Insert Coin semifinalist: Ziphius is a smartphone-controlled aquatic drone

Who doesn't want a little aquatic drone to call their own? Azorean's Ziphius is a partially submerged device that can be controlled via iOS or Android smartphone or tablet. There's an on-board HD camera that offers up visuals to give the user a first-person view both above and below the water. Azorean plans to open the API on the vehicle and software to let developers create all manner of games and apps that'll harness augmented reality. Inside of the drone, you'll find a Raspberry Pi, an Ardunio-based plate and two differential motors. The company's promising intuitive handling and even a bit of autonomy with the Ziphius.

By why talk about it, when we can play you some videos of the little guy in action? You'll find those after the break.

Check out the full list of Insert Coin: New Challengers semifinalists here -- and don't forget to pick a winner!

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Source: My Ziphius

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/25/insert-coin-ziphius/

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Plus-Light-Tech's Energy Efficient LED Retail Lighting

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Source: http://www.pluslighttech.com/cms/static_page.php?page_id=6&pcode=PL

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Vatican blasts media for influencing election with 'false' reports

VATICAN CITY (AP) ? The Vatican lashed out Saturday at the media for what it said has been a run of defamatory and false reports before the conclave to elect Pope Benedict XVI's successor, saying they were an attempt to influence the election.

Italian newspapers have been rife with unsourced reports in recent days about the contents of a secret dossier prepared for the pope by three cardinals who investigated the origins of the 2012 scandal over leaked Vatican documents.

The reports have suggested the revelations in the dossier, given to Benedict in December, were a factor in his decision to resign. The pope himself has said merely that he doesn't have the "strength of mind and body" to carry on and would resign Feb. 28.

On Saturday, a day before Benedict's final Sunday blessing in St. Peter's Square, the Vatican secretariat of state said the Catholic Church has for centuries insisted on the independence of its cardinals to freely elect their pope ? a reference to episodes in the past when kings and emperors vetoed papal contenders or prevented cardinals from voting outright.

"If in the past, the so-called powers, i.e., States, exerted pressures on the election of the pope, today there is an attempt to do this through public opinion that is often based on judgments that do not typically capture the spiritual aspect of the moment that the church is living," the statement said.

"It is deplorable that as we draw closer to the time of the beginning of the conclave ... that there be a widespread distribution of often unverified, unverifiable or completely false news stories that cause serious damage to persons and institutions."

Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi was asked how specifically the media was trying to influence the outcome; Lombardi didn't respond directly, saying only that the reports have tended to paint the Curia in a negative light "beyond the considerations and serene evaluations" of problems that cardinals might discuss before the conclave.

Some Vatican watchers have speculated that because the Vatican bureaucracy is heavily Italian, cardinals might be persuaded to elect a non-Italian, non-Vatican-based cardinal as pope to try to impose some reform on the Curia.

While Lombardi has said the reports "do not correspond to reality," the pope and some of his closest collaborators have recently denounced the dysfunction in the Apostolic Palace.

Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, for example, criticized the "divisions, dissent, careerism, jealousies" that afflict the Vatican bureaucracy. He made the comments Friday, the penultimate day of the Vatican's weeklong spiritual exercises that were attended by the pope and other officials. Ravasi, himself a papal contender, was chosen by Benedict to deliver daily meditations and on Saturday Benedict praised him for his "brilliant" work.

The divisions Ravasi spoke of were exposed by the documents taken from the pope's study by his butler and then leaked by a journalist. The documents revealed the petty wrangling, corruption and cronyism and even allegations of a gay plot at the highest levels of the Catholic Church.

The three cardinals who investigated the theft had wide-ranging powers to interview even cardinals to get to the bottom of the dynamics within the Curia that resulted in the gravest Vatican security breach in modern times.

Benedict too has made reference to the divisions in recent days, deploring in his final Mass as pope on Ash Wednesday how the church is often "defiled" by attacks and divisions from within. Last Sunday, he urged its members to overcome "pride and egoism."

On Saturday, in his final comments to the Curia, Benedict lamented the "evil, suffering and corruption" that have defaced God's creation. But he also thanked the Vatican bureaucrats for having helped him "bear the burden" of his ministry with their work, love and faith these past eight years.

The Vatican's attack on the media echoed its response to previous scandals, where it has tended not to address the underlying content of accusations, but has diverted attention away. During the 2010 explosion of sex abuse scandals, the Vatican accused the media of trying to attack the pope; during the 2012 leaks scandal, it accused the media of sensationalism without addressing the content of the leaked documents.

___

Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/vatican-blasts-false-pre-conclave-reporting-130526801.html

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Oscars 2013 and Spielberg: The storyteller is part of our cultural DNA

Oscars 2013: Oscar or not for 'Lincoln,' Steven Spielberg has not only shaped our fantasies, he's influenced a generation's perspective on history.

By Lester D. Friedman,?Contributor, Daniel B. Wood,?Staff writer / February 23, 2013

Oscars 2013 and Steven Spielberg as global icon: This is the cover story in the Feb. 25 issue of The Christian Science MonitorWeekly.

Jean-Paul Pelissier/REUTERS/File

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A giant, rolling boulder nips menacingly at the heels of a fleeing, ragged archaeologist.

The glowing, spiky finger of a goggle-eyed alien points from a California suburban street into space.

While the craggy visage of America's stovepipe-hatted 16th president may not yet be as ingrained in American pop culture DNA as those iconic movie moments of the past 40 years, the celluloid depiction of Lincoln ? which won the most Academy Award nominations this year with 12 ? shares the distinction of being crafted by the same movie magician responsible for six of the 25 highest-grossing movies of all time.

Steven Spielberg has not only shaped our fantasies, but with "Lincoln" he has influenced the perspective that a generation of Americans will have on a key part of history.

As an audience of a several hundred million gathers for one of the planet's global campfire moments Feb. 24, the popcorn-popping masses will await the verdict to see if Mr. Spielberg will win his third Oscar for Best Director ? to tie such icons as William Wyler and Frank Capra ? and remain behind only legendary John Ford, who won four.

Over bowls of steaming chili at home, and around office water coolers, fans and critics may debate what this year's best movie is, but one thing is certain: Love this director or demean him, Spielberg's movies are woven more deeply into the fabric of American daily life and culture than those of any other director in history.

He burst onto the world stage with "Jaws" in 1975. With just two road-movie thriller features ? "Duel" and "The Sugarland Express" ? under his belt, Spielberg originally conceived the Peter Benchley bestseller as a low-budget creature-feature. But he ran into so many production problems filming realistically on water ? from a malfunctioning robotic shark to a drunken British lead actor ? that he had to reconceive his vision of horror right on location, deciding to keep his deep-sea monster lurking mostly off-screen.

Spielberg's counterintuitive improvisation paid off, showcasing his populism across the spectrum from substance to style in actors, scripts, plots, conflict, tone, and all the rest. The first of many cultural catchphrases was born ? "We're gonna need a bigger boat" ? as well as an industry-changing marketing phenomenon that could only have been launched in America: the summer blockbuster. "Jaws" was the first movie to earn more than $100 million in theatrical rentals. This distinction also earned Spielberg criticism ? along with his "Star Wars" director buddy, George Lucas ? for infantilizing movies and forcing studios to spend their resources on fewer and higher-budget movies.

1?|?2?|?3?|?4?|?5?|?6

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/9SNcIuyuDnY/Oscars-2013-and-Spielberg-The-storyteller-is-part-of-our-cultural-DNA

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Steencamp Death Sheds Light on Violence Against Women in South Africa

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Authorities checking if wreck found is Missoni plane: report

Katherine Webb, girlfriend of Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron, made headlines when she was spotted by ESPN's Brent Musberger at the National Championship game earlier this year.Now, the 23-year-old model - recently featured in the pages of the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition and a castmember on ABC's upcoming reality diving show, "Splash" -- explains how she's handling her sudden fame.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/authorities-checking-wreck-found-missoni-plane-report-075747334.html

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Howard Stern Slams Clive Davis, Gushes Over Kelly Clarkson

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/02/howard-stern-slams-clive-davis-gushes-over-kelly-clarkson/

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Facebook's main app for iOS adds free voice calls inside North America

Facebook has been spreading voice messaging throughout its mobile apps for awhile, but it's clear the Palo Alto crew is no longer happy leaving interaction to canned speeches. Following a quiet rollout of live voice calls to Facebook Messenger earlier in the year, a version 5.5 update to Facebook's core iOS app is giving social networkers a similar chance to talk to each other for free. The only stipulations are that users have the bandwidth to burn and live in either the US or Canada. Otherwise, the interface and functionality are dead ringers for the Messenger equivalents we tried in January. There's still no word on when full voice calls will reach Android or other platforms, although they typically get feature parity before too long.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet, Facebook

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Flu shot did poor job against worst bug in seniors

ATLANTA (AP) ? For those 65 and older, this season's flu shot is only 9 percent effective against the most common and dangerous flu bug, according to a startling new government report.

Flu vaccine tends to protect younger people better than older ones and never works as well as other kinds of vaccines. But experts say the preliminary results for seniors are disappointing and highlight the need for a better vaccine.

For all age groups, the vaccine's effectiveness is moderate at 56 percent, which is nearly as well as other flu seasons, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.

For those 65 and older, it is 27 percent effective against the three strains in the vaccine, the lowest in about a decade but not far below from what's expected. But the vaccine did a particularly poor job of protecting older people against the harshest flu strain, which is causing most of the illnesses this year. CDC officials say it's not clear why.

Vaccinations are now recommended for anyone over 6 months, and health officials stress that some vaccine protection is better than none at all. While it's likely that older people who were vaccinated are still getting sick, many of them may be getting less severe symptoms.

"Year in and year out, the vaccine is the best protection we have," said CDC flu expert Dr. Joseph Bresee.

To be sure, the preliminary data for seniors is less than definitive. It is based on fewer than 300 people scattered among five states.

But it will no doubt surprise many people that the effectiveness is that low, said Michael Osterholm, a University of Minnesota infectious disease expert who has tried to draw attention to the need for a more effective flu vaccine.

Among infectious diseases, flu is considered one of the nation's leading killers. On average, about 24,000 Americans die each flu season, according to the CDC.

This flu season started in early December, a month earlier than usual, and peaked by the end of year. Older people are most vulnerable to flu and its complications, and the nation has seen some of the highest hospitalization rates for people 65 and older in a decade.

Flu viruses tend to mutate more quickly than others, and it's not unusual for multiple strains to be spreading at the same time. A new vaccine is formulated each year targeting the three strains expected to be the major threats. But that involves guesswork.

Because of these challenges, scientists tend to set a lower bar for flu vaccine. While childhood vaccines against diseases like measles are expected to be 90 or 95 percent effective, a flu vaccine that's 60 to 70 percent effective in the U.S. is considered pretty good.

By that standard, this year's vaccine is OK. The 56 percent effectiveness figure means people have a 56 percent lower chance of winding up at the doctor for treatment of flu symptoms.

For seniors, a flu vaccine is considered pretty good if it's in the 30 to 40 percent range, said Dr. Arnold Monto, a University of Michigan flu expert.

Older people have weaker immune systems that don't respond as well to flu shots. That's why a high-dose version was recently made available for those 65 and older. The new study was too small to show whether that made a difference this year.

The CDC estimates are based on about 2,700 people who got sick in December and January. The researchers traced back to see who had gotten flu shots and who hadn't. An earlier study put the vaccine's overall effectiveness slightly higher, at 62 percent.

The CDC's Bresee said there's a danger in providing preliminary results because it may result in people doubting ? or skipping ? flu shots. But the data was released to warn older people who got shots that they may still get sick and shouldn't ignore any serious flu-like symptoms, he said.

The new data highlights an evolution in how experts are evaluating flu vaccine effectiveness. For years, it was believed that if the viruses in the vaccine matched the ones spreading around the country, then the vaccine would be effective. This year's shot was a good match to the bugs going around this winter, including the harsher H3N2 that tends to make people sicker.

But the season proved to be a moderately severe one, with many illnesses occurring in people who'd been vaccinated.

____

Online:

CDC report: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/flu-shot-did-poor-job-against-worst-bug-170416843.html

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Android Central 126: HTC One recap, MWC preview, Ubuntu and Chromebooks!

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It's as though we just dropped an entire podcast on you two days ago. But that's the way the news is this week. We're fresh off the HTC One events in London and New York, so we'll recap those in addition to looking ahead to Mobile World Congress early next week from Barcelona, Spain. Plus we take on Ubuntu Touch, now available in developer preview for Nexus devices, and the new Chromebook Pixel.

Thing 1: The HTC One

Thing 2: Mobile World Congress preview

Thing 3: Other odds and ends

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Sure, you can just listen to the AndroidCentral Podcast.?(And you should.)?But it's much more fun to be a part of it. And there are several ways you can do so.

• E-mail us:?Have a question and want us to answer it on-air? E-mail us here.
• Voicemail:?We love actually hearing from you. You can leave us a voicemail toll-free at (888) 468-6158 Ext. 222.

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We record live before a studio audience (erm, chat room) Thursday nights at 9 p.m. Eastern/6 p.m. Pacific. You can find us then at http://www.androidcentral.com/live.

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The AndroidCentral Podcast is sponsored by the AndroidCentral Store. And thanks to these great artists for providing their music under the Creative Commons license:

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/uOKFgbURh-g/story01.htm

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New Bill Would Prohibit EDC From Loan Guarantees | WPRI.com

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP/WPRI) -- A bill introduced in the Rhode Island House would prohibit the state's economic development agency from guaranteeing loans like the one to Curt Schlling's now-defunct video game company.
??
Under Representative Joseph Shekarchi's bill, the Economic Development Corporation would not be able to guarantee any loans and obligations. The Warwick Democrat says it would provide greater financial protection for the state and its taxpayers.

The EDC board approved a $75 million loan guarantee for Schilling's startup, 38 Studios, in 2010. The company later went bankrupt, and the state is likely on the hook for some $100 million related to the deal.

If the legislation is approved, Representative Shekarchi says it will not affect the way the EDC functions or restrict the job the agency does.

?They can still make contracts, make loans, execute lease agreements, acquire property, undertake planning and development of projects, and the like,? said Shekarchi.
??
Shekarchi says the bill isn't just about the former Red Sox pitcher's company, though the state learned a painful lesson.
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The bill has been referred to the Finance Committee.

Source: http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/local_news/providence/new-bill-would-prohibit-edc-from-loan-guarantees

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Strategy Seeks To Ensure Bid Of Brennan For C.I.A.

The New York Times:

WASHINGTON -- The White House is refusing to share fully with Congress the legal opinions that justify targeted killings, while maneuvering to make sure its stance does not do anything to endanger the confirmation of John O. Brennan as C.I.A. director.

Read the whole story at The New York Times

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/21/strategy-seeks-to-ensure-_n_2730248.html

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Litany of secrets after papal retirement bombshell

FILE -- In this file picture made available on March 26, 2012 by the Vatican newspaper Osservatore Romano, Pope Benedict XVI wears a Mexican sombrero hat in Leon, Mexico, Sunday, March 25, 2012. Turin's La Stampa newspaper reported Thursday, Feb. 14, 2014, that Benedict hit his head and bled when he got up in the middle of the night in an unfamiliar bedroom in Leon, Mexico. The report said blood stained his hair, pillow and floor. Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi confirmed the incident but said "it was not relevant for the trip, in that it didn't affect it, nor in the decision" to resign. (AP Photo/Osservatore Romano)

FILE -- In this file picture made available on March 26, 2012 by the Vatican newspaper Osservatore Romano, Pope Benedict XVI wears a Mexican sombrero hat in Leon, Mexico, Sunday, March 25, 2012. Turin's La Stampa newspaper reported Thursday, Feb. 14, 2014, that Benedict hit his head and bled when he got up in the middle of the night in an unfamiliar bedroom in Leon, Mexico. The report said blood stained his hair, pillow and floor. Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi confirmed the incident but said "it was not relevant for the trip, in that it didn't affect it, nor in the decision" to resign. (AP Photo/Osservatore Romano)

FILE -- In this file photo taken on March 25, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI waves from the popemobile wearing a Mexican sombrero as he arrives to give a Mass in Bicentennial Park near Silao, Mexico. Turin's La Stampa newspaper reported Thursday, Feb. 14, 2014, that Benedict hit his head and bled when he got up in the middle of the night in an unfamiliar bedroom in Leon, Mexico. The report said blood stained his hair, pillow and floor. Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi confirmed the incident but said "it was not relevant for the trip, in that it didn't affect it, nor in the decision" to resign. (AP Photo/Osservatore Romano)

A view of the Pio XI clinic where Pope Benedict XVI underwent surgery to replace his pacemaker's battery, in Rome, Thursday Feb. 14, 2013. On Thursday, the Vatican's spokesman acknowledged an Italian newspaper report that Benedict hit his head and bled profusely while visiting Mexico in July. Two days earlier the spokesman acknowledged that Benedict has had a pacemaker for years _ and underwent a secret operation to replace its battery just three months ago. For an institution devoted to the eternal truth, the Vatican has shown itself to be a master of smokescreens since Pope Benedict XVI's resignation announcement. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

FILE -- In this photo from files taken on March 25, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI is helped by a prelate to remove his mitre prior to the start of a Mass in Bicentennial Park near Silao, Mexico. Turin's La Stampa newspaper reported Thursday, Feb. 14, 2014, that Benedict hit his head and bled when he got up in the middle of the night in an unfamiliar bedroom in Leon, Mexico. The report said blood stained his hair, pillow and floor. Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi confirmed the incident but said "it was not relevant for the trip, in that it didn't affect it, nor in the decision" to resign. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

VATICAN CITY (AP) ? For an institution devoted to eternal light, the Vatican has shown itself to be a master of smokescreens since Pope Benedict XVI's shock resignation announcement.

On Thursday, the Vatican spokesman acknowledged that Benedict hit his head and bled profusely while visiting Mexico in July. Two days earlier the same man acknowledged that Benedict has had a pacemaker for years, and underwent a secret operation to replace its battery three months ago.

And as the Catholic world reeled from shock over the abdication, it soon became clear that Benedict's post-papacy lodgings have been under construction since at least the fall. That in turn put holes in the Holy See's early claims that Benedict kept his decision to himself until he revealed it.

Vatican secrecy is legendary and can have tragic consequences ? as the world learned through the church sex abuse scandal in which bishops quietly moved abusive priests without reporting their crimes.

And the secrecy is institutionalized from such weighty matters to the most trivial aspects of Vatican life.

"You have to understand that actually every Vatican employee and official takes an oath of secrecy when they assume their job," said John Thavis, author of the Vatican Diaries, an investigation into the workings of the Holy See. "And this isn't something that is taken lightly. They swear to keep secret any office matters and anything pertaining to the pope."

One of the most famous cases of Vatican secrecy was the Holy See's efforts to cover up the fact that Pope John Paul I's dead body was discovered by a nun. The eventual revelation helped fuel conspiracy theories over the death of the pope who ruled for only 33 days in 1978.

The Vatican is so obsessed with secrecy that the first and only official confirmation that John Paul II had Parkinson's disease was in his death certificate.

The Vatican justifies itself by arguing that its officials are holders of the divine truth, unaccountable to worldly laws. In particular, the pope's word is the final say on any issue ? infallible on some doctrinal matters. But groups representing sex abuse victims, and other Catholics angered by the scandal, have been demanding modern standards of accountability and calling for reforms.

The Vatican brushed aside criticism for keeping quiet about the pope's December pacemaker procedure, on grounds it was "routine." One Vatican official said making the operation public would simply have led to a big and unnecessary commotion about the pope's health. "You can imagine the satellite dishes in St. Peter's square," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.

The front-man for the church's dance of concealment and disclosure: Vatican spokesman The Rev. Federico Lombardi. In his briefings, Lombardi has been forced into the uncomfortable situation of keeping silent on aspects of the pope's health and future, only to backpedal when confronted with reports in Italian newspapers.

In the latest disclosure, Turin's La Stampa newspaper reported Thursday that Benedict hit his head on a sink and bled profusely when he got up in the middle of the night in an unfamiliar bedroom in Leon, Mexico. The report said papal blood stained Benedict's hair, his pillow and the floor.

Lombardi confirmed the incident but denied it played any role in the pope's resignation. Still, suspicions are bound to be whetted, since the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano reported this week that Benedict had taken the decision to resign after the Mexico-Cuba trip, which was physically exhausting for the 85-year-old pope.

Then there's the question of how many people knew of Benedict's decision to retire.

On the day of the announcement the Vatican cast it as a bolt from the blue, saying almost nobody knew but Benedict himself. Soon, however, prominent clergymen ? one not even Catholic ? began changing the tone and saying they were not surprised.

"Knowing the pope well, there was something in the air that this decision of the pope was possible," said Archbishop Piero Marini, master of papal ceremonies under Pope John Paul II. "So it was not a shock."

Even the retired Arcbishop of Canterbury, Bishop Rowan Williams, says that based on his last meeting with Benedict a year ago he was not surprise at the decision to step down.

"Because of our last conversation I was very conscious that he was recognizing his own frailty and it did cross my mind to wonder whether this was a step he might think about," Williams told Vatican Radio.

Renovation work on a convent previously occupied by cloistered nuns has been going on in secret since at least last fall, an issue apparently causing grumbling among cardinals about the choice of arrangements and whether Benedict's presence on Vatican grounds will allow the retired pope to wield too much influence on his successor.

"I don't think there was a consultation of the College of the Cardinals about this," Lombardi said Wednesday, deflecting questions about Benedict's living arrangements. "The decision and the process of the decision was very limited in the number of persons involved."

That points to another aspect of Vatican secrecy: The habit of different wings of the Holy See jealously concealing information from one another.

"There is very little cross communication within Vatican departments," Thavis said, "so one department may know something but that does not mean that the Curia office down the hall knows about it as well."

___

AP writer Daniela Petroff and AP Video Producer Tricia Thomas contributed.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-02-14-Vatican%20Smokescreens/id-8ddecd04439c44a0afd452b8f046b180

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The road less traveled: the president, reducing oil dependency and replacement fuels

?The natural gas boom has led to cleaner power and greater energy independence?much of our newfound energy is drawn from lands and waters that we, the public, own together. So tonight, I propose we use some of our oil and gas revenues to fund an Energy Security Trust that will drive new research and technology to shift our cars and trucks off oil for good. If a nonpartisan coalition of CEOs and retired generals and admirals can get behind this idea, then so can we. Let?s take their advice and free our families and businesses from the painful spikes in gas prices we?ve put up with for far too long.? ? President Obama?s 2013 State of the Union address.

Amen?the president got it right. Recent data indicates the reduction of GHG emissions and other environmental benefits of using natural gas (as well as other alternative fuels) and recent analyses show a significant reduction of expensive oil imports into the nation, based in part on the production and increased use of natural gas. Obama, as a result, will speed up authorization for drilling, consistent with soon-to-be announced, federal regulations to assure that fracking and horizontal drilling won?t harm the nation?s environment, air and water. As important, the president will create an Energy Security Trust to fund research and technology that will help natural gas burn cleaner and to ?shift our cars and trucks off oil for good.? Americans may soon be able to choose between cleaner-burning, environmentally better, safer and lower-cost alternative fuels, including natural gas, its derivative methanol and gasoline.

Immediately following the president?s speech, American Petroleum Institute leaders, including my friend (just kidding ? I don?t know him) Jack Gerard, head of the group, were critical. Why not? It?s understandable and predictable. They represent the oil industry and many are lobbyists. It?s their job to criticize when a president, any president, proposes initiatives that might negatively affect oil production and distribution. Obama was very blunt. Paraphrasing, the president indicated that the country would be better off if we got off of oil (gasoline) to fuel vehicles.

Although the president indicated that with the proper protection, he will increase drilling on public lands, he also appeared to recognize that ?drill, baby, drill? will not end oil dependency, given the global oil market and the desire of U.S. producers to sell to the highest bidder. What I found interesting about the speech is the decoupling of alternative transitional vehicular fuels, in this case natural gas and methanol, from ?not-yet-ready-for-prime-time? electric cars and other renewable sources of fuel. I think the president and his colleagues, like most Americans (including this columnist), hope that electric cars and hydrogen fuel-cell cars will be in our future. Implicit in the president?s speech is the fact that their ability to scale up and reach mass markets probably remains at least a decade away ? even further perhaps for the hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. Why not start now through significantly increased use of alternative transitional fuels to reduce oil dependency and improve the environment?

State of the Union speeches are not supposed to be big on specifics, and certainly President Obama?s speech did not break from the past on its presentation of detailed strategies. As noted earlier, he did mention creation of a security fund from revenues associated with oil and natural gas drilling?a mild way to say modest taxes or fees. This was sort of a nondescript statement to respond to his own stated ground rule that new programs will not have a negative impact on the budget and budget deficit. I suspect that the idea may fall by the wayside, given the divide in the Congress. But others will replace it.

What was left out in the speech, I assume because of time limits, was the mention of the mostly non-budgetary steps the administration could immediately take to move his ?off oil? agenda. For example, the president could have said, ?I will ask EPA to work with a bipartisan coalition of business, industry and environmental leaders to amend current regulations restricting conversion of existing cars from gas-only cars to flex-fuel cars ?ethanol and methanol.? This would cost each of us who desire to do so only about $200-300. He could have indicated that he will ask Congress to vote up or down (but urge up) on open fuel standards legislation, legislation which has already been introduced in past Congresses. Further, he could have said, ?Sometime in the next two months or so, I will invite Detroit automakers to the White House to discuss the need to increase the production of flex-fuel automobiles.? Finally, he could have announced support for the many leaders around the nation, like, Gov. Hickenlooper (D) and Gov. Fallin (R), who are leading efforts to expand the use of alternative fuels such as natural gas and methanol, and Mayor Bloomberg (I) and developer George Mitchell (R), who have jointly funded a study involving many states to respond to drilling issues in a fair and effective manner.

But the president?s speech, even absent of my suggestions, provides a good, first-time, political and normative base to build a set of initiatives that would allow Americans more fuel choices at the pump. As the president suggested, less reliance on oil and gasoline would likely flatten out price spikes, reduce dependency on imported oil, lower the price of fuel and generate a healthier environment overall. Whatever one might think about the other parts of the presentation, the president deserves credit and applause for pointing us in the right direction concerning the opening up of restrictive, almost-monopolistic, oil markets. Paraphrasing the poet Robert Frost, we should take the road less traveled, which is the road to reducing oil dependency. The president has been joined in this important journey by many republican, independent and democratic leaders, state and local government officials, business and nonprofit leaders and American citizens. It?s a journey, which at its core, is a free market one. Borrowing from E.F. Hutton and Co., when the president talks, we should listen, think and,?hopefully,?respond in a bi-partisan manner. Amen again.

Source: http://www.fuelfreedom.org/blog/the-road-less-traveled-the-president-reducing-oil-dependency-and-replacement-fuels/

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Men's Ice Hockey Hosts Boston University in Nationally Televised Games

February 15, 2013

Boston University Notes

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The University of Maine men's ice hockey team hosts Boston University? this weekend in a pair of games. The two teams will open their weekend series on Friday, Feb. 15 with a game that will be featured on NBCSN. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 PM on Friday night. The two teams will conclude their weekend series on Saturday, Feb. 16 in a game that will be televised on NESN. That game will feature a 7 PM puck drop. Both teams are looking to move up in the standings and looking for valuable Hockey East points. ?

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MAINE VS. BOSTON UNIVERSITY ON NBCSN: The game on Friday night will be televised on NBCSN. John Walton will call the play-by-play, while Ken Hodge will provide color commentary.?

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A LOOK BACK: Maine dropped a 3-0 decision to Vermont last Saturday night in Burlington, Vt. After a scoreless first period, Vermont got on the scoreboard at 19:12 of the second period. Chris McCarthy fired the puck towards the net from the boards and Kyle Reynolds tipped it past Maine goalie Martin Ouellette (St.-Hippolyte, Quebec). Reynolds scored his second goal of the game 3:58 into the third period to give the Catamounts a 2-0 lead. Vermont capped the scoring with a power play goal at 8:30 of the third period when McCarthy scored his seventh of the season.?

Vermont outshot Maine 32-19 in the game. The Black Bears were scoreless in four power play chances, while Vermont finished the game 1-for-5 with the man advantage.?

Ouellette made 29 saves in goal for the Black Bears and falls to 6-8-5 on the season. Brody Hoffman stopped 19 shots for the Catamounts and improves to 8-14-4.?

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SCOUTING THE BLACK BEARS: Maine is led by Joey Diamond (Long Beach, N.Y.) who has 10 goals and five assists for 15 points. Devin Shore (Ajax, Ontario) has two goals and 11 assists for 13 points. Connor Leen (Chester, N.Y.) is chipping in with seven goals and five assists for 12 points. Kyle Beattie (Avondale, Ariz.) has four goals and five assists for nine points. Ryan Lomberg (Richmond Hill, Ontario) has five goals and three assists for eight points. Mike Cornell (Franklin, Mass.) also has eight points on two goals and six assists. Ben Hutton (Prescott, Ontario) is chipping in with two goals and five assists for seven points, while Steven Swavely (Reading, Pa.) has a goal and six assists for seven points as well. Jon Swavely (Reading, Pa.), Will Merchant (Eagan, Minn.) and Mark Anthoine (Lewiston, Maine) all have two goals and three assists for five points. Jake Rutt (Scarborough, Maine) has a pair of goals and two assists for four points. Adam Shemansky (Robbinsville, N.J.) and Stu Higgins (Troy, Mich.) each have a goal and three assists for four points. Mark Nemec (Rouses Point, N.Y.) has two goals and an assist for three points, while Bill Norman (Stockholm, Sweden) is adding a goal and two assists for three points. Brice O'Connor (Londonderry, N.H.) has three points via three assists. Nick Pryor (St. Paul, Minn.) and Martin Ouellette each have two assists on the season. Klas Leidermark (Gavle, Sweden) and Kyle Williams (Bowdoinham, Maine) each have a goal, while Andrew Cerretani (Pelham, N.H.) has chipped in with an assist.?

Martin Ouellette has played in 20 games in goal. He is 6-8-5 with a 2.16 goals against average and a .924 save percentage. Matt Morris (Ridgewood, N.J.) is 2-1-0 with a 2.83 goals against average and a .881 save percentage. Dan Sullivan (York, Pa.) is 0-6-0 with a 3.34 goals against average and a .898 save percentage.?

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PLAYED AS SCHEDULED: Maine game at Vermont last weekend was one of the lone games in Hockey East that was played as scheduled due to winter storm Nemo. The Black Bears, who were scheduled to leave on Friday at noon for Vermont, left Thursday at 6 PM to beat the storm and made it to Vermont before the snow started.?

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OUELLETTE NAMED HOCKEY EAST GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH: Ouellette was named the Hockey East Goaltender of the Month for January on Tuesday, Jan. 29. He finished 3-2-2 in the month with a 1.82 goals against average and a .937 save percentage. Ouellette backstopped Maine's weekend sweep of then #3 Boston College and also has a win over Mercyhurst. He recorded 1-1 ties at Northeastern and against Merrimack. He recorded 25 saves or more in five of Maine's seven games in January.?

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JUST SCORE THREE GOALS: The secret is to just score three goals. Maine is a perfect 6-0-0 when scoring three goals or more.?

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OUELLETTE SETS A CAREER-HIGH WITH 35 SAVES: Martin Ouellette had a career-high 35 saves in Maine's 4-3 win over UMass Lowell on Feb. 3. His previous career mark was 34 set at Boston College on Jan. 25.

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WINNING AT BOSTON COLLEGE: Maine's wins at Boston College the weekend of Jan. 25 and 26 were noteworthy for several reasons. It was the first time that Maine has won at Conte Forum since Oct. 28, 2005. It was the first time that Maine has swept a series at Boston College since Jan. 1993. Maine's sweep of the Eagles in 1993 was the last time that Boston College has been swept at home in a weekend series prior to this past weekend.?

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DIAMOND NETS 50TH CAREER GOAL: Senior Joey Diamond scored his 50th career goal in Maine's game against Merrimack on Jan. 19. Diamond has 55 goals and 40 assists for 95 career points.?

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OUELLETTE STEALS THE SHOW: Martin Ouellette stole the show the weekend of Jan. 25 and 26 at Boston College. He made a then career-high 34 saves, including several in spectacular fashion on Friday night. His previous career-high was 32 saves that he recorded in a shutout of Providence his freshman season. On Saturday, he finished nine seconds shy of recording his third career shutout.?

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GETTING THE GAME-WINNER: Ryan Lomberg has five career goals and three of them have been game-winners. He has scored three of Maine's eight game-winning goals on the season.?

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FILLING IN ON D: What makes Maine's wins over Boston College even more remarkable is that three of its regular defensemen were sidelined with injuries and did not play in the series. Nick Pryor, Brice O'Connor and Ben Hutton were all out during the series.?

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FLORIDA COLLEGE CLASSIC CHAMPIONS: Maine won its second straight Florida College Classic on Dec. 28 and 29. The Black Bears became the first team in the 13 year history of the tournament to win back-to-back titles. Kyle Beattie was named the Shawn Walsh Most Valuable Player, while Devin Shore and Matt Morris were each named to the All-Tournament team.

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DIAMOND MAINE'S ALL-TIME PENALTY LEADER: Joey Diamond has 405 career penalty minutes, the most in Maine history. He surpassed Prestin Ryan (2001-04) with six penalty minutes in the game against Massachusetts on Nov. 16. In other words, Diamond has spent six hours and 45 minutes in the penalty box. ?

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MERCHANT LIKES PLAYING BOSTON COLLEGE: Will Merchant has two career goals and both have come against Boston College. He scored his first collegiate goal on Nov. 2 against the then top-ranked Eagles. In addition, four of his five career points have come against the Eagles.?

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SIX STRAIGHT GAMES FOR DIAMOND: Senior Joey Diamond had tallied a goal in six straight games against Vermont, before seeing that streak come to an end on Feb. 9. He had a goal against the Catamounts in the final game between the two teams during the 2010-2011 season. He scored a goal in each of the three games last season and notched a goal in each game against Vermont the weekend of Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.?

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FIRST CAREER GOAL: Eight different Black Bears have tallied their first career goal this season:

Steven Swavely Oct. 6 vs. Quinnipiac

Will Merchant Nov. 2 vs. Boston College

Ben Hutton Nov. 9 at UMass Lowell?

Devin Shore Nov. 10 at UMass Lowell?

Kyle Williams Nov. 10 at UMass Lowell?

Jake Rutt Nov. 16 vs. Massachusetts

Ryan Lomberg Dec. 28 vs. Minnesota Duluth

Bill Norman Jan. 11 at Northeastern

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LEEN MEAN SCORING MACHINE: After scoring just a single goal in his rookie season, sophomore Connor Leen is second on the team in goals scored with seven. His 12 points are third most on the team.?

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A COMEBACK AGAINST CORNELL: Maine trailed Cornell 3-0 on Dec. 29 in the title game of the 2012 Florida College Classic before scoring five straight goals to take a 5-3 lead. The Black Bears finished the game with a season high six goals.?

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AS OF LATE: In Maine's last 19 games, the team has posted a mark of 7-7-5. Four of Maine's seven losses have come by just one goal. In Maine's last nine games, the Black Bears have allowed just one goal in four of those games. If you look further back, in Maine's last 14 games the team has allowed one goal or less in seven of those contests.?

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MARK NEMEC NAMED SENIOR CLASS AWARD CANDIDATE: Mark Nemec has been named one of 20 candidates for the Senior CLASS Award. From these 20 candidates, a national media committee selected 10 finalists for the 2012-2013 Senior CLASS Award, however Nemec was not one of those. Those 10 finalists will be placed on an official ballot for a national vote. The award honors seniors who are committed to staying in school and portraying the values of community, classroom, character and competition.?

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GAA DROPPING FOR MAINE: In Maine's last 19 games, the Black Bears have given up an average of 2.26 goals per game. Only three times in that span did the Black Bears give up more than three goals. Maine defeated Cornell 6-4, but fell to Mercyhurst 5-2 and Merrimack 6-0. Mercyhurst scored a pair of empty net goals in its 5-2 win.?

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OUELLETTE AMONG HOCKEY EAST LEADERS: Martin Ouellette ranks second in? Hockey East with a 2.16 goals against average. He ranks 20th in the nation in GAA. In addition, he is fourth in the conference in save percentage at .924.?

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50 POINTS: Senior Kyle Beattie tallied his 50th career point on Saturday, Dec. 29 in the 2012 Florida College Classic. He becomes the third Black Bear to reach the milestone. He currently has 54 career points. Senior Adam Shemansky tallied his 50th career point on Saturday, Dec. 1 against Vermont. He currently has 51 career points. Joey Diamond has currently scored 95 points in his University of Maine career.?

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FRESHMAN LEADING THE WAY FOR THE BLACK BEARS: Maine's freshman class is leading the way on offense. The rookie have scored 35.3 percent of Maine's total offense. The senior class is second with 34.4 percent of the total offense. The sophomores are adding in with 18.0 percent of the offense, while the juniors have scored 12.3 percent of the total points.?

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SIX GOALS: Maine scored a season-high six goals in its win over Cornell in the Florida College Classic Title game. It is the most goals that the Black Bears have scored since defeating Northeastern 7-1 on Feb. 25, 2012.?

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OUELLETTE A REGULAR AMONG THE THREE STARS AS OF LATE: Martin Ouellette has been a fixture among the three starts of late. He was the top star in Maine's win over UMass Lowell. He finished as the second star in four games and the third star in three games as well.?

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MAINE'S DEFENSE CHIPPING IN ON OFFENSE: In Maine's 4-3 win over UMass Lowell on Nov. 10, five of the six assists in the game were tallied by defensemen. Mike Cornell dished out a pair of assists, while Nick Pryor, Brice O'Connor and Ben Hutton each had one.?

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STARTING NINE STRAIGHT: Junior netminder Martin Ouellette had started the past nine games for the Black Bears before rookie Matt Morris got the start on Saturday, Jan. 5 against Mercyhurst. It is the first time in his career that he has got the start in nine straight. He once started three straight games as a freshman. He has currently started nine straight games in goal once again for the Black Bears.?

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100 GAMES PLATEAU: Maine has six different players who have seen action in 100 or more career games. Joey Diamond and Mark Nemec lead the way, each having seen action in 127 games. Adam Shemansky has played in 122 games, while Mike Cornell has skated in 118. Kyle Beattie reached the milestone at the Florida College Classic and has played in 109 career games. Mark Anthoine played in his 100th career game on Feb. 3 against UMass Lowell. He was the first junior to reach the plateau. He has currently seen action in 101 career games.?

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RILEY ON DEFENSE: Conor Riley played the first 17 games of the season for Maine at forward. After missing four games with an injury, he returned to the lineup and played as a defenseman in Maine's? last seven games due to a rash of injuries to Maine's defensive corps. He was the EJHL's Defenseman of the Year last season.?

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CAREER-HIGH 41 SAVES: Maine goalie Dan Sullivan stopped a career high 41 shots on Sunday, Nov. 4 in Maine's 4-0 loss to New Hampshire. His previous career-high of 39 saves was set in the 2012 Hockey East title game and tied on Oct. 27 at Providence.?

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54 SHOTS ON GOAL: Maine recorded 54 shots on goal in its 4-3 win over Army on Oct. 13 in the 2012 Ice Breaker Tournament. It is the most shots on goal for the Black Bears since registering 61 shots against UMass in the Hockey East title game in 2004. Maine won that game in four overtimes.

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GETTING THE START: Martin Ouellette got the start in goal for the Black Bears on Friday, Oct. 26 at Providence. It was his first start since Nov. 11, 2011 against UMass Lowell. Three of Ouellette's four career wins prior to this year had come against Providence. Ouellette also got the start for Maine against top-ranked Boston College on Nov. 2.

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STEVEN SWAVELY NAMED HOCKEY EAST PRO AMBITIONS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK: Steven Swavely was named the Hockey East Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week on Monday, Oct. 8. Swavely scored Maine's lone goal in the season-opener against Quinnipiac, with an assist from his older brother, Jon. ?

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WHAT'S NEW: Maine adds eight newcomers for the 2012-2013 season. Ben Hutton, Conor Riley and Kyle Williams join the Black Bears on defense. Also seeing action this year will be redshirt freshman Bill Norman. Hutton, who was a fifth round draft choice of the Vancouver Canucks, played last season for the Nepean Raiders. Riley, who can play both forward and defense, was the EJHL Defensive Player of the Year in 2011-2012. Williams comes to the Black Bears via the New Hampshire Monarchs, where he helped lead the team to the 2012 EJHL title.?

?mong the forwards are Ryan Lomberg who led the Muskegon Lumberjacks in scoring last season. Will Merchant, who was captain for Eagan High School last year, recently played in the 2012 All-American Prospects game. Devin Shore, who was selected in the second round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, played for the Whitby Fury last year. He scored 58 points in 41 games last year. Steven Swavely was captain a year ago for the New Jersey Hitmen, where he averaged over a point a game.?

?oalie Matt Morris played for former Maine captain Jim Montgomery and the Dubuque Fighting Sioux. He finished 19-13-2 with a 2.58 goals against average and a .904 save percentage.?

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A MEMORABLE GAME FOR THE SWAVELY FAMILY: Rookie Steven Swavely scored his first collegiate goal just 3:41 into his first game on Oct. 6 vs. Quinnipiac. What makes the feat even more memorable was that the goal was scored on an assist from his older brother, Jon. The Swavely brothers played on the same line the first three games of the season, prior to Jon getting hurt.?

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THREE NEW CAPTAINS FOR THE BLACK BEARS: Maine has three captains for the 2012-2013 season. Mike Cornell, Joey Diamond and Mark Nemec will each wear a C for the Black Bears this season.?

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A GOAL IN GAME ONE: Steven Swavely became the first Black Bear rookie to get a goal in his collegiate debut since Adam Shemansky scored in his opening game against Union on Oct. 9, 2009.?

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ALL-AMERICAN PROSPECTS GAME: Will Merchant played in the inaugural All-American Prospects Game on Saturday, Sept. 29 in Buffalo, N.Y. The game featured the 40 top American prospects for the 2013 NHL Draft.?

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A PAIR OF BROTHERS: Maine has a pair of brothers on the team this season in Jon and Steven Swavely. Jon, a junior on the team, is joined by his younger brother, Steven. They become the 11th pair of brothers in Maine history joining: David and Jack Capuano, Chris and Peter Ferraro, Barrett and Chris Heisten, John and Keenan Hopson, Paul, Steve and Martin Kariya, Anders and Magnus Lundback, Mike and Matt Lundin, Jason and Shawn Mansoff, Jim and John Tortorella, Eric and Jason Weinrich.?

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ANTHOINE, DIAMOND LED NATION IN POWER PLAY GOALS LAST SEASON: Mark Anthoine and Joey Diamond each scored 11 power play goals last season to tie for the national lead. Maine finished second as a team in power play percentage. In addition, then senior Spencer Abbott led the nation in points per game and assists per game.?

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O'CONNOR, CONNOR AND CONOR: Connor is a popular name on the Black Bears this season. Maine has junior defenseman Brice O'Connor, sophomore forward Connor Leen and freshman forward Conor Riley.?

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FEELING A DRAFT: A pair of Black Bears were selected in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Freshman Devin Shore was chosen in the Second Round, 61st overall, by the Dallas Stars. Classmate Ben Hutton was taken in the Fifth Round, 147th overall by the Vancouver Canucks.?

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A LOOK AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY: Boston University is 13-12-1 on the season and 10-7-1 in Hockey East play. The Terriers are led by Cason Hohmann who has seven goals and 18 assists for 25 points. Danny O'Regan is adding 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points. Wade Megan has a team-high 13 goals and nine assists for 22 points. Evan Rodrigues is chipping in with nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points. Matt Nieto has seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points. Matt Grzelcyk is chipping in with two goals and 15 assists for 17 points. Garrett Noonan is adding four goals and 11 assists for 15 points, while Sahir Gill has six goals and eight assists for 14 points.?

Matt O'Connor has played in 16 games in goal. He is 7-7-1 with a 2.91 goals against average and a .909 save percentage. Sean Maguire has seen action in 11 games. He is 6-5-0 with a 2.95 goals against average and a .905 save percentage.

Boston University is coached by Jack Parker (Boston University '68) who is in his 40th season. He has a record of 889-468-114. He is assisted by associate head coach Mike Bavis and assistant coaches Buddy Powers and Mike Geragosian.?

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MAINE AND? BOSTON UNIVERSITY ALL-TIME: Maine and Boston University have met 118 times with the Terriers holding a 57-48-13 lead in the all-time series. Boston University recorded a 1-0 win in the last meetings between the two schools on Dec. 8, 2012. Garrett Noonan scored a power play goal for the Terriers at 7:13 of the first period and it proved to be the difference in the game. Maine outshot BU 28-21. Martin Ouellette made 20 saves and was named the game's third star. Sean Maguire stopped all 28 shots that he faced to earn the shutout.?

Source: http://www.goblackbears.com/sports/m-hockey/2012-13/releases/20130214dn012w

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Comparing gun violence in the U.S. and South Africa

Just hours after the shocking announcement that Oscar Pistorius, the South African double amputee, Paralympic champion, and Olympic competitor, had been charged with fatally shooting his girlfriend in the head and arm at his house, the press is beginning to place the incident in the context of South Africa's gun culture -- in an echo of the gun control debate currently raging in the United States. So, how does gun violence in the two countries compare?

The United States has the highest rate of private gun ownership in the world (88.8 guns for every 100 people), while South Africa ranks 50th, with a rate of 12.7 guns per 100 people. But gun ownership does not necessarily correlate with gun-related homicide: According to U.N. data, South Africa trumps the United States in that category, with a rate of 17 gun-related deaths per 100,000 people, as compared to the U.S. rate of 3.2. The United States, however, does lead the developed world in the category.

Interestingly, a homicide is more likely to involve a gun in the United States (where more guns are available) than in South Africa. Just over 67 percent of homicides in the United States are committed by firearm, while in South Africa the rate of homicides by gun is 45 percent.

Here's a list of the most gun violence-plagued countries in the world, according to U.N. data. (Note: Some of these numbers are more recent than others.) For more on this subject, check out FP's slide show of the world's 10 deadliest cities.

1. Honduras: 68.4 gun-related homicides/100,000 people
2. El Salvador: 39.9
3. Jamaica: 39.4
4. Venezuela: 39
5. Guatemala: 34.8
6. Saint Kitts and Nevis: 32.4
7. Trinidad and Tobago: 27.3
8. Colombia: 27.1
9. Belize: 21.8
10. Puerto Rico: 18.3
11. Brazil: 18.1
12. South Africa: 17

Source: http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/02/14/comparing_gun_violence_in_the_us_and_south_africa

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Go Directly to Google Cached Pages with the Cache Search Operator

Links to Google's cached versions of web pages are tucked away in the instant preview, requiring you to mouse over the search result and expand the preview to get to those cached pages. For more direct access to cached pages, all you need to do is type in "cache:" before the website address.

The Digital Inspiration blog notes that you can use the "cache:" operator both in the search box on Google.com or, if you're using Chrome, in the omnibox.

This will help you skip the step of visiting Google and navigating to the instant preview whenever a site goes down or is taking too long to load.

Quickly Open Google Cached Pages in Chrome | Digital Inspiration

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/uxxjadS0qlU/quickly-access-google-cached-pages-with-the-cache-search-operator

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Iran says it is converting uranium, easing bomb fears

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran acknowledged on Tuesday that it was converting some of its higher-grade enriched uranium into reactor fuel, a move that could help to prevent a dispute with the West over its nuclear program hitting a crisis in mid-2013.

Conversion is one way for Iran to slow the growth in its stockpile of material that could be used to make a bomb. That stockpile is currently projected to reach a level intolerable to Israel in mid-year, just as Iran's room for negotiation is being limited by a presidential election in June.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast was asked at a weekly news conference about a Reuters report that Iran has converted small amounts of its 20-percent enriched uranium into reactor fuel.

"This work is being done and all its reports have been sent to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in a complete manner," he was quoted as saying by the state news agency IRNA.

It was Iran's first acknowledgment that it had apparently resumed converting into fuel small amounts of uranium enriched to a concentration of 20 percent fissile material.

Iran's production of that higher-grade uranium worries the major powers because it is only a short technical step away from the 90-percent purity needed for a weapon.

On-off negotiations with the major powers and four rounds of U.N. Security Council sanctions have failed to persuade Iran to stop its enrichment activities, and the IAEA has been refused full access to investigate other suspect elements of the nuclear program.

Iran denies that it is seeking a weapon and says its nuclear program serves only peaceful purposes such as electricity and the production of medical isotopes.

CRITICAL MASS

But Israel, widely believed to be the only nuclear-armed country in the Middle East, has indicated that Iran's stockpile will reach a level in June at which it considers it must attack to stop Iran acquiring enough fissile material for a bomb. With a presidential election taking place that month, Tehran's room to make concessions to foreign powers is limited.

A U.S. official sought to reassure Israel this week on the determination of President Barack Obama, due to visit the region shortly, to curb Iran's nuclear program, according to an Israeli official who declined to be named.

Rose Gottemoeller, acting U.S. undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, "reiterated the Americans' commitment to preventing a nuclear Iran, and their worries about regional proliferation, were Iran to go nuclear", said the official, who met Gottemoeller.

Iran averted a potential crisis last year by converting some 100 kg of its 20-percent enriched uranium into fuel, suggesting to some that it was carefully keeping below the threshold set by Israel, while still advancing its nuclear technology.

It is not believed to have enriched uranium beyond 20 percent. A fuller picture is unlikely until a new IAEA report on Iran's nuclear activity, due by late February.

Separately, officials from the IAEA are due to hold talks in Tehran on Wednesday in the hope of restarting their long-stalled inquiry into Iran's nuclear program.

The U.N. agency, whose mission is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, has been trying for a year to negotiate a so-called structured approach with Iran that would give its inspectors access to sites, officials and documents.

The IAEA especially wants access to the Parchin military complex southeast of Tehran where it believes explosives tests relevant for nuclear weapons development may have taken place and been subsequently concealed, allegations that Iran denies.

"READY FOR DEAL"

Mehmanparast said Iran was ready to come to a "comprehensive agreement" with the IAEA if Tehran's nuclear rights were recognized. Part of this agreement could include a visit to Parchin, he said.

But Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani, head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, on Tuesday criticized the IAEA's handling of documents related to Iran, signaling the continued mistrust between the agency and Tehran.

"Unfortunately their system is not sufficiently secure," Abbasi-Davani said, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA). "They need to be more careful in their interactions with Iran."

Last year Abbasi-Davani accused the U.N. agency of a "cynical approach" and mismanagement, and said "terrorists and saboteurs might have intruded" into the agency.

Iran and six world powers, known as the P5+1, are due to hold a new round of talks on the nuclear program in Kazakhstan on February 26.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday that the powers were ready to respond if Iran came to the talks prepared to discuss "real substance".

Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, visiting Moscow, said Iran was "counting on there being positive and constructive steps made to resolve this problem at the upcoming meeting".

In Tehran, Salehi's spokesman Mehmanparast responded to news that North Korea had conducted its third nuclear test in defiance of existing United Nations resolutions by saying: "We need to come to a point where no country will have any nuclear weapons."

(Editing by Kevin Liffey)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iran-converting-higher-grade-enriched-uranium-fuel-official-090031067.html

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College football: Recruiting proposals trouble Big Ten

By Bill Rabinowitz

The Columbus Dispatch Tuesday February 12, 2013 5:18 AM

Urban Meyer is relentless on the recruiting trail. If there?s an opening to win over a coveted prospect, he?ll take it.

Well, the NCAA has passed measures scheduled to take effect this summer that will greatly reduce restrictions on recruiting.

And Meyer is greatly troubled by them.

?Bad stuff,? he said last Wednesday on national signing day.

He vowed to write a letter to every coach in America explaining his disapproval. Yesterday, the Big Ten athletic directors and football coaches met in suburban Chicago, and Meyer?s opinion was clearly shared by the others present.

Afterward, the Big Ten released a statement saying it was ?very concerned? about three of the 25 proposals scheduled to take effect. The league asked the NCAA to table them for further discussion. The changes would eliminate the limits on the number of coaches allowed to recruit at a given time and allow for unlimited communication, both electronically and through regular mail.

?Could you imagine what?s going to be rolling into kids? driveways ? Fatheads and magnets?? Meyer said. ?It?s nonsense.?

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith agrees. Though a laissez-faire approach would likely benefit programs such as Ohio State that have plenty of resources, Smith is troubled by the new guidelines.

?The gap will get bigger, no question,? he said. ?(But) it?s not good for Ohio State, let alone anybody else. This is not about growing the gap or gaining a competitive edge. This is about what we need to invest these resources in. In my view, it?s certainly not these things. I support deregulation, but not to the point where you have to spend more dollars.?

Smith said schools would feel compelled to hire staffers whose job would be to inundate recruits with electronic messages and mail to keep up with the competition.

?We knew certain places and conferences will do that at the highest level,? Smith said. ?We (in the Big Ten) would probably be more restrained, so then we?d put ourselves at a competitive disadvantage.

?While someone might hire five or six people just to do that, we might hire two. But you shouldn?t be hiring any.?

Coaches also would be under more pressure to be in constant communication with recruits. Recruiting already is a huge time demand. With unlimited contact, it would be even greater.

?We work so hard to try to find ways to help our coaches find a work-life balance and spend time with their families,? Smith said. ?I?m a big believer that we have to continue to find ways not to put more work on our coaches. Recruiting is a never-ending battle, but if you open it up to some of these things, it?s going to be hard for them to take breaks.?

The NCAA said the measures were passed in an attempt to ?streamline and simplify? rules to include only ones that are ?enforceable, consequential or contribute to student-athlete success.? It said its board of directors sought feedback from colleges throughout the process before last month?s vote.

What passed is highly controversial.

?It?s going to be crazy,? said Brent Williams, the father of Division I recruits, including Ohio State freshman linebacker Camren Williams. ?I understand that the NCAA can?t police all communication, but this is somewhat of a cop-out.?

Stacy Elliott, father of incoming OSU freshman Ezekiel Elliott, said the deregulation would be unfair to parents and prospects. Stacy Elliott, who played at Missouri from 1989 to ?92, said the new rules would be similar to those in place ? or not ? when he was recruited.

?I was overwhelmed,? he said, ?and we didn?t have Facebook. We didn?t have cellphones. We didn?t have social media. It?s going to be harder on the student-athlete and families.?

Brent Williams said he believes that ending restrictions probably will result in more serious violations.

?With increased access, I would think that might lend (itself) to moves of desperation,? he said. ?It?s just my opinion, but it?s almost impossible for the NCAA to track and trace who calls and contacts players now. If you allow unlimited contact, (who knows) which number belongs to coaches, staff, the administration or boosters? Instead of tracking and tracing 100 calls a day from a school, they will have to track and trace thousands.?

brabinowitz@dispatch.com

@brdispatch

Source: http://buckeyextra.dispatch.com/content/stories/2013/02/12/recruiting-proposals-trouble-big-ten.html

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The Curse of the State of the Union Aisle Seat

It was supposed to be one of the best seats in the House. But getting herself an aisle spot at least year?s State of the Union may have cost Jean Schmidt her job.

Schmidt, a former Republican House member from Ohio, was taking part in a State of the Union tradition made for the age of television: staking out a perfect seat so the world can see you shaking the president?s hand. Or, in the case of Schmidt, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Unfortunately for her, kissing Obama did not play well in her Republican primary last year, and was even used against her in ads (see on the left) to make her appear cozy with the Democratic president.

It?s one of the great ironies of lawmakers who fight for the aisle seat. They wait up to 12 hours (some try to put a book or a coat down, but this is technically against the rules) to get one of these choice seats, for some sort of personal glory, but the cost can be more than just the time spent protecting their spot.

?I?m always working on behalf of my constituents,? said Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, when asked why she stakes out an aisle seat each year. ?I am working on their behalf, and they are seeing me work on their behalf. Many of them are moved by the moment.?

While it?s true that having the seat does give Jackson Lee visibility, it?s a bit harder to argue that at this moment her constituents are seeing her work on their behalf.

And yet, this is a constant refrain from aisle-loving lawmakers. Former Rep. Dale Kildee, a Democrat from Michigan, may have held an aisle seat more than any other lawmaker. He said time and again that his constituents ?love it.?

But there?s no real proof that it does them any good at the polls.?Last year,?Salon made a list of the six most egregious aisle hogs. Of those six, only two (Jackson Lee and Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel of New York) remain in Congress.?

How exactly having an aisle seat plays with constituents is unknown. But one thing is certain: It doesn?t play particularly well with other members of Congress.

?I keep a busy schedule, I don?t have an extra eight hours to keep a seat warm,? said Rep. Gerald Connolly of Virginia, noting that he often is one of the last Democrats to show up so he often sits in the Republican section.

This may be the most bipartisan message of the whole State of the Union, one that members on both sides of the aisle tend to agree with.

?I don?t have eight hours to waste,? said Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., almost echoing his Democratic colleague. ?If you are doing this job well, every minute should be spent going to briefings, researching, and figuring out how to move ahead.

?I?m not giving up eight hours of my time for a minute on national television,? he said.

Sure, there are some folks who don?t stake out the aisle seat but still understand the appeal. Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., is another lawmaker who said he was far too busy to wait hours for a seat, though he had once lucked into one of the coveted spots.

?I was struck by the number of people back home who saw it,? he said.

At the end of the day, most lawmakers say that waiting for hours just to be seen on TV just isn?t their cup of tea.

?On my bucket list, getting one of those spots just isn?t on it,? said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. ?But you know, for the people who do this, it?s probably their 15 seconds of fame.?

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and mistated the number of Aisle Hogs still in Congress.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/curse-state-union-aisle-seat-090002334--politics.html

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"Under the Dome" to stream on Amazon days after CBS airing

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Jennifer Aniston is joining Owen Wilson in Peter Bogdanovich's comedy "She's Funny That Way," Red Granite Pictures announced in Berlin. She will play a therapist with a mother in rehab for alcoholism in the Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach-produced the film following a married Broadway director (Wilson) who falls for a prostitute-turned-actress, then helps advance her career. Jason Schwartzman, Cybil Shepherd, Eugene Levy, Kathryn Hahn and Brie Larson co-star in the comedy (also known as "Squirrels to Nuts") written by Bogdanovich and Louise Stratten. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/under-dome-stream-amazon-days-cbs-airing-210654667.html

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