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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A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Which is good because this pretty much sums it up.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8tjxuRJ9mlAcwYgnw7mlloTA-BkR4VUNrV0wloyF_buN-MS6OwOzI-gBM5Sf0vXWwL4fB9K0ZcstvwYgrvogqVY3crhw0gaAjn3pIpxwAYEmsmBq4zVfAV_OgSEAcHRbtiHeQpPuurNq/s1600/and-not-a-single-fuck-was-given-that-day-lolcat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8tjxuRJ9mlAcwYgnw7mlloTA-BkR4VUNrV0wloyF_buN-MS6OwOzI-gBM5Sf0vXWwL4fB9K0ZcstvwYgrvogqVY3crhw0gaAjn3pIpxwAYEmsmBq4zVfAV_OgSEAcHRbtiHeQpPuurNq/s640/and-not-a-single-fuck-was-given-that-day-lolcat.jpg" /></a></div>

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Which is good because this pretty much sums it up.

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Leading UK Computer Retailer ‘Scan’ Accepts Bitcoin

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="single-title"><h1></h1><div class="single-info"><span class="single-author"><a href="http://www.coindesk.com/author/nermin-hajdarbegovic/" rel="author" title="Posts by Nermin Hajdarbegovic">Nermin Hajdarbegovic</a> | </span> <span class="single-date">Published on February 7, 2014 at 11:22 GMT | </span> <span class="single-category"><b><i><a href="http://www.coindesk.com/companies/bitpay/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in BitPay">BitPay</a>, <a href="http://www.coindesk.com/companies/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Companies">Companies</a>, <a href="http://www.coindesk.com/companies/merchants/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Merchants">Merchants</a>, <a href="http://www.coindesk.com/news/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in News">News</a></i></b></span></div></div><div class="single-content"><div class="picture featured"><img alt="computer" class=" wp-post-image" height="185" src="http://media.coindesk.com/2014/02/shutterstock_83484310-300x185.jpg" width="300" /></div><span class="wpsr_floatbts_anchor" data-offset="31"></span>Scan Computers has started accepting bitcoin payments, making it the first major PC retailer to accept the cryptocurrency in the UK.<br /><a href="http://www.scan.co.uk/" target="_blank">Scan</a> is a bit more than your average PC retailer. It is a big player in the channel, it is one of the biggest sellers of high-end computers in the UK and it builds a range of pre-overlocked rigs for enthusiasts.<br /><h2>A crypto love affair</h2>Since it caters to a geeky user base, Scan quickly recognized that digital currency was an interesting trend to cash in on.<br />As a result, the retailer decided to start selling mining rigs under its own 3XS brand. So far, the effort has been limited to litecoin miners (the rigs are essentially PCs configured to mine litecoins).<br />Scan’s James Gorbold told <a href="http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/read/scan-becomes-first-uk-pc-retailer-to-accept-bitcoin/033163" target="_blank">PCR Online</a> that the company is also evaluating other digital currencies like <a href="http://www.coindesk.com/technology/altcoins/litecoin-altcoins/">litecoin</a>, but for the time being it is only accepting bitcoins. He added:<br /><blockquote>“Our customers want to spend bitcoins, we want to embrace that and allow our customers to pay how they want to. It’s the next logical step forward, from cash to cheque and payment cards.”</blockquote><h2>Plenty of potential</h2>Gorbold said Scan likes to think of itself as an innovator, and that he believes it is the first company in the sector to embrace bitcoin. He added that Scan is excited about the potential of bitcoin and doesn’t want to follow the crowd – it wants to try out new ideas.<br />Like many other retailers, Scan uses <a href="http://www.coindesk.com/tag/bitpay/">BitPay to handle payments</a>.<br /><br /><figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_43250"><a href="http://media.coindesk.com/2014/02/Screen-Shot-2014-02-07-at-10.52.43.png"><img alt="scan" class=" wp-image-43250" height="245" src="http://media.coindesk.com/2014/02/Screen-Shot-2014-02-07-at-10.52.43.png" width="400" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="figcaption_attachment_43250"><a href="http://www.scan.co.uk/" target="_blank">Scan’s website</a> displaying the announcement.</figcaption></figure>Users simply need to choose bitcoin as their payment method, complete the order with bitcoin and BitPay will take care of the rest. It will convert the value of the order and the buyer can then either scan the QR code or manually transfer the amount to the displayed wallet address.<br />The transaction requires six confirmations, it is also possible to cancel orders and receive refunds using <a href="http://www.coindesk.com/price/">the exchange rate</a> at the time of refund.<br />British merchants are doing quite well in cross-border sales. Britain is not in the Eurozone and since 2008 the GBP/EUR exchange rate has worked in the nation’s favour.<br />In many cases it is cheaper to buy and ship a computer or high-end graphics card from Britain than it is to buy one in many Eurozone members. Digital currencies have the potential to make British e-tailers even more competitive.<br /><i><b>Disclaimer:</b> CoinDesk founder <a href="http://www.coindesk.com/shakil-khan-bitcoin-can-be-money-over-ip-but-services-must-get-more-intuitive/" target="_blank">Shakil Khan</a> is an investor in BitPay.</i><br /><i><a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-83484310/stock-photo-macro-of-a-hand-holding-tweezers-on-a-laptop-connector.html?src=QZPCgDryI29904H38nOmxw-3-89" target="_blank">Computer Image</a> via Shutterstock</i><br /><div class="single-tags"><a href="http://www.coindesk.com/tag/bitpay/">BitPay</a><a href="http://www.coindesk.com/tag/scan-computers/">Scan Computers</a><a href="http://www.coindesk.com/tag/scan-uk/">Scan UK</a><a href="http://www.coindesk.com/tag/uk/">UK</a></div></div></div>

Leading UK Computer Retailer ‘Scan’ Accepts Bitcoin

Nermin Hajdarbegovic | Published on February 7, 2014 at 11:22 GMT | BitPay , Companies , Merchants , News Scan Computers has started acc...

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"The Walking Dead: After" Mid-Season Premiere Recap

Season 4 kicks off at the prison, but this time, the prison is in shambles as herd of walkers infest the once-secured prison yards. Michonne seems to be the only one that hasn’t fled completely but instead, is observing the chaos. She notices two walkers in particular, members of Team Governor, and traps them into the spikes and makes them into her walker pets. Sadly, she stumbles upon Hershel’s head and puts (him?) out of his misery once and for all. She then heads onward into the woods within the hordes of walkers, shaken about what had become of Hershel.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://static3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140125001430/walkingdead/images/5/58/409_Michonne_Pet_Walkers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://static3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140125001430/walkingdead/images/5/58/409_Michonne_Pet_Walkers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Meanwhile, Rick and Carl are walking down a desolate neighborhood road. Carl is walking feet ahead of Rick, as Rick stumbles behind him and yelling at Carl to wait up. Rick is beaten up and bruised badly. The two end up coming across a small bar-b-que shack. Rick reminds Carl he stays guard while Rick clears the building of walkers. Carl isn’t having it so they both go in together. They come across a walker and Rick tells Carl to save his ammo as Rick lunges an axe at the walker’s head...unfortunately, the walker doesn’t completely fall so Carl shoots it in the head. Rick is mad at Carl for pulling the trigger but Carl mouths back that Rick didn’t kill it with the axe. They collect a little bit of food and continue on.<br /><br />Michonne has her walker pets and they come across a path of footprints to follow.<br /><br />Rick and Carl come across a house that they to use to settle in for the night but as usual, they make sure to clear it. Rick is barking at Carl to stay put. But Carl has other plans and knocks on the walls, yelling for the assholes to come out. Rick tells him to watch his mouth. Once again, Carls talks back. They head into the kitchen and gather food and water. Carl explores the second story of the house and comes across a boy’s room with an Xbox and flat-screen. Realizing there is no power to enjoy some Call of Duty, Carl grabs some of the electric cords and goes downstairs to tie a knot at the front door.<br /><br />It’s night time and Rick decides to take extra precaution and pushes the couch towards the front door, which greatly annoys Carl. Carl assures Rick that the knot is very secure and decides to take it a step further by telling Rick that Shane taught him how to tie a knot.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">“It’s a knot that <b><u>Shane</u></b> taught me...do you remember him?” </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/4bda9ca7af035844a56c2474a6e859f9/tumblr_mm4qiecDg01ql5yr7o1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/4bda9ca7af035844a56c2474a6e859f9/tumblr_mm4qiecDg01ql5yr7o1_500.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/1d99fb2ce9fa94f0009ca76a4ce77fd7/tumblr_ml1wp02knK1ql5yr7o1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/1d99fb2ce9fa94f0009ca76a4ce77fd7/tumblr_ml1wp02knK1ql5yr7o1_500.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">^^^Probably every viewer’s reaction^^^</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Rick tells him he remembers him everyday and if there’s anything snarky and smart Carl has left to say. The two settle in for the night but not before bickering some more over eating the food. Rick then goes to the bathroom and it coveres in bumps, bruises and scratches. He is beated up mentally and physically.<br /><br />Michonne is in the kitchen preparing food and then cleaning her blade as she’s talking to her lover and his friend, who are sitting at a table talking about art. Michonne’s little baby walks up to her. Michonne picks her baby boy up and cooes him. The two men are talking about why it’s worth living life in a post-apocalyptic world. Michonne continues to look at them and smile, holding her baby. “What is the answer here...why?” Michonne’s lover ask. Michonne asks them who will open the wine when the two men’s arms are cut off. Atlanta is dark and decayed...Michonne screams and is horrified.....<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://static1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140210041230/walkingdead/images/thumb/4/49/S04E09_Mike_and_Terry.png/640px-S04E09_Mike_and_Terry.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://static1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140210041230/walkingdead/images/thumb/4/49/S04E09_Mike_and_Terry.png/640px-S04E09_Mike_and_Terry.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />Michonne wakes up from an abandoned vehicle she sleeps in, panting and sweating from the a nightmare.<br /><br />Carl wakes up and still sees his dad is passed out on the couch. Carl gets something to eat and goes back to see his dad still not woken up. Carl furiously shakes at Rick and screams at him to wake up. All the sudden, walkers knock and rattle the front door. Carl sneaks around the house and observes the two walkers at the front door. Carl leads them away from the house and down the street. He takes them to a side road, not realizing there’s a walker that’s sneaking up behind him.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://static1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140116202005/walkingdead/images/8/8c/Episode_4.09_Promotional_Photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://static1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140116202005/walkingdead/images/8/8c/Episode_4.09_Promotional_Photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Carl stumbled back as the walkers close in around him. He shoots  the first two walkers as they topple on top of him but the third one tries to climb over the walker pile to get to Carl. Carl takes a couple shots. He struggles to get out of the corpse pile and loses his breakfast. But he still feels victorious, chiming in “I win”. Carl continues to explore the desolate road and ends up going back to the safe house.<br /><br />Back in the woods, Michonne is walking along side her pets and in the middle of the zombie horde. Right next to her is a walker that looks exactly like her.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Carl walks back to the house, with Rick still passed out on the couch. Carl decides to be the big bad boy he is and tell Rick how he REALLY feels about him even though he is practically unconcious;<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://static2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140125002319/walkingdead/images/f/f7/AMC_TWD_After.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://static2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140125002319/walkingdead/images/f/f7/AMC_TWD_After.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">“I saved you. I didn’t forget when you were playing farmer...I don’t need you anymore. I don’t need you to protect me anymore, you probably couldn’t protect me anyways...you couldn’t protect Judith...Hershel...or Glenn...or Maggie...or Daryl....or mom....you just wanted to plant vegetables and wanted to hide. He knew where we were and you didn’t care!....They are all gone because of you! They counted on you! You were their leader! But now? You’re nothing...I’d be fine if you died!” </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Carl then continues exploring the neighborhood and comes across another two-story house. He picks up a lawn light and tries to kick open the door but fails. He finally breaks into the house and first heads to the kitchen to get food. He then discovers a treasure: chocolate pudding-in-a-can. Carl, with his deadly grass light, explores the second story of the house. He opens the doors and checks to make sure they are clear. Before he can open another door, a walker pops out. Carl smashes the walker's hands in the door but the walker is too strong. Carl attempts to shoot the walker multiple times but is unsuccessful. The walker grabs onto Carl's legs. Carl tries shutting the door and walking into the other room to escape from the window but it proves unsuccessful. The walker goes after him, nearly biting his leg. Carl escapes, leaving his shoe behind and shuts the door behind him. Carl sees some chalk and writes "Walker inside. He got my shoe but he didn't get me." Carl chuckles and enjoys sitting on the rooftop with his chocolate pudding. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://static1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140129031921/walkingdead/images/0/0f/TWD_409_GP_0823_0281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://static1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140129031921/walkingdead/images/0/0f/TWD_409_GP_0823_0281.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Back in the woods, Michonne comes across a walker that looks like her and it shakes her to the core. She can't stand seeing her "dead reflection" another moment and slashes the walker. Michonne then goes on a walker slaying spree, even slashing her walker pets. Michonne cries out after, coming to the realization of what she could've become. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://static2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140130015641/walkingdead/images/1/14/The-Walking-Dead-Season-4-mid-season-premiere-Michonne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://static2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140130015641/walkingdead/images/1/14/The-Walking-Dead-Season-4-mid-season-premiere-Michonne.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once Michonne collects herself and moves on, she continues to follow the footprints. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's nighttime and Carl can't sleep. He looks over and sees his dad is not awakened. Rick then starts breathing and reaches his arm out to Carl. Carl, fearing the worst, takes the gun, leans back and points it at Rick. Rick stumbles down on the couch, continue to reach out to Rick. Rick grabs onto Carl's leg and Carl breaks down, letting the gun down. "I can't do it!" he cries. Carl sobs, waiting for Rick to bite him...only Rick moans out his name...when Carl realizes that his dad is still alive. Carl continues to sob and caresses Rick's head. "I'm scared...." he whispers to his dad. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next day, Michonne comes across the Bar-b-que shack Rick and Carl were at a day earlier. Michonne sits down near the entrance and calls out to "Mike". She begins sobbing. "I missed you even when I was with you, back at the camp," she said. "It wasn't you who did it. You were wrong because I'm still here. You could be too and he could be....I know the answer...I know why...." After Michonne collects herself, she leaves the restaurant and follows Rick and Carl's trail. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://static1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140210040208/walkingdead/images/thumb/f/f6/S04E09_Carl5.png/640px-S04E09_Carl5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://static1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140210040208/walkingdead/images/thumb/f/f6/S04E09_Carl5.png/640px-S04E09_Carl5.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rick and Carl sit on the couch. Rick warns Carl that it's too dangerous going out alone but he's glad Carl found more food. Carl confesses to eating the 112oz can of pudding. Rick tells Carl that he knows he can't make things the way they were before and commends Carl for being a man. "I'm sorry," Rick tells Carl. "You don't need to be," Carl replies. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Michonne walks on the trail and finds the can of chocolate pudding. She continues on, and looks through the window to see Rick and Carl, alive and well, sitting on the couch. Michonne tears up with happiness and relief, seeing her friends alive and with food. She knocks on the door. Rick looks through the peephole, chuckles and tells Carl that he has a guest. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Picture Credit: The Walking Dead Wiki </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: #d0e0e3;">Jane's Notes: OH where to begin?? I knew Carl was growing up but who knew that the downfall of the prison would make him so snarky and resentful towards Rick? Looks like all the animosity he kept to himself finally exploded once Rick and Carl were in a safe zone. So I have not much to say about Carl except Rick has to sit him down and give him the “no more kids’ stuff” talk like he did back on the farm. Maybe Rick’s words of wisdom gave Carl a slice of humble pie to go with that pudding. </span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: #d0e0e3;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: #d0e0e3;">BUT I want to talk about Michonne because if you looked up the word “fearless” in the dictionary, her picture would be on it. While everyone else has fled from the prison and separated, Michonne lingers behind. I am very glad that this season, the direction focused on Michonne’s vulnerabilities, her demons and how she was confronted with her own worst nightmare with that walker that looked just like her. Now I haven’t read the comic so comic-readers, bear with me if this is wrong. When Michonne first held Judith, Michonne broke down. When Andrea asked about the original walker pets, Michonne showed pain and anger, not wanting to talk about it but assured Andrea “they deserved it” (the whole no-arms, no-jaws thing). Michonne seems to forgive Miek, knowing “he wasn’t himself”.  From the pieces I could put together, Mike and his friend turned and possibly went after Michonne’s baby. </span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: #d0e0e3;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #d0e0e3;">Quick note, this picture sums up my thoughts on Headless Hershel </span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/1c4cb8e2984701bdbb620cc0f266074d/tumblr_mr54k1uJJA1ql5yr7o1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/1c4cb8e2984701bdbb620cc0f266074d/tumblr_mr54k1uJJA1ql5yr7o1_500.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Follow me on Twitter @mobspringfield </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>

"The Walking Dead: After" Mid-Season Premiere Recap

Season 4 kicks off at the prison, but this time, the prison is in shambles as herd of walkers infest the once-secured prison yards. Michonne...

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Improve Your Life Today with 8 Ancient Healing Techniques

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><img alt="http://ratiowellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/acupuncture-points.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://ratiowellness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/acupuncture-points.jpg" /></div>Photo Credit:ratiowellness.com<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">'Over the last few decades we’ve witnessed the rebirth of a number of ancient healing techniques. Only fairly recently has our own scientific study confirmed the benefits of yoga, meditation, massage, and tai chi. Reiki and acupuncture are seeing an increase in popularity as well, as we realize that we need something other than more medications to deal with the stresses of our modern-day lives. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Here’s a quick glance at a number of these techniques and how they may work to ease stress and improve health in your life.' </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Read <a href="http://renegadehealth.com/blog/2014/02/05/improve-your-life-today-with-8-ancient-healing-techniques">more... </a></span>

Improve Your Life Today with 8 Ancient Healing Techniques

  Photo Credit:ratiowellness.com 'Over the last few decades we’ve witnessed the rebirth of a number of ancient healing techniques. Only...

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Americans just don't care anymore

<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>America will not wake up.  Most will lie down and submit to tyranny...</b></span></div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/5DOBI7nLJPw?feature=player_detailpage" width="640"></iframe>

Americans just don't care anymore

America will not wake up.  Most will lie down and submit to tyranny...

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Fish Oil Cited in Dramatic Healing After Severe Brain Trauma

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="248" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/4g5ZkcuGFm0" width="440"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">'Omega-3 rich fish oil is one of the most well-researched nutrients on the market. Its wide ranging health benefits have been repeatedly proven, and animal-based omega-3 fats are one of the few supplements I recommend for virtually everyone to improve overall health.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">It's particularly critical for your brain health, and as the featured article and my interview with JJ Virgin shows, it may even help heal and restore brain function after a traumatic brain injury. Recent research also suggests that fish oil can help slow down age-related brain atrophy.'</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Read <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/02/09/fish-oil-brain-health.aspx">more... </a></span>

Fish Oil Cited in Dramatic Healing After Severe Brain Trauma

'Omega-3 rich fish oil is one of the most well-researched nutrients on the market. Its wide ranging health benefits have been repeatedl...

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