Requiem of Reality

@Angelwolf: I reserved you!

@Aine: Hehe, sorry! I didn't want it to be a WIP for too long, so I quickly put everything up that I needed to put up! I was thinking up making an "Extra information" section like I usually do, but I feel like there's not much need for it this time around, although I did leave out a few details... We'll see. But yeah! I'll reserve you! squints Thank you! The color-coding was something I kept from my last username "Spectrum," hence the spectrum of colors (in rainbow-coded order~). Now that I'm H3R0 it's effect isn't the same, but I still like it.

@Gezzy: Unfortunately, at this time, all the roles have been filled. BUT. I'm pending for someone else to be in this RP who went to bed before I could figure out if they wanted to be in it or not, and I believe they'd want a male if they want one at all, so that'd even things out. If they decide they want to be part of the RP, I'll reserve your female slot. So don't give up hope!

*edit*

I added a new little comment under the character sheet! It's important to keep in mind!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/F6EOF9HmpV8/viewtopic.php

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UFC announces launch The Ultimate Fighter: China

While no English-language announcement was made available, the UFC has reportedly announced their intention to launch their reality fighting series in China. Bloody Elbow was the first to report the news. The formal announcement can now be found on the UFC's Chinese website.

According to their report, 'The Ultimate Fighter: China' will be auditioning featherweight, lightweight and welterweight fighters of Chinese descent who are capable of speaking the language. However, tryouts are not exclusive to mainland China. Three different events are going to be held to recruit talent: July 21st at the Metropark Lido Hotel in Beijing, July 25, at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore, and August 3 at the Venetian Hotel in Macau.

The show is expected to be conducted like other forms of the reality show, namely, 16 fighters in a house battling for a two-year, six-figure contract. The finale is expected to take place at the Venetian Hotel in Macau, the site of the UFC's first event in China when Cung Le knocked out Rich Franklin at UFC on FUEL TV 6 in November of 2012.

The show will be broadcast on LioNingTV, one of Chinese's pay satellite nationwide networks. There is no word on when the program would begin airing.

No coaches were yet named for the show. The UFC only has two Chinese nationals on their roster, Jumabieke Tuerxun and Zhang Tiequan.

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Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2013/6/29/4477220/report-ufc-announces-launch-the-ultimate-fighter-china

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Biden asks Ecuador president to nix Snowden asylum

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa sings during his weekly live broadcast "Enlace Ciudadano," or "Citizen Link," in Manta, Ecuador, Saturday, June 29, 2013. While the Ecuadorean government appeared angry over U.S. threats of punishment if it accepts U.S. National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, there were also mixed signals about how eager it was to grant asylum. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa sings during his weekly live broadcast "Enlace Ciudadano," or "Citizen Link," in Manta, Ecuador, Saturday, June 29, 2013. While the Ecuadorean government appeared angry over U.S. threats of punishment if it accepts U.S. National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, there were also mixed signals about how eager it was to grant asylum. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa, holding microphone, sings with a band and a supporter before the start of his his weekly broadcast "Enlace Ciudadano," or "Citizen Link" in Manta, Ecuador, Saturday, June 29, 2013. While the Ecuadorean government appeared angry over U.S. threats of punishment if it accepts U.S. National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, there were also mixed signals about how eager it was to grant asylum. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Vice President Joe Biden has asked Ecuador to turn down an asylum request from National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, the country's president said Saturday.

Rafael Correa, in a weekly television address, offered little sympathy for the Obama administration's view that Snowden is a criminal who should be swiftly returned to the U.S. At the same time, he vowed to seek American input on any asylum request and suggested Snowden will have to answer for his actions.

The Friday phone call between Correa and Biden ? it's the highest-level conversation between the U.S. and Ecuador to be disclosed since Snowden began seeking asylum ? added to the confusion about Snowden's status. Facing espionage charges in the U.S., Snowden is believed to be holed up in a Moscow airport's transit zone and seeking safe passage to Ecuador, the country seen as likeliest to shelter America's most wanted fugitive.

Julian Assange, founder of the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, has been given asylum in Ecuador's embassy in London.

Correa said he had a "friendly and very cordial" conversation with Biden, and told the vice president that Ecuador hadn't sought to be put in the situation of deciding whether to harbor an American justice-dodger. He said Ecuador can't consider the asylum request until Snowden is on Ecuadorean soil.

"The moment that he arrives, if he arrives, the first thing is we'll ask the opinion of the United States, as we did in the Assange case with England," Correa said. "But the decision is ours to make."

White House spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan confirmed that the two leaders spoke by phone Friday and discussed Snowden, but she wouldn't disclose any details about the conversation.

A staunch critic of the U.S., Correa rebuked the Obama administration for hypocrisy, invoking the case of brothers Roberto and William Isaias, bankers whose extradition from the U.S. Correa said Ecuador has been seeking. "Let's be consistent. Have rules for everyone, because that is a clear double-standard here," he said.

The leftist leader sought to direct attention away from Snowden's actions and back to the U.S. spying secrets he exposed, summoning a theme he's invoked to the delight of his strongest backers since Snowden, a former NSA contractor, revealed the agency's massive Internet and phone surveillance to two newspapers, fleeing all the while from Hong Kong to Moscow in evasion of U.S. authorities.

"The really grave thing is what Snowden has reported," Correa said. "He will have to assume his responsibilities, but the grave thing is his reporting of the biggest massive spy operation in the history of humanity, inside and outside the United States."

Ecuadorean officials have acknowledged its embassy in London issued Snowden a letter of safe passage that calls on other countries to allow him to travel to asylum in Ecuador. But Ecuador's secretary of political management, Betty Tola, said the letter was invalid because it was issued without central government approval in Quito, the capital.

Obama and his aides have tempered their rhetoric about Snowden in recent days after more heated attempts to pressure China and Russia over his extradition raised tensions with those nations, threatening to undercut cooperation with the two major powers on other issues.

But Ecuador has seemed to delight in tweaking the U.S. over the issue, accusing America of human rights violations and blowing off warnings about how the U.S. might respond if Ecuador doesn't cooperate.

After the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., on Wednesday threatened an effort to block renewal of Ecuador's tariff benefits on hundreds of millions of dollars in trade, Ecuador preemptively renounced the benefits themselves, claiming the trade deal had become "a new instrument of blackmail."

As for Biden, Correa suggested it wasn't personal. He praised the vice president for being more courteous than "those badly behaved and confused ones in the Senate who threaten our country."

___

Torres reported from Quito, Ecuador.

___

Reach Josh Lederman on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-06-29-US-NSA-Surveillance-Biden/id-8abd88fd20794bebb09563cc89fa7028

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PTSD tied to raised heart disease risk

By Andrew M. Seaman

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may also be at increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, according to a new study of Vietnam War veterans.

After following nearly 300 pairs of male twins, all Vietnam vets, for more than a decade, researchers found that almost a quarter of the men diagnosed with PTSD also had heart disease, compared to less than a tenth of the men without the combat-related stress disorder.

"As time goes by, it's become more and more clear that PTSD is not just something that impacts psychological health. It has broad repercussions throughout the body," said Dr. Viola Vaccarino from the Emory University School of Public Health in Atlanta, the study's lead author.

Behavioral symptoms of PTSD include reliving the traumatic event in memories or nightmares, avoiding situations that may trigger those memories and feelings of paranoia, fearfulness and guilt, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The symptoms tend to start shortly after a person experiences a traumatic event, such as combat, terrorist attacks, serious accidents, natural disasters and personal violence or abuse.

Physically, Vaccarino's team notes, PTSD sufferers are known to often have raised levels of stress hormones and other chemicals signaling overactivation in the fight-or-flight pathways of the nervous system.

Previous research, including one study examining U.S. veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan, have found that people diagnosed with PTSD and other stress disorders are more likely to develop heart troubles (see Reuters Health story of August 5, 2009 here:).

Vaccarino said, however, that other studies found conflicting results and some relied on data from interviews and questionnaires, which may provide inaccurate information.

For its study, Vaccarino's group used data from a study of twins who were all Vietnam War veterans born between 1946 and 1956. None of the men in the new analysis had heart disease when the study started, between 1987 and 1992.

The 281 twin pairs were asked to return for follow-up exams and interviews between 2002 and 2010 - about 13 years later - and were tested to see how many of the men had developed heart disease.

Overall, 137 participants had met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD at the start of the study and 69 men developed heart disease by the time of their follow-up exam.

About 23 percent of those with PTSD had heart disease, compared to about 9 percent of those without the stress disorder.

The results translated to those with PTSD at the outset being twice as likely as men without the disorder to develop heart disease by the end of the study.

That difference remained even after the researchers accounted for the higher rates of smoking, drinking and high blood pressure among the PTSD sufferers, which could also contribute to heart risks.

Vaccarino told Reuters Health that she and her colleagues were able to confirm their findings by imaging the participants' hearts and showing reduced blood flow in the men with PTSD.

While their study cannot prove that PTSD caused heart disease in the men, she said, people should know the two conditions share an association.

"This study and the other studies provide pretty good evidence that there's an association here and it's likely to be causal, but we don't have the proof," said Dr. Stephen Sidney, director for research clinics at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research in Oakland.

"There is enough of an association that physicians should be aware of it," said Sidney, who wrote an editorial accompanying the new study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Vaccarino said more research is needed to find out exactly how the two conditions are related, but "in the meantime, we need to act on those things that are protective against heart disease in general."

"Patients with PTSD need to realize that they need to take care of their heart, because they are at a higher risk," she said.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/11AIhhY Journal of the American College of Cardiology, online June 2013.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ptsd-tied-raised-heart-disease-risk-205231393.html

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Engadget Podcast 350 - 06.28.13

We've made it to the big three-five-oh! Watch out, HD Podcast, we're closing in on your 355 episode mark. Although the week in tech news wasn't terribly exciting, Brian was so pumped he ran nine blocks in the blistering heat straight to our studio. As such, this episode is relatively short -- might we suggest you check out Distro on your favorite tablet with all that extra time?

Hosts: Tim Stevens, Peter Rojas, Brian Heater

Producer: Joe Pollicino

Hear the podcast:

Filed under: Podcasts

Comments

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/wJHMoQV7ps0/

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Kenya raises 2013 tea output forecast on good weather

By Duncan Miriri

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya has raised its tea production and export earnings projections for this year thanks to good weather, while prices were expected to rise in the second half of the year, the regulator Tea Board of Kenya said on Friday.

The east African producer, which is the world's biggest exporter of black tea, expects to produce 410-415 million kg of tea, up from 369 million kg last year, the board said.

It expects earnings to rise to 120 billion shillings up from 112 billion shillings last year and higher than the board's estimate in January for earnings of 116 billion shillings. Tea is one of Kenya's main sources of hard currency.

"The weather has been good. We have had good rains throughout the year and we don't have frost or any other adverse weather conditions," Peter Kibiku, the board's research and information manager, told Reuters.

Speaking on the sidelines of a conference, he said the average price per kg was expected to rebound in the second half of this year after slipping to $2.87 per kg in the first half from $3.02 per kg in the same period last year.

"Going forward we are going to see an upward trend particularly during the third quarter of the year," he said.

He said the cold season had already set in, which normally leads to a drop in production and a spike in prices.

Prices of tea have risen over the last five years on the back of the commodities boom driven by higher demand in emerging markets like China and India.

Samuel Ogola, the technical services manager at the board, said higher prices had boosted farmer income, which was being re-invested and helping lift production.

"There is a lot of rehabilitation of farms that were not well taken care of," he said. "There is a bit of expansion. Quite a number of middle and large estates are replacing old tea bushes with new high yielding clones and those are driving production."

The main risk facing the Kenyan tea industry was an over-reliance on black tea, he said, adding farmers should consider diversifying into other products, such as purple and green teas.

The east African nation was also cultivating new markets in Africa. Its main buying nations are Egypt, Pakistan and Britain.

"We are looking at the west of Africa like Nigeria, Niger, Ghana and Mali. They are mainly not very good tea drinkers but the demand is substantial based on our initial research," he said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kenya-raises-2013-tea-output-forecast-good-weather-124837681.html

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Polish PM faces challenge for party leadership: report

WARSAW (Reuters) - A former Polish justice minister will challenge Prime Minister Donald Tusk for leadership of their party in an internal election later this year, broadcaster TVN24 reported on Thursday.

Jaroslaw Gowin, who was fired from the government in April, is the unofficial leader of a conservative faction within Tusk's center-right Civic Platform party and has often clashed with the party leader.

Tusk's powerful position has been weakened by a sharp slowdown in the economy, but analysts and party insiders say he should still win the leadership contest. The broadcaster said Gowin would announce his candidacy later on Thursday.

(Reporting by Christian Lowe and Karolina Slowikowska; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/polish-pm-faces-challenge-party-leadership-report-092112439.html

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UK economy shows signs of recovery ahead of Carney's start

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's service sector picked up in April, adding to signs that the country's economy extended its recovery into the second quarter of the year, official data showed on Friday.

The Office for National Statistics said output rose 0.2 percent compared with March, when it was flat, and was 2.0 percent higher than in April last year.

The services sector makes up more than three quarters of British gross domestic product (GDP), and Friday's data adds to signs of some momentum in the economy which grew by 0.3 percent in the first quarter of the year.

Services output grew 0.5 percent in the three months through March, according to GDP data released on Thursday. The slight acceleration to 0.8 percent in the three months in April adds to modest growth in manufacturing and retail.

Separate data released earlier on Friday showed British consumer morale rose to its highest level in just over two years in June and British house prices rose at their fastest annual pace in nearly three years.

The ONS also said hourly productivity across all sectors of the economy was unchanged in the first quarter, ending a run of six consecutive quarters of declines, as the economy picked up.

In a sign of muted inflation pressures, unit labour costs fell 0.4 percent in the first three months of 2013 and were down 0.5 percent from a year earlier, their first drop since the end of 2010, the statistics agency said.

Bank of England policymakers meet next week for the first time under new governor Mark Carney. Less inflation pressure could eventually help reduce opposition to more bond buying although more than half of the economists in a Reuters poll expected no resumption of asset purchases this year.

(Reporting by William Schomberg and David Milliken)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uk-services-output-picks-april-adding-recovery-signs-083331520.html

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Incubator AngelPad Plans To Launch A New York Office, Says Its Startups Have Raised $100M Total

Startup incubator AngelPad is looking beyond its current base in San Francisco ? founder Thomas Korte just announced that he plans to hold one of his two annual sessions in New York City. That doesn't mean AngelPad is going to be working with more companies or hiring more staff. Instead, the New York class is taking the place of one of the two San Francisco sessions, and Korte said that he and partner Carine Magescas will be running both of them.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/Em05jgCIGRk/

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DNA found outside genes plays largely unknown, potentially vital roles: Thousands of previously unknown RNA molecules identified

June 26, 2013 ? A new UC San Francisco study highlights the potential importance of the vast majority of human DNA that lies outside of genes within the cell.

The researchers found that about 85 percent of these stretches of DNA make RNA, a molecule that increasingly is being found to play important roles within cells. They also determined that this RNA-making DNA is more likely than other non-gene DNA regions to be associated with inherited disease risks.

The study, published in the free online journal PLOS Genetics on June 20, 2013, is one of the most extensive examinations of the human genome ever undertaken to see which stretches of DNA outside of genes make RNA and which do not.

The researchers -- senior author and RNA expert Michael McManus, PhD, UCSF associate professor of microbiology and immunology and a member of the UCSF Diabetes Center, graduate student Ian Vaughn, and postdoctoral fellow Matthew Hangauer, PhD -- identified thousands of previously unknown, unique RNA sequences.

"Now that we realize that all these RNA molecules exist and have identified them, the struggle is to understand which are going to have a function that is important," McManus said. "It may take decades to determine this."

The RNA most familiar from textbooks is the messenger RNA that is transcribed from DNA in genes and that encodes the amino acid building blocks of proteins. The transcription of messenger RNA from DNA is a key step in protein production. The rest of the DNA on the cell's chromosomes was once thought not to be transcribed into RNA, and was referred to as junk DNA.

Today, scientists estimate that only 1.5 percent of the genome consists of genes, McManus said. But over the last two decades other kinds of RNA have been identified that are transcribed from DNA outside of gene regions. Some of these RNA molecules play important biological roles, but scientists debate whether few or most of these RNA molecules are likely to be biologically significant.

Among the RNA transcribed by the DNA outside of genes, the UCSF researchers identified thousands of previously unknown RNA sequences of a type called lincRNA. So far, only a handful of lincRNA molecules are known to play significant roles in human biology, McManus said.

Previous research has shown that lincRNAs can have diverse functions. Some control the activity of genes that encode proteins. Others guide protein production in alternative ways.

"RNA is the Swiss army knife of molecules -- it can have so many different functions," McManus said.

The development of RNA-sequencing techniques in recent years has made possible the collection of massive amounts of RNA data for the first time.

To identify unique RNA molecules that are transcribed from human DNA, the UCSF researchers re-examined data on RNA transcription that they gathered from more than 125 data sets, obtained in recent years by scientists who studied 24 types of human body tissues. The new study represents one of the largest collections of lincRNAs gathered to date.

McManus said that the findings are in general agreement with those reported in September 2012 by researchers associated with a project called ENCODE, which included among its goals the detection of RNA transcripts within the genome. Many of the cells examined in ENCODE were long-lived laboratory cell lines and cancer cell lines, whereas the data analyzed in the UCSF study was from normal healthy human tissue, McManus said.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/A43ZMzjXaYE/130626143122.htm

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Salmonella infection is a battle between good and bad bacteria in the gut

June 26, 2013 ? The blockbuster battles between good and evil are not just on the big screen this summer. A new study that examined food poisoning infection as-it-happens in mice revealed harmful bacteria, such as a common type of Salmonella, takes over beneficial bacteria within the gut amid previously unseen changes to the gut environment. The results provide new insights into the course of infection and could lead to better prevention or new treatments.

"We're trying to tease apart a largely unknown area of biology," said systems biologist Josh Adkins and team lead at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. "Infection changes the populations of bacteria in the gut with resulting inflammation. We want to understand the interplay between these events."

Out this week in PLOS ONE, the study shows that Salmonella Typhimurium might use the sugar fucose either as a sign that it has found a good place to reproduce or use fucose to sustain itself during infection, or both. This was the first time researchers saw fucose as an important player during Salmonella infection.

"We were taken completely by surprise with the fucose results," said Adkins. They also saw other sugars that normally are eaten by resident bacteria going untouched. "By knowing what the bacteria eat, we can try to promote the good bacteria and throw off the battle."

The Mice

Food poisoning caused by Salmonella bacteria hits more than 40,000 people every year. One of the common types that infect people, Salmonella Typhimurium, doesn't usually get mice sick, so Adkins and colleagues used mice uniquely sensitive to Salmonella infection. After infecting mice with the disease-causing bacteria orally, the researchers could follow the course of the illness by analyzing what came out of the other end of the mice.

"In most studies, researchers clear out the resident bacteria with antibiotics before introducing infectious bacteria," said microbiologist Brooke Deatherage Kaiser. "In this study, we could watch Salmonella knock out the commensal organisms and then watch them come back. Following the interactions through time is not something we've been able to do before."

The story they put together shows how Salmonella usurps microbes that normally populate the gut. Known as commensal bacteria, resident bugs perform important functions such as breaking down carbohydrates and sugars that people and mice can't. Using advanced instruments and techniques, the researchers identified which populations of bacteria dominated as infection progressed and mice recovered, as well as changes in the gastrointestinal tract, such as the presence of inflammation and available nutrients. Some of the experiments were performed in EMSL, the DOE's Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory on PNNL's campus.

The Sugars

While many events the team witnessed were expected, such as infection causing inflammation in the gut, some were not. One unexpected change was in the kinds of sugars available for bacteria to eat. A handful of sugars that good bacteria normally chow down on lay around the gut untouched.

This stockpile of unusual sugars likely occurred because the good bacteria had, by that point, been overtaken by Salmonella and another bacterial variety, Enterococci. Enteroccoci are normally found in the gut, but can take advantage of opportunities to overgrow their welcome.

Unexpectedly, several lines of evidence suggested that Salmonella might use the sugar fucose as a food source. This study showed that the bacteria produced proteins that specifically help it digest fucose, which was the first time these researchers observed fucose proteins during Salmonella infection.

Although additional research will be needed to flesh out the role of fucose in the infectious cycle of Salmonella Typhimurium, this observation may help to control or prevent gastrointestinal infection in the future by a better understanding of nutrient sources and signals in the gut.

Overall, the study allowed the PNNL researchers to follow the rise and fall of the infecting bacteria, the fall and rise during recovery of the commensal bacteria, and changes to the gut as the mice fended off the infection. Future research will focus on what happens in other areas of the intestine to get a handle on the difference between the type of illness this study represented, acute gastrointestinal disease, and more systemic infection.

This work was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/qykLA4Mup3c/130626183927.htm

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Riots kill 27 in minority region of far west China

BEIJING (AP) ? Riots in a restive far western region of China on Wednesday killed 27 people and left at least three injured, state media said.

The official Xinhua News Agency said knife-wielding mobs attacked police stations, a local government building and a construction site Wednesday morning in a remote town in the Turkic-speaking Xinjiang (shihn-jahng) region.

The unrest in in Lukqun, a township in Turpan prefecture, left 17 people dead, including nine policemen, before police shot and killed 10 rioters, the agency reported. Xinhua cited officials with the region's Communist Party committee.

Xinjiang is home to a large population of minority Muslim Uighurs (WEE'-gurs) but is ruled by China's Han ethnic majority. It has been the scene of numerous violent incidents in recent years, including ethnic riots in Urumqi in 2009 that left nearly 200 people dead.

The report said three rioters were seized, and that police pursued fleeing suspects, though it did not say how many. It said three people were injured by the unrest and were being treated.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/riots-kill-27-minority-region-far-west-china-053639578.html

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Even Paula Deen's Friends Are Reluctant to Defend Her

It's been several days since the start of Paula Deen-Gate, and so far, only her sons have defended her outright. Not even her friend Oprah Winfrey has dared to enter this minefield of ugly commentary about the Food Network star, whose recent court hearing unearthed past racist comments (which, in turn, led to her firing from the network). 

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/celebrity-reactions-paula-deen-scandal/1-a-540021?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Acelebrity-reactions-paula-deen-scandal-540021

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California looks to life without Prop. 8's ban on gay marriage

The Supreme Court essentially let stand a lower court ruling against California's Prop. 8 ban on same-sex marriage. Given shifting public attitudes, Prop. 8 seems unlikely to have another political life.

By Brad Knickerbocker,?Staff writer / June 26, 2013

Matt Dunne and Kris Bhat hang a rainbow flag outside Marcella's Pizza shop in San Francisco's Castro district after the US Supreme Court's ruling on gay marriage Wednesday. The court left in place a trial court's declaration that California's Proposition 8 banning gay marriage is unconstitutional.

Eric Risberg/AP

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Reactions to the US Supreme Court?s action on California?s Proposition 8 ballot measure defining marriage as one man and woman under the state constitution came quickly and sharply ? rejoicing on the one hand, bitter denunciation on the other.

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For now, at least, same-sex couples will again be allowed to marry in California, likely within days. Less likely, given the high court?s action Wednesday and the trend in public attitudes, is a repeat of the ballot measure that sharply divided the state and led to a drawn-out legal battle.

Proponents of Prop. 8 seemed stunned by the US Supreme Court action, which essentially let a US District Court ruling against the measure stand after finding that the case was improperly before the high court. The justices sent the case back to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth District in San Francisco with instructions for that court to reject the Prop. 8 proponents' appeal "for lack of jurisdiction."

"In a miscarriage of justice the US Supreme Court has refused to consider the decision of a single federal court judge to overturn the perfectly legal action of over 7 million California voters who passed Proposition 8 defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman," said Brain Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, the biggest contributor to putting Prop. 8 on the ballot. "The Supreme Court's holding that proponents of an initiative had no legal right to appeal ignores California law and rewards corrupt politicians for abandoning their duty to defend traditional marriage laws.?

In a statement, Mr. Brown angrily noted that the original state court ruling invalidating Prop. 8 was not surprising because the case ?was heard by a homosexual judge in San Francisco who himself was engaged in a long-term same-sex relationship.?

Brown called the US Supreme Court decision ?illegitimate,? and he said, ?We and millions of other Americans will refuse to accept this rogue decision rewarding corruption.?

Andy Pugno, general counsel for ProtectMarriage.com, the official proponent of Prop. 8, said he was at least grateful that the Supreme Court had ruled narrowly on the measure ? declining to declare the measure unconstitutional as supporters of same-sex marriage had hoped, but focusing instead on the question of legal standing for Prop. 8 supporters.

?We will continue to defend Prop. 8 and seek its enforcement until such time as there is a binding statewide order that renders Prop. 8 unenforceable,? Mr. Pugno said in a statement.

Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council, says the ruling ?distorts the balance of powers between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/YQlrkZiKblc/California-looks-to-life-without-Prop.-8-s-ban-on-gay-marriage

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'How NCC'll execute broadband plan with CTO' - Vanguard News

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Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/how-nccll-execute-broadband-plan-with-cto/

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U.S. boss held hostage now free

BEIJING (AP) ? An American boss detained nearly a week by his company's Chinese workers left the Beijing factory Thursday after he and a labor representative said the two sides had reached agreement in a pay dispute.

Chip Starnes, who said he was "saddened" by the experience, told The Associated Press a deal was reached overnight to pay the scores of workers who had demanded severance packages similar to ones given to laid-off co-workers in a phased-out division, even though the company said the remaining workers weren't being laid off.

The workers at the medical supply plant in Huairou district, on the outskirts of Beijing, said that the company owed them unpaid salary, that they believed the entire factory was shutting down and that they saw equipment being packed and itemized for shipping to India.

Starnes said the workers' demands were unjustified. Neither he nor district labor official Chu Lixiang gave details of the agreed compensation. Chu said all the workers would be terminated, although Starnes said some would be rehired later.

"It has been resolved to each side's satisfaction," Chu told reporters at the plant. She said they had been sorting out paperwork until 5 a.m. and that 97 workers had signed settlement agreements.

Starnes, a co-owner of Florida-based Specialty Medical Supplies, had quietly departed the factory grounds by the time Chu spoke, returning to his hotel in Beijing.

"Yes!! Out and back at hotel," Starnes wrote in a text message. "Showered.. 9 pounds lost during the ordeal!!!!!!"

Police in Huairou district had made no moves to halt the labor action but guarded the plant and said they were guaranteeing Starnes' safety while local labor officials brokered negotiations.

It is not rare in China for managers to be held by workers demanding back pay or other benefits, often from their Chinese owners. Police are reluctant to intervene, as they consider it a business dispute, and local officials typically are eager to see the matter resolved in a way least likely to fuel unrest.

The labor action reflected growing uneasiness among workers about their jobs amid China's slowing economic growth and the sense that growing labor costs make the country less attractive for some foreign-owned factories.

About 80 workers started blocking all exits starting last Friday, and Starnes had spoken to reporters in recent days through the barred window of his factory office.

Earlier Thursday, he said in a telephone interview that he had been forced to give in to what he considered unjustified demands. He summed up the past several days as "humiliating, embarrassing." At the beginning of his captivity, workers had deprived him of sleep by shining bright lights and banging on windows of his office, he said.

"We have transferred our funds from the U.S.," he said. "I am basically free to go when the funds hit the account here of the company."

Starnes told the AP he planned to get back to business, and even rehire some of the workers who had been holding him.

He previously said the company had been winding down its plastics division, with plans to move it to Mumbai. When he arrived in Beijing last week to lay off the last 30 people, workers in other divisions started demanding similar severance packages.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-boss-held-china-leaves-plant-payout-044656354.html

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Huawei Ascend P6 review: a beautiful handset, but performance is lacking

More Info

• Huawei Ascend P6 officially announced
• Huawei Ascend P6 specs leaked
• New Huawei P6-U06 spy shots show off black, brushed metallic body

Well, what do we have here? Okay, let's scrap the faux surprise. The recently confirmed Ascend P6 has landed, and Huawei hopes it will stir interest in the hearts of mobile users. Debuting across Europe, China and Australia in late June / early August with a €449 ($600) price tag, it's asking you to take it seriously, and that's what we'll do.

The mobile market is a fickle place, so it doesn't matter where you are right now; it's all about where you're going. Huawei? Well, it's definitely got its sights set on an upward trajectory. The Ascend P6 is the latest rung on the ladder, intended to elevate the company to mobile greatness. But, with competition stiffer than ever, can it really call a device with a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 720p display and 8-megapixel camera a flagship? (For its P-series at least?) Huawei's certainly giving it a try, and it's hoping that beauty, not brawn, will win the day.

Gallery: Huawei Ascend P6 review

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/GPr90frUfIc/

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Sherri Shepherd's Impression Of Two Women Trash-Talking Each Other (VIDEO)

"Sister Act" Broadway Opening Night - Arrivals & Curtain Call

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 20: (L-R) TV personality Barbara Walters, actress/producer Whoopi Goldberg and TV personality Elisabeth Hasselbeck attend the Broadway opening night of 'Sister Act' at the Broadway Theatre on April 20, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Joe Corrigan/Getty Images)

JOY BEHAR, SANDRA FLUKE, SHERRI SHEPHERD, ELISABETH HASSELBECK, BARBARA WALTERS

Georgetown University law student and activist Sandra Fluke, center, speaks as co-hosts Joy Behar, left, and Sherri Shepherd speak during an appearance on the daytime talk show, "The View," Monday, March 5, 2012 in New York. Fluke talked about conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh and the comments he made on his program after she testified to Democratic members of Congress in support of a requirement that health care companies provide coverage for contraception. Fluke told ABC's "The View" on Monday that she hasn't heard from Limbaugh since he issued a written apology late Saturday. (AP Photo/ABC, Lou Rocco)

Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Barbara Walters, Joy Behar, Sherri Shepherd,

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama appear on the ABC Television show ?The View? in New York, Monday, Sept. 24, 2012, From left are, Barbara Walters, president and first lady, Joy Behar, and Sherri Shepherd. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

ROBIN ROBERTS, SHERRI SHEPHERD, VAL CHMERKOVSKIY

In this April 11, 2012 photo released by ABC, host Robin Roberts, left, speaks with TV personality Sherri Shepherd and her dance partner Val Chmerkovskiy after they were eliminated from the celebrity dance competition series "Dancing with the Stars," during an appearance on the morning show "Good Morning America" in New York. The Nielsen Co. said Monday that ABC's ?Good Morning America? beat NBC's morning show last week by a razor-thin margin of 13,000 viewers. (AP Photo/ABC, Donna Svennevik)

"Sister Act" Broadway Opening Night - Arrivals & Curtain Call

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 20: Actress/producer Whoopi Goldberg and TV personality Elisabeth Hasselbeck, attend the Broadway opening night of 'Sister Act' at the Broadway Theatre on April 20, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Joe Corrigan/Getty Images)

"Sister Act" Broadway Opening Night - Arrivals & Curtain Call

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 20: TV personalities Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Barbara Walters attend the Broadway opening night of 'Sister Act' at the Broadway Theatre on April 20, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Joe Corrigan/Getty Images)

"Sister Act" Broadway Opening Night - Arrivals & Curtain Call

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 20: (L-R) Actress/producer Whoopi Goldberg, actor Sylvester Stallone and TV personality Barbara Walters attend the Broadway opening night of 'Sister Act' at the Broadway Theatre on April 20, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Joe Corrigan/Getty Images)

Kelly Ripa Co-Hosts Dr. Fredric Brandt's SiriusXM Launch Event

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 26: Television personality Joy Behar attends Dr. Fredric Brandt's SiriusXM launch event at SiriusXM Studio on September 26, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

BARBARA WALTERS, STAR JONES, JOY BEHAR

In this image released by ABC, co-host Barbara Walters, left embraces former co-host Star Jones as Joy Behar, right, looks on during a broadcast of the daytime talk show "The View," Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012, in New York. Jones made a guest appearance Wednesday after quitting the show six years ago. (AP Photo/ABC, Ida Mae Astute)

2012 Made In NY Awards

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 04: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg,actress/TV personality Whoopi Goldberg, and New York City Film Commissioner Katherine Oliver attend the 2012 Made In NY Awards at Gracie Mansion on June 4, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

Joy Behar

FILE - In this March 13, 2010 file photo, TV personality Joy Behar attends the 21st annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York. Current TV says Joy Behar will soon be joining the network to host a prime-time talk show. Behar, whose nightly program on cable channel HLN ended last December, will return with a show on Current in September, the network announced Monday. It will originate Monday through Thursday at 6 p.m. Eastern time. (AP Photo/Peter Kramer, file)

Joy Behar

FILE - This April 20, 2011 file photo shows Joy Behar arriving to the opening night performance of the Broadway musical ?Sister Act? in New York. Current TV says Joy Behar will soon be joining the network to host a prime-time talk show. Behar, whose nightly program on cable channel HLN ended last December, will return with a show on Current in September, the network announced Monday. It will originate Monday through Thursday at 6 p.m. Eastern time. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes, file)

2012 Made In NY Awards

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 04: Actress Meryl Streep and actress/TV personality Whoopi Goldberg attend the 2012 Made In NY Awards at Gracie Mansion on June 4, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

Sherri Shepherd

Television personality Sherri Shepherd arrives before the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)

Nora Ephron Memorial Service

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 09: Actress Joy Behar attends the Nora Ephron Memorial Service on July 9, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images)

SHERRI SHEPHERD, VAL CHMERKOVSKIY

In this April 9, 2012 photo released by ABC, TV personality Sherri Shepherd and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy perform on the celebrity dance competition series "Dancing with the Stars," in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/ABC, Adam Taylor)

Sherri Shepherd

Television personality Sherri Shepherd arrives before the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

US-VOTE-2012-DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN

Barbara Walters listens as US President Barack Obama speaks during a break in a taping of 'The View' at ABC Studios September 24, 2012 in New York, New York. Obama is traveling for a two day trip to New York City where he will participate in a taping of 'The View' before attending the United Nations General Assembly and related events. AFP PHOTO/Brendan SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/GettyImages)

Through The Kitchen Benefit For Cancer Research Institute

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 20: Media personality Barbara Walters is served in the kitchen during the Through The Kitchen Benefit For Cancer Research Institute at The Four Seasons Restaurant on May 20, 2012 in New York, United States. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

Barbara Walters, Bill Geddie

Barbara Walters, right, presents the lifetime achievement award to Bill Geddie onstage at the 39th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday, June 23, 2012 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

SHERRI SHEPHERD, VAL CHMERKOVSKIY

In this April 2, 2012 photo, TV personality Sherri Shepherd, left, and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy perform on the celebrity dance competition series "Dancing with the Stars," in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/ABC, Adam Taylor)

"The Words" New York Screening - Arrivals

EAST HAMPTON, NY - AUGUST 25: TV personality Joy Behar attends 'The Words' screening at Goose Creek on August 25, 2012 in East Hampton, New York. (Photo by Paul Zimmerman/Getty Images)

Backstage At 54 Below

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 17: TV personality Joy Behar speaks with comedian Carol Burnett backstage after a performance by Linda Lavin at 54 Below on September 17, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for 54 Below)

Backstage At 54 Below

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 17: (L-R) Joy Behar, Harold 'Hal' Prince, Linda Lavin and Carol Burnett pose backstage after a performance by Linda Lavin at 54 Below on September 17, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for 54 Below)

Actress Whoopi Goldberg arrives at the 2

Actress Whoopi Goldberg arrives at the 20th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party at the City of West Hollywood Park on February 26, 2012 in West Hollywood, California. AFP PHOTO/PATRICK T. FALLON (Photo credit should read Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images)

20th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation's Oscar Viewing Party - Arrivals

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Whoopi Goldberg arrives at the 20th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation's Oscar Viewing Party held at West Hollywood Park on February 26, 2012 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

2012 MoMA Party In The Garden Benefit - Arrivals

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 22: Barbara Walters attends the 2012 Party in the Garden benefit at the Museum of Modern Art on May 22, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

10th Annual TV Land Awards - Show

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 14: Actress Whoopi Goldberg speaks onstage at the 10th Annual TV Land Awards at the Lexington Avenue Armory on April 14, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

10th Annual TV Land Awards - Show

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 14: Actress Whoopi Goldberg speaks onstage at the 10th Annual TV Land Awards at the Lexington Avenue Armory on April 14, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

2012 Made In NY Awards

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 04: Comedian Joan Rivers, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and actress/TV personality Whoopi Goldberg attend the 2012 Made In NY Awards at Gracie Mansion on June 4, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

2012 Made In NY Awards

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 04: Actress Whoopi Goldberg attends the 2012 Made In NY Awards at Gracie Mansion on June 4, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

2012 Made In NY Awards

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 04: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and actress Whoopi Goldberg attend the 2012 Made In NY Awards at Gracie Mansion on June 4, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

Jon Patricof, Whoopi Goldberg

IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR ADVERTISING WEEK - President and COO of Tribeca Enterprises Jon Patricof, left, and actress Whoopi Goldberg participate in the "Future of Film" seminar at Advertising Week on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision for Advertising Week/AP Images)

Whoopi Goldberg

IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR ADVERTISING WEEK - Actress Whoopi Goldberg speaks at the "Future of Film" seminar at Advertising Week on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision for Advertising Week/AP Images)

Katie Couric, Barbara Walters

FILE - In this Jan. 12, 2012 file photo, Barbara Walters attends the "Today" show 60th anniversary celebration at the Edison Ballroom in New York. Walters is apologizing for trying to help a former aide to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad land a job or get into college in the United States. Sheherazad Jaafari is the daughter of the Syrian ambassador to the United States and a one-time press aide to Assad. Jaafari played a role in Walters' landing an interview with the Syrian president in December.(AP Photo/Evan Agostini)

Bill Geddie, Barbara Walters

Bill Geddie, left, and Barbara Walters pose backstage with Geddie's lifetime achievement award at the 39th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday, June 23, 2012 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision/AP)

Nora Ephron Memorial Service

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 09: Barbara Walters attends the Nora Ephron Memorial Service on July 9, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images)

Nora Ephron Memorial Service

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 09: Barbara Walters attends the Nora Ephron Memorial Service on July 9, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images)

New York City Ballet Celebrates Legendary Fashion Designer Valentino Garavani

This Sept. 20, 2012 photo released by Starpix shows Barbara Walters at the New York City Ballet Fall Gala honoring Valentino Garavani at Lincoln Center in New York. Valentino, who created most of the vibrant costumes and dramatically upped the glamour quotient of the evening, attracting movie stars, supermodels and socialites galore. (AP Photo/Starpix, Amanda Schwab)

US-VOTE-2012-DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN

(L-R) Whoopi Goldberg, Barbara Walters US President Barack Obama, and US first lady Michelle Obama sit during a break in a taping of 'The View' at ABC Studios September 24, 2012 in New York, New York. Obama is traveling for a two day trip to New York City where he will participate in a taping of 'The View' before attending the United Nations General Assembly and related events. AFP PHOTO/Brendan SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/GettyImages)

Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Whoopi Goldberg, Barbara Walters, Joy Behar, Sherri Shepherd, Elisabeth Hasselbeck

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama appear on the ABC Television show "The View" in New York, Monday, Sept. 24, 2012, From left are, Whoopi Goldberg, Barbara Walters, the president, the first lady, Joy Behar, Sherri Shepherd and Elisabeth Hasselbeck. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/24/sherri-shepherd-women-trash-talking_n_3490759.html

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Two contradictory polls about abortion (Offthekuff)

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Vodafone to buy Germany's biggest cable operator for $10.1 billion

Every summer, the world's second biggest mobile provider likes to splash out on a broadband company to bolster its cellular offerings. Last year, for instance, Vodafone snapped up Cable & Wireless' British fiber-optic network for $1.6 billion -- but that's a bargain compared to the $10.1 billion it's just sealed for Germany's largest cable company, Kabel Deutschland. Unlike last year's deal, which concentrated on infrastructure, this move will see Vodafone entering the triple-play market, offering mobile, fixed-line and TV services. Anyone got a German dictionary to hand? We want to look up what "technofreaks" translates to.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

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Via: Reuters

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/24/vodafone-kabel-deutschland-deal/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Taliban militants storm Afghan government compound

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? Taliban militants stormed the presidential compound Tuesday after bluffing their way past two checkpoints, triggering a gunbattle that left eight attackers and three guards dead and sent journalists attending an official event scrambling for cover, officials and witnesses said.

The well-planned daylight assault in a highly fortified zone of the capital was a bold challenge to Kabul's authority just a week after the Taliban opened a political office in Qatar as the Islamic militant movement said it was willing to begin a U.S.-led peace process.

NATO also formally handed over security for the entirety of the country to Afghan forces just last week. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said it was standing by if needed during the skirmish, Afghan authorities did not call them in for help and thwarted the attack on their own.

The gunbattle started around 6:30 a.m. near the east gate leading to the palace next to the Afghan Ministry of Defense and the former Ariana Hotel, which former U.S. intelligence officials have confirmed is used by the CIA. One carload of Taliban fighters dressed in military-style camouflage uniforms emerged from their black Land Cruiser and started shooting, after another got stuck between two checkpoints and detonated their explosives-laden vehicle.

The Taliban said all eight of its fighters died in the attack, while the Interior Ministry said three security guards were killed and another wounded.

The attack was a bitter reminder of the ability of the Taliban to penetrate the heart of the capital, showing their strength in the fight against President Hamid Karzai's Western-backed government.

Though the Taliban have indicated they are willing to open peace talks, they have not renounced violence and attacks have continued across Afghanistan.

The palace is in a large fortified area of downtown Kabul that also includes the U.S. Embassy and the headquarters for the NATO-led coalition forces and access is heavily restricted. Some Kabul residents initially thought the gunfire was a coup attempt because the idea of a Taliban attack within the security zone seemed so unlikely.

The attackers were stopped in Ariana Square, at least 500 meters (yards) and several checkpoints away from the palace itself. Karzai was reportedly in the palace at the time.

A group of journalists, including from The Associated Press, waiting to enter the palace grounds for a news event on Afghan youth witnessed the start of the attack and took cover behind a religious shrine, pulling a boy off the street who had been caught in the open on his way to school.

Karzai had been expected to talk about ongoing efforts to open peace talks with the Taliban.

The Taliban have refused to negotiate with Karzai's government in the past, saying the U.S. holds effective control in Afghanistan, but the Americans are hoping to pave the way for talks between the two sides. Long-stalled negotiations have taken on urgency with Afghan presidential elections and the withdrawal of most U.S. and other foreign combat troops looming in 2014.

The Americans announced last week that they would begin formal talks with the Taliban in the Qatari capital of Doha, which would be followed by talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.

Kabul police chief Gen. Mohamad Ayub Salangi said the gunmen jumped out of their SUV and opened fire after the second vehicle was stopped by security forces while trying to use fake documents to get through a checkpoint. The second vehicle's car bomb then exploded.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility, saying in an emailed statement that "eight of our suicide bombers were able to reach the most secure area of Kabul," identifying them by name and saying they were carrying hand grenades, a machine gun and rocket-propelled grenades.

"The brave mujahedeen, with special tactics and help from inside, were able to reach their target with their weapons and cars," he said. He said their targets were the CIA building, the palace and the Defense Ministry and claimed "a number of foreign invaders were killed and wounded in the attack."

Smoke could be seen coming from the area of the hotel, but there was no immediate indication any of the buildings were hit in the attack and Afghanistan's Kabul division army commander Gen. Kadam Shah Shahim said he knew of no deaths among security forces or civilians.

The NATO-led coalition in Afghanistan instituted a camp lockdown during the incident.

U.S. Ambassador James Cunningham urged an end to the violence.

"All of the attackers were killed, without success in achieving their goals ? This again demonstrates the futility of the Taliban's efforts to use violence and terror to achieve their aims," he said in a statement. "We again call on the Taliban to come to the table to talk to the Afghanistan government about peace and reconciliation."

The U.S. Embassy cancelled all consular appointments and advised American citizens in Kabul to stay indoors.

Also early Tuesday, in the southern province of Kandahar, a minibus hit a bomb buried in the road, killing 11 members of a groom's family on their way to an engagement party, said Kandahar governor's spokesman Ahmad Jawed Faisal. Faisal said the dead included eight women, two children and a man, and two other men were also wounded.

In Oruzgan, the province north of Kandahar, provincial governor's spokesman Abdullah Hemat said Tuesday that six Afghan national police were killed the day before when their patrol was attacked with a roadside bomb.

And a NATO convoy was hit with a roadside bomb in the province Ghazni, southwest of Kabul, destroying a vehicle but the coalition said there were no casualties.

_____

Associated Press Amir Shah contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/taliban-militants-storm-afghan-government-compound-123625169.html

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New study says a person's physical environment affects their likelihood of dishonest behavior

Public release date: 24-Jun-2013
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Contact: Evan Nowell
egn2109@columbia.edu
212-854-2747
Columbia Business School

Researchers from Columbia, MIT, Northwestern, Harvard and Berkeley, conclude that stealing, cheating, and even traffic violations can be influenced by the expansiveness (or lack thereof) of physical space

NEW YORK A new study from researchers at leading business schools reveals that expansive physical settings (e.g. having a big desk to stretch out while doing work or a large driver's seat in an automobile) can cause individuals to feel more powerful, and in turn these feelings of power can elicit more dishonest behavior such as stealing, cheating, and even traffic violations.

"In everyday working and living environments, our body postures are incidentally expanded and contracted by our surroundings by the seats in our cars, the furniture in and around workspaces, even the hallways in our offices and these environments directly influence the propensity of dishonest behavior in our everyday lives," said Andy Yap, a key author of the research who spearheaded its development during his time at Columbia Business School.

The study states that while individuals may pay very little attention to ordinary and seemingly innocuous shifts in bodily posture, these subtle postural shifts can have tremendous impact on our thoughts, feelings and behavior. Building on previous research that expansive postures can lead to a state of power, and power can lead to dishonest behavior, the study found that expanded, nonverbal postures forced upon individuals by their environments could influence decisions and behaviors in ways that render people less honest. "This is a real concern. Our research shows that office managers should pay attention to the ergonomics of their workspaces. The results suggest that these physical spaces have tangible and real-world impact on our behaviors" said Andy Yap.

The research includes findings from four studies conducted in the field and the laboratory. One study manipulated the expansiveness of workspaces in the lab and tested whether "incidentally" expanded bodies (shaped organically by one's environment) led to more dishonesty on a test. Another experiment examined if participants in a more expansive driver's seat would be more likely to "hit and run" when incentivized to go fast in a video-game driving simulation.

To extend results to a real-world context, an observational field study tested the ecological validity of the effect by examining whether automobile drivers' seat size predicted the violation of parking laws in New York City. The field study revealed that automobiles with more expansive driver's seats were more likely to be illegally parked on New York City streets.

###

The research, titled The Ergonomics of Dishonesty, will be published in a forthcoming issue of the journal Psychological Science. It is co-authored by Andy Yap, a former PhD student at Columbia Business School and currently a visiting professor at MIT Sloan School of Management; Abbie Wazlawek, a PhD student at Columbia Business School; Brian Lucas, a PhD student at Kellogg School of Management; Amy Cuddy, a professor at Harvard Business School; and Dana Carney, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley.

About Columbia Business School

Led by Dean Glenn Hubbard, the Russell L. Carson Professor of Finance and Economics, Columbia Business School is at the forefront of management education. The School's cutting-edge curriculum bridges academic theory and practice, equipping students with an entrepreneurial mindset to recognize, capture, and create opportunity in a competitive business environment. Beyond academic rigor and teaching excellence, the School offers programs that are designed to give students practical experience making decisions in real-world environments. The school offers MBA, Masters, and PhD degrees, as well as non-degree Executive Education programs. For more information, visit http://www.gsb.columbia.edu.

---

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?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 24-Jun-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Evan Nowell
egn2109@columbia.edu
212-854-2747
Columbia Business School

Researchers from Columbia, MIT, Northwestern, Harvard and Berkeley, conclude that stealing, cheating, and even traffic violations can be influenced by the expansiveness (or lack thereof) of physical space

NEW YORK A new study from researchers at leading business schools reveals that expansive physical settings (e.g. having a big desk to stretch out while doing work or a large driver's seat in an automobile) can cause individuals to feel more powerful, and in turn these feelings of power can elicit more dishonest behavior such as stealing, cheating, and even traffic violations.

"In everyday working and living environments, our body postures are incidentally expanded and contracted by our surroundings by the seats in our cars, the furniture in and around workspaces, even the hallways in our offices and these environments directly influence the propensity of dishonest behavior in our everyday lives," said Andy Yap, a key author of the research who spearheaded its development during his time at Columbia Business School.

The study states that while individuals may pay very little attention to ordinary and seemingly innocuous shifts in bodily posture, these subtle postural shifts can have tremendous impact on our thoughts, feelings and behavior. Building on previous research that expansive postures can lead to a state of power, and power can lead to dishonest behavior, the study found that expanded, nonverbal postures forced upon individuals by their environments could influence decisions and behaviors in ways that render people less honest. "This is a real concern. Our research shows that office managers should pay attention to the ergonomics of their workspaces. The results suggest that these physical spaces have tangible and real-world impact on our behaviors" said Andy Yap.

The research includes findings from four studies conducted in the field and the laboratory. One study manipulated the expansiveness of workspaces in the lab and tested whether "incidentally" expanded bodies (shaped organically by one's environment) led to more dishonesty on a test. Another experiment examined if participants in a more expansive driver's seat would be more likely to "hit and run" when incentivized to go fast in a video-game driving simulation.

To extend results to a real-world context, an observational field study tested the ecological validity of the effect by examining whether automobile drivers' seat size predicted the violation of parking laws in New York City. The field study revealed that automobiles with more expansive driver's seats were more likely to be illegally parked on New York City streets.

###

The research, titled The Ergonomics of Dishonesty, will be published in a forthcoming issue of the journal Psychological Science. It is co-authored by Andy Yap, a former PhD student at Columbia Business School and currently a visiting professor at MIT Sloan School of Management; Abbie Wazlawek, a PhD student at Columbia Business School; Brian Lucas, a PhD student at Kellogg School of Management; Amy Cuddy, a professor at Harvard Business School; and Dana Carney, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley.

About Columbia Business School

Led by Dean Glenn Hubbard, the Russell L. Carson Professor of Finance and Economics, Columbia Business School is at the forefront of management education. The School's cutting-edge curriculum bridges academic theory and practice, equipping students with an entrepreneurial mindset to recognize, capture, and create opportunity in a competitive business environment. Beyond academic rigor and teaching excellence, the School offers programs that are designed to give students practical experience making decisions in real-world environments. The school offers MBA, Masters, and PhD degrees, as well as non-degree Executive Education programs. For more information, visit http://www.gsb.columbia.edu.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

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Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-06/cbs-nss062413.php

Psy Cat Zingano DMX spartacus spartacus Jonathan Winters Justin Bieber Anne Frank