, there's a painted message commemorating Bergoglio's inauguration, and another big painting of Pope John Paul II, but no sign of Benedict XVI whatsoever. Near the altar, there's a large black-and-white poster of Carlos Mugica, an iconic Argentine slum priest who was killed in 1974 by a right-wing death squad intent on eliminating the "liberation theology" he preached.

Bergoglio never favored liberation theology because of its alliances with armed leftist guerrilla movements in the 1970s. But he has done much to follow in Mugica's footsteps, sponsoring all sorts of outreach programs in Argentina's slums.

This can be messy work, obliging priests to challenge drug dealers for the slum-dwellers' allegiances, and putting their beliefs, even their lives, at risk. Sometimes compromises must be made.

Just a few steps from the chapel, melted candles stand in a red shrine to the pagan folk hero Antonio "Gauchito" Gil, a 19th century outlaw revered among Argentina's poor for sharing his stolen bounty with the poor.

Many Argentines are as likely to pray for miracles from "Gauchito" as they are from authorized Catholic saints, but Bergoglio didn't object to the shrine's presence next to his chapel.

"For more than 20 years he came here. He's always been close to us and his impact on this slum is huge," said the parish priest, Lorenzo "Toto" de Vedia.

TV cameras followed Bergoglio once as he washed the feet of 12 young men at a rehab center. "Then he kept coming back, taking confession and counseling them," Vedia said. On the priest's desk lay a newspaper with a huge, one-word headline: "FRANCISCO."

"You can tell that the church is going to change," Vedia said. "The fact that he chose the name Francisco says it all. It says: *Let's stop messing around and devote ourselves to the poor. That was St. Francis* message and now 'Francisco' can live it."

In his first appearance at St. Peter's Square, the first Latin American pope bowed to the crowds and asked for their blessing. Back in Argentina, his friends in the slums recognized the gesture as the same sort of humility that won their hearts.

In the 13th century, St. Francis of Assisi made it his mission to respond to the poor and show that through simplicity and love, a stronger foundation for the church could be built.

Pope Francis' "mission is now to go on a pilgrimage to all lands, to walk with the people, to lead a church that walks," said Mercedes Trovato, 24, a youth volunteer who wore a wooden cross around her neck.

Bergoglio's friends say he's fundamentally shy. He hardly ever grants media interviews, preferring to speak from the pulpit. But he did agree to chat recently with Jaidr Flores, a 22-year-old host on the parish's Radio FM La 96.

"He was hesitant at first. But I convinced him, and at the end of the interview, he started laughing and said: "You did it! You got me on air!'" said Flores. "One day I went to visit him at his office and I was amazed to see how many pictures of the volunteers and recovered drug addicts from this community he had on his desk. He truly cares for us."

___

Luis Andres Henao on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LuisAndresHenao

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-15-Slum%20Pope/id-d4bcab40c576437092de013ee5bdcd42

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Bar mitzvah boy sings Queen, 'Gangnam' in video

By Randee Dawn, TODAY contributor

Tradition has it that bar mitzvah invitations arrive in expensive-looking envelopes, via snail mail. But paper is so 20th Century! But a YouTube video invitation featuring the bar mitzvah-boy singing re-written Queen lyrics and going "Gangnam Style" in order to honor both his Jewish and Asian heritage -- oy, that's something new!

It's also pretty creative, well-made and funny! The video -- which is racking up the views now that it's gone public on YouTube -- is the creation of Toronto-based Jorel Hoffert and his father David. They just wanted to "have a good, creative bar mitzvah invitation," Jorel told TODAY.com, and thought a video invite would be a brand new thing.

OK, so they were wrong -- there are plenty of other video bar mitzvah tributes and invites out there, but few this professional looking and, well, multi-cultural. Partly that has to do with Jorel growing up in a very creative household: His Taiwanese mother is an opera singer, and his father directs both reality shows ("My House, Your Money" on HGTV is one) and documentaries. No wonder Jorel is comfortable both singing and dancing on camera at an age when most adolescents don't even want their picture taken.

"I sing just for fun, usually in my room," Jorel said. "Sometimes my parents will complain. ... I like making videos. I also kind of like acting."

The song choices -- a Queen medley (featuring cameos by Jorel's parents and grandparents) and a leap into "Gangnam Style" (featuring his piano teacher) were a perfect blend of father and son's musical interests. "My dad mostly picked the songs, and we collaborated to write the lyrics," explained Jorel. "At the time I was very big on 'Gangnam Style.' I first saw it when I was in Taiwan last summer. My dad's a big rock-and-roller, and I also love Queen."

Of course, no one thought it would take off the way it did. The video invite (which, by the way, also came with a traditional print invitation) was originally private just for expected guests, but after it initially went out David decided to let it go public. "We didn't make it to go viral," he insisted.

"I didn't think that many people would watch it," said Jorel. "I'm pretty surprised."

Of course, they did have to change the YouTube note that comes with the video, hoping to avoid party crashers. It now reads: "If you have been invited to Jorel's Bar Mitzvah, you know who you are. If not ... please enjoy the video!"?

This won't likely be Jorel and David's last collaboration. "Next I think I'll try to do something like a superhero or sci-fi, like comic-booky," said the bar mitzvah boy who, incidentally, was named after Superman's father.

"About 10 percent of people get that," chuckled David. "I always think it's cool."

Related content:

Source: http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/03/14/17309772-sing-along-with-queen-gangnam-style-in-bar-mitzvah-boys-hilarious-viral-video?lite

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The Ethical Barometer ? Blog Archive ? ?Stupid?

A word?Chase Bank executives hurled at bank examiners who were concerned about seeing records,?the Bank?s risk exposure, changes in risk procedures, and use of federally guaranteed funds for the London Whale?s operations.??? Chase lost between $6 and $8 billion from?the London Whale?s activities.? The Senate Banking Committee report on Chase?s losses is damning.??The report?s summary of management?s behavior during the mounting risk exposure and ultimate losses is a study in hubris. Ad hominem attacks on regulators don?t change the fact that you are in over your head.? Withholding information from regulators does not change reality.???Stupid is as stupid does.

This entry was posted on Friday, March 15th, 2013 at 8:15 am and is filed under News and Events. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Source: http://www.mariannejennings.com/?p=1652

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Earth's largest telescope gets to work in Chile after 30 years of planning

Nestled within the Chilean Andes, the new Atacama Large Millimeter-submillimeter Array (ALMA) is now open for space-staring business. The biggest, most complex telescope project to date, ALMA will be able to peer into the deeper reaches of space with "unprecedented power", according to astronomer Chris Hadfield. Covering around half of the universe's light spectrum, between infrared and radio waves, the new telescope should be able to detect distant planets, black holes and other intergalactic notables.

The Chilean desert's lack of humidity was a big reason for the telescope's placement, 16,400 feet above sea-level, aiding precision of the scope. But it's a global project, with the US contributing $500 million and making it the NSF's biggest investment ever. From Japan, Fujitsu's contribution to exploring the final frontier consists of 35 PRIMERGY x86 servers, tied together with a dedicated (astronomy-centric) computational unit. The supercomputer will process 512 billion telescope samples per second, which ought to be more than enough to unlock a few more secrets of the cosmos.

Filed under: Science, Alt

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/14/earths-largest-telescope-supercomputer/

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Breathometer lets phone users keep alcohol in check from a keychain (video)

Who knew that smartphone owners were suddenly such temperate drinkers? Just days after Alcohoot unveiled its take on a phone-friendly breathalyzer, Breathometer is here with its own way to watch our tipsiness. The namesake, FDA-approved gadget will plug into the headphone jack of an Android or iOS device and warn if our blood is too alcohol-rich, all while staying small enough to fit on a keychain. Plans are underway to eventually let soused users hail a taxi from the native app. The Breathometer won't be available until we're at the height of summer party season, but it should be cheap enough to eliminate any excuses: its Indiegogo campaign is asking for just $20 to secure a Breathometer alongside a pledge, or less than a good night out.

Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Mobile

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Source: Breathometer, Indiegogo

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Facebook May Launch Hashtags To Open Graph Searches Of Related Posts, But There Are Privacy Questions

Facebook already has tagging for people, Pages, and location, and could soon allow users to tag their posts with hashtags so they could be more easily indexed and surfaced by Graph Search. A source told TechCrunch Facebook was working on the project, and soon after AllThingsD's Mike Isaac said he'd heard the same, and The Wall Street Journal reported similar news.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/ODV44mbEKWg/

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Yet Another Round Of Leaked Samsung Galaxy SIV Pics Appear Hours Before Launch

The Samsung Galaxy SIV will be launched in New York City in just a few hours, but another crop of leaked photos featuring the device has popped up on Chinese forum it168, a few days after a another batch of pics appeared earlier this week.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/Bui89pHcCDw/

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LA schools settle 58 teacher lewd acts claims

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? The Los Angeles school district will pay millions of dollars to settle dozens of legal actions stemming from an abuse case in which a former teacher is charged with lewd acts on children in his classroom over five years, district officials said Tuesday.

General Counsel David Holmquist said the settlement will cover 58 of the 191 claims and lawsuits filed against the district after the January 2012 arrest of former third-grade teacher Mark Berndt on 23 charges of lewd behavior at Miramonte Elementary School.

Holmquist would not specify the exact amount until the settlement is approved by a judge. He described it only as double-digit millions.

Prosecutors say Berndt played "tasting games" with students in which he fed them his semen on cookies and by spoon, sometimes blindfolding and photographing them. Berndt, who taught for 32 years at the South Los Angeles school, has pleaded not guilty in the criminal case.

The allegations came to light when a drugstore photo technician noticed dozens of odd photos of blindfolded children and reported them to authorities. Investigators said they found a plastic spoon in Berndt's classroom trash bin that was found to contain traces of semen.

The case led to a wide-ranging overhaul of how the nation's second largest school district handles allegations of sexual abuse after it was revealed that previous complaints about Berndt's behavior were ignored.

It also shined a light on how slowly state officials act to censure teachers and led to a flurry of allegations of teacher-student sex abuse in the district and in other school systems.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-12-Los%20Angeles%20School%20Molestation/id-079bb816f2464e9ea7b1ab69a47f01a4

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An accurate way of predicting landslides

Public release date: 13-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Dr. Oliver Krol
oliver.krol@iosb.fraunhofer.de
49-721-609-1430
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

This press release is available in German.

A deluge of rain pelts down on the already thoroughly sodden ground. Rivers burst their banks as local residents haul up sandbags to protect themselves from the rising waters. In hilly areas, people are no less anxious, knowing that the waterlogged earth on a hillside can easily slip, burying cars and houses beneath it and, if the worst comes to the worst, even people. Experts use maps marked with danger areas to determine the probability of a specific slope succumbing to a landslide. But these maps only cover a specific point in time, and do not take current weather conditions into account. Of these atmospheric factors, heavy rain in particular can trigger catastrophes.

Now, safety experts are to be supported by the ELDEWAS early warning system. This system makes use of regularly updated weather conditions and forecasts, coupling these to regional information on elevation profiles, slopes and land use, allowing it to issue an early warning in case of danger. ELDEWAS stands for "Early Landslide Detection and Warning System" and is being developed by research scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB in Karlsruhe. "The ELDEWAS early warning system goes hand in hand with INCA-CE, a project co-financed by the EU in which researchers are working on improving short-term weather forecasting, or 'nowcasting'," says Dr. Oliver Krol of Fraunhofer IOSB. While standard meteorological data is for the most part only updated once an hour, with a spatial resolution of ten kilometers, the experts working on the INCA-CE project are able to provide weather forecasts at 15-minute intervals with a spatial resolution of one kilometer.

Factoring in current weather conditions

The early landslide warning system is initially being developed by researchers for use in the state of Burgenland in Austria, with the regional safety center providing all the necessary data. Which slope is this and how steep is it? What type of ground are we dealing with sand, clay or rock? How is the land used? Where are the installations, houses or roads? Where is wooded and where is open land? Researchers then combine these parameters, which stay stable over the long term, with weather data, which is constantly in flux. The weather data is provided online by Austrian meteorological service ZAMG, which is also taking part in the INCA-CE project. Initial practical testing is planned for the spring, when current weather information will be incorporated into the early warning system for the first time. The prototype is due to be ready in the autumn. "The software will of course also then be available for use in other countries and regions," says Krol. He also explains the aim behind the research, describing how the system will constantly assess the situation in the background until it perceives a danger, at which point it will independently issue a warning comprising the relevant coordinates and the contact details of the person with responsibility for the area concerned. This contact person is then to be automatically warned of the impending incident via text message, giving them time to take appropriate action, evacuating the populace or locking down the area concerned.

Researchers still have a few challenges to overcome before this vision can be realized, however, including how to integrate the online weather data into the system and how to analyze the data received. "There's no doubt that the bulk of the work lies in answering the question of when a situation can be said to become critical. Given that setting rigid threshold values only allows for a binary yes or no answer, offering protection only against the worst case scenario, we have opted to model the problem using fuzzy logic," explains Krol. This means qualifying the threshold values of the various contributory factors, allowing us to link the variables. In this way, we can get as realistic as possible an assessment of the risk posed."

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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: 13-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Dr. Oliver Krol
oliver.krol@iosb.fraunhofer.de
49-721-609-1430
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

This press release is available in German.

A deluge of rain pelts down on the already thoroughly sodden ground. Rivers burst their banks as local residents haul up sandbags to protect themselves from the rising waters. In hilly areas, people are no less anxious, knowing that the waterlogged earth on a hillside can easily slip, burying cars and houses beneath it and, if the worst comes to the worst, even people. Experts use maps marked with danger areas to determine the probability of a specific slope succumbing to a landslide. But these maps only cover a specific point in time, and do not take current weather conditions into account. Of these atmospheric factors, heavy rain in particular can trigger catastrophes.

Now, safety experts are to be supported by the ELDEWAS early warning system. This system makes use of regularly updated weather conditions and forecasts, coupling these to regional information on elevation profiles, slopes and land use, allowing it to issue an early warning in case of danger. ELDEWAS stands for "Early Landslide Detection and Warning System" and is being developed by research scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB in Karlsruhe. "The ELDEWAS early warning system goes hand in hand with INCA-CE, a project co-financed by the EU in which researchers are working on improving short-term weather forecasting, or 'nowcasting'," says Dr. Oliver Krol of Fraunhofer IOSB. While standard meteorological data is for the most part only updated once an hour, with a spatial resolution of ten kilometers, the experts working on the INCA-CE project are able to provide weather forecasts at 15-minute intervals with a spatial resolution of one kilometer.

Factoring in current weather conditions

The early landslide warning system is initially being developed by researchers for use in the state of Burgenland in Austria, with the regional safety center providing all the necessary data. Which slope is this and how steep is it? What type of ground are we dealing with sand, clay or rock? How is the land used? Where are the installations, houses or roads? Where is wooded and where is open land? Researchers then combine these parameters, which stay stable over the long term, with weather data, which is constantly in flux. The weather data is provided online by Austrian meteorological service ZAMG, which is also taking part in the INCA-CE project. Initial practical testing is planned for the spring, when current weather information will be incorporated into the early warning system for the first time. The prototype is due to be ready in the autumn. "The software will of course also then be available for use in other countries and regions," says Krol. He also explains the aim behind the research, describing how the system will constantly assess the situation in the background until it perceives a danger, at which point it will independently issue a warning comprising the relevant coordinates and the contact details of the person with responsibility for the area concerned. This contact person is then to be automatically warned of the impending incident via text message, giving them time to take appropriate action, evacuating the populace or locking down the area concerned.

Researchers still have a few challenges to overcome before this vision can be realized, however, including how to integrate the online weather data into the system and how to analyze the data received. "There's no doubt that the bulk of the work lies in answering the question of when a situation can be said to become critical. Given that setting rigid threshold values only allows for a binary yes or no answer, offering protection only against the worst case scenario, we have opted to model the problem using fuzzy logic," explains Krol. This means qualifying the threshold values of the various contributory factors, allowing us to link the variables. In this way, we can get as realistic as possible an assessment of the risk posed."

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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/2013-03/f-aaw031313.php

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AP Exclusive: Applying for Obama plan not easy

A draft copy of the 21-page of a Health and Human Services Department form proposed for use to apply for low-cost insurance from Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program is photographed in Washington, Tuesday March 12, 2013. The government?s application for health insurance, which uninsured people will use to get taxpayer subsidized coverage starting next year. Applying could get complicated, with multiple questions about income, household composition, employer coverage and even race and ethnicity. (AP Photo/J. David Ake)

A draft copy of the 21-page of a Health and Human Services Department form proposed for use to apply for low-cost insurance from Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program is photographed in Washington, Tuesday March 12, 2013. The government?s application for health insurance, which uninsured people will use to get taxpayer subsidized coverage starting next year. Applying could get complicated, with multiple questions about income, household composition, employer coverage and even race and ethnicity. (AP Photo/J. David Ake)

FILE - In this May 13, 2009 file photo, Families USA's executive director Ron Pollack poses for a picture at PhRMA's headquarters in Washington. Pollack, executive director of the advocacy group Families USA, is a leading supporter of President Barack Obama?s health care law. But he says the government?s application for health insurance benefits is too complicated, and he?s concerned many uninsured people will simply give up. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

This image obtained by The Associated Press shows a page from the government?s application for health insurance, which uninsured people will use to get taxpayer subsidized coverage starting next year. Applying could get complicated, with multiple questions about income, household composition, employer coverage and even race and ethnicity. (AP Photo)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Applying for benefits under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul could be as daunting as doing your taxes.

The government's draft application runs 15 pages for a three-person family. An outline of the online version has 21 steps, some with additional questions.

Seven months before the Oct. 1 start of enrollment season for millions of uninsured Americans, the idea that getting health insurance could be as easy as shopping online at Amazon or Travelocity is starting to look like wishful thinking.

At least three major federal agencies, including the IRS, will scrutinize your application. Checking your identity, income and citizenship is supposed to happen in real time, if you apply online.

That's just the first part of the process, which lets you know if you qualify for financial help. The government asks to see what you're making because Obama's Affordable Care Act is means-tested, with lower-income people getting the most generous help to pay premiums.

Once you're finished with the money part, actually picking a health plan will require additional steps, plus a basic understanding of insurance jargon.

And it's a mandate, not a suggestion. The law says virtually all Americans must carry health insurance starting next year, although most will just keep the coverage they now have through their jobs, Medicare or Medicaid.

Some are concerned that a lot of uninsured people will be overwhelmed and simply give up.

"This lengthy draft application will take a considerable amount of time to fill out and will be difficult for many people to be able to complete," said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, an advocacy group supporting the health care law. "It does not get you to the selection of a plan."

"When you combine those two processes, it is enormously time consuming and complex," added Pollack. He's calling for the government to simplify the form and, more important, for an army of counselors to help uninsured people navigate the new system. It's unclear who would pay for these navigators.

Drafts of the paper application and a 60-page description of the online version were quietly posted online by the Health and Human Services Department, seeking feedback from industry and consumer groups. Those materials, along with a recent HHS presentation to insurers, run counter to the vision of simplicity promoted by administration officials.

"We are not just signing up for a dating service here," said Sam Karp, a vice president of the California HealthCare Foundation, who nonetheless gives the administration high marks for distilling it all into a workable form. Karp was part of an independent group that separately designed a model application.

The government estimates its online application will take a half hour to complete, on average. If you need a break, or have to gather supporting documents, you can save your work and come back later. The paper application is estimated to take an average of 45 minutes.

The new coverage starts next Jan. 1. Uninsured people will apply through new state-based markets, also called exchanges.

Middle-class people will be eligible for tax credits to help pay for private insurance plans, while low-income people will be steered to safety-net programs like Medicaid.

Because of opposition to the health care law in some states, the federal government will run the new insurance markets in about half the states. And states that reject the law's Medicaid expansion will be left with large numbers of poor people uninsured.

HHS estimates it will receive more than 4.3 million applications for financial assistance in 2014, with online applications accounting for about 80 percent of them. Because families can apply together, the government estimates 16 million people will be served.

Here are some pros and cons on how the system is shaping up:

? Pro: If you apply online, you're supposed to be able to get near-instantaneous verification of your identity, income, and citizenship or immigration status. An online government clearinghouse called the Data Services Hub will ping Social Security for birth records, IRS for income data and Homeland Security for immigration status. "That is a brand new thing in the world," said Karp.

? Con: If your household income has changed in the past year or so and you want help paying your premiums, be prepared to do some extra work. You're applying for help based on your expected income in 2014. But the latest tax return the IRS would have is for 2012. If you landed a better-paying job, got laid off, or your spouse went back to work, you'll have to provide added documentation.

? Pro: Even with all the complexity, the new system could still end up being simpler than what some people go through now to buy their own insurance. You won't have to fill out a medical questionnaire, although you do have to answer whether or not you have a disability. Even if you are disabled, you can still get coverage for the same premium a healthy person of your age would pay.

?Con: If anyone in your household is offered health insurance on the job but does not take it, be prepared for some particularly head-scratching questions. For example: "What's the name of the lowest cost self-only health plan the employee listed above could enroll in at this job?"

HHS spokeswoman Erin Shields Britt said in a statement the application is a work in progress, "being refined thanks to public input."

It will "help people make apples-to-apples comparisons of costs and coverage between health insurance plans and learn whether they can get a break in costs," she added.

But what if you just want to buy health insurance in your state's exchange, and you're not interested in getting any help from the government?

You'll still have to fill out an application, but it will be shorter.

___

Online ? Insurance Affordability Application package: http://tinyurl.com/akkvu9f

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2013-03-12-Health%20Overhaul-Applying%20for%20Benefits/id-e37cefeb69be45a09a15b9345738c3eb

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On Eve of Conclave, Record Criticism of Church For its Handling of Sexual Abuse Scandals

A record number of American Catholics disapprove of the church's handling of its sexual abuse scandals, underscoring the challenges facing the next pope as he seeks to restore confidence and trust in the church's leadership.

More broadly, Catholics in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll say the church, while relevant, also is out of touch with their views. Majorities differ with doctrine on issues such as ordaining women and allowing priests to marry, as well as on some central social issues.

See PDF with full results, charts and tables here.

In clearly its greatest difficulty, an overwhelming 78 percent of Catholics now disapprove of how the church has handled the issue of sexual abuse of children by priests, and two-thirds disapprove strongly - the highest and strongest disapproval since the scandals erupted more than a decade ago, up sharply since U.S. church leaders sought to address the issue in 2004.

Sixty percent of Catholics, more generally, describe the church as "out of touch" with the views of Catholics in America, and by 54-38 percent Catholics urge a new direction by the next pope, away from traditional policies and toward new approaches that better reflect "the attitudes and lifestyles of Catholics today." Less-frequent churchgoers, in particular, seek change - but even among those who attend Mass frequently, more than half call the church out of touch.

The survey was completed Sunday, in advance of the conclave starting tomorrow at which cardinals will elect the successor to Pope Benedict XVI, who resigned last month, citing fatigue.

He leaves with somewhat muted acclaim: Sixty-eight percent of Catholics give a positive rating to the way Benedict performed as pope - robust for a political figure, but weaker than might be expected for a spiritual leader. Only 19 percent say he did an "excellent" job. (The pope's personal popularity, as opposed to his performance rating, was higher in an ABC/Post poll last month - 76 percent of Catholics saw him favorably overall, 43 percent "strongly" so.)

DISCONNECTS - Criticism of the church on the sexual abuse scandal is notable both for its direction and its depth. In early 2004, as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops sought to address the issue with the release of an extensive report, 53 percent of Catholics disapproved, 32 percent strongly. Those numbers have soared by 25 and 35 percentage points, respectively.

If less intense, there are other areas of disconnect as well. Fifty-five percent of Catholics in this poll, produced for ABC by Langer Research Associates, oppose the church's ban on marriage by priests; 58 percent oppose its prohibition on ordaining women. Both are down from their peaks in years past, 67 and 65 percent, respectively, but still reflect majority opposition among Catholics to some basic church positions.

Previous ABC/Post polling has shown differences on social issues, as well. Most American Catholics support gay marriage, for example, and 51 percent favor legal abortion.

Despite these results, acceptance of the church's continued influence is broad, if not full-throated. Eighty-six percent of Catholics see it as relevant in the world today, as do 70 percent of Americans overall. Still, many fewer - 30 percent of Catholics and 18 percent of all adults - call the church "very" relevant, including just 34 percent of frequent churchgoing Catholics.

The church's shortfall in being seen as highly relevant is in accord with other results, such as the nearly 2-1 sense that it's out of touch with the views of Catholics today, 60-34 percent, and the desire among Catholics, by a 16-point margin, for the next pope to adopt policies that reflect current attitudes and lifestyles.

CHURCHGOERS - There are differences within the Catholic faith, notably in the choice between a traditional or new path for the church ahead. Those who attend Mass regularly favor traditional church policies by 58-41 percent, while less-frequent churchgoers, by 63-24 percent, prefer an approach more in tune with current lifestyles and attitudes.

Not surprisingly, then, frequent churchgoers are much more apt to give positive ratings to the traditionalist Benedict's performance as pope - 83 percent do so, vs. 58 percent of those who attend church less frequently. (This drops to 42 percent among non-Catholics, with many more undecided.) Even among frequent Catholic churchgoers, though, just 27 percent say Benedict did an excellent job.

Among other differences, regular churchgoers favor the ban on ordaining women by a 15-point margin, 56-41 percent; but less-frequent churchgoers oppose the ban, by a much broader 70-19 percent. Further, regular attendees divide about evenly on allowing priests to marry; those who attend less often oppose this prohibition by a wide 61-24 percent. (A fifth of adults identify themselves as Catholics. Among them, four in 10 say they attend church almost every week, or more.)

To some extent these results mark a tension for the church between tending to the concerns of current frequent churchgoers while also seeking to appeal to Catholics who attend less often. Nonetheless, as noted, even among regular worshippers, 53 percent describe the church as out of touch with the views of Catholics in America today. And most strikingly, even among regular churchgoers, 74 percent disapprove of the church's handling of the abuse scandal, and six in 10 disapprove strongly.

METHODOLOGY - This ABC News/Washington Post poll was conducted by landline and cell phone March 7-10, 2013, among a random national sample of 1,001 adults, including 201 Catholics. Results have a margin of sampling error of 3.5 points for the full sample, and 8 points for Catholics, including design effect.

The survey was produced for ABC News by Langer Research Associates of New York, N.Y., with sampling, data collection and tabulation by Abt-SRBI of New York, N.Y.

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/eve-conclave-record-criticism-church-handling-sexual-abuse-210605986--abc-news-politics.html

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Air India jet clips JetBlue airliner on tarmac at JFK

By Sofia Perpetua, Writer, NBC News

An Air India jet clipped a JetBlue airliner on Saturday near the gate at John F. Kennedy International Airport, a JetBlue spokesman said. The two planes bumped on the tarmac shortly before 6 a.m.

The Air India jet taxied into the area where a JetBlue Airbus 320 was waiting, making contact, the spokesman said. No passengers were hurt in the accident.

?While crews went to get a new towbar, an air India flight taxied into the area and made contact with their aircraft,? said Alex Headrick, spokesperson for JetBlue.

There were 150 passengers about to head to Florida on board the JetBlue plane, as well as two pilots and three flight attendants. After the accident, the passengers on JetBlue Flight 145 had to switch onto a new plane. The flight was delayed for almost three hours.

The JetBlue Airbus was taken out of service while maintenance evaluates its damage. ?

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/09/17249617-air-india-jet-clips-jetblue-airliner-on-tarmac-at-jfk?lite

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Idaho first state to have fetal pain law rejected

Idaho Sen. Chuck Winder, R-Boise, addresses the senate chamber Thursday, March 7, 2012, in Boise, Idaho. Winder was the lead sponsor in 2011 of Idaho's fetal pain abortion law, which was struck down by a federal judge Wednesday. (AP Photo/Todd Dvorak)

Idaho Sen. Chuck Winder, R-Boise, addresses the senate chamber Thursday, March 7, 2012, in Boise, Idaho. Winder was the lead sponsor in 2011 of Idaho's fetal pain abortion law, which was struck down by a federal judge Wednesday. (AP Photo/Todd Dvorak)

Idaho Sen. Chuck Winder, R-Boise, left, listens to testimony during a committee hearing Thursday, March 7, 2012, in Boise, Idaho. Winder was the lead sponsor in 2011 of Idaho's fetal pain abortion law, which was struck down by a federal judge Wednesday. (AP Photo/Todd Dvorak)

BOISE, Idaho (AP) ? Idaho has become the first state to have its so-called fetal pain law banning abortions after 20 weeks struck down by the federal courts.

The decision from U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill was handed down Wednesday as part of a ruling that also overturns other abortion restrictions in Idaho.

The ruling is binding only in Idaho but could have a persuasive effect in lawsuits challenging similar bans in other states ? such as Arizona, where a suit is pending before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Ten states in all have enacted fetal pain laws since 2010, said Elizabeth Nash, a policy analyst with the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights and tracks laws affecting women's health.

Nebraska was first, followed over the next few years by Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.

But only three states have had the laws legally challenged. Eastern Idaho resident Jennie Linn McCormack was the first to sue over the fetal pain law and other abortion restrictions after Bannock County Prosecutor Mark Hiedeman charged her with a felony because police said she obtained an illegal abortion. A lawsuit has been brought in Georgia, as well; that case is still pending in the state courts.

Idaho Sen. Chuck Winder, who led the legislative push for the fetal pain law two years ago, said he and others would need to closely study Winmill's ruling before deciding how the state should proceed.

"I'm very disappointed in the court in its decision to overturn the right to protect a life and protect a life from the pain of abortion," the Boise Republican said.

McCormack's attorney, Richard Hearn of Pocatello, said Winmill's ruling makes it clear that any attempts by states to ban abortions before a fetus can survive outside the womb are unconstitutional.

The ruling cited two landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases ? Roe vs. Wade and Planned Parenthood vs. Casey ? to show a woman has an absolute right to an abortion before the point of viability, Hearn said.

"It's not just the fetal pain laws. It's that fetal heartbeat law in Arkansas, too," Hearn said. Picking a "pre-viability" date to ban abortions is unconstitutional, he said.

"It's as though legislatures all across the country are saying, 'We don't really care. We're just going to do it anyway in the face of the Constitution,'" Hearn said. "Thankfully Winmill put a stop to that in Idaho."

Arkansas adopted a law Wednesday banning abortion at 12 weeks of pregnancy, around the time that a fetal heartbeat can be detected by abdominal ultrasound. It's the earliest ban on abortions in the nation, followed only by Arizona, where a fetal pain law bans abortions at 18 weeks post fertilization, said Elizabeth West of the Guttmacher Institute, which tracks women's reproductive health rights.

Despite Wednesday's ruling, West said she doesn't expect the legal battles over the laws in Idaho, Arizona or Georgia to end anytime soon.

"No one ever backs down," she said. "Whoever is on the losing end tends to appeal so these court cases end up taking several years, and particularly with these extreme restrictions, they will all end up in the Supreme Court."

Officials with the National Right to Life Committee didn't return phone messages left by The Associated Press. And calls to the cellphone of David Ripley, the leader of Idaho Chooses Life, were unanswered.

Julie Rikelman, litigation director for the Center for Reproductive Rights, said her organization applauded Winmill's decision.

"For 40 years, the Supreme Court has consistently held that women's right to make their own decisions about whether to continue or end a pregnancy is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution," she said in a statement. "Today's ruling has overturned a legislative assault by politicians who seek to interfere with that decision and deny women this fundamental right."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-03-07-Fetal%20Pain-Abortion%20Lawsuit/id-686dd513a96b4a529ddbb99f14341eb9

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Learning to live with a phablet

Samsung Galaxy Note HDTV

I was not shy when I first reviewed Samsung?s (005930) Galaxy Note ?phablet? early last year. In a piece titled ?The smartphone that ?Samsunged? Samsung,? I said the Note had taken things way too far and I called for the death of the smartphone-tablet hybrid category. It did not die. Later in 2012, I reviewed the Galaxy Note II and even though it was a top performer, I still had no idea who would want to buy such a massive cell phone. Then Samsung sold 5 million of them in 60 days. Apparently, it?s time for me to get on board.

[More from BGR: How graphene antennas could pave the way for terabit wireless data speeds]

In early January, I decided to give phablets another go. With the slate wiped clean, I popped a SIM card in a Galaxy Note II review unit and I have carried it with me nearly every day since then.

[More from BGR: Apple may have finally found a way to dump Samsung once and for all]

My timing couldn?t have been better. Following the unveiling of HTC?s latest flagship smartphone and the Mobile World Congress trade show last month, it is now painfully obvious that phablets aren?t going anywhere any time soon. According to rumors that just won?t die, even Apple may jump on the phablet bandwagon sometime this year or in 2014. In other words, every single major smartphone vendor on the planet may soon have a phablet in its lineup.

Like it or not, the era of phablets is upon us.

I wouldn?t call myself a phablet hater, but I have repeatedly and clearly stated that these hybrid devices are not for me personally. Instead, I have regularly said that handsets with displays measuring about 4.3 inches diagonally are good for me and I often use the HTC One S as an example of my ideal phone size. From screen size to thickness and overall footprint, the One S is perfect for me.

Apple?s iPhone 5 is also a great size for me, though I wish the display was a bit wider. I have written a number of times that Apple?s larger 4-inch display does precious little to improve the user experience compared to the old 3.5-inch panel.

With my ideal handset size in mind, it?s fairly easy to see why phablets give me pause. Phones like the Galaxy Note II absolutely dwarf the One S and iPhone 5.

But I still bit the bullet.

For some quick background, I always carry more than one phone at a time. My main handset is an iPhone 5, which I carry for work and personal use. Then I carry a second handset, which is often whatever device I am reviewing at the time. Since early January, however, the Note II has been my second smartphone.

With that, here are a few thoughts after spending more than two months carrying a phablet and using it regularly:

The Good

The display. Forgetting for a moment that the display on Samsung?s Galaxy Note II is absolutely gorgeous, having more screen real estate in general is awesome. Objects are larger and clearer, and that obviously carries over to touch targets, which means fewer failed pokes.

More content can also fit on the screen comfortably and larger text means less strain on the eyes. The Note II is a fantastic eReader.

Watching videos is a much better experience on a phablet than it is on smaller smartphones. I never watch movies or TV shows to my iPhone because too much is lost on its tiny display. With the Note II, I actually found myself streaming HBO GO ? and enjoying it ??on more than one occasion.

I really enjoy having a larger screen and I found myself reaching for the Note II much more often than I thought I would.

Stylus support. Smartphone styluses are not for everyone, and I hardly use Samsung?s S Pen to its fullest extent. Samsung has done a wonderful job with the S Pen though, and I have had a great experiences on the occasions that I have pulled out the Note II?s stylus.

I am not what one might call a skilled artist, so I do not use the S Pen to draw. I do use it from time to time when browsing the Web or checking my email, however, as Samsung?s touch-free scrolling and email preview features definitely enhance those experiences.

Not all phablets ship with enhanced stylus support like Samsung?s Note lineup, but it really is an added benefit that has been implemented quite well in Note series devices.

Multiple apps on one screen. This is a feature I scoffed at when it was first introduced on phablets, but I have come around.

The benefits of squeezing multiple apps onto one smartphone screen are somewhat limited for the time being, but I found that I appreciated the functionality a number of times. Having my Google Reader app or the Chrome browser open next to a note-taking app or an open email is quite useful (it might be more useful if the native Note II keyboard supported auto-correct, considering the tiny keyboard that appears in split-screen mode) and the feature will only get better as more apps are updated to support split-screen mode.

The Bad

Size. There?s just no way around it. Phablets are too big.

Despite all the benefits phablets might afford, they still aren?t comfortable to hold for many users. I fall into this category. One-handed operation is completely out of the question and even two-handed use can be uncomfortable compared to phones with smaller displays.

And I cannot stress this enough: I hate, hate, hate using the Note II and similar devices for voice calling.

I personally don?t like using Bluetooth headsets or corded headsets for voice calls. I have no interest in carrying yet another device that needs to be charged or having to fumble with an accessory every time my phone starts to ring. It?s just not convenient. When I talk on the phone, I like to talk on the phone.

I?m not a small man, but holding a giant smartphone like the Note II up to my face makes me feel ridiculous. Not this ridiculous, but ridiculous nonetheless. It?s also uncomfortable. Sometimes I feel like I?m holding a paperback book up to my head.

Once technology advances and we begin to see handsets emerge with true edge-to-edge displays, things will become much more manageable. Some phablets will still be too huge since vendors will continue to push the boundaries of comfort and taste, but a smartphone with a nearly borderless 5-inch display could very well hit the sweet spot that phones with 4.3-inch panels now occupy.

So, what have I learned in the end? Phablets aren?t the worst thing in the world.

Now, it?s important to note that I?m talking not talking about ridiculous monstrosities like the Galaxy Note 8.0. The new Note 8.0 is a fine tablet but the inclusion of an ear speaker for voice calling is nothing short of trolling. No, I?m talking about smartphone-tablet hybrids that can still be used somewhat comfortably.

Though phablets clearly have a place in the smartphone market, I do think we?ll see most of the larger sizes die off over the next few years. Remember, miniscule cell phones with buttons that couldn?t possibly be punched accurately by human fingers were all the rage at one point in time. Then, once the novelty wore off, the smallest sizes faded away while more manageable phones proliferated.

In the meantime, prepare for things to get worse before they start to get better.

Gulliver survived Brobdingnag and I will survive the era of phablets. But I?ll probably let most calls go to voicemail.

This article was originally published on BGR.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/learning-live-phablet-171056192.html

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Cardinals set Tuesday as start date for conclave

Cardinal Carlo Caffarra, second from right, and Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, right, walk past two Swiss guards as they leave after a meeting at the Vatican, Friday, March 8, 2013 The Vatican says the conclave to elect a new pope will likely start in the first few days of next week. The Rev. Federico Lombardi told reporters that cardinals will vote Friday afternoon on the start date of the conclave but said it was "likely" they would choose Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. The cardinals have been attending pre-conclave meetings to discuss the problems of the church and decide who among them is best suited to fix them as pope. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Cardinal Carlo Caffarra, second from right, and Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, right, walk past two Swiss guards as they leave after a meeting at the Vatican, Friday, March 8, 2013 The Vatican says the conclave to elect a new pope will likely start in the first few days of next week. The Rev. Federico Lombardi told reporters that cardinals will vote Friday afternoon on the start date of the conclave but said it was "likely" they would choose Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. The cardinals have been attending pre-conclave meetings to discuss the problems of the church and decide who among them is best suited to fix them as pope. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Cardinal Timothy Dolan waves to reporters as he arrives for a meeting at the Vatican, Friday, March 8, 2013. The last cardinal who will participate in the conclave to elect the next pope arrived in Rome on Thursday, meaning a date can now be set for the election. One U.S. cardinal said a decision on the start date is expected soon. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin rides his bicycle in St. Peter's Square after a meeting at the Vatican, Friday, March 8, 2013. The Vatican says the conclave to elect a new pope will likely start in the first few days of next week. The Rev. Federico Lombardi told reporters that cardinals will vote Friday afternoon on the start date of the conclave but said it was "likely" they would choose Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. The cardinals have been attending pre-conclave meetings to discuss the problems of the church and decide who among them is best suited to fix them as pope. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, center, and Cardinal Angelo Comastri arrive for an afternoon meeting, at the Vatican, Friday, March 8, 2013. The Vatican says the conclave to elect a new pope will likely start in the first few days of next week. The Rev. Federico Lombardi told reporters that cardinals will vote Friday afternoon on the start date of the conclave but said it was "likely" they would choose Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. The cardinals have been attending pre-conclave meetings to discuss the problems of the church and decide who among them is best suited to fix them as pope. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

This photo provide by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano shows restorers touching up an area on the wall which normally is behind a glass, during the preparations for the conclave inside the Sistine Chapel, at the Vatican, Friday, March 8, 2013. Cardinals have set Tuesday March 12 as the start date for the conclave to elect the next pope, signaling that they were wrapping up a week of discussions about the problems of the church and who best among them might lead it. The conclave date was set on Friday afternoon during a vote by the College of Cardinals. Tuesday will begin with a Mass in the morning in St. Peter's Basilica, followed by the first balloting in the Sistine Chapel in the afternoon. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho) (

VATICAN CITY (AP) ? The preliminaries over, Catholic cardinals are ready to get down to the real business of choosing a pope. And even without a front-runner, there are indications they will go into the conclave Tuesday with a good idea of their top picks.

Then it will be just a matter of agreeing on one man to lead the church and tackle its many problems.

The conclave date was set Friday during a vote by the College of Cardinals, who have been meeting all week to discuss the church's problems and priorities, and the qualities the successor to Pope Benedict XVI must possess.

That said, there doesn't appear to be a front-runner, and the past week of deliberations has exposed sharp divisions among cardinals about some of the pressing problems facing the church, including governance within the Holy See itself.

The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said the pre-conclave meetings had given the cardinals a chance to discuss the "profile, characteristics, qualities and talents" a future pope must have.

Those closed-door deliberations, he said, provided an opportunity for discussion and information-gathering so the cardinals could go into the conclave ready to cast their ballots. "The preparation is absolutely fundamental," Lombardi said.

Cardinal Sean O'Malley, archbishop of Boston, agreed, noting that without this week's meetings the conclave "could drag on."

"The preference is to have enough discussions previous so that when people go to the conclave, they already have a particular idea of who they're going to vote for," he told reporters at a briefing earlier this week.

Then it's a matter of consensus-building in order to reach the two-thirds majority needed to elect a pope ? a process that for the past century has taken no more than a few days.

Benedict himself was elected on the fourth round of voting in 2005, a day after the conclave began ? one of the fastest papal elections in recent times. His predecessor, John Paul II, was chosen following eight ballots over three days in 1978.

In the past 100 years, no conclave has lasted longer than five days.

On Tuesday, the conclave will begin with a morning Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, followed by a procession into the Sistine Chapel and the first round of secret balloting in the afternoon.

If black smoke is sent snaking out of the chapel chimney to indicate there is no victor, the cardinals will retire for the day. They return Wednesday for two rounds of balloting in the morning and two rounds in the afternoon, a process repeated each day, with occasional breaks for reflection, until a pope emerges.

U.S. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, considered a papal contender, said in a blog post Friday that this week's preliminary discussions covered preaching and teaching the Catholic faith, tending to Catholic schools and hospitals, protecting families and the unborn, supporting priests "and getting more of them!"

"Those are the 'big issues,'" he wrote. "You may find that hard to believe, since the 'word on the street' is that all we talk about is corruption in the Vatican, sexual abuse, money. Do these topics come up? Yes! Do they dominate? No!"

The Americans had pressed this week for time to get to the bottom of the dysfunction and corruption in the Holy See's governance that were exposed by the leak of papal documents last year. Vatican-based cardinals had been angling for a speedy end to the discussions, perhaps to limit the amount of dirty laundry being aired.

But by Thursday afternoon, Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles tweeted that the discussions were "reaching a conclusion" and that a mood of "excitement" was taking hold.

A Tuesday conclave start date could be read as something of a compromise. Monday had been seen as an obvious choice, to ensure a pope would be elected and installed well ahead of the busy Holy Week that precedes Easter, beginning with Palm Sunday on March 24.

According to Vatican analysts, the list of papabili, or those considered to have the stuff to be pope, remains relatively unchanged since the 85-year-old Benedict first announced he would resign on Feb. 28, kick-starting the papal transition.

But some Italian media have speculated that with governance such a key issue, the cardinals might also be considering an informal pope-Vatican secretary of state "ticket." The secretary of state ? who is primarily responsible for running the Holy See ? is not an elected position but a papal appointment.

Also Friday, the cardinals formally agreed to exempt two of their voting-age colleagues from the conclave: Cardinal Julius Darmaatjadja, the emeritus archbishop of Jakarta, who is ill, and Scottish Cardinal Keith O'Brien, who resigned last week after admitting to sexual misconduct.

That formality brings the number of cardinal electors to 115, two-thirds of whom ? or 77 ? must vote for the victor. Benedict in 2007 changed the conclave rules to keep the two-thirds requirement; Pope John Paul II had decreed that only a simple majority would be needed following 12 days of inconclusive balloting.

By reverting back to a two-thirds vote, Benedict was apparently aiming to ensure a consensus candidate emerges quickly, and to rule out the possibility that cardinals might hold out until the simple majority kicks in to push through their candidate. The decision may prove prescient, given the apparent lack of a front-runner in this conclave.

Lombardi said a few items of business remain outstanding, including drawing lots for rooms at the Vatican's Santa Marta hotel, where the cardinals will be sequestered once the conclave begins.

On Friday, he showed a video of the room where the new pope will spend his first night as pontiff: It features a bed with a dark wood headboard and a carved image of Christ's face, as well as a sitting area and a study.

The pope is expected to stay there for a few weeks until the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace can be renovated. The apartment was sealed Feb. 28, just after Benedict resigned, and cannot be reopened until the new pope formally takes possession.

___

Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-08-Vatican-Pope/id-992dcd88be484bd58bac2c9496eb1dca

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