Welcome ' + readCookie("username") + '
'); } if(readCookie("regConfirmationStatus") && readCookie("regConfirmationStatus") == "pending") { document.write(''); document.write(''); } else { document.write('');} if(readCookie("ssoUser") == "true"){ document.write(''); } else { document.write(''); } } else { document.write(' '); }nfl 2012 schedule gmail down tim lincecum ryan oneal file taxes online tupac shakur sledge hammer
TAMPA -- Viewed and heard from the floor of the?Tampa Bay Times?Forum, her delivery was as clipped and formal as when she was being grilled by the 9/11 commission in 2004 over the U.S. failure to prevent the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. The same almost-brittle delivery once struck fear in the hearts of traumatized Americans, as?when in 2002 she warned?of Saddam Hussein's military ambitions in the lead-up to the invasion of Iraq, "there will always be some uncertainty about how quickly he can acquire nuclear weapons. But we don't what the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud."
But on Wednesday night in Florida, the energy that greeted former George W. Bush national security adviser and secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was all 2012. Taking the podium to wildly enthusiastic applause and cries of "We love you, Condi!", Rice delivered a resoundingly well-received speech that touched professorially on an array of contemporary foreign policy issues and enough compassionate conservate causes to provoke nostalgia for the presidency of a man who?left office with a 22 percent approval rating.
Looking only slightly older than when she left the national stage, she stood before a sort of electronic scrapbooking board on the Republican National Convention stage that flashed an array of images putting her in the middle of the story of the Bush years. Rumsfeld turning toward her. Rice seated with her heeled foot extended outward, a group of male shoes in the shot. President Bush turning toward her. Rice and Colin Powell, striding side by side.
Before she spoke, the Drudge Report, which earlier this year posted quickly debunked rumors that she was on Mitt Romney's vice presidential short list, published a draft of her remarks. The Romney camp did not send out advance speech excerpts for her, perhaps to help build anticipation for her speech (you can read?the prepared for delivery version?here).
In her speech, Rice criticized President Obama more gently than many who have trod the stage this week, saying that the Arab Spring proves the "desire for freedom is indeed universal" but that the promise of the unprisings is "engulfed in uncertainty" and America's allies do not know where the country stands.
"'Where does America stand?'" Rice asked. "You see when friends or foes, alike, do not know the answer to that question -- unambiguously and clearly -- the world is likely to be a more dangerous and a chaotic place." Warning against malign powers who would seek to fill a leadership vacuum abroad, she asserted, "peace really does come through strength" and said America's might would be "safe in Mitt Romney's hands."
But it was her remarks on her own personal story and on the need for better K-12 education for minority children -- which she called "the civil rights struggle of our day" that she drew the greatest response from the audience, suggesting that she's no longer seen just as a foreign policy intellectual and high-stature former government official but as a powerfully symbolic figure. Her personal successes and race give her an unusual authority within the a party starved for black leaders to contrast with Obama and values-laden personal narratives to contrast against programs Republicans would cut.
Rice said earlier today she would not consider a position in a Romney administration. But even if she doesn't, it's clear from tonight that her place in the Romney-Ryan Republican Party is assured.
Latest Politics Posts:
Loading feed...
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/condi-rice-stateswoman-symbol-151148151--politics.html
stephen colbert south carolina seal seal and heidi klum drew peterson untouchable herman cain south carolina palmetto rob lowe
The attack by a group of men in Beijing came as nationalist sentiment deepens in both China and Japan over ownership of islands in the South China Sea.
Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba speaks to journalists at his office in Tokyo, Tuesday, Aug. 28. Gemba on Tuesday demanded an investigation into an incident in which a man in Beijing ripped the Japanese flag off of a car carrying the country's ambassador to China.
Kyodo News/AP
EnlargeJapan pressed its diplomatic advantage with China on Tuesday, demanding an official investigation into an attack on the Japanese ambassador?s car in Beijing.
Skip to next paragraph Peter FordBeijing Bureau Chief
Peter Ford is The Christian Science Monitor?s Beijing Bureau Chief. He covers news and features throughout China and also makes reporting trips to Japan and the Korean peninsula.
' +
google_ads[0].line2 + '
' +
google_ads[0].line3 + '
Subscribe Today to the Monitor
Beijing apologized for the embarrassing incident on Monday, in which an unidentified man ripped the Japanese flag from the ambassador?s car amid rising tensions over disputed islands in the East China Sea.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said the government was undertaking a ?serious investigation? and would guarantee foreign diplomats? safety. That did not stop Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba from formally demanding an investigation on Tuesday, calling the incident ?deplorable.?
Thousands of anti-Japanese protesters took to the streets of cities across China last weekend for the second straight week, burning Japanese flags and vandalizing Japanese restaurants and businesses.
The violence is the latest flare-up of a long-simmering row between Beijing and Tokyo over ownership of a handful of uninhabited rocky islands known here as the Diaoyu and in Japan as the Senkaku islands. The islands are surrounded by fishing grounds, and sovereignty would confer rights over nearby undersea oil and gas deposits.
The most recent war of words broke out between the two Asian neighbors a month ago, when Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda appeared to suggest that his government might seek to buy the islands from their private Japanese owner, an idea championed by maverick Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara.
That prompted a sharp response from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei, who expressed Beijing?s ?strong displeasure? with what he called Mr. Noda?s ?highly irresponsible? remarks.
Tensions rose further when a group of Chinese activists from Hong Kong landed on one of the disputed islands on Aug.15, the 67th ?anniversary of Japan?s surrender at the end of World War II.
After they had been arrested by the Japanese coast guard and expelled from Japan, a group of right wing Japanese activists landed on another of the islands to make their own point for a couple of hours, before coast guard officials persuaded them to leave.
Nationalist and anti-Japanese sentiment is strong in China, where the authorities have long encouraged it in their citizens from an early age through history books that often inflame resentment against the former invaders.
The Chinese government faces a delicate task, however, not wanting to appear soft on Japan yet anxious to keep protests from turning into expressions of dissatisfaction with the Chinese authorities themselves, or from spilling over into violence that might seriously harm relations with Tokyo.
The Japanese authorities too appear anxious not to let the dispute get out of hand. The government yesterday refused a request from the Tokyo municipality for permission to land a delegation on the islands.
wrestlemania country music awards 2012 wrestlemania 28 results earl scruggs game of thrones game of thrones season 2 wrestlemania 28
The price of oil hovered above $95 a barrel on Thursday after a powerful storm that had shut down refineries along the U.S. Gulf Coast started to ease as it moved inland.
By early afternoon in Europe, benchmark oil for October delivery was down 2 cents to $95.47 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 84 cents to finish at $95.49 a barrel on Wednesday.
In London, Brent crude rose 75 cents to $113.29 on the ICE Futures exchange.
Traders were watching for any reports of significant damage from Hurricane Isaac as it passed over oil facilities in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm's heavy winds and rain were not expected to cause extensive damage to oil production and refinery operations.
"Although a lot of the production capacity was closed down, it was a precautionary measure and we're not hearing any reports of significant damage," said Nick Trevethan, senior commodities strategist at ANZ Research in Singapore. "There have been some power outages that may interfere with the restart of some onshore facilities."
Trading volumes were low as markets awaited U.S. Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke's highly anticipated speech on Friday at an economic conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Market watchers are hoping for signs that the Fed is willing to take action to spur growth in the U.S.
They are also anticipating the release of manufacturing data out of China. Worse-than-expected numbers could put pressure on Beijing for more stimulus measures to help revive growth in the world's No. 2 economy.
Meanwhile, an unexpected rise in U.S. crude stockpiles was helping to keep a ceiling on oil prices.
"The U.S. inventory data presented (Wednesday) afternoon by the U.S. Department of Energy additionally weighed on prices," said analysts at Commerzbank in Frankfurt. "Last week, crude oil stocks rose sharply by 3.8 million barrels, putting them 7.5 percent higher than the five-year average and at their highest level for this time of year since 1990."
In other Nymex energy trading, heating oil advanced 2.2 cents to $3.1444 a gallon while wholesale gasoline rose 1.09 cents to $2.9277 a gallon. Natural gas slipped 2.4 cents to $2.661 per 1,000 cubic feet.
___
Pamela Sampson in Bangkok contributed to this report.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/oil-stays-above-95-hurricane-isaac-goes-inland-122322680--finance.html
ndaa timberwolves weight watchers rawhide bigfoot sandra dee twilight zone
WASHINGTON (AP) ? A former security guard at the construction site of a new U.S. consulate compound in Guangzhou, China pleaded guilty Thursday to trying to sell secret photos and other secret information about restricted areas inside the facility to China's Ministry of State Security.
At a hearing in federal court, Bryan Underwood admitted that the case against him as laid out by prosecutors in court papers was correct.
"Guilty," he said when the judge asked for his plea.
According to prosecutors, Underwood had lost a substantial amount of money in the stock market and hoped to make $3 million to $5 million by selling information and access to the consulate. Underwood created a schematic that listed all security upgrades to the U.S. consulate and drew a diagram of the surveillance camera locations at the facility, according to papers in the case.
Underwood wrote a letter to the ministry of state security expressing interest in initiating a business arrangement with Chinese officials and took photographs of his worksite to pass on. He was turned away by a guard who declined to accept the letter.
He later left the letter in the open in his apartment hoping that Chinese state security would find it. He believed that Chinese state security routinely searched apartments occupied by Americans.
A year ago, U.S. law enforcement agents in Hong Kong interviewed Underwood and he revealed his plans to sell information and access to China.
The charge Underwood pleaded guilty to carries a sentence of up to life in prison. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Underwood likely will be sentenced to serve between 188 and 235 months in prison. That's between 15 and 20 years.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ex-us-guard-china-pleads-guilty-secrets-case-170645461.html
mega millions winning numbers autism speaks ubaldo jimenez ncaa final country music awards autism awareness angelman syndrome
By Mark Charnet
Over the -past 30 years there have been many arguments about the types of life insurance policies available in the marketplace.? The media has compared Term vs. Whole Life vs. Variable Life vs. Universal Life and variations within each of these life insurance products. What has never been contested, debated or discussed, is the need for life insurance.? The need is universally accepted by everyone I have ever spoken to about the subject!? What?s interesting though is that most people would rather not discuss spending any money onlife insurance and that truly is disappointing, regrettable and may I also say flat-out wrong!
?
The #1 reason for the purchase of a policy, has traditionally been income replacement of the family breadwinner.? A close second has been to pay for a funeral and final expenses.? Other reasons include: debt coverage or a mortgage or a business partnership buy and sell arrangement to cover the expenses of college for the kids and to equalize inheritances.? Another fabulous reason to purchase a life policy is to settle the tax bill from the government, both state and federal, due to the onerous taxes imposed at death!? Some people purchased whole life policies to accumulate cash value for:emergencies, college savings, a first home purchase,a wedding or even to help with retirement income; and all of these were and are excellent reasons to have a life insurance policy.
?
Today, however, there are even more compelling reasons to take a look at how life insurance can work wonders for you!? The biggest one, in my opinion, is to create a non-qualified deferred compensation plan as a retirement plan supplement.? Yes, in addition to your IRA, 401k, savings and emergency funds a properly funded life insurance policy can work wonders for your future in a tax-free environment.? But wait, there?s still more!? Now, your life insurance policy can offer payments prior to death if you are unable to perform some of the activities of daily living like: bathing, moving from room to room, dressing or feeding yourself. If you have a cognitive impairment like senility, Alzheimer?s or dementia your life insurance policy can pay you a partial claim.?? A new life policy can pay a partial claim if you have a heart attack or a stroke or cancer and don?t die! Did you know that? ?If you are diagnosed with a terminal illness, this too will trigger a partial claim.? You know what?s also unique?? These benefits are also available on certain Term policies as well!? Imagine, for one premium you can get coverage for all of these contingencies at the same time from one policy and it will still pay a death benefit when you die!
?
Now it?s true that a traditional long-term care policy would offer substantially greater benefits than a life insurance policy with a long-term care rider, but, how many of my readers have either not considered, cancelled or have inadequate long-term care protection?? With the cost of a nursing home in our area exceeding $100,000+ annually and the average length of stay to be around three years, the latest statistics tell us that there is a 70% chance if you are over age 75, that you will enter a nursing home or the watered down definition, an assisted living facility, before you die! The risk to your portfolio and estate requires a second look at providing this much needed protection.? I teach in my workshops that a life insurance policy may be the best long-term care policy of all in that you might never have the nursing home experience, but, for sure you?re going to die!? If there was an intrusion into your net-worth to pay for long-term care, the life insurance policy would ultimately replace those funds tax-free.? If you and or your spouse never spent a dime on long-term care, the life insurance pay-off could be used for one of the reasons mentioned earlier.? Your kids can certainly use the infusion of capital for their retirement years or your grandchildren?s college expenses or to pay estate taxes at your death ?? whatever the reason, I can assure you it won?t go unused!
?
No, life insurance isn?t just for dying anymore!? It?s actually better if used for living!? With that thought in mind, may I suggest a policy review to determine if a new and improved model might be better suited to your individual needs in 2012 then when you originally made your purchase in the past.? Have no policy yet?? Regardless of your age or health, it behooves you to investigate your options. Call today for information.? As always there is no cost or fee to inquire, so come in and get the facts and more information. Both you and your family will benefit!
Mark E. Charnet is President and Founder of American Prosperity Group.? APG is the Premier Retirement and Estate Planning Franchise in the United States with 17 offices in 8 states.? Mr. Charnet has over thirty years of experience in the Retirement and Estate Planning fields. Creator of the Trinity Method of Investing?, Mark encourages your inquiries and can be reached at: 800-929-3374 or 973-831-4424 or via email, markcharnet@1APG.com Check out our website: www.1APG.com Interested in a career in retirement and estate planning? Check out this website: www.APGFranchise.comSecurities through: BCG Securities, Inc. Member SIPC, FINRA and a Registered Investment Advisor
?
Life and Leisure Print Edition 082212_Z123
Short URL: http://www.lifeandleisurenj.com/?p=3593
Source: http://www.lifeandleisurenj.com/family/life-insurance-isnt-just-for-dying.html
Banners advertising Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S III and Apple's iPhone 4S are displayed at a mobilephone shop in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. After more than three weeks of trial in the U.S. and two days of deliberations, the nine-person jury said Friday that Samsung copied Apple's iPhone and iPad and ordered the South Korean firm to pay more than $1 billion in damages. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Banners advertising Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S III and Apple's iPhone 4S are displayed at a mobilephone shop in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. After more than three weeks of trial in the U.S. and two days of deliberations, the nine-person jury said Friday that Samsung copied Apple's iPhone and iPad and ordered the South Korean firm to pay more than $1 billion in damages. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S III phones are displayed at a mobilephone shop in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. After more than three weeks of trial in the U.S. and two days of deliberations, the nine-person jury said Friday that Samsung copied Apple's iPhone and iPad and ordered the South Korean firm to pay more than $1 billion in damages. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Kevin Johnson, right, and Victoria Maroulis, left, attorneys for Samsung, leave the US Courthouse and Federal building after a jury reached a decision in the Apple Samsung trial on Friday, Aug 24, 2012 in San Jose, Calif. After a year of scorched-earth litigation, a jury decided Friday that Samsung ripped off the innovative technology used by Apple to create its revolutionary iPhone and iPad. The jury ordered Samsung to pay Apple $1.05 billion. An appeal is expected. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S III, right, and Apple's iPhone 4S are displayed at a mobile phone shop in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Aug. 24, 2012. After a year of scorched-earth litigation, a jury decided Friday that Samsung ripped off the innovative technology used by Apple to create its revolutionary iPhone and iPad. The jury ordered Samsung to pay Apple $1.05 billion. An appeal is expected. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
NEW YORK (AP) ? Apple's $1 billion court victory over Samsung poses a lot of questions for consumers. Will Samsung phones still be available for sale? Will they be more expensive? Will owners of existing phones need to worry?
A federal jury in San Jose, Calif., ruled late Friday that Samsung, the world's largest maker of phones, had copied features of the iPhone and the iPad. That included the "bounce-back" behavior when a user scrolls to the end of a page and the ability to zoom in on an image by spreading two fingers.
The jury awarded Apple $1.05 billion in damages. That was less than the $2.5 billion sought, but still a victory for Apple. Meanwhile, the jury rejected Samsung's patent-infringement claims against Apple. An appeal is expected.
For now, here's what the verdict means for consumers:
___
Q. Can I still buy a Samsung phone or tablet computer today?
A. Yes. The jury didn't prohibit sales of the devices. However, Apple will ask a judge to ban U.S. sales of several Samsung devices. A Sept. 20 hearing has been scheduled. If the judge agrees, that would affect many Samsung devices, but not the most recent ones, such as the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note smartphones. Most of the two dozen devices covered by the lawsuit aren't sold in meaningful numbers in the U.S.
Q. Was Friday's verdict final?
A. No. Samsung is challenging it. First, Samsung will first ask the trial judge to toss the verdict. Then it will appeal to a court in Washington that specializes in patent appeals. Samsung has vowed to take the fight all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, if necessary.
Q. If Apple still prevails, will this drive Samsung out of the phone business?
A. That's not likely. The verdict doesn't apply outside the U.S. and doesn't apply to the latest Samsung devices either. The $1 billion in damages represents 1.5 percent of Samsung Electronics Co.'s annual revenue.
Q. Will this make Samsung phones more expensive?
A. Possibly. Samsung may have to pay Apple substantial royalties on each phone. Consumers will likely pay for that somehow, but it may not be noticeable in stores. Phone companies such as AT&T and Verizon Wireless already subsidize each smartphone by hundreds of dollars to get retail prices down to $99 or $199.
Q. What does this mean for the Samsung phone I already own?
A. This doesn't directly affect phones that have already been sold, even if they are the models that the judge decides to ban. In the long run, it could reduce enthusiasm around Android, the operating system from Google that Samsung uses in the devices in question. That might mean fewer applications for Android from outside parties. That will take years to play out, but could conceivably affect the resale value of your phone.
Q. Does this mean Samsung phones will look different in the future?
A. Possibly. The jury dinged Samsung's flagship Galaxy line for copying the overall look and feel of the iPhone and for using the stock icons with rounded corners that come with Android. Also at issue was the way Android can tell the difference between the touch of a single finger and several fingers. Samsung might delay some models to give it time to rework their look and feel.
Q. What does this mean for other Android phones, such as those from LG Electronics Inc., HTC Corp. and Google's Motorola Mobility?
A. Although the ruling applies only to Samsung, it will have an indirect effect on all makers of Android devices. Apple could go after them with arguments similar to the ones used against Samsung. But Friday's ruling is not precedential, meaning that other courts could reach completely different decisions.
Most likely, makers of Android phones will take more care to make their phones distinguishable from the iPhone.
It's also a standard tactic in patent cases to countersue. In this case, Samsung's patent claims against Apple were thrown out by the court. But Google has been buying up patents and could help other phone makers mount more effective countersuits.
Q. What does this mean for Android devices around the world?
A. The ruling applies only to the U.S., though Apple and Samsung are waging similar battles in other countries. On the same day Samsung lost in the U.S., it partially won a fight in South Korea. A Seoul court imposed a partial ban on South Korean sales of products from both companies. That verdict didn't affect the latest models either.
Q. What does this mean for Apple?
A. Analysts say it could help Apple gain market share at the expense of Android phones, if these have to avoid some attractive and easy-to-use features introduced by Apple.
Despite being a driving force in phone development since the iPhone was launched in 2007, Apple has only 19 percent of the worldwide smartphone market, according to IDC. The high price of the iPhone keeps it out of the reach of many consumers. Meanwhile, Android phones have 64 percent of the market.
___
Follow Peter Svensson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/petersvensson
Associated Presssickle cell trait michigan football michigan football sugar bowl mild kidney failure presidential candidates celebrity wife swap
It's a shame Quora doesn't get more traffic considering how fun and informative it is. So to raise awareness, today Quora launches an embeddable quote feature that lets any website host its content. The embeds?make citation easier, and trackbacks show authors where their questions and answers are ending up. I've embedded Quora's announcement of the feature in this post which will show you how it looks. comScore pegs Quora at 1.5 million monthly uniques, up 300% in the last year, but it's still far from becoming a household name. Like Twitter's push to get tweets on TV a few years ago, Quora embeddable quotes could get it the off-site eyeballs it needs to make learning more mainstream.Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/hmMhE0kQnVA/
world peace lakers colorectal cancer metta kashi neil diamond orange crush harden
In a terrible and twisted turn of events, Louisiana Tech reported on its Facebook page on Wednesday that its live bulldog mascot that had been missing since Sunday, Tech XX, died of heat stroke and was apparently covered up by an employee at the Sexton Animal Health Center after he or she left the dog outside too long in 102-degree heat.
It was reported on Monday that Tech XX had been let out to go to the bathroom but disappeared when an employee of the clinic returned to let him back in. That was apparently a lie as the school posted a note from the mascot?s caretaker, Patrick Sexton, who also runs the animal health center that read in part:
Regretfully, I learned this morning that through negligence of an employee, Tech XX was left outside too long on Sunday evening and passed away from a heat stroke. That employee unfortunately chose to handle it the wrong way and attempted to cover it up. Due to this negligence, the employee is no longer employed by Sexton Animal Health Center.
My family, my staff and I are extremely upset at this tragic turn of events as I know the entire Louisiana Tech Family is as well. Tech XX was a member of our immediate family and a daily part of our lives for the past four years. We are devastated over the circumstances of his passing and there will be a large void in our hearts for some time to come. As with any family member, we will spend considerable time grieving his passing.
If you?ve ever owned a pet of any kind, you can only imagine the pain the Sexton family and entire Louisiana Tech community is feeling right now. The fact that the death was allegedly due to such extreme negligence and followed by a cover-up just makes this even more sickening.
We can only hope the Sexton family and school finds a fitting way to honor the late and loveable mascot.
[Louisiana Tech on Facebook]
Source: http://www.lostlettermen.com/la-tech-mascot-dies-of-heat-stroke/
emmylou harris disco inferno b.i.g 1000 words ron white ron white buckyballs
