Liberty Newspost May-7-2012

Curated News Edition

- 07/05/12

http://www.LibertyNewspost.com

Army: No foul play in death of nurse on Skype (USATODAY.com Feed)

the body beyond minor abrasions and a possible broken nose most Submitted at 5/7/2012 8:59:00 AM likely caused from Capt. Clark Army investigators tell the striking his face on his desk when Associated Press they found no he collapsed." bullet wound and no foul play in Grey told USA TODAY's Larry t h e d e a t h o f a s o l d i e r i n Copeland that the investigation is Afghanistan during a Skype video continuing. "Although we have chat with his wife. not completely ruled it out …, we Capt. Bruce Kevin Clark, 43, a do not suspect foul play in the nurse assigned to the William death of Capt. Clark at this point Beaumont Army Medical Center in our ongoing investigation," he in El Paso, had deployed to said.

Afghanistan in March.

Clark, who grew up in Michigan "Although the investigation into a n d l i v e d f o r a t i m e i n his death is open and ongoing by Spencerport, N.Y., his wife's special agents from the U.S. hometown, joined the Army in Army Criminal Investigation 2006 and was previously stationed Command, we can positively say in Hawaii. that Capt. Clark was not shot," The Clarks have two daughters, s a i d C h r i s t o p h e r G r e y , a ages 3 and 9. spokesman for the Criminal The family said that a funeral is Investigation Command. being arranged in Spencerport and " A g e n t s c o n d u c t i n g t h e a memorial service in Addison, investigation found no trauma to Mich.

of CPT Clark's wife also saw the hole and agreed it was a bullet hole."

The statement says the Skype link remained open for two hours on April 30 as family and friends in the U.S. and Afghanistan called for help.

But Christopher Grey, a spokesman for the Army Criminal Investigation Command, said today that no bullet wound was found in Clark's body.

Grey says an autopsy is being done to determine the cause of The family released a statement death. y e s t e r d a y d e s c r i b i n g w h a t This entry passed through the Orellana-Clark saw in the video Full-Text RSS service — if this is feed with her husband. your content and you're reading it "Clark was suddenly knocked on someone else's site, please read forward," the statement said. "The the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentcloset behind him had a bullet only/faq.php#publishers. Five hole in it. The other individuals, Filters recommends: Donate to including a member of the Wikileaks. military, who rushed to the home

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MotoGP Estoril Round-up FemaleFirst.co.uk (Andrea Rossi - Google News) Submitted at 5/7/2012 6:36:43 AM

BSN MotoGP Estoril Round-up FemaleFirst.co.uk Lorenzo's teammate Spies, who had been in fourth, ran wide early on to drop back down the order into seventh, with Ducati Team's Valentino Rossi on his tail.

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Andrea Dovizioso pushed past his teammate Cal Crutchlow to go into...

Stoner conquers Portugal Moneycontrol.com Stoner wins Portugal MotoGP race, Rossi seventh Agenzia Giornalistica Italia Stoner Earns Second Win of the 2012 MotoGP Season at Estoril AllAboutBikes BSN- Independent Online (blog)Motorsport.com all 552 news articles »

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Putin again takes reins of a changed, agitated Russia (USATODAY.com Feed) Submitted at 5/7/2012 12:33:53 PM

MOSCOW – Vladimir Putin returned to power Monday amid riots from demonstrators outside the Kremlin and questions over how he will handle a Russia that is much changed since he last ran the country four years ago.

Misha Japaridze, AP Police detain a protester in downtown Moscow shortly after Vladimir Putin's inauguration Monday.

"Mr. Putin faces serious economic and political questions at home," said Steven Pifer, senior fellow and Russia expert at the Washington-based Brookings Institution think tank. "He may need a different set of political skills than have been necessary in the past."

Russia's economy has lagged and the country is more dependent on energy exports for revenues than it was when Putin was forced to step down by the constitution four years ago. And world powers are putting more pressure on ally Iran to end a nuclear program that is in violation of U.N. resolutions.

Pro-democracy protests have gained strength as Kremlin opponents unified to produce massive street demonstrations that began in the winter and surged this week.

On Monday, hundreds of opposition activists tried to protest along the route Putin's motorcade took to the Kremlin. Many wore the white ribbons that are the symbol of the "For Fair Elections" movement. Helmeted riot police apprehended about 120 people, including opposition leader Boris Nemtsov.

The inauguration came a day after Putin opponents drew up to 50,000 people angry over Putin's return to the presidency after four years of his handpicked successor, Dmitry Medvedev. After taking the oath of office with his right hand on a red copy of Russia's constitution, Putin stated his commitment to democracy.

"We want to live and we will live in a democratic country where everyone has the freedom and opportunity to apply their talent and labor, their energy," he said before nominating Medvedev as his prime minister.

Russia was rocked this winter and spring by unprecedented mass protests over alleged voting fraud at both December's parliamentary polls and Putin's landslide victory in the March 4 presidential elections. There appears to be little likelihood of a return to the "managed democracy" of Putin's 2000-2008 rule, say Russia observers.

"It is clear that today's Russia is

not the same as it was back in the mid-2000s," said Moscow-based journalist Maria Kuchma. "After a long period of stagnation, people have finally begun to realize that it's up to them to change the political and social environment they live in."

Changes to Russia's constitution mean that Putin, 59, will serve for six years, compared with the previous four-year terms for Russian leaders. The amendment means he could remain in power until 2024, longer than any Russian or Soviet leader since dictator Joseph Stalin.

A recent opinion poll by the independent Moscow-based Levada Center indicated that around one-third of Russians fully expect Putin to be calling the shots for the next 12 years.

"Putin's coming back, but he's never really been away, has he?" said Muscovite pensioner Alexei Pogrebnyak. "We all know who has been in charge since 2008."

During his time in office, Putin has overseen dramatic economic growth and restored a sense of national pride after the instability and humiliations that followed the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. He also has retreated from the democratic achievements of the 1990s and imposed a political system that has stifled dissent.

Putin's election campaign saw

him make massive pledges on spending, including raising pensions and salaries for government employees, and he will need to find about $170 billion over the next six years to keep those promises. Failure to do so, analysts say, could see further social unrest.

He also faces the difficult challenge of modernizing Russia's economy.

"The Russian economy and government budget remain heavily dependent on revenues from the export of natural gas and oil," Pifer said. "Should energy prices fall, it would hurt. There is, moreover, little sign of a realistic plan to reform, modernize and diversify the economy."

On the global stage, Putin's return to the Kremlin is unlikely to change much in regards to Russia's foreign policies.

"Washington has always assumed that Mr. Putin as prime minister was closely involved in major foreign policy decisions," Pifer said. "There would have been no reset, no new START Treaty, no Russian support for a U.N. Security Council resolution imposing an arms embargo on Iran had he opposed them. So one should expect a significant degree of continuity in Russia's approach to foreign policy issues, including relations with the United States."

Putin accused Washington of being behind the recent protests against his rule and, while many of his comments are likely to have been for domestic consumption in the run-up to the presidential polls, the tone of Russia-U.S. relations is likely to take on a sharper edge.

Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov, who leads the largest opposition faction in parliament, warned that the government is radicalizing the protesters by refusing to take them seriously.

"The government must understand that the split in society is getting wider, and the anger over unfair elections and the lack of normal dialogue is growing. In this situation, radicalism is inevitable," Zyuganov said. "Any attempts to shut people's mouths with the help of a police baton are senseless and extremely dangerous."

The U.S.-led NATO project to build a missile shield in Europe is one issue that may raise tensions under the new Putin term. Russia says the shield, which should be fully operational by around 2020, is a threat to its national security and has demanded legal guarantees that the system will not be used against it.

NATO insists the anti-missile PUTIN page 3

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PUTIN continued from page 2

project, which includes interceptor missiles based in Poland and Romania, is designed as a defense against "rogue" states such as Iran and North Korea.

This month, Russia threatened "pre-emptive strikes" on elements of the shield if its concerns over the project were not taken into account, and Putin accused the United States earlier this year of targeting Russia's nuclear deterrent and seeking "vassals, not allies."

Putin has also accused the West in recent months of seeking regime change in the Middle East under the guise of concerns over

nuclear non-proliferation. He also likened NATO's air campaign in Libya last year to a modern-day "crusade," a remark that drew a rare rebuke from Medvedev, who said such comments were "unacceptable."

But for all Putin's tough talk, he is at heart a pragmatist, said Fyodor Lyukanov, editor in chief of the Russia in Global Affairs journal.

"He is generally cautious and responsive — he is likely to be more so in the next few years," he said. "Putin sees the world around him as extremely dangerous, unpredictable and chaotic. He has

an idea of Russia's rightful place in the world and is ready to take part in a new great game to secure it, but he knows what lines he should not cross."

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Putin’ on the skates and helmet …and heading to the ice RT (News RSS : Today) Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:10:04 PM

Putin’ on the skates and helmet …and heading to the ice. (RIA Novosti / Aleksey Nikolskyi)(5.1Mb) embed video Just a few hours into his presidency, Vladimir Putin wasted no time in putting his skates on and swapping the political arena for the hockey rink.

He took up a hockey-stick to slug it out in a friendly match between his team of so-called amateur players – and the legends of the sport here in Russia.

But the experienced players failed to hold the Putin team back, as the president first scored during normal time, and later netted the winning puck during the penalty shootout.

The final score, 6-5, all in a day’s

work for the Russian president.

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Chinese Activist Chen Guangcheng: 'Thugs' Beat Nephew - Voice of America (china - Google News) Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:41:43 PM

The Associated Press Chinese Activist Chen Guangcheng: 'Thugs' Beat Nephew Voice of America May 07, 2012 Chinese Activist Chen Guangcheng: 'Thugs' Beat Nephew Lisa Ferdinando Blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng has expressed concern for his nephew Chen

Kegui, telling Voice of America that "thugs with wooden sticks" went to his house and...

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China's top military officer visiting US military installations - CNN (blog) (china - Google News) Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:37:18 PM

AFP China's top military officer visiting US military installations CNN (blog)

By Chris Lawrence The Pentagon welcomed on Monday the highest -ranking Chinese military official to visit the United States in nearly a decade: China's minister of

national defense, Gen. Liang Guanglie. He is meeting with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta...

China's defense chief visits Pentagon amid diplomatic row AFP China's defense chief visits Pentagon The News International Build trust to avert tragedy Xinhua all 19 news articles »

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Anti-austerity ballot backlash rattles euro zone - Reuters (Top Stories - Google News)

Democracy party which won the biggest share of the vote, failed within hours to cobble together a Mon May 7, 2012 5:34pm EDT government. * First attempt at forming Greek Samaras had had three days to coalition fails form a coalition. However, his * Markets fret about risk of Greek c a l l f o r a n a t i o n a l u n i t y euro exit government to keep Greece in the * Merkel tells French president- euro zone but renegotiate the elect "no renegotiation" bailout programme fell on deaf * Hollande seeks to augment ears. fiscal pact with growth plan Rebuffed by a string of anti* Countries must cut debt in bailout parties, Samaras admitted medium term-IMF's Lagarde defeat shortly after President

By Lefteris Papadimas and Paul Karolos Papoulias had given him Taylor the mandate to negotiate a A T H E N S / P A R I S , M a y 7 coalition.

(Reuters) - An anti-austerity "It was impossible," he told backlash by voters in Greece and reporters. "I handed back the France shook the euro zone on mandate." Next in line to try to Monday, causing jitters for the form a government will be Left euro currency and stock markets Coalition leader Alexis Tsipras, amid deepening doubts about whose party came second on a whether Greece has a future in the platform of rejecting the austerity single currency. conditions of Greece's latest G r e e c e , w h e r e E u r o p e ' s bailout programme. sovereign debt crisis began in However, European Commission 2009, slid into turmoil after an spokesman Amadeu Altafaj said: election on Sunday boosted left "Full and timely implementation and right-wing fringe parties, of the programme is of the stripping the two mainstream essence in order to meet the parties that backed a painful EU/ targets and (reach) sustainability IMF bailout of their parliamentary of the Greek debt." majority.

The Greek result overshadowed Uncertainty over whether the France's presidential election, in country could avert bankruptcy w h i c h S o c i a l i s t F r a n c o i s and stay in the euro deepened on Hollande, who wants to change Monday when Antonis Samaras, Europe's policy focus from leader of the conservative New austerity to restoring growth, Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:36:16 PM

ousted conservative incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who had openly supported Sarkozy, her partner in euro zone crisis management, promised to welcome Hollande "with open arms" and work with him to maintain strong FrancoGerman cooperation at the heart of Europe.

But she also made clear there could be no renegotiation of a fiscal discipline treaty. Hollande has said France will not ratify it unless measures are added to promote economic growth.

"We in Germany are of the opinion, and so am I personally, that the fiscal pact is not negotiable. It has been negotiated and has been signed by 25 countries," Merkel told journalists.

"We are in the middle of a debate to which France, of course, under its new president will bring its own emphasis. But we are talking about two sides of the same coin progress is only achievable via solid finances plus growth," she added.

Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the Eurogroup of euro zone finance ministers, said he had told Hollande on Monday that the European Union's fiscal pact could not be renegotiated.

"It will not be possible to change

the substance of the fiscal pact, there will not be a formal new negotiation in that respect," Juncker said after Hollande had telephoned him.

However, he added: "It is possible to add growth elements, not necessarily in the form of a treaty.

S T R U G G L I N G S O U T H E R N E R S Hollande's election gave leaders of struggling southern European countries a new ally in their effort to temper the German drive for austerity that has exacerbated their problems. In a telephone call with Hollande on Sunday night, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti promised to cooperate on refocusing European policy towards growth.

However, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde said on Monday that the world's advanced economies still had to cut their debts or face even more pain.

"The most important element is to lay out a credible medium-term plan to lower debt," she said in a speech in Zurich. "Without such a plan, countries will be forced to make an even bigger adjustment soon."

However, she said "austerity versus growth" was a false debate as it was possible for countries to make policies that were both good

for stability and growth.

The Greek and French votes unsettled investors, undermining confidence in Europe's plans to cut spending and tackle the debt crisis, given the scale of public opposition.

The euro fell to a three-month low of $1.2955 in Asia before recovering trade at around $1.3050 at 1830 GMT. European stocks slipped early in the day on the Greek news but most recovered later, except the Athens stock exchange, down 6.67 percent.

French debt was spared from the selloff, in a sign that markets are more relaxed about the moderate Hollande. The yield on French 10year bonds fell to its lowest in seven months.

In Greece, Sunday's election threatened to produce what daily Ta Nea called a "Nightmare of ungovernability". Among the parties that stormed into parliament were the extreme right -wing Golden Dawn, which won 6.97 percent and 21 seats.

The Left Coalition pushed the former ruling PASOK Socialist party into third place. Between them, New Democracy and PASOK won 149 of the 300 seats, two short of a majority.

Greece had appeared to have ANTI-AUSTERITY page 10

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Will Obama changes stance on gay marriage? - msnbc.com (Top Stories - Google News)

core value which says equal protection under the law. equal pursuit of life, liberty and >> let's get right to our political h a p p i n e s s . a n d i a c t u a l l y panel. karen finney is an msnbc personally don't think that what political panelist. form he dnc biden said yesterday was so communications director and disconnected from kind of where jonathan capehart is an opinion he has been in the past. i don't writer for the " washington post." think we should make a big deal good afternoon to both of you. of it if there is a difference of karen, the vice president isn't the opinion and an evolving opinion only member of the obama between civil unions and marriage administration who appears to be but the core value is the same. comfortable with same sex that's what really i think matters. marriage. arnie duncan was asked and i think some of these games about it this morning. take a of, you know, trying to pit what listen. one person said against the other, >> do you believe same second i don't think that does service to men and women should be able to actually trying to get the president get legally married in the united where i want him to be on the states? issue. which is agreeing with >> come on. you're going to start same sex marriage. there? >> right. do you agree with that >> yes, i do. position? >> okay. >> look, as i wrote yesterday and >> have you ever said that again -publicly before? >> as an analysis of what has >> i don't know if i've ever been happened? asked publicly. >> look. what we have is a >> press secretary jay carney president who hasn't said the today said he can't comment on words in the way that arnie the president's views. are these duncan said them flatly and c a b i n e t m e m b e r s s p e a k i n g unequivocally this morning. independently or do you think the where he said, yes, i do, when president is allowing them to do asked do you support same sex so with his tacit support? marriage. the president is on >> you know, i think what matters record saying that his views are the most is that the core value is evolving on the issue. but when the same. that they all share the you look at his actions. not the Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:38:19 PM

words but his actions. they telegraph and say that he is indeed in support of same sex marriage. he is no longer having the darrel of justice defend the so-called defense of marriage act against court challenge. he has spoken out against amendment efforts such as the one in north carolina that would deny equal protection to same sex couples. and most importantly, he has signed on his support for a bill proposed by senator diane feinstein of california that would repeal the so -called defense of marriage act. if that bill would make it to his desk, he would sign it into law. that's why i keep saying what the president seem to be doing is playing is a game of charades. if you look at hit actions, they look like and sound like -- exactly. >> here's the other thing. look at the way team romney handled the resignation of an openly gay staff person last week. it was deplorable. they were trying to have it both ways. i think in a political contech, in the context of the team, they have nothing to apologize. i think he has telegraphed the right things. i personally in my heart believe certainly as a mixed race person, he will get there. lord knows, i don't see how you can't get there from the perspective of civil rights. but again, i also think

what's important, the contrast with mitt romney trying to have it both ways. with the comments seeming to say we don't, we're fine with people who are openly gay being on our staff as long as it is merit based. but then there are the questions about why he was fired. so i think in the comparison, in the context of 2012, this president has done a lot of good on this issue. >> john, same sex marriage will be on the ballot as you said when voters go to the polls in the north carolina primaries tomorrow. the proposed amendment reads as follows. marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized. do you think it would actually be good for the president if this passes in a state that he won in 2008 and obviously would love to win again? >> if you look at the public that i be -- first of all. the idea this amendment wouldn't pass would have been magical if somehow public support would be against it. the latest polls shows that public support is 55%. the president won north carolina in 2008. it was the first democrat to win it in a very long time. it is indeed a swing state. the convention is being held in charlotte. so i can't tell whether this is going to be a good thing or a bad thing for the president. to

tack on to something karen was saying, here's the distinction between the president and mitt romney on this issue. mitt romney signed a pledge of the national organization for marriage that he would push for a u.s. constitutional amendment defining marriage between one man and one woman. that he would push for allowing the voters here in washington, d.c. to repeal the marriage equality law that was passed a couple years ago here. this is a very extreme pledge. on top of that, mitt romney has given money to supporters of proposition 8 in california which added a ban on same sex marriage to the constitution of the state of california. what we're talking about here is a president who is pushing for equal protection and equality under the law and a republican challenger who is doing everything in his power to ensure that that does not happen. >> of course, let's keep in mine romney could change his mind tomorrow. karen? >> that's true. >> and they're trying to use this issue to drive a wedge between african-americans and lgbt americans as part of the core of the democratic base. don't forget WILL page 10

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US selling combat drones to undisclosed countries RT (News RSS : Today)

Michael Buscher explains to The Independent in discussing how his company went about gaining US A man walks past a US Air Force State Department approval. He Global Hawk unmanned aerial s a y s t h a t h e i m a g i n e d t h e vehicle hanger during a preview procedure to outfit foreign nations day of the Seoul International with the controversial aircraft A e r o s p a c e a n d D e f e n s e would be difficult, but was Exhibition at a military air base in surprised to see how easy it was Seongnam, south of Seoul, on to have Uncle Sam authorize his October 17, 2011. (AFP Photo / company to deal the drones JungYeon-Je) overseas.

The unmanned aerial vehicle “It was well orchestrated and industry is expected to bring in extremely thorough. But when billions for domestic drone you follow their guidelines and makers over the next few years. provide copious details, the Where are the robotic aircraft process is not as burdensome as I manufacturers sending their w o u l d h a v e t h o u g h t , ” s a y s stealth spy plans though? They B u s c h e r . aren’t saying.

Not only does an easy process The American Independent mean easy income for Buscher reports that Texas’ Vanguard and Vanguard — it also means Defense Industries, a US Defense that the foreign entities seeking Department contractor that outfits spy planes and other drone crafts the Pentagon with unmanned can come into possession of them a e r i a l d r o n e s , h a s i n k e d much easier. agreements with several overseas “It is just the beginning of it,” governments. According to the a c t i v i s t a n d a u t h o r M e d e a I n d e p e n d e n t , V a n g u a r d i s Benjamin tells the Independent, expected to see most of their adding that the distribution of profits in the next year occur from d r o n e s a c r o s s t h e w o r l d selling airships to foreign nations. i s “ h o r r i f y i n g . ” Just exactly who is on the “There is so much power these receiving end — and to the tune companies have with government of how many crafts — remains a a g e n c i e s , a n d t h i s p l a c e s mystery. extremely powerful pressure on “I thought it was going to be a t h e e x e c u t i v e a n d o n t h e brutal process,” Vanguard CEO Congress. We are at a very Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:45:28 PM

dangerous stage because the American people know so little about the use of drones by our government, much less about these sales overseas,” adds Benjamin.

More would be known about those international drone deals, of course, if the defense contractors were obliged to identify their customers. Since they are not, however, Vanguard’s roster of regimes that depend on their drones are unknown, calling some skeptics to question if the US is indirectly assisting in foreign governments that use unmanned crafts to spy on its citizens—or perhaps even more. Although Vanguard manufactures drone planes used in surveillance missions, they have also been linked to producing stealth crafts that are fitted with firearms and high-tech weaponry.

Last year, the Anonymous hacktivist offshoot LulzSec hacked the servers of Vanguard, revealing private correspondence containing businesses deals between the Texas-based DoD contractors and overseas entities.

“Vanguard Defense Industries manufactures unmanned ShadowHawk drones which cost $640,000 and are equipped with grenade launchers and shotguns,” reads a statement that

accompanied last year’s LulzSec hack.“ShadowHawks are currently in use by law enforcement, military and private corporations deploying them in the US, the Horn of Africa, Panama, Columbia, and US-Mexico border patrol operations.”

Lulzsec described the emails as containing “contracts, schematics, non-disclosure agreements, and more” and warned the defense industry that they would need to be on the offensive if they wish to prevent future hacks. Months later, however, Vanguard is still filling international orders and expected to do so for the unforeseeable future.

The Independent quotes Vanguard as expected to accumulate upwards of $40 million during the next year by selling drones domestically — in the end, however, they estimate that the majority of their deal will be done with foreign countries.

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E-cat: Rossi annuncia perfezionamenti e sfida il Nanor di Swartz - NextMe (andrea rossi e-cat - Google News) Submitted at 5/7/2012 9:17:18 AM

NextMe E-cat: Rossi annuncia perfezionamenti e sfida il Nanor di Swartz NextMe Andrea Rossi ha migliorato l' Ecat, ottenendo stabilità ad elevata temperatura, che consentirebbe un'efficiente produzione di elettricità. Lo ha annunciato sul suo blog rispondendo alle domande di alcuni appassionati e curiosi della vicenda.

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Knicks coach not counting on Lin for Game 5 (Sports News Headlines Yahoo! News) Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:33:37 PM

Linsanity turned the season around for the Knicks once, and they are even more desperate for help now.

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Inspector General report ends myth that TARP 'turned a profit' (The Front Page)

banks has also delivered a significant profit for taxpayers is a welcome development."

Did TARP save America from Similarly, after the first-round of economic catastrophe? We hear a bank re-payments, President lot of counterfactual arguments Barack Obama maintained that and economic theories on the "the government has actually matter. Politicians, naturally, have turned a profit." definitive answers. The public, Americans may be astonished to though, is left to focus on three h e a r t h a t o u r d e b t - r i d d e n questions that now matter: Was government has the capacity to the money paid back? Did TARP turn a “profit” – a significant turn a profit? Did the legislation profit, even -- on taxpayer-funded stabilize the long-term health of emergency “investments.” After the economy? all, if TARP is a win-win policy A new report to congress by that generates revenue, why Christy Romero, the Special d o e s n ’ t g o v e r n m e n t p o u r I n s p e c t o r G e n e r a l f o r t h e hundreds of billions of dollars Troubled Asset Relief Program, into failing companies and says “no” on all fronts. Though troubled banks every year? the report asserts that TARP The White House asserts that it played an “active” role in the will create$179 billion in profit by recovery (some of you may surely the fiscal year 2015. How does wonder “what recovery?”), it ends g o v e r n m e n t m a k e a p r o f i t , the myth that taxpayers turned a e x a c t l y ? W e l l , t h e F e d e r a l “profit” or were paid back by Reserve undergoes a couple of borrowers. rounds of quantitative easing How could this be? It was only in (QE1, QE2 -- and maybe another March when Treasury Secretary sequel), buying Treasury bills and Tim Geithner claimed that while distressed mortgage-backed the “overriding objective” of securities – or, in laymen’s terms, TARP “was to break the back of it prints money. Then it takes the the financial crisis” and save jobs, interest made off that printed “the fact that our investment in money and deems it profit.

Submitted at 5/7/2012 6:10:00 AM

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Even using this brand of inventive accounting, the report notes it is a “widely held misconception that TARP” is generating profit. “The most recent cost estimate for TARP is a loss of $60 billion. Taxpayers are still owed $118.5 billion (including $14 billion written off or otherwise lost),” the report calculates.

Though its tricky to track $700 billion of emergency funding that was haphazardly dropped into the economy by a panic-stricken government, when accounting for the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bailout, the American taxpayer is probably owed somewhere in neighborhood of $237.7 billion, though some estimates are far higher. And it will be more. The Treasury Department says that a large part of the money lost via TARP is the result of the housing and car bailouts, also not paid back. When the next Fannie and Freddie rescue comes – as a number of reports have indicated will be needed – taxpayers will be on the hook.

And let’s not forget that many of the banks, and auto companies, had conveniently paid back their

government bailouts using other government bailouts.

The report also makes the case that TARP may be perpetuating future financial misadventures and bailouts. The issue is moral hazard – how companies embrace undue risks knowing full well they won’t be held accountable.

Most of the banks that were “too big to fail” when TARP was implemented are now even bigger. The report to Congress points out that a recent working paper from Federal Reserve economists “confirms that TARP encouraged high-risk behavior by insulating the risk takers from the consequences of failure.”

Risk a key component of capitalism. Government-backed risk is no risk at all.

David Harsanyi is a senior reporter at Human Events.

Follow@davidharsanyi.

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Ryder Notes: A Full Set SuperbikePlanet.com (Andrea Rossi - Google News) Submitted at 5/7/2012 8:31:22 AM

Ryder Notes: A Full Set SuperbikePlanet.com Behind the top three the two Tech 3 Monster Yamahas had their own private battle, won this time by Andrea Dvizioso making the score 2-1 to Cal Crutchlow in that fight. Then came the first Ducati—Valentino Rossi fulfilling his own prophesy that sixth... and more »

'Crab' chips, fruity Oreos?

They're big overseas - Fox News (china - Google News) Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:07:02 PM

'Crab' chips, fruity Oreos? They're big overseas Fox News The Chinese like their Oreos stuffed with mango and orange cream. And in Spain, Kellogg's All-Bran cereal is served floating in hot coffee instead of cold milk.

Americans might get squeamish at the thought of their favorite snacks being tweaked. and more »

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CIA thwarts new underwear bomb plot against jet - Los Angeles Times (Top Stories - Google News)

whether new body scanners used in many airports would have Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:02:38 PM detected it.

WASHINGTON -- The CIA The would-be suicide bomber, thwarted an ambitious plot by Al based in Yemen, had not yet Qaeda's affiliate in Yemen to picked a target or bought his plane destroy a U.S.-bound airliner tickets when the CIA stepped in using a bomb with a sophisticated and seized the bomb, officials new design around the one-year said. It is not immediately clear anniversary of the killing of what happened to the alleged Osama bin Laden, U.S. officials bomber. said.

The operation unfolded even as The plot involved an upgrade of the White House and Department the underwear bomb that failed to of Homeland Security assured the detonate aboard a jetliner over American public that they knew Detroit on Dec., 25, 2009. This of no Al Qaeda plots against the new bomb was also designed to U.S. around the anniversary of b e u s e d i n a p a s s e n g e r ' s Bin Laden's death. The AP underwear, but this time Al Qaeda learned about the thwarted plot d e v e l o p e d a m o r e r e f i n e d last week but agreed to White detonation system, U.S. officials House and CIA requests not to said. publish it immediately because The FBI is examining the latest t h e s e n s i t i v e i n t e l l i g e n c e bomb to see whether it could have operation was still under way. passed through airport security O n c e t h o s e c o n c e r n s w e r e and brought down an airplane, allayed, the AP decided to officials said. They said the disclose the plot Monday despite device did not contain metal, r e q u e s t s f r o m t h e O b a m a meaning it probably could have administration to wait for an passed through an airport metal official announcement Tuesday. detector. But it was not clear U.S. officials, who were briefed

on the operation, insisted on anonymity to discuss the case.

It's not clear who built the bomb, but, because of its sophistication and its similarity to the Detroit bomb, authorities suspected it was the work of master bomb maker Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri. Al-Asiri constructed the first underwear bomb and two others that alQaida built into printer cartridges and shipped to the U.S. on cargo planes in 2010.

Both of those bombs used a powerful industrial explosive.

Both were nearly successful.

The operation is an intelligence victory for the United States and a reminder of al-Al Qaeda's ambitions, despite the death of bin Laden and other senior leaders.

Because of instability in the Yemeni government, the terrorist group's branch there has gained territory and strength. It has set up terrorist camps and, in some areas, even operates as a de facto government.

But along with the gains there also have been losses. The group has suffered significant setbacks

as the CIA and the U.S. military focus more on Yemen. On Sunday, Fahd al-Quso, a senior Al Qaeda leader, was hit by a missile as he stepped out of his vehicle along with another operative in the southern Shabwa province of Yemen.

Al-Quso, 37, was on the FBI's most wanted list, with a $5million reward for information leading to his capture. He was indicted in the U.S. for his role in the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole in the harbor of Aden, Yemen, in which 17 American sailors were killed and 39 injured.

Al-Quso was believed to have replaced Anwar al-Awlaki as the group's head of external operations.

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Housing, retail need budget support - Sky News Australia (housing - Google News) Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:07:02 PM

NEWS.com.au Housing, retail need budget support Sky News Australia Housing, retail need budget support Updated: 07:04, Tuesday May 8, 2012 Industry groups say consumers will need a helping hand in Tuesday's budget to lift confidence. The call comes after new figures on Monday showed a bounce in retail spending and...

Retail, housing seek budget support The Age all 614 news articles Âť

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US airstrikes kill at least 14 civilians RT (News RSS : Today) Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:19:01 PM

An Afghan youth, injured during an airstrike carried out by NATO, lies in hospital during a visit by ISAF officials in the northern city of Kunduz (AFP Photo / Massoud Hossaini) The US military is taking the blame for an airstrike in Afghanistan over the weekend that left at least six civilians dead — one mother and five children.

NATO officials confirmed on Monday that an airstrike launched late Friday in the Sangin district of Helmand Province, Afghanistan resulted in the death of at least half a dozen civilians.

The news was first revealed by Governor Muhammad Gulab Mangal of Helmand who, according to the New York Times, called the US regional commander on early Monday to ask for an explanation.

“We expressed regret over the incident, and we’re investigating to determine how this happened,”

Lt. Col. Stewart Upton, a spokesman for the US military in Helmand, tells the Times.

“We are deeply saddened by any civilian death and particularly regret an incident where civilians are killed,” he adds.

Addressing the incident, a spokesman for Afghan President Hamid Karzai has condemned NATO over the assault."That's unacceptable to the Afghan government," says Aimal Faizi, according to CNN. They also report that International Security Assistance Force Commander Gen. John Allen and US Ambassador Ryan Crocker were summoned to President Karzai’s office to explain the attack.

Colonel Upton adds to the Times that General Gurganus is expected to formally apologize in the coming days to the family of the deceased.

Should US and NATO authorities decide to say they are sorry to all those affected over the weekend, it might prove to be a busy few day for western forces. The

Afghan government reports that at least four airstrikes shook the country in the last few days.

According to the Los Angeles Times, two of those strikes took a total of 14 civilian lives.

"During these bombings by coalition forces, which started since this Sunday in the Logar, Kapisa, Helmand, and Baghdis provinces of Afghanistan, dozens of Afghan civilians – including women and children – were killed or wounded,” reads a recent message from President Karzai’s office, reports CNN. "President Karzai said that unilateral operations by NATO forces and bombing civilians is not only an issue of Afghan sovereignty, but it is also an issue of human life, which cannot be ignored,” continues the statement. " President Karzai said if the lives of Afghans are not safe then strategic cooperation between the two countries will lose its meaning and concept."

News of the latest strikes comes only days after US President

Barack Obama made an unpublicized trip overseas to sign paperwork that will put the end of America’s combat role in Afghanistan to an end quicker than once thought. By the end of 2012, the US will have officially been conducting military operations in Afghanistan for 11 years. Last month ABC News and the Washington Post revealed the results of a poll examining the American public’s support for the country’s decade-long military operation in Afghanistan — according to the latest study, prowar sentiments are at their lowest since troops first arrived just a month after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

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Jones Leaving the Detroit Housing Commission for Key Toronto Position MarketWatch (press release) (housing - Google News) Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:06:17 PM

Jones Leaving the Detroit Housing Commission for Key Toronto Position MarketWatch (press release) DETROIT, May 7, 2012 / PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -Eugene E. Jones, Jr., the executive director who turned around the Detroit Housing Commission (DHC), whose control is now being transitioned from the United States Department of Housing and Urban... and more »

Court summons to Jagan - The Hindu (Nation - Google News)

Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:37:40 PM

The Hindu Court summons to Jagan

The Hindu The principal court for CBI cases has issued summons to Kadapa MP YS Jaganmohan Reddy and eleven other individuals and body

corporates to appear before it on May 28 in connection with the assets case against him. The court asked all of them to mark...

CBI files third charge sheet

against Jagan Deccan Herald YSR Congress chief Jagan summoned Deccan Chronicle CBI court asks Jagan to appear Times Now.tv

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Daily News & Analysis all 38 news articles »

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ANTI-AUSTERITY

WILL

continued from page 4

averted a disorderly default and euro exit in December when a government led by former central banker Lucas Papademos, and supported by the two main parties, agreed on a second international bailout under which private bondholders accepted sharp writedowns on their holdings.

But the four straight years of recession, wage and pension cuts and still rising mass unemployment drove angry Greeks further to the left and right.

Greece consistently missed targets under its first programme, agreed in April 2010, which led to the restructuring of its privatesector debt under the second package.

Officials say any further backsliding now will not be tolerated, especially with the International Monetary Fund a reluctant partner in the second

continued from page 5

programme.

Three Greek finance ministry officials told Reuters the country might run out of cash by the end of June if it does not have a government in place to negotiate the next instalment of EU/IMF aid and projected state revenues fall short.

Euro zone leaders have so far done everything to avoid a Greek default and departure from the euro, which Merkel has said would be a catastrophe. Officials are worried by the precedent it could set for other troubled south European countries.

But public support for further bailouts is wearing thin in the euro zone's triple-A rated lenders Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, raising doubts about their willingness to go on supporting a recalcitrant Greece.

Some European diplomats and economists have been predicting

the possibility of Greece leaving the euro area for months.

In a research paper published on Feb. 6, Willem Buiter, the chief economist at Citi, raised his estimate of the likelihood of Greece dropping out of the currency zone to 50 percent over the next 18 months, from 25-30 percent previously. On Monday, Citi raised the probability again to 50-75 percent.

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that. >> you've been tweeting a lot about the north carolina vote tomorrow. what is it that concerns you most about this assertion of the ballot that's going before voters tomorrow? >> i take this very personally. my mother is from greensboro, north carolina. so i was tweeting that i want my family and friends in north carolina to please get out there and oppose this awful measure. the way i view it, when my parents got married in 1967 in new york, it was legal in the state of north carolina for them to be married. my grandfather didn't allow me in his home for some of the same reasons that people now say legal marriage is only between a man and a woman. we used to say legal marriage was only between a white man and a white woman. we now know that's

ridiculous. i guess i see that times change and hearts change. so because of my family ties to the state of north carolina, i wish they would do the right thing tomorrow. >> thank you so much for sharing that personal story. it means a lot to you and our viewers, i'm sure. karen finney and jonathan capehart, thank you. >>> coming up, paris in the spring time and a french This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.

THANK GOD: There's Finally A Translation App That Works Beautifully Matt Lynley (Business Insider) Submitted at 5/7/2012 5:02:41 PM

Talking to someone who doesn't speak English? (Or a language that's other than your native language.)

Well, finally, there's an app for that.

Meet SayHi, a translation app that works a bit like Siri — except

it translates what you are saying into a second language.

The latest version of SayHi launched just about two weeks ago, and it's getting a ton of buzz in Silicon Valley.

It's now the top-rated business app in the Apple App Store too.

All you do is speak into your and translate it much in the same microphone, and the app will way Siri does. figure out what you are saying

So far we tried it with German, Russian, Spanish and French, and it works with all of them (relatively well).

It has just as many problems as Siri, though: it's often pretty slow and doesn't always correct when guessing what you are saying.

Bam! Here we go.

Here's how it starts — you can press either of the buttons on the

bottom and speak into the microphone for a translation.

Press the button...

See the rest of the story at Business Insider Please follow SAI: Tools on Twitter and Facebook.

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11

Facebook's Millionaire Employees Are Spending Their Fortunes On These Hot Startups Alyson Shontell (Business Insider)

before he left to start Path.

His current work: Founder of Path, a mobile social network.

Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:59:00 PM Active angel investor, investing in When it goes public, about 1,000 6-12 startups per year at $25current and former Facebook 100,000 per year. e m p l o y e e s w i l l b e c o m e Startups he has invested in: millionaires.

Amen, AppFog, Batch, Birchbox, Many of those millionaires are Bit.ly, BranchOut, Dailybooth, spending money on other startups, DIY, Everlane, Evo.com, Faction, giving founders capital to get new F o o d s p o t t i n g , F o o d z i e , ideas off the ground.

Formspring, Goodsie, Hearsay We scrolled through a bunch of Social, Hot Potato, Hotel Tonight, the early Facebook employees and inDinero, Karma, Kiip, Kleiner found where they've made angel Perkins Caufield Byers, Liftopia, investments. Zuckerberg has only Lockitron, Massive Health, Milk, personally invested in one startup. NationBuilder, Oyster.com, Pair, If he's invested in more, they P o s e , R u p t u r e , S i m p l e G e o , haven't been named publicly. SnapGuide, Sparrow, StyleSeat, Here's where Facebook STYLESTALK, SV Angel, employees, who are now angel TaskRabbit, Threadflip, Trazzler, investors, are spending their Tripbirds, Tumblr, Turntable.fm, money. Dave Morin joined V e n m o , W a n d e r f l y , W a v i i , Facebook in late 2006; he has Y o b o n g o since invested in more than 20 Additional startups and programs startups. he's connected to: Advisor to His work at Facebook: Morin Airtime, Causes, Rupture, Want joined Facebook in late 2006 from Me Get Me; Mentor at TechStars Apple. He worked on Facebook and Rock Health, Board of C o n n e c t a n d t h e F a c e b o o k Directors at SimpleGeo Platform product for three years Chamath Palihapitiya joined

Facebook in 2007 and now is the founder of an early stage investment firm, Social+Capital Partnership His work at Facebook: Palihapitiya joined Facebook in 2007 and was its VP of user growth, mobile and international.

He oversaw Facebook Platform and launched the social network's advertising channel. He left last

June and founded an early stage investment firm, Social+Capital Partnership.

His current work: Founder of early stage investment firm, Social+Capital Partnership Startups he has invested in: Baby.com.br, Captricity, CloudOn, ecomom, Episencial, Friend.ly, GateGuru, HipWay, Ostrovok, Prescreen, Red Robot

Labs, Shoply, Small Demons, Tiny Review, Treehouse, Trooval, Tykoon, Yammer; invested in Glooko, Lore (Coursekit), Impermium, and GoInstant via his venture firm, Social+Capital Partnership.

Additional startups and programs he's connected to: Board of Directors: FixYa, BlingNation, Playdom, SecondMarket.

Charlie Cheever is a startup advisor and investor, and he's a cofounder of a new company, Quora His work at Facebook: Cheever was an early Facebook engineer who helped create Facebook Connect and Facebook Platform.

His current work: Cofounder of Quora Startups he has invested in: Art.sy, Elation EMR, Wikinvest Additional startups and programs he's connected to: Advisor to SigFig, Stik See the rest of the story at Business Insider Please follow SAI on Twitter and Facebook.

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With 55-and-older housing hard to Plot using fill, developers push to open them redesigned underwear bomb to all ages - Chicago Tribune (housing - Google News) Submitted at 5/7/2012 12:14:00 PM

With 55-and-older housing hard to fill, developers push to open them to all ages Chicago Tribune Absecon Gardens was originally

The Incredible Story Of How The Hindenburg Disaster Ended The Era Of The Airships Adam Taylor (Business Insider)

( Source) For the Nazis, it was not just a feat of engineering, but a 75 years ago, on May 6th 1937, propaganda vehicle — the country Nazi Germany's prized LZ-129 had just began to occupy the Hindenburg airship crashed and demilitarized Ruhr Valley. burned in Lakehurst, New Jersey, ( Source) creating the iconic photo to the After just a few test flights, Nazi right. propaganda boss Dr. Joseph T h e d i s a s t e r h a d m a n y Goebbels ordered the airship to ramifications, not only ending 36 fly to every major German city to staff and passenger's lives, but drop Nazi campaign pamphlets also ending the era of the airship and to blare patriotic music. a n d p r o v i n g i n c r e d i b l y ( Source) embarrassing for the Nazis. See the rest of the story at Named after German President Business Insider Paul von Hindenburg, the airship Please follow International on was huge — three times the Twitter and Facebook. length a modern Boeing 747 Submitted at 5/7/2012 5:00:00 PM

zoned for 55-and-older housing-a popular option for many area developers in the past decade. But after the real estate market collapsed, the market dried up and it became difficult to sell them. and more »

thwarted: U.S. officials (Reuters: Top News) Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:03:09 PM

WASHINGTON| Mon May 7, 2012 5:03pm EDT (Reuters) - A plot similar to previous Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula bombing attempted attacks using a redesigned underwear bomb for use on aircraft was thwarted and no airline was ever at risk, two U.S. counter-terrorism officials said on (Epoch Times | National, World, Hollande has been elected French Monday.

"This device has the hallmarks of China, Sports, Entertainment President, winning with 51.9 per p r e v i o u s A Q A P b o m b i n g News) cent of the vote after a tense attempts," one official said on presidential election campaign. condition of anonymity. "The plot Top Stories A slowdown in U.S. job growth was disrupted well before it Chen said he felt he had been sent Wall Street tumbling Friday threatened American or U.S. allies cheated by Communist Party and undercut the economic and no airlines were ever at risk officials and abandoned by the momentum President Barack from this device."

United States. In fact, Chen had Obama was hoping to bring to the (Reporting By Tabassum Zakaria been a victim of Zhou’s plot. official launch of his [...] and Mark Hosenball; Editing by Islamist militants have desecrated This entry passed through the Sandra Maler) the tomb of a Muslim saint in the Full-Text RSS service — if this is This entry passed through the city of Timbuktu in northern Mali. your content and you're reading it Full-Text RSS service — if this is Chen Guangcheng fled to the on someone else's site, please read your content and you're reading it U.S. Embassy, and then was the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contenton someone else's site, please read admitted to a hospital—where he only/faq.php#publishers. Five the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentis once again surrounded by gangs Filters recommends: Donate to only/faq.php#publishers. Five of security agents.

Wikileaks.

Filters recommends: Donate to As polls had anticipated, Francois Wikileaks.

Epoch Times | National, World, China, Sports, Entertainment News

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13

Anti-austerity ballot backlash rattles euro zone (Reuters: Top News)

Samaras had had three days to form a coalition. However, his call for a national unity Supporters of the extreme-right government to keep Greece in the Golden Dawn party raise flares as euro zone but renegotiate the they celebrate polls results in bailout programme fell on deaf Thessaloniki, northern Greece ears.

May 6, 2012.

Rebuffed by a string of antiCredit: Reuters/Grigoris Siamidis bailout parties, Samaras admitted

By Lefteris Papadimas and Paul defeat shortly after President Taylor Karolos Papoulias had given him ATHENS/PARIS| Mon May 7, the mandate to negotiate a 2012 5:35pm EDT coalition.

(Reuters) - An anti-austerity "It was impossible," he told backlash by voters in Greece and reporters. "I handed back the France shook the euro zone on mandate." Next in line to try to Monday, causing jitters for the form a government will be Left euro currency and stock markets Coalition leader Alexis Tsipras, amid deepening doubts about whose party came second on a whether Greece has a future in the platform of rejecting the austerity single currency. conditions of Greece's latest G r e e c e , w h e r e E u r o p e ' s bailout programme. sovereign debt crisis began in However, European Commission 2009, slid into turmoil after an spokesman Amadeu Altafaj said: election on Sunday boosted left "Full and timely implementation and right-wing fringe parties, of the programme is of the stripping the two mainstream essence in order to meet the parties that backed a painful EU/ targets and (reach) sustainability IMF bailout of their parliamentary of the Greek debt. majority.

The Greek result overshadowed Uncertainty over whether the France's presidential election, in country could avert bankruptcy w h i c h S o c i a l i s t F r a n c o i s and stay in the euro deepened on Hollande, who wants to change Monday when Antonis Samaras, Europe's policy focus from leader of the conservative New austerity to restoring growth, Democracy party which won the ousted conservative incumbent biggest share of the vote, failed Nicolas Sarkozy. within hours to cobble together a German Chancellor Angela government.

Merkel, who had openly Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:35:53 PM

supported Sarkozy, her partner in euro zone crisis management, promised to welcome Hollande "with open arms" and work with him to maintain strong FrancoGerman cooperation at the heart of Europe.

But she also made clear there could be no renegotiation of a fiscal discipline treaty. Hollande has said France will not ratify it unless measures are added to promote economic growth.

"We in Germany are of the opinion, and so am I personally, that the fiscal pact is not negotiable. It has been negotiated and has been signed by 25 countries," Merkel told journalists.

"We are in the middle of a debate to which France, of course, under its new president will bring its own emphasis. But we are talking about two sides of the same coin progress is only achievable via solid finances plus growth," she added.

Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the Eurogroup of euro zone finance ministers, said he had told Hollande on Monday that the European Union's fiscal pact could not be renegotiated.

"It will not be possible to change the substance of the fiscal pact, there will not be a formal new negotiation in that respect," Juncker said after Hollande had

telephoned him.

However, he added: "It is possible to add growth elements, not necessarily in the form of a treaty.

S T R U G G L I N G S O U T H E R N E R S Hollande's election gave leaders of struggling southern European countries a new ally in their effort to temper the German drive for austerity that has exacerbated their problems. In a telephone call with Hollande on Sunday night, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti promised to cooperate on refocusing European policy towards growth.

However, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde said on Monday that the world's advanced economies still had to cut their debts or face even more pain.

"The most important element is to lay out a credible medium-term plan to lower debt," she said in a speech in Zurich. "Without such a plan, countries will be forced to make an even bigger adjustment soon.

However, she said "austerity versus growth" was a false debate as it was possible for countries to make policies that were both good for stability and growth.

The Greek and French votes unsettled investors, undermining confidence in Europe's plans to

cut spending and tackle the debt crisis, given the scale of public opposition.

The euro fell to a three-month low of $1.2955 in Asia before recovering trade at around $1.3050 at 1830 GMT. European stocks slipped early in the day on the Greek news but most recovered later, except the Athens stock exchange, down 6.67 percent.

French debt was spared from the selloff, in a sign that markets are more relaxed about the moderate Hollande. The yield on French 10year bonds fell to its lowest in seven months.

In Greece, Sunday's election threatened to produce what daily Ta Nea called a "Nightmare of ungovernability". Among the parties that stormed into parliament were the extreme right -wing Golden Dawn, which won 6.97 percent and 21 seats.

The Left Coalition pushed the former ruling PASOK Socialist party into third place. Between them, New Democracy and PASOK won 149 of the 300 seats, two short of a majority.

Greece had appeared to have averted a disorderly default and euro exit in December when a government led by former central banker Lucas Papademos, and ANTI-AUSTERITY page 18

14

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Facebook's Zuckerberg kicks off investor show in NY (Reuters: Top News)

market value close to Amazon.com Inc's.

The 8-year-old social network F a c e b o o k I n c . C E O M a r k that began as Zuckerberg's Zuckerberg is escorted by security Harvard dorm room project guards as he departs New York indicated an IPO range of $28 to City's Sheraton Hotel May 7, $35 a share on Thursday, which 2012. would value the company at $77 Credit: Reuters/Eduardo Munoz billion to $96 billion.

By Nadia Damouni and Olivia The size of the IPO reflects the Oran company's growth and bullish NEW YORK| Mon May 7, 2012 expectations about its money5:24pm EDT making potential as a hub for (Reuters) - Facebook Inc CEO everything from advertising to M a r k Z u c k e r b e r g f i e l d e d commerce. Many investors say questions about the No. 1 social they expect Facebook to raise its network's slowing revenue growth offer price-range as the roadshow and its $1 billion purchase of progresses from New York to Instagram as he kicked off a cross major cities such as Chicago, -country roadshow to promote the Boston and San Francisco. company's $10 billion initial Amid the hoopla of one of the public offering. most closely watched IPOs in Wearing his trademark "hoodie" years are persistent concerns sweatshirt, jeans and sneakers, the about Facebook's longer-term 27-year-old chief executive said growth and Zuckerberg's majority he would do the Instagram deal control. again if he had to, according to Zuckerberg, who will have attendees at the event. roughly 57 percent voting control Hundreds of investors showed up after the IPO, personally forged for the presentation at New York's the deal to acquire mobile app Sheraton Hotel, which was closed maker Instagram in a matter of to the media, on Monday. days last month with little The world's largest social involvement from Facebook's network aims to raise about $10.6 board of directors, according to billion, dwarfing the coming-out media reports. parties of tech companies like Asked about the deal by an Google Inc and granting it a attendee at the event, Zuckerberg Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:24:25 PM

said Facebook's management had discussed a possible Instagram acquisition at length in several meetings. Facebook decided to act when it saw Instagram's user data cross a "tipping point" from which they believed it would grow significantly, he said.

He said Facebook moved quickly to strike a deal when it became clear that Instagram was open to being acquired.

Zuckerberg was accompanied by finance chief David Ebersman, who was wearing a suit and tie, and Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg.

Investors managed to ask five questions during the event on Monday, including a query about Facebook's potential plans to enter China, the world's largest Internet market by users.

Zuckerberg noted that Facebook was blocked in China - a situation experienced by several popular U.S. websites such as YouTube and Twitter. Sandberg added that the company would be willing to sit down with Chinese government officials and discuss partnerships in the country.

Facebook's emergence as a cultural phenomenon whose beginnings were depicted in the fictionalized 2010 film "The Social Network" added a palpable

level of energy and buzz to Monday's event.

One investor was overheard joking that the event should have been held in New York's Madison Square Garden, home of the Knicks basketball team and a standard venue for rock concerts.

Investors had formed a line outside the Sheraton Hotel about an hour before the roadshow started on Monday morning, as a nearby media throng awaited the arrival of Facebook executives and elicited inquiries from curious passers-by.

"This is unlike anything we've ever seen," said another investor who was at the event.

Morgan Stanley banker Michael Grimes took the stage to begin the formal presentation as the audience of investors lunched on Cobb salad, ice tea and cookies, attendees said.

With 900 million users, Facebook is challenging established Web businesses such as Google Inc and Yahoo Inc for consumers' online time and advertising dollars.

Susquehanna Financial Group analyst Herman Leung said in a note to investors on Monday that he expected Facebook's revenue to grow 40 percent this year and 33 percent in 2013.

He said the $28 to $35 range for

Facebook shares was an "attractive" valuation that provided a "compelling entry point" for investors.

In a separate note published Sunday, Pivotal Research Group analyst Brian Wieser put a $30 price target on shares of Facebook.

"Our conversations with investors to date suggest that concerns around revenue growth and the absence of mobile monetization will linger for some time," said Wieser.

But, he added, "we would not be surprised if the stock trades up above the IPO price on retail interest in the company over the near term."

(Reporting by Nadia Damouni and Olivia Oran, with additional reporting by Alexei Oreskovic and Alistair Barr in San Francisco; Editing by Richard Chang) This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.

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15

CIA Reportedly Thwarts Plot on US-Bound Plane (FOXNews.com)

take down an airplane, officials said.

They added that the device did The CIA has unraveled a terror not contain metal, meaning it plot by Al Qaeda in the Arabian probably could have passed Peninsula to destroy a U.S.-bound through an airport metal detector. airliner using an underwear bomb But it was not clear whether new around the one-year anniversary body scanners used in many of the killing of Usama bin Laden. airports would have detected it.

The plot involved an upgrade of The would-be suicide bomber, the underwear bomb that failed to based in Yemen, had not yet detonate aboard a jetliner over picked a target or bought his plane Detroit on Christmas 2009. This tickets when the CIA stepped in new bomb was also designed to and seized the bomb, officials b e u s e d i n a p a s s e n g e r ' s said. It's not immediately clear underwear, but this time Al Qaeda what happened to the alleged d e v e l o p e d a m o r e r e f i n e d bomber. detonation system, U.S. officials The operation unfolded even as told the Associated Press. the White House and Department “Initial exploitation indicates that of Homeland Security assured the the device is very similar to IEDs American public that they knew that have been used previously by of no Al Qaeda plots against the A l Q a e d a i n t h e A r a b i a n U.S. around the anniversary of bin Peninsula in attempted terrorist Laden's death. attacks, including against aircraft "We have no credible information and for targeted assassinations,” that terrorist organizations, the FBI said in a statement. “The including Al Qaeda, are plotting FBI currently has possession of attacks in the U.S. to coincide t h e I E D a n d i s c o n d u c t i n g with the anniversary of bin technical and forensics analysis Laden's death," White House on it.” press secretary Jay Carney said on Part of the examination includes April 26. seeing if the bomb could have But Obama was being briefed on gone undetected through airport the plot during April by his security, and if it had the power to H o m e l a n d S e c u r i t y a n d Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:40:52 PM

Counterterrorism Adviser John Brennan, Deputy NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden said.

“While the President was assured that the device did not pose a threat to the public, he directed the Department of Homeland Security and law enforcement and intelligence agencies to take whatever steps necessary to guard against this type of attack,” she said.

The AP learned about the thwarted plot last week but agreed to White House and CIA requests not to publish it immediately because the sensitive intelligence operation was still under way.

Once officials said those concerns were allayed, the AP decided to disclose the plot Monday despite requests from the Obama administration to wait for an official announcement Tuesday.

U.S. officials, who were briefed on the operation, insisted on anonymity to discuss the case, which the U.S. has never officially acknowledged.

It's not clear who built the bomb, but, because of its sophistication and its similarity to the Christmas bomb, authorities suspected it was the work of master bomb maker

Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri. Al-Asiri constructed the first underwear bomb and two others that Al Qaeda built into printer cartridges and shipped to the U.S. on cargo planes in 2010.

Both of those bombs used a powerful industrial explosive.

Both were nearly successful.

The operation is an intelligence victory for the United States and a reminder of Al Qaeda's ambitions, despite the death of bin Laden and other senior leaders. Because of instability in the Yemeni government, the terrorist group's branch there has gained territory and strength. It has set up terrorist camps and, in some areas, even operates as a de facto government.

But along with the gains there also have been losses. The group has suffered significant setbacks as the CIA and the U.S. military focus more on Yemen. On Sunday, Fahd al-Quso, a senior Al Qaeda leader, was hit by a missile as he stepped out of his vehicle along with another operative in the southern Shabwa province of Yemen.

Al-Quso, 37, was on the FBI's most wanted list, with a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture. He was

indicted in the U.S. for his role in the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole in the harbor of Aden, Yemen, in which 17 American sailors were killed and 39 injured.

Al-Quso was believed to have replaced Anwar al-Awlaki as the group's head of external operations. Al-Awlaki was killed in a U.S. airstrike last year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Battle Ahead for Man Fired After Joining Reserves (FOXNews.com)

Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:40:52 PM

• Derek Laaser lost his job as a mechanic when he told his boss he'd joined the Marine Corps Reserves, according to his attorney.

The Connecticut mechanic who lost his job after joining the Marine Reserves may not have a slam dunk case in his legal bid to reclaim his job, experts said.

Derek Laaser, 19, who left for basic training at Parris Island on Sunday, says he was fired by Chevrolet of Milford after telling his boss he needed off for training and then for one weekend a month to fulfill his reserve duties. In a federal suit filed last week, his attorneys claim the dealership violated his rights under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act, a federal law designed to ensure men and women “are not discriminated against in employment based on past, present or future military service."

But Laaser's attorneys could find the case tough to prove, and the burden - as in all employment discrimination cases - is on the plaintiff, said Ossai Miazad, cochair of the American Bar Association’s Fair Labor

Standards Legislation Subcommittee on the act. Laaser claims he told his superiors he was joining the Marine Corps Reserves back in December, when he learned he'd been accepted, which could be deemed reasonable notice, according to Miazad.

“The time in which he informed them appears to be short, but there’s no bright line rule as to how much time is needed,” said Miazad, an atttorney with the New York law firm Outten & Golden.

Crucial to Laaser's case is proving that his military service was the reason he was fired, said Miazad. A letter Laaser requested and got from his boss on March 9 stating that he had "decided to leave our company to pursue a career in the military" could be critical to drawing the connection between his service and his dismissal, she said. Laaser, who was nearing the end of a rigorous mechanic's training program and on schedule to receive a key GM certification, claims he sought the letter after his boss told him he had to work weekends. Laaser claims he was willing to work three weekends a month, but had to dedicate one to the Reserve duty.

"The letter he received from his employer will be a key piece of

evidence," said Miazad. "But one of the issues may be determining whether he left voluntarily or was forced out.”

Laaser's attorney, David Slossberg, said he will prove that Laaser gave his employer plenty of notice.

"He first gave notice back in December, and then was terminated three-and-a-half months later," Slossberg said.

"The amount of time he gave for notice is in no way an issue."

Milford Chevrolet Service Director Nick Saccomanno declined to comment, and officials at the dealership also refused to discuss the case or provide the name of the dealership's attorney.

Laaser was hired by the dealership last October as a parttime technician trainee under the General Motors Automotive Service Educational Program, which allows new mechanics to earn an associate's degree in automotive technology. In February, Laaser’s supervisor asked him if he could start working weekends, according to his attorney. The reservist reminded him of his military duty and that he would not be able to work on select weekends.

His boss allegedly claimed it was the first he'd heard of it and told Laaser he needed to “choose

between a career at Chevrolet of Milford or leaving for military service,” according to the documents.

Miazad said similar cases are cropping up with increased frequency as more people enlist and employers grapple with staffing.

“We’re seeing it more now, but most employers often don’t understand what their responsibility is,” said Miazad.

“It’s not something many of them have had to deal with before.”

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Deep State: Obama Team's Full-Court Press on Mideast Policy (World Politics Review: Articles) Submitted at 5/7/2012 11:38:00 AM

Top Obama foreign policy adviser Denis McDonough told a Washington security conference Sunday that the White House believes its policy toward Iran is working, characterized Obama’s relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “workman-like” and said Obama’s foreign policy is defined by a clear-eyed pragmatism that is largely nonpartisan and unideological.

“We are not asking for more time to let negotiations [with Iran] work because we are betting on negotiations,” McDonough told a conference convened by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a Washington think tank. “We are saying something different,” he continued. “We believe the policy we are pursuing is working. And ultimately, that it is going to give us the best opportunity to address this challenge once and for all.” ...

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South Korea Seizes Pills With Flesh of Fetuses (FOXNews.com)

into the production of drugs made from dead fetuses or newborns Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:40:52 PM last year.

SEOUL, South Korea – South The pills, which are typically Korean authorities have seized smuggled in by ethnic Koreans thousands of pills containing the living in northern China, aren't powdered flesh of fetuses and just creepy, they contain "super babies that were smuggled in bacteria" that is hazardous to from China to be used as Viagara- human health, the statement said. style performance enhancers, South Korea began cracking down according to multiple reports. on the drugs last year after a Nearly 17,500 of the bizarre t e l e v i s i o n n e t w o r k a i r e d a capsules have been grabbed from documentary accusing Chinese tourists' luggage and international pharmaceutical companies of mail since last August, the state- collaborating with abortion clinics run Korea Customs service said in to make the pills from human a statement Monday. The capsules fetuses and the remains of dead were made in northeastern China infants, according to The Wall in a stomach-turning process in Street Journal. which dead babies' bodies were Twisted myths about the medical chopped into small pieces and powers of dead babies have long dried on stoves before being persisted in parts of China. turned into powder, the Korea Consumption of human placentas Customs Service said. Customs is believed to help revive blood officials refused to say where the supply and circulation, and many dead babies came from or who believe the fetus is a "tonic" for made the capsules, citing possible disease has kept the pills in diplomatic friction with Beijing. demand, according to the China China ordered an investigation Daily. But the latest use of fetal

tissue is as a sexual performance enhancer, according to a report in the Global Times, a tabloid published by the official People’s Daily.

Some among the approximately 35 smugglers who have been caught told customs officials they believed the capsules were ordinary stamina boosters and did not know the ingredients or manufacturing process. Ethnic Koreans from northeastern China who now live in South Korea were intending to use the capsules themselves or share them with other Korean-Chinese, a customs official said. They were carried in luggage or sent by international mail.

The South Korean customs announcement came weeks after Health Ministry regulators in China suspended sales of 13 drugs after finding they were encased in gelatin capsules that contained excessive levels of chromium.

According to China’s state broadcaster, CCTV, the toxic drug

capsules were believed to originate from factories in China’s coastal Zhejiang province and had been made using scraps of leftover leather.

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All-South Indian breakfast for Hillary Clinton IBNLive.com (Nation - Google News) Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:39:07 PM

IBNLive.com All-South Indian breakfast for Hillary Clinton IBNLive.com PTI New Delhi: It will be an allSouth Indian fare comprising of Rawa Upma with cashew nuts and fresh coriander, Medu Wadai and Podi with ghee which has been planned for on Tuesday's breakfast for US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with External...

To Delhi,via Kolkata Indian Express NDTV Exclusive: Hillary Clinton on FDI, Mamata, outsourcing, and Hafiz Saeed... NDTV “India can help put pressure on Iran by cutting oil imports” The Hindu Hindustan Times- Chandigarh Tribune- GreaterKashmir.com all 1,876 news articles »

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ANTI-AUSTERITY continued from page 13

supported by the two main parties, agreed on a second international bailout under which private bondholders accepted sharp writedowns on their holdings.

But the four straight years of recession, wage and pension cuts and still rising mass unemployment drove angry Greeks further to the left and right.

Greece consistently missed targets under its first programme, agreed in April 2010, which led to the restructuring of its privatesector debt under the second package.

Officials say any further backsliding now will not be tolerated, especially with the International Monetary Fund a reluctant partner in the second programme.

Three Greek finance ministry officials told Reuters the country might run out of cash by the end of June if it does not have a government in place to negotiate

the next installment of EU/IMF aid and projected state revenues fall short.

Euro zone leaders have so far done everything to avoid a Greek default and departure from the euro, which Merkel has said would be a catastrophe. Officials are worried by the precedent it could set for other troubled south European countries.

But public support for further bailouts is wearing thin in the euro zone's triple-A rated lenders Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, raising doubts about their willingness to go on supporting a recalcitrant Greece.

Some European diplomats and economists have been predicting the possibility of Greece leaving the euro area for months.

In a research paper published on February 6, Willem Buiter, the chief economist at Citi, raised his estimate of the likelihood of Greece dropping out of the currency zone to 50 percent over

the next 18 months, from 25-30 percent previously. On Monday, Citi raised the probability again to 50-75 percent.

(Additional reporting by John O'Donnell and Jan Strupczewski in Brussels, Dina Kyriakidou and Karolina Tagaris in Athens, Stephen Brown, Gareth Jones, Sarah Marsh and Ralf Bode in Berlin, Marius Zaharia and Richard Hubbard in London, Doug Palmer in Washington and Catherine Bosley in Zurich; Writing by Paul Taylor; Editing

by Janet McBride and David Stamp) This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.

CAFTA Weakens Central America's Hand in Mining Conflicts (World Politics Review: Articles)

But the Marlin mine has a downside. Guatemalans living nearby claim to have lead G U A T E M A L A C I T Y - - poisoning, and environmentalists Goldcorp is one of the many say Goldcorp is harming local mining companies winning big on water supplies irreversibly. the Central American Gold Belt. Meanwhile, anti-mining activists Amid soaring gold prices, its have allegedly been threatened Marlin mine in Guatemala made and attacked by mine security $609 million in profit last year, up agents. ...

125 percent from 2010. The This entry passed through the second-biggest gold miner in the Full-Text RSS service — if this is w o r l d , G o l d c o r p w a s a l s o your content and you're reading it G u a t e m a l a ’ s l a r g e s t s i n g l e on someone else's site, please read taxpayer last year, paying more the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentthan $80 million in royalties and only/faq.php#publishers. Five t a x e s , w h i l e a l s o f u n d i n g Filters recommends: Donate to community development and Wikileaks. health projects.

Submitted at 5/7/2012 8:46:00 AM

Bill Shorten: HSU conduct 'disturbing, disappointing' - Perth Now (Nation - Google News)

Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:41:59 PM

Sydney Morning Herald Bill Shorten: HSU conduct 'disturbing, disappointing'

Perth Now CRAIG Thomson didn't notice that bills for Sydney escort services had been put on his Health Services Union credit card, the former Labor MP told

investigators. It wasn't raised with him by anyone else, Mr Thomson told Fair Work Australia according to...

Shorten vows action after 'disturbing' HSU report ABC

Online Stick for union bad boys Sydney Morning Herald Escorts and campaign funds 'put on Craig Thomson's card' The Australian

The Daily Telegraph- Herald Sun all 551 news articles »

World News/ Finance/

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(Nation - Google News)

Catering scandal hits public service - ABC Online

Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:36:32 PM

(Nation - Google News)

If I had to cross the Sahara with Prince Harry touches down in Washington, DC, to meet injured either Boris or Dave and one bottle of water ... - Daily Mail war veterans and ... - Daily Mail (Nation - Google News) Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:51:21 PM

Daily Mail If I had to cross the Sahara with either Boris or Dave and one bottle of water...

Daily Mail

By Stephen Glover Will Boris Johnson be the next Tory leader?

Or the next Prime Minister? Will he even topple Dave? These are the questions following Boris's triumph in the London mayoral elections. Whereas the Tories

across the country lost hundreds...

Boris Johnson sets out agenda for second term as mayor of London The Guardian David Davies: Boris Johnson proves strong Tory message can still be a vote winner Telegraph.co.uk Johnson urged to back rail link bid The Press Association BBC News- Morning Star Online - stv.tv all 81 news articles »

Tears for tragic barbecue victim: Friends pay tribute to Hannah, 14, gassed on ... - Mirror.co.uk (Nation - Google News)

smouldering barbecue was left in their tent overnight.

Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:22:29 PM Friends pay tribute to 'amazing Belfast Telegraph girl' who died on tent holiday Tears for tragic barbecue victim: Yorkshire Post Friends pay tribute to Hannah, 14, Carbon monoxide fumes may gassed on... have caused schoolgirl's death at Mirror.co.uk campsite The Guardian This is the first picture of the girl Teenage girl poisoned by BBQ who died from breathing in toxic fumes in tent was hockey loving fumes on a camping trip. Hannah 14-year-old Telegraph.co.uk Thomas-Jones, 14, was found WalesOnline- Sky News unconscious with her mum, dad all 822 news articles » and brother, 11, after the

Royal was also on hand to receive an award in recognition of his...

Prince Harry's humanitarian Daily Mail accolade ITV News Prince Harry touches down in Prince Harry: another step in the Washington, DC, to meet injured making of a modern prince war veterans and...

Telegraph.co.uk Daily Mail Prince Harry to meet injured

By Laura Cox Prince Harry was service athletes in US trip BBC in Washington today, to meet with News a team of injured British Scotsman- Daily Beastservicemen and women who were W a s h i n g t o n P o s t i n t o w n t o t a k e p a r t i n a all 34 news articles » Paralympic sporting event. The

Law Ministry cannot control EC: CEC Quraishi - Rediff (Nation - Google News)

control over it, Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi on Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:42:46 PM Monday made it clear that this IBNLive.com cannot happen as EC is a...

Law Ministry cannot control EC: 'Khurshid's remarks created CEC Quraishi unprecedented situation' Rediff Hindustan Times Against the backdrop of the LD QURAISHI 2 LAST recent controversy between the I B N L i v e . c o m Election Commission and the Law all 11 news articles » ministry over the latter claiming

Twitter 'will be more valuable than Facebook' Katherine Rushton (Finance News - Business news from the

Twitter is likely to last longer and become more valuable than

19

Facebook, one of Britain's leading ad men has claimed.

Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:28:34 PM

Catering scandal hits public service ABC Online A parliamentary committee has heard 130 hospital staff have been implicated in a new public sector gifts scandal in South Australia. It was told $90000 in gifts had been provided by three catering companies. SA Heath CEO David Swan told the committee...

Health staff implicated in receiving gifts NEWS.com.au 130 health employees at 80 sites investigated over 'gifts' Adelaide Now all 15 news articles »

20

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Curated News Edition

TUAW Bookshelf -- The Business Man on trial over alleged rape of 81yo of iPhone and iPad Development: Making and Marketing Apps - Yahoo!7 News Erica Sadun (TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog)

than offer a practical value to the reader and the ebook table of contents was set up in an odd way Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:00:00 PM (you have to click on page A recommendation by Chris numbers, not section names).

Forsythe pointed me to Dave Those are minor quibbles.

Wooldridge and Michael I wish the authors had spent more Schneider's book " The Business time on the strength of the book of iPhone and iPad Development: (creating a business plan) and less Making and Marketing Apps" on technical implementation (Apress, 2011). details. That said, there's plenty of A practical primer on creating good, solid advice and you should your business plan, the book not be scared away from offers advice on topics diverse as purchasing this title if you're not a protecting your intellectual app purchase), a large part of the programmer. property and why testing and book centers on understanding [Full disclosure: Steve Sande and usability is crucial for app how to sell. A final series of I are writing Pitch Perfect, which success. chapters covers marketing issues, talks about how to pitch your app It's an easy read (admittedly a like creating pre-release buzz and for reviews and has some (but not little choppy in the writing at press releases. much) topic overlap with this times) but I found it full of If I have any criticism, it's that book.] valuable advice, especially for the authors sometimes went a TUAW Bookshelf -- The anyone who is thinking about little too technical (there's actual Business of iPhone and iPad entering the App Store ecosystem code in the book and their intro D e v e l o p m e n t : M a k i n g a n d (TREND HUNTER - The Latest (TREND HUNTER - The Latest but hasn't jumped in yet. recommends a programming M a r k e t i n g A p p s o r i g i n a l l y You'll find coverage about b a c k g r o u n d ) f o r a g e n e r a l a p p e a r e d o n T U A W - T h e Trends) Trends) competitive research and being business text. The advice here is Unofficial Apple Weblog on Submitted at 5/7/2012 12:38:02 PM Submitted at 5/7/2012 12:28:02 PM realistic about what it takes to perfectly valid for people hiring Mon, 07 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. ( TrendHunter.com) These elegant ( TrendHunter.com) If you're succeed in App Store. From tech personnel, not just one-man Please see our terms for use of looking desserts called SNO, l o o k i n g f o r w h i m s i c a l , pricing your app (free or not), dev shops. There's also a bunch of feeds. actually originated in Taiwan 50 imaginative portrayals of popular monetizing free apps (iAds and lists that seem to be there to Source| Permalink| Email this| years ago, and are now being culture and history, you need look other in-app opportunities), to increase the page count rather Comments offered at the SNOBAR parlor no further than these punchy Freemium models (leveraging inlocated in West Hollywood, i l l u s t r a t i o n s b y V a m b a , California. It is made from a collectively titled ‘Personages.&... mixture...

(Nation - Google News)

allegedly raped an elderly woman, who has since died. Peter Tasman Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:42:29 PM Cannell, 41, is standing trial in the Yahoo!7 News Adelaide District Court on...

Man on trial over alleged rape of Rape case to push the limits of 81yo DNA analysis NEWS.com.au Yahoo!7 News DNA used to track accused rapist By court reporter Candice Adelaide Now Marcus, ABC Updated May 8, all 8 news articles Âť 2012, 7:18 am A man has gone on trial nearly two decades after he

Frozen Cotton Candy Desserts SNOBAR Brings You a New Treat Made of Shaved Ice and Ice Cream (TrendHunter.com)

Quirky Pop Culture Cartoons This Vamba Art is Whimsical, Imaginative and Colorful (TrendHunter.com)

Technology/

Curated News Edition

21

David Karp, Jonah Peretti And Adrian Grenier Are All Ready To Disrupt NYC Alexia Tsotsis (TechCrunch) Submitted at 5/7/2012 2:58:03 PM

We’re sitting in a conference at Sequoia Capital in Menlo Park watching Disrupt companies rehearse and it’s reminding me, Disrupt NYC is almost here!

(Also, I think I just stole somebody’s food.)

Other than the fact that I love and miss New York, I am really psyched about this the third annual NYC Disrupt; We’ve already announced many amazing speakers and judges, and today we are announcing a few more rock stars on our speaker lineup.

We are pleased to announce Tumblr’s David Karp, Buzzfeed’s Jonah Peretti, and Churchkey’s Adrian Grenier (yes the Entourage guy), Justin Hawkins and Ryan Soward. Maybe they’ll down some Pilsners onstage?

And in case you want to be there for it, tickets for Disrupt NYC are still on sale. Don’t miss out and get tickets now.

Jonah Peretti Founder & CEO, Buzzfeed Jonah Peretti is Founder and CEO of BuzzFeed, the first true social news organization that provides a pioneering mix of breaking news, entertainment and shareable content. Mr. Peretti, known for creating viral hits, tracking online social behavior

and building technology to amplify buzz is also a co-founder of The Huffington Post. He has been called a “viral marketing hotdog” by the New York Times, “the poster boy of guerrilla media” by AlterNet and a “computer-whiz” by The New Yorker. Fast Company named Mr. Peretti one of the “New Faces of Social Media” and Business Insider listed him as one of the “11 Rising Tech Stars to Watch in 2012.”

Mr. Peretti is a graduate of the MIT Media Lab and has taught at NYU and the Parsons School of Design. His work has been covered by Time, the Economist, Fortune, and Business Insider and he has appeared as a guest on the Today Show, Good Morning America and CNN. David Karp CEO, Tumblr David Karp is a high school dropout and the founder and CEO of Tumblr. Karp grew up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, the son of Barbara Ackerman and Michael Karp. He attended The Calhoun School from 3rd to 8th grade, where his mother taught science, until high school when he briefly attended Bronx Science before dropping out at the age of 15 and being homeschooled. Karp began interning for animation producer Fred Seibert at 14, and

from there went on to work as a software consultant for UrbanBaby, an online parenting forum. Karp left UrbanBaby in 2006 and began working on Tumblr later that year. The site launched early in 2007 and has since gained major traction on the Web. Adrian Grenier Founder, Churchkey Can Co. Adrian Grenier is an actor, filmmaker, musician and social entrepreneur. A creative person with an entrepreneurial spirit, he is always searching for new projects, keeping an eye out for those ideas that challenge conventional wisdom and add positive values to our culture.

While some never leave the idea phase, others–like Churchkey Can Co–prove to be spot on.

In search of a symbol for the craft and community lifestyle, Churchkey came forward as an opportunity to connect to the collective experience. Passionate about creating something from nothing, Adrian is dedicated to the value system based on hard work and giving that Churchkey offers.

His ability to overcome obstacles by being bold and aggressive, while also knowing when to be delicate and graceful, make him a great asset to Churchkey Can Co. Adrian grew up in Manhattan and now resides in Brooklyn – with

plenty of travel in between. When not working on one of his many projects – including Churchkey Can Co. and SHFT.com – he can be found cooking and playing music, both of which offer him an escape, entertainment, and way to connect with friends and family.

Justin Hawkins Co-Founder & Creative Director, Churchkey Can Co. A passionate designer and fair weather artist from Portland, Justin Hawkins has worked as graphic designer for more than 10 years. With experience at creative Pacific Northwest companies such as Nike, Weiden & Kennedy and Peetkegler, Justin thrives on working with others to make interesting projects or products come to life.

On a mission to discover his passion in life, Justin developed a keen interest in business, branding and marketing. After three years of researching and brainstorming projects that might be worth quitting his job over, he stumbled into the opportunity to create Churchkey Can Co. With the endless opportunities for collaboration and connecting with the community, it was the perfect fit. Justin has spent almost his entire life in the Pacific Northwest. Originally from Salem, Oregon, Justin attended school in Seattle before settling in

Portland where he’s been for the past 10 years. When not enjoying great beer and food at one of the many amazing restaurants in Portland, he can be found exploring the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest. He makes a point to get out of the city and connect with nature for at least a few hours every weekend.

Ryan Sowards CEO, Churchkey Can Co. An expert in his field, Ryan Sowards joined the team with more than 15 years of experience in the beverage industry. With past roles including sales and marketing for companies such as Red Bull and vitaminwater, it’s his passion for cultivating business that makes him as asset to the team.

Known for his ability to pull resources and teams together, Ryan was an early adopter of the Churchkey concept and finds himself passionate about the brand because of how unique it is.

With no boundaries, plus a creative and exciting team, there are new challenges and new experiences to be had every day – and never a dull moment.

Ryan, who grew up in Seattle and still considers it home, now lives in Pleasanton, California. For him, the perfect Sunday is a DAVID page 26

22

Technology/

Curated News Edition

EA Shares Slip 9% In After-Hours As The Company Forecasts Losses For The Quarter Kim-Mai Cutler (TechCrunch)

year ago at $419 million.

“Digital growth drove our margins in fiscal 12 and we EA shares slipped 9.5 percent in project this trend will continue in after-hours trading to $13.70 as fiscal 13,” said Ken Barker, the the company said it expected interim chief financial officer, in a losses of 40 to 45 cents a share for statement. “We saw more than 20 the next quarter. It said it expects percent non-GAAP diluted EPS to make $4.1 billion for the year growth in fiscal 12, and are and will lose 16 to 36 cents a guiding to more than 30 percent share, on a non-GAAP basis. growth in fiscal 13 based on the Another piece of data that might midpoint of our guidance.” have dragged down performance Mobile revenue was also up to were subscriber numbers for Star $87 million from $70 million a Wars: The Old Republic, the title year ago, according to generally that was going to going to help it a c c e p t e d accounting take market share away from p r i n c i p l e s . N o n - s m a r t p h o n e World of Warcraft. EA said it had h a n d h e l d d e v i c e s b a s i c a l l y 1.3 million active subscribers, negligible now with PlayStation compared to the 1.7 million and Nintendo at $6 and $5 million subscriber estimate analysts like for the quarter respectively.

L a z a r d ’ s A t u l B a g g a h a d Here’s the release. We’ll be anticipated. updating as we go: On the positive side, EA beat REDWOOD CITY, earnings estimates for the quarter Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– ending in March with $977 Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: million in total net revenue on a EA) today announced preliminary non-GAAP basis. Analysts had financial results for its fourth expected net revenue of $959.6 fiscal quarter and fiscal year million or 17 cents a share. One ended March 31, 2012. other positive is that digital “We are proud to report a strong revenue continues to creep up as a q u a r t e r a n d a f i s c a l y e a r share of EA’s overall earnings as highlighted with $1.2 billion of the company transitions away digital revenue,” said Chief from selling games like packaged, E x e c u t i v e O f f i c e r J o h n consumer goods. Digital revenue Riccitiello. “In the coming year, was nearly double was it was a we break away from the pack, Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:51:36 PM

with a very different profile than the traditional game companies and capabilities that none of our new digital competitors can match.”

“Digital growth drove our margins in fiscal 12 and we project this trend will continue in fiscal 13,” said Interim Chief Financial Officer Ken Barker.

“We saw more than 20 percent non-GAAP diluted EPS growth in fiscal 12, and are guiding to more than 30 percent growth in fiscal 13 based on the midpoint of our guidance.”

Selected Operating Highlights and Metrics: *On a non-GAAP basis Strong results driven by the successful launches of Mass Effect™ 3, FIFA Street 4, SSX™ and Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning™.

FIFA 12 established the best year in franchise history – with downloads and micro-transactions totaling $108 million*. FIFA Ultimate Team — a pure digital companion to recent FIFA titles was the second best-selling EA offering in the UK in fiscal 12.

Battlefield 3™ had a record year, establishing itself as one of EA’s premier game services and in the process successfully took share in the growing First-Person-Shooter

market.

Battlefield 3 players are still deeply engaged — 6.3 million MAUs in March. New content downloads available in May and June.

Q4 full-game downloads were up 76 percent* year-over-year, contributing $60 million* in the quarter, driven in part by Mass Effect 3 and STAR WARS®: The Old Republic™.

STAR WARS®: The Old Republic™ active subscribers are 1.3 million. Two new content packs — Legacy and Allies, available in Q1.

EA’s Play4Free brands are generating an average of nearly $2 million* per week. Several more EA brands will be introduced in the Play4Free portal in fiscal 13.

EA shattered its goal for digital revenue growth — generating more than $1.2 billion* in fiscal 12 for a 47 percent year-over-year growth, and driving operating margin to 10%. Another 40 percent increase in digital nonGAAP revenue and continued operating margin expansion is forecasted for fiscal 13.

EA’s Origin™ platform for games and services has registered 11 million players and generated approximately $150 million* in

just ten months. EA’s Nucleus database has registered 220 million consumers.

Casual game leader PopCap™ — acquired by EA in August — is growing on mobile and social platforms with new games like Solitaire Blitz™ and Lucky Gem Casino™. A new version of Bejeweled™ is EA’s top grossing game on the Apple® App StoreSM. EA repurchased 27.7 million shares for $529 million through March 31, 2012, and as of the call, the $600 million share repurchase program has been completed.

In fiscal 13, EA will invest $80 million in development of games for Gen4 console systems.

Q4 and Full-Year FY12 Financial Highlights: For the quarter, non-GAAP net revenue of $977 million was slightly ahead of our guidance of $925 million to $975 million. Non -GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.17 was in line with our guidance of $0.10 to $0.20. NonGAAP net revenue in Q4 fiscal 2012 was slightly lower as compared to Q4 fiscal 2011 due to a reduction in the number of package goods titles in the quarter.

Technology/

Curated News Edition

23

Jury Delivers Partial Verdict in Oracle v.

Google Java Showdown Dan Rowinski (ReadWriteWeb)

and substance of the Java APIs but did not rule on whether Google had “fair use.”

The jury in the copyright case In other words. Yes, Oracle between Google and Oracle has proved that Google infringed on returned a split, partial verdict as copyright of Java APIs. Was it to whether Google infringed on OK for Google to do so since Java Oracle’s copyrights of Java and APIs are open and free to the i t s A P I s . A r e c o m p u t i n g developer community? The jury languages copyrightable? The had no answer to that. answer is not exactly clear cut. Google’s lead attorney called for The jury had four questions to a mistrial. Judge Alsup did not answer with two or three parts. grant immediately grant the The first, and most important request, but whether or not Oracle question was: can press for serious damages 1. As to the compilable code for remains in his hands. The judge the 37 Java API packages in told the attorneys to prepare question taken as a group: detailed arguments on the motion A. Has Oracle proven that and said he will likely rule in the Google has infringed the overall next few days. Throughout the s t r u c t u r e , s e q u e n c e a n d trial, Alsup has wanted to move organization of copyrighted the proceedings along at as brisk a works? pace as possible, hoping to avoid Yes __________ No __________ getting the court get stuck in the B. Has Google proven that its use m i n u t i a e o f p r o g r a m m i n g of the overall structure, sequence documentation (which neither he and organization constituted “fair nor the jury would understand). use”?

On the second question on the Yes __________ No __________ ballot, the jury ruled that Google The jury said yes to 1.A but was had not infringed upon the actual hung for 1.B and issued its partial documentation of Oracle’s APIs. verdict to Judge William Alsup. In essence, Google copied the Basically, what the jury is saying SSO (structure, sequence and is that Oracle proved that Google organization) but not the actual did indeed infringe on the style word-for-word language. The jury Submitted at 5/7/2012 2:54:13 PM

and/or Oracle engaged in conduct Sun and/or Oracle knew or should have known would reasonably lead Google to believe that it would not need a license to use the structure, sequence, and organization of the copyrighted compilable code?

Yes __________ No __________ B. If so, has Google proven that it in fact reasonably relied on such conduct by Sun and/or Oracle in deciding to use the structure, was also asked about three sequence, and organization of the specific instances of Google’s copyrighted compilable code supposed infringement, finding without obtaining a license? that the search company had Yes __________ No __________ i n f r i n g e d o n o n e a r e a ( t h e The answer to 4.A was yes, 4.B rangeCheck method) but that it was no. This comes down to the had not infringed on two others issues of what Google believed (the English-language comments and how did it believe it. Did part of the APIs and seven cases Google really think that it needed within impl.java files). to license certain aspects of the Depending on what Alsup APIs from Oracle and/or Sun decides later in the week, Google Microsystems or did the actions could escape the copyright phase of Sun lead Google to believe it with minimal financial damage. did not need to license Java? This The fourth two-part question is is where the complicated issue of for Judge Alsup’s use, likely in emails between Google engineers the case of a partial verdict, such and executives comes into play as the one he just received. as well as actions such as former 4. Answer the following special Sun CEO Jonathan Schwartz interrogatories only if you answer congratulating Google on the “yes” to Question 1A. launch of Android.

A. Has Google proven that Sun What does it all mean?

First, it means that Google is not going to walk out of this case without paying a penny. There will be some type of damages awarded to Oracle, eventually.

The amount will depend on what happens in Phase 2 of the trial on patent violation. But Google skated on the documentation portion (and two of the three important infringements), which could end up to its benefit depending on what Alsup decides on the jury’s hung answer to question 1.B. Google issued a statement after the verdict: "We appreciate the jury's efforts, and know that fair use and infringement are two sides of the same coin. The core issue is whether the APIs here are copyrightable, and that's for the court to decide. We expect to prevail on this issue and Oracle's other claims."

After the jury rendered its verdict, Phase 2 of the trial started immediately with both Oracle and Google starting their arguments to the jury over whether Google violated Oracle’s patents on Java.

24

Technology/

Curated News Edition

What "Data Gravity" Means to Your Data Joe Brockmeier (ReadWriteWeb)

Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:26:00 PM

If you've wondered why so many companies are eager to control data storage, the answer can be summed up in a simple term: data gravity. Ultimately, where data is determines where the money is.

Services and applications are nothing without it.

Data gravity is a term coined in a blog post by Dave McCrory.

Basically, McCrory says to consider data as if it were an object: As Data accumulates (builds mass) there is a greater likelihood that additional Services and Applications will be attracted to this data. This is the same effect Gravity has on objects around a planet. As the mass or density increases, so does the strength of gravitational pull. As things get closer to the mass, they accelerate toward the mass at an increasingly faster velocity. ...Services and applications can have their own gravity, but data is the most massive and dense, therefore it has the most gravity.

Data if large enough can be virtually impossible to move.

Later, McCrory's post went on to talk about artificial influences on data gravity, such as costs, data throttling, legislation and more.

Basically, factors that influence the movement of data in ways that wouldn't happen "naturally." For instance, Amazon allows free inbound data transfer, but charges for outbound data transfer.

Another "artificial" influence is legislation, telling companies where they may or may not store data, or dictating terms of its storage. Data Gravity in Action You don't have to look very far to see data gravity in action.

Consider Dropbox, Amazon S3, iTunes or just about any CMS migration ever.

Lots of companies want to emulate Dropbox, but few have managed to attract the same kind of user base as Dropbox. None are as ubiquitous as Dropbox. And that presence is paying off for Dropbox, which has now attracted quite a few third-party apps to its orbit, like Wappwolf and Ifttt.

Perhaps that's why Apple is trying to disrupt Dropbox's gravitational pull and rejecting some iOS apps that use Dropbox.

You'll note that Amazon S3 and other Amazon AWS services

concept data gravity - even if you've never heard the term.

Getting all the data out of one CMS to another is, well, painful at best. Often impossible. This is one reason why companies often stick with aging CMSes rather than go through the pain of migration. Consider Gravity Before Deploying Whether it's a single-user application like iTunes, or a company wide project: You need make it very easy to get data in, to consider the implications of but getting data out gets spendy. data gravity - once your data is in, No shocker here - Amazon wants how hard will it be to break the to encourage as many developers gravitational field? and companies to toss data into The stronger the data gravity AWS, and then tie them to the involved, the more cautious you service. should be when you choose your Apple's iTunes is all about data storage solution. It's likely keeping data in Apple's services. that once you have a sufficient Aside from Apple's now-defunct amount of data wrapped up in a DRM on music, there's no using solution, it's going to be very iTunes to transfer music or difficult (if not impossible) to movies to other devices. It's Apple justify the costs of moving it devices or nothing. Getting the away. entire library out of iTunes is non- (Lead image courtesy of Flickr trivial for many users, so in many User Juan Ramon Rodriguez Sosa cases it's like a digital roach under the Attribution-ShareAlike motel: data checks in, but it 2.0 Generic(CC BY-SA 2.0) doesn't check out. license.)

If you've ever worked with content management systems, you already know all about the

39 Time-Lapse Discoveries Seeing the World in Flashes, from Nature to Everyday Activities (TrendHunter.com) (TREND HUNTER - The Latest Trends) Submitted at 5/7/2012 12:48:03 PM

( TrendHunter.com) Videos and film have a big impact on most people but it's not the same with time-lapse discoveries where life goes by at a slower pace. Timelapse photography and video are a fascinating way...

Technology/

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25

AT&T Samsung Focus 2 Hands-on Chris Burns (SlashGear)

the market, made of premium materials but not metal or some unheard-of alloy. Instead what The next Windows Phone on the you’ve got here is the device the market will not be the most new-to-smartphone user has been powerful device on the market, looking for. This device is what nor will it be the most flashy – Windows Phone will be becoming instead it will be the Samsung starting very soon this summer, Focus 2 at a mere $50 and LTE that is extremely inexpensive and right out of the gate. This device ready to take on the middle runs Windows Phone Mango, has market. a 5 megapixel camera on the Notice that this device has many back, and is extremely basic in its of the same materials that the functions and form. You’ll notice Samsung Focus (the original) has how similar it looks to the Galaxy and that it’s certainly not too far a S Blaze on T-Mobile, this device jump from that device in form. also representing the same basic Instead it’s a value proposition concept – 4G LTE speeds at a primarily. This device feels great super-low cost. to hold, has a physical camera This device is relatively sleek but button as all Windows Phones do not nearly the thinnest phone on so you’re ready to shoot, and it’s

surfaces • Samsung Focus Hands-on and Unboxing with Windows Phone 7.5 Mango [Video] • Samsung Focus S and Flash WP7 Mango phones headed to AT&T on November 6 • Samsung Focus S Hands-on round-up • Samsung Focus Flash hands-on [Video] • Samsung Focus Flash Review • AT&T Samsung Focus 2 brings LTE Windows Phone for $50

Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:41:24 PM

slick as heck. Check out the rest of our CTIA 2012 coverage in our[CTIA Live portal] all week long! Story Timeline • Samsung Focus Hands On [Video]

• Samsung Focus Review • AT&T Samsung Focus S and Focus Flash plus HTC Titan due Q4 • Samsung Focus S Windows Phone Mango smartphone pic

AT&T Samsung Focus 2 Handson is written by Chris Burns& originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Honeywell digs in against Nest in thermostat IP case Martin LaMonica (CNET News) Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:21:12 PM

Honeywell today summarily denied counterclaims in a patent infringement suit it filed against thermostat startup Nest Labs.

In a court filing, Honeywell stood by its claims that Nest infringed on its numerous patents in programmable thermostats. The suit was first filed against Nest in

February.

Nest responded to the suit in April, saying that Honeywell's seemingly broad patents are "hopelessly invalid" and said Honeywell is trying to stifle innovation.

In today's filing, Honeywell fired back, saying the thermostat heavyweight intends to vigorously defend its intellectual property.

The filing said Nest Labs' counter

claims are "irrelevant to Honeywell's valid claims of patent infringement and appear intended to divert attention away from the core issues."

In June, the court hearing the case is expected to lay out the case schedule, according to a Honeywell representative.

Nest last year created a stir in the normally sleepy world of programmable thermostats when

it introduced its Learning Thermostat which reviewers say is a well designed and enjoyableto-use device.

The company, founded by former successful Apple employees, also hired Apple's former chief patent counsel Richard Lutton Jr. in preparation for what will be a legal fight with Honeywell in the months and potentially years ahead.

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26

Technology/ Sports/

Curated News Edition

Sexters who are all about caution: This app's for you Jason Parker (CNET News)

the person who receives the photo can only look at it for a short time. Once you snap a picture After you snap a pic, you have using the app, you can set a time the option to set a time limit for limit between 1 and 10 seconds how long a person can view it. for how long the receiver will be By now, we have all seen how it able to see it before it "self h a p p e n s . " S t a r s " l i k e K i m destructs" and can't be viewed Kardasian or Paris Hilton's pics again. When a person receives the are leaked on the Web and all the pic on the other end, they need to gossip Web sites spread the pics touch and hold a button to see the like wildfire. People also probably picture while a timer counts down remember the scandals that before it self destructs. f o l l o w e d B r e t t F a v r e a n d Of course, the obvious problem congressmen Anthony Weiner with this -- or, should I say, the when their pics were leaked and obvious problem with the app went viral. Even worse, many (there are so many problems with people out of the public eye will this, where do I begin?) -- is the s e n d r i s q u e p i c s t o t h e i r receiver could just as easily take a significant others only to find the screenshot of the pic. SnapChat's pics online when the relationship remedy to this situation is to send turns sour. the sender a notification if a SnapChat(Free) is an app that screenshot is taken, but it seems puts a time limit on pics sent so extremely unlikely this will deter Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:39:30 PM

people from doing it.

It's also worthy of note that the developers of the app, Future Freshman, LLC (Is it a surprise they are a limited liability

company?) have said they keep the photos on their servers, and claim to delete them quickly, but offer no guarantees they will be deleted.

I guess SnapChat is doing something to prevent sexting images from going viral, but it seems to me that not taking the pictures in the first place is still the only logical solution to this "problem."

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DAVID continued from page 21

combination of his kids and recreation– maybe the park and a hike, rounded out by a delicious dinner on the grill.

Derby winner checks into Pimlico for Preakness (Sports News Headlines Yahoo! News) Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:50:27 PM

Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another has arrived at Pimlico Race Course, where he will continue his bid to win the Triple Crown in the Preakness on May 19.

Read/Write Daily: Growing Up Cyborg Jon Mitchell (ReadWriteWeb) Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:01:00 PM

Today's theme is growing up cyborg. We hope that technology will usher in the next phase of human development, but our cyborg adolescence is a little bit

awkward.

What will we be when we grow up?

Wildcat warns that becoming a cyborg should be taken gently.

Some people want no part of this next phase. Eric Valli has some amazing photos of people living

off the grid( BoingBoing)

Maybe our brains are just meant to stay the way they are. Are we hardwired for higher understanding?

But that doesn't stop Google from trying to usher in the cyborg age.

Check out this video of Sebastian Thrun demonstrating the Google

Glasses.

Augmented-reality glasses are child's play compared to the human robotics systems NASA is cooking up.

Image via Shutterstock.

Past entries from Read/Write Daily

Technology/

Curated News Edition

27

Nintendo's Wii U launch game lineup outed?

Christopher MacManus (CNET News)

Take a peep on the full list below: • Aliens: Colonial Marines Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:34:21 PM • Assassin's Creed A possible glimpse at the • Batman: Arkham City possible games coming to the Wii • Darksiders II U, in the U.K. at least.(Credit: • Dirt 3 GoNintendo) • Formula 1 All Stars With the Wii U launch mere • Game Party m o n t h s a w a y , a s e r i e s o f • Ghost Recon Online screenshots supposedly leaked • Just Dance 4 f r o m t h e a n c i e n t c o m p u t e r • Killer Freaks from Outer Space interface used at Blockbuster UK • Marvel Super Heroes possibly pinpoint 25 games set to • Metro: Last Light debut with the console.

• Monsters Party Gamers will undoubtedly squeal • New Super Mario Brothers Wii at the suggested titles, which • Ninja Gaiden 3 include the expected New Super • Pikmin Mario Bros. Mii, Assassin's Creed • Rabbids Party Land III, and currently unannounced • Raving Rabbids gems like Zombie.

• Rayman Legends

• • • • • •

Shield Pose Splinter Cell 5 Sports Connection Tekken Your Shape 2013 Zombie

While we recommend that you take this information with a grain of salt, the details appear rather credible, as many of the titles in the list match up with the

suggested Wii U titles we saw at E3 2011 and other recent Wii U rumors.

Nintendo plans to fully detail the Wii U (possibly with a new name) at the massive E3 gaming expo that occurs in Los Angeles from June 5-7. What do you think about this suggested launch lineup of games?

(Via GoNintendo) This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.

Amtrak conductors to "punch your ticket" using iPhones Mel Martin (TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog) Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:00:00 PM

Here's a modern twist on a timehonored tradition for train travelers. Since last fall, Amtrak has been training conductors to use an iOS device to scan passenger tickets on some selected routes, including Boston to Portland, Maine, and San Jose to Sacramento, California.

According to the New York Times, 1700 conductors will be using the new system -- which combines an iPhone with a custom hardware sled for receipt printing -- across the country by late summer. The Amtrak tool was developed in part by Seattle's Übermind agency, which was acquired by the consulting arm of Deloitte at the start of 2012.

Passengers will still be able to print their tickets, but

classic hole puncher the trains have been using since, well, forever. Where I lived there weren't a lot of useful train routes the family could take, but I'm alternatively they can show a 2D always reminded of that old barcode on their mobile phone chilling Twilight Zone episode s c r e e n s , e l i m i n a t i n g p a p e r where passenger James Daly gets completely. This is similar to on a train and heads to a simpler Fandango's app for movies or air world when his ticket is punched for Willoughby. That episode kept travel boarding pass apps.

This is a big switch from the me off trains for a long time. This new ticket tech might get me back

on one.

Amtrak conductors to "punch your ticket" using iPhones originally appeared on TUAW The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 07 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source| Permalink| Email this| Comments

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Golden-i takes on Project Glass at CTIA Michael Crider (SlashGear)

Anthony Ha (TechCrunch) Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:03:28 PM

Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:34:13 PM

A couple of decades ago, wearable displays and headmounted computers were the stuff of spy stories science fiction – which is certainly where Kopin, Inc. seems to have gotten the inspiration for Golden-i. They’re calling their new device a headmounted computer, with a bevy of integrated sensors and radios to help it along. Instead of acting like a more techy version of glasses like Google’s Project Glass, the Golden-i is designed to actually fit over standard glasses or safety goggle,s giving it applications in all sorts of industrial capacities. Golden-i will make another trade show appearance at CTIA. The primary device, or at least what can be seen from the render, looks like a very stripped-down helmet. It braces over the top of the user’s head, inserts a speaker into either the right or left ear and sends a screen out on a boom over the corresponding eye. IT looks like the “guts” of the portable computer extend around the back of the head. Kopin claims that the small screen simulates a 15-inch computer monitor when worn, and the whole thing weighs just three to six ounces. Voice control and gesture movement are

Eventbrite And SponsorHub Team Up For Easy Event Sponsorship Integration

included, and the unit has been developed with help from Microsoft, Texas Instruments, Motorola and Nuance, among others.

We checked out Golden-i a couple of years ago, so we’re hoping that it’s made significant progress in both technology and availability.

Communication comes from Bluetooth and WiFi radios, which seems a little limiting in the face of always-on smartphones. There will be a 1080p camera attachment offered as

well. Kopin isn’t saying what software powers the Golden-i, but an ARM-based OS like Android seems likely. There’s no word on a price or date, but the company is on hand at CTIA this week. Well be sure to swing by and check it out.

Golden-i takes on Project Glass at CTIA is written by Michael Crider& originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

If you’re an event organizer selling tickets through Eventbrite, it’s about to get easier to find sponsors, thanks to integration with a startup called SponsorHub. SponsorHub founder and CEO Robert Johnston compares the event sponsorship industry to online advertising 12 or 15 years ago — largely unchanged and ripe for disruption by digital technology. That’s where SponsorHub comes in, serving as an ad network for connecting sponsors with event organizers.

With the new partnership, Johnston says organizers can move event listings from Eventbrite to SponsorHub and vice versa with just the click of a button. So you can set up your ticketing and then start looking for sponsorships with barely any

extra effort. He adds that it’s a particularly good fit because Eventbrite and SponsorHub both aim at the event “middle market” — things that aren’t giant professional sports games but are still large and high-quality — which represent $25 billion in sponsorships.

Johnston says that for now, there’s no financial component to the deal. It was more about the two companies realizing that it “makes sense to help each other.”

Eventbrite approached SponsorHub recently about working together, he says — apparently the event site had been looking at how to add sponsorship capabilities, and partnering seemed easier than building out the technology on its own.

SponsorHub, meanwhile, may be able to expand the number of events in its system dramatically.

Donate to World Vision noreply@blogger.com (Ad ServeRSS) (AdServRSS Feed)

Your gift to provide seeds, tools, and training will be multiplied 4 mean the difference between life times by grant funds, and can and death for hungry children.

Technology/ Culture/

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Daily iPhone App: Escape from Age of Monsters runs on Mike Schramm (TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog)

powerups to find, too, if you get far enough.

If you like Matsuda's style, you'll Submitted at 5/7/2012 5:00:00 PM love the art, and the music in the You may remember Age of game isn't bad either. For 99 Monsters-- it was a really simple cents, it's worth a try, especially if game put together by developers you like the running game genre. working with artist Jeff Matsuda, I'm a little disappointed that featuring some really gnarly art Massive Joe Studios hasn't gone and some rock/paper/scissors for more -- the gameplay on these game mechanics. Now, Matsuda two titles hasn't matched up to the and his team have come back to quality of the art being used. iOS for a second title, this time Daily iPhone App: Escape from called Escape from Age of Age of Monsters runs on Monsters. This game is based in almost expect a little more from with red and blue walls that you originally appeared on TUAW the same world, and features the the game mechanics. However, have to punch through with The Unofficial Apple Weblog on same wild art, but is a running it's a quality running game with certain colors to keep going. Get Mon, 07 May 2012 17:00:00 EST. game in the style of Canabalt that same wild style: There are caught three times, and the game Please see our terms for use of rather than an RPS title. children running behind you that is over, with the goal being to run feeds.

It's still very simple, and that's count as your "lives" in a morbid as far as possible before that. Source| Permalink| Email this| almost too bad -- with art as kind of way, and you are faced T h e r e a r e b o s s l e v e l s a n d Comments colorful as what's used here, you

29

Graphic Info: Plane Crashes (HowStuffWorks Daily Feed) Submitted at 5/7/2012 1:00:56 PM

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Discovery Channel deliberately crash-landed a Boeing 727 passenger jet in a remote and uninhabited Mexican desert as part of a scientific experiment for a new documentary. Plane crashes terrify people -- but what do the statistics show?

Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition review Duncan Geere Submitted at 5/7/2012 5:43:49 AM

Welcome to the party, Xbox 360 owners. You've just been granted entry to a paradise of gaming. A world where you can build incredible monuments, delve deep

into the bowels of the earth, and Notch, celebrity status in the construct the playground of your games industry. The Xbox 360 dreams. It's called Minecraft. edition, however, hasn't been It's probable that you've heard of developed by Notch or his it. After all, it's been a company Mojang Instead, it's phenomenon on its home been put together by 4J Studios, platform, the PC, where it's sold earning its bedroom creator, based in Dundee. Could that more than 5 million copies, development team successfully

recreate on a console the magical atmosphere and the sheer sense of wonder of the original? Read on to find out.

By: Duncan Geere, Continue reading...

30

Technology/ Economy/

Curated News Edition

TwitPic for iPhone takes on Instagram Chris Davies (SlashGear)

shots before publishing them.

Of course there’s also video support, not just for photos, and in TwitPic has launched its first addition to sharing your own mobile app, TwitPic for iPhone, a shots and clips it’s a browser for free photo and social app that pits looking through other TwitPic the Twitter-sharing site against photographer’s galleries. That Instagram. Released today, includes commenting and TwitPic for iPhone takes a photo- resharing, as well as access to the centric approach to Twitter, rather most popular users of the site. than most apps for the short- Photo filters have found huge message service which prioritize audience appeal, with Instagram text sharing, and bundles various being arguably the poster-child filters and effects for processing for impromptu image mangling.

Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:29:54 PM

The app, which offers various retro alterations and social network integration, sold to Facebook for a whopping $1bn

last month.

TwitPic’s new app lacks the broader social network support of Instagram, instead focusing its

attentions solely on Twitter.

TwitPic for iPhone is a free download from the App Store[iTunes link]. [ via Venturebeat] TwitPic for iPhone takes on Instagram is written by Chris Davies& originally posted on SlashGear. © 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

UBS: 3 Reasons We're Still Bullish on Stocks Max Nisen (Money Game) Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:43:00 PM

Friday's softer-than-expected jobs report and the ongoing political transition in Europe have contributed to a recent trend of volatility in the markets.

But the negative effects on stocks may not last in the long run. In a note released this morning, UBS reiterated its year end S&P 500 target steady at 1475, and described the three economic fundamentals that will buoy markets this year.

From UBS strategist Jonathan

Golub's U.S. Equity Strategy report: "Our outlook is predicated on three key factors: 1) Strong corporate results; 2) Our belief that markets are already discounting weaker growth; and 3) the constructive outlook of UBS economists."

1. Corporate Strength Q1 earnings have surprised on the upside, but analysts have not revised Q2 estimates upwards. 2. Weak Growth Priced In The 10-year yield on U.S. UBS sees a possibility for a second quarter of better-than- Treasuries is down to 1.88% from a March high of 2.39%, and those expected earnings. stocks most exposed to economic Here's the UBS chart:

fluctuation trade at a discount. All of this points to what UBS describes as"a market that has baked in a lot of headline risks" 3. Positive U.S. Economic

Outlook Friday's nonfarm payroll report disappointed at 115,000, but loan demand and household formation numbers are cause for optimism in the face of a second month of weak employment growth.

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Medvedev the Phony - By Lilia Shevtsova and David J. Kramer LILIA SHEVTSOVA, DAVID J. KRAMER (Foreign Policy) Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:14:58 PM

Russia's outgoing president was never the liberal reformer he claimed to be. But don't just take our word for it -- he said so himself.

BY LILIA SHEVTSOVA, DAVID J. KRAMER| MAY 7, 2012 The Russian political circus has extended its tour. Four years ago, Dmitry Medvedev was chosen to keep warm the seat of Vladimir Putin, and now as Putin returns to the presidency, Medvedev will assume the post of prime minister.

This job swap, announced last September, might have been accepted by most Russians without a murmur several years ago, but Russia has changed dramatically since then. The swap instead has deepened resentment among many in the country, who view it as a slap in the face. In December, hundreds of thousands of Russians took to the streets against the rigged election, which in their eyes made Putin's presidency illegitimate.

But where does this leave Medvedev? "Who?" some might ask dismissively. "Putin's puppet?" others might sneer. To many Russians, the outgoing president is viewed as a nonentity whose primary concrete legacy

will be the absurd reduction of Russia's time zones from 11 to 9.

During his putative presidency, the Russian system displayed unmistakable signs of decay,

demonstrated by the growing role of repressive organs and their criminalization, the fusion of power with property, and the ruling elites' attempts to pass their

wealth and positions to their families and friends. Medvedev would often utter liberal-sounding ideas -- his anodyne comment that "freedom is better than non-

freedom" caused quite a flutter of excitement, briefly -- but the follow-through on his proposals MEDVEDEV page 32

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was never there. He had the power only to speak, not act. The more he tried to be taken seriously, the more comical and pathetic he looked. Often, Putin would be caught by cameras looking at his protĂŠgĂŠ with condescending amusement.

Why, then, would Putin keep Medvedev on as prime minister?

Former Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin, or nearly any other highlevel official, would arguably be a more effective choice. But effectiveness isn't Putin's goal.

Instead, his criteria are based on loyalty, keeping a corrupt architecture intact, and eliminating potential threats. This is how the personalized system in Russia works: By stepping aside and not running for reelection, Medvedev has demonstrated his loyalty to Putin, and in turn, Putin has shown that he rewards loyalty.

The only silver lining of Putin's return to power may be how it reveals Medvedev's supposedly reformist presidency for the farce it really was.

Here is Medvedev's legacy in one sentence: He enabled Putin's personalized rule to continue unabated.

Medvedev played his role to a T. He guaranteed the regime's continuity and helped Putin avoid violating the constitutional ban on serving more than two consecutive terms. But he did more than that. For Putin's return, Medvedev lengthened the presidential term from four to six years, and should Putin eye a second term in 2018, he could

wind up serving as president for 20 years (24 if you count the stint as prime minister when he was still really calling the shots).

Medvedev's signature policy was modernization, but beyond building Skolkovo -- his dubious attempt at fostering a Russian " Silicon Valley" -- he has little to show for it. Indeed, modernization, like many things Medvedev advocated, has been a major disappointment. He called for a serious anti-corruption campaign, but corruption remained pervasive during his tenure, according to Transparency International's surveys. He promised that those responsible for attacks and murders against journalists, activists, and opposition leaders would be investigated and brought to justice; instead, in a case that exemplifies Medvedev's impotence, a lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, beaten and allegedly murdered in prison for exposing corruption, is being prosecuted posthumously.

By the end of Medvedev's presidency, Russia endowed law enforcement agencies with increased powers and witnessed greater harassment of the opposition and administrative pressure on entrepreneurs ( every third prisoner in Russia is a businessman). Shakedowns by police or other state authorities have become a more regular occurrence for many Russians, leading a growing percentage to want to emigrate and along with them record amounts of capital

flight. Russia remains heavily dependent on commodities and their export amid dwindling expenditures on social needs and militarization of the budget (onethird of its expenditures go to the "power ministries"). The farcical second trials of oligarchs Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev took place under Medvedev's watch, and he also passed on the opportunity to pardon both men.

It was under the "liberal" Medvedev that mass fraud took place during the December 2011 parliamentary elections and the March 4 presidential election. The official Duma results gave the party in power, United Russia, 49.3 percent, but reliable exit polls suggest its tally was closer to 35 percent. Similarly, Putin officially got 64 percent of the vote, whereas independent sources claim that he scored below the 50 percent threshold necessary to avoid a runoff.

If anything, Medvedev actually stoked the educated urban population's resentment of the regime with his empty preaching on democracy and freedom. He came to resemble the doddering and impotent Soviet leader Konstantin Chernenko, whose elevation as general secretary of the Communist Party in 1984 following Yuri Andropov's death symbolized a decaying system; people were simply waiting for him to pass from the scene, too.

Despite their difference in age, Chernenko and Medvedev both achieved the same result by

deepening people's revulsion with the system. At the same time, their impotence led to an erosion of fear, an emotion Putin had used effectively to maintain control during his first eight years in power. That reduction in fear may in fact make a fragile regime even more brittle.

On foreign policy, Medvedev's presence in the Kremlin allowed Washington to go ahead with the reset, a policy largely unthinkable had Putin remained president.

Obama saw restoring the Moscow -Washington relationship that soured at the end of George W. Bush's administration as a top priority and consequently spoke or met with Medvedev more than almost any other world leader.

The reset policy overlooked the fact that the Russian system, notwithstanding the softer Medvedev facade, had not changed; this reality has become more apparent in the past year over differences on Syria, missile defense, and human rights.

Moreover, one shouldn't forget that the August 2008 RussiaGeorgia war happened on Medvedev's watch, and Moscow's annexation of the Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia reflects its continuing neo-imperialist tradition. It should have been obvious to all much earlier that Medvedev's liberal, pro-Western image was more fiction than fact.

Many in Russia hoped that Medvedev represented a real change from Putin and Putinism.

Russian opposition leaders even

accepted Medvedev's invitation to discuss democratization after the December 2011 protests. Human rights leaders were cautiously willing to see whether progress was possible, and they were willing to lend their participation to the presidential Civil Society and Human Rights Council. At least four members of this presidential council have no intention of continuing to serve under Putin, according to its chairman, Mikhail Fedotov.

In the West, quite a few were enchanted by the new Kremlin tenant. One of the most astute observers of Russia, Zbigniew Brzezinski, in his book Strategic Vision: America and the Crisis of Global Power, described Medvedev as "the most prominent spokesman for the modernizationdemocratization school of thought" and noted Medvedev's understanding of the need for democratization as a "milestone in Russia's political evolution."

Other observers, including some in the U.S. government, offered gushing praise of Medvedev, attributing great significance to his pronouncements on modernization and anticorruption.

More recently, Medvedev set his admirers straight. "In my views, I've never been a liberal," he announced after accepting an offer to lead the United Russia party, essentially admitting that he had been lying not only to his Western interlocutors, but to his MEDVEDEV page 37

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Auf Wiedersehen, Mon Ami - By Benjamin Weinthal BENJAMIN WEINTHAL (Foreign Policy)

Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:04:24 PM

As her buddy, Nicolas Sarkozy, leaves office, Angela Merkel is now left all alone. Can she still steer the European ship without a first mate? BY BENJAMIN WEINTHAL| MAY 7, 2012 If the results of the latest elections are any indication, Europeans will elect anyone from communists to fascists if they promise to fight German Chancellor Angela Merkel over the financial austerity measures she has imposed on the eurozone.

French Socialist Franรงois Hollande rode to victory on a wave of popular dissatisfaction on Sunday, May 6, defeating President Nicolas Sarkozy, a close ally of Merkel. "You did not resist Germany," Hollande declared in a televised debate late last week, accusing Sarkozy of acquiescing to German economic measures that require France and other EU states to make deep, painful cuts to their social welfare spending.

Hollande now joins the collapsed Dutch government of Prime Minister Mark Rutte -- which unraveled in late April over resistance to economic belttightening -- to deliver a one-two austerity punch to Germany.

Compounding Merkel's political isolation on Sunday, May 6, Democratic Union (CDU) out of a voters knocked her Christian governing coalition in a regional

election. Although the CDU secured the most votes in the

AUF page 35

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The Earthquake in Greece - By Louis Klarevas LOUIS KLAREVAS (Foreign Policy) Submitted at 5/7/2012 12:50:22 PM

Suddenly, the fate of the global economy may rest on an obscure leftist party and its young, charismatic leader. BY LOUIS KLAREVAS| MAY 7, 2012 Sunday's elections in Greece have shaken markets around the world, fearful that a country suddenly thrust into political chaos won't be able to pay its crushing debts and might even exit the euro. No wonder: They also mark a leap into the unknown for Greece itself. For 35 years, two political parties have dominated the game: the conservative New Democracy (ND) party and the centrist Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK). But this Sunday's national elections hit Greece like an earthquake, shifting the tectonic plates that lay beneath the surface of the Greek political landscape.

Not since the 1977 national elections has a party other than ND or PASOK emerged as one of the top two contenders. Yet, angered over a declining economy, cuts in pay and pensions, rising unemployment, and deepening corruption, a significant portion of the Greek public embraced a "throw the

bums out" approach to this past weekend's parliamentary elections. As a result, in a massive protest vote, the previously marginal Coalition of the Radical

Left (SYRIZA) was flung into second place.

Now, for the two traditional parties of the Greek political system to stay in power, they will

likely be forced to form another volatile ND-PASOK coalition government. But with the Greek public directing its ire at the political establishment, both

parties' future hangs in the balance, and so too might the liberal, pro-European Union EARTHQUAKE page 36

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northern state of SchleswigHolstein, it was the party's worst electoral performance since 1950.

In a shot across the Rhine, Hollande declared in his victory speech in the small southwestern French town of Tulle that "austerity is no longer inevitable."

Yet for all his bluster, Hollande likely won't be able to impose radical change on Europe's core economics. The powerful German economy has kept the euro afloat as Greece, Italy, Spain, and other countries have drawn perilously close to the brink of collapse. Its manufacturing and exports businesses remain the engine of European prosperity.

Under the fiscal treaty Merkel advanced this year, EU member states are required to ensure that their "deficits do not exceed 3 percent of their gross domestic product at market prices" and must maintain strict limits on government debt. The treaty goes to great lengths -- with corrective measures and potential legal action against member states -- to prevent a repeat of a Greek-style economic meltdown.

On Sunday, however, Hollande promised a "new start for Europe," spelling a possible wholesale revision of the fiscal treaty. All this has investors (and speculators) worried: His victory on Sunday, along with the weekend's anti-austerity Greek election results, prompted the euro to sink to an eye-popping almost-five-month low of $1.2988.

All this helps explain Gideon Rachman's recent Financial Times commentary, " No Alternative to Austerity," in which he notes that France is "a country where the state already consumes 56 per cent of gross domestic product, which has not balanced a budget since the mid-1970s, and which has some of the highest taxes in the world."

Of course, this is all anathema to the rule-abiding Germans. In 2003, Merkel's predecessor, Social Democratic Chancellor Gerhard SchrĂśder, introduced his Agenda 2010, a sort of watereddown version of U.S. President Bill Clinton's "welfare-to-work" program, which cut taxes, unemployment benefits, and other social welfare programs. The reforms brought German unemployment down from over 5 million in 2005 to 2.8 million today. Merkel has since led the way in imposing similar discipline across the eurozone, and Sarkozy has helped her.

"Europe must be pulled out of paralysis," declared Sarkozy on his first presidential visit to Berlin after his May election victory nearly five years ago, urging the German leader to join him and "take the initiative." Merkel reciprocated, culminating in a political alliance to retain EU unity and eventually impose robust fiscal discipline on the 17 eurozone countries. The unlikely and oft-quoted fusion of these two leaders -- Merkozy -- advanced an ambitious plan to prevent the

European Union from fragmenting.

After French and Dutch voters rejected the EU Constitution in 2005, Merkel and Sarkozy successfully steered the European Union's Lisbon Treaty to ratification in 2008. The treaty aims to streamline the EU's bureaucratic decisionmaking process and generate more transparent federalism among its members. "We're a harmonious couple," Sarkozy quipped after sealing the deal with his partner.

Sarkozy and Merkel are proof positive that opposites attract. The prickly, high-energy French president struck a dramatic contrast with the clinically analytical, no-nonsense Merkel, the daughter of a Protestant pastor, who grew up in modest surroundings in the former East Germany and became a physical chemist. Sarkozy was accompanied at all times by his model and singer wife Carla Bruni, while Merkel was rarely seen in public with her husband, Joachim Sauer, a chemistry professor at Humboldt University in Berlin.

It seems Germans took to this odd pair. A poll conducted last week by the prominent German survey organization Infratest dimap for the conservative daily Die Welt showed 55 percent of German respondents supporting Merkel's austerity measures and only 33 percent opposed. Fifty percent of those polled said they

hoped Sarkozy would remain in office; only 24 percent supported Hollande.

But whom will Merkel turn to now? This year, British Prime Minister David Cameron withdrew his support for the fiscal compact, leaving Merkel alone in the wilderness, with only Sarkozy by her side. Cameron declined to meet with Hollande during his February visit to Paris, and Merkel, like her British counterpart, expressed a preference during the election for a second Sarkozy term.

Although Merkel said on Monday that the fiscal accord is "nonnegotiable," she stressed that "German-French cooperation is essential for Europe" and that her administration "will welcome François Hollande with open arms." For his part, Cameron congratulated Hollande on his victory and said that Britain will continue to develop its "very close relationship" with France.

Needless to say, both leaders recognize that, as Europe's second -largest economy, France is vital for EU monetary stability.

Together, Germany and France have navigated Europe through an economic minefield. Merkel has served as a tough schoolteacher, cracking the whip and delivering tough love, but also bailing out Greece with German credit to prevent the periphery -- and potentially the eurozone as a whole -- from imploding.

In an age of financial meltdowns and seemingly bottomless

unemployment, Merkel has presided over an economic miracle -- German industrial orders rose 2.2 percent in March alone -- but she can't impose austerity on her own, and she faces some tough decisions now.

Hollande seeks to renegotiate Merkel's fiscal treaty to include economic growth measures, including more public spending to generate employment.

Consequently, she will be caught in an economic vise. Merkel can either block French stimulus actions (and possibly spook the eurozone market) or continue to champion a strict economic diet for Europe.

If the odds look stacked against Merkel right now, it's still too early to bet against her: She's clever, pragmatic, and given to compromise. And though her political enemies may have managed to isolate her for the moment, she sits atop the most important economy in Europe.

And like Sarkozy before him, Hollande may soon find himself unable to resist Germany, too.

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platform they've promoted since the fall of the military dictatorship in 1974.

At first glance, this might not seem so obvious. After all, in absolute terms, ND was the winner of the election, securing more votes than any other party.

As a result, ND is the first party to receive the mandate to form a coalition government. Moreover, because it secured a plurality of the vote, ND gets an exclusive "winner's bonus": 50 extra seats in the 300-person Parliament.

As any good student of governance will tell you, however, all politics is relative.

As such, the winner of the latest ballot showdown in Greece in relative terms was SYRIZA. The numbers leave no other conclusion.

In the 2009 elections, PASOK won 44 percent of the vote, giving it a majority in Parliament thanks to the winner's bonus, which was then only 40 seats. ND came in second place with 33 percent, making it the main opposition party. Only three other parties captured more than the prerequisite 3 percent of the popular vote required to earn seats in Parliament: the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) with 8 percent, the Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) with 6 percent, and SYRIZA with 5 percent.

This year's elections, in contrast, represent a stunning victory for the left. For starters, no party secured over 20 percent of the vote. Although ND has been certified as the winner of the contest, with a decline from 33 percent to 19 percent of the vote, the party's steep drop in support is embarrassing.

The biggest loser, though, was PASOK, which nose-dived from 44 percent to 13 percent -- a drop of 70 percent. As disgruntled as voters are with ND, Sunday's tallies send a clear message that most Greeks blame PASOK for their current woes.

Two winners were the nationalist Independent Greeks, which was formed only in the past two months but still managed to win 11 percent of the vote, and the fascist Golden Dawn, which also emerged from out of the blue to earn 7 percent of the vote. The surprise showing for Golden Dawn, an avowedly neo-Nazi group whose leader promised to instill "fear" in his political adversaries, in many ways is already overshadowing the coverage of the results around the world.

Despite these gains on the right, though, the biggest winner was SYRIZA, on the left, which with a jump from 5 percent to 17 percent went from the periphery of

Parliament to the mainstream. As a result, SYRIZA is in a position to offer Greek society something it has not seen since the 1960s: a viable third party.

Greece's left would have even been in the majority had its two other major left-wing parties -KKE and the Democratic Left (DA) -- been willing to join forces with SYRIZA heading into the elections. The two parties secured 8 and 6 percent of the vote, respectively, which when combined with SYRIZA's 17 percent would have given the left an insurmountable 31 percent.

Their disagreements, however, paved the way for ND to earn first bite at governance, while leaving KKE and DA marginalized as power brokers.

What does all this mean for Greece looking forward?

Obviously, the immediate answer will depend on whether ND can form a ruling coalition. If it can, it looks like Greece will continue to implement austerity measures -albeit perhaps at a more cautious pace and with modified terms -- in hopes of keeping the vault door to future bailout funds open.

But time is short. Under Greek law, if the first-place party cannot form a government within three days, the mandate goes to the second-place party. (The thirdplace party also gets a shot, if

necessary, three days after that.)

That said, there's no reason to panic just yet. Even if SYRIZA earns the mandate and manages to somehow seize the reins of power, the changes in Greek policy will hardly be "radical," as the Coalition of the Radical Left's name misleadingly implies. The party's young, charismatic leader, Alexis Tsipras, has made it clear that he has no intentions of withdrawing Greece from the eurozone, let alone the European Union. Instead, we should expect a more nuanced approach to economic revitalization, which would likely include an aggressive renegotiation of the bailout terms currently in place between Greece and the "troika" composed of the EU, the European Central Bank, and the IMF, as well as a demand for more public investment in lieu of loans.

The more troubling scenario, of course, is that none of the top three parties is able to form a coalition government, which will throw Greece right back into political turmoil and force another round of elections in June. Should that happen, we might see an additional undercutting of the two traditionally dominant parties as Greeks bank further on the fringe forces of the political spectrum.

At a time when more than one in

20 Greek adults is turning to a neo -Nazi party for solutions, continued uncertainty could translate into greater extremism -especially a disavowal of established liberal-institutionalist safeguards and a promotion of dangerous nationalist causes.

That's something that could pose a long-term threat not only to Greece, but to all of Europe.

For years, Greek politicians sacrificed the public's welfare for political -- and sometimes personal -- gain. The May 6 elections were a loud, clear rejection of this practice. The voters spoke -- and they resoundingly demanded improved leadership, with greater accountability.

If Greece's new legislators are prudent, they'll heed the call of their constituents, for anything less could risk transforming the cradle of democracy into Europe's cradle of despair.

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Obama Says Bye to Sarkozy, 'Very Best Wishes ... [in] Future Endeavors' Daniel Halper (The Weekly Standard)

President Obama called French president Nicolas Sarkozy to say thanks and good bye, the White

House press secretary announced.

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citizens as well. Medvedev became a convenient excuse for some who wanted to reconcile or do business with the Kremlin. In reality, his hollow rhetoric legitimized the reality of Russian authoritarianism and helped the Russian political elite and business oligarchs interact with the West.

In moving to the prime minister's position, Medvedev will remain a footnote in history. At least now, however, the West and those inside Russia waiting for Medvedev to begin real change can stop pretending and hoping.

Putin's formal return to the Kremlin lays bare the real Russian system of one-man rule we've in fact been dealing with for the past dozen years.

The end of Medvedev's phony liberal presidency is likely to force the Kremlin to rely more on repressive mechanisms and stoke nationalism. This, in turn, is likely to produce rising frustration and anger within society and possibly spark political upheaval; already,

more labor strikes have occurred in Russia this year than all of last year. Disappointment with Medvedev is apt to kill the false hope that change would emanate from the top in Russia. At the same time, pressure from below could lead to unforeseen circumstances not unlike those witnessed recently in the Arab world.

As Medvedev relinquishes formal power, he leaves his country demoralized. Under his presidency, the regime became more corrupt and discredited, while the country stagnated. The one bright spot is that the Russian people have displayed an awakening, a growing desire to demand accountability from their government. Sunday's demonstration involved tens of thousands of protesters; hundreds were arrested and brutally assaulted by massive security forces in the latest evidence that the regime is losing legitimacy.

The crackdown, which aptly occurred on Medvedev's last day

in office, raises more questions about the sustainability of the system. The protesters' readiness to confront the authorities proves that Russia is entering turbulent times.

In preparing for his departure, Medvedev said, "Everybody should relax: This" -- his tandem with Putin -- "is for a long time."

Such cocky sentiments suggest that neither he nor his boss has learned any lessons from their time in the Kremlin, let alone any lessons from Russia's long history.

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Joe Weisenthal (Money Game)

Dance videos.

Permalink| Leave a comment »

Submitted at 5/7/2012 2:04:00 PM

Suffice it to say, this is not your mother’s “Lord of the Dance”

video.

Full story at YouTube via Kottke.

taken a big surge.

So the growth streak is not perfect, but we almost like the One of our favorite, most February blemish. Sometimes a beautiful charts is back. slight imperfection is just the It shows the year-over-year ticket. growth in non-seasonally adjusted Please follow Money Game on revolving consumer credit (AKA: Twitter and Facebook. credit card debt).

Join the conversation about this Up until February, it had been on story » a perfect steady increase. Then it dipped a little, but in March it's Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:10:37 PM

TapTronic brings Irish dance into the age of dubstep [video] (Holy Kaw!)

Our Favorite Beautiful Consumer Credit Chart Is BACK

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No Deal: SYRIZA and Greece's Democratic Left Party Refuse to Join Bailout Alliance; Icing on the Cake: PASOK Will Not Join a Slim Majority; Solidarity is One-Way Street noreply@blogger.com (Mike Mish Shedlock) (Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis)

seat parliament, their share of the vote having been halved compared with the last election in 2009.

Submitted at 5/7/2012 12:30:00 PM Odds of a lasting coalition are The Democratic Left hold 19 slim given the massive vote seats. Icing on the No Deal Cake against the austerity coalition. The icing on the No-Deal Cake Fotis Kouvelis, SYRIZA party cake is PASOK party leader leader and second place finisher Evangelos Venizelos has also in the elections repeated his said he does not want to join a position that cooperation with government that would have New Democracy and PASOK was only a narrow majority. not in his intentions.

The Financial Times discusses Moreover, Greece's Democratic the splintered Greek in Merkel Left party refuses to join any pro- urges Athens to stick to reforms bailout coalition.

Angela Merkel, Germany’s The moderate leftist party, which chancellor, warned Athens to picked up 6.1 percent of the vote stick to the reform plans and in Sunday's election, had been budget targets agreed under its seen as the two traditional ruling international bailout plan as parties' best hope for a coalition financial markets and EU policy partner among the five anti- makers grappled with the prospect bailout parties that entered of further instability in Greece parliament. and a new socialist president in "We rule out participating in a France.

P A S O K - N e w D e m o c r a c y Antonis Samaras, the leader of government," Kouvelis told G r e e c e ’ s c e n t r e - r i g h t N e w Reuters after a party meeting to Democracy party, set about trying decide the group's strategy. to form a national unity "We would participate in a government with two priorities: coalition government with other making sure Greece stays in the progressive forces," he said, euro, while tweaking the bailout referring to other leftist parties deal with the European Union and which together do not have International Monetary Fund to enough parliamentary seats to promote a faster return to growth. obtain a majority.

The European Commission, one PASOK and New Democracy of the so-called “troika” of suffered a thrashing at the hands authorities managing Greece’s of voters on Sunday and have a bailout, made clear it was not combined 149 seats in the 300- willing to reopen the €174bn

programme and called on any new Greek government to meet the commitments already made to international lenders.

Mr Samaras has three days to try to form a government with the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (Pasok) of Evangelos Venizelos, and possibly persuade some of his former lawmakers who set up Independent Greeks, a rightwing splinter group, to come back on board.

But his chances of pulling off a deal are slim. Mr Venizelos has said he does not want to join a government that would have only a narrow majority. And Panos Kammenos, the Independent Greeks’ leader, is opposed to the EU-IMF reform programme that the new government would have to pursue.

If Mr Samaras fails, it will be the turn of Alexis Tsipras, the firebrand leftist who leads Syriza.

The party shocked Greece’s political class by beating Pasok into third place in Sunday’s election. Solidarity is One-Way Street Check out the arrogance of EU SpokesClown Amadeu AltafajTardio who said "We think Greece must remain a member of the euro ... but everybody must carry their responsibility here.

Solidarity is a two-way street."

That is one hell of a statement given the Troika installed puppet

government just went up in flames, and give the fact this is not in Greece's best interest at all, but rather in the interest of French and German banks.

In case you missed it, please note the arrogance of TroikaClown Evangelos Venizelos who said“We Embittered the People to Protect the Future of the Nation".

One thing is clear: The Best thing For Greece is Tell the Troika "Go to Hell", and the election proves most Greek voters know it, even though they have been brainwashed into wanting to stay in the euro.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock h t t p : / / globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot. com Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http:// www.sitkapacific.com/ account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific.

100 Unforgettable Costume Institute Gala Pictures Allie Merriam (PopSugar) Submitted at 5/7/2012 1:38:53 PM

The annual Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute Gala goes down in NYC this evening!

Like years past, 2012's gala is sure to be full of famous faces and daring fashions. We'll be on the red carpet at this year's event, sharing tons of pictures on PopSugar's Twitter and Instagram accounts.

Before the big day, we're looking back at some memorable moments from the event in years past. Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady are always the hottest duo on the carpet, though they get plenty of competition from fashion fans like Liv Tyler, Kate Hudson, Miranda Kerr, and the Olsens. Click through to see all the amazing ensembles, and check back this evening for our full coverage. View Slideshow ›

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A Market Full Of Sound And Fury Signifying Unch Tyler Durden

close stumbled the risk-on vibe and we note that a quite dramatic drop from the open in VIX today Three important things occurred has the volatility term-structure today: 1) US equities converged back to its flattest in five-months. down to high-yield credit's less ES filled its overnight gap, sanguine view of the world; 2) US pushed to nearby resistance, and equities converged to US as VWAP hit Friday's close, exits Treasuries hope-less view of the started (blue bars at right) as we world; and 3) Gold was the pulled back close to unchanged leading indicator for where risk and support... assets should be today- as its Notice below that once VWAP stability was the only rock upon (light blue line) had reached up which to anchor expectations of and filled the gap to Friday's lows, intervention once again. The volume (red oval) started to pick equity market fulfilled every up and form the top in stocks technical analyst's wet dream leaving ES with a closing VWAP today with a low volume gap-fill almost exacvtly (green arrow) which notably left today's VWAP equal to Friday's close - who says at almost exactly the closing price algos dominate trading eh? ES from Friday (i.e. gave bigger auctioning up like this to fill the players a chance to get out gap and not following through without losing their short - which does not suggest risk-on... was exemplified by the sell-off HYG (high yield bond ETF) and into the close on much bigger than SPY (stocks) have reconverged average trade size). Never have after a couple of months of hope... we heard just whimsical We called it last night with exuberance at the market closing Gold's stability and sure enough it practically unchanged (ES +2pts) seemed a strange attractor for but critically risk markets in today's reversion as perhaps general did nothing but revert Gold's insight into intervention IG c r e d i t short-lived as it surged back unchanged after dropping 4-5bps was enough to snap equities back ahead of tomorrow's real action as o v e r a l l the UK (and that means the u n d e r p e r f o r m e d , H Y G above $98. Copper outperformed in yield at their open last night. to unchanged (though if the Fed is European credit market) comes outperformed (inflows dominant), (and Silver underperformed) but The USD is fractionally higher willing to move on a -1.5% day back from a long-weekend. and HY and S&P 500 e-mini Gold which was modestly lower from Friday's close though we are all in for a treat over the Broadly speaking - US equities futures (ES) stayed in sync. The was the picture of stability and the EURUSD limped higher all-day next few years)... outperformed risk-assets modestly morning's excitement about WTI USD, Treasuries, and Stocks all to 1.3050 (though remains rich to HYG outperformed (after until the late-day give back being down so much and the pulled up to meet its reality. its swap-spead-implied fairMARKET page 42 dragged them back to reality but consumer buying more iPads was T r e a s u r i e s e n d e d t h e d a y value). AUD weakness into the Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:37:31 PM

40

Economy/ Culture/

Curated News Edition

Toxic Spiral: Greek Office Vacancies Soar As Tourism Industry Implodes Tyler Durden

office space, which has soared to 20% in Q1 2012 compared to Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:35:36 PM 15.5% a year earlier, which means While the theatrics of the Greek far less corporate tax revenues parliamentary elections are all and business spending, and ii) the good and fine, keeping the masses lifeblood of the Greek economy distracted, and will most likely foreign tourism - is drying up, provide an encore performance in plunging by 12.5%, as foreigners just about one month as no suddenly have better things to do government will likely be formed than go to countries better known under the current configuration of for the Syntagma Square riot cam elected parties, the reality is that than the beaches of Santorini. Not unless something drastically surprisingly, the biggest source of changes for the better in the Greek foreign tourists, Germany, has economy, the political situation seen its share dry to a trickle from will only get more and more 15% to just 3% - one can't chaotic until finally the country imagine why those called Nazis succumbs to outright anarchy, and by the neo-Nazis would have possibly far worse. Unfortunately, reservations about spending 2 as history has shown us, economic weeks in the former tourist haven. depressions usually become toxic The result: far less tax revenues, death spirals where absent major far greater reliance on debt as external shocks, there is no hope source of cash, and an economic of recovery. Sure enough, the collapse in 2012 that will put latest news of Greece confirms 2011 to shame. So much for the just that. As Ekathimerini reports, IMF estimate of an unchanged the real news is that while GDP print in 2013 on which the superficially change may be entire second Greek bailout coming to Greece, beneath the package was based... surface absolutely nothing is From Kathimerini: improving and in fact things are Athens has the highest rate of getting worse as measured by two empty office space in Europe, key indicators: i) vacant Athens according to data for the year’s

first quarter presented by BNP Paribas Real Estate.

Its report on the course of the European office market showed that the availability rate in the Greek capital soared to 20 percent in the January-March period from 15.5 percent in the same period last year.

This clearly illustrates the blow that the recession has inflicted on the country’s business activity, resulting in a major drop in demand for the lease of office space.

High-standard offices in the city’s main business districts have an annual lease rate of 216 euros per square meter, against an average of 264 euros/sq.m. last year. Athens’s rate is on a par with those of The Hague, Bucharest and Lisbon.

And even worse: Online tourism bookings from abroad are pointing to a 12.5 percent decline for this year, according to the Airfasttickets travel agency.

Nikos Koklonis, head of the company that owns the agency, says that the biggest drop in bookings for Greek destinations

this year is from the German market, which last year accounted for 15 percent of all bookings. Its share has now shrunk to just 3 percent.

Surprisingly, most bookings from abroad this year originate from Italy, followed by Britain, Spain, France and Austria. One in four clients the agency handles chooses Greece as its destination.

Association of Hellenic Tourism Enterprises president (SETE) Andreas Andreadis expects receipts from tourism to drop below 10 billion euros this year, after climbing to 10.5 billion in 2011.

Well, at least Santorini has not erupted yet... Average: Your rating: None This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.

With foursquare, ‘Livehoods’ redraw city limits (Holy Kaw!) Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:02:00 PM

The millions of “check-ins” generated by foursquare, the location-based social network, allow researchers to create a dynamic view of a city’s workings and character.

"Our goal is to understand how cities work through the lens of social media," says site developer Justin Cranshaw, a doctoral student at Carnegie Mellon University.

Full story at Futurity.

More research news from top universities.

Photo credit: Livehoods.org Permalink| Leave a comment »

Economy/ Culture/

Curated News Edition

41

Anti-Austerity Candidates Lead In Local Italian Elections AP (Money Game)

Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:52:45 PM

ROME (AP) — Several candidates opposed to austerity measures were making a strong showing Monday in Italy's local elections, partial results indicated, in the first nationwide test for Premier Mario Monti since he was named to save Italy from its debt crisis.

Analysts watched for signs of voter anger in two days of balloting over Monti's austerity measures and toward mainstream parties that have supported them since Monti took over from Silvio Berlusconi in November.

Stand-up comic Beppe Grillo was among those encouraging citizen discontent with mainstream politics in the run-up to the vote, as well as whipping up populist sentiment against the euro. The Grillo movement's candidate in Parma, in northern Italy, appeared to gain enough votes to make it to a runoff, projections indicated.

In Genoa, a left-wing candidate who in the primaries defeated the candidates of mainstream centerleft parties appeared on the way to gaining the most votes, although it was still unclear if a runoff would be avoided.

And the popular mayor of Verona, whose Northern League party has strongly opposed a new housing tax promoted by Monti's government, appeared headed to a first-round victory.

But elsewhere, other League candidates were faring less well in the wake of a party funding embezzlement probe, though officials said the Verona victory indicates the party, which refused to back Monti in Parliament, will survive.

Italy's more established parties saw disappointing results.

"We made a mistake with our candidates, I don't have a problem admitting it," said Ignazio La Russa, former defense minister in the Berlusconi government.

But despite the disappointing results, leaders of Berlusconi's conservative Freedom People party vowed to keep backing Monti.

"We support the Monti government," said Angelino Alfano, who was tapped by Berlusconi as party chief. "We didn't decide on the basis of this result to pull our support because

we are a responsible party," Alfano told a news conference in Rome.

Berlusconi was in Moscow for the swearing-in ceremony of his friend Vladimir Putin, elected anew to the Russian presidency.

The government said turnout after polls closed was 67.5 percent, 6.5 percent lower than in the last such elections. Some 9.5 million Italians were eligible to vote for 942 city councils and mayorships.

Appearing headed to garner most of the vote in Palermo — but possibly not the more than 50percent share to avoid a runoff — was Leoluca Orlando, a former mayor of that Sicilian city running again for that post.

His Italy of Values Party has refused to join the majority of forces in Parliament supporting Monti and has denounced the premier for demanding what it says are too many sacrifices from the working class and not enough from the rich.

Please follow International on Twitter and Facebook.

Join the conversation about this story »

Turn Your Rare and Homemade Cassette Tapes Into MP3s with Audacity [Music] Whitson Gordon (Lifehacker) Submitted at 5/7/2012 1:30:00 PM

Cassette Tapes aren't exactly the highest quality audio, but if you have a few rare tracks that you can't buy on CD (or a few homemade cassettes you want to back up for posterity), PC World shows us how to easily record them to an MP3 file with Audacity. More »

42

Economy/ Culture/ Sports/ Finance/

Curated News Edition

MARKET continued from page 39

opening on its 50DMA and bouncing) only to fall back towards the close (on a side note, HYG vol looks modestly cheap relative to SPY vol if anyone is looking to play some low cost lomng vol trades here). IG underperformed significantly (while HY clung to ES all day) and chatter was that credit was quiet but some tranche hedging (and cheap macro protection buyers) as opposed to down-inquality rotation was evident...

It did not take much for stocks to dump to convergence with Treasuries reality but of course they had to pull away higher today once again - will Treasuries

prove right once again?

Equities pulled away from broad risk assets ( CONTEXT) around the US day session open (green arrow) and correlation (which was extremely high overnight) started to flag. As we closed, equities drifed back to risk-asset reality... and finally the volatility term structure has flattened to fivemonth lows...

So while European sovereigns were weak today, and stocks bounced, the credit connection in Europe is yet to awaken and if IG's performance over here is anything to go by, we will see any early bounce in Europe tonight get sold...

Charts: Bloomberg and Capital Context Bonus Chart: EUR-USD swap spreads imply EURUSD at least 80pips lower here...

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David Cameron: there is no going back on austerity Tim Ross (Finance News Business news from the UK and world) Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:00:05 PM

Prime Minister to declare that there is "no going back" on harsh spending cuts after seeing the leaders of France and Greece swept from power by public anger at austerity.

Adam Dachis (Lifehacker) Submitted at 5/7/2012 2:00:00 PM

Graphing Groupon's Grotesque Governance And "Growth" Tyler Durden

desperately poor governance, the SEC is showing a keen interest (or Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:13:11 PM maybe just angling for a handout In case you hadn't noticed, of IPO allocations). With a Facebook is set to IPO very soon timeline from its 2007 inception but, courtesy o f through its November 2011 IPO BackgroundCheck.org, we have a to its recent plunge (now 70% breakdown of the dismal truth below IPO-day highs), the events behind the next best thing since and ongoing uncertainty make for sliced bread - Groupon. Between fascinating viewing. t h e i r ' d o d g y ' g r o w t h a n d Average:

A Better Queue Finds the Best Netflix Instant Streaming Content [Web Apps] Finding great content on Netflix Instant Streaming can be tough if you're not sure what you're looking for, but a clever webapp called A Better Queue helps you find great movies in the genre(s) you desire. More »

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Giants' Mota banned 100 games for positive test (Sports News Headlines Yahoo! News)

(Reuters) - San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Guillermo Mota has been suspended 100 games after

testing positive for a performanceenhancing substance, Major League Baseball said on Monday.

Culture/

Curated News Edition

43

Evangelical Pastor Ken Hutcherson: 'I Am the Gayest Man I Know' (Christianpost.com > Most Popular)

May 4, 2012| 1:47 pm "Coming out of the closet is a difficult decision to make, especially when close, personal relationships are at stake," Hutcherson wrote in his column, Hutch Speaks Out, that was published on WorldNetDaily.

"Will my family abandon me?

Will my friends still look at me the same? Will this announcement be worth the risk? These are indeed valid concerns that can make a person live like a double agent for years. And even though this decision is acutely personal, it does help to stand alongside someone else who is ready to announce the very same thing," he continued.

The announcement of the burly NFL-linebacker-turnedevangelical-minister-and-author sent some initial shockwaves through the Christian community.

He and James Hansen, one of his ministry leaders who is married with three children, are challenging others, especially evangelicals, to come forward and also admit that they are gay.

But the thing is Hutcherson is not a homosexual, nor does the happily married man have a samesex attraction of any kind. He is, however, on a mission to take

back words, phrases and symbols he believes groups, such as homosexual activists and other liberal organizations, have "hijacked" from the American lexicon.

"Seriously, I am the gayest guy I know," Hutcherson reiterated in an interview with The Christian Post.

Like us on Facebook "My frustration is that some groups have taken words and symbols away from the Church and from society in general. When I say I'm 'gay,' what I mean is that I am happy, that I am joyful and that I love people. That is

themselves such, preaching a watered-down, lukewarm version of the Gospel," he said.

"We don't have a lot of shepherds but we've got a ton of lost sheep who need guidance and the true word of the Bible. Too many pastors are leading their church astray by saying that homosexuality is okay. It's not," Hutcherson warned. "Preachers need to get out of the pulpits and start selling used cars if that is what they believe."

Hutcherson called out both black and white churches.

"Predominantly white churches need to stop being white and start being evangelical by preaching the Gospel. On the other hand, black churches need to stop being so social and start preaching the precisely what a Christian ought homosexual movement. to be so in my opinion we just " R a i n b o w s u s e d t o m e a n Word of God – that sex outside of need to be as gay as we can." something very different than they marriage is wrong and that men "Dan Savage (a pro-gay activist) d o t o d a y , " H u t c h e r s o n a n d need to 'man up' and raise their says he is gay. He's not gay, not Hansen wrote on Antioch's children. The fact is, that applies anywhere close. Yeah, he may be website. "It used to be understood to both churches." a homosexual but he certainly as the sign God put in the sky to In emphasizing his point, the doesn't appear to be happy or remind us that even when He's l a r g e r - t h a n - l i f e p r e a c h e r joyful when he stands up in front angry about sin, He'd never again compared being married to that of of a classroom and uses profane destroy the earth with a global being Christ's bride. language. Nope, nothing gay flood. But of course, that's not "When I married my wife, she about that." what most people associate a became my bride," Hutcherson said. "No man is going to walk This is not Hutcherson's first rainbow with today." attempt to reclaim symbols. In an Hutcherson's challenge is not just into my house and tell my wife earlier story published on CP, to individual Christians, but to how to act, dress or what to Hutcherson talked about taking preachers of the Gospel, too. believe. If we are the bride of back the rainbow symbol that has " W e ' v e g o t w a y t o o m a n y EVANGELICAL page 46 come to be associated with the preachers, or those who call

44

Culture/

Curated News Edition

Lecrae's 'Church Clothes' Video Exposes Christian Hypocrisy?

(Christianpost.com > Most Popular)

May 4, 2012| 1:44 pm On Thursday the rapper, who just goes by his first name, announced to fans on Facebook and Twitter that the "Church Clothes" video had made its world premiere on XXLmag.com.

The"Church Clothes" video first shows the lyrical theologian appearing with hip-hop staples, such as DJ Premier and newbie Kendrick Lamar, acknowledging his skills. The video then cuts to Lecrae standing in the pulpit of a church wearing a minister's garb.

He soon rips off the preacher's robe to reveal his sleeveless shirt, cargo shorts and baseball cap, and continues rapping as he walks down the aisle.

A sample of the lyrics, presented from the viewpoint of someone justfying their lifestyle with twofaced behavior apparently found in some churches, follows below: R.I.P. to Medgar Evers / R.I.P. to Doctor King I ain't tryna hate on my own kind / But Al and Jesse don't speak for me I'm probably gon' catch some

flack man / But I'ma swallow this pill like Pac Man Some of these folks won't tell the truth / Too busy tryna get them racks man Church tryna rob my paychecks / Choir members probably having gay sex Pastor manipulating, hurting women / I wonder what he's gonna say next Bookstore pimping them hope books / Like God don't know how broke looks They telling me that I'm gon' reap a meal / If I sew into these low crooks Plus I know old girl a freak / Now how she singing a solo?

I walk in the church with a snap back / And they telling me that that's a no-no?

That's backwards and I lack words / For these actors called pastors All these folks is hypocrites / And that's why I ain't at church Truthfully I'm just doing me / And I don't wanna face no scrutiny As long as the church keep wilding out / I can justify all my foolish deeds Like us on Facebook

The YouTube cut of the video published on XXLmag.com had attracted nearly 20,000 views in less than a day as well as dozens of comments.

One top commenter suggested that Lecrae's "Church Clothes" title video could serve as a catalyst for Christians perhaps living a double life.

"This is deep. A real message acting as a catalyst to make others really think about their motives.

Are you really being led by the spirit and truth, if you're not submissive, humble, and walking with integrity?" the viewer asked.

Another viewer wrote: "These lyrics are so DOPE, and so true! I've seen it, and the pastors CAN be the worst hypocrites of them all, manipulating with their power and money, taking advantage of broken women and turning away people who don't wear 'church clothes' cuz they're different. They're afraid of them cuz they're radical, passionate and real and they'd bring truth to a church built on lies. The [definition] of church really means fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ, you don't need a fancy building or fancy

clothes."

There were some viewers of the "Church Clothes" video who were not sure about Lecrae's message, to which another commenter offered: "I hope people realize that there is a reason why he is doing what he is doing. He is trying to bridge the gap between the mainstream hiphop culture and those who have been transformed by Jesus and yet are still a part of the culture themselves (Christian hip-hop/ rap). This is basically the Great Commission in action. We are called to reach out to 'all nations' and 'all people' not just those who already know Christ."

When asked in a recent interview about the "Church Clothes" mixtape, to be released May 10 on datdiff.com, Lecrae acknowledge that the style on his latest effort is definitely not what fans may be used to.

"This mixtape is aimed at the mainstream and is raw uncut hiphop," he said. "This is totally different from my past releases, and I hope I can build a bridge between my current fans and create new ones."

"Church Clothes," a preview to

Lecrae's fall full-length album Gravity, is hosted by DJ Don Cannon and features No Malice, formally Malice of the Clipse, Tedashii, and Andy Mineo.

Producers 9th Wonder, Boi-1da, and Street Symphony also contribute to the mixtape. The title video was directed and edited

by Kyle Dettman.

Lecrae, 32, started his rap career in high school but redeemed his hobby after a conversion experience at 19. Since then, the MC and married father has positioned himself as an influential leader not only in the Christian community but in the music industry as well.

READ: THE MIDDLE-AGED WHITE GUY'S GUIDE TO CHRISTIAN RAP This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.

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45

Chick-fil-A Leadercast: Tim Tebow, Former Coach Talk Qualities of a Good Leader (Christianpost.com > Most Popular)

the lives of those around them – for better or for worse.

"What's so frustrating for me is you have all these athletes, • ( P h o t o : R E U T E R S / R a y celebrities and entertainers that Stubblebine) New York Jets say, 'I'm not a role model.' Yes quarterback Tim Tebow speaks at you are, you're just not a very a news conference introducing good one," Tebow said to an him as a Jets at the team's training eruption of applause from the live center in Florham Park, New audience at the Georgia World Jersey March 26, 2012.

Congress Center in Atlanta.

Prior to the interview, Meyer, May 4, 2012| 5:04 pm who is now the head football CNN anchor Soledad O'Brien c o a c h a t T h e O h i o S t a t e was on hand at the Chick-fil-A University, shared the story of Leadercast 2012 in Atlanta, Ga., how he had previously sacrificed to interview both Tebow and his both his health and time with his former University of Florida family for the sake of winning c o a c h U r b a n M e y e r . W h e n football games. Although he O'Brien asked Tebow if he is a wields a great deal of influence great leader, he gave a humble over young athletes, Meyer says it response. was Tebow who taught him a "I don't know about that...I just number of life lessons during their know that I really care about what time together as Florida Gators.

I do. I'm very passionate about it, Like us on Facebook I love what I do, and I'm willing "When I first met Tim, I didn't to put it all on the line. And I like Tim," said Meyer. "I admired think when you're willing to do him, but I didn't like him...Tim those things...people can respect has a unique ability to force you you for it," said Tebow. to look inward, to evaluate He also said that everybody is a yourself. Because everything you leader, to some extent, because see Tim do, it's hard to believe." everyone has the power to impact Meyer says he was first

impressed with Tebow's leadership abilities when he saw the quarterback playing baseball in high school. Tebow played in right field, and Meyer says he just "completely took over the game" in a way he had never seen before.

Tebow began the 2011 NFL season as a backup quarterback for the Denver Broncos. When he was finally called upon to be the starter, he made the most of the opportunity and was able to lead the team to a playoff victory after starting the season with just one win and four losses.

Now he is a backup once again, this time for the New York Jets, but he encouraged leaders to always be ready for the moment when their big opportunity comes along.

"When your number's called, you have to go in there and make the most of it," he said.

Tebow faced waves of criticism from the media during the 2011 NFL season, both for his outspoken faith and for his inconsistent play on the field. He tried to ignore it, however, and focused solely on what he could control.

"Don't worry about what you can't control," said Tebow. "There's a lot of things we can't control. We can't control what people write about us, what they say about us, but we can control a few things: our attitude, our effort, our focus and how we go about treating our teammates."

Meyer said watching his former players get criticized is like watching his own children get criticized. But both he and Tebow said that "faith and family" get them through hard times. Tebow also said it would be a "shallow life" to prioritize football above everything else.

Tebow emphasized several times during the event that his success in football gives him a platform from which he can help people.

Before the first session of the event was over, the audience got to watch as he paid a surprise visit to a 16-year-old girl, a brain and spinal cancer patient, whose dream was to meet him.

Londa Churchill, who works for a ministry fundraising consulting agency called BBS & Associates, told The Christian Post she was inspired by Tebow's words.

"I'm a big fan of his, but just what he had to say about faith and character and being a leader each day...I just found it really inspiring," said Churchill, who watched the conference from Akron-Springfield Assembly of God church in Akron, Ohio, which served as a host site and projected a live video feed of the event onto a big screen.

In addition to Tebow and Meyer, other speakers at the event included O'Brien, megachurch pastor Andy Stanley, leadership expert John Maxwell and many more.

READ: THE GROWING CHRISTIAN INFLUENCE OF TIM TEBOW This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.

Senator Called On to Recuse Himself from MF Global Hearings Daniel Halper (The Weekly Standard) Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:00:00 PM

New Jersey Senate candidate Joe Kyrillos, a Republican, is calling on Senator Bob Menendez, a Democrat, to recuse himself from

congressional hearings on MF

Global, the financial firm led by Jon Corzine that went under last year.

46

Culture/

Curated News Edition

EVANGELICAL

All Together Now Alexandra Chang (Wired Top Stories)

With its edge-to-edge glass display, surrounding black bezel, silver front-facing speaker bar and Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:15:00 PM silver metal stand, the entire Driven mostly by Apple’s iMac, hardware package is attractive. the all-in-one PC market has seen You won’t see any buttons a boom lately. And why not? You cluttering the front display — the can cram an entire computer menu icons are visible on the behind a big, floating display and bezel, but the buttons are hidden control it with a couple of u n d e r n e a t h t h e p a n e l . A n w i r e l e s s p e r i p h e r a l s . T h e understated camera eye peers minimal, clutter-free design of an from the center-top. all-in-one PC works in every It’s not all about looks. Inside is a room of the house, and the big quad-core Intel Core i7 2600S screen can comfortably double as processor, an Nvidia GT 540M an HDTV for watching videos. graphics processor, 8GB of RAM They tend to be more difficult to and a 1TB hard drive. A read/ u p g r a d e , b u t t h e y ’ r e v e r y write Blu-ray drive is standard on convenient. this model. You also get plenty of This 27-inch all-in-one from ports on the Asus, which is Asus is no iMac, but it holds its another strong point. Our loaner ground as a great choice for a came with two USB 3.0 ports, two desktop workstation — it’s a USB 2.0 ports, an eSATA/USB powerful Windows 7 machine 2.0 combo port, VGA-out, HDMI with a big, bright screen, an -in, Ethernet, an SD card reader, attractive design, and a wide array and all the standard audio ports of features that give it a high level you’d expect. of versatility. The bundled If you’re cramped for space — keyboard and mouse are sub- like if you live in a San Francisco standard, but there are enough studio, for instance — then the p o s i t i v e s h e r e f o r m e t o Asus ET2700INKS could easily recommend it. double as an HDTV. Using the The PC’s big, crisp display is one HDMI-in port, you can connect of its best features. The 16:9 the PC to a set-top box like the widescreen HD panel sports a Roku or your DVR. You can even resolution of 1920×1080-pixels. It mount it on a wall, as the back of has LED backlighting and a 178 the computer has a VESAdegree wide viewing angle, and compatible mounting bracket. colors appear bright and vivid. This is a choice that more and

continued from page 43

more manufacturers are going with these days, and we like it — when the computer inside becomes obsolete in however many years, you can just repurpose the thing as an HDTV by mounting it on a wall or on a stand.

Asus is marketing the ET2700 as the “centerpiece of your family’s entertainment,” so I’d expected the computer’s internal speakers to produce some decent audio.

With the help of an external subwoofer — a squat, black obelisk tethered to the back of the PC by a cord that’s about a foot too short — music came out sounding better than what most computer speakers produce. But the sound didn’t fill a large room.

I turned the volume all the way up, and it still couldn’t compete with the droning traffic noise outside the Wired office.

Like almost every all-in-one PC, the ASUS comes with a keyboard and mouse. But in this case, the computer would have been better off without them. The keyboard, in particular, was an ergonomic nightmare — just imagine a Mac keyboard made out of super-cheap plastic and with a mushy, pillowed typing experience. The included wireless mouse was too small for comfort, even for my dainty lady hands. If you plan on using the ET2700 as your daily

computer, expect to drop some extra cash on a keyboard and mouse that are actually usable.

That issue gives me some pause, because with a $1,500 price tag, the Asus sits in the high end of all -in-one PCs. Still, it’s cheaper than a similarly spec’d iMac, plenty powerful, and stuffed with nice-to-haves. And especially if you’re looking for a computer to double as a home entertainment display, the Asus will more than suffice.

WIRED Bright, sharp display.

Classy chassis with edge-to-edge glass panel and front-facing silver speaker bar. Packed with every port and feature you’d want in a PC. Blu-ray combo drive and HDMI-in makes it a great home entertainment device.

TIRED The included keyboard and mouse are maddening.

Speakers are only so-so — if you’re using this as a TV replacement, you’ll want to upgrade the audio. Glass screen doesn’t handle glare well.

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Jesus then we couldn't let anyone or anything else tell us how to act, dress, or behave either. We're in a war fighting to protect our society but the problem is the Church as a whole doesn't even know we're under attack."

Hutcherson also indicated this wouldn't be his last attempt in fighting to take back words that have been stolen from Christians, and said addressing tolerance will be a priority in the coming weeks.

"We're fighting hard to protect our society but I'd rather be preaching the Gospel than handling many of the others issues," he explained.

"But, if I need to I will. I'm not going to back down from reclaiming what the Gospel says to me – it calls us to be 'gay.'"

READ: REAL ANSWERS TO REAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BIBLE AND BEING GAY WATCH VIDEO OF KEN HUTCHERSON SAYING GAY MARRIAGE IS NOT GOOD FOR SOCIETY WATCH VIDEO OF KEN HUTCHERSON'S AMAZING TESTIMONY ON BECOMING A CHRISTIAN AND OVERCOMING RACISM This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.

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Curated News Edition

47

Samsung Focus 2: Can a $50 Windows Phone Steal HTC, Nokia Thunder?

Alexandra Chang (Wired Top Stories) Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:23:00 PM

Samsung's Focus 2 has the same form factor as the original Focus, but runs on AT&T's 4G LTE network. Photo: Samsung While Samsung just created serious buzz around its latest Android phone, the Galaxy S III, the company clearly isn’t giving up on its Windows Phone line. In fact, Samsung’s new Focus 2 is aggressively priced to steal sales from Nokia and HTC. Revealed Monday, the Focus 2 follows the original Focus, the Focus S and the Focus Flash. The latest Samsung Windows Phone, running Windows 7.5 Mango, will be available exclusively on AT&T starting May 20.

The Focus 2 is Samsung’s first LTE Windows Phone device.

AT&T offers two other LTE Windows Phones — HTC’s Titan II and Nokia’s Lumia 900, both released in April. But unlike the Lumia 900 at $100 and the Titan II at an even more pricey $200, Samsung’s Focus 2 is incredibly affordable at $50 with a two-year contract.

With such a low price point, the Focus 2 could appeal to users transitioning from feature phones to smartphones.

“We’ve seen that so much of our

“We see Windows Phone as a delightful end-user experience.

Our own internal surveys show that [the OS] has great customer satisfaction,” Woodward said.

“From the beginning we saw this as an opportunity to offer consumers something new and innovative. We’ve now just hit a point of maturation where it makes sense to offer more choices [for Windows Phone].”

AT&T has the largest portfolio of Windows Phone devices, and plans to add more as Microsoft’s platform gains momentum.

Samsung recently surpassed Nokia in mobile handset sales, largely due to its support of the Android platform. It will be interesting to see whether Samsung’s investment in the Windows Phone platform — especially with such an affordable device like the Focus 2 — will sales are smartphones now. But w e i g h i n g 4 . 3 o u n c e s . B y Colors? There’s only one choice: undercut Nokia’s Lumia sales.

“If you look at the momentum of there’s still a large population has comparison, Samsung’s Galaxy S “pure white.” hasn’t transitioned yet,” Mike III is 8.6mm thick and 4.7 ounces. Windows Phone adoption has Windows Phone, Nokia coming Woodward, AT&T’s VP of The device harkens back to the been slow to pick up — Nokia is i n t o i t w a s a v e r y s t r o n g Mobile Device Portfolio, told rounded edges of the original even facing a lawsuit from endorsement. I think the fact that Wired. “Windows Phone has an Focus, and features a 4-inch, s h a r e h o l d e r s c l a i m i n g t h a t Samsung, who is now the world’s O S t h a t r e a l l y s p e a k s t o 4 0 0 × 8 0 0 S u p e r A M O L E D Windows Phone failed to save the l a r g e s t c e l l p h o n e m a k e r , simplicity, and the lower price display. It packs a 1750mAh m o b i l e h a n d s e t c o m p a n y ’ s continues to invest heavily in the point [of the Focus 2] is certainly battery, 8GB of memory, and a f l a g g i n g p o s i t i o n i n t h e category provides significant something else that can help with 1.4GHz single-core processor. A s m a r t p h o n e m a r k e t . B u t momentum,” Woodward said. that transition.”

5-megapixel camera can shoot Woodward says that AT&T fully “This is a marathon, not a sprint.

The Focus 2 specs are on par video in HD 720p, and a front- supports Windows Phone and has For sure, Windows Phone will be with other thin smartphones, facing VGA camera facilitates seen positive feedback from SAMSUNG page 49 measuring at 10.98mm thick and video chat. customers.

48

Culture/

Curated News Edition

Congress Funds Killer Drones the Air Force Says It Can't Handle Spencer Ackerman (Wired Top Stories) Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:52:00 PM

An avionics specialists checks out an MQ-9 Reaper before it prepares to fly from Creech Air Force Base, 2008. Photo: U.S. Air Force The Air Force says it needs to scale back buying its flying deadly robots while it gets enough human beings in place to operate them and interpret the surveillance data they collect.

Congress decided that the flyboys might need more cash, just in case.

The Pentagon asked Congress for only around $4 million for the MQ-1 Predator drone and about $1.7 billion for the nextgeneration MQ-9 Reaper over the next year. The House Armed Services Committee, which on Tuesday finished its version of next year’s defense bill(.pdf), decided that wasn’t enough for either program. If the committee’s version of the bill makes it through the legislative process, the Air Force will get about $23 million more for the Predators, and an extra $180 million for the Reapers.

To be clear, that cash isn’t necessarily for extra flying robots;

and there are lots of legislative hurdles to overcome before this bill becoming law. The Air Force stopped buying new Predators in 2010 and upgraded to Reapers.

Chances are the new Predator cash is for replacement sensors or spare parts. And about $26 million worth of cash for the Reapers, similarly, is for spare parts. But the committee also wants to give the Air Force nearly $159 million for 12 new Reaper planes.

That’s not all. The committee also boosted funding for the Hellfire missiles the drones carry — to $61 million, some $13 million more than the Pentagon asked.

The additional drone cash comes at a strange time for the Air Force’s operation of the machines. Over the next five years, the “combat air patrols” that the drones fly — teams of up to four Predators or Reapers — will rise from 61 to 65, with what

“combat air patrols,” or CAPs — flights of up to four drones at a time — static for about five years once they hit 65 CAPs, in order to give the humans a breather. It’s not clear whether an infusion of extra drone cash will affect that decision.

The drones aren’t the only program the House Armed Service Committee is beefing up.

It’s adding $115 million for “advanced procurement” of Navy destroyers and $778 million for the Virginia-class submarine — consistent with the Republicancontrolled House’s complaint that the Navy isn’t building enough ships for its ambitious strategy in the Pacific. GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney wants to go even further, vastly expand shipbuilding by as much as $7 Defense Secretary Leon Panetta billion per year. If Romney has a called a “surge capacity” of up to notion to supersize America’s 85. But the Air Force actually unmanned air force, so far, he’s asked to cut its drone cash, in kept those plans to himself. order to make sure it’s got enough This entry passed through the human beings trained to operate Full-Text RSS service — if this is the drones— and, more urgently, your content and you're reading it g e t a b e t t e r h a n d l e o n t h e on someone else's site, please read onslaught of video and other the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentsurveillance data they collect. only/faq.php#publishers. Five The word from Air Force Filters recommends: Donate to Secretary Michael Donley is that Wikileaks. the Air Force plans on holding the number of Predator and Reaper

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49

5 Signs of Overparenting 10 Best Things to Build in to Your Home Cristen Conger (HowStuffWorks Daily Feed)

grown up -- but hadn't outgrown their parents' constant hovering and well-intentioned Submitted at 5/7/2012 1:00:56 PM micromanagement.

Beginning in the first decade of Overparenting, also known as the 2000s, college deans and s n o w p l o w , h e l i c o p t e r a n d admissions counselors noticed a hothouse parenting, took off in the n e w s t u d e n t s t e r e o t y p e o n 1990s and manifested as a campus. Profoundly attached to combination of excessive anxiety, their parents and terrified of unrealistic achievement goals and academic failure, these nicknamed old fashioned spoiling [source: "teacups" and "crispies" had a Acocella]. These hyperprotective tough time functioning without parents hired language tutors for moms or dads coaching them toddlers, rushed onto soccer fields every step of the way [source: at the sight of skinned knees, and Gibbs]. Some parents had become shuffled around packed calendars so integrally intertwined in their of play dates and enrichment children's transition to college life outings. But as more helicopter-- in some cases even selecting parented kids came of age, alma maters and majors on their teachers and child development offspring's behalf -- that the researchers noticed that all of that University of Vermont started parental bubble wrapping had training "parent bouncers" to rein adverse effects. Ironically, with in overly involved moms and dads moms and dads excessively during student orientation in the safeguarding boys and girls for summer of 2005 [source: Reidel]. success, kids weren't developing T h e f i r s t g e n e r a t i o n o f the psychological resilience and overparented Millennials had c r e a t i v i t y t o w e a t h e r t h e

SAMSUNG continued from page 47

one of the strong competitors.”

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Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.

inevitable pitfalls and logjams on the road to adulthood.

Although the overparenting trend climaxed in about 2009, as media outlets began publishing stories on its potential perils, vestiges remain [source: Gibbs]. Recession -sapped family budgets may not leave room for luxuries such as college application coaches anymore, but there are still many signs of overparenting in the carpool lane. Consider, for instance, the following five red flags that parents may need to take a step -- or two -- back from their children's lives.

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Shanna Freeman (HowStuffWorks Daily Feed) Submitted at 5/7/2012 1:00:56 PM

When I was younger, I was fascinated by the idea that someday I'd have my very own house. I used to spend hours drawing floor plans and designing where I'd put the furniture, even drawing the furniture to scale and cutting it out to place on my pictures. Of course money was no object, so there were indoor swimming pools, two-story libraries with tall, rolling ladders to reach the top shelves and huge playrooms. At some point, my parents got catalogs from home builders, and I loved looking through all of the different types of homes available and their layouts. This was the 1980s, so I think the fanciest features that most of those homes had were dens, offices, sunrooms and bonus rooms over the garage -- all features that are often considered standard in newly-built houses today.

Today, people are building

homes with rooms and features that my eight-year-old mind probably couldn't even imagine. If the sky were the limit, what would your dream home include?

Would you construct it to suit your own very specific tastes, or would you keep in mind things like resale value? Not only do interior decorating tastes change, but so do home designs in general. (If you don't believe me, check out the tiny closet and bathroom in the so-called "master bedroom" in my late '70s-era house.)

Read on to check out the best things to build into your home today that people who live in your home in the future might also enjoy, too.

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50

Culture/ Featured/

Curated News Edition

Kristen Stewart Goes Casual Before Her Fashion Moment at the Met Gala Katie Henry (PopSugar)

Daily App Deals: Get DocAS for iPad for 99¢ in Today’s App Deals [App Deals]

Submitted at 5/7/2012 2:52:00 PM

Kristen Stewart dressed in flat back boots and a leather motorcycle jacket leaving her NYC hotel today. She looked relaxed and ready to make a grand entrance at tonight's star-studded Met Gala. Kristen's been on the go in recent days following a short visit to Vancouver last week to shoot new Breaking Dawn Part 2 footage with Robert Pattinson and a Friday night appearance on The Tonight Show.

Kristen revealed she suffered an injury on set while filming in the woods, so she may be forced to stick with flats tonight when she arrives at the Met Gala. She's expected to wear a gown from

Jeremy Hoag (Lifehacker)

Balenciaga, but we'll have to wait and see if her foot is well enough to climb the stairs in stilettos. Be sure to check in with us throughout the night as we bring you minute-to-minute coverage live from the steps of the Met! View Slideshow ›

Submitted at 5/7/2012 2:30:00 PM

The Daily App Deals post is a round-up of the best app discounts of the day, as well as some notable mentions for ones that are on sale. More »

Anatomy of a DUI [infographic] (Holy Kaw!) Submitted at 5/7/2012 2:31:00 PM

One in three people will be involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lifetime--ONE in

THREE. Don't be an idiot.

Via MA Criminal Defense. (H/T @ritubpant) The verdict on legal news.

Permalink| Leave a comment »

Tester Ad: Dem Senator 'Cracked Down on Lobbyists' Michael Warren (The Weekly Standard) Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:02:00 PM

Jon Tester, Denny Rehberg A new ad from Montana senator Jon Tester's reelection campaign features supporters touting his

record on ethics. Among the

testimonials is one from former Watch the ad below: congressman Pat Williams. "He's cracked down on lobbyists, refused their trips" Williams says.

Culture/ Politics-Left/

Curated News Edition

51

'US foils al-Qaeda plot' to bomb airliner (AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (AJE)) Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:55:04 PM

Video: Rihanna Celebrates SNL Performances With More Movie Dreams "I Want to Try Comedy" Karli Bulnes (PopSugar) Submitted at 5/7/2012 2:36:49 PM

Rihanna rocked the Saturday Night Live stage over the weekend and opens up about plans to take on more movies in today's PopSugar Rush.

The CIA thwarted an ambitious plot by al-Qaeda's affiliate in Yemen to destroy a US-bound airliner using a bomb with a sophisticated new design around the one-year anniversary of the killing of Osama bin Laden, the US National Security Council has confirmed to Al Jazeera.

US media reports on Monday said the plot involved an upgrade of the underwear bomb that failed to detonate aboard a jetliner over Detroit on December 25, 2009.

President Barack Obama "was assured that the device did not pose a threat to the public," National Security Council deputy spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said.

Obama, who had been informed of the plot in April, had however directed agencies "to take whatever steps necessary to guard against this type of attack" and had been regularly briefed by his national security team.

This new bomb was also designed to be used in a passenger's underwear, but this time al-Qaeda developed a more refined detonation system, US

officials said.

The FBI is examining the latest bomb to see whether it could have passed through airport security and brought down an airplane, officials said.

They said the device did not contain metal, meaning it probably could have passed through an airport metal detector.

But it was not clear whether new body scanners used in many airports would have detected it.

The would-be suicide bomber, based in Yemen, had not yet picked a target or bought his plane tickets when the CIA stepped in and seized the bomb, officials said. It is not immediately clear what happened to the alleged bomber.

The operation unfolded as the White House and Department of Homeland Security assured the American public that they knew of no al-Qaeda plots against the US around the anniversary of bin Laden's death.

The AP news agency learned about the thwarted plot last week but agreed to White House and CIA requests not to publish it immediately because the sensitive intelligence operation was still under way.

Once those concerns were allayed, the AP decided to disclose the plot on Monday despite requests from the Obama administration to wait for an official announcement on Tuesday.

US officials, who were briefed on the operation, insisted on anonymity to discuss the case.

It's not clear who built the bomb, but, because of its sophistication and its similarity to the Detroit bomb, authorities suspected it was the work of master bomb maker Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri.

Al-Asiri constructed the first underwear bomb and two others that al-Qaeda built into printer cartridges and shipped to the US on cargo planes in 2010.

Both of those bombs used a powerful industrial explosive.

Both were nearly successful.

The operation is an intelligence victory for the United States and a reminder of al-Qaeda's ambitions, despite the death of bin Laden and other senior leaders.

Because of instability in the Yemeni government, the group's branch there has gained territory and strength. It has set up camps and, in some areas, even operates as a de facto government.

But along with the gains there also have been losses. The group has suffered significant setbacks as the CIA and the U.S. military focus more on Yemen.

On Sunday, Fahd al-Quso, a senior al-Qaeda leader, was hit by a missile as he stepped out of his vehicle along with another operative in the southern Shabwa province of Yemen.

Al-Quso, 37, was on the FBI's most wanted list, with a $5m reward for information leading to his capture. He was indicted in the US for his role in the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole in the harbor of Aden, Yemen, in which 17 American sailors were killed and 39 injured.

Al-Quso was believed to have replaced Anwar al-Awlaki as the group's head of external operations.

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Politics-Left/ Talk/

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Leading Greek party fails to form government (AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (AJE))

President Carolos Papoulias] and returned the mandate," the 60year-old leader said.

Greek conservatives have failed Samaras was rebuffed by Syriza to form a government, paving the and the small Democratic Left way for anti-austerity leftists to group, while the nationalist try and cobble together a coalition Independent Greeks and the d e s p i t e G e r m a n y a n d E U Communist party refused to even warnings the country must stick meet with him. to its bailout deal.

Third-place socialist PASOK, The development on Monday formerly in a coalition with New u n d e r s c o r e d t h e p r e c a r i o u s Democracy, agreed to cooperate situation of the country in its fifth but only if the leftists also joined. year of recession, which needs The parties' snub of Samaras bailout funds to stay afloat but indicates they are paying more where painful austerity measures attention to the punishing message have given rise to widespread sent Sunday by voters fed up with voter anger. austerity measures than to worries Conservative New Democracy about the future of the euro or leader Antonis Samaras said his stern warnings from Berlin and efforts to form a "national Brussels. salvation" administration had More elections failed, meaning the runner-up, Another election, possibly as radical leftist party Syriza, would soon as next month, looms for a now be tasked with forming a c o u n t r y t h a t i s r e l i a n t o n government. international support to avoid "I did whatever I could to secure a bankruptcy. result but it was impossible," Sunday's vote saw parties Samaras said in a televised backing the stiff international address after a day of separate rescue package lose their majority meetings with fellow leaders. in parliament, raising the chances " I i n f o r m e d [ h e a d o f s t a t e of a possible Greek exit from the Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:33:07 PM

common euro currency.

The uncertainty weighed on markets across Europe, with the Athens exchange closing 6.7 per cent down.

Official results showed conservative New Democracy came first with 18.8 per cent and 108 of Parliament's 300 seats.

"I understand the rage of the people, but our party will not leave Greece ungoverned,'' said Samaras, who backs Greece's bailout commitments for austerity but has called for some changes to the bailout plan And if the deadlock does not ease, Greece faces new elections under a caretaker government in mid-June, about the time it has to detail new drastic austerity measures worth $19bn for 2013 to 2014.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday said it was "of utmost importance" that Greece stick to the reform course agreed in exchange for an EU bailout, despite the voter backlash.

"It is of course of utmost importance that the programmes in Greece continue," she said in

Berlin.

Anti-austerity election Greek voters on Sunday delivered a resounding antiausterity election verdict, punishing the ruling coalition and leaving the country's political future and the eurozone's stability hanging in the balance.

Greece's two-party coalition, which imposed a harsh austerity programme in return for an international bailout, was routed according to near-complete official figures released early on Monday.

PASOK party and the Conservatives of New Democracy (ND) scored just 32.4 per cent between them, plummeting from 77.4 per cent in the 2009 vote, according to interior ministry figures based on 95 per cent of the vote counted.

While the ND scraped into first place in the election, it was with the party's lowest score so far.

In second place came the leftist, anti-austerity Syriza party, with 16.6 per cent of the vote and 51 seats, more than tripling its 2009 showing.

The once-mighty PASOK was reduced to third place, its vote more than halved to 13.3 per cent, or 41 seats, the voters' deserting it for having pushed through punishing public spending cuts.

The election also fragmented the political landscape, with voters sending at least seven parties to parliament, two more than previously.

One of the newcomers is the neoNazi Hryssi Avgi (Golden Dawn), breaking into parliament for the first time in nearly 40 years. Its 6.9 per cent of the vote should give it 21 deputies, according to the latest ministry figures.

Al Jazeera's Barnaby Phillips, reporting from Athens, said: "On the face of it, this seems like massive repudiation of Greece's political establishment."

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TED: Michael Tilson Thomas: Music and emotion through time - Michael Tilson Thomas (2012) TEDTalks (TEDTalks (video))

In this epic overview, Michael Tilson Thomas traces the

development of classical music through the development of

written notation, the record, and the re-mix.

Curated News Edition

Politics-Left/

53

France's Hollande plunges into debt crisis (AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (AJE))

employment, prosperity - in short, a future," he said.

"This is what I will say as soon as France's president-elect Francois possible to our European partners Hollande was plunged straight and first of all to Germany," he into the European economic declared. "We are not just any debate on Monday, as doubts over country on the planet, just any his plans and turmoil in Greece nation in the world, we are threatened to tip the eurozone France." back into crisis.

Al Jazeera's Andrew Simmons, The 57-year-old Socialist won reporting from Tulle, said that p o w e r o n S u n d a y , o u s t i n g there were high expectations of a France's right-wing leader Nicolas man who "has never even held a Sarkozy, and is due to take office junior ministerial post". formally on May 15 before "He's certainly proved popular embarking on a packed calendar despite a background that really is of major international summits. pretty boring, politically," said First on his agenda will be Simmons Europe's debt crisis, where he is Fiscal challenges on a collision course with fellow The election was marked by fears European Union leaders over his over European Union-imposed plan to renegotiate the bloc's a u s t e r i t y a n d e c o n o m i c fiscal pact that many credit with globalisation, and Hollande has s a v i n g t h e e u r o z o n e f r o m said his first foreign meeting will meltdown. be with Angela Merkel, the Hollande promised the cheering German chancellor and the key crowds that welcomed his election driver of EU budget policy. Click that he would reopen talks in here for more of Al Jazeera's order that the pact focus on special coverage g r o w t h r a t h e r t h a n s i m p l y Hollande plans to replace some imposing deficit-cutting austerity of Sarkozy's cost-cutting with rules, an idea opposed by Berlin. higher taxes on the wealthy while "This is the mission that is now balancing the budget by 2017, mine: To give the European despite a hiring spree in education project a dimension of growth, and a return to retirement at 60 for Submitted at 5/7/2012 10:37:49 AM

to "announce the withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan between now and the end of the year".

President Barack Obama invited Hollande for talks at the White House, amid concerns about this pledge to hasten the exit of France's 3,300-strong contingent from the NATO-led force in some workers.

Berlin, adding that he'd be Afghanistan.

He also wants to renegotiate welcomed "with open arms" when The heads of state of several a European treaty on trimming he enters office.

European countries, including the budgets to avoid more debt crises World reaction United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium of the kind facing Greece.

In comments made in Berlin on and Italy, also congratulated That would complicate relations Monday, however, Merkel said Hollande on his victory, and with Merkel, who championed the that the European Union's fiscal pledged to work with him. [For a treaty alongside Sarkozy. p a c t , w h i c h H o l l a n d e h a s more comprehensive round-up of Under Sarkozy, France pledged criticised, "is not negotiable". world leaders' reactions, click to rein in its spending while the Eamon Gilmore, Ireland's deputy here.] rest of the 17 countries that use prime minister, meanwhile, World markets opened sharply the euro embark on a strict period warned that his country would not down on Monday, following of belt-tightening. defer a May 31 referendum on the Hollande's victory in France and A l J a z e e r a ' s N i c k S p i c e r , fiscal pact to give Hollande time the change of government in reporting from Berlin, said to rework the treaty.

Greece.

Merkel had earlier made it clear After seeing Merkel shortly after This entry passed through the that she would have liked to see a his inauguration, Hollande will Full-Text RSS service — if this is Sarkozy victory. attend several international your content and you're reading it O u r c o r r e s p o n d e n t a d d e d , meetings, including a G8 summit on someone else's site, please read however, that there was a plan in in the United States on May 18 the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentplace for Germany to work with and 19 and a NATO gathering in only/faq.php#publishers. Five Hollande.

Chicago on May 20 and 21.

Filters recommends: Donate to Merkel congratulated the M a n u e l V a l l s , H o l l a n d e ' s Wikileaks. president-elect during a phone c o m m u n i c a t i o n s conversation on Sunday evening, director, confirmed on Monday inviting him for early talks in that France would use the summit

54

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Music Monday: R.I.P. MCA (Woot! - One Day, One Deal) Submitted at 5/7/2012 9:00:00 AM

Last Friday morning, Scott thought the Music Monday was written and complete. Then he heard what you probably already know. Adam Yauch, a.k.a MCA, a talent dead too young. It goes without saying that the very first member of the Beastie Boys deserves to be remembered, so Scott threw out his work and began again from scratch. This Monday, Music Monday's paying tribute.

No Sleep Till Brooklyn Today I've only got a little commentary about things you probably should know, and maybe you know them already. I figure if you don't, you'll be happy I told you, and if you do, you'll understand why some details are worth hearing again. The loss of Adam Yauch is a sad thing for music and I invite you to drop your own memories and links in the comments after the jump.

Today we'll be reflecting on MCA and the Beastie Boys‌ even including that song they didn't really like anymore.

Remember that our new Spotify playlist will be featuring a great selection from last week's Music Monday comments. The theme of the mix is History Songs. Just don't fire it up until after you finish saying good bye to MCA inside.

Be aware going in: not all Beastie Boys songs are radio friendly and

some may be not safe for work. If it'll get you fired, put on some headphones or just listen to them later.

(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)

Three Idiots Create A Masterpiece was the Rolling Stone headline, and it basically summed up what the whole world was thinking. For most of America, The Beastie Boys seemed to appear out of nowhere in 1986. In reality, though, they'd been working their way up the

chain for ages.

Cookie Puss The Beastie Boys had their first gig in 1981, at MCA's birthday party, and somehow quickly scored opening spots at CBGB's and Max's Kansas City. Back then they were just teenage punks so of course they'd be all over the idea of recording their prank phone calls to Carvel. After adding few dance-friendly loops, "Cookie Puss" became a tiny underground hit in the NYC clubs. However the band's first real score was a

Even after "Fight For Your Right" turned into a hit, it was still supereasy to dismiss these sons of playwrights and painters as some proto- Jerky Boys clone. I was in junior high when I first heard "Fight For Your Right" and I loved it, but I had all but forgotten about the band a few years later, when Paul's Boutique first appeared. Trust me, there was no one in the world who expected a new Beastie Boys release to sound like that record. And then?

They kept going!

So What Cha Want By the 90s the Beastie Boys were clearly at their creative peak, and those three punks were fully grown men. The band was respected, could live comfortably, and felt sort of bad about their youthful mistakes. They knew that famous white guys in hip hop were kind of a strange thing, but they also knew they'd proved themselves, and a lot of black artists truly respected what they'd lawsuit. British Airways used a done. Even jazz genius Miles portion of the trio's music without Davis supposedly enjoyed Paul's their permission, and the band Boutique, which is basically the won big in court. The money best praise a musician could want! bought them a chance to quit their And during those day jobs and get better. groundbreaking, genre-changing Hey Ladies years, Adam Yauch was writing You're right, the above song is lyrics, performing with the band, from Paul's Boutique! But before designing the album covers, plus they even released their first LP, directing music videos under a the Beastie Boys were opening for pseudonym. Even before moving Public Image Ltd. and Madonna. into the Hello Nasty and Hot They honed their goofball style Sauce Committee Part Two and, let's face it, their first release MUSIC page 58 really was just a party record.

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Do electric cars even need Bad Advertising special chargers?

(Woot! - One Day, One Deal)

the way that Fiat intends. He’s not some tough guy who rides a motorcycle, has a bunch of It was last Tuesday night and I tattoos, and gets into bar fights. was feeling great. My favorite No, he’s a bad boy in that he is of team, the Boston Celtics, had the male persuasion and he’s an managed to slop together a nice AWFUL PERSON. win over the Atlanta Hawks Like, you know the part where without their starting point guard, the commercial makes the joke Rajon Rondo. I was all set to about Charlie Sheen being under cheer against the LA Lakers (just house arrest? Well, he has been as important as cheering for the arrested. For doing stuff like Celtics if you’re a Boston fan) assaulting his wife. Or drinking when a car commercial came on too much, doing a bunch of and killed my good mood: cocaine, and destroying his hotel So, it appears that Sheen’s room. LOL! Charlie Sheen! What trajectory over the last couple a wacky guy, amirite??? years has gone like this: Charlie Look, I’m not saying that if a goes crazy; public marvels at celebrity does something bad, he Charlie’s craziness; public (sort should never get work again. of) stops caring after a while; Fiat That’d be a pretty silly opinion for gives Charlie a bunch of money me to have, considering I just to appear in a commercial. admitted I’m a fan of basketball.

And the commercial is pretty But to make a commercial like dumb, as are almost all car this one (or the Pistachios commercials unless they feature a c o m m e r c i a l f e a t u r i n g R o d Volkswagen. But hey, why stop at B l a g o j e v i c h e a t i n g t h e m car commercials? For every Darth “innocently” – seriously, this was Vader kid, there are a million a real thing once) that pays a terrible, unfunny, out-of-touch celebrity specifically to celebrate commercials and many of them how much of a dirt bag he is? To (like this one from MSN) don’t me, that’s crossing a line. feature automobiles at all.

But maybe I’m just overreacting.

But all those dumb commercials How do you feel? Should I give don’t make me as angry as this Charlie a break? Or maybe you Fiat one. Why? Because Charlie have an even more offensive Sheen is a “bad boy,” but not in commercial to share…

Submitted at 5/7/2012 12:00:00 PM

Consumer Reports News (Consumer Reports)

So, are companies, often backed by federal loans or tax incentives, wasting the money installing Submitted at 5/7/2012 1:29:59 PM public infrastructure? Brian Do electric cars even need special Wynne, president of the Electric chargers?

Drive Transportation Institute, Electric car advocates, gathering which organizes the symposium, this week in Los Angeles for a doesn't think so. Federal programs forward-looking industry event, incentivizing the installations in seem to be trying to solve two volt outlet (known as Level 1 26 cities were designed to gather problems that may not exist. The charging). data about how people use them. main focus of this year's 26th As discussed at EVS26, when the In other words, if the answer is a n n u a l E l e c t r i c V e h i c l e first electric cars rolled out last "not at all, but they won't buy S y m p o s i u m ( E V S 2 6 ) i s o n year, they were essentially sold to electric cars otherwise," at least charging and chargers—who order. While consumers were that's worth knowing. "And I have needs them and where to put waiting for their cars, they were no doubt that all the equipment them. put in touch with an electrician will eventually be used," he says.

The mantra surrounding electric and a company that sold Level 2 If that's the case, one thing is cars for the past few years has chargers. But now, most electric sure: We'll see all the new choices been, "We've gotta get some cars are sold off the lot from in charging, from wireless to giant infrastructure out there!" Well, dealer inventory. So about half the fast-chargers at EVS26 this week. yes and no. buyers just drive it home, plug it It's hard to believe groups such as The infrastructure people are in to a low-speed, overnight Level EVS have been talking about referring to public electric-car 1 outlet and never look back. developing electric cars for 26 charging stations. These take Further, says Daniel Sperling, years! Time flies, and progress mainly two forms: Level 3 "fast- director of the Institute for charges ahead. charge" stations, as we wrote Transportation Studies at the See our guide to fuel economy about last month, and 240-volt University of California, Davis, and guide to alternative fuels.

Level 2 charging stations such as r e s e a r c h s h o w s t h a t m a n y Subscribe now! this one, available at Best Buy. S u b s c r i b e t o consumers insist public chargers But the latest statistics show that be in place before they will ConsumerReports.org for expert 50 percent of electric car buyers commit to buying an electric car. Ratings, buying advice and don't buy Level 2 chargers, which But once they do, they always r e l i a b i l i t y o n h u n d r e d s o f can cut charging times in half (or charge at home and never use the products. Update your feed less) compared with charging public chargers. preferences from a standard household 120-

55

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Products/

Curated News Edition

United Airlines' Phone System Is Just Being Nostalgic About Refunds Chris Morran (The Consumerist)

I've already filed a chargeback on the $600 with my credit card company. But I can't get United to Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:15:00 PM refund the miles.

The honeymoon may be over for I started out sending email r e c e n t l y w e d U n i t e d a n d customer support to both the Continental, and the merged Mileage Plus and "reservations" company's phone system is contact systems — 6 weeks have already daydreaming about its gone by, no response from any of days as a swinging single, when them. customers could just call it up and I then sat on hold for 45 minutes ask for a refund on 30,000 unused to talk to Mileage Plus, who told miles. me they couldn't help me, I See, back in March Consumerist needed to talk to reservations. I reader Katie had put herself on the waited on hold 30 minutes to talk wait list for an upgrade to t o r e s e r v a t i o n s , t h e n g o t business class for her flight from d i s c o n n e c t e d .

Hong Kong to San Francisco. In I called back the next day, and order to secure a spot on the list, reservations said I needed to talk she needed to put down a deposit to the refunds department. I called of $600 and 30,000 frequent flier back and hit the options for miles. "refunds", and the guy there told Unfortunately, she didn't get that me that they couldn't handle upgrade and flew in coach with refund requests over the phone the rest of us bums. Even more and that the option for the refunds unfortunate is the fact that Katie department in the phone system still hasn't received a refund on was a legacy thing from before either her miles or the $600 she the United/Continental merger. charged to her credit card.

He directed me to a web form to We'll just let her tell the story fill out to request the refund, and from here: assured me the refunds

department would process my request promptly.

It's now been over 2 weeks since I sent in the refund request, and haven't gotten any sort of response (and the miles are still missing from my account). I don't even know what to do anymore, I just want my 30,000 miles back!

We're reaching out to United to see if anything can be done to get Katie's miles — and maybe even her money — back, but we don't doubt she's alone in feeling the pain of having to deal with a merged United/Continental where it's nearly impossible to reach anyone who can speak directly to customers.

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The Word "Used" Should Never Describe Sanitary Products For Sale Mary Beth Quirk (The Consumerist) Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:00:00 PM

Anyone can appreciate a good bargain on a used product that works just as well as when it was in brand new condition. Used cars? Great! Gently worn clothing? Sign me up. But perhaps when describing an item such as say, feminine hygiene products, such a term should not be attached.

An eagle-eyed and grossed-out Consumerist reader spotted one such case currently being sold on Amazon.com — a six-pack of Carefree panty liners listed as "Used - Like New" for the bargain basement price of $5.22. Which, incidentally, is more expensive than buying them new for $2.75.

Now, of course these have not been actually used by someone and placed back inside the packaging. Perhaps someone opened the package only to change their mind about their feminine hygiene needs.

In any case, Amazon, please rethink the use of "used." We did a quick search to see which other products (underwear, tampons, lubricant, etc.) sold through the etailer might be tagged as such that shouldn't be, and only came up with a case of toilet paper labeled as "used." Oh, and then there's this. Might not want that after someone else has read it.

Buying personal products from a discount retailer could always result in surprises, as well — like cocaine in your tampons. We're learning a lot of lessons lately.

Feel free to share any other examples of horrifyingly labeled products you come across, in the comments or sent to tips@consumerist.com.

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Small Brewer Says Budweiser Is Bullying Him About Old Kegs Chris Morran (The Consumerist)

road for everyone to see. LEGIT businesses!"

But about a month ago, alleges Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:30:00 PM Calfkiller, things went sour: A small-time beer operation in That's when the "Budweiser keg Tennessee says it's the subject of police" began trying to strong arm some big-time hassling from the little guy... So the big Budweiser — all of it over a monopoly Budweiser has started bunch of old empty beer kegs. walking in to accounts, and In a lengthy post on the Facebook simply taking the little guys kegs! page for Calfkiller Brewing FLIRTING WITH SLANDER Company, the company explains they have told business owners its side of the story, saying that — that Calfkiller had stole the kegs... like many smaller businesses — it [Calfkiller] contacted distribution has to save money where it can. to try and resolve the issue, but Part of that savings comes from were lied to, ignored, and simply buying used kegs that can then be not dealt with. filled up and shipped out full of Budweiser has said they have beer-y goodness. never sold a keg. Really??? How Calfkiller says it purchased kegs can they be purchased from places wherever it could: "unclaimed by the truck load then??? They freight auctions, breweries that also informed Calfkiller that it have closed, or keg companies had come down from corporate, that sell new, used, and and was out of the local refurbished kegs... Everything distributions hands. Although from website sales to store fronts Calfkiller found it flattering that in public with huge signs by the the big dogs even knew who they

were they also found it highly unlikely that the beer giant cared that Calfkiller had a few 20 year old kegs of theirs.

According to the post, when Calfkiller finally got a hold of someone in Budweiser HQ in St. Louis, it was told "we know nothing about this."

Regardless, we hope the buzz surrounding this story gets back to St. Louis and someone at HQ looks into whether or not its regional offices are using the company name to possibly intimidate smaller breweries. [via Lautering.com] This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.

57

Should the U.S. follow Canada's lead and stop making pennies?

Consumer Reports News (Consumer Reports) Submitted at 5/7/2012 11:59:59 AM

Should the U.S. follow Canada's lead and stop making pennies?

After Canada officially halted production of its penny Friday by minting the last one, we asked our Facebook readers if they thought the United States should do the same.

Just over 200 people voted, and overwhelmingly people said yes, we should no longer have the penny here in the U.S. either. At last count the tally was 48 votes for keeping the one-cent coin, and 160 against.

In Canada, even though no more pennies will be produced, they will still be legal tender, and credit card and debit card transactions will still be calculated to the penny.

Arguments against keeping the penny in the U.S. include the fact that the coins cost more to make than they're worth, a cost that is passed on to taxpayers.

Arguments for keeping the penny include inflation concerns, specifically that retailers would start rounding prices up to the

nearest nickel and consumers would pay more.

In 2010, Congress passed the Coin Modernization, Oversight and Continuity Act, which gave the Treasury Department the authority to look into more costeffective ways of making and distributing the penny. The report is expected in December.

So what's your two cents, should the U.S. kill or keep the penny?

Source: Mint to stamp out Canada's last penny this morning[Winnipeg Free Press] Time to kill the cent[Chicago Tribune] Subscribe now!

S u b s c r i b e t o ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences

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Products/ Politics-Right/ Finance/ News Photos

We drive the first Chinese car expected in the U.S., the electric BYD e6 Consumer Reports News (Consumer Reports) Submitted at 5/7/2012 2:29:59 PM

We drive the first Chinese car expected in the U.S., the electric BYD e6 Reports of an imminent invasion of Chinese cars have proved exaggerated for more than a decade. Promised introductions have failed to materialize, and those from BYD, Geely, and others that we've seen displayed at auto shows looked unready for prime time. Now I've had a chance to actually drive one, the all-electric BYD e6, at the 26th Electric Vehicle Symposium taking place this week in Los Angeles. Truthfully, it made a better impression than we would have expected.

initial spurt but it tapers off rapidly and becomes somewhat sluggish. Handling is rather ungainly. The interior seemed fairly well put together.

Charge time is estimated to be 18 hours or six hours through a "fast" DC charger. The BYD is slated to be on sale for fleets only perhaps The e6 looks like a tall station by the end of 2012 for a price of wagon, and it features a 60-kWh over $40,000. lithium-ion battery with a claimed See our guide to fuel economy range of 180 miles. I couldn't and guide to alternative fuels. verify that on my brief outing. Subscribe now!

S u b s c r i b e t o When I drove it, the dashboard d i s p l a y i n d i c a t e d i t h a d a ConsumerReports.org for expert remaining range of 105 miles with Ratings, buying advice and 55-percent charge left in the r e l i a b i l i t y o n h u n d r e d s o f products. Update your feed battery.

The front-wheel-drive BYD e6 preferences rides pretty nicely, perhaps due to its over 5000-pound weight.

Acceleration begins with a strong

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404 Not Found The requested URL /author/ DavidF/feed was not found on this server.

Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while

trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request. Apache/2.2.21 (Unix) mod_ssl/2.2.21 OpenSSL/ 0.9.7a mod_auth_passthrough/2.1 mod_bwlimited/1.4 FrontPage/ 5.0.2.2635 mod_fcgid/2.3.5 Server at www.frumforum.com Port 80

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MUSIC continued from page 54

phases, MCA had transformed his persona from "sitting in the back because he's skeezin' with a whore" to "seeing others are as important as myself/I strive for a happiness of mental wealth."

Bodhisattva Vow That's not bad at all for one lifetime. R.I.P to the original Beastie Boy, and hope you'll be great in your next loop, MCA. The transformative legacy you've left behind is more than anyone could have asked from you.

Take a moment of silence to say goodbye to a real artist. Maybe

post your own MCA tribute or Beastie Boys fact in our comments. Then, if you're up for it, stop by our Turntable.fm room for some Music Monday enjoyment. Time it right and you'll may find us playing tributes to the late, great MCA. Additionally some images were taken from the corresponding Wikipedia page and appear under fair use.

Oracle claims partial victory over Google in £630m Android copyright battle

10 Ideas to make family photos not boring Washington Post

Katherine Rushton (Finance News - Business news from the UK and world) Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:18:06 PM

Google's Android mobile operating system breached Oracle's copyright, a jury has found, in a $1bn (£630m) court battle between the two technology giants.

(news photos - Google News) Submitted at 5/7/2012 2:19:59 PM

10 Ideas to make family photos not boring Washington Post Everyone takes photos of their children but not like wedding photographer Jason Lee. Lee photographs his two daughters Kristin and Kayla regularly and highlights the pure fun of being a kid. These photo are part of an ongoing series of holidaythemed... and more »

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59

Giving in to expectations - ESPN (- Bing News)

Submitted at 5/7/2012 12:58:25 PM

Commentary Updated: May 7, 2012, 3:02 PM ET By Gary West| Special to ESPN.com LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another won't sweep the Triple Crown.

There, that was easy. Saying a horse, any horse, won't win the Triple Crown is rather like saying the Frankford Yellow Jackets won't win the NFL title or Warren Buffet won't be "Dancing with the Stars." Some limbs are sturdy enough to support an elephant, should he foolishly choose to step out on one. But if boldness beckons, there are other, less sturdy, branches. In other words, although it's highly unlikely, I'll Have Another just might do it: He might become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to sweep the famed Triple Crown and grab all the jewels, moving from Kentucky to Baltimore for the Preakness Stakes on May 19 and then on to New York for the Belmont Stakes and a coronation on June 9. That's the branch that beckons Doug O'Neill, I'll Have Another's trainer. "I get goose bumps just thinking about it," said O'Neill, speaking Sunday morning at his barn in the Churchill Downs stable area. "I think this is the kind of colt who can maintain his form and keep it going." The day after his Kentucky Derby victory, I'll Have Another looked "great," O'Neill said, pointing out that the

handsome chestnut cleaned out his feed tub, which is always a positive sign. And so I'll Have Another will be traveling, and probably soon, the trainer continued, to Baltimore. "He's just a very special horse," O'Neill said about the Derby winner, "and so now he has a chance to do something that hasn't been done in a long time." Yes, he has a chance to burnish sport's most baroque piece of jewelry, which has been neglected since '78, because, as O'Neill said, I'll Have Another possesses talent, versatility and intelligence. And that's a rather formidable trifecta for any race.

He has the classic tactical speed, and that, in a confederacy with Lady Luck and the racing gods, kept him out of trouble Saturday.

While Bodemeister sprinted headlong to the front and others indulged in full "Bode-chase," I'll Have Another happily remained eight lengths behind, cruising. It was a masterful move by jockey Mario Gutierrez, but I'll Have Another had the intelligence to accept the direction and the talent to be there. Except for Bodemeister, who would finish second after leading the field through some of the fastest splits in Derby history, no horse close to the hot pace (45.39 for the opening half-mile) finished better than eighth. And then I'll Have Another had the stamina and determination to finish strongly, running by three horses in the final quarter-mile to win the 138th

Derby. And so, yes, he has many virtues, and he's fresh, and he indeed has, as O'Neill said, a chance to do something that hasn't been done in a long time. But here's a step onto another limb: I'll Have Another won't win the Preakness or the Belmont, and three horses will share the jewels of this Triple Crown. The main reason for such an argument, aside from the sheer improbability of winning any Triple Crown race, is that this group of 3-yearolds has more talent than any one horse can dominate. And some good ones will take on I'll Have Another in Baltimore. Bob Baffert was undecided Sunday morning about Bodemeister. The colt's trainer said he wanted to wait a week and see how the Derby runner-up trains before making a decision. But he's a Preakness possibility, and if Bodemeister runs, he'll probably be the favorite, based on his Derby effort. Although beaten Saturday, he gave a superlative performance, leading through three-quarters of a mile in 1:09.80 and a mile in 1:35.19.

Bodemeister became only the sixth horse in Derby history to run the opening six furlongs under 1:10, and of those only the second to "hit the board," or finish in the top three. (Spend a Buck won the 1985 Derby after opening up a six -length advantage in 1:09.60.) The imagination almost has to wonder and speculate about what might have happened if only the sprinter

Trinniberg, a 44-1 long shot who never had raced beyond seven furlongs, had not been entered in the Derby. Trinniberg pressed the pace before fading to 17th. Baffert has two other Preakness options: Liaison, who rallied to finish sixth Saturday, and Paynter, the runnerup in the Derby Trial. And there are many more Preakness possibilities, such as Dullahan, Went The Day Well and Creative Cause, who all followed Bodemeister across the wire. And Hansen, who chased the rapid pace and held on courageously until the final furlong, where he faded to eighth, will "give it one more shot," according to coowner Kendall Hansen. As good as he was Saturday, I'll Have Another didn't frighten anybody away from Baltimore. "He's not a horse anybody's going to run away from," said Graham Motion about the Derby winner, "not to take anything away from him."

The trainer of Went The Day Well speculated that many could aim at the Preakness. And Went The Day Well, Motion said, might be among them. Other Preakness possibilities include Optimizer, who finished 11th Saturday; Cozzetti, who ran fourth in the Arkansas Derby; Hierro, who won the Derby Trial; Pretension, who won the Canonero II Stakes; The Lumber Guy, who won the Jerome; and Tiger Walk, who ran fourth in the Wood Memorial.

And here's another reason to think I'll Have Another won't have

another Triple Crown jewel.

Saturday, he enjoyed the perfect journey, the dream trip and the fantastic voyage all rolled into a 10-furlong package. Because the pace was so rapid, the field quickly strung itself out, rather than bunch; as a result, I'll Have Another was able to slide closer to the rail and avoid a wide trip from his No. 19 post position. He dropped into the ideal spot, just behind the "Bode-chasers" and the Bodemeister.

Saturday, he enjoyed the perfect journey, the dream trip and the fantastic voyage all rolled into a 10-furlong package. While I'll Have Another had a dream trip, Went The Day Well and Union Rags had nightmarish odysseys that seriously compromised their chances. Bumped at the start, Went The Day Well had to check a sixteenth of a mile into the race and had to check again coming out of the first turn before rallying outside to finish fourth. Union Rags probably had the worst of trips. Bumped and squeezed at the break, he dropped far back early, as jockey Julien Leparoux was content to be 18th. Down the backstretch, Leparoux tried to find racing room by moving Union Rags outside, but was hemmed in by traffic. Advancing inside, he then had to be checked sharply to avoid Daddy Long Legs, who suddenly retreated.

Union Rags rallied with good GIVING page 62

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Curated News Edition

Bills sign Fred Jackson to extension - ESPN (- Bing News)

Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:43:04 PM

Updated: May 7, 2012, 5:42 PM ET Associated Press ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -Wiping his face with a towel, Buffalo Bills running back Fred Jackson apologized for sweating under the hot, bright camera lights at a news conference to announce his contract extension on Monday.

Jackson had better become accustomed to the limelight because he should no longer feel under-appreciated in Buffalo after signing a two-year contract potentially worth $9 million.

"It's a big day," Jackson said. "I'm happy to be here and I'm glad that this is over with and now we can focus on playing football."

For Jackson, the extension is a reward after he's led the team in rushing in each of the past three seasons. And it also eases any lingering hard feelings Jackson might have had toward the Bills after expressing concerns last year that he was underpaid under his previous four-year, $7.5 million contract.

"This is a day to put that to rest," Jackson said. "We don't have to worry about that anymore."

Jackson has one year left under his current deal, and the extension secures him through 2014.

Jackson revealed the length of the new contract. A person familiar with the deal disclosed the monetary terms, speaking on the condition of anonymity because

the Bills had not disclosed the value of the extension.

General manager Buddy Nix lived up to the public promise he made in the media and personally to Jackson that an extension would be reached before the start of training camp.

"We've always said we want to try to keep our good players, and we've done it again today," Nix

said. "He was a huge piece of the puzzle for us."

In five seasons, the former undrafted free agent out of Division III Coe College has 3,794 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns in 66 games, including 38 starts in Buffalo.

And that includes last year when he was being mentioned as an early-season NFL MVP candidate

in helping the Bills get off to a surprising 5-2 start.

That was before Jackson's season ended in mid-November, when he broke a bone in his right leg in a 35-8 loss at Miami. He still finished with six touchdowns and a team-best 934 yards rushing while averaging 5.5 yards a carry.

Jackson has also proved to be dual threat in the passing game,

with 175 catches for 1,535 yards and four touchdowns.

He's the latest member of the Bills self-dubbed "No-Name" offense to be retained by the team after quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, in October, and receiver Stevie Johnson, in March, signed contract BILLS page 61

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BILLS continued from page 60

extensions. And his new deal comes during a busy offseason in which the Bills signed free-agent defensive end Mario Williams to a six-year, $100 million contract in March. “ I'm here to prove to myself that this is where I belong.”-- Bills RB Fred Jackson on new contract The moves have inspired a bona fide belief among the Bills that they have a chance to be competitors next season in a bid to end a 12-year playoff drought.

"I'm excited to sign the extension to stay here because I feel like something special is about to go down, and I want to be part of it," Jackson said.

Fitzpatrick was so excited by the latest move, he showed up at the news conference wearing a T-shirt featuring Jackson and the slogan the running back has earned in Buffalo: "Fred-Ex Delivers."

"For him to be locked up here for years to come is awesome," Fitzpatrick said. "He obviously means a lot to our team, he means a lot to the city of Buffalo and the fans."

Jackson's past has been an inspiration to his teammates, and a reason why he's regarded as one of the Bills' unquestioned leaders.

Undrafted coming out of college, Jackson spent two years at the arena football league level, where he was a star for Sioux City of the U.S. Indoor Football League before catching the Bills attention.

He spent the 2006 season on Buffalo's practice squad before making the active roster the following year. Jackson got his chance to shine during the 2009 season when an injury sidelined starter Marshawn Lynch.

Though at 31, Jackson is regarded as old by NFL running back standards, he's comparatively fresh because of

his late start.

And a new contract isn't going to change his mindset, especially considering he's coming off an injury.

"I'm here to prove to myself that this is where I belong," said Jackson, who has been cleared for practice. "It'll be another challenge, and I love challenges, so I look forward to getting out there and continuing to play well."

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Chaplain: Seau family revisiting brain donation - msnbc.com

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Orange County Register (Bing News)

The 43-year-old Seau committed suicide Wednesday at his home in suburban Oceanside. He played parts of 20 seasons in the NFL, Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:14:26 PM SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Junior including 13 with the Chargers.

Seau's family is revisiting its At least two groups of decision to donate the former researchers have been studying N F L l i n e b a c k e r ' s b r a i n f o r athletes' brains for signs of research into football-related chronic traumatic encephalopathy. injuries.

Officials from the Boston C h a r g e r s c h a p l a i n S h a w n University Center for the Study of Mitchell said Sunday that the CTE expressed their condolences family, which is of Samoan to Seau's family but said they do descent, is consulting with a not comment on individual cases. group of elders on a number of More matters.

Seau honored with paddle-out He said it doesn't necessarily This entry passed through the mean that the family won't donate Full-Text RSS service — if this is Seau's brain for research. your content and you're reading it " T h e y r e a l l y w a n t t o d o on someone else's site, please read everything right," Mitchell said. the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentThe medical examiner's office only/faq.php#publishers. Five said Friday it was awaiting a Filters recommends: Donate to decision by the family on whether Wikileaks. to turn over Seau's brain to unidentified outside researchers for study.

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GIVING continued from page 59

energy, though, but to finish seventh. That last quarter-mile of the Derby provided another reason to think there won't be a Triple Crown winner this year. I'll Have Another ran the final quarter -mile in 25.99 seconds. That enabled him to catch and pass a dead-tired Bodemeister, who ran the final quarter-mile in 26.94, but it didn't suggest there's a Belmont Stakes victory in I'll Have Another's future. Some Derby horses, though, did look Belmontbound. Dullahan, who also found some trouble along the way, rallied outside with a final quarter -mile in about 25.79. Finally clear but still having to alter course, Union Rags came home in 25.44.

But Went The Day Well was the

most impressive Derby horse down the stretch, finishing in 24.84 and then galloping out strongly beyond the wire to join, but not pass, the winner. So will there be a Triple Crown winner?

Of course there can be, and Warren Buffet might become passionate about the tango, too.

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Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:19:53 PM

9NEWS.com Floyd Mayweather Jr. Launches Shoe Design Contest ( PHOTOS) Huffington Post AFP PHOTO/Robyn BECK ( Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images) Floyd Mayweather listens during a press conference with Miguel Cotto on May 2, 2012 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Mayweather takes on Cotto for

Need for Speed and Dead Space titles coming by March 2013

Richard Mitchell (Joystiq) Submitted at 5/7/2012 6:00:00 PM

Botanicula, the latest from Machinarium developer Amanita Design, has finally planted itself on Steam for PC and Mac. In addition, those willing to snag the organic adventure before 10:00am Pacific on May 14 can do so for Jessica Conditt (Joystiq) titles for the year. only$8.99, a buck off the usual Need for Speed: Most Wanted 2 Submitted at 5/7/2012 5:25:00 PM and Dead Space 3 were listed in $9.99 price tag. Seems only fitting EA has new Dead Space and April by South African retailer that buying Botanicula should save you a little green, right?

Need for Speed titles in the works BT Games. for the coming year, ending Need for Speed and Dead Space Botanicula puts down roots on March 31, 2013, it announced titles coming by March 2013 S t e a m , 1 0 % o f f o r i g i n a l l y the WBA Super World...

PHOTOS: Mayweather v. Cotto during a financial call today. originally appeared on Joystiq on appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 "Need for Speed" is listed on EA's Mon, 07 May 2012 17:25:00 EST. May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please 9NEWS.com Justin Bieber's Clean Cut Mentor f i n a n c i a l r e s u l t s s l i d e s h o w Please see our terms for use of see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink| Email this| Comments Is Heading To Jail? ( PHOTOS) scheduled for Q3 of FY 2013, feeds. which places it around October Permalink| Email this| Comments Global Grind Photos: Mayweather, Cotto, 2012. EA mentioned Dead Space Alvarez, Mosley — and Bieber among its coming "blockbuster" and 50 Cent Las Vegas Weekly (blog) BallerStatus.comMMAmania.com all 497 news articles »

Floyd Mayweather Jr. Launches Shoe Design Contest (PHOTOS) - Huffington Post (news photos - Google News)

Botanicula puts down roots on Steam, 10% off

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EA 2012 financials: Q4 revenue and income up year-over-year, 2012 revenue up, income down

Gaming/ News Photos

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Kodak online photos going to Shutterfly in July - USA TODAY (news photos - Google News) Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:09:20 PM

USA TODAY Kodak online photos going to Shutterfly in July Submitted at 5/7/2012 5:05:00 PM USA TODAY Publishing giant Electronic Arts Paul Sakuma, AP Paul Sakuma, has issued its financial results for AP NEW YORK (AP) — Kodak the fourth fiscal quarter of 2012 will close its online photo service and fiscal 2012 as a whole, and on July 2 after a federal wouldn't you know it, a year with bankruptcy judge approved a new Mass Effect game results in selling the business to Shutterfly revenue totals that are much for $23.8 million. Shutterfly Inc. higher than years without Mass emerged last month as the sole Effect games. bidder...

Looking at just the fourth quarter Kodak to transfer online photos of 2012, EA's total net revenue to Shutterfly in July after judge stacked up at $1.36 billion, a 24 approves $24... Washington Post percent increase over the $1.09 Net income for the period was over-year ($4.14 billion in fiscal 2012.

What to do with Kodak Gallery billion reported at the end of this also up year-over-year, $400 2012 vs. $3.58 billion in fiscal EA 2012 financials: Q4 revenue photos CBS News same period last year. Net revenue million for the period ending on 2011), net income fell 263 and income up year-over-year, all 110 news articles Âť generated from digital sales nearly March 31, 2012 as compared with percent, from $276 million in 2012 revenue up, income down doubled year-over-year, $419 $151 million for the same period fiscal 2011 to just $76 million in originally appeared on Joystiq on million in Q4 2012 as opposed to in 2011. Naturally, EA contributes fiscal 2012.

Mon, 07 May 2012 17:05:00 EST. $211 million in Q4 2011 - a 98 its successful fourth quarter to the Looking forward to fiscal 2013, Please see our terms for use of percent increase. release of Mass Effect 3 and the EA expects an approximate net feeds.

Packaged good still made up the continued popularity of FIFA 12. revenue of $4.07 billion, $950 Permalink| Email this| Comments m a j o r i t y o f t h e p u b l i s h e r ' s Fiscal 2012 as a whole presents a million of which it expects to earn r e v e n u e , h o w e v e r , a t $ 9 4 9 slightly different story - while net during the first fiscal quarter of million, up from $879 in Q4 2011. revenue was up 15 percent year- 2013, which ends on June 30, Jordan Mallory (Joystiq)

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River of News -- FTW! (Dave Winer's "Scripting News" weblog) Submitted at 5/7/2012 9:40:09 AM

I had no idea how Jason Pontin's piece, Why Publishers Don't Like Apps, would end, but it was a riveting story, for a guy like me, who believes that what comes first in news is what's new.

I don't think that fancy layout trumps newness. The name "news" tells you what's important about news. Newness. So if you follow that clue, it leads you to the obvious conclusion that news should present first the newest bits we have. What's next? The second newest bits. And third, fourth and so on.

In math we call this induction. If something is true for the 1st item and if it being true for item N means it's also true for item N+1 you've now proven your theorum.

In tech it's called design. When you've found the design that covers 90-plus percent of the usecases you've got a winner.

News is one of those things that is that simple. But it takes people a while to get there if they don't allocate the time to take walks in the park and think about this stuff in an organized way. Maybe, as Steve Jobs said, it helps to have dropped acid when you were young.

Pontin has discovered the truth of rivers. He says that Flipboard is an RSS reader. It is! And if you want to do RSS for news the best way to go is rivers.

Why do the Flipboards of the world get the attention from tech execs, VCs, users and the press? It has always been thus. Hypercard was more popular with editors than outliners. They always go for the flashy bits. They think that a glittery carousel is how information should work, ignoring that history hasn't worked that way. Books don't win because of flash. They win because they're readable. It's the words that provide the excitement. Anything that gets in the way is going by the wayside.

Okay so I feel slightly vindicated here. Now while I have your attention, let me point in the next direction. Once you have a river,

do something bold and daring.

Add the feeds of your favorite bloggers and share the resulting flow with your readers. Let your community compete for readership. And let them feel a stronger bond to you. Then when you learn about that, do some more. (And btw, you're now competing, effectively with your competitors, Facebook and Twitter. Don't kid yourselves, these guys are moving in your direction. You have to move in theirs and be independent of them.

Or be crushed.)

I wish I could work with the teams of the best publications. If that could happen, we'd kick ass.

But I'm here on the sidelines giving advice that you guys take on very very slowly. It's frustrating, because it's been clear that rivers are the way to go, to me, for a very long time. A lot of ground has been lost in the publishing business while we wait. There's a lot of running room in front of this idea. We can move quickly, if publishers have the will.

PS: The new EC2 for Poets tutorial gets you all the way through a River. Takes a few minutes. And it's free for a year if you're a new Amazon customer.

Video: Touch-Sensitive Doorknobs Could Lock or Unlock With the Curl of a Finger Dan Nosowitz (Popular Science - New Technology, Science News, The Future Now)

including doorknobs, water, and, well, people, without having to stick a layer of sensors on top, like you have to with regular Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:13:23 PM Doorknob Touch Disney Labs capacitive touchscreens. The team Researchers from Carnegie used the example of a person Mellon University and Disney wearing a sensor wristband, able Research, which is the lab arm of to detect gestures and relay them the Disney Company that focuses to smartphones. on computer animation and A better example might be the interactivity, among other things, doorknob. If outfitted with these have worked out a new version of sensors, you could communicate capacitive sensors--the same a l l k i n d s o f c o m m a n d s b y s e n s o r s u s e d i n m o d e r n touching the knob in different smartphones and tablets. This ways--using your pinkie and version is able to detect touch in index finger, for example, might much more detail, like identifying mean "unlock." (An older sensor which finger you've used to tap it. would only be able to interpret The project is called TouchĂŠ, and that command as "two points of it differs from regular capacitive entry," rather than identifying the touch in that it can sense electrical individual fingers.) signals "across a broad range of We do wonder what it would frequencies." (Typical capacitive make of the capacitive nose sensors can only detect one.) It's extender, though. also apparently easy to implement sensors onto all kinds of items,

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We Asked Our Readers Why They Love the Samsung Galaxy Note Dan Nosowitz (Popular Science - New Technology, Science News, The Future Now)

Galaxy Notes see that we supposed professional reviewers do not? To find out, I talked to a few Note owners and lovers.

Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:02:23 PM Big Phones Dan Bracaglia I I have average-to-small hands, didn't care for the Galaxy Note at and I use my phone one-handed all--too big, unable to be either a for just about everything, so any great phone or a great tablet. But phone with a screen larger than it's been a huge success. Here's about four inches--4.3 at the very why largest--just doesn't work well for Nobody expected the enormous, me. I can't have a big area in an 5.3-inch Samsung Galaxy Note to upper corner that is completely be anything more than a joke. out of reach of my thumb. Also, Many gadget reviewers hate big- when you get into a toboggan of a screened phones. When I first saw phone like the Galaxy Note, you it, all I could think was "cheese have the curious problem of board." "Is that the Note? It looks scaling the entire operating absurd," said our Web Editor system: Android has enough J o h n . S a m B i d d l e o v e r a t trouble making apps look good on Gizmodo called the Note a 3.7-inch phones and 4.3-inch "distended LED baking sheet," phones. A 5.3-inch phone? Many amongst lots of other creative apps look terrible. things.

"Using the phone with two hands Now, two and a half months comes pretty natural after a later, the Note has sold well over while." The people I talked to 5 million units, making it a generally had very different legitimate hit. You can bet HTC concerns than I did. Tim Gray and Motorola and LG will all was an iPhone 3GS user who make a competitor--HTC's has needed to replace his phone. He'd already been heavily rumored-- also been shopping around for a and last week, Samsung unveiled tablet or an ebook reader, looking that its new flagship line, the at the Nook Simpletouch or an Samsung Galaxy S III, would iPad, but the price for both was a have a huge 4.8-inch screen, to little too high. Tim has a long the dismay of myself and many regional-rail commute to work, other gadget writers. and the Note fulfills his need for What do the people buying both a phone and an ebook reader.

(It may not be particularly good at either, in my mind--I find dedicated readers like the Nook Simpletouch and Kindle a much more pleasant reading experience, and I find smaller phones like the iPhone or HTC One S much easier to use as phones--but that is a totally reasonable compromise.)

Tim keeps his Note in the inside pocket of his jacket when he's

wearing one, or in a messenger bag when it gets too warm for jackets.

Jayesh Mansukhani said that "portability is not an issue in my eyes." He says it slips fairly easily into his pocket, and that while retrieving it "can be a bit of a challenge," it's "nothing major," especially compared to what he likes about the phone: watching

videos (valid!), editing documents (also valid!), and web browsing (good point!).

But what about one-handed navigation? How do you scroll through a cached Twitter feed while clutching the handrail on the subway? "I don't lament the loss of the one-handed navigation as much as I thought I would," said Tim. "Using the phone with two hands comes pretty natural after a while."

I'm not saying you shouldn't listen to gadget reviewers. We generally do know our stuff pretty well. But this is an excellent reminder that reviews are subjective. We try to think outside ourselves a bit, but it's still a review, by a person. My opinion, living in Brooklyn, owning a Kindle, wearing jeans unable to accomodate a phone this size, riding a crowded-ass subway and checking my phone every twelve seconds? The Galaxy Note is not for me, and the Galaxy S III is way too big. But not everyone will agree. And that's important to remember.

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Nanocomposite Cavity Filler Reverses Decay, Killing Bacteria and Regenerating Tooth Structure Clay Dillow (Popular Science New Technology, Science News, The Future Now) Submitted at 5/7/2012 2:12:32 PM

Fighting Tooth Decay U.S. Navy Dentists may soon be getting a potent new weapons with which to wage the global fight against cavities. The University of Maryland has developed a novel new nanocomposite material that can be used not only as filling for cavities, but that will also kill any remaining bacteria in the tooth and regenerate the actual structure lost to decay.

The nanocomposite is made up of silver nanoparticles and calcium phosphate nanoparticles, both of which are piped into the tooth as

filler for a cavity. The silver nanoparticles along with a few other ingredients in the material kill off whatever bacteria is still lingering inside the tooth, paving the way for the calcium phosphate to regenerate tooth minerals. Over

time, the tooth strengthens again.

But as IEEE Spectrum notes, the silver nanoparticles could prove to be problematic, and this is probably why this treatment is offered as a cavity filling rather than a toothpaste or mouthwash.

Silver nanoparticles aren't totally understood, and there have been some concerns voiced about the potential risks and perils associated with ingesting the stuff. The nanocomposite is currently undergoing both human and animal testing right now, hopefully with an eye toward clarifying and alleviating any health concerns. If the composite can pass muster, dentists everywhere can get down to the business of rolling back the clock on cavities. [ IEEE Spectrum]

Even A Small Slowdown In Obesity's Rise Would Save Big Money (Shots - Health Blog) Submitted at 5/7/2012 10:49:00 AM

iStockphoto.com Slowing the rising rates of obesity in this country by just 1 percent a year over the next two decades would slice the costs of health care by $85 billion.

Keep obesity rates where they are now — well below a 33 percent increase that's been expected by EVEN page 67

Picture of the Day: Mitt Romney Is a Celtic David A. Graham (Politics : The Atlantic) Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:16:05 PM

It says so right there on the towel in his hands. Getty Images Taking a quick break from campaigning, Mitt and Ann Romney headed to the Boston Garden ahem, "TD Garden"

Sunday night to catch the Celtics and Atlanta Hawks square off in the NBA playoffs. The Celtics beat the pants off the Hawks, so perhaps the former governor is something of a good-luck charm.

On the other hand, he's likely to win Georgia and lose Massachusetts in November. In a Heat game the night before his any case, he was wise not to go to jaunt to Northeast Ohio -- feelings

there are still a bit raw from LeBron James' departure. Here's another photo, in which he looks like he's about to abducted by a spaceship: Reuters This article available online at: http://www.theatlantic.com/ politics/archive/2012/05/pictureof-the-day-mitt-romney-is-a-celtic /256844/

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EVEN continued from page 66

some — and the savings would hit nearly $550 billion over the same 20 years.

Those are two attention-grabbing conclusions from an analysis released this morning at the Weight of the Nation conference in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Researchers from Duke University, RTI International and CDC prepared the analysis, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

It's the latest work that shows the health care costs associated with obesity, and the stark financial consequence of the epidemic.

In the new study, researchers estimate that obesity will continue to rise and will affect 42 percent of adults by 2030. (Obesity represents a body mass index score, a ratio of weight to height, of 30 or higher. Separate estimates for children aren't calculated.)

That projection reflects recent evidence that obesity has leveled

off in some groups. So it's lower than an earlier estimate that just over half of the nation's adults would be obese by 2030. It also factors in conditions in the states that can affect the prevalence of obesity, such as unemployment, the availability of fast food, and price differences between healthful and less healthful food items.

While increases in obesity may have slowed some, the health trends still bode poorly — especially for people who are roughly 100 pounds overweight, with body mass index scores of 40 or higher.

That rapidly growing group of severely obese people, who have the most medical problems and incur the highest health care costs, will rise from about 5 percent of the population now to 11 percent by 2030, researchers suggest.

The findings are meant to be a call to action, as experts gathered at the CDC conference consider how best to to combat obesity, a public health problem that affects

about 78 million adults and 12.5 million children and adolescents.

Proven interventions are now available. "We know more than ever about the most successful strategies that will help Americans live healthier, more active lives and reduce obesity rates and medical costs," said Dr. William H. Dietz, director of the CDC's division of nutrition, physical activity and obesity, in a prepared statement.

The fight won't be cheap. Still, the new study from Duke, RTI and CDC researchers shows that even a small dent in obesity rates could pay off.

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Catch and Release: U.S. Secretly Releasing Afghan Prisoners for Promises of Peace (The Feed) Submitted at 5/7/2012 8:06:46 AM

Via Washington Post: The United States has for several years been secretly releasing highlevel detainees from a military prison in Afghanistan as part of negotiations with insurgent groups, a bold effort to quell violence but one that U.S. officials acknowledge poses substantial risks. As the United States has unsuccessfully pursued a peace deal with the Taliban, the “strategic release” program has quietly served as a live diplomatic channel, allowing American officials to use prisoners as bargaining chips in restive provinces where military power has reached its limits. But the releases are an inherent gamble: The freed detainees are often notorious fighters who would not be released under the traditional legal system for military prisoners in Afghanistan. They must

promise to give up violence — and U.S. officials warn them that if they are caught attacking American troops, they will be detained once again. . .

Brilliant. . .— Greg Pollowitz This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.

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François Hollande’s Campaign Promises Could Jeopardize NATO’s Transition Strategy Luke Coffey (The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation) Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:30:52 PM

Francois Hollande, Socialist candidate to the French presidential election, celebrated his victory in Place de la Bastille French President-elect François Hollande campaigned on bringing all French troops home from Afghanistan by the end of the year. Therefore, if this election promise is kept, NATO will have a gap of 3,300 troops to fill in an important area of Afghanistan during an important stage of the campaign.

Currently, the French have around 3,300 troops in Afghanistan located in the relatively peaceful but geographically important Kapisa Province between Kabul and the Pakistani border.

After a rogue Afghan soldier killed four French soldiers and wounded another 16 in January, Afghanistan became an important campaign issue during the French presidential elections. In order to placate public opinion—which is strongly against the war in Afghanistan—President Nicholas Sarkozy flew to Kabul and promised to pullout 1,000 troops

instead of the originally planned 600 by the end of 2012, with the rest of French troops leaving the country by the end of 2013.

Hollande has been a strong opponent of the war in Afghanistan. Only last week he stated: “I believe that, without taking any risks for our troops, it is the right thing to withdraw our combat troops by the end of

2012.” However, the phrase “without taking any risks for our troops” leaves Hollande a bit of flexibility. Considering it is already May, it is unlikely that a full withdrawal of French troops and their equipment could be carried out by end of 2012 without taking huge risks to the safety of the French troops.

It has been pointed out that the

French military also has to bring home 1,500 containers filled with equipment as well as 1,200 vehicles, including 500 heavily armored vehicles and 14 helicopters. These numbers are likely to be on the conservative side. Considering that most of the withdrawal will have to be carried out during the height of the summer fighting season, a full

withdrawal of French troops will be very risky if the end of 2012 deadline is to be met.

Furthermore, an early French withdrawal presents three immediate problems for NATO. First is the security vacuum that a sudden withdrawal of 3,300 troops would create. This is especially true in a strategically important part of Afghanistan that has been described as the gateway to Kabul.

Secondly, a French withdrawal from Kapisa would also present a political problem with NATO’s transition strategy. NATO troops should end combat operations only in districts and provinces that have transitioned to Afghan security lead. To date, no single district in Kapisa has been selected as part of the transition process. France should not set a precedent by withdrawing troops outside the NATO transition plan.

Thirdly, many European countries are coming under considerable public and political pressure to leave Afghanistan. An early French withdrawal is likely to provide political top cover for other European countries to follow suit. This could jeopardize FRANÇOIS page 69

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America’s Political Leaders Cannot Repeat History Again Brian Slattery (The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation)

incorrect when a few years later, U.S. troops were in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

More unsettling is the fact that Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:17:52 PM “The impact of this decline is no when the U.S. pulled out of longer invisible. Far too many of Vietnam in the 1970s, the military t h e m i l i t a r y ’ s t o p p r i o r i t y fell into a “ hollow force” where d e v e l o p m e n t p r o g r a m s a r e small-scale missions could barely experiencing schedule delays and be performed because resources development risks which are and manpower were stretched so attributed mainly to a lack of thin. This culminated in the tragic adequate funding, not technical failed rescue attempt of American problems—funding problems.” hostages in Iran in 1980.

The above quote paints a startling Yet little more than a decade was picture of the state of American all it took for U.S. political security forces today. Yet the leadership to forget such tragic statement was made 13 years ago results of undercutting defense. b y t h e n - C o n g r e s s m a n C u r t Shortly after President Clinton Weldon (R–PA). Recent across- took office, his Administration the-board defense cuts resemble took swift action to dismantle the those during the Clinton robust forces developed A d m i n i s t r a t i o n ’ s “ p e a c e throughout the 1980s. Before dividend,” when the government Congress in 1998, former U.S. looted national security accounts Army Chief of Staff General to achieve fiscal goals. The Gordon Sullivan said, “Smaller is military drawdown of the ‘90s not better; better is better.… We was furthermore predicated on the did not foresee the scope of the belief that the U.S. would not unstable world and the islands of engage in a large-scale military instability in which the United operation for the foreseeable States of America is using force, future. This proved doubly nor did we see the consistency or

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NATO’s transition strategy.

Hollande will soon have to face his counterparts at the NATO summit in Chicago later this month. He should do the responsible thing and keep French troops in Afghanistan until Kapisa is ready to transition to the Afghans. Otherwise, a reckless t h e m a g n i t u d e o f t h e s e rush for the exit could have employments.” It is worth noting dangerous consequences—not that the “employments” here refer only for French troops but also for to operations like those in Kosovo NATO’s strategy. or Bosnia and Herzegovina, This entry passed through the which are nowhere near the size or scope of operations in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Today, the writing is on the wall, but it is unclear who is reading it.

America cannot take another holiday from sustaining its military. The U.S. continues to have the greatest military in the world, but drastic cuts to defense are jeopardizing that title. The Administration and Congress need to learn from the past and Joel Wellum (The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog u p h o l d t h e i r c o n s t i t u t i o n a l from The Heritage Foundation) responsibility to provide for the Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:30:29 PM common defense.

This entry passed through the Since the ratification of the Full-Text RSS service — if this is C o n s t i t u t i o n , t h o u s a n d s o f your content and you're reading it constitutional amendments have on someone else's site, please read been proposed, but only 27 have the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content- survived the process of Article V. only/faq.php#publishers. Five Out of these, the most well known Filters recommends: Donate to are the first 10, also known as the Bill of Rights. Interestingly, 12 Wikileaks. amendments were originally proposed, including one on congressional compensation. This proposal later became our 27th amendment, which celebrates its 20th anniversary today. This amendment boasts the longest

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The Missing Amendment in the Bill of Rights ratification process of any amendment—200 years!

Under the Compensation Clause, Congress has the power to control its own salary. The AntiFederalists and others at the stateratifying conventions rightly objected to the danger of allowing this power. In response, James Madison proposed a compensation amendment stating that pay increases would apply only to the next Congress. It read:“No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election MISSING page 70

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of representatives shall have intervened.”

This change allowed the voters to force Congress to justify their pay increases through an election.

Both the House and Senate approved the proposal and sent it (along with 11 other proposed amendments) to the states. The states ratified only 10 of these, now known as the Bill of Rights, but the compensation amendment remained in limbo until the 1980s.

In the early 1980s, a Texas undergraduate student’s term paper renewed the ratification effort. Arguing that the amendment’s ratification was still pending, the student raised

continued from page 70

support across the country on the amendment’s behalf. At the beginning of his campaign, only seven states had ratified the amendment, but thanks to his efforts, Michigan became the final 38th state to ratify the amendment in 1992. Not only do his efforts illustrate how one citizen can make a difference in the political process, but it also ensures that Congress remains accountable to the people.

Joel Wellum is currently a member of the Young Leaders Program at the Heritage Foundation. For more information on interning at Heritage, please visit: http://www.heritage.org/

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organizing Rio+Social: the United Nations Foundation, Mashable and the 92nd Street Y. Rio+Social will also be made possible with generous support and innovative leadership from Ericsson, Energias de Portugal and LiveAD. We can’t wait to meet our community in Brazil at our first event — and the first event of its kind — in South America. If you can’t make it to Brazil, Rio+Social promises to provide Zoe Fox (Mashable!) opportunities for citizens and Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:24:36 PM leaders around the world to jointly find ways to harness the power of Mashable is thrilled to announce social media and technology to t h a t w e ’ l l b e c o - h o s t i n g Rio+Social on June 19, during the MASHABLE page 71 historic UN’s Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20.

Rio+Social, a one-day event in Rio de Janeiro, will explore how social media and technology can play a pivotal role in creating sustainable solutions for the future of the planet. The day will be an packaging. The certification may o p p o r t u n i t y t o p u s h t h e also be mentioned in advertising conversations of government leaders being held at Rio+20 materials.

What do you think MasterCard beyond the UN conference to a has planned? Let us know your digitally connected audience around the world. thoughts in the comments.

M o r e A b o u t : C T I A 2 0 1 2 , When the UN met in Rio for the mastercard, mobile payments first Earth Summit 20 years ago, technology was hardly a part of For more Mobile coverage: • Follow Mashable Mobile on the development conversation.

Today, we know digital Twitter innovation can be used for • Become a Fan on Facebook • Subscribe to the Mobile channel anything from ending energy • Download our free apps for poverty to improving education.

Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad The same founders of the annual Social Good Summit are MASHABLE page 70

MasterCard Unveils ‘The Future of Payments’ [LIVE] Emily Price (Mashable!)

mobile strategy.

Earlier Monday, MasterCard Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:50:06 PM unveiled its Mobile Payments MasterCard is unveiling what it Readiness Index (MPRI), an calls “the future of payments for analysis of 34 countries and their c o n s u m e r s , m e r c h a n t s a n d readiness to use mobile payments. partners” at the CTIA Wireless The index identified Singapore, conference in New Orleans Canada, the United States, Kenya Monday. We’re streaming the and South Korea as the most whole thing live exclusively on prepared markets.

Mashable starting at 6:00 p.m.

MasterCard also recently EST, 3:00 p.m. PST. unveiled a new brand identifier Since the conference is held by called “MasterCard PayPass the Cellular Telecommunications Ready” that certifies several NFCIndustry Association (CTIA), it’s capable phones including the LG a g o o d b e t M a s t e r C a r d ’ s Viper, HTC One X, and Samsung announcement about the future of Galaxy Nexus, as tested and payments will have focus on its certified by MasterCard for use

with its PayPass technology.

Near-Field Communication (NFC) allows data to be transferred by tapping a phone on the surface. In the case of mobile payments, payments can be made by tapping your NFC-capable phone at a merchant rather than handing over your credit card.

SEE ALSO: Near Field Communication: A Quick Guide To The Future Of Mobile Phones that have received the “PayPass Ready” certification may be branded as such via a sticker or marking on the device’s

Mashable Is Heading to Brazil for Rio+Social

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35 Million Users Later, Twitpic Launches its First App

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shape the future we all wish to see. You can join the Rio+Social conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

The following speakers will share their insights on leveraging digital tools for social good. Stay turned for more exciting updates on speakers and programming. We’ll Sarah Kessler (Mashable!)

Instagram before Facebook made be opening up registration soon!

• Pete Cashmore, founder and its $1 billion deal.

Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:34:45 PM “Our goal is just to provide the CEO, Mashable Twitpic, a service that puts best possible product for our • Ted Turner, founder and photos on Twitter before Twitter users,” he says. “As far as trying chairman, UN Foundation itself let you do that, launched its t o p o s i t i o n o u r s e l v e s f o r • Hans Vestberg, president and first mobile app on Monday. acquisition by any particular CEO of Ericsson The free iPhone app lets users service, that’s not our focus.” • Leonardo Tristao, business edit photos and add filters before Even though Twitter’s native Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, director, Facebook Latin America • Fabien Cousteau, ocean posting them to Twitter. Twitpic s e r v i c e h a s u n s u r p r i s i n g l y vesilvio. eclipsed Twitpic, Everett says the founder Noah Everett says that a More About: instagram, twitpic, explorer and founder, Plant a Fish • Luciano Huck, TV host and similar Android app will be app has more than 35 million Twitter president, Instituto Criar de TV, released within the next month. users on third-party devices.

For more Business coverage: Photo-sharing app Instagram, Founded in 2008, Twitpic • Follow Mashable Business on Cinema e Novas Mídias • Florian Jürgs, co-founder and provides the API that powers which was recently acquired by Twitter CEO, and Thorsten König, cop h o t o s h a r i n g i n a p p s l i k e Facebook, has about 50 million • Become a Fan on Facebook Tweetbot. Twitter launched its users.

• Subscribe to the Business founder and CMO, KUULUU • António Mexia, CEO, EDP own photo-sharing service last So why is Twitpic launching its channel year with Photobucket as its own app now? Everett says it’s • Download our free apps for • Maura O’Neill, chief innovation hosting partner, but sharing via not to make his company a better Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad Twitpic is still an option in its acquisition target for Twitter, which reportedly wanted to buy mobile apps.

officer, USAID • René Silva, founder, Voz das Comunidades • Fabio Barbosa, CEO, Abril Group • Dr. Gro Brundtland, former prime minister of Norway, director-deneral emeritus, World Health Organization Image courtesy of iStockphoto, JohanSjolander More About: environment, Events, Rio plus social, Social Good, sustainability, United Nations For more Social Good coverage: • Follow Mashable Social Good on Twitter • Become a Fan on Facebook • Subscribe to the Social Good channel • Download our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

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Politicians Are In Fact Supposed to Know What's Best For Us Wendy Kaminer (Politics : The Atlantic) Submitted at 5/7/2012 1:49:00 PM

Scott Brown's attack against Elizabeth Warren's 'elitism' is illogical, but -- alas -- will play well on the campaign trail.

Associated Press Unlike Harvard, Adolph Hitler might not have cared that Elizabeth Warren's great-greatgreat grandmother was Cherokee; he might not have deemed her impure. The Nuremberg race laws reached only as far back as grandparents in determining crucial percentages of Jewish "blood." But yesterday's damning impurities are today's proud emblems of diversity, so Harvard Law School once listed Warren as Native American.

It's not her fault that Harvard has no shame. Warren convincingly claims that she did not invoke her distant ancestry in seeking a job at the law school and did not know that Harvard had invoked it. That she once listed herself as a minority is not surprising, considering the ubiquitous, often obligatory questions about race on so many, too many, official forms, requiring us to check off boxes that indicate our racial or ethnic heritage. But having handled the controversy clumsily, Warren is being caricatured as a faux

affirmative action hire. Now, in addition to being smeared as an intellectual elitist, too smart for her own good, she's being smeared as not smart enough.

It will be difficult to persuade voters that Warren is deficient intellectually, but she may suffer long-term harm by the association with affirmative action, considered by some an elitist attack on a racially neutral meritocracy. The details of this story will fade, but perhaps not

before reinforcing her alleged elitism and undermining her logcabin story with a key voting bloc: union households that Warren has to win back after they went Republican two years ago.

He's running against intellectualism. He spits out the word "professor" like an epithet.

Brown is running against elitism, however nonsensically he defines it. Scott Brown and Warren are both wealthy members of the nation's elite, and neither was

born into it. But Brown's implicit charge that Warren traded on her distant Cherokee ancestry is, in effect, a charge that she is not self -made, that she advanced by using an "elitist" racial preference. To key voters who take the affirmative action fracas seriously, she may stand as a rebuke, not a tribute, to the proverbial American dream that Republicans promise to restore.

It should go without saying (but obviously doesn't) that Warren's

identification with her distant Native American ancestry and Harvard's affirmative action subterfuge have nothing to do with the central question confronting voters in November: How will she and Brown vote on issues of most concern to them? If targeted, uncommitted voters judge the candidates' respective elitism by their respective records on income inequality, consumer POLITICIANS page 75

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Revealed: CIA foils airplane bomb plot by Al Qaeda in Yemen timed to coincide with OBL anniversary Allahpundit (Hot Air » Top Picks) Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:50:27 PM

posted at 4:50 pm on May 7, 2012 by Allahpundit The good news? Apparently our intel in Yemen is sharp enough that this guy was picked up before he’d even chosen a target.

The bad news? The bomb is a more sophisticated version of the underwear device worn by Abdulmutallab in his failed attempt on Christmas Day 2009.

Which is to say, no one’s sure yet whether those fancy new TSA scanners would have picked this thing up had the bomber tried to board a plane in the U.S. The FBI is examining the latest bomb to see whether it could have passed through airport security and brought down an airplane, officials said. They said the device did not contain metal, meaning it probably could have passed through an airport metal detector. But it was not clear whether new body scanners used in many airports would have detected it…

The operation unfolded even as the White House and Department

of Homeland Security assured the American public that they knew of no al-Qaida plots against the U.S. around the anniversary of bin Laden’s death. The AP learned about the thwarted plot last week but agreed to White House and CIA requests not to publish it immediately because the sensitive intelligence operation was still under way. Once officials said those concerns were allayed, the AP decided to disclose the plot Monday despite requests from the Obama administration to wait for an official announcement Tuesday…

It’s not clear who built the bomb, but, because of its sophistication and its similarity to the Christmas bomb, authorities suspected it was the work of master bomb maker Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri. Al-Asiri constructed the first underwear bomb and two others that alQaida built into printer cartridges and shipped to the U.S. on cargo planes in 2010.

Not the only recent U.S. intel coup in Yemen: Just last night, news broke that one of the plotters in the U.S.S. Cole bombing was hit with a missile while stepping out of his car in a southern part of

the country. Ten days before that, WaPo reported that Obama had greenlit the use of“signature strikes” by CIA drones in Yemen for cases in which the target is a suspected jihadi but his identity isn’t known. I’m curious to hear more about how they nabbed the airplane plotter. Assuming any details are forthcoming, that’ll give us more of a clue about U.S. intel’s reach inside the country.

Stand by for updates.

Update: Obama was briefed on the plot sometime in April. If you’re wondering why the White House didn’t mention it during Bin Laden week, follow the link up top and read the AP piece. The AP learned of it last week but kept quiet about it because the operation to grab the bomber was still under way. Only now was it safe to report.

Update: NRO’s Greg Pollowitz raises a good question on Twitter: Where’s the bomber now and how is he being interrogated?

Update: One question mark is the bomber. The other is the bombmaker: It’s unclear who built the bomb, but the device does bear similarities to other explosive

devices built by master bombmaker Ibrahim al-Asiri. However, Asiri may not have been directly involved in this plot.

According to one official, there is“evidence that Asiri has passed along his bomb-making knowledge to others.” The official would not say whether Asiri or an apprentice were involved in this plot.

In an exclusive meeting, a senior U.S. intelligence official told NBC News that Asiri posed the single most dangerous threat to the United States.

According to the official, Asiri is the most capable of carrying out al-Qaida’s threat to launch a significant terrorist attack to kill Americans inside the United States.

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Jake Tapper to Carney: How about you cut the crap and admit that Obama supports gay marriage?

Allahpundit (Hot Air » Top Picks) Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:05:51 PM

posted at 4:05 pm on May 7, 2012 by Allahpundit Via the Examiner, what are the odds that Joe Biden and Arne Duncan and, oh, 99.9 percent of the rest of the liberal intelligentsia support legalizing gay marriage but The One doesn’t? It’s getting harder every day to sustain this charade, which is why Axelrod is suddenly eager to change the subject: Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod on Monday pivoted sharply to Mitt Romney’s views on gay marriage when reporters pressed him on the president’s stance on the issue.

On a conference call with reporters, Axelrod said there’s a “clear distinction” between Obama’s views on gay-rights issues and the presumptive GOP nominee’s views.

“There couldn’t be a starker contrast on this issue than with Gov. Romney, who has funded efforts to roll back marriage laws JAKE page 74

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White House Scrambles to End Speculation on GayMarriage Policy Sophie Quinton and George E. Condon Jr. (Politics : The Atlantic) Submitted at 5/7/2012 3:05:28 PM

After Vice President Joe Biden suggested a new openness to same -sex marriage, the administration insists nothing has changed.

See web-only content: http://www.theatlantic.com/ politics/archive/2012/05/whitehouse-scrambles-to-endspeculation-on-gay-marriagepolicy/256840/ Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Vice President Joe Biden's comment that he is "absolutely comfortable" with same-sex marriage had the White House scrambling on Monday to align the vice president's remarks with President Obama's "evolving" views on the issue.

"Nothing has changed," White House press secretary Jay Carney said. "Policy positions haven't changed."

MORE FROM NATIONAL JOURNAL • American Hostage Pleads to Obama in al-Qaida Video • Goolsbee: Obama Faces 'The Fight of His Life'

• Axelrod: Obama Ready for 'Contract Killers in Super PAC Land'

have grown frustrated he has not taken the last big step--supporting gay marriage. Obama has tried to walk a fine line during the Carney was pelted with questions campaign as he appeals to gay on the topic at his daily briefing, voters for their contributions which grew tense when the press w i t h o u t o f f e n d i n g m o r e secretary deflected them. Carney c o n s e r v a t i v e c h a m p i o n s o f denied it when one reporter traditional marriage. He has accused the White House of signaled to gays that he is moving "trying to have it both ways." in their direction by describing his " I h a v e n o u p d a t e o n t h e position as "evolving." president's personal views. What "I can tell you that [Obama is] an the vice president said yesterday absolutely committed supporter to was to make the same point that LGBT rights," Carney said. "His t h e p r e s i d e n t h a s m a d e record bears that out." The previously," Carney said -- that president is "proud of it, and he'll committed, loving couples, both run on it," he added. gay and straight, deserve to have This article available online at: their rights upheld. http://www.theatlantic.com/ "The vice president--what he said politics/archive/2012/05/whiteabout the protection about rights h o u s e - s c r a m b l e s - t o - e n d o f c i t i z e n s - - i s c o m p l e t e l y speculation-on-gay-marriageconsistent with the president's policy/256840/ position on this issue," Carney This entry passed through the said. On Education Secretary Full-Text RSS service — if this is Arne Duncan, who expressed your content and you're reading it support for same-sex marriage on someone else's site, please read earlier in the day, Carney said, the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content"Duncan was asked a question only/faq.php#publishers. Five about his personal views on the Filters recommends: Donate to issue, and he offered them."

Wikileaks.

Gay activists have praised many of the steps the president has taken on their issues. But some

JAKE continued from page 73

in California and other places,” Axelrod told reporters on the call.

In turning to Romney, Axelrod ducked a question from a reporter on whether Obama supports gay marriage.

Actually, I can’t decide whether the back-to-back Biden/Duncan endorsements are a case of those guys going rogue or something they’re coordinating with O’s campaign to test the waters on Obama himself possibly backing gay marriage. He wants to avoid that if he can lest his position alienate a key constituency (he’s already in trouble with seniors), but maybe he can’t avoid it. Like Chuck Todd says, the less “Wall Street money” Obama takes in, the more important “gay money” and other fundraising sources become. Beyond that, if the economy continues to stall, The One will become increasingly desperate to change the subject — so much so that he might prefer to roll the dice on backing gay marriage in hopes of creating a sensational distraction. It’d be a risky play, but if the new postausterity Europe performs the way everyone expects, the odds of the U.S. economy recovering before November will deteriorate and he’ll be a very long longshot to win. A culture-war campaign could be his Hail Mary pass.

Anyone seriously believe it would

work, though?

Two clips here, one of Tapper and the other of Carney once again trying to explain Obama’s position on same-sex marriage. I think he’s saying that O supports civil unions and that he opposes any state attempts to repeal domestic partnership rights once they’ve been granted, i.e. a oneway ratchet, but I’m not sure Carney’s 100% confident that he understands Obama’s position on this either. Oh, and as for Axelrod’s point about Romney opposing gay rights, here’s a PDF reminder of where Mitt stood circa 1994. Is the real Romney a gay-marriage opponent who was pretending to support “full equality” then in order to get elected in a blue state or is he a gay-marriage supporter who’s pretending to oppose full equality now in order to get elected in a purplish nation?

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POLITICIANS continued from page 72

protection, and taxes, Warren should win by a comfortable margin.

Dream on, you might respond.

Uncommitted independent voters, who tend to be less engaged and informed politically, are more likely to rely on image and personality in deciding which candidate is an elitist and which candidate is "more like us" and more likely to vote in our interests. Scott Brown seems to know that this is a race about wealth and identity. Who best projects identification with the economic concerns of uncommitted or tentatively committed voters, and with whom will these voters identify?

Brown does trumpet his record of bipartisanship, relying on a few carefully chosen votes (the bar for bipartisanship is awfully low), but mostly he's running an identitybased race, relying on his good looks, athleticism, and wellcrafted Capraesque appeal. Brown is running against intellectualism.

He spits out the word "professor" like an epithet. He's running

against elitism, however nonsensically he defines it.

How does Brown demonstrate Warren's alleged elitism? "She's approaching things, knowing better than others how to do things," he explains. Well yes, but if he doesn't know better than the rest of us "how to do things," it would be an act of patriotism for him to step aside. Warren is "telling us ... who should be taxed, who should not be taxed," Brown charges. Yes, again, that is what senators do -- they decide who should and should not be taxed. If Brown doesn't want to make these decisions, he should remain in the Senate gym whenever there's a vote on the tax code. Indeed, he'll have to refrain from voting on any bills that would dictate what to do or "how to do things" -- which is what all bills do. What does Brown offer as an alternative to enacting legislation? He will "continue to do" what he claims always to have done "and that's find solutions."

Whatever.

Brown excels in campaign mode,

in an arena in which what you say matters much less than the image you convey when you're saying it.

Elizabeth Warren is an alien there, an emigrant from a world that, for all its failings, still values and demands informed, reasoned argument. The Senate race is run in Brown's world, and she has little time left to assimilate. This is her first campaign, but no one will be kind.

This article available online at: http://www.theatlantic.com/ politics/archive/2012/05/ politicians-are-in-fact-supposed-to -know-whats-best-for-us/256763/ This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Edgar Alvarez (Engadget) Wikileaks.

Submitted at 5/7/2012 5:27:00 PM

Toshiba Excite 10 ICS tablet goes on sale, prices start at $450 for 16GB model vanilla-flavored Android 4.0, among other things. We know Toshiba's got you excited, so head It's been a little less than a month over to one of the source links since Toshiba unveiled its trio of below to pop your order in.

Ice Cream Sandwich slates, the Otherwise you can wait until the Excite 7.7, 10 and 13, and starting other two slabs go on sale next today you'll be able to grab one of month. these for yourself. Unlike we'd Continue reading Toshiba Excite p r e v i o u s l y h e a r d , t h o u g h , 10 ICS tablet goes on sale, prices Toshiba's pricing the 16GB, 10.1- start at $450 for 16GB model inch Excite at $449.99 -- which is Toshiba Excite 10 ICS tablet 50 bucks less than what we were goes on sale, prices start at $450 told back when it was announced. f o r 1 6 G B m o d e l o r i g i n a l l y Meanwhile, if you're looking for appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 the more spacious 32GB and May 2012 17:27:00 EDT. Please 64GB models, you'll have to drop see our terms for use of feeds. a b o u t $ 5 3 0 a n d $ 6 5 0 , Permalink| Toshiba, Amazon| respectively. In exchange for that Email this| Comments cash, you'll be getting an NVIDIA Tegra 3 SoC CPU and a taste of

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Video: Romney doesn’t respond to townhall questioner’s “treason” comment about Obama Allahpundit (Hot Air » Top Picks)

learn that McCain’s exchange with a townhall questioner in 2008 who accused Obama of Submitted at 5/7/2012 4:42:22 PM being Arab was treated as some posted at 5:42 pm on May 7, big moment of political courage 2012 by Allahpundit in “Game Change.” As I recall, Via Think Progress, which enjoys the media/liberal takeaway from a power to push stories into big- that incident at the time was that media outlets that righty blogs can the questioner was perfectly only dream of. Ace’s headline for emblematic of Republican voters, this story says all that really needs with McCain’s response more or to be said. Rest assured, President less an afterthought. We can’t Romney will be accused of elect Romney because he didn’t treason by left-wing partisans for say anything today, but even if he reasons various and sundry had, we can’t elect him because within, oh, six months of taking then we’re empowering people office, especially since liberals like the questioner. See how that will by then once again be free to works? Good thing there are no pretend that they’re anti-war and partisans on the left, huh? deeply offended by drone strikes Three clips for you here. The first and military interventions, etc etc. is Romney at the townhall. The The punchline here is that even if second, a personal favorite, is of Mitt had spoken up, the story l e f t - w i n g h e a r t t h r o b J o h n afterward wouldn’t have been E d w a r d s — t h e l i b e r a l “Romney defends Obama against blogosphere’s preferred candidate ‘treason’ charge,” it would have circa 2007, do note — humoring a been “‘Treason’ charge highlights bottom-feeding Truther asking divide between Romney and him about World Trade Center monstrously radical wingnut Building 7 while on the trail that base.” In fact, I was amused to year. He doesn’t hear the question

at first but then the crowd relays it and suddenly he’s plenty agreeable. And third, via Andrew Kaczynski, is Obama flunky Dan Pfeiffer responding to the incident last year in which Teamsters prez James Hoffa said at an Obama event that it was time to “take these [Republican] sons of bitches out.” Oddly enough, Pfeiffer was much more ambivalent about attributing one person’s words to a candidate in that case than the left is being today. Exit question: Which Obama townhall questioner recently referred to the Koch brothers as “contract killers out there in Super PAC land”?

Oops, that wasn’t a townhall questioner. It was … David Axelrod.

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Must See HDTV (May 7th - 13th) Richard Lawler (Engadget)

going on anymore. Somewhere in the twists of alternate universes and timelines we get left behind, 24/7 Wild but William Bell is back and that's The US rebroadcast of BBC's probably not a good thing. Season Planet Earth Live gets started four wraps up this week, tune in tonight on National Geographic on Friday to get your last taste Wild, retitled 24/7 Wild. With a before the network closes things f o c u s o n s i m u l t a n e o u s l y out with a short 13-episode run following many different groups next season. and types of animals all around (May 11th, 9PM, Fox) the world during this spring, it Continue reading Must See should bring an all new look at HDTV (May 7th - 13th) life for documentary fans, and Must See HDTV (May 7th some spectacular HD shots.

13th) originally appeared on ( M a y 7 t h , 9 P M , N a t i o n a l Engadget on Mon, 07 May 2012 Geographic Wild) 17:47:00 EDT. Please see our Fringe terms for use of feeds. Permalink| This week on Fringe the team... | Email this| Comments ok, we're really not sure what's Submitted at 5/7/2012 5:47:00 PM

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77

Samsung Focus 2 for AT&T hands-on at CTIA 2012 Brad Molen (Engadget)

AMOLED WVGA display, a 1.4GHz CPU with unspecified RAM, 5MP rear-facing camera It's the first night of action at capable of recording 720p HD CTIA Wireless 2012, and we're video, a VGA cam on the front not wasting any time finding the and LTE connectivity. best of what New Orleans has to The Focus 2, without a doubt, offer. To start things off properly, feels completely tiny in our hands we got some time with the when compared to Nokia and Samsung Focus 2, announced by HTC's latest Windows Phone AT&T earlier this morning as the entries. And at 4.3 ounces, it's latest addition to the network's incredibly light as well -- sadly, healthy Windows Phone lineup. the device's 11.98mm thickness Of course, the phone's no stranger was a slight disappointment for to being in front of the cameras -- us. Aside from the inclusion of this is just the first time it's LTE and a 1,750mAh useroccurred without any shroud of removable battery, we're not quite secrecy surrounding it. So what sure the reasoning behind it. With kind of specs come with the Focus that said, anything with a display 2? The $50 handset, due out on smaller than 4.3 inches these days May 20th, offers a 4-inch Super seems immensely easy to grip, Submitted at 5/7/2012 5:53:00 PM

regardless. When handling the phone, we couldn't help but think of the similarly-designed Galaxy Blaze 4G, as the two devices appear to have come from the same mold.

Overall, this isn't a device meant for power users, and it faces some heavy competition against the Nokia Lumia 900 in price point (though the Focus 2 is slightly less expensive than the Lumia's

normal subsidized cost). But for anyone who enjoys a Windows Phone with a smaller display and was disappointed in the lack of LTE connectivity on the Focus Flash, this will be the ideal handset for you. If your curiosity is getting the best of you, go below to see the full gallery.

Gallery: Samsung Focus 2 handson Myriam Joire contributed to this hands-on.

Samsung Focus 2 for AT&T hands-on at CTIA 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 May 2012 17:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Share How Your Mom Influenced You! Pin for Perks Kameron Kitajima (The Official Klout Blog) Submitted at 5/7/2012 12:56:50 PM

Tweet When it comes to influencers, moms are always #1. Mothers, grandmothers, stepmothers, godmothers, aunties, cousins, sisters, you name them, they’re

always there for you. These highly influential women were there for you when you skinned your knee, walked you down the aisle at your wedding, or watched the kids while you had a night off.

Mother’s Day is the one day out of the year where it’s really all about appreciating moms for everything they do and the

positive influence they have in our lives. This Mother’s Day, Klout wants to highlight these awesome women with our#KloutMom Pinterest contest.

Share a photo of you and the mom that influences you most and tell us why. We’ll randomly select 1,500 of the qualifying submissions to get Perk’d by

ONEHOPE Wine with $25 towards wine and gifts (Make sure you share a glass with your influential mom!).

And if that isn’t enough, ONEHOPE Wine donates a portion of each purchase to a charitable cause such as fighting SHARE page 78

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b r e a s t c a n c e r , a u t i s m a n d the important Moms in your lives! supporting children’s hospitals. For complete details see the So each purchase also helps out Official Rules other moms everywhere!

How as a mom in your life After the contest, we’ll highlight influenced you? some of these stories in a follow up blog post and share our #KloutMom Pinterest board. We hope you take part in honoring all

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