শনিবার, ২২ জুন, ২০১৩

Chinese astronaut teaches 60 million kids from space

A Chinese astronaut gave China its first physics lesson by video from space today, a required lesson for middle schools across the country.

By Peter Ford,?Staff writer / June 20, 2013

A student looks at his iPad as his class watches a live broadcast of a lecture given by Shenzhou-10 spacecraft astronauts on the Tiangong-1 space module, at a primary school in Quzhou, Zhejiang province June 20, 2013.

REUTERS

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It adds a whole new meaning to ?distance learning.?

Skip to next paragraph Peter Ford

Beijing Bureau Chief

Peter Ford is The Christian Science Monitor?s Beijing Bureau Chief. He covers news and features throughout China and also makes reporting trips to Japan and the Korean peninsula.

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Chinese astronaut Wang Yaping gave a physics lesson by video from a space module orbiting more than 300 km (186 miles) above the earth?on Thursday.

She gulped a globule of water floating in the air, and pushed a fellow astronaut against the module?s wall with a touch of her finger, to illustrate the effects of weightlessness. Then she answered questions from a group of children gathered in a studio in Beijing watching the lesson on live TV.

The scene resembled a similar lesson that US elementary school teacher Barbara Morgan taught from the International Space Station in 2007. But this one had specifically Chinese characteristics.

The questions that the Chinese kids asked?on Thursday?were much like the questions that American kids asked six years ago. Do stars twinkle when you are in space? (No, because there is no atmospheric interference.) Have you seen any UFO?s? (?Not yet? was Ms. Wang?s answer to that one.)

But while Barbara Morgan and her colleagues participated in three low-key sessions with small groups of students in Idaho, Virginia, and Massachusetts, Wang?s class was broadcast nationwide on state TV?s premier channel and 60 million schoolchildren and teachers in 80,000 middle schools watched, according to China?s Education Ministry.

The ministry had ?issued instructions requiring middle schools to adjust their class schedules and organize students to watch? the lesson, according to its website.

The compulsory class reflected the importance that the Chinese government has attached to its ambitious space program. Beijing first sent a human into space only 10 years ago, but plans to build its own space station by 2020.

Beijing has more than just a technological interest in space. A few years ago, just before China launched its first lunar probe, the chief scientist for China's moon program, Ouyang Ziyuan, was blunt about its political purposes.

"Lunar exploration is a reflection of a country's comprehensive national power,? he said in an interview with the official newspaper People's Daily. ?It is significant for raising our international prestige and increasing our people's cohesion."

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/-r4oyi0Jidw/Chinese-astronaut-teaches-60-million-kids-from-space

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শুক্রবার, ২১ জুন, ২০১৩

This morning on Daybreak: A North Texas Man shares how his special needs son has...

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'Appalling' email in Illinois spurs new GOP rift

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) ? An Illinois Republican official resigned from his leadership post Thursday amid outrage over an email in which he berated a biracial former Miss America as a "street walker" who could fill a law firm's "minority quota" if she loses her bid for Congress.

The controversy, involving a county GOP leader in central Illinois who campaigned for U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, created a new rift for Republicans already struggling to expand and attract women and minority voters.

Davis demanded the resignation of the county official, Jim Allen, after learning of what he called a "wrong, appalling and incredibly demeaning" email targeting Erika Harold, Davis' opponent in the March 2014 Republican primary.

Sent to Republican blogger Doug Ibendahl, the email referred to Harold as a "street walker" and "love child" of Democrats and suggested the Harvard graduate could fill a "minority quota" at a law firm should she lose the race.

Ibendahl, also a former party official, posted the email Wednesday on his website.

"I hope some of these bullies learn a lesson from this," he told the Associated Press on Thursday. "Our party has a huge branding problem nationwide, especially in Illinois. This guy's attitude sets us back. It's confirmation as to why women and minorities don't take the Republican party seriously."

Allen apologized for his message in a brief statement to the (Champaign, Ill.) News-Gazette and resigned from his post Thursday afternoon.

Harold released a statement, saying Allen's comments have "no place within public discourse."

Champaign County GOP Chairman Habeeb Habeeb ?who is staying impartial in the 13th District GOP primary ? was so offended by the comments he left a message for Harold and personally apologized to her father.

"I don't see that kind of vitriol in everyday Republican circles," Habeeb said. "The party has changed and these things just set us backward."

The incident highlights the rocky path the national party has forged in recent months, with comments such as Allen's derailing efforts by the GOP to become more of a "big tent" organization.

After performing poorly at the polls in November, Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus released a "prescription" for the party's future. Along with changing its tone on social issues to win over younger and minority voters, the party would need to make a concerted effort to elevate more women, Priebus said.

Along with state party officials, Priebus on Thursday joined in the chorus calling for Allen's resignation, via Twitter.

"Chairman Allen's astonishingly offensive views have no place in politics. He should apologize and resign immediately," Preibus wrote.

Harold seeks to be catalyst for change in the GOP. When she announced her bid earlier this month, Harold said she believes she can help expand the party's voting base and reach people who don't traditionally vote Republican.

Former Illinois GOP Chairman Pat Brady, who stepped down last month after coming under fire from state central committeemen over his support of gay marriage, said comments like Allen's are an unfortunate distraction.

Without a Republican governor in Illinois or a Republican president to act as the party's "mouthpiece," Brady said, these comments only get more traction. But they also create a sort of wag-the-dog situation, working to block the election of Republican to those roles.

Davis' congressional district in in central Illinois has been targeted by the Democratic Congressional Committee as a pick-up seat in 2014.

Davis, a freshman, in November defeated emergency room doctor David Gill by approximately 1,000 votes. It was Gill's fourth bid for Congress.

"We do need to welcome folks from all walks of life, regardless of where they come from what they look like and what their policy preference is," said Davis said. "There are no excuses for his behavior. I am not making any. I sure hope it doesn't affect my campaign."

___

Follow Kerry Lester on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/kerrylester

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/appalling-email-illinois-spurs-gop-rift-214649778.html

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বৃহস্পতিবার, ২০ জুন, ২০১৩

Top 5 Paid App Downloads: Apple & Android

Top 5 new paid apps for June 19:

1. What's the Phrase

2. Toca Hair Salon 2

3. Final Fantasy IV

4. Guncrafter Pro

5. Camera 2


Top 5 paid apps for June 19:

1. Minecraft ? Pocket Edition

2. SpongeBob Moves In

3. Doc McStuffins: Time For Your Check Up!

4. Plants vs. Zombies HD

5. Man of Steel HD
?

(c)2013?McClatchy-Tribune
Distributed by MCT Information Services

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Source: http://latinotimes.com/lifestyle/395058-top-5-paid-app-downloads-apple-android.html

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The Mac Pro Recaptures the Spirit of Classic Workstations of Yore

The Mac Pro Recaptures the Spirit of Classic Workstations of Yore

Early computers were bland beige boxes?meant to blend in with whatever workspace they were placed on. But during the golden age of the super-powerful workstation, designers got wild with form factors and materials that oozed with confidence and no small amount of sass. In some ways, the new Mac Pro returns to that era?and here?s a speculative rendering to prove it.

With this image, designer Martin Hajek draws a literal comparison between the Mac Pro and three supercomputers of yore. On the left, we have Mac Pro rendered as a SGI Fuel, a machine that sold for almost $12,000 in 2005. In the middle, the darling of the science world?a 1994 Sun SparcStation 5, whose pizza-box chassis made it a stand-out at the time. On the right? That?s a Mac Pro dressed up as a SGI Octane, one of the first workstations that boasted a colorful, curving shell.

It?s a fun comparison?and while it?s entirely speculative, it?s interesting to frame the new Mac Pro as a return to sculptural, iconic form factors of the 1990s and early 00s. For the past few years, we?ve seen Apple?s workstations grow more and more powerful, while their designs grew more and more sparse and minimal. Mac Pro is a fantastic departure from that?it literally gleams with confidence and machismo.

The Mac Pro Recaptures the Spirit of Classic Workstations of Yore

The SGI Fuel.

The Mac Pro Recaptures the Spirit of Classic Workstations of Yore

Sun SparcStation 5,

The Mac Pro Recaptures the Spirit of Classic Workstations of Yore

The SGI Octane image via Flickr.

Source: http://gizmodo.com/the-mac-pro-recaptures-the-spirit-of-classic-workstatio-520874890

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শনিবার, ১৫ জুন, ২০১৩

Christie maintains a political balancing act

CHICAGO (AP) ? Republican Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey is walking a political tightrope as he charts his future, trying to balance his re-election campaign in a Democratic-leaning state with a potential presidential bid aimed at winning over Republicans.

His latest challenge came in an appearance with former President Bill Clinton in Chicago, a move that ran the risk of alienating religious conservatives being wooed in Washington by other potential GOP presidential candidates.

Christie has pitched himself as a pragmatic, bipartisan leader as he seeks a second term as governor this fall. Participating in the Clinton Global Initiative America's meeting on Friday gave him a chance to appear with the popular ex-president ? the event was billed "Cooperation and Collaboration: A Conversation on Leadership" ? and to talk about tackling problems like New Jersey's recovery from Superstorm Sandy.

In Washington the same day, evangelical conservatives gathered for Ralph Reed's annual Faith and Freedom Coalition conference. Republican presidential hopefuls tackled heated issues like abortion and immigration ? policy debates that may shape the future of the GOP. Activists attending the conference questioned Christie's priorities.

"He can't spend 10 minutes just to make an appearance?" asked Ginger Howard, a Christian conservative who hosts an Atlanta radio show. "People who neglect us are sorry."

Seven hundred miles from the conservative gathering, Clinton and Christie praised each other during a friendly 40-minute conversation about New Jersey's recovery from the storm at the Clinton Global Initiative America meeting.

The former president turned to the audience at one point and said of Christie, "I want all of you to know how much work he's done on this."

"The enduring image that most Americans have of you is standing there in your jacket, grieving with your people, working with them and working with your president," Clinton told the Republican governor. "And you got both praise and damnation for ignoring the political differences that you had then and still have with the president and all of us in the other party to do something that was really important."

Christie explained his thought process in the days after the storm, repeatedly mentioning his discussions with Obama.

"There are no partisan lines on this one when it happens," Christie said. "You're reaching out to everybody you can."

Christie has taken a number of steps in recent weeks to highlight his centrist, above-politics approach. The governor picked up endorsements earlier this week from home-state Democrats and appeared with President Barack Obama along the Jersey Shore late last month to tout the region's recovery from a devastating storm. It was Christie's second joint appearance with Obama along the coast, the first coming a week before the 2012 election in a move that caused some conservatives to charge that it undermined Mitt Romney's presidential campaign.

Reed's Faith and Freedom Coalition, a group created by the influential former Christian Coalition leader, featured appearances from several Republicans thought to be weighing presidential bids. Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Rand Paul of Kentucky spoke at the opening luncheon, followed by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, Romney's running mate last year, and former presidential candidate Rick Santorum, among others.

In many cases, they rejected calls for a moderate approach to explosive issues like gay marriage and immigration, insisting that Republicans double down on their conservative ideals as they look to rebuild after Obama's re-election.

Christie avoided the issues completely by not showing up.

"Chris Christie is dangerously close to sending conservative Republicans a clear message that he doesn't care about their thoughts or views," said Republican operative Michael Dennehy, a veteran of presidential politics. "Spending time with Barack Obama is one thing, but when he goes out of his way to spend time with Bill Clinton it begins looking like a pattern of behavior that will alienate Republican voters ? and conservatives in particular."

Christie's political team remains focused on his re-election campaign, setting aside any potential presidential ambitions ahead of the November election. But the appearance alongside Clinton could have benefits.

Clinton carried New Jersey twice and remains popular among Democrats, who comprise about one-third of the state's electorate. Unaffiliated voters in Christie's state account for nearly half the electorate, and Republicans make up the smallest slice, only about 20 percent.

Beyond the immediate political implications, Clinton's appearance with Christie offers parallels to the ex-president's own career. When Clinton launched his presidential campaign in the fall of 1991, his party had suffered three straight presidential defeats and many Democrats openly wondered if they could recapture the White House.

Clinton effectively bridged the divide among liberal Democrats and more business-minded centrists who supported fiscal discipline, welfare reform and tougher responses to crime.

Now Republicans have lost two straight presidential campaigns and the party has gone through an extensive evaluation on how to expand its appeal to women, minorities and young people. In running for re-election, Christie regularly talks about building a new coalition in his home state that appeals to independents and "right-thinking Democrats" as he calls them ? a recipe that he could take to the national stage in the 2016 campaign.

"(Christie) has to be bigger than his party," said Al From, the former head of the Democratic Leadership Council and an adviser who was critical to Clinton's success in the early 1990s. "He has to reach out to constituencies that Republicans haven't been able to appeal to."

All of that helps explain why Christie has been so focused on the political center. Even his light-hearted moments are aimed there.

The governor took flak last week for scheduling a special election in October to fill a Senate vacancy created by the death of Sen. Frank Lautenberg ? even though he stands before voters in November. Democrats contended that a hugely expensive election would be staged mainly to allow Christie to avoid appearing on a ballot with a Democratic senate candidate, probably popular Newark Mayor Cory Booker. Republicans, meanwhile, thought Christie had missed the opportunity to put a GOP senator in office for 18 months.

Christie taped a humorous segment defending his decision on NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" on Wednesday. The show was bumped by a triple-overtime NHL playoff game, but the video, in which Christie "slow-jams" the news, was released Thursday and quickly racked up about 60,000 views on YouTube.

At one point, Fallon intoned, "You ain't lyin', CC. Now look at you, sounding all presidential-like. Do you have something you want to announce on the show right now?"

Christie responded, "C'mon, Jimmy, do you really think I'd come on this show to announce a presidential run?"

Conservatives in Washington knew about the Fallon appearance. And they weren't pleased.

"He has time for Jimmy Fallon and not us?" Jane Parker, a Christian conservative from North Carolina, said while waiting for Bush to take the stage in Washington. "I really liked him to start. But he's not doing enough to support conservatives."

___

Follow Ken Thomas on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AP_Ken_Thomas

Follow Steve Peoples on Twitter: http://twitter.com/sppeoples

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/christie-maintains-political-balancing-act-210223596.html

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Sarin Gas Used in Syria Blocks Body's 'Off Switch'

Sarin, a chemical weapon that U.S. officials say has been used by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime in the country's ongoing civil war, blocks the "off switch" for muscles and glands, paralyzing and suffocating its victims by exhausting their bodies, experts say.

The clear, colorless liquid -- developed in Nazi Germany as a pesticide -- quickly evaporates into sarin gas, which, if inhaled or absorbed through the skin or eyes, can cause deadly symptoms in a matter of seconds.

"Without an 'off switch,' the glands and muscles are constantly being stimulated," the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says on its website, describing how sarin leads to sustained activation of acetylcholine receptors on vital tissues throughout the body. "They may tire and no longer be able to sustain breathing function."

Despite its deadly potential, sarin is more likely to injure than kill. Of more than 900 people exposed to the gas during terrorist attacks in Tokyo and Matsumoto, Japan, in the 1990s, only 17 people died, according to a 1996 report. The gas was also used during the Gulf War of the 1980s.

"Mild or moderately exposed people usually recover completely," the CDC said, describing how certain drugs and hospital care can reverse the gas's effects if administered quickly. "Severely exposed people are not likely to survive."

A 1952 case report of a U.S. Army medical officer sent to decontaminate a sarin spill, initially obtained by The New Yorker, reveals the torturous effects of the nerve gas.

It describes how the officer, dubbed J.A., neglected to wear protective clothing as he approached the wreckage of a sarin-loaded jet that crashed into in Utah's Great Salt Lake Desert during a test mission. Within 10 seconds, he staggered back to the ambulance, clutching his chest and calling frantically for a gas mask as he collapsed.

J.A.'s colleagues quickly injected his thigh with a dose of atropine, an antidote for sarin gas, as his breathing turned to screeches and gurgles. He started convulsing, according to the report.

And then minutes later -- about five minutes after exposure -- he went limp and his breathing reduced to the "occasional gasp." He was given more atropine as he became flaccid, lost his pulse, and turned a deep blue.

Roughly 35 minutes after exposure, J.A. was admitted to an Army hospital and put in an iron lung. Over an hour, his skin turned from blue to "ashen gray," and he began to breathe on his own.

He ultimately recovered, remembering nothing of the incident beyond stepping toward the desert crater holding the crippled jet. But the haunting report highlights the effects of a chemical weapon that is still used today.

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sarin-gas-used-syria-blocks-bodys-off-switch-211824211.html

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Vox Popoli: PZ Myers, professional "biologist"

Now, before you read this, keep in mind that PZ Myers is actually employed to teach college students biology:
Keep in mind that Jemisin is black. Here?s Theodore Beale coming right out and saying that while she?s human, she?s not fully equal to a white man, himself (and please, his invocation of ?genetic science? is reeking bullshit).
The amusing thing is that Myers not only didn't understand what it meant when I pointed out that NK Jemisin and I are not equally homo sapiens sapiens, he also doesn't have a clue about current genetic science.? In fact, most of the people who have taken offense at the statement that "genetic science presently suggests that we are not equally homo sapiens sapiens" have done nothing more than demonstrate they have not kept up with relatively recent developments in genetics by interpreting my words in a manner that is not only ignorant, but precisely backward.

You see, Africans are pure homo sapiens sapiens.? Non-Africans are not. NK Jemisin, being of African extraction, is almost surely more purely homo sapiens sapiens than I am.? Or, for that matter, than PZ Myers is.?

"Previous research has revealed that Neanderthal DNA can be found in the genomes of everyone who isn't of African extraction. But, as P??bo said, "The Denisovans had contributed DNA only to people in Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Australia, and other places in Melanesia." In other words, modern humans entering Asia interbred with Denisovans. But the Denisovan DNA didn't wind up circulating to other areas of the world the way Neanderthal DNA did."

So, everyone who isn't African possesses DNA from other homo species, including Homo neanderthalensis and what is either Homo denisova or Homo sapiens denisova.? This is why I often mock those who believe in both evolution by natural selection and human equality, because humanity is not only NOT all the same under our skin, we are not, according to current genetic science, even all entirely the same subspecies.? If we apply their idiot logic, then I was actually claiming that I am not fully equal to Jemisin rather than the other way around.

That's not the only thing that the excitable and characteristically buffoonish Myers gets wrong.? I'm not annoyed at being called a racist, I'm not demanding any apologies for it, and I'm certainly not threatening any lawsuits over it.? For crying out loud, John Scalzi has been calling me a Racist Sexist Homophobic Dipshit for months and it doesn't bother me in the slightest since I am none of those things.? I demanded an apology because NK Jemisin broke SFWA confidentiality rules by misreading part of my presidential campaign platform, then claimed that I am a "self-described misogynist, racist, anti-Semite, and a few other flavors of asshole."? However, I have never described myself as any of those four things.

I assume Myers would similarly object if Ms. Jemisin claimed PZ Myers is a self-described Catholic pedophile who teaches puppetry to kindergarteners.

Myers is also wrong about my having modified my original post in any way.? The incompetent philosopher is confusing a later post for the original one because he didn't scroll down the page.? It's still there in its entirety.? Everything it contains is factually true, utterly defensible, and I will note that not a single person who is throwing hissy fits about it has dared to take up my offer to debate them on any of its contents.? The abysmal scientific ignorance of a collegiate biology teacher concerning the subject may offer an indication of why those who are even less cognizant of the relevant genetic science and its implications are nervous about doing so.

It appears Myers also failed to read Jemisin's speech.? She is the one who asserted that the "racist stand-your-ground laws" were passed against people like her.? I merely pointed out WHY those laws were passed; because people were being violently attacked by the aforementioned people and needed a legal right to self defense.

Myers doesn't even attempt to address any of the factual statements I made or try to challenge their accuracy, he merely points-and-shrieks.? No wonder he has twice run away from debates with me; he's not capable of rational dialectic.? As for not being embarrassed, why would I ever be embarrassed by being aware of history, capable of logic, and reasonably up-to-date on genetic science?? If the hysterical left is really going to abandon history, logic, and science in favor of its precious equality myths, it's simply not going to be possible for anyone with a functioning brain to take it seriously much longer.

Forget the SFWA kerfluffle.? The real scandal is that a science illiterate like PZ Myers is employed to teach science to college students.

Labels: science, trainwreck

Source: http://voxday.blogspot.com/2013/06/pz-myers-professional-biologist.html

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মঙ্গলবার, ২৮ মে, ২০১৩

Chinese FX investments to focus on US real estate | ForexLive

Last week,?we reported China is diversifying its US currency reserves out of Treasuries and into other assets. As part of the shift, they opened an investment office in New York.

The fund, SAFE, controls $3.4 trillion and?is focusing on US real estate, according to Bloomberg sources.

China may acquire properties, invest in real estate funds or buy stakes in
property companies, they said

Categories: All, Americas, Mkt Talk, Regions | Tags: China | Permalink

Source: http://www.forexlive.com/blog/2013/05/27/chinese-fx-investments-to-focus-on-us-real-estate/

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সোমবার, ২৭ মে, ২০১৩

Raising the bar in property management | Surf Coast Times ...

Julie Collett and Whitford sole director Michael Ferris

Julie Collett and Whitford sole director Michael Ferris.

Whitford Torquay had expanded their team with the employment of a new and experienced property manager.

Julie Collett joins Whitford with nearly 15 years of experience in property management in Melbourne, where she managed a large portfolio. Her desire to live and work on the beautiful Surf Coast has driven her ambition to relocate here with her family. Julie is looking forward to a long career with Whitford.

?I am extremely excited to be joining a great team of people all working toward the same goal in raising the benchmark in real estate,? she said.

?I look forward to a long and thriving career here.?

Julie is a recent sea changer, having holidayed here over the years with the intention of moving to Torquay one day.

?I have always intended to move down here with Matt and the children and was just waiting for the perfect job to come along, and now I have it.?

Sole director Whitford Torquay Michael Ferris said Julie is passionate about real estate and has a proactive approach towards the day to day management, solving issues before they become a problem.

?Our focus is the improvement of property management which has previously been overlooked in terms of level of service, quality of marketing, landlord feedback, inspection commitment, rent reviews and maintenance savings.

?I know from personal experience that there is a lot to be desired when you start your search for a rental property, the photos are minimal and of poor quality, the agent opening the home for inspection often seems complacent and lacks the enthusiasm you receive when you are looking to buy and that shouldn?t be the case.

?Negotiation, sales, presentation and marketing are all services we look forward to offering within our property management department and Julie is ready and willing to help you make the most of your investment portfolio.?

If you feel your investments could be better managed, call 0455 335 557 to speak with Julie.

Source: http://www.surfcoasttimes.com.au/mycoastalproperty/industryinformation/2013/05/27/raising-the-bar-in-property-management/

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Senator: Fire commanders allowing sex assault (The Arizona Republic)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/308409528?client_source=feed&format=rss

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PFT: Jones wants everything from $100M Romo

haslamGetty Images

As Browns owner Jimmy Haslam periodically opts to talk confidently about the legal issues embroiling the truck-stop company he runs, the prosecutors assigned to the case have remained eerily silent.

Eventually, they?ll speak via indictments and, ultimately, evidence introduced at trial.? Haslam?s tightrope routine, balancing his company?s business interests against his personal legal predicament, has created the impression that, yes, something happened but that, no, he?s not responsible for it.

Whatever happened, David Lewen and Francis ?Trey? Hamilton are working to get to the bottom of it.? As explained by John Caniglia of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the pair of young, aggressive prosecutors quietly are leading the investigation.

?They?re excellent prosecutors, very knowledgeable and very diligent,? said Hugh Ward, a defense lawyer who previously worked with both men in the Knoxville U.S. Attorney?s office.? ?Both are good people, personally.? They?re top of the line.?

Lewen, 37, has prosecuted drug crimes involving complex hierarchies.? Hamilton, 41, prosecutes white-collar crime, like the ones that eventually could be alleged against multiple employees of Pilot Flying J.

John Sammon, a former IRS agent and retired federal prosecutor, explained the key similarity between complex drug crimes and white-collar prosecutions:? ?You work from the bottom to the top.?

With one Pilot Flying J employee already quoted in an affidavit as saying Haslam knew about the alleged rebate/discount scam, the prosecutors could be searching for and/or piecing together evidence that would prove conclusively that Haslam or other key employees at the precipice of the Pilot Flying J pyramid either condoned the alleged fraud or ordered it.

And that possibility should send a chill from the bottom to the top of Haslam?s spine.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/05/25/jerry-jones-i-paid-romo-100-million-so-i-want-everything/related/

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রবিবার, ২৬ মে, ২০১৩

BXR Motors Building Custom Hybrid Supercar | CleanTechnica

This post first appeared on Gas2
by Christopher DeMorro

blade-1

High-performance hybrid supercars are all the rage among the wealthy right now, despite the failure of companies like Fisker Automotive. One particular car design that caught my eye is the BXR Motors Bailey Blade EVR, a performance plug-in hybrid with some serious potential. Is this the Fisker 2.0?

Yes, and no. While the drivetrain in the Bailey Blade EVR (currently still a one-off custom car) utilizes a similar turbocharged gas engine and an electric motor, there are some key differences between Fisker and Blade. For one, the Blade has an estimated curb weight of just 2,800 pounds, about half what the Fisker Karma weighed.

Then again, the Blade EVR also claims to have a battery pack with 200 kWh of capacity. I am going to assume that is a misprint, and is actually more like 20 kWh. The pure-electric Tesla Model S has a 85 kWh battery pack; a 200 kWh battery pack would be as big as the Blade EVR itself.

The combined output of the turbocharged 2.5 liter gas engine and single electric motor is said to be 500 horsepower and around 850 ft-lbs of torque, enough for a 0-60 mph time of just 4.5 seconds. Top speed is estimated to be in the 175 mph range, way faster than the Fisker could ever hope for.

blade-2

But what might really give the Bailey Blade EVR a chance to succeed is the fact that there will be a concentional, gas-powered model as well. Using either a supercharged or turbocharged Ford 5.0 V8, having both a conventional and hybrid model gives BXR Motors more flexibility than Fisker had. As Bob Lutz has shown, some Fisker owners are more than ready to give up their hybrid drivetrain for a simpler and more-powerful V8 engine.

The gas-powered Blade XTR will come first, with a debut tentatively slated for the November SEMA Show in Las Vegas. If the reception is warm enough, there could be a new plug-in hybrid performance car to fill the hole left by the Fisker Karma?and I for one wouldn?t mind. Can BXR build a better Fisker?

Source:?BXR Motors

Important Media Cross-Post (115 Posts)

CleanTechnica is one of 18 blogs in the Important Media blog network. With a bit of overlap in the topics we cover, we sometimes repost some of the great content published by our sister sites.


Source: http://cleantechnica.com/2013/05/25/bxr-motors-building-custom-hybrid-supercar/

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FDA warns of infections tied to Tennessee pharmacy

(AP) ? Government health officials are investigating cases involving patients who suffered complications after being injected with potentially contaminated medications made by a Tennessee specialty pharmacy.

The Food and Drug Administration said Friday the problems involve seven patients who received steroid injections from Main Street Family Pharmacy, a compounding pharmacy in Newbern, Tenn.

Tennessee health officials said the pharmacy has agreed to recall all of its sterile products, which are generally injectable prescription drugs. Officials from the FDA and the Tennessee Department of Health have been inspecting the Newbern pharmacy since Wednesday.

"The pharmacy staff and management have been cooperative," state regulators said in a news release.

An employee reached at Main Street Family Pharmacy on Friday afternoon could not immediately provide comment.

The injections contain methylprednisolone acetate, the same drug at the center of last year's deadly outbreak of fungal meningitis. More than 55 people have died and over 740 others have been sickened after receiving contaminated injections from a Massachusetts compounding pharmacy. The steroids are typically used to treat pain.

Federal authorities have identified five cases in Illinois and two more in North Carolina. The Illinois patients received injections at the Logan Primary Care clinic in the town of Herrin between Jan. 3 and Feb. 21., according to Illinois health officials.

All five patients from Illinois had skin infections in the hips and buttocks while at least one patient in North Carolina appears to have a fungal infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"There's no indication at this time of meningitis or other life threatening infection," said Joseph Perz, a health-care epidemiologist helping to lead the CDC's investigation.

The FDA recommends doctors stop using any sterile drugs distributed by the pharmacy immediately.

Main Street Family Pharmacy is a compounding pharmacy, which means it mixes custom formulations of drugs based on doctors' specifications. Compounding pharmacies have long operated in a legal gray area between state and federal regulations. Since last year's outbreak, the FDA has stepped up inspections of compounding pharmacies across the country, triggering several national recalls of potentially contaminated medications.

The Tennessee Department of Health said it's too early to tell how many people may have received the injections under scrutiny. According to pharmacy records the drug was shipped to medical facilities in 13 states: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Kentucky, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas

The Main Street Family Pharmacy was licensed by the Tennessee board of Pharmacy in 1985, and later licensed as a manufacturer and distributor in 2010.

Compounding pharmacies have long been overseen by state pharmacy boards, with regulations varying widely from state to state. Over the last 20 years some compounding pharmacies have grown into larger business, operating more like manufacturers by shipping thousands of doses of drugs across state lines. The FDA has occasionally tried to assert its authority over these operations, though it has repeatedly been challenged in court by pharmacy owners.

Legislation moving through Congress would give the FDA direct oversight over these so-called compounding manufacturers, with the aim of preventing future national outbreaks tied to compounded medications. While Republicans and Democrats in the Senate have coalesced around a bill, the House has not reached any such agreement.

___

Mike Stobbe contributed to this story from New York

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2013-05-24-Contaminated%20Injections/id-dd5b9b294c7442728f99d56abb7edb41

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GOP's Walker touts state ties during trip to Iowa

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Scott Walker tried to introduce himself to Iowa Republicans Thursday as so many would-be presidential candidates often do ? one of their own.

After all, the Wisconsin governor weighing a 2016 bid for president spent seven years as a young child living in Plainfield, a tiny town in northeast Iowa Walker referred to a half-dozen times during a 40 minute speech at a Republican fundraiser.

More broadly, the rising GOP figure prescribed what he characterized as a Midwestern approach to politics and the way for Republicans, back-to-back White House losers, to win again.

"I would encourage us all to be more optimistic, more relevant and more courageous," Walker told 600 GOP activists in a suburban Des Moines hotel ballroom. "I think when we do, we win in Iowa, we win in Wisconsin, and all across this great country, and we transform this place we live in."

The first-term governor, who has won party acclaim for taking on unions and overcame a contentious recall election, has been raising his national profile with speeches to national Republican audiences in recent months and headlined fundraisers in New York and Connecticut this week.

Walker was making his first visit Thursday to the state that has traditionally held the first presidential caucuses. He was the keynote speaker at the Polk County Republican Party's annual spring fundraising dinner and also met privately with leaders at a separate fundraiser before the banquet.

The audience applauded when he noted during the speech how he won a larger victory in defeating Democratic Mayor Tom Barrett of Milwaukee during the recall vote last year than he did in his 2010 election. They cheered again when he described the budget surplus Wisconsin has today, compared with the $3.6 billion deficit in place when he took office.

"Scott Walker is a great example of a courageous governor who made the tough decisions and has the state going in the right direction," said Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, a Republican who attended the event.

Walker opponents, including some who traveled from Milwaukee, said earlier Thursday that Walker had overpromised the number of jobs he would bring in. Wisconsin's unemployment has dropped during his time in office, albeit less dramatically than in other Midwestern states such as Michigan and Ohio.

Walker kept returning in his remarks to his time in Iowa, as a boy, and the son of a Baptist minister. Walker moved to southern Wisconsin when he was 10.

He ticked through the name of a former teacher, a neighbor and the state legislator-turned congressman, "a farmer down the way from us named Chuck Grassley." Grassley is now Iowa's senior U.S. senator, serving his sixth term.

Should he decide to run for president, Walker's Iowa ties and evangelical upbringing could serve him well in Iowa's Republican caucuses, where Christian conservatives make up an influential bloc.

Walker didn't touch social issues. Instead, he urged the party to reach out to voting blocs Republicans have struggled to win, such as Latinos. Walker trumpeted his success winning Hispanic-leaning precincts when he was Milwaukee County executive before being elected governor.

"We've got a message of opportunity and optimism. We've got to be willing to go to places that Republicans typically don't go," he said.

It's a style that works for Connie Schmett, a Des Moines-area Republican who contributed money to Walker's recall campaign and attended the event Thursday.

"He's like your brother, your neighbor," she said. "I've seen a lot of these guys. And he just seems like a good guy."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gops-walker-touts-state-ties-142902236.html

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শনিবার, ২৫ মে, ২০১৩

No quick fix for downed bridge on holiday weekend

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. (AP) ? Washington state officials are scrambling to find a temporary fix for a bridge that collapsed on an important interstate highway and, incredibly, left just three motorists with injuries. Whatever the solution, it won't come in time to help with Memorial Day's highway hoards.

Transportation experts are also working to find out whether the spectacular disintegration of the heavily used span over the Skagit River, 60 miles north of Seattle, was a fluke or a sign of a bigger problem.

A trucker was hauling a load of drilling equipment Thursday evening when his load bumped against the steel framework over an Interstate 5 bridge. He looked in his rearview mirror and saw the span collapse into the water behind him.

Two vehicles fell into the chilly river. The three people in those vehicles were not seriously hurt.

As authorities try to find a temporary span, motorists will have to use alternate routes during the holiday and for weeks to come.

"You cannot overstate the importance of this corridor to Washington state," Gov. Jay Inslee said. Traffic on I-5 and surrounding roads was backed up for miles, a situation the governor said would continue indefinitely.

Officials were looking for a temporary, pre-fabricated bridge to replace the 160-foot section that failed, Inslee said Friday. That option could be in place in weeks. Otherwise, it could be months before a replacement can be built, the governor said.

The collapse came on the north end of the four-lane bridge near Mount Vernon, about 60 miles north of Seattle.

"He looked in the mirrors and it just dropped out of sight," Cynthia Scott, the wife of truck driver William Scott, said from the couple's home near Spruce Grove, Alberta. "He was just horrified."

The truck driver works for Mullen Trucking in Alberta, the Washington State Patrol said. The tractor-trailer was hauling a housing for drilling equipment southbound when the top right front corner of the load struck several of the bridge's trusses, the patrol said.

Scott, 41, remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. He voluntarily gave a blood sample for an alcohol test and was not arrested.

The truck made it off the bridge, but the other two vehicles went into the water about 25 feet below.

Bryce Kenning, of Mount Vernon, said the bridge seemed to explode in front of him. The 20-year-old slammed his brakes, but there was nothing he could do.

"It was like time was frozen ? like a roller coaster where you're not attached to the tracks," Kenning said in a phone interview.

Ed Scherbinski, vice president of Mullen Trucking, said in an interview with The Associated Press that state officials had approved of the company's plan to drive the oversize load along I-5 to Vancouver, Wash.

Mike Allende, a state Department of Transportation spokesman, confirmed the truck had a permit.

"We're still trying to figure out why it hit the bridge," Allende said.

State officials approved the trucking company to carry a load as high as 15 feet, 9 inches, according to the permit released by the state. However, the southbound vertical clearance on the Skagit River bridge is as little as 14 feet, 5 inches, state records show. That lowest clearance is outside of the bridge's vehicle traveling lanes, Transportation Department communications director Lars Erickson said Friday. The bridge's curved overhead girders are higher in the center of the bridge.

The bridge has a maximum clearance of about 17 feet.

The permit specifically describes the route the truck would take, though it includes a qualification that the state "Does Not Guarantee Height Clearance."

It's not rare for trucks to strike bridges in Washington state. The state DOT said there were 21 bridge-strikes involving trucks last year, 24 in 2011 and 14 in 2010.

Officials performed a special inspection six months ago on the bridge that collapsed because there were indications it had been struck by a different vehicle.

A report released Friday said the checkup was done due to "impact damage," and inspectors identified tears, deformations and gouges on the northbound side of the bridge.

In that Nov. 29, 2012, impact, an overheight truck struck a metal overhead truss on the bridge, DOT spokeswoman Broch Bender said. An inspection crew determined the bridge to be safe, with only minor repairs required. She said those minor repairs were added to an existing list of bridge maintenance items to be completed at a future date.

There are no signs leading up to the Skagit River bridge to warn about its clearance height. State Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson said that under federal and state standards, the clearance is tall enough to not require signage.

Inslee said it will cost $15 million to repair the bridge. The federal government has promised $1 million.

The bridge is used by an average of 71,000 vehicles a day.

A Federal Highway Administration database lists the bridge as "functionally obsolete" ? a category meaning that the design is outdated. But it was not classified as structurally deficient.

___

Baker reported from Olympia, Wash. Associated Press writers Donna Gordon Blankinship and Gene Johnson in Seattle, and Terry Tang in Phoenix also contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/no-quick-fix-downed-bridge-holiday-weekend-082217341.html

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Anthony Weiner logo appears to feature Pittsburgh skyline

Ultimately, many of the photos and cellphone records of Trayvon Martin released online Thursday by George Zimmerman?s defense attorneys ? indicating that the slain teenager smoked marijuana, got into fights at school, and had an interest in, and perhaps access to, guns ? may be ruled inadmissible in court. But they are already making the rounds in the court of public opinion, which can influence everything from fundraising efforts to the mind-set of potential jurors in Mr. Zimmerman's murder trial.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/anthony-weiner-logo-features-pittsburgh-skyline-193243770.html

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PFT: Ryan thinks he's perfect fit with Saints' 'D'

Rob RyanAP

Though it took him a little longer than his self-proclaimed five minutes, Rob Ryan found a job this offseason.

And considering his personality, it might have been in the perfect spot.

Ryan talked to reporters in New Orleans for the first time Thursday, and said he was fortunate to land with a team that had the worst defense in league history last year, because they both have something to prove.

He referred back to his firing by the Cowboys, and the Super Bowl he won in New Orleans as a member of the Patriots staff, calling himself ?lucky? to be where he was.

?These guys have been well-coached before. They?re smart. They?re just ready to win,? Ryan said, via Mike Triplett of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. ?I think we all have a chip on our shoulder after last season. . . .

?I know everybody is on the same path. That big sign that used to be up there [in the Saints' indoor practice facility] ? ?Do Your Job? ? I?ve heard those words before. I plan on doing it. I?ve got two Super Bowl rings, one of them won out here in sweet, live ass New Orleans as part of a great organization.?

Yeah, he should fit right in.

The Saints could use a shot of confidence, after allowing a league-record 7,042 yards last year. Ryan can provide that.

He admitted he ?got my feelings hurt? when he was fired, but said he was ?very fortunate? to land with Sean Payton, and he clearly enjoys the challenge ahead of him.

?I like his passion,? Payton said. ?You know, he?s someone that I spent a lot of time researching and arriving at that decision, guys that I know very well that have worked with him.

?I like the way players respond and I think he?s a perfect fit for what we?re looking for.?

Now all he has to do is find enough players to adapt to his scheme, and he might finally end up a coordinator for a team with a winning record.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/05/24/rob-ryan-thinks-hes-a-perfect-fit-for-saints-defense/related/

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শুক্রবার, ২৪ মে, ২০১৩

How Come Sony Stans Hate Microsoft and The Xbox So Much

it would be the exact same had sony had as !!ty a conference [pic]

only reason u didnt see it as much during the sony reveal, is cause sony didnt disappoint like MS did yesterday [pic]

i mean u can lie to yourself and make all the excuses u want in order to excuse MS and what u know was a disappointing reveal (+ all the disappointing facts revealed afterwards) and say people were gonna hate regardless of what MS did, but that's not true..alot of MS stans are voicing their disappointment as well [pic] it wasnt that great, deal with it

Source: http://slumz.boxden.com/f13/how-come-sony-stans-hate-microsoft-xbox-so-much-1929061/

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বৃহস্পতিবার, ২৩ মে, ২০১৩

House panel moves to curb military sexual assaults

FILE - In this June 2, 2012 file photo, House Armed Services Committee member Rep. Niki Tsongas, D-Mass. speaks in Springfield, Mass. Determined to check the growing epidemic of sexual assaults in the armed forces, a House panel is poised to approve a series of revisions to longstanding military law. They include stripping commanding officers of their unilateral authority to change or dismiss a court-martial conviction and requiring that service members found guilty of sexual offenses be dismissed or dishonorably discharged. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

FILE - In this June 2, 2012 file photo, House Armed Services Committee member Rep. Niki Tsongas, D-Mass. speaks in Springfield, Mass. Determined to check the growing epidemic of sexual assaults in the armed forces, a House panel is poised to approve a series of revisions to longstanding military law. They include stripping commanding officers of their unilateral authority to change or dismiss a court-martial conviction and requiring that service members found guilty of sexual offenses be dismissed or dishonorably discharged. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

(AP) ? Members of a House panel angry over the growing epidemic of sexual assaults in the military took a key step toward tackling the problem by passing legislation Wednesday that would strip commanding officers of their longstanding authority to unilaterally change or dismiss court-martial convictions in rape and assault cases. Lawmakers believe the revision will lead to a cultural shift and encourage victims to step forward.

The legislation, which will be folded into a broader defense policy bill that the full House will consider in the coming weeks, also would impose harsher penalties on service members found guilty of sexual offenses by requiring that they be dismissed or dishonorably discharged.

The moves by the House Armed Services military personnel subcommittee reflect outrage on Capitol Hill over the poor results military leaders have achieved in their efforts to combat sexual assault in the ranks.

A Pentagon report released earlier this month estimated that up to 26,000 military members may have been sexually assaulted last year and that thousands of victims are still unwilling to come forward despite new oversight and assistance programs aimed at curbing the crimes.

The report showed the number of sexual assaults actually reported by members of the military rose 6 percent to 3,374 in 2012. But a survey of personnel who were not required to reveal their identities showed the number of service members actually assaulted could be as high as 26,000. That figure is an increase over the 19,000 estimated assaults in 2011.

Congress has repeatedly challenged the military to take more aggressive steps to curb sexual assault. But the new figures convinced lawmakers that military leaders have not done enough and that swift legislative action is needed. President Barack Obama has weighed in as well, declaring that he wants to eliminate the "scourge" of sexual assault.

The subcommittee's vote came after a string of incidents that raised fresh doubts about the military's commitment to tackling the problem.

The Army said Wednesday that a soldier has been charged with secretly photographing and videotaping women at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, including in a bathroom. Sgt. 1st Class Michael McClendon is facing charges of dereliction of duty, mistreatment, entering a women's bathroom without notice, and taking and possessing inappropriate photos and videos of at least a dozen women who were naked or in various states of undress.

Just before the Pentagon's report on sexual assault statistics was released, the Air Force officer who led the service's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response unit was arrested on charges of groping a woman in a Northern Virginia parking lot. Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski was removed from his post after the Air Force learned of his arrest.

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., the military personnel subcommittee chairman, said the proposed changes are significant and will give assault victims the confidence to report crimes.

Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, who along with Rep. Niki Tsongas, D-Mass., wrote several of the provisions included in the subcommittee's bill, criticized the Defense Department's approach to the problem.

"I think the leadership of the military is confused," Turner said. "They believe as long as they have programs where they say sexual assault is wrong that they've done enough. No. They have to support the victim, and they have to support vigorous prosecution."

Turner and Tsongas are co-chairs of the Military Sexual Assault Prevention Caucus.

Separately, the Senate Armed Services Committee is taking up a series of sexual assault prevention measures next month. A final plan will eventually be produced after any differences between the House and Senate are resolved.

Sens. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, plan to introduce legislation Thursday with several of the same provisions drafted by Turner and Tsongas. The McCaskill-Collins bill also includes additional measures to protect the victims during the legal process. For example, lawyers for an alleged assailant must coordinate any interviews with the victim through the prosecuting counsel.

The push to eliminate a commander's ability to reverse criminal convictions of service members is rooted in a case that stoked anger among congressional lawmakers. Lt. Col. James Wilkerson, a former inspector general at Aviano Air Base in Italy, was found guilty by a military panel in November 2012 of charges of abusive sexual contact and aggravated sexual assault. Wilkerson was sentenced to a year in prison and dismissal from the service, but Lt. Gen. Craig Franklin, commander of the 3rd Air Force at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, reviewed the case and overturned the jury's verdict of guilty.

Franklin explained in a six-page letter to the Air Force secretary that he found Wilkerson and his wife, who both denied the charges, more believable than the alleged victim.

The authority wielded by Wilkerson and other senior commanders who are responsible for establishing courts-martial leaves victims of sexual assault wary of coming forward because they fear no one will believe them, according to lawmakers advocating the change.

But that clout has been embedded in the military justice system for decades and stems from the longstanding belief that military commanders must be directly responsible for good order and discipline in their units. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has said it's a mistake to strip commanders of their authority.

"For Congress to reach down and change 200 years of tradition because people don't like what the commander did in Aviano, I think sends a terrible signal to the military justice system," Graham told reporters earlier this month. "The issue here is why are there so many assaults and why is it so hard to get people to come forward."

McCaskill is holding up the nomination of Air Force Lt. Gen. Susan Helms, tapped to serve as vice commander of the U.S. Space Command, until McCaskill gets more information about Helms' decision to overturn a jury conviction in a sexual assault case.

According to the military personnel subcommittee's legislation, commanders would no longer have the discretion to reverse a court-martial ruling, except in cases involving minor offenses. Commanders also are barred from reducing a guilty finding by a court-martial to guilty of a lesser offense.

The subcommittee's draft proposal also requires an individual found guilty of rape, sexual assault, forcible sodomy or an attempt to commit any of those offenses receive a punishment that includes a dismissal from military service or a dishonorable discharge.

The subcommittee's legislation eliminates the five-year statute of limitations on trial by court-martial for sexual assault and sexual assault of a child. It also establishes the authority for military legal counsel to provide legal assistance to victims of sex-related offenses and requires enhanced training for all military and civilian attorneys involved in sex-related cases.

The panel's bill contains a provision that extends federal whistle-blower protections to victims to ensure they don't face reprisal for reporting incidents of sexual assault.

___

Follow Richard Lardner on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rplardner

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-05-22-US-Military-Sexual-Assault/id-df75f78db4144dd0b6a06e66a7b85eeb

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Jet Stream Causing Tornado Outbreak

[unable to retrieve full-text content]First, the jet stream caused a cold snap by bringing Arctic air farther south than normal, but when it shifted north, it allowed tornado-causing moist air to move into the Midwest
    


Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/22/science/jet-stream-causing-tornado-outbreak.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

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বুধবার, ২২ মে, ২০১৩

FBI identifies Benghazi suspects, but no arrests yet

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The U.S. has identified five men who might be responsible for the attack on the diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, last year, and has enough evidence to justify seizing them by military force as suspected terrorists, officials say. But there isn't enough proof to try them in a U.S. civilian court as the Obama administration prefers.

The men remain at large while the FBI gathers evidence. But the investigation has been slowed by the reduced U.S. intelligence presence in the region since the Sept. 11, 2012, attacks, and by the limited ability to assist by Libya's post-revolutionary law enforcement and intelligence agencies, which are still in their infancy since the overthrow of dictator Col. Moammar Gadhafi.

The decision not to seize the men militarily underscores the White House aim to move away from hunting terrorists as enemy combatants and holding them at the military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The preference is toward a process in which most are apprehended and tried by the countries where they are living or arrested by the U.S. with the host country's cooperation and tried in the U.S. criminal justice system. Using military force to detain the men might also harm fledgling relations with Libya and other post-Arab-Spring governments with whom the U.S. is trying to build partnerships to hunt al-Qaida as the organization expands throughout the region.

A senior administration official said the FBI has identified a number of individuals that it believes have information or may have been involved, and is considering options to bring those responsible to justice. But taking action in remote eastern Libya would be difficult. America's relationship with Libya would be weighed as part of those options, the official said, speaking only on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to discuss the effort publicly.

The Libyan Embassy did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Waiting to prosecute suspects instead of grabbing them now could add to the political weight the Benghazi case already carries. The attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans weeks before President Barack Obama's re-election. Since then, Republicans in Congress have condemned the administration's handling of the situation, criticizing the level of embassy security, questioning the talking points provided to U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice for her public appearances to explain the attack and suggesting the White House tried to play down the incident to minimize its effect on the president's campaign.

The FBI released photos of three of the five suspects earlier this month, asking the public to provide more information on the men pictured. The images were captured by security cameras at the U.S. diplomatic post during the attack, but it took weeks for the FBI to see and study them. It took the agency three weeks to get to Libya because of security problems, so Libyan officials had to get the cameras and send them to U.S. officials in Tripoli, the capital.

The FBI and other U.S. intelligence agencies identified the men through contacts in Libya and by monitoring their communications. They are thought to be members of Ansar al-Shariah, the Libyan militia group whose fighters were seen near the U.S. diplomatic facility prior to the violence.

Republican lawmakers continue to call for the Obama administration to provide more information about the attack. The White House released 99 pages of emails about the talking points drafted by the intelligence community that Rice used to describe the attack, initially suggesting they were part of a series of regional protests about an anti-Islamic film. In those emails, administration officials agreed to remove from the talking points all mentions of terror groups such as Ansar al-Shariah or al-Qaida, because the intelligence pointing to those groups' involvement was still unclear and because some officials didn't want to give Congress ammunition to criticize the administration.

U.S. officials say the FBI has proof that the five men were either at the scene of the first attack or somehow involved because of intercepts of at least one of them bragging about taking part. Some of the men have also been in contact with a network of well-known regional Jihadists, including al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb.

The U.S. has decided that the evidence it has now would be enough for a military operation to seize the men for questioning, but not enough for a civilian arrest or a drone strike against them, the officials said. The U.S. has kept them under surveillance, mostly by electronic means. There was a worry that the men could get spooked and hide, but so far, not even the FBI's release of surveillance video stills has done that.

FBI investigators are hoping for more evidence, such as other video of the attack that might show the suspects in the act of setting the fires that ultimately killed the ambassador and his communications specialist, or firing the mortars hours later at the CIA base where the surviving diplomats took shelter ? or a Libyan witness willing to testify against the suspects in a U.S. courtroom.

But Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon, the Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said he is concerned the Obama administration is treating terrorism as criminal actions instead of acts of war that would elicit a much harsher response from the United States.

"The war on terror, I think, is a war and at times I get the feeling that the administration wants to treat it as a crime," McKeon said Tuesday.

Administration officials have indicated recently that the FBI is zeroing in.

"Regardless of what happened previously, we have made very, very, very substantial progress in that investigation," Attorney General Eric Holder told lawmakers last week.

That echoed comments made by Secretary of State John Kerry to lawmakers last month.

"They do have people ID'd," Kerry said of the FBI-led investigation. "They have made some progress. They have a number of suspects who are persons of interest that they are pursuing in this and building cases on."

But options for dealing with the men are few and difficult, U.S. officials said, describing high level strategy debates among White House, FBI and other counterterror officials. Those confidential discussions were described on condition of anonymity by four senior U.S. officials briefed on the investigation into the attack.

The U.S. could ask Libya to arrest the suspects, hoping that Americans would be given access to question them and that the Libyans gather enough evidence to hold the men under their own justice system. Another option is to ask the Libyans to extradite the men to the U.S., but that would require the U.S. to gather enough solid evidence linking the suspects to the crime to ask for such an action.

Asking other countries to detain suspects hasn't produced much thus far. In this case, the Egyptian government detained Egyptian Islamic Jihad member Muhammad Jamal Abu Ahmad for possible links to the attack, but it remains unclear if U.S. intelligence officers were ever allowed to question him.

Tunisia allowed the U.S. to question Tunisian suspect Ali Harzi, 28, who was arrested in Turkey last October because of suspected links to the Sept. 11 Benghazi attack, but a judge released him in January for lack of evidence.

Finally, the U.S. could send a military team to grab the men, and take them to an offsite location such as a U.S. naval ship ? the same way al-Qaida suspect Ahmed Warsame was seized by special operations personnel in 2011 in Somalia. He was then held and questioned for two months on a U.S. ship before being read his Miranda rights, transferred to the custody of the FBI and taken for trial in a New York court. Warsame pleaded guilty earlier this year and agreed to tell the FBI what he knew about terror threats and, if necessary, testify for the government.

The U.S. has made preparations for raids to grab the Benghazi suspects for interrogation in case the administration decides that's the best option, officials said. Such raids could be legally justified under the U.S. law passed just after the 9/11 terror attacks that authorizes the use of military force against al-Qaida, officials said. The reach of the law has been expanded to include groups working with al-Qaida.

The option most likely off the table would be taking suspects seized by the military to Guantanamo Bay, the facility in Cuba that Obama has said he wants to close.

"Just as the administration is trying to find the exit ramp for Guantanamo is not the time to be adding to it," said Morris Davis, the former chief prosecutor for Guant?namo.

Beyond being politically uncomfortable, it's less effective, he said. "There've been a total of seven cases completed since 2001," with six of them landing in appeals court over issues with the legitimacy of the charges.

___

Online:

FBI notice: http://tinyurl.com/cmdqnvx

Follow Dozier on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kimberlydozier or http://bigstory.ap.org/tags/kimberly-dozier

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fbi-ids-benghazi-suspects-no-arrests-yet-180357480.html

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