Sunday, June 30, 2013

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Personal Development, NLP, Hypnosis, Self Help, Guided Imagery, and Meditation with Michael J. Emery ? Be Confident, Happy, Peaceful ? Exceed Goals, Create Success and Experience Achievements ? Find Motivation, Think Positive, Make Wise Choices and Live!

Source: http://www.michaeljemery.com/apps-2/personal-development-app-android/

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Source: http://takeout-hermeneutic.blogspot.com/2013/06/personal-development-app-for-android.html

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David Cameron tribute to ?extraordinary? military on Armed Forces Day

David Cameron has paid tribute to the ?extraordinary men and women? of the military as more than 60,000 people across the UK prepares to celebrate Armed Forces Day.

The prime minister urged members of the public to show their support ahead of hundreds of events taking place up and down the country.

It comes as police warned English Defence League members could be arrested if they gather today at the site where soldier Drummer Lee Rigby was murdered.

UK set to celebrate Armed Forces Day
Show you support: David Cameron with military personnel (Picture: PA)

The group previously announced plans to walk across east London via the East London Mosque and assemble outside Woolwich barracks.

In pre-recorded message, Cameron said the UK have not been ?good at expressing pride? for Armed Forces in the past.

?That?s what this day is all about, pride and gratitude, celebrating what our armed forces do and above all saying thank you,? he said.

?If we?re honest, for a long time in this country we were not very good at that.?

Members of the English Defence League (EDL) pose for a photograph with EDL leader Tommy Robinson (2nd R) outside the Old Bailey, in London, on June 6, 2013. The EDL gathered outside the Old Bailey Thursday during the sentencing of six men who planned a terror attack on an EDL rally in 2012. The plot failed when the men arrived at the event two hours too late. Omar Mohammed Khan, Mohammed Hasseen, Anzal Hussain, Mohammed Saud, Zohaib Ahmed and Jewel Uddin were in court at the start of a two-day sentencing. AFP PHOTO/ADRIAN DENNISADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images
Members of the English Defence League have planned a march (Picture: Getty)

He added: ?Armed Forces Day is about reminding the British people that everyday there are extraordinary men and women all over the world who risk their lives for our safety and security.

?Let us show everyone in our Armed Forces just how proud we are of everything that they do.?

Nottingham will lead today?s celebrations which will include an aerial display featuring the Red Arrows and a parachute team.

More than 340 civic and community events have been registered with the official Armed Forces Day organisers.

Source: http://metro.co.uk/2013/06/29/david-cameron-tribute-to-extraordinary-military-on-armed-forces-day-3861565/

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Saturday, June 29, 2013

Stocks snap three-day winning streak, open lower

stocks

24 minutes ago

Stocks skidded back into the red on Friday, as investors seemed reluctant to jump in following a three-day winning streak and after a Fed governor outlined a hypothetical start date for the slowing down of asset purchases.

Fed Governor Jeremy Stein highlighted the upcoming September policy meeting as a possible time when the central bank may need to consider paring back its QE program, adding that the Fed considers the overall economic improvements since it launched the stimulus instead of giving undue weight to the most recent round of tepid economic data.

(Read More: Buckle Up! Expect More Market Volatility This Year)

Stein's comments contradicted comments from other Fed policymakers who have suggested the central bank will bide its time before scaling back its bond purchases.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average eased and was down 56 points in early afternoon trading, after logging its third-straight three-digit rise on Thursday. The Dow is on track for its strongest first half of the year since 1999.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq also poked back into negative territory. The S&P 500 is on pace for its best first half since 1998.

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), widely considered the best gauge of fear in the market, slid near 16.

Among key S&P sectors, consumer discretionary and utilities led, while techs held small losses.

Meanwhile, Richmond Fed President Jeffrey Lacker said markets should brace for more volatility as they digest news the Fed will scale back bond buying later this year, but the swings will not derail growth. Lacker said he expects U.S. growth to remain around 2 percent for the "foreseeable future."

Cleveland Fed President Sandra Pianalto and San Francisco Fed President John Williams were also scheduled to speak throughout the day. Williams' speech may attract particular interest, as he has previously advocated tapering back bond purchases as early as this summer.

(Read More:Fed Out in Force as Markets Stabilize)

On the economic front, business activity index in the Midwest fell in June to 51.6 from 58.7 in May, according to the Institute for Supply Management-Chicago. A Reuters survey of economists on average expected a median reading of 56.0 in June versus the May figure of 58.7.

Meanwhile, consumer sentiment improved in late June, with the final reading on the overall index at 84.1, above the preliminary reading of 82.7, according to Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the final June reading of 82.8.

Japan's benchmark stock index hit a three-week high on Friday on the back of positive economic reports that include much stronger than expected industrial output and retail sales numbers.

"We had better job market numbers, better production numbers, and even consumer prices are picking up. So data-wise, today is a pretty good day for Japan," said Takuji Okubo, principal and chief economist at Japan Macro Advisors.

Traders will closely watch gold prices, as the precious metal dipped below a key level of $1,200 per ounce. Analysts warned that miners could be severely affected if prices remain this low.

(Read More: Three Reasons Gold Will Go to $800)

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'Heat' breaks barriers as female buddy-cop film

Movies

21 hours ago

You have seen movies like ?The Heat.? But you?ve never seen a movie quite like ?The Heat.?

IMAGE: The Heat

Gemma La Mana / AP

Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy star in "The Heat," which is perhaps the first-ever buddy cop movie starring two women.

The buddy cop comedy, opening Friday and starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy, features a familiar plot, but a new twist. The buddies are both women.

These are not women who brunch and talk about their guy troubles or dream of getting married, or are planning pregnancy. These are tough single women who live for their law enforcement jobs and curse. Well, one does. McCarthy?s Det. Mullins is vulgar and wild and relishes making others uncomfortable. Bullock?s FBI Agent Ashburn is arrogant, uptight and doesn?t have much of a sense of humor. If they remind you of the guys in ?Lethal Weapon? or ?48 Hours,? you?re not alone.

?It?s just a fun comedy that you can swap two men for the women, and in that way it?s remarkable,? said Yael Kohen, author of ?We Killed: The Rise of Women in American Comedy.? ?It really is a very risky movie and exciting in a way. It?s not high-brow like ?Bridesmaids,? which also had an undercurrent of how women behave and relate. This movie doesn?t have any of that.?

When ?Bridesmaids? became a box-office smash in 2011, earning $300 million worldwide, critics declared it the beginning of a new era for women in leading roles. But two years later, most of the comedic roles for women are still of the romantic variety, with a sweet actress paired up with a leading man. ?The Heat,? which was directed by "Bridesmaids" Paul Feig, has now inherited the pressure. Even before the film hit theaters, screenwriter Katie Dippold (?Parks and Recreation?) was put to work on a sequel.

?At the end of the day, it?s a money question,? Kohen said. ?If ?The Heat,? does well, you?re more likely to see more (female buddie comedies) and you?re more likely to see the sequel.?

Comedies with two leading ladies were more popular in the 1980s than they are now, Kohen points out. Bette Midler starred in ?Outrageous Fortune" with Shelley Long in 1987 and in ?Big Business? with Lily Tomlin in 1988. That same year, Rebecca De Mornay and Mary Gross starred in what could have gone down in history as the first female buddy comedy but ?Feds? was a flop so no one remembers it. ?Thelma and Louise? in 1991 broke ground for women in film and had comedic elements though it was essentially a drama.

But, recently, Hollywood has been more apt to pair someone like Kate Hudson with Gael Garcia Bernal than with a female protagonist. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler stood out in 2008 when they starred in ?Baby Mama,? which won its opening weekend and grossed $60 million worldwide. But there hasn?t been a lead comedy female duo since.

?Hollywood thinks that men aren?t going to be interested in seeing the two women on the big screen,? Kohen said. ?They always want a leading man to help the woman open a movie. If ?The Heat,? doesn?t do well, I don?t think it?s necessarily that two women can?t open a movie. It could just be that people are not interested in that particular movie. But we know that?s not how it?s going to be viewed.?

"Heat" screenwriter Dippold, 33, told Kohen in an interview in Marie Claire that she wasn?t thinking about gender barriers or Hollywood tropes when she wrote the script. Growing up, she loved ?Running Scared? and ?Lethal Weapon,? and says, ?I always felt like those guys, the buddy cops, were so cool and badass and funny, and I always wanted to see two women like that.?

In that same vein, Bullock told Marie Claire that she was attracted to the script because Dippold did not restrict her character?s behavior according to gender expectations. "Katie wrote a story that required two human beings to be uncensored and not mind looking like idiots, something both women and men do on a daily basis,? Bullock said.

Bullock must have really liked what she read. Both she and McCarthy signed on to star in the movie just 10 days after Chernin Entertainment bought the script for $600,000. The movie is opening at record speed, only 20 months after Dippold completed the script. But even with such positive buzz, there?s still plenty of doubt among studio executives about whether two women can open an action buddy comedy, Kohen said.

?It?s hard enough to prove that one woman can open a movie let alone a duo,? Kohen said. ?It?s very ballsy for a movie to do and for a studio to make that decision. Executives are usually concerned with whether the audience will be overly estrogenized with two women in the lead. Well, ?The Heat? certainly is not that.?

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/heat-sandra-bullock-melissa-mccarthy-star-first-female-buddy-comedy-6C10472867

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When the U.S. doesn?t need Canadian oil

Could it be that a keystone belief and a bedrock of prosperity in Canada might disappear over the next two decades?

For a long time, it has been assumed that whatever surplus oil (and natural gas) Canadians could produce would be gladly purchased by the United States. ?Pump it and they will come? has been an underpinning reality for Canada?s economy.

More Related to this Story

Recently, the U.S. Energy Information Agency produced an estimate that the U.S. has almost 60 billion barrels of ?technically recoverable? shale oil. Now, ?technically recoverable? does not mean that all this supply will be used. Nor does it mean, however, that supplies the agency knows about today will not increase, perhaps substantially, as new deposits are discovered or innovative technologies for discovery and extraction are found. All that can be said is that 60 billion barrels of ?technically recoverable? oil is a godsend for the United States.

These barrels, or a portion thereof, could be a game-changer in a country with 7.4 million barrels of daily net imports of oil. U.S. dependence on imported oil has declined since peaking in 2005. The recession of 2008 and its aftermath knocked down consumption. So did improved energy efficiency measures, switching to natural gas, more renewable energy and consumers watching their pennies.

Forthcoming tighter mileage requirements for cars will drive down demand for oil, as will requirements for heavy-duty vehicles that President Barack Obama promised in his recent climate change speech. Indeed, ExxonMobil, in its 2013 World Outlook, thinks demand for oil will drop by almost 20 per cent from 2010 to 2040 in North America, the largest part of which by far is the United States, with the biggest reason being less fuel needed for vehicles.

Every barrel of oil that the U.S. can supply for itself reduces the country?s current account deficit, strengthens its economy and, most important, makes the country less vulnerable to international events in faraway places, some of which are notoriously volatile and shot through with anti-American attitudes. U.S. policy-makers ? and ordinary citizens ? therefore assign a very high priority to reducing and, if possible, eliminating their country?s dependence on oil imports, especially from the Middle East and Venezuela.

To Americans, Canada is seen as almost an extension of their country. Canadian cabinet ministers keep talking up Canada there as ?reliable and friendly,? which it is, in part because getting Canadian oil to anywhere but the United States is difficult and expensive. But what if, down the road, the United States doesn?t need any imported oil, or only a small amount relative to its own consumption?

Today, Canada is the largest foreign supplier of oil to the United States, accounting for 28 per cent of total U.S. imports. What would happen if the U.S. Energy Information Administration?s ?low net imports? scenario were realized by 2035?

Under this scenario, the EIA assumes higher domestic crude production from offshore, Alaska, gas-to-liquids processing and lots more shale oil. Simultaneously over this period, vehicle technology continues to improve, more fuel efficiency standards are introduced, electric vehicle batteries improve, natural gas begins to be used extensively in freight transportation and total vehicle miles travelled are reduced. Plenty of what the EIA calls ?inherently speculative assumptions? drive this (and other) scenarios.

The report makes also no mention of another potential game-changer: Washington putting a price on carbon, which is obviously the best way of reducing the carbon dioxide emissions that cause global warming.

The Obama administration, like the Harper government in Canada, is determined to rely on regulations to curb emissions. Regulations are the least economically efficient tool but the least politically costly method available. A price on carbon, either through a tax whose revenues would be recycled back to consumers and business in lower taxes on incomes or revenues, or through a cap-and-trade market system, would over time lower demand for big GHG-producing fuels such as oil and, of course, coal.

For the moment, this rational approach crashes against the irrationality of politics. What is not irrational, however, is the possibility that the United States might become self-sufficient in oil, with grave consequences for Canada.

More Related to this Story

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/when-the-us-doesnt-need-canadian-oil/article12884424/?cmpid=rss1

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Xbox 360 strikes live TV deal with Time Warner Cable, promises 'up to 300 of the most popular channels' later this summer

Xbox 360 strikes live TV deal with Time Warner Cable, promises 'up to 300 of the most popular channels' later this summer

Xbox Live Gold members might have yet another reason not to go outdoors this summer, as Microsoft has just detailed a new TWC TV app for launch in the next few months. Joining the console's existing HBO Go stream, Time Warner Cable subscribers will be able to watch AMC, BBC World News, Bravo, CNN, Comedy Central, Food Network and more through their Xbox 360, with Kinect controls to switch channels and more with a wave of your arms. The announcement also kindly reminds us that its incoming Xbox One will let users switch between live TV and gaming in an instant -- preorders are open now, folks!

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Friday, June 28, 2013

Honda orders recall because of fire risk -- for 2nd time

Autos

2 hours ago

Image: Honda Fit

The Detroit Bureau

The 2007-2008 Honda Fit's master power window switch can short and even catch fire if it gets wet.

Honda has become the latest automaker to order a recall due to the risk of potential vehicle fires ? a problem linked to a defective power window switch that has led to major recalls at several competitors including Toyota and General Motors. Embarrassingly, it is the second time Honda has had to repair the affected vehicles for the same problem.

In fact, with the recall covering just 143,083 Honda Fit subcompacts sold in the U.S., the latest safety action is relatively modest when compared to the 2.5 million vehicles Toyota had to recall in the States for the problem last October.

The latest action involves 2007 and 2008 model-year Honda subcompacts and is linked to a defective power window module that is vulnerable to rain or spilled liquids that might over time get in through the driver?s window.

?Over time,? the maker explains in a release, ?exposure to water and other fluids can cause electrical resistance in the switch, which ultimately can cause the switch to overheat and melt, damaging the switch and potentially damaging an associated wire harness. Additionally, if a switch melts, it could produce smoke and, potentially cause a fire.?

More from The Detroit Bureau:'Lola' tops 200 mph, sets EV world speed record

That is precisely the problem Honda described in January 2010 when it conducted a recall of the same Fit models for the same problem, using a fix it now says, ?has since been determined by Honda not to be sufficiently robust to ensure that all switches would be completely sealed against all possible moisture intrusion.?

If that is not problematic enough, Honda apparently may have to subject some owners to an additional, two-step repair process. It is asking owners of the affected vehicles to bring the little hatchbacks in for inspection as soon as possible. If it appears the defective switches show obvious damage they will be replaced immediately. If not, the maker says it will send the vehicles home, and will contact them later in the year to come back for a replacement ?when sufficient supplies of the updated switch are available.?

It is becoming increasingly common for manufacturers to announce large recalls because underlying components are frequently shared among a wide range of vehicles. And many suppliers sell the same, or nearly identical, components to more than one manufacturer.

More from The Detroit Bureau: Terrorists may be targeting our high-tech cars

As a result, Toyota was forced to recall 7.4 million cars, trucks and crossovers last autumn to deal with the same power window switch issue, including 2.5 million sold in the States. It was the Japanese giant?s largest recall ever.

General Motors has also had to order major recalls covering a wide range of products due to the switch problem, including one recall announced earlier this month involving 250,000 Chevrolet Trailblazers and GMC Envoy SUVs.A defective airbag system produced by a single supplier, Takata, similarly led to a major recall by a wide range of Asian and Western makers earlier this year.

But the Honda recall is a problem for the maker at a variety of levels. It not only is ordering a re-do of previous work but could subject some owners to multiple additional visits to the repair shop.

Compounding the situation, Honda has suffered a growing number of safety-related recalls in recent years, coming in as first or second in terms of the number of individual vehicles involved for each of the last four years.

More from The Detroit Bureau:Would you buy a Chinese-made Ford

And this year it seems on track to lead the list again, having recalled several million vehicles sold in the U.S. for problems including brake and airbag defects, as well as transmissions that can shift out of Park resulting in runaway vehicles.

Nonetheless, the maker still landed in the Top 10 according to the latest J.D. Power Initial Quality Survey, a measure of problems experienced by owners during the first 90 days after purchase. But the maker lagged behind Toyota and, among mainstream brands, both Chevrolet and GMC ? their parent General Motors topping the IQS list among individual manufacturers for the first time.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663286/s/2df25f58/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Cbusiness0Chonda0Eorders0Erecall0Ebecause0Efire0Erisk0E2nd0Etime0E6C10A486631/story01.htm

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Seattle fireworks too scary for baby bald eagles

By Elaine Porterfield

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Just because they're both emblems of American pride doesn't mean fireworks and bald eagles should share the same skyline.

The floating launch pad for next week's July Fourth fireworks display in suburban Seattle is being moved from its usual site to avoid frightening a pair of baby bald eagles nesting in a tree on the shore of Lake Washington, sponsors of the event said on Thursday.

A spokeswoman for the local National Audubon Society chapter said the two eaglets, still too young to fly, might be so startled by the pyrotechnics that they would jump out of their nest and plunge to the ground, leaving them injured or vulnerable to predators.

The fledgling national symbols, apparently unaware they are complicating the Independence Day festivities in the city of Kirkland, east of Seattle, currently spend their days perched in a tall lakeside Douglas fir in the town's Heritage Park.

They are believed to be six to eight weeks old, and probably won't start to fly until the beginning of August, said Mary Brisson, a board member and spokeswoman for Eastside Audubon.

The town's annual fireworks usually are set off from a barge floating in the lake near the park, and Brisson said her group recently asked that the display be moved from its traditional location for the sake of the young raptors. Organizers agreed.

As a result, the pyrotechnics company will relocate its launch site some 350 yards (meters) farther away from the nest, said Penny Sweet, founder of the civic group, Celebrate Kirkland, which oversees the fireworks.

The company also promised to tailor next Thursday's show to emphasize visual displays with less explosive noise to further minimize disturbing the eagle family.

"That's good for dogs and old people like me," Sweet said wryly.

She added that the new barge site will make the fireworks visible to more of the city as a whole.

Brisson said the revised plan adheres to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service guidelines requiring fireworks displays to be located at least a half-mile from an active bald eagle nest.

As an added attraction, the Audubon Society plans to set up a July Fourth observation site at Heritage Park allowing visitors to view the eaglets and their parents through spotting scopes after the annual holiday parade and before the fireworks.

(Editing by Steve Gorman and Sandra Maler)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/seattle-fireworks-too-scary-baby-bald-eagles-005235696.html

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Thursday, June 27, 2013

Knight Rider Movie Gets a New Screenwriter

Knight Rider
NBC

?Knight Rider? was a popular TV show (albeit briefly) that ran from 1982 through 1986. In it, David Hasselhoff?s crime-fighting Michael Knight was partnered with a talking car named KITT. And now it?s ready to become a movie.

The LA Times is reporting that Brad Copeland ? who was a writer on ?Arrested Development,? but also penned ?Wild Hogs? and the ?Yogi Bear? film adaptation ? has been hired to work on a screenplay. With his hiring, it?s obvious that they?re going for a slightly more comic version of the film, and likely interest has been boosted by the success of ?Fast and Furious 6.?

But it?s worth noting that this is something Hollywood has tried before. Back in 2002, Revolution Studios wanted to get a ?Knight Rider? film going, and then The Weinstein Company snapped up the rights in 2006 and tried to get Orlando Bloom to star in the picture. That didn?t happen, and the project has been cold ever since.This is on top of the 2008?s television reboot, which lasted only one troubled season.

Though ?Knight Rider? is embedded in pop culture, it?s also a program that only lasted four seasons, so the premise wore out its welcome before it could get to a more syndication-friendly hundred episodes. While much of the modern appreciation of the show seems ironic (which is likely why they?re going for a comic flavor), and fueled by a fascination with David Hasselhoff. But common sense never stopped Hollywood before, so this has a real shot at being made.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1927742/news/1927742/

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Te reo M?ori choice for Windows 8, Office 2013, and the Internet ...

For ten years Microsoft has been collaborating with Te Taura Whiri i te Reo M?ori (the M?ori Language Commission) and language experts to bring free te reo M?ori interfaces to the technology that millions of Kiwis use every day.

In preparation for M?ori Language Week 2013, Microsoft has announced today that the choice to use te reo M?ori in Windows 8, Office 2013, Outlook.com, and Internet Explorer 10 is available now.

Detail of Windows 8 Start Screen with Te Reo Maori

?We are thrilled to continue our support for te reo M?ori,? says Paul Muckleston, Managing Director of Microsoft New Zealand Limited. ?We are grateful for the hard work that so many people have done to make it possible to weave this taonga into the very latest of tablet, smartphone, PC, and cloud technologies.?

?We are also announcing our support for a new initiative that can bring free te reo M?ori translations to the Internet with the Microsoft Translator Hub in the future,? says Muckleston.

?Microsoft?s ongoing commitment to te reo M?ori deserves to be celebrated,? says Glenis Philip Barbara, Chief Executive of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo M?ori. ?Microsoft has worked with translators to develop and polish top notch translations for more than 100,000 phrases and they provide a truly immersive experience. It is exciting to see our language so comprehensively supported in the Microsoft products that are widely used in our community.?

Glenis adds that support for te reo M?ori in technology is essential for investing in tamariki by offering an interface from their school years. This allows youth to be immersed in te reo for life.?

New support for te reo M?ori in Microsoft products includes the following.

  • In Windows 8, te reo M?ori can be applied to the desktop and the modern touch-friendly interface, as well as the included apps for Mail, Calendar, People, Weather, Maps, Games, Music, Finance, News, Defender (the included free anti-virus software) and more.?
  • The new Internet Explorer 10 web browser for Windows 7 and Windows 8 can also be used with te reo M?ori menus and options.?
  • With Office 2013, te reo M?ori can be applied to Outlook 2013, Word 2013, Excel 2013, PowerPoint 2013, and OneNote 2013. The free online email service Outlook.com also has the option to be used in te reo M?ori.
  • Windows Phone 8 now offers te reo M?ori support for the Regional Settings (this will display things like the time and date in te reo M?ori).

All of these te reo M?ori options are available today at no extra cost, through a simple change in the Language Settings (Windows 8 and Internet Explorer 10, Outlook.com, and Windows Phone 8), or with a free download (Office 2013 from http://aka.ms/Office2013inTeReo). You can see screenshots of how it looks once the language packs are installed here:?http://sdrv.ms/14aZVLE

Previous versions of Windows and Office are also supported.

Detail of Word 2013 with Te Reo Maori

Anne Taylor, Customer Marketing Manager at Microsoft New Zealand Limited, has been a champion of te reo M?ori within Microsoft from the outset. She says the work involved in the development of this M?ori language support would not have been possible without many people working towards a common goal. Individual contributors include Haami Piripi, Huhana Rokx, Sharon Armstrong, Wiha Raki-Hawea, Lee Smith, Te Haumihiata Mason, Te Taka Keegan, Tom Roa, Roger Lewis, Wareko Te ?ngina, Eva Mahara, Hohepa MacDougall, John Moorfield, and Dave Moskovitz.

Taylor says, ?On behalf of Microsoft, I would like to thank everyone who has helped to make te reo come to life in a technological context, and Te Taura Whiri i te Reo M?ori for their encouragement and recognition of the work that has been done.?

?We encourage everyone to try these te reo M?ori interfaces for themselves,? says Anne. ?Our vision is that everyone can immerse themselves in te reo M?ori when they use our technology, to keep the language vibrant with the community leaders who know it well, and to revitalise and grow language use among children and learners.?

Waikato University Senior Lecturer in Computer Science, Dr Te Taka Keegan, has worked closely with Microsoft to develop the te reo M?ori interfaces. He says there is a need for greater access to technology to facilitate the use of the language on an everyday basis.??

Dr Keegan says, ?Microsoft?s 10 years of work has laid a foundation for te reo M?ori in the technology environment and highlighted how te reo M?ori can be used in modern contexts.?

?The impact of Microsoft's work is far reaching, giving future generations of M?ori language speakers the expectation that their computing and technology can, and more importantly should, be available in te reo M?ori.?

Detail of Windows Phone 8 Lock Screen with Te Reo Maori

Building on this work, Microsoft New Zealand Limited announced today that it would support the establishment of a new charitable foundation for te reo M?ori language experts and advocates to bring free te reo M?ori translations to the Internet.

?Microsoft has been researching technology that allows computers to learn how to translate from one language to another for more than a decade,? says Muckleston. ?Microsoft technology powers the free translation tool at www.bing.com/translator/ that can translate any text or website, the translations that people see in Facebook and various consumer apps, and in software that is used by professional translators to help them be more productive.?

Microsoft?s translation service has the potential to make translations to and from te reo M?ori much more accessible to anyone through the Internet, says Pare Keiha, Dean of Te Ara Poutama, Pro-Vice Chancellor M?ori at AUT University. ?Being part of the process of building a new translation service for te reo M?ori will be a wonderful experience for language students.?

He is also excited about the future possibilities. ?If we can bring this ambitious project to fruition over the coming years, professional translators will be able to use the service in their work,? says Keiha. ?It will save a lot of time, so that more things can be translated into te reo M?ori. And anyone will be able to tap into the service to get the gist of what is being said in te reo. Microsoft is taking a neutral approach so there is no restriction on which smart devices can be used to access the service.?

?Microsoft has been consulting with te reo M?ori experts over the last year about the concept of bringing this instant translation technology to everyone. Based on the words of support and encouragement we have received, we would like to work with M?ori on this voyage to translation support in these tools for te reo M?ori,? says Muckleston. ?This won?t happen overnight, and it will take a lot of hard work by Microsoft and many volunteers ? but we think it is important to start on this ambitious project now so that te reo M?ori in the technological environment can be used more widely in the future.?

The first step will be for the community to use a free tool called the Microsoft Translator Hub to immerse the computer learning technology in te reo M?ori, so that the software can learn the vocabulary and grammar of the language. This requires a large collection of works that are available in te reo M?ori and in English or another supported language.

Muckleston says, ?Microsoft offers the Translator Hub as a free service for language enthusiasts and experts to chart their own pathways towards building sophisticated machine translation engines for their own use. It?s a self-service tool that allows people to include everyone in their community who can help to build the engine.?

?Most of the work will be done by enthusiasts and volunteers, and it will be important to recognise their work,? explains Muckleston. ?Microsoft will also give the project a boost with an initial funding grant for a researcher to collect translated works and add them to the Translator Hub to get things underway.?

Based on discussions with te reo M?ori experts, Microsoft is aware that the approach that will receive the widest support in New Zealand is for an independent charitable foundation, governed and controlled by M?ori, to collect and hold the body of translated works so that it can be used not only for the Microsoft Translator Hub project, but also for other projects that will enrich the language in the future.

?We recognise that collecting these valuable translated works from community and Government stakeholders is something that needs to be handled responsibly,? says Muckleston. ?The body of translated works that will be collected will be a cultural treasure in itself, and it is too valuable to be locked into any one company?s service. We understand that it needs to be readily available for other initiatives to study the language and improve access for the entire community.?

?Microsoft?s approach puts M?ori firmly in control of the body of translated works, and the Microsoft Translator Hub project itself,? explains Evelyn Tobin MNZM, JP, and Director, K?tare Enterprises Ltd. ?This is important, because it means M?ori own the process, and the critical decisions. I encourage everyone who is interested in revitalising te reo M?ori to come forward and support this work.?

Leading New Zealand law firm Chapman Tripp has offered to help with the establishment work of the foundation on a pro bono basis.

?Our firm supports the enrichment of te reo M?ori and we are excited to be part of this project,? says Justin Graham, Senior Associate at Chapman Tripp. ?As someone who is learning te reo myself, I feel this is an important project for New Zealand, and I am delighted to be able to volunteer my time alongside people who are recognised as leaders in te reo.?

Language experts Evelyn Tobin, Pare Keiha, and Te Taka Keegan have been nominated as initial trustees for the foundation, and there is an open invitation for iwi nominees, language enthusiasts, and representatives of the Te Taura Whiri i te Reo M?ori to participate.

The charitable foundation is due to be launched soon, which will open up this project to contributions from the public. If you are interested to find out more about the project, if you have feedback for us on the proposal, or if you would like to be part of it, please get in touch with us at TeReoMaori@microsoft.com.

To find out more about Microsoft?s commitment to languages please visit the Microsoft Local Language Program website at http://www.microsoft.com/LLP/. To find out more about Microsoft?s work on language technology please visit http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/projects/mt/.

You can link to this blog post through:? http://aka.ms/ArohatiaTeReo2013

Article by Waldo Kuipers, Corporate Affairs Manager, Microsoft New Zealand Limited

Source: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/nzgovtech/archive/2013/06/26/te-reo-maori-choice-for-windows-8-office-2013-and-the-internet.aspx

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New Zealand wants law to widen surveillance of citizens

By Gyles Beckford

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand is pushing to change its laws to widen surveillance of citizens by one of its spy agencies, despite growing global concern over the scope and security of such activities following damning revelations of monitoring by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA).

New Zealand's minority centre-right National Party government wants to legalize the involvement of its foreign intelligence department, the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), in the work of domestic agencies, such as the Security Intelligence Service and the police.

The Bureau spies on foreign targets via electronic listening posts and shares data with the United States, Australia, Canada, and Britain under what is called the "Five Eyes" partnership, but is barred from spying on New Zealand citizens.

Prime Minister John Key's government wants to amend the law to let the Bureau provide technical support to domestic agencies for operations against terrorism and organized crime.

"This legislation is in New Zealand's interests. At the end of the day, this isn't playtime," he told reporters.

Western spy agencies are facing scrutiny after Edward Snowden, a former systems administrator at the NSA, exposed widespread electronic eavesdropping by the United States.

Snowden fled Hong Kong, where he had been living, after the United States charged him with espionage. He is now in the transit lounge of Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and has applied for asylum in Ecuador.

His revelations on widespread NSA surveillance of global Internet and telephone traffic has raised a storm of privacy concerns as well as anger in targeted nations like China.

Although the proposed change to the New Zealand law predates the Snowden revelations, it has stirred concerns about the reach and security of spying and data collection.

The New Zealand Law Society has strongly opposed it as being intrusive, and inconsistent with laws protecting privacy and civil liberties.

Similar concerns have been raised in India, where sources have told Reuters a wide-ranging surveillance program that will give its security agencies the ability to tap directly into e-mails and phone calls without oversight by courts or parliament has been launched.

However, in Australia, the government has shelved plans to force phone and Internet companies to hold two years of phone call and email data following concerns raised by a parliamentary inquiry into telecommunications interception laws.

MINOR PARTY SUPPORT

It is not clear if the New Zealand legislation will pass parliament.

The government has only 59 seats in the 121-seat parliament and has agreements with three small parties only on confidence and fiscal matters.

The main opposition Labour and Green Parties oppose the bill, which is now with a parliamentary panel that will consider public submissions over the next month.

Greens Party co-leader Russel Norman has been a vocal opponent of the actions and reach of the Bureau and has praised Snowden's actions in exposing the U.S. surveillance. He has suggested New Zealand should offer him protection, a suggestion Key dismisses as "ridiculous".

Key has said he was confident the single member of the centrist United Future Party, one of the support parties, would change his opposition to the Bureau doing domestic surveillance.

The prime minister has also said he may be able to do a deal with the nationalist New Zealand First Party, a strong critic of many government economic policies, but which has said it might support a law change with added safeguards for privacy.

A former head of the Bureau said the domestic law change was necessary, as were the agency's links to foreign agencies.

"It's a healthy way of clarifying the law, and it's a healthy way of ensuring New Zealand security is protected into the future," Bruce Ferguson, who retired as GCSB director in 2011, told Reuters, adding that the Snowden leaks were unlikely to affect intelligence sharing.

On Snowden, he said: "It's regretful he's done what he's done, I don't see what positive purpose it has apart from giving people a whole bunch of information on which to become paranoid."

A separate law being considered by parliament would require New Zealand telecoms companies to allow surveillance agencies' access to their networks.

(Editing by Lincoln Feast and Raju Gopalakrishnan)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/zealand-wants-wider-spy-agency-role-keeping-tabs-050236816.html

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Thursday, June 20, 2013

Bulger, Gandolfini: Mob makes headlines this week

The death in Italy of James Gandolfini, who played Mafia boss Tony Soprano on the popular HBO show "The Sopranos," was part of an unusual convergence of mob-related news making headlines this week. Here's a look:

JAMES GANDOLFINI'S DEATH

Gandolfini, whose portrayal of an emotionally delicate mob boss on one of TV's greatest drama series earned him three Emmy Awards, died Wednesday while on holiday in Rome, HBO and his managers said. Gandolfini, who was 51, played Soprano on the HBO series from 1999 to 2007. He also appeared in movies including "Zero Dark Thirty" and "Killing Them Softly."

THE SEARCH FOR JIMMY HOFFA

FBI agents with shovels on Monday began combing through dirt and mud in a weed-grown field north of Detroit looking for Hoffa's remains or clues to the disappearance of the former Teamsters boss, who many people suspect ran afoul of the mob. Detroit FBI chief Robert Foley said Wednesday he was disappointed the excavation failed to turn up anything linked to Hoffa, who's been missing since 1975.

JIMMY THE GENT'S HOUSE

In New York, an FBI excavation turned up possible human remains at a home once occupied by gangster James "Jimmy the Gent" Burke, the inspiration for Robert De Niro's character in "Goodfellas." Burke, who according to mob lore orchestrated a nearly $6 million robbery, one of the largest cash heists in American history, at Kennedy Airport in 1978, lived at the home while an associate in the Lucchese crime family. The dig, apparently unrelated to the Hoffa dig, started Monday, and an FBI spokesman confirmed Wednesday agents found organic material they want to test. The FBI isn't discussing the investigation.

WHITEY BULGER'S TRIAL

In reputed Boston mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger's racketeering trial, a former hit man who admitted killing 20 people, including a close friend, insisted Wednesday he told authorities the truth when he implicated Bulger in 11 slayings. Earlier in the week, the ex-hit man, John Martorano, was unemotional when describing his work but said he was heartbroken when he learned Bulger had become an FBI informant. Bulger's lawyers deny he was an informant and say he didn't kill 19 people.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bulger-gandolfini-mob-makes-headlines-week-021841659.html

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Italy 4 Japan 3 - match report: Penalty king Balotelli scores AGAIN from the spot as Azzurri hold on for crucial win

By Graeme Yorke

|

Italy booked their semi-final place as they snatched a barely-deserved victory from a pulsating game in Recife to dump Japan out of the Confederations Cup.

Italy scored three times in 11 minutes either side of half-time, through Daniele De Rossi, Atsuto Uchida's own goal and Mario Balotelli's penalty after Japan had established a 2-0 lead courtesy of Keisuke Honda's spot-kick and Shinji Kagawa's neat finish.

Shinji Okazaki made it 3-3 in the 69th minute, but Sebastian Giovinco netted four minutes from the end to give Italy the points and ensure they will progress from Group A alongside hosts Brazil.

Super: Mario Balotelli coolly celebrates after giving Italy the lead

Super: Mario Balotelli coolly celebrates after giving Italy the lead

Simple: Balotelli keeps up his 100 per cent record from the penalty spot

Simple: Balotelli keeps up his 100 per cent record from the penalty spot

Match facts

Italy: Buffon, Maggio (Abate 59), Barzagli, Chiellini, De Sciglio, Pirlo, Montolivo, De Rossi, Aquilani (Giovinco 30), Giaccherini (Marchisio 68), Balotelli.

Subs not used: Sirigu, Astori, Candreva, Gilardino, El Shaarawy, Cerci, Bonucci, Diamanti, Marchetti.

Goals: De Rossi 41, Uchida OG 50, Balotelli pen 52, Giovinco 86.

Booked: De Rossi, Buffon

Japan: Kawashima, Uchida (Sakai 73), Yoshida, Konno, Nagatomo, Hasebe (Nakamura 90), Endo, Okazaki, Honda, Kagawa, Maeda (Havenaar 79).

Subs not used: Nishikawa, Inoha, Gotuko Kiyotake, Hosogai, Kurihara, Inui, Takahashi, Hiroki Sakai, Gonda.

Goals: Honda pen 21, Kagawa 33, Okazaki 69.

Booked: Hasabe, Konno.

Referee: Diego Abal (Argentina)

Japan's early dominance was rewarded in the 21st minute when, from a short Mattia De Sciglio backpass, Gianluigi Buffon stormed off his line to meet Okazaki, sliding into ball and player.

The referee hedged his bets by giving a penalty but not sending Buffon off, and Honda dispatched an unconvincing spot-kick past the goalkeeper.

It was 2-0 just after the half-hour mark as Kagawa took advantage of some uncertainty in the Italy defence, spinning and firing low past Buffon at the near post.

Having been outplayed for 40 minutes, Italy got themselves back in the game from a corner four minutes before the break.

Andrea Pirlo's outswinging delivery was perfect and De Rossi got ahead of his marker to thump a header past the keeper.

Italy almost levelled in first-half stoppage-time as Emanuele Giaccherini shot sharply on the turn, sending the ball against the base of the post.

But they did not have to wait long after the restart to get back on level terms as Japan handed them an equaliser.

Fist pump: Shinji Kagawa celebrates after scoring the second for Japan

Fist pump: Shinji Kagawa celebrates after scoring the second for Japan

Scorcher: The Manchester United midfielder scored a half volley midway through the first half

Scorcher: The Manchester United midfielder scored a half volley midway through the first half

Maya Yoshida attempted to shield the ball out of play, but Giaccherini stole it off him, centred the ball and a sliding Uchida poked the ball into his own net.

Moments later Italy were in the lead thanks to another controversial penalty.

Makoto Hasebe was harshly adjudged to have handled as he made a sliding block, and Balotelli converted from the spot.

Japan could have been forgiven for letting their heads drop but they were level again in the 69th minute when Okazaki made a great run to the near post to meet Yasuhito Endo's free-kick and headed home.

Swinger: Balotelli whips in a cross from the right hand side

Swinger: Balotelli whips in a cross from the right hand side

Appeal: Italy's Gianluigi Buffon took down Shinji Okazaki for the opening penalty

Appeal: Italy's Gianluigi Buffon took down Shinji Okazaki for the opening penalty

With nine minutes to play, Japan went agonisingly close to a fourth as Okazaki's shot from the edge of the box hit the post and the rebound went quickly to Kagawa, whose header bounced off the turf, on to the crossbar and away.

And they were made to pay as, against the run of play, substitute Giovinco turned home Claudio Marchisio's cross with four minutes remaining.

Still Japan almost equalised as Okazaki hit the bar and Yoshida converted the rebound, only to be denied by the offside flag.

Teams

Played
WonDrawnLostForAgainstPoints

Brazil

2200
5
0
6

Italy

2200
6
4
6

Mexico

200
21
4
0

Japan

20023
7
0
Look into my eyes: Buffon was enraged about the decision which he saw as unfair

Look into my eyes: Buffon was enraged about the decision which he saw as unfair

Watching on: Balotelli's girlfriend Fanny Neguesha was in the stands to see her other half score

Watching on: Balotelli's girlfriend Fanny Neguesha was in the stands to see her other half score

3-3: Okazaki swivels to head in Japan's third

3-3: Okazaki swivels to head in Japan's third

Ecstatic: Sebastian Giovinco charges round behind the goal after scoring the winner for Italy

Ecstatic: Sebastian Giovinco charges round behind the goal after scoring the winner for Italy

?

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2344797/Italy-4-Japan-3--match-report-Penalty-king-Balotelli-scores-AGAIN-spot-Azzurri-hold-crucial-win.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

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Obama's Fishy Explanation for Calling Britain's Finance Minister the ...

The president, it seems, committed a minor gaffe during this week's G-8 meetings in Northern Ireland. According to the Financial Times, the stumble came during a discussion of tax avoidance issues, when Barack Obama thrice interrupted the British chancellor of the exchequer in order to say he agreed with "Jeffrey."

The chancellor's name is George Osborne.

Obama later apologized, saying, "I'm sorry, man. I must have confused you with my favorite R&B singer." The U.S. leader was referring to Jeffrey Osborne, the soulful crooner responsible for "On the Wings of Love."

But is Osborne really the favorite that Obama claims? Some investigative reporting has raised serious questions about where Osborne ranks in Obama's hierarchy of musical preferences.

In multiple interviews about music, Obama has never once mentioned Osborne when asked about the songs he listens to, even when mentioning other R&B artists. Consider the following data points:

  • In an interview with Cincinnati radio station WIZF, Obama says he listens to Stevie Wonder, James Brown, the Fugees, and even jazz artist Gil Scott-Heron, among others. But Osborne is never brought up.
  • In an interview with Rolling Stone, he specifically discusses R&B -- but again, makes no mention of Osborne (the late classical singer Maria Callas gets a shout out).
  • Asked about his musical preferences by a middle school teacher while campaigning in 2007, Obama again mentions Stevie Wonder, and adds that he enjoys Earth, Wind & Fire -- but no Osborne.

So -- is Jeffrey Osborne really an artist so close to the president's heart that he could accidentally blurt out his name when addressing another country's chancellor of the exchequer? Or did Obama just forget poor George Osborne's name?

We report, you decide.

Source: http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/06/19/obama_s_fishy_explanation_for_calling_britain_s_finance_minister_the_wrong_name

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The adventures of a Libyan weapons dealer in Syria

By Jessica Donati, Ghaith Shennib and Firas Bosalum

BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - Abdul Basit Haroun says he is behind some of the biggest shipments of weapons from Libya to Syria, which he delivers on chartered flights to neighboring countries and then smuggles over the border.

After fleeing Libya in his 20s, Haroun established himself as a property developer in Manchester. After about two decades in the British city, he returned to Libya in 2011 to fight in the revolution, where he became a prominent rebel commander.

He says he sends aid and weapons to help Syrians achieve the freedom he fought for during the Libyan revolution.

The first consignment of weapons was smuggled into Syria aboard a Libyan ship delivering aid last year, Haroun says, but now containers of arms are flown "above board" into neighboring countries on chartered flights.

In the months since Haroun began his work, arming the rebels has moved up the international agenda, with Saudi Arabia equipping them with missiles, and Washington also planning to send weapons to the men fighting President Bashar al-Assad.

Haroun spoke to Reuters over coffee and homemade cake late at night at his villa on the outskirts of Benghazi, the eastern city that began the uprising that deposed Muammar Gaddafi.

His son, a young man who spoke English with a Manchester accent, offered help with weapon prices and other details.

Haroun was upset the West had not intervened in Syria, as it did in Libya and said the opportunity to avert a larger war had been missed.

"Even when the war in Syria ends, there will be another war in region; Sunni against Shia. At the beginning, there was just Assad to bring down ... now Hezbollah, Iran are involved."

A Reuters reporter was taken to an undisclosed location in Benghazi to see a container of weapons being prepared for delivery to Syria. It was stacked with boxes of ammunition, rocket launchers and various types of light and medium weapons.

Haroun and an associate said it was being stored on the unnamed base to keep the arms safe.

"They are not partners with me in the transfer of weapons, but I store the weapons here because it is a safe place," said Haroun's associate, who asked not to be named because it could negatively impact his relief work.

BLIND EYE

Haroun says he can collect weapons from around the country and arrange for them to be delivered to the Syrian rebels because of his contacts in Libya and abroad.

"They know we are sending guns to Syria," Haroun said. "Everyone knows."

In Libya, he helps the government with state security, according to interior ministry spokesman Majdi al-Ourfi.

He also has credentials as a commander from the days of the revolution. "Abdel Basit Haroun was with us in the February 17 brigade before he quit to form his own brigade," said fellow brigade commander Ismail Salabi.

His weapon dealing activities appear to be well known, at least in Libya's east.

Senior officials in Libya's army and government told Reuters they backed supplying weapons to the Syrian opposition, while a member of Libya's congress said Haroun was doing a great job of helping the Syrian rebels.

"After the end of the war of liberation, he became involved in supporting the Syrian revolution... sending aid and weapons to the Syrian people," said assembly member Tawfiq Al-Shehabi.

"He does a good job of supporting the Syrian revolution."

Another official, who declined to be identified, said he had allowed weapons to leave the port of Benghazi for Syria.

"We don't stop them because we know what the Syrian people are going through," he said, referring to weapons being smuggled out of the eastern port. He did not say who was behind the shipments he allowed through.

A Libyan army commander, Hamed Belkhair, said that he was aware of colleagues in the military who had met Syrian rebels and agreed to help them by supplying arms.

"The weapons are not supplied to extremists, but only to the Free Syrian Army," said Belkhair.

A United Nations Panel report dated February this year also backs Haroun's assertions that weapons smuggling to Syria from Libya is widely known about.

"The Syrian Arab Republic has presented a prominent destination for some Libyan fighters and Libyan military materiel," the writers say.

Transfers have been organized under the supervision, or with the consent, of a range of actors in Libya and the Syrian Arab Republic."

The report adds: "the significant size of some shipments and the logistics involved suggest that representatives of the Libyan local authorities might have at least been aware of the transfers, if not actually directly involved."

GREAT THINGS

Haroun runs the operation with an associate, who helps him coordinate about a dozen people in Libyan cities collecting weapons for Syria. Both said several flights had been chartered to Jordan or Turkey to deliver weapons that were then transferred over the border.

Haroun's associate, who also runs a relief organization, said that about 28 metric tons of weapons had been delivered by air so far.

"We are doing two great things," Haroun said. "The first is that we are taking guns off the street. The mission is so popular that we get 50 percent discounts on weapons."

Haroun added that some were also donated free, particularly heavy items that families had little use for after the war.

His son helped him with weapon prices on the streets. For example, a C5 general purpose machine gun was about $25, while rocket propelled grenade launchers were nearer $120.

"If we had the money we could collect all the guns from the streets, but it currently takes about 4-5 months to get enough for a delivery," Haroun said, adding that funding came from local businesses and Syrians abroad.

They deliver the weapons to the Free Syrian Army because they are best placed to know which rebel group is most in need of supplies, Haroun said. The FSA delivered the arms to the front line and Haroun said he no control over which groups received the weapons.

They preferred to send weapons rather than fighters, because of the risk of trouble returning to Libyan soil.

Both he and his associate traveled with their first successful delivery in August over the Syrian border to ensure it reached its destination. They were appalled by the horrors witnessed there.

"Anyone who saw what I did in Syria would do the same thing," said the associate.

"The water is so polluted you wouldn't even wash your hands with it. People have no clothes. I saw three births with no doctors present. People are dying without medication."

LIBYAN WEAPONS

A Reuters reporter who visited locations supplied by Haroun in Syria a month or two after the shipment was said to have arrived said the area was awash in weapons of Libyan origin.

In addition, a number of journalists traveled with Haroun.

"I was with Haroun on the ship (Al Entisar)... And I know they transfer arms to Syria," said Areesh Saeed, a Libyan journalist.

That aid shipment met only a fraction of the people's needs, the associate said. The next consignment due to sail in June would be bigger, at close to 2,000 metric tons.

"The next shipment will be only aid. And if we were planning on taking weapons, we wouldn't tell you," he added.

He did, however, produce iPad footage that he said showed an earlier consignment being prepared. In the clip, a group of men were loading rockets and boxes of ammunition out of a small truck and into a container.

Haroun's associate gestured at the person filming to turn the phone off, while a man on the truck grinned at the camera.

Air deliveries are preferred because of the risks of interception in east Mediterranean waters; their first shipment was seized off the coast of Lebanon.

Both Haroun and his associate said the second shipment was successful because it took a longer route, reaching Turkey in August 2012 with weapons hidden among about 460 metric tons of aid destined for Syrian refugees.

The UN report appears to confirm at least some of Haroun's account, in its investigation in the case of a second vessel, the Al Entisar.

The Panel investigated a news report that a Libyan ship with around 400 metric tons of aid had supplied Syrian rebels with "the largest consignment of weapons ... since the uprising".

The Panel found that the loading port was Benghazi, that the exporter was "a relief organization based in Benghazi" and the consignee was the same Islamic foundation based in Turkey that Haroun said had helped with documentation.

"The Panel also spoke to the head of the Benghazi-based relief organization, who organized the shipment. He confirmed that the cargo had been loaded on to Al Entisar... denying that any weapons had been on board," the report says.

Haroun's associate says he told authorities only aid was on board and denies anyone knew about the weapons. Haroun contradicts him on this point.

(additional reporting by Erika Solomon in Beirut; writing by Jessica Donati; editing by Giles Elgood)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/adventures-libyan-weapons-dealer-syria-160433958.html

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Wednesday, June 19, 2013

A guide for the study of the potential environmental impacts of offshore renewable energies

A guide for the study of the potential environmental impacts of offshore renewable energies [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 18-Jun-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Irati Kortabitarte
i.kortabitarte@elhuyar.com
34-943-363-040
Elhuyar Fundazioa

The global operator of renewable energy ACCIONA-Energy in collaboration with the Marine Research Unit of AZTI-Tecnalia has developed a guide that will facilitate the writing of the Environmental Impact Studies (EIS) of Marine Renewable Energy Projects.

This is a publication that aims to present in a synthetic and easily understandable way the existing knowledge about the potential environmental impacts of marine renewable energy projects and to point to the methodological means for studying them, so that future projects of this nature can be sustainably managed from an environmental perspective.

In this respect, it will be useful to the promoters of marine renewable energy projects so that they take in to account all the environmental implications of their projects. It will also benefit the technicians of the administrations involved in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of projects and in the granting of the relevant permits, as well as the people who carry out EIS. Finally, it will be of interest for other groups like NGOs, which are devoted to preserving, conserving and protecting the marine environment, and also for the public in general.

This initiative is part of the project on the efficient and integral use of renewable offshore energies "CENIT-E OCEAN LEADER, leaders in Ocean Renewables". The project is an ambitious technology initiative promoted by a consortium of companies with a strong research capability which addresses the challenge of developing the necessary technologies to set up integrated installations that can harness marine renewable energies, such as waves and tidal currents. Further information can be obtained at http://www.oceanlider.com.

The main aim of the OCEAN LIDER project is the research in breakthrough technologies needed for the setting up of integrated facilities for the use of renewable ocean energy, thus contributing towards: the sustainable use of marine energy resource; the development of new products, processes and services of strategic importance to the sectors involved; to promote a new economic growth model based on renewable energies and energy saving; to contribute, with renewable resources, to energy supply, addressing the Spanish and European priorities (20%, 2020) and offsetting the trade balance; obtaining energy sustainability and combating climate change (reduction of GHG emissions); enabling Spain to remain the global renewable energy leader, helping generate skilled employment and combating climate change and gain access to Greenhouse Gas allowances.

One of its six lines of research is devoted to the development of models, protocols, guides, methodologies, tools and new technologies in order to asses correctly the environmental impacts on the full cycle of offshore energy-generating infrastructure projects.

###


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


A guide for the study of the potential environmental impacts of offshore renewable energies [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 18-Jun-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Irati Kortabitarte
i.kortabitarte@elhuyar.com
34-943-363-040
Elhuyar Fundazioa

The global operator of renewable energy ACCIONA-Energy in collaboration with the Marine Research Unit of AZTI-Tecnalia has developed a guide that will facilitate the writing of the Environmental Impact Studies (EIS) of Marine Renewable Energy Projects.

This is a publication that aims to present in a synthetic and easily understandable way the existing knowledge about the potential environmental impacts of marine renewable energy projects and to point to the methodological means for studying them, so that future projects of this nature can be sustainably managed from an environmental perspective.

In this respect, it will be useful to the promoters of marine renewable energy projects so that they take in to account all the environmental implications of their projects. It will also benefit the technicians of the administrations involved in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of projects and in the granting of the relevant permits, as well as the people who carry out EIS. Finally, it will be of interest for other groups like NGOs, which are devoted to preserving, conserving and protecting the marine environment, and also for the public in general.

This initiative is part of the project on the efficient and integral use of renewable offshore energies "CENIT-E OCEAN LEADER, leaders in Ocean Renewables". The project is an ambitious technology initiative promoted by a consortium of companies with a strong research capability which addresses the challenge of developing the necessary technologies to set up integrated installations that can harness marine renewable energies, such as waves and tidal currents. Further information can be obtained at http://www.oceanlider.com.

The main aim of the OCEAN LIDER project is the research in breakthrough technologies needed for the setting up of integrated facilities for the use of renewable ocean energy, thus contributing towards: the sustainable use of marine energy resource; the development of new products, processes and services of strategic importance to the sectors involved; to promote a new economic growth model based on renewable energies and energy saving; to contribute, with renewable resources, to energy supply, addressing the Spanish and European priorities (20%, 2020) and offsetting the trade balance; obtaining energy sustainability and combating climate change (reduction of GHG emissions); enabling Spain to remain the global renewable energy leader, helping generate skilled employment and combating climate change and gain access to Greenhouse Gas allowances.

One of its six lines of research is devoted to the development of models, protocols, guides, methodologies, tools and new technologies in order to asses correctly the environmental impacts on the full cycle of offshore energy-generating infrastructure projects.

###


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-06/ef-agf061813.php

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Backstreet Boys Choose Love On New Single, 'In A World Like This'

Max Martin-produced single sets the mood for their July 30 album of the same name.
By Jocelyn Vena


Backstreet Boys In A World Like This cover art
Photo: BMG Rights Management

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1709243/backstreet-boys-in-a-world-like-this-single.jhtml

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Report: Slowdown in health care costs to continue

WASHINGTON (AP) ? There's good news for most companies that provide health benefits for their employees: America's slowdown in medical costs may be turning into a trend, rather than a mere pause.

A report Tuesday from accounting and consulting giant PwC projects lower overall growth in medical costs for next year, even as the economy gains strength and millions of uninsured people receive coverage under President Barack Obama's health care law.

If the calculations are correct, cost spikes because of the new health care law should be contained within a relatively narrow market segment. That would come as a relief for Democrats in an election year during which Republicans plan to use criticism of "Obamacare" as one of their main political weapons.

"There are some underlying changes to the system that are having an impact, and we can expect lower increases as we come out of the recession," said Mike Thompson of PwC's Health Research Institute, which produced the study. Cost "is still going up, but not as much as it used to."

The report comes with a caveat that sounds counterintuitive at first: Self-employed people and others who buy coverage individually could well see an increase in premiums in 2014.

The reasons have to do with requirements in the health care law. For example, starting next year insurers must accept patients with pre-existing medical problems, who cost more to cover. Also, new policies have to provide a basic level of benefits more generous in some cases than what's currently offered to individual consumers.

About 160 million workers and family members now have job-based coverage and are less likely to be affected. The individual market is much smaller, fewer than 20 million people. Still, it's expected to grow significantly over the next few years as a result of the health care law, which will also provide tax credits to help many people afford their premiums.

The U.S. spends more than $2.7 trillion a year on health care, well above any other developed country. But quality is uneven, there's widespread waste and fraud, and the system still leaves about 45 million people uninsured.

For years U.S. health care spending has grown much faster than the overall economy and workers' wages, but since the recession those annual increases have slowed dramatically. The debate now is whether that's a continuing trend. The answer will be vitally important, not only for companies and their employees, but for taxpayers who foot the bill for government programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and Obama's coverage expansion.

PwC's report forecasts that direct medical care costs will increase by 6.5 percent next year, one percentage point lower than its previous projection. The cost of care is the biggest component of premiums, followed by administrative expenses and overhead.

Cost-shifting to workers and efficiency measures from employers got most of the credit for slowing growth. PwC also said the health care law's push for hospitals and doctors to be more accountable may be starting to have an impact.

Four big factors were seen as pushing costs down next year:

?Patients seeking more affordable routine services in settings like clinics springing up in retail stores, as opposed to a doctor's office or the emergency room.

?Major employers contracting directly with hospital systems that have a proven record for complicated procedures such as heart surgery and certain back operations.

?The government ramping up penalties on hospitals that have too many patients coming back with problems soon after being discharged.

?Employers' ongoing effort to shift more costs to workers through higher annual deductibles, the amount people must pay each year before insurance picks up.

By using such shifting, PwC estimates that employers may be able to drive their share of next year's cost increase even lower than 6.5 percent.

On the other hand, two big factors will push costs upward:

?The high price of new "specialty" drugs to treat serious chronic illnesses such as autoimmune diseases and some types of cancer.

?Industry consolidation, with big hospitals buying up smaller ones, as well as medical practices and rehab centers. The downside of the demand for greater efficiency by employers and government is that it may be fostering new health care monopolies.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/report-slowdown-health-care-costs-continue-040402498.html

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