Liberty Newspost April-18-2012

Curated News Edition
- 18/04/12
http://www.LibertyNewspost.com
Controversial Afghan war photos: Readers react - Los Angeles Times

(Top Stories - Google News)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:41:13 AM
Readers reacted strongly Wednesday to the publication of a Times Page 1 story headlined U.S. Troops Posed With Body Parts of Afghan Bombers. As Times staff writer David Zucchino wrote: The soldier who provided a series of 18 photos of soldiers posing with corpses to The Times did so on condition of anonymity. He served in Afghanistan with the 82nd Airbornes 4th Brigade Combat Team from Ft. Bragg, N.C. He said the photos point to a breakdown in leadership and discipline that he believed compromised the safety of the troops. He expressed the hope that publication would help ensure that alleged security shortcomings at two U.S. bases in Afghanistan in 2010 are not repeated. The brigade, under new command but
with some of the same paratroopers who served in 2010, began another tour in Afghanistan in February.... U.S. military officials asked The Times not to publish any of the pictures. In a statement, Times Editor Davan Maharaj said: After careful consideration, we decided that publishing a small but representative selection of the photos would fulfill our obligation to readers to report vigorously and impartially on all aspects of the American mission in Afghanistan, including the allegation that the images reflect a breakdown in unit discipline that was endangering U.S. troops. Some readers questioned the decision to publish the photos. Anne Hoffler in Richmond, Va., emailed to ask: "Because of your supposed 'obligation' to the people who buy your newspaper, my husband and his colleagues will be in even more danger in Afghanistan. Did that cross your [unable to retrieve full-text
mind? Jeffrey Cole of Westerville, Ohio, wondered: What positive impact could you possibly hope for?" Observed C. Clingerman of Woodbridge, Va.: Yes, we all understand that you have the right to publish whatever you want because you have freedom of speech, freedom of the press ... having said that, sometimes it's not a matter of whether or not you can, it's whether or not you should. In this case, what's the purpose other than to make our military look bad? Not so, commented promote_liberty" online: This has nothing to do with AntiAmericanism or making soldiers into villains. This is the position our government is putting soldiers into. Maybe if more images like this and more coverage like this was exposed ... people would be more vocal in the anti-war movement." content]
"Bytebear," also online, said: The soldier who leaked these photos is correct that the chain of command has broken down. Not just in the fact that the superior officers didn't put a stop to this behavior, but also because the whistle blower was not using the correct chain of command. He should have reported the issue to his superiors and they should have acted. This should never have been anything more than an internal incident." Added Jason Tidwell online: Soldiers posing with dead enemies is NOT anything new. War is war, and war is hell. All the coffee-drinking, paper-reading arm-chair quarterbacks have no idea ... what our guys truly go through on a day-to-day basis.... There is no crime or misdeed here. If you don't like it, then ask your Congress to stop the war. Until then, put yourself in a 20year old soldiers shoes, maybe you will understand.
In The Times article, Capt. John F. Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman, said the conduct depicted most certainly does not represent the character and the professionalism of the great majority of our troops in Afghanistan.... Nevertheless, this imagery -- more than two years old -- now has the potential to indict them all in the minds of local Afghans, inciting violence and perhaps causing needless casualties. Kirby added: We have taken the necessary precautions to protect our troops in the event of any backlash. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
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Man wants death penalty or acquittal in Norway massacre

(USATODAY.com Feed)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 8:29:21 AM
anti-Muslim militant group he claims to belong to but which prosecutors say doesn't exist as he OSLO (AP) Norway's prison describes. Several unrelated terms are "pathetic," confessed groups claim part of that "Knights mass killer Anders Behring Templar" name. Breivik declared Wednesday in The 33-year-old Norwegian court, claiming the death penalty acknowledged that his supposed or a full acquittal were the "only crusader network is "not an l o g i c a l o u t c o m e s " f o r h i s organization in a conventional massacre of 77 people. sense" but insisted that it is for Pool photo by Lise Aserud real. Anders Behring Breivik, who is "It is not in my interest to shed on trial for deadly attacks, light on details that could lead to g e s t u r e s W e d n e s d a y a t a arrests," he said refusing to courtroom in Oslo. comment on the group's alleged other members. Pool photo by Lise Aserud The issue is of key importance in Anders Behring Breivik, who is determining Breivik's sanity, and on trial for deadly attacks, whether he's sent to prison or g e s t u r e s W e d n e s d a y a t a compulsory psychiatric care for courtroom in Oslo. the bomb-and-shooting massacre The right-wing fanatic said he that shocked Norway. doesn't fear death and that militant If found sane, Breivik could face nationalists in Europe have a lot a maximum 21-year prison to learn from al-Qaeda, including sentence or an alternate custody their methods and glorification of arrangement that would keep him martyrdom. locked up as long as he is "If I had feared death, I would not considered a menace to society. If have dared to carry out this declared insane he would be operation," he said, referring to committed to psychiatric care for his July 22 attacks a bombing as long as he's considered ill. in downtown Oslo that killed "I view 21 years in prison as a eight and a shooting massacre at a pathetic sentence," Breivik said. y o u t h c a m p o u t s i d e t h e Asked by the prosecutor if he Norwegian capital that killed 69 would rather have received a people. death penalty which does not Breivik's comments came as he exist in current Norwegian law. was pressed to give details on the "I don't wish for it but I would
answered the question himself, saying prosecutors want to "sow doubt over whether the KT network exists." The main point of his defense is to avoid an insanity ruling, which would deflate his political arguments. One official psychiatric evaluation found him have respected that decision," he psychotic and "delusional," while s a i d . " T h e r e a r e o n l y t w o another found him mentally outcomes in this case that I had competent to be sent to prison. respected, that that is the death Breivik also refused to give details on what he claims was the penalty or acquittal." Breivik claims to have carried out founding session of the "Knights the attacks on behalf of the Templar" in London in 2002. He "Knights Templar," which he conceded, however, that he described in the 1,500-page embellished somewhat in the compendium he posted online manifesto when he described before the attacks as a militant members at the founding session nationalist group fighting a as "brilliant political and military Muslim colonization of Europe. tacticians of Europe." Breivik said it exists but police Breivik testified that he had used just hadn't done a good enough " p o m p o u s " l a n g u a g e a n d job in uncovering it. The group described them instead as "people consists of "independent cells," he with great integrity." added, "and therefore in the long Bejer Engh challenged him on t e r m w i l l b e a l e a d e r l e s s whether the meeting had taken place at all. organization." Prosecutor Inga Bejer Engh "Yes, there was a meeting in pressed him about details on the London," Breivik insisted. group, its members and its "It's not something you have made meetings. Breivik claimed to have up?" Engh countered. met a Serb "war hero" living in "I haven't made up anything. exile during a trip to Liberia in What is in the compendium is 2002, but he refused to identify correct," he said. Later, he answered with more him. nuance. "What is it you're getting at?" Breivik told the prosecutor, then "There is nothing that is made up,
but you have to see what is written in a context. It is a glorification of certain ideals," Breivik said. Breivik's defensive answers contrasted with the assertive posture he took Tuesday when he read a prepared statement to the court, boasting that he had carried out the most "spectacular" attack by a nationalist militant since World War II. His stance has angered victim support groups. "I think what we are watching is the revelation of a sort of fantasy or a dream," said Christin Bjelland, deputy head of a support group for survivors of the July 22 massacre. Breivik admits he set off a bomb outside the government headquarters in Oslo, killing eight, then drove to Utoya island outside the capital and massacred 69 people in a shooting spree at the governing Labor Party's youth summer camp. He said his victims mostly teenagers were not innocent but legitimate targets because they were representatives of a "multiculturalist" regime he claims is deconstructing Norway's national identity by allowing immigration. Copyright 2012 The Associated MAN page 5
Headline/
GOP targets demographic groups that backed Obama in 2008

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Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:48:55 AM
By Jackie Kucinich, USA TODAY Updated George P. Bush hopes dissatisfaction with the Obama White House will help him draw young professionals to become donors and activists in the Republican Party. File photo by Tim Dillon, USA TODAY George P. Bush addresses the 2004 Republican National Convention at Madison Square Garden in New York. File photo by Tim Dillon, USA TODAY George P. Bush addresses the 2004 Republican National Convention at Madison Square Garden in New York. The grandson of former president George H.W. Bush and son of former Florida governor Jeb Bush, the younger Bush is setting up chapters of his Texas-based Maverick PAC in several key swing states to try to mobilize young Republicans. Bush's group is one of several Republican efforts underway to try to peel away parts of the coalition that helped Barack Obama win the presidency in 2008 and organizers pledge each is bigger and more thorough than
in years past. Women, Hispanics and young voters are among the demographic groups where Obama beat Sen. John McCain last cycle and areas where many Republicans believe they can pull disaffected voters into their camp come November. The Obama campaign has no intention of ceding those groups that helped it win the White House, and have a number of micro-targeting operations of its own. The Obama campaign website has separate pages for women, youth, "Jewish Americans," and more. But with an uncertain economic environment and nearly seven months of campaigning to go, Republicans are convinced that with time, money and boots on the ground, this election could be different. Bush and Jay Zeidman, a former staffer in the George W. Bush administration, began MavPAC several years ago but this year are poised to spend more than $1 million to "go out and target younger Americans and get them engaged in politics." MavPAC is now opening chapters in traditionally Republican states that Obama carried, such as North Carolina, Virginia and Indiana. The group caters to individuals who are out of college, want to be
court press to convince female voters that the Obama administration has been bad for women. The reason: several recent polls, including a CNN poll released Monday, have shown Romney significantly trailing Obama among female voters. politically involved but are not yet On Monday the RNC made it ready to write huge checks to clear Hispanics will also be a focal point of its 2012 campaign. support candidates. Bush acknowledged that Obama " W e a r e g o i n g t o e n g a g e won younger voters across all Hispanics and Latinos like we've demographic lines in 2008, in part never done before," said RNC through vigorous outreach, and as Chairman Reince Preibus in a a result "that is part of our goal, to conference call with reporters. The RNC is placing on-themitigate that margin." "For the majority of our members g r o u n d H i s p a n i c o u t r e a c h this is the first time they have coordinators in six battleground participated financially in the s t a t e s F l o r i d a , N e v a d a , political process," Zeidman said. Colorado, New Mexico, Virginia "Young people need to be at least and North Carolina to promote at the table and be part of the the Republican economic agenda debate because otherwise these in particular. huge, looming questions with The conference call occurred the respect to the $17 trillion debt are day after NBC reported Romney going to be decided by people that had been overheard at a Florida don't have as much of a stake in it fundraising event saying "We have to get Hispanic voters to as we do," Bush said. While not affiliated with any vote for our party." The Obama campaign on other Republican organizations, the MavPAC effort mirrors Wednesday rolled out a major strategies taking place on a larger Hispanic outreach effort of its own. scale. Last week, the Republican The commitment of resources to National Committee and the less traditional Republican voters campaign of likely GOP nominee may not pay dividends right away, Mitt Romney launched a full said Scott Keeter, director of
survey research at the Pew Research Center. He warned that even if they are mobilized by one party they still may vote for another. Keeter said Democrats should not take young and Latino voters for granted. "The (recession) has hit both of these groups very hard," he said. For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com. USA TODAY is now using Facebook Comments on our stories and blog posts to provide an enhanced user experience. To post a comment, log into Facebook and then "Add" your comment. To report spam or abuse, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box. To find out more, read the FAQ and Conversation Guidelines. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentGOP page 5
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Indianapolis police chief resigns over blood sample

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Submitted at 4/18/2012 9:47:47 AM
By John Tuohy and Carrie Ritchie, The Indianapolis Star Updated INDIANAPOLIS Who could have imagined that one blood sample would cause so much trouble? 2011 photo by Danese Kenon, The Indianapolis Star, via AP Indianapolis Police Chief Paul Ciesielski resigned from his post Tuesday. 2011 photo by Danese Kenon, The Indianapolis Star, via AP Indianapolis Police Chief Paul Ciesielski resigned from his post Tuesday. It has raised suspicion about the competence of the city's police department. It has raised concerns about whether justice can be served. And now now that this blood sample has been mishandled yet again it has toppled the chief of police. Paul Ciesielski resigned Tuesday as chief of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, the same day that Mayor Greg Ballard announced that blood drawn from suspended officer David Bisard had been improperly moved and possibly ruined. [unable to retrieve full-text
Bisard is awaiting trial in the crash that killed one motorcyclist and injured two others on Aug. 6, 2010. A blood draw that was botched by IMPD had indicated Bisard's blood-alcohol level was 0.19 when his patrol car hit the motorcycles, which would be well above Indiana's 0.08 legal threshhold for driving drunk. "At best, this matter shows gross incompetence; at worst, possible criminal intent," Ballard said at a news conference with Indianapolis Public Safety Director Frank Straub. "I want to express how angry and disgusted I am that this happened." The FBI will probe why despite a judge's explicit instructions to preserve Bisard's blood samples for further testing a second vial was moved from a refrigerated compartment in a property room in the City-County Building to an unrefrigerated area of a backup property room at the IMPD Training Academy, 10th Street and Post Road. Straub said Ciesielski will remain a captain with the department, but his assignment hasn't been determined yet. In addition to the resignation of Ciesielski, who did not return a message left on his cellphone Tuesday, IMPD Deputy Chief of content]
the second time Bisard's blood has been improperly cared for. "It is laughable," said Fran Watson, clinical professor of law at Indiana University's Robert H. McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis. "And not in a good way. In a you've-got-to-bekidding-me way. It's the Police Professional Standards Valerie Department's job to maintain Cunningham was placed on paid evidence in a form that it's admissible." suspension. Lt. Paula Irwin, who was in Prosecutor Terry Curry said his charge of the property room, and office discovered that Bisard's Teresa Brockbrader, a civilian blood had been moved last week employee, also have been placed w h e n H a w k i n s g r a n t e d prosecutors' request to test the on paid administrative leave. Deputy Director for Community second vial. Affairs Rick Hite was appointed At first, Curry said, they weren't sure whether it simply had been acting chief. Ballard and Straub stopped short moved to another refrigerated area o f s a y i n g t h e b l o o d w a s or whether it was unrefrigerated. intentionally tampered with, but Curry said his office confirmed its mishandling was met with Monday that the blood wasn't disbelief by several observers, refrigerated. including Aaron Wells, whose 30- Still, Curry said the mishandling year-old son, Eric Wells, was likely won't affect prosecutors' case against Bisard. Storing the killed in the crash. "All of the so-called blunders at blood in an unrefrigerated area the beginning of this case, and a means the alcohol content might year and a half later to still have be compromised, Curry said, but them butchering evidence," Wells the DNA should still be intact. said, "it's absolutely devastating to Testing the second vial was a precaution, he said, and there's all of us." Following the improper blood enough blood in the first vial to draw after the crash, this is now have an independent lab retest it. "We are currently working with content] [unable to retrieve full-text
an independent lab to clarify the implications of testing the blood from the second vial," Curry said. Contributing: Indianapolis Star reporter Jon Murray For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com. USA TODAY is now using Facebook Comments on our stories and blog posts to provide an enhanced user experience. To post a comment, log into Facebook and then "Add" your comment. To report spam or abuse, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box. To find out more, read the FAQ and Conversation Guidelines. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
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Gingrich staying in the race for 'the conservative movement'

(The Front Page)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 7:37:00 AM
Fenati shows Italy is not finito just yet - Yahoo! Eurosport UK (blog)
(Andrea Rossi - Google News)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:24:25 AM
Yahoo! Eurosport UK (blog) Fenati shows Italy is not finito just yet Yahoo! Eurosport UK (blog) By Eurosport | Duncan Bishop 1 hour 41 minutes ago Towards the end of last season, with Valentino Rossi struggling to get to grips with the Ducati Desmosedici GP11/11.5, Andrea Dovizioso being given the boot by Honda and the Spanish armada continuing...
LANCASTER, Pa. -- As Republican Party leaders increasingly coalesce behind Mitt Romney as their presumed nominee for President this year, a defiant Newt Gingrich fights on and insists he will continue his own campaign until the GOP national convention in Tampa this summer. Following a fighting speech and heros welcome at the Lancaster County Republican Party dinner Tuesday night -- in which he followed Romney to the speakers podium -- the former House speaker spelled out to Human Events just why he remains an active candidate. I owe it to the conservative movement to stay in the race, Gingrich told us, emphasizing that it was important that Romney face
competition from a conservative in the Reagan mold. Before we spoke, top aides to Gingrich said that he felt strongly that by competing with Romney up to the convention, he would reduce the chances that Romney would back away from a conservative campaign or party platform. Gingrich noted that he is fielding a full slate of delegates in the Pennsylvania primary April 24 and that his national campaign chairman (former Rep. Bob Walker) is running for national convention delegate from Lancaster County. And, he added, were competing in primaries in Delaware the same day, in West Virginia and North Carolina in May. And well compete in Arkansas, Kentucky and Texas later that month. Has Gingrich spoken to Rick Santorum, who has suspended his own campaign -- and who was
conspicuous by his last-minute cancellation from the dinner here at the Lancaster Convention Center? We spoke on Friday at the NRA [National Rifle Association] convention last Friday, Gingrich told us, and weve swapped a few [email] messages. Look, hes got to deal with his [campaign] debt and hes got his family situation [the illness of 3-year-old daughter Bella that Santorum cited as a reason for exiting the race]. As to whether Santorum might possibly endorse former rival Gingrich, the former speaker said: I have no idea. But well keep talking. There were strong signs throughout the evening that while the Harrisburg-born Gingrich may have lost the nomination race, he had still won the hearts of the party. Whether his remarks were
denunciations of Obamas leftwing socialist agenda and his own vow as President never to bow to a Saudi king, Gingrich was cheered strongly. Hale Womble, second-grader at St. Leo the Great school and son of delegate candidate Ann Womble, told us after Gingrichs remarks: I was counting. Mr. Romney was applauded four times, but Mr. Gingrich was applauded 12 different times. John Gizzi is Political Editor of HUMAN EVENTS. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
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Obama camp: Romney has conservative core - Washington Post

Amy Gardner (Top Stories Google News)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:20:18 AM
Critics have used that remark to suggest that Romney will say anything to win; in the words of Obama adviser David Plouffe last fall, the former Massachusetts governor has no core. But now, with the GOP essentially primary over, the White House and the Obama reelection campaign are portraying Romney in new emphatic terms as very much having a core: a conservative one out of step with middle-class Americans. As evidence, they point to the Mitt Romney agenda that revealed itself over the course of the GOP primary season. The Romney camp declined to address the characterization directly, dismissing the assertions as a White House effort to distract from a debate about the economy. Senior administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity at the White House this week said Romney has provided ample policy positions over the course of his primary run
to establish him as a conservative candidate who plans to govern in step with the far-right wing of the Republican Party. They cited Romneys support for a gay-marriage ban, criminalization of abortion, an end to the DREAM Act (granting a path to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants) and self-deportation as examples of Romney positions out of step with most Americans. Obama campaign officials in Chicago echoed the theme on Tuesday, emphasizing what they said is a set of positions such as Romneys proposal to lower taxes for the wealthiest Americans that favor the rich over the middle class. The real Mitt Romney is someone who has a series of policies that benefit the wealthy at the expense of the middle class, said former White House aide Bill Burton, a spokesman for Priorities U.S.A., an independent group supporting Obama. During the primaries, Governor Romney labeled himself the ideal tea party candidate and severely conservative and committed to a
series of policies that reflect those labels, said Ben LaBolt, Obamas campaign spokesman. Theres no doubt that Governor Romney has lost trust with voters across the political spectrum for making promises that he then walked away from when the political audience changed. But whats also clear is that the platform he is running on this year is severely conservative. Romney campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul said: This is a White House in search of a reason for reelection. While President Obamas campaign tries to navigate around their bosss failed record with any attack and distraction they can think of, Governor Romney is going to continue talking about his plans to jump-start the economy and get Americans back to work. The effort to paint Romney as an out-of-touch conservative is not new. The Obama campaign and its allies have been noting every occasion when Romney has taken a stand they view as out of step with mainstream Americans, particularly the moderate and independent voters who are
expected to decide the general election in November. Romney has catered to conservatives for two elections now, said Brad Woodhouse, spokesman for the Democratic National Committee. He tried to out-social-conservative Mike Huckabee in 2008; he pushed all the hot buttons. Hes been more conservative on immigration than his conservative opponents. Hes been as vocally extreme on health care and on the budget as anyone. However, those critiques have been interspersed with a seemingly opposite effort to portray Romney as a flip-flopper, someone who will say anything to get elected. Obama allies say the two approaches are not contradictory, but they acknowledge that there is a risk that voters just tuning into the election now will believe that the true Romney is the moderate one. Its one reason for the intensified effort now to remind voters of his more conservative positions. They insist that they have a wealth of material from which to draw: video clips of Romney
promising to veto the DREAM Act, calling himself severely conservative, endorsing Rep. Paul Ryans proposed federal budget (which features deep cuts across many popular federal programs). Most recently, at a private fundraiser over the weekend in Florida, Romney was overheard suggesting that he might eliminate the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The way that he is presented is someone who takes whatever position is politically expedient at the moment, said Burton. It doesnt change what he believes: that sort of core strain that goes through all his policies. ... Hell say anything to get elected, but in office he is as conservative and far to the right as, you know, anyone. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
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GSA watchdog: Employees are reporting abuse - USA TODAY

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Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:44:28 AM
hotel suites, and threw lavish parties. His April 2 report detailed how four Western regions partied WASHINGTON (AP) The at their Las Vegas conference in General Services Administration's 2010, which featured a clown, a i n t e r n a l w a t c h d o g s a i d mind-reader, a team-building Wednesday that employees are exercise to build bicycles and a h e e d i n g h i s c a l l t o r e p o r t rap video making fun of the wrongdoing, and messages on his spending. hotline have triggered new Miller previously said that i n v e s t i g a t i o n s b e y o n d a n employees would not blow the $823,000 Las Vegas conference w h i s t l e o n t h e m i s c o n d u c t and junkets to resorts. because they believed they would By Alex Wong, Getty Images be "squashed like a bug" for doing General Services Administration so. Inspector General Brian Miller "The result of the release of the testifies before a Senate panel on report is that people are coming Wednesday. forward now," he said. "They are calling the (inspector general's) By Alex Wong, Getty Images hotline. General Services Administration The Democratic-led Environment Inspector General Brian Miller committee struck a somewhat testifies before a Senate panel on d i f f e r e n t t o n e t h a n t w o Wednesday. Republican-run House hearings "I don't know what we're going to this week that featured those who find but it has not been pretty," allowed or participated in the Inspector General Brian Miller misconduct. told the Senate Environment and While the outrage over GSA Public Works Committee. spending has been bipartisan, the Miller previously revealed that Senate panel only summoned GSA officials in Western states M i l l e r a n d A c t i n g G S A went on taxpayer-financed junkets Administrator Daniel Tangherlini, to Hawaii, South Pacific islands, the two officials who are playing California's Napa Valley and key roles in changing the freePalm Springs; stayed in resort spending culture at the GSA.
"We got the two good guys here," said Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., his party's ranking Republican on the committee. In a dig at the House hearings, Chairman Barbara Boxer said, "We're not looking for photo ops of people taking the Fifth." This was a reference to the San Francisco-based regional executive, Jeffrey Neely, who hosted the Las Vegas conference and went on a number of trips after the inspector general warned top officials about his excessive travel. Neely asserted his right to remain silent at one House hearing and failed to appear at a second. Miller has referred his case to the Justice Department for a criminal investigation and said he made other criminal referrals. Boxer, D-Calif., said the committee's goal is "to make sure
we don't have a repeat of this nightmare." She said Miller and Tangherlini needed to keep "shaking this tree and letting these bad apples fall. This (Western) region went wild on you. They went rogue." Tangherlini said he's moving to remove some of the autonomy by the 11 GSA regions that permitted the Western regions to spend freely without getting caught. The inspector general only learned of the misconduct after a GSA official in Washington was told about it and asked him to investigate. Tangherlini added the agency's chief financial officer will now have full access to spending in all the regions and he would end the blurred lines that made it unclear who regional officials reported to. Miller said the ultimate deterrent to misconduct is criminal prosecution. He said, "We are doing all we can to identify those committing fraud and crimes and referring them to the Department of Justice for prosecution." Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. For more
information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com. USA TODAY is now using Facebook Comments on our stories and blog posts to provide an enhanced user experience. To post a comment, log into Facebook and then "Add" your comment. To report spam or abuse, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box. To find out more, read the FAQ and Conversation Guidelines. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
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Truce hurts: Militants, West want Assad discredited

RT (News RSS : Today)
US investors to get bonuses for backing Moscow business

keeping its side of the deal. Syrian opposition leader Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:17:48 AM Haytham Manna says Damascus Members of the rebel 'Free is facing constant provocation Syrian Army' gather inside their from fragmented rebel factions. quarters in the Syrian town of The ceasefire is being observed, Binnish (Binesh), in the restive except for some violations by northern Idlib province, on March weak and fragmented groups, 22, 2012. (AFP Photo / Ricardo Manna told RT, adding thatThey Garcia Vilanova)(54.6Mb) embed continue hostilities in order to video engage the army in fighting, so Moscow has accused the Syrian that it stands against the Syrian armed opposition of inflaming the people. conflict to bury the peace plan Eric Denece, director and founder by UN special envoy Kofi Annan o f t h e F r e n c h C e n t e r f o r and breach the truce. Experts say Intelligence Studies, also believes militants are trying to stir up the that the primary purpose of the conflict to discredit Assads armed rebels isto push them to regime. react so strong. International media reveal more They [militants] want the regime and more evidence of the armed o f P r e s i d e n t A s s a d t o b e F r e e S y r i a n A r m y g r o u p s absolutely discredited because it organizing provocations to break did not respect the ceasefire, he the ceasefire, Russias Foreign said , It is a kind of a game as Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on they want to put additional Wednesday. international pressure on the Lavrov also said there are reports regime. the Free Syrian Army is using Different armed factions defying refugee camps in Turkey as safe the ceasefire in Syria are being havens to plan their assaults on backed by foreign sponsors, the government troops. activist asserted. This comes as the Syrian regime M o s t o f t h e o p p o s i t i o n , is under fire from foreign powers supported by Western and Arab who say the government is not countries, is made of terrorist and
Salafist groups. They use the bases in Turkey as a safe haven to go back to Syria everyday to create new turmoil and new attacks at the regime, he said. According to Denece, three interests intersect in Syria: the US want to support Israels regime and to weaken Iran; Gulf states such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia want to impose Salafist regimes everywhere in the Middle East; and there is also France, who is against Syria because they suspect Damascus to be behind Lebanese PM Rafic Hariris assassination in 2005. France, the United States, NATO with the support of the Saudi Arabia and Qatar, they think they can change the sense of history in Syria but I dont think this is something they can do, Denece concluded. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
in taking part in large-scale projects to offer their services," the mayor said. Moscow mayor Sergey Sobyanin He also stressed that now it is has promised to cut down on red m u c h e a s i e r n o w t o m a k e tape for US investors ready to investments in Moscow than it back businesses in the Russian was a couple of years ago. capital. There are fewer barriers to -A special business-support b u s i n e s s f r o m c o n t r o l l i n g headquarters has been set up authorities, Sobyanin said.And u n d e r t h e c i t y ' s b u s i n e s s we are to bring down the existing department, with the aim of barriers for investors. providing all the necessary help Business has welcomed the longfor those interested in investing in awaited move, saying the US has the citys projects. been expecting the turn for over a Moscow plays a key role in decade. Russia-US trade, accounting for Moscow has neglected the about 20 per cent of the entire p r o g r a m t o a t t r a c t f o r e i g n trade turnover, Sergey Sobyanin i n v e s t m e n t s f o r 1 0 y e a r s , said at a meeting with members of Andrew B. Somers, AmCham t h e A m e r i c a n C h a m b e r o f president and CEO, told RT.Its Commerce.In 2011, it was about a good thing that a new mayor $7 billion. And there is vast finally restarted it. potential for mutual investment This entry passed through the growth. Full-Text RSS service if this is Sobyanin particularly called on your content and you're reading it US businesses to invest more in on someone else's site, please read Russian medicine, education, the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentt r a n s p o r t a n d b i g M o s c o w only/faq.php#publishers. Five projects. Filters recommends: Donate to "Development of new territories is Wikileaks. a big chance for architects, designers and all those interested
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:45:01 AM
Top News/ Business/
'Ann Romney for First Lady' stickers big hit in Lancaster

(The Front Page)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 6:46:00 AM
Russian opposition leader included in Time Magazines Top 100

LANCASTER, Pa. -- Days after a feminist pundit criticized Ann Romney for not working outside her home, her fans in Pennsylvania are fighting back with a new lapel sticker: "Ann Romney for First Lady." Among the 1,100-plus guests at the Lancaster County Republican dinner here last night, the lapel sticker caught on and was widely seen throughout the evening. Former State Rep. Katie True wore the sticker as she introduced Ann's husband Mitt Romney as "the next president of the United States."
Human Events caught up with the creator of the popular sticker, former GOP county committeewoman Lou Cook of Lancaster. "I just got so annoyed when they said she had not worked," Cook told us. "I raised three children and I can tell you that that's work. But they will just do anything to discredit Mitt and Ann, and I wanted to do something about it." By "they," Cook said she meant feminist Hilary Rosen, who made the remarks about Ann Romney and added: "I don't like her at all." During the VIP reception before the dinner, Lancaster Republican Registrar of Voters Bonnie Bowman presented Mitt Romney
with his own sticker calling for his wife to be first lady. "She's in New York at a fundraiser and couldn't be here," said Romney, promising to show her the lapel sticker. He declined to wear one during his own remarks but told Bowman: "I strongly endorse the sentiments." John Gizzi is Political Editor of HUMAN EVENTS. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
A former lawyer, Navalny is famous for creating a non-profit fund for the investigation of Opposition leader Aleksey corruption crimes, as well as for Navalny is the only Russian to h i s a c t i v e i n v o l v e m e n t i n h a v e m a d e i t i n t o T i m e opposition activities, from the Magazine's Top 100 of the post-election rallies in Moscow to worlds most influential people the recent hunger strike in this year. Astrakhan. -Navalny was included in the list Back in May 2011, the a l o n g w i t h B a r a c k O b a m a , Prosecutor's Office opened a Christine Lagarde, Mitt Romney, criminal case against Navalny for Ron Paul and hackers from causing 1.3 million rubles of Anonymous. damage to a lumber company in Time Magazine says Navalny the Kirov Region, where he used deserves to be included for his to work as an advisor to the fight against corruption and for governor. u n i t i n g p e o p l e v i a s o c i a l This entry passed through the networks. Full-Text RSS service if this is Meanwhile, according to a recent your content and you're reading it survey, 75 per cent of Russians do on someone else's site, please read not know who Aleksey Navalny the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentis. That is an improvement for only/faq.php#publishers. Five him, though, as a year ago only Filters recommends: Donate to six per cent of respondents Wikileaks. recognised him.
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:43:09 AM
Is Housing Bubble Possible Again? Experts Disagree - LoanSafe

(housing - Google News)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:52:15 AM
Is Housing Bubble Possible Again? Experts Disagree
LoanSafe (MCT) There is little to prevent another housing run-up and subsequent bust as long as there are people who want to get
rich quick, said the chief economist of AIG during a business conference Tuesday at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.
and more
10
Top News/ Business/
India due to launch missile In China, a Growing Call capable of reaching Shanghai, to Environmental Action Beijing - Los Angeles Times
(china - Google News)
take off from an island launch site in the eastern... Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:01:40 AM India to test nuclear missile that Daily Mail can hit Beijing USA TODAY India due to launch missile India Missile Launch: A China capable of reaching Shanghai, Deterrent? Wall Street Journal Beijing (blog) Los Angeles Times New nuclear missile built by The 50-ton, 55-foot three-stage India so they can intimidate rival Agni-5 rocket, named after the China and hit... Daily Mail Hindu god for fire and dubbed the Telegraph.co.uk- NEWS.com.au China killer by some in India's BusinessWeek hyperactive press, has a maximum all 484 news articles range of 3100 miles and is set to
- Huffington Post (blog)

Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:45:49 AM
Fusione fredda: Francesco After Scandal, China Takes a Moral Inventory Piantelli sfida Rossi e il suo E-Cat - GreenStyle - New York Times
Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:50:09 AM
Sydney Morning Herald After Scandal, China Takes a Moral Inventory New York Times BEIJING Pleading with mafiosos who had cornered him while he was on a study tour of Italy, Wang Lijun, the former police chief of the Chinese city of Chongqing whose dramatic bolt to
ABC News State housing projects awarded $12.6 million in tax credits Milwaukee Journal Sentinel By Paul Gores of the Journal Sentinel Wisconsin's housing agency has awarded $12.6 million in tax credits to 21 housing projects around the state, Gov. Scott Walker said Wednesday. The projects are expected to create 1816 jobs and 1292 affordable... WHEDA affordable housing tax credit awards announced BizTimes.com (Milwaukee) (andrea rossi e-cat - Google scetticismo, un nuovo attore si WHEDA awards $12.6 million in a US consulate in February set off News) aggiunto al gruppo. Stiamo tax credits for affordable housing China's biggest political... parlando di Francesco Piantelli... projects Capital Times (blog) China promises 'thorough' Submitted at 4/18/2012 7:45:02 AM E-Cat: nella fusione fredda il n Wisconsin awards $12.6 million investigation into Bo Xilai in tax credits to 21 projects Ecoo greenMe.it scandal CNN International Fusione fredda: Francesco E-cat: cos' e come funziona Milwaukee Business Journal Chinese official is questioned in Piantelli sfida Rossi e il suo E-Cat questa potenziale bufala [VIDEO] (blog) Neil Heywood slaying case all 488 news articles GreenStyle Ecoo Washington Post Mentre Andrea Rossi e la Fusione fredda E-Cat/ Chinese Journalist: Bo Xilai Had Defkalion continuano la loro Aggiornamenti il Democratico History Of Bribes NPR corsa verso la produzione dei NanoPress CBS News- TIME primi reattori LENR commerciali, all 8 news articles all 1,735 news articles circondati va detto da un certo
BBC News In China, a Growing Call to Environmental Action Huffington Post (blog) I recently spoke at a Wall Street Journal ECO:nomics session titled " China: Friend or Foe of Green Capitalism"? Home to a staggering one-fifth of the world's population, China has been growing rapidly for the past three
decades. China to move 20000 people at risk from Three Gorges landslides Reuters China May Relocate 100000 Residents From Three Gorges Vicinity Voice of America (blog) Danger From Three Gorges Dam May Force out 100000 ABC News BBC News all 193 news articles
State housing projects awarded $12.6 million in tax credits Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
(housing - Google News)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:06:57 AM
Business/ World News/
11
Will short sales save There Are A Million Education Startups And the housing market? - CBS News No One To Acquire Them
(housing - Google News) Alyson Shontell (Business Insider)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 12:11:00 PM
Want to hear from top startups like Fab.com and Lot18? And NY's top investors? Join 800 innovation junkies at the Startup conference on May 3, 2012! Register now! One of the hottest startup sectors right now is education. 2Tor, for example, has raised $90 million in venture capital to make credible online degrees for universities. Knewton has raised $54 million to make customized content for students. Even Coursekit, a startup founded by three UPenn students to disrupt Blackboard, has raised $6 million. We're just scratching the surface here. There's also Skillshare, Khan Academy, Codecademy, Schoology, TutorSpree, ShowMe, Coursera, Chegg, Udemy, and plenty more. But there's no Google or Facebook in the education space. So who is going to acquire these startups for hundreds of millions of dollars?
"It's a great question heretofore unanswered," says Hashable founder and angel investor Mike Yavonditte. "[Education startups need to] go public or get profitable." For a company like 2Tor, profitability is a real possibility. Students are paying 2Tor and its partnering universities the same expensive tuition for an online degree as those paying for the physical campus experience. More than 3,500 students from 30 countries participate in 2Tor's online and mobile degree programs. But the cost of on-boarding a university isn't cheap -- 2Tor spends about $10 million on every college it works with, perfecting and customizing their programs until they're happy. For others, the path to profitability is far from clear. We've compiled a list of potential education acquirers, but most don't have enough cash to write many -- if any -- big checks for startups. Of course cash isn't the only factor -- last year Texas Instruments acquired National
data from Lender Processing Services (LPS) which indicated Semi for $6.5 billion and it only short sales had surpassed had $992 million in cash and cash CBS News foreclosure... equivalents. Pearson is the largest Will short sales save the housing Short Sales Bypass Foreclosures, education company in the world market? Hinting At Hope For Housing It has a has a few billion in cash CBS News Market Huffington Post and cash equivalents, so it could Since the housing bubble burst, Difficulties In Forecasting The write a sizable check for a startup. the sale of foreclosed homes has Impact Of Shadow Inventory On McGraw-Hill has nearly $1 far outpaced short sales. But that The Housing Market Forex Pros billion on hand and could spend is beginning to change. On all 12 news articles some of it snatching up innovative Tuesday, Bloomberg reported startups Educational software and content is a large portion of the McGraw Hill business. It has about$944 million in cash and cash equivalents. Apollo Group owns University of Phoenix and could snatch up other online university startups (Nation - Google News) welfare of the people. Apollo Group owns University of Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:39:26 AM Pakistan's Army chief Kayani Phoenix and other for-profit urges less spending on defence education institutions. IBNLive.com Times of India It has about$2 billion in cash and 'All issues between Pak and India Peaceful co-existence very cash equivalents, so it could should be resolved' necessary for both Pakistan and afford to write a big check for a Hindustan Times India, says Pak... NDTV startup. PTI Pakistan's army chief Gen Pakistan army chief urges India See the rest of the story at A s h f a q P a r v e z K a y a n i o n on deadly glacier withdrawal Business Insider W e d n e s d a y s a i d a l l i s s u e s BBC News Please follow SAI on Twitter and between India and Pakistan Daily News & Analysis- The Facebook. should be resolved to ensure Associated Press- Washington "peaceful co-existence" which Post would allow the two countries to all 275 news articles focus on development and the
Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:18:31 AM
'All issues between Pak and India should be resolved' Hindustan Times
12
Business/ World News/
Plans To Automatically Block All Internet Porn In Britain

Robert Hutton (Business Insider)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 12:13:18 PM
Scotland Bill approved by ministers - The Press Association

(Nation - Google News)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:30:00 AM
Prime Minister David Cameron said he will examine whether British Internet service providers should require customers to opt into accessing pornographic websites and impose a networklevel ban on everyone else to protect children. The cross-party Independent Parliamentary Inquiry Into Online Child Protection concluded in a report published in London today that the proliferation of devices that can access the Internet means current efforts to stop children from seeing unsuitable material on individual computers are obsolete. Instead, it said Internet service providers should ban adult sites unless customers verify their ages and say they want access, the model currently used by many
mobile phone providers. As a parent, and as a politician, Im keen to help protect people from this material, Cameron told lawmakers in the House of Commons during his weekly questions session today. As a first step, the panel urged the government to require ISPs to
introduce in the next 12 months a one click option to allow parents to turn off pornography on their home networks. It also said public wireless networks should have a similar filter. Many children are easily accessing Internet pornography as well as other websites showing
extreme violence or promoting self-harm and anorexia, Claire Perry, the Conservative lawmaker who headed the committee, said in an e-mailed statement. Its time that Britains Internet service providers, who make more than 3 billion pounds a year from selling Internet access services, took on more of the responsibility to keep children safe, and the government needs to send a strong message that this is what we all expect. --Editors: Eddie Buckle, Andrew Atkinson To contact the reporter on this story: Robert Hutton in London at rhutton1@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Hertling at jhertling@bloomberg.net. Please follow International on Twitter and Facebook. Join the conversation about this story
BBC News Scotland Bill approved by ministers The Press Association SNP ministers have consented to Westminster legislation to give greater powers to Holyrood, despite complaints that it is a "missed opportunity". Strategy Minister Bruce Crawford delivered the Scottish Government's approval for the Scotland Bill to... MSPs to back new Holyrood powers under Scotland Bill BBC News Consent for Scotland Bill to be given by MSPs Scotsman New tax and borrowing powers for Scotland will be passed by MSPs ITV News Public Finance- Kirkintilloch Herald all 111 news articles
Watchdog warns it will keep close eye on carbon tax rorts - Sydney Morning Herald
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:57:31 AM
Sydney Morning Herald
Watchdog warns it will keep close eye on carbon tax rorts Sydney Morning Herald "There is a lot of scope for people
to try to mislead consumers" ... building industry and energyRod Sims, ACCC. Photo: Paul saving companies such as solar Jones THE competition regulator panel businesses before... is keeping a close eye on the ACCC warns on carbon tax price
rises The Age all 5 news articles
Business/ News Wire/ Technology/
13
The Hottest Trading Floor On Wall Street Today

Julia La Roche (Business Insider)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 12:09:00 PM
Epoch Times | National, World, China, Sports, Entertainment News

(Epoch Times | National, World, China, Sports, Entertainment News)
Celebrities, beauty queens and pro-athletes are taking over BTIG's trading floors around the world today. The reason for the event is because it's the brokerage firm's 10th annual "Commissions for Charity Day." To date, the the star-studded charity day has raised almost $20 million from equity, fixed income and derivative trading commission profits, which support nonprofits and charities for children, the firm said in a release. "We are very excited to see so many lend their time and efforts to help us make this event a success," said Steven Starker, the co-founder of BTIG said in a statement. "The energy and enthusiasm for the 10th celebration of our Charity Day amongst the celebrity traders,
clients and employees involved is bound to make for another strong year of donations." It's a great cause and it's definitely making BTIG the hottest trading floor on Wall Street today. Former pro-football player Ronnie Lott making some trades in BTIG's San Francisco office. Source: Twitter New York Giants head coach
Tom Coughlin poses with Jennifer Mermel of BTIG. Source: Twitter Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim and New York Giants coach Coughlin. See the rest of the story at Business Insider Please follow Clusterstock on Twitter and Facebook.
might never take effect. Hugo Chvez appears determined to control Venezuelas future, even as he is dying of cancer, and Top Stories no country would be more pleased Bo Xilai, the recently ousted if he could than China. Communist Party official, kept a Mitt Romney is upping his lot of secrets. Before Bo Guagua, g e n e r a l e l e c t i o n c a m p a i g n h e h a d a n o t h e r s o n : L i following Rick Santorums exit W a n g z h i w h o b e c a m e a from the GOP race last week, but supporter of democracy in China, with that comes a shift to the [...] middle ground. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabaos This entry passed through the recent proposal of a clean Full-Text RSS service if this is government and of fighting your content and you're reading it corruption in the sunshine is a on someone else's site, please read courageous step that inspires hope the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentthat China [...] only/faq.php#publishers. Five A t a x a g r e e m e n t b e t w e e n Filters recommends: Donate to Germany and Switzerland aimed Wikileaks. at tackling tax evasion remains controversial in Germany and
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14
News Wire/
'Strikes Mounting Up' for Secret Service Director?

(FOXNews.com)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 12:36:45 PM
Oct. 20, 2011: Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan speaks during a news conference after a meeting in Bulgaria. Reuters The swelling scandal over the alleged sexual indiscretions of nearly two dozen Secret Service agents and military personnel in Colombia has raised questions about the "secret" culture at the nation's elite protection agency -and few are feeling the heat more intensely than its director, Mark Sullivan. So far, officials on both sides of the aisle are largely defending Sullivan's leadership. President Obama "has confidence" in the director, White House spokesman Jay Carney said Tuesday. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, and other lawmakers have vouched for Sullivan and praised his swift response to allegations of misconduct in Colombia last week. But at the same time, lawmakers have questioned what the incident reveals about the "culture" at the Secret Service. Some doubt this is the first time, and warn that the agents' alleged actions could have put the U.S. at risk.
At least one lawmaker, Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., says Sullivan should be replaced. "In baseball, you get three strikes and you're out. I don't know how many strikes you get in national security, but the strikes are mounting up," Forbes, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, told Fox News on
Wednesday. "Now they can't even control the fact that their agents are busing in loads of prostitutes. I think it's about time that we say they're out." And Ronald Kessler, the author who broke the story on the prostitution scandal in coordination with The Washington Post, said repeatedly
in interviews this week that Sullivan must go. "The answer is not congressional hearings and a lot of hot air out of Congress. The answer is replacing Mark Sullivan," Kessler told Fox News, accusing him of presiding over an agency marred by "corner -cutting" and "laxness." He cited, among other complaints, the 2009
incident in which aspiring realityshow couple the Salahis crashed a White House dinner. Sullivan, while pursuing an internal investigation, has requested an independent review from the agency's inspector general. 'STRIKES page 17
News Wire/
15
Gunfire gives U.N. mission taste of Syria challenge

(Reuters: Top News)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:58:58 AM
By Douglas Hamilton BEIRUT| Wed Apr 18, 2012 1:00pm EDT (Reuters) - Gunfire erupted on Wednesday close to an advance team of U.N. observers who had been swarmed by protesters, giving a taste of the challenge facing a mission to monitor a shaky week-old truce that has so far failed to stop the violence. Protesters denouncing President Bashar al-Assad had surrounded their cars near the capital, Damscus. Automatic weapons fire sent the crowds scurrying for safety. There were no reports of casualties. But scenes of monitors' vehicles immobilized in a crowd followed by pictures of men running away while automatic weapons fire rattles in the air were an ominous echo of an earlier Arab League monitoring mission that collapsed in failure in January. The advance party of a half a dozen U.N. peacekeepers in blue berets, led by Colonel Ahmed Himmiche of Morocco, was touring the vicinity of Damascus in two white U.N. Land Cruisers with a Syrian police escort when trouble began. Their cars were mobbed by
protesters chanting demands to arm the rebel Free Syrian Army. A banner was plastered on one U.N. car reading: "The butcher continues killings. The observers continue observing, and the people continue with their revolution. We bow only to God." A video segment posted on YouTube showed the U.N. vehicles moving slowly down a street flanked on both sides by crowds of civilians when gunshots sounded somewhere up ahead and the men turned and ran for safety. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Kimoon has said that a team of just 250 observers is not big enough. But on Wednesday Syria - which has the power to approve the force under a U.N. Security Council resolution - rejected Ban's call for more monitors. At the same time, the army kept up its shelling of targets in the city of Homs in violation of the week-old ceasefire. Explosions rocked the battered Khalidiyah quarter of Homs and plumes of black smoke drifted over the rooftops. In northern Idlib province, six members of the security forces were killed by a bomb placed by an "armed terrorist group", state news agency SANA said. It was the second such attack in two days. While the truce has held in some
parts of Syria since Assad pledged to enforce it last week, in strong opposition areas such as Homs, Hama, Idlib and Deraa the army has kept up attacks on rebels, using heavy weapons in violation of the pledge by Damascus to pull back. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al -Moualem told a news conference in Beijing that no more than 250 truce monitors were needed, and they should come from what he called "neutral" countries such as Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, all of which have been more sympathetic to Assad than the West and the Arab League states. The U.N. chief Ban was due to present proposals for the next phase of the mission on Wednesday to the Security Council. He says more monitors and aircraft are needed to supervise a truce in a country of 23 million, after 13 months of fighting that has killed more than 10,000 people. The earlier Arab League monitoring mission was aborted in January after just a month in country because of daily shooting and shelling. During its short life it emboldened Syrians to resume anti-Assad street protests - an effect the government will not want to see repeated. With the flashpoint cities in Syria
scattered over several hundred kilometers, Ban said he had asked the European Union if it could supply helicopters and planes to make the proposed U.N. monitoring mission independently mobile. But Moualem said any needed air transport would be supplied by Syria. A political source in neighboring Lebanon said Damascus has already refused the use of U.N. helicopters. The mission is empowered under an article in the U.N. charter that requires the Syrian government's consent. GUNSHOTS Video of the U.N. monitors filmed by activists showed mission leader Himmiche walking through a tight throng of demonstrators, wearing a U.N. blue beret and flak-jacket. He got into his vehicle where he spoke on a loud-hailer, apparently asking the crowd to move back and let the cars move out. Any shots were not aimed at the observers, he later told Reuters TV: "We did not come under fire." Equipment for the mission, including vehicles, is already being transported to Syria via Beirut from a U.N. logistics base in Brindisi, Italy and Prague in the Czech Republic. Four C-130 transports have flown 10 4x4 vehicles to the Lebanese capital
for delivery to the mission. The mission was negotiated by former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, acting as an envoy of the United Nations and Arab League. Diplomats say Annan's main aim is to get a U.N. mission on the ground backed by Syria's supporters Russia and China, even if it is not big enough at first to do the job. The West has shown no desire to intervene militarily or push for the sort of robust peacekeeping mission that might require 50,000 troops or more. Russia and China, Syria's Security Council veto-wielding friends, have made clear they would block a U.N. mandate to use force. They are likely to back Damascus as the terms of the mission are thrashed out later this week. Assad says Syria is under attack by foreign-backed terrorists and that for their own safety the unarmed observers would have to coordinate every step of their operation with Syrian security. The rebel Free Syrian Army fighting to topple Assad says it will stop shooting if he keeps his unfulfilled pledge to Annan to withdraw tanks, heavy weapons and troops from urban areas. Apart from the shelling of targets GUNFIRE page 17
16
News Wire/
BP proposes Gulf spill accord terms, trial delay

(Reuters: Top News)
in New Orleans. The settlement is "more than fair, reasonable and adequate", they Fire boat response crews battle said. the blazing remnants of the This Friday is the two-year o f f s h o r e o i l r i g D e e p w a t e r anniversary of the explosion of Horizon, off Louisiana, in this the Deepwater Horizon drilling April 21, 2010 file handout rig, which killed 11 workers and image. triggered the largest U.S. offshore Credit: Reuters/U.S. Coast Guard oil spill, after BP's Macondo well /Files/Handout ruptured. By Jonathan Stempel "BP made a commitment to help Wed Apr 18, 2012 12:48pm EDT economic and environmental (Reuters) - BP Plc has reached restoration efforts in the Gulf settlements to resolve billions of Coast," Chief Executive Bob dollars of claims from the 2010 Dudley said in a statement. "This Gulf of Mexico oil spill, and s e t t l e m e n t p r o v i d e s t h e asked a U.S. judge for a long framework for us to continue delay in any trial over remaining delivering on that promise, disputes stemming from the offering those affected full and disaster. fair compensation, without The London-based oil company waiting for the outcome of a still expects under Wednesday's lengthy trial process." settlements to pay $7.8 billion to In a separate statement, Stephen resolve economic, property and Herman and James Roy, lawyers medical claims by more than o n t h e s o - c a l l e d P l a i n t i f f s ' 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 i n d i v i d u a l s a n d Steering Committee, said the businesses, though there is no cap. s e t t l e m e n t h o l d s B P " f u l l y Such a payout would be one of a c c o u n t a b l e " . the largest class-action settlements BP still faces tens of billions of in U.S. history. dollars of potential claims from While BP and the plaintiffs' the U.S. government; Gulf states; lawyers have "markedly different and drilling partners Transocean opinions" regarding the strength Ltd, which owned the rig, and of their cases, neither confidently Halliburton Co, which provided expects "a complete victory" in cementing services. litigation that could easily last 10 The company's potential liability years, they said in papers filed on for violating the federal Clean Wednesday with the federal court Water Act alone could reach as
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:48:54 AM
high as $17.6 billion upon a finding of gross negligence. BP has already taken a $37.2 billion charge for the spill. BP shares closed down 6.5 pence at 448.1 pence in London, Reuters data shows. $600 MILLION LEGAL BILL About 109,000 condominium owners, hotel and resort operators, restaurateurs, shrimpers and others may be eligible to recover on economic and property claims, court papers show. The medical settlement covers people who claimed illness from exposure to oil or chemical dispersants, and includes clean-up workers and residents of beachfront or wetlands areas near the water. About 16,000 plaintiffs have submitted claims, court papers show. Those ineligible to recover include financial institutions, casinos, people claiming hardship from an Obama administration moratorium on deepwater drilling, and some private plaintiffs in Florida and Texas. Lawyers for the plaintiffs are seeking as much as $600 million to cover fees and costs, including a $75 million interim award. These sums are separate from any amounts paid to spill victims, settlement papers show. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier is scheduled to consider
preliminary approval of the accords around November 8, with final approval to come later. That suggests any trial on remaining issues would not begin until well into 2013, if not later. Barbier is expected to meet with the parties behind closed doors on May 3 to discuss how the case should proceed. 90 MILLION PAGES Wednesday's settlements follow depositions of 311 witnesses, and the production of about 90 million pages of documents and about 20 terabytes of data. Prior to the settlement, lawyer Kenneth Feinberg had paid out $6.1 billion to spill victims who submitted claims under BP's $20 billion Gulf Coast Claims Facility. BP expects the $7.8 billion payment to come from that trust. Claimants with final offers from Feinberg can receive 60 percent of their money now, and if eligible under the new program may receive the remaining 40 percent or seek higher awards. One of Wednesday's settlements awards $2.3 billion to commercial fishermen, seafood boat captains and others for damage related to shrimp, oysters, blue crab and other species. It also includes $57 million to "promote the Gulf Coast", including tourism and the seafood
industry. Last week, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi asked Barbier to delay preliminary approval to allow stakeholders to review the "fairness and rationale" behind the accords, including whether they were fair to Florida claimants. Jennifer Meale, a spokeswoman for Bondi, said her office is reviewing the settlements. Wyn Hornbuckle, a U.S. Department of Justice spokesman, declined to comment. Spokespeople for other Gulf states, Halliburton and Transocean had no immediate comment or did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The case is In re: Oil Spill by the Oil Rig "Deepwater Horizon" in the Gulf of Mexico, on April 20, 2010, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, No. 10-md02179. (Reporting By Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Dale Hudson and Gerald E. McCormick) This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Sports/
17
'STRIKES
GUNFIRE
For these steps, lawmakers have applauded him. The highly regarded director -- a Bush administration appointee retained by Obama -- is practically a lifelong Secret Service agent, having served nearly three decades at the agency. He started his career in the Detroit office in 1983, moving his way steadily up the ranks -- through the presidential protective division in the 1990s and ultimately to the position of director in 2006. But the alleged misconduct in Colombia is a stain on the agency he runs. Some lawmakers are dubious the incident is isolated, and warn that the security risks are far higher than is being portrayed. "It is hard for me to believe that this is the one and only time this has happened because there were so many Secret Service members involved," Sen. Susan Collins, RMaine, told Fox News. After speaking with Sullivan, Collins claimed Monday he revealed up to 21 women were brought to the hotel where the agents were staying. The Department of Homeland Security later disputed that figure. Eleven Secret Service agents have nevertheless been implicated, along with 10 military members, according to sources. Collins said this indicates a
"culture problem." "If it had been one or two, then you would think that it's just one bad apple. But for 11 or 12 to be involved is really alarming," Collins said. She added: "Who knows who (the women) were working for? So they may have been sent to lure these agents into a trap to kidnap them, to disable their guns, to plant eavesdropping devices. The implications are mind boggling." Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has raised similar concerns. But Dave Wilkinson, a retired agent who served for years with Sullivan, rejected the idea of a "culture" problem at the Service as well as Kessler's comments. "It's really just those few agents and/or military folks that made this bad decision," he said. "It certainly doesn't suggest that the culture of the Secret Service is in any way a part of this." He said reports of so-called "wheels-up" parties -- where agents would supposedly kick back upon the conclusion of an assignment -- have been misconstrued. He said the term typically refers to formal receptions held by host embassies
and ambassadors after a delegation visit. In an interview with FoxNews.com, Wilkinson stood by Sullivan and said the incident should not cost him his job. "We came up through the Secret Service together," he said, recalling their time together during the Clinton administration. "You will not find a more dedicated, more conscientious, level-headed leader for the Secret Service." King earlier told Fox News that Sullivan took a "bad rap" for the Salahi incident. He blamed that breach on the White House social secretary, who later resigned, rather than the Service. "I have a great regard for Director Sullivan," King said. "This could not have been (investigated) more efficiently." As director, Sullivan is responsible for an agency with more than 150 offices around the world. The Service not only protects the president and his family, but also is tasked with protecting foreign delegations and other top U.S. officials as well as conducting criminal investigations. On Tuesday, Carney said Sullivan "acted swiftly in response to this incident." Obama earlier said he would be "angry" if
the allegations against the agents turn out to be true, but voiced confidence in the Service itself. FoxNews.com's Judson Berger and Fox News' Catherine Herridge contributed to this report. Print Email Share Comments Recommend Tweet Related Stories Feds dispute claim of up to 21 women tied to Secret Service scandal Underage Escorts in Secret Service Scandal? Police arrest 8th suspect after rape video goes viral in South Africa Share This Article Newsletter Signup Sign up for free e-mail news alerts from FoxNews.com and FoxBusiness.com. Newsletter Signup This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
in Homs, the city at the heart of the revolt, troops have swept towns and villages in raids to arrest suspected opponents of Assad. Activists say scores of people have been killed since the ceasefire officially came into force last Thursday. Syria's official news agency SANA reported that four law enforcement members and a civilian were killed on Tuesday when "an armed terrorist group threw a bomb at a bus" in Aleppo, Syria's second largest city after the capital, Damascus. It said terrorists were attacking and killing loyalist troops in their homes and kidnapping judges. (Additional reporting by Ayat Basma, Oliver Holmes, Dominic Evans and Mariam Karouny in Beirut; Writing by Douglas Hamilton; Editing by Peter Graff) This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Clemens jury selection like slow baseball game

(Sports News Headlines Yahoo! News)
Jury selection in the Roger Clemens perjury case is dragging on like a midsummer baseball
snoozer that features drawn out at -bats without any action. In this case, the halting, methodical legal
process involves hour-long rounds of questions of potential jurors, with no end in sight.
18
News Wire/
Texas Nurse Charged in Murder of Newborn's Mom

(FOXNews.com)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 12:36:45 PM
SPRING, Texas Authorities say a 30-year-old woman admitted she shot a young mother and abducted her newborn son in a town near Houston. Verna McClain, a registered nurse, is charged with capital murder in the killing of Kala Marie Golden in Spring, Texas, which is north of Houston, Tuesday. Witnesses saw the shooter repeatedly shoot Golden and drive away with her 3-day-old son, Keegan. Authorities found Keegan late Tuesday night. According to the arrest record, McClain admitted to shooting Golden and taking Keegan to her home in Harris County. The warrant says Keegan was found at the Harris County home.' It says McClain's sister, Corina Jackson, told authorities that McClain intended to "do the adoption" now that she had Keegan. McClain is being held without bail. An Amber Alert was issued Tuesday afternoon for Keegan Schuchardt after the baby was kidnapped at a pediatricians office around 2:40 p.m.,
MyFoxHouston.com reported. Golden was placing her newborn son inside her pickup truck when she got into an altercation with someone in a car parked next to her, according to the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office. Golden was shot several times, the report said.
When Golden tried to get Keegan out of the suspect's car, a fourdoor Lexus, she was knocked to the ground as the suspect allegedly drove away, the report said. Golden was later taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Golden's mother, Linda Golden,
told the Associated Press that she had been baby-sitting another of Kala's sons when someone at the scene called her using her daughter's cellphone. She rushed to the clinic but was unable to see her daughter because paramedics were trying to save her. "I wanted to kiss her before they
put her in the ambulance," Linda Golden said. Joshua Jesson said he was at the clinic with his girlfriend when he heard gunshots. He said he saw a Lexus next to the pickup truck, then later looked back and saw the TEXAS page 21
News Wire/ World News/ Sports/
19
U.S. troops pose with Afghan insurgent bodies

(Reuters: Top News)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 9:23:35 AM
Abu Muqawama: U.S. Intel in the Dark Over Israel's Iran Plans
(World Politics Review: Articles)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 6:13:00 AM
KABUL| Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:23am EDT (Reuters) - Already tense U.S. and NATO ties with Afghanistan were dealt another blow on Wednesday with photographs appearing in an American newspaper of U.S. soldiers posing with the maimed bodies of dead Afghan insurgents. Senior U.S. officials and NATO's top commander in the country, U.S. General John Allen, moved quickly to condemn the pictures even before they were published by the Los Angeles Times, which received the photos from another soldier. "The actions of the individuals photographed do not represent the policies of International Security Assistance Force or the U.S. Army," Allen said in a statement, adding an investigation into the incident was underway. The appearance on the LA Times website of some of the 18 pictures, taken in 2010, comes at a sensitive time in U.S.-Afghan relations, following release of a video in January that showed four U.S. Marines urinating on Afghan
insurgent corpses. The inadvertent burning of copies of the Koran at a major NATO airbase also triggered a week of riots that left 30 dead and led to the deaths of six Americans. And in March a U.S. Army sergeant went on a nighttime shooting rampage in two southern Afghan villages, killing 17 civilians and prompting Afghan President Hamid Karzai to demand foreign soldiers confine themselves to major bases. Taliban insurgents launched suicide attacks in Kabul and three other provinces at the weekend, claiming the assault was launched in retaliation for all three incidents. In one of the pictures a paratrooper posed next to an unofficial patch placed beside a body that read "Zombie Hunter", while in another soldiers posed with Afghan police holding the severed legs of an insurgent bombers. Two soldiers in another frame held a dead insurgent's hand with the middle finger raised. The LA Times said the 82nd Airborne Division soldiers had been at a police station in
Afghanistan's Zabol province in February 2010, and revisited several months later. The pictures were taken on both occasions. U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said in a statement released by departmental spokesman George Little that publication of the pictures could prompt further attacks against security forces ahead. "The danger is that this material could be used by the enemy to incite violence against U.S. and Afghan service members in Afghanistan," Panetta said. "U.S. forces in the country are taking security measures to guard against it." The U.S. Ambassador in Afghanistan Ryan Crocker also condemned the photographs, calling the actions of the soldiers "morally repugnant" and saying they "dishonor the sacrifices of hundreds of thousands of U.S. soldiers and civilians who have served with distinction in Afghanistan". The Times defended the distribution of the photos, which U.S. military officials asked the Times not to publish. "After careful consideration, we
decided that publishing a small but representative selection of the photos would fulfill our obligation to readers to report vigorously and impartially on all aspects of the American mission in Afghanistan," Times Editor Davan Maharaj said in the newspaper's article. The photos are likely to stir up more anti-Western sentiment in Afghanistan as NATO combat troops look to exit the country in 2014 and strengthen fragile security in the country. Such incidents have complicated U.S. efforts to negotiate a strategic partnership agreement to define its presence once most foreign combat troops pull out by the end of 2014. (Reporting by Jack Kimball, Editing by Rob Taylor and Ed Lane) This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
A few weeks ago, in discussing how Hezbollah might respond to an Israeli strike on Irans nuclear program, I mentioned that both the United States and Hezbollah are more or less held hostage to the drama unfolding between their respective allies. For the United States, part of that dynamic includes the uncertainty it faces concerning whether or not Israel will in fact strike Irans nuclear program and, if so, when. The United States is Israels closest ally in the world. The United States has provided Israel an average of $3 billion in grants, almost all of it military aid(.pdf), each year for the past three decades, making Israel by far the largest recipient of U.S. aid since the end of World War II. ... This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
US Olympians to wear all white at closing ceremony

U.S. Olympians will be decked out in all white at the closing
ceremony at the London Games.
20
News Wire/ World News/
Filmmaker InvestigatedOver Deer Killing Scene

(FOXNews.com)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 12:36:45 PM
ADAM NEWPORT-BERRA A Brooklyn-based filmmaker whose film premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival this week could be facing serious trouble from state authorities over a scene in his post-apocalyptic flick that features the illegal killing of a deer, according to a report from DNAinfo.com. Director Ben Dickinson recorded the scene as part of a 23-dayshoot for his film, First Winter, which follows a group of Brooklyn hipsters who are forced to survive in the wild after an apocalyptic event. The scene was recorded on a private farm in upstate New York last year, according to DNAinfo.com. The crew reportedly not only killed the deer without a license, but out of deer hunting season as
animals and animal products." A spokeswoman for the states environmental agency said they are investigating the incident and that penalties for hunting without a permit range from a $2,000 fine to imprisonment. Print Email Share Comments Recommend Tweet Share This Article Newsletter Signup Sign up for free e-mail news alerts from FoxNews.com and FoxBusiness.com. Newsletter Signup This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
well. We are idiots. We didnt know how to do this stuff, DNAinfo quoted Dickinson as saying. There were so many deer weak from the winter and getting eaten by the local dogs we didnt even think about it. RELATED: Stars turn out for Tribeca Film Festival kickoff
The crew was reportedly practicing yoga together on set when someone spotted a herd of deer in a neighboring field, DNAinfo reported. One of the stars of the film, Paul Manza, 34, grabbed a rifle and pulled the trigger. According to DNAinfo, the bullet hit two deer, killing one and
wounding the other. The crew eventually shot the second deer to put it out of its misery. The group then skinned one of the deer, cut it up and cooked it in front of the camera. "It was amazing to eat that meat and really feel the spirit of the animal," Manza said. "It gave me a different relationship to eating
Abuse as a child linked to longer term homeless Warrnambool Standard

Submitted at 4/18/2012 12:05:25 PM
Abuse as a child linked to longer
term homeless Warrnambool Standard TWO-THIRDS of people in a national study of homelessness
suffered physical or sexual assaulted. The study by the violence as children or had been Melbourne Institute of Applied neglected or emotionally abused. Economic... About one-third had been sexually and more
World News/ Technology/ Food/
21
TEXAS
car was gone and a woman lying in the spot where the Lexus had been parked. "I thought she just passed out. Then somebody ran in here and said, `Somebody got shot,"' he said. Police quickly surrounded the clinic and much of the parking lot with crime-scene tape, and yellow markers were placed next to a purse and pair of brown sandals near a red pickup truck. Spent ammunition also was nearby. Linda Golden described her daughter as sweet-natured and kind. "We went everywhere together and did everything together," she said. She said she had no idea what could have sparked the slaying and abduction. "That's the hardest she's ever fought," Linda Golden said. "She died trying to save her baby." Please click here for more from
MyFoxHouston.com Please click here for more from the Montgomery County Police Reporter The Associated Press contributed to this report. Print Email Share Comments Recommend Tweet
owner New York City jeweler: Hooker stole $50G worth of diamonds Illinois Mega Millions winners claim jackpot share Widow takes fight to bury husband in backyard to state Supreme Court Police arrest woman after finding body in search for Marine's missing wife Share This Article Newsletter Signup Sign up for free e-mail news alerts from FoxNews.com and Related Images FoxBusiness.com. Newsletter Keegan's mother was shot and Signup killed in a Houston parking lot This entry passed through the Tuesday afternoon. Full-Text RSS service if this is Kala Marie Golden "died trying your content and you're reading it to save her baby," her mother on someone else's site, please read said. the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content Capital Murder charges were only/faq.php#publishers. Five filed on Verna Deann McClain, Filters recommends: Donate to 30. Wikileaks. Related Stories Ohio set to execute convicted killer Texas police chief apologizes to dog's
Nigeria-South Africa Tensions Leave African Leadership Gap

(World Politics Review: Articles)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 6:17:00 AM
Online Features - May 2012

(Cooking Light: Editor's Picks)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 3:00:00 AM
[unable to retrieve full-text content] What's new in May at CookingLight.com
Relations between South Africa and Nigeria have long resembled a rollercoaster without a safety bar. While Africas first- and third -largest economies, respectively, have for long stretches shared a close relationship, it is one marked by volatility and tension. And during the past three years, this critical bilateral relationship has begun to wobble dangerously, finding itself today in need of urgent dtente. Nigeria has long seen itself as a leader in Africa, having played a championing role in the antiapartheid struggle, while South Africa sees itself an exemplar of both democracy and the conduct of international relations. After a history of tensions due to the apartheid regime in South Africa and the dictatorship in Nigeria, bilateral ties reached a zenith
between 1999 and 2008, when the governments of Thabo Mbeki in South Africa and Olesugun Obasanjo in Nigeria articulated grand continental ambitions, including the twin goals of stabilizing and democratizing Africa. Both governments came to the realization that the continents marginalization and underdevelopment could only be reversed if countries like Nigeria and South Africa acted together in a kind of Concert of Africa, a latter-day version of the 19thcentury European hegemonic alliance system. ... This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Berners-Lee: Don't let record labels upset web openness

Olivia Solon
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:47:00 AM
We mustn't allow record companies' fear that their business
model isn't working to upset the openness of the internet, Tim Berners-Lee told Wired.co.uk in a press conference at W3C. The inventor of the web was
referring to recent controversial
pieces of legislation, Sopa and Pipa in the Actaglobally, which sought to clamp down and have all been
including US, and have all on piracy strongly
supported by record labels. By: Olivia Solon, Edited by: Nate Lanxon Continue reading...
22
World News/ Culture/
Sentenced on TV: Murderer Mumbai: Vijay Palande caught on CCTV calmly buying used his wife as groceries with his ... - Daily Mail 'honeytrap' - IBNLive.com
(Nation - Google News) (Nation - Google News)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:31:54 AM
IBNLive.com Mumbai: Vijay Palande used his wife as 'honeytrap' IBNLive.com PTI Mumbai: The probe into two separate instances of murder of citizens from Delhi has revealed that former gangster and prime accused Vijay Palande used his model wife Simran Sood as a 'honeytrap' to commit the crimes
for usurping properties of the... Simran Sood is Vijay Palande's wife, not friend: Crime branch Daily News & Analysis Tikku killer accused of other murders along with wife Firstpost Kakkad was a bookie, Palande hated our relationship: Simrin Sud Times of India Hindustan Times- Indian Express - India Today all 88 news articles
Submitted at 4/18/2012 12:03:05 PM
Daily Mail Sentenced on TV: Murderer caught on CCTV calmly buying groceries with his... Daily Mail By George Mair and Graham Smith Standing at a supermarket checkout, they could be any normal couple out buying a few essential groceries. But this chilling image captures murderer
David Gilroy and his victim Suzanne Pilley only two days before he... Murderer's sentencing televised The Press Association CCTV put killer David Gilroy in spotlight BBC News David Gilroy jailed for 18 years over Suzanne Pilley murder as sentencing filmed Metro The Guardian- Telegraph.co.uk all 983 news articles
1 vs 5: Labor MPs jump at shadows Brisbane Times

Submitted at 4/18/2012 12:02:27 PM
SC to hear PIL against Straw faces Libyan surrender to Maoists legal action - The Indian Express
Brisbane Times 1 vs 5: Labor MPs jump at shadows Brisbane Times Annastacia Palaszczuk ... Leader of the Opposition; AttorneyGeneral; and ministaer for justice and industrial relations, education, training and employment, tourism, small business, major events and Commonwealth Games and the arts. Qld Labor announces shadow ministry Ninemsn Labor MPs take on multiple portfolios The Australian all 3 news articles
Press Association
Submitted at 4/18/2012 12:00:00 PM

Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:31:31 AM
The Guardian Straw faces Libyan legal action The Press Association A Libyan military commander is taking legal action against Jack Straw following allegations the former foreign secretary personally permitted his illegal rendition. Lawyers representing Abdel Hakim Belhadj confirmed legal papers had been served on
the... Libyans sue Straw over kidnap claims Morning Star Online It's not just torture victims who should fear the 'justice and security' green... The Guardian (blog) Jack Straw faces legal action over 'rendition' BBC News Reuters- Telegraph.co.ukFinancial Times all 432 news articles
The Hindu SC to hear PIL against surrender to Maoists Indian Express As the Maoists hardened their stand on the release of a BJD MLA held captive by them, the Supreme Court today agreed to hear on an urgent basis a retired army officer's plea to stop the
state from conceding to their blackmail tactics. Apex court to hear plea on abducted Odisha legislator Daily Pioneer Ex-army officer seeks restrain on Naxals' release Hindustan Times MLA's release: Odisha government agrees to Maoists's demands Times of India The Hindu all 306 news articles
Corpse Flower: When Nature Deceives

(HowStuffWorks Daily Feed)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 9:00:56 AM
[unable to retrieve full-text content] The Titan Arum is also known as the "Corpse Flower" because of its rotting-flesh scent. The flower rarely blossoms, even in the wild. See pictures of the Corpse Flower in this gallery.
Technology/ Featured/
23
Gadget Review Battle! The Logitech UE Air Speaker VS. The Sony RDP-XA700IP
Matt Burns (TechCrunch)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 12:09:08 PM
Two gadgets enter, one leaves. Its that simple. Welcome to the TC Gadget Review Battle where two competing products are pitted against each other. No wishy washy conclusion based on an arbitrary numbering system, just a reliable buying recommendation. These two speaker docks couldnt be more similar. They both use the same overall design, have nearly identical feature sets and the same $399 price tag. But one is a Sony and one is a Logitech. Well lets get to it: The Logitech UE Air Speaker vs the Sony RDP-XA700IP. Features These are AirPlay docks. Theyre designed to sit on a shelf, look pretty, and blast music streamed from an iOS product. Thats all they do. For better or worse, these $400 speaker docks lack any other feature besides the arguably trivial feature of a 3.5mm input on the backside. Both lack an FM tuner, digital display, or on-board EQ functions. A remote ships with the Sony, though. This feature-lite philosophy actually works well in this case.
All the functions besides power and volume are tasked to the docked iDevice. It further enforces the draw of AirPlay in that the speaker is just that: a speaker. The real power lies in the iPhone or iPad. Both speaker docks claim to work with iPhone cases. The Logitech is much more friendly to cases with a taller dock connector. The Sony doesnt work with anything thicker than a thin bumper. Design Sony knows design and it shows. The RDP-XA700IP is gorgeous with a slight strip of metal on top of the hefty dock. Its the perfect size, really. At just 15-inches long and 7-inches tall, the footprint isnt substantial enough to eat up space on a table but at the same time not small enough that a docked iPad looks out of place. Conventional wisdom would suggest that an iPad would block the sound but it doesnt thanks to the large port sitting opposite of the iPad. The Logitech looks cheap in comparison. Its outer shell is comprised mostly of lightweight shiny plastic and the whole thing feels underwhelmingly light. The
extra long casing doesnt seem to improve the overall sound dynamics; its just a waste of space. That said, I do prefer the volume dial on the Logitech verses the rocker buttons on the Sony volume controls should always be a round dial but the Sony looks and feels like a $400 kit where the Logitech does not. Both of these models have retractable docks. The Sonys dock deploys with a measure of confidence. A gentle inward push causes the dock to extend with the hiss of a high-end automobile component. The Logitechs snaps out with the same elegance as a plastic plaything. AirPlay Setup The magic of AirPlay is often in the absolute lack of setup required. Once these speaker docks are on a local network with an iDevice, theyre instantly available for media streaming. However, the Logitech is a lot easier to set up. It only takes downloading an app and running through several screens to set up the Logitech model. Its idiot-proof. With the Sony, the owner is still prompted to download an app when docking for the first time. However,
Sonys implementation isnt as clean and straightforward as Logitechs. The app is much cleaner. If the iOS app fails to work, both speaker docks can be connected to the local WiFi network through WPS. Sound Quality With such a small feature set, sound quality is the most important factor in this comparison. Its the only deciding factor between the two docks. Thankfully its an easy decision. The Sony is the clear winner but the Logitech still sounds fine. The Sony RDPXA700IP produces a surprising amount of bass, which is often sorely lacking in desktop speakers. The stronger low-end helps dramatically. I dare say the Sony RDP-XA700IP is the best tabletop speaker dock Ive heard including the B&O Zeppelin. The sound is deep, rich, and very satisfying at both high and low volumes. The confident bass will make items on your desk dance around. The Logitech fails to produce the same rich sound. It lacks a strong low-end response, making the
sound much more flat and lifeless. At high volume levels the little bass it does have starts to clip and distort. This is not a party speaker. Winner Its pretty rare nowadays to find two products just so similar. The physical differences between the two amount to nothing more than design decisions and meaningless quirks. The Sony is a bit smaller, comes with a remote and is harder to set up. The Logitech on the other hand is very easy to setup and is more friendly with iPhone cases. But these are speaker docks. Their primary lot in life is to reproduce sound. On that thought alone the Sony wins by a magnificent mile. It produces sound thats much more rich, bold, and accurate. It easily rivals high-end 2.1 speaker setups with a powered subwoofer. The Logitech is flat and muffled in comparison. Superior sound wins over easier setup and a more friendly dock connector. Buy the Sony. Click to view slideshow.
If We Make it Through November ...

Geoffrey Norman (The Weekly Standard)
No budget, just now, says Senator Conrad. The timing isn't
right.
24
Technology/
Spotify Details New Global Partnership With Coca-Cola

Jordan Crook (TechCrunch)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:24:32 AM
Right now Im sitting in a room covered in Spotify and Coca-Cola logos. Thats because Spotify and Coke have just announced a global partnership to help both brands expand their ubiquity. The folks at Coke explained that music has always been a huge part of Cokes marketing efforts, going all the way back to a series of ads featuring Ray Charles nearly 50 years ago. That said, the partnership will focus on four key pillars: global, technology, social, and a commitment to music. Spotify explained that Coca-Cola will be a huge factor in bringing Spotify to new markets and new corners of the world. As far as technology is concerned, Spotify is incredibly proud of its platform that allows people to share across the world. Well be working really closely with Coke as a technology partner
to do things that only Coca-Cola could think of with music, explained a Spotify executive. We want to bring new experiences with music to consumers everywhere. From a music perspective, CocaCola takes advantage of music properties for big events like The Olympics. In 2011, Coke launched Coca-Cola Music, and 2013 will mark the evolution of that program. Spotify will be at the core of it. Users will be invited to Spotify through live shows, unpacked events, and Coke even mentioned that a Hackathon took place this weekend. Meanwhile, Coke will be building content on top of the Spotify platform to deliver to users not only as a marketing effort but as a way to curate the content already available in a more useful, and convenient way. Heres what Spotify founder Daniel Ek had to say: This is a really exciting day for
us. We are partnering with one of the most known brands in the world. This isnt just like any partnership for us. We dont even do big partnerships at Spotify, but I cant think of any brand that has the same amount of ubiquity as Coke, so Im glad that we can expand together. This partnership, the really cool part about it, is the fact that this has been an evolution: a young tech company partnering with a 125-year old company isnt something youd normally see. But we found that Coca Cola understood what Spotify was about, and embraced the whole idea we have about sharing across the world. From Spotifys perspective, this partnership is just as important as our deal with Facebook. Ek also said that this will benefit users by bringing new users around the world onto the platform, which will in turn create a better experience for current users.
This morning, the company announced new brand apps with Intel, AT&T, McDonalds, and Reebok. The apps will be a subdivision of Spotifys desktop app, and give users new features based on which brand app theyre using. Spotify has some pretty huge bills coming in in the form of licensing fees, and the brand apps should help foot the cost through advertising, while also adding a touch of curation to the massive music library. According to The Verge, the AT&T app will give users the ability to check out locations where certain songs were originally recorded. Pretty cool stuff for the music buff. I know, I know. You want to hear about the iPad app. Ek, unfortunately, had sealed lips, but he did say that its in the works.
Patterned Maki Wrappers Designer Nori Features Gorgeous Designs to Adorn Sushi Rolls (TrendHunter.com)
(TREND HUNTER - The Latest Trends)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 7:53:03 AM
( TrendHunter.com) Umino Seaweed Shop recently launched a line of Designer Nori in an attempt to turnaround the company's poor sales following the Tsunami in Japan. The floundering company was looking to...
ESA proposes trip to Jupiter's icy moons for next large scale mission
Mark Brown
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:49:00 AM
The European Space Agency has selected a satellite study of
Jupiter's icy moons for its next large scale launch. It will put the billion euro mission before the Science Programme Committee for approval, in May.
The mission is called Juice (a
tortured acronym for JUpiter ICy Duncan Geere Continue reading... moon Explorer), and would see a probe launch towards the Jovian system in 2022. By: Mark Brown, Edited by:
Technology/
25
Will Facebook Offers Amazon vs. Best Address Investor Revenue Buy: A Tale of Concerns? Two Retailers
Dave Copeland (ReadWriteWeb)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 4:01:00 AM
Facebook's stated mission is to make the world "more open and connected," which leaves some people wondering how the recently launched Facebook Offers fits into that strategy. Short answer? It doesn't. The service is squarely targeted at pleasing Wall Street investors ahead of next month's initial public offering of Facebook shares. If the ploy succeeds, the new initiative could give Facebook the revenue wiggle room to keep investors happy while experimenting with new features. If it fails, it could dilute Facebook's focus. "The problem is that Facebook's current revenue stream isn't yet on auto-pilot, wringing every cent out of every ad opportunity, the way Google does," said Jonathan Rick, a director at Levick Strategic Communications LLC in Washington. "Google generates 96% of its revenue from ads. Sure, it's tried to diversify with Google Apps, Google Checkout, Android and other offerings, but
as long the AdWords and AdSense cash cows continue to bear fruit, Mountain View remains on solid footing." In the long-term, Facebook is going to have to diversify its revenue stream beyond simple display advertising to justify its expected valuation of more than $100 billion. Under Offers, Facebook users will be offered coupons and discounts directly in their news stream from companies they have liked. Users print out or bring the offer on their mobile phone to the merchant to redeem it. As soon as the offer is used, a message is automatically put on the customer's timeline. The feature is being launched eight months after Facebook shuttered Deals, a Groupon-like service. Since going public last year, Groupon has struggled to maintain the momentum of its early success. "Upon initial viewing, it looks like Offers is not a complicated service, so I don't think much, if any, tinkering will be needed," said Jonny Rosemont, head of social media at DBD Media, a search and social media agency. "I suspect this latest move by
Facebook signifies a greater push for wider f-commerce capabilities. Facebook has a culture of continued innovation, and all the reports I'm seeing suggest this is unlikely to change, even with the IPO." The question for some investors is whether Offers is truly innovative and truly a new revenue stream, or just new packaging for the existing revenue stream of display advertising. Rick, however, says the answer to that question may not matter. "Ideally, investors would like to see another revenue stream Microsoft, for example, has both Windows and Office. But Google never rests," he said. "Its biggest efforts - Android, Chrome, YouTube, and Google+ - are directed at making the web safe for ads. "The bottom line: While overwhelming dependence on a single source of revenue does not a healthy [profit and loss] statement make, Google makes it work, wringing every cent out of every ad," he said. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.
Dan Frommer (ReadWriteWeb)

Submitted at 4/18/2012 3:01:00 AM
It's bad enough that Best Buy has to switch CEOs - because of potential personal misconductwhile it's also trying to make a comeback. But it's also about to lose a familiar foe in the rear-view mirror. This year, Amazon will almost certainly overcome Best Buy in full-year revenue for the first time. When Amazon launched in 1995, Best Buy was already a multibillion-dollar business. Around the height of the DVD era, Best Buy was still $25 billion in yearly sales ahead of Amazon. But during the past few years, Best Buy has stalled. Meanwhile, Amazon - fueled by new digital businesses like Amazon Web Services and the Kindle, Prime membership and international expansion - has surged. A look at the companies' growth rates tells the story well: While Amazon has grown sales by 41%, 40% and 28% the past three years, Best Buy's fiscal year sales
growth rates have been 2%, 0%, and 10%. Now, Best Buy expects another flat year, despite a longer (by a week) fiscal year ending in February 2013. And it plans to close 50 "big-box" U.S. stores, reflecting the shift in electronics retail as it opens 100 new "smallformat" Best Buy Mobile stores. Meanwhile, Best Buy hopes to grow online revenue 15% this year, while Wall Street expects Amazon to grow 30%. Amazon - famously a moneyloser for most of its early life even beat Best Buy in profitability last year, as Best Buy reported a big loss on special charges. (Although Amazon still isn't fabulously profitable the way Apple or Google are, and is now in the business of selling tablet computers at a loss.) Now the question is whether Best Buy can transform itself and recover. It at least anticipates a return to profitability this year. But long-term? Also: The End of RIM As We Know It
26
Technology/ Sports/
Will Windows Phone 8 makers be more free to tweak the OS?

Lance Whitney (CNET News)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:24:03 AM
Will Windows Phone 8 be more open to customization? Windows Phone 8 device makers could find more opportunities to tweak the OS, at least if you read between the lines from an agenda reportedly for an upcoming Microsoft summit. A "high level" agenda for an "Apollo" MO Summit in Reading, U.K., uncovered by N e t b o o k n e w s , lists"Customization and Differentiation opportunities" as one of the topics. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Microsoft is about to open the floodgates for manufacturers to tinker with the interface. But assuming the information is accurate, it could point to a more open environment for Windows Phone 8, aka Apollo. Microsoft has retained a fairly tight grip on Windows Phone, triggering complaints from some manufacturers who like to tweak the interface to distinguish themselves from the competition. The company did not immediately respond to CNET's request for comment. But either way, Microsoft needs to tread carefully here as too
LEGO Lamp Shades - The 'LygoLamp' by Studio Mango Uses Blocks to Create an Elegant Illuminator (TrendHunter.com)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 8:03:04 AM
( TrendHunter.com) The chic new LygoLamp' by Studio Mango is the Netherlands-based companys latest illuminating installation. The lamp comes as a do-ityourself kit, just like the boxes of LEGO one...
much customization isn't always a good thing. Apple is able to maintain complete reign of iOS by controlling both the hardware and software, promising the same interface and experience for all iPhone and iPad users. Though many gripe about the closed nature of iOS, such control ensures that upgrades, updates, and other features work across the entire lineup. Google maintains no tight control over Android, allowing manufacturers to customize the
interface as they see fit. Sometimes that freedom can benefit consumers. Samsung's TouchWiz interface runs on top of the OS and provides certain features not offered by Android alone. But in other cases, too much tinkering can lead to confusion and fragmentation, a complaint often hurled at the Android ecosystem. Upgrades and other new features typically need to be rolled out per device and per carrier, stretching the amount of time that users have to wait for
the latest updates. If Microsoft does open up Windows Phone, it needs to work with its partners to ensure that they can tweak the interface without confusing consumers and fragmenting a product that's just starting to gain some traction. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Clashes hit Bahrain Formula One exhibit

Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:35:42 AM
Security forces fired stun grenades Wednesday at antigovernment protesters who swarmed into a cultural exhibition for Bahrain's Formula One race, setting off street battles and sending visitors fleeing for cover.
Technology/
27
The Latest Vision of TV's Future Comes From... Ikea?

John Paul Titlow (ReadWriteWeb)
into a single, visually customizable unit. At its heart, this product is all Submitted at 4/18/2012 4:35:50 AM about design. Ikea's early When people talk about the marketing touts the Uppleva's future of TV and entertainment, ability to hide unsightly wires and brands like Samsung, Apple, encase everything in one clean, Comcast and Boxee tend to come sleek-looking package. It's not to mind. Apple-watchers in unlike a certain Cupertino tech particular expect that company to giant that often takes its cues from turn its longtime hobby into a minimalist, European design. game-changer by releasing their In addition to looking pretty, this own HDTV set later this year. initiative may offer clues about Whatever happens, the living how entertainment systems of the room of the future will look very future will work. The HDTV itself different from what even the most is, of course, "smart" in the sense cutting-edge gadgetry offers that it connects to the Internet. today. But how will it look? The That's pretty much a given at this latest vision comes from a very point. It's also integrated directly unlikely source. into the furniture, as is the stereo Swedish furniture retailer Ikea system and media players. The unveiled the Uppleva, an all-in- system uses a single remote for one entertainment center that everything, addressing another merges consumer electronics with age-old user experience problem the furniture that has traditionally o f T V s a n d e n t e r t a i n m e n t housed them. It's an HDTV, Blu- s y s t e m s . Ray player and 2.1 surroundIt's well-packaged and sound stereo packed seamlessly consolidated, but it's also fully
extensible. USB and HDMI ports on the TV allow for any number of gaming consoles, set top boxes and other devices to be attached, and they can be stowed away in a dedicated compartment under the TV. It's not clear if it includes a VGA port, the lack of which might inhibit device compatibility. It's this customizability, now standard in HDTV sets generally, that will ensure that those who chose to purchase Ikea's new system can continue to experience TV's future as it evolves, regardless of platform or provider. The Uppleva doesn't leap over any major technical hurdles, but its focus on streamlining the user experience is likely to be something we see more of in the living rooms of the future. Even if this model doesn't become the standard, it's a bold try and one that is sure to influence other players in the market, should it catch on with consumers.
Communal browsing is safer for kids than inoculation, says GeekDad

Andy Robertson
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:32:00 AM
Similar to the call for more stringent legislation over violent videogames is the call for better porn filters to protect children online. The latest development in the online safety debate comes out of Claire Perry's cross-party parliamentary inquiry into how safe children are online. It concluded that the government and internet service providers need to do more. By this it meant clearer information for parents about safety settings, government reviews of opt-in filters for adult material, content-filtering systems for new internet customers and public Wi-Fi networks to have a
default adult-content bar. On first hearing, this sounds like a step in the right direction, but not to Jim Killock, Executive Director of the Open Rights Group. "These recommendations, if enacted, would endanger children, create disruption for small business, and would not work technically. Default filtering is a form of censorship. Adults should not have to 'opt out' of censorship. Governments should not be given powers to default censor legal material that adults see online. Parents need help, but 'default blocking' is an appalling proposal." By: Andy Robertson, Edited by: Nate Lanxon Continue reading...
28
Technology/ Culture/
Forecast Takes The Hassle Out Jony Ive nominated Of Ambient Check-Ins for British Visionary Without Draining Your Battery Innovator award
Frederic Lardinois (TechCrunch)
most awkward time to fiddle around with your phone Forecast will now do this for you. Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:00:46 AM You can use the app as a standThere are a number of different alone product or connect it to schools of thought about how Facebook and Foursquare to reach useful Foursquare-like check-ins a wider group of your friends. really are. Forecast, especially, is As the app already knows where taking a very different approach you are going, Forecast can take a f r o m m o s t o f F o u r s q u a r e s more conservative approach to competitors by emphasizing checking where you are as you go where you are going to be later in through your day. Instead of the day over just checking in at a constantly checking where you location when you arrive. Now, are and trying to check you in to with the latest version of its places as you walk around, the iPhone app (an update for the app just checks your location Android app is coming soon), the periodically and once it notices company is taking this concept a that you have arrived at your bit further. Instead of just telling forecasted location, it will just people where you will be, the app c h e c k y o u i n . G i v e n h o w will also automatically check you unreliable location services can be in when you arrive at a location in dense urban environments, this (assuming you opt in for this approach also helps to ensure that service) and let your friends know you are indeed checking in to the that you have arrived. right place. So instead of having to remember Currently, about 76% of Forecast to check in when you arrive users check in when they use the somewhere which is also the app. With the auto check-in
feature, the company expects that number to get close to 100%. This, as the companys CEO and co-founder Rene Pinnell told me earlier this week, the apps concept of future tense checkins opens up a range of possibilities for the company in the long run. Once you have checked in somewhere, after all, chances are that you wont change your plans anymore. When you tell the app where you will be in the future, though, those plans are still malleable and the right offer from the right advertiser, for example, still has the potential to make you go somewhere else instead. Pinnell also told me that quite a few Forecast users look at the app as a calendaring service. This is another avenue for future development that the company wants to explore soon.
Kelly Hodgkins (TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog)

Submitted at 4/18/2012 12:30:00 PM
Apple's senior VP of Industrial design, Jony Ive, was nominated for a British Visionary Innovator award by the UK's Intellectual Property Office. This list includes other notable innovators including Sir James Dyson who created the dual cyclone vacuum cleaner, Sir Tim Berners-Lee who played an integral role in the early development of HTTP and the World Wide Web, J. K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame and others The competition honors World Intellectual Property Day 2012 which is celebrated on April 26. Voting in the competition begins today and ends Tuesday 24 April at 17:00. The person with the most votes will be announced April 26.
[Via Macworld UK] Jony Ive nominated for British Visionary Innovator award originally appeared on TUAW The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Source| Permalink| Email this| Comments
Faith increases with age, global study shows

(Holy Kaw!)
numbers of atheists, according to d e c l i n i n g w o r l d w i d e , i t i s universities. new research. increasing in Russia, Slovenia, Photo credit: Fotolia Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:57:00 AM The University of Chicago and Israel. Permalink| Leave a comment Faith increases with age, even in researchers' findings include: Full story at Futurity. c o u n t r i e s w i t h s i g n i f i c a n t Although by most measures, b e l i e f i n G o d i s g r a d u a l l y More research news from top
Technology/
29
R2-D2 plays Tupac it had to happen

Chris Burns (SlashGear)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:34:59 AM
It had to happen. Just days after Coachella played host to the other -worldly return of the legendary rapper Tupac Shakur 16 years after his death,(Star Wars) Rebel Alliance member R2-D2 has been found to have played a part in his resurrection. Created in part by Sethward Productions, you Star Wars fans are about to get a taste of exactly what everyone was thinking about when they heard a holographic rapper was heading to the stage for this years concert lineup on the 15th of April, headlined by none other than Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg. The video youre about to see is not licensed by Lucasfilm, nor has it been approved by Aftermath records in any way.
speaking on the future of such imagery tricks and how it might lead to further resurrections of music heroes in the near future. Cant wait for holographic Kurt Cobain for the win! Story Timeline Tupac performs from the grave live at Coachella Tupac hologram team reveals secrets and tour plans Why it took holographic Tupac to put the dead on tour Whenever something amazing like the video youre about to see happens, your humble narrator Chris Burns has a bit of a heart attack. It should be no secret that SlashGear is a fan of Star Wars, and combining a media event such as the holographic return of Tupac with the classic atmosphere of this galaxy far, far away is like a delicious slice of chocolate cake at the end of long day of Portal. All the candles are here, its real, and its just short enough to want to watch over, and over, and over again. Forwarning: there are a couple of swear words in this video thanks Makaveli! We invite you also to have a peek at our talk on the original appearance of Tupac at Cochella as well as talk of concerts with that holographic representation popping up soon afterward. Would you attend such a concert series? Weve also got a column R2-D2 plays Tupac it had to happen is written by Chris Burns& originally posted on SlashGear. 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Spotify press event lacks sizzle or substance

Greg Sandoval (CNET News)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:46:07 AM
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, third from the left, was doing his best to sell his company's ad deal with Coca-Cola was something to get excited about NEW YORK--Someone needs to remind Spotify that you need news at a news conference. Spotify, one of the top music
subscription services, announced that Coca-Cola is launching an app on Spotify. The three CocaCola executives and Spotify CEO Daniel Ek tried to convince a gathering of about 30 members of the media that the partnership can offer Spotify users untold number of benefits and help extend the streaming-music service's brand. By being everywhere that Coca- everywhere, the agreement will Cola is, which is just about spread Spotify's brand to new
markets. What they didn't tell us is why music listeners would give a damn about what Coca-Cola has to say about music. Though the execs on stage tried to deny it, this is an ad deal and not a particularly inventive one at that. This is how bad it was: The first question asked following the announcement was "When are you going to release the iPad app?"
Awkward silence. If Spotify execs weren't embarrassed, they should have been. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
30
Technology/ Culture/
Verizon to sell 700MHz spectrum to gain AWS cable spectrum

Rue Liu (SlashGear)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:37:02 AM
11 Design Innovations of Harley Earl

the Editors of Publications International, Ltd. (HowStuffWorks Daily Feed)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 9:00:56 AM
Verizon Wireless announced today that it will be selling all of its block A and B 700MHz spectrum to get approval for its purchase of AWS spectrum from a group of cable companies to expand its 4G LTE network. The move comes as the FCC and the Department of Justice are mulling over the transaction, which has faced opposition from smaller carriers, including T-Mobile and MetroPCS. Verizon is seeking to add AWS spectrum to their 700MHz block C spectrum for the expansion of its 4G LTE network. The carrier agreed to pay $3.6 billion for AWS spectrum licenses held by SpectrumCo, a consortium of cable companies Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Bright House Networks. It later agreed to another $315 million when Cox
Communications jumped in with its 20MHz of AWS. As part of the AWS deal, Verizon would allow the cable companies to become MVNOs of Verizon, bundling its 4G LTE service with their own cable offerings, while Verizon would also be able to resell cable services. Smaller
carriers T-Mobile and MetroPCS are asking the FCC to block the transaction for antitrust reasons and have requested to see the full unredacted documentation behind the deal. Hence, to help smooth things over, Verizon is offering to sell its 700MHz block A and B licenses
in exchange for the AWS spectrum from the cable companies. It will also begin soliciting interest from potential buyers right away so that the process can move forward quickly once its AWS deal is approved. Story Timeline Verizon buys $3.6bn AWS spectrum for LTE expansion Verizon picks up Cox AWS spectrum for further LTE expansion Verizon facing governmental scrutiny over cable spectrum negotiations Verizon faces LTE fight as TMobile and more fight AWS cable deal Verizon to sell 700MHz spectrum to gain AWS cable spectrum is written by Rue Liu& originally posted on SlashGear. 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Modular Rhombus Tables - These Alvaro Catalan de Ocon Designs are Highly Conceptual (TrendHunter.com)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 7:42:02 AM
Harley Earl, generally considered the father of American automotive design, was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1893. In the late 1920s, Earl's design talent caught the eye of General Motors Chairman Alfred Sloan, who offered him a position directing the styling of all GM car lines. Earl accepted, moved to Detroit, and soon wielded unprecedented control over GM's new product development. During Earl's 31-year career with the company, General Motors reigned supreme as an industry leader. Under his direction, designers and stylists pioneered countless innovations which propelled the company to the forefront of automotive design. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
( TrendHunter.com) Barcelonabased industrial designer Alvaro Catalan de Ocon's work is minimalist, clean and sharp, while
avoiding the sterility and austerity that so often accompanies lowkey design. He...
Technology/ Economy/ Culture/
31
iHome intros budget line of Android accessories

David Carnoy (CNET News)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:57:31 AM
The iHome iC50 FM clock radio and speaker dock retails for $59.99. A lot of CNET readers like to complain that we cover to many Apple accessories and not enough Android one. Well, the truth is there just aren't nearly as many accessories out their marketed toward Android users. But iHome, after specializing for years in iPhone/iPod docks, is jumping on the Android bandwagon with a new line of budget-priced Android accessories. Priced at less than $60, the number of products is rather
limited at launch, but will obviously grow over time. Featured items on iHome's site include the iC50, a $59.99 alarm clock radio dock, and the iC3, a $39.99 charging dock for Android tablets and smartphones that
includes a speaker and doubles as a stand. Naturally, any of iHome's Bluetooth accessories will work with Android devices, but these products are being branded as true Android accessories.
The iHome iC50 and iC3 are available now and this summer the company will release a third product in the line, the $59.99 iC16, a compact portable alarm clock stereo speaker with USB charging. The iHome iC3 is a $39.99 speaker dock that works with both Android smartphones and tablets. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
The Best and Worst Hotels for Wi-Fi, 2012 Edition [Travel]
Melanie Pinola (Lifehacker)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 9:00:00 AM
Wi-Fi at the hotel may be as essential as hot running water these days, but unfortunately not all hotel chains offer travelers free or reliable wireless internet. In its annual report, HotelChatter breaks down which hotels serve up free Wi-Fi and which ones charge you for that signal. More
Australia Is Reportedly Giving Its Mining Industries $4 Billion In Direct Subsidies

Adam Taylor (Money Game)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:39:20 AM
The Australia Institute, an influential progressive think tank based in Canberra, has released a report that alleges Australia's incredibly profitable mining industry is receiving around A$4 billion ($4.12 billion) in direct
subsidies. The report finds that mining companies receive cheap fuel and tax breaks for building roads and railways, with fuel-tax credits alone valued at A$1.89 billion ($1.95 billion) in 2009-10. The figure of A$4 billion only included federal subsidies state subsidies would push that figure
even higher. The Sydney Morning Herald
reports that the information was released in a bid to put pressure on the Australian government ahead of next month's budget. The Australian mining industry is incredible profitable, with industry pre-tax profits of A$51 billion ($53 billion) in 2009-10, and many feel that the money could be better spent.
The Minerals Council of Australia has denied that the fueltax credits amount to a subsidy. Please follow International on Twitter and Facebook. Join the conversation about this story
32
Technology/
Battlefield 5 gets Project Glass concept makeover

Ben Kersey (SlashGear)
weapons on top of your existing surroundings. Naturally, youll find all the While Googles Project Glass has typical multiplayer tropes in the a lot of people interested in the video, such as killing other future of augmented reality, p l a y e r s t h e n c a l l i n g t h e m another area that could use the n00bs, sneaking up behind technology is gaming. A new opponents for stealthy kills, and video posted to YouTube shows a being blown to the ground by mockup of what Google Glasses stray RPGs (naturally). The video would be like if used to play the closes up by riffing off the fictional Battlefield 5. Rather than original Google teaser video, with requiring a console and television, the player showing his friend the the game would run on the glasses city with jets flying overhead and a n d g e n e r a t e e n e m i e s a n d the city on fire.
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:00:12 AM
Theres just one problem with the concept: people are lazy. While it might be fun to run around pretending to shoot virtual
enemies, this writer would much prefer to sit on a couch playing games eating M&Ms out of a brandy glass. Also, youd need a
ton of space to be able to pull off a multiplayer endevour like Battlefield. Gamers with smal apartments already struggle with the Kinect for Xbox 360. Still, its an interesting concept, and one that might bear fruit in the future. [ via Pocket-Lint] Battlefield 5 gets Project Glass concept makeover is written by Ben Kersey& originally posted on SlashGear. 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
TUAW TV Live at 5 PM ET: The iOS photography episode

Steven Sande (TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog)
various iPhone and iPad apps that I've collected, describe what's good or not-so-hot about them, Submitted at 4/18/2012 1:00:00 PM and solicit your input about some This afternoon on TUAW TV of your favorite photo apps that I L i v e , I ' l l b e t a l k i n g a b o u t may not have in my collection. photography with iOS devices -- As usual, I'll be starting the show in particular, the iPhone 4S and at 5 PM EDT (2 PM PDT / 10 PM third-generation iPad. For some BST) sharp, and we'll take a few reason, I've ended up with more minutes to chat before the demos photography apps on my iOS start. To join in on the chat and devices than any other category, watch the live streaming video, and I tend to use all of them in d r o p b y T U A W a b o u t f i v e one way or another. minutes before the start time to Today, I'll demonstrate the get your instructions on how to
#tuaw-tv. TUAW TV Live at 5 PM ET: The iOS photography episode originally appeared on TUAW The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Source| Permalink| Email this| Comments participate. If you're unable to join us for the show, remember that you can always subscribe to the video podcast and watch the show at your leisure in iTunes or any other favorite podcatching app. The past shows are also available on the TUAW YouTube channel. The chat is on IRC: join us on server chat1.ustream.tv, chat room
Technology/ Economy/ Featured/

Daniel Halper (The Weekly Standard)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:49:00 AM
33
Study: many new US iPads activated in coastal states
$5,027,761,476,484.56
The cost of President Obama is $5,027,761,476,484.56 (so far!), Steven Sande (TUAW - The gobbling up the new iPads at a according to CNS News: Unofficial Apple Weblog) higher rate than inland states. In the 39 months since Barack Another research firm, Stevall Obama took the oath of office as Submitted at 4/18/2012 12:30:00 PM Skoeld & Co., found a similar president of the United States, the Here's an unsurprising piece of trend in China, where more than federal governments debt has b y news -- people in states with half of all iOS devices were found i n c r e a s e d higher median income levels tend in the heavily industrialized (and $ 5 , 0 2 7 , 7 6 1 , 4 7 6 , 4 8 4 . 5 6 . to purchase iPads more than those more affluent) coastal regions of Although he has served less than a term, Obama is now the first who are in less affluent states. the country. This nugget of important Study: many new US iPads American president to see the information comes from online ad activated in coastal states federal government's debt network Chitika, which is originally appeared on TUAW - increase by more than $5 trillion tracking where third-generation traffic) with U.S. Census Bureau Washington state. The Unofficial Apple Weblog on during his time in office. iPads are being activated in the data. They found that the top Chitika noted that those areas are Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST. a r e a s w i t h n e w i P a d s a r e considered states of high median Please see our terms for use of United States. Chitika mixed its data showing California, Hawaii (probably due income levels, and that they are feeds. new iPad activations(currently at to Doc Rock's influence), Nevada, categorized as "coastal" states. Source| Permalink| Email this| about 10.1 percent of all iPad W a s h i n g t o n D . C . , a n d Ergo, the richer coastal states are Comments
FINANCE GURU WHO DUMPED APPLE: This Is How You Value A Stock
Joe Weisenthal (Money Game)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:24:00 AM
NYU finance professor Aswath Damodaran is widely revered and respected for his groundbreaking work on valuing stocks. He's literally written the book on the subject. Anyway, he recently got some headlines for saying that after a
long time, he's dumped his shares in Apple. It's not necessarily that he thinks the value is bad, but rather he says the stock has been taken over by momentum investors, and at that point, his valuation approach no longer works. So how does Davodaran value a stock? What's awesome is that his NYU
encourages people to dive into it. He even has his Introduction To Valuation presentation from his Spring 2012 course up, wherein he explains the three basic models of valuation, which are: Intrinsic Valuation (think cash flow), Relative Valuation (how a stock compares to other possible website is LOADED with his investments), and Contingent c o u r s e m a t e r i a l , a n d h e Claims Valuation (basically the
option value of a stock). This just scratches the surface of the three models, but it's a great intro to the concepts, and from there you can learn more. See the rest of the story at Business Insider Please follow Money Game on Twitter and Facebook.
34
Policy/
Its Not Just You, America - By Christian Caryl

CHRISTIAN CARYL (Foreign Policy)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:52:49 AM
Economic inequality is todays hot-button issue -- whether you live in a wealthy country or a poor one. BY CHRISTIAN CARYL| APRIL 18, 2012 We love to ruminate about globalization and how we've all become citizens of a worldwide community, but it's not always clear what these grand abstractions have to do with our everyday lives. So perhaps it's worth noting that right now there happens to be one particular issue that is prompting passionate debate in all countries, regardless of their living standards. Well-off Westerners are just as exercised about it as Pakistanis and Egyptians. The topic I have in mind is the apparently widening gap between rich and poor. We used to worry obsessively about the divide between wealthy countries and less-developed ones, but the spread between them is arguably diminishing as once-poor giants like China and India grow, edging towards living standards in the developed world and adding billions to the global middle class. countries, and this seems to be A t t h e s a m e t i m e , t h o u g h , true regardless of where each political debates about inequality nation stands in the GDP tables. are heating up inside many Americans, of course, are
agonizing over astronomical CEO compensation, institutions that give disproportionate political influence to the wealthy, and the
fate of the 99 percent. Europeans are fixated on skyrocketing youth unemployment and the challenge of sustaining bankrupt welfare
systems. Japanese and Koreans, proud of their past success at ITS page 35
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ITS
lifting all boats, now fret about a growing gulf between haves and have-nots. But these privileged populations are not the only ones who are worried. "If you look at most of the countries that have grown rapidly, absolute annual growth rates have been quite robust," says Glenn Firebaugh, a sociology professor at Penn State University who has studied the issue for years. "But it hasn't been distributed proportionately. The rich people have been getting rich faster. That's been the case in most countries." Last week saw the appearance of two reports on completely separate parts of the world that advance strikingly similar themes. The Asian Development bank's latest annual study of economic development in that region, Outlook 2012, bears the subtitle "Confronting Rising Inequality in Asia" - a phenomenon the ADB attributes to "technological change, globalization, and market -oriented reform." As the report notes, these are precisely the factors that have contributed to the rapid growth in Asia over the past few decades. According to the report's findings, inequality widened in 11 of the 25 countries covered in the survey -- including China, India, and Indonesia, the three giants that have shown some of the strongest growth. A similar finding emerges from another paper, The State of East Africa 2012, published last week by the Society for International Development. The local
newspapers who wrote about it zeroed in on a particularly revealing factoid: the rise in the number of the region's poor, from 44 million to 53 million, over the six-year period covered in the study. Yet, just as in Asia, this comes against a background of otherwise encouraging figures on growth. The report observes, for example, that the number of mobile phone subscriptions in the region rose from 3 million in 2002 to 64 million in 2010 - which means that those subscribers now have easy access to a whole range of services (such as mobile banking) that they may not have enjoyed before. Take Uganda. According to yet another recent study(this one by the World Bank), it's a country that can look back on a recent record of rising GDP, averaging between four and five percent over the past two decades. And yet, as the experts point out, 94 percent of that growth has come from urban areas, which are home to only 13 percent of the population lives. The difference is easy to see with the naked eye. If you live in Kampala, the capital, you'll have no problem finding a private school for your kids, good internet access, or a perfectly fine hospital (assuming you can afford them, of course). None of these things would have been a given a decade or two ago. Even today, though, you only have to travel a few miles into the countryside to find situations that haven't really changed in years: minimal electricity, no running water,
limited opportunities for economic advancement. It shouldn't come as a surprise that the sense of widening inequity has become a sensitive political issue in Uganda -- and not just because many of those who are enjoying the fruits of relative prosperity belong to the political elite as well. (In Uganda, they often turn out to be members of the ruling party of President Yoweri Museveni.) One area where this tension manifests itself is in the debate over public education, which is viewed by many Ugandans (quite rightly, say economists) as the great leveler. If the local public school is failing to give your child the means to compete, you're probably going to be upset about it. Many Americans can undoubtedly identify. Some might object that such problems are more or less inevitable in a developing country like Uganda. But that's just not true. East Asia's experience over the past fifty years has shown that rapid growth and social equality don't have to be mutually exclusive. So it's all the more disturbing when you hear that people in precisely those countries are complaining about the same problems as Ugandans. Case in point: Singapore. Over the years the little city-state in Southeast Asia has turned business success into something like a national mission, and its living standards are among the highest in the world. Perhaps even more importantly, no one got left
behind. Like so many other East Asian tigers, Singapore managed to spread the wealth even as it created it, maintaining a remarkable societal consensus about the equitable distribution of growth. So it's all the more surprising that voters in Singapore chose to deliver a startling rebuke to the ruling party last year. While there were undoubtedly many reasons for the result, perhaps the most important, according to this remarkable paper from Singapore National University, was popular discontent fueled by rising economic inequality. Regardless of which measure you take, the authors of the study note, "Singapore has become more unequal in the last ten years or so." Stagnating wages and decreasing social mobility, they say, potentially threaten the remarkable social compact -implicitly based on the principle of "growth with equity" -- that has characterized Singapore's development for so long. So what does all this mean? First, there are some reasons for hope. Firebaugh argues that the world as a whole is probably becoming less unequal -- mostly thanks to the gravitational pull of those upwardly mobile Asian giants. And even while globalization has been fueling rising competitive pressures, countries around the world have also been busily devising and sharing effective policies for countering social stratification. Smart spending on education is one of the most
obvious. Cash transfer programs that target the poor are another. Even improving infrastructure, access to finance, or health care can help. (Who knows, maybe that's why President Obama picked Jim Yong Kim, who wrote a book about the relationship between health and inequality, as his choice to run the World Bank.) Latin America has actually improved its record on inequality over the past decade, for example. Those countries must be doing something right. What these examples suggest, though, is that the ultimate solutions are likely to be political rather than economic. Those cronies from Uganda's ruling party and America's politically influential gazillionaires aren't as dissimilar as they might seem at first sight. There are a lot of obvious ways to level out the playing field, but most of them are contingent on politicians being persuaded to make the right decisions. Until they start doing that, don't expect matters to improve any time soon. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
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Policy/
How to Lower the Price of Oil - By Bernard Haykel, Giacomo Luciani, and Eckart Woertz
BERNARD HAYKEL, GIACOMO LUCIANI, ECKART WOERTZ (Foreign Policy)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:27:41 AM
The road to cheaper gas at the pump runs through Riyadh. BY BERNARD HAYKEL, GIACOMO LUCIANI, ECKART WOERTZ| APRIL 18, 2012 If there's one thing that unites U.S. President Barack Obama, top -ranking Saudi officials, and Americans at the gas pump, it's this: The price of oil is too damn high. What's more, given physical and market realities, this should not be so. Despite the sanctions on Iran and the threatened loss of its export production, the world has no shortage of oil. Several oil suppliers are more than capable of picking up the slack left by Iran. U.S. and Canadian production, both actual and in the near future, is at historically high levels. And more significantly, Saudi Arabia's potential output is an unprecedented 12.5 million barrels per day. Still, fears abound about a shortage of oil. The United States and Europe are now contemplating the extraordinary, and unnecessary, measure of petroleum reserves to calm releasing oil from their strategic markets. And in a rare and
significant move, Saudi Oil Minister Ali Naimi recently
published an opinion article in the Financial Times expressing
HOW page 37
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HOW
frustration at his inability, through reassuring statements, to bring down the price of oil, despite its abundance and the kingdom's ability to satisfy all demand. There is a double paradox here: The leading oil-exporting country in the world not only would like to see lower prices, it finds itself powerless to achieve the desired result. Nonetheless, the key to lowering prices lies with Saudi Arabia and, remarkably, it involves straightforward adjustments to the way oil is marketed and sold. There is, of course, solid logic behind Saudi Arabia's ambitions to bring down oil prices. Higher prices are not in the long-term interest of producers -- they are bad news for the global economy, and destroy demand in industrial and developing countries alike. The kingdom also has political reasons to be leery of elevated prices: It is concerned that the present high price is discouraging some oil-importing countries from curtailing their purchases of Iranian oil, thereby strengthening Tehran's hand with abundant financial revenues. Saudi Arabia is ready to increase its already high production volume further to 12.5 million barrels per day, an all-time high, and its storage facilities abroad have been filled to the brim, according to Naimi's article. It is anxious to assure international buyers that it could meet any shortfall of supplies -- for example, if Iranian oil disappeared from the market.
Saudi Arabia may not want to be seen as actively undermining Iranian oil exports, but it is in fact doing just that. So, why do oil prices remain stubbornly high? Why does the market behave irrationally and not want to listen? The reason is simply that Saudi Arabia deliberately refrains from using the market power that it might command. This is the result of past experience, when Saudi Arabia's market share and revenues suffered as a result of OPEC's aggressive price setting policy that existed before 1985. In the years prior to that date, Saudi oil production collapsed from an all-time high of 10.3 million barrels per day to a minimum of 3.6 million, in the futile attempt to defend OPEC imposed prices. Ever since that experience, Saudi Arabia has refused to be tied to a rigid price target. As a result, Saudi Arabia is a price taker. Through press announcements and speeches, Saudi officials signal their intentions to international buyers and sellers and attempt to influence market sentiment, but the kingdom is not active as a seller on the open market. In practical terms, Saudi Arabia does not allow its oil to be traded, nor does it offer its oil without restrictions for resale. The kingdom only sells to final users - that is, to refiners, who process the crude oil themselves. That means oil may be available, but will remain unsold if refiners do not have a demand for it.
Saudi Arabia should behave instead like a central bank that periodically conducts auctions for government paper. The interest rate -- or, in this case, the price of oil -- is then determined by the result of auctions and trading on the secondary market. Saudi Arabia, after all, is and acts like the central bank of global oil. If Saudi Arabia allowed its crude to be traded -- that is, sold by the original buyer to some other final or intermediate client -- the abundant availability of Saudi oil would drive prices down. But the Saudis are afraid of playing an active role in the market because they do not want to be accused of "controlling" the price of oil. There is, however, a lot of ground between "controlling," at one extreme, and exercising no influence on the market on the other. It is in fact unlikely that Saudi Arabia could "control" the price even if it took a very active role in the market -- but it could certainly have an influence. Yet, the stereotype of OPEC as a monopolist intent on squeezing consumers is so deeply rooted that Saudi Arabia does not want to be seen influencing prices at all. The United States and other leading consumers should encourage Saudi Arabia to play a more active role. A global oil market in which Saudi Arabia exerts its proper influence would be less volatile and more closely representative of the equilibrium of supply and demand. It is in our best interest that Saudi Arabia should succeed in moderating
prices. As the revival of oil and gas production in North America and in other parts of the world gains strength, it will be in the interest of all to maintain prices at a level that is neither too low nor too high. A much lower price would nip the expansion of new sources in the bud, while higher prices could abort the fragile economic recovery. Saudi price targets, which lie in a band that hovers around $100 per barrel, are not out of line with the interests of the industrial countries. Saudi Arabia should be supported, and even urged, to be a price leader rather than a price taker. Oil prices should be discussed in the context of G-20 and other international gatherings much in the same way as interest rates or exchange rates are. No market can function well if the No. 1 supplier remains on the sidelines. Getting Saudi Arabia in the game will be good for American consumers, and bad for the mullahs in Tehran. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
RNA snippets direct worker bee tasks

(Holy Kaw!)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:17:00 AM
Worker bees tasks change as they age, and a new study finds that tiny bits of RNA control this behavior shift. Micro-RNAs are known to regulate development and disease processes such as cancer, says Washington University in St. Louis biologist Yehuda BenShahar. We wondered if they werent playing a role in regulating social behaviors, because recent studies have implicated them in complex nervous-system functions such as neurodevelopment, psychiatric disease, and circadian clocks. Full story at Futurity. More research news from top universities. Photo credit: Travis Mohrman Permalink| Leave a comment
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Economy/
Guest Post: Crony Capitalism And The Expansive Central State

Tyler Durden
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:08:15 AM
Submitted by Charles Hugh Smith from Of Two Minds Crony Capitalism And The Expansive Central State Crony Capitalism flourishes in an economy dominated and controlled by a Central State. Crony capitalism arises when an expansive Central State dominates the economy. The Central State can then protect crony-capitalist perquisites, cartels, quasimonopolies and financialization skimming operations of the sort which now dominate the U.S. economy's primary profit centers. If we step back, the larger context is the purpose and role of establishing a State to protect its citizens from foreign and domestic predation and exploition. The Central State is granted the sole power of coercion by its membership (citizenry) to protect the membership from the predation of individuals, concentrations of wealth and other subgroups seeking monopoly. They grant the State this extraordinary power to insure that no subgroup or individual can gain enough power to dominate the entire membership for their private gain and to protect freedom of faith, movement,
expression, enterprise and association. Granting this power to the State creates a risk that the State itself may become predatory, supplanting the parasitic elements it was designed to limit. To counter this potential, the State has self-limiting mechanisms such as an independent judiciary, armed forces under civilian control, etc., a separation of powers such that no one institution or agency can dominate the State and thus the nation. The goal is to create a stable but flexible equilibrium between comparably powerful institutions, all of which are tasked with enabling and defending the members freedom of movement, expression, enterprise and association against the encroachment of powerful subgroups. In this sense, the State is ultimately an immune system for the nation, a system designed not to dominate but to recognize and limit potentially destructive forces within the ecosystem (nation). To monitor and limit the influence of individuals and subgroups within the State itself, an internal immune system of regulation, auditing and enforcement is built into each institution. The State is thus designed to be a self-regulating immune system,
protected from abuse of power by its own internal immune system. We can understand the tradeoff of the citizenry in establishing a State as a risk-gain hedge: the risk of granting extraordinary powers to the State is offset by the gain of being freed from local or foreign tyrannies and the predation of criminals and exploitative Elites. This establishment of liberty is worth the risk of a self-regulating State becoming predatory. The self-regulation mechanisms are supposed to act as a hedge against a runaway parasitic State. We can properly understand the State as a concentration of risk and gain: its extraordinary powers of coercion render it a great risk to the membership, even as its protective shield of liberty offers the freedom to pursue individual happiness and self-fulfillment. Since the State is a concentrator of both wealth and power, it also concentrates the risk that ontologically accompanies concentrated power and wealth: with such great power, the abuse, repression, exploitation and predation which the State could unleash on its citizenry are fearsome. This concentration of wealth and power makes the State the primary attractor in the economy for those seeking to increase their private gain. What better way to
enforce a monopoly than to persuade the State to limit your competition? What better way to lower the risk of enterprise than to persuade the State to grant its own contracts to your company? What better way to amass a fortune than to harness the coercive powers of the State to your own selfinterest? The State is thus the ultimate lever within the ecosystem. While $1 million buys little influence within the market, if spent to influence State policy then it will buy more power than $10 million spent in the marketplace. There is a great irony in this concentration of power in the State: the power is concentrated to protect the citizenry from predation and exploitation, but that concentration becomes an irresistible attractor for all those seeking to increase their private gain via monopoly, cartels, collusion, fraud and other forms of predation. The wealth that can be concentrated in private hands is not limited or self-regulated, and so private concentrations of wealth inevitably exceed the threat-gain threshold of individuals within the State. This structural imbalance leaves the State ontologically vulnerable to the influence of private wealth. Once this wealth has a foothold of
influence within the State, it can then bypass the States internal immune system and become the financial equivalent of cancer: a blindly self-interested organism bent solely on growth at the expense of the ecosystem as a whole. This financial/political cancer of single-minded self-interest creates a self-reinforcing feedback loop within the State: the more power and influence it gathers, the more it can weaken the States own immune response to its rising dominance. This erosion of restraint further frees it to increase its influence, which then gives it more power to weaken the States immune system, and so on, until private concentrations of wealth, in partnership with self-serving State Elites, bypass the States immune response. At that point, the collusion of private wealth and State Elites comes to dominate the entire ecosystem. The States function as the systems immune system has been subverted by private wealth and the States own extraordinary powers have been directed to serve the self-interests of private Elites and their cronies within the State. Another name for the collusion of private wealth and State Elites is GUEST page 42
Economy/
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Are Oil Embargoes Hurting Iran or the US? Obama Blames Oil Manipulators; Who are the Real Manipulators?
noreply@blogger.com (Mike Mish Shedlock) (Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis)
sanctions to penalise foreign financial institutions dealing with Irans central bank, while Brussels has approved a full Submitted at 4/18/2012 3:51:00 AM The US and European embargo embargo on Iranian crude oil of Iranian oil is one of the factors starting formally from July 1. behind the stubbornly high price The western allies are trying to of crude, trumping the huge slump achieve a difficult balance: hurt in petroleum demand in the US. I r a n e n o u g h t o f o r c e i t t o Although Iranian oil exports are n e g o t i a t e o v e r i t s n u c l e a r down 33%, Iran is on a course for programme, but keep enough oil its third largest oil-related flowing to avoid a price spike that earnings ever. Thus, the primary damages the fragile economic beneficiary of high oil prices is recovery. Iran. The sanctions are not working, Rather than blame himself for the said Olivier Jakob, head of the a b s u r d i t y o f t h e s i t u a t i o n , Swiss-based oil consultancy president Obama blames oil Petromatrix, in a note to clients. speculators. They are definitely hurting Iran High Oil Prices Shield Iran From as it limits its [crude oil] exports, Sanctions but they are also hurting the rest The Financial Times reports High of the world, given that the Oil Prices Shield Iran From western powers have not managed Sanctions. to control prices. Iran has had a The Centre for Global Energy hard time repatriating those Studies (CGES), a London-based earnings but Irans president, says think-tank, estimates that Iran will Tehran has enough savings to earn $56bn selling its crude this survive until 2015. We have as year its third-highest earnings much hard currency as we need, ever even after factoring in the and the country will manage well, loss of roughly a third of its even if we dont sell a single export volume due to sanctions. barrel of oil for two or three W a s h i n g t o n h a s i m p o s e d years.
It's difficult to know if that is a bluff or reality. However, artificially high oil prices are certainly not helping the global economy. Obama Blames Oil Manipulators Please consider Obama proposes steps to curb oil market manipulation Facing heat for high gasoline prices, President Obama tried to shift the focus to Congress, Republicans and energy traders, calling for legislation that he said would "put more cops on the beat" to crack down on potential manipulation of the oil market. Obama called on Congress to provide more money for regulators and increase penalties for market manipulators. The president, flanked by Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithnerand Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr., suggested that traders and speculators are affecting the price of oil and digging into Americans' pocketbooks. "We can't afford a situation where some speculators can reap millions while millions of American families get the short end of the stick," Obama said in
brief remarks in the Rose Garden on Tuesday. "That's not the way the market should work." Who is the Real Manipulator? Multiple ironies abound in Obama's lecture about "market" forces. Besides Obama's own influence on the price of oil, the Fed artificially holding interest rates low is "not the way the market should work" either. The very idea that 10 alleged wizards can sit in a room eight times a year and divine the proper interest rate to steer the economy is preposterous. Indeed that is precisely "not the way the market should work" and in fact cannot possibly work. Proof is easy to find. We have had bubble after bubble after bubble, each with increasing amplitude, each with bank bailouts, each causing greater and greater income disparity, and ultimately culminating in the biggest housing bust in history. History proves there have are no wizards on the FOMC, only economic and academic jackasses. Yet eight times a year, those jackasses sit in a room and set
policy. Worse yet, they are arrogant enough to believe they, not the market, know what is best for the economy. Then to top it off, we have to listen to an Obama lecture on the market when it is his own policies coupled with inane Fed policies that are the real cause of high oil prices. Mike "Mish" Shedlock h t t p : / / globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot. com Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http:// www.sitkapacific.com/ account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific.
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Economy/
Italian Bad Loans Surge To Highest Since 2000, Foreign Deposits Plunge
Tyler Durden
Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:57:26 AM
Maybe we can call today bad loan day: earlier today the Bank of Spain announced that Spanish bank loans, already rising in a rather disturbing diagonal fashion, have surpassed 8% of total for the first time since 1994. Now it is Italy's turn, where we find courtesy of ABI, that gross nonperforming loans, aka bad-debt, has just reached 107.6 billion, or 6.3% of total, and the highest since 2000, not to mention a doubling of the 3.0% in June 2008. It gets worse: as Reuters reports, while domestic deposits in February rose by a heartening 1.6% in February, it is foreign deposits that confirm that not all is well with the country's financial system, declining a whopping 16% in February y/y, and the 8th consecutive monthly decline, a chart which resembles that of Greek deposit outflows. The reason why Italy, like all the other peripherals, is now a ward of the ECB? Simple: " Net funding from abroad stood at 182 billion euros, down 32.5 percent year-on-year." And if there is no external money, the Central Bank will need to save. More from Reuters: With the Italian economy mired in recession, gross non-
performing loans rose 16.5 percent to 107.6 billion euros in February. Credit quality deterioration was marked compared to the levels seen before the start of the financial crisis, ABI said, with bad loans as a percentage of loans to the private sector more than doubling to 6.3 percent in February from 3 percent in June 2008. The growth in the overall volume
of loans to the private sector stood at 0.9 percent in March, little changed from the month before, a sign credit expansion remains sluggish despite the ECB cash flood. This may not even be the worst news: reminding everyone that in a deleveraging environment incremental cash can only come from retained earnings (yes, we jest), or asset sales, the IMF told the market that European banks "
BNP Paribas SA (BNP) and Deutsche Bank AG (DBK), the IMF forecast that under such circumstances, gross domestic product in the 17-country euro region would be 1.4 percent lower than now expected after two years. Even under its baseline scenario, the IMF sees banks combined balance sheets possibly shrinking by as much as $2.6 trillion. So far, deleveraging has occurred predominantly through buttressing capital positions and reducing non-core activities, leaving the impact on the rest of the world manageable, the IMF said in its Global Financial Stability Report released today. It is essential to continue to avoid a synchronized, large-scale, and aggressive trimming of balance sheets that could do serious damage to asset prices, credit supply, and economic could be forced to sell as much as activity in Europe and beyond. $3.8 trillion in assets through Banks in the sample studied by 2 0 1 3 a n d c u r b l e n d i n g i f the IMF reduced assets by almost governments fall short of their $580 billion in the last quarter of pledges to stem the sovereign debt 2011, it said. crisis or face a shock their firewall Governments should complete cant contain, the International and extend the measures already Monetary Fund said." Of course, agreed upon to reassure investors for every seller there should be a if they want to limit the impact of buyer. And there will be. When banks deleveraging, the IMF recommended. That includes the prices plunge. From Bloomberg: ITALIAN page 42 In a study of 58 banks including
Economy/
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Hopeless Situation in Spain: New Wave Economic Madness; Bank of of Defaults as Home Prices Crash; Bad Japan Threatens More QE to Meet 1% Inflation Target Loans Highest Since Oct '94
Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:32:00 AM
Bad news upon bad news keeps pining up in Spain as the government still insists it can meet deficit targets without needing a bailout. Anyone with any common sense knows there is no can left to kick. Reuters reports Spain banks' bad loans highest since Oct '94 Non-performing loans rise to 8.2 pct of portfolios House prices fall 7.2 pct in Q1 Defaults to keep rising on back of budget cuts Spanish banks' bad loans rose to their highest level since Oct. 1994 in February, to 8.2 percent of their credit portfolios, Bank of Spain data showed on Wednesday, as the sector continues to battle sliding house prices and a looming recession. Banks are facing a new wave of loan defaults as an economic crisis deepens and analysts say some may not survive as the government implements sweeping budget cuts that will only add to
Spanish households' problems with repaying debt. Non-performing loans increased by 3.8 billion euros ($4.99 billion) to 143.8 billion euros in February from the previous month. They totalled 7.9 percent of total debt portfolios in January. That picture - driven by the collapse of a housing boom in the global financial turmoil of 2008 is at the heart of problems for Spanish banks that have seen other institutions refuse to lend to them and forced some to rely on the European Central Bank for funding. Hopeless Situation Back on March 28, my friend Pater Tenebrarum on the Acting Man blog pinged me with the following comments. The situation is totally hopeless. If banks were to raise their puny loan loss provisions by just 1% of total loan exposure, it would eat 12% of their tangible net asset value. These banks are completely insolvent. I actually think all of Spain is bankrupt at every level of its society, from households to banks to the government. Apart from their exposure to 200 billion in 'problem loans' (to
developers, consumers and in the form of already foreclosed loans), they have an additional exposure to 1.6 trillion in 'other loans', including mortgages, of which they say only 2.4% are delinquent (a certain bridge in Brooklyn comes to mind). It looks to me like Spain will become a huge problem for the eurocracy. Yes indeed, it already has. Mike "Mish" Shedlock h t t p : / / globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot. com Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http:// www.sitkapacific.com/ account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific.

Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:26:00 AM
The last thing Japan really needs is to kick off a bout of inflation. At a mere 2% interest rate or so, interest on its national debt would consumer all revenues. Nonetheless, the Wall Street Journal reports BOJ Ready to Take Additional Steps The Bank of Japan stands ready to take additional steps as needed to achieve its price goal, a deputy governor of the central bank said Wednesday, amid strong expectations it will act at its policy-board meeting next week. "The bank is committed to implementing additional easing measures if deemed necessary," Kiyohiko Nishimura told business executives in a speech in Okayama, western Japan. "We will pursue powerful easing through a virtually zero interestrate policy and asset buying until the 1% goal comes into view," he told business leaders. Market participants took Mr. Nishimura's comments as confirmation the bank will act at its meeting next week, which will follow close on the meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve's Federal Open Market Committee on April 24 and 25.
"The BOJ will ease its policy even without the Fed's action. That's the market's understanding. Nishimura's comments today confirmed that," said Atsushi Ito, a senior analyst at UBS Securities in Tokyo Economic Madness Japan's aging society benefits from low prices and low taxes. However, politicians want to raise taxes which would tend to strengthen the Yen, while the Bank of Japan wants to print money to weaken the Yen. If this is not economic madness what is? Mike "Mish" Shedlock h t t p : / / globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot. com Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http:// www.sitkapacific.com/ account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific.
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Economy/ Food/
The Complete And Annotated "Hollande Victory" Matrix

Tyler Durden
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:47:53 AM
GUEST
Back in early February, long before anyone was too worried that French socialist candidate Hollande may win the French presidential election (after all the market was soaring on the fumes of a still ramping LTRO 1+2 effect, so why worry), UBS George Magnus penned a must read analysis of the macro implications what a Sarkozy loss would mean for Europe in " As Falls Sarkozy, So Falls Europe: The Full Story Behind The Upcoming French Election" which with 4 days to go until the first round of the French presidential election, is certainly worth a refresh (especially for Frau Merkel who will be roundly humiliated after backing the losing horse). And yes, it is only 4 days as UBS is kind enough to
remind us. UBS also reminds us that, as strategist Stephane Deo believes Hollande has a 75% chance of winning, the french equity market is at substantial risk, as a Hollande victory is not priced in, even as noted earlier, it is starting to seep into the credit market where French CDS
jumped over 200 bps for the first time in 4 months. To wit: "The bond market may force the governments hand if they dont start walking the walk on debt reduction. Plus, while we dont think that France is as troubled as Spain, its not priced for election disruption." But that is the big
picture. Below we present a summary matrix which breaks down the various Hollande proposals that may propel him to become the next French president as well as their implications on various micro items. First, the timeline: And full Hollande victory matrix: Yet to think: if it wasn't for a certain hotel maid, DSK would be days away from being French president... Average: Your rating: None Average: 4( 3 votes) This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
crony capitalism, which has reached its apex in an economy dominated by an expansive Central State (i.e. the Federal government). Average: Your rating: None Average: 4.5( 2 votes) This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Superfast BBQ Chicken & Blue Cheese Pizza

Submitted at 4/18/2012 3:00:00 AM
ITALIAN
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Craving pizza? Learn how to make this quick and easy pie featuring barbecue sauce, rotisserie chicken, and plenty of veggies.
continuing to reduce budget deficits while supporting demand as much as possible, restructuring banks and having the regions rescue funds inject capital directly into them, it said. For an effective monetary union, deeper integration is required, the IMF said. Fiscal
arrangements will need to be redesigned to accomplish ex ante fiscal risk-sharing, without which countries will continue to face very different financing conditions and remain prone to having liquidity crises turn into solvency concerns. But, but, Mario Monti told us
everything was fixed? Surely the ex-Goldmanite was not joking... Average: Your rating: None Average: 5( 1 vote) This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read
Economy/ Culture/
43
5 Architectural Photography Tips

Nathan Chandler (HowStuffWorks Daily Feed)
DEUTSCHE BANK: Europe Is On The Verge Of Getting A Whole Lot Worse

Ben Duronio (Money Game)
five relatively calm years, the analysts in London said. Much Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:47:00 AM may eventually depend on how Prevailing CDS spreads in much money-printing can be Europe are sending a very scary tolerated as we are very close to signal, say Deutsche Bank's Jim being maxed out fiscally. Reid and Nick Burns. This is The LTROs gave us some respite a c c o r d i n g t o a r e p o r t o n but they dont appear to have Bloomberg. taken the problem away, Burns And there's one thing that's said in a phone interview. At the keeping everything together: moment there are no more LTROs dovish monetary policy. on the table. From Bloomberg: h/t The Reformed Broker If these implied defaults come Please follow Money Game on vaguely close to being realised Twitter and Facebook. then the next five years of Join the conversation about this corporate and financial defaults story could easily be worse than the last
photography, right? Actually, there are all sorts of variables and conditions that Submitted at 4/18/2012 9:00:56 AM affect architectural photography. You're at the Eiffel Tower in If you're not prepared to deal with Paris, armed to the teeth with the t h o s e d y n a m i c s , i t w i l l b e latest and greatest in photography frustrating for you to apply your equipment. This might be your creativity and technical knowf i r s t a t t e m p t t o m a k e a how toward an unforgettable magnificent picture of this iconic picture of your subject, even one landmark, but you are only one of that's automatically awe-inspiring millions who've already tried. like the Eiffel Tower. How, you wonder, can you You don't need a fancy camera or possibly capture an uncommon big studio lights to create great image of this common subject? architectural images. You do, Architectural photography might however, need a keen eye and an seem like an easy genre. After all, i m a g i n a t i v e f l a i r . A s y o u buildings, bridges and other big approach your subject, pretend construction projects aren't going you're a visual storyteller. What's anywhere fast. Stationary objects the story that you want to share are the easiest subjects for about a structure? Are you going
for an epic, wide-angle shot that captures the tower in all its glory at sunrise? Or will you pick out certain symmetrical details and lines that show what it's made of? However you choose to proceed, a few tips and tricks will help you find an approach that results in amazing images. We'll show you how to build nuanced, powerful pictures of humankind's greatest construction achievements. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
The 100 Best Celebrity Engagement Rings

Katie Henry (PopSugar)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 9:59:44 AM
Wedding season is upon us, and we're celebrating with a roundup of some of our favorite celebrity engagement rings. Even though some relationships have come and gone, the ring photos are here to stay. Celebs go big when it comes
to diamonds, including Kate Hudson's reported $200,000 sparkler from Matthew Bellamy
and Mariah Carey's gorgeous 15carat bauble from Nick Cannon. Click through to see all the precious gems, and if you're planning or attending a ceremony, be sure to keep up with all of our wedding coverage across the Sugar Network. View Slideshow
44
Culture/ Finance/
New English Translation of Bible Omits An Open Letter to NHL Owners From a 'Jesus Christ,' 'Angel' Hockey Parent
(Christianpost.com Top Dave Banks (Wired> Most Popular) Stories)
translation," said Couch. "When translators are limiting themselves to conveying the Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:57:00 AM complete essence of a word from Dear h o t o :Owners, a s N e l s o n the Hebrew or the Greek with one ( P NHL T h o m P Ab lrie a liln g ) o nh e r f uo i c h , n g English word they have difficulty u sh y w T de V l tei a translation of year: my son happened this the Bible into bringing in the nuances held in the modern English released in March discovered hockey. He played on original language." 2012. a local Squirts team with a group Because other translations have of kids who all had more skill more literal renderings, Couch Featured Posts than him. The first day of believed they are "why it has been Column Law was hugging 3 practice, he and Gospel: Part the necessary for commentators and A confusion able to stand on his boards, barelyof law and gospel is preachers to spend so much time the main contributor to moralism explaining what the words in the skates. in the unlike basketball, football, original language mean before the But, church ... April 16, and a dozen other lay reader can understand fully a baseball,2012| 5:57 pm The Voice, a Bible that before activities hed tried replaces text of Scripture." "Jesus he kept at it. He begged hockey,Christ" with terms like Like us on Facebook "Jesus the Anointed One," had its me to go skate after school. He " B e c a u s e w e h a v e a m o r e complete edition skills in by practiced his stick released the expansive translating technique Thomas with a Publishing last drivewayNelson tennis ball and a we can more fully develop the month. couple of old cardboard boxes to English translation and thus bring Frank Couch, Thomas goal. He represent the posts of a Nelson's out the more difficult nuances lead editor on game recaps just started watchingthe project, told found in the original language," The what the pros could do. to seeChristian Post that the he explained. purpose of The Voice was By The scholars and authors who All of his hard work paid off. to make the the season, he easier the end ofGospel messagehad an collaborated on the translation say t o u d e s a n d f o m o d had assistnandr a tgoal. Hisr coach e r n their intention was to help readers aud ences seenienough.effort in his play that "hear God speaking." " The Voice has not claimed to be hed been awarded two game "One of the byproducts of the more and his attitude and pucks accurate than any other information age in the church has translation, rather is only made determination haditnotmore easily b e e n i t s f o c u s o n b i b l i c a l u n d e s t o d t a watch, o had him a rfunoplayerhto n a n y butt h e r knowledge. Many Bibles reflect impressed the coaches enough that he was recognized as the most improved player out of all of the SquirtsChan (Finance News - Italy slashes its 2012 economic Szu Ping teams. By this time, wed subscribed to Business news from the UK and growth outlook, as Spanish stock world) the NHL channel and begun markets slide on bad bank loans watching weekly games. He and I even took a vacation to the Big Apple for the sole purpose of
this, packed with informative notes, charts, and graphs. While there's nothing wrong with having a deep knowledge; a personal connection and deep relationship are far better," according to hearthevoice.com. " The Voice is focused on helping readers find (or rediscover) this connection with Him. Scripture is presented not as an academic document, but as an engaging story." The idea for The Voice came in January 2004, when Thomas Nelson Publishing met with the Ecclesia Bible Society, whose leadership includes pastor Chris Seay of the Ecclesia Church in Houston, Texas. The project came in portions, with the complete New Testament according to The Voice being released in 2009. The name comes from the Bible translation's rendering of the Greek Word logos in John 1:1. Although the typical English Bible translates logos to "Word," in this translation it is rendered "Voice." The first verse of John, which in the NIV reads "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" becomes "Before
time itself was measured, the Voice was speaking. The Voice was and is God." A new video posted on the translation's Facebook further highlights that " The Voice offers an opportunity to hear afresh by telling the stories that have always been in the Bible in a beautiful and poetic way." It is written in screenplay format "so it's easy to follow or act out in a group." Despite the approval of a major publisher like Thomas Nelson, which also sells other more established translations of the Bible, The Voice is not without its opponents, including many critical online reviews. On the website "Life More Abundant," poster "Coralie" commented that the format of The Voice, which includes commentary in the body of the text, was a concern. "The effect of the inclusion of midstream commentary is the blurring of the line between inspired word and human opinion," wrote Coralie. "My fear in our postmodern world is not that a new reader would take the commentary as the very
word of God, but that he would read the words of God with the casual ease of another form of commentary." The blog "Extreme Theology," an apologetics website, declared that The Voice was a "distorted version of the Bible." "Unfortunately, not since the release of the Jehovah's Witnesses' New World Translation of the Greek Scriptures in 1950 has there been a bible published that so blatantly mangles and distorts God's Word in order to support a peculiar and aberrant theological agenda," reads a review on ET's site. READ: ARE WYCLIFFE'S EFFORTS TO JUSTIFY ITS A R A B I C B I B L E TRANSLATION BACKFIRING? This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Debt crisis: live
data and comments by ECB policymaker Jens Weidmann that it is not the central bank's job to
tackle Spain's problems.
Culture/ Finance/
45
TD Jakes: Scripture Condemns Homosexuality; Not My Job to Give Opinions

(Christianpost.com > Most Popular)
began. "The perception in our society today is that if you don't say you're for same-sex marriage April 17, 2012| 12:04 pm or if you say homosexuality is a Speaking with Oprah Winfrey sin that you're homophobic and during her new series, "Oprah's you're against gay people. And Next Chapter," Bishop T.D. Jakes that's not true." of The Potter's House in Dallas, The pastor continued, "I'm not Texas told the media mogul he called to give my opinion. I'm thinks homosexual acts are called as a pastor to give the condemned in the Scriptures and scriptural position on it," the it is not his job as a pastor to give pastor added. "Doesn't mean that I personal opinions. have to agree with you to love Jakes, whose church boasts about you. I don't dislike anybody. I 30,000 members, appeared on love everybody." "Oprah's Next Chapter" on April Winfrey went on to ask if Jakes 8 to discuss his ministry, marriage thinks being gay is a sin. and how he deals with critics. Like us on Facebook A l s o b r o u g h t u p i n t h e "I think that sex between two conversation, which at one point p e o p l e o f t h e s a m e s e x i s included the pastor's wife Serita condemned in the Scriptures, and Jakes, were accusations some as long as it is condemned in the people have not been welcomed Scriptures, I don't get to say what to Jakes' megachurch. I think. I get to say what the Bible "Would you say that everybody is says," Jakes said. embraced in your church?" "I'm not particularly political. I'm Winfrey asked. "Cause you know not particularly denominational. you have been accused of saying I'm not worried about any of that," that gay people would not be he added. "I'm not anti-gay, I'm welcome." not anti-anything. I don't want to "That's not true at all," Jakes even be known by what I'm
against." Critics immediately contradicted Jakes' comments by branding the pastor's statements as "homophobic" and "anti-gay," with some in the liberal media even calling the megachurch pastor hypocritical in light of an incident involving one of his son's several years ago. New York-based Gawker.com portrayed Winfrey as asking Jakes if he "likes gay people," while calling the minister a bigot. "[...] she lets Jakes spout anti-gay sentiment while swearing off homophobia," Gawker's Rich Juzwiak writes in his article, titled "Anti-Gay Pastor Doesn't Want to Be Known For Being Anti-Gay." Juzwiak claims that by "disagreeing" with gay people, one is actually "disagreeing with something that is fundamental to their existence: how they love." He goes on to insinuate that holding a biblical view of homosexuality "values an institution over human beings who are going to love each other and be together anyway, like they
have been since the dawn of time." Dismissively calling Jakes' "love" for homosexuals worthless, Juzwiak points readers to a 2009 report on Jermaine Jakes' arrest in a "gay sex sting" in a local park. Jakes' stepson was accused of exposing himself to two undercover police officers. Gay publication, Dallasvoice.com, took its criticism of Jakes stance on Scripture and homosexuality even further, stating that the minister "is condemning the countless LGBTQ youth who are among his flock at the Potter's House, perhaps pushing some closer to suicide" and shaming those possibly infected with HIV/AIDS through a homosexual encounter. In his interview on "Oprah's Next Chapter," Jakes told Winfrey he wants to be known for what he is for, saying, "I'm for people bettering themselves, no matter who they are and where they are, doing all they can to be all they can be." The Potter's House, a
nondenominational church with dozens of outreach ministries, was founded in 1996 and "brings together the down-and-out, the homeless and released offender to sit beside the up-and-coming, the celebrity and the community leader," according to a description on its website. SEE VIDEO OF T.D. JAKES BEING INTERVIEWED BY OPRAH WINFREY READ: CHRISTIANITY IS NOT ABOUT GOING FROM GAY TO STRAIGHT; IT'S ABOUT TURNING FROM SIN T O J E S U S nicola.menzie@christianpost.com @namenzie This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Fitch doubts Dutch AAA as property slump reaches 'coma'

Ambrose Evans-Pritchard (Finance News - Business news
Holland needs austerity and can't let political conflict intrude on
economy.
46
Culture/
John Piper: I'm 'Amazed' I'm Still a Christian

(Christianpost.com > Most Popular)
husband and a father, Piper attributes his success to the grace of God alone. "If any of that were decisively (Photo: T4G/Sarah Danaher) dependent on me, I would have John Piper, pastor of Bethlehem ceased to be a Christian long ago Baptist Church in Minneapolis, is ... I have no doubt about that at seen here at the Together for the all," he said, noting that he has Gospel conference April 2012. experienced days when his (Photo: T4G/Sarah Danaher) marriage was under attack and Thousands attend the Together for when his soul was under attack. t h e G o s p e l c o n f e r e n c e i n He used the book of Jude as the Louisville, Ky., April 10-12, main text for his sermon, and said 2012. the doxology at the end of the book reveals that Jude was also Featured Posts amazed at what it takes for a Column Law and Gospel: Part 3 Christian to stay a Christian. A confusion of law and gospel is Verse 24 of the book of Jude says the main contributor to moralism that God "is able to keep you from in the church ... stumbling and to present you April 16, 2012| 2:59 pm blameless before the presence of The 66-year-old pastor of h i s g l o r y w i t h g r e a t j o y . " Bethlehem Baptist Church in Therefore, Christians cannot Minnesota explained that he has maintain their faith through their been a Christian for 60 years, a own effort, Piper suggested, but pastor at Bethlehem for 32 years, rather it is maintained through married to his wife for nearly 44 God's glory, majesty, power and years and a father for nearly 40 authority to fulfill His promise years. Recently, he has been that He will keep His people experiencing "momentous days" forever. in his life, he said, because his Like us on Facebook church is currently working "Having the Spirit, and having toward putting a successor in his Christ, and being in the Vine are place. all [the same] thing, and my life is But when considering where he is in Him. He is my life. If He's not and how far he has come in his there, I have no life. There is no life as a Christian, a pastor, a autonomous life in me," said
Piper. In the same way that the universe did not create or sustain itself, he added, so Christians are not made, and their faith is not maintained, apart from God's active blessing on their lives. "Think about the fact that creating and sustaining spiritual life is something we cannot do, but God alone does," he said as he addressed thousands of ministers at the conference. But how does God do that? How does He keep Christians in the faith and prevent them from ruining the work He began in them? The theologian said He does it by stirring up their hearts so that they will do some "selfkeeping work." It is a "paradox of the Christian life," he noted, to believe Jude's words when he writes, "keep yourselves in the love of God," but to also believe that God will maintain the faith of those who are truly called by Him to become Christ's followers. The two concepts work in conjunction, he explained, and Christians should: trust God's commitment to keeping them as His own, pray to see the daily application of that promise realized and wait patiently on God, even in hard times, as He works in their lives.
"If you're crying out, 'Abba, help!' the Holy Spirit is witnessing with your spirit. You're the child of God, and you're being kept," he said. Without God's help, he stressed, a person wouldn't even make the effort to plead with God. In his closing prayer, Piper expressed that he couldn't remember another conference like Together for the Gospel, which was "graced with such relentless, powerful, beautiful Bible application." The conference was first held in 2006 after a group of four pastors Ligon Duncan, Mark Dever, Albert Mohler and C.J. Mahaney realized that, despite some theological differences, they were all committed to the teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The conference will be held again in April of 2014. READ: GOD'S FOREVER FAVOR This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Change a Habit in Three Steps with This Flowchart [Habits]

Submitted at 4/18/2012 9:30:00 AM
Breaking a bad habit or developing a good one might be hard work, but it's not impossible. In fact, once you know the main structure of habits, you can develop a plan to change them. This flowchart from The Power of Habit author Charles Duhigg guides you through the three steps of breaking the habit loop. More
Accidental Siblings
I have previously written about ACCIDENTAL page 47 the inbreeding of superheroes and their strange families, so this
Culture/ Featured/
47
ACCIDENTAL
paper that came out last fall felt both familiar and profoundly weird. Entitled Full-sibling embryos created by anonymous gamete donation in unrelated recipients, it discusses two women who used donor eggs from the same woman, and then coincidentally chose the same sperm donor. So these two women, who are unrelated, likely dont know each other, and who could be living at opposite side of country, received embryos for full siblings with the same parents: Both patients underwent their respective donor-recipient cycles without complication and each conceived twin gestations several months apart from each other. On routine review of recently completed cycles in our database, it was noted by our lab director that these donor-recipient cycles used the exact same oocyte donor and the exact same sperm donor. Full-sibling embryos had been created and transfered to two different women. At the time that this realization occurred, patient #1 was at 23 weeks gestational age with an ongoing pregnancy and supernumerary frozen
embryos. Patient #2 suffered a spontaneous miscarriage at 9 weeks gestational age, but has frozen embryos for a potential future cycle. There is certainly some mathematics here, at least when it comes to the odds of this occurring (which is increasing as these techniques become more common), but the article concludes by discussing some of the possible ethical implications: When considering disclosure, the risks and benefits to the donor, recipient, and offspring must be considered. The overwhelming majority of studies in the literature focus mainly on the emotional impact on the child and on the parent-child relationship and support disclosure to anonymous gameteconceived children. The Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine states that disclosure to the child of the fact of donor conception may be in the best interest of the child. The question of whether recipients of full-sibling embryos randomly created by anonymous oocyte and sperm donation should be
informed of one another has not been addressed to the best of our knowledge, likely because the creation of anonymous full siblings has never before been reported. This unique situation has led our practice to consider further counseling for all patients using donor gametes regarding the remote creation of anonymous full siblings. Currently, a policy of disclosure has not been established at our institution. Thanks to Jacob Kramer and Yael Kramer for the pointer to this article. Top image: Nicole ONeil Photography/Flickr/CC-licensed This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Did Angelina Cry at Brad's Proposal?

Allie Merriam (PopSugar)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 9:59:31 AM
Did Angelina cry at Brad's proposal?- Us Weekly What did Victoria Beckham eat instead of birthday cake?- People Demi Moore is serious about changing her Twitter nameLainey Gossip The latest excitement from Dancing With the Stars- HuffPost Ent Dawyne "The Rock" Johnson is foraying into reality TV- TooFab Channing Tatum and other stars who've stripped- The Daily Beast Scarlett Johansson on the possibility of a Black Widow spin -off- Hollywood Reporter Justin and Selena caught on the kiss cam!- BuzzFeed How the Middletons are handling their first scandal- The Frisky Madonna doesn't want her
daughter smoking- The Insider Will Battleship be any good, at all?- Rotten Tomatoes Vanessa Lachey on pregnancy and moving to Ohio- Wonderwall A knockoff of Angelina's engagement ring is already for sale- Lifeline Live Halle Berry talks engagementZap2It Jason Segel says he and Michelle Williams just want to be happy- Celebitchy
Yes, Virginia, Obamacare Does Grow the Deficit

Michael Warren (The Weekly Standard)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:33:00 AM
Charles Blahous, a senior
research fellow at the Mercatus Center, published a study last week about the disastrous effect of Obamacare on the budget deficit--in direct contrast to claims
by the Obama administration
(supported by the Congressional trillion to the federal deficit. Budget Office) that the law would reduce the deficit. Blahous estimates that over 10 years, Obamacare will add a net $1.15
48
Culture/ Finance/
Premiere: Hear Fred Falke's Remix of Theophilus London's 'Love Is Real'

Angela Watercutter (Wired Top Stories)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:00:00 AM
Theophilus London had animated GIFs created for every track on his new remix album, Timez Are Weird These Nights. Image: Mr. GIF Its been obvious for a while that Theophilus London is a tech-y/ nerdy dude he releases free mixtapes online, wears Nike Air Mags (aka Marty McFly kicks) and tweets like a fiend but lately hes going all-in. When hes not dropping showtune-sampling tracks with A$AP Rocky, the Brooklyn MC
has been releasing tracks off his new remix album, Timez Are Weird These Nights, through a Tumblr dedicated to the album. Hes also been unleashing a special animated GIF cover for each new remix, artwork thats ready to be blogged and devoured by the currently GIF-hungry internet masses. The same is true for his latest drop, which Wired is premiering below. Its a Fred Falke remix of Love Is Real from Londons 2011 album, Timez Are Weird These Days. The track builds on the songs spacey vocals (by London and singer-songwriter Holly Miranda) but swaps out the
thumping pop vibe of the original for a smooth, disco-ish beat from French house DJ Falke that makes the remix pretty much dance-floor -ready.
The GIF (above), like all those created for the remixes on Timez Are Weird These Nights, comes courtesy of Mr. GIF, the creators of original GIFs since 2010
(London asked the team to make the animated images after spotting their work and posting it on his Tumblr). Grab the GIF above, then check out the Love Is Real remix below. Timez Are Weird These Nights will be released April 24. London also plans to release a new mixtape called Rose Island on May 15. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Katie Holmes Starts Suri Cruise's 6th Birthday in Manhattan

Allie Merriam (PopSugar)
Part-time Britain hits record high as unemployment falls

Louisa Peacock (Finance News - Business news from the UK and world)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:45:25 AM
in hand ready to kick off the fun. In 2011, Suri rang in her 5th year Submitted at 4/18/2012 9:07:50 AM with a blowout bash at the Suri Cruise's birthday is today! Cruises' LA mansion. This year, The little one, who's 6 years old, though, it seems some city fun is and her mom Katie Holmes are in store for Suri. Suri and Katie together in the Big Apple to start have been all over the US in the celebrating. This morning, recent weeks. They logged some base, then visited with Tom they left their Manhattan pad hand time at their West Coast home Cruise on the Louisiana set of
Oblivion. Suri's been a jet-setter since her birth in 2006, and hopefully today she's able to visit some of her favorite Big Apple kid-friendly hot spots like Chelsea Piers, Serendipity, and Alice's Tea Cup. View Slideshow
Record numbers of Britons are being forced to work part-time as they cannot find full-time jobs, while the number of women out of work has soared to a 25-year high.
Culture/ Politics-Left/
49
Breivik quizzed about farright 'network'

CollabFinder Helps You Find Collaborators For Your Creative Project [Webapps]
Submitted at 4/18/2012 8:30:00 AM
(AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (AJE))

Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:37:52 AM
Have a project or big idea you're working on and want to find an awesome programmer, illustrator, writer, or designer to help out? CollabFinder is a new site for finding that collaborator. More
Syria 'has respect' for Annan plan

Submitted at 4/18/2012 9:36:04 AM
How Google influences employee eating habits [infographic]

(Holy Kaw!)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:57:00 AM
Via MSI. (H/T @ritubpant) Eat like a Googler. Permalink| Leave a comment
Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people in Norway last July, has been questioned by the prosecution on his alleged contacts with far-right groups, as they seek to prove that his European network does not exist. Breivik appeared irritated on Wednesday as he refused to answer questions about the supposed anti-Muslim group he has said he is a part of, during a second day of cross-examination in his trial on terror charges. Prosecutors have said they believe Breivik's so-called Knights Templar group does not exist "in the way he describes it". Breivik says it does exist and that police just could not uncover the group. "It is not in my interest to shed light on details that could lead to arrests," Breivik said. However, Breivik told the Oslo court that two other cells were prepared to attack the country. When prosecutor Inga Bejer Engh asked if Norwegians should truly fear attacks from two other cells, Breivik answered: "Yes". Meeting with Serbian The 33-year-old Breivik says he
carried out the attacks on behalf of the organisation, which he described in a 1,500 page document he posted online before the attacks as a nationalist group fighting Muslim "colonisation" of Europe. Breivik also said he had met a Serbian "war hero" living in exile during a trip to Liberia in 2002, but refused to identify him. He also refused to give details on what he said was the founding session of the "Knights Templar" in London in 2002. Al Jazeera's Paul Brennan, reporting from Oslo, said prosecutors were questioning Breivik's credibility. "They questioned his claims of writing a manifesto for the 'Knights Templar' and Breivik on many occasions refused to answer some of the questions," our correspondent said. "There were times when Breivik did feel agitated and frustrated by some of the questioning." Breivik is expected to face further cross-examination on Wednesday. Breivik's testimony and crossexamination are not being broadcast live, as earlier court proceedings had been, amid concerns that the defendant could
use the trial as a platform for farright views. In his self-styled manifesto, Breivik described a trial as offering "a stage to the world". Breivik shot dead 69 people at the youth summer camp on the island of Utoeya after earlier killing eight people in a car bombing in Oslo. The trial is expected to focus on whether or not Breivik is criminally sane and therefore accountable for his actions. A first court-ordered psychiatric exam found him insane, while a second opinion came to the opposite conclusion. If the court decides he is criminally insane, he will be committed to psychiatric care; if he is judged to be mentally stable, he could be sentenced to 21 years in prison, which could subsequently be extended if he was still deemed to pose a threat. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
SYRIA page 50
50
SYRIA
Syria's foreign minister has pledged to respect UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan and to co-operate with a UN team sent to monitor a fragile ceasefire between government forces and opposition fighters. Walid al-Muallem's comments, made as he met his Chinese counterpart in Beijing on Wednesday, came as both the opposition and authorities reported violations of the truce. "Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem... said Syria would continue to... respect and implement Annan's 'six-point proposal'," China's foreign ministry quoted Muallem as telling Yang Jiechi. Muallem also said Damascus remained committed to implementing a ceasefire, withdrawing troops and cooperating with UN observers, the statement added. He said in a news conference that UN plans to deploy 250 monitors on the ground in Syria were "reasonable and logical". So far, only a handful of advance monitors have arrived in the country. Muallem is on a short visit to China to brief Beijing on his nation's latest efforts to implement Annan's peace proposal, which
came into force last week and includes a full ceasefire and withdrawal of troops. Shootings reported The observer team travelled to Arbeen at the outskirts of Damascus on Wednesday, escorted by police. Their cars were surrounded by demonstrators waving flags and a banner reading: "The butcher continues killings, the observers continue observing, and the people continue with their revolution. We only bow to God" was plastered on the rear of one of the UN cars. Activists said shooting broke out during the monitors' visit, but it was not clear whether the observers witnesses the incident. They made a trip south to the city of Deraa on Tuesday, apparently without incident. Al Jazeera's Rula Amin, reporting from Beirut in neighbouring Lebanon, said the final logistical details regarding the UN monitors in Syria have yet to be finalised. "Issues that need to be addressed include how much access will the monitors have, how much freedom of movement do they have, how much control will the government have over them?" she said. "It is going to be very hard for
them to venture into very fragile areas where the army and armed groups are shooting at each other, without risking their safety." 'Security forces killed' Both the opposition and state media reported fresh violence on Wednesday. SANA state news agency blamed "terrorists" for a blast in the northern Idlib province which it said killed six members of the security forces. Another explosion in Aleppo province killed four soldiers, according to SANA. Meanwhile, government forces shelled four rebel districts of Homs: Juret al-Shayah, alQarabis, al-Khaldiyeh and alBayada, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. They are among a string of neighbourhoods of Syria's third largest city that remain outside security force control despite a massive assault on its Bab Amr district that saw hundreds killed, including Western journalists, before troops moved in on March 1. Idlib, the main city in the province with the same name, has reportedly also been shelled in recent days, as the army tries to rid the area of opposition fighters. Activists say many people have
been killed, but witness accounts are difficult to verify since most international media has been barred from entering Syria. 'The killing still goes on' On Tuesday, Arab League ministers called on Damascus to stick to Annan's six-point plan. "We fully support Mr Annan and his six-point plan, but sadly, the killing still goes on," Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem Al Thani, Qatar's prime minister, told reporters after the meeting in Doha on Tuesday. "We are fearful that the regime is playing for time. We expressed this to Mr Annan." Nabil al-Araby, the Arab League secretary-general, called for the ceasefire to be implemented "completely and immediately". "Annan's mission is a political one which would take some time," he said. The Arab ministerial committee, chaired by Qatar, includes Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, Sudan, Algeria, Iraq, and Kuwait. On Monday, Qatar's emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, said the chances of Annan's plan succeeding were "no higher than three per cent and that Syrians should not be supported through peaceful means but "with arms". Qatar has taken a hard stance in
favour of the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Hopes for the observation mission have been tempered by the failure of the earlier Arab League mission which was hampered by government restrictions on movement, and UN chief Ban Ki-moon has demanded his monitors be given free access. Al Jazeera's Steve Chao, reporting from outside the meeting in Doha, said Arab leaders were "highly sceptical about Syria's intentions". "The Arab League did not say exactly how much time they would give Kofi Annan before they basically rule this peace plan a failure," Chao said. "They pointed to the fact that so far, five days into this ceasefire, Syria has yet to implement any of the six points Kofi Annan has laid out." This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Politics-Left/ TV/
51
Photos show US soldiers with dead Afghans

A Look Inside Don Draper's New Pad

latimesblogs.latimes.com (TV on HuffingtonPost.com)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:17:58 AM
major NATO airbase also triggered a week of riots that left Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:45:19 AM 30 dead and led to the deaths of Graphic photos published in an six Americans. American newspaper show US And, in March, a US army soldiers posing with the mangled sergeant went on a night shooting bodies of suspected Afghan rampage in two southern Afghan suicide bombers. villages, killing 17 civilians and Senior US officials and NATO's p r o m p t i n g H a m i d K a r z a i , top commander in the country, US A f g h a n i s t a n ' s p r e s i d e n t , t o General John Allen, moved demand foreign soldiers confine quickly to condemn the pictures themselves to major bases. even before they were published Such incidents have complicated o n W e d n e s d a y b y t h e L o s US efforts to negotiate a strategic Angeles Times, which received partnership agreement to define the photos from another soldier. its presence once most foreign "The actions of the individuals combat troops pull out by the end photographed do not represent the of 2014. policies of International Security Taliban fighters launched suicide Assistance Force or the US attacks in Kabul and three other Army," Allen said in a statement, p r o v i n c e s a t t h e w e e k e n d , adding that an investigation into claiming the assault was launched the incident was under way. in retaliation for all three The appearance on the Los i n c i d e n t s . Angeles Times website of some 'Zombie Hunter' of the 18 pictures, taken in 2010, In one of the pictures, a comes at a sensitive time in US- paratrooper posed next to an Afghan relations, following unofficial patch placed beside a release of a video in January that body that read "Zombie Hunter", s h o w e d f o u r U S M a r i n e s while in another soldiers posed urinating on Afghan insurgent with Afghan police holding the corpses. severed legs of a bomber. The burning of copies of the Two soldiers in another frame Quran, the Muslim holy book, at a held a dead fighter's hand with the
middle finger raised. The Los Angeles Times said the 82nd Airborne Division soldiers had been at a police station in Afghanistan's Zabol province in February 2010, and revisited several months later. The pictures were taken on both occasions. Al Jazeeras Alan Fisher reporting from Washington DC said the US military didnt want (the images) published. They asked the LA times to not put them into the public domain. Fisher added that the US soldier who leaked the images did so because they showed a breakdown in authority and discipline of soldiers serving in Afghanistan. The Los Angeles Times defended the distribution of the photos in an article accompanying the photos "After careful consideration, we decided that publishing a small but representative selection of the photos would fulfill our obligation to readers to report vigorously and impartially on all aspects of the American mission in Afghanistan," Davan Maharaj, the newspaper's editor, said. Leon Panetta, the US defence
secretary, said in a statement that publication of the pictures could prompt further attacks against security forces. "The danger is that this material could be used by the enemy to incite violence against US and Afghan service members in Afghanistan," Panetta was quoted as saying. "US forces in the country are taking security measures to guard against it." Ryan Crocker, the US ambassador to Afghanistan, also condemned the photographs, calling the actions of the soldiers "morally repugnant" and saying they "dishonour the sacrifices of hundreds of thousands of US soldiers and civilians who have served with distinction in Afghanistan". This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
"Mad Men" returned after its long hiatus Sunday, earning record ratings and a host of Midcentury Modern design fans newly obsessed with Don Draper's new Manhattan home. It's June 1966, and though Draper (played by Jon Hamm) might be a newlywed, he's traded in his dreary digs from last season for an Upper East Side spread complete with serious bachelor pad trappings. D o n D r a p e r ' s apartmentApartment 17-B, right, set decorator Claudette Didul said, is "in a high-rise that feels like it was built in 1960 with a white-carpeted sunken living room and a fascinating fireplace and a Case Study-style kitchen with two pass through windows."
52
TV/
Bethany McHugh: Television Versus the Computer

Bethany McHugh (TV on HuffingtonPost.com)
I went through the three most popular ways to watch television every other way than on your Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:59:31 AM television: iTunes, Netlfix, and Accessing television shows has HuluPlus. These three options never been easier, but this don't require you to have a certain b l e s s i n g h a s a l o t o f cable provider and/or Pay-Perconsequences. Now that TV- View service (like Comcast/ watchers are no longer confined Xfinity or HBO/HBOgo). While to viewings during prime-time each have their pros and cons, no hours with the onslaught of DVR service truly does everything I'd and VoD -- not to mention the like it to do, and in order to fulfill hundreds of other new media all of my needs I'd need to use outlets -- the question isn't when two services. Maybe this will be are you going to watch your rectified with the upcoming favorite shows, but how? Amazon on-demand player, or I strongly believe that the best even the new AppleTV, but for dramas aren't appearing on the n o w , t h e f o l l o w i n g s h o u l d Big Four (ABC, NBC, CBS and temporarily satisfy all you bingeFox). They're on cable or Pay-Per- watchers. View stations. HBO, for example, iTunes is about to launch three new The gist: The idea that you can dramas already receiving a not only watch television on not monumental amount of buzz: your television, but on your Girls, Veep, and The Newsroom. various Apple products, changed A s a c o l l e g e s t u d e n t , i t ' s forever how television is viewed, impossible to watch any of these literally. Networks were skeptic without being able to watch it of this new scheme, and it took online. I began to ponder my quite a while to get many of them options, and was immediately on-board. NBC famously pulled overwhelmed. It's not just about its shows from the service, only to wanting to watch shows not offer them a few months later at a available on basic cable: how do I new price. Now, almost every watch even the most basic shows television show currently airing when I don't have a DVR? When I can be downloaded the following have an exam the next day? When morning to be viewed on any of I have work? How do I catch up? your account-approved devices,
which includes streaming to your television. But watching more than one show on iTunes is expensive: a season pass for any one show (especially if it's currently airing) is upwards of $35. Then again, that content is yours to keep forever, unlike HuluPlus or Netflix. Pros: Ability to own all of your own shows, and being able to watch it on multiple devices. Cons: Price -- watching more than one show becomes expensive. The bottom line: Apple will soon be announcing it's long awaited TV (not to be confused with the already-on-themarket iTV), which will definitely bring more options to the field. Hang around for that before spending your money here. Per month:$1.99 per episode SD/ $2.99 per episode HD. HuluPlus The gist: While anyone can make a normal Hulu account and see recent episodes -- which is an advantage -- most episodes aren't available past the four most recently aired. With possibly the largest backlog of old television series, the HuluPlus system is quite efficient: like Netflix and Xfinity, you can catch up on shows en masse, but you can also watch current episodes after they
air. What HuluPlus lacks is many cable shows, including those on AMC (due their contract with Netflix) or Pay-Per-View channels (like HBO and Showtime). HuluPlus also features a large backlog of films, but many are dated. Pros: Offers a wide variety of Big Four shows available to watch the next day, and is compatible with many devices including iPhone, iPad, and PS3. Cons: No Pay-Per-View shows. The bottom line: Being able to watch shows in bulk and essentially doubling as a DVR makes this a service worthy of consideration. Per month:$7.99/month Netflix The gist: Netflix started the idea of watching shows in excess -that is, watching seasons of a show all at once based on various reccomendations. This idea has become the mode of how people watch shows today. Netflix has a deal with AMC to exclusively stream shows like Mad Men and Breaking Bad. Furthermore, it will be premiering the longawaited return of Arrested Development. Depending on your plan, you can get movies delivered to your home as well. What it doesn't have are shows
available to watch next-day, and the instant-watch film service isn't that significant (though may change with their forthcoming deal with Miramax.) Pros: It's worth it just for the upcoming Arrested Development series. Cons: For a monthly service, it's the most expensive option out there, but the ability to rent movies is an addition that HuluPlus has yet to offer. The bottom line: There's certainly a lot to consider in terms of content, making this one of the best options out there. Per month: Starting at $7.99/ month; additional fees apply for other services. All things considered, I found that HuluPlus was the best option in terms of content being available when I immediately wanted it. Of course, my desire to watch anything on HBO, Showtime, or AMC goes unfulfilled, which reasserts the claim that two of these three are necessary to fulfill my needs. Television is about to be revolutionized, and the three services listed above are just a taste in what's to come.
TV/ Products/ Talk/
53
Tina Fey Picks Investigation Finds 15% 'Real Housewives' Of Funeral Homes Still Faves. Seriously. Misleading Consumers
Chris Harnick (TV on HuffingtonPost.com)
on." Fey calls the toaster oven chef a "pretty amazing character." Next on her list: Countess LuAnn Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:26:06 AM de Lesseps and Ramona Singer. Tina Fey is not one to mince What if she had to spend the words, especially when it comes entire afternoon with one of t o B r a v o ' s " T h e R e a l them? That honor goes to Housewives" franchise. The " 30 "Beverly Hills'" Lisa Vanderpump Rock" star and creator reveals her because "her home is big enough "Real Housewives" love is bi- that I could spend the afternoon coastal in a new NBC.com "Ask there and she wouldn't find me. Tina" video. Also, she seems pretty OK." "I like ' The Real Housewives of Camille Grammer also gets a New York' and a little bit of ' shout-out from the "30 Rock" star Beverly Hills,' although it got a for their shared friends. little too sad for me," Fey says in If"30 Rock" really is ending after the video below. Season 7, would you want to see I n t e r m s o f f a v o r i t e c a s t Fey on "Real Housewives of New members, Fey says "New York York"? City's" Sonja Morgan is her favorite to "watch on TV and goof
Chris Morran (The Consumerist)
TED: Taryn Simon: The stories behind the bloodlines - Taryn Simon (2011)
TEDTalks (TEDTalks (video))
Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:04:38 AM
Taryn Simon captures the essence of vast, generationspanning stories by photographing the descendants of people at the
center of the narrative. In this riveting talk she shows a stream of these stories from all over the world, investigating the nature of genealogy and the way our lives are shaped by the interplay of many different forces.
arrangements. They must also provide a list of casket prices before consumers view any Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:45:00 AM caskets. Funeral homes are Way back in 1984, the Federal p r o h i b i t e d f r o m r e q u i r i n g Trade Commission established the consumers to buy a casket or any Funeral Rule, which is actually a other product as a condition of list of requirements for funeral obtaining any other funeral good homes to make sure that grieving or service. consumers aren't hoodwinked into The funeral homes found to have paying too much for services or significant violations can enter the paying for unnecessary items. Funeral Rule Offenders Program Nearly 30 years on, an undercover (FROP), a training program investigation by the FTC found designed to increase compliance that a surprising number of with the Funeral Rule. If they do funeral homes are not abiding by not, they face an FTC lawsuit the Rule. with civil penalties of up to T h e i n v e s t i g a t o r s w e n t $16,000 per violation. Funeral undercover presumably not as homes that participate in FROP cadavers, though that would be make a "voluntary" payment to awesome to check out 102 the U.S. Treasury in place of a funeral homes in nine states. The civil penalty. study found 16 businesses with Here's how the violators broke "significant violations" of the down by state: Funeral Rule, with another 33 *In Northwest Indiana, one of 12 f u n e r a l h o m e s w i t h m i n o r funeral homes inspected had violations. significant violations; Among other items, the Funeral *In Maui, Hawaii, none of the Rule requires funeral homes to four funeral homes inspected had provide consumers with an significant violations; itemized price list at the start of an *In the New York City area, as in-person discussion of funeral well as parts of Connecticut and
New Jersey, one of 22 funeral homes inspected had significant violations; *In Cleveland, Ohio, four of 16 funeral homes inspected had significant violations; *In Columbia, South Carolina, five significant violations were found in 10 funeral homes inspected; *In Austin, Texas, four of 19 funeral homes inspected had significant violations; and *In Richmond and Fredericksburg, Virginia, eight of 19 funeral homes inspected had significant violations. The 33 funeral homes with minor violations will be required to provide evidence that they are now in compliance. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
54
Products/
Consumer Reports Finds High Prices & Shoddy Repairs among Car Owners Biggest Repair-Shop Gripes
Press Room (Consumer Reports)
for the first time, Consumer Reports also re-contacted 5,400 of the respondents and asked about Submitted at 4/18/2012 2:59:59 AM their specific repair gripes. Of that Consumer Reports Finds High group, about three-quarters were Prices & Shoddy Repairs among either completely or very satisfied Car Owners Biggest Repair-Shop with their repair shop. But of the Gripes 27 percent who werent, 38 Thirty-percent of women that percent cited high prices as a fired a mechanic felt they were reason. This is a more common treated differently than men complaint for dealerships (42 YONKERS, NY Prices that percent) than for independent are too high and the inability to shops (32 percent). perform repairs properly are the The second most-common main reasons that car owners complaint among the re-contacted become dissatisfied with auto r e s p o n d e n t s i s e v e n m o r e repair shops, according to a troubling: more than a quarter of Consumer Reports subscriber the unsatisfied group said their survey regarding their experience cars problem wasnt fixed with car-repair service shops. properly, this gripe was reported Every year, the Consumer at the same rate at dealers and Reports Annual Auto Survey asks independent shops. car owners how satisfied they Other gripes: Twenty-one percent were with auto repairs performed of the re-contacted subscribers by dealerships and independent said it took longer than expected shops in the previous 12 months. to complete the work, and 18 This year, the findings on repair percent said they had to bring the service are based on more than car back because the repair did 67,000 reports on service visits to not hold up. Again, dealers and independent mechanics and independents shared the blame for 101,000 service visits to new car these complaints almost evenly. dealerships by CR subscribers. There was a slight difference As in past years, most car owners between the two types of repair prefer taking their vehicles to shops among owners who felt the independent shops rather than staff had treated them poorly, with dealerships for repair work. But 8 percent citing dealerships and
four percent citing independents. For more information regarding Consumer Reports survey on car repair shops visit www.ConsumerReports.org Sometimes, this dissatisfaction prompted owners to switch shops. Of the re-contacted subscribers, almost a quarter revealed that in the past five years theyd had a vehicle repaired at a shop they no longer use because of problems with their service experience. Almost half of that group cited that negative experience was at a dealership, a third saying it was an independent shop, and a fifth citing a franchise chain similar to Midas or Sears. One other red flag for repair shops: A sizeable 30 percent of female respondents who stopped using a shop said they felt the staff tried to take advantage of them because of their gender. The top reasons for switching shops: Half of the group said the shop didnt fix the problem properly. About a third said the price was too high. Almost a quarter reported they had to bring the car back or that the shop sold them unnecessary parts or service. And one fifth said the staff treated them poorly, the shop took longer than expected to complete the
work, or the price was more than originally estimated. Tips for getting a repair performed properly: Describe the problem fully. Give the shop as much information as possible. Write down the symptoms and when they occur. If possible, talk directly to the mechanic who will be working on your car. Dont offer a diagnosis. Avoid saying what you think is causing the problem. You may be on the hook for any repairs the shop makes at your suggestion, even if they dont solve the problem. Request a test drive. If the problem occurs only when the car is moving, ask the mechanic to accompany you on a test drive. Ask for an estimate. And have them contact you for approval if the repair will cost more than the estimate. Ask for evidence. If youre not comfortable with the diagnosis, ask the shop to show you the problem parts. Worn brake pads or rusted exhaust pipes are easy to see. Dont let the mechanic refuse your request by saying that his insurance company doesnt allow customers into the work area. ConsumerReports.org/carrepair
offers car repair information service that can help drivers understand common problems, learn how components work, and receive a service estimate that reflects local prices. This special section includes a Car Repair Estimator and a Car Repair Encyclopedia, which can answer many common questions. Consumer Reports is the worlds largest independent producttesting organization. Using its more than 50 labs, auto test center, and survey research center, the nonprofit rates thousands of products and services annually. Founded in 1936, Consumer Reports has over 8 million subscribers to its magazine, website and other publications. Its advocacy division, Consumers Union, works for health reform, food and product safety, financial reform, and other consumer issues in Washington, D.C., the states, and in the marketplace. Subscribe now! S u b s c r i b e t o ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
Products/
55
Rural Wisconsinites Plagued By Naked People Having Sex In The Woods
Woot Changes T-Shirt Sizing Without Warning, Is Still Totally Awesome

Laura Northrup (The Consumerist)
Stormtrooper Casual Friday shirt I ordered it in Woman's M. Well, I was quite surprised when I got the Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:30:00 AM shirt, it was huge. At first I Mary Beth Quirk (The r e s i d e n t s s a y t h e o u t d o o r district attorneys in that area don't Consumerist) intercourse is turning into a prosecute until someone causes a Wendy is a fan of deal-a-day site thought I ordered a men's. No, the Woot's shirt-a-day site, and owns new medium is actually bigger problem. In response, the agency disturbance. Submitted at 4/18/2012 12:00:00 PM says it's going to close the woods It seems the DNR isn't having quite a few of their shirts. She than the old X-large. Naked people on a beach is just around the beach to try to much luck discouraging those wrote in with two purposes: first, I sent an email to customer f i n e a n d d a n d y w i t h r u r a l discourage the sexing. having sex in the woods and to warn other people who love the support and asked if this one time Wisconsinites up near the 1,400- "They were having sex right on bushes, however, thus leading to company's shirts that the sizing they can let me make an exchange person town of Mazomanie. But the islands, the sandbars when the the closure of 70 acres around the has changed, and also to praise for a new Women's S; since they when those barenaked ladies and river was lower," said one local, beach. It only takes a few naughty the site for sending her out a shirt never sent out an announcement about the size difference I feel it's men start going off into the woods who owns property directly across apples to ruin the whole barrel for in the correct size with no fuss. There have been some articles warranted. to perform the horizontal tango, or the river from the beach. "People everyone, after all. even worse, go at it on the can't understand something like Wisconsin Cracks Down on Sex, recently both good and bad about I got an email back from [T] in sandbars in the middle of the that is going on. That's a nice Drugs at Nude Beach[New York woot.com. I've been a fan for customer service and not only are quite a while and now even my they sending me the correct size river? Unacceptable. section of the river. I don't know Times] The Associated Press (via what fun they get out of that." This entry passed through the parents check it everyday. I but told me to keep the other shirt NYT.com) says a particular Well, we can imagine a few ways Full-Text RSS service if this is especially love their shirts. I think as long as I find it a good home. stretch of soft, sandy shoreline on they're getting fun out of that, but your content and you're reading it I have close to 15. Recently their Thanks for keeping a long time the Wisconsin River has been a that's not the point. Nudists felt on someone else's site, please read prices went up to $12 from $10, customer happy. popular spot for nudist around welcome at that beach since 1949, the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content- but hey that's still a great value. This entry passed through the America for decades. because of the liberalness of only/faq.php#publishers. Five Well during this price change they Full-Text RSS service if this is B u t n o w t h a t W i s c o n s i n prosecutors in Dane County who Filters recommends: Donate to also changed who they got their your content and you're reading it shirts from, previously it was on someone else's site, please read Department of Natural Resources didn't care if people stripped to Wikileaks. from from American Apparel. I the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentwarden reports are sounding like sunbathe. It's a misdemeanor to used to be a woman's XL. I lost only/faq.php#publishers. Five letters to Penthouse Forum, expose your nether bits, but most some weight and started ordering Filters recommends: Donate to Women's L then down to M. Wikileaks. So, when they had a great
56
Products/ Food/ News Photos
Or Perhaps Behind Them Bushes: Woot Weads The Wire

(Woot! - One Day, One Deal)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:00:00 AM
clearing the way for campaign ads, Cookie Monster and classical music to share space. Every week in this space, well Sources say it was the only way take a look at the news and offer politicians would willingly give our own incisive blend of money to public broadcasting. commentary, analysis, and poop SANFORD, Fla. ( UPI) -- The jokes. The news you need, from a judge in the case of a voice you can trust, in the 90 neighborhood watchman who seconds you have to spare: thats killed unarmed Florida teenager Woot Weads the Wire. Trayvon Martin said Friday her WASHINGTON ( UPI) -husband will be a CNN analyst President Obama will pay more in for the case. taxes to the U.S. government if And in a related story, there are his tax plans take effect, a only six people left in the world spokesman said Friday as the so nobody else can possibly be Obamas released their returns. telephone conversation between structure's labyrinthine halls using asked to do either of these jobs. Faced with a decision between two British intelligence officials a N i n t e n d o g a m e c o n s o l e , Explosion from Frostnova and agreeing with the President or and posted it on YouTube. Direction to the Mona Lisa from officials said. helping the President get richer, Preliminary reports are that the Tragically, at the end of each Roger Wo are used under a Congressional Republicans began conversation took place at the floor, the Mona Lisa will turn out Creative Commons License exploding en masse. drive-in, in the old man's Ford. to be in another gallery. LONDON ( UPI) -- A hacking PARIS ( UPI) -- Visitors to SAN FRANCISCO ( UPI) -- A group using the name Team France's Louvre museum will U.S. appeals court tossed a ban on P o i s o n s a y s i t r e c o r d e d a soon be able to navigate the political ads on public airwaves,
Panetta apologizes for photos purporting to show US troops with bodies of ... Washington Post
(news photos - Google News)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 12:04:07 PM
Panetta apologizes for photos purporting to show US troops with bodies of... Washington Post BRUSSELS Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is apologizing for newly published photos depicting American soldiers posing with body parts of Afghans militants. At a news conference after a meeting of NATO foreign and defense ministers in Brussels,... and more
Wacky Food Trends

Submitted at 4/18/2012 3:00:00 AM
Bacon milk shakes! Inhalable snacks! In the year of Cooking Light's 25th birthday, we look back at some weird, wacky, and occasionally alarming trends that have bubbled up in the stew pot of
the collective food consciousness. Fetch a cold glass of hemp milk, and settle down for a look back in bafflement. We'll start in 1987. 1987 | The frank gets longer Portion growth in 2012 is old news: In 1987, the 6.5-ounce bottle of cola is already a relic, having been replaced by 10-ounce
cans and 12-ounce bottles. Bagels have ballooned from 3- to 5- or 6inch rounds. Why not weenies? American hot dogs had been about 4.8 inches long since the late 1800s, nestled in buns that were longer than the sausage. Now Oscar Mayer introduces the bun-length hot dog. The new,
adjusted tube steaks are 6 inches, with 2g more sat fat (a 40% increase) and 40 more calories (a 30% increase). Next 1987 | Hey, baby, want some beet sugar? This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read
Products/ Gaming/ News Photos
57
Video - 2013 Subaru BRZ hangs the tail out at our test track
Consumer Reports News (Consumer Reports)
the stability control system can be turned off, enabling tail-out, oversteer hijinks, as demonstrated Submitted at 4/18/2012 9:44:59 AM in the drift-filled video. Video - 2013 Subaru BRZ hangs Based on our initial experience the tail out at our test track on our track, the BRZ rates off the Breaking from its all-wheelchart on the fun scale, but we will drive, brand-defining tradition, soon purchase our own, run it Subaru has introduced a new, rear through a full battery of more than -drive sports coupe co-developed destination), the BRZ comes with 50 tests, and determine how it with Toyota: the BRZ. We a six-speed manual transmission. performs in the real world. recently borrowed one to get our An automatic is also available. Subscribe now! first impressions at our test track, Standard equipment includes S u b s c r i b e t o and as you can see in the video n a v i g a t i o n s y s t e m , H I D ConsumerReports.org for expert below, our auto engineers came h e a d l i g h t s , a n d B l u e t o o t h Ratings, buying advice and JC Fletcher (Joystiq) away smiling. r e l i a b i l i t y o n h u n d r e d s o f Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:30:00 AM connectivity. Power comes from a 2.0-liter Bred for enthusiasts, the BRZ products. Update your feed boxer (aka flat) four-cylinder does, indeed, have room inside for preferences A leaked advertisement (!) from e n g i n e , p r o d u c i n g 2 0 0 the driver to wear a helmetoften the latest issue of Famitsu reveals horsepower. With a price starting required for autocross and other a new action game coming to a t $ 2 5 , 5 0 0 ( p l u s $ 7 7 0 motorsports events. In addition, Vita. Called Soul Sacrifice, the game is described as "the action game that shakes your soul." The ad features fantasy-style concept art of four characters battling a three-headed monster. Andriasang identifies descriptions of "evolved combat" and "magicians" in the (news photos - Google News) General Anders Fogh Rasmussen text. is condemning published photos Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:38:23 AM More details about the game will that purport to show US troops NATO chief condemns photos of posing with the bodies of Afghan US troops apparently posing with militants. He says he hopes it is an militant... isolated case, and he promised a Washington Post thorough investigation. BRUSSELS NATO Secretary- and more
Vita action game 'Soul Sacrifice' revealed in Famitsu ad

be revealed, we're sure, when the magazine containing the ad is actually released; following that, Sony will hold an event for the game in Tokyo on May 10. We'll find out then if Soul Sacrifice is as Monster Hunter-y as we're guessing it is. Vita action game 'Soul Sacrifice' revealed in Famitsu ad originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink| Email this| Comments
NATO chief condemns photos of US troops apparently posing with militant ... - Washington Post
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Sports/ Daily World/
Broad Street Bully: Frenzied Flyers fans 1 John want to see Penguins' Crosby stilled and 4:18 (0418-12) mashed - Philadelphia Daily News
(Verse of the Day) (- Bing News)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:07:41 AM
IF YOU'RE not from Philly and you wander into Wednesday night's Flyers playoff game, you'll hear the high-pitched chants of little children blending with the roars of their proud parents, and you'll assume that the Pittsburgh Penguins have a star player named "Crosby Sucks." On Sunday, as the Flyers clobbered the Penguins, 8-4, to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven first-round playoff, Crosby Sucks repeatedly started fights, knowing that his teammates would finish them to preserve his concussion-prone head. This inspired Chris "Bundy" Therien, former Flyers defenseman and longtime broadcaster, to tell SportsRadio 94 WIP, "Punch him in the face as hard as you can . . . drop a bomb right at his beak, and you let him know, 'I don't care about your head, kid, if you're going to pull this stuff in our house.'"
Two days later, Therien told Broad Street Bully that what he said in the heat of the moment still holds true - Crosby kept provoking fights, then chickening out and letting his teammates rescue him and take the penalties. "If he's going to do that, and he's coming off a concussion, he knows he's putting his head in danger," Therien said. "So why does he deserve special treatment? You're open game as far as I'm concerned, especially if you started the whole thing." Season-ticket-holder Mike Greenspun agreed, saying, "Next time someone on the Penguins takes a run at Danny Briere or Claude Giroux, the Flyers shouldn't go after the perpetrator. They should go after Crosby." THE CROSBY FLOP: As Crosby-hatred built to a fever pitch before Sunday's game, Justin Sierocinski, 14, of Newark, Del., sweated inside his chicken suit and Crosby jersey, repeatedly throwing himself down on the hot Wells Fargo Center parking lot, mocking Crosby's fake flops to
persuade refs to call penalties. Flyers fans loved it. NECK JERKY: Flyers die-hard Greg Melasecca, of Wilmington, said, "Crybaby Crosby has his teammates doing what I call 'The Neck Jerky' - flicking their heads back like they've just been beaten to death, so the Flyers will get a penalty. "The other night, [Penguins defenseman Kris] Letang flicked his head like he'd just been in a five-car accident. That's what Crybaby Crosby taught him." Melasecca was surprised that Crosby had supplemented his usual boohooing to refs by taking cheap shots at the Flyers in Game 3. "He was pretty much out of control," Melasecca said. "I don't think it was frustration. I think he really hates us. I can understand that because I hate him, too." LI'L WEASEL: Dave Leonardi, the Flyers' famous "Sign Man," said: "Sidney Crosby has great skills but he's just a whining little weasel, crying to the refs, 'Oh, somebody hit me with a stick.
Somebody sneezed on me.' " Leonardi, who holds up signs behind the goal, said that he doesn't usually create placards for individual players but might make an exception for Crosby. "Even if I do nothing for him, there'll be 'Sid the Squid' signs and a thousand more at the game," he said. "Did suspended New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams give the Penguins their pregame pep talk on Sunday? Something about bounties on the Flyers? I don't know how else to explain what got into Crybaby Crosby's head." Contact Broad Street Bully at 215 - 8 5 4 - 5 9 6 1 o r bully@phillynews.com, or follow on Twitter @DanGeringer. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Submitted at 4/18/2012 2:00:00 AM
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18(NIV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Do you remember what Jesus said when he came walking on the water to his disciples during the storm? He literally told them, "Do not fear, I Am." In the presence of the holy and awesome Son of God, we don't have to be afraid. God's grace to us in Jesus takes away our need for fear because Jesus' sacrifice makes us holy, without fault, and free from any charge against us (Colossians 1:21-22). Our response? Love! We love our Father for who he is, for what he has done, for his great sacrifice for us, and most of all, for making us holy and taking away our fear. My Prayer... Dear Father in heaven, you are holy, awesome, and glorious. These are things I could never be without your grace, yet you have chosen to give me these blessings through the sacrifice of your Son Jesus. Thank you. I love you. In Jesus' name I praise you. Amen.
Gaming/ Daily World/
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Why Xenoblade Chronicles represents the past, present, and future of Japanese gaming
Kat Bailey (Joystiq)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 12:45:00 PM
Man charged with murder over BlackBerry party death

(Evening Standard - News)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:23:16 AM
This is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG subgenre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer. If you want to know where Xenoblade Chronicles came from, you need only look toward two sources. There's Monster Hunter, which is the inspiration for seemingly every modern JRPG from Dragon Quest IX to more blatant knockoffs like God Eater. And there are MMORPGs, which have come to exercise a great deal of influence over Japanese gaming culture as a whole. Xenoblade Chronicles, and Monster Hunter too, are like this for a reason. Work and school start early and end late in Japan, and any time at home is usually either devoted to the family, or
sleeping. Many gamers have migrated to manga cafes, which have been dominated by MMORPGs like Lineage for about a decade now. MMOs have in turn influenced loot-centric cooperative handheld games like Monster Hunter, which serve as the other alternative for busy students and salarymen. This trend presents a dilemma for Japanese developers. Japan simply can't get enough Monster
Hunter and its ilk, which is all the more reason for developers to keep cranking them out. Global audiences, however, have been slow to embrace co-op RPGs. That's where Xenoblade Chronicles comes in - an RPG with all the trappings of an MMO or a Monster Hunter, but wrapped in a traditional, single-player JRPG. Gallery: Xenoblade Chronicles Continue reading Why
Xenoblade Chronicles represents the past, present, and future of Japanese gaming Why Xenoblade Chronicles represents the past, present, and future of Japanese gaming originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink| Email this| Comments
Brit Award-winner Jessie J performed at the function hosted by smartphone company BlackBerry at Pulse nightclub in Southwark before Phillip Sherriff was fatally wounded. The married 37-year-old telecommunications professional, who was employed by the technology firm Research in Motion, died in hospital on April 8 after a four-day battle to save his life. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said company director Ashley Charles, 25, has been charged with murder. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
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Gaming/ Science/ Featured/
Diablo 3 beta servers down after accidental 'Starter Edition' release

JC Fletcher (Joystiq)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 12:15:00 PM
The Diablo 3 beta servers have been temporarily taken offline, after users discovered a glitch allowing free access to anyone with a Battle.net account. Community manager "Nethaera" said an update on the outages will be issued at approximately 11am PDT (2pm EDT). The beta is currently "unavailable until further notice." Ars Technica reports that starting around 6am EDT, a glitch
inadvertently allowed free access to something called the "Starter Edition" of Diablo 3 to anyone with a Battle.net account, whether or not they had access to the
Diablo 3 beta. Here's where it gets really interesting, as if free Diablo 3 weren't already interesting. The previously unannounced "Starter
Edition" that was distributed in this manner had all the features of the beta, Ars reports, but occasionally asked players to buy the complete game. In other words, it was a free-to-play version of Diablo 3, or a featurerich demo. Those are kind of the same thing. Diablo 3 beta servers down after accidental 'Starter Edition' release originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink| Email this| Comments
Rebooting the Internet dev process

(Dave Winer's "Scripting News" weblog)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 7:33:27 AM
I was lucky in the beginning of my life as a computer scientist to be at a school, the University of Wisconsin, that was building on the beginnings of the Internet. We had PDP-11 and VAX computers running Unix. We had the source code to the operating system, and access to the people creating the REBOOTING page 61
The Louvre Replaces Old Boring Audio Tours With Nintendo 3DSes
Dan Nosowitz (Popular Science - New Technology, Science News, The Future Now)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:09:47 AM
Nintendo 3DS at the Louvre Nintendo The Louvre Museum in Paris overhauled their digital tour guide system last week, replacing it with, surprisingly, a stock of Nintendo 3DS consoles. Now you can browse the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa in...3-D! Or in real life, I guess, since you're already in the museum. (The
resolution's better in real life.) The 3DS actually is a pretty decent device for getting around a huge museum--it has two screens, one of which is a resistive touchscreen and the other is a 3-D screen. You can have a map on one screen and audio tour options on the other, or a map and a list of the museum's most popular exhibits. Plus the 3DS has a locator--GPS can be tricky indoors, but the Louvre has a system of beacons placed around the museum for precise location,
a bench and play a few rounds of Mario Kart 7 (not included at the museum, probably). The 3DS costs $6.50 to rent--for a few hours, anyway, until the battery craps out. Maybe in a few years we'll be able to replace them with Google Glasses? [ LA Times] so you can always tell where you are and where you want to go. I can't imagine the 3-D is all that useful--the demo video below shows a lot of flashy 3-D views of the exhibits in the museum, which doesn't make a ton of sense to me-but the two screens would actually work well in practice. Or, if you get bored, you can find
Technology/
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REBOOTING
software. It was where I learned about interacting with people through computers, a concept that has given me a lifetime of great stuff to work on. But more important, it taught me the power of the open development process. One where ideas and source code are shared, and where you hoped and expected to get back more than you put into it. Those were the days! I left the university to become a commercial developer, even though at the time such a thing did not exist. In 1979, I left Madison to come to Silicon Valley, where I networked through Apple, where I met Steve Jobs and was told my idea was shit, to Personal Software, where believe it or not there were a handful of people who, like I, believed that you could make software that was used by ordinary people. We left the Internet development process behind, but it always formed my ideal for working on technology, even though most of my peers didn't understand. Their careers weren't launched the way mine was, with a clear idea of what could be accomplished by working together.
When I went to Harvard in 2003, I hoped to reboot the Internet development process, though I wouldn't have put it in those terms at the time. We had a lot of success. Harvard was the first American university to have a blogging server, and it was used, fairly widely, if not deeply by faculty and students, and members of the community. Anyone with a harvard.edu mail address could have a blog, though we stretched the rules, liberally, with the approval of management, for people who had an interesting idea of how to use it. This was before free blog hosting was stable, so it made a big difference. We also had a series of blogging conferences, and we booted up podcasting. These were efforts among users of technology, which is very very important. Without users we are nothing. There's no point creating great technology if people don't use it. Now I want to do it in a different way. My goal is to create new life for the process that yielded the great stuff we think of as the Internet. Only not the same stuff, new stuff. New uses for computers, and not the obvious ones. I want to do that in
universities across the world. Unlike some in tech, I don't feel that universities have outlived their usefulness. Quite the opposite. When the current bubble bursts and we've left our young people without hope, as that is sure to happen, imho, I think we'll be glad to be able to go back to the beginning and reconceive our approach to technology. And at that point, we'll be glad to have a structure to organize around. That's what I want to work on, while everyone is busy with the euphoria of the bubble. PS: I wrote this story in response to a request from my alma mater that I explain the value that Madison has for me. It's pretty simple. It turned my life in a great, productive and happy direction. That's a lot to ask of a school. But it delivered. I'm sure they didn't know they were doing it, but that's fine. It's not their job to know, just to create an environment where these kinds of things can happen.
Whiteman Technology unveils Delta DVR for hopeful HD lovers

Daniel Cooper (Engadget)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 12:46:00 PM
node pulling stored photos, music and movies from your home network over 802.11n WiFi. It'll Do you fancy a HTPC gussied-up be unveiled tomorrow at the as a DVR? Well, you're in luck, DEMO trade-show and we've because Ryan Whiteman's just pinged the company to find out b u i l t o n e : t h e D e l t a D V R . when we can expect news on a Powered by an AMD system-on- release date or price. chip, it runs Windows and Media Continue reading Whiteman Center for embedded devices, Technology unveils Delta DVR recording up to six HD channels for hopeful HD lovers at once on its 3TB HDD. It can Whiteman Technology unveils also stream PC game titles from Delta DVR for hopeful HD lovers the Happy Cloud and run Android originally appeared on Engadget apps, controllable with any on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:46:00 gamepad that'll plug into one of EDT. Please see our terms for use the four front-mounted USB of feeds. Permalink| | Email this| ports. It'll also act as a DLNA Comments
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Science/ News Photos
Terahertz-Band Cell Phones Could See Through Walls

Rebecca Boyle (Popular Science - New Technology, Science News, The Future Now)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:09:06 AM
Seeing Through Walls Ruthanne Reid via Flickr Terahertz scanners could potentially see through walls, inside pockets and into wallets, but they're either large and expensive, or contain highpowered nanolasers that limit their use. Now a Texas team has a new approach that could use everyday mobile phones, making terahertz-band scanners simple and ubiquitous. Electromagnetic waves in the terahertz range can penetrate where optical light can't, and they can sense any molecule, so they are useful for security scanners, medical devices and various other applications. Their energies fall between microwaves and infrared light. But terahertz imaging devices require tons of energy and multiple lenses to focus light, so they are prohibitively large. Kenneth O, professor of electrical
engineering at the University of Texas at Dallas, is developing new versions that would not require multiple lenses. The key breakthrough was a new fabrication process using familiar complementary metal-oxide semiconductors, the CMOS chips that power most consumer devices. O and his team found they could build a specific type of
Researchers at University College London are among other teams working on these new smaller-scale THz devices. Earlier this year, they reported a new design that creates T-rays at low temperatures by mixing and amplifying different wavelengths of light. That system could be integrated into portable scanners, but it requires a different manufacturing process. "The combination of CMOS and terahertz means you could put this chip and receiver on the back of a cellphone, turning it into a device carried in your pocket that can see through objects," O said in a statement. He and his team plan to limit its range to less than four h i g h - s p e e d d i o d e , c a l l e d a inches, though, so your next Schottky diode, in CMOS. These Android device unfortunately high-speed light devices can reach won't be a Superman phone. Still, the THz range using standard this development means handheld CMOS manufacturing processes, THz scanners may not be far off which means they'd be fairly at all. simple to integrate into existing devices - without major impacts on cost or size. O presented his work at an IEEE conference this spring.
Photos: Alhambra looks to close its last recycling center Pasadena StarNews
(news photos - Google News)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:25:37 AM
Photos: Alhambra looks to close its last recycling center Pasadena Star-News (SGVN/Staff Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz) Joseph Figueroa, 65, center, of Alhambra, brings in his daily load of recycling to Unlimited Recycling in Alhambra, Thursday April 12, 2012 as Timothy Longcor, of the recycling center, helps him sort. and more
Science/ Health/
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Gray Matter: Want a Chemical Reaction Without Heat? Add a Catalyst

Theodore Gray (Popular Science - New Technology, Science News, The Future Now)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 9:13:11 AM
Butterfly Effect Copper facilitates a reaction between oxygen and acetone, causing an earring to continuously glow redhot even without an external heat source. How does this copper earring glow without any flame or current? The copper earring you see here had already been glowing bright orange for half an hour when we took the photograph. There is no flame under it, no electric current through it. Underneath is a pool of volatile and highly flammable acetone, but the liquid is not on fire. So where is the heat coming from? Acetone vapor and oxygen from the air are combining and releasing heat on the surface of the copper, at a much lower temperature than acetone normally burns (but still hot enough to make the earring glow).
The copper provides a sort of backdoor that overcomes the resistance (called the activation energy) that normally prevents acetone from reacting, except at higher temperatures. Copper enables the reaction, but it is not consumed by it. (The earring can keep doing this indefinitely without being used
up.) That property defines what it means to be a catalyst. The most familiar examples of catalysts are the catalytic converters in cars, which finish the incomplete combustion of gasoline using platinum or palladium. Catalysts are important long before the gas makes it to the car, too. Platinum and rhenium
are used to "reform" crude oil: to rearrange hydrocarbons into the specific molecules that make up gasoline. Catalysts greatly reduce the energy, time and complexity of equipment required to do the reforming, and thus make the process far more efficient. In this sense, catalysis can be very green, which seems ironic when describing anything about the petroleum industry. In fact, catalysts can reduce energy use in a wide range of other large-scale chemical manufacturing processes as well. I like the commonly used slogan "a catalyst for change" because it's a rare example of a phrase that is scientifically perfect. It describes an organization that makes things happen while continuing unchanged in its mission. That, in simple terms, is exactly what catalysts do.
Unusual Alliances Form In Nebraska's Prenatal Care Debate

(Shots - Health Blog)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 2:03:00 AM
[3 min 31 sec] Download Nati Harnik/ AP Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman vetoed a bill that would spend government funds on prenatal care to illegal immigrants. He has that service for illegal immigrants should be provided by churches and private organizations, not with taxpayer money. In Republican-dominated Nebraska, government leaders often line up together, but lately a political tornado has ripped through this orderly scene. A political showdown over taxpayer funding of prenatal care for illegal immigrants has produced some unusual political splits and alliances in the statehouse of the Cornhusker State. UNUSUAL page 64
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UNUSUAL
"I am extraordinarily disappointed in your support of taxpayerfunded benefits for illegal aliens," said Republican Gov. Dave Heineman as he read a letter he wrote to fellow Republican Mike Flood, speaker of Nebraska's officially nonpartisan Legislature. Heineman was referring to a bill he subsequently vetoed that would restore publicly funded prenatal care for women in the country illegally. Until two years ago, Nebraska was one of about 15 states providing that benefit. Nebraska dropped the coverage when the federal government said the state couldn't use Medicaid funds, though it offered to continue funding under another program. Heineman frames the issue as one of the benefits to illegal immigrants. Flood, a leading abortion opponent, says pregnant illegal immigrants will ultimately give birth to babies who will be U.S. citizens. He says providing them with prenatal care is consistent with his opposition to abortion. "If I'm going to stand up in the Legislature and protect babies at 20 weeks from abortion, and hordes of senators and citizens are going to stand behind me, and that's pro-life, then I'm going to be
pro-life when it's tough, too," Flood said. The issue has exposed a fault line between anti-illegal-immigrant sentiment and anti-abortion groups, but it's also brought together an unusual coalition. Among those supporting the bill is the politically influential Nebraska Right to Life organization. "We don't want to distinguish that because ... of a baby's circumstances or in whose womb that baby resides that dictates whether that baby receives care or not," said Julie Schmit-Albin, the group's executive director. Another supporter is the Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law in the Public Interest, which advocates for immigration reform and access to universal health care. Jennifer Carter, the center's public policy director, says the immigrants are our "neighbors" and should be helped. "They're in our communities and they're helping contribute to our communities," Carter said. "So we believe providing this kind of prenatal care coverage to their children is appropriate." Still, Heineman, backed by what Republican Party polls say is a clear majority of voters, remains
adamant in his opposition, though he calls himself strongly antiabortion. "Most Nebraskans and I agree, we support prenatal care, but in the case of illegal immigrants, it should be done by churches, private organizations, charities, private individuals not the use of taxpayer funds," he said. Supporters of the bill, on both sides of the abortion debate, cite their own polls in support and say the savings from avoiding intensive care for babies born without prenatal care would outweigh the costs of the program. With the governor turning up the political heat, the question now is whether enough legislators will vote to override the veto. That vote is scheduled for Wednesday. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content- Brian Heater (Engadget) only/faq.php#publishers. Five Submitted at 4/18/2012 12:34:00 PM Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks. It's never a great sign when the first thing you see upon entering a press conference is a giant CocaCola logo. iPad and web platform rumors aside, today's Spotify"special announcement" event was all about the soft drink side of things, marking a partnership between the music streaming service and Coke, which involves, at present, some Spotify / Coke apps. The first question from the audience, however, revolved around the
Spotify: the iPad app is 'in the works'

rumored tablet version of the service. Spotify founder Daniel Ek acknowledged that it is indeed "in the works," otherwise evading the question, insisting that the event was all about the Coke partnership, to the relief of the two beverage reps who joined him on stage. Spotify: the iPad app is 'in the works' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink| | Email this| Comments
Politics-Right/
65
Morning Bell: Obamas New Gas Price Scapegoat

Mike Brownfield (The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation)
even went so far as to invoke Enron.) That simply isnt the case, and even the president said that none of these steps by Submitted at 4/18/2012 7:59:25 AM High gas prices are not a themselves will bring gas prices presidents friend, especially in an down overnight a point that election year, so its not surprising White House spokesman Jay that President Barack Obama is Carney reiterated in a press trying his darndest to shift the conference later in the afternoon blame for record-high fuel prices when he admitted its hard to onto something other than his know what the impact of the failed energy policies. Yesterday presidents proposal would be. he made a desperate attempt to Heritages David Kreutzer distract from those failures and explains that the presidents the redirect Americas gas price rage speculators did it argument is with a flawed proposal to punish flawed on several levels. If speculators for supposedly driving s p e c u l a t o r s a r e m a k i n g up the cost of energy. unconscionable profits on energy, Speaking from the Rose Garden, why are they only doing it t h e p r e s i d e n t a n n o u n c e d a occasionally and not all the time? proposal to spend $52 million to Why are there only speculators in f u n d i n c r e a s e d g o v e r n m e n t oil, not natural gas (whose current oversight of oil futures market price is about half of what it trading in addition to harsher civil averaged over the last decade)? a n d c r i m i n a l p e n a l t i e s f o r And given how the petroleum manipulation in energy markets. market works for every We cant afford a situation speculator who makes money on a where some speculators can reap trade, somebody else will lose millions, while millions of money the presidents theory American families get the short requires an endless string of end of the stick, Obama said. chumps to take the other side of Thats not the way the market the speculators deals. Finally, should work. Kreutzer writes: The implication, of course, is that For speculation to drive up evil Wall Street barons are the prices, the speculators must either reason gas prices are so high, and cause oil production to slow down that theyre walking away with (which they havent) or to pull oil millions at the expense of the rest off the market. If the flow of of the country. (The president petroleum and its products
remains unchanged, the price at the pump will not change. If petroleum is pulled off the market, which can happen even though there are limits to what can be stored, it will eventually come back on the market. The question becomes, When the oil comes back on the market, is the price higher or lower than when it was pulled off the market? The price will only be higher if the amount supplied at that time is lower or the demand is higher. In either of those cases, speculators have helped moderate price fluctuations and will be rewarded with profits. If the price is lower, then the speculators did a bad thing and will be punished by losing money. In short, the presidents theory that devious energy speculators are at work driving up the price of oil just doesnt hold water. So whats the point of all this? Action for the sake of action, in order to provide a distraction from his failed energy policies. If the president truly wanted to lower gas prices, he would work to increase supply. But when given the opportunity, he just says no. He turned turned down the Keystone XL pipeline, which would bring up to 830,000 barrels of oil per day from Canada. His Administration has made it even harder for companies to explore
and extract domestic energy resources by canceling, delaying, or withdrawing a number of lease sales for exploration and development. Meanwhile, huge swaths of federal lands have been put off limits for energy exploration. The other energy policies he has pursued have either made energy prices higher or proven to be nothing more than abysmal wastes of taxpayer dollars. Take for example new EPA regulations that would effectively ban new coal power plants, thereby increasing the cost of your electricity, or new fuel efficiency standards for automobiles that could add $10,000 to the cost of a new car. Then theres Obamas green jobs stimulus, whose poster child of failure is none other than the bankrupt Solyndra solar company that took $540 million of taxpayer funds with it. In yesterdays press conference, Carney said, The president had made clear that there is no silver bullet, there is no pixie dust, there are no magic beans that will or a 3-point plan that will reduce the price of gas at the pump. The president is hoping, though, that blaming speculators is all the magic he needs to convince the American people that his energy policies are not a total failure.
Quick Hits: Its (not) happening again. For a third year in a row, Senate Democrats will not pass a fiscal 2013 budget. The Senate Democrats top budget writer, Kent Conrad, canceled this weeks expected vote on a budget, saying he cant get enough Democrats to back a plan, including Majority Leader Harry Reid who refuses to act. North Korea says it is no longer bound by an agreement with the United States not to test missiles and nuclear devices, prompting the International Atomic Energy Agency to say it is now unlikely to send a delegation to the country. Australia has announced that next year it will withdraw most of its 1,550 troops stationed in Afghanistan. The announcement comes a week after French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he would withdraw Frances troops next year, one year earlier than planned. Despite the U.N.-brokered ceasefire, Syrias military has expanded attacks on rebel-held neighborhoods. One activist reports that 38 people were killed and that the military is using helicopters to direct fire on unarmed civilians. MORNING page 68
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Politics-Right/
Top 10 Most Expensive Obamacare Taxes and Fees

Alyene Senger (The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation)
be partially paid for by tax increases and the creation of new taxes. When Obamacare first passed, the Joint Committee on Submitted at 4/18/2012 9:00:16 AM Yesterday was tax day, serving as Taxation estimated that its tax a special reminder of how big the hikes would total $502 billion federal government has become. over the next 10 years. But most As Heritage has warned before, of the new, higher taxes dont Obamacare is on track to makes kick in until later in the decade, things a lot worse. which means that once all of the The Presidents health law will law is fully implemented, the
taxpayers tab will be much bigger than originally estimated. A new study by the Joint Economic Committee(JEC) revealed today that Obamacare will impose higher taxes totaling $4 trillion between now and 2035, with substantial hits on working Americans. That works out to more than $1.7 trillion over a decademore than triple the
original 10-year score. Below is a list of 10 of Obamacares most costly taxes and fees, drawn from research by Heritage tax policy expert Curtis Dubay: 1. Hospital Insurance Tax. Beginning in 2013, Obamacare increases the Hospital Insurance (HI) portion of the payroll tax from 2.9 percent to 3.8 percent for
families earning more than $250,000 a year and for single filers earning more than $200,000 annually. The increased HI tax is also applied to investment income for the first time. The 3.8 percent surtax on investment income is the most economically damaging tax in Obamacare. And these tax TOP page 68
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Arizona v. United States: Showdown in the Supreme Court

Cully Stimson (The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:40:29 AM
For the second year in a row, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear an immigration case out of the State of Arizona. And for the second time is as many years, the Obama administration has sued the State of Arizona in the hopes of stopping its state law aimed at curbing the problem of illegal immigration. The Heritage Foundation will host a distinguished panel next Monday, April 23rd, to preview the arguments next week before the Supreme Court. To RSVP, click here. Recall that on May 26, 2011, the Court issued its 5-3 decision in Chamber of Commerce v. Whiting that upheld the Legal Arizona Workers Act of 2007, allowing the state to require employers to use the E-Verify system and revoke the business licenses of employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants. After that decision, we wrote that the impact of that common sense ruling was to give states a license to enforce immigration laws. The legal issue before the nations highest court next week is whether federal immigration law prevents Arizona from
engaging in cooperative law enforcement and impliedly preempts four provisions of S.B. 1070. That law allows an Arizona law enforcement officer
who stops someone based on reasonable suspicion that they committed a crimeif the officer develops independent reasonable suspicion that the person is an
illegal aliento question the and does not violate federal person about his nationality. immigration law according to the That common sense procedure is State of Arizona. Arizona claims necessary to fight the disruptive ARIZONA page 68 influx of illegal aliens in the state,
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increases wont remain just on families making more than $250,000 a year for long. As the JEC explains, this tax is not indexed to inflation: This means that in just 10 years from now, the so-called high-income thresholds will have effectively ratcheted down to $152,000 and $190,000 in todays dollars. This tax increase amounts to $210 billion between 2013 and 2019. 2. Mandate Penalties. In 2014, Obamacares individual and employer mandates go into effect, forcing individuals to purchase coverage and employers to offer coverage to their workers. The penalties paid in association with these mandates are an estimated $65 billion between 2014 and 2019. 3. Health Insurance Provider Fee. Starting in 2014, Obamacare imposes an annual fee on health insurance providers based on each companys share of the total market. This totals a $60 billion tax hike between 2014 and 2019. 4.Cadillac Tax. In 2018, Obamacare puts a new 40 percent excise tax on Cadillac health
plans, meaning plans that cost more than $10,200 for an individual and $27,500 for families. However, this tax is not indexed to medical inflation, causing it to eventually tax Honda plans at this rate as well. The JEC points out that [t]he bulk of revenues from the Cadillac tax would not be paid by platinum health insurance plans, but rather by employees who are forced to exchange taxfree health insurance benefits for taxable wages after employers reduce or eliminate health insurance. This tax amounts to $32 billion in higher taxes in the first two years of its implementation. 5. Prescription Drug Fees. Since 2011, Obamacare has put an annual fee on manufacturers and importers of branded drugs based on each individual companys share of the total market. Between 2011 and 2019, this will amount to a $27 billion tax increase. 6. Ethanol Tax. In 2010, Obamacare excluded ethanol from the existing cellulosic biofuel producer tax credit. This will hike
taxes $24 billion from 20102019. 7. Medical Device Tax. Beginning in 2013, Obamacare imposes a 2.3 percent excise tax on medical device manufacturers. This will raise taxes on patients needing medical devices, who will ultimately pay the tax through higher prices, by $20 billion from 2013 to 2019. 8. Business Regulation Costs. Beginning in 2012, Obamacare raises corporate taxes through stricter enforcement, because businesses will be required to report more information on their business activities. This will raise taxes $17 billion from 2012 to 2019. 9. Reducing Medical Deductions. In 2013, Obamacare raises the floor on itemized medical deductions from 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income to 10 percent, meaning Americans must spend 2.5 percent more of their income before they get a medical deduction, costing $15 billion from 2013 to 2019. 10. FSA Limits. Starting in 2014, Obamacare limits the amount of
pre-tax dollars that taxpayers can deposit in flexible savings accounts (FSAs) to $2,500 a year. This results in an extra $13 billion in taxes from 2014 to 2019. These are only 10 of Obamacares 18 tax increases. The economic damage from these tax hikes is one of many reasons Congress needs to repeal Obamacare and start from scratch to properly reform the health care system. To learn about all of Obamacares taxes, read Obamacare and New Taxes: Destroying Jobs and the Economy. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
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President Obama has a new role model for his Buffett Tax Henry Ford. Find out why its such an odd choice on The Foundry. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read
Mr. Clement explains the negative impact of the federal governments uneven enforcement of immigration laws on Arizona saying, Arizona shoulders a disproportionate burden of the national problem of illegal immigration. Those problems include increased crime by illegal aliens
and staggering financial costs in areas of crime control, medical expenses, and education. Arizona has spent hundreds of millions of taxpayer money to cover the cost of illegal immigration in its state along. As Arizonas brief before the Court states, The publicARIZONA page 69
that that provision of the law has been narrowly tailored to prevent racial profiling. Opponents of S.B. 1070, including illegal aliens rights groups and the Obama Justice Department, claim that the law is preempted by federal immigration law and thus is unconstitutional. There are similarities between the case last year and the one presently before the High Court. First, Supreme Court Associate Justice Elena Kagan recused herself in the Whiting case. As Obamas former Solicitor General, in charge of all matters before the Court, she decided not to take part in the case, hence the eight votes (5-3) instead of the typical nine voting members in a typical decision. She has recused herself in the S.B. 1070 for next week as well. Second, the Obama administration has joined forces once again with advocates for illegal aliens, including the ACLU, MALDEF, National Council of La Raza, and the American Bar Association (among others) in the case against Arizona. They lost last year, and may lose again, based in part on the reasoning set forth in the Whiting case. Former Solicitor General Paul Clement, who recently argued before the Supreme Court on behalf of 26 states in the Obamacare case, will represent the State of Arizona. In the first sentence of his brief to the Court, ARIZONA page 68
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safety and economic strains that this places on Arizona and its residents have created an emergency situation, which demanded a response. That response was S.B. 1070. How the Court will ultimately rule is anyones guess. But the Obama administration has an uphill battle because of the Courts ruling in Whiting. As we wrote last year, Whiting settles the broad question of whether immigration enforcement is exclusively assigned to the federal government: It is not. Federal immigration laws expressly contemplate and authorize cooperative law enforcement
efforts between federal and state officials. Despite wishful claims to the contrary, Whiting does have strong predictive value, and it will be powerful precedent in the forthcoming S.B. 1070 case. Given that the Arizona statute carefully tracks with existing federal laws, the Obama Justice Department will have to assert some flavor of implied preemption to support its claim of unconstitutionality. But as the Court said in Whiting, Implied preemption analysis does not justify a freewheeling judicial inquiry into whether a state statute is in tension with federal objectives; such an endeavor would undercut the principle that
it is Congress rather than the courts that preempts state law. Thus, the Court recognized its proper role in Whiting and its decision gives us a hopeful outlook for the fate of S.B. 1070. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is Samantha Murphy (Mashable!) your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:52:11 AM the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentSpotify CEO Daniel Ek only/faq.php#publishers. Five announced on Wednesday during Filters recommends: Donate to an Ad Age Digital conference in Wikileaks. New York City that it is partnering with companies such Coca-Cola and will build branded apps for them within the music platform. The music-streaming service held its own press event
Spotify Details Strategic Partnership with Coca-Cola
hours later to further discuss the partnership with Coca-Cola. SPOTIFY page 70
Facebook Tests Trending Articles Insert in the Newsfeed [SCREENSHOTS]

Lauren Indvik (Mashable!)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:37:13 AM
first 100-odd characters of each story, as well as the name of the friend(s) who have already read it. Facebook is testing a Trending The insert is prominent, to the A r t i c l e s p l a c e m e n t i n t h e point where it actually seems to Newsfeed, screenshots sent in by take over the Newsfeed. David multiple sources suggest. Holley, who sent over the Trending Articles displays a screenshot below, called it group of stories between three obnoxious as hell. He said he and six, from the screenshots was surprised to see it in his weve seen all pulled from the Newsfeed in the first place social reader apps of news because he doesnt use any of the articles highlighted in the section. organizations like The Guardian, social reader apps. Whats more, Screenshot courtesy of David The Washington Post and The those articles werent really Holley. Huffington Post. Users see a trending only one of his It may be only a test, but at this thumbnail, headline, source and friends had read each of the
point, the feature which already exists in different forms on Twitter and Google+ seems more annoying than helpful. Id
rather see a Trending Articles tab on the side of the page that allows me to tap into the stories of the moment. Im not interested in having what are essentially advertisements for social reader apps taking up valuable real estate in my Newsfeed. Facebook could not be reached for comment. Top screenshot taken by Mashables Stephanie Haberman. Front page thumbnail courtesy of iStockphoto,-OxfordMore About: Facebook, Media, News, trending
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We are taking the music agenda to the next level with Coca-Cola, Ek told attendees. This is a huge milestone for us. This will bring awareness to more people around the world about Spotify and enable them to share music with family and friends. Although some expected a Spotify iPad app launch at the press event, Ek said it wouldnt debut today. Its in the works, Ek said. Todays focus is on our partnership with Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola will not only use Spotify as the key underlying technology to support its music strategy, it will integrate the service into its Facebook presence and Timeline. The team will also be dedicated global partners in 2013 for a new campaign to be unveiled later in the year. Emmanuel Seuge, head of global sports and entertainment marketing at Coca-Cola, noted that the move is a strategic partnership more than an
advertising deal. This is not an advertising deal and we dont disclose the amount of investment anyway, Seuge said. This is more of a strategic partnership. Our logo is important, but we want to be a part of the conversation with music fans. We are going to push our content more than our logo. He also discussed how music has always been a part of the CocaCola brand. Partnership has always been a part of the way we run our business and its based on shared value, Seuge said. Music has always been a part of the way we engage consumers. In 1955, we commissioned Ray Charles to write our radio spot and we have always communicated with music. The partnership will focus on global expansion, technology, social and music. Through live events such as the upcoming Olympics to TV and digital media, Coca-Cola said it will be
working with Spotify to develop the music experience. Spotify is becoming our global music partner, from the Olympics to other campaigns, Seuge said. Whats important now is not just building awareness but being a part of the conversation. Spotify has pulled out the stops recently to grow its presence online. Last week, it made it easy for music fans and web editors to embed playlists, songs or albums to a website or blog for free. The Spotify Play Button was designed to give users a way to legally share music online. SEE ALSO: Facebook Adds Listen Button to Band, Artist Pages Spotify also recently announced plans to keep the service free in the U.S. indefinitely. The company initially granted U.S. consumers access to the platform with no restrictions for six months. For those who didnt sign up for a premium package ranging from $4.99 to $9.99 a
month the site would be limited to 10 free hours of streaming music each month. Its unknown how long the streaming service will remain free in the U.S. In 2011, Spotify expand introduced an application programming interface (API), so third-party developers can make Spotifys music library available to their own users for a fee. Spotify is currently available in 13 countries. More About: Music, spotify For more Entertainment coverage: Follow Mashable Entertainment on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Entertainment channel Download our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad
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Startups Meet Reality TV: Watch TechStars on Mashable

Adam Ostrow (Mashable!)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:21:59 AM
Getting into a top startup accelerator program can make the difference between a company making it big and being lost in the ether. Starting today, Mashable goes behind the scenes of that experience by bringing the Bloomberg television show TechStars to our community. TechStars has emerged as one of the most influential and wellfunded accelerators, with the 114 companies that have been through the program raising a collective $134 million and 8 of them being acquired. The organization now offers companies up to $100,000 in funding, after raising a $24 million round of funding last fall. The process of getting into TechStars which is statistically more challenging than getting into an Ivy League university and then going through the grueling 3-
month process of building your startup, was profiled by Bloomberg in a 6-episode documentary that recently aired on the cable network. Now, you can watch the TechStars show on Mashable. Weve made the entire series available on-demand, and chopped it up into short segments that are ideal for Internet viewing.
Over the course of the next couple of months, well also be sharing each episode as part of a Mashable post, giving our community a chance to discuss the themes of each show in our comments section. Watch the Full Season of TechStars on Mashable In the first episode, embedded below, TechStars executives
review the hundreds of pitches they received from startups that applied to the program, and then grill some of the finalists during in-person interviews. The episode also features soundbites from top investors Fred Wilson and Brad Feld, Foursquare founder Dennis Crowley and entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk. We hope you enjoy watching TechStars on Mashable, and invite you to view the full series at any time in our video section. More About: mashable video, techstars For more Business coverage: Follow Mashable Business on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Business channel Download our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad
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Human rights challenge blocks Abu Qatada deportation bid

(Evening Standard - News)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 9:25:30 AM
parties have three months in which to appeal to the court's Grand Chamber before the Qatada's legal team claims that d e c i s i o n b e c o m e s f i n a l . judges at the European Court of But the Home Office said Qatada Human Rights were wrong three ran out of time to appeal on months ago when they ruled that Monday night, just hours before he would not be at risk of torture he was arrested by UK Border if returned to Jordan, a court Agency (UKBA) officers, and his spokeswoman said. case should be dismissed. The court's Grand Chamber will A Home Office spokesman said: decide whether to hear his appeal, "Qatada has no right to refer the but the radical cleric, once case to the Grand Chamber of the described by a judge as Osama European Court of Human Rights, bin Laden's right hand man in since the three-month deadline to Europe, cannot be deported until do so lapsed at midnight on the court has reached a decision. Monday night. The move is separate from any "His case should be heard in appeal Qatada's legal team may British courts, as the Home make over yesterday's decision by Secretary outlined to Parliament Home Secretary Theresa May to yesterday. In the meantime, he continue with his deportation after remains in custody." receiving assurances from Jordan A court spokeswoman said the that evidence gained through Grand Chamber would now torture would not be used against "soon" decide whether to hear him. Qatada's appeal. Very few Grand Instead it relates to a different Chamber appeals are successful. strand of the original decision of The move comes as the 47 the Strasbourg-based court which member nations of the Council of found that the 51-year-old would E u r o p e p r e p a r e t o m e e t i n not face being tortured himself if Brighton tomorrow for talks deported. aimed at reforming the court and Under the rules of the court, all the types of cases it hears.
Qatada's legal team are challenging the Strasbourg-based court's decision, published on January 17, that he could be sent back to Jordan with diplomatic assurances that he would not be tortured. He is currently behind bars after a senior immigration judge ruled his imminent deportation meant the risk he could try to flee while on bail had increased. But his lawyers have said they will challenge all moves to deport him and Mrs May warned MPs yesterday that it may still be "many months" before Qatada can be lawfully kicked out. Qatada, who is said to have "wide and high-level support" among extremists, was convicted in his absence in Jordan of involvement with terror attacks in 1998 and now faces a retrial in his home country. He also featured in hate sermons found on videos in the flat of one of the September 11 bombers. Since 2001, when fears of the domestic terror threat rose in the aftermath of the attacks, he has challenged, and ultimately thwarted, every attempt by the
Government to detain and deport him. A Downing Street spokeswoman said: "As far as we are concerned, Qatada has no right to refer the case to the Grand Chamber, since the three-month deadline lapsed at midnight on Monday night. "The ruling was made on January 17 and therefore the deadline for referral was midnight on April 16. "He is in custody now. We are opposing the referral and we believe the case should be heard in British courts. "If his lawyers appeal for bail, we will oppose it vigorously." The spokeswoman was unable to say when the Grand Chamber's decision on whether it will hear the Qatada case will be made. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Where do the candidates stand on housing? What you need to know about their policies
Don Levett (Evening Standard News)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:21:56 AM
House building Boris Johnson plans to deliver around 55,000 affordable homes by 2015, whilst Ken Livingstone's manifesto claims that London needs 35,000 homes a year and commits to greater levels of home construction, stopping short of committing to a specific figure. Livingstone also undertakes to restore a 50 per cent affordable homes target for these new properties. Brian Paddick does have a specific construction figure in mind, aiming to build 360,000 homes over the next decade, trumping the Labour and Tory goals, although whether he would be able to squeeze an extra 40,000 homes out of spaces above shops or bring 50,000 empty homes back into use will prove contentious. Jenny Jones has a more modest commitment to build at least 15,000 affordable homes annually, with at least 40 per cent of them family-sized. Rental practice There is a clearer dividing line WHERE page 73
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over rental practices. Ken and Brian are campaigning to set a form of 'living rent', with Jenny pledging to lobby for reduced rents, whilst Boris opposes rent controls, arguing that they deter investment into housing and ultimately drive up rents over the longer term. Boris and Brian favour accreditation of well-behaved landlords whereas Ken and Jenny favour lettings agencies - in Ken's case, a dedicated 'London Lettings Agency'; in Jenny's, an 'Ethical Lettings Agency' with the ability for tenants to leave feedback online. It looks doubtful any of these initiatives would differ wildly in practice. First-time buyers The two leading candidates have also paid attention to helping firsttime buyers onto the ladder, with Boris announcing a boost to the 'First Steps' programme, as well as promoting the 'Mortgage Guarantee' to help address the issue of high deposits - although this is a central government policy
posted at 12:11 pm on April 18, 2012 by Ed Morrissey The big news last week from the Summit of the Americas was the Secret Service sex scandal, which had some in the Obama administration lamenting that no one paid much attention to Barack Obamas efforts in Cartagena, Colombia to improve relations between the US and its allies. Today, the White House might be hoping for a little more attention to the scandal. After punting on an opportunity to defend the UK and the principle of selfdetermination over the Falkland Islands dispute with Argentina, Obama and his team got caught flat-footed by the nationalization of a Spanish oil company by Argentinas government: When Argentine President OBAMA Cristina Fernndez de Kirchner continued from page 73 abruptly left the Summit of the its companies against a hostile American President on the ground h a r m S p a i n a n d s l a m U . S . Americas, it was reported that she foreign government. at the Summit of the Americas. i n v e s t o r s . L u c k y u s . did so over the lack of support for World Trade Organisation rules That gave us an advantage over Never was a response to a global her countrys claim to the Britishdo not cover investment disputes, the EU, and prepared us for this outrage more mealy-mouthed than controlled Falkland Islands. closing off one possible avenue. move by Kirchner right? Er the one from the U.S. after Yesterday, President Kirchner Other possibilities, such as raising not exactly, as Investors Business Argentinas President Cristina revealed another reason she tariffs on Argentinian goods, Daily reports: Fernandez de Kirchner, standing returned to Buenos Aires: to could backfire, according to After a weekend of cavorting in under a portrait of Evita Peron, announce the nationalization of Fredrik Erixon, director of the Colombia, the White House was announced a brazen grab for YPF, the Argentine oil company, YPF, European Centre for International caught flat-footed by Argentinas the Argentine oil company thats whose majority stakeholder is the Political Economy think-tank. takeover of a big oil company Spanish energy firm, Repsol. The OBAMA page 75 Well, thank goodness we had the whose loss will hike gas prices, move has infuriated Repsol and
that would apply regardless. Ken undertakes to investigate such programmes, as well as change the London Plan - the Mayor's planning strategy - to include greater provision for people to take equity stakes in affordable new homes. Boris also plans to look into 'rent to save' schemes to enable people to build equity through rental payments. Developing GLA assets Both of the main candidates examine the process of releasing GLA land and assets for further development. Ken includes some creative measures such as releasing land on a long-term equity-share basis to developers and housing associations, to ensure London profits from the divestments, whereas Boris plans to publish a list of all GLA assets, and streamline the process around putting them out to tender. Verdict Nobody likes bad landlords and it's undoubtedly a smart measure to introduce better standards for rental practices in the capital. Yet
lack of supply is the single largest factor in lack of house price affordability, and although all the major candidates have staked their ground with house building initiatives, the proposals are light on detail. High hopes with low expectations are the order of the day. You can compare the candidates' stance on housing policy here. ...or see their manifestos here: Boris Johnson(Conservative) Ken Livingstone(Labour) Brian Paddick(Lib Dem) Jenny Jones(Green) This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Obama admin caught flat-footed by Argentina nationalization of Spanish oil company

Ed Morrissey (Hot Air Top Picks)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:11:46 AM
Spanish officials, and raised concerns that this may be the first of many expropriations of privately run companies in Argentina, putting the government on the path toward a Hugo Chvez-type model of state control over key resources. Once you start expropriating you dont know where it will stop, says Boris Segura, an analyst at the New York investment bank Nomura. Mrs. Kirchner is now running close to Mr. Chvezs model, Segura says. The EU is furious, although temporarily non-plussed: Argentinas move to seize the controlling share of the YPF oil company owned by Spains Repsol brought swift condemnation from the European Union on behalf of its aggrieved member state. Senior officials, including Jos Manuel Barroso, the European Commission president, expressed deep disappointment and aides insisted that all possible options were being studied. The blocs foreign ministers will discuss the issue at a meeting on Monday. But EU officials and trade analysts believe the blocs options may be limited, despite the growing clamour from the continents corporate sector and some politicians to defend one of OBAMA page 73
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Up to 20 women involved in Secret Service sex scandal?

Secret Service now wants to polygraph the individuals involved in this scandal. A senior Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:36:34 AM law enforcement official says it is posted at 11:36 am on April 18, just one part of the investigation 2012 by Ed Morrissey and that we want to use every CBS updates viewers today on possible tool to get to the bottom the Secret Service sex scandal of this. with a few interesting new tidbits If youre disappointed that the like the numbers. The advance investigation has taken place in team may have engaged as many privacy, worry not. Senators as 20 women in the Pley Club Susan Collins (R-ME) and Joe while bragging about their job and Lieberman (I-CT) are threatening specific assignment to protect the to hold hearings in their Senate President, and the fight over the H o m e l a n d S e c u r i t y & bill not only took place in the Governmental Affairs Committee, club, it spilled out into the street a rather ironic name under the as well. Ten members of the circumstances. Both want to know military have now been caught up whether the women had access to in the scandal, including some sensitive data prior to Barack from special forces units. But the Obamas arrival in Colombia, most damning revelation of all which so far the Secret Service might be that the investigators denies: will now start administering At least 20 foreign women and as polygraphs because the agents/ many Secret Service officers and suspects keep telling different M a r i n e s m e t a t a h o t e l i n stories about what happened in Colombia in an incident involving Cartagena: prostitution, and lawmakers are CBS News has learned that the seeking information about any
possible threat to the U.S. or to President Barack Obama who arrived for a conference soon after, congressional officials said Tuesday. In briefings throughout the day, Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan told lawmakers that 11 members of his agency met with 11 women at a hotel in Cartagena and that more foreign females were involved with American military personnel. Twenty or 21 women foreign nationals were brought to the hotel, Sen. Susan Collins, the ranking Republican on the Homeland Security Committee, said Sullivan told her. Eleven of the Americans involved were Secret Service, she reported, and allegedly Marines were involved with the rest. Meanwhile, Sullivan told the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee that the 11 Secret Service agents and officers were telling different stories to investigators about who the
women were. Sullivan has dispatched more investigators to Columbia to interview the women, said Rep. Peter King, RN.Y. Some are admitting (the women) were prostitutes, others are saying theyre not, theyre just women they met at the hotel bar, King said in a telephone interview. Sullivan said none of the women, who had to surrender their IDs at the hotel, were minors. But prostitutes or not, to be bringing a foreign national back into a secure zone is a problem, King said. Indeed and thats not even counting the risks of potential honey trap espionage operations and blackmail opportunities. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
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57% owned by Spains Repsol. Markets fell, world leaders denounced the violation of contracts and economically battered Spain rallied European Union support. But the U.S.? We are following developments on this issue. We are not currently aware of any WTO complaints related to this issue, the State Department said. Then, leading from behind after Spain vowed a forceful response, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tried to toughen up: Having an open market is a preferable model. Models that include competition and market access have been the most successful around the world. Wow! Thats telling the Argentines, Secretary Clinton. Next up, we can discuss further how to hand over the Maldives, er, Malvinas. The seizure came as China was about to bid on Repsol, which means they may want to get involved in the dispute, too: Argentinas move to nationalize local oil company YPF ( YPFD.BA), controlled by Spains Repsol ( REP.MC), has spoiled years of planning by Chinas Sinopec Group to buy the South American company, sources said.
Bankers said Chinas secondlargest oil company had held talks with Repsol to buy its controlling 57-percent stake in YPF. Chinese website Caixin.com cited a source as saying Sinopec had reached a non-binding agreement to take over YPF for more than $15 billion. But plans by Argentine President Cristina Fernandez to seize control of YPF, which have incensed Spain and sparked international criticism, have killed any hopes that state-owned China Petrochemical Corp (Sinopec) could seal a deal, they said. That may not be entirely bad news for the US, but the eruption of nationalization in yet another South American oil-producing nation certainly is. And so is the cluelessness that surrounds Obama and his foreign-policy team for their lack of response to the event. Update: The Guardian reports that Repsol execs in Buenos Aires were also caught by surprise: Even as president Cristina Fernndez de Kirchner announced on TV her plan to nationalise Spanish-owned YPF, her emissaries were at the oil companys 35-storey Buenos Aires headquarters giving its
Spanish directors 15 minutes to leave the building. The Falklands might be next: Renationalisation is aligned in the minds of Fernndez supporters with the renewed demand for sovereignty over the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic claimed by Argentina as Las Malvinas. The Malvinas are Argentine, so is YPF, say posters around the country and a T-shirt that artists who support Fernndez have started wearing on internet campaigns in favour of the takeover. This ends five centuries of white Spanish domination, said a supporter. Argentina was ruled by Spain until its independence in 1816. But the big question remains: are the Maldives Argentine? This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
New Romney ad: What you wont hear at the Democratic convention
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:46:31 AM
posted at 12:46 pm on April 18, 2012 by Ed Morrissey Consider this the new Are you better off than you were four years ago? Almost that long ago, Barack Obama laid down a few metric markers for successful economic policies during the Democratic convention in Denver, Colorado. He probably wont repeat them this year at the 2012 Democratic convention in Charlotte, North Carolina because his record there (and across the nation) on those metrics demonstrate the abysmal failure of Obamanomics. The Romney campaign also uses the ad to launch a new microsite, ObamaIsntWorking.com: The microsite comes as good news, as the focus over the last couple of weeks seems to have drifted from economics. Obama is very vulnerable on the economy, which is why Team Obama keeps trying to change the subject to fairness, a war on women, even Romneys dog Seamus. Christian Heinze explains this strategy at The Hill today: In a Fox News poll released last week, Obama scored higher on four of five character traits,
besting Romney on trust, smarts, honesty and optimism. Meanwhile, Romney only led on one question, but it was a huge one which candidate do you think has the best experience to fix the economy? In this case, Romneys strength on the economy was enough to give him a 46-44 percent overall lead, despite Obamas greater personal appeal. Meanwhile, a CNN poll released Monday revealed a similar pattern, although with less sanguine overall results for Romney. Obama scored higher than his GOP rival on 13 personal attributes, but the divide was most pronounced on likability vs. the economy. Obama held a 29-point advantage on likability, but that fell to a statistically meaningless 2 -point lead on the economy. In other words, Obama was strongest on personal appeal and weakest on the economy, while Romney was the inverse. Romney needs to make sure that the campaign message never drifts far from Obamas sorry record on the economy and jobs. This is an excellent early effort. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it NEW page 76
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The Romney Campaign Can't Steer Clear of the Distractions He Hates

The Atlantic Wire (Politics : The Atlantic)
the primary is over -- at the exact moment he needs to look presidential! -- his campaign is Submitted at 4/18/2012 10:26:41 AM opting in. Romney told Though the candidate wants to Breitbart.com's Larry O'Connor focus on real issues, and not Tuesday, "There will be an effort whether Barack Obama ate dog, by the quote vast left wing an adviser can't resist getting into conspiracy to work together to put the fray. Reuters out their message and to attack Once upon a time (six months m e . T h e y ' r e g o i n g t o d o ago) Mitt Romney opted out of everything they can to divert from dumb cable news controversies, the message people care about, letting the other Republican which is a growing economy that presidential candidates fight over, creates more jobs and rising say, whether the Fed chair is incomes. That's what people care literally a traitor worthy of about." But his own top aide, Eric vigilante violence, but now that Fehrnstrom, got sucked into one
of those distractions just a couple hours later, tweeting about President Obama eating dogs. It wasn't the first fake news story that tempted Fehrnstrom over the
past couple days. Take a few of his recent tweets, for example. Read the whole story at The Atlantic Wire. This article available online at:
http://www.theatlantic.com/ politics/archive/2012/04/theromney-campaign-cant-steer-clear -of-the-distractions-he-hates/ 256073/ This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
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Technology/ Social Network/
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The Engadget Show returns Friday, April 20th -- get tickets to the taping!
Brian Heater (Engadget)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 1:00:00 PM
That's right, we're back and Webby nominated, ready to bring you an extra exciting episode of The Engadget Show. We traveled far to bring you this one, taking our crew to Asia to check out the markets of Taipei, Hong Kong and Shenzhen. We'll also be speaking with top reps from Huawei and ASUS on our trip and showing off the month's latest and greatest gadgets. And we'll be joined in studio by Brooklyn indie rockers, The Suckers. Best of all, if you're in New York City, you can be a part of the live
show -- just fire off an email to engadgetshow [at] engadget.com. And if you can't make it in person, fear not, we'll be streaming live at 6PM on Friday. Just bookmark this here URL. Here are the deets: o. The event is all ages. o. We'll open doors and begin seating at 5:15pm on April 20th, and the taping begins at 6:00PM. We'll be closing the doors at 5:50PM. o. A limited number of tickets are available, first come first serve. We will also have a limited standby list available. o. Please bring a photo ID with you to the taping.
o. The show length is around an hour. If you're a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we'll
try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com. Subscribe to the Show: [ iTunes] Subscribe to the Show
directly in iTunes (M4V). [ Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V). [ RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically. The Engadget Show returns Friday, April 20th -- get tickets to the taping! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink| | Email this| Comments
Klout Star: Benedict Corpuz

Kameron Kitajima (The Official Klout Blog)
Submitted at 4/18/2012 11:34:00 AM
Tweet Our Klout Stars series highlights top influencers and how they got to where they are today. About: Benedict is the oldest of three kids of immigrant parents in a Filipino family from Stockton, CA. His first language was Tagalog and learned English from Sesame Street and when he started pre-school. Benedict made my way through high school, then
to college at CalPoly: San Luis Obispo, CA where he started in Aerospace Engineering and switched to Teaching. Benedict has worked at two
private English schools in San Luis Obispo where he worked with students from 16-80 years old that came from all around the world to be immersed in an
English program here in the USA. stores(CSToysJapan.com) and After teaching, he became a flight s m a l l e r attendant and also co-founded CS satellite(CSToysUSA.com) where Toys International with a physical KLOUT page 78 store in Japan and two web
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KLOUT
we use social media to interact with our customers. Benedict is also the on again, off again mayor of San Francisco International Airport on Foursquare. Find him for some at SFO for some random swag! 1. How did you get started in social media? Back in high school, I found out about the Internet and never looked back. Back in the day it was all about local BBSes and using Compuserve, Prodigy, or AOL to get online. I remember using AOL v1.6 for MS-DOS to connect to the Internet with a 9600 baud modem. I frequented many chat rooms and made many online friends and chatted via AIM, MSN, and Yahoo Messenger. I used to share photos on my selfpublished website. It was a lot of work. Friends always wanted me to send them pictures. Social networks made this easier. I started out on Friendster where most of my friends already were then moved to MySpace and Facebook as many people have done. Those sites made it a lot easier to share. More friends have popped up online on one network or another. These networks made it easier to share, connect, and stay in touch with friends here and abroad. At one point in college, I worked an 11PM-7AM shift at a hotel and being online kept me sane. It was easy to connect with a friend in
Europe or Asia while all of my North American friends were asleep. From then on, social media became a must to keep in touch with old and new friends both near and far as well as making new friendships and connections. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, FoursquareI love it all. 2. In what ways does social media play into your current job or industry? Do you have any examples? Since I work as a flight attendant, it was normal to be away from home and friends for days at a time. My computer and phone were my windows to the world. Im constantly meeting new people from many different places. Rather than exchanging phone numbers, many now exchange Twitter handles and Facebook friend requests now to keep in touch with me. 3. What does influence mean to you? Who influences you the most online, and why Influence is a trust. Some people influence you more than others, the same way you trust some more than others. Im more apt to take a suggestion from someone in my circle than a review that I read or a spokesperson telling me to do so. Most of the people who influence me online also influence me offline. My cousin@heycheri and my brother@briancorpuz influence me for too many reasons to list.
My combination SF Bay Area/ S a n D i e g o c r e w of@lehea1212,@sdwifey,@eyem using,@sukhjit,@richandcreamy, @csix,@mymelodie are the people I like to hang out with when Im at home in or my second home of San Diego. I also have to mention my Foursquare friends. Foursquare really brought me back into social media. I love the game aspect. Ive made many online/offline friends via Foursquare including@nutzareus,@dwayneki lbourne,@rocktique,@redbridgeo nline,@lesliempr,@funtobehad. Calvin Lee,@mayhemstudios is one of my biggest influencers. We met at an event in Las Vegas and clicked in person. We have overlapping social circles and have hung out at CES and SXSW amongst other events. I want to be like Calvin when I grow up. 4. What recent social media trends do you think are interesting or helpful? I see a huge trend with location based services and smartphones making recommendations for you. Foursquare has turned from a game into a recommendation engine. I like finding out who or what is around me. I can look up a certain type of food I am hungry for and see what restaurants my friends have gone to or left tips at. Foursquares radar feature also lets me know if I have a listed todo nearby. There are newer apps like Banjo
that tell you when friends or people you follow are nearby based on the location data in their public posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Highlight is another fun app that recommends possible connections for you based on someone you have been nearby during your day. I opened the app on my flight to SXSW, and Highlight had listed the person that was seated next to me on the flight. We connected. I also like another app called Zaarly for buying/selling/ requesting locally via push alerts. Ive seen a couple good deals come up such as someone stuck in an office requesting a certain coffee and paying $15. There are quite a few requests for rides as well, mostly to SFO Airport. When I open the app and determine where the request is made, I can decide whether I can take them up on their offers. I cant wait to see where the next paradigm shift takes us. I try to stay up to date on the newest networks and try new ways to stay connected. Connect with Benedict on Twitter at@superben

Liberty Newspost April-18-2012

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