Streaker clad in animal-print G-string interupts fashion show (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVTXeXD04rsjdcz5zEui-ZBTJs45yZiknVXVtrVGe6BcTdqsUBMQD5cpaqAUDdbZQQNIANrtOLa1koKi4Q75HOTmTQw-mRe0vVkLh4TbyTm7Pw8WpiuxUeH_Lsbn7kcCJntj6zZtZDbY/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVTXeXD04rsjdcz5zEui-ZBTJs45yZiknVXVtrVGe6BcTdqsUBMQD5cpaqAUDdbZQQNIANrtOLa1koKi4Q75HOTmTQw-mRe0vVkLh4TbyTm7Pw8WpiuxUeH_Lsbn7kcCJntj6zZtZDbY/s1600/11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">There were opulent gongs, mood music and richly colored coats on Prabal Gurung's Himalayas-inspired runway Saturday at New York Fashion Week.</div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">Oh, and something unusual: a streaker in an animal-print G-string, crown and bright red socks!</div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">The vibe was briefly disrupted by the cheeky (and we do mean cheeky) guy in loafers and overcoat as he ran onstage at a cavernous space in a shuttered post office and knelt before one of Gurung's models as she walked.</div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">But she was a pro, never breaking her model stare. She simply walked around him as he was chased back to where he had come from, behind stage near risers where a throng of photographers snapped away, along with Twitter-crazed guests in the audience.</div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">And for the record, his skimpy piece of cloth included animal ears, googly eyes and a red tongue sticking out.</div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">So, back to the lovely clothes, and that they were.</div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">Opera coats came in deep crimson red and cantaloupe colors with mohair. Chunky turtleneck knit sweaters perfect for ski lodge or base camp had mixed patterns, high slits and embracing sleeves. One coat was a grey mink paired with snow white Mongolian lamb.</div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">Gurung, a Nepalese American designer, embroidered organza for draped looks in blouses. He embellished chiffon with sequins and Swarovski crystals with more draped-detail in a Bordeaux red.</div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">His finale was all about the gowns and more draping: in crimson, Bordeaux and midnight black. One dress had ostrich feathers embroidered on a tulle train.</div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">Gurung said in a backstage interview he was inspired by a tiny former kingdom in mountainous Mustang and the indigenous culture and textures found there. He visited on a recent trip home to Nepal and it "gave me this sense of calm and serenity."</div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">Sandra Bullock, Zoe Saldana and Cate Blanchett have all worn Gurung gowns on recent red carpets, including a colorblocked look for Bullock at the Golden Globes.</div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">For an up and comer like Gurung, the thrill is tangible.</div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">"I know how many options they have and I know the impact that it had and I'm forever grateful," he said.</div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">On Gurung's front row was Carolina Herrera, his mentor after he won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award in 2010, including a $300,000 prize.</div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">Sitting at a show for another designer was an unusual treat for Herrera, whose Fashion Week show is scheduled Monday.</div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: 'Helvetica Nueue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 36px; padding: 0px;">"I never get to go to shows and I'm always in the backstage, so I don't see anything. So I'm very happy to be here."</div>

Streaker clad in animal-print G-string interupts fashion show (BLOG)

There were opulent gongs, mood music and richly colored coats on Prabal Gurung's Himalayas-inspired runway Saturday at New York Fashion ...

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Second Round Of Syrian Peace Talks Begin With More Acrimony And Accusations Of War Crimes

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZMAHr52-Lbg" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Second Round Of Syria Talks Makes Faltering Start -- Reuters</b></span></div><br />(Reuters) - A second round of Syria peace talks got off to a shaky start on Monday with the international mediator meeting the two sides separately after violations of a local ceasefire and an Islamist offensive set back his efforts.<br /><br />Ahead of the talks, mediator Lakhdar Brahimi told delegates to commit first to discussing both ending the fighting and setting up a transitional government. The government side said combating "terrorism" - its catchall term for the revolt - should be agreed first.<br /><br />The second round was intended to follow quickly after no substantive progress was made last month at the first round of talks in nearly three years of civil war.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/10/us-syria-crisis-idUSBREA1912Z20140210">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>More News On The Start UN Brokered Syrian Peace Talks</b></span></div><br /><a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/syrian-negotiators-return-to-geneva-for-peace-talks-with-little-expectations/article16772642/">Second round of Syria peace talks quickly bogs down </a>-- Globe and Mail/AP<br /><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/10/syrian-regime-and-opposition-begin-new-round-of-talks-in-geneva">Syrian regime and opposition begin new round of talks in Geneva</a> -- The Guardian<br /><a href="http://www.euronews.com/2014/02/10/round-two-of-geneva-peace-talks-start-after-hundreds-of-syrians-flee-besieged-/">Round two of Geneva peace talks start after hundreds of Syrians flee besieged Homs</a> -- Euronews<br /><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j9zJef5nyqKn5oeNfKxHa5odhGSA?docId=f17be7e0-774b-4dff-96c0-31145f430bd7">Syria's warring parties kick off new round of talks</a> -- AFP<br /><a href="http://www.dw.de/two-sides-trade-blame-at-opening-of-latest-syria-peace-talks/a-17422185">Two sides trade blame at opening of latest Syria peace talks</a> -- Deutsche Welle<br /><a href="http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/2/10/un-brokered-syriatalksresumeingeneva.html">UN-brokered Syria talks resume in Geneva</a> -- Al Jazeera<br /><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-02-09/traitor-puppet-insults-in-geneva-set-tone-for-new-syrian-talks">Syrian Factions Try to Move Beyond Insults as Talks Restart (2)</a> -- Bloomberg Businessweek<br /><a href="http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/02/10/syria-crisis-russia-idINDEEA190CO20140210">Russia seeks meeting with U.S., U.N., Syrian delegations in Geneva</a> -- Reuters<br /><br /><b>My Comment: </b>What's my take .... the Turkish PM's assessment is right (see above video) .... there is no reason to be optimistic in these talks.

Second Round Of Syrian Peace Talks Begin With More Acrimony And Accusations Of War Crimes

Second Round Of Syria Talks Makes Faltering Start -- Reuters (Reuters) - A second round of Syria peace talks got off to a shaky start on Mon...

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NY cockfighting ring raid rescues over 3,000 birds (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjWS9o6utd9jftf8HV3xFgeR7umbzCkR-NnAntxPRwsug83CZGVErAgIvoRLPmGTbEv3-_m8mOJWfSAT6-jrSSg_6l38nyDSL9xYwP2y31a7uIYwdVK8RByJNT_3I_YYG2Tdpxn3P_o4/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjWS9o6utd9jftf8HV3xFgeR7umbzCkR-NnAntxPRwsug83CZGVErAgIvoRLPmGTbEv3-_m8mOJWfSAT6-jrSSg_6l38nyDSL9xYwP2y31a7uIYwdVK8RByJNT_3I_YYG2Tdpxn3P_o4/s1600/11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="dateline" style="border: 0px none; clear: none; color: #999999; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;">NEW YORK –  </span>More than 3,000 birds were rescued in a three-county cockfighting takedown in New York this weekend that resulted in nine felony arrests, according to the state Attorney General's Office.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In a statement released Sunday night, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said it was the largest cockfighting takedown in New York state and among the largest in U.S. history.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Operation Angry Birds" simultaneously targeted locations in Queens, Brooklyn and Ulster County with assistance from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Ulster County Sheriff's office, Schneiderman said.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Cockfighting is a cruel, abusive and barbaric practice that tortures animals, endangers the health and safety of the public and is known to facilitate other crimes," Schneiderman said.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">At the cockfights, spectators were charged admission fees and an additional fee for a seat within the secret basement location that housed the all-night fights, authorities said. Alcohol was sold without a permit and owners and spectators placed bets on the fights with individual wagers reaching $10,000.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In Queens, authorities raided a cockfighting bimonthly event where 70 people were taken into custody, including six who were arrested on felony prohibition of animal fighting charges. The ASPCA took control of 65 fighting birds, authorities said.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In Brooklyn, a pet shop was raided where 50 fighting birds were rescued from a basement beneath the pet shop. The pet shop's owner was arrested on a felony charge and cockfighting contraband, including artificial spurs and syringes used to inject performance enhancing drugs into the roosters, were also found.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The pet shop owner was charged with prohibition of animal fighting, prosecutors said.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Authorities also raided a 90-acre farm in Plattekill, rescuing as many at 3,000 birds. The farm's owners charged rent to cockfighting enthusiasts from various other states, including, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts to board, feed and care for roosters that were bred and trained to fight, prosecutors said. A farm manager and a farm hand at the scene were arrested.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Authorities said the roosters had razor-sharp gaffs attached in place of their spurs and were locked in small pens to be wagered on. The ASPCA has established a temporary shelter to house and care for the animals.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In New York, cockfighting and possession of a fighting bird at a cockfighting location are felonies and each charge carries a maximum penalty of four years in jail and a fine of up to $25,000, according to the attorney general's office. Paying to attend one of these events is a misdemeanor and carries a possible sentence of up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">FoxNews</div>

NY cockfighting ring raid rescues over 3,000 birds (BLOG)

NEW YORK –   More than 3,000 birds were rescued in a three-county cockfighting takedown in New York this weekend that resulted in nine felon...

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Woman dies in base jumping accident near Utah's Zion National Park (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCWmHjFNfiz1WkDtDsx3xZtadPliE7PDwTfbZcxggyDSlwsBYzHzvUYl6hCzMXj9-d3d5KJNw1RwrmrMkOuLxdTlYz0xRfz1cid8ARTCJxOSgJGIyOPlfiBUcMXl1KufcoQLejcxJBLw/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCWmHjFNfiz1WkDtDsx3xZtadPliE7PDwTfbZcxggyDSlwsBYzHzvUYl6hCzMXj9-d3d5KJNw1RwrmrMkOuLxdTlYz0xRfz1cid8ARTCJxOSgJGIyOPlfiBUcMXl1KufcoQLejcxJBLw/s1600/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A Utah woman attempting a parachute jump near Zion National Park died when her parachute failed to open, park officials said.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Amber Bellows fell about 2,000 feet to the ground Saturday afternoon. The 28-year-old had been attempting the jump from Mount Kinesava, in the southern part of the park famous for its soaring red rock formations.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bellows hiked to the top of the mountain Saturday morning with her husband, 29-year-old Clayton Butler. The Salt Lake City couple had married just two weeks before.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bellows jumped first, around 4 p.m., but her parachute did not open. Her husband jumped after her, but could not reach her body. It took him another two hours to hike down the mountain and notify park officials.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Officials began a helicopter search on Sunday morning and found Bellows' body by 10 a.m.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Park officials said Bellows had been an experienced BASE jumper. BASE stands for Building, Antenna, Span, Earth -- the different platforms used by jumpers.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">BASE jumping is banned in Zion, and this is the first time a jumper has died.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"It is just really sad and our condolences go out to her family and friends," Acting Superintendent Jim Milestone said in a statement. "BASE jumping is so dangerous. Even for those that are experienced, like Amber Bellows. That is one of the reasons it is not allowed in the park."</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">FOX</div>

Woman dies in base jumping accident near Utah's Zion National Park (BLOG)

A Utah woman attempting a parachute jump near Zion National Park died when her parachute failed to open, park officials said. Amber Bellows ...

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World News Briefs -- February 10, 2014

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/WX9BpOp1QTo" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>New Round Of Syria Peace Talks Begins In Geneva -- CNN</b></span></div><br />Geneva, Switzerland (CNN) -- Syria's warring sides began a new round of peace talks Monday, days after a first session managed little beyond a pledge to evacuate civilians from the besieged city of Homs.<br /><br />The Geneva II peace conference, which had its first session some 10 days ago, brought the Syrian government and opposition together for face-to-face negotiations for the first time since the conflict began nearly three years ago.<br /><br />The first round of talks ended with no firm agreements and bitter statements from both sides.<br /><br />However, United Nations envoy Lakhdar Brahimi said then that some "common ground" had been reached.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/10/world/meast/syria-peace-talks/">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>MIDDLE EAST</b></span></div><br />Syrian talks resume as <b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/02/syria-talks-resume-as-homs-aid-runs-continue-201421092245133797.html">Homs mission continues</a></b>. Second round of Syria talks <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/10/us-syria-crisis-idUSBREA1912Z20140210">makes faltering start</a></b>. Syrian regime and opposition begin <b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/10/syrian-regime-and-opposition-begin-new-round-of-talks-in-geneva">new round of talks in Geneva</a></b>.<br /><br />Six hundred Syrians flee besieged<b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/10/us-syria-crisis-homs-idUSBREA170S120140210"> Old Homs in aid convoy</a></b>.<br /><br />Rebel attack on <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/rebel-attack-syrian-alawite-village-kills-40-085123549.html">Syrian Alawite village kills 40</a></b>.<br /><br />Iraq speaker <b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/02/iraq-speaker-escapes-assassination-attempt-2014210142135531229.html">escapes assassination attempt</a></b>. Iraq speaker targeted in blast <b><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jI_Topy3079OPGnrNFXsCn3OkmdA?docId=533a21ed-9537-4c4f-b432-9bd00341c738">as 21 militants killed</a></b>. Iraq: Militants set off own car bomb, <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/iraq-militants-set-off-own-car-bomb-21-140753442.html">21 dead.</a></b><br /><br />Iran sets 'red lines' <b><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gk68IRFFhxxCZJCkFSiGKKOd7MAg?docId=4bbe6c22-4b76-4838-bf4f-6b9fc8a6b989">ahead of fresh nuclear talks</a></b>.<br /><br />Weekend violence<b><a href="http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/24424/Default.aspx?hp=readmore"> rocks Israel.</a></b><br /><br />Yemen to become <b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/02/yemen-become-six-region-federation-2014210124731726931.html">six-region federation</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>ASIA</b></span></div><br />Bomb kills two American contractors <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/10/us-afghanistan-attack-idUSBREA190Y620140210">in Afghan capital Kabul</a></b>.<br /><br />Afghan bomb targets <b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2014/02/afghan-bomb-targets-nato-prison-convoy-2014210113155516497.html">NATO prison convoy</a></b>.<br /><br />Pakistani separatist militants <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/10/us-pakistan-pipelines-bombing-idUSBREA1903T20140210">blow up three gas pipelines</a></b>.<br /><br />South Korea-US exercises announced as <b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-26080072">Kenneth Bae visit blocked</a></b>.<br /><br />Abe, Aquino views on China unhelpful,<b><a href="http://www.stripes.com/news/us/abe-aquino-views-on-china-unhelpful-u-s-general-says-1.266737"> U.S. general says</a></b>.<br /><br />China export growth seen slowing,<b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/10/us-china-economy-idUSBREA190AK20140210"> loans surging in January</a></b>.<br /><br />Spain orders arrest of <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/spain-orders-arrest-former-chinese-president-others-over-143941453.html">former Chinese president, others over Tibet</a></b>.<br /><br />Nepal's new PM pledges new constitution <b><a href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-02/10/c_133104390.htm">within one year</a></b>. Nepal's new prime minister raises hopes <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/nepal-39-prime-minister-raises-hopes-democratic-momentum-133731964.html">of democratic momentum.</a></b><br /><br />Italy tells India handling of marines case <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/italy-tells-india-handling-marines-case-could-hurt-141153020--finance.html">could hurt EU ties</a></b>.<br /><br />Asylum seekers accuse Australia navy of abuse as <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/10/us-australia-indonesia-asylum-idUSBREA1903F20140210">boat towed to Indonesia</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AFRICA</b></span></div><br />France rules out <b><a href="http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/africa/2014/02/10/France-rules-out-Libya-military-intervention-.html">Libya military intervention</a></b>.<br /><br />Lynchings and religious violence increase in <b><a href="http://www.euronews.com/2014/02/10/lynchings-and-religious-violence-increase-in-violence-torn-central-african-/">conflict-torn Central African Republic</a></b>.<br /><br />Egyptian authorities accuse Islamist group of <b><a href="http://world.time.com/2014/02/09/egypt-muslim-brotherhood-military/">forming ‘military wing’</a></b>.<br /><br />South Sudan and rebels <b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2014/02/south-sudan-rebels-resume-talks-201421010362646991.html">to resume talks.</a></b><br /><br />Mali says MUJWA Islamist group responsible<b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/09/us-mali-islamists-idUSBREA180YN20140209"> for killing 31 Tuaregs</a></b>.<br /><br />Congo warlord Bosco Ntaganda faces <b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/10/congo-warlord-bosco-ntaganda-war-crimes-hague">war crimes charges at The Hague.</a></b><br /><br />Two car bombs explode in Somali capital,<b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/two-car-bombs-explode-somali-capital-least-five-144818264.html"> at least five wounded</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>EUROPE</b></span></div><br />Sochi 2014: <b><a href="http://www.bbc.com/sport/live/winter-olympics/25886331">Day three: Live</a></b><br /><br />Huge crowds gather for 10th weekly <b><a href="http://rt.com/news/ukraine-protest-kiev-opposition-299/">anti-govt rally in central Kiev</a></b>.<br /><br />Worse than Greece: Fitch says <b><a href="http://rt.com/business/ukraine-default-fitch-downgrade-386/">Ukraine's default risk high</a></b>.<br /><br />EU neighbours regret Swiss vote <b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26116648">for immigration quotas</a></b>. Europe warns Swiss of consequences<b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/europe-warns-swiss-consequences-immigration-vote-143556240--sector.html"> after immigration vote</a></b>.<br /><br />François Hollande expected to get 'super red-carpet'<b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/09/francois-hollande-us-state-visit-french-president"> treatment in US</a></b>.<br /><br />NSA flap strains <b><a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303874504579372832399168684?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702303874504579372832399168684.html">ties with Europe</a></b>.<br /><br />UK floods: Swollen Thames <b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26111598">threatens thousands of homes</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>AMERICAS</b></span></div><br />Hollande and Obama make joint <b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26117455">call for climate accord</a></b>.<br /><br />Threat of more snow and ice in U.S. South <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/threat-more-snow-ice-u-south-puts-officials-145406859--finance.html">puts officials on alert</a></b>.<br /><br />Mexico vigilantes enter <b><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-26103464">Knights Templar cartel stronghold</a></b>.<br /><br />Toyota to<b><a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/02/09/toyota-leave-venezuela"> leave Venezuela</a></b>. Venezuela's currency squeeze <b><a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304626804579361430760853514">threatens nation's newspapers</a></b>.<br /><br />As inflation and crime soar in Venezuela, <b><a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/02/07/3920606/as-inflation-and-crime-soar-in.html">those who can head abroad</a></b>.<br /><br />Argentina falling again, but no longer drags down <b><a href="http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2014/02/10/argentina-falls-but-no-longer-drags-down-brazil?s_cid=rss:argentina-falls-but-no-longer-drags-down-brazil">neighboring Brazil like in past crises</a></b>.<br /><br />Vancouver home to Canada's first <b><a href="http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/vancouver-home-to-canada-s-first-crackpipe-vending-machines-1.1677066#ixzz2spaXdqtr">crackpipe vending machines</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR</b></span></div><br />US suspect possibly targeted <b><a href="http://www.breitbart.com/system/wire/ap_ca2280e951cf462fbf8e308fd52b7a9b">for drone attack</a></b>.<br /><br />Al Qaeda splinter group withdraws <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/10/us-syria-crisis-rebels-idUSBREA1909V20140210">from oil-rich Syrian province</a></b>.<br /><br />Al Qaeda won't execute kidnapped South African, <b><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/al-qaeda-won-behead-kidnapped-south-african-article-1.1606954">despite ransom deadline</a></b>.<br /><br />Intelligence chair: ‘Guards, gates and guns’ <b><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/feb/9/house-intel-chair-concern-about-possible-attack-ou/">mitigate Olympics threats</a></b>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS</b></span></div><br />Boeing sees Asia-Pacific fleet <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/10/us-airshow-forecast-boeing-idUSBREA190PR20140210">nearly tripling over 20 years</a></b>.<br /><br />Icahn drops <b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/10/us-apple-icahn-idUSBREA1913T20140210">Apple buyback demand</a></b>.<br /><br />Google passes Exxon <b><a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/Google-passes-Exxon-to-be-No-2-US-company-5220775.php">to be No. 2 US company</a></b>.<br /><br />Europe, China help McDonald's<b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/10/us-mcdonalds-sales-idUSBREA190U620140210"> offset soft U.S. sales in January</a></b>.

World News Briefs -- February 10, 2014

New Round Of Syria Peace Talks Begins In Geneva -- CNN Geneva, Switzerland (CNN) -- Syria's warring sides began a new round of peace tal...

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Michael Sam, star Missouri defensive end, comes out as gay (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MWrr1Qp22Yt-LQ2Ms8OFRyNRqRbkFbDF0S06lhA9EqjJ1pBiiyptA6aKM-wfTuuIe6SJoxXa1PBjxj54WtrkMKlw_xI9Efy2CKbvh_6MJkAL9S73zIifcgyA6quqoK2DTmZTXP78CBc/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MWrr1Qp22Yt-LQ2Ms8OFRyNRqRbkFbDF0S06lhA9EqjJ1pBiiyptA6aKM-wfTuuIe6SJoxXa1PBjxj54WtrkMKlw_xI9Efy2CKbvh_6MJkAL9S73zIifcgyA6quqoK2DTmZTXP78CBc/s1600/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Missouri All-American defensive end Michael Sam has publicly acknowledge that he is gay, making him potentially the first openly gay NFL player.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In interviews with ESPN, The New York Times and Outsports that were all published Sunday, Sam said his teammates and coaches at Missouri have known since August.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"I am an openly, proud gay man," he said.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The 255-pound Sam participated in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., last month after leading the SEC in sacks (11.5) and tackles for loss (19), and he is projected to be a mid-round NFL draft pick this coming May.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"It's a big deal. No one has done this before. And it's kind of a nervous process, but I know what I want to be ... I want to be a football player in the NFL," he said in the interviews.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sam also started a Twitter account Sunday night after the news broke, thanking people for their support.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">There have been numerous NFL players who have come out after their playing days, including Kwame Harris and Dave Kopay.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Last year, NBA player Jason Collins announced he was gay after the season. Collins, a 35-year-old backup center, was a free agent and has not signed with a new team this season. MLS star and U.S. national team player Robbie Rogers also came out a year ago.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Division III Willamette kicker Conner Mertens, a redshirt freshman, said last month he was bisexual.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"We admire Michael Sam's honesty and courage," the NFL said in statement. "Michael is a football player. Any player with ability and determination can succeed in the NFL. We look forward to welcoming and supporting Michael Sam in 2014."</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sam said many people at the Senior Bowl all-star game for NFL prospects seemed to know that he was gay.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"I didn't realize how many people actually knew, and I was afraid that someone would tell or leak something out about me," he told ESPN. "I want to own my truth. ... No one else should tell my story but me."</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Before coming out to all his teammates and coaches, Sam said he told a few close friends and dated another Missouri athlete who was not a football player.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Coaches just wanted to know a little about ourselves, our majors, where we're from, and something that no one knows about you," Sam said. "And I used that opportunity just to tell them that I was gay. And their reaction was like, 'Michael Sam finally told us.'"</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said in a statement Sunday night he was proud of Sam and how he represented the program.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Michael is a great example of just how important it is to be respectful of others, he's taught a lot of people here first-hand that it doesn't matter what your background is, or your personal orientation, we're all on the same team and we all support each other," Pinkel said. "If Michael doesn't have the support of his teammates like he did this past year, I don't think there's any way he has the type of season he put together."</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Missouri linebacker Donovan Bonner has been a teammate of Sam's for five years.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"We knew of his status for 5 years and not one team member, coach, or staff member said anything says a lot about our family atmosphere," Bonner tweeted.</div><div style="border: 0px none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i style="border: 0px none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Associated Press contributed to this report.</i></div>

Michael Sam, star Missouri defensive end, comes out as gay (BLOG)

Missouri All-American defensive end Michael Sam has publicly acknowledge that he is gay, making him potentially the first openly gay NFL pla...

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New surveillance technology capable of watching you, and you and you too (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsNo4Bkvjz3EcM6g__VAtW6o6R4gKwyxTGAeogjMMMxgnygwCbhWAFFMVLUvu-PFP3VAhfpGmnpCdwPjE6xwxtFVu1Md6XwOLkxqy-J1c8sCOqTQO2wEN6tl19NhjJuu8Ap0W_tqdbsY/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsNo4Bkvjz3EcM6g__VAtW6o6R4gKwyxTGAeogjMMMxgnygwCbhWAFFMVLUvu-PFP3VAhfpGmnpCdwPjE6xwxtFVu1Md6XwOLkxqy-J1c8sCOqTQO2wEN6tl19NhjJuu8Ap0W_tqdbsY/s1600/1.jpg" /></a></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_13926" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">It sounds like something out of a paranoid Hollywood thriller. New surveillance technology that can keep tabs on people — lots of people — for hours at a time. </div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_13952" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">This isn't some Michael Bay script, though. The technology is real and, according to an in-depth report by the<a data-rapid_p="9" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/new-surveillance-technology-can-track-everyone-in-an-area-for-several-hours-at-a-time/2014/02/05/82f1556e-876f-11e3-a5bd-844629433ba3_story.html" id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_13961" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Washington Post</a>, already being used to solve violent crimes.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_13973" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;"><a data-rapid_p="10" href="http://www.persistentsurveillance.com/index.html" id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_13972" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Persistent Surveillance Systems</a> is the organization behind the technology. The company, based in Dayton, Ohio, explained to the Post how it works, as well as some steps the company has taken to assuage privacy concerns.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_13991" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">It starts with an eye in the sky: A small Cessna plane flying in a two-mile radius, 8,000 to 10,000 feet in the air for hours at a time. The plane is equipped with 12 high-resolution cameras that take photos every second, according to the Post. The cameras can't detect a person's identity (people and vehicles appear as a pixel), but they can track movement over time, which can often lead to an identification and arrest.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Ross McNutt, president of Persistent Surveillance Systems, told the Post that he wants to use the systems around the country. They have been demonstrated in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Compton, California. They have already solved one crime in Dayton, McNutt told the Post.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">McNutt also said he met with leaders of the American Civil Liberties Union to help develop a privacy policy for the technology. According to the Post, police who use the system aren't supposed to examine footage until a crime has been committed, in order to prevent law enforcement "fishing expeditions."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Still, some privacy advocates remain concerned.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">From the Post:</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em; padding-left: 30px;">"If you turn your country into a totalitarian surveillance state, there’s always some wrongdoing you can prevent,” said Jay Stanley, a privacy expert with the American Civil Liberties Union. “The balance struck in our Constitution tilts toward liberty, and I think we should keep that value.”</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_14001" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"Totalitarian surveillance state" might be a bit strong, but plenty of Americans have said they are worried about the ever-expanding possibility of incursion into their private lives. The growing use of drones, for everything from fighting terrorists to delivering tacos, is an example. Some communities are attempting to enact laws that limit their use. In Minnesota, state lawmakers are considering enacting standards for the controversial technology, according to an <a data-rapid_p="11" href="http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2014/02/02/drone-debate-lands-before-minn-lawmakers/" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">AP report</a>.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_14016" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Minnesota state Rep. Brian Johnson, R-Cambridge, told AP he doesn't want to limit the effectiveness of law enforcement. “This is an attempt to balance the needs of law enforcement and the civil rights of Minnesotans and their privacy,” he said. “We want to make sure we use it properly.”</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_14026" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">In Deer Trail, Colo., residents plan to vote on whether to make it legal to "hunt" federal drones. The election is scheduled to take place sometime after April 1, the <a data-rapid_p="12" href="http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/drone-hunting-deer-trail-residents-will-vote-on-proposal-to-allow-shooting-unmanned-aircraft" id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_14061" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; outline: 0px;">Denver Channel</a> reports.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_14036" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Even whales are seeing their privacy disappear. According to a report from <a data-rapid_p="13" href="http://www.cbs8.com/story/24647576/the-new-way-to-whale-watch-by-drone" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">CBS News 8</a>, whale watchers are now using drones.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_14046" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;"><em id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389377114892_1114">Follow Mike Krumboltz on Twitter (<a data-rapid_p="14" href="https://twitter.com/mikekrumboltz" id="yui_3_9_1_1_1389377114892_1113" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">@mikekrumboltz</a>).</em></div>

New surveillance technology capable of watching you, and you and you too (BLOG)

It sounds like something out of a paranoid Hollywood thriller. New surveillance technology that can keep tabs on people — lots of people — f...

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Get free bitcoins simply partecipating at Bitbillions

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>How to get free bitcoins</b> ?</h2><div style="text-align: left;"> Well , there are a lot of websites nowadays that are claiming are giving away <i>free bitcoins</i> ,</div><div style="text-align: left;">unfortunately many of them are just scams or ponzi schemes .</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Sites that says:  join now , do nothing ! and i will pay you bitcoins ! even sites are </div><div style="text-align: left;">claiming that you will be paid in bitcoins just to login !</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Of course che earning chain starts from an action , for that action you will be paid </div><div style="text-align: left;">according to the revenue generated from the website trough <b>your </b>action .</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">If the action required is , as example , watching a website for 20 seconds , well </div><div style="text-align: left;">for sure the company is getting bitcoins from the advertisers , and is very willing </div><div style="text-align: left;">to give you a piece of the pie for your click .</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the particular case of <a href="http://www.bitbillions.com/?refid=1VG36rhKdcGP3V3NZXPZgsPhuDXvb8S8b" target="_blank">Bitbillions</a> , you can <i>get free bitcoins </i>in many ways ,</div><div style="text-align: left;">watching websites , watching videos , and more , trough the earning </div><div style="text-align: left;">satellite websites inside the bitbillion platform .</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In addition , bitbillions will reward you if you recruit some new members </div><div style="text-align: left;">that will upgrade to co-founder in the main website , or premium , in the satellite</div><div style="text-align: left;">earning websites : mybitcoinrewards.com , iwantacar.com , bitfeud.com .</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.bitbillions.com/?refid=1VG36rhKdcGP3V3NZXPZgsPhuDXvb8S8b" target="_blank">Bitbillions</a> reached already a very high alexa ranking , under 20 thousand at the</div><div style="text-align: left;">time of writing this article , so , we can be sure that will be a big player in the </div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>bitcoin</b> world in the coming years.</div><h4><br /></h4><br /></div>

Get free bitcoins simply partecipating at Bitbillions

How to get free bitcoins ?  Well , there are a lot of websites nowadays that are claiming are giving away free bitcoins , unfortunately ma...

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 10, 2014

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2D9zwKg78yufK3chyG2WYFEScqFbm4_xCsrBsEZAAd62G5zx8xTVK3ChsrKd8uppD7PFHB3qTx_BBIjcoqN1WfZyNsMbkvDzrEsgKw89TAw-jIp3t9Rwe2AjUu1U720Mm7berL18IfVCB/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2D9zwKg78yufK3chyG2WYFEScqFbm4_xCsrBsEZAAd62G5zx8xTVK3ChsrKd8uppD7PFHB3qTx_BBIjcoqN1WfZyNsMbkvDzrEsgKw89TAw-jIp3t9Rwe2AjUu1U720Mm7berL18IfVCB/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">U.S. Soldiers with 2nd Platoon, Attack Company, 1st Regiment, 503rd Infantry Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team set up a tactical satellite communication system in Shekhabad Valley, Wardak province, Afghanistan, Aug. 9, 2010. Photo by Sgt. Russell Gilchrest</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Soldiers Say Army’s Battlefield Intelligence Network Is A Life-Threatening Disaster -- Washington Times</b></span></div><br />An internal memo from the U.S. command in Afghanistan says soldiers are voicing strong complaints about the Army’s battlefield intelligence network, for which Congress just slashed spending by 60 percent.<br /><br />The $28 billion Distributed Common Ground System is too slow and unstable and hurts operations in some cases, say intelligence officers who rely on the computer network to collect and quickly dispense data on hard-to-find insurgents and the homemade bombs they plant.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/feb/9/soldiers-say-intel-tool-is-too-difficult/">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS</b></span></div><br /><a href="http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htlead/articles/20140208.aspx">Leadership: How Officers Ruined The Russian Military</a> -- Strategy Page<br /><br /><a href="http://en.ria.ru/russia/20140210/187395888/Russian-Rear-Admiral-Kills-Himself-Over-Painkiller-Red-Tape.html">Russian Rear Admiral Kills Himself Over Painkiller Red Tape</a> -- RIA Novosti<br /><br /><a href="http://en.ria.ru/military_news/20140207/187297952/Russia-to-Begin-Building-9-Submarines-by-Next-Year-.html">Russia to Begin Building 9 Submarines by Next Year </a>-- RIA Novosti<br /><br /><a href="http://en.ria.ru/military_news/20140210/187386040/Russia-Delays-Tests-of-UAE-Made-Drone-.html">Russia Delays Tests of UAE-Made Drone</a> -- RIA Novosti<br /><br /><a href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-02/10/c_133103473.htm">No immediate signs of DPRK's nuclear test: S. Korean defense minister</a> -- Xinhuanet<br /><br /><a href="http://www.defenseone.com/threats/2014/02/north-korean-missile-launch-tower-nearly-complete-satellites-show/78413/?oref=d-river">North Korean Missile Launch Tower Nearly Complete, Satellites Show</a> -- Defense One<br /><br /><a href="http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htsurf/articles/20140210.aspx">Surface Forces: China Builds A New Old Navy </a>-- Strategy Page<br /><br /><a href="http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13921120001147">Commander: Iran’s Air Defense System Coverring Country through 3,600 Points </a>-- FARS News Agency (Iran)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htart/articles/20140210.aspx">Artillery: Saudi Ballistic Missiles Secretly Upgraded </a>-- Strategy Page<br /><br /><a href="http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140209/DEFREG01/302090010/Italian-Lawmakers-Consider-New-Cuts-JSF-Purchase?odyssey=nav|head">Italian Lawmakers Consider New Cuts to JSF Purchase</a> -- Defense News<br /><br /><a href="http://www.stripes.com/news/us/afghan-soldiers-worry-about-possible-us-pullout-1.266617">Afghan soldiers worry about possible US pullout </a>-- Washington Post/Stars and Stripes<br /><br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/new-commander-takes-reins-in-afghanistan/2014/02/08/ceb8ff1e-90ad-11e3-878e-d76656564a01_story.html">New No. 2 US commander takes reins in Afghanistan</a> -- Washington Post/AP<br /><br /><a href="http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140209/DEFREG02/302090012/White-House-Pushes-Budget-Hike">White House Pushes Budget Hike</a> -- Defense News<br /><br /><a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/defcon-hill/budget-appropriations/197855-congress-makes-pentagon-budget-cutting-tougher">At Pentagon, pre-emptive budget strikes</a> -- The Hill<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dailyfinance.com/2014/02/09/two-drone-giants-team-up-to-change-the-future-of-s/">Two Drone Giants Team Up to Change the Future of Surveillance</a> -- Daily Finance/Motley Fool<br /><br /><a href="http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140209/DEFREG02/302070034/Contractor-Behind-USAF-Satellite-Navigation">Contractor Behind on USAF Satellite Navigation </a>-- Defense News<br /><br /><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/09/edward-snowden-used-simple-technology-nsa">Snowden used simple technology to mine NSA computer networks</a> -- The Guardian<br /><br /><a href="http://rt.com/news/nsa-drones-civilian-casualties-383/">Use of NSA metadata to find drone targets kills civilians – Greenwald</a> -- RT<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dodbuzz.com/2014/02/10/group-claims-amphibious-shipbuilding-industry-in-danger/">Group Claims Amphibious Shipbuilding Industry in Danger </a>-- DoD Buzz<br /><br /><a href="http://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2014/02/09/marine_missions_at_risk_without_more_lpds_107079.html">Marine Missions at Risk Without More LPDs</a> -- Loren Thompson, Defense News<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dodbuzz.com/2014/02/10/solar-producer-joins-armys-green-energy-push/">Solar Producer Joins Army’s Green Energy Push </a>-- DoD Buzz<br /><br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/congress/documents-reveal-chaotic-military-sex-abuse-record/2014/02/09/7f39a05a-9171-11e3-97d3-f7da321f6f33_story.html">Documents reveal chaotic military sex-abuse record</a> -- Washington Post/AP<br /><br /><a href="http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140208/DEFREG02/302080025/2-Years-DoD-Still-Explaining-Asia-Pivot-">2 Years In, DoD Still Explaining Asia 'Pivot'</a> -- Defense News<br /><br /><a href="http://warontherocks.com/2014/02/disruptive-defense-3d-printing-unmanned-systems-and-bitcoin/">Disruptive Defense: 3D Printing, Unmanned Systems and Bitcoin</a> -- Stephen Rodriguez, War On The Rocks <br /><br /><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/feb/10/cody-wilson-3d-gun-anarchist">Meet Cody Wilson, creator of the 3D-gun, anarchist, libertarian</a> -- The Guardian<br /><br /><a href="http://thediplomat.com/2014/02/indias-rising-regional-military-engagement/">India’s Rising Regional Military Engagement</a> -- Nitin Gokhale, The Diplomat<br /><br /><a href="http://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2014/02/let-nato-keep-peace-palestine/78503/">Let NATO Keep the Peace in Palestine</a> -- John Deni, Defense One<br /><br /><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/02/what-key-nsa-overseers-dont-know-about-the-phone-dragnet/283704/">What Key NSA Overseers Don't Know About the Phone Dragnet</a> -- Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic<br /><br /><a href="http://original.antiwar.com/vlahos/2014/02/09/how-a-cia-whistleblower-survives-behind-bars/">How a CIA Whistleblower Survives Behind Bars</a> -- Kelley B. Vlahos, Antiwar.com<br /><br /><a href="http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/07/portrait-of-an-army-family/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_php=true&_type=blogs&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&_r=1">Portrait of an Army Family </a>-- Alex Quade, New York Times

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- February 10, 2014

U.S. Soldiers with 2nd Platoon, Attack Company, 1st Regiment, 503rd Infantry Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team set up a tactical...

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Polygamy thrives in Utah (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIz0KQxgLRmus_za4eaYSEWWDgx9lUgcSVR9BWRpuGBjF03MtfHVduAbBrUFV25QwyaTfXicgHTzUshT1STxgaI8FdKHBmSwwvqWELEfvdoX1QhRFz4-WjTbZXOPsgYuZO42QMdrrdYfY/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIz0KQxgLRmus_za4eaYSEWWDgx9lUgcSVR9BWRpuGBjF03MtfHVduAbBrUFV25QwyaTfXicgHTzUshT1STxgaI8FdKHBmSwwvqWELEfvdoX1QhRFz4-WjTbZXOPsgYuZO42QMdrrdYfY/s1600/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_7931" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Salt Lake City (United States) (AFP) - With 17 of their 25 children still living at home, breakfast is a military operation for the Dargers.</div><div class="body-slot-mod" style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.307693481445313px; margin: 0px 0px 1.1em 10px; max-width: 300px;"><div class="yom-remote"><div class="" id="mediacontentrelatedstory_container"></div></div></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_7908" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">As organized chaos unfolds at the family home in the Utah countryside outside Salt Lake City, the parents come to help out.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_7984" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Alina is the first, followed by her "sister wives" Vicki and Valerie, and finally their husband Joe.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_7994" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The Dargers are members of a polygamous marriage, a lifestyle they say is endorsed by their fundamentalist Mormon beliefs.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_8004" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Joe married cousins Alina and Vicki in 1990. Ten years later, Vicki's twin sister Valerie joined them, after her first plural marriage broke down. She brought five children with her from that relationship.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_8014" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The family has lived openly for several years now, even publishing a 2011 book entitled "Love Times Three".</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_8024" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">But for a long time, Joe Darger says he worried that he might be arrested under the anti-polygamy laws in effect in the western US state.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"The fear when I went public four years ago, that fear was very real," he told AFP.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"This is a third degree felony... this is serious prison time. My grandfathers were imprisoned, so that was a real impact that we felt."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">That fear has lifted for now, following a December ruling by a federal judge that struck down a key part of the state's anti-polygamy law as unconstitutional.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Judge Clark Waddoups ruled that legislation banning "unlawful cohabitation" was at odds with the constitutional right to freedom of religion.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Alina Darger, who herself works as a lawyer on cases involving polygamy, says the ruling was a relief.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"That's been one of the great things about the ruling -- the decriminalization, and the judge saying basically that the state needs to stay out of people’s bedrooms," she said.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"As long as it's adults freely choosing what they want, then I don't feel it would be my place to tell somebody else you can't choose to love who you love."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">But what the Dargers see as unwarranted government intrusion, others see as essential for the protection of women and children.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Marion Munn moved to Utah from Britain after converting to a fundamentalist Mormon faith, and says she was part of a polygamous relationship for 18 years.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"The only way that I can explain it is like living with adultery on a daily basis, and having the woman come home," Munn said.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"On top of that you have to smile and pretend that everything's okay because that's part of the culture too."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">She now argues that such marriages are inherently unequal, and often aren't entered into freely.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"Certainly within Mormon-based polygamy, it's not really much of a choice, because Mormon scriptures teach a woman that if she doesn't consent to living in polygamy, God's going to destroy her," Munn explained.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"So for me going into it, I didn't personally want to live it, but I felt compelled to as a matter of faith."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">While the practice may work for the Dargers, a 2011 University of British Columbia study found polygamy causes greater levels of crime, violence, poverty and gender inequality in communities that practice it.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The United Nations has called for a ban, while polygamy has been at the center of notorious cases such as that of Warren Jeffs, the fundamentalist Mormon leader sentenced to life in prison for child sexual assault in 2011.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The main branch of the Mormon faith -- the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints -- renounced the practice of polygamy in the 1890s under pressure from the US government.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">While some offshoots of the religion continue the practice, exact numbers are hard to come by. Some estimates say that around 40,000 Utah residents live in plural marriages.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Utah's Attorney General Sean Reyes has yet to say whether he will challenge the federal court ruling on polygamy.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_8050" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The state is also currently fighting to enforce a ban on gay marriage, which was ruled illegal in December by another federal judge.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_8050" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;"><br /></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_8050" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Yahoo</div>

Polygamy thrives in Utah (BLOG)

Salt Lake City (United States) (AFP) - With 17 of their 25 children still living at home, breakfast is a military operation for the Dargers....

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White House Is Now Debating The Assassination Of Another U.S. Terror Suspect

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkT2Df0QVHRmLNFwUHKYaWBmMbodCTmsUmLYDBctit_RN3L6hUOdh-wKsNjk-LnhcfEQ6YLed5tOC7kEsTPSRFk56ApB6x-q91PCq8-NUJy0FIFvMnXdZ_2QQjDWqf1tiQMS3x1qfe24_/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkT2Df0QVHRmLNFwUHKYaWBmMbodCTmsUmLYDBctit_RN3L6hUOdh-wKsNjk-LnhcfEQ6YLed5tOC7kEsTPSRFk56ApB6x-q91PCq8-NUJy0FIFvMnXdZ_2QQjDWqf1tiQMS3x1qfe24_/s1600/2013-09-12-BZSSR.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>White House Mulls Drone Kill Against U.S. Terror Suspect -- Washington Times</b></span></div><br />The Obama administration is reportedly wrestling with the idea of unleashing a fatal drone attack against a U.S. citizen believed to be a member of al Qaeda and suspected of actively plotting an attack on Americans who are overseas.<br /><br />The citizen’s name was not released and neither were the circumstances surrounding the mulled drone kill — including the country he’s reportedly residing in, The Associated Press reported.<br /><br />But currently, CIA drones have him under surveillance but can’t attack due to his American status, AP said. The Justice Department must first build a legal case, showing the need to kill him — and so far, neither Attorney General Eric Holder nor his aides have done that.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/feb/10/white-house-mulls-drone-kill-against-us-citizen/">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>Update:</b> <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/system/wire/ap_ca2280e951cf462fbf8e308fd52b7a9b">US suspect possibly targeted for drone attack</a> -- Breitbart/AP<br /><br /><b>My Comment:</b> To me .... this is a no brainer. This Al Qaeda leader is an enemy combatant .... even if he is an American.

White House Is Now Debating The Assassination Of Another U.S. Terror Suspect

White House Mulls Drone Kill Against U.S. Terror Suspect -- Washington Times The Obama administration is reportedly wrestling with the idea ...

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US suspect possibly targeted for drone attack (BLOG)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnaHVIGqfIYE7R50yNP7qFflEI4SAv628g3xcLV0WzE3TBk3xW_JWc7HPSKCXS7dNNbwJ1PWNH3SvcRL-eLqL5M1mWe_YJN6VrXNdsaMzcBGxxNazAbZJpRO8P0GzKo_-6mxr3oCPTlY8/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnaHVIGqfIYE7R50yNP7qFflEI4SAv628g3xcLV0WzE3TBk3xW_JWc7HPSKCXS7dNNbwJ1PWNH3SvcRL-eLqL5M1mWe_YJN6VrXNdsaMzcBGxxNazAbZJpRO8P0GzKo_-6mxr3oCPTlY8/s1600/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_3386" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">WASHINGTON (AP) — An American citizen who is a member of al-Qaida is actively planning attacks against Americans overseas, U.S. officials say, and the Obama administration is wrestling with whether to kill him with a drone strike and how to do so legally under its new stricter targeting policy issued last year.</div><div class="body-slot-mod" style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.307693481445313px; margin: 0px 0px 1.1em 10px; max-width: 300px;"><div class="yom-remote"><div class="" id="mediacontentrelatedstory_container"></div></div></div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_3411" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The CIA drones watching him cannot strike because he's a U.S. citizen and the Justice Department must build a case against him, a task it hasn't completed.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_3421" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Four U.S. officials said the American suspected terrorist is in a country that refuses U.S. military action on its soil and that has proved unable to go after him. And President Barack Obama's new policy says American suspected terrorists overseas can only be killed by the military, not the CIA, creating a policy conundrum for the White House.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_3431" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Two of the officials described the man as an al-Qaida facilitator who has been directly responsible for deadly attacks against U.S. citizens overseas and who continues to plan attacks against them that would use improvised explosive devices.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_3441" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">But one U.S. official said the Defense Department was divided over whether the man is dangerous enough to merit the potential domestic fallout of killing an American without charging him with a crime or trying him, and the potential international fallout of such an operation in a country that has been resistant to U.S. action.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Another of the U.S. officials said the Pentagon did ultimately decide to recommend lethal action.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The officials said the suspected terrorist is well-guarded and in a fairly remote location, so any unilateral attempt by U.S. troops to capture him would be risky and even more politically explosive than a U.S. missile strike.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Under new guidelines Obama addressed in a speech last year to calm anger overseas at the extent of the U.S. drone campaign, lethal force must only be used "to prevent or stop attacks against U.S. persons, and even then, only when capture is not feasible and no other reasonable alternatives exist to address the threat effectively." The target must also pose "a continuing, imminent threat to U.S. persons" — the legal definition of catching someone in the act of plotting a lethal attack.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The Associated Press has agreed to the government's request to withhold the name of the country where the suspected terrorist is believed to be because officials said publishing it could interrupt ongoing counterterror operations.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the classified drone targeting program publicly.</div><div class="body-related" style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; position: relative;"><a class="body-related-link body-related-image go-to-slideshow-lightbox rapid-noclick-resp landscape onesize get-lbdata-from-dom" data-rapid_p="8" data-uuid="9a08a975-8c79-395c-8dfb-795c82e6e17c" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/file-sept-5-2013-file-photo-senate-intelligence-photo-071814938.html" style="color: #324fe1; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 300px; position: relative; text-decoration: none;" title="FILE - In this Sept. 5, 2013 file photo, Senate Intelligence&nbsp;&hellip;"><div class="img-wrap" style="position: relative;"><div class="cta-overlay" style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.24s linear; font-size: 13px; height: 194px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; transition: background-color 0.24s linear; width: 300px;"><span class="clearfix title cta-text medium" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.24s linear; color: white; font-size: 16px; left: 5px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; top: 5px; transition: opacity 0.24s linear; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 270px; zoom: 1;"></span><span class="cta-text xsmall" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.24s linear; bottom: 5px; color: white; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 42px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; transition: opacity 0.24s linear;">View gallery</span><span class="icon-slideshow icon-white-slideshow-xsmall" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.16s linear; background-color: #324fe1; background-image: url(data:image/svg+xml; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; bottom: 5px; cursor: pointer; height: 23px; left: 5px; line-height: 0; opacity: 0; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-indent: -1000em; transition: opacity 0.16s linear; width: 32px; z-index: 1;"></span></div><img alt="FILE - In this Sept. 5, 2013 file photo, Senate Intelligence&nbsp;&hellip;" class="body-related-thumb" data-src-2x="" height="194" src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/efi9wDZ0kesXUZkv7Ylgng--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTE5NDtxPTc1O3c9MzAw/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/16853572c79267054b0f6a7067001df7.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block; opacity: 1 !important; transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible !important;" width="300" /></div></a><div class="body-related-title photo-caption" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: grey; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16.5px; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 5px 5px 0px 0px; position: relative; width: 300px;">FILE - In this Sept. 5, 2013 file photo, Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Sen. Dianne Feinstein,  …</div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">House Intelligence committee chairman Mike Rogers, R-Mich., complained last week that a number of terrorist suspects were all but out of reach under the administration's new rules that limit drone strikes based on the target's nationality or location. Two of the U.S. officials said the Justice Department review of the American suspected terrorist started last fall.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The senior administration official confirmed that the Justice Department was working to build a case for the president to review and decide the man's fate. The official said, however, the legal procedure being followed is the same as when the U.S. killed militant cleric and former Virginia resident Anwar al-Awlaki by drone in Yemen in 2011, long before the new targeted killing policy took effect.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The official said the president could make an exception to his policy and authorize the CIA to strike on a onetime basis or authorize the Pentagon to act despite the possible objections of the country in question.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The Justice Department, the Pentagon and the CIA declined to comment.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">If the target is an American citizen, the Justice Department is required to show that killing the person through military action is "legal and constitutional"— in this case, that the Pentagon can take action against the American, as the administration has ruled him an enemy combatant under the Authorization for Use of Military Force, a resolution Congress passed a week after the 9/11 attacks to target al-Qaida.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Mary Ellen O'Connell, a professor of international law at the University of Notre Dame, said there is a school of thought that the Obama administration's drone policy is "lawless."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"Why should the Justice Department issue the execution warrant for anyone abroad? The fact that they give extra scrutiny only because he's an American exacerbates this negative impression," O'Connell said.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">U.S. drones have killed four Americans since 2009, including al-Awlaki, who the administration said was actively plotting to kill U.S. citizens.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Attorney General Eric Holder said the three other Americans were killed by drones, but were not targeted. The three are Samir Khan, who was killed in the same drone strike as al-Awlaki; al-Awlaki's 16-year-old son, Abdulrahman, a native of Denver who was killed in Yemen two weeks later; and Jude Kenan Mohammed, who was killed in a drone strike in Pakistan.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">The case has galvanized congressional opponents of Obama's plan to transfer drones from the CIA to the Defense Department. Before the plan was announced, either CIA or Pentagon drones could go after terrorist targets, even if they were U.S. citizens. The CIA could also fly drones in areas where host countries might object. But by law, the Pentagon can only strike in war zones, in countries that agree to U.S. counterterrorism action or in lawless areas like parts of Somalia where that government's security forces cannot reach. Even then only al-Qaida-linked suspects can be targeted.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">"It is very clear that there have been missed opportunities that I believe increase the risk of the lives of our soldiers and for disrupting operations underway," Rogers said last week.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">U.S. officials said both Senate and House appropriators have blocked funding to transfer the CIA's stealth RQ-170 drone fleet to the Pentagon. Some lawmakers want the White House to come up with a fix for targeting suspects in areas where the Pentagon is banned from operating — either by leaving some part of the CIA operation running or by granting the Pentagon authority to strike covertly despite the location — meaning they could legally deny the operation.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Lawmakers like Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., have also objected to the shift to the Pentagon, arguing that the CIA has more experience flying drones.</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_3683" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">___</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_3630" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">Follow Kimberly Dozier on Twitter: http://twitter.com/kimberlydozier</div><div id="yui_3_9_1_1_1392035908886_3645" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.000001907348633px; margin-bottom: 1.1em;">___</div>

US suspect possibly targeted for drone attack (BLOG)

WASHINGTON (AP) — An American citizen who is a member of al-Qaida is actively planning attacks against Americans overseas, U.S. officials sa...

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Iraqi Shiites Are Starting To Remobilize

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAs728ztQbbZk7AhNK-FA9MCy2xynv_uycin12mXHmTLx-p_jSmzju4dQ7b7yz6vzeM5_Mm7CTA5Se1pKp3sG3PEWfFH0_XWBdAXW0ud9WHI369RomCAqYV8ID6vw_b7r2_sniJShGXENO/s1600/us_postal_service_logo-325.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAs728ztQbbZk7AhNK-FA9MCy2xynv_uycin12mXHmTLx-p_jSmzju4dQ7b7yz6vzeM5_Mm7CTA5Se1pKp3sG3PEWfFH0_XWBdAXW0ud9WHI369RomCAqYV8ID6vw_b7r2_sniJShGXENO/s1600/us_postal_service_logo-325.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Shiite Militias In Iraq Begin To Remobilize -- Washington Post</b></span></div><br />BAGHDAD — Scores of bodies have been dumped in Iraq’s canals and palm groves in recent months, reminding terrified residents of the worst days of the country’s sectarian conflict and fueling fears that the stage is being set for another civil war.<br /><br />In the latest sign of the escalating attacks, the heads of three Sunnis were found Sunday in a market in northern Salaheddin province, while six Shiites were shot dead in the province after being questioned about their religious affiliation, officials said.<br /><br />The carnage has raised concerns that the Shiite militias that stalked members of the minority Sunni population in the dark days of 2006 and 2007 could be remobilizing, in response to attacks by Sunni extremists.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/shiite-militias-in-iraq-begin-to-remobilize/2014/02/09/183816c6-8f59-11e3-878e-d76656564a01_story.html">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>My Comment:</b> After scores of attacks in which the Shiite community was targeted .... this Shiite mobilization was to be expected. Iraq is now on the brink of a sectarian civil war.

Iraqi Shiites Are Starting To Remobilize

Shiite Militias In Iraq Begin To Remobilize -- Washington Post BAGHDAD — Scores of bodies have been dumped in Iraq’s canals and palm groves ...

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Afghan Taliban Airs Their Kabul CIA Office Attack Video

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CKMfC_W08O8" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Taliban Airs Kabul CIA Office Attack Video -- Al Jazeera</b></span></div><br />Experts say propaganda video indicates Taliban has evolved into group capable of sophisticated attacks.<br /><br />The Taliban has released a video, which appears to show the planning and execution of an attack on the CIA compound in Afghanistan last June.<br /><br />The video, which Al Jazeera obtained and aired on Sunday, showed the attack during a visit by US diplomat James Dobbins, who was in Afghanistan at that time to revive talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.<br /><br />The fighters used fake US identification cards and wearing equipment, making them appear like foreign soldiers with official looking vehicles.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2014/02/taliban-airs-kabul-cia-office-attack-video-20142918320571183.html">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>My Comment:</b> What is my take on this video .... the Taliban are going to be an effective force in Afghanistan long after U.S. and NATO forces have left the country.

Afghan Taliban Airs Their Kabul CIA Office Attack Video

Taliban Airs Kabul CIA Office Attack Video -- Al Jazeera Experts say propaganda video indicates Taliban has evolved into group capable of so...

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Former CIA Director: Anti-Semitism Is Behind Pollard Incaceration

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/PgIu9lnTfE8" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Former CIA Head: Pollard Incarceration Is Anti-Semitism -- Arutz Sheva</b></span></div><br />James Woolsey says 'pretend Pollard is Greek American and free him,' says US doesn't need to spy on Israel.<br /><br />Former CIA Director James Woolsey reiterated his call for the release of Jonathan Pollard, now in his 29th year behind American bars over charges of spying for Israel. His calls follow those by many senior security officials asking for Pollard's release.<br /><br />Speaking to Arutz 10, Woolsey argued "after a quarter century the time has come to free him. That doesn't mean that what he did wasn't serious, I've seen the materials in 1993 and he disclosed very confidential content. But I tell people 'imagine he's a Greek American and free him.'"<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/177230#.UvjTfYW0ykM">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>Update #1</b>: <a href="http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Former-CIA-director-accuses-US-of-anti-Semitism-on-Pollard-340881">Former CIA director accuses US of anti-Semitism on Pollard</a> -- Jerusalem Post<br /><b>Update #2</b>: <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/ex-cia-head-anti-semitism-likely-in-pollard-case/2014/02/08/271c1d4a-90fd-11e3-97d3-f7da321f6f33_story.html">Ex CIA head: Anti-Semitism likely in Pollard case</a> -- Washington Post<br /><br /><b>My Comment</b>: Pollard is an American who was convicted for espionage and sentenced to life .... the gravity of what he leaked to Israel is why he is prison, not because he is Jewish.

Former CIA Director: Anti-Semitism Is Behind Pollard Incaceration

Former CIA Head: Pollard Incarceration Is Anti-Semitism -- Arutz Sheva James Woolsey says 'pretend Pollard is Greek American and free hi...

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U.S. And South Korea Have Announced The Dates For Their Annual Military Exercise

<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/pPlXy3TkcHc" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">U.S. And South Korea To Hold Military Drills Despite Protest From Pyongyang -- Reuters</span></b></div><br />(Reuters) - The United States and South Korea will hold their annual joint military drills from February 24 to April 18, the combined forces command that oversees the allies said on Monday, and Pyongyang had been notified of the plan.<br /><br />The announcement comes after a nuclear-capable U.S. B-52 bomber sortie last week prompted angry reactions from North Korea, which threatened to reconsider plans for reunions of families separated during the 1950-53 Korean War.<br /><br />"The United Nations Command has informed the Korean People's Army in North Korea through their Panmunjom mission about both Key Resolve and Foal Eagle exercise dates and the non-provocative nature of this training," the command said in a statement.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/10/us-korea-north-drills-idUSBREA1900V20140210">Read more</a></b> ....<br /><br /><b>Update #1</b>: <a href="http://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/korea/dates-announced-for-spring-us-south-korea-exercises-1.266700">Dates announced for spring US-South Korea exercises</a> -- Stars and Stripes<br /><b>Update #2</b>: <a href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-02/10/c_133103132.htm">S. Korea to conduct military drills with U.S. from Feb. 24 to April 18</a> -- Xinhuanet<br /><br /><b>My Comment</b>: North Korea is already showing<b><a href="http://www.mysinchew.com/node/95720"> their "displeasure"</a></b>.

U.S. And South Korea Have Announced The Dates For Their Annual Military Exercise

U.S. And South Korea To Hold Military Drills Despite Protest From Pyongyang -- Reuters (Reuters) - The United States and South Korea will ho...

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kitchen tables in the kitchen

Are you ready for some crazy talk? I think you are going to start seeing more kitchen tables...in the kitchen. Told you, crazy.<br /><br />I'm not fool enough to think the ubiquitous island will disappear entirely from kitchen design, but I am seeing more and more people make the brave decision to ditch the island and go for a good old kitchen table. And bravo to them. I would much rather sit at a kitchen table and <strike>drink</strike> chat with friends than stand around an island. Nothing is more welcoming than a comfy seat and a well worn wooden table.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYoz75amhqFDSGp_5D5qEzQxKWgu8NVIg0j7Et4z7nsh7IR9IYJBr1I_kR6n9cTR3kJ3fKsV3NG3cMdvCw1sPpL6e2IY5rn7T0Yw0WAAniyrK7FjjHcbwiTKTi1KG7MF8uN1LvwDt-TGm/s1600/11ce2ea1d133bd40f346268e37f5dd5c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYoz75amhqFDSGp_5D5qEzQxKWgu8NVIg0j7Et4z7nsh7IR9IYJBr1I_kR6n9cTR3kJ3fKsV3NG3cMdvCw1sPpL6e2IY5rn7T0Yw0WAAniyrK7FjjHcbwiTKTi1KG7MF8uN1LvwDt-TGm/s1600/11ce2ea1d133bd40f346268e37f5dd5c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://houseandhome.com/design/photo-gallery-steven-gabrels-decorating-style?page=1" target="_blank">Steven Gambrel</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTOyVzCZoYADN19nEr2QSohbxRWw8ksDOZKIaDq0gpFbt4oUE8AB_ZjZB9XzrR3CaByq3wdnC044U_ObDIdvQiq71WqQLD5jZu_k-9SWDqu7u_WM6-uIK7Q6f7uT9mR7RWNGTXaTHmbxb6/s1600/021_e_1013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTOyVzCZoYADN19nEr2QSohbxRWw8ksDOZKIaDq0gpFbt4oUE8AB_ZjZB9XzrR3CaByq3wdnC044U_ObDIdvQiq71WqQLD5jZu_k-9SWDqu7u_WM6-uIK7Q6f7uT9mR7RWNGTXaTHmbxb6/s1600/021_e_1013.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://papercitymag.com/SlideShow2011.aspx?ObjectType=2&ObjectId=6922&Start=0" target="_blank">Ashley Putnam</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz5_AoWSNiUjREzEBCAVMZHbyX1wtgLOV_kt_nvBd2rcYGRr2m8mCuJMepkvuGkTeucCsZwodjywPkEPGlCCxnNPsXToMyScFGvbZzqffzQNr77HT4GtKCdkhCXIyFIHDi1mMeKBL2vF2V/s1600/4f14b6df155d5c12b63ebccb6bba20c3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="588" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz5_AoWSNiUjREzEBCAVMZHbyX1wtgLOV_kt_nvBd2rcYGRr2m8mCuJMepkvuGkTeucCsZwodjywPkEPGlCCxnNPsXToMyScFGvbZzqffzQNr77HT4GtKCdkhCXIyFIHDi1mMeKBL2vF2V/s1600/4f14b6df155d5c12b63ebccb6bba20c3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.aestheticoiseau.com/2014/01/gil-schafers-greek-revival.html" target="_blank">via</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgktizUhZc-LcjnJ9nRkKFuNHvgf_8bS6_dbm1xt7OS955NpyTKU-D1Nxv_xXQ1mLr-vGFhIdz5xEUpw3WGmmN07i_DvdJwa_yltApwjB71OuJyd5J5vLM13RKTmbsjaSsAnJnb-dgIJTy7/s1600/9dfe60228e32f64d2fc8a849bf144961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgktizUhZc-LcjnJ9nRkKFuNHvgf_8bS6_dbm1xt7OS955NpyTKU-D1Nxv_xXQ1mLr-vGFhIdz5xEUpw3WGmmN07i_DvdJwa_yltApwjB71OuJyd5J5vLM13RKTmbsjaSsAnJnb-dgIJTy7/s1600/9dfe60228e32f64d2fc8a849bf144961.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.architecturaldigest.com/" target="_blank">Architectural Digest</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3t2pP40yxZNBizt9vPfL1jp8_EcGmjVozFMXj3nZdyhBwhsFWcf6gD5be-i4J7zpmcVMD58KsI8kdDu8K0hedJMKC879JNsBA2jfYBMjb5smdnFuyj3EGeXT4dunmNKxukRePcX9CBne2/s1600/ce582ba7aafb206517e1b97b09d2af8f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3t2pP40yxZNBizt9vPfL1jp8_EcGmjVozFMXj3nZdyhBwhsFWcf6gD5be-i4J7zpmcVMD58KsI8kdDu8K0hedJMKC879JNsBA2jfYBMjb5smdnFuyj3EGeXT4dunmNKxukRePcX9CBne2/s1600/ce582ba7aafb206517e1b97b09d2af8f.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://houseandhome.com/" target="_blank">House and Home</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfUsnQsMvwmk9YRjq47parinz74CgpX3ZpgcsbqELiRqWeYY8UHGI07AzNEJ4HYgyGKioqFs41aoyP13nl2f7w6QR3C_4FLizPXk2-DufNDDuCzHCBY2jNEFeYDKFHcxgeMwHS-0Su0YE/s1600/7997863614846afbf44ca73ff3315ec9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfUsnQsMvwmk9YRjq47parinz74CgpX3ZpgcsbqELiRqWeYY8UHGI07AzNEJ4HYgyGKioqFs41aoyP13nl2f7w6QR3C_4FLizPXk2-DufNDDuCzHCBY2jNEFeYDKFHcxgeMwHS-0Su0YE/s1600/7997863614846afbf44ca73ff3315ec9.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/collective-effort#slide-1" target="_blank">Elle Decor</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpBWBa1UwExcUugDmi-SY3K2Z1eReany-eORYUTjigJBPJ9gCrKU4TaG33Ehs71Yt3YWYFksFQCdh_MDt2viR5JhMAP-vo3kADNcC-gGxWM-xtWbz8qcoiY3ZXCOgjhkcTQY96TTSRaCrR/s1600/9f6a36296850d0e0d84afa9095d4637b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpBWBa1UwExcUugDmi-SY3K2Z1eReany-eORYUTjigJBPJ9gCrKU4TaG33Ehs71Yt3YWYFksFQCdh_MDt2viR5JhMAP-vo3kADNcC-gGxWM-xtWbz8qcoiY3ZXCOgjhkcTQY96TTSRaCrR/s1600/9f6a36296850d0e0d84afa9095d4637b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cottage Living</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_b_OjzrwZZ3mZBvYPB3A3FX391AGNZulFZQnWz5qNhFQ9ABPT17rZEpfpjkHYGGtRhtec55FbLfMm9twldtAxTHKpfnycJpOkgXvYn0yrFDX5yBMyFj8hFiN66oT-EXdR-vsv7iWycJQo/s1600/e24529922a7c63a8b367c1c531f2df05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_b_OjzrwZZ3mZBvYPB3A3FX391AGNZulFZQnWz5qNhFQ9ABPT17rZEpfpjkHYGGtRhtec55FbLfMm9twldtAxTHKpfnycJpOkgXvYn0yrFDX5yBMyFj8hFiN66oT-EXdR-vsv7iWycJQo/s1600/e24529922a7c63a8b367c1c531f2df05.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cottages-gardens.com/Connecticut-Cottages-Gardens/July-2012/Kitchen-Innovator-Winners/" target="_blank">Cottages & Gardens</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZWK8LaAAy6Y6NEAYY6GdHkznRC8W6i8fu6oxofflgFbSkS2FdN9Fx7dmvvUYDEhSh2Cd6SsxoYKeaHdDDmY5vbBlHZRRsqCTsqGzFiMKRwZnZrSdTiDioNJ1KuSOpUfO12nIiHWSw-iN/s1600/43f86ea08e0e73695ef07ea1615cca1f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZWK8LaAAy6Y6NEAYY6GdHkznRC8W6i8fu6oxofflgFbSkS2FdN9Fx7dmvvUYDEhSh2Cd6SsxoYKeaHdDDmY5vbBlHZRRsqCTsqGzFiMKRwZnZrSdTiDioNJ1KuSOpUfO12nIiHWSw-iN/s1600/43f86ea08e0e73695ef07ea1615cca1f.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/6896205649623405/" target="_blank">via</a></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEmGmXAujwLeM-1lgI0XMORjqYno7v8pVycIduhfqXBfO1SKwI71bSh0y1jsAbPQq0lu_6vhtthA16oJfMXp7wWHZ0MLV7Wwc3VDRoSt4T3oEag9yf74Q_erKDqRZTBQfJEBl1ED4FR_zb/s1600/canadian+hh+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="539" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEmGmXAujwLeM-1lgI0XMORjqYno7v8pVycIduhfqXBfO1SKwI71bSh0y1jsAbPQq0lu_6vhtthA16oJfMXp7wWHZ0MLV7Wwc3VDRoSt4T3oEag9yf74Q_erKDqRZTBQfJEBl1ED4FR_zb/s1600/canadian+hh+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4sWMkwnLUiY9l2t8ai__24S1e1M8oFIBpeM-lsxKnqqTIvIvri3J_0byehn4He0kuL0W77KVtOBzKwBCqJvskdUVfci9UiZ4L8fCTAdjXfwS0P8bzTUFLE5P8KEx0uRTQmqUrV6thLOn/s1600/cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4sWMkwnLUiY9l2t8ai__24S1e1M8oFIBpeM-lsxKnqqTIvIvri3J_0byehn4He0kuL0W77KVtOBzKwBCqJvskdUVfci9UiZ4L8fCTAdjXfwS0P8bzTUFLE5P8KEx0uRTQmqUrV6thLOn/s1600/cropped.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/6896205648982510/" target="_blank">via</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br />What do you think? Are you an island fan? Or a table lover?<br /><br />

kitchen tables in the kitchen

Are you ready for some crazy talk? I think you are going to start seeing more kitchen tables...in the kitchen. Told you, crazy. I'm not ...

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