Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/307577007?client_source=feed&format=rss
austin rivers austin rivers sweet home alabama etch a sketch the host hoodie hoosiers
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Treatment for Substance Abuse - Mental Health - Fitness Through ...
You have a lot? of valid points! Have you thought of being an advocate or counselor yourself? Sounds like you have made a lot of strides and your children have helped you get on the road to recovery. Congratulations!
That is so true. There are so many morons in AA that won?t shut? their mouths.
Aside from the economy, there?s no greater problem these days than substance addiction. Drug excessive drinking increases risk for suicide. Persons who be depressed are in especially high-risk for drug abuse and suicide. Even though the increase of addiction rates is really a? national concern, each individual can perform something to fight the popularity.
If you,your family member,friend or anyone you know is suffering from drugs or alcohol addiction tell them to call? 877-918-9776 ,they helped me in leaving drugs,share it everywhere to help people? US only
Brilliant effort lad? & I can`t praise you enough, you need to sort those American teeth out though & soon! A Million Little Pieces.
I?m happy for you? man. I had horrible drug problems and it finally took me replacing all my friends, getting away from my family, taking time off work, and not listening to my doctors. After I got free from stress it was as though the burden was just lifted and I was able to recover from 5 years of alcahol and narcotic abuse. Power to ya! Keep it up. And don?t let people take your pride from you, that?s what stopped me from getting clean for years.
Comments? are welcome 
Please post a thought after viewing.
It?s a good thing that you found an outlet to get your feelings out and you have your children who in a way are your Higher Power ? think about that ? may be dangerous but maybe not? I definitely wanted to get clean for my boys and my counselor said well that is for you ? you are doing it? for you and your children and that is the same as doing it for yourself!
Aj Mccarron Girlfriend CES 2013 joe budden notre dame notre dame football Bcs Bowl Chuck Hagel
Swine flu pandemic of 2009 more deadly for younger adults
May 22, 2013 ? As the world prepares for what may be the next pandemic strain of influenza virus, in the H7N9 bird flu, a new UC Irvine study reveals that the 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic was deadliest for people under the age of 65, while those 65 and over had greater immunity due to previous exposure to similar viruses.
Deaths from flu pandemics tend to skew younger than those from seasonal flu because of "antigenic recycling," or the fact that some parts of flu viruses have already made the rounds. Between 1918 and 1957, all flu viruses in circulation fell into the H1N1 category, so in 2009, older adults had some protection stemming from their prior experience with viruses of this type, said Andrew Noymer, UC Irvine associate professor of public health and the study's co-author.
"The swine flu pandemic was relatively mild in the extent to which flu-related deaths were above normal, seasonal levels," he said. "Excess death rates were highest among 25- to 64-year-olds." The findings appear in the journal PLOS ONE.
The bulk of pneumonia and influenza deaths typically occur in people older than 65, but when H1N1 became the dominant flu strain in 2009, the accompanying rise in pneumonia and flu deaths took place within age groups that usually have low mortality rates.
Overall, there were 53,692 pneumonia and influenza deaths in 2009, of which 2,438 were considered "excess," or above the number expected. In 2010, there were about 50,000 deaths from pneumonia and flu, of which 196 were considered excess.
Researchers obtained mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics. Flu and pneumonia deaths between January 1959 and December 2010 were arranged by age, sex, month and underlying cause. Final numbers on flu deaths for 2009 and 2010 were released in 2012.
The 2009 pandemic was unusual not just for its excess fatalities but for the timing and age distribution of those deaths, Noymer said. October and November of that year saw the highest flu death rates in people 25 to 34 since at least 1959, when the computerized collection of population statistics began.
"The pandemic definition is based on the novelty of the virus strain and on deaths, but mortality does not need to be enormous for it to be considered a pandemic," he said. "The 2009 swine flu was an excellent example of a virus strain with relatively lenient mortality."
Noymer suggests that public health officials consider targeting pandemic vaccination campaigns to adults under age 65, who are not at the greatest risk in regular, seasonal flu outbreaks.
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention currently recommends annual influenza vaccinations for everyone over 6 months old, but pandemic vaccines may not be available in sufficient quantities for the whole population. Focusing on certain age groups may ensure the best use of a limited resource.
The novelty of the currently emerging bird flu strain, H7N9, is noteworthy, Noymer said, as the virus has not been seen before in anyone's lifetime. Although it's too early to predict the seriousness of H7N9, it does have the potential to be severe at all ages, since no one alive today has been previously exposed to this type of virus.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/xgLHN72XG2A/130522180313.htm
Gabriel Aubry cyber monday deals small business saturday small business saturday best cyber monday deals best cyber monday deals macaulay culkin
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
?All-of-the-above? approach to energy policy
The U.S. energy revolution is not confined to a single fuel or technology: oil and gas production, renewable energy, and fuel-efficient automobile technologies all show great promise. To best position the country for the future, U.S. leaders should capitalize on all these opportunities rather than pick a favorite; the answer lies in ?most of the above.? ? Michael Levi
Michael Levi has a new article in Foreign Affairs entitled America?s Energy Opportunity, subtitle How to Harness the New Sources of U.S. Power. ?This essay is adapted from Levi?s recent book The Power Surge: Energy, Opportunity, and the Battle for America?s Future.
The whole article is well worth reading, below are some excerpts:
The energy revolution is splitting Americans into two rival camps: one that is enthusiastic about the resurgence of oil and gas and another that favors renewable sources and more fuel-efficient cars and trucks. The first camp typically rejects government support for renewables and advanced automobile technologies, warning that it wastes taxpayer money and threatens the country?s economic health. The second camp often opposes efforts to enhance U.S. oil and gas production, arguing that these fuels pose grave risks to the environment and could kill progress on clean energy.
Both camps raise important concerns, but each regularly overstates its case ? especially when it claims that the other?s gains are intolerable. The truth is that the best way to strengthen the American economy, bolster national security, and protect the environment is for the country to take advantage of all the new energy opportunities. No single fuel or technology can solve the country?s problems: increased oil production will not free the United States from involvement in global petroleum markets, natural gas alone will not solve climate change, renewables remain expensive, and vehicles that do not rely on oil are far from being broadly economically competitive. The central challenge, therefore, is figuring out how to capitalize on all the new opportunities, which will require enthusiasts of different energy sources to start cooperating, or at least to stop fighting so bitterly. Leaders around the country, and particularly in Washington, need to adopt a most-of-the-above approach: carefully increasing opportunities for energy production of all kinds, while penalizing dangerous energy consumption that would worsen climate change and sustain U.S. dependence on oil.
Fortunately, the United States does not need to make a stark choice; it can take advantage of all the major changes under way in the energy world by pursuing a two-pronged strategy. First, Washington should expand and sustain opportunities for energy production across the board by reforming regulations and making investments in innovation. Second, in order to blunt broad economic, security, and climate risks, it should pursue an ambitious policy, focused on how the United States uses energy, that reduces U.S. carbon emissions and oil consumption.
[see original article for details of Levi's proposals]
Some people will enthusiastically embrace every element of this agenda. But many others will take issue with one part or another. There will be concerns about the ultimate ends ? particularly among people who think that climate change is unimportant or that Washington does not need to protect Americans from turmoil in world oil markets. More frequently, the two major camps will disagree about means, with one side intensely opposing new regulations on industry and additional government spending and the other just as forcefully rejecting any expansion of fossil fuel production. It would best serve both sides, however, to accept a broad approach rather than digging in and fighting narrowly for their ideal outcomes.
Coming around to that conclusion will require both sides to accept two facts. The first is that each has considerably more power to hinder its opponent?s agenda than to promote its own. Historically, opponents of fossil fuels have been successful in preventing large expansions of the federal land available to oil and gas development. More recently, opponents of fracking have waged campaigns that have put expanded use of that technology at risk. The opponents of renewables and fuel-efficient automobiles have been even more successful: they have thwarted serious climate legislation and mounted effective resistance to new government investment in energy innovation. Consequently, the alternative to a path that embraces a diverse set of developments is likely to be not victory for the fossil fuel enthusiasts or for the renewables and fuel-efficiency advocates but rather unending disputes that damage core interests on both sides.
The second fact is that compromise need not be fatal for anyone. People who are worried about climate change are right that unfettered fossil fuel consumption is unacceptable. But that does not mean that accepting some fossil fuel development would destroy their cause ? in fact, in the case of natural gas, it would help. Meanwhile, those who are worried about state intervention in the economy are right to criticize inflexible and indiscriminate government regulations. But not all schemes to curb emissions or to protect communities from the downsides of energy development fit that bill. A most-of-the-above agenda would eliminate the genuine deal killers for each side, leaving a package that could deliver the essentials of what both want, take advantage of gains across the board, and avoid the risk of an extended battle that would devastate everyone and satisfy no one.
It would be foolish to expect either side in this decades-old fight to lead the charge for a most-of-the-above approach. It would also be unreasonable to ask the two sides to stop skirmishing over individual decisions, such as opening new areas to oil and gas development or establishing a carbon-pricing scheme. The burden of advancing this agenda ultimately rests with U.S. leaders. President Barack Obama has advocated an energy policy that, as his first term evolved, became increasingly consistent with this sort of approach, but there is much more work to be done. Using legislation and executive action, Obama and a core group of lawmakers should push forward with a most-of-the-above energy strategy. The result would be a stronger economy, a more secure country, and a safer planet.
JC comments: ?I find this to be a very good article, and I was particularly struck by the following insight:
Each has considerably more power to hinder its opponent?s agenda than to promote its own. ?Consequently, the alternative to a path that embraces a diverse set of developments is likely to be not victory for the fossil fuel enthusiasts or for the renewables and fuel-efficiency advocates but rather unending disputes that damage core interests on both sides.
Like this:
Loading...
Source: http://judithcurry.com/2013/05/22/all-of-the-above-approach-to-energy-policy/
16 and pregnant ludwig mies van der rohe jamie lynn sigler mega millions jackpot black panther party frank martin pink slime
Microsoft Xbox One FAQ responds to always-on DRM, used games rumors
One of the more contentious rumors surrounding next-gen consoles has been potential changes to DRM and while Microsoft hasn't answered all our questions when it comes to the Xbox One, it took a few head on. The official FAQ starts off with the "always-on" DRM issue and also addresses used games, indicating that the box is designed "so you can play games and watch Blu-ray movies and live TV if you lose your connection," and that it does not have to always be connected. That said, it still "requires" a connection to the internet, promising cloud-based benefits for gameplay and more. Other questions answer things like whether the new console will require more power (no) and will our Xbox Live Gold subscriptions still work with the new and old hardware (yes).
When it comes to used games, the FAQ's response is also promising, stating "We are designing Xbox One to enable customers to trade in and resell games." We can still find enough wiggle room in those responses to remain curious, but it appears we should be able to avoid a SimCity-style meltdown (with our new games, since the old ones won't work.)
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, HD, Microsoft
Source: Xbox One FAQ
arrested development revenge revenge Chris Hadfield golden state warriors Happy Mothers Day survivor
Apple case seen as possible spur to tax action
Apple CEO Tim Cook testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 21, 2013, before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent subcommittee on Investigations as lawmakers examine the methods employed by multinational corporations to shift profits offshore and how such activities are affected by the Internal Revenue Code. Lawmakers want to know the tax strategy of how Apple, the world's most valuable company, based in Cupertino, Calif., holds a billion dollars in an Irish subsidiary as a tax strategy, according to a report issued this week by the subcommittee. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Apple CEO Tim Cook testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 21, 2013, before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent subcommittee on Investigations as lawmakers examine the methods employed by multinational corporations to shift profits offshore and how such activities are affected by the Internal Revenue Code. Lawmakers want to know the tax strategy of how Apple, the world's most valuable company, based in Cupertino, Calif., holds a billion dollars in an Irish subsidiary as a tax strategy, according to a report issued this week by the subcommittee. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Apple CEO Tim Cook testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 21, 2013, before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent subcommittee on Investigations as lawmakers examine the methods employed by multinational corporations to shift profits offshore and how such activities are affected by the Internal Revenue Code. Lawmakers want to know the tax strategy of how Apple, the world's most valuable company, based in Cupertino, Calif., holds a billion dollars in an Irish subsidiary as a tax strategy, according to a report issued this week by the subcommittee. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., holds up his own Apple iPhone, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 21, 2013, as he presses Apple CEO Tim Cook, left, for answers about how Apple, the world's most valuable company, and based in Cupertino, Calif., diverts a billion dollars to an Irish subsidiary as a tax strategy, according to a report issued this week by the subcommittee. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Apple CEO Tim Cook, center, is surrounded by aides as finishes his appearance on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 21, 2013, before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent subcommittee on Investigations as the panel examined the methods employed by multinational corporations to shift profits offshore and how such activities are affected by the Internal Revenue Code. Lawmakers pressed Cook to learn more about Apple's tax strategies in keeping a billion dollars in an Irish subsidiary, according to a report issued this week by the subcommittee. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., holds up his own Apple iPhone, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 21, 2013, as he presses Apple CEO Tim Cook for answers about how Apple, the world's most valuable company, and based in Cupertino, Calif., diverts a billion dollars to an Irish subsidiary as a tax strategy, according to a report issued this week by the subcommittee. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Now that tech darling Apple Inc. has been dragged front and center into the debate over the U.S. tax code, lawmakers are hoping that the spotlight on such a high-profile company could be the catalyst for Congress to take action to close loopholes or reform the law.
At a hearing Tuesday, members of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations grilled Apple CEO Tim Cook over allegations that the company's Irish subsidiaries help it avoid billions in U.S. taxes. It was a moment of high drama, a CEO of the world's most valuable company testifying before Congress for the first time ever. Cook did so voluntarily. And he parried the volley of questions from senators, insisting that the company's overseas operations have nothing to do with reducing Apple's U.S. taxes.
"We pay all the taxes we owe ? every single dollar," Cook said. "We don't depend on tax gimmicks."
The subcommittee released a report Monday that held up Apple as an example of the legal tax avoidance made possible by the U.S. tax code. Apple paid $6 billion in taxes last year. But the subcommittee estimates that Apple avoided at least $3.5 billion in U.S. federal taxes in 2011 and $9 billion in 2012 by using its tax strategy, and described a complex setup involving Irish subsidiaries as being a key factor.
The result, said Sen. John McCain: "Apple has over $100 billion, more than two-thirds of its total profits, stashed away in an offshore account."
The focus on Apple's taxes comes at a time of heated debate in Washington over whether and how to raise revenues to help reduce the federal deficit. Many Democrats complain that the government is missing out on billions of dollars because companies are stashing profits abroad and avoiding taxes. Republicans want to cut the corporate tax rate of 35 percent and ease the tax burden on money that U.S. companies make abroad. They say the move would encourage companies to invest at home and thus spur the economy and job market.
"America's tax system is broken and uncompetitive," said McCain, the subcommittee's senior Republican. "The egregious loopholes that exist in the tax code must be closed so that the nearly $1 trillion in untaxed overseas profits can come back to the United States."
Apple's enormous, iPhone-fueled profits mean that it has more cash stashed overseas than any other company: $102 billion. And Cook reaffirmed Apple's position that it has no intention of bringing that cash back to the U.S. at the current tax rate. Like other companies, it has a responsibility to shareholders to pay as little as possible in taxes. In effect, Apple is holding out for a lower corporate tax rate, and Cook spent some of his time in the spotlight to advocate for one, as well as a streamlining of the tax code to eliminate deductions and credits.
Cook, who is more accustomed to commanding a stage in front of investors and techies than facing a congressional committee, took a defensive tone with his opening statement. He punched out words when stressing the 600,000 jobs that the company supports, and underscored that Apple is the nation's largest corporate taxpayer.
Even if additional tens of billions from Apple began flowing into the U.S. Treasury, the money would barely put a dent in the $642 billion federal budget deficit. But Apple as a symbol resonates with politicians, especially Democrats, seeking to make the case that a powerful corporation shouldn't be excused from its fair share of taxes. The public dissection of Apple hopefully will spur Congress to action to fix the tax code, McCain urged. The sentiment was widely shared among subcommittee members, in a bipartisan show. McCain and Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., the panel's chairman, are proposing legislation to do so.
At the same time, lawmakers must tread lightly as they attack Apple, a company held in high esteem and whose ubiquitous products are seen as both innovative and indispensable.
"I love Apple," declared panel member Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., during the hearing, confiding that she had "converted" her husband to the MacBook. And McCain took a break from grilling Cook on tax questions to ask him, "Why the hell do I have to keep updating the apps on my iPhone all the time?"
Senators on the panel say Apple's situation illustrates their belief that the U.S. tax system is in dire need of repair. The U.S. tax code contains provisions designed to force companies that sell their products overseas to pay U.S. taxes on the profits from those sales. But certain loopholes allow companies to legally bypass those provisions. Sen. Levin contends that Apple's use of such loopholes is unique among multinational corporations.
Apple uses five companies located in Ireland to carry out its tax strategy, according to the Congressional report. The companies are located at the same address in Cork, Ireland, and their boards of directors share members. While all five companies were incorporated in Ireland, only two of them also have tax residency in that country. That means the other three aren't legally required to pay taxes in Ireland because they aren't managed or controlled in that country, in Apple's view.
The report says Apple capitalizes on a difference between U.S. and Irish rules regarding tax residency. In Ireland, a company must be managed and controlled in the country to be a tax resident. Under U.S. law, a company is a tax resident of the country in which it was established. Therefore, the Apple companies aren't tax residents of Ireland or the U.S., since they weren't incorporated in the U.S., in Apple's view.
"Apple is exploiting an absurdity," Levin said. He also called Ireland a "tax haven," an appellation Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny rejected when speaking in parliament in Dublin on Tuesday.
"We are not a tax haven. American investors quite understand that. Our (taxation system) is statutory-based and clear and transparent and effective right across the board," Kenny said. He also denied the assertion in the subcommittee's report that Apple had negotiated an Irish corporate tax rate of less than 2 percent. All companies pay the standard rate of 12.5 percent on profits from Irish operations, the prime minister said.
Thanks largely to the iPhone, Apple is one of the world's most profitable companies. It earned $41.7 billion in calendar year 2012. It's neck and neck with Exxon Mobil Corp. as the world's most valuable company. However, Apple's Irish subsidiaries date back thirty years, to the time when the Macintosh computer was Apple's banner product, and its profits were a fraction of 1 percent of today's figure. Cook told the panel that those Irish subsidiaries don't reduce the company's U.S. taxes at all. The company avoids paying the 35 percent federal tax rate on profits made overseas by just not bringing those profits back to the U.S., a practice it shares with other multinationals.
Apple has shifted intellectual property rights, like patents, to the Irish subsidiaries, which means other divisions of Apple pay royalties to those subsidiaries for their sales. Those intellectual property rights, like patents, are Apple's "golden goose," Levin said. Apple executives countered that the main U.S.-based company has kept the rights for North and South America, so only royalties for overseas sales flow to the Irish subsidiaries. Also, the Irish companies pay for some of the research and development costs incurred at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, Calif.
"What Apple is doing is pretty mainstream," said accounting expert Robert Willens, in an interview. Shifting around the intellectual property rights has a minor effect compared to the simple avoidance of U.S. taxes by not repatriating profits, he said.
The subcommittee also has examined the tax strategies of Microsoft Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co. and other multinational companies, finding that they too have avoided billions in U.S. taxes by shifting profits offshore and exploiting weak, ambiguous sections of the tax code. Microsoft has used "aggressive" transactions to shift assets to subsidiaries in Puerto Rico, Ireland and Singapore, in part to avoid taxes. HP has used complex offshore loan transactions worth billions while using the money to run its U.S. operations, according to the panel.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said the issue highlighted by the Senate panel's report, unfairness in the U.S. tax code, is one of longstanding concern to President Barack Obama. Carney said Obama has long favored proposals "to ensure that American companies cannot use off-shore profit shifting to avoid paying taxes," including a proposal for a minimum tax on foreign earnings.
"This has been a major priority of his because he thinks it is inexplicable that our tax code would actually be written in a way that rewards companies for taking jobs and profits offshore, and thereby penalizes companies for doing what we want them to do, which is create jobs and opportunity here in the United States," Carney said Tuesday.
Apple's stock fell $3.27, or less than one percent, to close at $439.66 in Tuesday's trading.
__
Svensson reported from New York. Associated Press writers Shawn Pogatchnik in Dublin and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.
Associated PressNy Post Boston Bombing 2013 Regions Bank ny times Boston Marathon Results pangolin Ball Bearings
GOP questions IRS scrutiny of anti-abortion groups
Coalition for Life of Iowa president Sue Martinek holds a sign in her home, Tuesday, May 21, 2013, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. When the Coalition applied for tax-exempt status in 2008, the tiny group thought getting IRS approval would be easy. But the group faced months of delay, was ordered to provide details about its prayer events outside the local Planned Parenthood clinic, and even directed to sign a sworn statement pledging it would not organize protests there. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) ? When a small anti-abortion group in Iowa sought nonprofit status, the Internal Revenue Service asked its board to promise not to organize protests outside Planned Parenthood and demanded to know how its prayer meetings and protest signs were educational.
Although the Coalition for Life of Iowa's application was ultimately approved in 2009, the tax collection agency's treatment of that and other anti-abortion groups has gotten new attention in the wake of an ongoing scandal over the alleged targeting of conservative groups.
The IRS apologized for singling out tea party groups for scrutiny in 2010 and 2011, but Republicans now are seizing on the coalition's case to question whether the effort may have been broader and started earlier.
Groups with tax-exempt status, known as 501(c)(3) nonprofits, must have educational, charitable, religious or other charitable purposes and cannot be involved in elections or engage in substantial lobbying activity. But they can conduct educational campaigns about their causes that do not have to be balanced, and their members retain their constitutional rights to assemble and protest.
U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said Tuesday the IRS was out of bounds in seeking information on the group's prayer activities and a guarantee that it wouldn't protest at Planned Parenthood.
"That's outrageous that that statement would be made by anybody in government, that somehow you've got to compromise your First Amendment rights," Grassley said. "It appears the IRS offered this group a quid pro quo: you can become a charity if you don't protest in front of a Planned Parenthood."
Outgoing Acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller told Grassley he was unaware of the case, but apologized generally for poor service.
The Iowa group isn't the only anti-abortion organization that appears to have been singled out for scrutiny. In 2011, another IRS employee asked Christian Voices for Life of Fort Bend County in Texas whether it provided "education on both sides of the issues" in its programs and whether its members try to speak with anyone entering medical clinics, correspondence shows.
Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Ill., said last week that the Iowa and Texas groups faced unfair IRS intrusion into their activities because of "political and religious bias" that chilled their constitutional rights. He turned over their IRS correspondence to the inspector general for tax administration and demanded an explanation.
Both groups received tax-exempt status after seeking help from the Thomas More Society, a conservative legal group. But counsel Sally Wagenmaker said the cases were troubling because the IRS asked inappropriate questions about their activities even though their applications should've raised no red flags, and they were forced to retain lawyers to win approval.
"Is it something bigger? I can't say. But is it of concern? Absolutely. Now the IRS is getting into content," she said. "The common thread here is scrutiny on a content basis and seeming to really bend over backwards on the conservative side."
Tax experts said the IRS inquiries appeared to be misguided attempts to ensure that groups were educational in nature and did not interfere with the rights of patients and employees.
"I can see what they are raising, but it seems to be there are very strong First Amendment issues here," said Richard Koontz, director of the Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center. "You don't want to let one nonprofit stop the activities of another. But you certainly want them to be able to criticize from dawn to dusk what another nonprofit is doing."
The Iowa group considers its mission to educate citizens about "the sanctity of life" and it has held forums on issues such as stem-cell research and euthanasia. Members also routinely walk and pray outside Planned Parenthood in Cedar Rapids. Sue Martinek, the group's president, submitted its application for tax-exempt status in October 2008.
An IRS employee identifying herself as "Ms. Richards" from the Cincinnati office responded in April 2009 that she needed more information about its events, including all "advertisements, schedules, syllabuses, handouts, a summary of each person's speech" and more, records show.
The coalition turned over those records, including Catholic writings opposing embryonic stem cell research and cloning and brochures handed out at events, including one that accused Planned Parenthood of promoting promiscuous behavior. In follow-up calls, "Ms. Richards" asked Martinek whether the group protested outside Planned Parenthood, Martinek said.
"Ms. Richards" informed her that its prayer gatherings there would be permissible ? as long as "what we were doing would not be construed as protesting or picketing" and didn't involve harassment, according to a June 2009 email that Martinek sent to Wagenmaker. "Ms. Richards" said its application would be approved if board members promised in writing that the group would not protest outside Planned Parenthood, Martinek wrote.
Martinek said she and others were ready to sign such a statement, but that one board member saw it as a free speech violation and contacted Thomas More Society to protest.
Martinek sent a letter to IRS saying that members had debated its request not to organize Planned Parenthood protests, but wanted definitions of "organize, picketing, protesting" to ensure compliance. Rather than answer those questions, "Ms. Richards" responded with a letter seeking an explanation of how "prayer meetings held outside of Planned Parenthood are considered educational."
Wagenmaker responded with a letter saying the inquiries were legally improper and calling for the IRS to grant the application promptly. She said the coalition had organized one event to pray the rosary at Planned Parenthood and that members otherwise assembled there peacefully on their own, carrying signs such as "Women deserve better than abortion" that do not contain graphic images.
Days later, the IRS sent its approval notification.
"It was a little weird and it seemed like they wanted lots of information, but we wanted our status," Martinek said. "The IRS is so powerful, we were just hesitant to get on their bad list."
(Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Source: http://cnsnews.com/news/article/gop-questions-irs-scrutiny-anti-abortion-groups
brave Stephanie Rice Meet the Pyro Karen Klein Colorado fires supreme court summer solstice
7 Egyptian security men kidnapped in Sinai freed
CAIRO (AP) ? Six Egyptian policemen and a border guard kidnapped by suspected militants in the volatile Sinai Peninsula last week were freed by their captors Wednesday after successful mediation, the country's military spokesman said.
The release, which followed a security buildup and a massive show of force by the military in northern Sinai, brought an end to a crisis that had stirred anger with the public and within the security forces and held the potential to embarrass both the military and Islamist President Mohammed Morsi had it dragged on.
The captors freed the seven men early Wednesday in the middle of the desert, and some were able later to speak to their families by telephone, according to officials and state TV. Military spokesman Col. Ahmed Mohammed Ali said on the army's official Facebook page that the release came about as a "result of efforts by military intelligence, in cooperation with the honorable tribal leaders and Sinai residents."
Morsi, however, trumpeted their crisis' end as the outcome of an "operation" that showcased "perfect" coordination between the armed forces, the police and security agencies. He also called for unity in a nation deeply divided, with the president and his Islamist backers in one camp and moderate Muslims, liberals, leftists and Christians in the other.
After their release, the men were flown in a military helicopter to an air force base in a Cairo suburb, where Morsi greeted them on the tarmac with a kiss on each cheek as they disembarked. Prime Minister Hesham Kandil and Defense Minister Abdel-Fatah el-Sissi were also on hand to receive the men.
Morsi later thanked the armed forces, security agencies as well as the people of Sinai and their tribal chiefs for their efforts to resolve the standoff. He also vowed to hunt down the kidnappers, saying "there will be no going back on bringing the criminals to account."
"This event will be a departure point for all of us to solve the problems of Sinai, its people and to develop Sinai," he said.
Over the past week, the kidnapping and the expectations of a massive military operation to free the hostages took center stage in Egyptian politics but also risked triggering a backlash in Sinai, where resentment among the local population against past security crackdowns has fueled the rise of militancy.
Calls for a tough response were fueled by a video released last week on YouTube showing the captives blindfolded and pleading for Morsi to meet the kidnappers' demands and release of scores of prisoners from Sinai, including convicted militants.
Faced with anger among the public and within the security forces over the kidnappings, Morsi had said that all options were on the table and that the presidency would not negotiate with the kidnappers. But several officials said mediators were in contact with the kidnappers to secure their release.
It was not immediately clear whether Wednesday's release was a sign that the captors' demands would be met or whether the release was the outcome of a deal forced on the captors by the military's show of force.
Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim said Tuesday the kidnappers were demanding the release of 24 convicted militants, some imprisoned since 2005. He called the demands "unacceptable."
A senior security official told the state news agency that the release was a coordinated effort between security agencies. He said plans involved "closing in on the kidnappers, security sweeps, and intensive deployment." The unnamed official said security agencies as well as families and tribes in Sinai were in contact with the kidnappers.
The official did not elaborate, but in the past, tribal leaders in Sinai have been known to mediate between authorities and Bedouin tribesmen behind kidnappings of foreign tourists.
On Monday, military and police reinforcements backed by armored vehicles and helicopters moved into northern Sinai in a show of strength, deploying heavily around the provincial capital, el-Arish. A joint military and police force carried out a sweep backed by helicopter cover on Tuesday in several villages along the border with Israel.
A security official told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the men were believed to have been held in that area, and were let go by their captors there. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to brief the media.
It was not immediately clear whether the army and police will continue to hunt down the captors or whether a major security operation would be launched to rid the mostly desert peninsula of militants and criminal gangs.
During the sweep, troops and police mistakenly fired on a Bedouin funeral in Sinai on Tuesday. No one was injured, and a military official offered an apology, but the incident highlighted the risks of a heavy handed attempt to free the captives.
The kidnapping last Thursday also highlighted the growing instability in Sinai. Criminal gangs, militants and local tribesmen disgruntled with what they say is state discrimination and heavy-handed security crackdowns have exploited the security vacuum brought by Egypt's 2011 uprising. Armed groups smuggle weapons, attack security forces and kidnap tourists to trade for relatives held in Egyptian jails.
Liberal politician and former lawmaker Amr Hamzawy lauded the captives' release, calling it "successful crisis management."
"Now this success must be invested to deal comprehensively with the Sinai issues, which shook state sovereignty and national security, and where grievances have accumulated and development lacked," Hamzawy wrote on his Twitter account.
Morsi faced his first Sinai challenge in August last year, just over a month after taking office, when militants carried out the most brazen attack ever on military troops, killing 16 Egyptian soldiers along the border with Gaza and Israel.
At the time, Morsi vowed to restore stability, launching a brief military operation that resulted in the closures of some smuggling tunnels between Sinai and Gaza and the arrest of the man believed to be at the heart of the current kidnapping, Ahmed Abu Shita.
Abu Shita was sentenced to death in absentia in September for involvement in a major attack on a northern Sinai police station in 2011 that left three policemen dead. Thirteen others, including seven others in absentia, were also given death sentences in the case.
Ibrahim said the kidnappers were too well-armed to be confronted by the police force alone. He said the kidnappers had planned the operation for two months in advance and were armed with anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles, surface-to-air missiles and other heavy weaponry smuggled from Libya.
Disgruntled policemen in northern Sinai have protested their colleagues' kidnapping, closing the only passenger crossing between Gaza and Egypt in Rafah, and briefly forcing shut a commercial terminal with Israel.
Palestinian Gaza border official Maher Abu Sabha said the Rafah terminal will reopen Wednesday.
___
Associated Press Writers Ashraf Sweilam in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt, and Ibrahim Barzak in Gaza City, Gaza Strip contributed to this report.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/7-egyptian-security-men-kidnapped-sinai-freed-074033896.html
Lil Reese Hurricane Sandy Nyc Saanvi Venna vikings Colin Powell noaa Jessica Ridgeway
Snow Fail: The New York Times And Its Misunderstanding Of Copyright
The New York Times spent months and had an entire team working on the creation of Snow Fall, and it shows. But what if I told you that you could recreate the same interactive experience in just about an hour? You'd like that, wouldn't you? Well, the New York Times wouldn't.Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/HTZn1n3_SZw/
lewis black kirkwood chris brown and rihanna nightline brady quinn brady quinn bloom box
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Justin Bieber Facing Battery Charges?
Los Angeles D.A.'s office currently weighing how to proceed after the pop star was investigated over a March incident with a neighbor.
By Jocelyn Vena
Justin Bieber
Photo: Getty Images
Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1706989/justin-bieber-battery-charges.jhtml
att wireless Mother Jones cars Bacon Number Kate Middleton photos
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
U.S. makes data available on wide disparity in hospital charges
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. hospital charges for the same procedure vary widely, in some cases by tens of thousands of dollars, even within a particular town or city, according to data the U.S. government released on Wednesday to boost consumer awareness.
In Denver, Colorado, for instance, treatment for heart failure ranges from $21,000 to $46,000 depending on the facility, according to the data on more than 3,000 hospitals that provide services through the government's Medicare program for the elderly and disabled. In Jackson, Mississippi, fees for the same treatment range from $9,000 to $51,000.
Hospital charges are viewed as a major reason U.S. healthcare costs are the highest in the world. Until now, consumers have not had access to such comprehensive price data that experts see as key to restraining healthcare inflation.
President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law aims to provide greater cost transparency on everything from health insurance plans to physician services. The data can be accessed at: http://go.cms.gov/16WaMfH
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said the data about hospital charges will help consumers make more informed decisions about treatment.
The Department of Health and Human Services announced that it would make about $87 million available to states to help fund rate review programs to encourage pricing transparency.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, an HHS agency, released information on services provided for the 100 most common Medicare inpatient stays. The list includes the amount hospitals typically charge for joint replacements, gall bladder surgery and pneumonia.
(Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by David Gregorio)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-makes-data-available-wide-disparity-hospital-charges-165916346.html
correspondents dinner 2012 white house correspondents dinner 2012 whcd 2012 nfl draft kevin durant jazz fest zurich classic
OUYA console gets torn down, found to be highly repairable
Now that OUYA consoles are shipping out to the masses, the folks at iFixit were able to grab a box and immediately undo all of the precious packaging work accomplished at the factory. In its usual style, the site gently dissected the world's best-known Android game console, commenting on "a very clean and simple layout." Overall, the splaying seemed to happen with little to no fuss, with the fan being the only modular (and moving) component in the entire thing. All told, the OUYA notched a 9 out of 10 on the all-important Repairability Meter, aided by the fact that only standard-head screws were used, and that no abstract glues or other black magic was used while piecing it all together. You'll definitely want to give the source link a look if you're yearning for more eye candy.
Filed under: Gaming
Source: iFixit
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/VX-4IGcS-Dw/
Olivia Black World Ending 2012 gossip girl Ink Master Jenni Rivera Funeral aspergers Richard Engel
Internet sales tax could change the way many do business - News14 ...
');
if(infobox=='True' && ShowInfoBox_l693802_1==false){
jQuery("#player_infobarl693802_1").trigger('click');
ShowInfoBox_l693802_1==true;
}
};
if (false)
{
$.setup_player(Play_Conf);
}
//info bar setup
jQuery('#player_infobarl693802_1').click(function()
{
var $info =jQuery('#player_info_contentl693802_1');
if($info.text()!=''){
var $content = jQuery('div',$info);
//min heigth
var min = $content.css('min-height');
var max = $content.css('max-height');
$info.slideToggle(600);
ShowInfoBox_l693802_1=!ShowInfoBox_l693802_1;
}
});
});
? To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.
Then come back here and refresh the page.
WINSTON-SALEM -- Every year, hundreds of millions of dollars in sales tax revenue is lost to unreported Internet purchases, but that may soon change if the Internet Sales Tax Bill is passed.
Miss Jenny's Pickles have been pickled, packed and shipped to retailers all over the world. They can even be found online. And with the possibility of a new Internet sales tax going into effect, they're planning ahead.
"I think we're just going to have to adjust our accounting and the way that we take in sales tax and pay sales tax for all the different states," Ashlee Furr, vice president of Miss Jenny's Pickles, said.
But online retailers with less than $1 million dollars in sales would not have to collect the tax.
"Right now, our online sales are not a million dollars or more, but in the future, we'd look that way," Furr said.
Gayle Anderson, president of the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce, said she has received a lot of questions about the proposed Internet sales tax.
"I'm not hearing as much concern about the tax itself as I am about just the logistics of how it might have to be done," Anderson said.
Under the legislation, the sales tax would be sent to the states where the shopper lives. The Internet sales tax would also require states to provide free software to businesses to help sort everything out.
"The bottom line is that states are losing millions and millions of dollars by not collecting the tax and I think they're going to figure out some way to collect it one way or the other," Anderson said.
Supporters say this tax would just level the playing field. Current law says states can already require businesses to collect sales tax on online purchases if the store has a physical presence in the state.
"I know it'd be a big boost to the economy with taxes taken in, and you know we need things like that right now," Furr said. "We're not back to where we were."
The U.S. Senate passed the Internet Sales Tax Bill. It will now go on to the House for a vote.
mr rogers jamie lee curtis spring equinox audacious pollen count mexico city mexico earthquake
Can women teach men about fatherhood? Oprah and Iyanla seem ...
The queen of talk Oprah Winfrey is doing her thing on OWN, and I applaud her for taking on the daunting task of not only having her own television network but being hands-on in the daily production and programming. We desperately need some enlightenment on television, and she is trying to give us a bit of that. After all, the steady diet of inane reality TV being fed to Americans may wipe out an entire generation?s intellect.
OWN?s Life Class series deals with myriad issues that affect many of us, and one that has caught my attention is Guru Iyanla Vanzant?s ?class? on fatherhood. Again, hats off to Queen O for tackling one of the deep fundamental reasons behind fractured families and broken children?children hurting because dad is an absentee parent or there physically but absent emotionally, sometimes even financially.
But I came across a fascinating article by Dr. Boyce Watkins questioning Oprah?s approach to the subject. He had this query, ?Should Oprah and Iyanla be teaching men about fatherhood??
That simple yet powerful question stayed with me, for I too had that nagging unease watching two dynamic, successful women speak to men about fatherhood. I wondered why there wasn?t a powerful man who is a father teaching this ?class.?
We women can be many things to many people and can move mountains when we have to, walk on water if necessary and juggle swords, sabers and knives with our feet if need be, but teaching a man to be a man?not sure we can master that one.
And this is not to bash Oprah or Iyanla, I think they are phenomenal at what they do, just not at being men. Can a single mother or father raise children on their own? No, and before you critics jump down my throat, here is why.
I didn?t ask whether a single mother or father can raise children without their father or mother being present, I asked whether they can do it alone, and the answer is still no. As the old African proverb goes, it takes a village, and we all need support, help and interdependence to raise healthy, well-adjusted, successful, happy children.
So if the father is not present, there are uncles, male friends, grandparents and big brother programs; there must be some positive male role models or male presence in boys? lives and the same for girls. If dad is going it alone, he needs female influences for his children.
Whenever I hear women say they do not need a man to help raise children, it makes me cringe and think what a selfish statement that is. You may not need a man, but your child does.
So Oprah may want to get some strong, positive male role models to participate this particular class on fatherhood, for try as we might, we women do not understand what it is to be male. It?s like speaking to women and girls about empowerment, life choices, self-esteem, self-confidence, growing older, menopause, being all we can be as women?only to have men towering over us to teach us how to be our best selves.
They are things that a mother will never be able to teach her son, and there are things a dad will not be able to teach his daughters.
Contrary to what some New Age thinkers teach, men and women are different. We think differently, learn differently, socialize differently, love differently, nurture differently and though comedian Steve Harvey is hilarious and made a bunch of money peddling his book and movie spin off ?Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man,? we women do not want to think like a man?well, at least this woman doesn?t. Do men want to think like us?
carmen whitney houston last performance cpac straw poll i will always love you whitney cummings maine caucus whitney houston has died
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Christie's surgery highlights weight-loss options
FILE - This April 30, 2013 file photo shows New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie during a town hall meeting on Long Beach Island, in Long Beach Township, N.J., where Superstorm Sandy caused heavy damage. Christie will guest-host the "Today" show later this month. NBC announced Tuesday, May 7, that Christie will be a co-host for an hour of the May 24 show, which will broadcast from the Jersey shore as part of its ?Great American Adventure? road trip. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, file)
FILE - This April 30, 2013 file photo shows New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie during a town hall meeting on Long Beach Island, in Long Beach Township, N.J., where Superstorm Sandy caused heavy damage. Christie will guest-host the "Today" show later this month. NBC announced Tuesday, May 7, that Christie will be a co-host for an hour of the May 24 show, which will broadcast from the Jersey shore as part of its ?Great American Adventure? road trip. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, file)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Weight-loss surgery such as the type that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie underwent may not just improve people's waistlines, but their health.
Obesity causes or worsens myriad health problems, from diabetes to heart disease, severe sleep apnea to arthritic knees. Christie has revealed that after struggling with his weight for 20 years and the reality check of turning 50, the desire to be healthy for his four children motivated him to have an operation called stomach banding.
"He's doing the right thing," said Dr. Jaime Ponce, president of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. "He's at the age he really needs to address his problem, to live longer, in a better way, with a better quality of life."
Specialists perform about 160,000 weight-loss operations a year in the U.S., according to a recent analysis by the surgeons' group. Surgery isn't a panacea, it isn't for everyone ? and some forms work better than others.
Some questions and answers about the different types:
Q: What is the most common form of weight-loss surgery?
A: In the U.S., it's gastric bypass, sometimes called stomach-stapling. It generally results in the most weight loss. Doctors wall off a small pouch in the stomach, so that it can hold only a small amount of food. Then, they reroute that food past part of the intestine so the body also absorbs fewer calories.
Q: How is stomach banding different?
A: It's a less invasive operation, and unlike gastric bypass, it's reversible ? the band can be removed if necessary. Best known by the brand name Lap-Band, an adjustable band is placed around the stomach to restrict how much food someone can eat at one time. As initial weight is lost, the band can be tightened. Typically, patients don't lose as much as with gastric bypass.
Q: Are those the only options?
A: The third major approach is called a gastric sleeve, which removes a large chunk of the stomach and thus cuts production of one of the body's hunger-stimulating hormones. Other, less used options including a complex operation called a duodenal switch that also involves rerouting food.
Q: How well do these operations work?
A: Over a year or two, weight-loss surgery can lead to loss of 50 percent to even 80 percent of the person's excess weight ? if they stick with a healthy diet and exercise. More important, research shows weight-loss surgeries can reverse Type 2 diabetes in patients who lose enough weight and keep it off. Gastric bypass causes the fastest weight loss, and stomach banding a more gradual loss.
But patients don't always benefit enough to justify surgery. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality cited reports that within five years, up to a third of stomach banding patients aren't maintaining their weight loss.
"You don't want somebody to always drink milkshakes because they're going to defeat the surgery over time," Ponce said.
Q: Is surgery safe?
A: Most are done laparoscopically ? through small incisions ? and Ponce's group says the risk of death is lower than for operations to remove a gall bladder or replace a hip. However, patients may suffer infection, blood clots, and broken or leaking stitches or staples.
After surgery, side effects can include vitamin deficiencies as food is digested differently, and vomiting as people learn to eat less and chew well. Gastric bypass patients also may suffer a complication that causes cramping and diarrhea, especially after eating sweets. The gastric band may slip out of place.
Q: Who's a candidate?
A: Generally, someone who is about 100 pounds overweight and has failed other attempts to lose. Doctors evaluate body mass index, a measure of weight for height. Candidates have a BMI of at least 40, or a BMI of 35 along with a weight-related health problem. For example, someone who is 5-foot-10-inches and weighs 279 pounds has a BMI of 40.
In 2011, The Food and Drug Administration relaxed the rules for stomach banding, allowing it for patients with a BMI as low as 30 who have a weight-related medical condition.
Weight-loss surgery can cost anywhere from $14,000 to $20,000; insurance tends to cover it for people who are sicker and more obese.
___
Online:
BMI calculator: http://tinyurl.com/b53foz
Weight-loss surgery: http://asmbs.org/
Associated Pressfourth of july IFE Fireworks 2012 4th Of July independence day BET Awards 2012 declaration of independence 4th Of July 2012
Children's 'healthy' foods marketed at children are higher in fat, sugar and salt
May 7, 2013 ? Foods being marketed to children in UK supermarkets are less healthy than those marketed to the general population according to researchers at the University of Hertfordshire, who question whether more guidelines may be needed in regulating food marketed to children.
With the rise in childhood obesity across Europe, there has been much attention on how governments can reduce the advertising of products with high fat, sugar and/or salt levels, directly to children. Much of the focus has been on snack foods like confectionery and soft drinks. However, this study found that foods marketed to children that are often considered to be 'healthy' foods, such as yoghurts, cereal bars and ready meals, were still found to be higher in fat, sugar and salt than those marketed to the general population.
Dr Kirsten Rennie, from the University of Hertfordshire's Centre for Lifespan and Chronic Illness Research, said: "Consumers may think that foods marketed for children, using cartoon characters and promoted for lunchboxes might be healthier options than the equivalent foods marketed more for adults. In fact we found that it was the opposite. Foods like yoghurts and cereal bars often had substantially more fat and sugar per 100g than similar adult-version products. This is very worrying and does not help consumers' confidence in choosing appropriate healthy foods for their children."
Nutritional data was collected on yoghurts, cereal bars and ready meals from seven major UK supermarkets and categorised as children's or non-children's products based on the characteristic, promotional nature or information on the product packaging. Fat, sugar and salt content was compared per 100g and per recommended portion size.
Dr Angela Madden, Principal Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Hertfordshire, said: "This study was co-ordinated by one of our students, Amy Lythgoe, who graduated with a BSc (Hons) Dietetics in 2011. Amy and the research team have provided some useful new evidence which will help parents become aware that choosing foods that are marketed to children may not be the healthiest option. This is an opportunity for food manufacturers to look at their child-orientated products and think about how they can improve them."
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/living_well/~3/QIB7YkZqCKM/130507134457.htm
WRAL John Harbaugh jill biden jill biden martin luther king jr baltimore ravens ravens
Monday, May 6, 2013
Jason Collins denies he is seeking book deal
This May 1, 2013 photo released by OWN shows host Oprah Winfrey posing with NBA basketball player Jason Collins during an interview for "Oprah's Next Chapter," in Beverly Hills, Calif. Winfrey speaks with Collins, his twin brother Jarron and family for their first interview together on the heels of Collins? public announcement as the first openly gay active pro athlete in a major American sport. The expanded episode of ?Oprah?s Next Chapter? airs this Sunday, May 5 from 7:30 p.m. on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. (AP Photo/OWN, Chuck Hodes)
This May 1, 2013 photo released by OWN shows host Oprah Winfrey posing with NBA basketball player Jason Collins during an interview for "Oprah's Next Chapter," in Beverly Hills, Calif. Winfrey speaks with Collins, his twin brother Jarron and family for their first interview together on the heels of Collins? public announcement as the first openly gay active pro athlete in a major American sport. The expanded episode of ?Oprah?s Next Chapter? airs this Sunday, May 5 from 7:30 p.m. on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. (AP Photo/OWN, Chuck Hodes)
NEW YORK (AP) ? Jason Collins, the NBA veteran who last week announced he was gay, is disputing reports from publishing insiders who say he is shopping a book deal.
Officials at three publishing houses told The Associated Press on Monday that they had been contacted about a planned memoir by Collins, the first active player in any of four major U.S. professional sports leagues to come out as gay. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the proceedings.
Collins tweeted that it wasn't so: "I have no current plans to write any books. Sorry to disappoint my literary loving fans," he said, adding a hashtag "GoingToTheGym."
Associated Pressheart attack grill las vegas the heart attack grill joe kennedy iii joseph kennedy iii ghost hunters lightsquared david lee
Patrol: 5 women die in limo fire on Calif. bridge
San Mateo County firefighters and California Highway Patrol personnel investigate the scene of a limousine fire on the westbound side of the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge in Foster City, Calif., on Saturday, May 4, 2013. Five people died when they were trapped in the limo that caught fire as they were traveling, and four others and the driver were able to escape, according to the Oakland Tribune-Bay Area News Group. (AP Photo/Oakland Tribune-Bay Area News Group, Jane Tyska)
San Mateo County firefighters and California Highway Patrol personnel investigate the scene of a limousine fire on the westbound side of the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge in Foster City, Calif., on Saturday, May 4, 2013. Five people died when they were trapped in the limo that caught fire as they were traveling, and four others and the driver were able to escape, according to the Oakland Tribune-Bay Area News Group. (AP Photo/Oakland Tribune-Bay Area News Group, Jane Tyska)
California Highway Patrolmen light flares as they investigate the scene of a limousine fire on the westbound side of the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge in Foster City, Calif., on Saturday, May 4, 2013. Five people died when they were trapped in the limo that caught fire as they were traveling, and four others and the driver were able to escape, according to the Oakland Tribune-Bay Area News Group. (AP Photo/Oakland Tribune-Bay Area News Group, Jane Tyska)
SAN MATEO, Calif. (AP) ? A limousine traveling on a major bridge in the San Francisco area burst into flames, killing five female passengers who were trapped inside and injuring four others who escaped, authorities said Sunday.
The limo was carrying nine female passengers and a male driver when it caught fire late Saturday on the San Mateo bridge, California Highway Patrol officer Art Montiel told The Associated Press.
Five occupants became trapped, while four others suffered injuries but managed to get out after the vehicle came to a stop on the bridge, the patrol said. The driver escaped uninjured.
Montiel said that the victims were all in their 30s. Authorities said the names of the dead would be released once families have been notified.
The blaze occurred around 10 p.m. on westbound lanes of the bridge, which connects San Mateo and Alameda counties, about 20 miles southeast of San Francisco.
The patrol said that smoke started coming out of the rear of the limo, and the driver pulled over as the vehicle quickly became engulfed in flames. Officers were trying to determine the cause of the blaze, which wasn't the result of an accident.
"We have no idea right now where they were going or where they were coming from," CHP officer Amelia Jack told KGO-TV.
Two of the women who escaped were taken to Stanford Hospital and the two others were taken to Valley Medical Center in San Jose. All four are being treated for smoke inhalation and burns.
The westbound lanes of the bridge were closed as officers investigated the cause of the deadly fire, but the patrol said one lane of traffic reopened early Sunday.
Associated Pressbks new dark knight rises trailer khloe and lamar oklahoma city thunder sunoco titanic ii babe ruth
NASA Mulls Missions for Donated Spy Satellite Telescopes
NASA is sorting through a variety of possible uses for a pair of powerful spy satellite telescopes that fell into the agency's lap last year.
In November, NASA asked scientists to suggest missions for the telescopes, which were donated by the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and are comparable in size and appearance to the famous Hubble Space Telescope.
More than 60 serious proposals came flooding in, the most promising of which were presented in early February at the Study on Applications of Large Space Optics (SALSO) workshop in Huntsville, Ala. [Declassified U.S. Spy Satellites (Gallery)]
"There was a lot of excitement in the scientific community when these were transferred to NASA, because they are world-class, Hubble-class telescopes, optics," said SALSO project manager George Fletcher, of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville.
The two scopes were originally?built to carry out surveillance missions under a multibillion-dollar NRO program called Future Imagery Architecture. But cost overruns and delays killed the program in 2005, and NASA announced in June 2012 that the NRO had bequeathed the instruments to the space agency.
While the telescopes' 8-foot-wide (2.4 meters) main mirrors are comparable to that of Hubble, the NRO instruments are designed to have a much wider field of view, NASA officials have said.
Seven big ideas
The ideas presented at the SALSO workshop fall into seven broad categories, meeting organizers and a technical review team determined:
- Mars-orbiting space telescope
- Exoplanet observatory
- General-purpose faint object explorer
- Advanced, Hubble-like visible light/ultraviolet telescope
- Optical communications node in space (which would aid transmissions to and from deep-space assets)
- Geospace dynamic observatory (which would study space weather and the sun-Earth system)
- Research of Earth's upper atmosphere (from a spot aboard the International Space Station)
The SALSO workshop did not look into another possible use ? incorporating one of the NRO scopes into NASA's proposed $1.5 billion Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope, a high-priority mission that would hunt for exoplanets and probe the mysteries of dark energy ? because a separate research team is already investigating this possibility.
The results of that second study, known as AFTA (Astrophysics Focused Telescope Assets), are expected any day now. Once AFTA is done, a more serious examination of the ideas presented at SALSO can begin.
"Completion and release of the AFTA study report are planned for late April or early May," NASA officials wrote in a post-SALSO update in March. "In the meantime, possible detailed follow-on design studies of a subset of the SALSO concepts will be deferred until this integrated assessment can be carried out."
A long road to launch
Whatever missions NASA ultimately assigns to the NRO scopes, the instruments are a long way from launch.
For starters, they're far from being fully outfitted spacecraft.
"There are no instruments on these two telescopes ? just primary and secondary mirrors and the support structures," Fletcher told SPACE.com. "It's going to take a while to develop the instruments and integrate them into the structure."
Further, the funding to bring the scopes up to speed, launch them into space and maintain their operations has not been granted. And in today's tough budget climate, there's no guarantee that it will be.
"At this point, we're just hoping that Congress can see their way to give enough money to handle these, to do something useful with these, or that the [Obama] Administration can find enough money somewhere else in the budget," Fletcher said. "But with budget realities the way they are, it's a bit of a challenge."
Follow Mike Wall on Twitter?@michaeldwall?and?Google+.?Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebookor Google+. Originally published on?SPACE.com.
Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nasa-mulls-missions-donated-spy-satellite-telescopes-111241014.html
j crew san francisco 49ers san francisco 49ers stan musial Mega 49ers lance armstrong
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)