Saturday, June 30, 2012

London welcomes world again for Olympics

LONDON (AP) - Sammy Lee remembers it vividly: food rationing, bombed-out buildings, rubble.

The year was 1948, and London was hosting the Olympics amid severe austerity in the aftermath of World War II. Lee, an American diver, and fellow amateur athletes slept on cots at local air bases and schools, brought their own towels and were ferried to events in old London buses.

"We didn't mind," said Lee, who won a gold and bronze medal in the Empire Pool. "It was the spirit of the Olympics. We were there to compete against the best."

Sixty-four years later, Lee will return as a spectator next month when London welcomes the world again.

Saying these 2012 Olympics will be much different is in itself a gold-medal understatement. This will be a $14.5 billion extravaganza featuring multimillionaire professionals and global stars like Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps, shiny new purpose-built venues and a revitalized east London.

Britain's biggest peacetime project also entails a massive security operation. To guard the games from terrorist attack, the country is deploying 35,000 safety, police and military personnel, surface-to-air missiles on rooftops, fighter jets, helicopters and two warships on the River Thames.

Yet, put aside worries about trouble and whether the city's stretched public transportation network can transport millions of extra riders, and this should be London's finest hour. A chance to throw a rousing five-ring celebration, a global bear hug that restores the festive atmosphere lacking at the past two Olympics, in Athens and Beijing.

"London this summer is going to be the place to have a party," Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson said.

The city will provide a stunning mix of old and new:

- Beach volleyball players diving across the sand in Horse Guards Parade, practically on the doorstep of the prime minister's 10 Downing Street residence.

- Marathon runners and road cyclists winding past Buckingham Palace.

- Tennis stars dueling on the Centre Court grass at Wimbledon.

- Archers firing their arrows at the hallowed Lord's cricket ground.

- Sprinters and swimmers competing in brand new arenas erected in a once-derelict area of east London brought back to life as the Olympic Park.

Headlining the show will be 10,000 athletes from more than 200 countries - none bigger than - who else? - Bolt and Phelps. What can Bolt possibly do for an encore after his jaw-dropping three gold medals and three world records on the track in Beijing? Can 14-time gold medalist Phelps - winner of a record eight golds in the pool in Beijing - hold off American rival Ryan Lochte in what Phelps says will be his final Olympics?

Also at stake will be the top spot in the medals table between the world's two sporting superpowers: the United States and China. The U.S. won the most medals (110) in Beijing, but China took the most golds (51). Expect a tight race on both fronts this time.

Away from the playing fields, the city is dressing up, from the giant Olympic rings on Tower Bridge, to the party venues and giant screens in Hyde Park, to the landscaped gardens inside the 560-acre Olympic Park.

Four years ago, China used the Beijing Olympics as a coming-out spectacle to underscore its presence as a world power. It spent $40 billion on the games, erecting iconic venues like the Bird's Nest stadium and the Water Cube natatorium and staging a grandiose opening ceremony.

But London never tried to compete with the epic scale of Beijing, largely because of a global economic crisis that triggered bailouts, mounting debt and political turmoil across Europe.

Still, the Olympic budget of 9.3 billion pounds ($14.5 billion) is more than triple the estimated cost when London secured the games in 2005. The government says the games are expected to come in about 500 million pounds ($778 million) under budget. The local organizing committee's separate privately financed operating budget of 2 billion pounds ($3.1 billion) is on course to be met through sponsorships, TV rights, merchandising and ticket sales.

"This is the first time London got the games with no particular crisis around, but then they marched right into the worst financial crisis since before World War II," senior International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound of Canada said. "But they have succeeded remarkably well in spite of that."

London organizers look more closely to the 2000 Sydney Games as their model, hoping to channel the same vibrant energy, passionate crowds and Olympic buzz.

While Beijing suffered from empty seats at some venues and a disconnected public, London promises full arenas and knowledgeable spectators. The capital has residents of countless nationalities and cultures, providing a "home" crowd for teams from Namibia to Nepal. Live sites, music concerts and other attractions should keep visitors entertained day and night.

The tone will be set at the opening ceremony on July 27 at the 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium, a three-hour spectacle directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Danny Boyle of "Slumdog Millionaire" fame. Inspired by William Shakespeare's "The Tempest," the ceremony will include a segment involving Daniel Craig's James Bond and a closing act by former Beatle Paul McCartney.

Boyle has revealed that the opening sequence will feature an idyllic British countryside setting complete with live farm animals - 70 sheep, 12 horses, 10 chickens and nine geese to be precise. He's even promising a cloud that produces rain - in case there isn't enough of the real stuff around.

The Economist magazine couldn't resist a little zinger: "Opening ceremonies are a country's opportunity to sell itself to the world. Britain appears to be selling irony."

Queen Elizabeth II, fresh off a round of Jubilee celebrations marking her 60 years on the throne, will formally open the games. The big question: Who will light the cauldron that burns until the closing of the games on Aug. 12? Britain's five-time rowing gold medalist, Steve Redgrave, is the bookies' favorite, followed by soccer star David Beckham - the global icon who was bypassed for Britain's Olympic soccer team despite playing a key role in bringing the games to his hometown.

Roger Bannister - the first runner to break the 4-minute barrier for the mile in 1954 - is another possibility for lighting the flame. But who's to say the honor won't go to an unknown? A young athlete from one of the poor boroughs surrounding the Olympic Park, a symbol of youth and the future generation that was the central theme of London's winning bid?

The queen won't be the only royal in the Olympic spotlight. Her 31-year-old granddaughter, Zara Phillips, will be competing for the British equestrian team. Prince William and wife Kate are sure to be spotted around town, providing a dash of stately glamour to the proceedings.

And there are plenty of bold-face names at the venues: Bolt running in the 100 and 200 meters and 4x100 relay, Phelps swimming in multiple events again and going head-to-head with Lochte, who beat him twice at last year's world championships.

The star-studded U.S. basketball team features new NBA champion LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant. Just three weeks after chasing a Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova will be back at the All England Club vying for gold medals instead of trophies - wearing colorful team outfits instead of the all-white dress code

Women boxers will be competing in the Olympics for the first time, and the IOC is negotiating with Saudi Arabia to send its first female athletes to the games.

Others to watch include South African double-amputee Oscar Pistorius, who failed to qualify for the 400 meters but could still become the first amputee runner to compete in the Olympics if he's picked for the 4x400 relay; China's Lin Dan, widely considered the greatest badminton player of all-time going for a second Olympic gold medal; Brazilian goal-scoring star Neymar in men's soccer; and Hiroshi Hoketsu, competing for Japan in equestrian at the age of 71.

The locals should have plenty to cheer about as Britain seeks to equal its surprising fourth-place medals table finish in Beijing. Among the contenders from Team GB are diver Tom Daley, heptathlete Jessica Ennis, swimmer Rebecca Adlington, three-time gold medalists Chris Hoy (track cycling) and Ben Ainslie (sailing), and a powerful team of rowers.

Despite 6.5 billion pounds ($10 billion) of improvements, serious concerns remain over whether the Underground system can cope with the millions of extra passenger journeys. Officials have warned of expected overcrowding and long delays at some key stations and urged Londoners to work from home or change their travel habits.

As for driving, the message has been: Don't even think about it. Many locals have complained that they are being inconvenienced while miles of dedicated Olympic roads and lanes are reserved for Olympic officials, athletes, media and VIPs.

The games will be protected by 12,000 police officers during peak times and 23,700 security staffers - a number that includes 7,500 troops. A no-fly zone will be established over Olympic venues.

London knows the threats all too well. Homegrown suicide bombers attacked the city's public transport system, killing 56 people, on July 7, 2005, the day after London was awarded the games.

"The games present an attractive target for our enemies," said Jonathan Evans, head of Britain's domestic spy agency MI5. "But the games are not an easy target, and the fact that we have disrupted multiple terrorist plots here and abroad in recent years demonstrates that the U.K. as a whole is not an easy target for terrorism."

No one has more riding on these games than Sebastian Coe, the two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 1,500 meters who led London's winning bid and has spearheaded the seven years of preparations. This project, he said, tops anything he accomplished on the track.

"It doesn't get any bigger," Coe said. "I remember the feeling I had 40 minutes before setting out on the track in front of 100,000 people. Now I wonder how I will measure that against the 40 minutes before the opening ceremony."

Source: http://www.katu.com/sports/London-welcomes-world-again-for-Olympics-160861385.html

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Military communities prepared to mark July Fourth

Living in Europe doesn?t mean having to miss out on July Fourth festivities. U.S. military communities across Europe will celebrate the holiday next week with games, music, carnival rides and fireworks.

Following is a sampling of events planned at U.S. bases:

? Belgium

Brussels: The Brussels Area Support Team celebrations take place June 30 at the 3-Star Recreation Center, noon to 10 p.m. Bingo, bunco, Texas Hold ?Em, DJ music. Free fireworks, 11 p.m. at Sterrebeek Annex.

SHAPE: Noon on June 30 at the GB shopping area. Amusement rides, live entertainment, face-painting, an auto and motorbike display, frozen T-shirt contest. Fireworks 11 p.m. behind the Total service station. Open to all U.S. and NATO ID cardholders.

? Germany

Ansbach: From 4-11 p.m. on July 4, Storck Barracks. Rides, music, bouncy castle, refreshments, fireworks.

Bamberg: Events at Pendleton Field begin at 2 p.m. on July 4. Auto and motorbike show, beauty pageant, carnival rides, juggling demos and workshops, DJs, more. Fireworks 10:30 p.m.

Baumholder: Hall of Champions and Wagon Wheel Theater parking lots at Smith Barracks on July 4. A 5-kilometer run begins at 8 a.m., followed by a softball tournament and golf scramble at 9 a.m. Free bowling at Strikers, 1-8 p.m. Keg is tapped at 3 p.m. DJ music, sports for teens, watermelon- and pie-eating contests, raffles, Baumholder?s Got Talent. Arts and crafts, rides, extreme bungee trampoline for kids. Free fireworks set to music on Minnick Field. Open to U.S. ID cardholders and authorized guests.

Grafenw?hr: 6-11 p.m. on July 4, parade field. Games, face-painting, bouncy castle, battle of the DJs, magic shows live music from the Kayleigh Leith Band, fireworks.

Heidelberg: Events at Patrick Henry Village Park start at 4 p.m. on July 4. Bumper cars, beach party, dunking booth, live music by the USAREUR chorus. For kids: games, carousel, pie-eating contest. A salute to the 50 states and fireworks show. Open to U.S. ID cardholders.

Hohenfels: Freedom Fest on the Festplatz starting 3 p.m. on July 4. Live music, children?s activities, kids bouncers, face-painting, food-and-drink stands, kids? bungee jumper; fireworks.

Kaiserslautern: The KMC celebration takes place 2 p.m.-midnight July 4 on Ramstein Air Base at the Enlisted Club. Live music, carnival rides, food booths, prizes, kids activities. Fireworks at dusk. LVIS Gate will be open for POVs. Free shuttle from Armstrong?s Club on Vogelweh from 1:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. is for ID cardholders only. Visitor access is through West Gate only.

Schweinfurt: July 4, starting at 9 a.m. with Firecracker Fun Run of 5- or 10-km for adults, or 2-, 3- or 5-km for youth. Starting 2 p.m. on Kessler Field, there will be live music, car show, salute to the states, food for purchase. For kids: bouncy castles, bungee catapult ride, face-painting. Fireworks set to patriotic music.

Stuttgart: Husky Field on Patch Barracks, 4 p.m.-midnight on July 4. Children?s rides, family fun, food, beverages, fireworks.

Wiesbaden: On July 4, starting at noon at the Wiesbaden Entertainment Center, Mississippi Strasse 22. Live music, dancing, DJs, food and drink, rides including bumper cars and a freefall tower, prize drawings; fireworks at 10:30 p.m.

? Italy

Aviano: Celebrations start at 10 a.m. on July 4 with the Chiefs vs. Eagles game. Starting at 6 p.m. at Freedom Park, listen to jazz and pop with the USAFE Check Six Band and the dance group Electric Youth. Contest for the most patriotically dressed child at 7:30 p.m. Climbing wall, face-painting, balloon toss, sponge relay and remote-control aircraft for kids. Fireworks at 10:10 p.m. Event is for ID cardholders and their guests.

Camp Darby: July 4 at the American Beach starting 9 a.m. Games for kids and adult beach volleyball, DJ music, dancing, from 7 p.m.-midnight. A barbecue meal from 5-9 p.m. costs $9 per person. Fireworks 10 p.m.

Vicenza: U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza celebrates on July 4 from 10 a.m.-midnight at the track & field area. Car bash, amusement rides, bouncy castles, live music, dunk tank, face-painting, mechanical bull, live music, more. Fireworks 10:30 p.m. from the post softball field.

? United Kingdom

RAF Feltwell: Celebrations begin 9 a.m. on July 4 with a fun run. Rides, games, food booths open at noon. Cheerleading demonstrations, family activities, car and bike show, birds of prey demonstration, fly-bys. RAF Red Arrows Aerial Display 6 p.m.; Idols World Tour Performance, 7:30 p.m. Fireworks 10 p.m. Event is open to the public. Shuttle bus for ID cardholders runs from RAF Lakenheath (BX Roundabout) and RAF Mildenhall (Bob Hope Community Center).

Source: http://www.stripes.com/news/europe/military-communities-prepared-to-mark-july-fourth-1.181651?localLinksEnabled=false

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Friday, June 29, 2012

FTSE edges higher before EU summit

[ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ftse-edges-higher-eu-summit-075324242.html

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Activists: Dozens killed in Syria shelling

In this Thursday, June 28, 2012 photo, embers of the Free Syrian Army are seen in a neighborhood of Damascus, Syria. Much of the violence that has gripped Syria has been sanctioned by the government to crush dissent. But rebel fighters are launching increasingly deadly attacks on regime targets, and several huge suicide bombings this year suggest al-Qaida or other extremists are joining the battle. A bomb blast rocked central Damascus on Thursday near a busy market and the country's main justice complex, wounding at least three people and sending a cloud of black smoke into the air. (AP Photo)

In this Thursday, June 28, 2012 photo, embers of the Free Syrian Army are seen in a neighborhood of Damascus, Syria. Much of the violence that has gripped Syria has been sanctioned by the government to crush dissent. But rebel fighters are launching increasingly deadly attacks on regime targets, and several huge suicide bombings this year suggest al-Qaida or other extremists are joining the battle. A bomb blast rocked central Damascus on Thursday near a busy market and the country's main justice complex, wounding at least three people and sending a cloud of black smoke into the air. (AP Photo)

In this Thursday, June 28, 2012 photo, embers of the Free Syrian Army are seen in a neighborhood of Damascus, Syria. Much of the violence that has gripped Syria has been sanctioned by the government to crush dissent. But rebel fighters are launching increasingly deadly attacks on regime targets, and several huge suicide bombings this year suggest al-Qaida or other extremists are joining the battle. A bomb blast rocked central Damascus on Thursday near a busy market and the country's main justice complex, wounding at least three people and sending a cloud of black smoke into the air. (AP Photo)

In this Thursday, June 28, 2012 photo, embers of the Free Syrian Army are seen in a neighborhood of Damascus, Syria. Much of the violence that has gripped Syria has been sanctioned by the government to crush dissent. But rebel fighters are launching increasingly deadly attacks on regime targets, and several huge suicide bombings this year suggest al-Qaida or other extremists are joining the battle. A bomb blast rocked central Damascus on Thursday near a busy market and the country's main justice complex, wounding at least three people and sending a cloud of black smoke into the air. (AP Photo)

Syrians inspect burned cars at the site of a blast in the Syrian capital Damascus Thursday June 28, 2012. A strong explosion rocked the Syrian capital Thursday near a busy market and the Palace of Justice, sending black smoke billowing into the sky. State TV reported at least three people were wounded and around 20 cars were damaged. (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman)

Syrians inspect burned cars at the site of a blast in the Syrian capital Damascus Thursday June 28, 2012. A strong explosion rocked the Syrian capital Thursday near a busy market and the Palace of Justice, sending black smoke billowing into the sky. State TV reported at least three people were wounded and around 20 cars were damaged. (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman)

(AP) ? Syrian troops rained tank and artillery shells down on a rebellious suburb of the Syrian capital of Damascus Friday, killing dozens of people during a particularly bloody week across the country, opposition groups and activists said.

It's difficult to get an accurate death toll in tightly controlled Syria, where journalists and human rights groups are either banned or severely restricted. But two opposition groups that compile and document casualties reported the death of more than 125 civilians in fighting across the country on Thursday alone.

Death tolls often take several days to compile because of the restrictions and chaos in the country.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Thursday's toll included more than 60 soldiers. If confirmed, it would be one of the highest death tolls on a single day since the start of the uprising against President Bashar Assad in March 2011.

Activists said at least 43 people were killed in over two days of shelling in the sprawling Damascus suburb of Douma that has been a hotbed of dissent against Assad's regime. The dead included three children and five members of a single family.

The barrage is part of a fierce government offensive aimed at regaining control of parts of Damascus suburbs where rebels operate, particularly Douma.

A local activist who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons said the shelling was "relentless" throughout Thursday, and exploding shells killed people in their homes.

"They (government troops) are trying to bring Douma under control, but they are being met by fierce resistance," said Rami Abdul-Rahman, the group's director. He said most of the dead were civilians.

The Local Coordination Committees network said 59 people were killed in Thursday's shelling of Damascus suburbs, most of them in Douma. The difference in tolls could not be reconciled.

The state-run news agency SANA said troops continue to pursue "terrorist groups" in Douma, raiding their hideouts and destroying their communications and other equipment. Clashes resulted in the death of dozens of terrorists ? the official term authorities use for rebels ? and the wounding and arrest of many others, the statement said.

Amateur videos posted by activists online showed bloodied bodies lying on blankets in a room and others shrouded in white sheets and placed on stretchers. "A new massacre by Bashar Assad," cried a man holding a dead girl in a pink blouse, a large gash on her face.

The violence around the capital's suburbs mirrored fighting across many parts of Syria that killed dozens of other people Thursday, according to the groups.

Activists say more than 14,000 people have been killed since the uprising began in March 2011.

Much of the violence that has gripped Syria has been sanctioned by the government to crush dissent. But rebel fighters are launching increasingly deadly attacks on regime targets, and several huge suicide bombings this year suggest al-Qaida or other extremists are joining the battle. A bomb blast rocked central Damascus on Thursday near a busy market and the country's main justice complex, wounding at least three people and sending a cloud of black smoke into the air.

The latest carnage came as world powers show new urgency to resolve the crisis, which so far has resisted international efforts.

World powers will meet Saturday in Geneva for talks on Syria, but few observers expect a breakthrough. Syria has the protection of Russia, a veto-wielding member of the U.N. Security Council, and has so far been impervious to international pressure.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow will not endorse a call on Assad to give up power.

"We are not supporting and will not support any external meddling," he said. "External players must not dictate ... to Syrians, but, first of all, must commit to influencing all the sides in Syria to stop the violence."

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Thursday it was "very clear" that all the participants at the Geneva meeting ? including Russia ? are on board with a transition plan created by international envoy Kofi Annan. His plan calls for the formation of a national unity government that would oversee the drafting of a new constitution and elections.

Clinton told reporters that the invitations to Saturday's meeting in Geneva made clear that representatives "were coming on the basis of (Annan's) transition plan."

Lavrov said it was "obvious that a transitional period is needed to overcome the Syrian crisis," but insisted the major powers in Geneva must focus on convincing the opposition groups to soften their demands.

Diplomatic hopes have rested on Russia to agree to a plan that would end the Assad family dynasty, which has ruled Syria for more than four decades. Russia is Syria's most important ally, protector and supplier of arms.

There are few options besides keeping up diplomatic pressure, as an international military intervention is all but ruled out in the near future. Few countries are willing to get deeply involved in such an explosive conflict, and Russia and China have pledged to veto any international attempt to intervene militarily.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-06-29-Syria/id-1d7bb59b551147ec8e562fe62c2cf5e2

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    Thursday, June 28, 2012

    The BGR Show: Episode 4 ? Top 9 apps for iPhone, Android, iPad

    [ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]

    [ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]

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    Google's Andy Rubin: Nexus 7 may head to retail, but we're not changing tablet app policies

    Google's Andy Rubin Nexus 7 may head to retail, but we're not changing tablet app policies

    We've got good news and bad news in equal measure for those pining after a Nexus 7 of their very own. If you're reluctant to spend that much hard-earned cash at the Google Play Store, Google's senior VP of mobile Andy Rubin has hinted to AllThingsD that the ASUS-made tablet could end up at retail stores before too long; the Play-only availability was just what Google had to mention at I/O. There could be some markup in other channels, given that Google is selling at what's very nearly wholesale prices. The bad news? Google won't be changing its attitude towards tablet-native apps anytime soon. Rubin sees Google Play content additions as key to driving Android tablet adoption, not the encouragement of tablet-specific app development -- he'd prefer the one-size-fits-all model. We'll see whether magazines and movie sales are enough to turn around so-so market share, but if you were hoping Rubin would address criticisms that Android tablet apps are just blown-up phone apps, you'll have to keep waiting.

    Google's Andy Rubin: Nexus 7 may head to retail, but we're not changing tablet app policies originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 18:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink   |  sourceAllThingsD  | Email this | Comments

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    18 notable retail closures in O.C. - The Orange County Register

    Article Tab: store-disney-retail-publi

    The Disney Store at the Laguna Hills Mall recently closed. "Over the next several years, Disney Store will continue to strategically realign our retail portfolio, and focus on strengthening our position in today's competitive retail environment," said Shawn Turner, public relations manager for Disney Store North America. "We have a great relationship with Disney, and the closing of the store is part of our plan to re-merchandise the center," said Julia McGavran with Curator, a public relations agency that handles communications for Simon, which owns Laguna Hills Mall.

    FILE PHOTO BY EUGENE GARCIA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, TEXT BY CHRIS BOUCLY, THE REGISTER

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    Wednesday, June 27, 2012

    Murdoch?s tough call: Split News Corp. to survive

    Oli Scarff / Getty Images

    Rupert Murdoch has reportedly been against splitting up his News Corp. media empire.

    By Roland Jones

    Rupert Murdoch?s driving ambition may have finally met its match.

    On Tuesday, his News Corp. media empire confirmed reports that it is thinking of restructuring into two separate, distinct, publicly traded companies -- a move that would effectively bring to an end Murdoch?s decades-long drive to pull together the disparate strands of his empire into one coherent company.

    Harder still for Murdoch would be the fact that a division of the media giant would almost certainly mean cordoning off the newspaper business that once was the core of Murdoch?s company, which he has grown from a single Australian newspaper he inherited in the 1950s.

    ?This is a sign of the times,? Barton Crockett, an analyst with Lazard Capital Management, told CNBC.

    ?A lot of us were surprised that they're actually taking this step, because Rupert?s ties to newspapers are so strong and so historical, I was doubtful they?d go there as long as he was calling the shots. But they are, and I think that?s showing he?s evolving with the times, and the company is,? he added.

    The restructuring of News Corp. would, according to a report in The New York Times, likely cleave its more profitable entertainment unit -- driven by News Corp.?s movie studio and powerful television networks -- from the smaller, less profitable, publishing business that includes The Wall Street Journal, The Times of London, The New York Post and the HarperCollins book business.

    Rob Enderle, an analyst with Enderle Group, said the main motivation for dividing News Corp. in two is likely the protection of the Fox movie studio and television networks that are now the most profitable parts of the media empire.

    Murdoch is likely to want to insulate this part of the business from the fallout from the phone hacking scandal that has led to the closure of the News of the World tabloid in the U.K., halted Murdoch?s BSkyB takeover bid and prompted the arrest of several key figures, he said.

    ?There has been a lot of concern about how broad the company?s holdings have become, and that if something were to happen to any one part of it, it could bring down the whole of it,? said Enderle.

    The split is also likely driven by shareholder unrest over the direction of the company.

    Less concerned about journalistic ethics and more worried about the company?s bottom line, News Corp. shareholders have become more vocal since the hacking scandal broke, and they are more likely to want the company to focus on its more productive entertainment assets, which generated $23.48 billion in revenue in the year ended June 2011, nearly three times the $8.83 billion in revenue generated by the publishing business.

    There were also concerns that the size of the company could raise antitrust concerns if it wanted to engage in corporate acquisitions, Enderle added. A split would realign the company and enable it to focus it on each core operation, he said.

    ?This split is clearly along functional lines,? Enderle said. ?The resulting companies should be easier to manage and focus, because it really did look as if News Corp. was losing track of each unit?s focus.?

    News of the potential plan to split the media empire in two has certainly won the approval of the market, with shares of News Corp. rising more than 8 percent in trading Tuesday.

    Media conglomerate Viacom took a similar path in 2005 when it split into two companies, leaving the television company CBS as a standalone company. Both companies have thrived since the move.

    Murdoch has reportedly been against splitting up News Corp., but may have been swayed by the views of his second in command, Chase Carey, who is said to regard the publishing industry as mature and unlikely to yield substantial profits. Earlier this year, Carey made it clear that the company?s management team has considered a split.

    ?For Murdoch it has been all about empire building, about maximizing power and control, but the only thing that leaves you with is something unmanageable,? Enderle said, adding that it?s rare to see someone like Murdoch, who is clearly oriented toward status and power, step in and break up a company.

    ?The board is subordinate to Murdoch, so it probably really took a real and present threat to the overall entity for him to step back and realize there?s a need to restructure,? he added.

    The outlook for Murdoch?s beloved newspaper business remains gloomy, Enderle added.

    ?By providing more focus for the unit they might be able to turn it into something more profitable, or find a buyer that will do something else with it, but the trend right now is away from publishing,? he said.

    Crockett noted that the phone hacking scandal presented an opportunity for News Corp. to rethink its operations and improve the situation for shareholders. A division of the business will lead to a stronger company, he said.

    ?We?ve gone from lemons to lemonade,? said Crockett. ?I think it?s something that will make News Corp. a stronger business and a better stock.?

    How would investors be impacted if News Corp. split?

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    Serena and Venus Williams to play Olympic doubles

    Venus Williams of the United States returns a shot to Elena Vesnina of Russia during a first round women's singles match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, England, Monday, June 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

    Venus Williams of the United States returns a shot to Elena Vesnina of Russia during a first round women's singles match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, England, Monday, June 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

    Venus Williams of the United States tosses the tennis ball to serve to Elena Vesnina of Russia during a first round women's singles match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, England, Monday, June 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

    U.S tennis players and sister's Venus, and Serena Williams, right, arrive for the Pre-Wimbledon Party, at Kensington Roof Gardens in west London, Thursday June 21, 2012. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan)

    (AP) ? Serena and Venus Williams have been chosen to extend their unbeaten streak in Olympic doubles when they seek a third gold medal in the event beginning late next month.

    Andy Roddick and John Isner were selected for men's doubles on the U.S. team announced Tuesday.

    As expected, the Olympic eligibility of the Williams sisters received final approval from the International Tennis Federation, and they'll play singles as well as doubles. They've never lost in Olympic doubles competition while taking the gold together in 2000 and 2008.

    Venus Williams also won the gold in singles in 2000, and she's the only three-time gold medalist in U.S. tennis history. Next month she'll become the first American tennis player to compete in four Olympics.

    Williams lost in the first round Monday at Wimbledon, which will also be the site of the Olympic tournament beginning July 28. She expects to play both singles and doubles in the Games even though she has been slowed in recent months by an autoimmune disease that causes fatigue.

    As expected, the U.S. roster includes first-time Olympians Ryan Harrison, Donald Young, Isner, Christina McHale and Varvara Lepchenko, an Uzbekistan native who became a U.S. citizen in September.

    Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan, who won the bronze in 2008, will again compete in doubles, as will the top-ranked women's doubles team of Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond.

    Two U.S. teams in mixed doubles will be chosen once players are on site. That event returns to the Olympics after an 88-year absence.

    Associated Press

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    Video: Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees: Concussions & Contracts

    Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

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    Tuesday, June 26, 2012

    T-Mobile USA to buy, swap spectrum with Verizon

    FILE- This Tuesday, June 12, 2012, photo shows a Verizon sign at a Verizon store in Mountain View, Calif. Verizon Wireless agreed Monday, June 25, 2012 to sell some wireless spectrum rights to T-Mobile USA and swap others. Verizon says it would improve the ability of both companies to offer fast wireless data services. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

    FILE- This Tuesday, June 12, 2012, photo shows a Verizon sign at a Verizon store in Mountain View, Calif. Verizon Wireless agreed Monday, June 25, 2012 to sell some wireless spectrum rights to T-Mobile USA and swap others. Verizon says it would improve the ability of both companies to offer fast wireless data services. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

    (AP) ? Verizon Wireless on Monday said that it has agreed to sell some wireless spectrum rights to T-Mobile USA and swap others, in a continuing quest to get regulators to approve a bigger spectrum deal it has worked out with a consortium of cable companies and another wireless carrier.

    The deal with T-Mobile USA would improve the ability of both companies to offer fast wireless data services, Verizon said.

    T-Mobile, the fourth-largest U.S. wireless company, is particularly starved for spectrum compared to its larger competitors, and regulators are likely to favor a deal that would improve its position.

    Neither T-Mobile nor Verizon said what T-Mobile would pay Verizon for the spectrum. Sanford Bernstein analysts Robin Bienenstock and Craig Moffett estimated the amount at $260 million, figuring that T-Mobile is getting the spectrum at a roughly 50 percent discount.

    The Verizon-T-Mobile deal is contingent upon Verizon getting government approval for three deals to buy spectrum from cable companies and Leap Wireless for a total of about $4 billion. Those deals were struck in November and December, but have met resistance from public-interest groups who say the cellphone company, already the nation's largest, doesn't need more spectrum and shouldn't be cozying up to competitors such as the cable companies.

    T-Mobile had also opposed the Verizon-cable deals, saying they would place an "excessive concentration" of spectrum in Verizon's hands. Verizon is the largest cellphone company in the country, and has a relatively strong spectrum position already.

    Harold Feld, senior vice president at public-interest group Public Knowledge, said Verizon is trying to "buy off" T-Mobile.

    "The true danger lies not only in the concentration of spectrum in the hands of the leading wireless provider, but with the cozy, cartel-like arrangements between Verizon, Comcast, and the other (cable companies) party to the deal," Feld said.

    As part of the deal, Verizon and the cable companies agreed to resell each other's services in their stores. Verizon Communications Inc., the New York-based phone company that controls Verizon Wireless, sells home broadband and TV services that compete with cable.

    Cellphone companies need spectrum rights, or slots on the airwaves, to do business, much like radio stations do. With the growth of wireless data use, cellphone companies have a newfound need for more spectrum. The amount of spectrum they have available in any area determines the maximum download speeds they can offer.

    To get the deals with the cable companies and Leap cleared, Verizon has already offered to auction other airwaves it isn't using.

    T-Mobile, which is a unit of Deutsche Telekom AG of Germany, said the Verizon deal encompasses spectrum in 218 areas, and would improve its spectrum position in 15 of the top 25 markets in the U.S., notably Philadelphia, Washington, Detroit and Seattle.

    T-Mobile hopes to put the spectrum to use as early as next year, if the Federal Communications Commission approves the deal this summer.

    "This is good for T-Mobile and good for consumers, because it will enable T-Mobile to compete even more vigorously with other wireless carriers," T-Mobile USA CEO Philipp Humm said, in a statement.

    Deutsche Telekom shares fell 2.3 percent in European trading, in line with the overall market. Verizon shares fell 0.7 percent, less than the broader markets.

    Shares of Sprint Nextel Corp. sank more than 6 percent on news of the deal. There has been speculation that the No. 3 cellphone company would work out some kind of deal with T-Mobile USA.

    Shares of Dish Network Corp., the satellite company, also sank on the news, dropping almost 5 percent. The company has spectrum rights that would be valuable to phone companies, but says it will use the rights to build its own network.

    Associated Press

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    Duplicate spending on US veterans' care costs billions

    ScienceDaily (June 26, 2012) ? A new study published June 26 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that the federal government made about $13 billion in duplicative payments to provide health-care services to veterans who were simultaneously enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans from 2004-2009.

    The study was conducted by researchers at Brown University, VA Palo Alto Medical Center and the Institute for Population Health Improvement at UC Davis Health System.

    Some veterans are entitled to health-care coverage through both the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System and Medicare. But under current law, the federal government often ends up paying twice for care of veterans when they are also enrolled in Medicare Advantage managed-care plans. And with the growing popularity of Medicare Advantage plans among all seniors, including veterans, the annual duplicative costs are rising. Nearly 30 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are now enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans.

    "These 'dual eligible' veterans earned the right to receive care through both VA and Medicare, but that does not mean that the government has to pay twice for their care," said Kenneth W. Kizer, a former VA Under Secretary for Health and now a professor and director of the Institute for Population Health Improvement at the University of California, Davis, Health System. "The problem could be fixed without reducing benefits to veterans.

    "Duplicative costs occur because of way the federal government pays for Medicare Advantage services for veterans, not because veterans are receiving unnecessary care or doing anything wrong," he added.

    Veterans who are disabled or over age 65 and have been paying into the Medicare program are eligible for Medicare just like any other American. Veterans who live far from a VA hospital or clinic may especially rely on Medicare coverage for acute or emergency care. But unlike the traditional Medicare fee-for-service program, Medicare Advantage plans are paid in advance to provide all needed care for the beneficiary. If the person enrolled in the Medicare Advantage plan then gets his or her medical care in another federal health plan such as the VA, it means that the federal government has paid twice for care of the same person. Most of the Medicare Advantage plans are for-profit health plans.

    To assess duplicative costs, the researchers conducted a comprehensive review of VA and Medicare records for more than 1 million veterans over a 6-year period. The researchers found that 61 percent of doubly-covered veterans used both VA and Medicare Advantage coverage, with 10 percent of dual-eligible veterans receiving all their health care from the VA. That is, 10 percent of these dual eligible veterans received all their health care from the VA despite Medicare paying the Medicare Advantage plan to provide those services. About 4 percent of the dual-eligible veterans sought no care from Medicare Advantage or the VA, and 35 percent used Medicare only.

    The number of veterans doubly covered by Medicare Advantage and the VA has risen nearly 53 percent in recent years, from 485,651 in 2004 to 924,792 in 2009. The yearly federal spending in the VA for these dual-eligible veterans rose from $1.3 billion in 2004 to $3.2 billion in 2009. The costs to take care of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries now amounts to 10 percent of the VA's budget for medical care.

    But Kizer believes the government can eliminate the duplicative spending without reducing care for veterans by changing the way that Medicare Advantage payment rates are calculated or by changing the law so that the VA could bill Medicare Advantage plans for care that it provides to veterans, as is currently the case with private insurance plans. While the VA may bill private insurers, the law does not allow VA to bill Medicare or Medicare Advantage plans.

    "In light of the severe financial pressure facing the Medicare program, policymakers should take steps to identify and eliminate redundant expenditures such as found in this study," Kizer said.

    In addition to Kizer, the study's other authors include Amal Trivedi, Regina Grebla, Lan Jiang and Vincent Mor at the Providence VA Medical Center and Jean Yoon at the VA Palo Alto Medical Center.

    The research was supported by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Office of Research and Development, Health Services Research and Development Service, and the National Institute of Aging (5RC1AG036158).

    Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

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    Story Source:

    The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of California - Davis Health System.

    Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


    Journal Reference:

    1. Regina C. Grebla. Duplicate Federal Payments for Dual Enrollees in Medicare Advantage Plans and the Veterans Affairs Health Care SystemDuplicate Federal Payments for Dual Enrollees. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2012; : 1 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2012.7115

    Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

    Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

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    Sen. Marco Rubio: Immigration 'not easily solved' on campaign trail

    The Monitor Breakfast

    Sen. Marco Rubio (R) of Florida, speaking June 21 at a Monitor breakfast, defended Mitt Romney's support for a robust legal immigration system, while acknowledging he 'doesn't have a ... bill.'

    By Dave Cook,?Staff writer / June 25, 2012

    Sen. Marco Rubio (R) of Florida (second from right) speaks at a Monitor-sponsored breakfast for reporters on June 21 at the St. Regis Hotel in Washington.

    Michael Bonfigli / The Christian Science Monitor

    Enlarge

    Florida Sen.?Marco Rubio (R)?is a fast-rising Hispanic political star. He won a seat on the West Miami City Commission in 1998, two years after graduating from law school. Two years later, this son of Cuban immigrants was elected to the Florida House, becoming its youngest speaker. In 2010, he defeated Florida's Republican governor to win a seat in the US Senate, where he is the second-youngest member. Senator Rubio, talked about as a Republican vice-presidential contender, was the guest at the June 21 Monitor Breakfast in Washington.

    Skip to next paragraph

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    If he thinks Attorney General Eric Holder should resign after a House committee on June 20 voted him in contempt of Congress for failing to cooperate in an investigation into a botched gun-running scheme on the border:

    "At this point, I do.... We have about reached the point of no return on this issue. I think [the Justice Department has] been given multiple opportunities to answer very legitimate questions that the Congress has. We know for a fact that something they told the Congress was not true.... It's very legitimate for the Congress to inquire as to why we were told something that wasn't true.... And I think invoking executive privilege at the 11th hour [on June 20] was probably the last straw."

    The visceral effect of the immigration issue for Hispanics:

    "I call it a gateway issue, because for Hispanics, immigration is not a statistical debate. It is an issue regarding someone they know and probably someone they love."

    Mitt Romney's stating that illegal immigrants should 'self-deport':

    "I have never understood self-deportation ... as a policy. It is not a policy. It is an observation of what people will do in a country that is enforcing its immigration laws.... Some of that is happening now because of economic improvement in Mexico."

    Charges that Mr. Romney has not articulated a clear immigration policy:

    "I don't think he has struggled to articulate his position. He supports legal immigration and anything he can do to improve the legal immigration system?. He doesn't have an immigration bill per se, but neither does the president?. This is not an issue that is easily solved on the campaign trail."

    US energy policy:

    "America does not have a comprehensive, well-stated policy. It has energy politics.... [I]t is important that we have a stable and affordable supply of domestic energy because ... it allows you to attract manufacturing in some sectors back to the United States.... This new supply of American energy, particularly in the natural-gas realm, is a real ... game changer."

    Dangers of congressional gridlock:

    "A day of reckoning is coming. We can ignore all these issues, but these issues will not ignore us. The US has a broken tax code, and if it doesn't fix it, our economy won't grow. The US has a problem with regulations,... we want our water to be drinkable, we want our air to be breathable,... but at the same time, if regulations become too difficult to comply with, people won't do business here."

    On balancing his office with time for his four children, ages 4 to 12:

    "I worry about it, and one of the things I wanted to put in [his new autobiography] was that concern."

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    NatWest opens on Sunday as IT glitch causes chaos

    [ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]

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    Monday, June 25, 2012

    1st ever Chassidic wedding in SC held in Columbia

    COLUMBIA, S.C. --?

    The sea of bearded men in black frock coats and fedoras, lifting their voices in ancient Hebrew chants, was the first hint that this was no ordinary South Carolina wedding.

    Then there was the striking brunette bride, her eyes shielded by a rectangular face covering, led by her parents and grandparents seven times around the somber groom under a flower-decked chupah, or canopy, overlooking picturesque Rockyford Lake. The female and male guests were separated, as prescribed by Orthodox Jewish tradition, under two peaked white tents to witness the ceremony.

    Chaya Epstein, 22, of Columbia, and Mendy Moscowitz, a 23-year-old rabbi from Chicago, recently wed on a beautiful spring afternoon in Columbia's first Chassidic wedding, an event that one visiting rabbi from California declared "an absolutely historic moment in Columbia."

    "This represents a community coming into its own," said Rabbi David Eliezrie, of Yorba Linda, Ca.

    Orthodox Jewish ritual included the reading of the marriage contract, the veiling of the bride, the ceremonial circuit around the bridegroom, the giving of the bride's ring, the seven blessings and the final breaking of the wine glass and the welcome shouts of Mazel Tov!"

    Rabbi Baruch Hertz, leader of congregation Bnei Ruven in Chicago officiated; his father had married the parents of the bride 27 years ago. Rabbi Baruch Epstein of Chicago, father of the groom, Hesh Epstein's, brother, reminded those gathered that while men are traditionally physical protectors of women, "on the transcendent level it is women who protect men."

    Chavi Epstein, the bride's mother resplendent in a soft brown Chantilly lace and silk gown, has sent her nine children off, one by one as they came of age, to attend rabbinical schools in places like New York and Chicago. Now, her daughter had returned to be wed in her hometown.

    "It was fantastic," she said, "unifying - it's life, living here, our connection to God. It's our whole life; it's completely in sync with everything we do."

    The Orthodox rabbis and their families came from New York and Chicago, from North Carolina, Florida and Texas, England and Israel to witness the outdoor marriage at the home of Shep Cutler in Forest Lake. Many members of the Columbia Jewish community - Reform, Conservative, Orthodox - were in attendance, experiencing an elaborate wedding ritual rooted in ancient biblical and Orthodox Jewish custom.

    "You know your Bible?" Eliezrie, of Yorba Linda, Calif., asked, as the groom, accompanied by his father, Rabbi Hesh Epstein, and future father-in-law, Rabbi Moshe Moscowitz, prepared to veil the bride before the ceremony. That tradition of confirming the identity of the bride is rooted in the Genesis story of Laban, who tricks Jacob into marrying his eldest daughter Leah instead of Rachel, thus ensuring Jacob would work for him for another seven years.

    Chaya's full length wedding gown, white French lace with a silk cream lining, had special meaning because it has been shared by three friends from her high school class. The face covering, or bedeken, was lined with a special piece of fabric that came from the home of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the seventh leader in the Chabad-Lubavitch movement.

    "He was the inspiration that sent the Epsteins to South Carolina," said Penina Efune, aunt of the bride.

    Hesh Epstein first came to Columbia in the late 1980s, along with his childhood friend Rabbi Meir Muller, as part of an Chabad outreach mission. Their presence drew curiosity and, perhaps, a little suspicion among Jews and non-Jews, but over time the Epsteins and Mullers integrated into the broader Columbia community as religious leaders and teachers. With their growing families, the two reopened the Jewish Community Center's pre-school, transforming it into the Columbia Jewish Day School, which now educates children through the 5th grade. Chaya Epstein attended that school.

    After the ceremony under the chupah, the bride and groom were led up to a room on the second floor of the Eastshore Drive home where the wedding was held. There they spent some quiet time before the joyous reception and night of dancing at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

    "The wedding is not complete until they do this, go into the room and lock the door," said Rabbi Shlomo Cohen, of Charlotte, N.C., noting that the bride and groom have not seen each other or spoken to each other for seven days. "It's like a spiritual moment."

    "Afterward, at the dinner and dancing, that is when the joy bursts out," Cohen said. "It's a different kind of intense joy."

    The couple doesn't leave for a traditional honeymoon. Instead, they went to Chicago to spend the week in celebration with family and friends.

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