Blanca Commercial Real Estate Tapped to Lease New International ...

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PRLog (Press Release) - Jun. 12, 2013 - MIAMI -- Miami-based commercial real estate brokerage and advisory firm Blanca Commercial Real Estate (http://www.blancacre.com/) has been named the exclusive leasing agent for the newly-built office building that serves as International Finance Bank?s (IFB) corporate headquarters in Miami. The 51,600 square foot, Class A IFB Center is located at 777 SW 37th Avenue in the City of Miami, at the entrance to Coral Gables.

Andres del Corral and Danet Linares of Blanca Commercial Real Estate will lead the marketing and leasing for IFB Center. The new assignment brings the firm?s total agency leasing portfolio to 3.4 million rentable square feet of office space in Miami-Dade County.

Approximately 25,500 square feet of office space is available for lease within the building, including 11,500 square feet of contiguous space on the building?s 6th floor, as well as 14,000 square feet on the 5th floor, which includes the exclusive use of a large landscaped terrace. A 2,628 square foot retail space fronting Douglas Road is located on the ground floor.

?Tenants at IFB Center benefit from the building?s superior construction quality and excellent location just outside Coral Gables? bustling business district and minutes from Miami International Airport,? said Blanca Commercial Real Estate Vice President Andres del Corral. ?The property?s remaining space is ideal for multinational users or entrepreneurial firms seeking a trophy asset with premium finishes and great access to Miami?s key thoroughfares and business districts.?

Beyond its convenient setting, IFB Center stands out for its modern design features, LEED Gold certification and superior construction quality. The building is fabricated with above code large-missile impact glass from top-to-bottom, making its exterior curtain wall window system one of the strongest in the nation. The property also sports an above code backup generator that can power tenants? basic electric needs during outages.

Completed in 2011, construction of IFB Center was managed by Rilea Group (http://www.rileagroup.com/), a full-service real estate development firm that has been behind some of South Florida?s most successful projects, including 1450 Brickell (http://www.1450brickell.com/), Sabadell Financial Center, and One Broadway (http://www.onebroadway.com/).

Designed by architecture firm Nichols Brosch Wurst and Associates and constructed by Coastal Construction, IFB Center offers flexible floor plates ranging from 11,475 to 14,033 square feet which can be divided to accommodate 5,000 square foot users. Amenities include 24-hour security and concierge services, a parking ratio at 4 spaces per 1,000 square feet, as well as an on-site International Finance Bank branch with ATM and drive-through access.

For leasing information, please contact Andres del Corral or Danet Linares of Blanca Commercial Real Estate at (305) 577-8850.

About Blanca Commercial Real Estate
Blanca Commercial Real Estate provides brokerage and advisory services to owners and users of commercial real estate with personalized and experienced counsel at every step of the transaction. Practice areas include landlord representation, tenant representation, build-to-suit advisory services, and land/investment property acquisition and disposition. For more information, please visit www.blancacre.com.

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Source: http://www.prlog.org/12155504-blanca-commercial-real-estate-tapped-to-lease-new-international-finance-bank-center-in-miami-fl.html

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Senate Democrats discuss need for 'black agenda'

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/senate-democrats-discuss-black-agenda-205324557.html

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Star Magazine Sticks to Kanye West Cheating Story, Backs Leyla Ghobadi

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Drugmakers to cooperate in safety review of diabetes drugs

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Farrah Abraham: Charlie Sheen Goddess in Training?

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Turkish PM issues ultimatum, will meet protesters

ISTANBUL (AP) ? Turkey's prime minister issued a "final warning" to protesters on Thursday, demanding they end their occupation of a park next to Istanbul's Taksim Square that has ignited the largest political crisis of his 10-year rule.

Despite the ultimatum by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, thousands of activists camping out in Gezi Park dug in for a potential culmination of their two-week standoff with authorities.

But in a sign that he may resolve the situation through negotiations rather than a police raid, Erdogan was to meet late Thursday night with some representatives of the protesters occupying the park.

The state-run Anadolu agency said the prime minister was to meet with eight artists and two representatives from Taksim Solidarity, a group that has coordinating much of the Gezi sit-in. The talks would be the first time Erdogan has met directly with representatives of the protesters.

However, even if a deal is reached with Taksim Solidarity, the sit-in might not end. Although the group has emerged as the most high-profile from the occupation that began last month, it does not speak for all the thousands of people camping in the park. Many say they have no affiliation to any group or party.

In a defiant speech earlier in the day, Erdogan also dismissed the European Parliament's condemnation over the excessive use of force by Turkish riot police against demonstrators.

The comments showed he was determined to end the widespread protests that have trained an unflattering spotlight on his Islamic-rooted government.

"We have arrived at the end of our patience," Erdogan told local party leaders in Ankara, the capital.

"I am giving you my final warning," he said, directing his comments toward the protesters.

After a police raid Tuesday cleared Taksim Square of protesters who had been occupying it for nearly two weeks, chances were high that a raid on the adjacent Gezi Park would be ordered if the protesters refuse to leave.

A heavy police presence remained on the square into the night Thursday, but the timing of any potential raid was unclear.

Erdogan offered no timetable for it and the Interior Ministry declined immediate comment on the subject. The governor of Istanbul insisted no police raid was yet planned, although he didn't rule one out and said the public would be informed ahead of time.

Hulya Avsar, a prominent actress who met earlier Thursday with Erdogan, said he wanted to end the standoff soon.

"'In case they don't withdraw in 24 hours, there will be some sort of intervention,'" she quoted the prime minister as saying. "At that point, I said, 'I will leave' ? because there was nothing to talk about."

Inside the park, many scoffed at the prime minister's tactics and language, insisting Erdogan was turning a deaf ear to the roughly half of Turks who didn't vote for him when he was re-elected in 2011.

"Each of us is already an independent individual, may be also a father or a mother. My Mom and Dad do not think that there is an objection for being here," said demonstrator Hasan Husein Karabulut.

A violent police crackdown May 31 on a small environmental sit-in to protect trees in Gezi Park sparked the protests that spread to dozens of cities and morphed into a broader protest against Erdogan's rule.

On several days, Turkish police have used water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters. Five people, including a police officer, have died in the clashes and over 5,000 protesters and 600 police have been reported injured.

In some ways, it was surprising that Gezi Park became the symbol of Turkey's anti-government protests. Although it is in Istanbul's touristy Taksim Square area, it had become a rather seedy place, frequented mostly by homeless men looking for a bench to sleep on.

But it was one of the city's few green spaces, its towering plane trees providing rare greenery in an increasingly sprawling metropolis. Many of those trees were scheduled to be cut down, however, in a redevelopment project that would replace them with a replica of Ottoman-era barracks.

After the initial police crackdown, the numbers of protesters swelled. Each day saw more tents pitched on the park's grassy verges, more banners erected, more donations of food and blankets for the protesters. Soon Gezi Park was a burgeoning tent city, complete with morning yoga lessons, a library, a food distribution center, an infirmary, a children's activity center and a plant nursery.

But the demonstrations have become about much more than the park, evolving into a denunciation of what many say is the prime minister's increasingly authoritarian style and his perceived attempts to impose his religious and conservative views on a country with secular laws.

Erdogan, who rejects those charges, also lashed out at the European Parliament over its non-binding resolution Thursday. In a show-of-hands vote suggestive of a broad majority, the EU Parliament expressed its concern over "the disproportionate and excessive use of force" by Turkish police against the demonstrators.

The EU assembly said it "deplores the reactions of the Turkish Government and of Prime Minister Erdogan" ? and accused him of driving both sides further apart.

Just minutes before the EU legislature voted, Erdogan drew raucous applause among Turkish party leaders by dismissing the vote.

"I won't recognize the decision that the European Union Parliament is going to take about us!" he declared in Ankara. "Who do you think you are by taking such a decision?"

There have been some previous attempts to pacify the protesters. Istanbul Governor Huseyin Avni Mutlu went on a national TV talk show Thursday and offered to meet with the demonstrators. A day earlier, Erdogan's Justice and Development party proposed holding a referendum on the Gezi Park development plan.

But more often than not, the most visible government reaction has been from riot police.

___

Keaten reported from Ankara. Bassam Hatoum in Istanbul, Ezgi Akin in Ankara and Raf Casert in Brussels contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/turkish-pm-issues-ultimatum-meet-protesters-185507982.html

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Waze sale signals new growth for Israeli high tech

JERUSALEM (AP) ? Google Inc.'s $1.03 billion purchase of Israeli navigation software maker Waze marks an important milestone for the country that affectionately calls itself "Start-Up Nation."

The acquisition is not only among the largest-ever purchase prices for an Israeli start-up. It also cements a recent push by the local high-tech industry into the fast-growing consumer market.

"I think it's a big step forward," said Erel Margalit, a leading Israeli entrepreneur and opposition lawmaker in parliament. "Israel is no longer just a R&D center. It's a creative hub."

Waze's popular smartphone application combines GPS navigation software with social networking features, allowing users to improve the service's directions and traffic reports with their own data. This crowd-sourcing aspect enables the service to adapt to changing road conditions, such as accidents and speed traps, in real time.

After rumors of sales to both Facebook and Apple surfaced in recent months, Google, already an established leader in Internet mapping, beat out its rivals for Waze and its base of nearly 50 million users.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu phoned Waze CEO Noam Bardin to congratulate him. "You reached the destination," Netanyahu said. "You have again put Israeli technology on the world stage."

Faced with limited natural resources, Israel has fostered a vibrant high-tech culture in recent decades. The country is a popular destination for global venture capital funds seeking to capitalize on Israel's entrepreneurial spirit, as well as expertise honed in universities and advanced technology units of the Israeli army.

Israel boasts one of the largest collections of companies traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market. The world's leading technology giants, including Microsoft, Google and Intel, all have large research and development operations in the country. Israel's celebrated high-tech creations include cell phone technology, wi-fi internet, instant messaging, and USB thumb drives.

According to the Central Bureau for Statistics, Israel's official source of economic data, the tech sector accounts for just over a quarter of the country's exports. The bureau uses an internationally recognized definition of high-tech that excludes both biotechnology and Internet companies. When those are included, technology firms account for roughly half of Israel's exports, a key reason why Israel's standard of living is now on par with, and in some cases above, many European nations.

The Waze buyout is among the largest private company sales in Israeli history. In 2000, at the height of the high-tech bubble, Israeli start-up Chromatis Networks was bought out by Lucent Technologies for $4.5 billion. Lucent closed the firm a year later. More recently, networking giant Cisco last year purchased Israeli video software company NDS for $5 billion.

Margalit, a mastermind of the Chromatis deal, said that until recently, Israeli tech firms focused heavily on developing innovations for major telecom firms and other international tech giants. The large acquisition of a consumer-focused app like Waze shows that Israel's start-up culture is "alive and well," he said.

"When Israel is also involved in building the major applications for consumers, it means other disciplines of creativity are entering the game," he said. Today, Israeli start-ups employ not only engineers, but also game designers, animators, graphic artists and writers.

One criticism of Israeli technology companies is that entrepreneurs have frequently looked to cash out quickly by selling their technology to larger companies. The result, say critics, is a big payout for company founders that creates few jobs and little broader economic benefit. The push into the consumer sector could bring a wider range of jobs to Israel and help foster more sustainable businesses.

Israeli media has reported that Waze's deal with Facebook fell apart because of Waze's insistence that it keep its R&D operations in Israel. The Haaretz daily said Google agreed to leave Waze's operations in Israel for three years.

Israeli tech investor Yossi Vardi said such arrangements are a common feature to prevent companies from losing talent while relocating. Vardi is a dean of the Israeli technology world who, among other things, helped launch ICQ, a forerunner to today's instant messaging services.

Vardi said that Waze's app embodied the kind of creativity increasingly seen in the evolving Israeli tech scene.

"It's very sticky, very addictive," he said. "I cannot leave home without opening Waze."

But while the app has quickly attracted users around the world, Vardi said, the company's ability to monetize that user base has lagged behind. He predicted that the sale to Google would give Waze greater ability to earn money from its service. In turn, Waze should generate new innovations for Google in navigation software, allowing it to retain its lead over rivals like Apple.

"I'm sure this is going to be a very important property for Google," Vardi said. "It's just the beginning of this space."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-06-12-Israel-Waze/id-e574a1dc9ce9410e8fb5f274269d5266

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Mumford & Sons cancel U.S. gigs as bassist undergoes brain surgery

LONDON (Reuters) - British folk-rockers Mumford & Sons have canceled three sell-out concerts in the United States this week after announcing on Tuesday that bassist Ted Dwane needed emergency surgery for a blood clot on the brain.

The band, which won Album of the Year for "Babel" at the Grammy awards in February and the British Group award at the BRIT awards, said Dwane had felt unwell for a few days and was taken to hospital on Monday for emergency treatment.

"The scans revealed a blood clot on the surface of his brain that requires an operation," the band said in a statement on its website.

"Ted is receiving excellent care and we are being assured that he will recover quickly from surgery."

Dwane plays bass, drums, guitar, and sings with the four-member band that formed in 2007.

The band said it was cancelling concerts in Dallas on Tuesday, Woodlands on Wednesday and New Orleans on Thursday, and would reschedule these dates when possible.

The band said it had no plans to cancel or postpone any other appearances on its current "Summer Stampede" tour of North America that started in Calgary on May 21. The next performance is scheduled for the Bonnaroo festival in Manchester, Tennessee, on June 15.

Mumford & Sons is due to perform at the UK's biggest musical festival, Glastonbury, on June 30.

(Reporting by Belinda Goldsmith)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mumford-sons-cancel-u-gigs-bassist-undergoes-brain-145459024.html

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The Importance of a Home Inspection | Cape Coral and Fort Myers ...

Many homebuyers have found the perfect house, signed the dotted line and think they?ve watched enough home improvement shows to know if they?re getting a good deal. And then some make the mistake of skipping a Cape Coral home inspection in order to save a little cash.

Even if a home has already stolen your heart and you?re ready to pay for it ?as is?, you need to bite the bullet and hire a home inspector to let you know what repairs and financial repercussions await you.

Why you Should Hire an Inspector

You might know a thing or two about home remodeling and repairs. However, most people are not experts on the inner workings. That why it?s important to hire a professional to search for potential furnace issues, electrical wiring mishaps, plumbing weaknesses or roofing deterioration.

While a home might look like it?s in perfect condition on the surface, there could be major issues hiding beneath its fa?ade. That?s why it?s imperative to your pocketbook that you hire an inspector to scrutinize the bones of your home. You?ll want to be able to budget for immediate and future repairs.

When to Schedule the Inspection

Once you?ve signed a contract, you?ll want to schedule a Cape Coral home inspection before the termination period has ended. Even though you?ve signed your heart away, an inspector could just find something that you just cannot live with or afford to fix.

While you should schedule an inspection after you?ve signed a contract, it?s important to have an inspector or two picked out beforehand. Ask friends and family for referrals and then contact the inspectors for pricing and a list of what they will and will not cover at the inspection. It?s smart to have two inspectors on speed dial in case one is unavailable.??

Even if you do know a lot about the structure, plumbing and wiring of houses, don?t let your ego get the better of you. It?s important to shell out the additional money to hire an inspector and ?over your assets. You?d hate to end up with a home that needs thousand-dollar renovations every year and not know it.

For more information on hiring a professional for your Cape Coral home inspection or for a referral, please call me at 239-699-0142 or email me at email
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Source: http://www.lilorealtor.net/real-estate-2/the-importance-of-a-home-inspection/

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6 Inspiring Mentors Teaching the Next DIY Generation

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Setting rivets, sawing lumber, soldering circuits—these mentors from Maryland to Alaska teach kids skills like these to build robots, homes, and brighter futures.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com6-inspiring-mentor-teaching-the-next-diy-generation?src=rss

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Sony DualShock 4 hands-on (update: video)

Sony just wrapped its E3 press event, delighting attendees and future console buyers with showstopping news: a $399 retail price and lack of used game restrictions on the PlayStation 4. Now, with all those important bits behind us, it's time to once again focus on the hardware, specifically the PS4 controller. We got our grips on the controller immediately following Sony's E3 2013 presser -- our first chance to check out the new DualShock -- and it feels great!

We're glad to say that the thumbsticks have dramatically improved and no longer allow your thumbs to easily slip out. The triggers are also much improved, with a little lip enabling a comfortable cradle. The front face buttons are nigh identical with the DualShock 3, as is the d-pad (despite a slight visual alteration) -- the biggest difference is the new touchpad. It's clicky and feels like a surprisingly nice addition to the DualShock. It's easily clickable from the standard two hand position on a controller, though the share and options buttons are a bit out of reach (at least for our small hands). We'll have a closer look at the DualShock 4 this week from E3 and some impressions of it with actual games, so stay tuned for more from E3 2013!

Gallery: PlayStation DualShock 4 controller hands-on

Update: We've got our hands-on video embedded after the break, so head on down to check it out.

Follow all of our E3 2013 coverage at our event hub.

Zach Honig contributed to this report.

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals, HD, Sony

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/10/sony-ps4-controller-hands-on/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Karl Rove-backed Crossroads GPS runs pro-immigration overhaul ad

Crossroads GPS, an advocacy group backed by Karl Rove, former senior adviser to George W. Bush, is launching a $100,000 ad campaign urging conservatives to support an overhaul of the nation's immigration laws.

The full-page print ad is signed by 53 business leaders and Republicans, including former Republican National Committee Chairman Edward Gillespie, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Rove. It's the first ad the group has run on immigration this year.

"Immigration reform presents an historic opportunity to strengthen our nation's security and prosperity for the future," the ad says in bold text near the top.

There's a caveat to Crossroads GPS' support, however. In a statement released on Monday, Crossroads GPS CEO Steven Law said the current bill requires an "extreme makeover" that increases border security provisions and protects American workers. But abandoning talks over the bill would give President Barack Obama more decision-making power over the future of immigration policy, Law said, echoing an argument that Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio makes frequently.

"If we lose this opportunity to pass meaningful immigration reform, we will give President Obama an opening to shift immigration policy further to the left by executive fiat," Law said in the statement.

"The Senate immigration bill needs an 'extreme makeover' before we can say it really protects our borders and our workers, but it's important that Congress move forward on it and not just throw up its hands," continued Law. "This isn't just about politics; it's about taking responsibility for solving a critical national problem."

The ad, pictured below, will run online and in The Wall Street Journal, Roll Call, The Hill and Politico.

Crossroads GPS ad on immigration overhaul.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/karl-rove-backed-crossroads-gps-runs-pro-immigration-145420109.html

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Bad Credit Lending in the Digital Age - Unsecured Personal Loans ...

Getting loans with poor credit rating is a long and often unsuccessful endeavor for most people. As individuals with low credit scores rarely have marketable assets to provide to lenders as collateral or are rarely homeowners with sufficient equity to qualify for a home equity line of credit, most are stuck with the only choice: unsecured personal loans. Historically, unsecured personal loans have been granted to individuals with prime credit ranking, as such loans had very relaxed requirements and required nothing but a signature and a good credit record to back it. Fortunately for borrowers with bad credit, competition among lenders had made it possible for them to qualify for unsecured personal loans. As more and more lenders develop loans to address the needs of growing sub-prime lending market, getting unsecured loans with bad credit is becoming easier. People with past credit problems are no longer left out and do not have to face embarrassing rejections from lenders.

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What Are Bad Credit Unsecured Loans?

Unsecured loans are very similar to all other loans, with one exception only: they have collateral requirement waived. There is no need to put a lien on your property to secure a loan anymore. While unsecured loans do not feature same benefits secured loans have, such as high loans amounts, extremely low interest rates, and more than affordable monthly payments, they have numerous benefits, especially for people with poor credit. While they rarely feature durations crossing 36 months and mostly have inflated interest rates, they offer suitable approval requirements for individuals with mediocre and poor credit. It does not mean, however, that lenders would finance everybody who applied. There are set borrower requirements in place to include steady employment, sufficient disposable income, stable financial standing, and some others. Yet, such loans are within easy reach of consumers with bad credit.

How Unsecured Loans Help Bad Credit Borrowers?

While many consider easy approval as a great benefit, it is not the only one unsecured personal loans offer. Unsecured personal loans help bad credit borrowers to re-establish their credit history by making timely payments on their loans, qualifying them for better terms and rates on subsequent loans. In addition, borrowers are free to decide where the loan proceeds should go, as lenders do not require reporting of spending. Money can go to cover virtually all expenses a borrower may have, from debt consolidation to furniture buying to vacationing.

Where Bad Credit Loans May Be Found?

Bad credit personal loans are no longer hard to find. Years ago, loan brokers were charging high fees to give bad credit borrowers an access to a network of lenders who would finance them. Information technology and growing lender competition had changed it all. Lenders are targeting borrowers directly, loan brokers no longer charge any fees, and all the information you may need is easily found on internet. Most websites, specializing in matching bad credit lenders and borrowers, have implemented convenient features to include short online applications, lender matching service, side-by-side offer comparison, loan calculators, and may more.

Moreover, there is no longer a need to visit lending office, as the entire process, from making initial application to identity and income verification is performed electronically. Lenders accept digital signatures on loan agreements, and may wire the loan proceeds to your bank account overnight.

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Source: http://chenley.blogspot.com/2013/06/bad-credit-lending-in-digital-age.html

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Cable operators buff up guides for Internet age

WASHINGTON (AP) ? After years of making money providing Internet service, cable TV companies are now tapping the power of the Internet to improve clunky program guides that are a relic of the 1990s.

Over the past year or so, Comcast Corp., Cablevision Systems Corp. and other cable providers have introduced new program guides on television set-top boxes. These improved guides act more like websites, making it easier to find movies, live TV shows and on-demand video.

It's important progress for cable TV companies, which are often criticized for providing hundreds of channels that customers don't watch. Making shows easier to find helps them justify all those channels. And that could help stave off defections to satellite and telephone companies, which have lured cable customers away with cut-rate TV services that use fancier interfaces.

Retaining and winning back those subscribers ? while defending against a new batch of Web video challengers such as Netflix and Hulu ? will be the focus of the industry's annual gathering, The Cable Show, which starts in Washington on Monday.

Although using the Internet might seem like a no-brainer to the billions who use it worldwide, cable TV operators have been slow to adapt. For years, guides used the old X-Y axis, with channels on the left and times across the top. These were installed directly onto the set-top box. There was no way to change the format without replacing the box, which could take a year or more for all customers.

By using Internet programming language and other tools common to the Web, newer boxes are far more flexible.

These guides can now access software running on more powerful machines located elsewhere. They can make recommendations rather than simply show reams of show titles. Faster keyword searches are possible, and cover art brings life to what once were text-only program listings. The use of Internet programming language means smartphones and tablets can also be used to control the box.

As important, updates can be done from afar and redesigns are as easy as changing a website. That means new features can be created and popular ones given more prominence. Comcast says it has already updated its guide 1,200 times since introducing its X1 set-top box in May 2012.

Marcien Jenckes, general manager for Comcast's cable TV services, says the difference between the old box and the new one is like the difference between an old IBM computer that ran on a text-based DOS system and today's Google Chromebook, a laptop computer that gains most of its functionality from being able to access services online.

"The prior boxes were limited by what they could carry on them," he says. "The current boxes are essentially limitless in terms of what they can access remotely."

Since the X1 came out, Comcast says viewing time for video on demand has increased nearly 20 percent among users who have it, partly because it's easier to find things to watch. Comcast says customers are watching more channels and discovering more shows. Comcast isn't saying how many subscribers now have the new X1 boxes, but it did say that half of its 21.9 million TV subscribers are eligible, with the rest expected by the end of the year.

Although the company still lost a net 359,000 TV subscribers in the 12 months through March, according to the latest figures, Jenckes says that when more customers are more engaged with their TV service, they should stick around longer.

"It's still early but every indication is positive," he says.

Time Warner Cable Inc., the second-largest cable TV provider behind Comcast with 12.1 million subscribers, is also planning to unveil an improved guide this year through new set-top boxes that also use Internet tools to make them more versatile and adaptable.

"Traditionally each box generates its own guide and navigation," says Mike Angus, Time Warner Cable's senior vice president for video. "That's been one of the shortcomings of the native guide technology."

In November, Cox Communications Inc. updated its Internet-enabled Trio guide to include personalized recommendations for up to eight members of a household. The service adds diamonds to programs in the channel guide that individual users might like, based on which movies and shows they've watched in the past and whether they clicked to "like" or "dislike" them. Another screen shows recommended videos, whether they are offered on demand or live. Some past episodes can be viewed right away, while viewers can choose to record future ones when they air.

The company says that more than half of the 400,000-plus subscribers now using the guide say they became aware of content they didn't realize was there before. Nearly a third of users say they enjoy watching TV more. Cox plans to offer the improved guide to more of its subscribers, estimated at around 4.5 million.

"They're asking for the experience to be much more personalized," says Len Barlik, executive vice president of product development at Cox Cable. "This is focused on attracting new customers but also retaining the base."

Customer retention is seen as increasingly important for the cable TV industry, which has lost about 10 million TV subscribers over the last decade ? down to 56.4 million in 2012, from 66.9 million in 2001, according to research firm SNL Kagan. Most of them have switched to satellite companies such as DirecTV or Dish, or gone with TV services from phone companies including Verizon and AT&T. Overall, the number of pay TV subscribers across all providers is unchanged at about 100 million homes.

A small proportion have "cut the cord," or dropped pay TV service entirely, though about 50 million homes rely on cable companies for high-speed Internet service, a figure that is growing.

The Nielsen Co. says about 5 million U.S. households had a TV but didn't hook it up with a traditional pay TV provider or even an antenna last year. Those households are opting instead for Web video from Netflix and other providers. Nielsen calls these homes "Zero TV" households. Although online viewing generates advertising revenue on services such as Hulu, cable TV providers will lose TV subscription revenues if this group grows in size.

In a saturated market that's not expanding, the best strategy for cable TV providers is to hold onto its paying customers for as long as possible, says Bruce Leichtman, a TV consultant and head of Leichtman Research Group.

"Retention becomes very important," Leichtman says. "That's really what Comcast and the other operators are looking at ? adding value to subscribers in order to retain them."

Many cable TV companies also offer hundreds of live TV signals and on-demand programs over mobile devices using Internet technology. These apps ? such as Time Warner Cable's TWC TV, Comcast's Xfinity, and Cablevision's Optimum ? turn mobile devices connected to home networks into virtual TV sets on smaller screens. But customers have to be home to use these most of services, and many aren't aware of them.

Brett Sappington, director of research at Parks Associates, says the lack of awareness could be caused by the failure of cable TV operators to advertise such services, known as TV Everywhere. After all, such services do not generate extra revenue, as they are part of a monthly subscription.

Sappington says the people who make use of TV Everywhere are also video lovers who already tend to be higher-spending, loyal customers anyway.

That's partly what makes improved program guides more important. One key strategy in preventing customers from dropping service is having a greater breadth of programming, an advantage that isn't apparent when guides are difficult to use, he says.

"Pay TV has been trying to compete on the premium end forever with more content and more first-run content," he says. "The problem is if you can't find it, you might as well not have it."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-06-09-Cable%20TV-Better%20Guides/id-78fb1d6fb8f242428e30c2da609f0f6f

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Is Paris Jackson Going to Be Okay?

Michael Jackson never wanted his own kids to grow up like he did: a child star under glass, manipulated by his family, unable to have a normal childhood. Tragically, it appears that Paris Jackson, 15, and her siblings, Prince, 16, and Blanket, 10, may be headed in that direction. But it's Paris we're most worried about. As more details emerge about her alleged suicide attempt, we're left wondering what, if anything, can bring Paris' life back to normalcy.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/paris-jackson-suicide-attempt-will-she-be-okay/1-a-538504?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Aparis-jackson-suicide-attempt-will-she-be-okay-538504

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Chief says Santa Monica killings were premeditated

A picture of the suspect entering Santa Monica College Library is seen as Jacqueline Seabrook, Chief of Santa Monica Police department speaks during a news conference Saturday June 8, 2013, in Santa Monica, Calif., to discuss more information regarding the suspect in the shooting that left five people dead, including the shooter, near Santa Monica College on Friday. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

A picture of the suspect entering Santa Monica College Library is seen as Jacqueline Seabrook, Chief of Santa Monica Police department speaks during a news conference Saturday June 8, 2013, in Santa Monica, Calif., to discuss more information regarding the suspect in the shooting that left five people dead, including the shooter, near Santa Monica College on Friday. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

This photo provided by the Santa Monica Police Department during a news conference Saturday, June 8, 2013, shows a frame grab from a surveillance camera revealing the suspect entering Santa Monica College Friday, in Santa Monica, Calif. The Police chief said Saturday that the gunman who went on a chaotic rampage killing four people before being fatally shot by police at the college planned the attack and was capable of firing 1,300 rounds of ammunition. (AP Photo/Santa Monica Police Department)

A picture of the suspect entering Santa Monica College Library is seen as Jacqueline Seabrook, Chief of Santa Monica Police department speaks during a news conference Saturday June 8, 2013, in Santa Monica, Calif., to discuss more information regarding the suspect in the shooting that left five people dead, including the shooter, near Santa Monica College on Friday. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

Santa Monica Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks speaks during a news conference held by Santa Monica Police, Saturday June 8, 2013, in Santa Monica, Calif., Santa Monica Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks says the gunman who killed four people in a chaotic rampage planned the attack and had 1,300 rounds of ammunition. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

Weapons recovered from Santa Monica College are displayed during a news conference held by Santa Monica Police, Saturday June 8, 2013, in Santa Monica, Calif., Santa Monica Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks says the gunman who killed four people in a chaotic rampage planned the attack and had 1,300 rounds of ammunition. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) ? Police investigating why a heavily armed gunman plotted a rampage that killed four people and wounded several others were focused Saturday on how the violence began: directed at his own family.

What started as domestic violence led to a chaotic street shooting spree and ended less than 15 minutes later in a college library where the gunman was killed Friday by police as students studying for finals ran for cover or hunkered down to avoid whizzing bullets.

Investigators were looking at family connections to find a motive because the killer's father and brother were the first victims, an official briefed on the probe who requested anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak publicly told The Associated Press.

The killer, who died a day shy of his 24th birthday, was connected to the home that went up in flames after the first shootings, said Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks. She refused to elaborate or name the suspect because a surviving family member was out of the country and couldn't immediately be notified.

At an afternoon news conference next to the weapons and ammo found at multiple crime scenes, Seabrooks said the "cowardly murderer" planned the attack and was capable of firing 1,300 rounds.

"Any time someone puts on a vest, of some sort, comes out with a bag full of loaded magazines, has an extra receiver, has a handgun and has a semi-automatic rifle, carjacks folks, goes to a college, kills more people and has to be neutralized at the hands of the police, I would say that that's premeditated," she said.

The killer had a run-in with police seven years ago, but Seabrooks wouldn't offer more details because he was a juvenile at the time.

His father, Samir Zawahri, 55, brought his family to the neighborhood of small homes and apartment buildings tucked up against Interstate 10 in the mid-1990s, according to property records.

Not long after arriving on Yorkshire Avenue, the couple went through a difficult divorce and split custody of their two boys, said Thomas O'Rourke, a neighbor.

"It was not an easy breakup," O'Rourke said. "It was a bitter divorce."

When the sons got older, one went to live with his mother while the other stayed with the father.

"The father was a very nice gentleman," O'Rourke said. "But the boys just kind of kept to themselves. Didn't really socialize with any of the neighbors."

SWAT team officers searched the mother's Los Angeles apartment Friday night and officers interviewed neighbors about the son who lived with her, said Beverly Meadows who lives in the adjoining unit.

Public records show that Meadows' neighbor is Randa Abdou, 54, the ex-wife of Zawahri and former co-owner of the house where the first shooting took place.

The mother was out of the country visiting relatives and wasn't expected home for another week, Meadows said. It wasn't clear if the son who lived with Abdou was a victim or the suspected gunman.

The gunman was enrolled at Santa Monica College in 2010, Seabrooks said.

After neighbors watched in shock as he shot at his father's house and it went up in flames, he opened fire on a woman driving by, wounding her, and then carjacked another woman.

He directed her to drive to the college, ordering her stop along the way to shoot at a city bus and people on the street. Two people on the bus were injured.

Police had received multiple 911 calls by the time the mayhem shifted to the college, a two-year school with about 34,000 students located among homes and strip malls more than a mile inland from the city's famous pier, promenade and expansive, sandy beaches.

On campus, he opened fired on a Ford Explorer, killing the driver, who plowed through a brick wall into a faculty parking lot. A female passenger was gravely wounded.

The driver was identified as Carlos Navarro Franco, 68, a campus employee.

Bursar's office employee Joe Orcutt heard gunshots and went to see what happened in the parking lot. He saw the Explorer in the brick wall and was looking for the shooter when, suddenly, there he was 30 feet away firing at people like it was target practice.

"He's just standing there, like he's modeling for some ammo magazine," Orcutt said. "He's not emotional. I don't know if he's zoned out or focused, he was very calm just standing there, panning around."

As a bullet whizzed by, Orcutt jumped out of the way.

The gunman then moved on foot across campus, firing away. Students were seen leaping out windows of a classroom building and running for their lives. Others locked themselves behind doors or bolted out emergency exits.

At some point, he dropped an Adidas duffel bag loaded with ammunition magazines, boxes of bullets and a .44 revolver. Police also found a small cache of ammunition in a room in the burned-out house.

Trena Johnson, who works in the dean's office, heard gunshots and looked out the window and saw a man in black with a "very large gun" shoot a woman in the head outside the library.

"When I saw her shot in the head and she fell to the ground we ran out the back door," Johnson said. "I haven't been able to stop shaking."

Surveillance photos displayed at the news conference showed the gunman in black strolling past a cart of books into the library with an assault-style rifle by his side.

Vincent Zhang, an economics major, was studying in the library when he heard a female scream, "No, no. Please no."

Zhang ran out of the emergency exit while others took cover in what Seabrooks called a "safe room," barricaded behind a door.

"They stacked items found in the safe room against the door, hunkered down and avoided shots fired through the drywall at them while they were in that room," she said.

The shooter fired at least 70 rounds in the library. Miraculously, no one was injured until two Santa Monica police officers and a campus cop arrived and took out the shooter. He was struck multiple times.

___

Associated Press writers Shaya Tayefe Mohajer, Nicole Evatt and Sarah Parvini contributed to this story. Tami Abdollah can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/latams

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-06-08-Santa%20Monica%20Shooting/id-42980f3fe3814c0bb5021fddbd287216

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Alt-week 6.8.13: the Tetris printer, micro-vacuums and naked Antarctica

Alt-week takes a look at the best science and alternative tech stories from the last seven days.

Printing can take many forms these days, it seems. It's a term we see pulled in another direction this week, but one we think you'll enjoy. Want something a little more tangible? How about advanced Antarctic topology, or gas-detecting microscale vacuum pumps? Yep, this is alt-week.

Filed under: Science, Alt

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/08/alt-week-6-8-13-the-tetris-printer-micro-vacuums/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Exclusive: Ileana D'cruz Shares Health, Diet and Fitness Tips

Ileana D?cruz

She won many hearts in Barfi and will be seen next in Phata Poster Nikla Hero opposite Shahid Kapoor.

Team MissMalini caught up with actress Ileana D?cruz at a recent event in Mumbai where she discussed health, diet and fitness tips.

Listen in:

Ileana D?cruz

Please share some hair-care tips with our readers.

A lot of people say that oiling your hair is good, and it is. You should oil your hair as much as you can. Maintaining a really good diet is also important and many people don?t realize that and of course, not stressing. I?ve seen the result that stress can do to your hair and trust me, it?s horrible.

What kind of diet do you follow?

As of now, I?m on a high protein diet because I?ve been trying my best to tone up as much as possible. So I?ve been having lots of fish, lots of vegetables, loads of salads and fruits. And it has made a huge difference to my hair as well. It has been enhancing it even more.

Ileana D?cruz

What is your fitness routine?

I do a lot of pilates. It?s something that really works for me. Unfortunately, I cannot run since I have a really bad knee so I try and walk as much as possible, which is extremely good. People underestimate how good walking is. I walk for about forty minutes every night at Joggers Park. I do around ten rounds It feels fabulous.

What is your style mantra?

I?m extremely simplistic when it comes to styling. I don?t like going overboard. I like to keep it simple and clean cut. I don?t think I carry off the complicated couture pieces. But I like keeping it sophisticated and classy and black is one of my favourite colours.

Ileana D?cruz

Which designer labels do you prefer to sport? ??

Dolce & Gabbana is one brand that fits me really well. It?s so made for my body type. It?s one brand that I really like.

What films are you working on currently?

I?m right now working on Phata Poster Nikla Hero with Shahid Kapoor, which is almost near completion now. It will be releasing soon and it?s come out really well. It?s completely different from Barfi. You will be seeing a very feisty, bubbly me as opposed to the quiet me in Barfi.

I do have a couple of other projects but I unfortunately can?t talk about them right now?but maybe soon?!

More Photos:

Pix: Khyati Gandhi for MissMalini

Ranjit Rodricks
Jun 8, 2013 9:28 am

Source: http://www.missmalini.com/2013/06/08/exclusive-actress-ileana-dcruz-shares-health-diet-and-fitness-tips/

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Sportfishing Recommendations That Can Help You Save Plenty Of ...

Angling may be one of the better comforting ways to commit a vacation, saturday and sunday out, as well as a sun-drenched mid-day. Read on this article in case you are pumped up about fishing and wish to learn how to enjoy your fishing journeys much more. These article below will help make fishing more fun and fulfilling. Be additional very careful once you wade by means of normal water. If you want to sort although sportfishing, walk slowly and gradually and thoroughly. If you transfer too rapidly, you?ll frighten the species of fish because seem does travel below water. Don?t disrupt the river your bed and don?t rush. Lots of people use light-weight bobbers when sport fishing through the night. Lighted bobbers possess a payday loan online small bulb on the inside of it to assist you can easily see when fish is going to nibble. Noisy or immediate sounds frequently spook fish away very quickly! Should you must communicate with someone else, you will have a greater chance of catching any seafood which come in your area. Do your very best to preserve the environment when you find yourself sport fishing. Any species of fish you capture that may be too small needs to be allow go. Search for near by species of fish once you strong water seafood. You could possibly see wood floating within the water. You could possibly even see significant online game fish in these locations.Moreover, if you see seagulls eating little fish, then its extremely achievable there are larger sea food correct underneath the water?s surface area. Don?t forget your fundamental items when you go with a angling journey.These simple fundamentals rely typically with your location. Generally, these simple essentials would include sunscreen, hats, or sun glasses. If you plan on sport fishing out in the wild, it is a good idea to pack a cell mobile phone, flash light, and flashlight. Usually do not choose a windy day time for travel species of fish when it is also windy. You won?t cast effectively if it?s quite windy outside. A cloudy working day is a superb day. After it is overcast, there exists darkish h2o, and fish have to hunt for food. In america, every single status necessitates that you acquire a sport fishing certification, either working day extended, and those are for sale to possibly an individual working day or perhaps an overall 12 months. Make sure you have distinct hooks prior to deciding to seafood. Whether everything is at place, a uninteresting connect is a sure way to lose fish. You should develop hooks as you still fish, or take extras for substitutes. Distinct hooks certainly are a need for any fisherman?s toolbox. Understand different ways of casting methods so your bait falls quietly on the water. Fish are frightened of sound, helping to make the point of you sport fishing moot. This can be achieved through the use of your wrist for your personal cast. You could take into account checking out a net or gaff hook so that you can catch bigger fishes. You can find it easier to move the species of fish much better using a gaff. Fish will stay away from going swimming in places which are littered with dirt and junk. This can greatly harm the probabilities which you and also other fishermen from getting any sea food. Using barbless solitary hooks is vital if you want to exercise capture and launch your species of fish. This will likely encourage the seafood is not really harm once you send them back returning to water. Acquire some nearby made sport fishing flies or just invest in a cap, buy a head wear whether you need 1 or otherwise, you need to be friendly. The natives often open up to people that would like to try their region. This is a great way to find some good distinct advice about the sportfishing for the reason that distinct area. Make sure that worms or night crawlers are correctly protected onto the very best of your capability in your catch when sportfishing. Fish are significantly prone to consider the bait which is online payday loans threaded effectively. You also use more compact hooks when you are able. Check with residents to indicate the spot about very good sport fishing locations. You will get wonderful local info from shuttle drivers, recreation area rangers and postal carriers. Make sure to receive the makes it possible for that you require, and ask permission from the proprietor in the lake or pond before sport fishing. You are able to grab fishing poles just about anyplace. Angling has become so popular complete-time that even stuffed toy fishing rods are available in low-cost plastic-type material versions for kids. You do not have to pay a great deal put together to obtain a basic, as being a higher-high quality reel and rod combination could be about $15 or $35 Investigate the location prior to intend to species of fish. You typically must know the precise details about your angling area and the species of fish you wish to fish. Carry out some basic investigation in the place well before going out. Find out which varieties of sea food you will probably catch there.Search for currents and know the currents.Look at the day?s conditions to discover what it?ll be like when of the getaway. Coordinate and different your hooks by using basic safety pins. The pointed end in the basic safety pin must be operate through each and every hook?s eyesight. You can preserve numerous hooks on one pin, and it will surely enable you to have them structured. Have them prepared as a precautionary measure till you turn out to be acclimated for the surf. Don?t throw out dead minnows too soon. Even deceased minnow can get a seafood for you. Even though a lifeless minnow won?t get you very significantly, you are able to cut available the dead minnow before putting it into the h2o as a way to bring in seafood. Start with wetting the hands, and remove the hook meticulously from the fish?s jaws.Instantly come back the sea food back into the h2o.In case you are unable to entry the catch as it has migrated to a deeper spot inside the seafood, then you should just cut the line on the fish?s mouth and immediately placed the fish into the water. With any luck , at the very least of the few suggestions offered right here will make your sport fishing expeditions more pleasurable. Whether or not you use angling to chill out, like a very competitive sports activity or like a family members matter, it?s a fantastic journey. Next time you are going sportfishing, implement anything that you?ve acquired out of this article. Sportfishing can be a pastime you can enjoy at any time outside. Fishermen of each and every ability may benefit from understanding something new. Check this out article to find out some tips that allow you to enhance your fishing skills.

Source: http://s311204067.onlinehome.us/sportfishing-recommendations-that-can-help-you-save-plenty-of-frustration/

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Analysis: U.S. domestic spying controversy complicates cybersecurity efforts

By Andrea Shalal-Esa and Joseph Menn

WASHINGTON/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The Obama administration's cybersecurity agenda, which includes expanding the military's Cyber Command and beefing up protection for critical infrastructure, faces more intense scrutiny after two vast domestic surveillance programs were exposed this week.

Civil liberties groups say the revelations give new life to several privacy lawsuits against the National Security Agency, which hit the headlines twice in two days for secretly monitoring Americans' phone records and internet activity.

Renewed concerns about the spy agency's domestic surveillance programs could also hamper efforts to give it a broader role in defending the country's infrastructure, and put pressure on lawmakers to update laws protecting online privacy, say congressional aides and defense and security experts.

"They're going to make it harder to do the work that is now going on," said former chief Pentagon weapons buyer Mike Wynne, who also served as Air Force secretary from 2005 to 2008.

Wynne said growing unease about domestic surveillance could have a chilling effect on proposed cyber legislation that calls for greater information-sharing between government and industry.

Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Dutch Ruppersberger, who are top lawmakers in the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, had rewritten the cyber bill to designate the civilian Department of Homeland Security, and not the NSA, as the hub of information exchange between the government and private sector.

But the bill still allows sharing of information with the NSA, which could prove troubling to some lawmakers disturbed by the scope of the intelligence agency's surveillance powers.

The Democratic-controlled Senate already represented a steep obstacle for the cyber bill, which has been passed by the Republican House, even before this week's revelations.

While support for strong national security measures is one of the few issues that crosses Washington's party lines in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, a few lawmakers did call for probes or closed-door hearings on the NSA's surveillance programs.

"Our investment in protecting American lives and liberties simultaneously is not a blank check," said Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, who called on Friday for a "thorough vetting of this policy."

President Barack Obama on Friday staunchly defended the sweeping U.S. surveillance of Americans' phone and internet activity, calling it a "modest encroachment" on privacy that was necessary to defend the United States from attack.

Since news of the surveillance programs broke in the Guardian and Washington Post, more lawmakers have signed on to legislation that would strengthen privacy protections in the Electronic Communications Privacy Act in 1986, according to the offices of the bill's backers.

Republican Senator Rand Paul became the latest supporter of the Senate version of the bill, co-sponsored by Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy and Republican Senator Mike Lee.

Leahy and Lee have said the law should be strengthened so that law enforcement authorities need a search warrant if they want to read personal emails stored with third-party providers.

Currently, government investigators only need a subpoena, which has a lower threshold than a warrant because it does not need a judge to sign off. A subpoena can give investigators access to emails that are more than 180 days old, and sometimes newer emails if they are already opened by recipients.

Companion legislation in the House garnered 16 co-sponsors this week, said Matt Manda, spokesman for the bill's co-author, Republican Kevin Yoder.

CYBERSECURITY CHALLENGES

Some security industry insiders said this week's news could also increase pressure on the Pentagon to appoint separate officials to head Cyber Command, the military command that oversees offensive and defensive operations in cyberspace, and the NSA. Both hats are now worn by Army General Keith Alexander.

"This concept of civilian control over the military applies here," Wynne said.

Alexander has pushed to elevate Cyber Command to an independent military entity and to quadruple its size. But the latest controversy could make officials skittish about what some already see as a dangerous power grab.

"It's definitely going to make people think twice about expanding and elevating Cyber Command and new cyber legislation," said Jesselyn Radack, a lawyer who represented NSA whistleblower Thomas Drake. "People are going to take a more careful look now, and those overreaching laws will be blocked."

Civil liberties groups that have sued the government over suspected call-record programs and wiretapping, said they would use this week's new disclosures to bolster their cases.

In particular, they plan to argue against two of the main defenses used by the Justice Department to date - that a full trial on the issues would be impossible without revealing "state secrets" and that consumers lack standing to sue because they cannot show impact from the spying programs.

But privacy advocates say such arguments have been punctured by the disclosures of the surveillance programs, which have been largely confirmed by federal authorities and lawmakers.

"I hope it means that the court will agree that we need to get to the bottom of this," said Cindy Cohn, legal director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which is suing the NSA in a San Francisco case.

"It would be a terrible tragedy if we can talk about it in the press and in the halls of Congress, and the courts decide they can't hear it."

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal-Esa and Alina Selyukh in Washington and Joseph Menn in San Francisco; Editing by Karey Van Hall, Tiffany Wu and Peter Cooney)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/analysis-u-domestic-spying-controversy-complicates-cybersecurity-efforts-040915278.html

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Alligator takes pit stop near Calif. intersection

LANCASTER, Calif. (AP) ? A Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy could hardly believe the call when he heard two women were spotted near a Lancaster intersection, one of them holding an alligator.

The Los Angeles Times reports (http://lat.ms/13IVx4U ) Deputy Michael Rust investigated the report Tuesday and found the offending reptile, along with a kangaroo and a monkey inside a van.

The menagerie is part of the "Zoo to You" program in Paso Robles that introduces kids to animals.

The animals had just visited with students at Quartz Hill Elementary when the alligator soiled its cage.

Rust says the driver decided to pull over because the alligator urine odor would be unpleasant during the hours-long drive to Paso Robles.

Rust says he's gotten calls about animals like bulls, bears and mountain lions before, but an alligator is unusual.

___

Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/alligator-takes-pit-stop-near-calif-intersection-011928991.html

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Would Carey Mulligan Make A Good Hillary Clinton?

According to a story from The Hollywood Reporter, the "Great Gatsby" actress is in the lead for the role. What do you think of the choice? Voice your opinion in the poll after the jump! Also, Samuel L. Jackson is the baddest duded ever, and we have the proof in today's Dailies! » Carey Mulligan [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2013/06/06/carey-mulligan-hillary-clinton/

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A New Mission for 'Blind Side' Mom Leigh Anne Tuohy - US - CBN ...

NEW YORK CITY -- Leigh Anne Tuohy is a classy, no nonsense ball of energy, who first stepped into the spotlight as the hard driving mom in the blockbuster film "The Blind Side." Actress Sandra Bullock brought her big personality to the big screen and won an academy award.
????
The story was about the Tuohy family adopting a homeless teen who grew up to earn a football scholarship to the University of Mississippi and be drafted into the NFL. This year that same young man, Michael Oher, helped the Baltimore Ravens win the Super Bowl.

Tuohy recently sat down with CBN News in New York City and described her family's story.

"It's really a love story and I hope the love story continues with family, after family, after family because there are Michael Ohers in every city in this country, and all they need is for someone to love them. There are a lot of people with a lot of worth and a lot of value and they just need an opportunity," she said.

New TV Series

The compassionate mom now leads a mission to deliver that opportunity to other foster homes with her new reality television series called "Family Addition."? The inspirational show airs Fridays at 9 p.m. (EST) on UP, formerly known as GMC television.??
?????????
In her conversation about the show Tuohy said, "We are one of these that unless what we do makes a difference, we really don't want to play in that sandbox. And we have been offered every TV show you can imagine. You name it, we have been offered it -- as a family and individually. They've wanted us to race, skip, jump, hop, everything you can think of, and that is just not who we are."

Tuohy calls the show a perfect fit for her family and the work it does with the Making it Happen Foundation. In each episode, "Team Tuohy" works to help families on the verge of adopting one or more of their foster children.?

The show also allows Tuohy to use her talents as an interior designer. It's a skill she showcased as a member of the design team for ABC's "Extreme Makeover Home Edition."??

"When you go into a family and they are just stretched just as tight as possible, financially, every way you can imagine, you would like to do something for them, that you leave a footprint that you were here and we believe in you and think what you are doing is right," Tuohy said.

"So every episode, thus far, we have tried to do something for the family to encourage them, to uplift them and let them know that 'Man you are doing the right thing. You are the hero. You are the one making a difference in this child's life," she said.

One Couple with a Big Heart

That is Tuohy's message to the Jackson family in one episode of the show. Shirdawn and Jeffrey Jackson have two children, but still opened their home to seven young siblings in California's foster care system.
????
"Shirdawn and Jeffrey are two of the most amazing people I have ever met," Tuohy told CBN News. "Every night when I lay my head on the pillow, still, I say thank you God for Shirdawn and Jeffrey Jackson because they have stepped up and made a difference."
?
But she explained that even the best guardian angels of orphans cannot change a mother with a hardened heart.

"There is this mother in LA who I am not going to lie -- if I meet her, potentially, I could do bodily harm to her," Tuohy said. "She just continues to birth these children. She is just 26 years old and she will do it again and they cannot take another child in."

"The last two kids she had, she walked out of the hospital and looked at the lady at the front desk and said 'You know who to call,' like it was the laundry or her dry cleaning. It's a human being," she said.

Tuohy is quick to point out the foster care picture can be painful and frustrating. At any given time there are more than 400,000 children in the system waiting for homes.

She said, "There is no one walking the streets who had it any tougher than my son, nobody. He was in 20 plus foster homes. He was one of 13 kids. I mean it was as bad as bad could get. And if someone like him, when you invest time and you love them, becomes so wildly successful, can you imagine who falls through the cracks that doesn't get help? And that keeps you up at night."

'We Can All do Something'

Foster care and adoption are significant issues in America, but they are manageable, according to Tuohy. She hopes "Family Addition" will inspire people to get involved.????

"Somebody has to be the voice of the kids. Do we think that God bestowed that message on us? He uses simple people to tell stories and he used our family who were just simple, every day, ordinary people to tell a story," she explained.

"Not everyone can go out and adopt a 6"6', 350-pound, African American man. He is hard to find clothes for and there are issues," she said.

But Tuohy strongly believes "we can all do something."

Source: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2013/June/A-New-Mission-for-Blind-Side-Mom-Leigh-Anne-Tuohy/

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